maxn
07-04-2015, 06:20 AM
A few years ago I started looking for a new frame. I knew I wanted Ti and got to work researching and test riding. A little googling kept coming up with one name in particular that I had not heard of -- Eriksen. A little more googling landed me on a site in France for a guy named Hank that sold them in Europe. Amazingly, it turned out that he lived right across town from me. When I asked whether I could come by to check one out, he instead suggested a ride together in the Trieves, just South of Grenoble. That was in October of 2011, almost four years ago now. In the times since, we have done a lot of beautiful and largely unknown rides together on tiny roads, unknown even to the locals. I've met and ridden with his son Mat, who if anything has even more enthusiasm for these rides and cycling than his dad. It seems like only a month ago that Hank told me about his plans for a book on some of the best of these kind of rides, and a few days ago I magically had a copy in my hands.
I'm biased -- Hank is a good friend now, and somewhat ill advisedly, he even put a photo of me in the book, but I think the book is wonderful. It gives a great feel for how good the riding is here outside of the grandes classiques like Alpe d'Huez, Galibier and Ventoux (most of which Hank has managed to tick this year -- he's on a roll!). My only criticism is that it's going to vastly increase the flow of cyclist friends crashing at our house now. Kudos to you, Hank and here's to more rides together, once I finish this stupid cyclosportive training, and Volume II
I'm biased -- Hank is a good friend now, and somewhat ill advisedly, he even put a photo of me in the book, but I think the book is wonderful. It gives a great feel for how good the riding is here outside of the grandes classiques like Alpe d'Huez, Galibier and Ventoux (most of which Hank has managed to tick this year -- he's on a roll!). My only criticism is that it's going to vastly increase the flow of cyclist friends crashing at our house now. Kudos to you, Hank and here's to more rides together, once I finish this stupid cyclosportive training, and Volume II