Floreat Velominati

It has been far too long since I posted on here and worryingly it was 1st April when I actually last rode a bike. I had to log in to Strava to look that up and then it took me 10 goes to remember the right email and password combination. That was a rubbish, horrible, totally forgettable ride too.

I am currently contemplating whether I need the bikes I have. This is causing much mental anguish as every one (in the cycling world at least) knows that the number of bikes needed in n+1 where n is the current number of bikes. It’s not like the number of bikes is being threatened by the other part of Rule 12, that this equation may also be re-written as s-1, where s is the number of bikes owned that would result in separation from your partner.

So it may be that one thing might save me. It being the rules. A life spent with bikes until the advent of children (which seems to have thrown a tangental spanner in the spokes of the spinning wheel of cycling enthusiasm) means that upon reading them I can relate to every single one. I’ve even had to check quick release alignment since reacquainting myself to ensure I am in compliance.

My detachment and drift away from that group of people that formed a community of cycling friends has been heightened by the mystical and unannounced halt to the paper edition of Singletrack that used to come through the post. Nick Wallis’ demise didn’t do anything to cheer me up either. So I’m left wondering if anyone actually cares about the rules or will give me grief if I flaunt them.

Yet I just need to think back to my last ride and the looks from other riders looking significantly more chiseled than I to know that one look is enough to recognise if you have the rules in check or have missed a vital component and look stupid. Yes the rules are known, even if they’re not spoken.

Author: Cris Bloomfield

Usually mountain biking in the North. View all posts by Cris Bloomfield