“It is only when you get passed by a lorry on a narrow road, do you finally realise how fragile a bicycle is compared to large vehicles. Anything that makes this safer for cyclists is a good thing.”
Cycle Alert speaks to the winner of our Win a Bike Competition, David McLaughlin…
My first cycling memory:
Falling off a Raleigh Grifter and doing my first faceplant!
How long have you been cycling for?
I cycled when I was growing up in Ireland as it was the only way to get around quickly if you didn’t have a car.
What is your favourite trail?
It has to be the numerous trails in and around Epping Forest. It is great for off-road trails.
Do you belong to a club?/How did that come about?
I don’t belong to a club unless I count the friends I go cycling with in the forest. I definitely think cycling is a social sport.
What’s your best/worst part about cycling?
The best parts are: fresh air and exercise; sociable and fun; an ever-expanding community of cyclists and a great way to get from A to B.
The worst parts are: inadequate provision for cyclists on roads; potholes and puddles; inconsiderate drivers and having to clean the bike after a muddy session in the forest.
What do you prefer to wear when cycling?
Baggy shorts and T-shirt. Don’t like wearing a helmet, but that’s a necessity. Clip-in shoes are good. They also provide fun for your fellow cyclists when you start wearing them and fall off!
What would you like to see happen to make roads safer?
Dedicated cycle lanes have to be introduced. Traffic lights and junctions must also provide for cyclists to get away from the lights safely.
What do you think of Cycle Alert?
It is only when you get passed by a lorry on a narrow road, do you finally realise how fragile a bicycle is compared to large vehicles. Anything that makes this safer for cyclists is a good thing.
Best product on the market?
I saw a friend use a Crank Brothers Speed Lever to change a tyre and got one. It is brilliant.
Predictions for cycling 2014?
This is probably more in hope than a prediction, but I would like to see a sea-change in attitude to cycle safety on roads with a fundamental change to how roads are used by all of us. If it is a prediction, then it will be that Team Sky will win the Tour de France again.
My cycling Superhero and why?
Stephen Roche. When I was growing up, the Tour de France was very foreign and I wasn’t interested. However, when an Irishman started winning, I took an interest. He and Sean Kelly has made cycling in Ireland more popular and this has been sustained.
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