I have been trying a few different chain oils recently. I thought that I would give Green Oil's White Super Dry Chain Wax a try but it kept going squeaky after a couple of days. So I went back to the standard green oil which is pretty good. Then I read a blog post and one thing lead to another and I am sending of for a sample of Chain-L No 5.

Chain-L No5 sounds like it's the perfect bike chain oil. Drop some on then do nothing more for the next 1000 miles! It's quite sticky when you pour it out but smells like proper engineering. I will report back on how it goes.

Before I started all this I need to clean the chain a bit. I decided to do this off the bike for a change. SRAM powelinks are really neat, I had never seen them before but it makes taking the chain off a doddle. The chain was then dipped into some white spirit in a tub and give a good shake. I made a makeshift filter out of kitchen towel to clean the white spirit so I could use it again and again ( how cheap am I? ) and it was sparkling in no time. Then I left it out in the sun to dry for a while.

Applying the oil was even simpler. A drop on each junction and allow it to seep in. Then wipe off the excess and you are done. The chain felt smooth and the oil left a sort of film on the outside just like they said it would. Time will tell how it goes but if I can really just rub it down now and again for the next 1000 miles that will be great.

Cleaning in the sprockets next and it was over to the bike floss. They are essentially oversized pipe cleaners with a mixture of soft floss and harder bristles. You pull it between the cogs and the dirt just lifts off.

Worked a treat as I think you can see from this really bad photo. I would recommend them to anybody. There was quite a bit of dirt in there and I had started with a screwdriver picking lumps out but the floss was much easier and more effective.

I like riding on my bike.

I like riding on my bike, it's not quite a Jaguar, but it is fun.

I like pushing hard up the hills and getting my heart racing.

I like splashing through the puddles and watching the wave ride up on either side.

I like scooting past rows of traffic.

I like feeling awake during the day.

I like that it is faster than catching the bus.

I like matching the perfect gear for the wind and incline so that you keep up a crusing speed.

I like avoiding the cows on the way home.

But most of all I like the gliding along feeling, almost like flying, that you get as you cruise on the flat bits.

You know it's cold when...

• You have to wipe the frost off you saddle even though you parked it under the stations roof.

• Your forehead hurts as you cycle.

• You can see a frost forming on the backs of you gloves as you ride along.

• Your eyes are watering or is that freezing fog condesing on your forehead and running down your face?

I love it!

Bike Bag

I am fully committed to my cycle commute now and am in search of a new bag. It's only 20mins from the station to work and it's the best wake up call you can get. Even when we move I am still hoping to catch the train and judging by the traffic it would be better to park and cycle than try and commute in.

So far the bike is costing a lot more than the bus. I have had a service done, new chain, sprockets, back wheel and brakes. I have purchased some waterproof over trousers, and the downpour today proved that was money well spent. I have LED lights and a lock, both essential. This all adds up but at £12 per week so did the bus. I have yet to calculate the break even date but I am thinking sometime in the spring.

This leads me onto the next purchase. The bag. I currently have a nice backpack that fits my bits for work very nicely but it has a couple of problems. The main one being it's a backpack and so I get a little warm while cycling. It also is not waterproof so things get a little damp inside. Now that I am cycling I also need a couple of extra bits such as my trousers, a bungee chord, a pump, some lights.

After a weekend of research I think I have concluded that a pannier is the answer and a briefcase one at that. I did look at messenger bags as I was a little worried about the vibrations and my laptop but loads of people take their laptop in pannier and don't have problems. I want to get the bag off my back and a messenger bag seems a bit of a compromise for me.

There are a few briefcase panniers available, one from each of the major manufactures, each one is basically the same format. A large box shaped bag that mounts on the back of the bike at an angle so as not to get in the way of your heel. Differences seem to be, size, material, internal padding and closure.

I want it to be fairly big as I may need to take some extras so the compact bags are out. They are all made of some sort of waterproof material so there is not much to choose there but the way they look. Internal padding is quite different with some have hard edges with nuts sticking out from the mountings and others having padding and sections built in. Closures varies from the drawstring and lid to the roll top drybag style.

I have been in to a couple of shops and poked a few so I have a fair idea of whats there but I am still undecided as to what to go for.

Any ideas?