Two wheels good for 400m runner

Tim Benjamin (above) is a former world and European silver medallist in athletics, which makes his move towards cycling something of an unlikely sporting switch. With his cycling studio One 10, he is, as he puts it, trying to ‘put a whole new spin on things’, encouraging greater competition amid the community of indoor cyclists.

One 10, in London’s Marylebone, opened this summer with Paceline, a competitive stats-based class, and the motivational, music and rhythm-based Nirvana.

Tim, whose own sporting career was curtailed by injury, is pushing the benefits of cycling because of the low risk of injury as well as the obvious cardiovascular benefits. In Paceline, you effectively get named and shamed, your performance on a moving leaderboard for all to see, while with Nirvana, you can see the calories you’re burning for added motivation.

Cycle like a pro

It is just a matter of weeks since Chris Froome won the Tour de France for a fourth time. What’s more, he’s bidding for a historic double by also winning the Vuelta a España (Tour of Spain) which concludes on September 10.

Chris is currently riding the Pinarello Dogma F10, 6.3% lighter than his previous bike and yours for £7,750 from Road Cycling UK.

Whatever bike you’re pedalling, for the latest innovative clothing, check out Hexoskin. The Hexoskin smart shirt measures more body metrics than any other wearable technology product, and with greater precision.

It can monitor your heart rate, breathing and movement and also has a Bluetooth recording device to record every piece of data in the saddle. The cost is $399 – just over £300.

Water works

Spin classes have long been a feature of the exercising scene but have you ever thought about cycling underwater? Probably not, but Aqua Fit Pro Ltd has, and offers classes in three locations – Cannon Street, Canary Wharf and Bond Street – to do just that.

The Cycl’H2O sessions offer low impact on joints and claims to give a full body workout while boosting weight loss and improving blood circulation. Your first one costs just £10.

Time to recover

Muscle pain and inflammation can be side effects of hours of pedalling. BetterYou’s Turmeric Daily Oral Spray (25ml, £17.95) is a way to get the anti-inflammatory properties and other benefits of turmeric  straight to the blood stream via the mouth.

Turmeric is notoriously poorly absorbed through the gut so this ensures a greater intake. The spray was declared best new health and nutrition product at the Natural and Organic Awards in April.

A splash of green

Study the cycle-friendly streets indicated on Google Maps and, if it rains, you’ll have a much more pleasant trip. These roads have minimal traffic, so you are less likely to hit puddles or be sprayed by passing cars.

Read more: Why cycling in London will ‘change your life’