Clifton CC

Out in the Wolds today for two or three hours in the lovely sunshine. As I pedalled along encountering dozens of cyclists some returning my nod some not, I can't help thinking how main stream cycling is now and how quickly this has happened, even three years ago I'd have ridden this route and not seen one cyclist.

I'm sorry to say I don't think I like it. I've never been an evangelist for cycling, it's something I love but I've never been that bothered whether other people liked it or not. Thinking back now I think I liked its exclusivity - I pretty much knew every keen cyclist in York by sight at least.

Most people just couldn't understand - 'you rode a bicycle all Sunday - why? Don't you have a car?'. And when you did meet another cyclist socially you were instantly a kindred spirit with a language others didn't understand - peloton, off the back, the bonk. And your heroes were people no one else had heard of who battled in places that no one else knew. Possibly explains why where now you may or may not get a nod, then you always did - another cyclist on the road was a brother.

For me also, raised on The Clash and watching The Young Ones, riding a bike was a little bit of rebellion - cocking a snook at authority and the establishment - now cycling 'is' the establishment, heck the chief executive of the FTSE 100 company I work for blogs 'as a keen cyclist' on puncture repair technique.

There are admittedly a lot of positives, who ten years ago would have believed the Tour coming to England would be such a success and we'd have British tour winners - and I love it that women are taking to bikes in what only a few years ago was almost exclusively a male pastime.........but still I do miss it as it was......

Well That's Fantastic

Sorry Simon I was probably in full on grumpy old man mode. It was my way of bemoaning that the obligatory nod seems to be a bit on the wane these days, but now I think about it, it's probably just me they don't want to nod at .

Totally changing the subject I just can't be in grumpy old man mode today having ridden Tony Harmer's (North Yorkshire Mountain Biking) R17 Goathland circuit. A ride of big vistas - whichever way I looked - life affirming stuff, it was over too soon.

This will never do I'm a grumpy old man I must moan about something.........there was too much sheep poo.

About 6 trillion gel wrappers?

Even my wife rides very regularly now. Cycling must be IN!

Last tuesday I went in for the carpel tunnel release surgery. As Dr Whitaker made the first incision with his scalpel into my palm, he asked me how the condition was affecting my daily life. I told him that it affected my cycling.
'Ah, yes cycling - that's the new golf' was his reply.

One real positive is that car drivers on the whole, tend to be more cautious. Probably because it might be their neighbour.

Brian