My friend Ross visited south west Herts yesterday and after an indoor cricket nets session at Merchant Taylors' School, we overdosed on pasta and went off for a cycle on our racing bikes.

I hadn't used my racing bike for months and it was an absolute joy to be streamlined and not to trundle along on wheels as thick as Danny Shittu's thighs.

On our Size 0 wheels we sped towards Hemel Hempstead and then really put the pedal to the metal to bomb down the A41 back towards Langleybury.

It was great to be back on the racing bike but not too great freezing myself half to death last night cleaning the mud off it.

Cycling into work on my mountain bike today felt like painfully slow progress, but for work purposes it'll have to do. I will never forgive myself for deserting the Ebury Way but I wouldn't dare tackle her on my racer.