Mice Log Date 52

12.78 miles, Ave speed 8.5 Max speed 16.6 in 1hr 27 on the Brrrrrrrrrrommie! (2 degrees with an easterly wind chill factor)

I mix and matched my wardrobe - jeans and heels and quilted jacket under my cycling one purely because it is so wind-resistant.

 

A couple of chores involved five miles of my ride so despite the cold (it was seriously cold) I wiggled my way through towards Kensington Palace Gardens and I saw a bit of spring!  

Having been in the driving seat of a Cement Lorry yesterday, I was impressed to hear the noise of this lorry which was not just indicating left but had an automatic voiced warning "Caution, this vehicle is turning left". 

It also had very clear and clean stickers warning cyclists to stay back.  I did pause to think about the awful losses of lives so far that had paid the ultimate price for this new warning system and I quietly thought of their loved ones who had fought to make these changes despite their grief.  It was a very sombre moment.

I headed on to Kensington Palace Gardens which despite the bitter cold still had quite a few people walking about in it. 

Not quite warm enough to entice people to sit outside though!

At the recommendation of a friend I made my way to Justebikes at 318 Portobello Road, Ladbroke Grove London W10 5RU. Hmmph.  E-bikes.  I was sceptical. I thought this is not really a good way to improve fitness.  How wrong could I be? 

The owner let me have a go on one of them. It was on rollers and plugged into a route programme which was somewhere in Italy. Flat to start, easy, no help just me pedalling.  Then the climb started, it looked like a wall and the assisted power was switched on.  The smoothness was amazing and there was no sudden angst on the legs but I had to keep pedalling.  The fact is that it really is assisted - it's not a question of putting your feet on the handlebars and letting the bike do the work, you have to do some of the work and can choose how much you do.  Really clever.

The target market are car drivers and not specifically cyclists so if you are looking at an introduction to cycling this is definitely an option.  And if you are cycling already and looking for a workhorse this is also an option. 

There is something really rather special about them.  Lovely design - higher handles, the lock is already fitted to the bike, the key, computer and battery are all uniquely security coded together and the bike won't work without it.  This is another item that is heading on my Dear Santa list.

I should add that they even have a foldable roof accessory which can convert over the bike rather like you see on the BMW Scooter.    Really, really impressive and if you are near Portobello Road I recommend a visit - open Wednesday - Sunday (so not Mondays or Tuesdays).

This is a real step forward, a real opportunity to encourage cycling using pedal and battery power  and if the London Cycling Campaign (LCC) could rebrand their campaign to Go Dutch Bike this would be the template for consideration. 

Today I see that Boris Johnson is launching a campaign and if this wasn't for students I would nominate justecycle.co.uk without hesitation.  If you have already come across them it would be great to know what you think.

Their range of accessories also impressed me - many of their suppliers are social enterprises that are giving something back to the community.  For instance these bags are made of the wrapping tape that is used worldwide around cardboard boxes. They can be attached to handlebars or racks. 

And this I havent seen before (although you may need to look closely)! There is a visor attached to this helmet (the front is at the left and you can just make it out.  Also, the black strip above Cratoni is removable for ventilation but held in place magnetically if it is raining. 

 

Justecycle is full of good things and I will definitely keep an eye on them. 

I headed back to Hyde Park - hilariously got lost - does the sun really set in the West? On my way through I bumped into Neilsen and a friend of his which was fun.  They insisted the Brrrrrrrrommie appeared in their photo! Lucky Brrrrrrommie!

A quick trip into Peter Jones to laden my Brommie even more, then the magnetic force pulling me into Gails Bakery was impossible to resist!  

A strawberry scone and a cup of tea. A perfect end to a day on two wheels!

Mice Log Star Date 51

20th Feb. Wow! I'm in a Cement Lorry with the Met Police!  14.35 miles, 1.08 Ave, 18.3 max, in 1hr 19. 

If you haven't sat in a lorry-drivers'  seat you are missing out!  The first thing I noticed on my way up was the door - it's enormous!  

Two hands needed to heave myself into the cabin, I climbed in sat at the  wheel.

Bizarrely I found myself rising - the seat automatically does this when you sit on it!  Everything is huge - the steering wheel is wider than a broadsheet. For some reason the keys had been removed from the ignition!! So with the jokes over I started to concentrate.

 

The bobby moved his bicycle in front of the lorry and placed it where I could see it.  

           This is how far away from the lorry the bicycle was to the lorry. 

He then went to the back of the lorry and walked to the front with his bicycle so I could see how many times he disappeared out of my vision using the mirrors on the left.  

At least three times.

This particular lorry has a third mirror which has been legislation for lorries since 2007 which picked him up where the other mirrors didnt, but there were still moments when I couldn't see him. 

There one millisecond then he was gone again. 

He apparently was just at the front past the passenger door but in order to see him I had to stand up in the middle of the cab and put my nose against the windscreen (which is definitely not something lorry driver will be doing as he would be not in control of his vehicle).     

And that's aside from the fact that normally the lorry would be moving at speed and the driver will be looking in front of him and to the right and rear, not just on his inside.

If you can see the driver in his mirror the chances are he can see you. But that's what it is - a chance.  

                                          The distance is nearly bigger than an ASL box.  

There are blind spots where they simply cannot see what is immediately next to them.  Overtaking on the outside or stay well back, but never on the left side. If you haven't seen this  The Lorry and the Bicycle before, it's really worth a look.  

Another thing I learned is that the Met Police also have a website for reporting bad driving

A big thanks to The Met Police for their Exchanging Places opportunity.

 

With my morning flying by so fast and full of information I was nearly late for lunch so whizzed down to Chiswick via the cycle path.  I use those last two words loosely.  Hammersmith & Fulham you need help with your cycling paths.

As for the stretch along the A4 to the Hogarth Roundabout - that is awful.  On the way home I had to cycle on the A4 for about 50 yards which I wouldnt recommend to anybody - ever.

Lunch with friends was fab and included Heston Blumenthal's much advertised Baked Alaska.

Not quite as I remember from My Learn to Cook Book but that didn't stop me having three slices. (ooops!)

There is a bit of bicycle restoration taking place which I thought might be of interest to a couple of peeps.

I bolted back to London for a meeting in SW1 and was finally home, via the pub, at 11.30.  Cycling into Sloane Square made me shiver with delight - and cold - as I couldnt understand why I was doing this without at least 50 others.  The group rides I take part in are a bit more than five miles (well, a lot actually!) but are the most amazing things I have ever done. I looked up at the moon and smiled.