I love my kit as much as I love you...

Photography - Copyright - Emma Tunbridge

My team, MuleBar Girl - Sigma Sport, are going into it's fifth season. To celebrate we wanted to create a kit that really dazzled. To be honest, we have always striven to create a kit that dazzles!

We are lucky enough to have a blank canvas but we like to retain our signature pink, gold and blue stripes and have a loyalty to a white base.

I was handed the task of creating the general look of the kit, as I have done from the beginning, but it is not a task done in isolation. I spent a day or so creating moodboards and looking for inspiration and then narrowed down my findings into three favourites. At this stage I already knew the direction I was heading but wanted to keep options open. From here I got sketching, I had so many ideas and needed to communicate them in the best way knew how to the rest of the girls - I ended up using felt tips, crayons and water colours!

I posted a few designs in a group email to the rest of the team and immediately started getting feedback "I like this, but not this" or "Can we move the print from option A but with the positioning of option B" and so-on.

The over-riding feeling is that, whatever we create, has to be flattering. I think, that whatever you think of the print, it is undeniable that the colours and lines all contribute to making the girls look great!

It is a tough gig in some ways, trying to make every member of the team happy - 9 strong minded, independent and uniquely- stylish women who aren't afraid of being assertive!! But the results are always worth it, if we get something we all agree on then I know we have something that appeals to a huge cross-section of sporty women!

Eventually we decided on what we liked and now it was a case of working with the talented graphic designer, Steve Salter, to create the perfect print that incorporated our signature colours within a cosmic background! Next up, we had to work out the positioning of the sponsor logos and make sure that they worked with the aesthetic as well as providing enough exposure.

Once it was all signed off and good to go it was over to Wildoo to use specialist printing technology to create the depth of the print on the fabric of our kit. We have worked with Wildoo for a few years now and their women's kit has gone from strength to strength, as we have not only handed over designs but also fedback on a season's worth of racing for the quality and fit. I think it is safe to say that Wildoo must offer one of the best custom kits for women of all shapes and sizes.

I am really proud of this kit because I feel like we have come up with something that fits our brand and once again, pushes the boundaries of kit design. We have realised from season's of riding together that good things come from working as a team. Love it or hate it, I hope you enjoy taking a look at our 2015 season kit!!!

Original kit! Summer 2011

Winter 2012 kit

Summer 2012 kit

Summer 2013 kit

Summer 2013 kit (Copyright Paul Burgoine)

Summer 2014 kit

summer 2014 kit 

Winter 2014 kit

Launching Summer 2015 kit!

Don't Sniff Glitter before Starting a Race

This season I am hoping to do a good and proper race season in gravity enduro. As such I have been riding at least twice a week, running and eating well. I went on a downhill training holiday and am concentrating on the balance between pushing my speed and not crashing, saving my top-end concentration levels for race day. I know crashes come out of nowhere,  but I think there is a level of control a person can have, where, unless something totally unexpected happens, you know you are unlikely to crash. Crashing can mean injuries, and I don't want that to get in the way of racing before I have even started yet.

I have the best bike that I can imagine (Cannondale Jekyll), I truly feel so at home on it and I know it will give me the best advantage possible...

With one week until my first race (French national series, Blausac, Alpes) I have the intention of fitting in some sprint training (I've done none of that yet) and one or two fast, downhilly sessions. I will then feel ready.

But there is one thing letting me down.

My personality.

I am sat writing this from a train station where I am killing an hour, after missing my train by one minute. The plan is to meet some mates in Dorking, and now they are doing a detour to meet me elsewhere and I have to leave my excess stuff, including my tablet, hidden in some bushes. The problem with me is that I have no sense of urgency and no interest in or attachment to possessions. I also get really caught up in the moment. The things that are going to lose me races is turning up on the wrong day, having a hangover, forgetting my shoes, not knowing the race format, not checking my bike, not bringing food/water with me, trying to save a dying bird,  finding something interesting in my bag that I simply need to play with right now. All of these things have cost me races in the past, and I show no sign of improving.

For those of you who are not chaotic hippies, it is impossible to understand that it for me it seems to be impossible to simply pack my bag the night before, read the race schedule the week before and say no if someone invites you out for a drink. Although I have pissed myself off before I have never felt upset for long, because something else good and fun always happens in place of the bad thing, you know, like getting moved to first class because I lost my train ticket or something. The adventure,  of which my bike was the tool for, is as relevant as the race. The people I meet, the places I see and the fun that is had.

But this season is different. I WANT to do well. I have trained, got fit, got the bike. It will be a waste if I miss out on a result becuase I was seeded last because a friend dared me to sniff the glitter from the glitter pot I found in my pocket and I couldn't see for five minutes as it came back out through my eyeballs. The story, the giggles, they wont be worth doing badly for.

 I dont know how I am going to do, but I am pretty confident I should be up to elite level pretty soon and want to feel proud to be able to race hard and hold my own. But I dont know how to change who I am.

If anyone wants to give me a hypnosis treatment to focus my mind before the season, I am open to it. I dont wanna screw-up my opportunities. Racers are cool, results are cool....and this season I want a slice of the Cool Pie.

Starting Best Day Ever, because every day is the best day ever....

 Yo Guys, I am taking some time out to concentrate on doing freelance design and riding loads, with a big fat relaunch planned in 2015. Read my public statement below :)

This is a statement from Anna Glowinski, founder of AnaNichoola LTD.

“After nearly five incredible whirlwind years I am announcing my resignation from AnaNichoola LTD, the women’s cycle clothing brand that I started in my bedroom and turned into a successful, award winning business. I will now be found working on my creative agency www.bestdayevercreative.com . Considering my passion for design and women’s cycling, this may come as a surprise to customers and people who know me, especially now that the brand is firmly on the map in the bike industry.  However, as it grew, AnaNichoola was being taken in a direction that I was not comfortable with as a designer, campaigner for women’s cycling and a businesswoman.

As you can imagine, it was a big decision but it is actually with a whole load of excitement that I am taking a year out to help other brands do fun, exciting and cool things in the sports industry. In launching www.bestdayevercreative.com, I will be working with the most inspirational people I have met along the way.

In 2015 I will be starting afresh with a new investment team, a new name, and a new business strategy. I will also be riding my bike. A lot. Because if I am not riding myself, how will I know what my customers really want?”

For further questions and images email: anna@bestdayevercreative.com

Photo credit (C) Grant Robinson

IG Nocturne London Bike Show

I signed up to compete in both the Fixie track bike race and the Elite Women's race for the IG Nocturne at the London Bike Show. I didn't realise that they were back to back!!

It was a big night for my team, the MuleBar Girls, it's quite rare that we can actually manage to get all of us together, so I was fully committed. I was already at the show on my AnaNichoola stand and getting two bikes there was a complete logistical nightmare! Luckily the snow wasn't too bad at 8am and Mummy G managed to drive us there with both bikes in the boot.

I was just about to leave to go and sort out my Mongoose Maurice in time for the race, but a big potential customer turned up so I couldn't walk off the stand. After an hour I said my "thank you goodbye" and ran over to my buddies at Madison.

"I need handle bars!!"

"Here you go"

"can you fit them for me please?"

"OK"

Then I ran over to my buddies at Hope

"I have flat tyres"

"I'll fix it you go and get changed"

"Thank you"

Three Mulebar Gels got me buzzing!

I put my skinsuit on for the first time in ages and ages, gutted to see that I'd got fat :-( Holding my tummy in I ran back to get my bike from Hope, ran to get signed on, met our photographer for the night, made him run with me, signed on, ran back to my stand to get my number put on, ran back to the course, did a lap and we were ready do start! I kicked back to stop and SNAP! something happened and my pedals no longer moved the bike forward. I ran away from the start, back to the pits, V ran around shouting for tools, I sat on the floor and said I didn't care anyway, Sarah ran somewhere and came back with a tool and turned my wheel around, I jumped back on my bike, got to the start
3...2....1...go!

Fixing the bike. Remembered to take the wrapping paper and  baubles off pre-race too!

Holy Moly I was in the tiniest gear ever!!!! I was doing rollapaluza, basically spinning my nuts off and going nowhere! My face looked red to explode and I had sympathy cheers the whole way round. That's what kept me going.

Mongoose Maurice

I finished, I was buzzing.

I ran back to my stand, changed my number, ran back to the track centre, changed my pedals onto my mums road bike, ran to find a helmet to borrow, ran to the start line
3...2...1...go!

I'd missed it, I was soooo close! Almost in tears the organiser spotted me

"take your number off, you won't count officially, but jump in"

:-)

I raced my legs off, pulling out with 3 to go because I got cramp. The nice Italian fixie girl helped me stretch it out and then I ran to the finish line to cheer on my team.

Louise was on her cross bike with juddery brakes.

Natalie was on a borrowed bike from Hope.

V was on her Winter bike with mudguards.

The snow had messed things up you see.

Sarah, me and Jimmy stood on the finish line and shouted for Lou until we were nearly sick! A storming ride from High Wycombe CC's Clemence Copie meant first was in the bag and the bunch sprint was for second and third place. Screaming we saw Lou come out of the final corner in third place behind Alice Barnes and she help it until over the line.

It was a wicked evening with the team, I've totally got the bug for crit racing again, can't wait to get fit and do some more races during the season! I loved being with the girls, the support for each other was phenominal.

blah blah blah

A massive thank you to the London Bike Show and IG Nocturne for putting this race on, it showcased the level and commitment of women's racing, all the girls who managed to get there some way or other despite the snow and everything against them. More please!

xx

Cobble Wobble

There was a very steep hill in Frome, that was wet, slippery and cobbled. The race to the top was as much about skill as it was about power.

Photo by Juan Trullis

There was a chicken snowman, a unicycle, a star-studded line up and a festive crowd of spectators. The focus was as much about christmas as it was about getting to the top as fast as you can.

Photo by Juan Trullis

I dunno how I did, different people told me different things. I don't care how I did, I tried my hardest then partied with my best friends and team. The MuleBar Girls.

Photo by Juan Trullis

Photo by Juan Trullis

 I woke up with sore legs and a sore head.

More BMX

So basically, I'm trying to make this blog as something people can follow to see the progression of a beginner on a BMX. I'd love to read about someone starting out and see where they're at a few years on. So this may be interesting in a few months to look back on, and then in a few years...

Last weekend I went to a girls session at Motion Skatepark. I LOVE GIRLS SESSIONS!!! It was totally inspiring to ride with MTB legends Manon Carpenter and Katy Curd who were both ripping it up. 4 cross rider Jess Greaves was dropping in on her first time on a BMX and the other girls were also pushing themselves. There was a bit of a comp. Manon shredded and got first, Katy shredded too and got second, the rest of us rode around awkwardly. I ended up with third place, but honestly, it was just pot luck, I didn't actually do anything! Kara did the wall ride, she was the only girl I saw do it, I was impressed with that.

Still it was super good fun. We went for dinner together and then with full stomachs rode with the park to ourselves until 10pm. I hope something like that happens again soon.

Fitting this new hobby into normal life is tricky, but I've been determined to make it possible. Monday I headed to Horsham for a night-ride session, but when we arrived at 9pm the joy of an empty park was soon understood and disappointed by the realisation that no-one was riding because it was so icy.

After a bit of faffing we headed to Crawley where we had an hour until the floodlights turned off. I had to go through the whole process of a new park again: feeling shy, intimdated, self-conscious and not sure what to try and ride. I made my buddy stick with me like glue and we went to session the Box.

THE BOX
I've had experience on a box before, doing a stunt tour in Scotland on a mountain bike. I never, ever felt truly comfortable on it, combine that with a smaller, twitchier and less forgiving bike, I still feel uneasy. I rolled it a few times, getting more confidence each time, not bothering to try and get air. I got used to the roll in and then started having fun. In a chilled and relaxed environment I found it really, really fun and enjoyed the air time, focusing on going slower and trying to pump more. I was clearing it by the end and even tweaking the bike a bit (In my head I was doing badass tabletops)

NOSE MANUALS

On the way back to the top of the roll in each time there was a little flat bank thing and I was told to try nose manualling it. As it was so short you got to the end quite quickly, but it was a nice little move.

AIRING THE COPING

This has been my bug bear for the last few weeks. I've been harping on and on about in, blah blah blah. But I know until I'm confident airing out I'll never get the speed for other stuff in parks that i want to clear or ride. I've been getting the hang of it. Both wheels are definitely coming out a couple of inches, not every time, but it's getting there. On Tuesday night at Bay66 I was just riding the bowl back and forth trying to get higher and higher, but sort of lost concentration. I've been doing it so much I forgot to focus on exactly what I needed to do. So, I think I let my back wheel land on the flat at the top and it bucked me over the bars straight onto my face! I was winded and doing that "huuu huuu huuu" thing you do when you can't breathe, but it was fine really. 

I've spent the rest of the week having polite people tell me there's something on my chin, and impolite people just looking at me funny.

Fitter Further Faster

It's been a busy week over in Anna Land, and as usual i can't really remember what happened.

There was a mad- dash for a train wearing heels and pushing my bike. Everyone on the platform told me I wasn't allowed on, but i ignored them, kept running, twisted my ankle, got my jacket stuck in my back wheel and then was pushed onto the train by one staff guy, who was like "just get on here" into the disabled carriage. The train left, the conductor found me with my bike not in the bike carriage and made me sit with my bike, on the floor all the way to Crewe. As I had a first class ticket she brought me my special treats and tea to consume like a picnic on the floor. It didn't feel very first class.

I was going to Revolution in Manchester, it was a sell-out event, but I managed to blag some tickets in exchange for AnaNichoola goodies, because I had a very special reason for being there...JOANNA ROWSELL Olympic Gold Medallist and World Champion was wearing my gloves. I had a custom gold pair made for her and I was stoked that she wore them at Revolutions and then high-fived me when she rode past!!!
I had my photo taken with her and got all star-struck even though I knew her before a little bit. I honestly was so flustered and so honoured! Thank you Jo!

Joanna Rowsell and her Gold Bow-Peeps and her biggest fan!

Then I went partying with my teamies and got drunk, the usual story. The plan was to then spend a few days in the Lakes riding. On the first road ride we did (35miles taking us about 6 hours) my pedal fell of with 8 miles to go. I put my pedal in my pocket and with Rebecca cheering me on, relentlessly happy, I rode like a hero for 8 miles, and even though my leg was SCREAMING with pain it was actually very, very fun.

We sacked off our MTB ride in the sleety snow the next day and did some bike shop visits. had a really nice time meeting WheelBase and learning about their dedicated women's section.

My friend Steve threw a party last night, he's opened his own shop and it is lushhhh. beautifully designed, thought-out and with welcoming and knowledgable staff I reckon it's one of those shops that's about to revolutionise the future of bike shops. A sort-of drop in store where you could whittle time away with a cake and coffee and get absorbed in cycling and it's world.

My friend Rebecca has written a book, I'm super proud of her. It's available to order here http://www.amazon.co.uk/Fitter-Further-Faster-Sportives-Riding/dp/1408832615/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1354885579&sr=8-1
and is a comprehensive guide on how to prepare for your first sportive and mass participation road events. Get fit, get a good time, be confident amongst other riders and go for it!

MuleBar Girls giving a thumbs up to Fitter Further Faster

Meeting the girl in the crowd in the photograph on page 4

Author Rebecca Charlton with a pouting Alex Dowsett signing the book