I sometimes think that all cyclists secretly want to be couriers. It was my dream job before I started (it still is), and I've lost track of the number of people who've come up to me in the street to confide that it's always been their ambition too and ask how they get into it. (Two of them have since turned up on the circuit, for which I blame myself.) But there's much more to it than just riding your bike around all day - here's ten things you won't know about couriering until you try it:

1. You will become boringly obsessed with the weather forecast.

2. Law firm receptions have the best sweets.

3. You will soon be on first name terms with most of the bike shop staff in town.

4. Many companies require you to deliver to their loading bay, which is often several streets away from the main reception. The receptionist will not tell you this until you have locked your bike up, taken the package out of your bag, and queued for 10 minutes to talk to them.

5. A good waterproof can make your day; bad gloves will ruin it.

6. Black cab drivers are the enemy, but will also chat you up, on occasion.

7. You will become an expert on which cafes let you use their toilets, and which pubs will refill your water bottle.

8. Your social life will wither and die, because you're always asleep by 9pm.

9. Tourists will frequently ask you for directions to a street five minutes' walk away, and then hail a cab anyway.

10. You will never get rid of the smell.

My Dream Job

Meet cycle courier Emily, our latest Minx blogger. Not only does she have my dream job she rather unhelpfully confirmed that it is in fact every bit as fun and romantic as you'd imagine. A bit less so on cold, wet days mind you... 

I have spared everyone the classic riding past Bar Italia shot she sent me, as I don't want to be responsible for the stampede of girls leaving homes, partners and otherwise warm, dry jobs to sign up. Instead you get Emily looking way cool and working her corporate look to the max. Does anyone say 'to the max' anymore? Thought not. Sigh.

Minx

Lakeland riding

Some rides are just so lovely I almost have to pinch myself to make sure I'm not dreaming. 

Vikki

Durango

There is the small matter of persuading my beloved that Durango, Colorado in September is the holiday of his dreams, and the matter of saving the airfare but I have just done my entry for SSWC. I am hoping this will focus my mind and legs on some singlespeed riding, I have managed one ride so far this year. This is not to say I have turned into a total couch potato, I've taken up fell running which seems to be keeping me off the bike. I will at least have the legs for the uphill pushing that seems to go with my attempts to ride singlespeed! 

Vikki

New Minx alert!

Say hello to Sarah Jane. As you'll gather she likes to ride downhill fast - winning the 661 mini downhill and placing second in the NPD 4X and Dragon Downhill series last year. Sarah Jane is joining us to randomly blog through the year, hopefully giving a different and quite grrrrr perspective from our usual assorted mix of trails, commuting, occasional 'cross races, singlespeeding the length of the USA as fast as possible (well, Jenn only for that one), and riding for the fun of it jottings. Yes, yes.... I know it's ALL riding for the fun of it, but you know what I mean....

Also joining us will cycle courier Emily- as soon as I can make her take a picture of herself anyway.

So more later...

Minx

Singlespeeds in the snow

3 girls, 3 bikes, no gears, in the snow in the Peak District today. Top day! Need I say more?






Vikki


Climb
originally uploaded by jumbly