Scott... a brief history of time
SCOTT has been my No 1 choice for bikes since 2006. Before that, I had only ridden mountain bikes... a Giant MTB (with pink and yellow colour scheme!)... a Marin Eldridge Grade (titanium silver)... and my brother's Trek Y-frame (iconic in it's day).
After moving back to Lancashire in 2003, I started to explore the Ribble Valley on MTB. Mountain biking was fun but hard work... especially when climbing hills. Folk were overtaking me on the uphills. Old codgers were overtaking me on the downhills. I soon realised that everyone else was riding different road bikes. This got me thinking.
In 2004, a friend sold me his steel-framed road bike with old fashioned gear levers. It cost me £100 (I sold it 5 years later for £120!). At last, I could almost keep up on the uphills, but more importantly overtake on the downhills. Cycling became fun again. On skinny tyres, you could go further and faster. I was hooked.
In 2005, another friend introduced me to idea of entering the Cape Argus Pick n Pay Cycle Tour - the world's largest cycle race in the world! Never one to miss the opportunity, I had entered before I knew it. The only question remained... what bike shall I ride?
Selina (2006-present) was first carbon bike - a Scott CR1 Pro. Her maiden sportive was the Cape Argus Pick n Pay Cape Cycle Tour. 109km sprint from start to finish.
Selina was one of the first carbon road bikes and had oversized tubes. She got all the attention in my early days of road cycling.
Today, her design looks almost retro.
Cape Town (2006)
Celina II (2008-present). After Selina, came Celina (II)... a lightweight Scott Addict - just like the one Mark Cavendish rode with Team Highroad... back when he was unstoppable in winning the sprints.
Trusty steed, Celina has been with me on many epic adventures. The ups and downs of Lands End to John O'Groats. The ups and down of the Pyrenees. The ups and downs and backstory of my life... she's always been there.
Col du Tourmalet (2010)
Fiona (2010-2015) was a Scott Foil - the first of a new breed of aero-road bikes.
Fiona was one of the prettiest bikes and always pulled a crowd.
Col du Galibier (2011)
Tina (2012-present). High maintenance. High adrenaline. Feels like cheating. Unforgiving and uncompromising. Temperamental and tantrums. But fast. Unbelievable fast!
Rivington Flash (2013)
Alice (2014-present) came just at the right time. I had proven myself in endurance triathlon and was looking for next big challenge. Fiona (R.I.P.) was no longer with use, and Celina II wasn't the aerobike that I was craving for. Tina was fast (very fast), but unforgiving on long bike rides and not designed for touring or sitting in traffic.
Col du Forclaz (2016)
