Are you a cycling fan or one of your relatives is a fan of the Grande Boucle? Still haven’t started your Christmas presents or are you damn late? Do not panic. West France and Prolongation, the new digital product of the Sports department, suggest a list of gifts to inspire you while shopping.
The “Golden Book of Cycling”
Report to The team, cycling specialist for many years (he has covered 26 Tour de France), Jean-Luc Gatellier signs a new copy of the “Cycling Golden Book”, dedicated to these twelve months of 2020, which are very particular in view of the health context . Julian Alaphilippe, 2020 world champion, signs the preface: “2020 has been a roller coaster, on and off the bike. It’s my destiny. I gave it rainbow colors ”, writes the puncher from Montluçonnais. The book goes into detail on all the highlights of 2020, the revelations, the disappointments, the triumphs. It also pays tribute to Nicolas Portal, the former sports director of Ineos, who died in March. But he does not forget either to return to the disappearance of Raymond Poulidor, the eternal second, celebrated in particular on the last Tour de France during the passage in Saint-Léonard-de-Noblat, the land of “Poupou”. Jean-Luc Gatellier, a rigorous writer, does not omit any details of these unique months marked by cancellations or postponements in shambles. The perfect encyclopedia of cycling in 2020. (€ 24.90, from Solar editions).
“Tours de France”
Antoine Blondin and the Tour de France, it’s a real love story. The writer was a columnist for The team. He wrote there one text per day, gazing at a race event. With 1,000 pages covering the Tours from 1954 to 1982, the texts can be enjoyed day by day, and it will appeal to fans of the little queen and the Big Loop. For each text, it is possible to relive the victories of Jacques Anquetil, the miseries of Raymond Poulidor, the passage through mythical or completely unknown places, all with the prose and the dose of humor of Antoine Blondin. In total, there are 580 chronicles. Enough to learn also differently on the Grande Boucle. (€ 34.50, published by La Table Ronde).
Neon yellow winter jacket
Going to ride in winter is not the most motivating thing. The cold can quickly shower any desire to go on the road. So to take to the roads even in the coolest weather, nothing better than a good jacket allowing you not to feel the cold winter. At Decathlon, several jackets allow you to isolate yourself from the cold. Here, it is about a model which has a neck warmer which allows to keep a feeling of heat. The little extra? Its fluorescent yellow color. If it is, of course, very flashy, it can be seen from afar, with its bright color and reflective bands. One more security issue not to be overlooked. (70 €).
A helmet
We saw it coming out of the first confinement, the sale of bicycles has exploded in France, and bicycle dealers are still mostly out of stock. Nevertheless, have you thought about buying a helmet? It is essential for any self-respecting bicycle rider or even Sunday rider on the towpath. The editorial team recommends this urban range from The Kask. This premium product combines a durable, lightweight polycarbonate outer shell and a polystyrene inner shell, for maximum protection in the event of a fall. In terms of comfort, the interior padding is made of breathable Coolmax Sanitized anti-bacteria treated fabric, and four air intakes in the upper part of the helmet provide excellent ventilation. The little extra: the visor. Not bad at all.
To find here at 159 €, otherwise at your usual cycle dealers.
“Darrigade”
André Darrigade is one of the French who marked the history of the Tour de France during the post-war period. Teammate of Anquetil within the French team at the height of the Norman rider, he was the fastest rider in the Tricolores, winning many stages, also wearing the yellow jersey on several occasions. Now 91 years old, he has an eloquent track record, to make many sprinters jealous. In this book, Christian Laborde traces the career of this former world champion. What to learn more about the rider who competed in 14 Tours de France, with 22 stage victories and many other successes. (€ 21.90, from Éditions du Rocher).
Outfit In the bag
A little nod to our friends from Dans la musette, who often make us laugh on Twitter. In addition to making good words, they make beautiful outfits. Untouchable value for money “like the Messina Shark in descent”, security and visibility, waterproof pocket … And all this for a production on demand with the possibility of personalizing the set with your name or your pseudo. To find here, on their website.
The Red Flame board game
Gigamic never ceases to delight in the world of board games. The highly prized Six who takes or Mito testify to this. But in 2017, Gigamic had hit the nail on the head for fans of cycling and strategy games with La Flamme Rouge. In three years, this strategy game has not aged a bit. Two to four players face off in a fierce battle lasting nearly forty minutes. Each player will embody a duo of runners, a rider and a sprinter on a stage of the Tour de France. In this board game, the objective is to cross the finish line first with one of your runners.
But with the energy cards, exhaustion, “peloton effects”, turns and aspiration, the task will prove to be much more difficult than you think. An excellent strategy and family game, from eight years old, to wait before the next deadlines of the Little Queen.
A phone holder
It’s not always easy to find a place for your smartphone when you’re going for a few hours of driving and want to do it lightly. A solution, which can quite find its place on the handlebars next to your usual computer or even replace it if you ever use the Strava application: the Quad Lock binding. It will require the purchase of a shell in addition to the set, but once fixed (easy), there is no risk of it dropping. The smartphone is perfectly stable on all types of paths you will take, even the most bumpy. Quad Lock also offers a wide range of fixings and possible combinations depending on the brand of your phone but also on the place on which you want to put it.
To find here.
The first Look bike with electric assistance
The French company Look Cycle released its first electrically assisted bicycle a few weeks ago. Ultra light, the E 765 Gotham weighs just 15.8 kg on the scale and combines the latest technology and production expertise from this fine brand. Elegant, sober and urban design, 100% made in France, light and very robust, it is equipped with an integrated Fazua Evation motor, chosen for its lightness and its most compact size. Motor assistance is fluid and intuitive, providing natural power to the rider up to a speed of 25km / h. The battery provides an average power of 250w, torque of 55Nm, and requires around 3.5 hours for a full charge. If you want to do a calf-force ride without power assistance, the motor-battery pack can simply be removed, reducing the overall weight of the bike to 11kg. (4 499 €)
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