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For me as a cyclist of many years but only recently discovering the joys of the road, I have done three of these events (Mcr-Blackpool, Mcr 100 and the Cape Argus) and enjoyed every one of them. I appreciated the sheltered environment for my first 60 and 100 mile rides but will probably never pay anybody again to organise a long ride for me as my self-confidence has blossomed; in fact I rode 60 miles on the day of the Mcr-Blackpool but on my own route to Windermere and for nothing. So if these events serve to introduce people to the joys of cycling they will have fulfilled a useful social function as well as giving a much needed boost to the cycle trade. Cycling is enjoying a surge in popularity at the moment, thanks to better publicity, environmental and health concerns and of course the arrival in recent years of more comfortable, lighter bikes with better brakes and gears.