{"id":25761,"date":"2014-12-12T18:30:15","date_gmt":"2014-12-12T17:30:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.welovecycling.com\/?p=25761"},"modified":"2015-02-03T12:11:11","modified_gmt":"2015-02-03T11:11:11","slug":"10-reasons-cyclists-love-christmas","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.welovecycling.com\/wide\/2014\/12\/12\/10-reasons-cyclists-love-christmas\/","title":{"rendered":"10 reasons cyclists love Christmas"},"content":{"rendered":"

Everyone has their own reasons why he loves Christmas. We give you list of 10 things that make us really look forward to that special time of year as cyclists.<\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

1. We turn on the lights<\/h2>\n

We express our excitement by lighting up our bikes like Christmas trees. Countless flashing lights, front and rear to see which cyclist can bring the most Christmas cheer to British roads.<\/p>\n

Some newspapers question whether cyclists are bringing too much cheer to the British public \u2013 a regular concern for any British government. Some argue that lights flash too brightly or too fast. I can sympathise with their concerns \u2013 I saw a cyclist with 4 flashing lights on his handle bar basket alone\u2026<\/p>\n

\"2109407065_da30bb7881_o\"<\/a>
\nPhoto: Bicycle Christmas lights by Richard Masoner<\/a>, CC BY-SA 2.0<\/em><\/p>\n

Ironically, the Germans (famed for their festive celebrations) regulate the intensity of cycle lights, and this could be standardised across Europe. The days of being blinded on your commute by festive cyclists might soon be over.<\/p>\n

2. We get to break out THE WINTER GEAR<\/h2>\n

Springtime in Britain, cycle retailers start discounting as much winter gear as possible. You buy as many merino jerseys as your wallet allows and commit to wearing them before it gets to summer. Too late! Merino\u2019s too warm for April. So cyclists love Christmas because they can wear all the gear they\u2019ve been hiding from their partners for the last 7 months.<\/p>\n

3. We get to spend on THE SUMMER GEAR<\/h2>\n

As frosts appear, cycle retailers start discounting their summer gear. Before you think this is a cut and paste of reason 2, cyclists have the added bonus of subtly hinting to their family what might make welcome presents. By emailing hyperlinks to the exact set of bib tights that will shave 5 minutes off their summer commute. Because that\u2019s how bib tights work, obviously.<\/p>\n

Are you planning to buy a first bike for your children this year? Read our guide<\/a>!<\/p>\n

4. We get to smug it up<\/h2>\n

Motorists get confused at Christmas. Everyone thinks they need to \u201cleave earlier to avoid traffic\u201d, because no other motorist ever thinks of that. A bit of rain or fog \u2013 traffic jams. Not for cyclists. I leave and arrive for work at the same time regardless of the season. It\u2019s just satisfying to arrive stress free during the festive period.<\/p>\n

\"santaonbike\"<\/a>
\nPhoto: Profimedia.cz<\/em><\/p>\n

5. The weather gets bad<\/h2>\n

There is only one of The Velominati rules I live by and it\u2019s \u201cNumber 9: If you are out riding in bad weather, it means you are [hardcore]\u2026\u201d That unspoken sense of camaraderie when you pull up at a red with another cyclist in freezing rain is priceless. When I arrive at work and someone says \u201cyou must hate that rain,\u201d I pity them. They will never understand the significance of being part of The Hardcore Crew.<\/p>\n

6. It\u2019s a time for giving<\/h2>\n

As your relationship with your significant other matures, you become more relaxed about buying expensive moisturising agents to keep their skin in top condition. After all, you\u2019re directly responsible for every \u201cstress line\u201d and unsightly stretch mark they\u2019ve acquired over the years. So why not splash out on some shoe polish and cream to keep your leather saddle looking good?<\/p>\n

\"Couple<\/a>
\nPhoto: Profimedia.cz<\/em><\/p>\n

7. It\u2019s a time for giving<\/h2>\n

It\u2019s tempting to make another joke about treating your other significant other to the new bar tape they deserve, but it would simply labour the joke. Fortunately, my partner shares my love of cycling. Although she\u2019s not a commuter geek like me, Christmas is when I buy her a gift that inevitably disappoints her on the day, but by February she begrudgingly accepts that the product is useful.<\/p>\n

Did you get your first bike for christmas as a kid? This month we present a contest to bring your memories back! Find an old photo with your bike, recreate it and then merge into one nostalgic picture. Share it for a chance to win fabulous prizes!<\/p>\nenter the contest<\/a>\n

8. We love random shots of adrenaline<\/h2>\n

A morning espresso wakes you. But not as much as saving yourself from a frozen drain, or black ice. The adrenaline hit you get recovering your balance is explosive. Just try not to fail like these kids<\/a> because that would be much less adorable.<\/p>\n

\"snowbiking2\"<\/a>
\nPhoto: Profimedia.cz<\/em><\/p>\n

9. It\u2019s a time to get heavy<\/h2>\n

Cycling retailers say the lighter the product the better. Maybe if you\u2019re trying to win Le Tour, but I\u2019m a commuter who\u2019s trying to lose weight before the inevitable Christmas indulgence. I don\u2019t enjoy carrying the additional changes of clothes the festive weather demands, but added weight is good.<\/p>\n

10. We feel the season<\/h2>\n

I leave my house when it\u2019s dark, cold, and possibly raining. I don\u2019t suffer the elements, I experience them. I\u2019m lucky my commute takes me through rural farmland then through a narrow wooded area. At Christmas, when I come out of that wood on the hill over looking the estate where I work, the sun is rising.<\/p>\n

And no matter how cold it is, you feel it\u2019s warmth on your face.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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