SLIPSTREAMING

Cycling is all about slipstreaming. Sitting out of the wind in the middle of a bunch of riders is easier than riding at the front, and creating the "hole", you use 30-40% less energy. Birds do the same when they fly in V-formations.

Until recently, I used to go cycling mainly on my own. The nearest club was more than 15km away, and I didn't fancy riding 15km (and possibly 15km back) just to ride with other people. So the setting up of a cycling club in my home town earlier this year was a great development. There are training sessions three times a week, on Tuesday and Thursday evenings and Sunday mornings, though I don't go to them all. And you get to ride in a bunch, with all those slipstreaming advantages.

On Thursday evening we did 50km in less than 2 hours. It was a very windy day, so doing it on my own would have been a nightmare. Coming back at the end with the wind behind us, I was doing 50km/hr on the flat without really trying. Very satisfying.

Walter Blotscher