I’ve never owned a carbon racing bike. The closest I’ve come to the carbon revolution is a pair of forks on my hybrid, which made me extremely nervous of any breakage.

My paranoia was rewarded a month in, with a great big crack and subsequent replacement forks - much to my annoyance. Perhaps it was a sign to stay away from high-end road bikes - which honestly doesn’t bother me as although I like to watch cycle races, I have never actually been into participating in the sport.

Cycling fills me with energy, passion and reward but not once have I striven to obtain top speed or see how quickly I can climb that hill like some road nuts.

Stepping out to pound the tarmac for a couple of hours has never appealed to me, it has as much appeal as a night at the gym, yes I find that boring, monotonous and uninteresting also.

Added to the fact racing bikes can often feel like a torture device with their uncomfortable riding position, you have to wear silly clothing, put up with a funny looking body - muscly in all the wrong places - and let’s not forget the elitism that comes with joining a racing club.

So was I happy to hear the murmur of beginnings of a decline in road cycling? Hell yeah, and when something goes down something else must go up, the flip side is a rise in cycle touring.

Aside from my daily pedalling for transport, cycle touring is a great love of mine, rather than a short burst like the roadies I prefer some endurance, plenty of miles and sightseeing coupled with some good food and drink.

Anything from a day trip to a month-long cycle ride sees me right. Whether home or abroad, a day in the saddle enables you to see and do things simply not possible by any other means of transport.

Finding whole free days away from 21st century life can be difficult, but life becomes incredibly simple when cycle touring. You fit your belongings into four small bags or less, you have wonderful landscapes to stare at instead of computer screens and TVs and if you need to eat you have one stove to cook it all on or you get to eat out every night (my preferred activity).

You can do it home or away and the UK is even set for its first cycle touring festival in May. Tickets are still available at cycletouringfestival.co.uk but the downside is it’s in Lancashire.

However you don’t need to go too far to start an adventure. You can cycle in the Cotswolds or Chilterns staying in luxury.

My work involves testing these routes for Bainton Bikes and I tell you it’s a five-star tour if you want it to be.

Cycle touring may not be so visible in the UK but it has been there for a very long time.

Countries like France and Germany have been developing facilities for long-distance cycling for so long, they put us all to shame.

Forget the Lycra and bank-breaking carbon bikes, get a solid touring bike and get away.

According to the rumours, everyone else is.