Every now and then, stop ... it'll make your commute much better

I've been meaning for a few days to stop and take a photo of Hyde Park. There's a particular spot where you just catch a glimpse into it and it looks like a paradise on earth, especially on a clear crisp day like today. Anyway - in spite of the fact that the bit where you have to pull over is tricky because it's on a fast road - and also annoying because it's right at the bottom of a hill so you have to start from scratch when you get going again, I did stop, and I did take a picture. It probably doesn't do it justice, but see what you think:

Note - saddle showing clear signs of wear and tear - see previous entries 

And while we're on interesting news - I spotted another person wearing a riding hat today. This time I'm pretty sure it was a real riding hat being used for cycling, rather than a fashionable cycling hat. And I spotted one of those really trendy hats I've talked about before. If you're wondering what the hell I'm on about, here's a link to previous entries on the topic.

Are you listening to your bike?

My bike has developed a new noise and I'm struggling to understand the language. It goes like this. I pedal, it goes "creeeeeeek". I pedal, it goes "creeeeeeeek". I pedal, it goes "creeeeeeeek".  I pedal fast, it goes "creeeeeeeeeek" faster. OK, that suggests it's the pedals or the chain. But then I kind of stand up on the pedals and it stops. I am led to the inevitable conclusion that it's my seat. But when I kind of wobble it, nothing happens. No creeking noise. I'm beginning to worry I might be alarming small children and unsuspecting cyclists with my new noise.

If only I was fluent in bike.

Can a grown man suddenly sprout two inches ... or is there something wrong with my bike seat?

I've recently been having a little nag in the back of my head which has been telling me that my bike seat's too low. But this can't be as I haven't touched it for years. And as far as I know, I've passed the legal age of growing. But there it is again - a feeling of the old knees sticking up too much, of my weight being too damn ... low.

So, at a pit-stop to buy a new gear cable (mine keep snapping with monotonous regularity), I took the opportunity to raise the seat by a couple of inches and ... what an amazing difference! I felt preposterously high above the cars (purely psychological, of course) and ludicrously distant from the road. I worried about whether my feet would actually reach to the ground when I stopped, but mercifully I was still in contact. But good grief - the extra cycling power! I suddenly felt like I could go like the wind - admittedly not that sensible while negotiating the T-Junction which takes you into Marylebone High Street. It must be said though that it's not all joys - I also felt much more knackered more quickly.

But my suspicion is that by raising your seat a tiny bit, you could make a substantial impact on speed and efficiency.

Karma rating: ****

By the way - just found a good post on bike seat height at Bike Radar - and it confirms the idea that a too-low saddle can have a serious impact on energy efficiency. So there you go.