Tuesday, March 19, 2024

Jim Linden – Part Two; “It’s life, man!”

-

HomeInterviewsJim Linden - Part Two; "It's life, man!"

In Part One we spoke about Jim Linden’s achievements, the early days and his training; in Part Two we open with the $64,000 question…

Why come back?

“I’d pedalled out to the start of a ‘50’ in 1970 on the old Loch Lomondside course, I had one of the children in a wicker basket on the back of the bike.

Someone suggested; “why not ride, Jim?”

“I protested that I had the bairn but they said they’d take care of the wee one so I took the basket off, got a start on the line and rode.

“I did something like a 2:32.

“At the finish there was this person that neither my wife or I liked and he was crowing about the fact that he’d; “just beaten Linden!”

“I went home and told my wife and she said; “why not come back, Jim?”

“That was the start of it.

Jim Linden

Linden was on the comeback trial with the first ‘green shoots,’ a third place to Andy Kirk in a ‘30’ with 1:14:51 in May 1971.

He moved up to 50 mile time trials, getting down to a 2:03 before riding 100 mile time trials and getting down to a 4:18.

But he couldn’t be coaxed into a 12 hour that year.

Jim Linden
Jim Linden receiving another trophy. Photo©supplied

His preparation over the winter of ‘71/’72 in preparation for his BAR bid was decidedly ‘old school’ with Sunday runs around the 106 mile Crianlarich circuit with the Ivy CC boys.

It wasn’t all plain sailing though, he related a tale to Cycling Weekly’s Scottish correspondent, Ann Horn of stumbling into a hotel, gulping down a brandy or two then phoning his wife to launch a rescue mission with the family car. 

When hostilities commenced he got his ‘50’ time down to a 2:01 then rode a 12 hour before he’d participated in his first ‘100’ of the year, scoring a highly respectable 259 miles before winning the ‘100’ champs with a 4:14 before lowering that later to a 4:13.

His final BAR winning times were: 2:0:24 – 4:13:22 and 260.5 miles for a 23.435 mph average; the Scottish BAR champion again after a decade and more.

This time around he was on gears rather than his faithful 81” fixed but he didn’t go in for the ‘mega’ gears which were just beginning to appear on the scene.

He gave us his views on his comeback bike.

Jim Linden
Jim Linden in his first 12 Hour TT, climbing Bishopton Hill. Photo©supplied

I bought a Hugh Porter, it was a 73 degree parallel design [frame angles – remember those? ed.] it was quite roughly built, not beautifully put together like a Flying Scot or a Mercian but it did the job.

I see that longer wheel bases are back in fashion now for comfort, we all wanted short wheel base machines back in the day because they were meant to be more responsive.”

Linden has strident views on most things cycling.

“You know that folks used to say I went well because I was taking drugs.

The only drugs I took were Paracetamol and Codeine and that was because in 100 mile and 12 hour time trials I used to get severe back pains.

“There was one 12 hour down on Westferry where it was raining hard, I had to get off because I was in so much pain with my back.

My helpers rubbed brandy into my back muscles but it was to no avail and I had to abandon.

“Eventually I put my handlebars up by a half-inch and the problem was solved.

“But I remember I was at the Isle of Man week of racing and was chatting to a well-known British rider, he was going to be riding against the Irish star, Shay Elliott – who won the race – and the other continental professionals, I suggested that he was in for a hard day out in that company.

“He reached into his jersey picket and showed me a handful of pills – amphetamines, so it did go on in British races.”

And is he still on the bike out there in Hong Kong and does the competitive fire still burn within?

“Weather permitting, yes, around 250 kilometres each week with about 60 of those on a stationary bike at my health club. 

You can set it up so as you’re climbing; I like to climb.

“There was a guy in the club who’s about 10 years younger than me who was boasting about his performance on the stationary bike over 20 kilometres.

“I told him I could beat that time by five minutes; and I did.

“‘How did you do that ?’ he asked me.’

“It’s all about attitude of mind.”

Jim Linden
Jim Linden (2nd L) in Hong Kong. Photo©supplied

We’d heard that unfortunately he’d had a spill or two when he was out on the bike?

“I was doing about 60 kph when a car pulled out in front of me – there was nothing I could do, the impact flung me six metres.

I ended up in hospital but I was relieved that I felt the pain when I regained consciousness – that meant I was alive!” 

How is his health, generally?

“My heart rate is still down in the low 40’s but I have what’s known as ‘essential tremor’ it’s a nervous system (neurological) disorder that causes involuntary and rhythmic shaking, sometimes I have a lot of certificates to sign as part of my consultancy work so I have to steady my hand.

A wee dram of whisky does the trick but I drink water after so as I don’t dehydrate.” 

And doesn’t he miss ‘the old country’?

“Of course, I miss my friends in the Lomond Roads, it was a wonderful club, age politics, creed, colour were irrelevant the common denominator was cycling!

I love looking at old cycling picture from my early days in the sport, you ran an interview with the late EV Mitchell, I used to visit his house and have a plate of spaghetti with him and his parents – cycling was the bond.” 

Jim Linden
Jim Linden, always a cyclist. Photo©supplied

Regrets?

“Never!

It’s life, man!” 

Jim Linden, LEGEND.

Ed Hood
Ed Hood
Ed's been involved in cycling for over 50 years. In that time he's been a successful time triallist, a team manager and a sponsor of several teams and clubs. He's also a respected and successful coach and during the winter months was often working in the cabins at the Six Days for some of the world's top riders. Ed remains a massive fan of the sport and couples his extensive contacts with an inexhaustible enthusiasm for the minutiae and the history of our sport. In February 2023 however, our dear friend and beloved colleague Ed suffered a devastating stroke and faces an uncertain future; Ed has lost his ability to speak, to read, and has lost movement on the right side of his body. He's working with speech and physical therapists on rehabilitation, but all strokes are different and each patient responds differently, so unfortunately recovery is one day at a time. Ed ran his own business installing windows, and will probably not be able to work again. Please consider joining us to make a contribution to Ed's GoFundMe page to help stabilise and secure his future.

Related Articles

Chris Smart – Tour of the Meldons 2015 Winner

Chris Smart (Paisley Velo) explained to us that he’d no choice but to successfully defend his Scottish Olympic Time Trial Championship over the Meldons course in the Scottish Borders, recently. If he hadn’t, he’d only have been the champion for half a year; with the Trossachs being the championship race in October 2014 and the Meldons coming in April of this year.

Michael Mørkøv – Early Tour de France King of the Mountains

Men of the Tour, thus far ? Wiggins, definitely; Sagan, for sure; Greipel, yes - and, Michael Mørkøv. The Danish ex-World Madison Champion and six day star's stage one breakaway to grab the polka dot jersey and his defence of it for the first week was one of the talking points of the race. Not content with taking all the available points on stage one, he joined the break on stages two and three to make the jersey his own until the stage to La Planche des Belles Filles where the 'bigs' decided to fight it out. We caught up with him on the rest day at the team hotel in Mâcon.

Luke Davison – Loving the Belgian Style

VeloVeritas & Co. always tries to keep an eye on what’s happening in the Heartland of Flanders. If it’s not Vik, then it’s Dave who tips us of about who’s burning up the kermises – the name of 23 year-old Australian Luke Davison caught his eye with back to back kermis wins.

Neil Mapplebeck – Racing Dutch ‘Total Cycling’ in the 70’s and 80’s

Our chum, Graham Robson suggested we catch up with Neil Mapplebeck who raced in the tough school that was 70’s and 80’s Dutch ‘Total Cycling’ with ‘all-time greats,’ Kuiper, Raas, Knetemann, Schuiten and Zoetemelk just some of the names from that era. 

At Random

Announcing the Launch of the Alba Development Road Team

The Alba Development Road Team is aiming to help female talent realise their dreams of competing against the world’s top riders in the biggest races. Thanks to financial backing from several international organisations all athletes are being provided with a bike, individual development plan, riding kit and full race programme to help achieve optimum performance.

Shay Elliott – Irish Legend and ‘All Time Great’; a Story of Firsts and Mystery

Dublin's Shay Elliott was a man of firsts: the first (and only) English speaker to win Het Volk in 1959; the first English speaker to win a stage in the Vuelta and to wear the amarillo jersey of race leadership in 1962; the first English speaker to win a Giro stage in 1960, and the first English speaker to hold the yellow jersey of race leadership in the Le Tour in 1963, but his pro career ended ignominiously and his premature death at just 36 years of age is still the subject of speculation in Irish cycling circles....

Michael Mørkøv – It’s time to stop calling him a “Six Day Star”

The last time we spoke to Danish six day star Michael Mørkøv was back in June after he’d pulled off a brilliant but unexpected win in the Danish Elite Road race Championships for his Saxo-Tinkoff team. And he’s done it again – this time taking a beautiful stage win in the Vuelta, out sprinting the entire peloton to win Stage Six on the day when Tony Martin (QuickStep & Germany) came close to pulling off what would have been one of the all time great Grand Tour stage wins.

Il Giro d’Italia 2014 – Stage 19; Bassano del Grappa – Cima Grappa (ITT), 26.8 km. Nairo Quintana Excels

Today, the race started at 123 metres above sea level and finished at 1,712 metres above sea level – that’s an elevation of 1,589 metres. The climbing part of the race went on for some 12.5 miles with Quintana’s average speed – but with four/five miles of flat road in there which the 'Bigs' were covering at around 27 mph – an average 16.5 miles per hour. Last finisher was Jeffry Johan Corredor (Colombia & Colombia) @ 18:00 minutes. Enough said, I think?