I’m 47 years old and like to ride my bike in my spare time. I’ve been riding for several years – commuting, touring, audax, randoneurring, sportives, turbo training, occasional MTB and recently lots of time trialing.
A few years ago a friend of mine asked me some questions about cycling;
- When did you really get into cycling?
2004 – When I bought my first pair of Lycra shorts and cleated shoes – both of them are game changing items. - What type of riding do you do?
Commuting, weekend rides, turbo training, Audax rides, Randoneurring and Time Trialing. - What do you ride?
Mostly steel. For Audax, my Mercian Vincitore Special, my Kalavinka Super Exhibition or my Fairlight Strael. For TT I have a carbon weapon. - Why do you ride?
I guess to start with, I started riding for something to do on holiday several years ago whilst everyone else was lying in late into the morning. I was bored and started riding. Now, cycling is something I do several times a week, and without it I’m a bit lost. - What would be your cycling highlights / lowlights?
Highs –
– Reaching the summit of my first Alpine ascent – the Grossglockner in Austria.
– Approaching Dunkerque at the end of my Diagonales de France ride in 2015 and 2023, so utterly chuffed to have made those rides within the time limits.
– Completing the Cinglé du Mont Ventoux in 2016.
– Actually cycling all the way up Hardknott Pass during the 2017 Fred Whitton.
– Completing PBP Randonneur in 2019 within the 84hr time limit.
– Finishing the National 24 Hour TT in 2024 and 2025.
– Riding my first sub 4-hour 100 mile TT in 2025.
Lows –
– Riding the Norwich 100 several years ago when I was not properly fit, my mates pushing on and me settling into “dig in” speed to get round to finish – Hell.
– During my earlier days riding, learning about my body and finding my limits – finding out how important it is to eat food so you don’t bonk! Saying that about the lows, these moments are where you get the most learning, and for me when you have felt totally drained of power, you don’t rush to feel like that again, so you put the work in to make yourself fitter. - What has cycling taught you?
– That you can achieve things that others feel is not feasible or achievable.
– Not to let other people project their limitations onto you.
– When you are feeling good, you are never too far from feeling bad, and when you are feeling bad, you are never too far away from feeling good. - Where has cycling taken you, literally or spiritually?
Literally – all over the UK. France. Belgium. Austria. Italy. Switzerland. Japan.
Spiritually – on the bike I can mull things over, concentrate on riding in a particular way, think of future challenges, and past rides or I can just zone out – just depends.
If I’m riding with others, I just enjoy the company. - Who or what is your biggest cycling influence?
Difficult to narrow this down, but I remember several years ago being struck by a close family friend who had cycled with his kids around Normandy, showing them the warring history of Northern France. I thought that was such a great way to spend time with your kids.
I was also really inspired by another friend of mine Chris, who had once shown me some pictures of a cycle tour he had completed in the US, the pictures of landscapes, roads and desert just drew me in, then 2 years later me and Chris cycled Lands End – John O Groats together.
In more recent years, my friend Jim Churton (and fellow Diagonaliste) has provided plenty of inspiration, care and advice for me. His achievements in cycling are numerous. - Biggest achievement on a bike?
Solo completion of two of the 9 Diagonales de France rides, within the time limit of 100hrs, and riding to 467.2 miles in the 2025 National 24 Hour TT. - Top tip?
Have a goal, and win the battle to just get out of the door and onto the road, or into the garage on the turbo – everything good about cycling will follow that.