5
In a new monthly column,
Jonathan Hopson looks at life
from the other side of 50.
It’s never too late to try
something new and for 2017,
he’s encouraging people to take
up cycling.
G
rab life by the handlebars and ride a
bike!
As the US president John F Kennedy
noted, “Nothing compares to the simple
pleasure of a bike ride”.
It’s also good to know there’s no such thing as
elderly when you’re on a bike.
Research from Cycling UK shows that during
2015, 40-49 year-olds on average each cycled
87 miles during the year, outstripping all other
age groups.
The average cycle mileage in 2015 for all age
groups was 53 miles.
As a recent addition to the world of MAMIL’s
(Middle-Aged Men in Lycra), my take on
cycling is that it’s extremely rewarding and a
great way to improve general fitness.
It can also be a great way to raise money for
charity.
For example, the annual London to Brighton
bike ride takes place in June and covers
around 54 miles.
Over 25,000 people took part in the 2016
event, helping to raise more than £2m for the
British Heart Foundation.
It starts in Clapham Common, London, with
start times staggered every 30 minutes from
6am to 10am.
The first riders home take
about two and a half hours to
complete the course, with the
majority taking four to seven
hours.
Keen riders will probably
succeed in conquering the
Ditchling Beacon, the famous mile-long hill with
a maximum 16 per cent gradient, a few miles
outside Brighton.
The view from the top of the Ditchling Beacon
is well worth the pain of the ascent, and it’s
mostly downhill from the top of the Ditchling
to the finish on Madeira Drive on Brighton
seafront.
Maintaining sufficient forward-momentum to
ascend the Ditchling Beacon without walking
at any point is a significant challenge –
particularly as you’ve had to cycle around
45 miles beforehand – but conquering
the Ditchling generates a feeling of great
satisfaction.
I’ve taken part in the L2B ride three times in the
last five years, finishing in around four hours.
Although it’s physically quite challenging, the
route takes in some scenic countryside and
there’s also the feel-good factor of knowing that
you have participated in one of the UK’s largest
single fundraising events.
A helpful place to start for anyone to learn
about cycling is the British Cycling website
www.britishcycling.org.ukand a great place for
anyone in
the Newbury
area looking
for a regular
organised
road cycling
ride is Banjo
Cycles in Hambridge Road, Newbury.
Most Saturday mornings, weather permitting, a
group of around 15 to 20 men and women set
out at 8am on a two-hour ride.
Led by an experienced Banjo rider, the group
covers around 30 to 40 miles, averaging
around 14 to16mph.
I’ve been taking part in the Banjo Saturday
morning rides for the last nine months and they
are a great way of exploring the countryside
within a 20-mile radius of Newbury, as well
as helping to improve one’s general level of
fitness.
Banjo also offer a comprehensive range of
coffees, teas and home-made cakes to help
replenish energy levels.
Whatever your age and fitness level, as five
times winner of the Tour de France Eddy
Merckx said: “Ride as much or as little, or as
long or as short as you feel. But ride.”
Jonathan Hopson
“
Jonathan Hopson gets on his bike
”
Ride as much or as little,
or as long or as short as
you feel. But ride.