The Times

The Times has been doing the rounds on the cycling forums this week, following their TV advert offering 30% off of bikes with Evans cycles. So I bought the Times on Saturday. There is a lot of junk in the paper, with various lifestyle sections and general blurb. However, there was a nice little booklet on cycling, and there was the Evans voucher. My heart sank when I read the "On selected bikes" bit, but I went along to Evans for a look.

Most of the bikes are on 30% for a reason, they can's sell them. However, I was quite interested in the Lapierre X Control 310, knocked down from £1800 to £1300. Tempting, but the only fault I can find is that it has a home brand rear shock. Otherwise, well kitted bike.

Anyway, I am looking at this bike and giving it serious consideration. There will be a different selection on Monday, so I will see what takes my fancy.

Anyway, I decide to read the other blurb and come across a few interesting articles. The first shows the best places to cycle in the UK:

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/travel/holiday_type/active/article7125801.ece

Some of my local runs are on there, including Pitsford Cycles and the Brampton Valley Way, as well as Rutland Water. Easy runs, but fun for the family.

The other thing that I found interesting is the new craze for retro style clothing on bikes. Apparently, there is a craze to dress like a 1920s cyclist, complete with woolly jersey leather cycling shoes and tweed knee lengths. Some people go for the complete tweed look and have a three piece suite. It is not just the blokes. Many women are now dressing for style and riding vintage bikes, you know, the sort of things that Mary Poppins would have felt at home on, complete with wicker basket and long skirt. Rather than sports drinks, a Thermos of tea can be found in the bottle cage. They even have clubs:

http://www.tweed.cc/

http://www.londonsinglespeed.org.uk/the-tweed-cycling-club

These are not people who are speed merchants. They amble from tea house to work, with a sandwich stop on the way. For the complete retro cyclist, rather than a Parshley or old Peugeot, you can even get penny farthings (Not the massive ones, but with modest four foot wheels).

Anyway, it appears that they also have large outings called Tweed Runs. Although they have only done runs in London, with respectable turn outs of 400 or so, they are planning runs for San Francisco, Boston, Chicago, Toronto, Paris, Sydney, Tokyo and Durango, Colorado.

It should be interesting to see what happens.

Luck