Contrary to popular believe, it is NOT raining constantly in the U.K. (and Northumberland in particular) during the autumn and winter months.

Winter biking

The roads CAN be wet however, but, as long as the due caution is given, winter road cycling can be a fun and rewarding experience. Cycling in the dark will reveal pleasures you have never come across before in as much as familiar views will appear totally different, especially on clear moonlit nights, and you will see wildlife that is not active during daylight hours.

What do you need to think of to start yourself off on your nocturnal wintertime excursions?

Let’s look at the bicycle……..

First things first. Make sure your bicycle is properly maintained. You need to be fairly sure that your bicycle will function reliably, as having to sort out a mechanical failure in the dark is a whole new ball game. Trust me on that. Check your brakes and tyres in particular. If you are not sure as to HOW to maintain it, seek professional help.

Carry the necessary tools to sort out maladies such as punctures, broken chains or components slackening unexpectedly. If you do not know HOW to sort these things out, take some time to learn how. Time spent learning these basic skills will usually pay off at some stage.

Fit some mudguards. They will stop you getting a wet stripe up your back and in your face. Wet in wintertime causes a severe chilling effect, robbing your body of vital warmth.

Consider putting SLIME in your inner tubes. Slime is a liquid puncture sealant that works by flowing through any hole made by a thorn or a tack and clogging it up. It works 99 % of the time, (nothing on earth is fool proof!) and makes life SO much easier.

Slime

I have it fitted in my own personal bicycles, (I have 4, at the moment…..) and my hire bikes in the shop. Only 2 of my hire customers have been stopped by a puncture in 7 years – THAT is not bad going. Still, you should carry 2 spare tubes and a repair kit though, you never know……

Get some good lights. Two rear lights is not a bad idea, one set to “on” and the other set to “flashing”, that will ensure you are seen from the rear. Heading out into the countryside means that there will be no street lights. It is necessary to have a BRIGHT front light so as to actually see the road ahead and see where you are going. Modern front lamps are usually LED, and more and more are coming as rechargeable, the latest ones having Lithium Polymer batteries. They are small, light in weight and surprisingly bright with a good run time. Realistically, you need to spend a minimum of £50 on one. I use a MOON X POWER 300,

Bike Light

which is nearly as bright as a car headlight and I have had almost 2 hours on full power on one charge, It can be dimmed in steps to give a run time of up to about 6 hours, still pretty bright though, MORE than enough to see your way. Remember to ensure that the lamps have full charges so they will last the distance you intend going, and that they are clean and bright. Also, carry a head torch. That means that if you have to work on your bike whilst out there, you will have both hands free.

Fit a rear carrier or reasonably sized saddle bag. You will need to carry your tools, spare tubes, spare clothing etc.

As for you……….

Dress as you would for any daytime ride, but bear in mind the following;

It will be dark, wear top layers that are reflective and very visible. Your bike will be lit up like a Christmas tree, but it does no harm to back that up with reflectives. Consider reflective ankle bands,

Reflective ankle bands

your pedalling motion means that they will be very noticeable to vehicles approaching from the rear.

Dress in layers. It will likely be quite cold when you set off, but, you know what it is like, within 10 minutes of pedalling off, you will be too hot and you will need to peel off layers like an onion. Put the excess clothing in your saddlebag that I told you to fit……  Don’t forget full fingered gloves and overshoe as well, extremities can get cold even though your core is warm. And a hat or skull cap. If you wear a helmet you will know they are NOT warm things in the winter…………………

Take some energy food with you and something to drink, Cycling costs energy; it needs to be replaced regularly as you go.

As for the ride itself………

Start short and local, stick to roads that you know reasonably well. If there is no moon, you will find yourself cycling only in the pool of light that you provide yourself. It will be pitch dark otherwise. With no landmarks visible to orientate yourself with, it is easy to get lost on roads that you know like that back of your hand during the day. It becomes harder to judge distances and it is all too easy to take a turning that you think leads to wherever, just to find that THAT turning was the one after and then 15 minutes later, you haven’t a clue as to where you are. Carry an ordnance survey map and a compass and know how to use them. Even for your local area.

Ride slower that you normally would in the day light. AND WATCH WHERE YOU ARE GOING. No matter HOW good your lights are, they are NO substitute for sunlight, there WILL be things that will remain unseen, like a patch of mud or a small stone on the road, these things can have you through the hedge. Take your time and stay alert, you will be just fine.

Some people think that cycling in the dark would be a dangerous thing with regard to other vehicles, but it has one HUGE advantage over daytime cycling. When a car approaches from the rear, you will see its light long before you will hear it, that will give you plenty of time to position yourself correctly or, if needs be, get off the road and let it past.

One final thought. Go with a friend or two.

Out with friends

It’s more fun when done sociably and there is always someone else there to assist if things go wrong.

Give it a go, you may be pleasantly surprised……….

Norman Gauld,

Bicyclist, Motorcyclist, Archer and Manager of Wilson Cycles, Berwick upon Tweed.

“Wilson Cycles – for all your cycling needs.”

According to legend, the humble banana with its unique shape is revered by Hindus as being the fruit forbidden to Adam and Eve in terrestrial paradise, where nakedness was covered by banana leaves.

Nothing changes!

Sword and shin pads at the ready!

One of the first fruits cultivated by man, it is now one of the most important food crops in the world having been originally recorded in Asia many centuries ago by Alexander the Great.

Banana trees are usually grown in plantations, mainly in tropical regions and are sometimes associated with politically unstable governments and economies dependant on one export trade, hence the phrase, ‘Banana Republics’.   The banana plant is a gigantic herb that springs from an underground stem to form a false trunk 10 – 20ft high, crowned with a rosette of 10 – 15 oblong to elliptic leaves of 10 – 12 feet in length and 2 feet in breadth.

It’s a Banana!!

A large flower like spike, carrying yellow flowers emerges from the top and bends downwards to form bunches of 50 to 150 individual fruits grouped in clusters of 10 to 20 .After fruiting each plant is cut down to the ground, the dead plant being replaced by others in the form of suckers or shoots every 6 months. There are thousands of varieties of bananas, the most popular being ‘Gros Michel’, but plants are vulnerable to disease in particular ‘Banana Wilt’ which is a soil inhabiting fungus.

Fusarium oxysporum variety cubense. So there.                              

Careful selection and cross breeding over many years has helped to contain the devastating Banana Wilt.

There is no specific fruiting season, about 300 bunches of bananas can be grown per acre annually and clusters are divided into bunches about 12 fruits each for packing and transporting in refrigerated ships and ripened as required by exposure to ethylene gas (C2H4).

The banana is rich in calories, 100 to 100gms and has a good quantity of all the minerals necessary for all normal human body maintenance, 22% carbohydrate which is a quick accessible reservoir of energy; high in potassium, which happens to be the 7th most abundant element in the earth’s crust;

Not that one!                                                                                         

They are low in protein and fat, a ripe banana is 75%water. An amazing source of vitamins, A, B, B2, B12, C, D, E. A proven remedy for warts and a great conductor of heat and electricity.

And so, in conclusion dear Reader, not only have we learned that the banana is and excellent source of immediate energy for cyclists as a food but also for its healing powers. It is not so surprising then, that cyclists resort to this humble herb when suffering from ‘saddle sores’.

OUCH!

A peeled banana laid gently, next to the skin, along the natal cleft, brings soothing relief as one continues one’s journey. Acting as a balm, utilising its natural vitamins, the banana absorbs the aggravation and heals your private wounds away from public knowledge, thanks to the modern cyclists’ shorts with their elasticated legs.

If you suffer, try the remedy. No one need ever know!!!

You can’t tell can you??

The inaugural event of the Wooler Wheel was no exception but it would have been impossible without the efforts of local volunteers and the financial and administrative sponsorship of local organisations and individuals.

We, the Wooler Wheel, would like to give our heartfelt thanks to our sponsors:

Glendale Gateway Trust                                                       

Northumberland National Park                                                      Northumberland County Council                                                               Milan Italian Restaurant                                                                                 Farm to Freeze Wholesale                                                                       Florin of Wooler                                                                                                 A and J Scott (Timber)                                                                               Ford and Etal Estates                                                                               Great Northumberland Bread Company                                             Glendale Engineering                                                                                    Mr. and Mrs. Moorhouse                                                                         Wooler Pantomime Society                                                                 Halfords, Berwick-upon-Tweed

For hosting our feeding/watering places, our special thanks go to The Percy Arms at Chatton, Heatherslaw Mill, Shidlaw Farm Carham, and the Red Lion Milfield.

There is an extremely BIG thank you to the volunteers who acted as marshals (some in the back of beyond!), were our first aid back riders and helped in the registration process well before the sun had risen. Many are members of the Wooler Running Club. Thank you to Peter Richardson who braved being run over to take the fantastic photographs of you all. Finally, a thank you to the man who had the slowest job on the day. Michael Strangeways of Haugh Head Cycles  who followed you all patiently in the Broom Wagon.

Wooler_wheel_Mega_2012. Results

Wooler_wheel_midi_2012. Results

Well done to everyone, it was a great day.

If this is your first organised ride or the end of a long (wet) summer of sportives there are a few things that you need to take with you to make sure you have a great day. Its not fair on the organiser, volunteers or other riders if you are stood at the side of the road with a broken bike and no way to fix it!
Lets start with the basics before you even turn a wheel…..
In the week before give your bike a wash make sure to get all the grime off the chain and gears. Have a look at the tyres are they worn? What about the brake pads?
If you aren’t sure take it to your local shop and they will be happy to advise you on what needs done if anything. One word of advice don’t turn up on a Friday at 5pm with a bike that needs lots of work done when you are riding on the Saturday!!
So you have cleaned your bike and its all shiny and working perfectly all you need to do before leaving for Wooler is check the tyres are at the correct pressure and put oil on the chain. That’s the beauty of riding a bike its that simple. The pressure for the tyre will be stamped on the sidewall and its a lot less likely to puncture if its at the right pressure.

So most of you will be at the start line with a shiny bike with tyres at the right pressure and a chain slick with oil that’s it sorted then?
Not really you need to carry a few basic spares in the saddle bag as well. As a minimum you need a puncture kit and a pump. The easiest thing is to carry a new spare tube as well as a puncture kit, a set of tyre levers and a mini tool. Most things (handlebars, stems, saddles and brakes) are held on with allen keys so a basic multi tool will allow you to tighten most things that could work loose. A new tube is much quicker to change rather than fixing a puncture at the side of the road in the rain!! Not that its going to be raining.
As an experienced cyclist and cycle mechanic it never fails to amaze me that so many riders leave the house without anything except a mobile phone as back up. The response I get from a lot of riders is they don’t know how to fix a puncture or set gears. My answer is at least if you have the spares and the tools someone can always help you. It also is a bit of a cheek to expect a fellow rider to stop give you a tube or use there spares to fix your bike.
All of your training and time spent getting ready for the ride could be undone by failing to carry a £3.99 inner tube.

So be prepared don’t let a thorn spoil your ride!!

So a month to go till the Wooler Wheel – are you fit enough??
The answer is without a doubt yes because you still have a month to get those muscles toned up and the saddle contact points prepared. If you are doing the 100km ride and can average 10km an hour (most people will run at that pace) then worst case is 10 hours. Then take into account some of the course is downhill and at some point the wind will be helping not forgetting the food stops for cake. That’s probably easily taken another couple of hours off! Joking apart most people biggest fear is not being able to ride the distance but its a case of starting off steady and pacing yourself. Its very easy to get carried away at the start and end up struggling in the last hour of the ride.
So lets back pedal a bit and think about 1 month to go. If you have 6 hours a week to ride your bike the  body will respond better to 6 one hour rides rather than jamming it all in over the weekend then being tired the rest of the week. Building fitness is all about consistent exercise and progressive stress for the body.
So if we work on the 6 hour a week plan this what I would expect a novice rider to be doing…
Monday
1 hour nice and easy on a flat route in an easier gear. (this pace should allow you to chat with another rider and not be tired at the end of the ride)
Tuesday
1 hour 10 mins warm up then 4 x 5 minutes at a harder pace (out of breath and legs feeling the effort) with 5 minutes easy spinning in between then 10 minutes gentle spin home.
Wednesday                                                                                               Rest night
Thursday
1 hour 5 min warm up then 50 minutes at a brisk pace (still able to speak but just in short sentences)
Friday
1 hour try and find a loop that has a couple of hills in and ride at a steady pace on the flat but push harder on the hills (3 or 4 hills only)
Saturday                                                                                                                Rest
Sunday
2 hours either do 2 laps of the Friday course or venture a little further and find some new roads (and hills)

That’s a very general training week structure regular and not always hard. The body needs time to recover and strengthen itself ready for the next ride. Its also important to vary the challenge on the harder sessions to build your overall fitness. That’s the sort of thing you need to do in the run up to the Wooler Wheel then the last week needs to be a bit easier. You wont get any fitter in the last week so cramming another couple of hours will make you more tired on the day. Better off getting there slightly under trained and fresh rather than over trained and tired. This is supposed to be fun remember.

The biggest mistake people make on a mass ride is to set off to fast then really struggle in the last 10 miles of the ride. So think about your pace at the start ask yourself “can I keep this up for the next 3 hours?” If the answer is no you had better put it in an easier gear and ease off otherwise the last section of the ride will not be fun. Even very experienced riders find they can struggle due to misjudging their pace at the start. Work out roughly how fast you should get to the first feed stop and that will help control your pace. Make sure you start drinking fluids in the first 30 minutes and keep drinking all the way through the ride. Fill bottles at the feed stops and eat food then as well. Its not a race its a FUN ride in one of the most beautiful parts of the country. The ride will be more enjoyable with a bit of fitness preparation and planning before the wheels start to spin.

The Wooler Wheel

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The chips are attached as shown.

How to attach a timing chip

These chips are collected at the end of the event -be sure to hand it back or you could be liable for a £20.00 penalty!

Organic Chocolate Waffle

Now, nothing wrong with this at all but this is an American product and as far as I know, is not available in this country. Oh, we can get the Honey Stinger protein bars from a variety of places but they are not the same as the waffle, therefore I can’t make an informed comment.

It also got me to thinking, is there a UK equivalent to this waffle. Is there something better produced in the UK that will have you blogging about the taste, texture, energy giving virtues that will give The All Season Cyclist pause to taste?

I have a favourite when I am on local runs. I make no apologies in that it’s not an energy bar. I make no apologies that it probably doesn’t boost your speed, stop your muscles cramping or lets you cycle longer. Although it does all that for me I have to say. I speed up when I know I am getting nearer. My muscles don’t cramp as I have to get off my bike and I do cycle longer as I will detour an extra couple of miles to get there. What is it you ask? Our local Doddington’s ice cream. In an honesty fridge outside of the dairy itself.

Yum Yum!

Cyclists off their bikes at the honesty fridge at Doddington

But to get back to the Honey Stinger, What’s your verdict? Have you a favourite cycling booster food that gets you going? Is it UK produced? Come on folks, let us know!!

So, follow the training tips below, courtesy of British Cycling and before you know it, you will be sailing up those inclines!

1. As mentioned, climbs come in all sizes, so therefore being able to identify what type of climb you are about to encounter will determine your method of attacking it. For instance, you may attack a short ‘power’ climb, getting out of the saddle and pressing hard on the pedals. For a longer climb you should attempt to settle into a comfortable, seated rhythm.

2. Whilst carrying momentum into the climb, select an appropriate gear before you ride the climb, shifting on the climb will make the initial climb difficult on you and your bike. Remember for a climb you will need to spin an easier gear. Keep revs consistent from the beginning – don’t try and increase your cadence once climbing.

3. If changing gear, momentarily release pressure on the pedals whilst you continue to spin them to ease the gear change.

4. Identify smooth areas for maximum efficiency and energy conservation. Clearly, being mindful of traffic is paramount, but try to identify and stick to smooth tarmac as much as possible as a every lump and bump will take its toll over the course of a long climb. For very steep, traffic-free climbs, a zig-zagging line of travel will reduce the severity of the gradient.

5. Keep your upper body relaxed and your torso still in order to ensure you can focus on deep and rhythmic breathing. It’s no good being hunched in a ball over the handlebars no matter how much your struggling!

6. Move your body forward and back over the centre of the bike as necessary, maintaining rear-wheel traction and preventing the front-wheel from becoming ‘light’ and wandering. Do not be afraid of getting in and out of the saddle, as being comfortable is key. Clearly if you’re going to be constantly moving you are going to use valuable energy, but it’s no good sticking to a position if you’re not comfortable as it will only make the climb seem longer and steeper!

7. Similarly alter your grip on the handlebars using a wide grip or even bar ends to climb effectively.

Hills will always be a challenge, but don’t let them get in the way of a good ride. In fact, no good ride is complete without them!

Now I am not really a mechanical person, I leave all that to Hubbie and I do get a little confused with all the number of choices out there as regards to gearing, ratio’s, speeds… even the jargon gets me sometimes. However, I do know that without knowing how to shift gear and when, the number of gears you have is completely irrelevant. I know this how? By the number of times I have come off at the start of a hill by trying to go into the wrong gear at the wrong time. It’s like hitting a brick wall, is very inelegant and is accompanied by some rather fruity language on my part. Not to mention the laughter from companions, passing tractors, sheep….

So, I have learned to anticipate the hills where possible. It has eventually sunk into my very untechnical brain that the lower the gear, the easier it is to pedal. So if you are in number 1 on both gear changes (left and right handlebars), you are in the lowest gear possible. 3 and 8 and you are in the highest or hardest. Especially in my case. There is no ‘right’ gear to be in though, it’s all a matter of personal preference and fitness. I may start out at the bottom of the hill half way between the two extremes and end up in the lowest at the top, whereas some of my (lot) fitter friends are still nearly in the highest ratio at the top of the hill. Show offs.

Sometimes no amount of gears will get me to the top. When I am travelling so slow that someone walking overtakes, so slow that I am nearly at a standstill, can’t balance and am in grave danger of keeling over, I know it’s time to put pride aside and dismount.