A few weeks ago we planned a gravel ride with Brooks hoping for a really great first spring loop. Nobody could have guessed that snow flurries and temperatures around the freezing point would prevail in the courtyard of the cap in mid-March. We still had fun. At our Shivering With Brooks.

Anyone who is not a little crazy about cycling will hardly understand why, in such conditions, one voluntarily embarks on a tour of more than 70 kilometers through wooded areas, across meadows, endless sections of gravel and frozen pothole lakes. To be honest, you have to be pretty insane to enjoy a tour like this. Let's be honest: we had fun. A lot even. And our guests too.

In our opinion, there are plenty of reasons for this: coffee, banana bread and Ben Urbanke's muesli in the morning, a route that is new in many areas with a high proportion of gravel, over 400 meters in altitude and varied sections including small single trail sections, a hearty oriental lentil soup and delicious cake from the Sheet metal after the tour have a positive effect on the mood. Fifteen weatherproof and good-humored passengers on such a day are a very special compliment to our organization. You can also assume that the passengers have a good portion of endurance.

One of the positive side effects of our trips into the gravel pampas is the minimal contact with traffic. Of course, this means more points of contact with walkers and dog owners at the same time, with the lack of car barriers, mutual consideration and relaxed behavior helping to make Sunday a pleasant day of relaxation for everyone involved. Some passers-by were also visibly amused by the merciless peloton having fun between scree and gravel. It will certainly be a while before we experience scenes like during Yorit Kluitman's great "Pathfinder Giro" in Eindhoven, when walkers repeatedly cheered on the cyclists panting past in the deepest forest. But a friendly smile is a great start.

Riding with Brooks always has an extremely pleasant side effect: you can test saddles. Some of us in the cap have been avid riders of the Cambium series with natural rubber and cotton face since such a test. We are particularly impressed by the C13 with a carbon frame and a width of 145mm. Its flexible seating comfort combined with an acceptable weight and successful design make the saddle one of our recommendations for many who like to ride a bike in a sporty manner.

The fact that there was a positive response during our test and after three hours of driving the answer came when asked: "I didn't notice it at all", can probably be seen as a big compliment from the testers. Anyone who has been in the saddle for a long time and often knows that it is not a good idea to buy saddles by recommendation or by looks. But if there is a chance to test the Cambium range, take the chance. Talk to us if you are interested in the hat.

We won't wait two years for the next round with Brooks and we'll try for better weather next time. Promised.