Being a novice cyclist, I bought my first road bike 9 months ago at the ripe old age of 28! Throughout the autumn of 2015 I just used it for my 5km commute to and from work. Then January arrived and training needed to start for Ride London, so I began doing longer rides at the weekends, which consisted of laps around Richmond Park (3 was my maximum).

I then managed to pick up a hand injury that stopped me cycling. I then tentatively got back on my bike, working on my hand strength and stamina. Over the past 5 weeks I have been building up my cycling mileage, strength and ability. As frustrating as it is feeling like the slowest rider in the world I cannot deny the progress I have made.

Five weeks ago a 50km ride was tough; today I managed 92 hilly kilometres and didn’t find it as tough as that first group ride.  So what is it that has helped me get to this stage, and more importantly what will continue to help me grow and progress as a cyclist?

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Navigating a cycling route is a big step on any new cyclists journey. The sense of freedom you get from being able to follow a route opens so many doors to what you can do and where you can go on a bike. The days of sticking to the same area for fear of getting los will be behind you, with just the open road ahead. 

Finding and navigating a cycling route is a wonderful feeling, especially if you've built the route yourself. But if you don't have a GPS device like a Wahoo, or have super human memory powers, then you're going to need to navigate on your trusty mobile phone to keep you on the right track.

Be warned, many cyclists will tell you that trying to navigate with your phone is a 'nightmare' and 'just impossible', which may lead you to not bother. But it is possible, and can be an easy (and much cheaper) option for navigating a cycling route, especially if you're just starting out. We've all got a smartphone right?

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Buying a new bike is a daunting, beguiling and sometimes overwhelming experience for new cyclists. It's a scary prospect for the 'uninitiated', so when Kate Siddiqui, one of our members, offered to write a blog on her bike buying experience, we bit her hand off! Continue reading below for Kate's story, followed by her bike buying top tips:

Come January many of us start with the “New Year, New You” mantra, and this year I was no different. My road bike had sadly been stolen, so with my insurance payout in one hand, a Cycle to Work voucher in the other, I set out to get a new bike. The added motivation to my “New Year, New You” mindset was the fear/foreboding of an Alpine road cycling trip looming in late summer, and I knew I needed to get some serious training miles in.

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January and February are the perfect time to get some miles under your belt. A couple of hours solitude on the open road is just what you need after the madness, and let's be honest, boredom of the Christmas break.

Shaving a few grams off your bike weight aren't going to make nearly as much difference to the upcoming spring and summer cycling season as training through the winter will.

Cycling in winter does have its risks, so please bear in mind the below tips when you’re out cycling in the wind and the rain.

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Vätternrundan is a 315km cycle around Lake Vättern starting and finishing in Motala, Sweden.

There are around 23,000 cyclists who take part making it the world’s largest bike ride!

In mid June 2022, 15 of those 23k were hardy Dirty Wknders, who had flown out to Sweden to take on this epic challenge.

Below you can read their thoughts and feelings after riding 315km in a day.

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So you've decided to attempt the Rapha Festive 500? Good on you. It's a tough challenge and a fun thing to do over the Christmas period. However, due to many circumstances that can pop up over the 8 days, it can be very hard to complete the Festive 500. As someone who has attempted the challenge about five times, and completed it a grand total of zero times, I can attest that it is pretty tricky.

If you're still unsure as to what exactly the Festive 500 is you can read our handy guide here. If you haven't yet signed up for the challenge I can highly recommend it. At the very least it might get you out of the house on Boxing Day when Uncle Gerald starts arguing with Aunty Maude and Mum is suggesting another round of 'Eye Spy'.

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