Cyclone

Every year, mid-June, there is an event in the North-East called the Cyclone. This event is a chance for any cyclist to challenge themselves to complete 33, 63 or 103 miles in one day depending on how committed they are to cycling and if they practice professionally or if it is just a hobby. It can be quite a social event as everyone is so friendly and easy to talk to, especially about bikes.

Last year I attempted the Cyclone for the first time but since I had done no training I completed the 33 mile ride at a leisurely pace on a mountain bike. Using a mountain bike is a lot harder on the road because there is unnecessary grip on the tyres and the frame itself is bulky and heavy-not ideal for climbing steep, smooth, tarmac roads. However, this year I was more prepared and attempted the 63 mile challenge on my grandad's (Poppa) vintage road bike which had slicker wheels, a lighter frame and altogether a more suitable bike. I also trained a bit before the ride and did three forty mile bike rides over separate mid-week evenings. In addition, I was doing the bike ride with my dad, Paul, my friend, Charlie, and Charlie's dad, Tony.

It was a first for us all and especially Charlie and I who had never ridden more than forty miles in one day. Whilst we were preparing to set off, one of the officials came over and was instantly on top of Poppa's bike taking photos of the frame, brake discs and old fashioned gear levers. He even brought his mates over to discus how such a retro bike had got into the hands of a teenager! As this strange event was taking place I was thinking how chuffed Poppa would be if he could see this too. When we eventually set off, on the 29/06, we were excited and nervous about the journey ahead and as we set off, semi-professionals and competitive riders whizzed past us on lightweight, tailor made bikes desperate to achieve their personal best. Apart from this distraction, we really enjoyed the first forty miles of our ride and were making good time by the time we made it to Wallington National Trust. We had a calorie-packed lunch and rested before we hit the road again.

For the next ten miles or so after we set off, Charlie was starting to feel very tired and was running on empty. It was looking quite bad until he had several Geo bars and a few energy chews then he was back on track. The only question was whether the energy boost would last...

With only fifteen more miles to go, we only had one more challenge to overcome before the easy downhill finish. These were the Ryals. They were two short but extremely steep hills on top of each other. Luckily they had a short downhill gap between them but it was still ferociously hard work. In the end, we managed it and we stopped shortly afterwards at Stamfordham before we finished the event in a time of seven and a half hours. Overall, it was a tough but fun experience and I would love to do it again next year. The Cyclone website is https://virginmoneycyclone.co.uk/.