So Why Blog?

Blogging seems very strange and alien to me. I am sitting here typing this and not really knowing whether anyone will actually find it or if they do, whether they will bother reading it.

I have started this blog for several reasons. I have blogged once before and that was a very low key blog when I cycled from John O Groats to Lands End back  in 2011. So why have I started all over again?

I am  paying the price for leading a sedentary lifestyle and have gone from being a pretty fit cyclist, to a non existent one with a rapidly expanding waistline. I was shocked to find that my weight had ballooned from 13st 7lbs to close on 17st 7 lbs In addition I suffer from arthritis which has been made worse by my weight gain (around 4 stone). This has spurred me to do something about it. At the age of 53 I need to get back on track, try to get fit and reduce my 42" waistline drastically. What better way to do that and maybe encourage a few other people facing similar issues than to start a blog. My initial target is to get sufficiently fit to take part in the Cornwall Cycle Challenge on 23rd June - see link below:

www.cornwallcyclechallenge.co.uk

This is a 40+ mile ride around Cornwall taking in some stunning coastal scenery along the route.

The catalyst for this "new me" has been a slightly bizarre fascination with one particular type of bike - the Brompton. This is one of those small wheeled fold up bikes usually seen whizzing about in cities like London ridden by folk heading for the office, and used as an alternative to a smelly tube ride or cramming onto an overcrowded bus. So perhaps not quite the machine that you would expect to see someone riding along the lanes in rural Cornwall!

Just before Christmas my employer announced that it was participating in the cycle to work scheme and that re-ignited my interest in these bikes. It made me realise that I had to do something about my level of fitness and could not carry on simply leading a sedentary lifestyle - without eventually paying the price for it. So when the scheme went live in January I placed my order for a Brompton P6R with reduced gearing - I live in Cornwall and we have some real hills in this part of the world. I know a lot of people would question my choice of bike and would probably say that I should have gone for a hybrid or mountain bike. There probably is little to argue against that. Crime in Cornwall is not really that much of a problem, certainly not like in an inner city and whilst no doubt bikes do get stolen, generally if you lock it up it would most likely still be their when you went back for it. I suppose if there is any justification it is the ease with which I can put it in the car. I think I am far more likely to ride it if I don't have the hassle of having to put a cycle carrier on the car and strap the bike on - by which time it has usually clouded over - giving me the excuse to not go out because its going to rain! Additionally having a folder opens up new possibilities in terms of the rides I can go on. I can cycle one way and then simply put the bike on the train to get home again - which means I can explore further afield.

Well D ( for diet) day was last Wednesday when I went to Clive Mitchell Cycles in Truro and picked up my shiny new, orange and black "make me lean" machine. For any Brompton enthusiasts out there, it has Orange main fame and black extremities, P type handlebars, and reduced option gearing. In addition I went for the big  T Bag for the front and Brompton rackpack for the back - just in case I decide to do a JOGLE again! I opted for the standard Brompton saddle with the pentaclip but have since changed it by fitting my old Brooks  B17 saddle from my other bike. Anyone want to buy an as new Brompton saddle minus the pentaclip?

Well if I have not bored you to death yet and you are still reading this you may like to know what you can expect from my blog?

The answer to that is still pretty much unknown to me - it really is going to be a work in progress. I am hoping that you can follow my progress as I try to cycle myself slim and fit on "Tango" ( that's it's name - orange get it?). Along the way I am hoping to share my journeys and rides with you. I intend to take lots of pictures - which obviously Cornwall lends itself to. In addition I will let you know how the bike performs and whether it lives up to my expectations. For any city dwelling Bromptoneers, it may give you an insight into Cornwall and how your city runarounds perform in this part of the world.

So how is the bike going? - well the bike is going very well - just wish I could say the same thing about the fat guy rising it! I rode it to work a couple of times last week. That nearly killed me! My office is perched in Truro on the opposite side of the City ( yes Truro is a City - it has a Cathedral) at the top of what must be a 1:6 or 1:7 climb which goes on for the best part of a mile - it was challenging!

It's first real outing was today, when I cycled out from Truro to the Cafe at  Ricci Cycle Hire in nearby Bissoe. It was a straight out and back ride taking in part of National Cycle route NCN3. I think the round trip would have been approximately 14 miles, though I didn't clock it. The route is on quiet roads and cycle paths. The rain held off which was lucky and I managed to ride all the hills. To be honest I have been pleasantly surprised at how well I am coping with hills. The Brompton seems to be a good little climber - which is quite a relief as after an initial couple of rides I was a bit worried about whether the reduced gearing was reduced enough to cope with  an unfit fat guy and the challenging Cornish terrain. I guess the jury is still out on that one for the time being!Here are a few pics from todays ride.

"Tango" pictured by a ford on today's ride.

On the Old Mineral Tramways Trail between

Devoran and Bissoe.

Posing by a field of Cornish Daffodils on way home.

What I have found fascinating about the bike is the sheer amount of interest it generates. I popped into Tesco's today with the bike in what I call shopping trolley mode. That is where you basically have it folded but with the handle bars still unfolded. There are small wheels on the rack and you can push it around like a shopping trolley with the wire basket balanced on the top. In that mode it is smaller than a shopping trolley and rolls along the aisles brilliantly - saves you having to lock it up outside. All the comments were positive with people saying how clever the design was. When I came to unfold it to ride off I found I had an audience with the middle aged fella asking me where I had got it, how useful it would be for him and how much did it cost.

I may well try and ride it to work next week although I am tempted to try and build up some fitness first with some more weekend rides. I just need the weather to improve a bit!!

I feel I have now started on my journey - please feel free to check back later. I am aiming to blog about once a week.

Any comments are very welcome - at least I will know that someone is actually reading this!!