Competition

There are many different ways to compete on a bike.

You can take art in a competition to race up a steep hill in Bristol. This would count as the sort of thing that’s accessible for everyone, and, in fact, is, as anyone could compete against the pros in the Red Bull hill chasers.

Still accessible, but way less cool you could dress up as a pro team and ride your £10000 bike with your friends, but spend even more on gadgets that will tell you just how much fun you should be having. Actually scratch that, it’s not about fun when you do this but apparently about how many calories you’ve burnt and how much fat you’ve burnt. Whatever happened to riding a bike for the feel of it and getting fit by accident? Still I suppose you’re competing against yourself in a way.

Talking of gadgets, they do have a place. Take the mass round the world cycle race that started in London at the weekend. Expensive gadgets can here let you follow the competitors as they head on their way. Check it out and feel part of it as you sit at work. Think you’ll agree that it’s a better use for the technology than tracking a wanna-be pro as he takes time off from his manager’s job to pretend to be something he’s not.

A