It is 2am in the morning and it hurts when I pee. I haven’t been able to sleep all night because my legs keep cramping. My suffering has been caused by an 80-mile elite bicycle race in freezing wet weather. I am utterly shattered and soon I will be up again for my early morning commute into London.

Dealing with sore nether regions can be an embarrassing consequence of perching on a narrow bicycle saddle for too many hours for men of my age (44, in case you're asking). It also makes me ask myself: is cycling really worth it? I am happily married with a wonderful family and a demanding job; my time is already at a premium. And yet I spend my late evenings and my very early mornings desperately...