After having been bitten by an infected tick in the summer of 2017, John was featured in the March 28th issue of Cycling Weekly to highlight this increasing issue of Lymes Disease.

This comprehensive article highlights the problems associated with Lymes Disease and how its symptoms vary from person to person. Hopefully, after a months dose of high potency antibiotics, the disease has been flushed from John’s body.

Currently, in spring 2018, John is back on his bike after several months training inside on his TACX turbo trainer looking forward to the warm spring weather and a busy summer for Lake District Bikes.

Lymes Disease: Essential Advice

• If you have been bitten by a tick (or think you might have been) and experience flu-like symptoms, tell your doctor – they may not put two and two together.
• Cover your legs or use insect repellent if you’re somewhere ticks are likely to be present.
• If you see a tick on your body, get rid of it as soon as possible. Sutcliffe made a mental note of when he was bitten.
• Just because you don’t have a big red rosette-shaped rash around the tick bite, it doesn’t mean you aren’t infected.
• Get back into your cycling gradually – you may feel weak and under the weather for several weeks, even months. Sutcliffe used an electric bike until he regained full strength.

Two English universities have recently published research proving that a lifetime of cycling slows the effects of ageing and rejuvenates the immune system.

The cyclists in the study, of which I was not one, did not gain excessive body fat as they aged and their cholesterol levels were not raised. The age group in the test both men and women were aged 55 to 79.

In men levels of testosterone, which has an anti ageing effect, but usually dwindles with passing years — remains high. This added to the fact that regular cycling seems to have a proactive effect on the immune system, makes us regular cyclist the healthiest of human beings.

Yet there is more good news from a Scottish university that found that regular cycling reduces the risk of developing cancer by 45% compared with sedentary peoples.Plus cycling regularly nearly halves the risk of heart disease.

So I guess in a nutshell, cycle regularly to live longer and have the mental capacity not to get lost on your bike ride in old age!

I have been busy over the winter adding more bikes to the hire fleet.Three Enigma titanium road bikes ,two Echo models and one Etape model have been added to give a size range of 53 (Small frame) to 59 (Large frame). These will compliment the mid range sizes already available for hire. All these Enigma bikes offer a full refund of the hire charges against the purchase of a new Enigma bike, as Lake District Bikes is now the North West demo centre for Enigma titanium framed bikes. In the spring we will have four different new Enigma bikes in stock for sale. All will be the 2018 models with Shimano Ultegra gears and disc brakes. Find out more…

I’m always on the lookout for new rides to suit the more experienced cyclist. I have just added a challenging ride option, which is a good day’s ride of 64 miles. A loop from our base in Lowick taking in lots of the High Furness climbs. This cycle ride can be found in the challenging section and is available as a self guided or guided cycling adventure ride. I recommend the guided option as the route is quite complicated.

If you want to travel up to the Lakes for a day’s cycling this ride is ideal, whether you bring your own bike or hire one from my hire fleet. Don’t forget there is free parking and on-site toilet facilities for clients hiring a bike or taking a guided ride.

Also if you are only up for a day’s riding and have to drive home after, you may take a shower if you bring your own towel. You will certainly need one as this ride will get you sweating with all the climbs.

I look forward to your visit to the Lake District.

Happy New Year.  John.

So I have taken the plunge and plan to purchase and add electric bikes to our growing hire fleet. For more information visit our electric bikes hire section on our Lake District Bikes website.

With luck the Bay Partnership will be awarding funding and a comprehensive promotional campaign to promote THE BAY RIDE. This ride along the shores of Morecambe Bay, from Walney to Glasson Dock or visa versa, is already featured in our ride portfolio, and with all the promotion planned for 2017 should become very popular.

Also the number of titanium framed all terrain bikes has increased together with further additions to the Trek range of carbon road bikes. This now includes for 2017 two Trek Project One bikes with top of the range Shimano Dura-ace electronic gears… a quality of bike not usually available for hire.

To complete the Trek range of road bikes a new TREK Madone 9.2 will also be available for hire in 2017.

I am very proud to conclude that this range of Trek road bikes is now the most comprehensive quality road bike hire fleet in the UK.