My real name is Robert Alan Shields (Nicknamed "Knocker" by some of my cycling friends many years ago) born 20/12/1942, the same day as my Belgium cycling hero Rik Van Looy, who was born the same day and month, but a few years before me 20/12/1933. I was born in the area of Kings Cross, Islington, London, England. And within the sound of the famous Bow Bells at Cheap side, which makes me a true cockney so I'm told.
I started my riding career back in 1955 when I rode my bike as much as possible. The next year I started to ride in some 10's and some 25 mile time trials. Riding for an old established touring club, known as The Silver Wings Touring Club, which I had been a member of since the beginning of 1956 and some of 1958. Then I meet up with some other riders of my own age whilst out training, who suggested we all ride and train together. This we did for most of 1958. When we heard of a new club that had been started in January of 1958 from Terry Kennard one of our training group had joined a month earlier, we all went along and checked out this newly formed club called the C.C.I. The Cycle Club Islington to give it, it's rightful title, as at that time most of us lived in and around the Islington area of London. I joined the C.C.I in October of 1959 as it contained a lot of very nice and friendly people and had a good atmosphere about it. During the next season of 1960 I was still only riding time trials, I did try to ride some road race, but found this a very hard type of racing. I rode a few hill climbs and cyclo crosses in the winter months, and the only thing I did manage to win was the club hill climb Championship, much to the surprise of the rest of the club in beating many of the better and senior riders in the process. Then in 1960 the CCI had several teams riding and racing in most categories with our team being the most in-experienced and youngest, but we used to train with the big boys of the club Lawrie & Frank Westall, Sid Andrews, Richie Haynes, DaveTaylor, Dave Price, which did help us to learn how to ride better. So it was not long before we could actually start to finish races, with members of our team getting some good positions in races, but not me, I was still struggling.
In the seasons of 1961-62-63-1964 I improved year by year, by gaining wins and good placing in road races, time trials, hill climbs, cyclo crosses most of the regular types of races. We all stuck together as team-mates and good friends for many years, some of them I still meet up with to this day, we try and have a re-union every two to three years the last one was held on the 16th November 2007. Elaine & Richie Haynes, Terry Kennard, Les Stacey, Pat lovell, Paddy Power, John Moore, Dave Taylor, Dave Price, Lawrie & Frank Westall, Frank Weaire, Chris Ward, Roy Savery, Dave Duke, Malcolm Boswell, although "Boz" that was his nickname rode in a rival club to ours called the Finsbury Park CC (Sadly Boz was killed in a hit and run accident on Christmas Eve of 2008.
I also got to race abroad in France, Belgium, Holland even Canada, with no real success but just the enjoyment of being there, and making many new friends male and female. Plus getting involved in organising races, judging, commissairing races and generally enjoying all sides of the cycle racing scene.
In July 1967 I got married for the second time, and in March 1972 Sheila my wife gave birth to our first daughter who we named Samantha and a year later in August 1973 along came our second daughter, we called her Tabatha. Yes you've guessed it from the TV programme BEWITCHED. Although the marriage only lasted seven years they where a good seven years, and two wonderful daughters, and two grandchildren born to Samantha, Madison now 6 years old and MacKenzie he was born in January 2005, then there is Abigail born on 26th June 2004, and now Gabriel born 11th of February 2008 to Tabatha.
Around the beginning of the 1980's I changed clubs, joining The Vulcan Cycle Racing Club. Which was ironic as most of them where my arch rivals in the 1960's and 1970's. Phil Rogers, Tony Snee, Jim Harrison, Peter Clerck (who sadly has since passed away) to name just a few. I continued racing and organising races until the mid 1990's, when one day I awoke feeling somewhat under the weather. After a visit to the hospital and many test, I was told that I had a serious heart condition and needed a triple heart by-pass as soon as possible. The operation was a success, and all was going OK even getting back into some long training rides. But I was finding it difficult to get motivated, and after a couple of years I started to feel unwell once more. So back to the hospital for more test only to be told on my 54th birthday that I had signs of cancer in the stomach, albeit in it's early stages they started Radiation treatment and then Chemotherapy which lasted a total of five months. I am a few years down the road since then, and I am glad to say the cancer is still in remission and I'm getting better day by day and month by month, year by year although I am still having a weight problem. Then in the later part of 2002 I was told I had Diabetes which I'm was assured can be controlled by tablets and not injections, this was the case and is duly under control.
I do get to ride the bike, which is my pride and joy, and the best bike I've have ever owned, being an "ALAN" carbon fibre road bike fitted with Campagnolo record equipment, sadly the "ALAN" frame became past it's sell by date and fell apart as three of the tubes became un-glued, so I have now have a De Rosa "DUAL" frame and put all my 2006 Campagnolo equipment along with carbon all in one bars & stem. I ride when I can, mainly at the new Hog Hill cycle circuit (See photo on Photo Gallery page).
At the end of running the 30th Anniversary races of Eastway held on 3rd of Sepember 2005, Ken Evens and myself was awarded a volunteer's award by Chief Executive of LVRPA Mr. Shaun Dawson and Paul Roper, which came as a great surprise for my services to Eastway over the past 30 odd years. I have now retired from organising in general, (See photo on Photo Gallery page).
Yours in our Sport
Knocker