Hi from the Shires
Hi all
Just joined the forum after getting into cycling a year ago as part of my fortysomething midlife crisis...
I bought my first road bike last July, a Bianchi Via Nirone 7 Sora on our tax-free bikes scheme the government runs over here, and have been merrily hacking around the beautiful countryside of Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire where I live. I try to get out for a quick 20 miler three times a week or so and a longer run of around 50 miles at the weekend. I don't do anything competitive but I've done three 100k sportives this year and I'm aiming to do the 100 mile versions next season.
I love getting up early and going for a ride as the sun rises, and I often combine it with my passion for photography which can make for quite dramatic shots but absolutely terrible average speeds as I keep stopping for pictures! My other hobbies are my old restored Land Rover, which is ideal bike transport (it wheels straight in) and playing guitar, which I have yet to find a way to combine with riding a bike...
After about 3000 miles on my beloved VN7 I have worn out and grown out of Sora, and was planning to upgrade the groupset to 105, but the N+1 rule kicked in and I've just bought a rather gorgeous Bianchi Impulso 105. Luckily my wife is also a born again roadie and has a very nice Cannondale which means I get a bit of latitude in these things...
Plan for the winter is keep the VN7 for lunchtime rides from my office about 30 miles away with some colleagues, so I have a new set of country lanes to get lost in. Seems to be working so far, though I think our poor receptionist is still getting over the shock of the HR Director prancing around in full lycra...
Anyway, see you around the forum