There are a couple of reasons for this. Obvious one is, I have lost a tonne of weight. Over a stone. Which is great and I feel a lot fitter and healthier for it. The other thing is that once I got the hang of riding on the open road with crazy white van man trying to murder me at every turn, I found it to be a convenient and reliable way to get around. Beats London Transport hands down and not having to rely on anything but my own two legs is strangely liberating.
It seems to me that in the time I've started cycling there are also a lot more other cyclists on the roads and some of them are even more aggressive than your average white van man. Still, I suppose there's a certain safety in numbers.
As you can imagine, practical cycling wear and fashion are not exactly a match made in heaven. We can't all be wafting about with vintage bikes, heels, circle skirts and baskets. Some of us have to be somewhere. Quickly. This involves sweat, swearing, crazy hi-vis coats and wind proof, waterproof gear. Cycling has turned me into a slob. I'm a cycle slob, I admit it, okay? But I'm beginning to see the a way through the morass of double layered tights, cut off shorts and old t-shirts.
It's time to smarten up my act and get myself a cycling outfit that is both functional and fashionable a tall order I know. But it seems, from a quick bit of research, that there's a lot more of that sort of thing about these days from the incredibly high tech to the down right kookie.
Here are some of my favourites:
Sugoi Tatu arm warmers colour or black and white - £24 at Girls Run Too
Spin suit - £99 at Sweaty Betty
Pasha merino wool hoodie - $160 at Chrome
Recharge Compression Top - £52.27 at Compress Yourself (yes, you heard me, that is the name of the shop)
Gore bike wear shoe covers - £19.99 at Evans Cycles
No balls halter tank - £39, halter crop - £37
Bern Barker hard hat - £44.99, Knog Love 'n' Hate gloves - £29.99 at Cycle Chic
