Category Archives: bicycles

Rehashing (ii)

Posted on August 17, 2020 by

It’s a strange feeling to revisit some of my old Canvas columns. Last week I was trying to write a short piece for Essential Services, a new magazine by former Metro editor Henry Oliver, about writing a column and why … Continue reading →

Posted in bicycles, Change, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

The Tri-Suit

Posted on February 21, 2016 by

Today I bought a tri-suit. A tri-suit is a versatile garment that you can wear to swim, bike, and run without having to get changed in between. To make these seamless transitions possible, the tri-suit has to be sleek and all-encasing. That makes it … Continue reading →

Posted in bicycles, books, Clothes, Uncategorized | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Bicycle diary

Posted on September 6, 2015 by

  The gross and net result of it is that people who spent most of their natural lives riding iron bicycles over the rocky roadsteads of this parish get their personalities mixed up with the personalities of their bicycle as … Continue reading →

Posted in bicycles, Happiness or not | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Five rides

Posted on April 26, 2015 by

1. The blogger Whale Oil calls cyclists ‘road maggots’. I can’t help but find this quite funny. Sometimes I think about it when I’m riding along. Does this analogy make cars blowflies? 2. On Friday, the day before Anzac Day, … Continue reading →

Posted in bicycles | 1 Comment

On breathing noisily, when puffed

Posted on March 18, 2015 by

I have decided to begin breathing noisily again when I am puffed, rather than trying to conceal the breathing. In the past, I must have decided that breathing noisily when puffed was a sign of weakness, and that anyone who noticed … Continue reading →

Posted in bicycles, Working | 5 Comments

A bike ride with James Brown

Posted on April 11, 2014 by

I’ve been a big fan of James Brown’s poems for a long time. The first poem of his I read was ‘Loneliness’, in 2001. It’s probably still his most well known poem, all these years later. I wonder if James is … Continue reading →

Posted in bicycles, books, Poetry, Uncategorized | Tagged , , | 5 Comments

On riding into things

Posted on February 24, 2014 by

Last week I rode into a swarm of bees. I realised I was going to ride into them a fraction of a second too late. The bees were coming out of a tree growing on the side of the road. … Continue reading →

Posted in bicycles, Recklessness | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

The unseen ass

Posted on August 5, 2013 by

To this day, I’ve haven’t thought of a decent comeback. I will never have one. I don’t believe anyone really has one. It’s because there is nothing to say. There’s just nowhere intelligent to go, maybe because I don’t disagree … Continue reading →

Posted in bicycles, Memory, Recklessness | 8 Comments

Keep human!

Posted on September 24, 2012 by

Take it easy, but take it. – Woody Guthrie Some things from the week. Armoured and alarmed my CV. Looked for a job. Made some “calls”. Disarmed my CV. Fell over onto some stupid rocks, twisted my ankle. Thought about the … Continue reading →

Posted in bicycles, Happiness or not, Struggling | 2 Comments

Rust

Posted on July 31, 2012 by

It’s been a while since I’ve written a bicycle post, so here is one. It will be the equivalent of a quick spin down to the dairy and back. While sometimes I’ve felt an overwhelming misanthropy out on the road … Continue reading →

Posted in bicycles, Change, London, Uncategorized | Leave a comment