I'm used to looking dischevelled in the winter, im used to walking in everywhere with a neon night vision jacket and my helmet still on my head, mostly I dont really mind looking like a cycling dork, and I am smug at my rain or shine or snow or hail attitude to getting about on the bike, but just sometimes it wouId be nice to have a smart, visible rain jacket to take me to the office/gallery/boozer, and look what i stumbled across.... Rapha and Raphas big design chum and cycling nut Sir Paul Smith has made this nice little city cycling jacket, it comes out at the end of the month (and comes in a less safety concious black too).

 

Spazzetta would be buying this if her last credit card hadn't been taken off her in Booze Buster recently, I reckon I could raise about £35 from my food budget (less food = less weight) and that leaves me to find 235 notes elsewhere. Shit i really want it. Rapha don't be tight and knock me a few quid off or else i will be visiting your store and exercising my five finger discount voucher.
 
LOVE Spazzetta
 
xoxo
 
p.s it matches my town bike http://spazzettadellabici.posterous.com/spazz-steel-shizzle and therefore MEANT TO BE

More info on the jacket at Rapha http://www.rapha.cc/paul-smith-city-rain-jacket

just a little teeny weeny reminder about Romero's background, some silver medal with a rowing team in Athens (she was GUTTED at second place) switched sports and went from zero to track cycling hero in a mere TWO YEARS, yes my friends Rebecca Romero STARTED on the Track only 2 years prior to taking Gold in Beiging in 2008. and after being ROBBED of the opportunity to defend that title as queen of the Individual pursuit, as some loser thought it was a good idea to drop this great race. Ms Romero who has been working on the road with her team Orbea For Goodness Shakes has announced that she will be targeting the Team Pursuit for London 2012.
 
http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2010/sep/25/rebecca-romero-cycling-london-2012
 
Well THIS SPAZ is 100% backing Romero, she really is my Hero, She is an amazingly focused and intense athlete, and also incredibly human and expressive, I remember watching her being interviewed after taking Gold in Bejing high on addrenaline, tearful, breathless, saying "I just don't know what I would have done if I hadnt won Gold". Well it took my breath away. Part of me identifing with her, like many a woman whose ego's and identities are so intrinsically linked to their achievements, and who also have bad habits of moving their own goal posts forever out of reach. Then part of me is just in AWE of the supreme dedication, day-in-day-out relentless repetitivness of the traning, on the rollers, going round and round and round the track, the pain, the lactic threshold training and the sheer day to day difficulty of pushing yourself that little bit more. and for what? that must be a hard question these athletes ask themselves. But now after some fun on the road with Orbea For Goodness shakes cycling team, she is back for MORE!
 
Good Luck Rebecca, I think you are amazing and I hope that you know you are.

Spazzetta della bici x

Look here at Mr Simon Lamb author of big brother site Gazzetta Della Bici, here he is featured in GLAMOUR magazine this very month with his beautiful and elegant wife Lynne, who is also a successful actress, with her own theatre company. Big Timers huh? they sure are. Biggest heart too. I am privileged to know them.

  Un milione di baci

  Marcelle x

its that time of year again folks where the silver lining to the darkening nights and nip in the air is the UTTER EXCITEMENT at wrapping up in your winter kit. here is a little hat collection for town and country rides for your perusal/arousal/whatever:
 
1st up is a peaked ski hat from the Stella McCartney Adidas range, its reduced to £24.99 and would look well nice on my swede as I bob around town
 
http://www.sheactive.co.uk/item_detail.html?&itemno=6910&type=brand&group=00000084
 
next up as previously mentioned in Gazzetta is the HOT HOT Rapha Belgian wool peaked hat, this is the one that was stolen (lost) last year, look there I am in happier times with it. also I like the way Rapha have gone about promting the womens range with sweaty proper hottie cycling femmes, it really makes me want their stuff, albeit at half price. anyway its 45 British Pounds they sold out last year pretty quick so dont hesitate or you will REGRET. (get me one).
 
http://www.rapha.cc/knitted-hat
 
The PDM winter hat is a thing of such exquisite beauty it dosnt need a peak to get in on this post, however in my dreams there is one with a peak, i KNOW it exists, please someone make this happen for me. This is availablle at the great Super Cycle Clothing for £3.99 for GODS SAKE and you can pick up a Banesto snow headband while you are there.
 
http://www.supercycleclothing.com/pdm-ski-hat-1374-p.asp
 
We cant ommit the great Gazzetta Della Bici winter hat ( Lamb I PRESUME im getting one for Christmas) lovingly HANDMADE by Susan at Rocket Fuel Style 55 Oz Dollars.
 
http://www.rocketfuel.net.au/la-gazzetta-della-bici.html
 
I'm really please with this find and I think I will definatly get it as I reckon i will look badass and also feel warm around the streets of Moss side etc its a Marmot Packable hat so one presumes you can scrunch it up and the peak wont lose its shape, a good thing. 39.99 EURO.
 
http://www.bergfreunde.de/outdoor+bekleidung+maenner/accessoires+muetzen+caps/marmot+packable+primaloft+hat+wintermuetze.html?force_sid=59f73d7e7528b5dfd07cd94c280d84a2&listtype=search&searchparam=marmot
 
Lastly for those proper bitter cold days where your nose is in PAIN its so cold, those days can be those most beautiful to ride, so I have selected a a 2 in 1 peaked hat/Balaclava, clever huh? Foxy AND toasty warm, available online and at the great Mancunian mens clothing Emporium Oi Polloi for Forty notes, there are some well dodgier looking balaclavas out there which have too much association with devience and crime to be considered acceptable cycling apparell so stay well clear and keep them in that 'special draw'
 
http://www.oipolloi.com/store/OliverSpencer-ArcticHatLightGreyMarl-12770.html
 
Ok get shopping comrades help the economy and help Spazzetta too. x
 
 

hmm Gazzetta has been having a mooch at Rapha's winter shizzle ( http://www.lagazzettadellabici.com/2010/09/winter-rapha-highlights.html )  yes its really really nice, especially the winter hat which someone ROBBED off me (i lost it) at the Velodrome last year. however still without a patron and piss poor, Spazzetta is looking forward to favourite German supermarket winter cycling EXTRAVAGANZA! some of the stuff is utter ming, but i'll be stalking the Old Trafford aisles on wednesday night demanding they bring the rail out a day early. anyway anyway, HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE:
 

Cycling thermals I KNOW this is what big brother at Gazzetta wears when he is lounging about with the laptop on his belly watching old grand tours, i dont wear thermals on the bike but i will enjoy lolling about in these apres ride. A TENNER!
 
look at this MERINO wool jersey for £15!!!! they do it in all black too, yes please that'll do.
 
a £4 pump handy to replace the inevitable stolen one (THIEVING BASTARDS)
 

Winter cycling socks, if you have bibs and and overshoes who gives a fuck what you have warming your toes. £3 a pop, a great buy. fact.
 
There is loads of other junk too like arm and leg warners really you just dont know if its any good until you get there.
 
ALSO just in time for La Vuelta the same week the great ALDI are having a spnaish moment with cheapo Chorizo (£1.49) and San Miguel (£2.99) HELL YEAH theres my tea organised.
 
laterz comrades x
 
Spaz
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

LOOK AT MY NEW BIKE! Aint it pretty?! i picked this up today from a nice gent in Burnage, originally from now defunct Didsbury Cycles, I haven't ridden a Vintage bike before so getting used to my downtube shifters which are shockingly smooth, my 'suicide levers' are a bit scary so necessary to ride on the drops which are much lower than the Spesh, look at the smart detail on the brake levers that have been drilled out to save weight! basically its really pretty. I was also surprised how comfortable it is to ride I guess not much has really changed since 1978 which is the estimate when it was made and I'm claiming that because it was the year I was born. I'm new to this vintage shizzle so any advice or information on this bike will be whole heartedly welcome. I LOVE IT! 

If you thought I couldnt milk it anymore, here I am posting about my facial ROAD RASH. I'd like to say that this was some heroic fall caused my someone else, however....the spirtit of Menchov was within and wet tram tracks removed my dignity promptly in front of about 200 waiting passengers. OH THE DISGRACE, nicely timed on the third day of my new job too. Anyway every cloud has a silver lining and Ive been able to establish my hard women cycling credentials in my new office, so i guess i'll be known as 'that Spazz on a bike' sooner than i anticipated. I've given you some gratuitousl pictures of my smashed face. look at my LIP! also you can see the site of my spill. shame shame knows my name. also i have a bashed knee but thats like ten a penny innit?

  feel free to send gifts to aid my recovery.

  lots of LOVE

  the Spazz

Lil' Spaz is enagaing in regular bidding wars for a cheap but foxy steel frame bike to knock about town on, of course i keep losing because there isn't much nice for under fifty notes ( im POOR), anyway when I get this bike i'll need some 'steel specific' attire and I think this will jacket do nicely. Since it's bespoke, i'll take a more ladylike cut (nipped in the waist and bracelet length sleeve), I adore the pockets on the back for my eyeliner and Blackberry and energy gels too.

Stuff like this can be devisive or shall i say it 'winds the fuck up' some folk out there, now I cant say im a particulary 'tweedy' cyclist amd I know that big brother at Gazzetta is a LYCRA ONLY PRO ZONE, but he dosnt commute or leave his bike locked up anywhere (GOD FORBID) amd I know last time Timothy Everest made a cycling suit he did it for Rapha and it was THREE GRAND so that is going to wind some folk up there and then, oh well they can get in a lather over it, but for the rest of us who like to look a bit smart on and off a bike its nice when something like this comes up, shame i havent got a BEAN.so....

Since I found nothing but red tape trying to establish myself as a charity I have decided to open uip the vacency for a Patron(s), we can draw up a BESPOKE terms and conditions at a later date, in the meantime send me your cash. thanks.(I'm not a prostitute)

The Spaz x

 

I received this oil when I was experiencing an ‘icky’ period in my life, I have to say hand on heart it has literally rescued me from some shit-hole days. Obviously baths and massage are great stress relievers in themselves and by using this oil you are already taking care of yourself, however Rosa is more than a ‘pamper product’, Rosa makes you feel taken care of, it has a real medicinal quality, kinda like your mum feeding you a teaspoon of Buttercup syrup (mmmm!).

Rosa has depth and is busting out with intensity and so it comes as no surprise that the muse for Rosa is Mr. Lamb very own glamorous wife, who needed an ultra relaxing and soothing oil to respond to her sciatica. The result is a highly concentrated and complex blend of essential oils; It’s heavier and more luxurious than Rosso due to its different purpose. A little goes a long way, I only use half a cap and the fragrance lingers in the bathroom for hours afterwards*.

Also my spazzy kitties like to hang around on my damp towels after a bath and their fur picks up the fragrance, it’s basically really cute and so they end up like those herby soothing pillows that you warm in the microwave (DON’T PUT YOUR CAT IN A MICROWAVE!)

I’ve included some gratuitous pictures of my spazzy kitties just to wind Lamb up.

*Use washing up liquid to clean your bath after oils, it’s the RIZZ (Queen of clean)

 

This Summer most of the Wacky Racers deserted me to LIVE THE DREAM riding USA Coast to Coast, (see them here with their crusty touring bikes and panniers http://jackchev.blogspot.com/ ).I do miss them though very much, however back in Manchester Jack Kenton, Alan and I (too poor for the USA) have decided to live out own dream, in Manchester, on a budget. Basically this involves getting out riding as much as possible together just having fun and talking crap. ALSO the other wacky racers never liked to stop for a brew. well WE DO! my pictures here mostly involve food but they illustrate our holiday at home (so ON TREND!)
 

1.Jak Kenton prepares a pre ride EURO breakfast or croissant, Nutella and quadruple espresso.
2.A brew and cake in Tatton
3.A chippy tea at Alans while watching the highlights after a ride.
 
I dont think this will make the rest of our team sick with jealousy but its nice innit?
 
but I need to eat lessy chippy teas and croissants as I'm a bridesmaid in October. GULP!
 
laterz homies