Cycling has become part of my life for some time now and I hope to explore the reasons, results and experiences in these posts. I have got fitter, lighter and saved a bunch of money not travelling by car. Having said that, I have spent quite a bit on clothing and kit but that’s for another post.
“Ride as much or as little, or as long or as short as you feel. But ride.”
Eddy Merckx
Although I had been riding bikes for as long as I can remember, I had neglected it as a pastime as an adult, like so many. I had tried a return a few times – I moved to London years ago and had decided that a bike would be the way to travel, I was there three days before the bike was nicked ! I went to University in Aberystwyth and took along my brother’s old college ride but my legs and an old steel 5 – speed Raleigh Winner were no match for the local hills.
We moved house and found ourselves too close to town to justify using a car but far enough away to make it a 30 minute walk there and back and then I saw the solution, a Raleigh Tundra – a manager’s special at £100. I bought it on the spot and used it lightly for going to the Post Office and running errands.
Then I lost my job and eventually found alternative employment nearby so instead of a 50 mile round trip to work I had to travel just a few minutes. So I thought “wouldn’t this be better for me, my pocket and the environment if I rode?” That was eight years ago and I can count my drives to work in that time on my fingers and that has only been if I have been going on somewhere else.
On a whim I went for a ride out of town one day and thoroughly enjoyed it. I started doing it more often and then I was hooked! That led to the purchase of another bike and then another and then some lycra and then…