Meet the man who inspired me to cycle again

Go to the gym or cycle in the great outdoors - you decide 

A long time ago in a company far, far away, I once had the privilege of interviewing one of the founders of the cycling charity, Sustrans.
John Grimshaw is the man responsible for opening my eyes to the benefits of pedal power.
For those who want to know more about Sustrans (which has plenty of supporters and critics), check out its website - www.sustrans.org.uk 

Or see www.johngrimshawassociates.co.uk for more information about the man himself.
When I interviewed John, he immediately impressed upon me his passion for bikes.
I remember him lamenting about those poor individuals, sweating it out in a gym twice a week when they could just cycle to work and get fit. Instead of devoting a special time and place to exercise, they could turn their commute into a gym class.
As well as incorporating physical exertion into their daily routine, it would also free up three or four hours a week to do something more interesting instead. And let's be honest, there are plenty of things more interesting than pounding a treadmill.
When I started my very first job out of university, I signed up to the motor transport dream like everyone else - despite many happy hours riding a Raleigh Wayfarer around Cambridge where I studied English literature. 
I'd been getting around for years on a motorbike when I met John at Sustrans' head office in Bristol. 
So it really is thanks to him and his enthusiasm that I gave up petrol-powered transport for a Brompton - the world's finest folding bicycle (in my humble opinion!) - and I've never looked back.
My obsession with seeking out quiet routes for getting around Southend-on-sea has been inspired by the work of Sustrans - and the cycle maps produced by Transport for London. Ah, the hours spent looking at the "quieter roads" highlighted in yellow on TfL's maps! 

But what is a quiet cycle route? 
Well, more on that next time hopefully. Until then, keep those wheels turning.

Get on your bike and ride

Biker Hack's very first cycling blog

Hello and welcome to my blog. 
My name is Biker Hack and for the past 10 years I've enjoyed cycling around the wonderful Essex seaside resort of Southend-on-Sea. 
I like to think I know a thing or two about life on two wheels (some of which has been learnt the hard way).
Hopefully, a little bit of my enthusiasm for cycling will rub off and inspire you to saddle up and head out there. 
Now before I go on, I feel the need to clarify exactly what I mean by cycling. 
I'm not a Lycra-clad speed fanatic who revels in a time trail on a country road.
Neither am I mud-spattered mountain biker who delights in downhill thrills. 
I'm just a bloke who cycles to and from work in our ever-growing urban world. In my mind, that makes me an urban cyclist.
Don't misunderstand me, I've got no axe to grind with what I call racing bike enthusiasts or off-roaders. 
Southend is served admirably by cycling societies, which promote the pleasure of riding. If you want to know more about them, then see this link and this one. if I've left anyone off, sorry! It's not deliberate, honest!
What I'm more interested in is finding quiet routes away from busy roads and getting around where I live without using a car. 
It's green and good for you, and I should know. My only exercise is the cycling I do around town. I don't go to the gym and I pretty much eat and drink what I like. And I stay relatively trim - I'm working on the belly - from just a little bit of gentle exercise. 
So if you're feeling it's time to turn over a new leaf, then come and join me as I explore the ups and downs of urban cycling.