15 things every cyclist loves — explore the best bits of riding your bike

When you are getting tired and a scooter comes along on the perfect speed.

Rolling past all the queued traffic that has just raced past you for the last 30 minutes knowing when you get to work/home they will still be sat in their cars.

Being on a club ride with your mates having all turned up in the same kit for once.

Arriving home.

My most favourite, yet vanishingly minor, aspect of club rides was always when the group rolls to a halt at a junction or traffic lights or whatever and the unofficial trackstand competition would resume.

Joining the "elite club" of riders who could stay upright, stationary, with both feet still clipped in was my dream... But you had to stay up until the lights changed and ride off without putting a foot down or (shock horror) leaning on street furniture while you wait.

It was especially impressive when someone would do it in old-fashioned quills and cleats with straps done up tight; no chance of getting out if you start to fall... tense and exciting!

Of course, once in a blue moon someone would turn up on a Longstaff trike or summat like that and make us all feel faintly ludicrous. These days it would be a Greenspeed or ICE recumbent trike I suppose (I have a Greenspeed GTT myself but have never tried to take it on a club ride).

The feeling I will get tomorrow when the cast comes off and I can hang onto the bars and hoods at a normal angle without the cast digging into me.

knowing last year you were 20 stone and could only cycle a mountain bike,, this year your 16 stone and most road bikes are availible , new season new me , new bike,

OK, you lot can have "dropping your mates", I still get a kick if I can keep up with mine for the whole morning :-p

A perfect descent on a dry and sunny day, no traffic, no potholes, perfect silky smooth roads, and reaching 80kmph!!

Beating 20, 30, 40 and 50 year olds on sprint segments....I'm 66!

Realising one day that spring has arrived, and that you haven't stopped cycling all winter.

Braking in the spring without that ghastly grinding noise of filthy pad on filthy rim.

Cold crisp days when I don't turn into a sweaty mess.

Riding in the hills above the mist in the valleys.

A rock-steady track stand at the lights

A winter without punctures - damn, that's like saying 'Macbeth' in a theatre isn't it

A partner that understands that you must go out for a ride. Thanks Kate x

A long relatively flat stretch, headwind optional, when you get forward on the saddle, in a big gear, with the right tune in your headphone (left hand only of course *still awaits flaming*) and just the right amount of pain in your legs, and yet still feel like you could keep it turning forever.

Keeping the power down over cobbles and skipping across them.

What's a tailwind?

Just those few hours away from CBeebies.....

And adding some new blue lines onto your heatmap.

Closed road events or the morning leading up to a TdF stage - 2 of the best riding days I had last year.

Taking a newbie on their first long distance ride, and sharing their sense of achievement/amazement that they can cycle 50 miles or whatever.

Waving to the wife as i ride off, while she is doing the housework

One of those rides when you don't seem to have thought about changing gear, braking or picking a line. They all just happened perfectly. The climbs hurt just enough, descents just fast enough. You finish with just enough energy to put the kettle on or stagger to the burger place/bar, smile to yourself and say "That was a good ride!"

Post-ride curry.

That unexpected oomph out of nowhere, without having diligently complied with Rule #5 nor being able to attribute it to those extra jelly babies, making you think that maybe you are a little bit better than you actually thought you were....

In extreme bad weather when car drivers look at you in a state of pity, what they don't know if that you're actually bloody loving it.

That feeling of being mental after the above ride.

Riding toward a sunset.

Eating whatever you want (to a certain degree).

The smooth running of your bike after getting a DIY repair job right.