[Closed] Your evolution as a cyclist?

born in 1966.
got a chopper for xmas in 1974, loved it.
got a carlton corsair in 1979, rode with a mate who's dad was in the ctc. we started going on the slow runs, and then did some roughstuff rides that another ctc bloke organised. loved the offroad stuff even more.
went away for a years enforced holiday in 1981, and the biggest thing i missed was cycling and the banter of the older blokes.
1982 i was given a dawes galaxy, which i fitted with some upright flatish bars and put the barcons on the downtube.
it was ace offroad. used it until 1985.
bought a muddyfox explorer. been riding offroad ever since.
ride a bit on the road commuting now, but old style long offroad rides are still my faves.

Born 1978.

As an infant I remember the big BMX craze. The big lads had a vert quarter pipe at the bottom of the street. BMX track over the road. I was mainly concentrating on how to ride in a straight line at the time, but it was definitely an influence.

Grew up riding and tinkering with bikes at an early age. Rode mostly hand-downs so spent a lot of time learning how to fix them, often on my own.

About '88 got my first road bike but actually wanted a mountain and so it never got used a lot.

Ended up with a mountain bike a couple of years later during the big mountain bike boom. I had that until my early 20s, but got seriously into BMX during some of those years in between and the MTb was a very occasional thing.

Got seriously into Mountain biking again in my late 20s. Found myself increasingly attracted to challening myself and riding longer distances... MTB became MTB with slicks... MTB with slicks somewhere along the line became the road bike I never really wanted and now love.

In some ways, I certainly never saw myself as a serious cyclist until more recent years, but I definitely always loved riding bikes.

Dont remember not owning a bike
BMX till about 16
Road riding - I lived in wales god I misssed some great trails but rigid off road is not that much fun IMHO ] till MTB had decent brakes and suspension
MTB after that though I still own and ride a road bike its mainly commuting and the odd epic

Born 1982

Got married that year.

born in 1966.

I was ten by then!

Rode MC trials from 1974 till mid 80's then was busy being self employed but started MTBing around 1990.

I was ten by then!

bollox........you were 20. 😆

Born in 1986, started riding about 1990, started riding and racing XC in 2000, added road riding and racing in 2002. Still doing the same, albeit not quite as well. 10 years since my 'glory days' 🙁

Born in 77 and rode BMX and road bikes as a kid. Then got in to skateboards and stopped riding bikes other than to work, to friends etc. A work colleague got me back in to bikes, specifically MTB about nine years ago. Fell in love with off road riding and wished I'd started sooner. Don't get much chance to ride now though.

Raleigh strika
Raleigh mustang
peugeot Superb pro - discovered road riding and wanted sponsorship to turn pro but had a bad crash which put me in a shame spiral. Hitting a lamp post at 20 odd mph will do that to you.

Fast forward 18 years and started again on a specialized fsr. Realised how shite it was and got into XC on a giant xtc and litespeed.

I now have 12 bikes. Ride most days and my age starts with a 4.

Late starter.
Born 77. Dirt poor, no bikes in the family until I was bought a cheap BMX when I was about 10.
Joined up, left in 05. I was missing something and drifting a bit.
I had always loved riding bikes and I noticed a MTB mag in a smiths and just bought it. A week later I had a Specialised FSR XC.
Haven't looked back, and even now riding offers me a balance in that I am not myself if I haven't been out for a couple of weeks. It seems that I now need it (helps that I love it so much though)

Born 82. First bike was a second hand Raleigh special. Got into riding properly when I was 11 and at secondary school, eventually convincing my dad to buy me a second hand Kona Cinder Cone. Rode that until I went to uni but couldn't afford to keep it going so took up running XC. Post uni I bought a road bike for fitness but when I got sacked from my first graduate job I found a job working in a bike shop where I bought a Stumpy FSR and properly got back into riding. Like Wrecker, I joined up and as a commissioning present bought a heckler which I continued to ride until last year when I bought a blur from a chap on here. I've raced on and off but my heart is more in just getting out and enjoying it. I'm now MIAS qualified and ride for one of the Army's teams at a few events.

I also own a road bike but only bought that whilst drunk...that turned out to be an expensive night on the pop!!

Oh, and I've still got the Kona 😀

-Born in 1972

-Remember my first tricycle and scooting around on it in pursuit of my big brother

-Learnt to ride a bike with no stabilisers (was green with a 'banana seat'

-Bought my own bike at age 11 (a red and black 'motocross')

-At 13, inherited my brother's bmx with red nylon 5-spoke wheels

-At 14, inherited an old CCM 10-speed 'racing bike' and, in spite of it being shit, caught the road bug

-At 15, bought my friend's blue and gold Peugeot racing bike

-Same year, attended racing camp and fell in love with hills

-At 17, bought a candy-apple red Bianchi racing bike

-At 19, replaced my Bianchi for a GT Mountain Bike (big mistake)

-First GT got stolen when I was 21, and replaced with 2nd GT (Outpost)

-Rode the Outpost for years, until I got my first really good bike in the form of a 2001 Trek Fuel 90

-Trek replaced with 2009 Gary Fisher Big Sur

-Added to with second-hand road bike (2005 Trek 1200) in 2015, to see if I liked it (at the instigation of Mrs SR

-I did.

-Big time.

-Added to with 2013 Pinarello FP Uno in 2016

-Rode countless kms on both road bikes

-Lost my Fisher and commuter bike to theft in December 2016, replaced in January 2017 with a Genesis Tarn and a Rapide CX bike.

-Replaced Pinarello with a Wilier GTR, and have fallen in love with cycling all over again

-Now, more roadie who also enjoys some mountain at this stage in my life, but have lots of kids to keep me doing both
😀

- Mid 70s wooden thing
- Late 70s tin tricycle
- Very early 80s some old thing
- Early 80s Raleigh Tomahawk with a seat that kept falling off when I did sick endos, not that we called anything sick back then unless you'd eaten too many Blackjacks
- Mid 80s occasional playing on BMXs, heroically lame
- Mid 80s Raleigh Bomber
- Late 80s not much as I recall
- 1991 GT Timberline, oh god, then it all really kicks off
- Mid to late 90s Kona Kilauea, did everything, went everywhere (now my commuter)
- Early to mid 00s it all goes a bit nuts. Bikes everywhere. Too many 90s Konas to count, almost as many Inbreds, a bunch of other stuff and then a singlespeed Cross Check as a first venture into those funny bars, then a Cannondale road bike, but mostly loving DH hardtails and some occasional Alps fun.
- 2008, a two week tour through France, instant addiction to big long days without going in circles
- 2009, first sprog, uh oh, a year or so of nothing much
- Early 10s distance crazy, how far can I ride in one go? Haven't really ridden an MTB since 2008. Start looking at PBP as a viable aspiration rather than a risible act of idiotic freakery.
- Mid 10s, second sprog, uh oh
- Mid to late 10s, selling almost all the bikes and trying to consolidate into just two or three (ok it's about six).
- Tumbleweed, pencil legs, and mental breakdown.
- One of those annoying gits on busy trains with a Brompton. Sorry.

Born 1964.
Learnt to ride 2 wheels went straight through a neighbour's fence. Got a purple chopper, went fruit picking during the summer with my mate. I sat on the front and steered and he sat on the back and pedalled. Then my sister's boyfriend gave me a BSA tour of britain road bike, had a puncture so stripped it down and resprayed it midnight blue. Although i didn't lacquer it and all the paint chipped off. I then put DT175 handlebars on it, wrapped the gears in the wheel so went SS..the bars were wiiide. Got a Cinder Cone in 95, wonderful.Had a Klein, Inbred, Giant peloton, Cove Gspot. Now got a garage full of bikes and bits. Still get a bit cranky if i don't get a ride in

Now got a Planet x superlight, Cannondale CAAD9, Kona Cindercone(96) Pipedream Sirius Ti, Transition Covert, Cove Hustler, On one Whippet and a Ridley Cross Wind....room for another i reckon

Born 1970

Various BMX during early 80s. Remember yellow Skyway Graphite wheels anyone?

Got into road racing aged about 16, at first on a cheap steel 2nd hand frame.

Graduated to a Raleigh something or other quite quickly

For my 18th I managed to get 2nd hand Vitus 979 frame. It was one of the first widely available alloy frames. It used narrow tubes and was glued together. Sounds terrible but it gave a great ride. Placed (but never won 🙁 ) in a few local races and TTs. Frame was one of these:

[img] [/img]

Work then got in the way of cycling.

Picked it up again in my mid 20s (mid 90s). Bought a Kona Lava Dome in 95/96 - I still have the frame; steel, lovely ride.

Moved to the Chilterns early 2000s and spent more and more time off road.

Various mountain bikes since, not ridden road for many years (too scary)

Currently lovin' fat-biking

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Born '84 near Exeter. Riding without stabilisers by 3.

I was allowed to ride to Woodbury Common by myself whilst still at prep school and did so at every opportunity.

BMX until year 5. Got a lovely Townsend. Broke it bunnyhopping off the harbour wall 6 months later (I wanted to be like Hans Rey et al).

Got a Kinesis frame which I spent every spare penny on. Purple anodized parts, club roost risers, snowflaked lemon mavic rims... That bike alternated between being a trials bike (rockring 1x) and XC with Judys and holes drilled in the crank arms. Had lots of family bike holidays and (probably the best thing I've ever done with my Dad) Wednesday night night rides with 3 other fathers and their sons. We did that for many years.

At secondary, I loved my bikes and had a few lovelies but sailing was my main sprot and raced all over the country. My Zaskar was usually in the boot of the car though.

From Uni onward, I've had a succession of bikes, my favourites all being steel hardcore-lite hardtails.

I've lived in SE Asia for over a decade and enjoy riding here but I miss mud seasons and the UK and all that. I miss sliding on leaves and spitting grit out of your mouth and getting warm in the bath or pub post-ride.

I've never really ridden man made stuff. It wasn't fashionable when I was in the UK and I love the hike-a-bike adventures when you're getting lost and looking for new routes in areas you know fairly well. I look back with fondness at rigid bikes, bad brakes, poor shifting, laughably shite lights. I appreciate the newer technology but I think it's only natural to look back with rose tinted specs at your youth and for me, that was messing around on sub-par (by modern standard) bikes.

I've only ever raced in 2 XC races. I did well as I had a 5 day a week, 10 mile paper round. The LBS offered me sponsorship but it wasn't for me. I don't like racing.

Born 84, failed my cycling proficiency test twice and ride bikes on and off around the woods near home. Did a few long distance tours before uni but didn't consider myself a cyclist.
First week of uni I scared myself in Leigh woods on my Scott hybrid and promptly blew a big chunk of my first loan cheque on an awesome Marin hardtail. Been hooked ever since.

Good thread.

Born 1970. Learnt to ride on some red thing in about 74-75. Messed around on bikes - usual kid adventures.
Probably got something bigger at some point, but the first bike I remember getting properly was a red "racer" when I was 11 or 12 - it came from one of those "bankrupt stock" adverts in the paper, 2 x 5 speed.

Started riding to school at 16, then refurbed the bike with a rattle can respray, new brakes, rack and guards and used it to get to 6th form for the next year and a bit until I got a car. The whole concept as a bike as "sport" or exercise was unknown to me, although I played in all the school teams and was keen on exercise all round.

Off to uni, my Dad rebuilt the shed which involved moving my bike to do it - and it fell apart in a shower of rust.

First bike post uni was probably when I was 26 or so - an OK Marin MTB to go on rides with others at work. Didn't use it much until I booked my first MTB holiday (to Norway) which got me out training so I'd me OK to ride a few hours a day.

A year later came a trip to Sardinia and a Marin East Peak (QUAD). Disc brakes!

Then more trips, an Inbred, some racing, more training, training camps with Torq, and a Scandal for XC races.

I was doing so much training on the road I finally bought a road bike in 2006 (I sort of needed it for a relay Tri), then some sportives, LEJOG, more road bikes, mountains trips, Haute Routes and various other big weeks away. Somewhere along that came an Anthem, a SS Inbred 853 as well.

Apparently I was cycling at a very young age, not that I remember. First cycling memories are of road rides round quiet country lanes with my folks and ragging round farm tracks with mates or just on my own, guess I'd have been about 8/9. By the age of 14/15 was properly mtb mad riding all day on weekends, trying to ride trials at lunch break in the week. Raced xc had some decent results in juvenile and youth cat but struggled going into junior and didn't have the foresight to stick out the first year, started one race after a late night of underage drinking, was dropped on the first climb, gave up and focussed on mind expansion instead. Didn't touch a bike till early thirties, remembered what I'd been missing and became a born again 😆

Born in 1980.
Learnt to ride a bike at 8 as a way of helping me control my chronic asthma.
By 10 I was riding for 10's of miles with my dad and uncle most weekends along the local canal path and out most evenings down the local park with friends.
Aged 14 I got my first decent mtb, a gifted Orange Clockwork frame, started doing all the decent rides in the Beacons as often as possible.
At 17 I was still riding mtb most weekends but also started getting into road riding through a friend, was riding to work most weekends too.
At 18 the mtb got abandoned as I now had a car, still did some road riding occasionally but could leave it for weeks between rides at times.
At 20 met a young lady who rode mtb so that started up again on a Carrera Kraken (massively upgraded as I went along), the Clockwork long gone. That lasted about a year before I went back to the odd road ride and cars.
At 23 met a young lady who rode on road so that was picked up more seriously with the odd mtb ride with her dad. Stopped riding road when we split up (her, not the dad..) so just the occasional mtb ride with old friends when we met up.
At 25 I changed careers and the new job was soul-destroying so cycling was pretty much forgotten about for 3 years, just the odd ride when I felt I had to justify having bikes in the shed! Got quite fat at this point.
Changed career again at 28 and moved to Cardiff. Started riding to work and back on the old Carrera then bought a Specialized FSR XC Expert to go mtbing again. Lost loads of weight and got my fitness up to better than it had ever been. Thrashed the crap out of that bike, doing stuff it really wasn't designed for for 18 months before having a massive crash on a jump that left me with a broken shoulder, jaw, wrist, damaged lower back and serious concussion. Was off the bike for 6 months. Got back on again and realised I wasn't equipped correctly so bought an Orange 5 Pro and got some coaching. Haven't looked back since riding-wise.
2011 I met some other riders from a forum (not this one) and ended up being invited on a trip to Chatel. Ever since then I've moved more towards the Trail/DH side of things but still kept the XC (bought a Fuel EX in 2014) as a way of getting miles in when I feel like it.
Had a setback early last year when I was doored on the ride to work, has taken a good year to get back to being competent on drops and jumps (the fear of getting hurt is tough to shake off) but nearly there now.
This last 6 months or so I've bought a cheap gravel/adventure bike - Marin Nicasio - and started to get back into road riding on it. Not in a big way, just as a means of riding from the door. Tried gravel riding but I'd rather do that as part of an XC ride. Currently deciding whether to get a replacement for the 5 or a road bike, probably both but funds will dictate that!

Basically I've gone full circle in 20 years with a brief lull in the middle. If you plotted time against when I was happy or sad and whether I was riding bikes or not the match so it's 100% bikes from now on. Ride a mix of DH (the easier stuff anyway..), trail, XC and road now. Don't favour one or the other, I just ride what I feel like at the time.

Born 1977

I can't remember what bike I had, but it had stabilisers when I was about 4, took the stabilisers off when I got better at balance and I remember sticking lolly sticks in the brakes to rub on the spokes to make a motorbike sound and going down the terrace street where my Nan lived side by side with one of the other lads pretending we were the 2 cops off that American programme Chips.

Then got a Mag Burner when I was about 8 but didn't use it much as I was on a main road at home so took it to my nans were it was quieter. Then got a MTB in 1988 for my birthday, Raleigh Team ATB copy from the sports shop in the market street as other kids were getting mountain bikes.

Rode that thing everywhere. But it then went into retirement when I started driving and I never touched it for 12 years or it lived in the corner of nans kitchen.

10 years ago, a mate needed a bike to ride to work so I offered the old Raleigh. The tyres were flat so I pushed it down to Tesco to pump the tyres up with the airline, rode it back and it nearly killed me. Those years of not doing any exercise had taken its toll. Still got the Raleigh, covered up in the spare room.

About 2010, I got a old MTB, off my mate and we started pottering around the streets just to get a bit healthier. I got into it and we decided to get better bikes and it's taken off from there.

I don't get out as much as I'd like, but I've got various bikes now and have qualified as a Cycke Instructor so it is a big part of my life.

Born 85

A red bike with stabilisers (eventually came off) I couldn't get the hand of pedalling in circles, instead using the crank like a ratchet, but cracked it eventually
Raleigh nitro til I was I guess 10?
Carrera mission (first full sixed adult bike) was wildly to big to start with but my mates and I used to ride our bikes in the woods and over jumps and stuff, did a bit of trials, bought my first mbuk aged I guess 13/14 and rode what they covered (DJ, trials, 4x, DH, very little XC) bike was upgraded until I could afford a decent frame, which I did when I was 17, an azonic ds evo. Lived 10 mins away from Huddersfield uni MTB clubs DH track (storthes hall) so spent ages riding that and got pretty handy down it, keeping up with the guys on proper DH bikes on my little hardtail. Think some of the folk I used to ride with back then are on here now.

First trip abroad with bikes when I was 18 to Morzine, so first proper DH, uplifts etc. Loved it.

Went to uni but didn't really ride much save from to from uni, bought a stinky which I used to ride off walls, stairs etc round town, got a cheapo bmx and loved it. Stinky got nicked and sold the bmx to a mate as I wanted to take a girl on a date.

Then didn't have a bike till leaving uni (about 12 months, longest time without a bike) and getting a proper job, didn't really leave to sport as kept up with mbuk subscription so having failed to convince a young lad on eBay to sell me his old giant DH race bike to fund a crosser, chap by the name of Gee Atherton, wonder what happened to him?) I bought a demo 8 and went back to riding at storthes hall.

That takes us to 08, moved to Harrogate, still had the demo but as no car or riding mates didn't really ride much, but went to whistler with the demo 8 which was amazing. Lent the bike to a mate while he was still out there but it never came home as was apparently knicked at crankworks.

Fancied something a bit more versatile to replace the demo so bought an sx trail, but never really liked the 'DH weight, XC geo' combo so went back to a DH bike (IT-1) and rode that a fair bit, then getting a small hardtail for general riding.

First trip to a trail centre was in 2010 when my step dad took me to llandegla, my years of pushing up and riding down meant I had zero fitness, this combined with the hardtail being too small for XC and with big ol fire DH tires on meant I had to abandon about 1/2 way round. Decided to get a properly fitting trail bike (intense Slopestyle)

Went to a demo evening at lbs for road bikes in 2012, having watched the tour, tried out some delicious De Rosas, was hooked by the speed, but way out of my budget so my first road bike was a trek 1.5, which was ok, if not quite as nice as the exotica I'd tried out. This has now been rectified with a carbon madone, dripping with carbon and Di2.
Did my first race in 2012 too, a UKGE. Turns out national level isn't the best place to start, I was a minute behind second to last in my category, having been over taken 3 times on my seeding run, so as they were short of marshalls for the race day, I helped out instead....

Riding became much more trail focused, started riding a 20mile round trip to do laps of stainburn, with occasional trips further afield when I could blag a lift.

Did a couple of pmba enduro races which I actually didn't come last in, been to whistler the last 3 years to get my DH fix (though on an enduro bike as if I ride DH bikes at the speed they are intended, and are good at, i have to shut my eyes in terror)

That takes me to the this time last year (to the day) when I met mstomhoward, so started coming over to Leeds/Morley to ride with her and the guys and girls at very excellent Garage bikes shop rides so more natural stuff, still with trail centre and bpw rides.

Went and offered a little support when they all did relentless last year, thought like it looked a larf so now I'm full on training for xc marathons, and I'm signed up for a 2, 7, 12 and 24 hour race. Something that if you'd mentioned that to me on that first trail centre ride in 2010, I'd have laughed at, between the panting and wheezing.

Along the way the have been niches explored, having owned:

Steel SS
24" cruiser bmx race bike
Fat bike, still have
Ebike, still got
Gravel adventure bike, just got to replace that first trek 1.5
(Arriving soon) XC race bike, thread to follow, it'll be a good 'un...

All have been ace and suited my riding appetite at the time, which does seem to get less gnar as I get older (though not 'old', 32 in 3weeks) but that suits me fine. Roll on mid life crisis.

Apologies to all those that read through all that, was fun reminiscing for me though!

Born in 86

Did the learning to ride etc etc picked up mountain biking seriously age 12. Started racing down hill age 14 did that till I was 21 started xc racing/bit of road racing and a few triathlons age 20. Till 25. Then started working offshore. Mostly ride for fun now although do occasionally dust off the race bike and put in a few laps.

Blimey,

Born 69. First bike I remember is a Raleigh chipper
1980 Started riding in the local hills(Pentlands)and woods on various ill conceived bikes cobbled together from various old scavenged knackered bike bits bits. Whole new world opened up.
1983 First bike crash related hospital trip with a ruptured spleen.
1984 Bikes were essential school age teen transport, messing round on BMX in the woods.
1985 Stopped riding as discovered sex, drugs and rock n roll.
1987 Started commuting on crappy road bike, sex, drugs and rock n roll prevented any serious interest in bikes.
1991 First real mtb, Kona Lava Dome, whole new world of exploring. Car ownership meant riding further afield, much poring over OS maps and carrying bikes over unsuitable hike a bike terrain.

Its been a life long love since then, peaks and troughs of riding and fitness, breaks for other interests, but my local riding is still the Pentlands and I'm still discovering new stuff. Cycling is the one thing I keep coming back to.

Illness means I'm slowing considerably now but still love getting out, just adapting to new limitations 🙂

wrecker - Member

... even now riding offers me a balance in that I am not myself if I haven't been out for a couple of weeks.

Amen!

Born 1970. Riding trikes and bikes in one form or another since i was 2.

Usual 70s kid bikes, Tomohawk, Grifter etc. First bmx in 82. First racer the following year. Only really used it when the bmx was broke and i was saving for parts. Managed to bunnyhop 11 people on the racer one sunny afternoon 😀 Got seriously into bmx after a few years and spent the next 8 or so years riding them as much as possible. Raced a bit but it was freestyle, dirt jumping and ramp riding that i enjoyed and concentrated on. First mtb in the late 80s. Broke it fairly quickly (didn't like the size anyway after being used to a little bike).

Still rode bmx up until the mid 90s (had dirt jumps and a mini ramp in the back garden of the house i rented 😀 ) but started to migrate towards engine power two wheelers. Several motorbikes and 12 years later i returned to bicycles. Bought my second mtb in 2007 after selling my motorbike and needed something to play on. Got used to the big wheels a lot faster without the bmx to taint my experience. Have a HT and a couple of FS (26 + 29). Had a DJ bike for a few years but i still have a kids mentality when it comes to jumping so got rid as it didn't fit with my middle aged man's body. 😆

More of a devolution than evolution for me as although i still have the bike handling skills i had as a youngster (so i tell myself anyway), i take it pretty easy these days. Not remotely interested in road riding. Too much of a hallion to be trusted not to launch myself of anything that looks like a jump.

Born 1970 in Rossendale,always had an keen interest in bikes from a really early age up until the BMX craze started to die off in the early to mid eighties.Had probably 8 years off when i discovered girls,drugs and clubbing then started riding an mtb whilst continuing with the rock and roll lifestyle.Never really stopped riding after that,road cross and mtb now.Try and get out five times a week.

Born 81, don't remember what age i learned to ride but my elder brother is 4 years older and i won't have been happy not being on a bike if he was, so i imagine quite young.

First bike i remember was a white "bmx", blue nylon three spoke wheels, blue decals and grips. Still makes me smile to think about it.

Had a flouro green emele rigid 21speed mtb after that, spent what seems like endless weekends and hours mucking around with mates and brothers on the woods or days cycling as a family on that or the flouro orange replacement after it was driven over.

Age 11 i got my first paper round and used the money to build my self a pc (386sx which i rapidly replaced with a p75) and from there the bike largely became a means of transport rather than a thing to do in of its self.

About 23 one of my friends said he was starting mountain biking with some of friends - he'd just bought a proper mountain bike - i thought I'd give it a go, bought a a BSO which lasted about a months commuting before i decided to see if i could still ride "no hands" piled it into a tree and bent the handlebars.

Looked online for new bars, ended up going into stif and buying a p7 pro, which was awesome and capable of way more than me.

Still ride mainly off road out of choice but don't ride as much as I'd like since moving house - always too much to do - but recently got a road bike from here which is making my commute much more palatable and getting me out more.

First bike at 4, 33 years ago. It was a typical kids bike, I rode it non stop.

Swapped for a BMX. Also rode non stop.

The went through various Emmelle type bikes that mostly got hammered around Clent and surrounding area. At least one of these was taken round the trails of Alpe D'Huez a couple of years in the bounce when on family holidays.

Then came a selection of Trek's, all bar the first were a result of breaking frames. The last one, a 2001 vintage is still in use as my dads MTB. These were used through uni for everything from going to classes to BMX tracks and the BUSA short course DH champs. Lots of trials stuff too, no wonder they broke.

Next was a dream build Orange P7, it was an amazing bike, loved it. Lots of time in Cannock, local trails and trail centres.
At this point my interest in MTB was starting to wain, I was fed up of the cleaning, faffing and driving to good trails.

So came the road bikes, the first was an Orbea on Cycle to work, it's now my winter bike and was a brilliant buy. Lots of miles including London to Paris in 24 hours.

Then a Kaffenback, bought as I wanted a winter bike. It's dull, boring to ride and whilst functional, it now lives on my turbo. In the summer it'll get the odd towpath ride.

The P7 first sat unloved in the garage and was then sold. I've not ridden an MTB since.

Next I sold my car, so a cargo bike was bought off a PSA on here. Arguably my best move yet, brilliant bike, just perfect and I don't miss my car.

And finally a dream build road bike. Carbon wheels, Di2, wonderful.

Basically, bikes are the one constant in my life. They keep my sane, keep me fit and I can't imagine them not being in my life.

I think I've now evolved into a sebacious cyclist.

The last time I rode in the National Track Championships it was at a track (Salford Park in Birmingham) that they knocked down to build Spaghetti Junction and the M6.

Still ride Cotic Soul on Cannock Chase, Pinarello Prince on the road and an old 27" wheel Fixie for pub and shopping.

(Indulgent note to self approaching half a century:)

- Raleigh Tomahawk at 10yrs in late 70s. Rode it mostly around and around a block of flats. Developed stamina. Never got bored. Lost count.

- Puch Pacemaker at 13yrs. Brick-heavy roadster with 3 flipping hub gears and chrome rims. Red. Customised into a 'tracker' with motorcyle 'cowhorn' handlebars. Couldn't afford cross tyres or grippy pedals so fell off a lot in wet weather. Dirt jump record was measured at 13ft measure from dirt ramp to skull-print as a result of 1 X unplanned yet perfectly-executed 180 front-flip.

- 15th birthday saw me bagging a bike frameset for a fiver (Carlton Cyclone). Bloke down the road sprayed it met blue and did a whole decent light-ish 20spd build for a £100! I was in love with this bike. Nothing to shout about but the custom feel was priceless and it rode quietly and perfectly, with a nicely balanced ride and light-weight enough to make me grin and go fast. I soon took it down the towpaths and sometimes the woods in the summer. I clearly liked riding bikes everywhere.

1st road collision. Hit by panicked driver who saw me slow and veer to avoid a sheet of ice in the gutter. Driver came over a bridge 50 yds behind me and slammed their brakes on. They slid gracefully down the ice and rear-ended me, catapulting me backwards into the windscreen. Bike flew down a ditch. Rear wheel of bike was destroyed. Luckily bike-repair-man lived on the same street so I limped there and his wife made me 'calm-down' tea while he inspectedthe damage and sorted out a new wheel.

Touring days were favourite times, just exploring, expanding my horizons one day at a time with OS maps. I'd make red dotted way-marks on the maps with a felt pen. At 16 I took Carlton on the train to Devon and carried camping gear to South Hams. Mad hills in mad heat with heavyweight gear. Still can't remember how I affixed the gear to the bike as don't remember a pannier rack. Probably used my canvas hiking rucksack (with steel frame). Very stupid. Hard plastic saddle with three holes drilled in it.

1990 - After riding Carlton carelessly (head-down sprint) into the back of a (parked) Ford Capri I'd by now spent the last 7 years riding with bent frame. Shorter wheelbase made it more racey! But it was time to move on. To let go. Living in Gloucestershire so nipped into Williams to check out these new 'ATB's. Dropped £274 (about £700 in todays money?) on a Dawes. Deore, lugged Reynolds 500, cantilever brakes and thumb-shifters.. I was bowled over by it. Totally smitten. Could ride ANYWHERE! And in comfort. Was convinced that 'Biopace' chainset made me superhuman up mad hills.

Developed stamina and some XC skills riding Leckhampton amd further afield. Still commuted to work every day. Rode 100 miles on some weekends to visit GF. Couldn't stop finding excuses to ride!

Began modding bike when began reading MBUK. Stupid, stupid. Narrow bars and low long stem = shit. Thought bike looked so much more "rad' though. As rad as a Dawes ATB could look! Remember fitting 'Axxo' stickers on the seatstays. Mint-sauce stickers elsewhere. Still no helmet. Bib-shorts and big tee.

1993ish Cycled from Midlands to Snowdonia over two days. Carried 70 litre rucksack. Stupid. Caused some nerve damage.

Ditched the Dawes as I'd grown out of it and it was always a bit too large anyway, so built up a Rockhopper frameset. Didn't like it as much.

1996. Settled into commuting + evening blasts around Kinver and Wyre Forest with connecting canals and back lanes. This has become the cycling I love. Getting places by any road possible with some interesting features along the way, mostly bridleways with some moorland/valleys on holidays. Sunday blasts through Kingsford, Wyre, up Clee Hill, quite a long circuit. Built for stamina and some technical. Not overly interested in tricks and jumps but loved the ups and downs. Probably scared of face being smashed. Diamond Back V link for 30th birthday. Loved it, even with the 2mm travel. Commuted weekdays, thrashed on weekends. A pattern by now.

1997. Stupid walking accident and subsequent mismanagement resulted in acute/chronic inflammatory arthritis. Couldnt walk or cycle at all for 2 years. Before remission I could cycle before I could walk. Had to pedal with heels though. Has taken another 18 years to be able to walk a medium distance (up to 8 miles) without crippling pain. During convalescence I rode small distances on increasinglyexpensive XC bikes. Kona Cinder Cone, Giant XTC Team, RM Vertex, Cannondale F900SL etc, etc.

It was a vanity/hopeful coping strategy (the buying of these bikes) yet ultimately frustrating as foot-pain prevented any 'real' use of them. I'd go for a 30 min bimble, return home gritting teeth with pain, and then polish them and feel sad. (Violin music)

2004 began driving. Never wanted to, but marriage etc...

2007-2009 Ongoing disability wasn't going to stop me cycling so began 'utility' cycling, ie shopping runs. This started building me back up again until finally could do some offroad. Hill-climbing and Malvern loops. This would be on a Cannondale F800 and Kinesis Max 1 and an old M-Trax.

2010-2015 Touring again? Cycle with overnight camp. Real progress. Not only this but begin real mtbing again!!!! Couple of biking trips to Exmoor and Horner woods. I can hear Aerosmith playing 'back in the saddle' in my head. Just feels amazing be getting back to biking. Real man-tears of joy bubble up on Dunkery Beacon.

2016- now. Gym injury and house-move (lifting) caused double groin/inguinal injury which put me on hold last spring. Ironically just as I'd bought a new met blue uber-bike (Genesis Vagabond) to distill/replace both my Carlton road bike the Dawes ATB that I so miss. This purchase was to mark 4 decades of cycling and be a kick-off point to increased fitness and possibly some epics.

The groin-tear feels like a kick in the bolx in more than one way. Got in two good rides in Cornwall on the Vagabond, then 6 months of no cycling at all until literally yesterday when collected car from MOT. Rode 3 flat and gentle miles on the road. A little cross-country bridleway (downhill no pedal) Felt bloody amazing if a bit achey. Little-revolutions (again), day by day. One day I'll get back...

My style? Frustrated world-traveller/XC whippet. At best health on group rides I'd be mid-pack for first two miles and chickening on jumps/drop-offs, but then after 5-ish miles into the ride I'd by then have unstoppable steam to be home way before anyone.

Never yet had full physical health + proper full sus (V-link 1.0 doesn't count!) so no idea how that would have panned out.

Ride for your life! You never know what's around the corner. Was planning to celebrate 50th with a ride to the Dordogne this summer, looks like a long ride to the shops again 😳

Kids bikes and the inevitable 'first racer'.

Got into MTB at Uni and rode exclusively MTB until I was about 40.
Riding got bigger/faster/higher/longer, as did the stays in hospital (hence username). Did quite a few 24hr (team) races, actually met the better half at Sleepless ~15 years ago.

Got a road bike on the C2W a few years ago and been a born-again roadie ever since. Had our first non-MTB riding holiday last year and ranks as one of our best holidays of any kind.

Bought a CX bike for bridleway bashing in 2015. Tried a race out of curiosity and because a mate with the same bike said "you can't have a bike that nice and not race it". Completely addicted, basically race as often as possible through the winter (using precious annual leave to get weekends off, some double-headers with one league on a Saturday, another on a Sunday, and travelled decent miles to do stuff like Boxing Day races and Lovecrossed).

Bought a fat-bike which has re-ignited my enthusiasm for MTB but it's still a minority activity, and when I got a personal injury cheque recently it ended up being spent on a Ti road bike despite me initially shopping for a new MTB!

Born 1961
First bike I remember having was something called a Elswick Hopper I think I was 8 or 9.
I used to cycle around my paper round,& sometimes go for a bike ride,I even used my bike to get me to my favourite fishing spots but I doubt I ever rode more than 20 miles.
When I was 16 I started as a apprentice spark on building sites and I got a moped.From this point I was hooked on motorbikes.
I don't think I looked at a bicycle again until my mid thirties,just rode my motorbikes.We used to go circuit training & I was having trouble with my knee from the impacts,so I borrowed my mates mountain bike to try & Keep fit.
My mate had done the Isle of Man E2E a couple of times so in 2003 I bought a Specialized Hardrock to get properly fit & do the E2E. It was hard work getting my fitness levels up,but I got hooked on the cycling & I've never looked back.
I bought a Speccy Enduro in 2005 & did my first Alps trip in 2006.I still have the Enduro & went to Les Arcs with it in 2015,I also use it every so often for a blast at Stiniog.
In 2007 I bought a Giant NRS,100mm travel,being a middle aged fart it was enough bike for me.I upgraded to a Anthem a couple of years ago.
Back in 2011 I finally bought a road bike & I love getting out down the quiet country lanes on it & exploring parts of the area I've never cycled round before.
Last year I added a Norco Search to the collection & this bike sums up where I'm happiest on a bike at this stage in life,going down bumpy roads & bridleways,doing a bit of exploring, sometimes ending up on the beach.
I want to get up to Cape Wrath this year & I'll either take the Norco or the Anthem,just pootling round & exploring again. 🙂

- Only learnt to ride a bike when I was about 8, way after all of my mates. I hated it to be honest, mostly because my Dad was so incredulous that I couldn't get the hang of it. I finally managed to get going and started doing the usual riding around, although at that point cycling was overshadowed by sailing and rugby.
- Me and my Dad scared ourselves silly riding the red trail at Grizedale, me on my three speed rigid kids bike, him on his hybrid. Absolutely loved it though, so the next birthday I got a decent bike (Raleigh Freeride), then a couple after that a better one (Specialized Hardrock).
- I always wanted to be a DH racer really, a bit of a stretch of the imagination for a kid living in Suffolk, so I settled for gentle XC rides and occasional trips to the Lake District.
- Did a CRC Marathon series (now Scott I think) in 2011, wearing 5:10s, a rugby shirt and board shorts, finished 8th overall in the 30km category, first youth finisher.
- From that I got the stupid idea into my head that I was a badass quick racer, so entered a proper race in Thetford, and got my arse kicked in - something like 2nd from last.
- Persevered, and did a full season of regional XC racing, picking up a few medals in the youth category. Midway through this I upgraded to an On One Whippet, which I thought was the absolute tits at the time.
- Did my first national at the end of that season, came something like 11th in youth - which I was over the moon with considering I'd been racing in 5:10 DH shoes and a back pack earlier that year.
- Got onto a regional team in 2013, and started taking it (arguably too) seriously, even bought a road bike and doing loads of turbo sessions. This paid off somewhat, and I ended up in the top 5 youth XC racers nationally. Bought my first 29er, a Canyon carbon 29er, which I'm actually racing on again this year.
- Basically just carried on plugging away and going further down the rabbit hole, until I've reached the point where I share my room with three bikes, and beg for sports scholarships from the uni so I don't have to get a proper job. I'm doing some road races this year too 😯

Born '64

Early rides were on sit up and beg wartime single speed bikes. We'd go on jaunts exploring the county's dirt roads with a frying pan and sausages. We'd build a fire and brew tea too.

When I was a student I bought a used 10 speed Peugeot to commute on. Loved it. Bought a used too big for me Dawes Super Galaxy and went touring further afield

Bought a used Colnago road bike which got stolen, the insurance pay out bought me the first Rockhopper in the country. Got hooked on mountainbuking for the next few years. I painted lots of paintings on the experience.

Moved to Orkney, work and croft restoration meant my bikes gathered dust.

Divorce reunited me with my old biking mates who got me back out on the trails. Rediscovered the joys of bike touring and Bikepacking. Last decade highlight was riding across the USA.

Born 1964, split my lip twice after standing on my tricycle trying to reach the handle of the back door, moved to Norfolk aged 3 and my sister at some point taught me to ride in our extensive garden, had all manner of tip rescued single speed bikes, used to ride all over the place with mates, moved to Chilterns aged 9 and progressed to 3sp sturmey archer tip rescue but with cow horns and nobbly tires 🙂 to ride around the woods, teenage saw me save paper money for first decent bike, 10sp Dawes racer, got knocked of it and broke my leg, sold it when I was skint and reverted to tip rescue 1950's track frame with drops flipped and cut off, some how managed to cycle said old bike the 150miles to Snowdon in one day, pestered to join local cycling club by school mate (Peter Keen went on to train Chris Boardman) but didn't bother 🙄 cycled 140miles to medical for my first job, then couple of years cycling to work before buying a Dawes galaxy, taking 3 months off and cycling 4500miles round Europe, got into motorbikes, uni girlfriends etc then in 1990 bought a Trek 950, which lasted me till 2006 when my brother asked me to join his team for Mayhem so I thought I had better get something more modern, well at least a 1999 Scott yecora had suspension and vee brakes! Found stw when looking up results of mayhem and err things have never quite been the same since 😳