Words and photos by Antonio Cozzolino

I think I now know how Achilles must have felt riding through the Elysian Fields on his NeilPryde Diablo all those years ago. I have experienced that very sensation today on mine. Of course, not in Elysium, I don’t think I will ever end up there despite epic-ness and all – Mount Olympus, far more appropriate.


The view from atop the first climb on my new weapon’s inaugural ride

Nonsense?! Achilles would not have been riding a Diablo after his death in 1884BC? Mm yes too right. I think back then it probably would have been called the NeilPryde Hades (perhaps even the NeilPryde Pluto – I will have to check), back when Dura Ace 0100 hadn’t even been released, in fact I believe the NP Hades ran the Campagnolo Super Deus Gruppo iron forged by Hephaestus himself. I often marvel at how advanced ancient civilisations were. Truly mind-boggling.


Dura Ace 7900 – thousands of years of mechanical evolution and engineering have culminated in what you see here. 7900 has come a long way since it’s beginnings as an early 0100 groupset

Anyway, a good day to take my Diablo on its maiden voyage, warm, clear skies, beaming rays, and just a generally pleasant atmosphere (see below).


Yes this is a New Zealand beach. What? No it’s not just a gratuitous shot of Noumea

I like to go for a nice easy spin the first time on a new bike, a sort of celebration or victory lap to show it off to the world (most of the time it’s about 6am, so there is actually no one around to see it, nevertheless…). This was no exception (to the showing off, not the absence of people). I always find that on easier rides, such as this one, my mind has bit more time to wander as well as observe things, people, and the landscape as they go by. As you will notice, the weather in New Zealand is very fickle, one minute the sun is glaring, the next it’s overcast. In saying that the Diablo dealt well with the rain on this epic gravel road (pictured below).



Right in the middle of thinking about how phenomenal this new bike is (oh and it really is), I thought: “Man, I wish I could tweet about this right now”… Actually no, no I didn’t, that’s a complete lie. What I was really thinking was: “How the hell do people “tweet” while they’re doing these kinds of things? Seriously. Apart from not being able to appreciate that special moment in time, as well as the associated safety concerns of riding while tweeting, it has “Grand douchery” written all over it. Please see BikeSnob www.bikesnobNYC.blogspot.com for further info on doucheness, douchesparation and doucheraderie.
Unlike some people I do actually think Juan Pelota is pretty cool, or at least he has been generally pretty awesome in his cycling career. I am always baffled though by the 27-second updates. I know Lance sets out to be a hero and everything (and that he is); fairly sure though that he didn’t pick this habit up from the Iliad or any of the ancient heroes.


I must have missed this part in Homer’s writing. In one of the missing books perhaps? Moving on…

In summary I cannot say that I am surprised about how awesome the Diablo is, but I certainly am impressed. Looking forward to the coming weeks and plenty of riding. In the meantime keep an eye out for some of the videos I’m putting together, they’ll totally “run this town”. Oh also, do be sure to check out Bikesnob as mentioned in the paragraphs above – it’s good stuff.


I feel as though this is a good sign-off picture

I’ll sign off with an all too trite expression that I have become re-aware of recently through the reading of Richard Branson’s Business Stripped Bare.
“Nothing ventured, nothing gained”

Enjoy!