Ride Velo has never been to Romford before and, an hour into the journey, we were seriously considering why we were enduring the traffic jams to get across London to a place that we’ve successfully managed to avoid for several decades without worrying about it. If we’d known what an Aladdin’s cave we were about to enter we would never have questioned the sanity of spending a beautiful spring Sunday afternoon stuck in the car negotiating the dubious driving skills of the inhabitants of Essex, rather than enjoying the country lanes of the Kent Alps on a road bike.
Read MoreGet Set for the Spring Classics!
The European racing season is up and running! This weekend the curtain was raised when 199 riders set off from Ghent, the heartland of Belgian cycling, for the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad. Crowds and a hint of warm spring sunshine along with the whiff of yeasty beer greeted the peloton packed with stars, including Peter Sagan. The reigning World Champion was part of a breakaway that the peloton was unable to reel in but he was beaten to the finish by Belgium’s own Greg Van Avermaet of BMC Racing.
Read MoreBike Knowledge is Power!
Many of us are embarrassed to admit it but, despite many years on the bike, our basic maintenance skills aren’t quite up to scratch. I have to confess to struggling when putting a tyre back onto a wheel with numb fingers after a puncture on the roadside. More than once I’ve reverted to using a tyre lever to get that last bit over the rim. Shocking, I know, and I’ve suffered numerous pinch punctures afterwards as a result. And, as for gear indexing and replacing brakes, I’m ashamed to say that I’ve usually left this for the bike shop pros.
Read MoreThe History of the Six Day Races
"An athletic contest in which participants 'go queer' in their heads, and strain their powers until their faces become hideous with the tortures that rack them, is not sport. It is brutality." The New York Times, 1897
Read MoreElectric Bikes; Love 'em or Loathe 'em?
As cyclists who use their legs for power, Ride Velo can't help but feel superior to those who choose to rely on battery power - just look at the furore surrounding the suspected 'mechanical doping' of the U23 women's CX world championship race in Belgium on Saturday - proper cyclists don't use batteries! However, we can't deny that there are innumerable benefits to this recent technological boost to cycling. But do the pros outweigh the cons? Ride Velo investigates...
Read MoreVelodrome Virgin No More!
My New Year's resolution this year was to try out new and different forms of cycling outside my comfort zone. And although I live just a mile away from Herne Hill Velodrome, have watched lots of track racing there, made my kids do holiday training sessions and regularly helped out at the Inter-schools Championships, I'm ashamed to admit that I'd never ridden the track myself.
Read More2015 Ride Velo Pro Peloton Awards
As it’s the last day of the year we thought that this would be a good opportunity to have a look back at some of the great moments from the 2015 racing season and launch the inaugural Ride Velo Pro Peloton Awards. Who had the greatest stage victory from the Grand Tours, which commentator came up with most double entendres, and which rider relentlessly chased down the most lost causes in kamikaze attacks?
Read MoreComic Cycle Crashes
I had a comic cycle crash this week. Yes it hurt and it still hurts but it was a classic comedy wipe out - face first over the handlebars in front of loads of Christmas shoppers on our local high street. And I only had myself to blame - I had casually slung my handbag over the handlebars rather than stow it away safely in my pannier. Well I was only going round the corner? I literally got 15 metres up the road when my bag got caught between the spokes and stopped us in our tracks.
Read MoreThe Highs and Lows of Spinning
Why would any cyclist want to cycle indoors in a darkened room full of sweaty strangers? Spinning classes are a weird concept if you're not a gym-junkie. But with large swathes of the country currently under water and unrideable, Ride Velo thought it might be an opportune moment to examine this apparently addictive phenomenon.
Read MoreHow Not to get Blown off Your Bike!
My gosh it's been windy! Typical autumnal weather I know but very frustrating when you're itching for a weekend ride. Ride Velo braved the elements yesterday with mixed results - Robbie had a great time chasing down the wind while I wimped out after nearly being blown off my bike on the South Circular road!
Read MoreImproving the Lives of Refugees, One Bike at a Time
One of the great things about cycling is the sense of community it engenders. Cyclists naturally congregate and are mutually supportive, united in their shared passion. There are also many unsung heroes, who work quietly away in co-ops fixing up bikes and generally making the world a better place, for love and not money.
Read MoreCycle Cafe Society
Coffee and cycling go together like cleats and pedals - but why is coffee such an important part of cycling culture? There is some scientific evidence for improved performance in cyclists taking caffeine before a race. But apart from that, my view is that cyclists just like coffee, and guilt-free cake, of course.Coffee and cycling go together like cleats and pedals - but why is coffee such an important part of cycling culture? There is some scientific evidence for improved performance in cyclists taking caffeine before a race. But apart from that, my view is that cyclists just like coffee, and guilt-free cake, of course.
Read MoreKids Making Tracks - Half-Term Fun
The kids have broken up for half-term! They're excited but how are we going to keep them entertained next week? Ride Velo took 10 year-old Zac for a few spins around the Lee Valley Velo Park to burn off some excess energy - and have an adult workout in the process!
Read MoreGet out your Cowbells, it's Cyclo-Cross Season!
The 2015/16 Cyclo-cross season is well under way - but what is cyclo-cross, where did it come from, what do you need to get started, where do you go to watch races and, above all, why is it so fun? Ride Velo investigates.
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