Bicycling

Bicycling. Like motoring, bicycling is about journeys and exploration, the joy of just getting out in the world and finding  places and things with people you like. A good bike ride with your mates as a kid was a proper social event - the bikes just there to facilitate the coverage of distance with more ease, usually with the occasional bit of risk-taking thrown in for good measure, just to spice up the day. But mostly, bicycling was about the joy of just doing, usually in pleasant surroundings, away from the bustle of normal life.

Unlike cycling or driving, which are increasingly about a lot of other stuff. Like aspiration and fashion and competition. There have always been competitive cyclists and clubs and the mode du jour in the clothing department, but a very large number were just in it for the laughs and the craic generally.

You don't need four thousand quids-worth of carbon fibre, aircraft alloy and lycra to get out there and just ride. A basic, not too heavy or crappy bike, a pair of shorts and a tee-shirt - a helmet if you're not too confident or competent and there you go - a Sunday afternoon out on the back lanes at a steady pace drinking in the countryside. A gentle amble that will keep you fit without hurting your pocket or crippling you physically.

I'm seriously thinking of starting a business building basic bikes to sell at a good price and provide a platform for enjoyable exercise that won't bankrupt you.