Cycle Magazine Taster Apr-May 2015

T H E

M A G A Z I N E

O F

C T C

THE

NATIONAL

CYCLING

CHARIT Y

A P R I L / M AY 2 015 £3 O R F R E E TO C TC M E M B E R S This issue ACROSS WALES IN WINTER BIK EPACK ING BAGS ELECTION

PLUS

PROMISES

TOURER & TREKKING BIKE TEST ELECTION PROMISES FOR CYCLING BLIND CYCLISTS’ C2C KINESIS TRIPSTER ATR REVIEW

FOR CYCLING DAWES TOURER V SPECIALIZED HYBRID BLIND CYCLIST S’ WAY OF THE ROSES A P R I L / M AY 2 0 15

BIKEPACKING CTC.ORG.UK

OFF - ROA D A DVENTURES & BAGS TEST

CYC L E A P R I L /M AY 2 015

Founded in 1878

Clockwise from far left: Cass Gilbert, Martin Parfitt, Amritpal Virdi

CONTENTS 34

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FROM THE EDITOR things about cycle touring, whether on road with panniers or off-road with bikepacking bags, is the sense of leaving it all behind – literally and figuratively. At home, you're surrounded by stuff: physical stuff and stuff you need to do.

On your bike, it's so much simpler. You go from here to there. There's little to think about except what you're going to eat and where you're going to lay your head. If you want to change your mind about anything – stopping here for a bit, going there instead – you're not prevented from doing so by the weight of routine that pervades the working week.

Anyone who has toured by bike will know this sense of freedom. And it looks like the cycle industry is cottoning on to it too. I don't mean that we'll suddenly see a vast influx of new touring bikes, but walking around bike shows these past months, I was struck by the number of ‘adventure related' products. Adventure road bikes were everywhere. There were mountain bikes with bikepacking bags on them. Touring cycling, of a lightly-loaded kind, seems to be increasingly cool.

Not that being fashionable matters. But it's interesting to see more people discovering that adding bags to a bike is, ironically, a way to enjoy yourself without some of life's usual baggage.

ONE OF THE BEST

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MEMBERSHIP

EVERY ISSUE

THIS ISSUE

07 F R O M T H E C H I E F E X E C Paul Tuohy talks about CTC's exciting year head

04 B I G P I C T U R E This issue: CTC's Big Bike Revival

08 Q U I C K R E L E A S E S CTC’s commentary on cycling news & events

34 A C R O S S W A L E S I N W I N T E R Off-road cycle-camping in the snow – with no tent

20 G E A R U P Components, kit and accessories on test

40 A D V E N T U R E T I M E Dirt tracks aren't just for adult explorers

27 L E T T E R S Your feedback on Cycle and cycling

44 P E D A L L I N G P O L I T I C S Parties' pre-election promises for cycling

30 C T C & M E Illustrator Raymond Briggs' CTC youth 32 M Y B I K E Vicky Myers' electric-assist family cargo trike

52 C O M I N G U P R O S E S Sighted and blind tandemists go coast-to-coast

57 Q & A Your technical, health and legal questions answered

64 D R O P S O R F L A T S ?

Dawes Galaxy AL and Specialized Source Sport Disc compared

78 C T C M E M B E R B E N E F I T S Special offers for CTC members

70 K I N E S I S T R I P S T E R A T R Multi-purpose titanium adventure road bike

81 T R A V E L L E R S ’ T A L E S CTC members’ ride reports 83 C T C C Y C L I N G H O L I D A Y S Let us take you there

Get five years’ CTC membership for the price of four. Phone 01483 238301

On the cover

73 B I K E P A C K I N G S E A T P A C K S Big seatpacks for road & off-road touring

Ed Oxley riding down Stanah Gill bridleway on the flanks of Helvellyn. Photo © Benji Haworth

CTC, Parklands, Railton Road, Guildford, GU2 9JX E: cycling@ctc.org.uk W: ctc.org.uk T: 0844 736 8450 or 01483 238300 (national office) 0844 736 8451 or 01483 238301 (membership dept) Cycle promotes the work of CTC. Cycle’s circulation is approx. 51,000. CTC is one of the UK’s largest cycling membership organisations, with 67,000 members and affiliates CTC Patron: Her Majesty the Queen President: Jon Snow CTC Council Chair: David Cox Chief Executive: Paul Tuohy.

Cyclists’ Touring Club (CTC) a Company Limited by Guarantee, registered in England No 25185, registered as a charity in England and Wales Charity No 1147607 and in Scotland No SC042541. Registered office: Parklands, Railton Road, Guildford, GU2 9JX.

Dan Joyce EDITOR

CYCLE MAGAZINE: Editor: Dan Joyce e: editor@ctc.org.uk Designers: Mary Harris, Simon Goddard Advertising: Anna Vassallo tel: 020 7079 9365 e: annav@jppublishing.co.uk Creative Director: James Houston Publisher: James Pembroke. Cycle is published six times per year on behalf of CTC by James Pembroke Publishing, 90 Walcot Street, Bath, BA1 5BG. Tel: 01225 337777. Cycle is copyright CTC, James Pembroke Publishing and individual contributors. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission from CTC and James Pembroke Publishing is forbidden. Views expressed in the magazine are those of the individual contributors and do not necessarily reflect those of the editor or the policies of CTC. Advertising bookings are subject to availability, the terms and conditions of James Pembroke Publishing, and final approval by CTC. PRINTED BY: Precision Colour Printing, Haldane, Halesfield 1, Telford, TF7 4QQ. Tel: 01952 585585

CTC. O R G . U K CYC L E 0 3

OFF THE FRONT | PAUL TUOHY FROM CTC’S CHIEF EXEC

REBUILDING A CYC L I N G TRADITION CTC is Getting Britain Cycling by influencing policy and reviving bikes, says Paul Tuohy, but we’ve been hiding our light under a bushel SPRING HAS definitely sprung for CTC! The year is only a few months old but we’re off to a flyer. Many of you will know that our campaigns team, headed by Roger Geffen, had been working to get cycling embedded in the road planning budget, which is worth billions and can greatly improve the cycling infrastructure for us all. Over 5,000 of you used our website to email your MPs and successfully lobby for our amendment to the Infrastructure Bill. It became law last month: a stunning victory for cycling.

A CYCLING-PACKED SUMMER CTC’s growing influence in Getting Britain Cycling caught the attention of the Department of Transport (DfT), who agreed to our proposal for £1million to develop CTC’s Big Bike Revival. The minister responsible for cycling, Robert Goodwill, was impressed by the pilot scheme that CTC’s Ian Richardson coordinated last October. Ian is now aiming to get 50,000 people to start using their neglected bikes again in May and June this year – and we hope that many will join CTC as a result.

It looks like being an eventful summer for CTC too. CTC members, staff, and Chair of Council David Cox will be at Eroica Britannia in June. This nostalgic weekend of cycling has brilliant routes from 30 to 100 miles. We will also have a team of 50 raising money for CTC at RideLondon, and we’re gearing up our Dr Bike stand there to service more than the 2,400 bikes we sorted last year.

Later in the summer, CTC has teamed up with SweetSpot, organisers of the Tour of Britain pro bike race, as the lead charity for The Great Tour. It’s an amazing multi-stage event for cycling enthusiasts that will circumnavigate Great Britain. There are 64 stages, each about 60 miles. CTC will be promoting two stages, and we will be using our partnership to promote ourselves as the go-to place for the everyday cyclist.

Eroica Britannia: just one of the events CTC will be at this year

CTC’S ROLE, PROFILE & HERITAGE Last week, I spoke at our Inclusive Cycling Conference in Reading. I heard from some great grassroots projects that operate on tiny budgets but have big impacts in their communities. Our lottery funding for this work is about to end but we want to do more to champion the rights of disabled people to have better access to adapted bikes and to group rides to engage further in cycling.

As part of our ongoing need to develop as a national charity for cycling, we are looking at how we operate. We are currently reviewing our governance to explore improved ways to deliver our mission as a charity.

We are also working on how we better communicate what CTC is, in order to attract new members and supporters. I am often told by stakeholders who work with us that we need to be more visible and make our work better known. Millions of people with bikes have never heard of CTC; I want to make sure that they get the message. To do this, we are looking at our brand and image, and how we communicate what we are and what we do to support cycling for all. We have the history but we haven’t used our heritage to good effect. I think it’s one of our greatest assets and, if marketed correctly, could help us be the home for a new generation of cyclists.

“The Department for Transport is providing £1m for us to develop The Big Bike Revival. We’re aiming to get 50,000 people back on their bikes” CTC . O R G . U K CYC L E 7

QUICK RELEASES

GROUP DYNAMICS CTC Member Groups organise hundreds of rides every week. What are they like and who goes on them?

Groups Coordinator Julie Rand conducted a survey

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MEMBER GROUPS ARE EVERYWHERE

There are 107 active formal Member Groups and 57 informal Member Groups. Go online to ctc.org.uk/local-groups to find your nearest CTC Member Group or CTC affiliate.

A THIRD OF RIDERS ARE WOMEN

:

2:1 IS THE AVERAGE RATIO OF MEN TO WOMEN ON RIDES. THE HARDER THE RIDE, THE FEWER WOMEN PARTICIPATE

52

AGE DOES NOT WEARY YOU

YEARS OF AGE

52 is the average age of riders in Member Groups. It’s 51 for easy rides, but 55 for moderate and hard rides, so older cyclists ride further.

Off-road riders are the youngest: average age 48.

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CTC Club Shorts

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RIDES EVERY WEEK

There were 248 sportives or challenge events organised by Member Groups. Half of all Member Groups organise them, and those that do run about five each year.

MEMBER GROUP RIDES EACH YEAR

12

AVERAGE NUMBER OF CYCLISTS PER RIDE

163,356

INDIVIDUAL RIDES BY PARTICIPANTS ON MEMBER GROUP EVENTS

OFF-ROAD RIDES ARE SIGNIFICANT

30%

30% OF MEMBER GROUPS ORGANISE OFF-ROAD RIDES, WITH AN AVERAGE OF 13 PEOPLE PER RIDE. OVERALL, 351 OFF-ROAD RIDES WERE ORGANISED.

HOW FAR GROUPS RIDE

75% 94% 84%

ORGANISE EASY RIDES (UNDER 30 MILES)

ORGANISE MODERATE RIDES (30-50 MILES)

ORGANISE HARD RIDES (50+ MILES)

50 NEW MEMBERS

OTHER HIGHLIGHTS

24

LEADERS WERE TRAINED IN FIRST AID

BY NORTH BIRMINGHAM

300k

Club Shorts is CTC’s free monthly e-newsletter for Member Group volunteers, compiled by Julie Rand. If you would like to subscribe, please email your membership number and request to clubshorts@ctc.org.uk

18 CYC LE AP R IL/MAY 2 015

RARER BUT POPULAR

13,613

GROUPS ARE RECRUITING Cycle Bristol’s Get Gorgeous Cycle Challenge resulted in 50 new members joining them last year.

Other successful promotions included Alfreton’s series of beginner rides, and Grampian’s threemonth display at a local museum.

SPORTIVES:

HIGHLAND ORGANISED A 300K AUDAX

Facebook

Tell us what you think on the CTC Facebook pages: facebook.com/CTCCyclists

28

MEMBERS OF UXBRIDGE LOITERERS WENT ON A WEEK-LONG HOLIDAY

Twitter

Read the latest updates and get in touch on Twitter@CTC_Cyclists

KIT REVIEWS

SUBMIT A REVIEW

GEAR UP

To submit a review, write or email the editor – details on page 3 – for advice. Each one printed wins a personalised SplashMaps map worth £28.99. For more about SplashMaps’ weatherproof, washable, wearable maps, visit splash-maps.com

Components, kit, and accessories reviewed by specialist journalists, CTC staff – and you.

This issue: new shifters, luggage, and books

RE VIEW OF THE MONTH

PROS + MTB derailleurs

Gevenalle

with drops

GEVENALLE GX LEVERS

+ Linear-pull or

standard-pull brakes

CONS

- Ergonomics could

$219 PLUS $20 P&P

be better

gevenalle.com

DUAL-CONTROL DROP handlebar brake levers, or ‘brifters’, have made derailleur gear shifting – and therefore road bikes – accessible to every cyclist.

However, they are vulnerable to dirt and damage, expensive to replace, and only properly compatible with specific gearing systems, all of which Gevenalle offer as potential reasons to fit their shifter system instead.

Originally marketed under the Retroshift label, it comprises a pair of machined aluminium brackets with integral outer cable stops, each one attached to the front of a brake lever and fitted with a bar-end shift lever. The latest model, the GX, features a bracket with a re-aligned cable route and brake levers suitable for either linear-pull brakes or conventional short-pull caliper or cantilever brakes.

The Gevenalle system is primarily aimed at cyclocross riders. The GX model may also interest touring cyclists

20 CYC LE AP R IL/MAY 2 015

since its right-hand shifter works with the new generation Shimano Dyna-sys and Shadow+ 10-speed mountain bike rear mechs and, therefore, accesses the low gearing possibilities of MTB cassettes. I matched the shifters with a Deore mech and HG-X 11-34 cassette.

On the test cycle, 34/34 gearing gives a bottom gear of 26in.

Re-branded Tektros, the Gevenalle brake levers work well with Shimano XT trekking linear brake arms and provide powerful, controllable braking from either drop handlebar hand position. An alternative inner wire nipple housing enables the levers to be used with shortpull brakes, although this requires additional spannering.

The additional cable pull needed to operate a compatible MTB rear mech is provided by a new MicroShift indexed

bar-end shifter model, which can also be used in friction mode with noncompatible mechs. Shifting is as expected of indexed bar-cons; the front mech can be trimmed to perfection and the rear offers near-instant changes across a number of gears.

On the minus side, reaching the levers requires a stretch on a well set-up machine. The hand movement is quickly learned but not entirely natural and is awkward – but not impossible – when holding the drops. Pressing down on the left-hand lever can actuate the relevant brake. This may not be a problem on levers fitted to Midge-style bars. My major reservation is simple: the bar-end controls on which the Gevenalle system is based are neater overall and easier to use from their intended position, especially when holding the drops. Otherwise, this is a versatile and useful gear shifting option.

You can order a pair directly from the website; $239 is about £155 at present.

Richard Hallett

where: Trans-Cambrian Way, plus Black Mountains START/finish: Radstock, Somerset; Dovey Junction, Powys DISTANCE: 240 miles over five days PICTURES: Martin Parfitt. Main photo by Alamy

acr o s s wa l es in w in t er | G R E AT R I D ES

Gre at r ide s

Across Wales in winter Martin Parfitt mountain biked 240 miles through the Black Mountains and along the Trans-Cambrian Way – in January, with a bivvy bag

‘F

Left: Llyn y Fan Fach, Llanddeusant, in the Black Mountains © CW Images / Alamy

our paninis and two side salads, please.’ The waitress in the warm coffee shop in Usk brought me several sets of cutlery and asked me when my friends would be joining me. They wouldn’t, I explained; it was all for me.

After riding for six hours, and with dusk approaching, I wanted to fill up with as much food as I could eat before heading into the snow-covered Black Mountains.

I had left home in Radstock at ten that morning in sleet and snow showers. The lanes were frozen. It set the tone for the next five days, which I spent riding, pushing, and bivvying in some of the toughest conditions I’d experienced in more than 20 years of mountain biking.

Bivvying in the snow Refuelled by my café stop, I set off in the growing darkness towards Abergavenny and the Black Mountains. As I climbed, the quiet lanes grew thick with compacted snow and ice. It made for very slow going.

Yet by the end of the first day, I had covered about 80 miles. Considering the conditions, and the camping gear I was carrying to enable me to survive, I was very pleased with my progress. I set up my bivvy among the pine trees deep in the Mynydd Du Forest, where I hoped it would be a couple of degrees warmer.

I had a surprisingly comfortable night, although I had to shake the ice from the outside of my bag in the morning. Despite the cold, I could see and feel the sun’s rays through the trees. It was to be a glorious

day. I left the shelter of the forest and began the long, gentle climb up past the Grwyne Fawr reservoir in bright sunshine and deep snow. Fortunately, I had been this way before and knew the direction the track took over the mountains, which rose to 700 metres above sea level at the top. This was what I had dreamed of and hoped for: snow-covered mountains!

Squinting despite my sunglasses, I took in the view: iridescent snow and a dazzling low sun in an azure sky. As I approached the northern edge of the Black Mountains, the rest of my journey unfolded before me: snow covered hills as far as the eye could see. There was Radnor Forest to the north, and to the far north west I could see the Cambrian Mountains.

Increasing cold A steep descent took me to Hay on Wye, where I stocked up on food and drink. A generous cyclist gave me a USB cable to replace mine, broken the previous night after a slide on the ice whilst it was charging my handlebar-mounted phone.

This meant I could head off for the Radnor Forest that afternoon (a Sunday) instead of having to wait until the shops opened next morning.

I set off as the sun was setting, and having gained height again, was able to look back to where I had travelled from that morning. Once again, snow and ice reappeared as I climbed above 300 metres.

If anything, the off-road sections on fresh snow were easier and faster than the

DO IT YOURSELF Try it in the summer first, not winter! I had ridden this route the previous summer so already knew where I was going. Bivvy experience and equipment choice are crucial to staying comfortable, and are more important that fitness. Every night spent in a bivvy is a learning process. You will never have the perfect set up, but you learn to deal with any issues you do encounter. You can find lots of tips and advice from bearbonesbikepacking.co.uk. The Bike & Bivi Facebook group is also useful.

CTC. O R G . U K cyc l e 3 5

Adventure (In the photo) Keeping to traffic-free routes made for relaxed, social riding.

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FA M I LY B I K E PA C K I N G | F E AT U R E

TIME

BIKEPACKING IS JUST FOR MACHO BLOKES? WRONG. CASS GILBERT’S PHOTOS FROM A FAMILY TRIP IN ECUADOR TELL A DIFFERENT STORY

CTC. O R G . U K CYC L E 41

PEDALLING POLITICS While helping to organise the pre-election ‘Big Cycling Debate’, CTC’s Sam Jones quizzed the UK’s 12 main parties on their cycling commitments, in preparation for our Vote Bike campaign

44 CYC LE AP R IL/MAY 2 015

T

he general election will soon be upon us. While the big-ticket questions such as immigration, the future of the NHS, and the economy will take up the headlines, many CTC members will be just as keen to know how the political parties perceive cycling – and what their plans are for it.

Five years ago, cycling got scarcely a nod in the three lead parties’ manifestos. This time, it looks a safe bet that cycling will feature when those manifestos are published.

The political climate in five years has changed. Cycling will not play a pivotal role in this year’s election, but its importance has grown. Representatives from the three main parties all acknowledged the relevance of the ‘cycling vote’ through their participation in the Big Cycling Debate on 2 March.

The debate, sponsored by News UK (parent company to The Times and The Sun) and Halfords, was organised by CTC as part

of our ongoing work with the UK Cycling Alliance. The alliance, made up of the Bicycle Association, British Cycling, Cyclenation, London Cycling Campaign and Sustrans as well as CTC, has been campaigning to influence party manifestos and make them ‘think cycle’. The way they approached the debate suggests we have succeeded in that.

THE QUESTION OF CASH The debate was a useful opportunity to press the three main parties on what they would do to Get Britain Cycling and, crucially, how much they were prepared to spend on it. It was chaired by John Humphrys, presenter of BBC’s Today programme and Mastermind, and the panel was made up of three politicians who also cycle: Local Transport Minister Robert Goodwill MP (Con), Shadow Minister for Transport Lilian Greenwood MP (Lab), and Vice Chair of the Lib Dem Federal

Policy Committee Dr Julian Huppert MP (LD).

Unsurprisingly, no new developments were mentioned, and although Humphrys pressed the panel with a Paxman-like tenacity on key areas such as funding commitments, the politicians towed their respective party lines, giving little new away.

‘It remains to be seen whether the debate will deliver the manifesto commitments we are seeking,’ said CTC Campaigns and Policy Director Roger Geffen. ‘However, the party representatives have already said useful things that we can now hold them to account for – whoever forms the next government.’

With an investment strategy for cycling now legally in place thanks to the Infrastructure Act (see page 8), the exact amount of funding will be the next big issue. This will be a core focus of CTC’s upcoming campaigns both during and beyond the election. As ever, member and public support will play an active part in

CTC. O R G . U K CYC L E 4 5

Photo: © Steve Vidler / Alamy

EL ECT IO N P R O M I S ES | F E AT U R E

Photos by Jack Thurston

REVIEWS | BIKE TEST

Dawes Galaxy AL bike test

Dro p s o r f l at s ?

Flat-bar trekking bikes are a tempting alternative to drop-bar tourers, especially at lower price points. Jack Thurston reviews one of each

The more money you spend, the harder it is to buy a truly bad bike. On a tight budget, there are choices and compromises to be made – between gears, brakes, wheels, geometry, accessories, even the type of handlebar. (Second-hand is another choice; see the For Sale section on forum.ctc.org.uk.)

This review pits a classic British-style dropbar tourer against a flat-bar trekking bike of the type favoured by Continental cycle tourists and urban commuters. As well as moderately loaded touring, each bike would suit commuting and everyday usage.

Dawes have now brought most of their touring bikes under the venerable Galaxy marque. Galaxy AL (£599) is a new name for the entry-level Vantage tourer. Specialized’s £699 Source Sport Disc is distinguished by its flat handlebar and hydraulic disc brakes.

Ubiquitous in the mountain bike world, discs are spreading fast to city bikes, tourers, cyclocross and some road bikes.

Frame and Fork The frames of both bikes are made from similar varieties of aircraft-grade

64 cyc le apr il/may 2 015

aluminium alloy that's widely used in midrange aluminium bikes. Though oversized compared to the slim tubes of steel Galaxies, being round they retain a classic look that’s complemented by a restrained matt grey paint job. By contrast, the Specialized’s main tubes are flattened and gently curved.

In theory, this allows designers to put the strength exactly where it’s needed while keeping weight to a minimum. They lend the bike a modern look that’s reinforced by a grey-on-grey colour scheme that’s almost logo free – something that will be appreciated by anyone who prefers their bike not to double up as an advertising hoarding.

Both frames have relaxed geometries and sufficiently long wheelbases to avoid any interference between toe and mudguard and heel and rear pannier in the sizes tested.

It’s always worth checking this for yourself, especially if considering one of the smaller frames as they all use 700C wheels, rather than the 26-inch wheels that manufacturers like Surly and Thorn use on their smaller frames. The tyres on both bikes are wide enough to negate the hard ride that’s

(Above) A short head tube means that this is as high as the Dawes's handlebar will go, unless you fit a new stem (Below) Wider-profile cantilevers than these Tektro Oryx ones would improve the braking

BIKE TEST | REVIEWS

Also available

1) CUBE TRAVEL RF £599 Flat-bar trekking bike with hydraulic brakes, complete with rack, mudguards, kickstand, Shimano hub dynamo and Busch & Müller lights. cube.eu

P61

2) REVOLUTION COUNTRY EXPLORER £599 Steel tourer with STI shifters and cable-operated disc brakes.

Comes with mudguards and rack. edinburghbicycle.com

SPECIALIZED SOURCE SPORT DISC

“Both frames have sufficiently long wheelbases to avoid any interference between toe and mudguard and heel and rear pannier in the sizes tested"

(Below) The front brake hose has been left too long on the Specialized, but the braking performance of both front and rear hydraulic discs is excellent

sometimes associated with aluminium bikes.

Though I was testing the largest Dawes, the head tube was short. As the fork steerer was short too, it was impossible to raise the handlebar to anywhere near the level of the saddle, which is about where I like it on a tourer. The Specialized comes in a wider range of sizes to accommodate taller riders, and its longer head tube gives a more upright riding position.

Elsewhere, the Specialized has some neat features: the aluminium mudguard is bolted to the pannier rack, which gives a neat look to the rear end of the frame. There is internal routing for dynamo cables, and a slot in the rear mudguard takes the cable all the way to the tail light. There are mounts on the underside of the seat stays for a wheel lock (not included) and a kickstand. These are nice touches for a bike aimed at urban commuters, and I’ve come to appreciate a kickstand while touring too.

COMPONENTS While the Dawes is made largely for the British market, the Specialized is sold in larger quantities around the world. Highervolume manufacturing means savings that can be passed on to the consumer or used

for better quality components. This (and the £100 dearer price) gives the Specialized an edge in terms of specification.

Apart from the shifters, however, the bikes share almost identical Shimano Acera 3×8 drivetrains. These are reliable, cheap to maintain, and offer plenty of gears, thanks to touring-friendly 48-38-28 triple chainsets and mountain bike cassettes – an evenly-spaced 11-32 on the Dawes and a 11-34 Megarange on the Specialized.

Wheels are usually the weakest link in bikes at the lower end of the market. Budget hub bearings and rims can wear faster, and less time and attention may have been spent truing the wheel and tensioning the spokes.

The Specialized’s wheels have 32 spokes while the Dawes’s have 36, an advantage to the Dawes, all other things being equal.

During the test, a loose spoke on the Specialized resulted in a pronounced rear wheel wobble. Even so, a careful rider should get a good few thousand miles out of either wheelset before considering upgrading to an entry-level pair of hand-built wheels.

Both bikes come with sensible tyres: tough Schwalbe Marathon 35mm on the Dawes and slightly faster-rolling Specialized Nimbus 32mm on the Specialized. Both work

CTC. O R G . U K CYC L E 6 5

MEET THE EXPERTS

EXPERT ADVICE

Q&A Your technical, legal and health questions answered.

This issue: cycling and prostate cancer; pannier choice; switching from 10-speed to 8 or 9; alcohol and cycling; and handlebar metal fatigue

CHRIS JUDEN Qualified engineer

QUESTION OF THE MONTH

DR MAT T BROOKS Cycling GP

PAUL KITSON

Like other forms of exercise, cycling can skew PSA readings taken shortly afterwards

Photo: Jim Brown

Partner from Slater & Gordon (UK) LLP

HEALTH

PROSTATE CANCER

Q

I have prostate cancer and am monitored every six months by taking a PSA reading. It has varied from 6.2 to 8.1, except the last one when it shot up to 14.5. I am a cyclist, riding for three hours twice a week. Can this affect the PSA reading?

JAMES MILLER

P

SA (prostate-specific antigen) is a protein produced by the prostate gland in men, a small gland in the pelvis between the penis and bladder. A raised PSA level may indicate infection or inflammation of the prostate (prostatitis), or prostate cancer. PSA is often used to monitor prostate cancer.

It is thought that significant amounts of vigorous physical activity, including cycling, may cause a rise in PSA for up

to 48 hours afterwards. The level can also be increased by sexual activity. It is therefore advisable that all of these should be avoided in the couple of days before a PSA blood test is taken. In addition, digital rectal examination (performed by doctors to examine the prostate gland) should not be carried out in the week before a PSA test. If an unexpectedly high reading is identified, it usually makes sense to repeat the test. So in your case if you cycled in the 48 hours before the PSA test, then it is possible that cycling has affected the reading. This result should be confirmed by repeating the test, as above.

The use of PSA as a diagnostic screening test for prostate cancer in people without any symptoms is controversial as the test cannot always reliably detect cases of prostate cancer.

False positive and false negative results mean that some people without clinically significant prostate cancer will have a raised PSA requiring further investigation (e.g. biopsies) and sometimes treatment.

These may be invasive and will cause

harm in some people, for example through complications. Meanwhile, others who have the condition will have a normal PSA and may be incorrectly reassured. Finally, in those found to have ‘early' prostate cancer, we don't always know which cancers need to be treated aggressively and which can be safely monitored.

MATT BROOKS TECHNICAL

WHICH PANNIERS?

Q

I’m going on my first tour abroad in summer and would like advice on panniers. Do you think 40 litres (i.e. 2fi20) will be enough space?

I will not be camping. I am considering Ortlieb roll-top rear panniers, which nearly all reviewers say are good. Do you have any views?

ROBIN ALCOCK

A

Forty litres should be more than enough, but I would never be without a handlebar/shoulder bag on tour, for those valuable and often-wanted items,

CTC. O R G . U K CYC L E 5 7

group test

Bikepacking se at pac k s Panniers aren’t the only way to carry luggage on your bike. Dave Barter tests the off-road alternative: bikepacking bags Bikepacking is lightweight off-road touring. A growing interest in it has spawned new luggage. Bikepacking bags require no carrier racks. They attach: via straps at the saddle and seatpost, like these seatpacks; at the handlebar; and inside the main frame triangle. This minimises weight and holds that weight securely and closer to the bike’s centre of gravity, so the bags won’t sway or fall off off-road.

Most bikepacking bags can be used on full-suspension mountain bikes. They also suit minimalist touring on an adventure road bike – or just a road bike. Most bikepacking bags compress the luggage, so the contents don’t move around even in a bag that isn’t full. But they take longer to attach or remove than panniers.

Fixings Seatpacks strap to the saddle and seatpost; you’ll need at least 12-13cm of exposed post. Straps should stay fast; you don’t want to be adjusting the bag every few miles. Note that you may need to relocate your rear light.

Ca pac i ty A seatpack seldom holds more than 15-17 litres, and often less.

You’ll probably need a handlebar bag and/or backpack to carry enough luggage for a multi-day tour. Volume can be reduced by compression straps and (if used) roll-top fastening.

your thoughts?

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Weight Bikepacking bags are light.

All of those in this test weigh under 500g, including fixings. On a tour where every gramme counts, weight saved in luggage means more food or equipment can be carried.

A lighter bike offers better handling – and easier bike carriage – off-road.

Access Contents in bikepacking bags aren’t as accessible as those in panniers. You will still need to get at your stuff, so how easy is it?

Can you easily unclip fixings in the cold with gloves on?

W e at h e r & abrasion r e s i s ta n c e Conditions can be harsh off-road.

Look for a bag that will keep the rain and wheel-spray out whilst standing up to a bit of abuse – whether that’s being plastered with mud or snagging on foliage.

CTC. O R G . U K cyc l e 73

T R AV E L L E R S ’ TA L E S

DELUGE OVER THE DEE

Bike buses and cable cars mean that it’s not essential to ride uphill for great views

Sometimes you have to cut a ride short, as Phil Poyser found on a wet day in Wales

Ride the Dolomites down At 78, Joan Green wanted an easier way to enjoy cycling through European mountains

O

ne more go at the high mountain passes of Europe, skimming past the snowy peaks and hurtling down the passes, but without the effort of the uphill grind: that was the plan. We would ride the bikes down and get the bus or the cable car back up.

I’m 78 now and my partner, Robin, is 84. Last year, yearning for one more trip in the mountains, we chose the 52-kilometre downhill ride in the Dolomites from the Tre Croci pass near Misurina to Cortina and then on down to Calalzo di Cadore in the direction of Venice.

We went in mid June, when the wild flowers were at their best. The meadows left us stunned with their beauty. There was fresh snow on the mountain tops and warm sun on our limbs. In nearly 60 years of cycling, this was probably the best ride of my life.

Taking the bus up from Cortina, we started off in the high Dolomite peaks near Misurina. Having swooped down again, we spent the night back in Cortina, and next day wound our way

With meadows in bloom, June is an ideal time to visit

through cliffs, clefts and valleys. About halfway down is Pieve di Cadore, the beautiful birthplace of the artist Titian.

His house still stands and is a museum.

We avoided detours on difficult gravel paths by using the hard shoulder on the road. The drivers are used to cyclists and caused us no trouble.

We started from Cortina about midmorning, took our time and had plenty of breaks to admire the views. We arrived in plenty of time to catch the 5.30pm bike bus back again.

We could have continued on down to Venice, but stopped at Calalzo because there are buses back from there every hour. With bikes, the cost was less than six euros each, a bargain for one of the most scenic bus rides I’ve ever taken.

THE OMENS weren’t good: it was our cyclists’ away day and two of the lads were already delayed, whilst the rest of us twiddled our pedals in the border village of Bangor-on-Dee. Under slate grey skies, we set off over the Dee by the Roman bridge and, after all of 2.5km, pulled in for a brew whilst the wanderers caught up. The waitress service was topped with smiles. Maybe this trip would be memorable after all? It was, but for the wrong reasons.

By the time we reached Trevor Basin, where narrow boats queued to cross Telford’s magnificent Pontcysyllte Aqueduct, the steady drizzle had given way to proper Welsh rain, running in enthusiastic rivulets from the foot of Yr Ochr.

Granny rings engaged, but only marginally daunted, our damp and dirty dozen began the climb up cobbled paths, past straggling cottages, towards the broadleaf woods above.

At last, we sailed down to Chirk, brakes working overtime. Over lunch at the orangery near Gebowen, we stripped off the drenched kit, tucked into main courses, and watched the weather worsen.

With food and only 50km under our belts, the consensus was ‘Home, Dave’. We headed back, only half our itinerary completed, with plans to return after the monsoon season.

Croeso i Gymru? Maybe in 2015!

A pause in the rain on the Telford aqueduct

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