Fixie alert

If you, like the rest of the London bike community who at the very least eschew high-vis jackets, are into fixies check out this website

The pink chain is mine.

Naked people on bikes in London

Bikes in London - normal

Naked people in London - pretty normal

Naked people on bikes in London - not very normal and vaguely disturbing.

The shenanigans were in aid of World Naked Bike Ride to promote body freedom and ween people off car culture.

The rides have been taking place all over the world and this was the fifth year it had taken place in London.

Around 1,200 riders set off from Hyde Park on a six mile tour of the city and luckily the weather held. It seemed as though most of the people watching were more interested in finally seeing what a man's penis looked like while resting on a saddle (aaaaaah, so that's how it lowers their sperm count) rather than the issues the cyclists were attempting to promote but anytime London traffic is stopped for a bike is good enough for me.

The AA/ RAC service for bikes - is this good?!

As far as I can tell, bicycles are pretty simple machines. Treated logically, they tend to make sense and as such can be fixed relatively easily. The grease on your jeans is another matter obviously.

So when I heard Cycle Training UK offered Cycle Cover insurance which includes cycle rescue cover I was ever so slightly caught between a rock and a hard place.

Good - if you get stuck 50 miles from the nearest town with no tools or brain cells they can come out and fix your bike. But not you.

Bad - the cover is aimed at women which is a tad disturbing as it seems females are still harbouring some strange 'grease-fear'. The only way a bike will ever afford you freedom is if you learn how to fix it yourself. The more you depend on others, the more you'll get ripped off.

So, here is the link for the cycle cover and here is one for a bicycle maintenance course. You decide.

And just in case you want some qualifications - click here

Smithfield shakes off Fabric....

On Saturday we headed to Smithfields, in the City of London, and we weren't going to the world's most claustrophobic club Fabric.

We were heading towards the Smithfield Nocturne which, despite most of it taking place during the day, is a nighttime bike race now in its second year.

As well as elite riders (freaky - men with no leg hair. Still can't come to terms with it) there was a 'fastest commuter in London' folding bike race which was quality. Although because it took place on a proper roped off track without any kamikaze bus drivers probably can't be a conclusive crowning of said commuter.

Anyway, it seemed to be a gathering of fixed gears which are everywhere at the moment. We got some good photos.

And we got psyched to see such a funky bike atmosphere in town. Folding bikes and fixed gears side by side. Who'd have thought it?