If you're in a hurry, lycra is the best option

With the weather still rather chilly, perhaps it might be time to evaluate your cycling wardrobe?

As I’ve probably said before, it’s not mandatory to be clad in lycra from head to foot. In fact, it’s got to be the most unflattering material out there for most people.

However, if you are built like a Greek god, and in a hurry, then go the lycra route. Lycra gives you the opportunity to look exactly like your hero from the peleton, from head to toe you can be 100% on brand, and you don’t really have to cycle as quickly.

I always think that these days many cyclists are completely anonymous under their cycling helmets and behind their shades. Maybe it’s cool, but it does give the option to completely deny any sluggish or miscreant cycling as you can’t be categorically identified.

For the rest of us, there is an easier path to follow. You can get away with wearing practically anything, or nothing in the case of Nick Lowe the famous nude cyclist, so long as you pay some attention to what is called the ‘points of contact’. These are your hands, your feet and of course your backside! Look after these and cycling will be a pleasure.

Nearly all casual cyclists report that their saddle inflicts the most damage, so let’s address that one first. Padded cycling shorts are one of the answers, either lycra ones, which you can wear under regular shorts or trousers, without anyone knowing, or padded baggy shorts which aren’t so figure hugging. It’s also possible to buy padded cycling underwear which can be worn under anything.

Next the hands: some people suffer from pins and needles if they ride for any distance. This can sometimes be cured by fitting bar ends, which give a variety of hand positions. Padded cycling mitts can help, or even fit a pair of softer handle bar grips. Don’t forget, if need be, handlebar stems and handlebars can be changed to raise or lower your hand position.

Finally the feet: from a performance point of view this is the most important, although I’m well aware that most people aren’t planning to cycle competitively. If you have something approaching a cycling shoe, it makes your effort so much more efficient- and therefore easer! So stiff soled shoes are good, toe clips and straps are good (they don’t have to be done up tight) and clip-in pedals with cycling shoes are best of all. It is possible to get a system that clips in, which you can walk in as well, although you wouldn’t want to run a marathon in them.

Braking News

Komrad Frame Builder

With lead times for Chinese alloy bike frames increasing, many big European bike companies are thinking of combining forces and sourcing their frames closer to home.

At present, European bike producers are waiting 25 weeks for frames to arrive from the Far East. This is already ten weeks longer than usual, and with the Chinese New Year holidays causing havoc, at the moment there is little hope of the situation improving. Also the current exchange rate is poor.

With this in mind, several manufacturers are coming together and are hoping to start frame production in the Ukraine. Here is a country that has the background skills, can deliver faster and is free of exchange rate fluctuations.

Summer City Centre Criterium Series

Halford’s is set to sponsor the 2010 Tour Series. This is a series of 10 mid-week criterium races that will take place between the end of May and the end of June. Although most of the venues remain unconfirmed, there are events taking place in Tewkesbury, Exeter, Southport and Woking. In addition, the races are due to be shown on ITV4.

The Race is On

To celebrate 15 years of the National Cycle Network being open, Sustrans have launched a virtual cycle race among 550 primary schools around the United Kingdom. Over 100,000 children from all over the country are taking part in a race to cover an imaginary 8,000 kilometre route on the National Cycle Network.

During the month long race, pupils, parents and teachers log in their mileage and receive points. The points are then fed into a central database, and schools can see how they are getting on. There are lots of prizes for the winners, the top prize is a mountain bike stunt team spending a day at your school, and the seven regional runners-up will receive sets of cycle tools and repair stands.

Sprint Bonuses

• David Walliams completed his John O’Groats to Land’s End Charity Ride for Sports Relief last Thursday, 4^th February, taking just under 82 hours for the trip. In doing so he and his team of celebrities raised the £1million target that they had set themselves.

• The Cyclists’ Touring Club has launched a campaign called ‘Vote Bike’, which hopes to get cycle awareness at the forefront of Prospective Parliamentary Candidates’ minds, especially now with a General Election coming up.

• Crossrail, the company that’s engaged in building eight new stations and 15 miles of rail tunnels in London, a project that’s going to take seven years, has insisted that the 3,000 plus lorry drivers that work for the company take cycle- awareness training.

• Competitors and officials at the 2012 Olympics will be riding BMW bicycles around the facility. This comes as part of a successful tender by the car manufacturer to become automobile partner sponsor to the event.

• Nick Lowe, the well-known New Zealand builder who was fined for nude cycling, has had his conviction overturned. The judge was at pains to stress that this wasn’t a licence for everyone to take up cycling in the buff.

And finally,

I found it hard to believe, but an automotive safety company is working on an air bag that is designed to make crashing into a cyclist safer-for the cyclist! Unfortunately the YouTube video of the airbag in operation has been removed.

Arthur Lamy is a Blue Badge qualified tourist guide specializing in cycling and walking tours.

More information can be found on his website: www.arthurlamy.com