Introducing...
Every month, we introduce one of the Kingston Wheelers. This month's candidate is true gentleman Lon Pullen who recalls wooden rims and Guiness.
Name: Lon Pullen
Age: 84
Significant Others: Twice married, twice divorced, now a cranky batchelor.
What made you start cycling? Necessity. I preferred - in the summer at least - the 10 mile ride each way to school to the train, then joined the Cheltenham and County CC, riding club runs on Sundays, and taking part in the occasional race against harriers (runners, nowadays), and one unforgettable climb up the Col du Revard in France when I was 19.
Why did you join Kingston Wheelers? Persuaded by my glib-tongued nephew, Lindsay!
Date you joined the Club: Not sure, but I think it was in 1990.
Who is your favourite pro or inspiration? In my youth it was the legendary time triallist Frank Southall, in postwar years Reg Harris, whom I knew well. Nowadays, Raymond Poulidor, a truly gutsy rider whom I greatly admired for his stoic refusal to bow to the misfortunes which seemed to be attracted to him.
What bike do you ride? A good question. I must get back on my Austro-Daimler Inter Ten or my much modified Raleigh Shopper, or, if I ever get it together, my Shogun semi-compact.
Give us a brief cycling background: In early postwar years, I rode for the Maidenhead Wheelers (paving the way for John Woodburn) then for the now defunct St. Martins CC, the Addiscombe CC and a brief spell with the Barnet CC. Working in London, with my parents' home in Cheltenham, at least once a month I left work on Saturday afternoon, ride the 100 miles there on my Jagrose three-speed "lightweight" and after a good Mother's lunch on Sunday, set back off with the climb to Northleach a hard start to the ride, which I usually finished by the yellowy glimmer of my Lucas carbide lamp.
What was your best performance? Probably a long 1hr3m ride for a 25m TT on the old Farham-Alton course, having ridden down from Finchley on a pair of steel wheels with sprints attached to front wheel sprint carriers.
What was your worst performance? The climb up the Revard. I was very fit then and was leading the bunch at the summit, turned around to make what I hoped would be a triumphal descent, encountered a mule and cart coming up the rubble road (no tarmacadam then!), braked hard, front tub rolled off the wooden rim and I crashed, removing a large quantity of skin. I ended up in Aix-les-Bains hospital. My lady friend's brother, whose bike I had borrowed, was not amused.
What is your favourite race food? We were not diet concious in my days, so I suppose Guinness and onions.
Where is your favourite cycling location? It used to be the Costwolds, but now I think either Brittany or the Limousin in France.
Most likely to say: "Blimey, that hurt!"
Least likely to say: "I enjoyed that. I think I'll do it again."
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