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Nov
2018

10 Reasons Why Women Should Cycle

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reasons why women should cycle

If you’re contemplating getting your first bike, maybe these ten reasons as to why women should cycle will be all the encouragement that you need.

According to statistics from the Department for Transport last year, men cycle almost three times as many trips and almost four times further than women. But, with so many reasons why women should cycle, cycling enthusiasts are hoping to see an increase. From taking care of your body and mind to building your confidence and self-esteem, there is an abundance of reasons why women should cycle too.

Fawkes Cycles, run by Nigel and Mandy Bishop, a former cycling World Champion and an ambassador for this year’s World Championships in Yorkshire, thinks more people should be hopping on their bikes to get active. If you want to be convinced, here are 10 reasons why women should cycle. (more…)


Jan
2017

Best Cycling Blog 2016! Winner of the Trespass Blog Awards…Again!

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Best Cycling Blog 2016 - Trespass Blog Award winnerWinner! Trespass Blog Awards – Best Cycling Blog 2016

Well, 2017 has got off to a brilliant start for Ordinary Cycling Girl. I’ve won the best cycling blog 2016 in the Trespass Blog Awards for the second year running! How exciting!

When I first started writing Ordinary Cycling Girl I had no idea whether anyone would bother to read it. Never did I think that any of the content would make my blog considered worthy of being nominated for any kind of award. So thank you to everyone who considered Ordinary Cycling Girl worthy of being nominated in the Trespass Blog Awards in the category of best cycling blog. And for the second year running too! (more…)


Aug
2016

Guest Post: It’s National Road Victim Month – Stay Safe Cycling

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National Road Victim MonthDid you know that August is National Road Victim Month? Here’s some helpful advice from Carl Waring, a leading UK personal injury solicitor, on how to stay safe cycling the roads.

No one needs to be told our roads can be deadly, but there’s a lot we can do to make sure a simple bike ride doesn’t turn into an unfortunate accident

A woman called Bridget Driscoll had the grisly distinction of being the first person in Britain to be killed by a moving vehicle. It was 120 years ago this month, and the accident occurred in Crystal Palace in London. Fast-forward just over a century to 1997 and the nation was brought to its knees when one of its most beloved public figures also died on the road, albeit in the French capital. It was in August that Diana, Princess of Wales, lost her life in a car.

For these and many more reasons, August is now National Road Victim Month, a time when we remember those who may have died or been injured on the nation’s roads and perhaps to make ourselves more aware of what measures we can take to stay safe while travelling. It’s especially vital during peak travel times, such as now, when families all over the country are making their summer getaways by car or campervan. (more…)


May
2016

Ordinary Cycling Girl is now an eBay Influencer!

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Ordinary Cycling Girl: eBay Influencer NetworkI have some very exciting news to share! March and April saw me extremely busy working on lots of new cycling guides for eBay.com after I was asked to join their community as an eBay Influencer on their Influencer Network! I’m very flattered to have been approached and I am really looking forward to continuing working with them over the coming months. And, of course, it’s brilliant to be able to finally share these guides with you! (more…)


Apr
2016

Getting a Better Bike Fit

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Getting a better bike fitAlthough you can buy clothes from a shop and wear them straight off the hanger, you never truly feel comfortable until you wear something that’s designed for your body shape – clothes that truly fit. You may have to pay extra but the comfort is definitely worth it.

Cycling is no different. Nowadays, you can tailor your ride further, synchronising your cycle to your body type and shape. Essentially, this means altering your ride so that you can sit more comfortably, which in turn means you can ride for longer. A bike fit is generally performed for new riders or for people who aren’t comfortable with their current set up. But what is a bike fit and how do you improve yours? (more…)


Dec
2015

More to B’twin than first meets the eye

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B'Twin
The B’Twin Village, Lille, France

Just when you think you know what a brand is all about…

If I say ‘B’Twin’ to you it conjures the image of a cheaper brand aimed at novice cyclists, right? Well, yes, you’re right, but you’re also very wrong. There’s a lot more to B’Twin than meets the eye.

Ordinary Cycling Girl was recently invited by Decathlon UK to visit the B’Twin Village in Lille, France. For those of you who are not familiar with B’Twin, it’s Decathlon’s cycling brand and as I’m sure many of you are already aware, the brand comes with a very good reputation for offering decent bikes at low prices. However, here in the UK, at least, it’s probably the brand you are likely to suggest to your pal who’s considering their first road bike or mountain bike, rather than your enthusiastic club cyclist who’s looking to add to his N+1 collection. But don’t be quite so quick to dismiss it for the more experienced cyclist too. (more…)


Sep
2015

Two Sleeps Until My First Cycling Holiday #CataluynaExperience

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Cycling holiday
Image: CC Brennan Ehrhardt

In two sleeps I’ll be heading off on my first ever cycling holiday to Catalunya. Excited? Yes, you could say that! The smalls have taken the news that mum will be away for a few days very well and I have to say I’m really looking forward to sunshine, beautiful scenery and of course, some two-wheeled fun!

Having never cycled abroad before, I’ve been thinking about the types of things I’m hoping Catalunya will offer and the things other people might look for when cycling abroad and choosing their ideal cycling holiday. (more…)


Apr
2015

The Top Five Boroughs in England for Cycling

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Image via Flickr: Phil Gradwell (Creative Commons Licence)
Image via Flickr: Phil Gradwell (Creative Commons Licence)

Cycling continues to take the UK by storm as people seek a healthier, more environmentally friendly way of getting around, which got me thinking as to which cities and areas in England are the best places for riders to get on their bikes?

Toothpick have put together the Healthy Access study which provides data focused on the percentage of people who cycle at least once a week for any amount of time. The findings are really interesting!

So, which are the top five boroughs in England for cycling? (more…)


Jan
2015

Team Honk & Comic Relief: Are you dancing? I’m asking!

categories: All Post, Charity, Red Nose Day Danceathon 2015

Red Nose Day Danceathon 2015, Team Honk Danceathon

This time last year I was in training ready for a 50km cycle ride from Grantham to Nottingham dressed as Robin Hood. Not something you do everyday but I was part of the award winning Team Honk bloggers for a baton relay all in aid of Comic Relief.

My fellow Nottingham blogger team mates, friends and I endured nine punctures in ice cold wind and rain and were truly exhausted at the end of the day. It took us eight hours in all to complete something which we thought we would have had wrapped up in half the time! We were even too exhausted to eat cake at the end of the day and it took a good few days to recover. I remember the very next day I just wanted to cry – I experienced this massive low and was sooo tired I could barely move. Sounds ridiculous for a 50km ride doesn’t it, but it was like nothing I’ve experienced before. We were on and off the bike riding canal paths that seemed intent on piercing our times every few hundred metres and once we were cold and wet it was so hard to warm up again. But, it was amazing fun – I can say that in retrospect – and the camaraderie was so brilliant that I wouldn’t have missed it for the world. And we were raised an incredible amount of money for some fantastic causes in the UK. I can honestly say being part of Team Honk was one of the highlights of 2014 for me. (more…)


Dec
2014

And the winner is….Forme Formeula Road 24

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First junior road bike
A big thumbs up from Miss OCG for her new bike!

Christmas has come early for  Miss OCG! She has her first road bike and she is thrilled!

She’s actually had it about two months now, a decent enough time to have tried it out on the road and on fields and she is loving it! And so are we.

So, choosing Miss OCG’s first junior road bike proved a tricky process but the winner is…..the Forme Formeula 24″. (more…)