I was 14 I’d saved up £25 (1970!) to buy my first proper bike, a 5th hand Carlton, dropped handlebars & Simplex gears. I joined the Long Eaton Paragon Cycling Club and started doing time trails training with Carole Barton who raced against Beryl Burton. I’d do time trials of 10 miles along the Derby road, no technical clothing then, one cold November day I wore my school gym shorts, peaked cycling cap, brown Clarks’ sandals, my Mum’s red driving gloves and blue nylon polo neck; to keep warm I was told to stuff it with newspaper! I’m not a MAMIL, I’m a MAMIT a ‘Middle Aged Man in Tweeds’…
Mamit