We’re giving away free stuff on our cycling forum!

In order to encourage further activity on our local cycling forum, we are giving away several free gifts for the following categories:

• most number of posts per month wins a free multitool
• funniest post of the month wins a pair of advanced polymeric PEEK water bottle bolts from our sister company, Vertebrae Components.
• most useful post of the month has a choice of Isostar isotonic sports drink, twin bottle cages from Btwin or one very detailed map of Tenerife (Kompass Teneriffa 233)

Bike hire terms and conditions:

We provide these rental bicycles in order for cyclists to explore & train on the many roads & tracks in Tenerife. We take pride in the high quality of all our bikes - please take care of them and they will take care of you! Above all else we hope you enjoy cycling in Tenerife! We endeavour to provide the best possible service. We’re proud to say that 99% of our exisiting clients are extremely happy. Nevertheless, we recognise that sometimes things can go wrong (accidents), hence the following terms and conditions:

GENERAL CONDITIONS:
Our bicycles are not to be thrown around, purposely skidded, jumped or otherwise abused. No silly stunts, etc. Our bicycles are always cleaned, prepared & checked before they are rented out. It’s common courtesy to return them in the same state (I.e. clean and functioning, especially after prolonged use in the rain). You must endeavour to return each bicycle in the same condition in which it was lent to you. If it is not returned in the same state, with all tools and equipment, you are likely to be charged. Upon their return, bicycle(s) will be inspected & any damage assessed. If the bicycle does not meet our expectations, you will be held liable for cleaning and/or any repairs necessary (see table below).

WHAT WE COVER:
Damage caused by normal wear and tear. This is limited to the following components:

  • spokes broken due to metal fatigue
  • normal tyre, chain and cassette wear
  • replacement brake pads, gear and brake cables

WHAT WE DO NOT COVER:
Replacement innertubes, tyres worn out by skidding on tarmac, missing tools, any other damage caused that is obviously your fault (for example stripped bolt threads, breakages caused by faulty/attempted repairs). You will be charged a cleaning fee of €2 if a bike is returned soaked in sweat and/or energy drink mixtures. Minor or major scratches (even if they are unintentional), metal fatigue (if it breaks, you are the one to pay). Broken shiftlevers caused by hamfisted operation. Cracked or broken frames. Bent rims or wheels that cannot be trued on the spot. Bicycle theft or loss. Here is a list of components and their associated replacement costs:

  • Entire bike lost or stolen: €700 for rigid MTBs and €1200 for road or full suspension bikes
  • Replacement frame: €400
  • Road shiftlevers: €150
  • MTB shiftlevers: €50
  • Carbon fork: €100
  • Suspension fork: €200
  • Wheel: €100
  • Tyre: €20
  • Seatpost: €20
  • Saddle: €30
  • Pump: €15
  • Inner tube: €5
  • Multitool misplaced or dropped €5
  • Cleaning fee: €2
  • additional parts not listed here will be charged at current retail prices

ROAD BIKE CLEANING SURCHARGE:
Whenever you go to a gymnasium (for example) you bring a towel & wipe the machine down after use. Same goes for our bikes! Sweat and other electrolytes are a direct cause of premature corrosion. Apart from that, there’s the issue of hygene. It’s also jut plain nice to ride a clean bike. We always supply clean bikes.

However we reserve the right to charge a €2 cleaning fee per bike (for road bikes; MTBs will remain exempt as getting dirty is and integral part of mountainbiking). We will be reminding each and every rider of this new clause at the time of the rental. The best & cheapest method to clean a bike is using mild soapy water applied to a cotton cloth, sponge or else a soft paper towel. If you deem yourself above cleaning your own sweat (i.e. you’re at a conference, meeting, don’t want to get dirty, can’t be bothered, etc) that’s fine, but you must pay us for the privilege.

MECHANICAL SUPPORT:
Tenerife is a fairly large island, so we don’t offer an “emergency pickup” service. Should something go wrong with one of our rental bikes, it is up to YOU to find your own way back to your hotel. Just like your local bike shop or bicycle manufacturer, no we don’t reimburse you for this journey! However, we recognise that mechanical failure is an inconvenience, not some kind of “opportunity for profit” that some businesses seem to think it is. If you believe a bike is unfit to ride for obvious safety reasons, the best course of action is to stop riding the bike and inform us as soon as possible (preferably by telephone not email).

We do our best to fix things promptly, either the same day or else overnight if that is not possible. Note that practically all bikeshops in Tenerife are closed Sundays and only open half day Saturday. These are our official hours: 9:00am - 1:00pm; 3:00pm - 8:00pm, GMT. (Monday - Saturday). Sms text messages are welcome between 8:00am and 10:00pm, 7 days a week.

We believe that bikes should run silently. However, some noises are extremely difficult to isolate or duplicate and then rectify quickly (eg: noises caused by cranksets, bottom brackets headsets and disc brakes). If the bike is rideable and you can live with it, the best option is to let us know before the end of the rental period so we can address the issue for the next customer.

Faulty rental bikes will be either repaired or replaced at our discretion. 90% of the time we have spare bikes in all sizes ready to go but during peak periods it’s impossible to have a backup bike available for every rider.

THEFT PREVENTION:
Bikes should be stored either in the room of your hotel/apartment or in a secure luggage room using the lock provided- under no circumstances are the bikes to be left un-locked outside when unattended!! A lock never offers 100% theft protection. The best deterrrent is to stay close to the bike at all times when you go out. We request that you do not leave bikes in cars overnight. Never leave a bicycle (locked or unlocked) in a public place, especially if it is visible from the street & definitely never at night time. That means bikes are not to be left on exposed balconies, for example. These simple measures drastically reduce the risk of opportunistic theft.

We ask for a security deposit to increase awareness & prevent theft, it’s not intended to rip you off. However, should a bicycle be lost or stolen, you will be liable for the current value of the bike written in the Tenerife-Training rental contract (not the replacement value, which is much more). Your security deposit will not be refunded and you will need to pay the difference. Therefore it’s up to YOU to ensure the bike doesn’t get stolen!

SPECIAL/OTHER CONDITIONS:
All bookings are subject to availability. We will only use your personal details in connection with your Booking arrangements. Some people ask the impossible of us, hence the following statement: if a rental bike is unavailable due to unforeseen damage or theft, we will not be held liable for all or part of your holiday expenses; the most we can offer is a full or partial refund of the original deposit! We go out of our way to offer polite & friendly service; however we also reserve the right to refuse service to any individual who shows rude, obnoxious or agressive behaviour.

REFUND POLICY:
Refunds are possible if a bike does not meet your expectations, minus any delivery charges. However, we do not offer refunds if it is a case of you simply “changing your mind” at the last minute. Nor do we offer refunds for unused days during the rental period.

ACCIDENTS:
Bicycle riders are inherently vulnerable road users; riding in a foreign country in extreme terrain is a risky activity. We do advise you to take out a comprehensive medical travel insurance policy that are available from any travel agent in your home country. Spain does has a reciprocal health agreement with most EU countries, including the UK. However, if you are found to be the cause of an accident, remember that you could potentially be liable for all resulting accident damage. At the time of writing, third party insurance for cyclists is not compulsory (not even for Spanish citizens), so just remember to take it easy! If you’re still reading this, know that most accidents we do see are the due to the rider’s own fault and no other vehicles are involved. It is often people misjudging corner speed and freaking out with the front and/or rear brake.

OPTIONAL INSURANCE:
At the time of rental, you may select from one of three insurance options: “no insurance”, where you will held liable for all potential damage incurred to the bicycle; “€100 excess option”, where you will only be held liable up to the value of the deposit (€1 per day surcharge); and “zero excess” where you are covered for all possible bicycle damage (available for an additional €2/day). Note that this insurance coverage is limited to bicycle damage only. Personal injury, death and third persons are exluded from our optional insurance policy.

Kompass 233 map of Tenerife | Teneriffa Karte MTB

MTB and hiking map of Tenerife | Kompass 233 Karte mit Lexikon und Stadtplänen. Wander Bike Freizeit und Straßenkarte.This is by far the most detailed tourist map of Tenerife at a scale of 1:50,000. The Kompass 233 map contains all the major mountainbike trails and walking tracks. Altitude contours are shown at 100m intervals so it’s ideal for both hiking and mountain biking. You can’t get any more detailed without getting one of the expensive official Spanish military maps.

There’s a multi-lingual legend showing imporant points such as: alpine shelters / refuge huts, hospitals, parking, information, lookouts, museums, monuments, climbing walls and even surf spots! Suggested MTB routes are outlined with blue dots.

This map includes the following inset city maps: Puerto de la Cruz, La Orotava, Los Cristianos, Playa de Las Américas, San Cristóbal de La Laguna and Santa Cruz de Tenerife. There’s also a Tenerife guide, but alas only in German (even so, it’s worth every cent).

As with all large-scale maps, there’s only one right way to fold it and many wrong ways… so if you’re looking for something easier to manage, one of the only other road maps of Tenerife I can recommend which is also suitable for road cycling is the Freytag & Berndt 1:150,000 Teneriffa map. It’s smaller, plastic coated and much easier to fold than this blanket.

Freytag & Berndt map of Tenerife. Teneriffa Karte

Freytag & Berndt Tenerife Teneriffa 1:150000 scale map. ISBN 978-3-7079-1079-7This is the best road map of Tenerife for cyclists; it contains all the major and secondary roads and even some offroad tracks.

Roads are laballed with the standard “TF” designations and include kilometre markings between major towns. This definitely isn’t a topographic map but there are several altitude points referenced. There’s also an inset map of the capital city, Santa Cruz. The best thing is that it’s pocket sized and plastic-coated so it won’t disintegrate in that sweaty back pocket of your cycling jersey!

There’s also another 1:75,000 version of the Freytag & Berndt Tenerife map; it has a cardboard cover but it is too big to fit in your pocket & doesn’t contain any more detail than this one (apart from the altitude contour lines). Unlike its big plain-backed brother, this mini-map contains some extremely brief tourist information on the reverse side (in ten languages!).

If you’re looking for the best MTB map of Tenerife with all the offroad tracks, I strongly recommend the Kompass #233 map instead. It’s probably too large for road cyclists though and very difficult to fold up again correctly.

Vertebrae ceramic housing review.

Vertebrae ceramic gear housing review. Vertebrae ceramic brake lines review.Imagine cable-operated dual-pivot calipers or v-brakes with the modulation & power of hydraulic discs. Imagine the most reliable gear housing on the planet outlasting everything else attached to your bike, including the frame. Have I got your attention? Good. Then read on… [Read more →]

World’s most expensive set of coathangers!

Zipp 100% recycled carbon fibre coathangar. Composite coat-hanger.This set of 8 coat hangers is 100% recycled from a high-end set of road racing wheels (the wheelset itself retailed for about a thousand dollars almost ten years ago; the price has since doubled). The rims are 100% carbon fibre contruction and were at the time one of the lightest wheels available (only 1059 grams for the pair of wheels!).

Recycled carbon fibre composite clothes hangersI spent the better part of this evening making these by hand after taking the first half of the morning to decide whether to do it or not. All the sharp edges have been sanded down so there is no risk of carbon fibre splinters. I believe the spokes are the original stainless steel Sapim CX Rays & the aluminium nipples also came with the zipp wheels. The two carbon rims were still structurally intact when I attacked them both with the hacksaw… so why did I butcher these instead of selling them as a built up & complete racing wheelset?

Well, primarily because the carbon brake tracks were damaged after a brief 20% descent here in Tenerife. I could have re-drilled the rims and used them for “disc brakes only” but this would require two new hubs, new spokes, a new rebuild, a suitable frame and fork and I didn’t think there would be much demand for a tubular disc-only rim.

25% of the final sale price will support World Wildlife Fund for Nature.You can buy them through ebay here. 25% of the final sale price will support World Wildlife Fund for Nature. [Read more →]

Cycling T-shirts available now

funny-t-shirt-cartoon.jpgLast week I ordered a new batch of official www.Tenerife-Training.net T-shirts! Short sleeve T-shirts are available in small, medium and large & cost only €12.50 each. Long sleeve T-shirts are available in medium and large sizes for only €15. They’ll most likely be available before the end of April, 2008.The new official www.Tenerife-Training.net T-shirts!

Anyone for Merchandise?

Marketing wisdom. Promotional merchandise.Here’s the section where we will present you with the latest merchandise. Many products will be available later in the year; all products will be offered at amazing prices & all with the tenerife-training logo: water bottles, carbon bidon cages, ingenious multi-tools, cycling apparal. We’ll possibly add further items for free, such as: key rings, calendars & screen-savers, etc. We already have the free stickers & T-Shirts… If you have any ideas, feel free to leave a comment here.

Doc Brown manufactures the first advanced ceramic bicycle component! NOT ANOTHER BEARING!!!

www.vertebr.ae

After nearly a year in development, at last it’s here:

Vertebrae Alumina Ceramic Housing Vertebrae Ceramic Gear Lines

 VÉRTEBRÆ CERAMIC GEAR LINES: US$140

Available for MTBs & road bikes
(Shimano / SRAM or Campagnolo).

Housing colours available:

CLEAR/X-RAY WHITE GREY BLACK
BLUE PURPLE RED ORANGE YELLOW GREEN

(please specify when ordering)

Vertebrae Ceramic Gear Lines   Vertebrae Ceramic Gear Lines 

www.vertebr.ae

True “Compressionless” housing: High Purity Alumina is FIVE TO SIX TIMES STIFFER than aluminium alloys, and even 50 to 80 % stiffer than steel. OK, so theoretically it compresses a bit. But you won’t notice it. Honest. It is also FIVE TO SIX TIMES STRONGER in compression than both aluminium & steel.

Effortless Gear Changes:Less force required to actuate gears + brakes, creating a “light-action” feel at the levers.

Less Maintenance: Due to the compressionless housing and protective Spinal Wrap, derailleurs are not only easier to fine tune during setup (they’ll work over a wider range of cable tension), but that they also don’t need to be re-adjusted as often as other systems.

Totally corrosion free!! High Purity Alumina is an extremely inert material. No coatings to peel off, no chipping and spalling paint. Zero corrosion for life!

Lightweight: The density of alumina is only 3.65 to 3.85 g/cm3. This results in outstanding stiffness-to-weight and strength-weight ratios. Total weight of vértebræ ceramic housing is only 46 to 52 g/m.

Enhanced Flexibility: The special segmented design is more flexible compared to traditional bowden cables; this design allows shorter cable routing using tighter-radius bends, resulting in less overall weight. Despite this, there is also reduced friction between the cable and liner, since the outer segments do not squash the inner cables like conventional housing.

Low Friction: Ceramic materials have an inherently lower frction than metals. Combined with our stainless steel cables and teflon liner, this results in considerably less friction and practically zero wear.

Extremely hard & durable: In fact, most engineering ceramics are so hard, they normally require different testing procedures to metals as it is not practical to make the same economical test specimens! In comparison with all metals, hardness is best described as “off the chart!”.