Categories: Diary

Thirty-something? Forty-something (or more)? been a biker (lapsed)? Thinking of getting one again? Wondering whether your riding/judgement/abused joints/remaining brain cells are up to it? Me too.

There's a name for it - 'born-again biker'. It's not one I like – the term implies a tendency to evangelise. I'm not evangelising, I'm apologising. Apologising for having been away from bikes for far, far too long. I'll also apologise in advance for being the sort of bore that only the reborn can be. It's a fair cop… There are however a lot of us about - people who've had bikes and reluctantly given them up, for all the usual reasons. But always with the intent of 'getting another one soon,just as soon as '. That something usually takes a few years, during which time the capabilities of the machines and the state of the roads may have changed more than somewhat. That's exactly what's happening now in the UK – booming bike sales and a matching boom in people falling off the things, in ways ranging from the terminally embarassing to the entirely terminal.

As someone going through the process myself (but hopefully without the falling off bit) there's perhaps a few things that can help others who are heading along the same route – mistakes to avoid (and which I've probably made), buying a bike, relearning and remembering just why we do it. Hence this diary – you're welcome to read, snigger, mock, question or ignore – as it suits you.

Richard

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