To Marylebone High Street via Hyde Park and Many Thoughts on Clothes

Mice Log Star Date 93. 17.42 miles, 11.1 average speed, 20mph max in 1 hr 33 on the Marin

As I pedalled around Hyde Park in a completely different season to the one of yesterday - I was actually snowed on today! - I started wondering about wardrobes and wheels.

For me, my wardrobe is chosen based on my destination and the distance I intend to cycle. Journeys with 15 miles before the first stop will more often than not find me in cycling specific clothes - often with the words Gore,  Assos or Lidl written in reflective fabric across my knees, calves and ankles.  These items aren't just an image thing - it's a comfort thing. 

Wearing clothes designed for cycling means that I am maximising the benefits of modern fabric technology.  I can stay the right temperature for the weather and cycling conditions which means I can concentrate solely on how much fun I am having rather than being cold/wet/miserably counting how many blisters I may be creating.

For journeys less than that, or if it's an all day pootle I wear my everyday clothes - looking relatively normal (although of course I consider myself - well attempting at least - to be looking supremely stylish!)

The decision what to wear really is based on comfort.  Do I want to be wandering around town, window shopping, popping in and out of restaurants in lycra and cleats? No, I don't!  Do I want to be on my bike for five hours without cleats or padded shorts? No I don't!

Am I treated differently on the road depending on how I look?  In my experience the answer is No, I don't think I am.  I have been close-passed, swerved in front of, beeped and shouted at for merely being on the road regardless of what bike I am on and indeed what I am wearing.

Equally I have had help with punctures, directions, courteousness and had space made for me.  I am going to study this a bit more just to be sure.

The bigger question in my mind at the moment is how long it will be until women's clothing combines with style and comfort so that I can wear technical cycling clothes that capture the style that I like.  Brands like Levi and H&M have already started a range of menswear cycling specific clothing.  This is a start. I haven't found the strength to go in to H&M yet but I understand from my sources that the items suit men on fixed wheels. I shall head to H&M and see for myself!

As I ride around London I see and meet some seriously stylish cyclists.  All of whom seem to have their bicycle as an accessory to their wardrobe.  Really cool!

Any new items I buy for my wardrobe must now always be wearable on my bike!  Skirts and dresses can no longer be ankle-length or indeed too tight - fabric wrapped around chain rings or sprockets is not a good look! Equally fabric that is going to reshape or expire after a minute in the rain is going to left in the shop. 

It has been an interesting exercise finding the winning combination of things that I would wear on and off my bike.  Most of the cycling tops I have seen look like exactly that - cycling tops! With go faster stripes swooshed across them for no good reason. Most trousers and jeans - are too low cut to wear on a bike - you can't move properly and anyone behind you can potentially see too much of your behind.  Definitely not a good look.

What fun I would have if I could help a clothes manufacturer make their pieces more wearable on a bike! Meanwhile I shall just keep looking at what is pret a porter (as they say in France and on line!) out there.

Deer Peeps Deer! Spring has Sprung in Richmond Park

Mice Log Spring has Sprung Date 92 A trip around a different Park. Non Stop 31.57 miles in 2hrs 21 with an average speed of 13.4 and a maximum speed of 25.8 on the Marin!

Whoop! Whoop!  Spring is here, it really is!  I realise it may be gone tomorrow but for today it sparkled everywhere.  The air temperature was a bit chillier than I had hoped for but the sky was blue, blue, blue! 

With my first very long ride of the year possibly taking place this Saturday I realised that I needed to push myself a bit.  A pootle round a park wasn't quite going to cut it - I needed some hills (well small ones at least). With my new found confidence from yesterdays trip to Crystal Palace I chose Richmond Park as today's destination.  

What a day too! The traffic was minimal thanks to the schools still being on holiday and there were quite a few cyclists about also doing laps.  One of them had calves the width of my waist and was wearing the sort of aerodynamic helmet that Bradley Wiggins wears and he was on a time trial Boardman! I was a little green with envy! My Boardman, when it eventually comes out of hibernation, will never, ever be that fast.

But I was on a mission.  Three laps of the park admittedly anti-clockwise which is the gentler route.  The deer were sitting in various groups, all facing into the wind which was quite hilarious when cycling around behind them - literally!

I was scalped a lot, but I did do the circuits in full and I did raise a few double takes being on a Marin Mountain Bike Frame, 28mm tyres and Sidis (my favourite cycling shoes)! 

With Saturday's ride in mind I was trying to cycle for a minimum of 30 miles without a break of any kind.  This meant three laps and a couple of mini trips across the middle.  Success. 31.57 miles in 2hrs 21 is the longest and fastest I have ridden this year in one go!  I felt I had earned a cup of tea and managed to talk myself out of the delicious home made treats. Next time!

There were a couple of incidents which made me wonder how things were going to work out through the Summer as cycling numbers increases.  F'r instance - cycling past a cyclist just 10" off their handlebars is really not a clever thing to do. Nor is bashing your pedal against someone's front wheel ie the spokes as you walk yours to your car. And not an apology in sight.  Then someone actually parked their bike over-lapping mine and locked it to the railings!  

Not to mention the potholes the size of swimming. pools.  Well fish ponds at least.  The local councils really need to allocate a cycling officer to their borough and give them clout to make things happen. Empower them to make a difference for cyclists.   

As for the guy in a van driving down Priory Road well quite frankly he should be in The Priory.  What a ridiculously close pass.  If he does that to someone who is on their mobile he is likely to knock them off.

But I wasn't going to let that ruin my day. I was still buzzing with excitement about my ride and I was still cycling!  I headed on to Victoria, loving the sunshine.  By the time I reached  home my totals were 38.56 miles in 2hr 58 with an average of 12.9 and my max speed was still  25.8.  On a Marin.  Not too bad!   Well, for the longest and fastest ride of the year so far at least.  The grin on my face is as bright as the sunshine!

April's Fools Day is Full of Hills

Mice Log 91. 30 Days of Biking!  26.23 miles, 10.6ave speed, 25.3 max speed in 2hrs 27. 

A worldwide network called 30 Days of Biking is encouraging everyone to cycle every day for the whole of the month of April.  I don't need too much encouragement as I love riding my bike! But today to celebrate this international group I thought I would go and find some hills of some sort - they have been absent from my cycling for about four months!

I was taught how to climb hills last year.  It's all about staying relaxed, keeping the pedals moving, using the gears - all of them - and enjoying the view.  I used to stay in the big ring at the front, glare in horror at the top of the hill and stomp my way to the top with my eyes out on stalks!  Not good for the knees or energy levels.  With my new found knowledge from a cycling coach I have learned to pace myself and gently spin my way to the top.

I headed to Clapham and went up and down a few roads to Lavender Hill and back as a warm up. Not as bad as I thought it would be.  Ideally Crystal Palace should have been the target but that was too daunting. Near Tulse Hill I found some seriously short and steep roads. 

Fitness can be measured by how long it takes to recover from the climb.  The first one which in my defence was extremely sharp took about four minutes to recover from! But I did recover and soon my breathing was back to normal.

I made my way to Streatham Hill and went up and down Streatham Common.

Taran Tarra!  Another one climbed!  I started to head home.  But there was a niggle. The Crystal Palace was sticking in my head like a Nemesis! A little while later, rather than heading for home I found myself climbing Central Hill.  There was a helpful cycle lane which was good, especially at some traffic lights.  Then a big dip down and another climb.  I just had to keep going.  And I did! All the way to Crystal Palace!  Whoop! Whoop!  I was at the top! 

I wasn't exactly fast but I was very happy that I made it to the top.  The descent was awesome! 25mph!  I was going so fast I forgot to look in which direction I was heading and was halfway up Gipsy Hill before I realised I was going back up to Crystal Palace!!  There was no way I was going to do that again in the same day so I took a right and weaved around some more steep roads in Streatham and returned home.

A glass of water and a few stretches (for 30 seconds as a minimum) really help recovery.  Then relax!

The five miles a day which seem to be 10 for me have made a real improvement to my fitness.  I highly recommend it.  And it is such fun!