How I Cycle

There was  lovely 2 page spread in The Guardian magazine this weekend showing photos of cyclists in Copenhagen. What is lovely to me about these pictures is that they are not 'cyclists' in the sense that we use, they are people on bikes. This summer we were lucky enough to holiday in Denmark, which changed my view on cycling, cyclists and my bike.

10 years ago I bought a Mountain Bike, it was to be an all terrain machine on which I wound career down hill through mud and puddles (cue music and fast camera shots). I bought special leggings so I could cock my leg over the crossbar (there were only boys mountain bikes 10 years ago)  and a special bright yellow jacket to protect me from spray and even techno gloves.  I have in fact been down 3 such hills in that time and it's safe to say any musical accompaniment would have been more Mozart than Motorhead. However I loved my bike and used it regularly to cycle to work, arriving in a fashion which prompted my colleagues to ask 'how far have you come?' The answer is just over a mile on residential roads, but that seems to be how cycling is in this country - you dress for some sort of extreme sport and then ride up the road.

Sitting in a cafe in Denmark I suddenly realised I too wanted to ride my bike in the clothes I would wear everyday. I wanted to relax on my bike, I wanted to go to the shops on my bike, I wanted to go a cafe or a pub on my bike because it's a nice thing to do and I like riding my bike. I also admitted I was never going to go down another mountain on my bike.

Looking at the pictures there are no fluorescent jackets, no wraparound sunglasses and even no go-faster helmets, they are just people on bikes.
With a little inspiration I got myself a 'lady bike', it even has a basket I can use. I cycle slower and wear what I want. I have fallen in love with cycling all over again, although I darn't leave my helmet at home just yet.