The average age of cyclists who wear Lycra in Ireland is currently 42. Take the under 18’s out of that equation and it becomes 46.

Let’s call the average 46 year old Irish cyclist Pat.

Pat is married to Ailish. They have two kids Michael and Sorcha. There are two cars in their driveway, a Skoda Superb Estate and a Skoda Kodiaq 4×4, which both get swopped between spouses depending upon the days activities. There is no room for any car in the garage as it is fully kitted out with eight steady-racks, every one of which is occupied by two wheeled prize possessions that have names like Pinarello, Colnago, Giant and Specialized. Pat is well established in his chosen career. As a younger man with an engineering degree he earned his stripes and now has his own office with its own door.

This offers plenty of time and opportunity for Monday morning phone calls dissecting the Sunday spin. Tuesday afternoons are spent browsing Chain reaction and Wiggle. Wednesday morning sees the office unoccupied as regular high priority client meetings are always scheduled. These meetings just so happen to take place on the quiet back roads of the Comeragh Mountains where every attendee is dressed in Lycra cycling kits rather than polyester suits with red neck ties. Fluo yellow sidis far outweigh brown brogues. However, it is often the most productive part of his week.

At the weekend Pat, who is no longer on first name terms with the barmen in 12 pubs now goes missing for part of Saturday morning and most of Sunday morning. When he is not out in the back of beyonds waving at sheep who are the only local inhabitants of the area he can be found in a coffee shop wearing the lycra chatting to his cycling buddies about their next planned European adventure. This year it was the Alps so next year it has to be the Pyrenees. With a little creative planning 12 Irish families from the same general area may just find themselves in the same French campsite. Coincidentally the Etape du Tour may be starting in the next village over, 3 days after they arrive and the Tour de France itself just happens to be passing during the second week of their family holidays.

Whilst there may have been 46 candles on Pats last birthday cake, his body bears more physical resemblance to that of a 28 year old who does a little physical activity.

Put some Lycra on him and let him off on his bike with a group of his like minded and equally colourfully dressed cohorts and his mental age becomes 16.

When Pat was actually 16, driven on by the exploits of his two hero’s Kelly and Roche on the World stage, he used to train with a similar amount of contemporaries as he does today. Back then, they all thought that they were Kelly in Roubaix on a flat spin or Roche on La Plagne on a hilly spin, as they do today. They were always curious about new roads to explore and training techniques to try out and the latest piece of new equipment, as they are today.

To some people the bicycle is just a cheap form of transport to get you from A to B on a fine day, but to those in the know it is the greatest piece of time traveling technology ever invented.

Whether you are 16 or 76 you can still cycle with the same group. I have often been in groups with 2 generations of a number of families training together and occasionally been in a group with 3 generations of the same family all training together.

You never grow old on a bike, you always feel like you are 17 with the wind blowing in your face as you explore new horizons. It truly is the greatest time travelling machine ever invented.

Barry

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