🏅 Swansea Half Ironman: Not a Fast Time, But a Very Good Time

With hot conditions and a notoriously hilly bike course, it was never going to be easy — but Ellie delivered a strong performance and a result to be proud of.

The Right Bike for the Job

Knowing the terrain in Swansea is far from flat, Ellie left her TT bike at home and opted for her road bike — a decision that paid off.

“I saw lots of people struggling with their gears on TT bikes as the inclines picked up. A few chains jumped off and there were some punctures too — I was just grateful it wasn’t me!”

Thanks to a spot-on pre-race tune-up and a brand-new chain from the WCS workshop (cheers Paul and Alex!), her setup ran smoothly throughout. With over 1,000m of elevation across 90km, Ellie powered through and made up plenty of ground after the swim.

One of her favourite moments? Nailing a bottle grab at the aid station:

“I've been watching the Tour de France and studying the pros. Felt like one of them for a second as I rode off, bottle in hand!”

Heat, Hydration & South Wales Spirit

By the time Ellie hit the run course, the temperature had soared.

“It was the hardest thing I’ve ever done,” she admitted.

Having learned the importance of managing the heat earlier this year at the Manchester Marathon, Ellie paced herself carefully — walking when needed, staying hydrated, and pouring water over her head at regular intervals.

The local crowd played a huge part:

“The people of South Wales really know how to support a triathlon. Their energy gave me a lift when I needed it most.”

Finish Time: 5:49

Ellie crossed the finish line in 5 hours 49 minutes, in searing heat, on a challenging course, with a huge smile.

It may not have been the fastest race, but it was an absolute triumph of strategy, grit, and good vibes — and a brilliant reflection of the spirit Ellie brings to every event.

Next stop: Nantes, to soak up the atmosphere at the Grand Départ of the Tour de France Avec Femmes. Well earned!

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Back in Action: Ellie Powers to Second Place at the Quarter Ultimate Triathlon

Wirral Cycle Services sponsored rider Ellie Perkins was back on her time trial bike and back on the podium last weekend at the Quarter Ultimate Triathlon held at Ellesmere Lake.

After a snapped gear cable ruled out her TT setup two weeks ago, Ellie’s bike was carefully repaired by WCS mechanic Alex — who went beyond a quick fix. Diagnosing a misfit front derailleur as the root cause, he swapped it out for a better-suited part, restoring smooth, fast shifting just in time for race day.

And it’s a good job he did.

Halfway through the 45km bike leg, Ellie was overtaken by the athlete in third place, who came storming past at pace. Thanks to the aero advantage of the TT bike, Ellie held her position and kept the gap manageable heading into the final 10.5km run.

"It was hot, humid, and it hurt," she said. But with determination (and a strong opening few kilometres), she reeled her competitor in, pulling ahead as the course wound past Ellesmere’s iconic swans and café diners at The Boathouse restaurant — who unexpectedly found themselves cheering on elite triathletes from their brunch tables.

Ellie crossed the line safely in second place, buzzing from the hard effort and grateful to have made it through such a tough, energy-sapping day.

Next on the calendar? The big one: the Swansea Half Ironman in just two weeks. With its rolling, hilly bike course, the TT bike will stay at home — it’ll be a day for her road setup instead. Let’s hope the Welsh weather holds up!

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We Don’t Just Service Bikes – We Look After Cyclists

At Wirral Cycle Services, we’ve always believed that great bike servicing is just part of the story. For us, it’s about looking after the whole rider — not just the wheels they’re riding on.

That’s why we’re proud to partner with Yellow Jersey, the UK’s leading bicycle insurance provider. Whether you're commuting, training, or racing, Yellow Jersey offers comprehensive cover that gives our customers real peace of mind. And thanks to our partnership, WCS customers can access an exclusive discount when they insure their bikes through our website.

It’s a partnership that just makes sense. We keep your bike in top condition. Yellow Jersey keeps you covered out on the road. And now more and more riders on the Wirral are seeing the value. In fact, our dedicated insurance page is becoming one of the most popular areas on our site — with a growing number of riders clicking through and signing up for protection with Yellow Jersey.

Of course, none of this would be possible without a smooth and reliable website experience. That’s where Mountain Forty Nine comes in. As our technology partner, they ensure everything works exactly as it should — from keeping our site running smoothly to setting up the tracking that helps us understand what’s working. Their ongoing support means we can focus on what we do best: fixing bikes and supporting our customers.

So whether you’re bringing your bike in for a service, or looking for insurance that actually covers what you need — we’ve got you covered.

We’ve Got a New Preferred Email Address – Please Update Your Contacts

At Wirral Cycle Services, we’re always looking for ways to stay efficient, reliable, and easy to reach — and that includes how you contact us.

From now on, we kindly ask all our customers to use [email protected] as our primary email address.

Why the Change?

We’ve recently streamlined our systems behind the scenes, and the .com domain is now our main digital home. Using this address helps us:

• Respond to your enquiries more efficiently

• Keep everything in one secure, central place

• Ensure future communications don’t get missed

What Do You Need to Do?

If you’ve previously emailed us at [email protected], don’t worry — messages will still reach us for the time being. But we’d really appreciate it if you could:

1. Update your address book to [email protected]

2. Use this email going forward for all bookings, queries, or general contact

3. Share this update with anyone else you know who gets in touch with us

We're Still the Same Team

Same people, same place, same passion for bikes — we’ve just modernised our digital toolkit. Thanks for making the switch and for continuing to support your local independent cycle workshop.

If you’ve got any questions or want to check anything with us, you know where to find us:
👉 [email protected]

Ride safe,
Paul & the WCS Team

🏆 First Place Finish for WCS Sponsored Rider Ellie at Alderford Sprint Triathlon!

This weekend saw an outstanding result for Wirral Cycle Services sponsored rider Ellie, as she stormed to first place at the Alderford Sprint Triathlon — a fantastic reward for her hard work and consistency this season.

But it wasn’t all smooth sailing.

Ellie had originally planned to race on her TT bike, but a last-minute gear cable issue threw a spanner in the works. With no time to spare, she swapped over to her road bike and got on with it — no complaints, no drama, just pure determination.

And that’s Ellie all over: composed, adaptable, and driven.

Despite the equipment hiccup, she delivered a commanding performance to take the win.

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Ellie Goes Long at Outlaw Nottingham Aquabike

Wirral Cycle Services sponsored rider Ellie took on her longest ever race effort at the Outlaw Nottingham Aquabike last weekend, using the event as a key stepping stone in her buildup to the Swansea 70.3 in July.

The race format was a swim followed by a 90km time trial bike leg, with no run to follow. This  offered the perfect opportunity for Ellie to test herself over longer distances without the added strain of a triathlon run. It also marked her first time racing 90km on the bike, and only her second ever ride beyond 60km on her TT setup.

“It was a cold start, Mum and I were the very last off the pontoon but the water actually felt warm in comparison to the morning air,” Ellie said. “I hadn't had as much time on the TT bike this year as I'd have liked, so I wasn’t sure how the longer ride would go. But once I got going, the kilometres flew by.”

With a measured effort early on and plenty left in the tank for the final push, Ellie clocked a strong time of 2 hours and 50 minutes which was a solid benchmark for someone still relatively new to long-course racing.

“On reflection, I could have pushed harder earlier, but I’m really happy overall. It gives me a good base and shows there’s room to grow,” she added.

Ellie was quick to thank Al and Paul at Wirral Cycle Services for getting her bike race ready. “They sorted a damaged tyre the week before and so the bike was flawless on the day!”

With Swansea 70.3 on the horizon, Ellie is clearly on track and gaining confidence and mileage with every race.

This article was brought to you by Mountain Forty Nine - Redeveloping and building eCommerce and mobile ready websites across multiple industry verticals.

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Hot Off the Press: Wirral Cycle Services Sponsored Rider Claims Victory in Lanzarote

WCS Sponsored Rider Ellie Perkins Competes at Oulton Park

We’re kicking off the race season with fantastic news from our sponsored rider, Ellie Perkins, who made an impressive start at the Oulton Park Duathlon. Ellie placed 3rd overall in the women’s category, while also setting an incredible 4 minutes and 20 seconds personal best on the iconic track.

What made this race even more exciting was that it marked Ellie’s debut on her time trial (TT) bike, fresh from a full service by the WCS team. Despite gusty winds and the high speed demands of a TT setup, Ellie pushed hard and rode with confidence, saying:

"I was convinced that I'd hit the tarmac at some point with a gusty side wind or an overly enthusiastic flying dismount, but it was a dream to ride around the track!"

We’re proud to have played a small part in her success, ensuring the TT bike was in top condition for her first race of the year. It’s a perfect example of how the right preparation and support can unlock next level performance.

We’re all looking forward to seeing what Ellie achieves this season and we’ll be right behind her every pedal stroke of the way.

Go Ellie!