So Tyred

I HAVE MOVED

2010-04-05T23:58:00.001+01:00

THIS BLOG HAS MOVED TO SOTYRED.WORDPRESS.COM

CLICK ON THE LINK TO GO THERE

40 miles done

2010-04-05T13:51:00.003+01:00

Another great ride today. My training is on course with 40 miles done. I was also very pleased that I maintained last week’s average of 14.5 mph. And that was with battling through 20 mph headwinds gusting as hard as 32 mph. Looking good for the 60 mile Essex Countryside Ride. Now for a nice hot shower.

Britain’s shortest cycle lane - all 8 feet of it.

2010-04-04T22:39:00.003+01:00

This got a lot of media coverage like all things ridiculous so. But I thought I would also record it for prosperity anyway.
At little more than the length of a single bicycle, the £2,000 road marking has left cyclists in Cardiff bemused.
The feature, thought to be the shortest cycle lane in Britain, has been installed to encourage green transport.

Cardiff Council claims that it will help riders safely navigate a turn on a new road layout.
But riders in the city say the brevity of the red and white marked stretch of road renders it pointless.
Kevin Hughes, 47, a cyclist from the Welsh city, said: "It's just hilarious. I saw it as I was cycling past and couldn't believe my eyes.
"Obviously nobody could cycle in it because it is so small. You just have time to get in the saddle before getting off again."
Mr Hughes, a member of Cardiff Ajax Cycling Club, added: "I posted a picture of it on the club forum and it's started a bit of a laugh.
"I've got no idea why it would be there. You couldn't ride a bike down there anyway because cars go flying past."
Campaigners also questioned why the local authority has spent money on the cycle lane, which takes less than a second to cover before rejoining the main carriageway.
Matthew Elliott, chief executive of the TaxPayers’ Alliance, said: “It is just this sort of waste that raises the hackles of taxpayers.
“At a time when taxes are rising, people are rightly angered when they see their hard-earned money being thrown away on schemes like this.”
A Cardiff Council spokesman said the lane is intended to "highlight the interface between the eastbound carriageway and the beginning of a new contraflow facility".
He said it would help cyclists cross the busy city centre and give them somewhere safe to stop before turning.
He said: "The purpose of the new facility is to enable cyclists to ride safely and legally in the opposite direction to the flow of traffic.
"The marking helps to highlight the point at which cyclists can turn left off the carriageway to join the contraflow facility."

Source: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/7547129/Council-condemned-over-Britains-shortest-cycle-lane.html

Four weeks and counting

2010-04-03T07:48:00.003+01:00

It is time to forget about fair weather cycling and get out there no matter what.

With four weeks to go until the Essex Countryside ride, I need to increase my training by five miles a week to even stand a chance of competing. Yes I know it is easier riding in an event than solo, but confidence also counts. And this is my least favourite ride of the year – but it still has to be done. So here’s the plan:

Sun 04-Apr 39 miles

Sun 11-Apr 44 miles

Sun 18-Apr 49 miles

Sun 25-Apr 54 miles

Sun 02-May 59 miles

Paris-style 'Boris bikes' arrive in July

2010-03-31T06:24:00.004+01:00

London's promised "revolution in cycling", based on the Paris velib bike-hire network, will begin on 30 July, Boris Johnson will announce today.

Londoners and visitors to the city will be able to pick up and drop off one of 6,000 hire-bicycles at 400 locations across the centre of the capital.

The scheme, originally proposed by Ken Livingstone, Mr Johnson's predecessor as London Mayor, hopes to avoid the problems that have plagued the popular Parisian velib network, where half the bikes have been lost or stolen.

Users will pay an initial membership fee of £1 for 24-hour access, £5 for seven-day access, or £45 a year. They can make unlimited journeys and the first half-an-hour will be free. On top of that, the London Cycle Hire charge for members will be £1 for a journey of between 30 minutes and one hour, £4 for up to 90 minutes, and £6 for up to two hours. Cyclists will use a new smart-card – similar to an Oyster card – to unlock the bikes.

Mr Johnson, said: "In just four months London will glitter with the twinkling dynamo lights of thousands of shiny hire bikes, zipping around the streets unfettered from timetables, queues and crowds."

Source: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/parisstyle-boris-bikes-arrive-in-july-1931639.html

35 Miles and Growing

2010-03-28T14:34:00.002+01:00

That was a great ride I had today. I am slowly pushing the distance back up again and covered 35 miles. I am doing this by the book this time round and adding 10% to the distance each time I go out. That should give me plenty of time to get up 60 miles before the Essex Countryside Ride for the Little Havens children’s hospice. The weather today was rather windy with 40 mph headwinds coming from the west. This meant a headwind for the first 4.5 miles. Still, I did the whole 35 miles in 2.5 hours, averaging 14.4 mph.

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/28242099

Useless Stats

2010-03-21T14:11:00.001Z

Oh the joys of having a bike computer and being able to churn out meaningless statistics. Apparently, over the past 12 months I have

Cycled 1,035 miles (the distance from Los Angeles California to Auckland New Zealand)
It took me a total of 72 hours and 49 minutes
Which works out at an average speed of 14.2 mph
I have burnt 62,033 calories doing so
The average distance on any one ride was 32.3 miles
and the longest I cycled was 62 miles

It goes on but that is probably enough for now!

Essex Countryside

2010-03-06T17:10:00.005Z

Well that’s that done, signed up for my first sponsored ride this year - The Essex Countryside. So I now have 8 weeks to overcome the enforced lay off because of the crappy weather over winter and get ready for a 60 mile ride.

Mind you, this has always been my least favourite ride. I don’t think it’s because it’s the first of the season, just that there have been some really bad parts of the route – last year going across a broken down disused car-park and round the back of Chelmsford shopping centre. Then getting soaked and frezzing cold in a downpour. And both years going virtually off-road which is not good news for road wheels and tyres.

Mind you, this year’s route will be different as it is starting in Chelmsford. And it has to be done and I am itching to get a descent ride and back into the groove. This will give me something to train for.

And it is for a very good cause – last year I raised nearly £800.

Sunday Ramblings

2010-01-24T17:35:00.003Z

Another good training ride and back to something like my normal speed over my 26 mile training ride. I am now starting to get itchy feet, or should that be pedals, and after the bad weather layoff want to line up a longer ride. I’ll have to wait a couple of weeks though as life is going to get in the way of cycling.

Congratulations to Team Sky on the success of their first outing in the Tour Down Under (I still don' like their kit though). At long last we have a professional GB team and what a fantastic start they have made. When the Tour Down under first opened a week ago, team Sky marked their debut with a victory in the Cancer Council Helpline Classic, Greg Henderson leading home Sutton on that occasion. Then today they did it again as Chris Sutton led a one-two in the final stage in Adelaide.

And on the final day, to round off a stunning day for Team Sky, Henderson's display saw him move up to third on the overall standings. His victory in an intermediate sprint early in the final stage proved all-important in him taking the final podium place.

And the other new kids on the block, Lance Armstrong’s Radio Shack? Lance was placed 77th out of 129 riders in the stage to finish 25th overall. But I wouldn’t write him off just yet.

12 hour non-stop Relay for Life Sponsored Ride

2010-01-17T21:15:00.002Z

I am not sure what sort of madness has come over me this evening but I have just suggested cycling 12 hours non-stop (apart from comfort breaks) as part of the Relay for Life fundraiser in Southend on 31 July http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=247516879849&ref=mf. And just to make life interesting I will be start at midnight and cycle through to mid-day with a couple of warm-up laps before then pulling Seraphina on her trailer bike.

What is Relay for Life I hear you ask?

Check out: http://www.cancerresearchuk.org/relay/

Relay For Life brings you and your town together to help beat cancer.

Throughout the year, teams fundraise in their local communities to support the work of Cancer Research UK. Then everyone comes together in an inspiring overnight celebration and commemoration that the whole community can be part of.

Relay events focus on fun for all the family, regardless of age or fitness level – everyone is welcome!

At the event everybody gathers at their local race track, park or sports field (Garons Park in the case of the Southend event) and take turns walking laps. Each team keeps at least one member on the track at all times, while all around them a party is in full swing.

Relay events have a friendly, festival-like atmosphere that the whole family can enjoy. Camping, music, stalls and entertainment will be laid on, and many of the teams taking part camp overnight

Requests for sponsorship will follow nearer the time!

Happy days are here again

2010-01-17T16:55:00.005Z

Ahh what joy to be out on my bike again today after a snow enforced lay-off. I was actually singing out loud at one point.

Five weeks of no-road cycling has taken its toll though. My time over my 26 mile training course was down by a full five minutes – bad! And my endurance has suffered too as I doubt I could ride 60 miles without really having to pay for it. Still, now that the snow has gone I can put in a more concentrated training effort to be ready for the 150km (93 miles) Essex Spring Lamb sportive in April.

Today’s ride was full of the usual tom foolery which comes from being invisible once you get on a bike – even wearing multi-coloured cycling tops that poke your eyes out. Like the women crossing the road with her dog who, rather than waiting for a gap in the cars decides she can run fast enough to give Frogger a run for its money. Trouble is, she doesn’t stop when she gets to the cycle lane (there is a small kerb sort of thing between the road and cycle lane) and just keeps running straight out in front. She was full of apologies, which was nice, but what people don’t realise is, we could both get seriously hurt if I run into them at 20 miles an hour.

Then there was my Tom Foolery when I was a couple of miles from home and decided to overtake group of five riders. Having overtaken, I couldn’t let them overtake me now could I? Three of them did take up the chase though but I still got home first – and the other two rode past about 30 seconds later.

And then there was my philosophical moment as I pondered the sadness of the last of the unmelted snow, eeking out its life by hiding from the sun in the wintery shadows. Then I laughed as no more snow means cycling can resume!

2010 Rides

2010-01-14T22:45:00.001Z

My rides for 2010 are starting to shape up quite nicely. I just need to get out there and start road training - poxy weather permitting

2 May - Essex Countryside
13 June - Orchid Cycle Essex
4 July - London to Oxford
17 July - Essex Castles
18 July - London to Southend
5 Sept - Southend Bikathon
- London Skyride
3 Oct - Oxford to Cambridge

Fitness basics: Turbo training

2009-12-30T09:48:00.005Z

I have said it before but now is the time to get the turbo trainer out. There is not a good day's weather in sight and I am starting to feel sluggish and the need to get out on the bike. So this is probably the next best thing.

I am reposting an article here on training exercises so i don't loose them. The original is at: http://www.bikeradar.com/fitness/article/fitness-basics-turbo-training-24170

Fitness basics: Turbo training
By Leanda Cave and Nik Cook

Fitness basics: Turbo training (Dave Atkinson)

Turbo-trainers are ideal for winter bike training because of the speed at which you can get on the bike, have a good session and get off again.

Your warm-up doesn’t need to be as long as it is out on the road, you don’t have to contend with traffic or stop pedalling on descents, you can refuel with minimal interference to your session, there’s no such thing as punctures, and no fussing with the layers of clothing winter demands.

All this means you can concentrate solely on doing your training, and get more effort in on the turbo in a shorter amount of time than you can out on the road.

If you want to spend the money on an advanced indoor trainer that offers lots of feedback on your performance it can be a great tool, but you don’t have to. You can just use a heart rate monitor to determine your effort.

It's a good idea to do a bit of top-end speed work all year round, and the turbo is ideal for it. It makes getting into the new race season easier, and keeps you a lot fitter without having to put in the hours.

Chris Carmichael, Lance Armstrong’s former coach, discovered that his athletes were able to gain and hold onto much more fitness by doing short, fast and intense intervals over the winter compared to those who spent long hours just doing base miles.

The athletes doing the short stuff had a higher VO2 max – the measurement of the body’s ability to take in and use oxygen during exercise – and greater power output overall.

So you don’t need to do three-hour rides to get into shape; if 30 minutes is all the time you have in the morning or before dinner, get on the turbo.

Turbo work can also help you work the weak parts of your pedal stroke and improve your efficiency. Cycling technique isn’t simply a matter of how hard you can push down on the pedals; there is also an up-stroke, and one-legged drills on the turbo can help you develop that.

They’ll probably also show you that one of your legs is weaker than the other. Starting and/or finishing a session with a one-legged drill can help equalise your leg strength.

The five sessions listed are great for those new to the turbo and experienced riders as they all provide a great workout in less than an hour.

Session 1: 30-minute time trial (50 mins total)

Not so much a training session as a test. Perform it every month or so to see how your training is progressing. Warm up for 10 minutes, starting on the small chainring, largest rear sprocket (lowest gear) and medium resistance.

After every two minutes knock your gear up one sprocket aiming to maintain a cadence of 80-100rpm. After 10 minutes shift to the big ring (keep a medium resistance and you should be in the middle of the rear block) and ride as hard as you can for 30 minutes.

Cool down for 10 minutes, reversing the warm-up routine. Record the distance you achieved in the 30 minutes and try to beat it next time.

Session 2: Threshold booster (41-65 mins total)

3-6 x 5 mins with 3 mins recovery

This session is designed to raise your lactate threshold and your ability to perform at or near it. Warm up for 10 minutes in the same way as for Session 1. Shift to the big chainring and work hard for five minutes (aiming for a heart rate 15-25 beats below your maximum).
At the end of the five minutes drop to the small chainring, drop the resistance and spin easily for three minutes. Repeat this work/recovery cycle for three to six reps depending on ability. Cool down as in Session 1.

Session 3: Power blast (37-57 mins total)
5-10 x 1 min with 3 mins recovery
The Power blast will boost your explosive strength and power, allowing you to blast up short climbs or win the sprints to town signs. Warm up for 10 minutes in the same way as for Session 1.
Shift to the big ring and your smallest sprocket. Sprint flat out for one minute (try not to rock the bars too much – your frame might not like it!), initially building momentum out of the saddle before sitting down and carrying the speed through.

At the end of the minute spin really easily in a low gear against low resistance for three minutes. Repeat this work/recovery cycle for five to 10 reps depending on ability. Cool down as in Session 1.

Session 4: One-legged wonder (40 mins)
5 x 1 min left leg, 5 x 1 min right leg
This is more of a technique than a fitness session, although it will help to even out any imbalances between your legs. Warm up for 10 minutes in the same way as for Session 1.
Stay in the same gear/resistance as at the end of the warm-up, but cycle one-legged for the next 10 minutes, alternating one minute left and one minute right. Concentrate on maintaining a high (80-100rpm) cadence and on a smooth, fluid technique.
Next, shift into the big ring and ride moderately hard with both legs for 10 minutes, keeping up the same cadence and the same feel of fluidity. Cool down as in Session 1.

Session 5: Stairway to heaven (42 mins)
3 x 6 minutes of ascending difficulty with 2 mins recovery
One for building hill strength and mental toughness. Warm up for 10 minutes in the same way as for Session 1. Shift to the big ring but select a moderate sprocket, like 22. Resistance should be at about a third of your turbo's maximum. Ride moderately hard.
After three minutes, shift up two gears and try to maintain the same cadence for a further two minutes. Finally, shift up another two gears and ride hard for a minute out of the saddle.
Drop to the small chainring, drop the resistance and recover with easy spinning for two minutes. Shift back to the big ring but this time perform the '3 mins, 2 mins, 1 min' sequence with two more clicks of resistance.
Recover for two minutes again and then work through the '3-2-1' once more, again cranking it up by two clicks. Cool down as in Session 1. Be warned, though, this is a toughie

A Year Ago

2009-12-06T09:50:00.001Z

It’s hard to believe that it was 12 months ago that I crashed out on ice and broke my elbow. Mind you, looking out of the window today with the rain poring down and the wind blowing, I would rather be out there in the cold, trying to avoid ice than stuck inside with the utterly boring purgatory that is otherwise called a turbo trainer

Autumn Bike Ride

2009-11-15T23:54:00.001Z

This was never going to be a record breaking ride as I had been off the bike for three weeks due to illness and other reasons. So I thought why not do my training ride but take my camera and take some snaps. And here they are. http://www.flickr.com/photos/tonysingleton/sets/72157622682535187/

The answer to age old mystery

2009-10-19T19:33:00.002+01:00

So now I know why cyclists shave their legs. Or is this just another excuse to go smooth?

"Cleaning debris out of wounds is an awful lot easier without hairs in the way. It’s one of the main reasons for cyclists shaving their legs."

Link -> How to deal with road rash

A great 40 mile ride this morning

2009-10-04T13:21:00.003+01:00

The sea front was closed because of a 10k fun run so I went back to my 12 mile training circuit. As it turned out I’m glad I did as the headwinds were back blowing along the part of the sea front I was able to ride. A wonderful crisp autumn morning gave me the chance to try out my new autumn / winter kit which performed a treat. I doubt that there is a better way to spend a Sunday morning.

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/15270849

From tears to cheers

2009-09-20T17:16:00.003+01:00

Today I had planned on going to the London Skyride with Tatia and Seraphina, but those wonderful people at C2C rail who delight in their engineering works, decided today would be a good day for yet more and replaced trains with buses along part of the route. This meant we were unable to go.

But every could has a silver lining and I went off on a 25 mile training run which was just about as perfect as a bike ride is ever going to be. The sun had come out but there was still an autumn chill on the air which kept me nice and cool. The wind was blowing from the north which meant no headwinds along the seafront, either coming or going, I climbed a hill a normally hit fairly easily and actually enjoyed it! A car actually stopped and gave way to me where parked cars would have made it difficult to pass and the driver of a car that pulled out in front of me at a round about actually waved, smiled and shouted “sorry” out of his window.

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/13636254

After a shower and quick bite to eat it was out on the mountain bike this time with Seraphina’s trailer bike and Tatia on her bike. We had a nice easy ride along the sea-front with an ice-cream, and beer stop (8.5 miles in 2 hours). That must have been one of my slowest rides ever, but still great fun. Especially with Seraphina pedalling as hard as she could to try and get as fast we could go. Needless to say, I gently applied the brakes when we topped 15mph.

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/13657443

No fat tyres

2009-09-13T22:48:00.000+01:00

Funny how things turn out isn’t it. It should have been my last sponsored ride of the year today – the Foulness Bike Ride. I have to admit the name doesn’t sound very attractive does it? Well, Foulness Island is owned by the MOD and is rich in wildlife and a haven for birds. Apparently there was a god chance of seeing avocet, geese, herons, kestrels, merlins and many other birds. And with no cars at all on the roads, it seemed like a good way to end the sponsored ride season.

So I was up at 7.30, tucking into my usual pre-ride porridge when I read the small print: “he four mile circuit beyond the village includes a short stretch of gravelled road suitable only for touring cycles or mountain bikes with stout tyres”. Unfortunately the tyres on my road bike don’t quite fall into that category. I suppose I could have unhooked Seri’s trailer bike from my mountain bike and used that, but I thought to hell with it and set off out along the seas front.

And what a bloody great ride it was. Hardly any wind and what there was was bowing from the north (from inland) so there were hardly headwinds. The sky was overcast and the temperature ideal for a Sunday morning ride. And even the hills in Leigh-on-sea didn’t seem too bad.

So as it turned out, I was very pleased that I didn’t do the Foulness bike ride.

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/13175372

Beginner technique: Five common cycling mistakes

2009-09-10T00:01:00.000+01:00

(BikeRadar http://www.bikeradar.com/fitness/article/beginner-technique-five-common-cycling-mistakes-22915)

If you want to be faster and more confident on your bike, it's not just a matter of putting the miles in and getting fitter. You also need to think about good technique and preparation.

Simple mistakes can cost you valuable time and effort on the road or the trails, but with a bit of practice these can be easily corrected, resulting in more confidence, less energy consumption and higher speeds, so you'll no longer be lagging behind your mates or limping over the finish line way off the pace.

Poor cornering technique

You want to be able to take corners smoothly and without losing too much pace, so adjust your speed as you approach the turn – do not brake while cornering.

Make sure your inside pedal is up and press down on the outside pedal. Lean the bike, as opposed to steering it, keeping your body weight centred over the bike. Always look where you’re heading.

If you're on a road or track that's closed to traffic then use the whole space: drift across to reach the apex of the corner and then accelerate out of the turn.

Sharp braking on descents

Applying light gradual pressure on both brakes at the same time is more effective when you're learning to ride than slamming them on. Braking too sharply on a descent can make you lose control.

Try the on/off technique to prevent brakes overheating. On the road, try sitting up instead of braking, as this increases wind resistance and will slow you down.

Practise on hills you’re familiar with, each time applying the brakes a little less. Also practise with experienced riders and try to follow their line of travel.

Wrong gears on climbs

You must be in the correct gear approaching a climb. Don’t leave it too late. If you have to switch from a high gear to a low one once you start climbing then you risk dropping the chain.

Cycling up a hill in a high gear means your muscles recruit more fast-twitch muscle fibres. Fast-twitch fibres fatigue quickly and take a long time to recover. If you change to an easier gear and higher cadence, you conserve energy and save your fast-twitch fibres for later.
Saddle too high or too low

The correct saddle height is crucial.

You risk injury if it’s too high or too low, and reduce the power you can generate. Here’s a simple test: sit on the bike, and at the bottom of the pedal-stroke the leg should be almost straight but the heel should stay on the pedal without stretching.
Bike isn't prepared or maintained

Now that you’ve improved your skills, don’t mess it up with poor pre-ride or pre-race preparation. Ensure you’ve checked your bike over – that all bolts are tight and pedals are secure, chain is oiled and saddle is at correct angle.

Check tyres are free from cuts or glass and tyres are pumped up.

Ensure brakes are not touching the wheel and that it spins freely. Check that brake pads/blocks aren't worn. Finally, the caliper brakes found on road bikes can get knocked in transport, so check before setting off.

Southend Bikathon 2009

2009-09-06T21:40:00.000+01:00

There’s something rather strange about me and the Southend bikeathon in that it never quite goes according to plan.

Take this year for example, I had planned to ride it with Seri on her trailer bike and Tatia. The evening before I drive them round the route and half way through Seri announces that it looks a “bit far” and doesn’t think she’ll do it after all. Then promptly falls asleep. The next morning, she proclaims that she has a pain “inside” her neck. So the best laid plans of us riding the bikeathon as a family disappear with the morning dew.

My third bike with Seri's trailer bike attached

So it’s off to the start with Tatia and Seri coming along to support rather than take part. As I make my way to the start line, oh joy, my bike computer won’t turn on. I should have seen that one coming as I don’t think I have managed to ride the bikeathon with it working – last year it packed up half way through.

Well, what with now doing it on my own, and without my trusty Garmin, I thought that might as well go all out and do the course as fast as I can – not that I could time myself, pace myself, or have the faintest idea how well I was doing!

Still, I was able to make a rough estimate. The bikeathon route is also my regular training route so I know that it’s about 26.5 miles. I started at about 9.02 and know from the photograph Tatia took when I finished that it was… You know what, even the camera failed to save the date and time of the photograph! So the best I can do is Tatia thinks it was about 10.50 which means I took about 1 hours 45 minutes giving an average speed of 15 miles per hour. Well at least that sounds about right!

World bike bog snorkelling championships

2009-08-16T10:02:00.001+01:00

Biking through a muddy bog wearing lead weights isn't exactly what most people like to do with their weekends.

But for some people the World Mountain Bike Bog Snorkelling Championships is a must-do event.

In the Powys town of Llanwrtyd Wells, cyclists ride along the bottom of a 6ft deep peat bog wearing a mask and snorkel. Not my idea of fun I have to say.

Competitors first added a mountain bike to the bog-snorkelling proceedings in 2005 and it has been growing in popularity ever since. Those who accept the challenge use a bike prepared with a lead-filled frame and water-filled tyres to ensure grip on the pond bottom. A far cry from saving a few grams here and there on a road bike.

And talking of road bikes, it's time I got out on mine.

Cycle away from stress

2009-08-11T20:15:00.001+01:00

By Matthew Barbour, Cycling Plus

Whatever the reason for your cycling, one thing’s for sure – your two-wheel habit can be as good for your state of mind as it is for your body.

“Cycling is one of the most effective treatments for stress and in many cases has been proven to be as effective as medication – if not more so,” says Neil Shah, psychotherapist and director of the Stress Management Society.

“Over four times more GPs now prescribe exercise therapy as their most common treatment for stress and depression when compared to three years ago.”

In an age where we’re never more than an arm’s length from our mobiles and BlackBerries, stress is a bigger issue than ever. According to a recent CBI/Axa survey, stress is the single biggest cause of absence from work, costing the UK economy a staggering £4 billion a year.

“All too often, people look for a cure to stress once the horse has bolted, when it’s much healthier to develop ways to deal with stress on a day-to-day level before it gets to that stage,” Shah says.

“Riding a bike is ideal because it’s so accessible and achievable – and the mountain of scientific evidence pointing towards its stress-busting properties is growing by the day.”
Mental boost

Perhaps the best known mental exercise boost is the ‘runner’s high’ experienced by endurance athletes, now proven by German researchers to be more than a rather pleasant figment of the imagination.

University of Bonn neurologists visualised endorphins in the brains of 10 volunteers before and after a two-hour running session using a technique called positive emission tomography (PET).

Comparing the pre- and post-run scans, they found evidence of more opiate binding of the happy hormone in the frontal and limbic regions of the brain, areas known to be involved in emotional processing and stress.

“There’s a direct link between feelings of wellbeing and endurance exercise of all kinds, and for the first time this study proves the physiological mechanism behind that,” says study co-ordinator Professor Henning Boecker.

And because the runner’s high only seems to kick in after at least an hour’s exercise, ironically you’re more likely to experience it in the saddle than on foot!

The mind-body connection doesn’t stop there. Researchers from Illinois University in the US found that an improvement of only five percent in cardiorespiratory fitness from aerobic exercise led to an improvement of up to 15 percent in mental tests and ability to deal with stress.

“It boosts blood flow – and, in turn, oxygen – to your brain, which fires and regenerates receptors, explaining how exercise helps ward off Alzheimer’s,” says study author Professor Arthur Kramer.

And when it comes to rhythm, cycling knows no equal. “Stress makes your heart beat faster, which leads to shallow, fast breathing, a build-up of CO2 and a lack of oxygen in the brain, leading to more stress,” says Shah.

“Cycling actually forces you to regulate your breathing, as well as to breathe deeper to expel any lingering CO2 – both key methods used to alleviate stress in non-riders, so you’re practising proven clinical techniques.”

And, according to University of Bristol psychologists, expanding your lungs lifts your diaphragm, taking pressure off the nerve centre in your solar plexus and relieving the stress on your central nervous system.
Sleep it off

A common problem with stress is finding the ‘off’ switch, and without sufficient sleep that just isn’t possible, according to Professor Jim Horne from the Sleep Research Centre at Loughborough University.

“Reducing regular sleep by just one hour each night can lead to a spike in the stress hormone cortisol, which can prevent deep, regenerative sleep, making it even harder to sleep,” he says. “Exercise is the one factor that has been shown to redress that imbalance.”

So those hill intervals won’t just knacker you out in the short-term, they’ll also help you catch some quality shut-eye. “Exercising outside also exposes you to daylight, which helps get your circadian rhythm back in sync,” says Horne.

And the social side of cycling could be doing you as much good as the exercise. UCLA researchers found that socialising releases the hormone oxytocin, which buffers the ‘fight or flight’ response to calm you down.

Another study from Harvard Medical School found those with the most friends cut their risk of death by more than 60 percent, reducing blood pressure and strengthening the immune system.

The results were so significant, researchers concluded, that not having close friends is as detrimental to your health as smoking or carrying extra weight. Factor in cycling and you’ll be fighting fit for a long time to come.

Cheap Bikes from Asda etc...

2009-08-08T08:33:00.002+01:00

...or bike shaped objects (BSO) as they are better known. With the increased interest in cycling, the number of chap bikes on the market has has also increased. But are they worth buying? According to the following blog, the £70 bike from Asda is definitely not. Asda bike - the first ride

This is a great shame as Asda’s aim to sell bikes at no profit to encourage everyone to get on their bikes is a laudable one. The great pity about this is that people will be tempted by the cheap prices to give cycling a go and then consign their BSO to the back of the garage or garden shed after the first attempt. Far better to spend a few more pounds on something that is enjoyable to ride.

My August Ride

2009-07-30T21:10:00.002+01:00

As I haven't entered any sponsored rides for August, I thought I would head out on one of my own (65 miles through Essex and including a Ferry ride - and yes it really is a ferry!):

Shoebury -> Bradwell -> Burnham -> Shoebury

http://www.bikely.com/

London to Southend 2009

2009-07-22T18:55:00.003+01:00

So what was I doing up at 5 am on a Sunday morning, eating a large bowl of porridge? Simple. Getting ready to leave for the London to Southend bike ride. As I live near Southend I had to get the train to London and then cycle back again.

The London to Southend is my favourite ride of the year and this is the third year I have ridden it. The ride is organised by the British Heart Foundation, a charity that is important to me as I underwent an angioplasty six years ago.

Getting out of Stratford Station and making my way to Victoria Park seemed to take forever due to the usual crowds of bikes. Still, the weather was nice and sunny (hi Alex). From the look of the roads there had been some heavy downpours along the route but luckily I missed them and didn’t get as I had feared I would.

There seemed to be a lot more people taking part this year and the roads out of London were a lot busier than usual. It would also have been a lot easier and less risky if people taking parts in events take some lessons about how to ride in group or at least think about what they are doing. I lost count of the number of times someone cut in front of me or overtook on the inside as I as pulling in. Never mind though as I got to the end without incident.

Still, there is nothing like the excitement of starting off in a ride like this, knowing there is around 55 miles in front of you before you get home. The route wound through the backstreets of Hackney and Leytonstone, before leaving the city behind and winding up the long, steep hill of Chigwell Row. The bonus though is that there is a long straight downhill too! The uphill is what looks like a mountain range at around seven miles in.

But once that is over, it is out into the country lanes of Essex. And time to play spot the bank robber’s house as we ride through Chigwell and beyond (only joking).

The rest of the ride was a lot of fun, cycling mainly through leafy lanes. The training I had been put in paid off too. There was though one hill climb near the end where my thigh muscle cramped and I couldn’t bend my leg. But after a couple of minutes rest all was fine again.

The wind was blowing fairly strongly for the last few miles too. But that did nothing to dampen the flood of emotion as I crossed the finish line 52 miles and 3 hours and 40 minutes later; a 10 minute improvement on last year.

Seraphina and me at the finish line

Ride data: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/9150415

London to Southend 2009

Share your bike routes @ Bikely.com

Is it for real?

2009-07-17T16:46:00.002+01:00

This appeared on snopes.com with the question "is is true?".

Sadly, and disgracfully it is. It shows a motorist plowing into a group of bicyclists has has aspect of cartoonish violence to it that has led many viewers to question whether it might have been faked or staged (possibly for a film shoot). However, the accident depicted in this picture was, unfortunately, all too real.

The incident shown here took place on 1 June 2008 during a 34-kilometer bicycle race along a highway running between the Mexican towns of Playa Bagdad and Matamoros. According to police, a 28-year-old motorist, apparently under the influence of alcohol, fell asleep at wheel of his Grand Marquis and plowed into a group of twenty cyclists who were participating in the race, throwing several of them high into the air as pictured above. The collision killed one of the cyclists, Alejandro Alvarez, and injured ten others. The moment of impact was captured by photographer Jose Fidelino Vera Hernandez.

From: http://www.snopes.com/photos/accident/bikerace.asp

That was an eventful 40 miles

2009-06-28T19:56:00.000+01:00

What a ride that was. Enjoyable, frustrating, fascinating, and embarrassing.

Why embarrassing? Because I fell off. Didn’t crash, didn’t hit anything, no mechanical failure. Just fell off. How come? Well, I recently bought a new pair of pedals which my shoes clip into (go figure). Stories abound on forums and at my cycling club that just falling over with clipless pedals is quite a common occurrence while trying to get used to them. Anticipation is everything. And failing to anticipate that I might need to put my foot on the ground was certainly the cause of the problem in my case.

This isn’t as dumb as it sounds. Picture this. I was cycling up a hill with a roundabout at the top. There was a queue of cars which I cycled up the inside of. Then, when I got to the roundabout, I was second guessing if the car in front would go so that I could follow him round. Well, it turned out that he wasn’t going to move off and as I was still having to pedal quite hard (I was going up hill remember), I didn’t try to free my shoes until the last minute. Then panic sets in and there is no way they are ever going to unclip. And I have to admit, I felt like the dumbest idiot ever to get on a bike. I simply came to a halt and toppled over onto the pavement. Luckily ending up with nothing more serious than road rash on my left shin. But why bother with clipless pedals? (although I refute the statement that it’s safer):

and just how dumb did I look? A bit like this:

And so to frustrating. For some reason, and I know not what, the spokes on my front wheel decided to take it in turns to come lose. And there is nothing more irritating than hearing a bussing sound while riding. To be exact, any roadie will tell, the bike should be silent apart from the noise of the tyres. It’s one of the golden rules of road cycling. Similar to your bike having to be at least 10 times shinier than when you bought it. I must have stopped at least four or five times to tighten the spokes. Time for a service I think.

And fascinating? I didn’t have any particular route planned and turned off of the main road, following a sign to Fambridge. No idea why and the road didn’t go any further than Fambridge anyway. But I came across this which I can only describe as a cross between a tombstone and an obelisk.

It certainly wasn’t a long lived airfield, only having been open for 9 months but it does claim to have been the first in England. I suppose opening and closing an airfield wasn’t that much of big thing back in 1909 either. A quick Google search revealed that:

It marks the site of what was almost certainly Britain’s earliest dedicated airfield. ... [But] Fambridge proved a failure, except as a bog. The rickety flying machines, far from heading into the skies, tended to get mired down in the Essex mud.

http://www.echo-news.co.uk/echofeatures/memories/4100526.How_flying_machines_began_life_in_Essex_village/
And just down the road the claim for the control and rule of England was settled by a battle which took place at Ashingdon in 1016 AD, when Canute fought Edmund and won both the battle and soon after, secured the Kingdom of all England including the Saxon Wessex and their territories.

All that from taking a right turn and exploring a little.

And enjoyable? Any time spent riding a bike is enjoyable, no matter what.

Health and Fitness Benefits of Cycling

2009-06-20T00:01:00.001+01:00

The following article is courtsey of NHS Choices

Cycling is the third most popular sport in the UK with an estimated 3.1 million people riding a bike each month.

The number of cyclists in London has increased by 91% since 2000, according to Transport for London (TFL).

As a form of exercise, cycling has broad appeal. From toddler to pensioner, able-bodied or disabled, practically everyone can enjoy cycling, provided they have the right equipment. The Everyday Cycling website has advice for first-time bike buyers (see Useful links).

Cycling is one of the easiest ways to fit exercise into your daily routine as it can double up as a form of transport. That means it saves you money, gets you fit and contributes to a cleaner environment.

It's a low-impact exercise and therefore easier on your joints than running or other high-impact aerobic activities, but still helps you get into shape.

For example, someone weighing 80kg (12.6 stones) will burn off more than 650 calories with an hour’s riding as well as tone their legs and bottom. If you go up hills or off-road, you'll also work your upper body.

The best way to build your cardiovascular fitness on the bike is to consistently ride twice during the week and then do a longer ride at the weekend. You will soon feel the benefits.

Cycling calendar

The Everyday Cycling website (see Useful links) is aimed at recreational cyclists. It has help and hints on everything you need to enjoy cycling whether you’re a commuter, mountain biker, mega-fit road rider or cycling for the first time.

The site includes a national leisure cycling calendar listing everything from charity events to multi-day challenges, and advice on training, maintenance and improving fitness.

It also has suggested routes for you to ride in your area and a function where you can map where you've ridden, log the miles you've travelled and rank yourself against other riders.

To take your cycling one step further, you could join a club in your area where you can go on organised bike rides. To find a club, visit the British Cycling website (see Useful links).

If you want to turn your hobby into something a little more competitive, there are around 2,500 races registered with British Cycling, the sport's governing body, each year. There are all sorts of different bike races including BMX, cycle speedway, cyclo-cross, mountain bike news, road and track.

Visit the events section on the British Cycling website to find a race near you to either watch or take part in.

Kit checklist

Wearing a cycling helmet will significantly reduce your risk of serious head injury in the event of an accident. For a proper fit, the helmet should fit snugly and shouldn’t allow any sideways movement.

Before you head out on your bike, it’s important for you to check you have the right kit, and that your bike is in good working order.

Make sure your tyres are pumped up and test out your brakes before you get on to the road.

Check that your saddle should be at the correct riding position for your height. If your saddle is too low, it will make it more difficult for you to pedal and you’ll tire quicker.

To get the right height, adjust the saddle until you can stretch your leg out and comfortably place the ball of your foot on the ground. This means that when your pedal is at its lowest position, your leg should be slightly bent.

If your leg is completely straight when your pedal is at the lowest position, your saddle is probably too high.

If you’re cycling after dark, it’s important to make sure you can be seen by other road users. Wear reflective clothing and make sure the lights on the front and back of your bike are both in working order. You should also use your lights when the visibility is low, such as in bad weather.

For expert advice on cycling equipment and correct riding position speak to the staff at your local bike shop.

Orchid Cycle Ride

2009-06-14T22:14:00.004+01:00

So how did the Orchid Cycle Ride go? Absolutely fantastic. It was one of the best rides of the year and, thanks to the weather, so much better than the Essex Countryside ride. I did though opt for the 40 mile rather than 75 mile course.

It was one of those days when everything seemed to come together. The training had delivered what I wanted it to deliver. It was a gloriously sunny day right from the kick-off. I wasn’t late for the start which meant no hassle, and the marshalling on the route was second to none – well apart from one small hic-sup which I’ll come back to later. The new pedals seemed to work a treat with no falling over due to note being able to get my feet out – although there was one close call. They definitely made a difference and I was able to climb hills easier.

The first few miles of the course saw a policeman at every junction stopping traffic for us, and once we were underway, there was someone at every road junction telling us which way to go.

However, confusion reigned at one point when our route coincided with a cycle race (bet they were pleased!). The problem arose when one set of marshals from the bike race didn’t realise we weren’t part of the race and so pointed for us to turn left when we should have gone straight on. Very luckily for me, the person I was riding with at the time knew the area well and realised we were off course. So we retraced our footsteps and got back on the right course only having done an extra couple of miles or so.

There was also one of those curious coincidences (or synchronicities) that I love so much. At one point, there was a pair of riders in front of me with rider numbers of 52 and 53. Mine was 51 so as I passed them we read 51, 52, 53 from left to right. It couldn’t have planned better could it?

Tatia and Seraphina came along to this one to offer their support and gave me a resounding cheer when the starting gun went off. But, alas, the support was soon forgotten as when I arrived back, the bouncy castle had been inflated and that was much more fun then cheering Daddy back :-)

The time was not as good as I had hoped: 38.8 miles in 2 hours 47 minutes (an average of 13.9 mph). Must try and do better on the London to Southend ride.

Orchid 40 mile ride 2009

Share your bike routes @ Bikely.com

Click on map title to enlarge

New Pedals

2009-06-13T15:45:00.002+01:00

I have always been quite happy with my old style toe clip pedals. Yes it’s true that they may not be the latest thing, but then I have heard so many tales of people falling over because they can’t unclip their feet from clipless pedals (a bit of an anomaly there as you clip into clipless pedals) that I have always decided against them. Well up until now that is. I have to admit I have been wondering if they could improve my performance as it is claimed they can do but someone started a discussion about pedals on a forum I go to now and again. And then there came this post:

“Using toe straps is an invitation for people who work in bike shops to patronise and humiliate you.”

Followd by

“Unless you have a beard and a urine stain on your baggy shorts when they will understand.”
So that was it, off to the bike shop today to buy a pair of clipless pedals. I am doing a sponsored ride tomorrow so will write about how many times I fall off because I can’t get my feet out!

So, what are clipless pedals? * clears throat while everyone logs off *

Clipless pedal systems are an improvement over the toe clip and strap in many ways, comfort, safety and speed to name a few. Comfort was improved as there is no need for a strap holding the foot in place, therefore bloodflow is not affected and constant strap adjustment is no longer required. Safety is improved as the need to reach up and down to adjust straps when starting and stopping is no longer required, you simply twist the foot to disengage the pedal when approaching your stopping point whilst still holding the bars with both hands. Setting off is the reverse, just push down on the pedal and you are clipped in, all the time keeping both hands on the bars and your eyes on the road. Speed is also improved as you clip in and forget, no straps to tighten or adjust. Built into most clipless pedal systems is a technology called float, float is the amount of degrees your foot can move from side to side when clipped into the pedal, this float is essential as it allows the knee to move naturally during the pedalling motion. Most pedals will have different cleats available or adjustable float to adapt the amount of movement.

Together we raised £786

2009-05-21T22:13:00.015+01:00

Every so often, something happens that takes my breath away. The fantastic generosity of those who sponsored me for the Essex Countryside Bike Ride is one of those things. Together we raised a fantastic total of £630 to which the tax man gave a further £156 through gift aid bringing the total to a staggering £786 for Little Havens Children’s Hospice.

As for the ride itself, I was up with the sparrows at six in the morning as the ride was due to start at 7.30. A quick shower and it was time to eat my way through a large bowl of yummy porridge. I checked the weather forecast for the 100th time to see what I might be in for – possible light showers at 10 a.m. and strong winds from the south with gusts at 30 mph. Ok so it look like I’ll get a bit wet but I should dry out ok. Not happy about the wind though – boy did that ever turn out to be an understatement!

As is often the way, I messed about with my bike and ending up leaving the house later than intended, realised I had forgotten something, returned home and ended up 30 minutes late for the start. Still I wasn’t the only one as quite a few people were still there and others were still arriving - the start time was between 7.30 and 9.00. And at least this meant there was no queue to register.

And so I was off.

It was a bright and sunny start, if a little cold – arm warmers were the right decision. As usual I allowed the first 10 minutes for warming up as I got into my stride. There was quite a nasty hill before I was fully warmed-up but I coped with it ok and was happily passing other cyclists (I thought I had better make the most of it while I could). Once the route had turned off from the main roads and headed into what the name of the ride promised, the Essex Countryside, this really looked like it was going to be a great ride.

Essex Countryside Ride 2009

http://www.bikely.com/

The Route

I caught up with a pack of about 10 others who seemed to be travelling at roughly the same speed and joined up with them. Not just pack instinct - it is actually much easier riding in a bunch like that and has the added advantage of giving me someone to talk too. Mind you, there was a moment when I was totally unsure of the correct etiquette, when I noticed the seam in the back of the lycra shorts of a woman I was riding behind was starting to spilt. Should I say anything or not? Deciding silence was the better part of valour I said nothing. Later Tatia confirmed this had been a good call. “Was there anything she could do about?” “No.” “Then there is no way you should say anything. It would have embarrassed the hell out of her and she had 40 more miles to ride”.

Finally the pack and I went our separate ways when I decided that I really shouldn’t pull out in from of a car just to keep with them. Still that was only about 5 miles short of a refreshment stop at the Jolly Sailor pub in Malden where I saw some of them again so I would have split up with them there – did I mention that once into a ride I have this insane drive to keep going and not have a break?

Up to that point I had been making really good time. A third of the way through the ride and my speed was an average 16 mph which I was very pleased with to say the least.

And then the fun started.

For the next 3 miles it was one long up-hill slog. It may not look much on the elevation profile, and a 2% gradient doesn’t sound like much at all (and probably isn’t to be honest) but I find a long steady climb like that is draining beyond belief – especially as I hate hills with a vengeance. Coming to the top of a hill, or rounding a bend, only to see yet another climb waiting is just so demoralising. But then, wheeeeeee, what goes up must come down, and 30 mph on a bike has to be experienced to be believed (I might have been able to increase that but was too knackered by this point and took advantage of having a rest)

And then the fun really started. Going around the outskirts of Chelmsford was something of a joke. The route went off road, across a footbridge so narrow that I had to dismount and push my biker, and then went across unsurfaced car parks and round the back of shopping centres and multi-storey car parks.

And just when I thought it couldn’t get much worse, the rain started. And it wasn’t the light shower as forecast. It was a torrential downpour that lasted at least an hour. So at the end of 35 miles, I was cold, wet, tired and started to feeling demoralised. Oh and wishing now that I had brought my water-proof with me. But if wishes were fishes...

And then finally, just when I thought I had enough, the route turned south and into those promised 30 mph winds (although I noticed afterwards tha they had only been recorded at 18.4 mph). Riding into a head-wind and rain when already cold and wet and I was soon ready to give up. I think if there was someway I could have given up I would have. But there wasn’t, so I didn’t.

The rest, as they say is history, as from that point on it was head down and grind. I remember one point, about 5 miles from the finish, I had to stop at traffic lights and, not feeling up to doing a track stand, I put my foot to the floor, only to feel that my leg had turned to jelly and could hardly support me!

Still, finish I did, and very proud of myself I was for doing so. It was not the fantastic time I had thought it would be at that 20 mile point in Malden. But still, I did finish in 4 hours 38 minutes and averaged 13.3 mph which was a miniscule bit faster than last year’s 13.2 mph. And it was 61.7 miles against the advertised 60.

So now it is decision time. Do I do the 40 mile or 75 mile route when I do the Orchid Cycle Essex ride on 14 June. I really can’t say at the moment, but I do know if the weather forecast is for rain or wind, it will be 40 miles without a shadow of a doubt.

Orchid Ride 2008

And will I do the Essex Countryside Ride next year? At the end of this year’s ride it would have been a firm no-way. But now? Yeah, I probably will!

The full stats

Reinventing the wheel:

2009-05-15T00:01:00.001+01:00

I don't think I'd like to ride too many miles on this!

From The Metro: http://tinyurl.com/rdzlr6

It looks like something out of The Flintstones but this unusual bike could help you lose weight and get into shape.

The cycle, which features a pentagonal wheel at the front and a triangular one at the back, is designed to boost fitness by making it harder to ride.

'I just wanted to give people an alternative to normal, boring bikes,' said inventor Guan Baihua.

'There are too many identical mass-manufactured things. More and more, people like weird and rarely seen stuff.'

The retired army general from Qingdao in eastern China spent 18 months working on the contraption. But it could be a rocky road to success for the 50-year-old after a journalist gave his invention a trial ride.

He reported that it was 'not as bumpy as it looks' but added: 'It needs special skills, otherwise it's hard to balance.'

Great fun video

2009-05-14T00:01:00.001+01:00

A great fun video. Wish it had happend to me as that would be about the only I will ever win a race!

Heavy Rain and Wind, oh dear

2009-05-13T06:28:00.002+01:00

Sunday's weather forecast is not good. Cold, wet and windy!

New 26 mile PB

2009-05-10T13:40:00.006+01:00

I wasn’t sure what sort of ride to do today as I have been concentrating mainly on increasing distances in the run up to the Essex Countryside ride.

So I decided to go for a new personal best over 26 miles. The weather was good, with not too much wind and the roads fairly quite which all helped me beat me best time over 26 miles quite substantially. I beat my previous personal best of 1:45:23 (average 15.5 mph) by 1 minute 22 seconds and achieved a new personal best of 1:44:01 (15.7 mph). I also beat the virtual partner on my Garmin by just over 1 and a half miles. The virtual partner is a device on Garmin which is a download of a course I have already done and can then race myself against.

Today I went on a leisurely recovery ride along the sea-front – of just over 16 miles. And it really was an enjoyable ride. It was a sunny, refreshing Sunday morning with scores of people out cycling, jogging, walking or going for breakfast in one of the sea-front cafes. A really ‘good to be alive’ feeling.

Southend sea-front

http://www.bikely.com/

All in all, I am feeling pretty good for next Sunday’s 60 mile Essex Countryside ride. So now all that is left is for me to start obsessing about the weather which, according to the forecast looks like it is going to be just about perfect – let’s hope it stays that way.

World Naked Bike Ride London 2009

2009-05-04T08:16:00.003+01:00

Well I am afraid that I, err, am doing something else on 13 June. But a naked bike ride in London? The way our weather can change? Surely not an advisable pastime!!!!

Date: Saturday 13 June 2009
Time: 3pm assembly, for 3.30pm departure
Location: South-east corner of Hyde Park, by the Achilles statue, near Hyde Park Corner

See http://wiki.worldnakedbikeride.org/wiki/London for detailed info.

2009 will be the sixth year of London's participation in the World Naked Bike Ride. Numbers of riders have risen each year - from 58 riders in 2004 we had 1,000+ last year.

On Saturday 13 June 2009 the ride will return to the streets of London allowing riders to see the many sights of this remarkable city from the comfort of their own bikes/skates. The ride is easy and upbeat, and riders decorate their bodies and bikes with messages of protest against oil dependency, obsessive car culture, vulnerability for cyclists & pedestrians and to promote the understanding of body freedom. The assembly time and traditional city centre route are again planned. Other UK rides will happen on 12, 13 and 14 June.

Lance Armstrong's bike

2009-05-03T14:37:00.002+01:00

Lance Armtrong has published a photograph of the bike he will riding in the Giro d'Italia (the race it is strong suggested he wants to win). People are saying how amazing it looks but I'm sorry, I really have to disagree. To me it looks like some crazy, overdone, biker tattoo. But then what do I know as I am sure many others will love it

Sponsorship for children's hospice

2009-04-30T00:01:00.001+01:00

On the 17th May, I am cycling 60 miles to raise money for the Little Havens Children's Hospice.

Little Havens Children's Hospice provides respite breaks, symptom control and end-of-life care for youngsters living with serious conditions and who are not expected to reach adulthood. It aims to make their journey - and that of the family - as comfortable as possible, creating special memories along the way. The love and care provided by the Care Team in the homely surroundings at Little Havens is as special and unique as the child. This could not continue without kind donations as it costs £2.3 million each year to keep the hospice open.

If you would be kind enogh to sposor me, please go here http://www.justgiving.com/tonysingleton

I am terrible about finding time to collect sponsorship money after events so have set-up a fundraising page with Justgiving.com. Donating through Justgiving is quick, easy and totally secure. It’s also the most efficient way to sponsor me: Little Havens Children's Hospice gets your money faster and, if you’re a UK taxpayer, Justgiving makes sure 25% in Gift Aid, plus a 3% supplement, are added to your donation.

Thank you very much for sponsoring me

Weather puts off female cyclists

2009-04-28T06:03:00.002+01:00

Probably not exactly earth shattering findings!

More than a fifth of women in London choose not to cycle because of the weather, a survey has shown.

The poll by sustainable transport charity Sustrans showed 22% of women cited the poor climate as a reason they did not regularly use a bicycle.

About 10% said they were not fit enough to ride a bike and even though more than half had access to a bike, only 7% cycled more than once a month.

Sustrans has launched a website to help get more women cycling.

Sustrans' Holly Bruford said: "With many women spending vast amounts of money trying to lose weight, it seems we are still rejecting the cheapest, most efficient way of reaching target weight and shaping up - cycling."

Sustrans hopes its website www.bikebelles.org.uk will "redress the cycling gender imbalance" - as men are three times more likely to cycle than women in London.

Tour is a go for Armstrong - good news indeed

2009-04-26T09:00:00.001+01:00

Tour is a go for Armstrong

By Cyclingnews.com

Seven-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong will not face disciplinary proceedings from the French anti-doping agency AFLD.

The AFLD said Friday that it has "decided to take into consideration the athlete's written explanations and, in consequence, not to open a disciplinary procedure against him." It also confirmed that no abnormalities were detected in the urine, blood and hair samples taken during the control.

Armstrong's Astana team spokesman Philippe Maertens confirmed to Cyclingnews that the AFLD met Thursday, and said "the disciplinary commission checked the evidence and explanation from both Lance and the tester and decided not to take the matter further."
Posting on his Twitter account, Armstrong wrote: "the word from the French agency AFLD on the shower gate incident. Case closed, no penalty, all samples clean. Onward."
The AFLD had previously said that Armstrong did not obey the rules of the World Anti-Doping Agency's International Standard of Testing, specifically Article 5.4.1, which states that 'the person being subjected to an anti-doping control must remain within the sight of the doping control officer from the time of notification until the sample is collected'.
Armstrong could have faced a suspension from the incident which may have prevented him from racing the Tour de France. With the case closed, he will be free to attempt an eighth career victory in the Tour.

Armstrong is currently training in Aspen, Colorado, in preparation for his first attempt at the Giro d'Italia next month. He is recovering from a fractured collarbone that he sustained in the first stage of the Vuelta a Castilla y Léon.

Inspired Urban Cycling

2009-04-25T07:18:00.002+01:00

Not that I would recommend getting round town like this, but this guy does some incredible stuff. It's a video of/by Inspired Bicycles - Danny MacAskill. Wonder how many broken bones he got learning this stuff.

Riding a bike is everything to a cyclist

2009-04-16T00:01:00.000+01:00

“Riding a bike is everything to a cyclist. The friendship and camaraderie you have with other cyclists …to a cyclist, it was the be-all and end-all of your life.”

Tommy Godwin, double bronze medal winner in the 1,000m time trial and the team pursuit in the 1948 Olympics in London

Another fine half century

2009-04-13T22:01:00.011+01:00

What a wonderful day it was today. I set out with the good intention of doing four training laps (54 miles or 87km – I’m going to start quoting km as it sounds further) and did it fairly easily – even I do say so myself. The only real problem was the sit bones which were pretty painful and put me off trying for a record fifth lap. The roads were fairly quite which I put down to the weather – it was very misty with a damp chill in the air. Not the sort of day you want to take the kids out anywhere. Which is fine by me . Mind you, I only saw one other bike rider which is quite unusual – that’s ignoring the families out on the cycle lane along the sea front.

I thought I might have to abandon on the third lap though as I was having problems with my left hand (or is that foot) pedal when it suddenly froze, nearly taking my foot off with it and me off of my bike. Being about 7 miles into the training loop I had little choice other than to keep going. I was though, starting to feel very disappointed at what seemed to be an inevitable early shower and kissing the fourth lap goodbye. Next the pedal started making a period crunching and squealing noise of metal against metal. Finally, the crunching and squealing noises stopped altogether and the pedal started to work fine again. I can only imagine what the bearings must be like and so will give it a service before I go out again.

As a brief aside, I came across this bizarre video which was produced in 1963 and is about bike safety. It actually starts to get pretty creepy and goodness knows why the producuers gave the kids they faces they did – sort of demented monkeys that wouldn’t look out of place in the Wizard of Oz. You can find it here: http://www.fazed.org/video/view/?id=229

Today’s stats

A bicycle made for one and a half

2009-04-12T17:42:00.003+01:00

Seri and I used her trailer bike for the first time today. “What is a trailer bike?” I hear you ask. It’s one of these:

Bascially a small bike attached to my hybrid bike turning into a sort of a tandem.

We were a little wobbly at first but soon got the hang of it. I was surprised that Seri went as far as she did and we must have covered eight miles all in all. But then she doesn’t have to peddle if she doesn’t want to! Or maybe it was the bribe of an ice-cream that kept her going. Still, if she continue to like riding like this, then maybe we’ll do the Southend Bikeathon together.

Zen and the art of bicycling

2009-04-06T22:36:00.001+01:00

‘A Zen teacher saw five of his students returning from the market, riding their bicycles. When they arrived at the monastery and had dismounted, the teacher asked the students, “Why are you riding your bicycles?”

The first student replied, “The bicycle is carrying this sack of potatoes. I am glad that I do not have to carry them on my back!” The teacher praised the first student. “You are a smart boy! When you grow old, you will not walk hunched over like I do.”

The second student replied, “I love to watch the trees and fields pass by as I roll down the path!” The teacher commended the second student, “Your eyes are open, and you see the world.”

The third student replied, “When I ride my bicycle, I am content to chant nam myoho renge kyo.” The teacher gave his praise to the third student, “Your mind will roll with the ease of a newly trued wheel.”

The fourth student replied, “Riding my bicycle, I live in harmony with all sentient beings.” The teacher was pleased and said to the fourth student, “You are riding on the golden path of non-harming.”

The fifth student replied, “I ride my bicycle to ride my bicycle.” The teacher sat at the feet of the fifth student and said, “I am your student.”’

Zen proverb

What a glorious ride that was

2009-04-04T16:23:00.005+01:00

13 mile training loop

Cyclist in council pothole payout - About time Local Authroties were made to pay

2009-04-04T12:58:00.003+01:00

Cyclist in council pothole payout

A cyclist who suffered broken ribs and other injuries after riding over a pothole in Berkshire has been awarded £7,600 in compensation.

Ian Davis, 49, was cycling along the B4000 between Lambourn and Newbury when he came off his bike in 2006.

A county court ruled West Berkshire District Council had breached its duty of care to inspect roads regularly.

The council said it has invested heavily in maintaining the road since the incident.

Mr Davis suffered broken ribs, a dislocated shoulder and injuries to his hands, hip and ankle.

'Triumph for cyclists'

After the ruling he said: "I didn't think I'd get that sort of money, maybe even half that.

"It was unfortunate for the council that they didn't have all the documentation to hand to prove what they claimed they had done."

In a statement the council said: ""Obviously we accept the decision of the courts.

"Regarding the road, extensive resurfacing has been done since February 2006.

"In March and April that year £155,000 was spent resurfacing the stretch through Wickham, and in 2008 a further £100,000 on other stretches of the road."

Enid Brenyah, Mr Davis' solicitor said the case represented "a triumph for cyclists who have suffered injuries due to poorly maintained roads".

The Local Government Association said that last year, councils in England and Wales spent more in compensation to road users for pothole-related accidents than they did in repairing potholes - spending £53m in payouts and £52m in repairs.

Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/england/berkshire/7979875.stm

Published: 2009/04/02 17:06:02 GMT

© BBC MMIX

A Marked Improvement

2009-04-02T18:05:00.009+01:00

I am feeling pretty pleased with myself having knocked seven minutes off my 13 mile training circuit in under a year.

In May last year it took me 55:12 at an average speed of 14.5 mph. Today I did the same route in 47:58 at an average of 16.5 mph. Maybe not fast by some standards but hey, this is me so who cares

Today’s time was also quite a bit faster than my previous PB of 51:29 (15.2 mph) which I did over the same circuit in September last year.

18 May '08

2 Apr 09

1,000 miles and counting

2009-03-07T19:48:00.001Z

Ah what a glorious day’s riding. After early morning cloud, the sun came out and warmed the air to a crisp 11C (52F in old money) and a not too fierce 11 mph windspeed. It was one of those days when it was great to be out riding and I had to force myself to stop. Ah well.

I also turned another milestone today in that I have ridden 1,000 miles since I bought my Garmin in May last year (9 months). Well, I probably completed the 1,000 before now as there were a couple of occasions when my Garmin stopped working.

And as for the stats to with it:

If I had ridden non-stop it would have taken me 3 days, 2 hours and 47 minutes
I averaged 14.4 mph
I climbed a total of 40,019 feet – that’s one long hill at nearly 7 and a half miles high, or nearly twice the height of Mount Everest which is 29,035 feet high

40 miles and no punctures plus the phantom cyclist

2009-02-22T14:21:00.005Z

It looks as though the new tyres have made a difference as I have just ridden 40 miles without a puncture. That’s not to say that this isn’t now my latest obsession while riding. What with wondering what this or that click is, I now have to worry about whether the tyre is going down because the road happens to be a bit bumpier.

I am pretty pleased with the progress I am making in getting back to my pre-accident level of fitness. I rode 40 miles last Thursday and 40 today, that’s 80 miles in four days. Mind you today’s average speed was down quite a bit (14 mph compared to 14.9 mph last Thursday). Still I was riding into an 11 mph wind which would have slowed me down a bit anyway. And I have to say the last five miles of today’s ride were something of a struggle with my thigh muscles threatening to give out any minute and my sit bones screaming at me to get out of the saddle.

I have just noticed that my gps went a little crazy today claiming I started at 88 feet below sea level and ended up 18 feet above. The 18 feet above is probably about right but as this was a circular ride, the starting altitude should have been the same and definately not 88 feet below.

Link to full data

Now to the phantom rider.

I have heard of other people speak of this phenomena. What happens is you hear a rider behind you. At first this is fine and I don’t mind someone slipstreaming me. But after a while it starts to get a bit irritating and I wonder why the person won’t pass. So I’ll speed up a bit. No difference, he is still there. So I’ll slow down, no difference and he still will not pass. Finally having had enough I glance back over my shoulder to see that there is no-one there. The sound of the phantom rider is, in fact, the sound of my own bike echoing back off of hedges or a wall – it only seems to happen very rarely so the air quality, wind, or something else must also have an effect. Either that, or it really is the spirit of some disembodied rider.

The Flintstones

2009-02-21T12:29:00.006Z

Punctures seems to be a way of life for me at the moment. Probably something to do with the lightweight tyres that I am using. Although I popped down to my local bike shop on Friday and the guy there was saying that there is a lot of rubbish on the roads at the moment, including flint. Flint?! How the heck does that get there? I thought this was 2009, not 10,000 BC. Or maybe the flint has something to do with the recent road gritting that's been going on due to freezing temperatures. I doubt it somehow although it would never surprise me if the Local Authority turned round one day said they had gritted the roads with a nice sharp stone that can easily cut through tyres.

It is now a case of new tyres for old, and I have replaced them with Bontrager Race Lites. Now for the geeky bit:

The Race Lite Hardcase offers armor-clad flat protection without sacrificing high-end road feel.

Dramatically reduce the risk of flatting with the triple flat protection of Race Lite Hardcase tires: the bead-to-bead woven construction reduces sidewall cuts; anti-pinch ribs eliminate pinch flats; and a Kevlar belt provides outstanding puncture resistance.

And the Hardcase's high-speed tread compound provides optimal traction and low rolling resistance no matter what the weather, so this tyre is equally at home training and racing. Dramatically reduce the risk of flatting with the triple puncture protection of Bontrager’s Hardcase technology

So now if I get mugged all I need to do is simply shout "Stab the tyres, stab the tyres" and can then laugh and ride off into the sunset as they have a Kevlar belt. But will they stop the flint and punctures? I guess I'll find out tomorrow.

And yes, saddest of all, here's a picture of them!

Throw the Zimmer Away

2009-02-20T13:35:00.002Z

I came across an article in Cycling Weekly about a man called John Woodburn who is still racing at the age of 72. Apparently he regularly breaks the hour for a 25 mile time trial, sometimes by several minutes. His times are impressive for a cyclist of any age. But, to get his times at the age of 72 is doubly impressive. He also still rides 200 miles a week in training.

I hope that I can ride that well when I get to 72.

40 Miles of Joy – Almost

2009-02-19T22:16:00.004Z

The weather this morning was pretty bad – grey, grey and drizzle. Still the forecast looked hopeful with sun due later in the day (I’m starting to get worried about just how obsessed I am becoming with checking weather forecasts). So being ever hopeful, I sat back and waited it out. Well, I didn’t exactly sit back but never mind.

And I was rewarded. Early afternoon as I get ready to go out for a ride, the sun comes out and the grey disappears – for a while at least.

Then it’s off for a ride with the aim of getting in 40 miles which was my training distance before my crash. And I achieved it feeling remarkably ok. I was pretty pleased with my time too averaging 14.9 mph. But not without yet another puncture. So tomorrow it is off to the bike shop to get a new set of road tyres.

Link to the full data

Ahh the Irony

2009-02-15T22:44:00.000Z

First it’s a broken elbow, then it’s snow. Today it’s…. read on

The day started well with the weather reasonably good, I was really feeling up for a long ride. I have also finally made a decision and have signed up for the 75 mile Essex Sportive – I’ll save the 100 miles for next year. So I now really have a couple of targets to aim for by way of sponsored rides:

60 miles on 17 May for a local Little Havens Children’s’ Hospice; and
75 miles on 10 June for male cancer

Today seemed like a good day to kick up the distance and aim for 3 training laps (39 miles in total). It was a bit chilly to start with, what with starting the ride into a headwind, but I soon warmed up and was thoroughly enjoying myself. My elbow didn’t play up much and when it did start to twinge, a quick stretch sorted it out.

Today I aimed to increase my distance to start building up to my first target of 60 miles. This was quite a bit different from recent rides where I had been trying to improve my time racing aging the virtual partner on my bike computer. At times though, I still felt myself pushing my speed and had to reign back.

Talking of reigning, I freaked out a horse today. Well, when I say I freaked it out, I think it was more the case its inexperienced rider freaking it out. There were four horses in a row and I shouted a merry “Good morning” as I passed the first one – ok, well more of an exhausted “Good Morning”. As I passed the third in line, its rider start waving a bit too frantically to be a friendly “Hello” and more like a frantic “Stop!” I pulled on the brakes, slowed down to a crawl and the horse started to skitter a bit. I still think if I had kept riding, the horse wouldn’t have been bothered in the slightest – none ever have before and I am riding a silent bike, not a roaring motorcycle!

Now, back to the title of this blog. Why the irony? Simply that I was feeling really good, coming to the end of the second loop (26 miles) when my rear tyre started to slowly deflate. Yep, puncture. I always care a spare tube but the pump I have just isn’t strong enough to inflate the tyre anymore than just about hard enough to ride home. I have a proper track pump at home which makes light work of inflating a tyre to 120 psi but not my bike pump. As luck would have it though, a friend of mine drove passed and stopped – how much of a coincidence was that? And to top it off, he was on his way home from his cycle club ride and had a decent bike pump with him. So with a fully filled tyre it was back on the road again.

The problem was though, that by this time, I had cooled right off. And with the weather being quite cold I just couldn’t get back into my stride. So after 26 miles I decided to call it quits.

After a hot shower and having cleaned my bike, one of the first things I did was to order a decent bike pump! This one to be precise - exiciting isn't it (NOT) (it’s supposed to get to 100 psi in less than 250 pumps)

Topeak Master Blaster Mini DX Pump with Gauge

Today’s Stats

Snow Go

2009-02-01T08:53:00.008Z

I am sad to say (that's a little bit worse than 'sorry to say') that there will be no cycling from me this weekend. No I am not a fair weather cyclist but 35 mph winds yesterday and now this today:
which is also bit too much to battle through. So I will get the turbo trainer out and do an hour's cycling going nowhere. Boring!

This is a turbo trainer.
You hook your bike between it so your bike becomes a cycling machine

I have though signed up for my first sponsored ride this year which is the delightfully named Essex Countryside ride taking place on the 17 May. I'll be opting for the 60 mile ride. The good thing about this year's ride is that it is a lot earlier in the season - last year it was the week before the London to Southend which meant two 60 mile rides, one a week before the other. The downside of course is that there is less time to train for it. Still I do have 3 and a half months to prepare which should be ok, even with my enforced break in training.

Are Cycle Lanes for Cyclists?

2009-01-29T00:01:00.004Z

There is a cycle lane which runs along Southend seafront that I refuse to use. Some of the car drivers who pass me make their views pretty clear and think I have no right to be cycling in the road – even though I am riding at between 20 – 25 mph.

The cycle lane runs the other side of the curb between the two sections of pavement

When the government were consulting on the new Highway Code last year they seemed to be in agreement with the motorist who thinks he or she has the sole right to the road by making it compulsory for cyclists to cycle in cycle lanes where one exists.

“Am I just being bloody minded or showing off in some way?” “Why should this be a problem?”, you may well ask. “Why shouldn’t cyclists ride in cycling lanes”.

Well the answer really is quite straight forward. Cycle lanes are not only used by cyclists. And if I am riding at 20 miles and hit someone, then I am liable. No matter that it is a cycle lane and they shouldn’t be there. So it’s a matter of slow down or not use. And I see no reason why I should spoil my ride just because I might be riding at between 5 and 10 miles below the speed limit.

Take last weekend for example. I thought I would be a good citizen and as there weren’t that many people about, thought I would use the cycle lane for a change. First I had to stop while a 5 year old decided which side of the lane she was going to ride or, indeed, if she would even bother to give way. Then there are the joggers who think that the 9 foot wide pavement which runs alongside the cycle lane is not for them. Then there are dog walkers. Or people who clearly think that the risk of being hit by a bike in the cycle lane is more of an appeal than walking on the pavement. And when I shout “Bike” or something like that, I am the one who ends up with the torrent of abuse!

So, for cycle lanes read ‘anyone who feels like using it’ and ‘ll carry on using the road – safer all round.

On the Road Again

2009-01-24T17:00:00.004Z

Well it has been six weeks since that fateful day when I was out riding, hit a patch of black ice and ended up of the tarmac with a broken elbow. I did wonder if the local authority had a responsibility to grit the roads and so could in some way be responsible. If they were maybe I could sue for compensation – who cares about a compensation culture, just give me the money. Sadly none of the no-win no-fee companies I contacted were interested. It seems as if there is no clear cut answer as to how far their duty to grit goes. Ah well, not to worry.

Ok, back to the subject at hand. Today's weather forecast was good and tomorrow's said rain, so today would be the day I ventured back out on my bike. I was up nice and early for a reason not related to my ride which just as well because the temperature was only just above freezing and there was a thick frost. Luckily we had to do the shopping first and so the day had warmed up by the time we were finished.

Before I could go out though I needed to first replace the rear inner tube which had blown during the accident, then it was off to change into my cycling gear, including the new jersey I had bought myself for Christmas the chance to wear yet.

Assos cycling jersey

It felt great to be back out cycling again. Without blowing my own trumpet I was pleasantly surprised that I got in two laps of my training circuit (26 miles in total) and that the average speed was 14.5mph. Even more surprising was that my sit bones didn’t hurt at all. I have to say though that I approached left hand curves with more than a little trepidation and slowed to a walking pace when I went round the bend where I had had my accident. I would have liked to have tried for a third lap but my arm was starting to get rather sore and it seemed better to build up slowly rather than risk any damage that might put me back even further.

So now begins the road back to my previous level of fitness and with four months to prepare for my first sponsored ride of the year – 60 miles of Essex countryside for Little Havens Children's Hospice.

That’s all for now as I need to give my bike a well earned wash, clean and relube.

Full ride data

No More Early Morning Rides for Me

2009-01-20T13:01:00.000Z

I have always enjoyed early morning rides. The air is fresh, in the summer there is often a crispness to it that makes riding that bit more enjoyable. On the weekends, especially Sunday, there is very little traffic on the road. But then I read this in the february Cycling Plus magazine. Is there really a risk of heart attack or stroke the early in the day one rides? But still, it is a very useful guide to when to ride and certainly hard evidence on stopping at that café for lunch!

MORNING GLORY OR AFTERNOON DELIGHT?

Early Morning: Go steady
Virtually all bodily functions are at their worst when you wake, plus you’re unlikely to have had any substantial food intake for 10 hours so energy stores will be depleted. To top things off, exercising early will leave you more prone to injury – or worse. “Research shows this is the most common time of day for suffering heart attacks and strokes while exercising” said Professor Waterhouse of Liverpool John Moores University. If you’re heading out early make it a steady ride and focus on the mental strength that goes with toughing it out when your body is at its worst.

Mid-morning: Pump iron
Though most functions that benefit endurance exercise will be improved from early morning may be a good time for strength training adaptations may be better. “There’s a strong argument for doing weight training in the morming if you’re trying to build muscle” said Dr Stephen Bird of the School of Human Movement Studies in Australia, “because testosterone, the hormone most responsible for muscle-boosting is at its highest around this time”.

Lunchtime: Give it a miss
Nearly all bodily function experience a lull in the middle of the day, particularly lung function and body temperature, which are crucial to cycling. Ideally avoid lunchtime for training but if there is no other option than make it a steady ride and save the tough stuff for a day when you can train later.A lunchtime ride may not do much for your cycling, but it could do wonders for your work. “Exercising during a working lunch break perks you up and is likely to make you more productive in the afternoon” said work-place psychologist Mike Clinton.

Mid-late afternoon: Speedwork and time-trials
Physically there are no negatives connected with this time of day – the only drawbacks are likely to be psychological. Mentally we’re at our best shortly after waking and things just get worse as the day goes on. Consequently, many people report that the hardest part of training in the mid-to-late afternoon is simply getting out of the door. But if you can summon up the mental strength, you should find you go faster at this time than any other, so it’s ideal for time-trials or speedwork, where you’re looking to get the best out of yourself.

Crashed Out!

2008-12-07T13:43:00.007Z

So, I thought, today would be a good day for a ride. Sunny, little wind but quite chilly. What I hadn't bargained on was just how chilly it was. I was riding quite happily when I hit a patch of black ice. One moment I was riding along, the next I was laying on my side with my arm in agony. I had no recollection of falling, it all happened so fast. I guess the lucky thing was that it was in a rural area as there was no other traffic.

I managed to get back on my bike and struggle home. Most of the way my arm was at my side as it was too painful to hold the handlebars.

When I got home, I took off my helmet and my head was quite badly bruised - I always insist on wearing a helmet and can now smugly justify why as without it I have no doubt at all that I would have had a fractured skull. My helmet is cracked all the way through in two places.

I went off to the hospital for a check up and it turned out that I had a broken elbow and suspected broken writs in two places. Also, my thigh was very badly bruised. The ligaments in my arm are also badly damaged, limiting movement.

Still, the good news is that the only damage to my bike was to the handlebar tape which can esily be fixed.

Click here to view detailed data

How to talk to non-cyclists

2008-12-02T12:33:00.000Z

Rule 1: Understand their bizarre world view..

You need to understand that non-cyclists don't realize that cycling is the most important thing any person can be doing at any given moment at any point in the universe. Non-cyclists' eyes - and minds - are shuttered, leaving them to believe that things like friends, community, work, and even family supercede what they naively call "just exercise." It's sad - OK, it's pathetic - but it's true.

To appease non-cyclists, when asked about what matters to you, you must from time to time mention friends, family, the environment, or some other such nonsense. Otherwise, they'll never leave you alone and it will be hours until you can get away, back to the comfort and kinship you feel when with your bicycle.

Rule 2. Use metaphors from "real life"

Non-cyclists aren't ready to hear about your exquisite existence in its unadulterated perfection. No, you will need to translate the sublime cycling experience into terms they might be able to understand. Naturally, you and I know that the following metaphors don't do the actual cycling event justice, but they'll have to do.

To describe how it feels to ride down perfectly banked, twisty forested singletrack on a cool autumn morning: "It's like that scene from Return of the Jedi where Luke and Leia are zooming on their flying motorcycle things. Except you're the one powering the flying motorcycle. And you're not being chased by stormtroopers. And you don't have to tolerate the constant chattering of Ewoks."
To explain why you gladly get up at 4:30am each weekday morning to ride your road bike for three hours on an entirely unremarkable road: "You know how you have to drive your car in stop-and-go traffic to get to work every morning? Well, imagine if you didn't have to stop. And imagine your car going as fast as you can make it go. And imagine starting the day feeling perfect. It's kind of like that."

To explain why you pay $200 to participate in a race you have very little chance in winning: "Ever play the lotto? It's like that, except much, much more so."

Rule 3: Pretend to be interested in their life

This one's going to knock you off your feet. Believe it or not, non-cyclists sometimes think they have something interesting to say, have an interesting hobby, or an interesting experience to relate.

This, of course, is utter nonsense.

Still, for the sake of propriety, you must act as if you care. Feel free, as they talk, to pleasantly daydream about biking. Just smile and say, "Absolutely," from time to time.

Warning: It's entirely possible that a non-cyclist will say something with which you disagree. When this happens, do not engage. If you do, you will have unwittingly stepped into a non-cycling conversation, and who knows where that will lead, or when it will end.

Always remember: Be polite, be brief, be gone.

Rule 4. Act like their theory on doping in cycling is very interesting

A tactic non-cyclists will often employ, once they have discovered you are a cyclist, is to try to talk with you about cycling. This usually takes the form of trying to talk with you about doping in cycling.

You will, no doubt, be tempted to gouge your ears out rather than hear their simplistic, uninformed opinion ("Doping is bad") to its rambling, incoherent conclusion. After all, as a cyclist, you have no doubt been pummelled with story after story after story about doping. You have heard so much about doping that you could now be called as an expert witness at the next doping trial. Or open a lab. Or be the next president of WADA (and you're rightly confident you'd do a much better job).

But if you point any of this out to your non-cyclist "friend," he will no doubt take that as a sign that you are interested in continuing the conversation. So, instead, repeat this simple phrase, "Yeah, doping sucks."

Your friend will feel like he has made his point, whatever it was.

Rule 5. Don't tell them the truth about how much your bike cost

Few people ever own anything that works, fits, or looks as well as a truly well-built bike. And yet, when they find that your bike costs as much as their high-end computer or mid-range stereo, they will fake a heart attack, guaranteed.

The solution? Tell non-cyclists you paid £499.99 for your bike, no matter how much you really paid for it. This number has been scientifically formulated to sound like more than a non-cyclist would pay for a bike, without otherwise drawing attention to itself.

No matter how you try, you can't always avoid non-cyclists. All you can hope to do is minimize contact with them - so you can get back to what's important.

And I think we both know what that is.

Source: http://www.bikeradar.com/road/news/article/humour-how-to-talk-to-non-cyclists-12730?source=newsletter&attr=road/2007/10/10

A Fine Day Out

2008-09-15T13:32:00.001+01:00

The weather forecast was good. My new bike has only had a couple of outings (well I have only had it just over a week). Summer, or what there was of it, is drawing to a close so, I thought, what a good time to get out there for a nice long ride. I had been wanting to cycle to a place I had visited several times by car which goes by the illustrious name of Burnham-on-Crouch. Not that there is a great deal there apart from yacht and hostelries, but it was target to aim for and something of an ambition of mine to cycle there.

So a meticulous planning exercise was put underway on Saturday working out the best route to get there. To cycle there and back would have been about 70 miles. I decided I wasn't feeling that energetic so thought I would get the ferry back and cut out half of the return journey. But, as it turned out, the planning could have been a bit more meticulous.

Sunday morning arrives, and it's nice to get ready without having to rush around to meet a start time, although it does take me a good 30 minutes to find everything, including the mini tool kit which does a magnificent job of alluding me. Finally, I am all ready to go and set off with glad heart.

The wind is fresh (cold) and I am beginning to regret not wearing a long sleeve jersey or arm warmers. Shall I turn back? Nah, just carry on as I am bound to get warm. Big mistake as I never really did. Then it dawns on me. The wind is blowing from the east rather than the usual westerly. So what's the big deal? It means that I will be cycling into a headwind for a lot of the way. But if I change my plan and catch the ferry to the other side of the River Crouch first, then I can cycle back with a tailwind for most of the way. Bit of a no-brainer really. I had even checked the ferry website, and there were sailings on the hour every hour. A quick bit of mental arithmetic and with luck I should be at the ferry jetty about 10.30 which would mean a 30 minute wait. But better than a headwind.

And that was where the planning could have been a bit more meticulous. I arrive at the ferry point at 10.30 as predicted and with a good five miles added to my journey only to find that there isn't an 11 o'clock ferry. I read the departure times again and again but no, there is no 11 o'clock sailing.

Where's the ferry?

So, decision made, I am not going to wait 90 minutes so it's into the wind with a few miles added to my planned journey.

And off I go again! The first part of the journey was immensely enjoyable. Nice tailwind blowing me along, the hills are a lot easier on the new bike (or maybe also thanks to the wind) and in no time at all I reach my first check point, Battlesbridge – I break my rides down into check points to give me something to aim for. I am very tempted to stop for tea and cake but no, must press on as this is probably about half way there.

There is quite a steep hill out of the village but again, my Felt makes light work of it. Now comes the next interesting bit, I have left my map at home. I had worked out a route which went along various country lanes running roughly parallel to the main road. I think I can remember what it said. Nope, wrong on two occasions, going wrong the first time and thinking I had gone wrong the second but hadn't – you can just about see the two lines going nowhere on the top left-hand side of the map. Still it's all good practice.

And also, here began the fun, cycling into the wind and climbing several steep hills. These start at the 29 mile point, where the hill rises from about 28 feet to 180 feet over about a mile. I am afraid there isn't enough detail to accurately calculate the gradient, but the elevation profile shows pretty well how steep the end part of the ride was.

By the time I had got to the end of the second hill, my legs were aching like they have never ached before. But at least when I reached the summit of the hill, I could see below, the yachts on the River Crouch and new that this stage of my journey was drawing to an end. And I have to say, I was looking forward to the run down into the town centre and a rest in the sun by the River. There might even be a snack bar open so that I could have that tea and cake I forsook at Battlesbridge.

Unfortunately, there were several pubs with really nice looking food but I only had about 30 minutes before the ferry arrived which would not have been enough time. So lunch comprised the remains of the energy bar and packet of dried apricots, washed down with Gatorade – yum yum! Still, Burnham is nice little town and there was yacht racing to watch while waiting for the ferry so it wasn't all bad.

Yes, this was the ferry

The ferry journey back to Wallasea Island made a pleasant interruption to my journey and there were only two other people on board so taking my bike didn't cause any problems. I had to buy a return ticket though but was told I could use it any time. So maybe one for the first long ride of the Spring? Or maybe even this route the other way round in October? Who knows, I will just have to wait and see.

The final leg of the journey home was one I had made on many occasion. I passed an elderly couple also cycling and had a bit of a chat before riding off and heading for home. All was going well although my thighs were starting to ache pretty badly by this point. I don't know if it was breaking the journey with the 30 minute wait to the ferry or whether they had just had enough, but I reached appoint about five miles from home when I had to stop my bike and almost fell off. It was becoming impossible to pedal as my thighs had become two masses of pain with next to no strength in them. I can remember thinking at the time that if there was anyway I could have got a lift home I would have. The funny thing was that I didn't feel exhausted at all; it was just that my legs would not get through the pain barrier. I had a five minute rest and took off again. Somehow, through sheer willpower alone I made it home. All ideas of doing a 13 mile training lap to finish with completely and utterly gone. Even my planned cool down five minute ride at the end was impossible. It simply a matter of trying to get off my bike without falling off and then stumbling in through the front door to recover. Surprisingly, this didn't take as long as I though it would. One recovery drink and a shower later and I felt right as rain. Not that I was contemplating doing that final 13 mile training lap mind you!

All in a great ride in during which I covered 58.9 miles in 5 hours and 3 minutes, an average speed of 11.9 mph. It also turned out that I climbed a total of 2,085 feet which probably accounts for the unresponsive legs at the end.

CLICK FOR FULL RIDE DATA

Southend Bikeathon 2008

2008-09-07T13:29:00.002+01:00

The least said about this year's bikeathon the better. Rain, cold, late for the start and my Garmin stopped working two-thirds of the way round so I have no idea how my times compared with previous years. But on the plus side, it was the first major outing on my new bike and, according to Tatia, I was the first one back. I can't vouch for that as it wasn't a race, but I did reach a point on the first lap (there are two laps to the full 26 miles) where I stopped passing anyone so it is possible I guess.

New Bike

2008-08-23T13:23:00.002+01:00

After several weeks of agnoising and "shall I, shan't I" arguments with myself, I finally decided to upgrade and buy a new bike. And here it is:

London to Southend 2008

2008-07-20T13:14:00.004+01:00

Do you ever have one of those days when the gods seem to conspire against you and something you had planned to do, you begin to woder if it's such a good idea after all? Well, today was one of those days.

It all began yesterday when we went to a BBQ. Rather than sticking to frut juice and leaving at a sensible time, I stuck to the Budweisers, didn't eat as I was going to have a pasta when we got home, but then didn't leave when I had planned to and so missed dinner altogether. Had a terrible night's sleep, woke late and missed the train I had planned to catch and had to miss breakfast as I was running late. No problem though, as I bagged some bananas and an energy ar planning to eat breakfast on the train. All well and good but I left the extra Gatorade at home and so was feeling quire dehydrated.

Once on the train though, things started to change for the better. There were engineering works on my line which meant all trains were being diverted to Liverpool Street – and one of the stops included Stratford. So, no need to have to change and get the organised train. There were lots of other people on the train taking part in the ride and it was good to while away the journey chatting to like-minded souls.

Then it was off the train and cycle to the starting point at Victoria Park. I got there and was ready for the off at 8.00, my original intended start time. All was well that ended well.

London to Southend 2008

Share your bike routes @ Bikely.com

The ride was great fun, and for the large part very well marshalled. There was the usual crap trying to get out of London as we sat at red light after red light. But once on the outskirts the roads were a dream. There are a series of hills just outside London at Chigwell which were a right killer last year and I have to admit to walking up the last one. This year though, it was ride all the way – not without a great deal of effort mind you.

The wind wasn't too much of a problem apart from at a place called Hannignfield where there must be a two mile stretch of road running alongside the reservoir where 15 mph headwinds were blowing – not a lot of fun just over half way into the ride when the legs are starting to feel it a bit.

I must admit though that I was pleased to arrive at the finish line and the jacket potato was to die for!

I was very pleased that I considerably improved on my time – last year took me 4 and half hours, this year took only 3 hours 50 minutes.

CLICK TO VIEW FULL RIDE DATA

Can't wait for next year!!!

Whoops

2008-07-13T13:13:00.000+01:00

Whoops I have just realised the London to Soutned ride is next weekend and not the 27th!!! That gives me just 7 days to recover from yesterday. Maybe I should have only done 40 miles - ah well, too late now.

Essex Countryside Ride

2008-07-13T13:05:00.002+01:00

Well, today was the day and inspite of a later night last night and having to rouse myself from bed at 6.00 this morning for the ride, I was feeling pretty good and decided to go for the 60 mile ride – I could always change my mind at the time but you gotta aim high right?

Essex Countryside 2008 - 60 miler

Share your bike routes @ Bikely.com

The weather forecast was fairly good, with a window in the rain promised for between 7:00 am and 1pm and the winds didn't seem too bad either.

So it was load up the bike and off I went.

When I got to the venue, the weather was actually quite chilly and I wished I had put a long sleeved shirt on. It ought to warm up once we get going but make note to self to get a pair of arm warmers as these can be worn or stashed as required.

There was a slight delay at the start as, in spite of it being advertised as a 7.30 start, the ride commentator (well, the guy blabbering into a microphone at the start) announced it wouldn't actually get underway until 8.00. In the end, the decided to split the difference and we were off at 7.45. And so, without further ado, the tape was cut and off we headed – all 800 of us. Well, no about 100 actually as the rest must have opted for a bit of a lie in and later start.

The ride itself was a great deal of fun. The weather held out for most of the way although the wind was biting cold at times and was gusting at up to 13.8 mph. So it was from sweating one minute to shivering the next. Not to mention the extra effort required for hills.

The wind also made it hard going up hills. Oh and as I say time and time again, anyone who thinks Essex is flat should try cycling here!

Total climb = 1,937ft

I felt pretty comfortable for most of the ride but the last three miles become a battle of will-power against sheer exhaustion. And it didn't help that it was all up-hill. My legs were just about giving out. But the crowning glory? A half mile uphill with roadbumps just before the finish! Whoever worked out that part of the route should be made to ride it daily!

And then it was across the finish line, collect my medal and certificate and tuck into a large, greasy cheeseburger with no feelings of guilt as surely I am allowed some indulgence for cycling 60 miles and burning off 3,750 calories.

I was slightly disappointed with the time as 4 hours 35 minutes (average 13.2 mph) - I would have liked the average to have been closer to 14 mph. Still there is always the London to Southend ride in two weeks!

The Results

The detailed results: http://trail.motionbased.com/trail/activity/6223007

Another Windy Day

2008-07-07T12:58:00.001+01:00

Why is it so damn windy in Britain these days? Where are the supposed long, warm calm sunny days. I checked the weather forecast this morning and came close to cancelling my ride:

34 mph gusts increasing to 45mph! I wonder how much that effectively adds to your distance? Looking back over recent rides the weather seems to be nothing but windy!

But still I went ahead as planed and it was only in one or two places that the wind almost brought me to a standstill. In the end, I did a healthy 39.75 miles in 2 hours 50 minutes (14.0 mph average).

Bloody Awful

2008-06-27T12:55:00.001+01:00

Well, that must count as just about the worst ride I've had. Not that anything seriously untoward happened – no white van drivers trying to knock me off the road. Just 25 mph winds, bottom bracket developing an annoying click, seriously bad indigestion kicking in, foot cramp and my Achilles tendon hurting like hell. Oh yes and it started to rain too. So 1 lap it was then into the shower. Let's hope Sunday's is better as the 60 miler is fast approaching and I need the training.

The figures:
Distance: 13.27 miles
Time: 53.24
Average speed: 14.9 mph
Max speed: 21.9mph
Calories 816
Av Cadence: 65 rpm

Bloody Marvellous

2008-06-26T12:56:00.000+01:00

Ah what a difference 48 hours makes.

This morning's ride was wonderful. 39 miles in weather that may not have been quite perfect but really good for riding nonetheless. Sun, cloud now and again, wind that offered and challenge and cooled. Shame I didn't have time to do a fourth lap but is was back to my usual job of unpaid chauffer!

Feeling much more confident about the Essex Countryside Ride in two weeks time although I am still debating between te 40 and 60 mile route. The main reason being that the London to Southend ride is two weeks after and I don't want to overdo the training.

http://trail.motionbased.com/trail/activity/6109477

A Blustery Day

2008-05-23T12:51:00.004+01:00

Ahh the little ones were out on Sunday for the kidz bikathon along Southend sea front. Not that my little one washaving anything to do with it. There was daddy having these sweet thoughts about his little four year old riding though the finish line after two miles along the sea-front to collect her medal. But when we go out for a practice ride a couple of weeks back she rides for five minutes before claiming she is tired and wants to go play on the beach. How they break your heart.

Anyway where was I? Oh yes, as part of my usual trainingng route along the sea-front was closed off for the kidz event I decided to head off in a slightly different direction and see where my nose lead me. Along the way it struck me that I think I am starting to get masochistic tendencies. No nothing like that, it's just that I am starting to enjoy the battle with hills. Not that I am going out of my way to find them mind you, simply that I don't ride an extra five miles to avoid one. Hills, in Essex I hear you say? Wellthe 240ft climb over three miles O tackled a couple of weeks back may not qualify anyone for king of the mountains, but being as unfit as I am, it felt like it was never ending and hurt!.

So I decided to tackle a similar route with the same hill. Only this time with the added fun of headwinds ranging from 25 to 40 miles an hour (check the news for freak summer winds on 22 June). But then every cloud has a silver lining and it was enormous fun cycling along the sea-front with 25-40 mile an hour tail wind blowing me along. Keeping up with the traffic, meant being able to ride in the middle of the raod and grin in the rear view mirror of the car in front. Mind you it got a bt scary at times when a freak side wind would hit and try its best to blow me over!

With only three weeks to go with my first ride of the season (we don't talk about the first two I was supposed to do) – the 58 mile Essex Countryside ride on 12 July (http://www.bike-events.com/Ride.aspx?id=174) – I feel woefully prepared and need to start getting some extra training in. I could always do the 18 or 35 mile course buut then where would be the fun in that. So if the weather holds, it will be 13 mile circuits Tuesday and Thursday evenings as well as my Sunday ride. And if the weather doesn't hold it will be time to dust off the turbo trainer.

Sat Nav Try Out

2008-05-18T12:45:00.001+01:00

Today I went out for a quick spin to test out my new Garmin (see the Sat Nov blog if you have no idea what that it is). Well, first of all, I have to say it is probably a quick to crashing into something as it is tempting to keep reading the 8 datafields rather than watching where you are going! But once the novelty wore off, I used it pretty much the same as any other bike computer, checking the usual stuff like speed, average speed, cadence and the like.

But when I got home, the fun started as I downloaded the information and started playing around with the analysis it provided. There is also a cool goggle earth view where it zooms in from the view of the earth to the route just taken (did I mention that the Garmin records your route and all of the other data). I have to admit to being a bit of a gadget freak as although some of the data will allow me to track my progress as I train over the summer, I haven't a clue what I'll use the other half for!

And here's the goggle map of today's route:

Or if you want to see more detail: CLICK HERE

Sat Nav

2008-05-17T12:40:00.000+01:00

My new sat nav arrived today. Sat Nav for a bike? Well yes but as a training aid more recording where you have been that where you are going!. It's one of these:

And here's the blurb on what it does:

Rugged, lightweight Edge attaches easily to the stem or handlebars of your bike with the included bike mount. Just turn it on, acquire GPS satellites and go. Edge 305 automatically measures your speed, distance, time, calories burned, altitude, climb and descent, and also records the route you have taken for review. For extra-precise climb and descent data, Edge 305 also incorporates a barometric altimeter to pinpoint changes in elevation.

Other Edge features:

Easy to install; no calibration required. Just snap it into the bike mount and go.

High-sensitivity GPS receiver tracks your position even in tree cover and canyons, making it extremely reliable for location, distance and speed information.
Virtual Partner® lets you race a virtual competitor over a specified distance and speed.
Courses let you race against a previously recorded workout, so you can compare your current and past performances over the same ride.
Auto Pause® pauses the timer when you slow down or stop and resumes when you speed up again, so you can focus on your ride.
Auto Lap® automatically starts a new lap each time you pass a specified location or travel a preset distance.

Measure Your Heart Rate and Cadence

Edge 305 comes packaged with a heart rate monitor, speed/cadence sensor, or both. These wireless sensors use ANT technology to send valuable workout data to the Edge.

* Edge 305 + heart rate — measure your heart rate and track your heart rate zone with the lightweight, comfortable heart rate strap. Don't worry about cross-talk; ANT technology eliminates interference from other heart rate monitors.

* Edge 305 + cadence — monitor your pedaling cadence and wheel speed as you ride with the self-calibrating, wireless speed/cadence sensor that attaches securely to your bike. You can even use it to train indoors because the sensor attaches to your rear wheel.

Track Your Progress

As an added benefit, you can plan, analyse and store data from your workouts using free Garmin Training Center® software, which lets you analyse data with interactive graphs that chart your speed, time, heart rate and elevation. Overlay your ride on a map so you can pinpoint specific areas and see how elevation and other factors affect your performance. Or, upload your workout data to MotionBased.com, Garmin's web-based application that provides in-depth analysis of your workouts, online mapping and route sharing that will take your training to the next level. Endurance athletes can also use the Edge with TrainingPeaks.com, an easy-to-use web-based training system designed to help athletes train for any event.

Tips for becoming a roadie

2008-02-13T12:37:00.000Z

By Elden Nelson, The Fat Cyclist

Oh those silly roadies! (Tim de Waele)

As a mountain biker, you have no doubt noticed an entirely different kind of rider from time to time: the road cyclist. You have probably heard that many pro mountain bikers train on the road, due to the improved power, stamina, and pedaling technique road cycling yields.

Perhaps you've noticed how elegant and svelte a good road bike looks, and have thought to yourself 'I wouldn't mind riding on the road.'

Well, good for you.

However, my mountain biking friend, there are seven vital things you should know before you hit the road, so to speak.

1. Your bike is different.

As a mountain biker, you are used to putting your back into it when you need to lift the thing onto a bike rack, over a log, or so forth. My own preferred method is to use the 'Clean and Jerk.' If you use similar force when lifting a road bike, there's a good chance you'll accidentally throw it over a building.

Also, you need to pump the tires up harder. Much harder. No, even harder than that. Generally, in fact, it takes the weight of two or three 'roadies' (an endearing term road cyclists like to call themselves) to push down hard enough on a standard floor pump to get the tires to the proper pressure.

How do you know when a road tire is inflated to the proper pressure? The answer is simple: it's hard enough when one single more stroke of the pump will blow it off the rim. The real art is, naturally, in knowing whether you've reached that point.

2. The terrain is different.

When you are mountain biking, you naturally are inclined to look for interesting obstacles to ride over -- roots, rocks, fallen logs are all part of the fun. On a road bike, on the other hand, anything but perfectly smooth pavement is a potentially life-threatening danger, and must be avoided at all costs. Further, if you are ahead of another cyclist, you must use elaborate hand gestures to indicate that there is -- horrors! -- a pebble 75 metres up the road.

3. Words you know have different meanings.

Since roadies and mountain bikers have a common heritage, it's no surprise that they share some vocabulary. It's also no surprise that the variance in meaning in some of that vocabulary can get you into trouble.

For example, if a mountain biker says a ride is 'technical', you can assume that there is loose shale, several ledge drops, high-penalty (e.g., death) exposure on one side of the trail, or slick, mossy roots twisting along the singletrack. If a roadie calls a ride 'technical' on the other hand, it most likely means that there is a roundabout somewhere in the ride.

As a second example, when a mountain biker talks about going on a 'group ride', it means that a bunch of friends got together, regrouped at junctures of the ride, talked as they were riding, and probably had a beer or twelve together after the ride. When roadies have a 'group ride', on the other hand, riders are expected to ride in a tight formation, paying strict attention to the gap between your front tire and the rear wheel ahead of you. the gap should be no more than four inches. After the obligatory ten minute warmup, it becomes each rider's dual purpose to drop every other rider, while not being dropped yourself.

4. Beware of triathletes.

As a mountain biker, you've always been deeply suspicious of triathletes. As a road cyclist, you will find out you were correct to be so, and you will find out why. Triathletes will try to infiltrate your ranks and join your rides, then demonstrate that they have no idea of how to ride in a group, and very little control of their direction of travel.

Most importantly, though, they wear these short shorts and tank tops that are just plain creepy.

5. You must now keep your bike clean.

On a mountain bike, dirt is a badge of honor. A little mud on the downtube tells other riders that you're not afraid to ride in the rough stuff. On a road bike, on the other hand, if your bike isn't 15 percent cleaner than when you bought it, you are a slovenly ne'er-do-well who cannot be trusted.

6. Your body needs to change.

As a mountain biker, you've no doubt noticed it's quite helpful to have not just strong legs, but strong arms as well. Roadies, on the other hand, regard their arms as a necessary evil, their sole function being to keep their chests from falling onto the bike's stem.

It's a well-known fact that roadies bind their arms to their sides when not riding bikes, doing everything they can to facilitate the atrophy of these non-contributing limbs.

7. What you look at changes.

When mountain biking, you have no doubt been astounded at the beauty around you -- the trees, the streams, wildlife, beautiful sandstone vistas. As a road cyclist, you will also find yourself occupied with things to look at, such as the pavement. Or, if you're riding in a group, you'll be treated to the constant, unavoidable sight of the butt of the guy riding ahead of you. And cars flying by you, yelling out helpful suggestions about what you should do and to whom, as well as their understanding of whether you belong on the road (their stance is that you do not).

It's breathtaking, frankly.

As you can clearly see, road cycling has numerous exciting different experiences to offer the mountain biker. I'm sure you can hardly wait to try it out.

Elden 'Fatty' Nelson blogs as the Fat Cyclist, where he has been known, on occasion, to present a lopsided point of view. Next week, he will present the new experiences roadies can expect to encounter when trying their hand at mountain biking.

Price for a cylist’s life = £295

2007-09-01T12:31:00.000+01:00

How utterly ridiculous is this. The law in this country is a total ass. You kill some through careless driving and get a £295 fine and six points – not even a ban! Morons like this should be banned from driving for life! So Julie Martin, how does it feel to have killed someone and got off so lightly! How would you have felt if a careless driver had collided with your daughter and killed her. Would you think £295 and six points was justice? It's about time the punishment fitted the crime.

--------------------

A DRIVER involved in a collision that killed a cyclist has been ordered to pay £295 and was given six points on her licence.

Julie Martin, 50, of Manor Road, Benfleet, had been driving along Rawreth Lane, Rayleigh, with her 12-year-old daughter on October 27 last year, when she collided with cyclist Roger Beckley after turning right on to Priory Chase.

Mr Beckley, 56, of High Road, Hockley, had been cycling on the opposite side of the road. He died at the scene of the crash from head injuries.

Martin pleaded guilty to careless driving at Southend Magistrates' Court.

Full story: http://www.echo-news.co.uk/display.var.1655260.0.0.php?utag=43525

How cycling makes you younger

2007-08-16T12:28:00.000+01:00

By Joe Beer

Have you ever thought that cycling could be making you younger? Think about it. Perhaps your riding is helping you beat the clock, holding back the years and giving you a chronological advantage. But on the other hand, if you don't treat yourself well, cycling could be adding a few years to your real age.

So try to be honest. Do you look, feel, act and think your age? What would the people around you say? There's a good chance others might have a different answer to your own.

Genetic make-up

Our ageing is not just a result of what we do, there's also a significant genetic component. For example, skin type, varicose veins or rate of hair loss are just three ways in which heredity will help to determine the hand that is dealt you.

How often have you heard it said that a person looks like their mother, father or grandparents? We might be unique individuals but our genetic building blocks will often closely match those of our parents. To counter the argument that we are bound to turn into our parents and therefore age as they did, we must consider both sides of the nature-nurture paradigm. Although genetics give us the building blocks, we can do much to make positive - or negative - choices that will affect our health and fitness and thus our rate of ageing.

Few smokers, excessive sun worshippers or totally sedentary people look good for their age. Their lifestyle choices tend to make them age more quickly than non-smoking, active people who slap on the suntan lotion. The person who smokes 60 a day and lives to 90 is a rarity, far outnumbered by those who have ill health and poor cardio-respiratory systems, and look to have prematurely aged.

In other words, what you do - the nurture - can make big differences to the genetic nature you start life with.

A good or bad hand

You may or may not have good ageing genetics, but as with those genes that affect your fitness, taking the right actions almost always has a positive effect. How you age can show how much you do or don't care for your body. Obvious ways to make yourself look, feel and perform older than you actually are include weight gain, excessive UV damage to the skin, lack of exercise and a poor diet.

As a cyclist, you're not sedentary, but that doesn't necessarily mean that you look good for your age. It could be that you are just starting out as a rider or that you are only recently getting back into the two-wheeled world. Or it might be that you're a long-time rider but that you've not got your weight under control. It's clear that many active people still fight weight as one of their primary demons. And if you stop riding, the demon will catch you.

You might have genetics that are very good at storing fat. If so, it's easy to blame your make-up and get yourself into a mindset where you accept that there's nothing you can do about it. But in fact it's nearly always possible to make yourself leaner, stronger or fitter.

Nature and nurture

The rest of your life starts now. Today. The take away message from this article is quite simple: you do have the power to slow down the ageing process, and to use cycling as a means towards this end. How fast you're ageing is a see-saw effect of nature and nuture. You must control the nature with how you nurture your body. Start right now by doing the reality check - do you look, feel, act and think your age? Write this in your diary, or as a Post-It reminder; don't just think it - write it down and acknowledge the truth. Good or bad.

Things to think about

Do I look good compared to my active and inactive peers?
Have I let weight creep on that's bad for my self-esteem?
Is my fitness as good as I tell myself it is?
Do my teeth, skin, hair and complexion look good or badly managed?
Am I positive, and good to be around, or a negative thinker?
How many sins have I got to balance with my cycling? Is it unevenly balanced?

A Break in the Rain

2007-07-21T12:21:00.001+01:00

Well it stopped raining today and out popped the sun which seemed a good enough excuse to get out for a ride before it started raining again.

I didn't have any route planned, just a rough idea in which direction to head. I really enjoyed myself, even though there were 17 mph headwinds. Funny, I had aches and pains from the London to Southend ride, but I was still really stiff when I started out. Good thing was though everything loosed up pretty quickly.

The best part was coming back along the long, straight, stretch along the sea front and having a car pull out in front of me – well no, that wasn't the best part. The best part was then drafting him at 30 mph and making eye contact in his rear view mirror when he checked it. I must have stayed there behind him for around two miles until he pulled in to park.

Stats:
Distance: 28.6 miles
Time: 2 hours 4 mins
Average speed: 14 mph

Southend Bikathon again

2007-07-20T12:12:00.000+01:00

Here we go again! I have signed up for the Southend bikeathon (26 miles) this was my big ride last year and so it's encouraging to see how far I have progressed since then (even though I didn't cycle for about 6 months after the bikathon!). The big question now is, do I do the ride on road bike to see how quickly I can cover the route, or do I ride one lap (13 miles) on the mountain bike with Seri in the trailer?

The Big Day

2007-07-19T12:01:00.002+01:00

It was up with the larks at 5.00 to catch the train to London. I didn't need to be at the station until 6.20 but had to catch a train from home to Southend to catch the train to London - if that makes sense!

Got to the Southend station at 6.00 only to find it hadn't opened yet and there among the cyclist were an assortment of revellers of Southend's night clubs waiting to catch the first train home.

We were told that our train didn't leave until 7.00 but could catch an earlier regular service if we wanted to. So of course we all piled on the first train to leave which was a pity for others wanting to catch the train as there were bikes everywhere making access to the doors impossible.

On route to London we passed through a tropical thunderstorm, complete with forked lightning and torrential rain - everyone starts praying that that doesn't become the order of the day. Luckily by the time we get to London, the rain had cleared and it was beginning to look like a good day weather wise was in store.

After riding a meandering route through the back streets of east London, we finally arrive at the start in Victoria Park. The start was very well organised, as was the rest of the ride, with no queues for registering as we rode through what was described as a drive through tent to hand in the registration form. Then it was on to the starting line a couple of thundered yards further forward. A five minute wait and the group I was in were off!

It didn't take long to reach the outskirts of London, although that was when the fun began with a long, steep uphill climb. Quite a few people were already walking and, without being cruel, I did wonder how many of them would make it - there was still a further 50 odd miles to go and some already looked exhausted.

From then, it was a fantastic ride, going through country lanes. Mind you, whoever said Essex was flat should try cycling this route some time. And the headwinds we rode into all of the way, made it just that bit more challenging.

Total climb: 1788ft Total descent: 1784ft

There seemed to be a lot of riders getting suffering punctures along the way but no real mechanical breakdowns that I could see. And there were a wide ride variety of bikes - from carbon frame road bikes, to mountain bikes and yes, even a Brompton.

One particularly memorial moment was when I was with a group cycling down a slight hill, only to round a corner and be faced with a ford right in front of us. The person I was drafting managed to shoot across the road and brake in time, but for me it was hang on and pray. Luckily, in spite of the rain we have had lately, the ford had barely any water in it and so I got through ok. Although I did hear someone talking after the ride about how they had seen someone ad come off there.

With only 20 miles to go, I was still feeling pretty much ok but decide to stop at the next refreshment point for a break. Feeling rather peckish and tired of cereal bars, could I resist that big, fresh cheeseburger being cooked on the pub BBQ? You guessed it, no! And what a mistake that turned out to be. I got back on the bike and metabolism had slowed to a snail's pace while my stomach got to work on the burger. The next 10 miles were a slow, hard ride. Never again!

I finally reached Southend and caught up with a group of riders as were crossed the finish line. That was fantastic as the crowd there waiting for friends and family clapped and cheered everyone home.

Finished!

And so it was that I met up with the family and we headed off to a local spaghetti house for recovery food - a large plate of pasta washed down with a pint. Oh well, at least I had burnt off the calories already!

Timewise, I completed the 60 miles in around 4 and a half hours, averaging 14 mph which I was very pleased with - but if only I hadn't had that cheeseburger.

Would I do it again? Most definitely and am seriously considering the London to Paris ride next year.

The Big Day Tomorrow

2007-07-14T12:02:00.001+01:00

Well, so at last I am nearly at the big day. I'm feeling pretty confident about the ride, especially after last weekend's 20 miles on Saturday and 52 on Sunday. All I have to do and is clean and lubricate the bike this afternoon and then get a good night's sleep.

The weather is a little worrying though. The Met Office have a issued a severe weather warning warning with lots of rain forecast but I am hoping that this will be changed for later today as it looks as though things will be ok up until about 3 o'clock. In fact the BBC are now forecasting:

which is brilliant news! But I really must stop obsessing about it

Well, I tried to stop obsessing and failed miserably. Here's the latest:

First half a ton – Done!

2007-07-09T19:41:00.000+01:00

Well the weather held out this weekend so it was back to catching up on missed training rides for the London to Southend ride next weekend. I was quite a bit behind where I had hoped to be right now and was beginning to get slightly worried. On Saturday, I did a fast 20 mile ride which was fun but Sunday was the big day when I had planned to break to the 50 mile barrier.

I set off around mid-day (no time to watch the Tour de France, but doing is better than watching!). I was determined to take things slowly and more measured and had a route planned which was ‘there and back again’. So as long as I made it there, short of getting on a train, I had to ride back. And what a great ride it was. Well all apart from when some asshole in a 4x4 decided there was no way he was even going to slow down as he speed towards me along a single track county lane. It was slam on my breaks, haul the bike virtually off the road and wonder just how stupid some people are. But there was no way he was going to spoil my ride as I was about 5 miles away from the magic 50 at that point. I kept checking the bike comp as I got close to the 50 mile barrier and let out a cheer when it read 50.01 miles!

Mind you, I have to say by that time I was riding in automaton mode – my legs moving by willpower more than anything else.

So the total distance ended up at 52 miles with an average speed of 14.5 mph – which may not be much be Le Tour standards but is something which, if I do say so myself, I am very proud of. The legs are a little sore from lactic acid today but who cares!!!

Now the 60 mile London to Southend ride doesn’t sound quite as daunting as 50 miles really was a psychological barrier for me.

It’s amazed me at just how quickly it is to make progress if you stick at it. I can remember a few months back when my longest distance was 12 miles. So any beginners out there, just keep at it!

Riding in the rain, just riding in the rain

2007-07-01T16:45:00.000+01:00

I was having a conversation with someone at work the other day which went something like this:

“How’s the training for the L-S ride going?”
“It’s not because of the never ending rain”
“What will you do if it’s raining on the day?”
“Still do it”
“Well shouldn’t you train in the rain then?”

So I girded up my loins and decided I would get out on the bike today, come rain or shine. Well, as it happens, the forecast looked ok, so I set out and hoped for the best.

Man was the wind strong, gusting at 26 mph. Still it gave me a good work out. I was about four miles from home the heavens opened and it absolutely bucketed down. So that made my mind as to whether I was going to do a final 13 mile loop. Home I arrived wet through and freezing cold. Still that was an experience, cycling in a 26 mph wind in a monsoon! It really had better not be like that on the day or I might just change my mind and get the train home!

Today’s stats:

Distance: 35.85 miles
Time: 2 hours 28 mins
Average speed: 14.5 mph

Sunday 18 June

2007-06-18T20:14:00.000+01:00

Another good ride today. I set off on what is just over an 18 miles circuit wondering if I would attempt three circuits and break the mile barrier. All went pretty well, apart from a car pulling out of a driveway, turning right and looking all the time to his left so he didn’t see me. As I approached him I thought “he must look this way soon in case a car is coming”. But no, he just kept going. I was going too fast to stop so just yelled and went round the front of him. Luckily he did turn and the last minute and braked. I did think about yelling something appropriate but just waved a “thank you for not hitting me”.

The wind was a bit blowy, and from the direction which meant headwinds most of the way round. But no rain and sunshine for most of the time too.

I was half-way round the second circuit when I decided not to bother with the third circuit and quit at 38 miles. The legs were feeling a bit tired but other than that, no real reason to quit other than I just really didn’t feel like doing the third circuit. No problem with that as I hadn’t planned on attempting the 50 mile barrier until the end of June.

So that meant I could have a little fun along the seafront with the wind blowing from behind and the traffic doing an average 20 mph. Oh How I love overtaking cars like that!

Got home feeling pretty tired after all of that but my recovery time seemed to be better than last week’s sponsored ride over the same distance as my ride today. The average speed was down a bit on last week’s though which could be down to going it alone (or maybe the headwinds).

The stats:

Distance: 38.8 miles
Time: 2 hours 45 min
Average speed: 14.1 mph

Sunday 10 June - 40 Mile Charity Ride

2007-06-11T23:07:00.000+01:00

It was up at 6.30 on Sunday and off for a 40 mile charity ride (decided to leave the 75 or 100 mile routes until next year). Weather forecast is good. Porridge and fruit for breakfast, few last minutes checks to make sure I have everything and then it’s off in the car to the starting point.

Oh dear, lost already as I left the directions to the starting point at home. Then I remember that there is an alternative car park by Billericay station so head off there and, hey presto, just around the corner is Lake Meadows, the starting point.

Unload the bike from the car and head-off to register and discover that a clicking noise from the rear wheel, which had appeared on Saturday, has got worse. As I get close to the registration tent, the clicking has turned into a rattle. Just I was beginning to wonder if the bike would make it, I suddenly realise the cause of the problem – the rear wheel reflector was loose. Soon it is the ex-rear wheel reflector! Then it’s registration and 10 minutes to the off.

One of the organisers announces that the portaloos have not arrived to which someone replies, “What’s the guys address, we’ll go visit him and leave our calling cards in his front garden!” With no toilets on route several people, including me, head back to the public toilets on the other side of the park.

Finally, we are called to the starting line, giving a final good luck message and it’s off we go!

There is the inevitable bunching to get out of the park and nice curb to drop down which could damage a few wheels if not noticed. And finally on to the road. Like all sponsored events, the ride gets off to a slow start due to bunching, but that’s ok as it gives the legs a chance to warm up. After a short while on a main road it’s off onto country lanes which is rather nice. Only problem was though that I have to keep braking as two people in front are riding side by side chatting away and seeming determined not to let anyone past! Finally get past them and into my stride and am going at about the same pace as five or six others. Until we get to a hill that is and then my normal style prevails – I am rubbish at going up hill but love opening it up downhill. So everyone passes me going up and I pass them going down. I don’t know why, but one of the things I remember about the very early part of the ride is being overtaken by someone going up hill, who was standing in the pedals, and her friend shouting from behind “gears Gillian”. I think that will be my uphill mantra from now on!

The route is extremely well marshalled with not only the usual pointing to turn right or left, but also a shout of “all clear” so we knew it was safe to turn without having to slow down. Also, lots of water along the way which, as the morning warmed up will be very welcome if I run out of my own drink.

Stop at the half way point for a 10 minute stretch and am very pleased to see I have covered something like 20 miles in just over an hour and a half. I don’t expect to do so well on the second half as the legs are starting to feel tired. But that was before the wonderful down hills. Going down one I reach 38mph which is a great buzz before I started wondering what will happen if I hit a pothole! Luckily it was a quite country road, long and straight, so I stay in the middle of the road as most potholes seem to avoid the centre-line.

About 10 miles to go and I am going up hill with a right turn at the top. I slow down and nearly topple off the bike – I didn’t realise my legs had got that tired! Luckily there was someone from the Essex Roads Cycling Club chatting to one of the marshals and he rides along with me chatting for about quite a bit of the remainder of the way which made things easier until my legs got their second wind.

We come to a railway crossing which was closed to let a train pass. And there seemed to be most of the others I have seen at some point along the way. Either they have had a long wait or I have caught them up.

Then it is off for the last few miles along country roads before hitting the main roads in Billericay and a hill which nearly finishes me off. I catch up with someone who I had been passing earlier in the ride and who had then passed me before I stopped for a break. We ride together and chat as we cover the final mile or so to the finish. But man, why did there have to be a hill right at the end of the course!

We finally ride back into Lake Meadows. I am pretty tired by now but full of the normal emotion that I feel when I finish events like these.

Just time for a sports recovery drink (warm milkshake type – yeuk!) and well earned bacon roll (yum) then it was off back home for the rest of Sunday.

I did have one final surprise though as when I checked by bike computer at the end it said:

Distance: 38.6 miles
Time: 2 hours 38 minutes
Average speed: 14.8 mph

Which was not only the furthest I had cycled since taking it up again earlier this year but also the fasted average speed. Could have been the downhills and almost certainly partly due to the company from the guy from Essex Roads. Also, as a result of the bunching early on and having to use the brakes a lot, I had changed my riding position and was resting my hands on the top of the brake levers more than usual, so was lower down. But no matter what, two new personal bests which I was very proud off!

Can’t wait for the London – Southend ride.

Another long one today

2007-06-03T17:21:00.000+01:00

Although when I first got up I wasn’t sure what the weather was going to do – the BBC said hot and sunny, outside the window said grey. Well the grey and overcast won the day but it turned out to be perfect weather – well for me anyway. I included part of the end of the London – Southend cycle run which I had been planning to include in my training programme and, apart from a couple of hills, this seemed ok. I was struggling up one particular hill and the burning sensation in my thigh muscles was ubearable (good job no-one was in earshot) but I kept going and the pain started to fade. Not sure if this is supposed to happen or whether the nerves in my legs just gave up and died.

Some stupid woman made an attempt to knock me off my bike when she turned left at traffic lights – her wing mirror brushed my right arm; any closer and it would have been me knocked off. . Not one to hold a grudge I gave her a amile and a friendly wave before riding off

The last part of the ride included my usual run along Southend sea front and I was hoping to get pushed home but there was the inevitable headwind. About two miles from home I seriously began to doubt if I would make it.

Got home and a nice hour and a half nap!

As for the new saddle, in a word brilliant.

Things began to get a little painful after about 33 miles but then I think that is only to be expected at the moment and as I break it in (or it breaks me in) then there should be no problems.

Looking forward to next Sunday as I am taking part in a 40 miles charity ride which should be good training for the 60 mile London - Southend ride.

Ok, now for today’s stats:

Distance: 38.25 miles
Av speed: 13.6 mph

And the route:

Southend Circular #2

Share your bike routes @ Bikely.com

Beat the rain today!

2007-05-31T11:48:00.001+01:00

Ah-ha! Got up this morning and the sun was shining. The forecast said rain by 10 but I thought I’d take a chance anyway. Guess what? No rain – hooray!! But then I did double the distance I had planned to do which meant I was knackered by the time I was three quarters of the way round the route. Never mind, still good fun. Well, good fun apart from the saddle that is. My sit bones (thanks to Tatia for that phrase) are in agony and I had to half ride, half stand for the last 5 miles. So I have given up trying to break the saddle in and have ordered a new Specialized Gel Saddle . With luck it will be here by the weekend, if not the mtb saddle is defiantly going on until it does arrive!

Distance: 18.8 miles, Av speed: 14.1 mph

Rain, rain, rain

2007-05-30T20:58:00.000+01:00

So, I take a week off to get some serious training in and what happens? Rain, rain and yet more rain . In fact rain everyday apart from Tuesday morning when I did my first 30+ miles.

And what is the forecast for the remainder of my time off? Rain Tursday and rain Sunday so at least I met get out Friday and Saturday

Oh and I have just signed up for a 40 mile sponsored ride on the 10th June - so what's the betting it will rain then too!

My First 30+ miles

2007-05-29T14:05:00.000+01:00

Yay I have just completed my first 30+ ride. I started out on what was a warmish sunny morning and the weather forecast said that there should be no more rain today.

I had planed the route and drilled it into myself to be sensible, pace myself and not worry about speed. Which I did manage to keep to. This was also the first outing for my road bike and wow, what a difference from the hybrid. Great fun going down a slight hill at 30mph! Waved and smiled at several other friendly cyclists on the way which is a bonus.

Living in Essex which, in my part of the world, is relatively flat is another big bonus, but cycling in a 20 mph wind wasn’t so much fun at times, particularly when cycling alongside exposed fields. Oh and lesson number 1, never believe the weather forecast! About 4 miles from home and the heavens opened. By the time I got home I was soaked through and freezing cold. But feeling very satisfied. One hot shower and a cup of tea later and I am itching to get out and ride again! I think I will wait tomorrow though as the bum is a bit sore right now – and I am going to put my gel saddle on to the road bike!

I ended up doing 32.5 miles in 2 hours 27 minutes which works out to what is for me a respectable average speed of around 13mph.

And here's the route:

Shoeburyness East Beach to Canewdon circular 1

Share your bike routes @ Bikely.com

26 May - Sitting Around

2007-05-26T08:21:00.000+01:00

I haven’t been able to get out for a decent ride all week and am getting really itchy feet. Still, I am off to get the new bike tomorrow which is cool. The only problem is though that the weather forecast doesn’t look to great – rain starting about 3 o’clock on Sunday and carrying on all through Monday – shame! The Met Office website says that Tuesday should be ok so I guess I will just have to sit around with a new bike and wait patiently until then *sigh*

21 May - New Bike

2007-05-20T11:57:00.000+01:00

I bought a new bike today - yippee

But I can't collect it until next Sunday - bummer

Friday, 18 May - Headwinds

2007-05-18T20:48:00.001+01:00

It was a nice sunny day so I couldn’t resist going out for a ride this evening. Working from home was a plus as it meant I could get out on time so planned a slightly longer ride than the usual 12 miles. Checked the weather forecast and 22 mph winds were said to be blowing from the SW. So decision time. Do I battle along the seafront or go the other way round the route I had planned and then get an easy ride for the final six miles home. Being a lazy sort, I decide to do the reverse route and get blwn home.

BIG MISTAKE

The other route was basically 12 miles of gentle uphill into a 22 mph wind. So the gentle uphill suddenly turned into the south face of mount Everest. Still finally battle over and its time for a downhill run to the sea front and a nice easy ride home.

Yeah right! That’s when the foot cramp struck.

Fully recovered and it’s off looking forward to that wind to blow me home. I should have guessed really, the way things were going tonight that wasn’t to be. I turn along the seafront and wham! The headwind turned into a crosswind coming straight off the sea.

The gods must have been having a good laugh at my expense today.

Still I did manage a respectable 18.75 miles at an average speed of 13.1 mph

Tuesday 15 May

2007-05-15T21:30:00.001+01:00

Just back from another ride which wasn’t as long as I’d hoped for. Got in from work later than I had planned so I had to cut it short as it was getting dark. Still, it was a good ride along the sea front with not too much of a headwind – although it did feel cold around the ears at times. I can definitely feel it getting easier. Really looking forward to covering a longer distance this weekend.

Now, why is it that cycle lanes act like a magnet for people walking their dogs, going for a stroll or jogging. Don’t they realise that getting hit by a bike travelling at 16 miles an hour hurts – both them and me! Hey people, the clue is on the word bike lane – B – I - K – E. That’s something with two wheels, you have two legs. Please try and remember that!

Total distance: 12 miles
Average speed: 14 mph

Sunday 13 May

2007-05-13T18:18:00.002+01:00

I used to cycle quite a bit many moons ago (and I mean many!). I have just got back into the saddle again and realised just how much I enjoy it. I am almost embarrassed to say that I am doing only 20 miles at a time with an average speed of 14 mph – but being very unfit I don’t think that’s too bad and we all have to start somewhere right?

My aim is to step up the pace a bit and get out three evenings a week as well as my regular Sunday ride (to which I am adding a few extra miles a week) so will get there eventually.

I didn’t think I was going to be able to get out for a ride today as the weather forecast said rain, rain and yet more rain. Still, I got up early and low and behold, although it was overcast, there was no rain. A quick check on the Met Office website said that rain wasn’t due until 11:00 so it was goodbye grocery shopping and hello bike.

I had a really good run which I thoroughly enjoyed. It did start raining about three quarters of the way through so I decided to head back home. At least I could blame the weather for having to cut my ride short.

Total distance covered was 20 miles at and average speed of 13.75 mph.

What's this all about

2007-05-13T17:57:00.002+01:00

This blog will probably be of no interest to anyone but me, but then that's cool.

I have signed up to for the London to Southend cycle ride, which will take place on 15th July, and thought I'd start a about the progress I am making in training for the event, then about the big day it's self.

If you do stumble across this page and would like to sponsor me, no matter what the amount, then please visit http://www.bhf.org.uk/sponsor/tonysingleton