Mudguards and turbos

The darker evenings are upon us and the weather is clearly on the change with temperatures slowly getting colder. As every seasoned cyclist knows, this is the time to start focusing on the season ahead. Target those events that you've always wanted to ride, get some dates in the diary and round up your bike buddies to get a group together. At Simpson we've had a mixed season, missing a few key rides we had targeted, through injury, family commitments and just life in general getting in the way! Now is the time to invest in long steady miles and weekly turbo sessions. Keeping the legs ticking over. We hate fair weather cyclists who pitch up to events with all the kit, with minimal mileage clocked up and not much in the tank. In our books you have to earn summer fitness right here in the winter months. The 2014 season sees us anticipating a greater presence on rides and sportives through out the year. We're at the planning stage right now, putting together some like minded riders to make next year's rides the most enjoyable yet, more details to follow ...

Just a race between the lights

You know what it's like, you're cycling along and spot another cyclist ahead of you, from that moment they become your target - the thing you have to beat. It's the same philosophy, in our opinion, as having a number pinned on your back, it changes the mind's chemistry, you become a competitor! With the rise in popularity of the logging/mapping app Strava, the competitive stakes now have a new champion. If you commute to work you cannot help but notice a) the rise in the number of cyclists out on the roads at rush hour and b) the increase in more performance style cycles sporting expensive, specialised equipment like deep section aero wheels, tri-bars and kit that's more at home on a club time trial than a ride to work. Although cycling is a multi-faceted discipline, it's the interjection of human nature that pushes things to these levels. The need to beat another cyclist takes over the primary function of morning/evening cycling. Ride and let ride but keep it safe for all on two (and four) wheels - remember we all get tarred by the same brush!

Sometimes it's not the bike that goes wrong

Amid the excitement generated this week by the start of the Tour of Britain, the Bike Show at the NEC and numerous other events going on this weekend and next, our creative department has been grounded from any form of riding for eight weeks. This comes as a massive blow but, by taking positives from this situation, drawing from the experiences of the greats of the past, has proved inspiring. The focus now is about getting fit and back on the bike, setting targets for the new year, having something to aim at.

We strangely forget that bikes don't move of their own accord, they don't go anywhere without someone to propel them. If, for whatever reason, this energy source goes wrong, bikes become static objects.

Roads, destinations and skies that go on forever

Summer is the time of year that every cyclist dreams about. It's what we focus on through the dark bleakness of the winter months. Nothing can better the warmth of the sun on your face, back, arms and legs as you ride.

Apologies to city dwellers nationwide but summer cannot be fully savoured anywhere other than in the countryside or by the sea. The roads you ride all year round are totally transformed by the appearance of brilliant sunlight and blue skies.

Spend time, not money on your bike

We were recently in a bike shop chatting to the staff about the latest issue of the magazine. It was extremely busy and drove home to us just how popular cycling is becoming. Great for the both the cycle industry and our country's economy but it seemed that this new generation of cyclists were more concerned about form than function. Sure, we all can appreciate the beauty of well designed items but mustn't forget their primary role.

With Ride London only days away, everyone is involved in their final preparations for the event, but we can't help feeling that a certain percentage of riders will be insufficiently prepared fitness wise believing that having the best kit will get them through. Maybe cycling has always had this element but it seems more visible to us at the moment.