Month: August 2015

Joyriding

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With Mrs Rouleur deep in to the write up stages of her PhD thesis it means that for the last couple of weekends it has been quite tough to find any real time to get out on the bike for more than my daily commute 1 mile to the train station and back.

However this past weekend was proof that every cloud has a silver lining. The 5am wake up from my son (the future rainbow jersey) constituted ‘The Cloud’. ‘The silver lining’, I could squeeze in a ride before a depressingly small and healthy bowl of muesli (aka dust with raisins).

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VeloToze tall shoe covers / overshoes review

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  • The Good – Very cheap price, lots of colour choice
  • The Bad – Very tight fitting, lack of breathability
  • The Ugly – The look has proved very divisive

With the long hot English summer (clears throat) coming to an end and the damp, nay soggy, autumn fast approaching, one of the essential pieces of kit you need in your cycle bag are a good pair of overshoes. Having neatly destroyed my old pair in a fit of panic as a particularly nasty storm approached I was in the market.

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Released earlier this year to much fanfare the ‘Toze certainly seemed an interesting proposition. Coming in 7 different colours, 4 different sizes and 2 cuts (Tall and Short), it’s safe to say that there’s something for everyone and matching kit and/or bike shouldn’t be a problem. Further, given the really competitive price of £14.99 for the tall covers (£12.99 for the short) I took the plunge and found myself with a pair in red (to match my faithful steed) making their way to me.

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Ch, Ch, Changes, and Ch, Ch, Challenges

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Another weekend is upon us and like hundred and thousands (can you still buy those?) of others I am busy trying to squeeze at least one ride in to a busy schedule of family and work (plus of course the essential activity of sport watching).

Since my cycle Europe challenge and RideLondon I have only been on the bike once and that was a tiny cycle to my local train station and back. This is despite the fact that I still had one final ride to complete for my three part charity challenge.

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RideLondon Weekend – Part 2, Ride Roly Ride

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To be positive or negative that is the conundrum!! Being a rather indecisive individual I think I will play it by ear and see where we end up.

After the build up already described, the dawn broke in a ridiculously warm (and ridiculously small) famous chain hotel room last Sunday morning. Myself and Mr Less Roly awoke ready to join 24998 other gluttons for punishment at the start of RideLondon in the wonderful Olympic Park.

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RideLondon Weekend – Part 1, Build Up

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Finally its here, a year after being stood at a standstill in Richmond park needing a lifejacket more than a cycle helmet, RideLondon 2015 has arrived.

Last year the tail end of hurricane Bertha severely tested the nations (and my) love of cycling to the limit. I honestly can’t remember ever being outside in quite such a downpour as on 10th August 2014. The rain played havoc with the route and before I had even crossed the start line I had heard that what I feared the most, the dreaded Leith and Box had been removed, PHEW. 87 miles in total last year, but this year would be different, this year I had unfinished business!!

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