Cycle Magazine Taster December 2018 / January 2019

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Clockwise from far left: Cass Gilbert, Anna Hughes, Richard Hallett

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FROM THE E DITOR GOOD NEWS: the Dutch Reach, which Cycling UK campaigned for, is to be recommended by the Highway Code. Drivers will be encouraged to open their door with their left hand.

This twists the body and reminds them to have a proper look round before opening the door into the path of any passing cyclists.

The Dutch Reach originated 50 years ago in the Netherlands. Let’s hope it’s not the last cycling idea to make its way across the North Sea. To cyclists, the Netherlands looks like utopia. According to a European Commission report (bit.ly/cyclequalitytransportPDF), 36% of the population say the bike is their most frequent mode of transport on a typical day. Not ‘have a bike and sometimes use it’ – there are more bikes in the Netherlands than people – but the number for whom the bicycle is their principal transport.

When you roll off the ferry at Rotterdam Europoort or Hoek van Holland, it’s easy to see why. You’re straight onto a proper cycleway: wide enough, well surfaced, well signed, and going where you want to go. The local cyclists don’t look like cyclists because cycling has been normalised, not marginalised.

It didn’t happen by accident.

Dutch people took to the streets in the 1970s to protest at the number of their children dying on the roads due to motor traffic. They demanded change and the government listened. We’ve got a long way to go to follow in their footsteps and tyre tracks, but we’ll only get transformational change if we reach for it – like the Dutch.

Contents EVERY ISSUE

THIS ISSUE

04 B I G P I C T U R E

30 T O U R I N G I N U T O P I A

Cycling UK’s new Mountain Bike Trail Leader courses

07 F R O M T H E C H I E F EXECUTIVE Paul Tuohy on Cycling UK’s latest cycling successes

08 C Y C L E S H O R T S TV presenter Angellica Bell; Ken Talbot’s 51mph handcycle; Too Close for Comfort update; Infrastructure – show us the money; Cycling UK’s Big Bike Celebration

18 S H O P W I N D O W Christmas gift ideas

20 G E A R Components, accessories, and books reviewed

27 L E T T E R S

Get five years’ membership for the price of four.

Phone 01483 238301

Mixed-ability family cycling in the Netherlands

36 T R A I L B L A Z I N G

Cycling UK’s rideable version of the North Downs Way

44 F O L D E R S G O F O R T H

A mini-break from Edinburgh to Glasgow for less than £40

51 O P E R A T E O R W A I T ?

What to do next when you’ve broken or displaced your collarbone

60 S U I T C A S E B I K E S

Big-wheeled bikes that come apart to travel as standard luggage on aeroplanes and trains

67 T E R N G S D

An electrically-assisted cargo bike that could replace a car

71 A C T I V I T Y M O N I T O R S

Fitness trackers and smartwatches

Your feedback on Cycle and cycling

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

81 T R A V E L L E R S ’ T A L E S

ON THE COVER Sage Gilbert in Holland,

by Cass Gilbert

Cycling UK members’ ride reports

Cycling UK, Parklands, Railton Road, Guildford, GU2 9JX E: cycling@cyclinguk.org W: cyclinguk.org T: 0844 736 8450* or 01483 238300

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DAN JOYCE Cycle editor

Membership

Cycle promotes the work of Cycling UK. Cycle’s circulation is approx. 51,000. Cycling UK is one of the UK’s largest cycling membership organisations, with approx. 65,000 members and affiliates Patron: Her Majesty the Queen President: Jon Snow Chief Executive: Paul Tuohy. Cyclists’ Touring Club, 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. CYCLE MAGAZINE: Editor: Dan Joyce e: cycle@jamespembrokemedia. co.uk Head of Design: Simon Goddard Designer: Katrina Ravn Advertising: Jack Watts tel: 0203 859 7099 e: jack.watts@ jamespembrokemedia.co.uk Publisher: James Houston. Cycle is published six times per year on behalf of Cycling UK by James Pembroke Media, 90 Walcot Street, Bath, BA1 5BG. Tel: 01225 337777. Cycle is copyright Cycling UK, James Pembroke Media and individual contributors. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission from Cycling UK and James Pembroke Media 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 Cycling UK. Advertising bookings are subject to availability, the terms and conditions of James Pembroke Media, and final approval by Cycling UK. Printed by: Precision Colour Printing, Haldane, Halesfield 1, Telford, TF7 4QQ. Tel: 01952 585585 *0844 numbers are ‘basic rate’, costing under 5p/min plus your phone company’s access charge on a BT landline.

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Comment & interviews

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Right: Angellica Bell. Below right: by Andy Whitehouse

THIS MONTH HANDCYCLING RECORD BREAKER, TOO CLOSE FOR COMFORT, FUNDING FOR CYCLING, AND MORE

Angellica now loves cycling

My Cycling

ANGELLICA BELL TV presenter Angellica Bell entered the Étape du Tour despite not being able to ride a bike. Adrian Wills found out why

F

OR AN EXPERIENCED, well-trained cyclist, taking on a mountainous stage of the Tour de France can be a daunting challenge. When TV presenter Angellica Bell signed up for the Étape du Tour for a Channel 5 reality show in 2016, she couldn’t even ride a bike. But fast forward two years and Angellica is a cycling convert who regularly rides with her family and writes a column on cycling for the supermarket chain Waitrose.

‘As a child I always wanted a bike but I think my mum just thought I wasn’t sensible enough,’ Angellica laughed as we chatted ahead of Cycling UK’s Big Bike Celebration in Harrogate, where she was a keynote speaker.

8 C Y C L E D EC EMBER 2018/JANUARY 2019

‘Looking back, I think she was completely wrong but I remember my sister getting a bike and I never had one, so I always felt fear in the sense that I didn’t think I was capable of it.’

So what on earth possessed her to sign up for Tour de Celeb, a show that required her to not only learn how to ride a bike in eight weeks but to tackle a 122km (75-mile) course with 2,800m of climbing over iconic mountains such as the Colombière and Joux-Plane? Her children, she said – Elijah, six and Keziah, four.

‘I didn’t want them to have those same fears that I had,’ she said. ‘I didn’t want to be that parent who encourages her children to do something but couldn’t do it herself. But I

don’t think I grasped what I’d signed up for.’

Angellica was one of eight celebrities tackling the challenge, including former England rugby player Austin Healey, England cricketer Darren Gough, and Winter Olympic gold medallist Amy Williams. ‘I was the weakest,’ she recalled.

‘When you’re in a group and you’re at the back it feels horrible.’

Instead throwing in the towel, Angellica threw herself into training, often heading out at 5am as her lack of bike-handling skills left her nervous of cycling in traffic. She said: ‘There were days when I’d just be crying, when I thought I’d bitten off more than I could chew, but I hated the thought that I’d signed up to something that I couldn’t complete.’

On the day of the challenge, unusually hot weather took its toll. ‘A lot of people struggled,’ she said. ‘I remember thinking “keep going, keep digging” – and I did. I didn’t want to get in the broom wagon, which I didn’t.

And I didn’t finish last out of the group either.’

It’s that determination never to give up that underpins many of her achievements in life, like winning Celebrity Masterchef in 2017, going one better than her husband, fellow TV presenter Michael Underwood, who became a finalist on the show in 2012.

After the Étape du Tour, Angellica could have vowed never to ride a bike again. But she was bitten by the bug – and almost immediately signed up for a charity bike ride from Manchester to London.

‘After those two massive rides, I needed to go back to basics,’ she said. ‘I needed to improve my bike handling skills, learn how to navigate safely. I started to cycle with my husband. He’s always cycled, and it meant we could do something together. It was almost like dating again!’

For Adrian’s video interview with Angellica, visit cyclinguk.org/ angellica

PRODUCT NEWS | SHOP WINDOW

Product news

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CHRISTMAS IS JUST AROUND THE CORNER. DAN JOYCE HAS SOME GIFT SUGGESTIONS FOR THE CYCLISTS IN YOUR LIFE

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Downhill freeriding video game that’s rated 9/10 on Steam, where it’s available for Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux. Also exists for Xbox One on the Microsoft Store. descendersgame.com

WIDE INDUSTRIES 3 MILES STICKY POD SMALL

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An 18×11cm neoprene pouch for keeping your road/trail essentials together in your pocket or pack. gonebikingmad.co.uk

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The latest version of Lezyne’s 16-function multitool has magnetic sideplates for stashing a quick-link. lezyne.com

CYCLING 2019 5 PITTAWAY CALENDAR £14.95

30×30cm calendar for planning next year’s rides and events, by the official artist of the Tour de Yorkshire. lucypittaway.co.uk

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6 FRANK PATTERSON BOOKS £20 & £25

Two collections of line drawings by the artist who defined British cycling touring for the first half of last century. pilgrim-cycles.co.uk

PERSONALISED 7 SPLASHMAPS TOOB £30.99

Wearable navigation: a personalised 1:25k OS map printed on a stretchy snood. splash-maps.com/stufftheoutdoors/

6 1 8 C Y C L E D EC EMBER 2018/JANUARY 2019

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Secret Santa Buy Cycling UK Gift Membership for a friend or relative and they’ll get a cycling mystery gift worth up to £28 too. See p76 or cyclinguk. org/christmas/join

D E TA I L S WHERE: The Netherlands START/FINISH: Hook of Holland DISTANCE: 240km PICTURES: Cass Gilbert

3 0 C Y C L E D ECEMBER 2018/JANUARY 2019

THE NETHERL ANDS | GRE AT RIDES

Great rides

TOURING IN UTOPIA

All Dutch society goes by bike – even dogs

The Netherlands is ideal for a mixed ability tour, as Cass Gilbert found out with his partner, five-year-old son, and non-cycling sister

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ver a decade ago, my sister and I spent five days cycling around the Isle of Anglesey on a borrowed tandem recumbent trike. As short as the trip was, it meant a lot to both of us. For me, it was a chance to share my growing passion with a member of my family. And for my sister, it was the first time she’d felt the joys of self-propelled transportation.

Tam is partially sighted and has mobility issues, due to cerebral palsy, so is unable to ride a conventional bicycle. The trip (which appeared in Cycle Feb/Mar 2003) was an undoubted success but, as often happens, the years went by and we never got round to following it up.

Fast forward 15 years and I received an email from her. She’d love to try another adventure. Was I interested? Never one to turn down a bike tour, I began organising the long-awaited sequel, except this time, it would also feature my partner, Nancy, and my son, Sage.

Given that the three of us now live in the United States, tying it in with a visit to Europe provided the perfect opportunity for us all to spend time together. For Tam, it was a chance to get to know her nephew better, and for Sage, the chance to enjoy the attention of a doting aunt, and perhaps help him understand

the challenges she faces each day.

We settled on the Netherlands for obvious reasons. It’s close to the UK, it’s flat, and the bike infrastructure is second to none, suiting the varying needs of our mixed-ability group.

And, with the heatwave Europe experienced over the summer, we could even rely on some blue sky and beachside riding, sure to be a hit with a five year old.

For our week-long trip, we borrowed a Hase Pino from London Recumbents. The Pino would allow Tam to sit in the recumbent position and chat easily to me as we rode, and it’s more compact than most tandems and thus easier to get on a train.

A FollowMe Tandem – a somewhat heavy but effective device that couples a child’s bike to the parent’s – would allow Sage to ride independently when he wanted, or be hooked up to his mother’s bike when the roads became too busy or he needed a break.

Although Sage had been cycling for over a year, he’d never completed a tour before on his own bike. Prior to this trip, we’d always pulled him in a trailer or used a trailer-cycle.

Do it yourself

GETTING THERE We took the train from London to Harwich, having picked up the Hase Pino in Dulwich. We’d originally planned to borrow a similar tandem, a Circe Morpheus, along with a Circe Helios for Nancy and Sage.

But the added complexities of collecting two tandems from Cambridge by train (I don’t drive) thwarted us. In the end, one tandem and a FollowMe made logistics more straightforward.

You can take a tandem on the East Anglia train from London Liverpool St to Harwich, but you’re advised to choose the service that changes in Manningtree as there’s more room for bikes. Stena Line sails to the Hook of Holland twice a day; one is an overnight service.

No issues with bikes of all shapes and sizes.

FRIENDS OF THE BIKE After negotiating the intricacies of getting from London to the ferry port in Harwich by train – no mean feat, given our assorted bikes – we

A BIKE PATH OUT OF THE PORT GAVE US A COLLECTIVE SENSE OF CALM, AWAY FROM CARS AND THE STRESS THEY BRING CYCL I N G U K . OR G CYCL E 3 1

FE ATURE | NORTH DOWNS

Feature

TRAIL BLAZING CYCLING UK IS WORKING WITH NATIONAL TRAILS OFFICERS AND LANDOWNERS TO CREATE A FULLY RIDEABLE NORTH DOWNS WAY. SAM JONES LED THE INAUGURAL RIDE

reathing raggedly, sweat in my eyes, I hurriedly snap a shot of my companions as they roll past in a blur of colour and laughter.

Then, camera stuffed back in its case, I jump on the bike and give chase. My plan to lead a long ride along the North Downs and be the photographer is proving harder than I thought. My fellow riders – journalists from Singletrack, Cycling Weekly, MBUK, and the Guardian, as well as Cycling UK’s own MTB star and head of volunteering, Alex Cuppleditch – are all super fit.

Fortunately, they’re not too far head. I eventually catch and pass them, looking for another opportune spot for photography.

We’re 20 miles in, still in the Surrey Hills, and I’m already running on fumes. But it’s important to document this ride: we’re on the

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inaugural ride of Cycling UK’s North Downs Way ‘Riders’ Route’. It’s the last weekend of September and the 40th anniversary of the North Downs Way’s official creation.

CYCLISTS DISMOUNT You might wonder what all the fuss is about a Riders’ Route when you can already ride along the North Downs Way. That’s a common mistake according to the North Downs Way’s Trail Officer, Pete Morris: ‘For many people, the North Downs Way and the South Downs Way are interchangeable.

Yet from a cycling perspective they’re very different.’

The biggest difference between the two trails is that while you can cycle on both, it’s only the South Downs Way that has a route that allows you to legally ride the whole length. On the North Downs Way, there are stretches of bridleway you’re allowed to ride along, but these frequently link up with

footpaths – effectively dead ends, unless you want to dismount and push.

‘I get lots and lots of calls from cyclists – some from as far away as Australia – asking about a legal route on the North Downs Way,’ says Pete. ‘Until recently, I had to point out it wasn’t a straightforward exercise, requiring the stitching together of several routes, then filling in the blanks between them. That’s not satisfactory for anyone, least of all me. Now I can point them towards the pilot route tested

by Cycling UK, which we’re currently looking into adopting as an alternative, rideable North Downs Way route.’

Despite the deviations that our Riders’ Route makes from the walking route, it’s still the North Downs Way. After all, it’s called a ‘way’, not a ‘road’ or ‘path’, and the lines the National Trails take today are fairly arbitrary.

Since 1949, when they were introduced into the public consciousness, lines have been inscribed on maps to represent one

NORTH DOWNS | FE ATURE

CYCL I N GU K . OR G CYCL E 3 7

FE ATU RE | CL AVICLE INJURIES

Acromioclavicular ligament

Coracoclavicular ligaments

Clavicle

Acromion Coracoid process

Scapula

Humerus

Feature

OPERATE OR WAIT? lavicle injuries are common among cyclists, who make up a good number of my patients. When falling off a bike there often isn’t enough time to put a hand out to break the fall, so cyclists frequently land on their shoulders. The clavicle is the weakest shoulder bone, and the only bone attaching the shoulder girdle to the rest of the body, making it prone to fracturing. Sometimes the clavicle doesn’t fracture but the ligaments holding it in place tear, causing a clavicle separation. It is a difficult decision whether to let these injuries heal naturally or have surgery. Here are some things to consider.

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CLAVICLE FRACTURES The decision to undergo surgery for a clavicle fracture will depend on its severity and location. For a completely displaced fracture in the middle of the clavicle, this a very personal choice. The main advantages of surgery are a quicker recovery and a greater probability that the fracture will heal. Whether these benefits are worth the risks of surgery will vary from person to person.

People who need to get back to work or sport quickly may choose to have surgery.

Surgery usually improves the pain straight away. It is important to remember, however, that although the fracture may feel like it has healed, the earliest it will actually heal is six weeks. Initially the clavicle is held entirely by the plate. If the fixation is strong, patients can usually do some light work or maybe cycle

on a turbo trainer after about two weeks. You must check with your surgeon how strong the fixation is and what activities you can do. As a rule of thumb, if you choose to have surgery you can expect your recovery to be six weeks quicker than someone who leaves the fracture to heal naturally.

Most displaced middle clavicle fractures treated without surgery will heal. But up to 15% won’t. It is usually only possible to find out if the fracture will heal or not by waiting for six to twelve weeks to see if it does so. If the clavicle doesn’t heal after this time, it will most likely need surgery. The entire process of finding out the fracture hasn’t healed, arranging surgery, and recovering from surgery can take three or four months.

For some people this would be a minor disappointment; they can take comfort

CYCL I N G U K . OR G CYCL E 5 1

Above: Stocktrek Images, Inc / Alamy

WHEN SHOULD YOU HAVE SURGERY FOR COLLARBONE FRACTURE OR SEPARATION? CONSULTANT SHOULDER SURGEON PHIL HOLLAND OFFERS SOME ADVICE

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BIKETEST | SUITCASE BIKES

RICHARD HALLETT Technical Editor

Bike test

SUITCASE BIKES Separable, full-size bikes can avoid air and rail transport restrictions.

Richard Hallett tests a Ritchey Break-Away and a Surly Travellers Check

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S ANYONE WHO has recently tried it will know, travelling with a cycle on public transport can be hugely inconvenient. This is partly because a bicycle that’s not being ridden can be awkward and vulnerable, but more important are the regulations imposed by many rail carriers and airlines – and their costs. These can usually be minimised and even avoided entirely by opting for a folding bike. For those riders who prefer the performance of a full-sized machine, the cycles reviewed here use couplings that allow the frame to be split into two parts so the bike can be stowed in a smaller case than otherwise possible.

Either bike on test, packed in a suitable case, can be carried on Eurostar and the TGV network. While UK rail operators limit the number of cycles allowed on a train, compact fully-folding bikes are counted as luggage, as are bikes partially dismantled and packed in a bag or case smaller than 90×70×30cm.

Airlines also impose restrictions on the size of items that can be carried without incurring excess baggage charges – see bit.ly/cycle-bikesbyair. The limit may be expressed simply as a single total figure, say 300cm, which is then the sum of length,

width and depth, or as specific, individual measurements. A bike packed in a standard bike box invariably exceeds such restrictions; bike cases suitable for either of the bikes on test do not. They also hide the fact that a cycle is being carried, which can attract an excess charge even when the cycle is packed smaller than the permitted dimensions.

For obvious reasons, airlines state a maximum weight for checked baggage.

Where this is high enough (20kg+), a separable cycle in a case may travel without incurring excess baggage fees – bearing in mind that a hard case will likely weigh over 7kg by itself. Also, your other belongings may be limited to what will fit in your hand luggage, depending on what else you can fit in the case with the bike.

RITCHEY BREAK-AWAY CARBON If you ignore the delicate mechanism for splitting the frame – it’s easy to miss – this might be just another high-end 7kg carbonfibre road bike. Indeed, that’s exactly how it rides, which is hardly surprising given the classy component specification of: Shimano Dura-Ace 9000 mechanical 11-speed groupset; Ritchey’s own-brand SuperLogic stem, handlebar and finishing kit; and the US manufacturer’s WCS Apex Carbon 38mm

COUPLINGS ALLOW THE FRAME TO BE SPLIT INTO TWO PARTS SO THE BIKE CAN BE STOWED IN A SMALLER CASE 6 0 C Y C L E D ECEMBER 2018/JANUARY 2019

wheels. These employ a wide, 38mm deep, ‘aero’ cross-section carbon clincher rim able to take tubeless tyres, although for this test the bike rolled on 25mm Ritchey WCS RaceSlick rubber.

The ride sensation is of directness and immense stiffness, the fork, beefy carbon stem and front wheel setup passing every road imperfection straight though to the hands even with the front tyre at a supple 85psi. The back end is slightly softer, perhaps thanks to curved seat stays and a slender 27.2mm seat post, but there’s no hint that the frame incorporates a split coupling as unobtrusive as Ritchey’s BreakAway system.

Ritchey supplies Break-Away framesets only, complete with travel case (80×70×33cm). The Carbon frame is a development of the design pioneered on the

Above: While the seat tube extends into the top tube lug, the backbone of the joint is the seatpost

SUITCASE BIKES | BIKETEST

RITCHEY B R E A K - AWAY CARBON A top-end carbon road bike with discreet joints for dismantling it

S U R LY TR AVE LLERS CHECK A separable version of Surly’s Cross-Check steel all-rounder

CYCL I N G U K . OR G CYCL E

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ACTIVITY MONITORS | GROUPTEST

Group test

ACTIVITY MONITORS

VICTORIA HAZAEL Website Editor

Fitness trackers and smartwatches can log your exercise, plot your routes, and even check on your sleep. Victoria Hazael tests four BAT TE RY L I F E

ALERTS

GPS tracking drains the battery life fast. Most fitness trackers work well enough on a ride that’s under six hours, but if you will be logging longer rides, you will be better off with a dedicated bike computer.

If you want to receive calls, texts and notifications on your activity tracker while cycling, you will need to enable this function. It’s useful if you don’t have perfect hearing or work in a noisy place.

A PP The accompanying phone app displays the data collected by your activity tracker; you will need to wirelessly sync your tracker with your phone.

If you have the two devices always connected, it is easier but drains the battery on both your phone and tracker.

S CR E E N If your eyesight isn’t 20/20 and you want to check your progress at a glance while cycling, a bigger screen is much easier to see.

CO M F O R T

M

ANY OF us have relatively sedentary lifestyles and need a nudge to move a bit more.

An activity monitor is a useful tool if you are trying to lose weight, are training for a longer ride, or are recovering from an injury. It will measure how far you cycle, walk, run and (some models) swim.

It can log your heart rate, calories burned, stress levels, and even the amount of sleep you get.

Activity monitors come in a couple of broad categories: fitness trackers and

smartwatches. Smartwatches have more features and are more expensive. All the devices tested are worn on the wrist and double as a watch. To look at the data, however, you’ll need the accompanying smartphone app. All activity monitors have to be charged every few days, and all the ones on test use up all of their power if tracking a bike ride via GPS for more than eight hours.

I tested the activity monitors on short rides and my colleague Nik Hart, a keen Strava user, took them for longer tries.

The strap is very important, as you will be wearing this all day and (if you want the sleep data) all night. To get a reliable heart rate, you may need to wear the strap more tightly than a normal watch, so ensure that the strap isn’t going to cause a rash. If you can sleep with a large watch on your hand, you shouldn’t be too bothered by this.

CYCL I N G U K . OR G CYCL E 7 1

Travellers’ tales

An Adriatic adventure ROB FOSTER SPENT A FORTNIGHT TOURING THROUGH ALBANIA AND MONTENEGRO

‘W The shop ride is open to visitors

CHRISTMAS CRACKER In Spain in late December, Euan and Cathie McGibbon joined a local shop ride

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hree days before Christmas, we’re off work and heading to the high street. Last minute shopping? Not a chance. We’re going for a ride. We’re cyclists in Girona at 10 o’clock on a Thursday so there’s only one place to be: the Bike Breaks Girona weekly shop ride. This has become an institution over the last four years and has only been cancelled by weather a handful of times, which tells you a lot about why we’re here. It’s free to all and all are welcome. It’s also a box of chocolates – you never know what you’re going to get. We’ve ridden with Olympians and pros but also with a good smattering of fat lads (and lassies) at the back.

Today’s Christmas ride comprises a

Share your story Touring, road riding, mountain biking, even utility cycling – we want your Travellers’ Tales.

Email the editor, cycle@ jamespembrokemedia.co.uk, for submission guidelines.

8 2 C Y C L E D EC EMBER 2018/JANUARY 2019

Coffee outdoors – in December

multinational collection of locals and visitors. There’s a chill in the air as we set out across the cobbles in the old town, but when we get out of town there’s warmth in the sun and the perfect blue skies and stunning winter light leave me gasping at the beauty of the scenery. The ride to the coffee stop is short but has a few sharp inclines. We settle in for a chat towards the rear – it’s not a race and the ‘craic’ is good at the back of the pack!

Coffee in the sun is a multi-accented affair, after which the group splits, with some heading back while others go on a longer loop. We all assemble later at the shop to share festive drinks and snacks.

Bike Breaks has negotiated a lunch deal at the recently opened Federal Café so, for nine of us, the conversation continues over burgers and beers.

hy Albania?’ asked Sue and Val. ‘Well, it’s very different from Western Europe, the scenery will be great, and the beer is cheap,’ I replied. So we flew to Corfu with our touring bikes in September, then took the ferry to Sarandë, which is at the southern end of Albania.

The plan was to travel north to reach Montenegro, then ride up the coast into Croatia at Dubrovnik. We used small hotels and apartments, which were plentiful and good value. Our first call was to see the UNESCO ruins at Butrint. Then we rode up the ‘Albanian Riviera’ coast, with the Adriatic shimmering away on the left and big mountains on the right.

The ascents were tough; three tired cyclists wheezed into Dhërmi the first night. The next day’s climb over the Llogara Pass was even bigger, so we persuaded a local to take us up in his pickup. The view at the summit was terrific. We then freewheeled downhill.

Leaving the coast at Fier, we headed inland to visit Berat, another UNESCO must-see. Riding to Lushnjë, we took a main road (SH4) but the Albanians, all driving large, old Mercedes, were generally considerate to us cyclists.

At the northern city of Shkodër we had a day off to visit the scenic wonder of Lake Koman. The day after we entered Montenegro, pausing to admire Lake Shkodër from a panoramic road.

We ending up staying with a poet.

Further north was lovely Kotor and some very scary dark tunnels.

Heavy traffic led us up the coast into Dubrovnik in Croatia.

Albania is a biodiversity hotspot