Halfords cycle2work

Chris Boardman

Chris Boardman, legendary Olympic and triple World Champion cyclist, shares with us his memories on how he got started in cycling and gives us his tips on how to get your kids onto two wheels successfully.

1. Cycling as a pastime and as a sport is increasingly popular. Is there one thing you would like to see Government doing to help cycling?
[CB] I attended a government launch recently to help promote even more cycling to work, the fact that 4 crown ministers were present shows the level of positive change we are seeing. The cycle to work scheme has had a huge impact on people using bikes as transport and I’m glad the government is seeing rewards for making an effort.
The big scary hurdle for them is the allocation of road space. In most places this is fixed and however you want to cut it, a choice has to be made as to who gets priority, cars or bikes. When they take down the first ‘cyclists dismount’ sign and replace it with one saying ‘car drivers give way to cyclists’ they will have cracked it. Whoever does that will get my vote.

2. What made you choose Halfords as a partner?
[CB] The partnership with Halfords was years in the crafting and we are delighted with it. It allows us to do so much more than we could via any other route. For example, we have been able to bring very high quality bikes, of the specification we wanted to achieve, to a lot more people than via other routes to market, for an awesome price, which is a pretty fantastic combination.
Seeing the top reviews we receive in pretty much every independent review we put the bikes up for is testimony to this being a winning formula and it gives the customer real confidence to buy too.

3. How involved in the bike design are you?
[CB] Very, I have the right of sign off on every single nut and bolt, I am involved from the choosing of frame geometry, through selection of finishing kits, I almost always try every component that goes on our bikes. (In fact I’m just back from Italy where I have been testing both road and MTB components). Sometimes I recognise that there are others with greater expertise than me - such as in MTB suspension set up’s and in those cases I seek out the best experts. We have a great team that I really enjoy working with and we all bring something to the mix.

Nicole Cooke

Even Olympic and world champions have to start somewhere and Beijing golden girl Nicole Cooke is no exception! Nicole won Team GB`s first gold medal at the 2008 Olympics when she raced to victory in the gruelling women`s road race. She then topped this just a month later by winning the world championship title.

"I was just four years old when I first learned to ride a bike. I began in the back garden and practised in the local park so I could have a soft landing on grass if I fell off!" says Nicole. "My dad helped me with tips and encouragement but balance and steering only come with practice!" Nicole was just 11 when she won her first race in the Welsh Cyclo Cross Championships. "Until then I`d been coming 4th or 5th so it was a big surprise to win but it really spurred me on to train more and get stronger. Going out cycling with my family helped a lot - it made cycling fun and made me want to carry on."

Nicole is a champion at the peak of her cycling career but believes everyone can benefit from getting on a bike. "It`s a whole body work-out that can be done at a family friendly pace so everyone can get involved. The health benefits of even cycling moderately are great but it also helps me clear my head and forget any worries. It still gives me a total sense of freedom and a great buzz!"

Her advice to parents is to keep it fun, be patient and aim to cycle together as a family to give kids confidence and practice. "If it`s fun, children are more likely to want to get involved. Make sure they`ve got the right bike for their height and ensure they wear a helmet too," she says.

"The best advice I can give to kids is from my own experience. Cycling gives you the freedom to explore new places and get out and about with your friends and as long as you cycle safely, it`s a great adventure!"

Nicole now has her sights set firmly on the 2012 London Olympics when she hopes to repeat her gold medal winning success of last year. "Even though I`m a champion, I still get out on my bike and ride every day to ensure that I stay at the top of my fame and I really enjoy it too!"

Nicole`s book "Cycle For Life" is published by Kyle Cathie Ltd and is available through most bookshops and websites such as Amazon.