If you have a bike you can borrow to see how you like it then that's a great option. Make sure you have a look at the bike to work scheme - it's a complete no-brainer if you want to get a bike (even if you don't ride it to work!).

Mike, I'd start off by going to a proper bike shop i.e. not Halfords. Paul of this parish who knows what he's talking about re bikes recommends Ewood Bikes. Broadgate Cycles in Penwortham are also good but further from you. I assume they should have some second hand bikes and also will give you some advice. I would go second hand rather than a newer cheaper bike. The difficulty many people have is that they decide to start cycling and then get a cheap heavy bike because they're not sure whether they want to take it up. Then they find it harder than they thought, because they have a cheap heavy bike and then give up. From new I wouldn't buy anything less than £500 if you plan to ride regularly but I can imagine that might be too much, so hence a decent second hand bike to start with. You can save up for the carbon Pinarello when you've caught the bug. If Ewood Bikes don't have anything suitable second hand you will at least have some more knowledge to take with you to other bike shops. You might just find some great deals at this time of year. Every bike company brings out its 2018 models about now and there will be discounts on any 2017 stock so if you can afford it buying new might be a good option. Does your employer subscribe to the bike to work scheme? If it does it's a great tax efficient way of getting a better bike than you could otherwise afford. Given that you will be riding in the dark for the next 6 months at least on the way home you need some good quality lights - again take advice from a bike shop. You might save a bit of money actually buying them online. You can wear what you like but specialist clothing is there for a reason - it's much more comfortable. In particular I would get some form of cycling shorts with padding. Ideally bib shorts are best but they're expensive and they might be an aesthetic step too far to start with. Depending on the route a 14 mile ride will take you an hour or a bit more (more at the beginning), so whatever you wear is not going to be great to then work a full shift in. Are there showers and somewhere to change at work? You're going to need a decent waterproof if you're planning to start at this time of year. Again the best you can afford is better, certainly one designed for cycling. Your position on the bike makes an ordinary waterproof not fit correctly. If your helmet is in at least OK condition stick with that for now. They all work and you plenty of other things to spend on right now. You can get a better helmet later. Can't help with the Go Pro. I have a Garmin - top of the range but bought for me. I would have bought a cheaper one as I don't use most of the features. But it is great to record your rides and see how you improve your performance over time - you will. If you have a smart phone you can get apps which will do much the same, although they can eat battery power a bit. Ask away f you think of any more questions.

Well a wonderful if totally unexpected and brief time at the Test match today. I had a meeting in an office right next to the Oval which finished at 1. My mate and I went to the pub next door before he planned to go up and see how it would cost him to get in after lunch. He was telling the barmaid when she produced two comp tickets from behind the bar. i had another meeting which meant i would have to leave at 2.30 so I wasn't going to bother but when it was free it was a no brainer. So Moeen obliged with a hat trick finishing at 2.27 - perfect!

Another wonderful week at Glastonbury. The undoubted highlight was The National, but First Aid Kit, Father John Misty, London Grammar and Hacienda Classical all excellent as well. I lasted for two songs from Barry Gibb before decamping to see Justin Townes Earle instead.

There can't have been seats all over the BBE and DE Aggy - at least half of each stand would be behind or at right angles to the stage. The 14,500 number was told to me by a reliable source at the club yesterday and I can't see why they would want to play down the number of seats. They also said they were only using the two blocks nearest the JW at either end.

Well that's wrong as there are only 14,500 seats! I was at Ewood yesterday and was told that the concert was close to but not quite sold out. The stage was going up in the centre of the pitch facing the JW stand. They are using the JW stand, 2 blocks on each of the end stands and seats on the pitch.

Anyway, I'll keep riding my bike. I went to South Africa a few weeks ago for a cycling tour of the Cape and Winelands - absolutely fabulous. Around 270 miles of riding over nine days so not really heavy. One day really hard work gradually uphill into a strong headwind and another day also a bit uphill with the temperature 33 degrees. Otherwise there was some glorious riding culminating in a ride back into Cape Town over Chapman's Peak on the route used by the famous Cape Argus ride. You might think I would have come back a bit slimmer and fitter but the aggressive wine intake saw to that.

Sheila Dillon was brought up in Hoghton - I think her dad was working at Hoghton Tower. She needs to work a bit on her geography though - Tarleton on the Fylde!

His family are all in the Midlands and he was living away from them for most of the season - it's more about family than money.

Another excellent gig last night - Kate Tempest at the Ritz in Manchester.

I've just had an email re a Paul Weller concert at King George's Hall on 8th April - on pre-sale from Thursday and open sale from Friday. Tickets a steep £39. Not one for me but i would imagine some of you will be interested. In any case for me my son's getting married that day!

Saw Amadou and Mariam at the Liverpool Phil last night - totally wonderful. Amadou must be one of the world's great guitarists currently playing.

According to Test Match Special the rules were changed in 2000. Had it happened before he would not have been out but under the amended rules he was.

Yes he is Abbey. I know you don't agree but he's perfectly entitled to ride on the road whether there is a cycle path or not and especially in this case when the "cycle path" is not fit for purpose.

Surely if the cyclist is riding in the correct position on the road a vehicle would have to go into the outside lane on a dual carriageway to get past him anyway? I am often on that road but I don't usually go up the hill. The cycle path runs from the Capitol Centre to the top of the hill on the pavement as a shared use path with pedestrians. I usually use the cycle path from the Capitol Centre over the bridge and then head down The Boulevard for Avenham Park and home. It's not ideal on that stretch but there are usually very few pedestrians on that bit and the road lanes are particularly narrow there. If I went on up the hill I think I'd be inclined to use the main carriageway.

I can't see the difference between someone born in the UK to parents born in Pakistan supporting Pakistan at their national game and football fans supporting the team of their family. I have never lived in Blackburn but support Rovers because my mother's family supported them and Ewood was where I was taken when I wanted to go to a game in the 60s. My eldest son now lives in London but is still a Rovers fan. Presumably by this logic he should be supporting West Ham or Leyton Orient?

Paul - there are deals to be done in the function rooms at Northcote if you ask. Simpler menu choices but still outstanding quality.

The French fans have been much more supportive of Froome this year - he said as much on the Today programme this morning. I think a lot of it was an assumption that he might be taking drugs to be so good, which is a hangover from the Lancs Armstrong era. He seems to have overcome that this year, partly because of his more positive attitude in attacking more, probably. Adam Yates is a revelation, given he is only 23, which is young for a professional cyclist. It will be interesting how he and his twin brother Simon develop.

I have the book somewhere. I have always liked rule 17 - team kit is for members of the team. You can wear your favourite team's kit but only when you have signed the contract with them. And of course Rule 5.

The club specifically stated at the Fans Forum last week that it was going ahead.

Indeed, who knows how more serious my accident would have been had I not had a helmet on. Although my main injury was my knee I must have then landed on my head as the helmet was bashed and I ended up with a deep cut on my lip and a smaller one on my eyebrow.

It certainly was interesting yesterday. It looks like the strong winds on the top of Ventoux were the main culprit. As they chopped off the last few kilometres of the climb the same huge number of people were squashed into less road. On top of that they could not put up as many barriers along the last few kilometres of the route as they would have planned to do. Having said that the behaviour of some of the fans really is ridiculous. Still it seems like the commissaires have taken the sensible decision and luckily no one was hurt.

Back on my bike today, exactly 6 weeks since my accident. Just a ride down to the Skoda garage, about 4 miles but it was good to be back out. Knee healing well. In other news, what a terrific race the Tour is this year. Lots to look forward to over the next fortnight.

I have spent the weekend having to watch the festival on the TV rather than being there for the first time since 2004. Whilst I enjoyed much of what I saw most of what is interesting and fun about the festival is what happens away from the stages the BBC show and it's that that I have missed. Both my sons are there and speaking to one of them last night he has seen nothing on any of the main stages at all apart from about 15 minutes of ELO in passing yesterday, but he's had his usual excellent time.

For the first time since 2005 I won't be at Glastonbury this year - see the cycling thread for the reason. This year would have been my 10th. It's quite unlike any other festival and for me the music these days is a side show, certainly on the main stages. Never mind, I'll be back next year.