Cycling

If you live and work in Brighton (or anywhere really), then travelling by bicycle is usually the best way to get around. From experience, cycling is always faster than the bus, mostly faster than the car, and about equal with the train assuming you live within 5 minutes of a station. Cycling is also completely free, eco-friendly and great exercise. You'd be silly not to!

My bike

I don't ride anything particularly fancy. I have a Ridgeback Meteor model from late 2007 which is a decent hybrid bike. It's expensive enough to be robust and have quality components, but not expensive enough to be the first bike in the rack targetted by thieves.

I have made a couple of modifcations to the standard kit. I replaced the riser handlebars with butterfly bars as I feel they are the most comfortable thing for sustained journeys, offering a number of different hand positions to switch between. These weren't all that expensive, maybe £30 including the bar tape.

I found the kit saddle extremely uncomfortable. The padded insert became less and less firm over time, offering little protection for an important part of the body! I replaced it with a Rido saddle. Even though it's hard plastic, it's very comfortable and shifts the pressure to the correct part of the body for sitting. It only cost me £12. This saddle is the original model, and Rido have since brought out a fancier R2 model.

I carry my change of clothes, tools and other work bits and pieces in a couple of waterproof Vaude pannier bags. I perform most maintenance myself, but I find it helpful to let South Coast Bikes perform a proper tune-up about once every year.

Bike essentials

Cycling links