The blog Sur La Jante features episodic reporting from the very frontlines of the cycling club scene, detailing the traditional weekend cycling club run in all its eccentric, idiosyncratic, bizarre, compelling, colourful and hugely entertaining glory.
This collection brings together in one handy volume all of 2015’s Sur La Jante entries, from the very first scant, bare bones posting of a blogger trying to find his voice, to the now well-established flood of overly verbose and over-blown logorrhoea.
Having heard grown men who should know better confess that they live for their weekend club run, Sur La Jante felt that this seemingly unique British institution was something that needed celebrating. The blog then is a paean, an homage, a eulogy if you like, to club cyclists and the traditional club run. It lifts the lid on the gloriously colourful, arcane practices, unique characters, great camaraderie and bizarre banter that makes a cycling club so entertaining and so engaging.
If you’ve ever ridden with a club, you’ll be sure to recognise some of the character traits on display and empathise with the incidents and obstacles that our cyclists encounter. If you’ve never ridden with a club, this will either inspire you to get out there, or more probably put you off for life.
Sur La Jante is the alter ego of Paul Dobbie, a 50-something, remarkably undistinguished club cyclist, occasional blogger, all-round curmudgeon and sometime smart-arse. Sur La Jante’s sole ambition in life is to win the club sprint to the café. He’s old enough to know better, but remains (just barely) young enough not to care.
This collection brings together in one handy volume all of 2015’s Sur La Jante entries, from the very first scant, bare bones posting of a blogger trying to find his voice, to the now well-established flood of overly verbose and over-blown logorrhoea.
Having heard grown men who should know better confess that they live for their weekend club run, Sur La Jante felt that this seemingly unique British institution was something that needed celebrating. The blog then is a paean, an homage, a eulogy if you like, to club cyclists and the traditional club run. It lifts the lid on the gloriously colourful, arcane practices, unique characters, great camaraderie and bizarre banter that makes a cycling club so entertaining and so engaging.
If you’ve ever ridden with a club, you’ll be sure to recognise some of the character traits on display and empathise with the incidents and obstacles that our cyclists encounter. If you’ve never ridden with a club, this will either inspire you to get out there, or more probably put you off for life.
Sur La Jante is the alter ego of Paul Dobbie, a 50-something, remarkably undistinguished club cyclist, occasional blogger, all-round curmudgeon and sometime smart-arse. Sur La Jante’s sole ambition in life is to win the club sprint to the café. He’s old enough to know better, but remains (just barely) young enough not to care.
