The prospect of heading down to Brighton on a wet and cold november morning to race cyclocross is not an idea which has me leaping out of bed on a sunday morning. So it is perhaps fortunate that I have a son made of sturdier stuff to remind me of my commitments and get me going.
Leaving home the cloud was breaking and we could almost fool ourselves into believing we might get away with it, but as we approached the South Downs the rain re-appeared and was to be our companion for the rest of the day.
It’s testament to the popularity of cyclocross racing these days that on such a day a field of 80 or so riders should be lining up for the senior event. This wasn’t a day for speed but for resilience as each rider fought their way through the gloopy mud for over an hour. As the race wore on the effect on man and machine became clear as riders stopped at the side of the trail to dig the mud away from brakes, derailleurs and wheels. Somehow my trusty IF Planet Cross survived and carried me over the line in my usual mid-field finishing position. The changing rooms had the unusual luxury of showers but by the time I trailed in these were full of fully clothed rellow riders hosing themselves down in the tepid water!
A spray car-wash on the way home proved a quick and easy way for Thomas and I to wash our bikes down, and re-lube, ready for the next weekend adventure.

Gill Ord (a Mosquito Director along with myself and Roger) last week attended the SICI (Serotta International Cycling Institute) Professional Bike Fitting school. This is the same course Roger did seven years ago (becoming one of the UK’s first pro Bike Fitters) and I took two years ago. It’s great that Gill has taken the course and means that once qualified we will have three pro Bike Fitters at Mosquito allowing us to offer a full time bike fitting service. We believe it’s also a real benefit that all have diferent cycling experiences and histories.
Anyway here’s Gill’s briuef accout of the course.
“Last week was a shock to my system, I went back to school, well ‘Bike Fitter School’

For 3 days I tried to cram my brain with all the information needed to become a Professional Bike Fitter, like Phil and Roger.
The first day was pretty hard mainly because of the medical terms for the bones structure of the legs and feet. On the second day as it became more practical I began to relax and then it started to come together, the bio dynamics and the bike geometry. Understanding the ideals and then working with each individuals physical ability, history and expectation.

Well I passed the exam with flying colours and now I have to do 10 fits that are assessed and by some time next year I will be a qualified Professional Bike Fitter”

Been blowing a storm most of the week and we’ve almost sold out of lights in the shop, a sure sign we’re into the dark days of winter. I seem to have been ordering lights at Mosquito since time began but I still struggle to get it right. We either end up with stock room shelves creaking under the weight of unsold light sets in march or we’re scratching around to find stock in November when the things should be selling themselves. The problem is that the reps come round showing their wares for the coming season in July when I still struggle to come to terms with the prospect of darkness descending by 5pm on a winters evening. Judging by the number of ‘bike light phobic’ cyclists I see speeding down the Essex Road of an evening it seems I’m not the only one struggling to come to terms with the drawing in of the days.
The Autumn can be a great time for riding (it can also be a crap time for riding, as it was on my rain sodden commute in to the shop on tuesday) but only when it’s not blowin a gale and precipitating it down. Last sunday was one such glorious autumnal day - not too cold, bit of sun in the sky and leaves on the road. And what better way to spend it than a couple of hours riding with son, Thomas, in the local Surrey Hills. We decided on a hilly one (not a lot of choice on that one around Dorking) and managed to fit in three decent climbs and a stop for hot chocolate in Peaslake.Almost perfect, only slightly spoiled by the altercation with middle aged man in Lexus assaulting me for holding him up at a roundabout as I tried to show Thomas some basic rules of the road. I think we may have been holding him up on his way to the golf club! Great way to behave in front of an 11 year old I thought, thankfully the women in the car behind saw it all and were on to him before he could get violent, to see him slinking away to the cry of ‘you ignorant pig’ almost made it worthwhile.Welcome to the joys of being a cyclist on British roads Thomas!