Mark Hogarth is the creative director of Harris Tweed Hebrides and organiser of Scotland's most stylish cycling event, the Harris Tweed Ride, which is held in Glasgow and Edinburgh. Here he explains why owning a bike is such an integral part of his life.

How old were you when you learned to ride a bike?

I was three and my earliest memories are of cycling on the farm lawn with stabilisers and picking gravel from my knees on holiday in Arran.

What was your first bike?

A Raleigh Grifter is the first I can remember but I was probably six or seven by then.

What kind of bike do you own now?

I have two. An old steel framed Raleigh racer which thieves have hitherto shown little interest (I have had five bikes stolen between London and Glasgow) and a new Tokyo Bike Bisou which I keep in my living room.

The new bike is a thing of beauty and I have pimped it up with a Harris Tweed satchel and panniers. I have to confess to buying some clothes to match the colour and aesthetic of the bike; I'm sadly smitten.

How would you describe your cycling style?

Smooth and careful with an awareness of conditions (I despair at cyclists with headphones in). However, having been hit a few times, I don't necessarily always obey the rules of the road. Having a lorry come into your path or leap onto the pavement? I'll take the latter option.

Who is your favourite cyclist?

That's a difficult one. Graeme Obree and Sir Chris Hoy have been great for advancing the profile of cycling in Scotland but I would have to say Robert Millar for the hours of pure glorious pain he endured on his way to winning the King of The Mountains title in 1984's Tour de France. His climb to Guzet-Neige in the Pyrenees was super human.

What is your motto on the bike?

Concentrate and enjoy.

Describe your all-time ultimate cycling moment?

Racing through the back streets of Tokyo on three-geared Japanese shopping bikes. We once had a collision which led to two friends and I doing the Kenzo fashion show with scraped chins and noticeable limps. Good times.

What is your favourite route?

When I worked at Westminster 10 years ago I lived in West Hampstead, London. It was back in the days where you could cut through Regent's Park and St James's Park, and was the most enjoyable 25 minutes on a bike I can remember.

What is top of your cycling bucket list?

Doing the Moscow Tweed Ride and Col du Tourmalet in the Pyrenees. One pleasure, one pain.

How has owning a bike changed your life?

A bike represents a sense of freedom and escape. I have cycled across the Golden Gate Bridge, through Tiananmen Square and down Fifth Avenue, but I enjoy a quick cycle up the farm road in Ardrossan almost as much - I hope to be doing that until I die.

What is your top cycling tip?

Lock into your surroundings and be in the moment.

For musings on textiles, style and life, visit markhogarth.eu