Bike security: the home front

Two-thirds of bikes get stolen in or around the home. What’s the best way to protect yours when it’s off duty?

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/bike-blog/2011/oct/12/cycling-theft-home-security

Southend Bikeathon 2011

A quick mention for a great end of season sponsored ride.  And one that is dear to my heart as it was the first sponsored ride I did when I got back in cycling several years ago.  As you will see from the photographs, this is not a ride I use my road bike for, but one where I hook up my daughter’s trailer bike to an old Rayliegh that I have.  This is the second year that she has done it.  This was though something of a bitter-sweet ride as next year she will probably do it on her own bike.  But I think I will still use the Raylieigh and trailer bike, but with one her large cuddly toys on the back.

Ride data: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/111727929

Cycling worth £3bn a year to UK economy, says LSE study

Article found at: http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2011/aug/21/cycling-3bn-uk-economy-study

Cycling generates nearly £3bn a year for the UK economy, according to a report from the London School of Economics. The figure includes £51m in revenue for British manufacturers from the 3.7m cycles sold in 2010 – a rise of 28% on 2009.

The gross cycling contribution of £2.9bn for the economy takes into account factors such as bicycle manufacturing, cycle and accessory retail and cycle-related employment.

Commissioned by the broadcaster Sky and British Cycling, the report said every cyclist in the UK has a “gross cycling product” of £233 annually.

Employing around 23,000 people, the UK cycling sector made a £500m employment contribution in 2010, including more than £100m in income tax and National Insurance contributions last year, the report said. A total of 208m cycle journeys were made in 2010, with a net addition of 1.3m more cyclists taking to their bikes compared to the previous year, bringing the total to 13m.

Of these new cyclists, half a million are now cycling regularly. New cyclists alone contributed £685m to the UK economy, with existing regular cyclists representing a total market value of £635m. The report also showed that regular cyclists take 7.4 sick days per year, compared with 8.7 sick days for non-cyclists.

It added that a 20% increase in cycling by 2015 would save the economy £207m in reduced traffic congestion, £71m in lower pollution levels and £52m in NHS costs.

Dr Alexander Grous, of the LSE, who conducted the research, said: “The good news is that structural, economic, social and health factors seem finally to have created a true step-change in the UK’s cycling scene.”

The transport minister, Theresa Villiers, said: “The government is committed to encouraging cycling as a healthy and enjoyable way of getting around. It helps reduce congestion, gives children more opportunities for exercise, and it can play a part in the fight against climate change.

Stewart Kellett, British Cycling’s recreation director, said: “This report is further evidence that when more people get involved in cycling there are measurable benefits to the individual, their family, their employer, the environment and the economy as whole.”

Ian Austin MP, vice-chairman of the all party parliamentary cycling group, said: “This important report shows that encouraging greater participation in cycling can bring not only social but economic benefits for Britain.”

Guide to Energy Drinks and Foods for Cycling

Not mine but found at:

http://www.bikes.org.uk/guide-to-energy-drinks-and-foods-for-cycling/

Here’s a test, nip out on your bike before you read this but don’t do your usual prep.  Make sure you’ve not eaten for at least 3 hrs or taken any energy drinks or gel. Just go for about 20 mins and take no water either.

How did that feel? I’m actually hoping you didn’t do that as it’d be pretty dumb – but you knew that. Whatever you’re pre-ride routine currently is, one thing is for certain, you know that you need to eat something before you go. But why? Energy, in a word. We recently wrote this article on how many calories do we burn when cycling which shows that an average, regular riding, cyclist will burn around 500-600 calories per hour. On that basis, an average days ride could burn anything from 2,500 to 3,500 calories. Wow. Put it another way, that the equivalent of one to one-and-half days food intake.

What you eat makes a big difference to your performance. Correct fuel intake will help you to make it up those steep climbs, pedal faster and recover at a faster rate too. It’ll make those post ride moments more comfortable and less like, omg, why did I just do that. Cycling is meant to be fun, so enjoying the ride is essential. So, start the day with a high energy breakfast, add power snacks on the bike and enjoy post ride energy meals to ensure you get your sports nutrition needs.

Energy Intake

Before you start your ride, it’s important to have a good breakfast. Being hungry leads to an increase in stress hormones, which when released into the muscles, can increase muscle breakdown. This is a classic cause of feeling as though you have no energy, which is true, as you haven’t taken on-board enough fuel.

Now, there is a trend to get on your bike without eating first, the belief being that this will help with fat & weight loss. I’m not a fan of this technique. Evidence shows that well-fed cyclists ride harder and train for longer, which leads to greater loss of calories. Thus, losing more weight and fat anyway. This latter technique puts less stress on the body which is much healthier than not eating before a ride.

Energy Breakfast

Ideally, breakfast should be eaten at least two hours prior to cycling, but this isn’t always possible.

Aim for a carbohydrate based breakfast which also contains some protein and is low in fat. A breakfast of around 150 grams is good, although shorter rides only require half this amount. Some breakfast suggestions include;

• Porridge made with semi-skimmed milk
• Scrambled or poached egg on wholegrain toast
• Wholegrain cereal and milk

The right breakfast will help to ensure you are fully hydrated for your ride. Well hydrated bodies can be identified by the colour of urine. It should be a very pale yellow, so if it isn’t you will need to drink some water, about a litre, before you ride.

If you are short of time or plan to just go on a short ride, try the following instead;

• 1 piece of wholegrain toast
• ½ a wholegrain bagel
• Small energy bar designed for pre-exercise
• 1 Banana
• Energy drink

Nutrition on the Bike

Carbohydrates help to fuel the body during a bike ride. These carbohydrates provide fuel to the active muscles and help fuel the nervous system. The brain uses glucose as its energy source, so a low intake may lead to general weakness, dizziness and low blood sugar. Reduced blood sugar during exercise decreases performance and can lead to mental and physical tiredness. So, good energy levels, good glucose intake and maintaining carbohydrate levels will ensure you have sufficient fuel to power your performance and help you feel better during cycling.

Your three nutritional goals during training should be;

• To remain hydrated
• To replace used energy
• To replace the salts you lose in sweat

You can achieve the right energy intake goals by using sports energy drinks, foods and gels. These are perhaps best used during cycling, to maintain high energy levels through a longer ride. You can hardly stop for a big meal during a ride but it’s still important to remember how many calories you’ll burn during the ride. If you watched the recent Tour de France you’ll have seen all the cyclists doing just this, the snack thing not the stopping for a big meal thing.

Post Bike Ride Energy Foods

At the end of your bike ride, it is important to refuel your body to ensure it re-stocks its energy levels. This also helps to ensure your muscles recover and stop the following day muscle fatigue.

Reduced carbohydrate levels can lead to an increased rate of getting infections and minor illness like colds and flu. So, post ride meals are as important as pre-ride intake. Ideally it should contain a mix of carbohydrate and protein at an approx ratio of 3:1 as this help to regain the right fuel balance.

So what foods should you choose. Certainly omega 3 healthy fats found in fish, walnuts, flax and pumpkin seeds are great for keeping inflammation at bay, as are fresh fruit and vegetables. Leafy green vegetables and brightly coloured fruits will provide plenty of antioxidants and flavonols, known for their anti-inflammatory properties. Apples and red onions can be especially helpful as their active ingredient, quercetin, is also known to reduce inflammation.

Post Ride Re-hydration

Once you’ve finished your bike ride is not the time to stop drinking. You should aim to drink around 3 pints of water, or two litres. Once again, check that your urine remains a pale yellow and if not drink a little more.

So is all this worth it. Yes of course it is. The more you follow these simple guidelines, the more energy you’ll have and in turn the more you will enjoy your cycling. Trust me, I’m not a Doctor.

© 2011 Bikes.org.uk – this is not medical advice. If you need medical advice please consult someone who’s medically trained and qualified.

How to pass a horse on a bike

I don’t know about you, but one of things I have never known is how cyclists should pass a horse.  I had (wrongly) also thought a horse got freaked out by a noisy, fast-moving car and quite cyclists could pass a horse without worrying.  Not true.

The opposite may actually be true with a horse being more used to being passed by a fast-moving car than a bike.  Even if it isn’t, a horse can at least hear a car approaching (that is not to say that a car should not slow down of course).  But from a horse’s point o view, a bike is this silent thing, fast approaching from behind, which it doesn’t know is threat or friend.

So what to do?

I thoroughly recommend the following guidance from the Essex Road Cycling Club which can be downloaded from

http://www.essexroadscyclingclub.com/pdfs/2011/ERCC%20Protocol%20for%20passing%20horses.pdf.

I do follow this and have always had a thank you from horse riders.

 ERCC Protocol for passing horses on Essexroads   

I would like to bring to the attention of all Essex Roads riders that whilst cycling we must remain particularly aware that we share the road with other users and particularly those who are also vulnerable such as horse riders. We have recently received correspondence from the Sustrans Area Manager for Greater Essex alerting us to the danger to horses of fast-moving groups of cyclists. As our club ever increases in size we can presume that this danger will increase unless we all consider what action we can take in order that any horse we come across does not take fright. Horses are often to be seen on small country roads and cycle riders will not necessarily be aware of their presence until they meet them, often round a corner. However, it is important that when someone in a group sees horses ahead that the following rules are observed: -

1. If you see a horse up the road, shout ‘horses ahead, slow down’ and use the slow down hand signal (as per the highway code)

2. Riders should avoid any screeching of brakes as this may cause the horse ahead to take fright,

3. Then shout up the road to the horse rider ‘cyclists at the rear’ and make sure that the rider turns round and acknowledges your presence,

4. Cyclists should then observe the reaction of the horse and rider in keeping the animal under control – if the horse looks erratic or confused in its movements then do not pass until it is brought under firm control by the rider. The rider may pull the animal off the road to assist.

5. Once you are sure that the animal is settled then each rider should file past in single file slowly, patiently and quietly without unnecessary gear clattering/changing. Remember to give the horse a wide berth as you pass and when no oncoming traffic is visible.

6. All riders should thank the rider for their assistance too – it helps us as cyclists to be courteous.

7. In addition, it is also advisable for Essex Roads riders to ride in smaller spread out groups rather than en-mass, as a large approaching group is likely to be more worrisome to a horse than a smaller approaching number of riders.

If our members observe these rules then we will continue to gracefully share the road with our fellow participants in sport. Please remember that you have a responsibility as a road user to reasonably consider the safety of others at all times. Thank you.

Mark Stanbury
General Secretary
EssexRoads Cycling Club

London to Southend Bike Ride 2012

I made my first post in this blog  just over four years ago primarily to keep track of my progress in training for my first London to Southend bike ride.  Since then it is has rambled on about various things relating to cycling although, selfishly, mainly about my own exploits.  It does seem amazing that really was four years ago but then, as they say, time flies when you are having fun.

So, as has been the case for four years running I was up at 4:30 trying to eat a hearty bowl of porridge before setting off to catch a train from Southend to London for the sole purpose of experiencing the sheer joy of cycling 52 miles back again.

There seemed to be even more queues of people with bikes trying to get out of Stratford Station and over the foot bridge before riding to the start line.  And getting out of London itself also seemed to take an age.  Perhaps not surprising as there was a reported 4,800 cyclists taking part

But things soon got going and we started to leave the traffic behind.  As the bikes became more strung out, so it became easier to maintain a decent cadence – for me that’s around 75.  The weather was behaving as predicted, overcast with sunny spells.  We did hit the odd shower but nothing serious – the downpour would come after I had got home.

I had hoped to get in under 3 hours 30 minutes this year but the ford at Butsbury was flooded to a height of three-quarters of a metre – even a 4×4 trying to get through the throng of cyclists gave up.  We had to across the bridge in single file which must have added a good 5 minutes to my journey time.

The ford at Butsbury

In the event I managed to take a minute of my previous fastest time.  Not a great deal admittedly but it could have been worse.  What I was pleased about though is that the hills seemed to be easier so I definitely knew that my fitness and ability was still improving.

Looking forward to 2012!

Click to see ride data

Times from the last four years - click for more data

London to Southend 2011 – going to be wet but wild horses wouldn’t stop me doing it

I have searched every weather forecast on the web and they all say the same thing, wet and windy (it will be a crosswind with a slight tailwind rather than headwind which helps a bit).  So it’s out with the waterproof and arm warmers.  Am I mad? Maybe.  But I love this ride and wouldn’t miss it for the world.