You know you've caught the cycling bug when you start taking your bike everywhere you go. Suddenly you're adept at undoing the quick-release levers and dropping the wheels out of the frame so that the bike will go in the boot of a car. You become accustomed to booking a place for your bike when you reserve a rail ticket. You even discover that it's surprisingly easy to take a bike on a plane when you go abroad. In fact, it's almost as easy as packing your running shoes. And a lot more fun when you're there.
The greatest thing about cycling is there's almost always a good ride on your doorstep. If, like me, you live in London, then you've only got to get out of the Thames Valley to start going uphill. And you will learn to love going uphill - if only because it means that sooner or later you get to go downhill.
West of London, the Chilterns are a great place to cycle, but for my favourite rides I head south. South London's best-kept secret is the fantastic countryside inside the M25 - the North Downs. Then, just beyond that, there's the High Weald of Kent. And going west into Surrey, you run up against Box Hill and Leith Hill. The former offers a majestic vantage point looking south; on a clear day you can see all the way to the South Downs. The latter climbs to the highest point in the south of England, just topping 1,000ft thanks to the 18th-century Gothic tower on its summit. So it's not exactly alpine, but the climb will certainly get your heart pumping.
If you have good legs, you can ride out from London: around 20 miles by the most direct, though admittedly not very pretty, route. Otherwise, a train to Dorking or Reigate will do it. Then just head uphill.
If you start at Reigate, you have a long climb to warm yourself up before you link up with the North Downs Way. The beauty of the area is that you are only a few miles from Epsom Downs and the race course, which means that the hills are criss-crossed with bridleways. Footpaths are off-limits when you're cycling, but wherever horses can go, bikes can go too.
The trails on the chalk downs drain well, but when it's wet you are going to get muddy. Not to worry, it's part of the fun. But it can be useful to find a garage with a jet-wash before you set off home, just to get the worst of it off your bike (but don't forget to relubricate when you get back).
There are numerous ways up and down Box Hill, and you can easily spend an afternoon exploring the trails all through the woods at the summit. There's a National Trust cafe at the top - perfect for refuelling with a reasonably priced can of Coke and a wedge of flapjack. The view is not only great but a useful tool to help orient yourself. Over to the right, as you look out south, past the town of Dorking, you see the darkly forested slopes of Leith Hill rising away from you. The quickest way there is to join the A24 Leatherhead bypass for a couple of miles.
Head out of Dorking southbound on a minor road, and soon the gradient starts to go up. Pick an easy gear at the bottom and pace yourself, you will want to have some energy left when you reach the top. The road takes you through the village of Coldharbour, a perfect spot for a pub lunch (though in summer many others will have the same idea). Behind the pub a trail starts that takes you up past what must be one of the highest cricket grounds in England. The soil here is sandy, which means you'll always get good traction, whatever the weather, even on the steep bits.
Wind your way around the contours, and eventually you'll find yourself approaching the tower. The final ascent has some challenging stuff, where the going gets steep and choppy with tree roots. If you can stay on the bike and keep moving, you're doing pretty well. When you've caught your breath, take any one of the fast, sandy trails that lead back down the shallow northern escarpment. Pack a map if you want, but you can easily do it all by dead reckoning. Take care not to overcook it - hubris is the biggest threat. The moment you get cocky, that's when you fall off.
The best advice when it comes to kitting-up is to spend as much as you can afford on a new bike: at least £400-£500. Make sure you choose from a wide selection. Next weekend's Outdoors Show, at the Birmingham NEC, will have a huge selection of bikes to try out in a range of makes.
Some kind of stiff-soled cycling shoe is also a must. As for clothing, take your pick - there are basically two looks: 'cyclo-sportif' (figure-hugging lycra in lurid colours) or 'xtreme' (baggy shorts, grunge styling). Either way, gloves are mandatory, as is a helmet ('skid-lid', as we say in the business). And don't forget a spare inner-tube and a pump. The only thing that can really spoil a day out cycling is having to carry your bike home, rather than it carrying you.
Five great rides
· The Peak District is a Mecca for climbers and walkers, but has plenty of great off-road rides. Pack a windproof though - the upland moors can be bleak throughout the year.
· Majorca has everything for a top cycling holiday: proper mountains, rolling countryside, a superb climate - even beaches when you want to get off your bike.
· The Tyrol has superb alpine scenery and some serious trails. If you have the legs for the hills and the stomach for the schnitzel, Austria is great bicycling country.
· Shropshire, tucked away next to Wales, is vastly underrated. There are many long, quiet hills, where you can ride with only sheep for company.
· Vermont is beautiful all year round, but especially in the autumn. The Green Mountains provide some real American wilderness.
