Heed the call of the road

Sometimes you just have to find the time to ride, however busy you are. Sunday's weather was warm, bright and sunny and the call of the road became irresistible. We left the hassle of the town for the tranquil country roads of Suffolk, heading always coastal to catch sight of the sea. With issue 5 of Simpson nearing completion, we've also been working on other projects, which has meant our time on the bike has been severely restricted. One of the main themes of the forthcoming issue is the social aspect of cycling. It's true that there is strength in numbers – had we not committed to riding with others, the temptation that day would have been to continue working. But there comes a time to just get out on the bike, to seize the day and immerse yourself in the adventure of a ride, especially if you’re with others. Camaraderie is such a major factor in cycling. Sure, there’s a lot to be said for riding solo but we think sharing the experience with others really adds something special. The road is unpredictable but you follow it together through highs and lows, gruelling climbs and glorious descents, puncture breaks and food stops. And all the while the banter cements the bond between riders and turns every ride into something unique, however familiar the route. After a long ride (almost 80 miles in the case of last Sunday) your body starts to crave food long before the ride is over. We've been really pleased by readers’ feedback about our recipe pages. Stuart 'Stuey' Wadsworth, our food editor, has literally cooked up an amazing dish idea for the demands of a ride like this. And that brings us back to the imminent issue 5. We’ve missed being out on the road but we think the new issue was worth the sacrifice – when you see it we hope you’ll agree!

All in a week's work

It's always flattering when people say nice things about you – all the more so when it's a leading national newspaper. On Sunday we featured in a major article by Rowan Moore in The Observer about the state of cycling in Britain. Simpson was listed among 'Three of the best cycling mags', an accolade we're very proud of. While we’re talking about national exposure, we’ve teamed up with leading US cycling title Peloton and will be appearing bagged together at selected UK airports and mainline train stations. Rather like going on a ride with unfamiliar riders, we're always keen to explore new avenues, discover new adventures and see where we end up. Rest assured on one thing though: Simpson will always remain entirely independent.

Yorkshire roads to whet the appetite

Simpson took to the beautiful countryside of South Yorkshire over the Easter weekend to sample some of the roads that the Tour de France will race on in just a few weeks’ time. Many of them have been resurfaced, which is just as well because some of those that haven’t are in a truly shocking state. But the new tarmac is silky smooth and some of the routes it follows truly take the breath away (as do some of the hills...this is most definitely not a flat part of the world). We saw several potentially excellent vantage points for would-be Tour spectators but if you’re planning to catch the action we would recommend planning ahead – with more than a million people expected for the Grand Depart, this isn’t the kind of event you can expect to decide to attend on the day. We joined Sheffield’s La Squadra (http://lasquadra.co.uk/) riders for our Yorkshire recce and a finer bunch of chaps you couldn’t hope to meet. We will be meeting up with some of them again for the Eroica Britannia at the end of June and we can’t wait. Meanwhile, our best wishes go to Dan Kilby, one of the La Squadra team, who ended this weekend’s ride in the back of an ambulance after getting into a disagreement with some Sheffield tram lines while very generously escorting Simpson back to base. Get well soon Dan!

Remain in light

We witness change across every aspect of day-to-day living when the sun comes out. Suddenly we gain a more focused, positive outlook on life, it's as if a great burden has been lifted from us. Dinah Washington's 'What a difference a day makes' rings true every time! Suddenly you realise why so many Brits have moved aboard or at least own a second property on the continent. The emergence of warm sunny days and longer lighter evenings inspires talk of winter being over. You can see why the pro teams all train abroad. Even with British Summer Time officially beginning in a few weeks time (30th March) the extreme weather of this winter has punished us all. The utter elation of feeling the warmth of the sun on uncovered arms and legs cannot be bettered or more welcomed. Having enjoyed what many may describe as their first ride of summer, we then chose to go and sit in a darkened arena to watch the finals of the Revolution track series at London's Lee Valley VeloPark. Even the moon had a glow to it as we made our way in. This concluded what could only be described as a perfect day.

London tries running Tubeless

Today London was pretty much Tubeless and will remain so until tomorrow evening. The impact this has had on getting around the capital has been nothing short of catastrophic. With wind and rain forecast throughout the two strike days, many commuters have either stayed at home or resorted to the car. Given there was so much advanced warning, it seems odd that so many cars we passed this morning only contained one person. Surely if you were driving in you’d want to share the cost and ease congestion and pollution by doubling up? With many employers adopting a 'no show, no pay policy' during the disruption, lots of commuters had no choice but to bus, walk or scooter in. Others, of course, chose their bikes. The cyclists we encountered on the road were an eclectic mix of hardened commuters and strike victims – in some cases apparently cycling for the first time in years, on machines more used to languishing in the garden shed than actually hitting the road, judging by the amount of punctures and squealing brakes in evidence. We were courteous (as usual) to those around us but kept our heads down and got on with the commute. This evening we did it all over again, but this time in the rain and the dark. We shudder to think how the cycling strike victims fared on their homeward journeys.