I don’t weigh myself; I haven’t done so for nearly 30 years. These days, if my trousers fit me, I know that I’m fine; and I have a deal with my wife: she promises to tell me when I no longer look good in Lycra – and, I know for sure that she will! At such a point, I’ll never where tight cycling shorts and jerseys again 😉
Bib shorts are a cycle clothing necessity that you have to get right. Thankfully, ALÉ are a brand that understands this and put all of their world tour expertise and years of research into this critical area of clothing. For me, the three main elements of the pad to get right are: the pad, the fabric, and the straps.
ALÉ don’t simply make cycling clothing; no, they craft some of the finest men’s and ladies cycling clothing in the world, from their base in the magical and historic city of Verona, on the edge of the Italian Lakes and Mountains. It’s the city of Shakespeare’s ‘Romeo and Juliet’, and this ALÉ Pragma Dinamica ss jersey for summer, is definitely a cycling jersey to fall in love with.
It’s over a week now since I arrived back from Sibiu in Romania. It’s a place that I love dearly, for its amazing history, the beautiful mountains nearby, and for its people – some of whom are like family. Riding up the Transfaragarasan Highway was one of my life moments – something that I’ll remember forever.
Before every ride I do the same things. Albeit that I’m 56 years of age, I seem to be no different from what I was racing track and field years ago, lining up my shoes, with the socks placed across them and a lucky jacket nearby.
Yes, my best fitness days are behind me and things tend to break or creak more easily, requiring repair. And so, as a consequence of this, getting out for long winter rides isn’t always a great idea or possible, meaning that when spring comes along, on occasions I’m playing catch up on the hills, as I battle to get that early season fitness that we dream of.
Waiting for the end of winter can be mentally tough. The first warm days can be simply a test of our mental strength, as the thermometer rises towards 20 degrees, only to be plunged towards 0 again soon, with snow showers and freezing rain. Robert writes about his own thoughts while waiting for spring.
Robert is a former member of the UK Government’s ‘Cycle Training Standards Board’, a climber and mountaineer, Youth Hostel Warden, Poet, and former senior police officer… but most of all, a writer with a passion for exploring the mountains on 2 wheels.
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