The joy of padded leggings

Week 2 of my training and I’m proud to say I’ve achieved a first for me — cycling seven days in a row, one in light snow. They have mainly been my 25 minute commute, but I’ve done one ride of an hour, and another of an hour of a half. My aim is to work up to doing two rides a week of three hours, but that feels a long way off. Trying to find circuits in London with any length of riding in them is a bit challenging. Not much training in standing at red lights — although I will say it does give me cleat practice. What I have discovered is that even though I am much better at de-cleating my right foot, it is a rather pointless skill to have learnt as in London everyone de-cleats their left at lights, and waits with their foot up on the pavement. Either that or they do that silly, balancing dance thing where they refuse to de-cleat at all and get up on their pedals and wobble incrementally forward, playing what looks like a game of chicken with the lights. That is one dance I have no intention of taking part in.

My cycle partner (CP) was right about my cleats. The shop loosened my left one and it is now much easier to get it in and out. They also tightened up my gears which had been slipping. CP stopped me on a bike ride at the weekend and gave me a stern talking to about moving into the second cog (or is it the first?!) when going up steep hills so I can use more lower (or is it higher) gears. Me confused much - not at all.


The biggest news of the week is that I have bought Borat style padded leggings. I have never had leggings with a padded seat before — took me right back to the years before the invention of Always (a reference for the girls there). What with the clacky, shoes and the padded crotch - when not on my bike but kitted up I am now walking like some hybrid between a ballerina on points and a two year old with a full nappy. It’s a good look. I guess the nappy pants trousers come into their own when I start doing long distances.

Me in my nappy pants trousers

On the plus side I have bought a water bottle and fixed it to my bike. On the negative side, I’m still too wobbly to reach down and drink it while cycling. But I’m doing a good line in annoying drivers by stopping to drink at lights and missing the lights turning green. Given how much drivers, particularly taxi drivers annoy/terrify me I get a little vindictive thrill about irritating them in this manner.

What I’ve learned this week:

It’s not pleasant to cycle in the snow
padded shorts make you waddle

Achievements:

Getting out on my bike for short distances.
I am no longer actively terrified of the cleats - just a bit claustrophobic, with occasional waves of panic.

Ambitions:

Moving between the cogs on my handlebars.
Going on longer rides.
Enjoying cycling.

Me volunteering on the 2017 Dash

PLEASE SPONSOR ME IF YOU HAVEN'T