Eroica Britannia - The Ride (Part 3)

The final phase of my blog about the Eroica Britannia ride starts with the climb upwards from Great Hucklow. Through the trees you can't see how long the climb is which is perhaps a good thing as it carries on for quite a while beyond the trees but  fortunately it is never too steep. Part way up I paused to get the photo of the gliders (and not of course due to tired legs - or was it?)

Gliders near the top of the climb from Great Hucklow

Over the top and we dropped down to Eyam. The extra weight I carry these days is no help on the climbs but, with the confidence that comes from using the same bike and brakes for over 30 years, the Peak District descents are always so much fun. The refreshment stop in Eyam was superb, as we've come to expect from Eroica, with plenty of fruit, scones, home made baking, tea, coffee and beer.

The refreshment stop in Eyam

An interesting extra at Eyam was the gazebo seen in the picture above where two local artists were producing individual illustrative drawings of riders and bikes - sketched while you wait for just £5.00 a go - really unusual and unique memento of the ride.

Up to this point I'd been having a great social ride and other than a bit of headwind on the exposed hilltops the next part of the ride flowed by comfortably.

Then the route took us past the top of Monsal Head. The route previously had taken the riders up the climb of Monsal Head so I'd built myself up (psychologically not physically) and wondered how much of a challenge it would be having last climbed it more than 25 years ago. Now I realised that the climb itself hadn't even been included in this year's route. I paused for a moment. This is where I made my mistake.

I didn't want to miss out on the challenge so I turned right and rolled down the hill. As I rode down a group of cyclists with carbon bikes and low gears struggled upwards and doubt filled my mind.

Ready to climb Monsal Head

I turned round in the bottom of the valley and faced the climb, pausing to take the photo shown above. Then off I went, taking things as steady as possible in my lowest 42x25 gearing and expecting the hill to get steeper near the top. Fortunately it actually eases toward the top except for the last couple of metres and with relief I was over the top and back o the route dropping down fast to Ashford.

The mistake had been over-enthusiasm and over-exerting my legs on the climb; I would pay with cramp before riding back in to Bakewell. Fortunately a brief stop at Thornbridge Hall let me stretch the muscles a bits. Yet more refreshments were available here but after a stretch I decided to plug on back towards Bakewell.

Thornbridge Hall

Bike ready to leave Thornbridge

At the Bakewell end of the Monsal Trail riders were advised to dismount for the steep track down to the lane and I watched many skidding and sliding in their cycling shoes. Riding the previous day on my Brompton, with my friend Howard Broughton, I'd spotted and ridden down right hand side which had a tarmac surface and although steep was easier and safer to ride down than to walk in cycling shoes so I'll admit to ignoring the "Dismount" signs.

Riders walk back down from the trail

The last stretch across the show ground into the finish was lined with spectators and many young hands reaching out for high fives as the commentator announced the poet from Rochdale and I slowed right down to reach the smallest of stretched out hands - after such a great ride it would have been churlish to miss one small child.

All done!

The ride had been less challenging than the 55 mile route I did last year (just as well given my current lack of fitness) but it was great fun and well worth taking part. There were some real stand-out features:

• The Peak District itself
• The relaxed atmosphere among the riders
• The support that riders offer to each other
• The support from spectators
• The tremendous refreshment stops

A grand day out!

Congratulations to Marco and his team.

Eroica Britannia - The Ride (Part 2)

Under the start banner and followed out of town across the bridge by warm applause a large group turned onto the first gradual climb out of town. The difference between various old bikes and their riders became apparent very quickly with some finding the going easy enough to chatter as they rode whilst others gamely struggled with old heavy bikes and limited gears and others still backed off the pace to keep their powder dry. Nobody was in a rush.

I pedalled up to the road junction leaving Bakewell to grab a few pictures before rejoining the group heading to Hassop Station and the Monsal Trail.

A gorilla, smoking a pipe, leads the army and a chap in a Fez out of Bakewell

The postman carries his parcels out of Bakewell

Yes the soldiers, gorilla and postman were all doing fine here.

We joined the trail and headed towards Mill Dale and there was plenty of conversation, about the bikes, about where people had come from and inevitably about the beautiful Derbyshire scenery.

Riders setting off from a brief stop at Mill Dale Station

Leaving Mill Dale the routes take their own direction and for those on the short route it was straight into the first substantial climb of the ride. Over that climb and an easier ride to Tideswell and the first refreshment stop at the church - often called The Cathedral of The Peak. Excellent refreshments with bacon butties, fruit, flapjacks and heaps of other goodies and of course plenty of drinks. A very crowded, and very friendly, stop where it would be easy just to linger to chat but so early in the ride.

Tideswell - The Cathedral of The Peak

Bike ready to set out from Tideswell

After Tideswell the road climbed into and then out of Great Hucklow and in the village I paused to grab a picture of the impressive vintage wicker sidecar outfit - awesome efforts young man! As the climb steepened the passenger valiantly got out and pushed for a little while.

Sidecar outfit climbing in Great Hucklow

More photos to follow in the Part 3 of my blogs about the Eroica Ride....

Eroica Britannia - The Ride (Part 1)

Having barely ridden my bike in the last few months; riding around Derbyshire was always going to be a bit of a challenge. Last year I was commuting to work fairly frequently and opted for the 55 mile route; it was superb and just the right level of challenge with the distance and climbs plus the fact my 1985 bike doesn't have very low gears. This year my regular commute is up one flight of stairs from breakfast to the office so things are a little different.

Pat and Christine pose with their 1930s tandem

Fortunately the options for Eroica include the easier 30 mile option for those who are riding vintage bikes that are harder work to ride (for example my good friends Pat Carr and Christine Tindale on their 1930s tandem - pictured below) and of course for those like me who are just not fit enough for the longer rides.

When I arrived at the show ground on Sunday morning to register for the ride I was relieved to find some areas a little less muddy than they had been the previous day. Heading to the registration tent were lots of cyclists tip-toeing through the mud with shoes gradually taking on the appearance of the soggy ground; I wasn't too keen to do that to my shoes so I pedalled across the mud covered boards and amazingly stayed upright and kept the shoes pretty clean.

Registration for the ride

I left the registration tent attached the number to my bike and pedalled back across the mud as onlookers waited for the slip. They were left disappointed as I and my kit stayed moderately clean but the tyres on my bike were now perfectly blended to the Derbyshire earth.

The back of the long queue to the start line

A quick trip into the centre of town across the footbridge and I joined the back of the queue heading for the start. At this stage we were not even in the road where the event started and there was clearly going to be a fairly long wait. Fortunately this is Eroica and not a sportive event so the riders were in very relaxed and friendly spirit and the half hour or so of waiting was filled by impromptu conversations about bikes, about the place, about where we had travelled from and of course about the ride.

A Mark 1 Raleigh Chopper, original flares and a brave rider

We walked around one last corner and along with the gentleman on a Mk1 Raleigh Chopper (in his original 1970s flares, the postman, a gorilla and a bunch of "soldiers" we were off and sauntered out of town cheered on by a surprisingly large crowd. The experience had begun and the next few hours would be a voyage of discovery and a social event as much as a bike ride....

The start line finally in sight

More to follow in my next post tomorrow....

Eroica Britannia 2016 - poetry and irony

So the big day arrived and there I was sitting waiting over to one side of the stage and as the announcer stepped up introduce me I waited for the signal to climb the few steps to the stage.

I’d finally settled on the poems to complete the set the previous evening and they were printed and ready in my hand with a copy of my book as back-up should I decide to make any changes to the set as I went along. All pretty normal except that my hand that was shaking less than it usually might and I was feeling quite calm.

The signal came I stepped onto the steps, thanked the compere for her lovely introduction and walked up to the single microphone in the middle of the stage. There had been no soundcheck so I was a little surprised by the strength of the foldback speakers but at least I knew the audience would be able to hear:

“Hello
I’m Seamus
And I’m
I’m a poet….”

With those first few lines from one of my longest lived poems I introduced myself and led into my half hour set.

Photo by Howard Broughton

As I did so the organisers projected a massive fluttering Union Jack on the large screen behind me. I had absolutely no idea and as I talked to the audience I had no reason to look back.

My poetry doesn’t shy away from issues and it is no secret that I have left wing political views and that social justice and fair treatment for ALL human beings are dear to me and feature large in my writing.

So as I stood (unknowing) in front of that massive symbol of national pride I read “Universal Citizen” pointing out that we are all the same, I read “Not like the rest” criticising successive governments for failing to treat some people properly and I read poems about my own Irish (immigrant) background.

I now know (because they told me) that some of the audience loved the irony of that juxtaposition of myself and my words against that flag.

To me Nationalism is all about pride based on things other people have done in a place where we happen to be born or original from. It is also one of the most divisive doctrines, alongside religion, that humanity has managed to create. The flag, like other national flags, is not only a symbol of pride but it is also an emblem of so much that is wrong in this world.

I love the place I was born, I love the places my parents were born. There are also other places I have come to love.

I don’t wave flags because where I happened to have been born and where my parents happened to have been born makes me no better, no worse, no more entitled or no more deserving than anyone else.

I am the Universal Citizen; whether you wave a flag behind me or not!

Re-building the Mercian Olympic - the challenges / the way forward

When looking to transfer my 1980s kit onto a 1970s Mercian Frame I might have expected things to be fairly straight forward; after all some of the kit is the same as that used on my original Mercian.

However looking at the details there are a number of differences in frames from the two eras that will require extra work or equipment. Realistically I won't be able to have the Mercian on the road for Eroica Britannia next week so have reassembled my MB Dronfield and will take my time with the restoration/updating. I intend posting pictures with my MB from Eroica following next weekend's festival and ride but here's one from last year.

The issues that have come to light quite quickly include the following:

• Gear levers for the down tube need to have a band fixing. My favourite Simplex Retro-Friction levers don't have such a band but I do have some basic Shimano ones
• No cable stops on the top tube - fortunately the original chromed clips were supplied with the frame
• The front gear mechanism needs to be one with a band so could swap my Dura Ace mech for a slightly older but suitable SunTour mech
• Bottle bosses are not present so to carry a bottle needs an old-fashioned cage with clamps or some form of adapter
• Older hubs with 5 or 6 speed gear blocks (before cassettes) were significantly narrower than modern hubs. To fit a modern hub in the stays would need to be stretched significantly (9 or 10mm). The solution may be to find an older hub either in a complete wheel or to build with new rim and spokes
• The 1980s brakes I have use Allen key fixings whilst the 1970s frame needs traditional nuts 
• The Mercian being a more relaxed frame that the purely race designed MB needs an extra few millimetres of reach on the brakes
• The saddle clamp uses a traditional and imperial sized nut and bolt rather than the newer allen bolts. The old style are vulnerable to damage and I had the one on my original Mercian Olympic replaced by the modern type

Some of the above fixes can be achieved quite easily but for the future there is always the option to have the frame itself updated by Mercian. Yes I am now considering an element of updating to the frame - the advantage with a steel Mercian frame is that I can get minor alterations and updates made to it by the company who built it and end up with a superb frame for much less than the cost of a new one.

I'd be interested to know what my readers think and would appreciate any comments on this blog, thanks.

Sunshine and Poetry – Best way to work

7TH JUNE 2016 BY SEAMUS

Set list for Eroica 2016

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This morning the sun has been shining, the mercury nudged past 24 degrees and the garden bench beckoned. I’ve dealt with emails, checked the social media and then set to work in this rather warm and temporary office.

My set list for Eroica Britannia (now only 11 days away) needed some more thought and, as I tend to doodle while I think, I have ended up with the illustrated set list as shown below:

I’ve yet to decide the order for the set but I know where it will start and I have a pretty good idea where it will finish too and the middle will always find its own way if necessary.

Perhaps I’ll produce some printed copies for the audience once it is finalised – I’d be interested to know if people think this is a good idea; please comment here or let me know on Facebook at – “shaycycles”

Countdown to Eroica Britannia 2016

Last year the organisers of the UK's greatest festival of all things cycling and vintage gave me a slot to perform my poetry in their Arts tent. The experience was terrific and you can read about it in my posts from last year's event.

Pen nib with red ink

I am really delighted to say that I've been invited back for the 2016 Festival and will be performing at noon on Saturday 18th June.

I'm busy planning my set for the event and I'll be sure to include some of my poems about cycling and of course some of my newest poetry. It would be safe to assume that the set will be designed to entertain, to inform and most of all to give pause for thought.

I'll be reading work from my book "Thinking Too Much" and a range of my more recent work including some about my own family which, although very personal to me, are likely to resonate with any listener. There will be copies of my book available for sale and I'll be very happy to sign copies after the performance, I may also have a selection of my vintage cycling images for sale and will be happy to take orders on the day.

Here's one of my recent poems under development- Come on Hat - it may well feature at Eroica Britannia 2016

The full set-list will evolve over the next couple of weeks but it is sure to include:

Too Soon - a poem that looks back to my 3 year old memory of my Grandad and the photo, still displayed in his house, that takes me back 52 years before he was taken too soon.

A minute and a half - one and a half minutes of words that hurt less but evoke the memory and feelings of racing up Monsall Head - a hill that some thousands of riders will tackle the day after my performance; in my case at a much more sedate pace than in the 1980s!

Entitlement - A brief look at the Lance Armstrong story and the American Dream (with a line nicked from John Mellencamp).

Today it is so about THIS bike! Nostalgia meets practicality

When I started cycle racing at the age of 15 in 1976 it was pretty normal for riders to start out with less specialist equipment than today. After a year or so racing on "gas-pipe" bikes with basic components including coterie steel cranks and usually built with pretty basic high-tensile tubing we wanted to move on to something made of Reynolds 531 tubes.

My first 531 frame was a very well used, and slightly too big, Claud Butler which was cheaply resprayed in plain white. After another year or so I finally moved on to one of the aspirational frames - a Mercian - mine was an Olympic, used but in great condition purchased for £35 from the Mercian shop on the edge of Derby.

Over the next couple of years I used that frame for all sorts of racing and riding and gradually upgraded my equipment until I was on Cinelli bars and stem, Campag cranks, hubs, peddles and brakes and a mixture of other equipment of my choice.

Then in 1980 my Mercian was stolen. It was replaced by a Raleigh Pro which itself was eventually replaced by an MB Dronfield in 531Professional tubing made to measure by Vernon Barker. It is a beautiful frame, it handles superbly and it is light and responsive, it is however purely designed as a racing frame and I'm no longer a racer. Much as I love my MB it was designed purely as a racing bike and these days I want a somewhat more relaxed ride, something I could roll along on all day, but one I know I can trust completely should I want to briefly relive those 50mph plus descents of my racing days.

There was only one solution and here it is, my replacement Mercian Olympic after just 36 years; courtesy of my great friend Pat Carr and the Brassworks Cycle Company:
Here on Facebook
Website here

After removing the bubble wrap:

So today the MB Dronfield frame has been stripped of components and it will appear for sale shortly.

The exciting part of the project now is the build of the Mercian, most components will come from the MB but there are a few which the older frame will require to be different. The challenge will be having the Mercian ready for Eroica Britannia at Bakewell in a few short weeks (www.eroicabritannia.co.uk)

What if your Brompton punctures?

Changing inner-tubes on the small wheels of the Brompton is always a bit of a pain. Using Marathons and Marathon Plus tyres seems to have greatly reduced the number of punctures but what if it happens. Out come the extra strong tyre levers and all that swearing and faffing trying to get the tyre back on.

Well today I have the solution.

The Clown bike is a little bit heavy for the front of the pack, perhaps it would fit better on a rear rack, but it is very strong, has a very low gear for climbing (it has a very low everything really) and it has solid tyres so you'll not get another puncture while you cycle on with the Brompton on your back.

BWC2012 Launch - Manchester

Bromptons in the Velodrome

Today Manchester was busy with Brompton's for the official launch event for the 2012 Brompton World Championships. It was a bit like a teddy bear's picnic "If you go down the canal today, you're sure of a big surprise ..." and 60 Bromptons on the towpaths in the rain certainly caused one or two surprises.



Gareth Rees (winner of the London Nocturne Folding Bike race)

 The action started at the Rainy City Velodrome, home of British Cycling, with people arriving from all over the place. There was Ian from Northampton, Mick from Aldershot, Alan and Jill from Leicester and a bike shop owner from Sunderland. There was world champion Rachel Elliot, Gareth Rees Winner of the London Nocturne and a whole team of people from Brompton in London. There were black bromptons, pink, yellow, claret, white, blue, red-white-and-blue,  and Bromptons of a thousand colours. There were enough to fill a Christy Moore song.

Tagging along with the factory team

Down at the trackside the Bromptons circled round and round the blue area and the riders fought the temptation to ride up on to the wooden boards (if anyone saw me it was an accident, honestly!). After plenty of laps of the dry velodrome breakfast was provided in the Velopark cafe before a couple of photocalls and a briefing and off we all went to scare the geese on the canal.

The rain grew heavier and the cobbles got more slippery but determined riders refused to put feet on the floor. Around the Fallowfield Loop, through Chorlton and back to the city centre where the London style marshalling came as a shock to the northern motorists (but at least it woke them up and they were more observant).

The atmosphere from start to finish was friendly and relaxed and the Brompton Team should be congratulated on an excellent job

Bromptons on turbo trainers

At the end of the ride everyone was smiling and chatting and enjoying the excellent company

Shortly afterwards I was back on the bike to pedal home and complete my longest day on the Brompton (just over 46 miles).

It's not always sunny, but it's always good for you!

Today and I had a meeting with a colleague in Hebden Bridge. The weather was pretty wet and quite cold but of course we both arrived by bike. The canal paths got wetter as the day went on and the overflows were very slippery. The rain became incessant and hands got quite cold with very wet gloves on.

In the end though a 30 mile ride, when you really wouldn't want to go outside the front door, is still pretty good. You still get exercise and once you've got going you can still enjoy the fresh air and the outdoors.

Today I saw a Yellow Wagtail beside the canal, I've not seen one for years, and the usual range of ducks, geese and a heron. This cycling stuff isn't only good for your body, it's good for the mind as well.

The Science Bit

Note the science here is mostly correct but sometimes it may be totally made up. It's up to you to decide which each day.

How does riding in rubbish conditions benefit the mind?

The simple scientific answer is: Endorphins

The more detailed scientific answer is: When the body is subjected to certain stresses and also to certain pleasurable things (i.e. stimulae) the production of certain hormone related substances is increased. These substances include endorphins, sometimes called the "feel-good hormones" and sure enough they make you feel better.

The secondary scientific answer is: Whilst cycling in difficult conditions, including very slippery overflows like the one above, your mind is occupied by the immediate physical requirements and the parts of your brain which might be worrying or feeling pressured effectively get a break.

Wet, windy, why cycle?

Easter finished and like many people I've been decorating. Early starts and late finishes left me somewhat tired and I know I still smell of paint!

Being too busy to cycle for a few days normally leaves me itching to get back on the bike but it's April, it's raining and the wind is strong, cold and in my face. I didn't want to get out of bed yet alone cycle to Manchester!

Breakfast done and water-proofs on I set off for work a little later than usual. Going uphill straight from my front gate is rarely fun. Today my legs didn't want to know and my body ached. I asked myself why I do this.

Three times I passed quite close to train stations and was tempted to take the easy way out. But trains would mean noise, queues and more than likely I wouldn't get a seat. I carried on cycling.

About half way I was feeling better and didn't mind the wind and the rain was keeping me pleasantly cool. I really enjoyed the remaining seven miles and don't feel tired any more.

Cycling is the only way I know to convert knackered, inert mind and body into a happy, fresh and enthusiastic worker. Now it's time for another coffee - decaf of course, who needs caffeine?

New training partner

This evening riding home from work I was accompanied by an old training partner I've not seen for ages.

Like me he's a bit grey but he always kept just ahead. However hard I rode I couldn't get on even terms, its pretty good training!

Anyway I managed to grab a couple of pictures long the way:

 

Back to Basic - 4 - Ready?

Well another good week with 110miles of commuting, a good proportion of that being off road. Tomorrow should be a recovery day so that my somewhat tired legs will be ready for the Witches Curse on Sunday.

Has the training done enough, would I be ready? 

Unfortunately I won't find out because the event has been postponed until September due to circumstances beyond the organiser's control. Not sure what happened but was the event cursed from the start?

Problem now is what to do about the entry. By September the Back to Basics training should have me well beyond the shorter version so leaving the entry standing would be a waste. I can use it to enter something else so could go for the longer and even hillier version or maybe I'll go for the Phil and Friends event in the Peak District. Interested to know what others think.

Either way I'm getting to like the training without too much extra technology and I think I'll carry on using the same techniques through the year and see what condition it brings.

What will the training include?

• Riding bikes whenever possible
• Mountain biking
• Commuting
• Road biking
• Riding up loads of hills (easy to find round here)
• Turbo trainer when necessary
• Riding on feel
• Fun
• Keeping note of how much I've done
• Plotting routes on computer and maps

What it won't include:

• HRM / Pulse meters
• Power measurement
• Detailed training plans
• Pressure

I'll probably let anyone interested know how it is going.

Back to basics 3 - one week to go

Well this weekend leaves just a single week to go before the Witches Curse Sportive and I'm wondering how well prepared I am, and how much I can do in the last week. Last weekend a road ride with a bit over 2,000 feet of climbing left me struggling to hold off cramp on the last climb.

So every time I could ride a bike this week I've been pedaling a bit harder than normal and I've cycled around 150 miles - probably more than I've ridden in a week for a good number of years.

I've commuted on my Brompton and my MTB and taken the long way around when I could. Finally a weekend ride on the road bike around the West Pennines. This time the route was about 37miles but included about 3,600 feet of climbing including four big climbs and a difficult headwind on some of the longer climbs.

To my great relief the "back to basics" training over the last week and a half had worked quite well and the same final climb, with a strong headwind this time, was tough but there was no sign of the cramp from a week ago.

The only draw-back to the ride every chance using a range of bikes was the need this afternoon to wash three bikes - I don't think I had to do that even when I was a keen racer cycling over 300 miles a week!

I expect to commute to Manchester a few times this week and I'll aim to ride as much as possible but not to arrive at the weekend tired.

Back to basics 2

Training for the Witches Curse

Only two weeks to prepare for this event so I was wondering which way to train.

I asked myself, should I take the scientific route and get into checking my current heart rate zones power outputs and so on? I could devise a schedule to bring me to the event in the best shape possible. But the answer was no! In two weeks I'd just about establish where I am at now and start to prepare a plan to improve.

So the answer is take the training back to basics. Riding the bike when you can and when you can't get on in indoor trainer. Tonight its cold outside but a nice warm 4 degrees in the shed so turbo training it was - first time since.... since.... since a very long time ago. I remember using the turbo to prepare to spend a week climbing really big hills in Spain but that was 12 years ago.

Riding on Feel

The most old fashioned bit of the training is the method of gauging the effort - I'm using something we used to use 30 years ago - we call it riding on feel. It worked then and I reckon it still works now.
So how does back to basics work?

I've got to be able to ride up lots of hills so when out on the bike I'm riding up lots of hills. I've got to be able to build a bit of stamina and enable my legs to recover while riding so I have to work quite hard, relax a bit and work hard again.

Of course "feel" is built up over time and there are special indicators you can use to know just how hard you are actually working, that's a bit scientific really. For example if you are doing sprint intervals and you intend doing eight of them you know you were going a tiny fraction too hard if you threw up after only six or seven, a bit too easy is you still had balance, coordination and speech after eight. Do it a few times and you develop the necessary feel so that you only throw up after eight and so that the balance, coordination and speech only go as you make your eighth final lunge.

Back to Basics

Having entered the Witches Curse sportive - http://www.ctcchallengerides.co.uk/CTC2012_Witches_Curse_sportive.php -  I needed to get my road bike out and do some training. I'm only doing the 45 mile version but it has almost 5,000 feet of climbing and I'm not fit!

So today I took out my road bike for a training run. This bike has only been ridden once in the last 15 years and the frame was built for me by Vernon at M&B Cycles in Dronfield well over 20 years ago.

So here I am training for an event and this really is back to basics. There is no GPS, no cycle computer, no heart rate monitor. The bike itself is considered retro or classic now and there is no indexing on the downtube gear levers, no dual pivot brakes, no compact or triple chainset, no anatomically shaped handlebars and the frame is made of Reynolds 531 Pro steel tubing.

Once back on the bike feels just so as it did when I raced on it 20 years ago.

Simplex retro-friction gear levers - these are working perfectly well on an 8 speed cassette and I never really understood why indexing is so popular on road bikes

Campag Record Strada single pivot brakes - yes dual pivots and hydraulics or discs give more power. More power is not always useful unless somehow you are also able to create more grip on the road (it works on MTB because you have such large contact patches)

Cinelli bars and stem with original Benotto tape - gloves or mits provide the necessary grip and cushioning and nothing gives such a direct feel and control as traditional thin tape

Campag Victory seatpost

Reynolds 531Pro frame and forks - there isn't really anything better - lighter yes, but better no!

Shimano Dura Ace front hub with stainless spokes on a Mavic rim - great wheels which can easily be trued and adjusted and which are built to a tension to suit the rider. I built these fairly tight to suit my style and weight

Shimano Duar Ace rear hub, stainless spokes and Mavic rim. The largest cog used to be an 18 or for particularly hilly riding a 21 but nowadays a 25 is more in order. The Record cranks only take a ring down to 42 and a 25 tooth cog the biggest I can fit with the original Dura Ace rear mech. Still a gear of 45" is quite low.

Reasons to ride - Money

There are lots of reasons to cycle including health, fun and convenience as well as often quoted financial benefits. So I thought about the financial side and have done some "back of envelope" calculations around the savings I make by cycling to work.

Saving over driving £1570 p.a.

Saving over public transport £1474 p.a.

Saving over walking £1856 p.a.

Here's the details:

My normal trip is only 2.5 miles each way and I could get to work by car, by bus or by walking so I've done a comparison of all three;

Material costs by bike - 25mls per week, 1200 miles per year - New tyres & chain every 2 years (£30pa), new bike every 5 years (200pa) (I've previously used bikes for over 50,000miles so these costs are over-estimated). Annual cost £230.

Material costs by car - 25mls per week at 66p/ml (AA costing) = £16.50 per week plus parking at £21.00 per week. Annual cost £1800

Material costs by bus - £4.20 per day = £21.00 per week. Annual cost £1008

Material costs of walking - £0

Generally when calculating the costs of different forms of transport time tends to be ignored but spending extra time traveling can be significant so I've looked at time as well;

To return trip to work by bike takes up to 30 minutes a day.

Walking takes 110 minutes

Driving and parking takes 30 minutes

Public transport takes 60 minutes

So cycling saves 80 minutes per day over walking = 320hours pa

Or cycling saves 30 minutes per day over the bus = 120hours pa

Cycling takes about the same time as driving.

Costing the time even at the national minimum wage gives an idea of costs (really I value my time much more highly than that);

So accounting for actual costs and for the times saved by cycling my short commute by bike shows significant savings over other forms of transport. For the full year my savings are:

Saving over driving £1570

Saving over public transport £1474

Saving over walking £1856