For years, road cycling seemed to occupy a bit of a niche in the cycling and sports world, then ‘the Wiggins effect’ took Britain by storm. The national cycling charity CTC, which has a 70,000 strong membership base said cycling had been growing in popularity over time, but there was a notable "Wiggins effect", especially since the London 2012 Olympics.
Since the rise of Wiggins and Team Sky thousands of people across Britain, male and female, young and old have taken to the exhilarating and hugely rewarding sport of road cycling. People are realising its fitness potential, money saving benefits and social aspects while out and about discovering the scenic corners of Britain and beyond. It appears we're in the grip of a roadie boom which shows little sign of diminishing.
The advancement in affordable tech andequipment has made it incredibly accessible for much of the population to jump on a bike - getting them away from thegymand into the great outdoors, exploring thefantastic surroundings and countryside our country has to offer.
If you liketo explore further afield, all of our beachclubs guarantee the ride of a lifetime, with everything from beginner rides dishing up breath-taking viewsto a stage of the 2017 Giro D’Italia atBaia dei Mori Beachclub in Sardinia, giving you quad-wrenching climbs and views of the Sardinian coastline that many peoplecan only dream of.
Road cycling for many people, including all of Neilson’s bike guides and mechanics, is a sport with no real barriers or boundaries, giving you the ability to see some of the worlds most beautiful landscapes, it can give you the freedom you crave, at your pace, wherever you want.
Get out there, ride, laugh, and discover the sportthat so much of the UK has started to embrace.
The boom cycling has experienced in recent years, alongside smart phones becoming such a big part of everybody’s lives, has seen the rapid expansion of apps such as Strava. The cyclists facebook and holy grail, Strava has quickly become the second (or first) love of many men and women up and down the country, offering a fun and easy to use platform for tracking personal improvement.
King if the Mountain (KOM), Queen of the Mountain (QOM) and personal bests (PB's)may not mean anything to the non-cyclist, but when you find the love for clipping into your road bike, it’ll become a big part of your day-to-day training schedule, and something to strive towards on a regular basis. The friendly style of competitiveness amongst Strava users is what makes it so great, so addictive, and so influential. You can even use it to see how your riding stats check out against the Neilson biking team before your holiday.
Improve your cycle fitness and you’ll enjoy riding more, it’s as simple as that! You’ll be able to cover greater distancesand you’ll no longer be at the back of the pack.
To make life easier and to give you an idea of what to pack we’ve put together a list of sixessentials we think you should bring with you (or leave at home).
If you're a runner, then a bike could be one of your most valuable training tools.Cycling can improve your running performance, build muscle strength and aid recovery.
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