Strange the way things you haven’t seen for a very long time start to look classy. Like curvy black retro bike frames with baskets and rod brakes and big fat saddles filled full of copper rivets.

So they weigh a tonne, were never all that good in the first place and are too busy posing for the camera to get anywhere very fast, but they look great. And one of the ways they look great is their refusal to get involved in anything too athletic, sweaty and hard work.

So easy to ride, you just jump on and pootle down to the tennis club, on the pavement mostly. And the people you meet don’t yell at you to ride in the road. No, they ask you to a charity luncheon in aid of distressed red squirrels. It’s true you arrive at the club quite breathless, but that’s from chatting; you haven’t ridden more than ten yards without meeting someone you know.

The image: Graceful, polite, quite fit actually.

Bike: Dawes Diploma, Electra Amsterdam, Pashley Guv’nor.

Fashion: Pedal pushers and gingham blouse, tweed shorts with matching flat cap, plus two’s with golf shoes…

Media: The Lady, The Week, Fiesta magazine