Cycling during lockdown has become very popular , at this time of year most cyclists will normally be seen doing many charity sportives but due to Covid all events were cancelled or put back until later in the year.

I wanted to do a ride for a covid based charity and a good friend of mine at Wallis Cycles had just had a Ride for PPE jersey made where all sales of this cool looking Jersey would go to Derian House and St Catherine’s Hospice so I had the idea of doing something to tie in with this for these two great charities.

My Rides for PPE was formed and over the coming month many visitors to the Fylde Coast may see me on a special looking bike as I will do all but one of six rides on a Pelso full carbon recumbent to make this event a little special.

The six rides are normally done as one charity ride in a month but due to the challenges faced by all I decided to take six popular rides or rides from past charity rides. So I’ve already made a start with two rides completed the Dock to Dock ride which was 56 miles from Preston Dock to Fleetwood Dock and back. This was a solo ride but others would be done with some ride companions. On Sunday in the glorious weather I teamed up with the Fylde Flyers cycling club to do the Windmills ride also known as the Beaverbrook’s bike ride. This done as a group was 50 miles for me and done in small groups observing social distancing. This week I will do Share the Roads Wild Boar route going from Roots café in Preston up to Dunsop Bridge and back passing by Beacon Fell , then we have the Lancs Lejog/Jogle a slant on the Lands end to John o Groats going from the Lane ends pub in Wesham to the John o Gaunt pub in Lancaster and back , then it’s the Green man trail a 29 mile off road route similar to the Guild Wheel but a bit longer and tougher and the only ride not to be done on the recumbent bike. Finally on the weekend of the 26/27th it will be the longest ride of the six the Prom 100 where I will do 100miles of laps of the Promenade .

A little on the Pelso Bike . Recumbent bikes have you pedalling in a laid back position with your feet pedalling at the front of the bike and due to the relaxed seated position there is less stress placed on the back and neck . They take some skill to ride and master the balance and although many people wandering the prom and seeing me on the Fylde lanes may think these bikes are something new they have in fact been around as long as “normal” bikes . You haven’t seen many as way back when they came out they were beating normal bikes in all competitions and not having as many companies producing them they were banned from competition which almost meant them fading away . Only in the last 20 years have they started a comeback but still with a small number of manufacturers . My Pelso bike is known as a high racer due to the full size wheels but there are many variations.

They are not cheap to buy but I was fortunate to be asked by Pelso based in Hungary to be their Uk Ambassador and the Pelso is now what I ride most often.

So if you see me on my rides for PPE on this strange looking bike give me a wave and spur me on as I raise PPE funds on my six ride challenge , I often get stopped to be asked about the bike which is great I don’t mind a stop and a chat.