Cambridge to London

“I’m still not sure which wheels to put on tomorrow.”

“I’m sorry, but your bike has no wheels?”

“Not yet, but should I go with touring or racing wheels?”

“Which ever you like but you’ll be at the station at 08:58? It’s nearly midnight.”

And so started a conversation that I had cause to recall as a sound like a single pistol shot went off in the train carriage at 09:10 the following morning.

“I think that’s your tyre David? Should the other one be bulging out off of the rim like that?”

“Probably not. I’ll let it down.”

The morning had started with a leisurely ride to Finsbury park station to meet Vera. We carried our bikes to the platform before I popped back for coffees. I didn’t hold out much hope that 2 coffees coming to £2.80 would be up to much… and I was right.

2 minutes before the train was due to leave David’s head popped in to view. With three of us and our bikes blocking the back of the train and Tanya at the other end we progressed to Cambridge.

At Cambridge station we found a quiet corner and whilst David and I dismantled his bike, Tanya went for coffee. I realised at this point that my budget bib tights were in fact a giant leotard, and that I was going to have to get naked to use the toilet.

Highlights of the day included:

A lovely ride through the countryside
Drizzle (Not rain)
Lunch in a cricket pavillion
French onion  soup in a garden centre
Heated toilet in said garden centre
Lee valley river path in the dark
Fallen trees on said river path
IKEA at Enfield
A mixed use path from Enfield to Tottenham
A bath
Sausage and mash

Water carrying solution for the brompton

I've looked at various ways of doing this in the past but to no avail. 

After the day of the dead ride and a couple of 40 min rides I decided a convenient water solution was required.

This Japanese system is intended for hybrid bikes and dahons for a single bottle. For very long rides* I can carry a spare in the saddlebag. I saw this on another Brompton blog and found it at SJS cycles.

* very long in Brampton terms. I've asked Santa for a running/mountain biking hydration backpack so I can do long runs/days out/4 hour rides without stopping. 

Life, or something like it.

I spent the first 32 years of my life believing I was different and that the world was unfair. At 32 I met and at 34 married a woman that I believed would change my life. 

She too believed that she was different and that the world was unfair. Eventually she tired of me and grew more and more distant until I suggested we stop being together. 

At 36 I met Sophie. We had a similar background and similar failings in life. We both studied Art. We both left our degrees. 

She stuck with me through my self pity. She also stuck with me through my attempts to reinvent myself. For that and many other reasons I love her very much. 

We are all special. I will not be remembered for who I was or am. That is reserved for kings, queens, actors and such the like. 

We are remembered for our actions. 

I have acted.

I have cycled lands end to john o'groats. I have played with the London Gypsy Orchestra. I have cycled 200km overnight. I have busked. I have learnt to run. I have learnt the ukulele and mandolin. I helped organise bike to Bestival, and I played in the band that opened the festival in 2012. I have ridden naked through London and Brighton. I have camped and been woken by wild animals. I have played at a friends' wedding and a friends' parents ruby wedding. 

I have learned to live. To love life. 

And all of this in the last 4 years. 

And in this time my little brother has become a dad. I have become a very proud uncle. 

Day of the dead

Running for an hour

This morning I tried something I have not done before. I got up early as the clocks has gone back that night. That isn't the new thing I tried though. I have gotten up early before. Even when the clocks have changed. 

I had some muesli and tea then waited for an hour. I went running. With a digested breakfast in my bloodstream. 

As I am not a man of leisure I normally don't get the chance to eat before I run. 

I managed an easy hour of running with a breakfast inside me. Twice the time I normally run for. 

Breakfast huh. I'll be trying that trick again. 

I accidentally ran over 5km this morning

Ok so it was 5.2 km and it was down to me not checking on the GPS but guessing how far I'd run before I stopped.

Even so I ran 5.2km in 36:31 minutes... or 7 mins per km. I realise that this is no speed record or anything, but you have to remember (actually you don't have to at all) that I never got this far last year. In fact I may have caused myself more problems than I solved last year trying to even get here.

I'm just chuffed as I only have to learn to:

a)swim properly,
b) cycle in a different position,
c) stay fit,
d) learn to do all these things back to back,

...and I'll be ready to do a triathlon!!

Hell yeah.

Practical cycling

I'm always amazed at the sheer volume of people that choose to commute on a pure race bike. I'm not sure that I could do it. Carbon fibre plastic bikes that could be ruined by a collision. Road shoes that can't be walked in for fear of ruining the cleats and carbon soles. That and a massive hiking backpack as you can't fit a rack. 

One of the reasons for the brompton purchase is that I want to be able to integrate cycling into my life the way most people use a car. It has mudguards and luggage capabilities that would compromise the honky tonk to the point of making the ride less enjoyable.

What baffles me is the sheer volume of luggage capacity insisted upon by your average cycle commuter. I toured holland with two regular ortleib panniers. I don't need more than a small saddlebag for daily duties. Lunch. Rain cape. Tools. Book. Deodorant. If I need a complete change of clothes I have an s-type bag which I would use instead. Why double panniers and a rucksack would be required for an office job is beyond me. 

The brompton is a practical solution for London. Made in London. Designed in London. Brilliant for every day simple cycling. 

the joy of a brompton... first week together

I have been ill and, as a result, not training properly for the last week and a half. This is massively frustrating, but I'm determined not to cock everything up by over-training again…

I did however pick up my shiny new Brompton so I have been doing a little light cycling.

It’s funny but I was going to write a first thoughts post about the new bike, but actually they are the same thoughts I had last time I had a folder.

When you first sit on a folding bike after riding a fairly stiff and speedy road bike, then it doesn't even feel like the same activity. I am more compact and upright than a road bike with much faster steering. The ride is harder at the front and softer at the back and the marathons (Swalbe Marathon tyres) slow things down.

However I am enjoying cycling for transport and fun.

I have got the gears set at +8% on a stock bike so there is still a physical challenge and who knows, maybe riding around in my everyday clothes on a tiny bike might just end up keeping my bike fitness up a bit over the winter.

Cycle clothing

Like most men, I love a bit of kit. The thing about kit is that it makes you feel special when you use piece of equipment that a lot of thought has gone into.

This week I've ordered a brompton, so naturally my thoughts have turned to suitable attire for riding her in. There are many schools of thought to what makes suitable riding gear, but I tend to fall into the "horses for courses" camp.

My road bike, whilst not a technological carbon and plastic marvel, is comfiest in technical cycling gear. While my heart cries out for merino technical kit at eye blistering prices, deep down I know that some sensible purchases of modern technical kit will see me right in most situations.

I normally ride for several hours with no luggage and no second day. The odour protection offered by merino isn't an issue. Even on a wet commute the priority is drying off on arrival.

So I have promised myself two things.

1. complete decent set of road riding kit (1 winter top and tights, 1 summer top and bibs with a technical jacket).

2. Some simple commuter gear.

Before I get this however I will have to lose some weight. I am not shelling out on cycle clothing to have it end up over-stretched and outsize like the gear I took on Lejog.

The commuter gear is less of a problem size wise... However I measured myself today as I was unsure as to a couple of measurements and did the whole lot whilst I was there.

I am a little bigger than I thought I was. Quite a bit. However I am the same jacket size I thought I was so that's maybe where to start. That and some riding trews, in a relaxed fit

Kieron Bryan

To Harriet Harman -sent tonight

Hi,

I have recently learned that someone that I have a great deal of respect for is being wrongly detained in Russia. I'll keep this short as you no doubt receive all sorts of requests on a daily basis. Kieran filmed our "bike to bestival" ride in aid of cancer research uk. At the time he was employed by the times to work on content for the "cities fit for cycling" campaign. I have never liked the times but find well written articles that I disagree with more agreeable than ill informed opinion. We worked with the 3 journalists from the times to produce something to suit both our aims, and they rode and raised money for our cause.

Kieran is being held as part of the group detained with the green peace activists. he is a journalist employed by them to record the events. Whether or not I agree with the protest, Kieran is a journalist and not a pirate. He faces charges of piracy.

He is also your constituent.

Please work as his mp for his release..

Dominic Ball.