Nama Wheelers – why everyone is now a cyclist !

Today is budget day and the Joe Duffy/Eastenders/Prime time brigade are all depressed . I avoided all tv and radio coverage , went and bought a Christmas tree with my two small daughters and had a great afternoon decorating it whilst listening to Now that’s what I call Christmas volume 2 million and something . A while ago after the girls were well tucked up in bed I popped on to twitter and got a brief overview before going to the budget.gov.ie site and taking a look . We’re all going to be down some more money but we will all still get by .

The past few years has seen a huge growth in the number of cyclists on the road , many are cycling to work whilst many are also cycling because they have no work . Funny thing is , what I have noticed from behind the counter of a bike shop is that both groups are actually as happy as each other . The general population is now discovering what cyclists actually have known all along  ;

Cycling is a great leveler . It doesn’t matter if you are a doctor or a ‘dolee’ on the bike , everyone is just a bike rider . Joe public have now just realised that they no longer have to look up to the bank manager , the solicitor or the priest . They are all just human and some are good guys or clean riders whilst others are cheaters juiced up to their eyeballs on epo .

Cyclists know how to suffer . Every cyclist knows that you have to train in the wind and rain , that way you really enjoy and appreciate the sunny day with the wind on your back . That’s what life is like too , some days , weeks or months are tough going but they make you appreciate the good times all the more .

Money doesn’t buy happiness , just ask anyone who spent 3 grand on a pair of Lightweights and still can’t finish in the top six of a race .

Any day you can go out and do 100k is a good day , no matter what’s going on around you . Cycling keeps you fit and healthy and out of those overcrowded hospitals .

There is no climb that doesn’t have a descent . The current economic crisis is like climbing Mont Ventoux . We have suffered on the lower slopes through the forest . Unlike Alpe D’Huez there are no hairpins to recover on and the heat is savage . However we are now approaching Challet Renard . There is still a long way to go in totally unfamiliar lunar like surroundings but the top is there and just over the other side is a fabulous descent where the view is spectacular and things do get better again .

Barry

www.worldwidecycles.com