the old saying "as easy as riding a bike" has been dominating most of my thoughts this week since reading that Glasgow has become the latest city to join the Cycle Scheme operated by Nextbike.

More than 80 cities around the world have already signed up to the scheme, including Dublin, where I got to see it in action last month when I was in Ireland.

It is a fantastic idea that seemed to be extremely popular with tourists and residents in the city, because almost every bike stand I passed on my walk into town was empty.

I suppose it just makes great sense because Glasgow city centre can be a nightmare with traffic. Going by bike also brings with it many great health and fitness benefits, so it seems like a real winner for everyone.

Most of us will have ridden a bike at some point. I remember vividly asking Santa for my very first bike when I was only five. It was pink from top to toe, with a matching basket that was great for storing my She-Ra figures and My Little Pony toys. The bike was finished off beautifully with big pink stabilisers.

I loved that bike, and it was not long until I had mastered that art of staying upright on two wheels … then disaster struck.

It was a horrible day outside so I could not go outside to play. Instead, I decided to sneak up to my parents' room and go on a treasure hunt.

After a few minutes I found my dad's beloved record collection tucked away at the back of his wardrobe … and almost screamed the house down when I looked inside a particular Queen LP cover and discovered a poster full of naked people riding bikes.

Little did I know then that it was a freebie with the band's Jazz album, which included the hits Bicycle Race and Fat Bottomed Girls. It was not the done thing when it came to the grown-ups riding bicycles.

It took my parents days to calm me down and convince me wearing clothes was indeed essential to cycling in public. Poor dad was made to throw his beloved Queen albums out after mum saw the poster.

I did manage to make it up to him years later when I was lucky enough to interview Brian May on STV's The Hour and he agreed to sign a whole batch of souvenirs for my dad.

I am really excited about this new cycling scheme and with customers having the option to rent bikes on a pay-as-you-go basis per day or register as members of the scheme through a dedicated smartphone app, for an annual fee of £60, it could not be easier to get on your bikes and go.

For more information see: www.nextbike.co.uk

A few months ago I was delighted to be approached by a wonderful American band known as Honest Sam And The Dealers.

They are a group of the most talented musicians I think I have had the pleasure of working with and did a special guest spot with them at their gig in the Berkeley Suite, at Charing Cross, Glasgow.

The band has asked me if I will do the same this Sunday afternoon when they headline a concert in the refurbished Kelvingrove Bandstand to mark the end of this year's West End Festival.

It is a free event that starts at 1pm and should finish about 6pm.

For more information see: www.glasgowwestend.co.uk

Lovely Tommy 'The Clown' Armstrong is a 73-year-old fundraiser extraordinaire. He has raised £170,000 over the years by organising charity events and walks in and around Glasgow.

Tomorrow he is off on his travels again, hoping to raise as much money as possible for three wonderful little girls suffering from various life-limiting disabilities and who are in desperate need of specialised equipment to help them get through their day-to-day routines.

Tommy is setting off from Port Glasgow Bus Station and will finish on Sunday evening having walked to Kilmarnock and back.

I have had the pleasure of working with Tommy at charity events. He is a wonderful, selfless human being. If you would like to donate see: www.justgiving.com/yimby/clownwalk