Winter Testing on bikes

Dear Followers

At last my training has started for our London to Paris bike ride, it starts as the Formula One circus coughs back into life in sunny Valencia, Spain. Just when all the big hitters in F1 like Hamilton, the Fonz, and Schummy are tuning their fitness and skills for Bahrain over the next 4 weeks I will be doing the same with my big Winter training scheme.

I will be on the Williams test team night shift over the next month; moving around Spain from circuit to circuit, so the plan is to work all night, sleep a bit, then when Rubens and co are pounding around the track I will be pounding the streets on the bike.

The Shake Down

For all you race fans you may have heard this saying in mags like Autosport, its the term race teams use when we first run new cars, take it nice and slow and gentle making sure all systems are running, nothing will break or fall off, this is the same with me.

Day one – Valencia - 15 degrees. I did 15 miles around the glamorous port and along the beach (better than freezing Hertforshire). Taking my time, not pushing too hard, checking the gears run smooth, the brakes are responsive and that the bike turns in well. Good news, nothing fell off me or the bike but have some localised chafing and a sore ass.

So what's next? In F1 we look at what we can improve - new front wing, we can try maybe new floor with different double decker diffuser (nothing to do with the chocolate bar); so this weekend at the factory all new parts can be made to the updated spec. For me padded short are the first upgrade, then a tweak to my riding position, then comes the big push for that fast time, bring on Jerez (it’s a race circuit!).

F1 Billy

Buggsy Boy