I am so used to travelling with a bike now that I still find it odd when I am at the airport and get such funny looks like I am walking through the terminal with such an odd item in tow.

There are a few ways you can travel abroad with a bike.  I know some people who ship their bike and certain events partner with companies who will take and deliver your bike so you don’t have the need to take your bike apart in any way.  I know some people who wrap their bikes or use cardboard boxes -yeah not for me!  I know some people who use a soft bike case and again this is not something I am keen on and I also know some airlines and even airports will not take soft cases for bikes.  Then there is a hard bike box, in my opinion the sturdiest and safest option.

I have a Bike Box Alan case and made the purchase a couple of years ago after looking into options for hiring one and realised that with some people charging £50 to £80 per week for box hire that if I was planning more than a few trips the investment to buy would absolutely be worth it and so that is what I did.  My husband already had a Bike Box Alan case and so I knew that they were sturdy and really good quality.  I mean I love my bike so want to know it is being transported in something that will get it there in one piece and not damaged.  There is always that nervous moment when you take the bike box to the oversized baggage area at the airport and watch it go through, then you might catch a glimpse as luggage is loaded onto the plane and it can make you a little nervous – be careful with it please! It is also a popular choice for our Tri club Havering Tri too!

You also get a 7 year guarantee with this box and the reviews speak for themselves.

So I recently got asked about how I pack and unpack the bike box and will admit I was a little embarrassed to admit that I don’t.  My husband is called Brett and I often joke that I have a Brett for that for quite a few bike related things.  He put Di2 on my old bike, not me, he packs and rebuilds the bikes when we travel, not me, and does all the bike servicing and maintenance, not me.  So I figured well it’s about time I probably learned how to do some of this and as I am always offering friends to use my bike box I figured ok we are travelling again soon so I will be paying attention.  Brett laughed but he humours me and so next time I will pack my bike – yep me!

What do you need to do?  I have a road bike and this is what we did:

• remove the pedals, which we sometimes put in a little plastic sandwich bag and put in the box (there are some small straps in the box and you can use them to hold the pedals in place)
• remove the chain, which you don’t have to do but we have always done and again put in a little plastic sandwich bag strapped in the same way as the pedals
• I don’t need to undo the seat post on my bike but depending on your height if you are tall you might need to do that to lower the seat post to fit in the box – if this is the case make sure you mark in some way where the seat post was so you can easily put it back in the correct position when you rebuild
• deflate the tyres completely – some people say you don’t need to do this though they could expand with the pressure in the hold on the plane, so it is always worth deflating and then pumping back up when you build the bike again
• the tyres fix to the lid of the bike box using wheel skewers (I also lent mine to a friend who has disc brakes, which I don’t and she did need different skewers to fix in the box properly) – the box comes with a padded panel that sits between the wheels and the rest of the contents of the box

• remove the handlebars and stem from the forks
• the bike frame is secured in the box using the straps that are attached

• we always pack our cycle shoes and helmet in the bike box as well as nutrition if weight allows (in my helmet bag I will always pack my heart rate monitor and garmin
• I put some of my nutrition like gels in my bottles – saves gels exploding and going over everything and saves space

• there is an anti crush bar to stop the box being damaged and in turn the bike

Here is a time lapse video of the bike being packed.

[wpvideo 7qsSHhfX ]

Happy travels if you are going away with your bike being boxed up and I hope this was a little useful for those who had asked previously!

Started cycling and want to find a club that suits your needs?  Not sure where to start?  I received a message earlier this week on instagram from someone saying I always looked so happy (and so did the others) in the pics I shared from my club rides with Romford CC.  And I genuinely am!  But I am also aware that it can all be a bit confusing and a bit of a mind boggling experience finding a club in the first place.  But it doesn’t need to be!

It is important to remember that not all clubs are the same and some have different objectives, which can be anything from social riding to racing.  So as they say one size does not fit all, and that’s ok!

Everyone may have a different purpose when they get on a bike including:

• social riding
• touring
• commuting
• duathlon
• triathlon
• racing
• endurance
• time trialling

To be fair the list could probably go on and on.  But no one is right or wrong and you just have to identify what you want out of it and find a group of like minded people, and you will probably find in that a suitable club to join.

A good starting point is British Cycling, who have a club finder on their website.  It does what it says on the tin and you can enter the details of where you live and how far you are willing to travel and these will apply a filter and provide you with a list of registered clubs in the area.  It will also provide you information on the clubs, within the results, including what activities they take part in and who it is suitable for.  From this you can determine one you feel most suitable for you.

A lot of clubs will offer the option to try a certain number of rides with them so you can test them out so to speak and see if it is a suitable fit.

Some things to ask when contacting a club could include:

• the pace of the rides
• do they apply a no drop policy ie no one is left behind
• when and where they ride
• the distance of their rides
• membership prices and any benefits that may be included
• what you need to bring with you ie repair kit, lights

Cyclists are generally a social bunch and within a club you will find those with the same interests (bikes, bikes and more bikes) and more often life long friends.

For many the thought of a club is daunting but it really needn’t be.  You will be surrounded by like minded people.

I remember first going on a club ride and being worried about:

• being too slow – there is always someone faster and always someone slower but you all get from a to b at the end of the day and those that are less than gracious in this area I often call them dick swingers (yes I really just said that)
• looking stupid in lycra – not many people look good in lycra so just go with it
• looking like a mushroom in my helmet – everyone does and it serves a purpose so I would rather look like a mushroom that is in tact rather than not
• is my bike good enough – ignore those that say you have to have a certain make or spec of bike, of course that can make a difference but you can’t throw money at something and get instant results, that takes training (I refer to my earlier dick swinger comment)

There will always be exceptions of course but most people I know who found a club they like have never looked back so take the plunge and who knows where it may take you – literally somewhere far flung on your bike maybe!

Sensitive subject I know and a real pain in the arse (excuse the bad uncle jokes) but yes I am really going there.  It is a cycling truth for many so lets talk about saddle sore!

I can’t talk on behalf of the men out there (though my husband assures me this is an issue for men also – sorry husband) but will be coming at this from a woman’s perspective (and I should note that this is based on my cycling experience and as with most things others may identify and some may not) and I think those reading this will probably fall into the following three camps:

• don’t cycle and are thinking seriously she is actually talking about this, what is wrong with her?
• totally get it and are thinking please let me in on the secret of never getting saddle sore again (spoiler alert is that I don’t have this and am looking for it myself)!
• cycle and have no issue (b*stards the lot of you – spoken with pure jealousy as I do not fall into this camp but wish I did)

So what is saddle sore?  Well basically it is what it says on the tin, a sore undercarriage which is an uncomfortable by-product of cycling in different areas for most but from where your body comes into contact, or consistent pressure, with the saddle when riding.

There was an article in much of the news last week about para-cyclist, Hannah Dines, who revealed that she had undergone surgery after years of cycling caused swelling to her vulva.

I realise this is an extreme and the example is not in any way intended to scare monger but shows that this issue can range from slight soreness to much more serious consequences.

So what can be done to help?  There are several things actually:

• saddles – a good saddle can make all the difference and a good supplier will also offer a saddle fit as part of the service to ensure you are getting a saddle that will suit you.  I recently purchased the Specialized Mimic saddle following a recommendation from a friend and the concept store in Chelmsford offer a fit as part of the service and you can use the saddle for 30 days to make sure it suits you.
• go commando – this was one when I was first told that I wondered if I was being wound up but it is true with padded shorts there is no need for underwear so take those knickers off as it can cause friction and chaffing.
• padded shorts – I don’t cycle without these, for comfort more than any other reason, and again personal preference comes into play here – some people don’t like the chamois pad, some prefer a thicker or thinner pad and so you need to find those that suit your needs.  Also wash them after every use – again yes I am going there, you are not wearing underwear, you are working up a sweat so lets keep it clean people and avoid any further causes for soreness.
• chamois cream – again personal preference and some people don’t like using it but I personally find it helps to stop chaffing.  I found once I started I couldn’t stop.  Many friends from my tri club use sudo cream as it doesn’t wear off in the water, however, I have heard other opinions that thick creams like this can clog pores.  I was recommended using doublebase cream/gel by the lovely Lucy from Paddle Pedal Pace and it is fab – not a cycling specific product but the best I have used so far!
• bike fit – I am an advocate of a good bike fit and some minor adjustments to your saddle position and height can make all the difference!  If you suffer with loss of sensation or numbness it may be that your position is not right.
• core strength – this one is so important for cycling and think about it in relation to soreness, the more stable you are on the bike will have a huge impact on your cycling experience.
• rest – if you have sores or swelling then rest and let it improve before you continue on the bike and potentially make it worse.

At the weekend I attended the London Bike Show with the amazing Lucy from Paddle Pedal Pace and our other halves, and Casquette had a stage with a number of talks over the three days including one that covered this very issue.  When I saw the description how could I not attend?

Want to know what’s really behind saddle sore? Well, it’s probably a clit or labia thing, but no one seems comfortable saying it out loud. Until now. We bring Maria Olsson (Rapha chamois designer); Doctor Jane Sterling (consultant dermatologist at a vulval clinic practice); Jasmijn Muller (endurance cyclist and saddle sore sufferer) and Jenni Gwiadowski (Saddle Library curator and founder of the London Bike Kitchen) together to talk candidly about saddle sore – what it is and how you can deal with it.

Dr Jane Sterling is a vulva specialist and for the Rio Olympics worked with the ladies GB cycling team and spoke about changes they made to see improvements for the ladies on the team.  Aside from right size kit, what padding can be improved ie the chamois, avoiding excess friction, she also worked with them on how to look after skin during and after cycling.  These are simple things everyone can look into.  She also touched on how pubic hair is important as it creates a layer of air and reduces the friction on the skin.  She noted how all hair removal causes some damage to the skin and that combined with hours of cycling is not the best combination with ingrown hairs being an issue for many.  Damp friction makes the downstairs environment post ride necessary for cleaning but the advice was to use a mild moisturiser perhaps with an antiseptic to maintain a barrier function and if issues arise then allow time to recover.  Interestingly Dr Jane also spoke of how the menopause can affect all of this and how estrogen treatments can help.

Jasmijn Muller is an all round awesome lady who currently holds the record for 1,828km on her turbo trainer on Zwift in 62 hours, 4 minutes and 30 seconds.  I cannot even comprehend being on a static bike for that long!  She also recently took part in BikingMan Oman, an unassisted ultra cycling race, and finished the 1,050km in 45 hours 37 minutes as 1st woman and 9th overall.  Jasmijn is also very open about the troubles she has had with getting sore and the operations she has had on both her right, and then later, left labia.  She noted that most of her riding is done in the time trial position and this did not help.  She also touched on the cleaning aspect, like Dr Jane, and explained that a lot of soaps remove the natural anti bacteria that are there to protect us.  So what has she found that made such a huge difference?  Saddle mapping testing, which she got done at Sigma Sports and highly recommends.  She has also worked with an osteopath who is also a pilates instructor for exercises to help with movements to isolate glute functionality, such as shoulder bridges, which she demonstrated.

Maria Olsson is the design manager for Rapha and explained how they spent 3 years researching, alongside Nicola Roberts, a physiologist who works with pro athletes, to perfect the chamois used in the Rapha kit and set themselves a huge challenge to make the best chamois for women.  Maria spoke about how a bike fit and saddle is key but just as important is the position of the chamois being in the right place in the bibs, and they prototyped and wear tested over 15,000 miles in the saddle.

I was also listening to the talk with the lovely Tarsh, also known as Iron Tarsh, and the lady behind the brand Stomp The Pedal.  Tarsh also spends hours on the turbo trainer and I asked her what her secret was and she said it is her bib shorts.  Tarsh meticulously researches and spends a lot of time ensuring the products she adds to her brand are products she would purchase herself and is proud to bring to market.  If she is not happy with it, you won’t be seeing it being sold by Stomp The Pedal!  I will be trying these and let you know if these are the key to my comfort.

And just to lighten the mood and not quite saddle sore but related and applicable to my fellow female cyclists – after a long ride when you reach for that mint tea tree shower gel – don’t! (those that know will know why).

How good is your recovery?  You hear of people going for recovery runs and stretching but the same should be applied to the bike also.

British Cycling have a whole section on their website about how to recover from cycling that can be found here:

‘If you have done a hard training ride or event, going out for a recovery ride the next day can enhance the recovery process. Ride for 30-60 minutes on a flat course, keep your bike in the smaller chain ring and spin easy.’

My cycle club, Romford CC, offer a beginners ride that more seasoned riders use as a recovery ride on a Monday evening so this serves the perfect purpose for me to add as part of my training schedule.

Your recovery ride should be the easiest ride in your training schedule and yet this should not indicate that it is not just as important as other rides on your plan.  Your body needs to repair muscle fibres that can be worked hard on longer/harder/faster rides.  This in turn allows you to return and be stronger, progress quicker, reduce risk of injury and all of this in turn improves motivation – win win!

How hard should you go on a recovery ride? It is simple:

• make it easy on yourself!
• pick an easy route
• don’t extend the time spent on it – absolutely should not be a long ride, probably a maximum of an hour and a half
• set an easy pace – if you work off heart rate then you should aim for about 60% of your maximum heart rate – think conversation pace
• pick an easy gear – don’t over exert yourself with a heavy gear that requires more from the very leg muscles you are trying to help recover
• cadence – if you work off cadence (I do as my husband likes to scream the word cadence when I am going too slow from a heavy gear, which is often) then you should be increasing your cadence from the norm ie if you usually average 90 RPM this should be approximately 100/105 RPM for recovery
• power – if you work off power then think about reducing it for recovery to approximately 50% of your FTP

Most people will go harder than they should – I know I do sometimes.  It is easy to do especially if in a group or if you pick what would be an easy route for you, to suddenly up the pace and therefor gears.  Don’t.  That completely undoes the good work that will come from a recovery ride.

An alternative is of course the turbo or rollers for a short spin of the legs and using the same basis as above will give the same result.

In addition to all of the above some other areas that will help include:

• sleep – a regular sleep pattern with around 8 hours of sleep will help
• drink – not gin sadly, but ensuring your fluid intake is good will prevent dehydration which will effect performance and slow down recovery
• nutrition – have that protein – it will aid with rebuilding muscle tissue

I saw a quote recently that read ‘Ride Hard, Recover Harder’, which are wise words!

And if you don’t want to get back on the bike for the recovery you can always look at yoga, foam rolling and other forms of stretching as active recovery.

As part of the British Cycling One In A Million campaign I have been sharing lots of stories not just from myself but other inspirational women and it has naturally generated discussion, which is great!

I also shared a picture on my social media last week discussing the phrase ‘on your right’ and again there were some comments that made me think I would write this post.

Until I started cycling and joined a club I was unaware of the cycling etiquette that plays a huge role in group cycling.

I am a member of Romford CC and we follow the guidelines laid out by British Cycling, which covers everything from Code of Conduct to hand signals.  Most clubs should provide this sort of advice to their members and it doesn’t take long for this to be something you don’t even think about when group cycling.  In fact I recently went away for a weekend hiking in the Peak District with a group of friends who for the most part were cyclists and as we walked and cars approached we would comment ‘car back’ and ‘car passing’.  Yep we are that sad and what is worse is that we also laughed (we are also clearly hilarious).

The photo I earlier referred to was saying how my cycle commute is largely on a dedicated cycle path though as it is only wide enough for two bikes (one in each direction) there may be the situation to overtake and in doing so I should on your right to alert the person in front not only of my position but also my intention to overtake.  It is not an aggressive shout but for safety.  Anyway, another cyclist asked my why I had said that and that they’d heard it before but being new to cycling wasn’t sure if it meant they were to do something and said it was interesting to them to understand and learn all the nuances.

So why did it prompt this post?  Well for two reasons as I became aware that although I know the group cycling etiquette that others may not and also because it was commented that the lingo could be a bit alienating for those not in the know, which is a fair point.

So what sort of things are covered when it comes to group cycling etiquette? Here I share some:

• Ensuring your bike is in good working order – standard.
• Communication – key to any group cycling, in fact I would say not just a group per se but key to riding any more than as a solo cyclist.  Some calls I will often hear whilst cycling will include slowing, stopping, gravel, car up to warn of a car approaching, car back to warn of a car behind, car passing to warn that a car is overtaking and clear to let others know that it is clear to the left or right.
• Never overlap wheels – quite simple, if your wheel is overlapping the wheel in front slightly and they move to avoid an obstacle for example there will more than likely be an incident as the wheel in front will likely take yours out!
• Formation – despite common misconception the Highway Code advice says you should never ride more than two abreast. It also says you should ride in single file on narrow or busy roads and when riding round bends. You should always factor in the road conditions and should go into single file when necessary.  There are many diagrams online that illustrate how it is actually easier for a car to pass a group of cyclists who are two abreast as opposed to a long line of single riders, however, as noted earlier common sense should be adopted depending on the circumstances.
• Be aware – it is all too easy to just follow the wheel in front, but as a cyclist in the group you have to accept the responsibility of being aware of your surroundings and other road users and pedestrians. Also good to be aware, especially down country lanes, of walkers and running that will be on your side of the road coming towards you.
• Be consistent – what I mean by this is that a consistent pace is much safer when in a group and this is not the place for speed intervals for example.  Sudden increases and decreases in speed and power will result in erratic braking and is just not safe for group cycling. The term hold your line is often said.
• Horses – not everyone is aware but it’s important to pass horses steadily and safely and alert the rider so they are not startled either. It’s important not to freewheel as the sound it creates can often startle a horse.
• Mudguards – I love an obstacle run and being covered in mud but not everyone does especially on the bike and so mudguards are courteous to have especially in wet and winter conditions so the riders behind are not sprayed.
• Don’t use tri bars – unfortunately for some tri bars and group cycling do not go well together in terms of safety.  Why?  When riding a time trial (TT) bike or aerobars you do not always have the same control and cannot react in the same way without easy and quick access to the brakes.  This is not an uncommon rule within a cycling club.
• Helmets – although helmets are not a legal requirement most clubs adopt a rule of no helmet, no ride.
• Lights – you must have front and rear lights, lit, clean and working properly, when cycling between sunset and sunrise.  You cannot have a red light at the front of your bike or a white light at the rear and with regards to flashing lights, regulations now allow flashing lights, provided they flash between 60 and 240 times per minute.
• Abide the rules of the road – as a cyclist you are a vehicle on the road and should abide the same rules within the Highway Code.

Here I share some of the hand signals:

• Stop – hand raised straight up in the air
• Slow down – hand gesture to the side gently moving up and down
• Pointing downwards (sometimes done in a circular motion) – this is done to make riders behind aware of a possible obstacle in the road be that an item or a pothole for example
• Pointing behind your back – this indicates that there is an obstruction ahead and riders should move in the direction you are pointing, for example a parked car to the left you would point behind your back to the right to alert fellow riders behind to follow suit in the same direction
• Indicate – if you intend to turn left or right ensure you indicate for awareness of all other road users.
• Thumbs up – manners cost nothing and it is always nice to thank other road users in certain situations.

More information can be found on the British Cycling website here.

I am continuing to share stories of ladies who are an inspiration to me as part of the campaign from British Cycling #OneInAMillion.  This is looking to help, inspire and encourage one million more women to choose cycling by tackling common misconceptions that can make it trickier to get on a bike. From concerns over safety, confidence, or simply not knowing where to go.

I am proud to be a part of this campaign and and even more pleased to be able to introduce you to this awesome lady who I am grateful to for contributing to this post.

Meet Laura (aka LaLa).  This one is such an easy intro for me to write as I just bloody love this woman!  I am privileged to call her one of my besties and I am proud that she has been there through most of my journey into cycling. Even if she does make me do hills, and I hate hills, but she continues undeterred and listens (probably has figured out a way to drown out my moaning by now) to me huff and puff.  She introduced me to be a Ride Angel to help others on a sportive.  She was there for my first time trial experience and we completed it together as part of a two-up (working together instead of individual).

She agrees to my crazy ideas like a 186 mile bike ride around a lake in Sweden.  I agree to her crazy ideas like doing a six hour turbo session on Brentwood high street to raise money for Macmillan (yes you read that right we were in Towie land on bikes in lycra and yes it was six hours and yes it was the most painful thing ever).  She finished a bike ride over 300 miles from Newcastle to London after I convinced her to take part and then had my ride cut short as I came off my bike in bad weather conditions and ended up in an ambulance and she said she had to finish for me as I couldn’t and she did.  And I have so much respect for her with what she does in her ambassador role, selflessly helping other ladies get into cycling.

If there is one single person I know who is the absolute fit for this campaign it is LaLa and I love you x

‘For me, exercise has always been therapy. I probably didn’t realise it until my mid-20’s but I’ve always chosen physical challenges, so I had a reason to ‘train’.  Truthfully, I need to exercise for me. To clear my head and escape the day to day. I’ve run, swum and done aerobics in the past but didn’t start cycling until my 30’s.   

My cycling journey started some 9 years ago and since then I’ve gone from a pretty clueless, recreational rider to an experienced long-distance road rider, Specialized Women’s Ambassador and most recently a racer. Yup. Me. A middle aged office worker who took up cycling less than 10 years ago! Racing bikes. Not just road bikes either…different types of bikes. MTB, Cross and road.

I was the typical cycling widow, my partner would tell me he was off for a ride and he’d come home 3 hours later all sweaty but with a massive smile on his face. Not one to miss out, I bought a second-hand road bike and joined him.  I loved that we were exploring our local area (neither of us are from Essex originally), keeping fit and spending quality time together.  

Cycling gives a real feeling of freedom and there are so many opportunities to challenge yourself. To start with, I was all about long distance rides completing numerous sportives including the inaugural Ride London 100 event in 2013.   Each year the rides got more ambitious, and further afield.  So far, I’ve been to Belgium (Tour of Flanders), Holland (Amstel Gold Race) and Sweden (Vatternrundan). Cycling gives an excuse to travel and cycling allows us to explore these countries in a memorable way.

Over the past 12 months I’ve got into racing. If I can do it, anyone can. It’s physically tough, yes, but it’s also a chance to meet like-minded ladies and I have to say all the racers I’ve met so far have been nothing but welcoming and supportive. I’ve just finished the cyclo-cross season and I’m looking forward to doing some road racing in the summer. The goal is to finish 2019 as a Cat 3 rider – ambitious perhaps but possible!

*photo credit to Andrew Richardson*

Simply put, I just love riding my bike and the more I experience, the more I want to inspire, encourage and help other women to get into cycling.  I am a volunteer Ride Angel, a This Girl Can Essex Ambassador and Specialized UK Women’s Ambassador.  These roles, particularly the latter, give me the chance to spread the cycling love and happiness.  I lead monthly women’s rides from the Specialized Concept Store, Chelmsford and Thomas Cycle Revolution, Colchester and doing so I’ve met some brilliant women who I can now call my friends. We ride for cake, enjoy the journey and would love for you to join us!’

I will be adding more posts like this to inspire you and introduce some more of the lovely ladies I have met through cycling that inspire me.

More information for women who are thinking about getting on a bike for the first time can visit the British Cycling women’s hub for tips and advice on everything from the benefits of cycling, to hints and tips about how to get started.

Are you #OneInAMillion ?  Why not share your story too?