Lassoed on the A50

It was supposed to be my day off today, but ended up having to work. And it was the sunniest of sunny days - gutted.

But what’s better than a day off on a sunny day? Easy – the feeling of leaving work after getting stuff done, when it’s still sunny and Friday’s in the air even though it’s Monday.

So I cycled up the cycle path alongside the A50 towards Leicester determined to do something, with my sunny day early release - even if that something involved just sitting in a pub with a pint. But my bike gears keep slipping, usually when I’m ‘standing up in the saddle’ and on the A50 they did so in spectacular fashion, causing me to almost leave the cycle path, cross the grass verge and career onto a busy dual carriageway. I was saved (and nearly killed) by my front brake, which stopped me VERY suddenly, caused the front wheel to propel me forward, bits of bike hitting bits of body. It felt a bit like whiplash and being lassoed at the same time. For the record, I have never been whipped or lassoed*.

The same whiplash/ lasso effect accident happened I cycled out of the Rally, and I had been getting a bit complacement on the cycle in, thinking ooh – gears haven’t slipped for a while. So the something that would’ve been a pint, fast became a ride into Leicester to get my bike looked at by Future Cycles in St Martin’s Square. The very helpful man in the shop explained that my gears were knackered, if fact there were barely any teeth left on ‘em. He priced up replacement parts for me.

But just lately I have been a tiny bit obsessed by buying anything that’s pink metallic to customise my bike (so far only a bottle holder, bell and dust caps – not that obsessed.) Anyway when all these new gears were priced up, I saw the window of opportunity that had opened up – I could get pink metallic stuff – hurrah! And I could pay twice the price for my vanity – double hurrah!

So that something that could have easily been a Yellow Card pint of Fosters in the Soar Point at £2.15 had rapidly become spending more on some fancy pink bits for my bike than a new bike would’ve cost. But I’m such a bike geek that I know it’s worth it.

I walked home from town – YES, WALKED. Earphones in, music on. And the first tune that played? Lasso by Phoenix. TUUUUUUUUNNNNE.

*Though I did work at a rodeo in 2001, probably the coolest job I’ve ever had.

He's on the phone

Two nights ago I had propped up my bike against our house, while I nipped through the house to unlock the front gate and bring my bike in. I've done that every time I've cycled anywhere, since the summer of 2007 - so thousands of times - and never given it a second thought.

This time though my girlfriend M heard a bit of noise outside, popped her head out of the door and caught a hoodie (complete with face scarf no less) and his mate wheeling my bike away. Cheers.

M saved the day with a 'Scuse me!' and the hoodie made the walk of shame back to our house and handed over the bike. Thank god as he was virtually unrecognisable with his hood/scarf combo - wouldn't have been able to pick him out in a line up. Girlfriend 1 - Hoodies 0.

Anyway the point of this is that I enjoy cycling so much that that won't put me off. I cycle loads, and in the last year I have pretty much been a year round cyclist over the last 365 days - and by that I mean at least one bike ride a week even in sub zero temperatures. I have my tunes playing loud (headphones are a bit dangerous, right?) and I'll always find that there's a song that stands out from my journey.

Today it was St Etienne and 'He's on the Phone'. St Etienne are one of those bands who may seem a bit talentless, and directionless - one minute they're doing Euro pop, the next minute Cod Reggae. But they came to Summer Sundae (http://www.summersundae.com/) a couple of years back, sandwiched between Bombay Bicycle Club and the Charlatans if I remember right and I have to say - they were wicked.

Sailing along on my bike, the sun was out - and yes - I was freezing my tits off, but with 'He's on the phone' blasting out I could almost believe it was summer again. And somehow I don't reckon my hooded bike thief will need quite so many layers on...