Television presenter and journalist James May is best known for his work with cars, yet fans of his will attest to May’s appreciation for all things mechanical, with the bicycle in particular playing a big part in his life.
Following May’s recent blog post on cycling, which teased his fans on the subject, BikeRadar got the chance to dig a little deeper about his time on two wheels. Touching on everything from his personal bike collection to sectarianism on British roads and his stimulation over dual-pivot caliper brakes, it’s a typically amusing read from Captain Slow.
James May: It’s very sketchy. I’ve never been without at least one bike since the age of three, and between the ages of around 14 and 30 I rode constantly, including some long trips through Britain and France. More recently I’ve turned into an old fart who owns a bike, but I’m doing my best. Honest.
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I have a Brompton (which I’ve owned for almost 20 years, i.e. since before they were trendy), a Dawes Chilliwack from about 15 years ago and a new Raleigh Revenio. I ride to work sometimes, ride along the river (to pubs), that sort of thing. Pretty tame. I’m also building a special from an old Raleigh Record Ace frame, which I’ve painted, and Shimano 9-speed hub, etc, etc. It’ll be quite heavy.
I’ve always loathed road sectarianism. We have enough common enemies — potholes, for example — and the roads are a model for a successful, tolerant and liberal society. So I think we should all make an effort to accommodate one another. A lot of ‘motorists' own bikes and a lot of 'cyclists’ also have a car.
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