'If you think you're suffering you don't have enough problems in your life': Michael Hutchinson puts hard riding into perspective

Multiple national champion on the bike and award-winning author Michael Hutchinson writes for CW every week.

Cycling and the idea of suffering go hand-in-hand as keenly as cycling and cake.

For many of us there is a great and ironic pleasure to be had in returning from a long ride on a beautiful day and waxing lyrical to spouses, the kids, or just about anyone else who'll listen, about the depths of suffering visited upon us as we indulged in our favourite hobby.