Tips for summer cycling

Well, it looks like summer is here. We have warm and sunny days and the nights are longer. Its time to get out there and get those tan-lines honed. I love this time of year. mostly because I look weird when I go to the Swimming pool with my daughter. its the time of year all cyclists long for. So, here is my informative and exhaustive list of tips to make riding in summer even more enjoyable.

what do you need?

• Buy a good quality summer bike to sit along the winter bike you bought. You can pick up cheap ones for around £3999
• Buy some good quality cycle clothing. A cheap entry level set from Assos should do expect to pay around £300 for a jersey.

Now you have all the equipment, how do you prepare for your ride?

1. Rise early and have a hearty breakfast of croissants and espresso. We're European after all.
2. Check the weather updates, you don't want to get caught out
3. have your morning ablutions
4. check weather reports in case its changed
5. have another espresso...its the Italian way
6. get the bike out of the man-cave(lady grottoes are also acceptable) Its looking like a proper bike shed now.
7. tinker with the bike and check it is road worthy
8. fit those super slick light weight summer tyres. we're gonna rip it up
9. check tyre pressures
10. check brakes
11. check seat
12. check paint
13. check mate
14. check weather reports
15. decide which team kit you're going to wear.
16. spend 29minutes trying to squeeze yourself in to your new Omega Pharma Lotto kit
17. put your Aldi specials on. its all you have left that fits. The wife must have shrunk it. After all, we did lots of winter riding didn't we?
18. hunt high and low for your left summer mitt. Where did i put it last August?
19. Sod it! no gloves as you can't go out looking like Micheal Jackson.
20. fill bidons with ice cube to keep the water chilled in this tropical heatwave
21. put the base layer away we wont need that
22. put the rain cape away we wont need that either
23. only the shortest whitest socks will do.
24. pull on your new white Garene carbon shoes
25. one last espresso
26. check weather? no its summer it'll be glorious
27. Head outside
28. FUCK! Its hailing sideways. I swear i saw a penguin fly past
29. ring mates - sod it they've all bailed
30. go to tesco with the wife-thing. its still exercise
31. tell your mates "oh yeah got in a nice 100 today"

This is not an exhaustive list but i think you find it ultimately useful.