As Dan Martin rides half of this year’s Tour de France with two broken vertebrae, in The Spin we wonder what makes cyclists so hard; weather forecaster Jo Farrow shares her passion for cycling; and discover how riding helps Thomas Goodall deal with epilep

The men and women of the Dandy Chargers on parade at Mapledurham House in Berkshire. Cycling Plus joined the riders and their ‘dandy horses’ for the day to celebrate 200 years of the bicycle. Striding around the grounds on our replicas of Karl von Drais’ Laufsmaschine – the precursor of the modern day bike – we were treated to a rare riding experience and a fascinating history lesson. See p128 for more.