John has been a member of the club since 2012 and is a regular member of the clubs Medium Sunday ride group. Read on to find out more:

Q. When and what made you start cycling.

A. I started cycling at the beginning of 2013. I had multiple operations on my right knee (rugby injury) which limited sports I could do and resulted in piling on the pounds. Cycling was the obvious choice for my dodgy knee and by the end of 2013 I had lost 10kg and cycled to Paris from London raising money for the charity MIND.

Q. What sort of riding do you enjoy

A. Mainly road cycling but more recently have been out on the hardtail mountain bike (birthday gift from the missus) and have been enjoying some of the local trails. Once lockdown ends I plan many more off road adventures.

Q. Is cycling the only sport you do

A. No, thankfully cycling has helped strengthen my once dodgy knee and for the last 4 years I have been playing tennis again. Nothing competitive, just social games with friends and family at Maidenhead tennis club.

Q. How often do you ride, and apart from cycling do you do other types of training  

A. Not enough in the winter. Poor circulation in my left foot limits me to cycling only when the temperature is at least 7degrees. From March through to October usually get out 2 to 3 times a week. Yes, I go on an exercise bike at home every 2nd day for 45mins to an hour followed by weights. Separately row a few times a week on rowing machine.

Q. Other than cycling what other hobbies do you have 

A. Main hobby during 2020 was looking after and enjoying the company of a puppy cockerpoo who we bought in Feb last year.

Q. What is your most memorable ride

A. Hard to pin point one but definitely most exhilarating ride was an impromptu ride with team Lotto Soudal in the Algarve. They had finished their stage race for the day and 4 of the team decided to ride back to their hotel, mainly downhill and 25km away. Myself and a friend tagged on the back of their group....by their standards they were going slow, by my standards we were breaking land speed records.

Q. Why did you join MDCC and what do you enjoy most about the club

A. The cycling bug bit me hard in 2013 and the London to Paris bike ride was the first time I had ridden in a group which I generally found more enjoyable than solo. As a result I decided to join MDCC which has been great, everyone is so friendly and different levels to suit all abilities. Certainly learn’t a lot in the first few years from some of the long time cyclists.

Q. Does anyone else in the family cycle

A. My daughter and wife occasionally cycle, family bike rides in the summer.

Q. Do you have any cycling hates

A. No.

Q. Now this is a couple of questions for the geeks! What would you choose:

i. Disc or Calliper brakes

A. Calliper

ii. Cable or Electric gears

A. Cable

iii. If you could have any bike what would it be

A. Harley Davidson.

Q. How have you managed in 2020/1 with all of its challenges 

A. Fortunately my family and I not been adversely affected COVID 19, all still working and so far health good. Definitely count myself lucky and aforementioned puppy has been very entertaining.