I received an email from one of my regular readers Tamara last month who put in special request for me to write a post about bike storage. So this one’s for you Tamara. You may already have your own storage sorted but hopefully this will help others. There seems to be two major issues with bike storage – space and security. There’s also the question of weather protection, but for most of us it seems to be important to maximise the use of space, and to ensure that your precious stead is secure. So I’ll address the issue of space
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Kristy Scrymgeour – the next phase for a women’s cycling advocate
I first met Kristy Scrymgeour four years ago, not long after I’d started this blog. Over those four years she’s been on quite a journey so it was great to catch up with her last month overlooking the iconic Maroubra Beach during her annual pilgrimage to her home town. For those of you who follow the women’s pro peleton in Europe and the US you’ll know that Kristy has spent the past four years running her own women’s cycling team. It was initially called Specialized-lululemon and more recently Velocio-SRAM. You might also know that Kristy and her team folded at
Read moreEvery woman’s guide to buying a bicycle helmet
If you buy yourself a bike, the most obvious and necessary accessory item is a helmet. That particularly applies in my homeland Australia where bicycle helmets are compulsory for all cyclists. The laws were introduced in Australia in the early 90s and despite the ‘trailblazing’ our various governments thought they were doing, there aren’t many countries that have followed. But I’m not here to debate helmet laws (even if I don’t personally agree with them – we should have the freedom to decide for ourselves), but I do accept that the law states I must wear a helmet so I
Read moreLast minute Christmas ideas for the female road cyclist
There’s only three shopping days left before the fat man squeezes himself down the chimney. If you’ve left your shopping until now, here’s a few ideas for that ‘hard to buy for’ female road cyclist, most of which you should be able to track down in time. Specialized Gel gloves You can never have too many pairs of cycling gloves. Even if you wash them regularly, gloves eventually wear out and need to be replaced. The Specialized Gel women’s gloves are sold in Specialized dealers all round the world so you should be able to pick a pair up at
Read moreTips for keeping your favourite bike safe from thieves
You can’t eliminate the chance of someone pinching your prized bicycle, but you can minimise it with an appropriate lock or security device. I know it’s not the most exciting subject but it’s really important to keep you bike secure. Bikes that are not well secured are really easy to steel because the thief can ride away from the scene fairly swiftly, and even if you see them disappearing with it, you won’t be able to catch them on foot, particularly in your cleated bike shoes. I work in a bike shop and I’ve heard many sad tales from customers
Read moreWhat should I buy a female roadie for Christmas in 2015?
Every year I put a women’s cycling Christmas gift guide together of things I like. I often include things I’m buying for myself for Christmas, or that I already own. I figure if I like them then other female roadies will too. So here’s 2015’s selection, complete with links for where you can buy them. Christmas decorations I’m a Christmas decoration tragic and my list wouldn’t be complete without a bike theme bauble. This year’s can be bought from UK website notonthehighstreet.com and they’re made of bamboo. Bicycle scarf I’m also a scarf tragic and have a draw brimming
Read moreShould I buy a road bike with disc brakes yet?
I’ve recently bought myself a new road bike with disc brakes. It won’t be replacing my beloved carbon road bikes (yes I have two of them) which have caliper brakes but it will suit another purpose – commuting to work, short trips here and there, and maybe even some off-road riding. I chose to buy the Specialized Diverge because it has the ‘go anywhere’ capability and while I’ve only ridden it once I’m already in love. The hydraulic disc brakes are probably the biggest difference this bike has with my others so I thought it was worth a blog post
Read moreTips for women preparing for a 100 km plus ride
I’ve signed up to do the Cadel Evan’s ride in late January next year, a mere eight or so weeks away so I really need to start focusing on my training. I’ve done a few long rides in the past including the JDRF Barossa ride which is 160 km, and Melbourne’s Around the Bay which is 210 km, so I know I can ride the 111 km I’ll be required to complete. But I know I’ll enjoy the ride a lot more if I undertake sufficient training. I also know that after the Cadel ride I’ve also got a few
Read moreFive essential items for female roadies
When I started riding a road bike seven years ago, I bought the bare minimum of gear and headed off for my weekly ride. I soon caught the bug, and started to buy more gear, but it took me a few years to settle on the items that I couldn’t really live without. So I thought it would be helpful to share my road bike riding essentials with other women to shortcut the process for others. The main thing I would stress is that there’s no substitute for a quality product and although the initial investment might seem a bit
Read moreShort women do not despair, there are plenty of road bikes for you
To me, riding a road bike is one of life’s great pleasures and you don’t have to miss out just because you’re short. I’m a relatively short woman at 160 cm (5 foot 3 inches) but I’ve met quite a few female road cyclists who are shorter than me, and one of them mentioned to me that she, and other short stature women have trouble finding bikes to ‘fit’. From my perspective the women’s specific bike becomes more important the shorter you are, so women who measure in at 5 foot or below should really consider a women’s specific bike.
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