This is why there is Milk Bikes

Hi Mark,

Just to let you know Ice Cold Milk arrived safe and sound a couple of days ago and had its first test ride yesterday.

It was a brisk -20C, but with only a light breeze so thankfully very light windchill. It rode just perfectly straight out the box. Fast and eager on the hard packed skidoo trails, responsive and nimble on some fairly tame single track I was playing on.

The tyres are awesome, I was able to climb a very respectable hill covered in sheet ice that my hard soled Northwave boots just slid on - most impressive.

Only one minor off, which was more a case of speed overcoming talent! Ice Cold Milk giving me too much confidence on a narrow tree lined section of single track.

The hub gears worked faultlessly and the belt seemed super smooth.

All in all a first class build.

The Fatbike snow bikes are big here, and undoubtedly they would have me on fresh snow, but anything even remotely packed as most of the trails are, and I'll leave them in my ice crystals!?

Thanks for the kind note you sent through with the bike, glad to be able to support someone who so obviously cares about the bikes they build, instead of the soulless big brand names - so terribly dull!!

Best regards,

Tom and Ice Cold Milk!

When Commuting becomes Survival

We had been hearing all weekend about parts of the country with lots of snow. We even went up to Manchester to see some old friends but saw no snow. Yesterday the weather reports showed that it was going to snow overnight. Stu rang me at about 1pm yesterday to arrange riding in together on our MTB's as we did back in February. He seemed to be quite excited. So this morning we woke up to the first snow in Essex this winter. Mark texted me at just gone six and want to meet to ride in. By 6:45 we were all toegther with virgin powdery snow on the back roads to enjoy. This was the fun part of the morning. Mark left us half way through the ride to go back and work from home...

Stu fell off almost as soon as it was two of us and this marked the turning point in the ride. From that point on the roads became slippery and we tip toed our way into work. Past the cars struggling to get up the inclines and stuck at the lights. The only repite from the slippery roads came on a little off road cut through where all of a sudden the a slippery track seemed to make sense.

Now I am sat at my desk and the snow is still coming down. Roll on tonights survival test....

Pedal - Cake - Repeat

Had a great Sunday ride today with just one companion. 75 mile loop around Chelmsford. I had planned the route on Saturday and wanted to take some roads that I had not ridden before. I planned it on www.bikehike.co.uk, simplified it so that it would go onto my aging GPS and downloaded it. The eTrex then guided us round without any issues. The route can be found here and is mainly on minor roads and made for a good training ride.

Also on Saturday I decided to make the Guinness (& Chocolate) Cake, the recipe for which can be found at here. This is a good solid cake (it would be good served hot as a pudding with ice cream instead of the icing) and was great to have with a coffee when I got home.

On the bike again tomorrow for the commute, no doubt will have some cake when I get home from work.

Cake anyone....

Reasons to Commute #23

What an awesome morning. You'd totally miss out on this if you drove to work...

Another reason to ride to work

While riding in this morning I heard this story on the news http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-11664660

This is yet another reason to ride to work everyday and get 2 imune system boosts per day. I very rarely get colds and never get too affected by them although reading the report I would seem to be in the best category. I ride the bike 5 days a week, I am older, married and eat lots of fruit.

All good stuff.

Why I Ride (to work)

I started commuting back at school. My school was only 2 miles away but I rode everyday come rain or shine while my friends travelled on the bus. I continued bike commuting into my working life except for a period while my daughter was pre school. Recently I have thought about all the reasons why I love to commute by bike rather than using the car.

The journey times are consistent and you are always in motion
I get to feel my environment everyday.
I see the seasons change
The warmth of the shower after a cold (and possibly damp) ride
Early morning encounters with wild life
For training
For the Friday pub ride with great friends
To feel great both physically and emotionally
To be able to eat a packet of biscuits in one sitting and/or have pudding everyday
To make the first tracks in the snow
For the sunrises
For the sunsets
To save miles on my van
Saves money on petrol and time at the filling pump (although most of this saving is spent on more bike equipment)
Commuter racing (I am very bad at this – I rarely get involved)
Clear time to think about any issues
My best ideas come while I am pedalling

No doubt I have missed some that will come to me while I am pedalling…..