As the whole of the UK will be well aware of now, the weather this week has been awesome! Temperatures of over 20°C have been recorded for the first time ever during a UK winter. Although not quite so hot here in Scotland, it has still been incredible to cycle commute in.
1st First
This mild spell led to the first of the firsts I referred to in the title: today was the first time I have commuted in shorts this year. It’s probably the first time ever wearing shorts in February as well!
Last week I was wishing I didn’t have my winter leggings on for a couple of afternoon rides. Excitedly I dug out some bib shorts at the weekend and looked forward to wearing them. However, when it came to it this morning I looked out of my window at 6am and had second thoughts. For a test I went out to the garage to fit my newly charged lights and recoiled immediately as the cold hit me. Hmm, maybe it was a bit optimistic after all.
As a compromise I put my leg warmers under shorts, wore a cooler jacket, set aside my winter boots in favour of summer shoes, then ate my shreddies and set off.
It turned out that I had made the perfect decision. When I started to see a faint mist forming around my breath I realized it was actually pretty cold. My clothing choice was borderline acceptable: any cooler and I would have suffered. The temperature hovered around 1°C, but it was a cracking morning for a ride. Lovely clear skies, dry roads and no wind to speak of.
Roadworks along the A8 only added to my cheer. The inside lane was coned off at the airport, so a mile and a half of traffic jam meant I could skip up the middle unhindered.
Legs Out
When it came to kitting up at the end of the day I left the leg warmers in my bag and let my legs brave the elements. After many months of roasting in my leggings, it felt amazing to finally feel the air flowing around my legs. It just gives a sense of lightness and even spinning the pedals seems less restrictive and easier. Summer shoes also weight a lot less so that adds to the package.
With temperatures of 11°C all the way home I really enjoyed the ride and as in the morning there was almost no wind to hinder me.
2nd First
As mentioned in the post title, this week has been notable for 2 firsts. The second of these is much more exciting than clothing choices and pictures of my legs.
In fact I’ve been waiting years for it.
However, it’s getting late now so I’ll post about it in my next blog. Please check back later to find out more! 🙂
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