Olive and Orange by Orla Kiely at Halfords

So a while back, I wrote about having a positive life plan and one of the things I mentioned was trying to take up some regular exercise. I’ve been tempted by cycling for a while (especially after Erica and I enjoyed our cycling tour of Guernsey so much), so when Halfords got in touch and offered very sweetly to team up, I practically bit their arm off. So what sort of bike do you choose? Well, I didn’t want anything too high-tech or sporty and I wanted something easy to ride and pretty - you know, like Instagrammable (sorry). Lucky, Halfords didn’t think I was mental and guided me straight towards a range designed by one of my favourite designers, Orla Kiely, who has created Olive and Orange by Orla Kiely - a cycling and accessories range exclusive to Halfords.

Fast forward, then, to the day the enormous box turned up. I unwrapped it with shaky hands and oh, it’s beautiful! In a classic Orla Kiely green leaf design with a proper, leather saddle which is lovely and big (which is handy, as so is my bottom), it’s beautifully made and there’s also some gear thing that Mr E is very impressed with.

Orla Kiely said; “I developed the prints for the new Olive and Orange collection as a natural fit for cycling and outdoors. They’re organic and inspired by nature, with a sixties-style heritage in beautiful summer shades. That said, this range is all about modern summer living, whether it’s cycling round town on one of the print bikes, or taking one of the cool and eye catching tents to a festival.”

And this, folks is EXACTLY why I love it. The collection includes these incredible bikes (there are five different designs), plus cycle accessories, as well as camping essentials for festival season.

 

But first, to get used to being back on a bike:

Day one - luckily we live on a cycle route to the nearest station, so I set off, in a rather wobbly fashion, following the path until I came to the roundabout, panicked, and stopped dead. Of course, when I tried to set off again it became apparent that I’d left the bike in the highest gear and couldn’t actually move. Worried that I’ll break it, but not sure what else to do, I wound the gears all the way back to 1 and set off again. Weird clanking noises ensued. That will be a no then.

Day three (I’m giving myself a rest day between rides) - my bottom and thighs were a bit sore today - hurrah, it’s actually working! I downloaded an app to map my ride and set off on what I thought was a really long journey, then was quite surprised to find that I’d only been gone 15 minutes and cycled 2 miles. Still, TWO MILES! I’m a proper cyclist. I’m still terrified of the traffic - most of the roads around us are quite rural and there are very few cycling paths.

Day five - my cute Orla Kiely bicycle helmet arrived, which helped me feel a bit more confident. Still mapping my ride, Mr E is now joining me after work and as he’s much more confident, we go further and - argh - up hills! Still, getting home exhausted and with dead thighs feels like I’m properly exercising for the first time in ages.

Day seven - we take the dog with us. It’s a really hot day and she insists on running alongside us rather than her usual pootling about and ignoring us. Worried we’ll kill her, we stop by some lovely lakes and it dawns on me that whoever said that thing about exercise haters just being people who haven’t found the right exercise is true. I love it.

And now? I’m really into it. It doesn’t matter that the boys laugh at me and call it my ‘Phoebe bike’ (there are no streamers on the handlebars), I’m planning longer rides and even - gasp - riding on roads with real traffic. Weirdly, although I have been eating really healthily recently, I haven’t lost weight, but I’m pretty certain that’s because I’ve actually built some muscle. I’ve been doing weight training on my arms as well and I feel much more toned all round. It’s a revelation I tell you!

The Dutch-style hybrid bikes come in five colourways, with stem and olive prints in green with the upright riding position ideal for cycling in urban areas and relaxed short journeys and are priced from £429.

The bikes can be accessorised with matching Olive and Orange by Orla Kiely Bike Helmets £34.99, Basket Liners £34.99, Pannier Bags from £34.99, Olive Print Saddle £19.99, Bike Bells £9.99, Water Bottles £9.99 and Saddle Covers £5.99 – all using different colourways of the exclusive stem and olive prints. The Olive and Orange by Orla Kiely Hamax Child Seat £59.99 means your little one can join you on the ride.

Massive thanks to Halfords for getting me off my bum and out into the big wide world. I flipping love my bike!