It never gets easier, you just get faster
Greg LeMond
Living out in rural Somerset, it’s commonplace to exchange waves and nods with several fellow cyclists while riding on the levels on a sunny Saturday. But on my weekly excursions to buy milk, eggs and other essentials from my usual local farm producers, I’ve been dodging cyclists like rounds of automatic fire – they’re everywhere!
It’s great to see so many people dusting off their two-wheeled machines and getting into cycling; families exercising together, regular cyclists discovering their summer shorts again, couples discovering the joy of getting out in the fresh air together.
Exercise in itself is, as we know, fantastic for the human body. Particularly during times of stress, exercise has been proven to be a great healer; cycling in particular has saved a lot of people in times of distress. I for one am always in a much better mood when I can come home after a bad day, grab my bike and head for the open road. Exercising outdoors is an added benefit. Studies have shown that even spending a small amount of time outdoors, having a coffee, eating lunch, walking or just closing your eyes in the garden for ten minutes, have a profound effect on cortisol levels (the stress hormone that is linked to all kinds of problems like heart disease and systemic inflammation.
Seeing people out getting exercise, enjoying nature is fantastic; people are appreciating the benefits of simple activities, of their environment and togetherness. But how do you get started? And if you’re already out there, how do you get better and make cycling an enjoyable hobby that’s not just for lockdown and holidays?
- YES YOU DO NEED TO WEAR A HELMET – The frustration I feel when I see ANY cyclist, recreational or otherwise without a helmet, is huge. No matter how good your technical skills are, how quiet the road is, your helmet could save your life. Anyone who argues otherwise is simply wrong. There is no decent evidence AT ALL to suggest helmets can be harmful in the event of an accident, but plenty to suggest they are a life saver. From personal experience, my helmet has saved my brain on many occasion…and I need all the help I can get.
- READ THE HIGHWAY CODE – If I had a pound for every time someone abused me for cycling centrally in the road or two abreast, I’d be a very rich lady! What you’ll find when you’re out cycling, is just how vulnerable it feels to have cars overtake you at high speed, with only a hair’s breadth between you. Add a blind corner and some pot holes into the mix and it’s soon clear why you need to make yourself a “moving barrier” to cars for a few seconds. Cycling in the centre of the road or two abreast often helps cars – and you – to avoid accidents and can also help make it easier for cars to pass on wider roads, as they time they need to spend on the wrong side of the road is significantly reduced. So learn your rights and find out WHY cycling on the road is not quite the same as driving.
- GET THE RIGHT SADDLE – I’m talking to ladies here really, as I have no personal experience in riding a bike with male anatomy…there are some really helpful articles out there giving advice (this is my favourite, from Cobb cycling…graphic but essential! https://totalwomenscycling.com/fitness/cobb-saddles-ask-innie-outie). Riding in the wrong saddle or the wrong shorts can ruin not just your ride, but your week – I don’t need to use any additional imagery here! Get your seat-bones measured and don’t fall into the trap of thinking “more is better” when it comes to padding; this will often only help to spread the load and make the discomfort even worse! My favourite saddles are hard, weird shapes and one has even become hideously deformed after moulding to the shape of my wonky hips over many years!
- GET SOME DECENT SUNNIES – Grit in your eyes is no joke. This time of year there are also the hazards of confused midges, dust clouds, the occasional cow poo and of course, the Sun. For cycling, look for sunglasses that have a wrap around design and have a UV filter, to make sure your eyes are protected from physical hazards, but also the wearing and ageing effects of UV light. Interchangeable lenses are a bonus as you can then have protection on cloudy days, just as much as sunny days. This also stops you squinting, which is the main reason we get those classic crow’s feet lines at the corner of the eyes. The eyes are the first place we often look to see the signs of ageing and the skin is very delicate, so needs all the protection it can get to keep it from becoming lax, crepey and aged.
- WEAR SPF ALL YEAR ROUND – Most cyclists put suncream on as an afterthought after the crisp tan lines of helmet straps and sunglass arms become a little dry and red at the edges. Unfortunately, this not only hugely increases their risk of skin cancer, but also leads to horrendous ageing effects in the skin. Wearing a good, long-lasting SPF (such as Heliocare or Obagi) helps to protect you from uncomfortable and dangerous sun burn, but also ensures you stay looking your best on and off your bike.
- FIND A GOOD CLEANSER – After all that cycling, you’re likely to come home and find the shower turns a nice shade of brown when you hose yourself down. All that dirt, pollution and general detritus will be sitting on your skin and clogging up your pores. It’s really important you find a thorough, yet gentle cleanser you can use day after day, whenever it’s time to shower, to make sure your skin is free from spot-causing dirt and ageing pollutants.
- USE A QUALITY MOISTURISER – For summer, particularly on windy days, it is very easy to become dehydrated (though there is plenty advice out there about how much you need to drink!), particularly in terms of your skin. The skin is also exposed to plenty of elements mentioned previously. A good, humectant moisturiser, will help to draw water into the surface of the skin and hydrate the outer layers, keeping them looking plump and luminous, rather than dull and lifeless. In winter (yes, we should still be cycling in winter…), a good thick moisturiser will help provide even greater hydration and help curb the effects of cold winter winds and rain.
Hopefully this helps all budding cyclists get into cycling properly and make a good start. There are thousands of articles out there, so go and do some reading into how best to start your cycling journey, these are just some of the insights I can give you from my own journey.
Whatever you do, enjoy it! It doesn’t matter how far or how fast you’re going, just getting out there, enjoying cycling for your own reasons and using it to maintain your sanity and physical health is the important thing. Cycling has saved so many people in this way and although I came to triathlon as a runner, if I had to give up one of the sports now, I wouldn’t save running…
For all of us, whatever our level of cycling prowess, we must remember that the skin is the biggest organ in the body and yet often, sporty, outdoor, active people tend to pay their skin the least attention! We need to be looking after our skin, just as much as the rest of our body – after all, it’s what keeps all our insides inside and all the nasties on the outside, outside! My unique Skin Truth philosophy is all about building the foundations of skin health, so you can enjoy your active lifestyle for many years to come, without being held back by the worries and anxiety associated with skin damage. For more information, contact me at steviepotter@thewonderclinic.co.uk or on facebook.com/wonderclinicSW
Oh, and for when you’ve got one of “those” ingrowing hairs (you’ll know what I mean when you get one), there’s a cream for that too…
A picture of my first road bike, “Juliet”, who I still have today, albeit I think the frame is the only original part standing and it doesn’t look quite this bright and white anymore!!