Of a fashion...

The ever-increasing popularity of cycling has generated a growing demand for kit specifically designed for those who ride bikes. We have grown to expect cycling-specific fit and function from everything from jerseys to jeans. Gone are the baggy, flapping garments that cyclists of previous generations had to put up with. With eBay running amok with retro kit disasters, here at Simpson we’ve identified a new cycling vogue. Inspired by the wettest winter since records began and the proliferation of indoor training equipment, 'turbo fashion' has arrived! Indoor training presents us with a more intimate cycling environment – a private domain away from the prying eyes of the world. Here you can sport the kind of outdated strips, unwanted Christmas gifts, or bizarre kit combinations you would never normally dream of wearing. The possibilities are endless! Taking pride of place on the indoor training catwalk at Simpson Towers right now are the disgraced or defunct team kits of yesteryear. We could never again publicly wear Armstrong era kit without feeling like we were disgracing our beautiful sport. But the quality of the kit is as good as it ever was. Indoor training allows us to revisit this and other unthinkable outfits behind closed doors! No one need know how outlandish your choice of training kit is. Anything goes – the wilder the combination the better! But for those brave souls who are prepared to share, we would invite you to send photos of the look rocking your turbo sessions at present to info@simpsonmagazine.cc. We’ll keep them to ourselves, honest!* *We won’t really.

Is it worth it?

We all expect seasonal variations in the weather but what we have been experiencing of late is beyond a joke – it’s bordering on a disaster movie! Whatever the weather, it seems training must go on. There doesn’t appear to be an off-season anymore, but just because the pros do it do we have to follow? Most of us don't earn a living by riding our bikes. Maybe we should cut ourselves some slack. Soldiering on through the winter months can actually have a detrimental effect on the coming cycling season. A case in point: a few weeks ago our editor came to grief while out riding, hitting a patch of black ice and briefly knocking himself out (think Thomas Voeckler but without the talent). The accident only kept him off his bike for a week or so but it could have been a lot worse – one of the riders he was with broke his hip and will be off the bike for months. We believe you should always enjoy your riding and should never feel pressured into going out when the conditions are less than favourable. Whatever the Velominati say, passing on a foul-weather ride doesn't make you a fair weather cyclist. Off-season training is vital but sometimes it’s good to remember that the turbo is your friend.

Christmas cheer

Christmas is coming, the geese are getting fat…and so are many cyclists unfortunately, thanks to a combination of shocking weather and rather too many high-calorie treats lying around. But let’s not be too hard on ourselves – everyone deserves a break, right? And the thought of just how hard it is to shake off those extra pounds in the grim first couple of months of the year will be enough to give most of us a bit of self-restraint over the festive period. Here at Simpson, between eggnogs and mince pies, we’ve been working hard on our fourth issue and looking forward to our first anniversary in March. It’s been a fantastic year so far and we’re chuffed to bits with all the positive things you’ve been saying about the magazine. Thank you for being part of the great Simpson adventure so far. May all your Christmases be full of joy, love and laughter. Just spare a little thought for that first training ride in January before you accept your third helping of Christmas pud...

Cold weather riding

The right clothing is key to facing the elements with confidence. Knowing that you’ll remain dry and warm whatever the weather gives you the boost you need to get out riding. When you nail your winter armoury – when you work out the combination of kit that works for you: the right gloves, overshoes, base layer/jersey/jacket, headgear – it can help you to retreat into a mental space that’s completely detached from the elements. In extreme conditions, tiny details can make all the difference. Knowing you can adjust a jacket to fit just right around your neck, that your glasses will stop your eyes from watering without getting uncomfortable, that your base layer will keep you warm without overheating you…these are the things that can give you the edge. And how do you figure out what works for you, both physically and mentally? Through trial and error, of course. There’s no substitute for hours in the saddle. Knowing you’ve earned your foul weather comfort with pain and suffering and numb fingers and streaming eyes and frozen toes makes it all the more satisfying.

Reliving the past

You know what's it like, that feeling of half recognising someone from your past when you're out but not seizing the opportunity to go and confirm things for yourself. In issue 2 we showed a golden 10-year Puch guarantee card, the sole remnant of my first road bike, an Austro-Daimler. It was my 14th birthday present, I can remember, even now the clicking sound as my dad wheeled it in through the house to my bedroom, as I lay in bed. Needless to say through the years it got loaned out and then was lost. I wish I still had it, I'd love to do a retro ride on it although I'm sure it's not going to be as good as I remember it being. A few weeks ago I saw this bike pictured here - apart from the frame size (mine was a 21-inch) it was identical! I had to take as many images as I could to soak up the joy and delight of seeing virtually my old 'racer'. Maybe it gives me a degree of hope that my bike is still being ridden around somewhere. If you do know of or have seen a bike matching the one in these pictures, a 21-inch version, I'd love to hear from you. Get in touch via info@simpsonmagazine.cc if you think you can help.