Video diary of a bike nut
Tom, my cyclosportive partner, told me that the BBC has someone doing a video diary on the London to Canterbury ride, called �the video diary of a bike nut’. The amateur cyclist was chosen in a competition from entries composed of either a 250 word piece or one minute video of why they would make the best candidate.
The winner was Martin Page who previously only cycled three miles to work twice a day. The videos are quite good fun, with some interesting thoughts and experiences. The first video starts off with Martin being taken to Condor, probably London’s most famous bike shop, where he gets the latest, super-sexy, lighter-than-a-balsa-wood-plane bike. Lucky him. The man in the shop tells him that when you wear cycling shorts it’s best not to wear underwear to prevent chafing. What’s more, on really long rides apparently cyclists apply some stuff called â€?chamois cream’, something I’d never heard of. This slippery ointment prevents infections and reduces friction. Golly, sounds kinky! Apparently all the pros use it.
In the second diary, our hero goes up to the English Institute of Sport in Manchester to have his fitness tested. Although no porker, he’s still found to have only half the fitness of professional cyclists. I wonder where I’d figure on this – lower probably.
The main thing I took away from the third video was that food was likely to be a problem as his wife says that poor old Martin gets grumpy if he hasn’t eaten for even a few hours. Lucky him; when I’m separated from my work diet of constant biscuits at I turn green and my alter ego of the Incredible Grouch takes over.
Finally, in the fourth chapter Martin’s wife bakes him some flapjacks (way to go) and he rides 50 miles in three hours. That’s pretty good – I cycle almost ten miles to work and back and this Saturday I only managed to cycle 53 miles in … five hours. Crumpets, I’ve got work to do… and a new bike to buy.