In the pursuit of speed, I keep coming around a number, it haunts you everywhere. It’s a measure, a yard stick, a threshold and punisher. That number is 20. Not dissimilar to the haunting number 23, staring Jim Carrey. The number 20 appears so frequently in a cyclists life that you can’t ignore it. Am I going crazy? We will see.

For decades, research has supported the idea that 20 minutes of exercise a day. You’ll be healthier and live longer: If you want to increase your chances of living longer, fitting in 20 minutes of exercise a day should be your top priority. Studies have found that even daily low-intensity exercise can be incredibly beneficial in your overall health, lowering your risk of diabetes, cancer, and other chronic diseases.

Next, the yardstick on which a cyclist measures him or herself is the 20 minute Functional Threshold Power (FTP) test. It’s an all out attack and punishment of the body to find the maximum force your body can produce over a 20 minute period. If you pushed yourself to the max, it destroys you.

When it came to making saddle choices, the positions tend to come in zero or minus 20 sizes. A popular sock height amongst cyclists is 20cms. Get the picture? 20 is everywhere.

What appearances of 20 have I missed?