Cycling Weekly January 14 issue

I found myself thinking long and hard before riding over the last week or so. During last spring’s lockdown lots of people thought cyclists were selfish for ‘putting pressure on the NHS’. This was nonsense. The act of riding a bike is not dangerous, and more people riding bikes would, in the long term, save the NHS billions.

The ‘one hour of exercise’ was never a thing either. It was said by Michael Gove when asked on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme about what ‘reasonable exercise’ was. There never was a time limit on exercise in the regulations.

However, January is a bit different. Cold, wet weather can catch an unfit rider out if they overdo it, road conditions can be poor, with standing water making it worse, and the risk of ice is ever present early in the morning. The light can be poor, and when the sun is out, it’s low in the sky.

The best way to stay safe is to ride in a group, and we can’t currently do that.

I’m desperate to get out for a ride soon, but when there’s good weather – and I’ll apply common sense to the order to ‘stay local’. Cycling remains a safe activity, but please follow the guidelines over the next few weeks and maybe exercise a little more caution than usual. Spring isn’t far away!

Simon Richardson

Cycling Weekly magazine editor

My highlights this week

- Time trialling aiming for equality

- Did you make it into the CW5000 finishers’ club?

- Dr Hutch has never been wrong with a prediction

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