Why I wear a helmet | video

I made this video yesterday... Err and I forgot to say in the video that my absoute top trumps reason for wearing one is to prevent total head squishing!

Today after I uploaded the video this advert by Scottish cycling was banned...

The main reason for banning the advert is that the cyclist at the end of the video is cycling in the primary position without wearing a helmet. The Advertisihg  Standards Agency deemed this 'socially irresponsible' see the full article here...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-25926572

Personally I think it is a fantastic advert and a massive shame that it has been banned. I don't know if I love being compared to a horse, but I do like the idea of drivers being encouraged to slow down, give me space and pass carefully.

What do you think, do you like the advert? Do you wear a cycle helmet? 

Basil Memories shopper pannier bag

Just recently I was lucky enough to have the chance to pop along to the Cycle Chic sample sale. Now, I got there bang on time, but already almost everything had gone! However I did manage to pick up this little gem... 

This is a pannier bag by Basil, it is made from canvas and I am a little bit (a lot) in love with it! It has a really simple click on mechanism which I think would work with a variety of pannier racks. 

The main pocket is zipped and there is also a smaller pocket in the front. There is a strip of velcro sealing the top. Also within the main pocket are smaller long thin pockets at each end, perfect for transporting bottles of water... Or wine! 

I think it is super cute, and not my usual style, but I love the urban transport themed print and how it looks off the bike. It barely looks like a cycle specific product, which is a bit of a treat for me! I will be using this on my blue vintage road bike with joy! 

My Bikes!

So the new years resolution is going well, and I have managed to upload my second YouTube video!

This one is all about my bikes, I have two, both were bought in the last year. Previous to my single speed bike, I have not had a new bike since primary school- i don't want to tell you how long ago that was!

All the info about the bikes is is the description box of the video, as you can tell I love a sleek, sharp design. Even my girly bike is unisex!

i hope you like the video, what kind of bike do you ride? did you make any changes to it?

Spanking new tool roll!!

As you may know, I am always keen to be able to fix simple problems with my bike myself. In the summer I went to an excellent women only cycle evening at Cycle Surgery, where there was an brilliant workshop covering all the essential knowledge you need to do keep you bike ticking along. The workshop covered the basics of cleaning the bike, doing simple adjustments and repairs, and changing punctures. Ever since I have slowly been collecting the tools to have my own portable kit, and just before christmas I found the perfect tool roll!

I picked it up at a craft market where I had a stall in Peckham (in my other life I am an artist/illustrator). It is a hand made canvas roll by Hope & Anchor, it is also waxed so it is waterproof!

In my tool roll I have...

• A 15mm Spanner , with a ratchet at one end- essential for taking the wheels off in order to fix punctures.
• Spare Inner Tube and patches
• Tyre levers
• Chain breaker and Allen key- I haven't actually used the chair breaker yet, but the allen key is really handy! Great for making small adjustments all over the bike.
• Mini pump- very handy, but no match for a proper track pump.

I love that this tool roll is so easy to attach to my bike, either under the saddle or on the top tube. Do you carry tools for your bike? Or do you just make sure that you are always within walking distance of a bike shop?

My favourite London bike repair shops

On my way to work this morning i was happily cycling along thinking 'I love my bike, its so comfortable and speedy, lovely lovely lovely....hmmm that was a big bump... uh oh.' Yup, a flat tyre- and a miserable walk into work the rest of the way.

Now normally I pride myself on being able to change a tube, and would whip out the tools at the side of the road. HOWEVER i knew that I most definitely did not have a spare tube in my bag, and I was not keen on patching the punctured one, being even later for work, and arriving covered in bike gunk!

On my way home from work I swang by my current favourite bike shop Brixton Cycles, to have a moan and get them to change it (i had only very recently purchased a pricey puncture resistant tyre from them) also it was the back wheel, and I was being a wuss! They found some wire which caused the puncture and got it changed super quickly, I even kept the tube so I can patch it later.

Photo by Richard Büttner http://www.richardalois.com/

Brixton Cycles is a cracking place! Right next to the Stockwell skate park, this is a workers co-op, and the customer service is just excellent! They sell bikes, accessories and components, and also have a proper repair workshop. The vibe is friendly and welcoming, and someone is always up for a chat while you are waiting, excellent.

Edwardes Cycles in Camberwell is the closest shop to my house, and helpfully they open at 8.30, so if I have any problems in the morning I can drop in on the way to work. The guys who run this shop really know their stuff, and are happy to give advice for free. Although it is all men who work here (it seems?) there is no intimidating atmosphere and I have always had good customer service. Amusingly this seems to be a shop popular with lycra clad road bikers (all men!) with crazy posh carbon dream machines. Edwardes also has a cracking selection of new and second hand bikes, worth a look if you are in the market for a new cycle.

My final favourite is the London Bike Kitchen, an open DIY workshop in Hackney where you can learn to fix your bike yourself! If you already know what you are doing you can hire a stand in the workshop and get going on your own, with the support of a resident technician. If not there are regular classes teaching everything from basic maintenance to building your own bike! Membership is £10 a year (bargain!) and although you don't need to be a member to use the kitchen, you will get 15% off new parts and accessories, and reductions on the price of workshop hire and courses. Check out the website for all the info.

Do you have a favourite bike repair shop? Any recommendations?

Winter Cycling Essentials- and Youtube Debut!

My first video is up! Phew it's tricky to keep things short and concise and fit all the info in!

Here are some of the bits that I forgot to mention, just I'm case you are in need of extra info...

Madison Softshell Waterproof Jacket

This jacket is totally waterproof, with taped seams and and high collar to keep the neck dry. It not only has a big pocket on the back, (which is useful for keeping the essentials in when not carrying a bag)  but also 4 more pockets on the front. This is where I keep my lip balm, emergency bank card, chewing gum etc.

The jacket is Softshell, which means it doesn't make that horrible swooshing sound when you are walking. I find this fabric comfortable and warm. The down side is that it does not fold up very small, so it's a pain to carry when you are not wearing it. 

I really like that when I wear this off the bike it could be mistaken for a regular jacket, it doesn't scream 'I rode my bike here!'. It would also be a great jacket for walking- although there is no hood!

Gloves
My gloves are from Lidl, they do some great budget cycling gear, it's well worth keeping an eye out for! Mine are windproof and the light coloured bits you can see in the video and scotchlite fabric. A nice little extra for £4.99!

Seasalt Handyband
These are just so brilliant! Also they are often on sale, or multibuy offers. They are currently £12.95 full  price, but they have some designs in the sale for £8. Do it! It's so worth it!

Lights
My lights are from Knog. I have the 'Boomer' and the 'Blinder', both are USB rechargeable and so bright that they hurt your eyes! I would recommend them, especially the 'Blinder', but keep the receipt just in case!

Bike based New Years resolutions!

Well 2014 seems to have crept up pretty quickly, how did that happen!? I'm not normally a fan of resolutions, but for this blog I make an exception!

1. Ride more, ride longer! I am getting a bit lazy with my daily commutes, as is normal in the winter months. I am looking forward to taking advantage of my new geared bike. When it brightens up a bit I aim to go out more on weekends for longer rides out of London.

2. Properly learn how to fix my bike! I know how to do the simple things (with the aid of my trust bike doctor app) but I would like to be quicker and more confident by the summer.

3. START MAKING YOUTUBE VIDEOS! Wahoo! I have registered MennaCycles as a YouTube channel and very very soon I will start posting videos! You will also be able to see them here alongside the usual posts. I imagine it to be a mix of product reviews, advice, interviews and other wonderful things! 

So anyways HAPPY NEW YEAR!! I look forward to further blogging in 2014!