Watching E.T. being whisked to safety in a bike basket in the early '80s got Alex hooked on BMX cycling when he was just twelve years old. A few years later it was Channel 4's nightly Tour de France highlights show on the small screen that led to him selling his beloved BMX and buying a Dawes 'Racing' bike. A Saturday-job in a local bike shop introduced him to the joy of fettling, getting his hands dirty and lusting after unaffordable bike bling.
A life-long cyclist, it's only in the last decade that he's taken the plunge and had a go at road, track, TT, cyclo-X and even indoor racing. A dodgy back and a lack of talent has led to him reluctantly hanging up his racing wheels for good and trying to find pleasure in taking it a bit more easy on the bike. Having contributed to The Face, Arena and the Tokyo Journal in the 1990s, Alex now enjoys writing about all aspects of cycling.
2024-08-26 12:14:50 - The Kenda Alluvium Pro is a gravel and adventure tyre that is claimed to be as capable on pavement as it is on hard single-track trails. Designed with speed in mind for...
2024-08-21 11:42:03 - When I was offered the chance to test the new Galaxy ALIBI Sunglasses from KOO Eyewear, I was at first a little reluctant. Wraparound shades have always conjured up...
2022-02-21 15:26:39 - The Cushion-Aid SaddleDonut is a novel attempt at solving the original 'pain-in-the-arse' problem that has plagued cyclists since the days of the penny-farthing and the...
2021-11-16 11:27:57 - Rouleur, the creators of every cyclist's favourite jazz-mag, certainly know how to put on a show. Running from November 3rd-5th, Rouleur Live promised to bring their...
2021-10-06 10:21:02 - In part one of his report on the first King's Cup Gravel Festival, a hard, dry, flat course through the Kings Forest in Suffolk saw elite athletes Alistair Brownlee and...
2021-09-28 12:55:05 - The Kings Cup Gravel Festival, originally scheduled for last autumn, finally took place on the weekend of the 18th-19th September 2021. The event promised an unusual...
2021-08-16 11:08:23 - In case you haven't noticed, the latest trend in cycling is to carry shed-loads of stuff with you everywhere you go. To help with this, cycling shorts have grown little...
2021-06-28 11:56:12 - The Glorious Gravel team have been busy during lockdown putting together a series of rides up and down the country for 2021. We sent Alex along on one of them to see how...
2021-03-19 22:28:06 - The long-running bromance between cycling and coffee has brewed up a new lovechild. Amunra Pure Performance Coffee is a brand-new coffee, developed by sports scientists...
2021-01-04 15:34:37 - I've got to the point in life where I don't want to ever have to buy certain items again. A combination of being well into my middle age and having a bit more spare cash...
2020-12-21 14:05:51 - It's hard to get excited about a bike lock. Bike security is like contraception - you don't really want to have to think or talk about it coz it's going to spoil the...
2020-12-08 15:06:00 - My eyes lit up when I was offered the chance to review the new Proviz Classic Endurance Cycling Jersey. For a while now I've marvelled at the popular grey Proviz jackets...
2020-10-12 11:23:50 - If you've ever taken part in a spin-class you'll know that an eclectic mix of banging techno at volume eleven paired with breezy ambient pop can help distract the mind...
2020-07-23 10:37:22 - The Tour de France may be on hold this year due to the Covid pandemic, but thanks to Giles Belbin's new book fans have a chance to refresh their knowledge of recent...
2020-07-06 11:45:24 - The Adventure Series is a set of bike bags from online retailer Wiggle's house brand Lifeline. They are aimed at the price-conscious commuter who wants to carry luggage...
2020-06-25 12:05:45 - Wiggle's in-house clothing brand, dhb is fast becoming a monster in the world of cycle clothing - desperate to devour all competition - as it releases yet another niche...