Cycle magazine December 2021/January 2022 LITE

cycle THE MAGAZINE OF CYCLING UK

SHINING EXAMPLES

CYCLING UK PROJECTS THAT GET PEOPLE PEDALLING Page 47

On test

ISLABIKES LUATH 24 KINDERNAY HUB GEAR REAR PANNIERS AEROPRESS GO & MORE DECEMBER 2021/JANUARY 2022

ABROAD AFTER BREXIT

What’s changed for European tours

EXPEDITION READY Go-anywhere touring bikes

FAR NORTH

Matlock to Cape Wrath on the Great North Trail

P lu s CHRISTMAS GIFT IDEAS WALES: TALES OF THE TRAILS WHAT RIGID MTB FOR £1,000?

AND MUCH MORE

MEMBERSHIP FROM JUST £3.88 A MONTH!*

CONTENTS Features 32 Far north Ten days and 732 miles on the Great North Trail

Welcome

38 Abroad after Brexit What’s changed for cyclists when touring in Europe

47 Cycling for all Getting a million more people on bikes

50 Highlands of Iceland Rough-stuff touring across the Sprengisandur

38

Products 18 Shop Window Christmas gift ideas

20 Gear up Components, accessories, and books

60 Expedition tourers Thorn Nomad Mk3 and Spa Cycles Wayfarer on test

44

Cycle Editor

A lightweight drop bar bike for children

69 Rear panniers Big bags for touring gear or groceries

Regulars 04 Freewheeling Bits and pieces from the bike world

07 This is Cycling UK

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Coronavirus

DAN JOYCE

66 Islabikes Luath 24

For updated advice regarding the Covid-19 outbreak, visit: cyclinguk.org/ coronavirus

cycle THE MAGAZINE OF CYCLING UK

SHINING EXAMPLES

CYCLING UK PROJECTS THAT GET PEOPLE PEDALLING Page 47

On test

ISLABIKES LUATH 24 KINDERNAY HUB GEAR REAR PANNIERS AEROPRESS GO & MORE DECEMBER 2021/JANUARY 2022

ABROAD AFTER BREXIT

What’s changed for European tours

EXPEDITION READY

Spreading the cycling message at COP26, putting lost ways back on the map, Scotland’s new cycle repair scheme, and more

16 You are Cycling UK Round-the-world cyclist Vedangi Kulkarni

Go-anywhere touring bikes

FAR NORTH

Matlock to Cape Wrath on the Great North Trail

29 Letters Plus CHRISTMAS GIFT IDEAS WALES: TALES OF THE TRAILS WHAT RIGID MTB FOR £1,000?

AND MUCH MORE

On the cover

McLennan Arch, Glasgow Green, lit up for COP26.

Photo by Ryan Buchanan

Your feedback on Cycle and cycling

44 Weekender Tales from the Trails in south Wales

55 Cyclopedia Questions answered, topics explained

73 Travellers’ Tales Cycling UK members’ ride reports

CYCLING UK: Parklands, Railton Road, Guildford, GU2 9JX E: cycling@cyclinguk.org W: cyclinguk.org T: 01483 238300. 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. 70,500 members and affiliates Patron: Her Majesty the Queen President: Jon Snow Chief Executive: Sarah Mitchell. 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: editor@cyclinguk.org Head of Design: Simon Goddard Advertising: Phillip Johnson T: 0203 859 7094 E: phillip@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. T: 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: William Gibbons & Sons Ltd, 26 Planetary Road, Willenhall, West Midlands, WV13 3XB T: 01902 730011 F: 01902 865835 Founded in 1878

Top to bottom: Getty Images, Simon Ayre, Mike Lee, Jordan Matthews

Cycling abroad: remember that? It’s been largely off the agenda since March 2020 and the first lockdown. Even when it’s been possible there have, understandably, been hoops to jump through for coronavirus compliance.

And any trip abroad faced the risk of lastminute cancellation. Now foreign travel looks more feasible.

Which throws up another issue that’s largely been brushed under the Covid carpet until now: Brexit. Whatever you think about it, and whichever way you voted, our relationship with Europe has changed. The repercussions will play out for years to come.

Holiday travel, battered though it has been by the pandemic, has been less affected by Brexit than many other sectors. Yet there are changes – with passports, travel insurance, health care, mobile phone roaming charges, and driving documents if you’re taking or hiring a car… Some things are just not as simple as they were. It’s still not difficult to cycle in Europe, however, as our feature starting on page 38 makes clear.

With our cycling horizons opening up thanks to vaccination programmes, it’s possible to indulge in that typical December pastime: planning next year’s trip. While it still feels like early days to fill the pages of Cycle with prospective foreign tours – although Iceland looks unlikely to go on a red list any time soon – we have reviewed some of the things you might need for your next big trip: rear panniers and expedition touring bikes.

Fingers crossed for a happier cycling New Year.

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30,000+

Trips on the Shoreham cycle lane in just five weeks.

Then it was axed

Sadly Flo (age 10) can no longer enjoy using this popular cycle lane

Christmas appeal

HELP US FIGHT FOR JUSTICE Support us to overturn irrational and unlawful decisions to remove cycling infrastructure. Please donate now at cyclinguk.org/cdf, asks Duncan Dollimore

Cycle lane photos: Shoreham-By-Cycle

I

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magine you’re ten years old and one of your pleasures in life is cycling to and from school on a separated cycle lane where, in Flo’s words, you “can just cycle to school without having to worry about the traffic”.

Following its introduction in September last year, the new cycle lane along Upper Shoreham Road in Shoreham quickly proved popular for both parents and children attending three nurseries, three primary and two secondary schools close by the lane.

Yet despite more than 30,000 cycle trips along the lane within five weeks, West Sussex County Council made the decision to remove the lane less than two months after installation started.

I’ll admit the lane wasn’t perfect. It was put in quickly with temporary bollards, and in places could have been wider, but it enabled residents to travel safely and confidently by bike. Like Flo, Karen Murphy and her two children, Silas (11) and

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DE C E MB E R 20 2 1/ JAN UARY 2022

Audrey (eight), depended on it.

“We used to frequently ride along the cycle lane,” said Karen, “often joining another safe route travelling from Shoreham to Steyning. We haven’t [gone that way] since it was removed.

I’m nervous about travelling along the Upper Shoreham Road without it. I’m not the only one. I don’t understand why the council removed what had swiftly become a valuable community asset, and hope they rethink their position.”

A precedent-setting case They didn’t rethink, so back in February Cycling UK applied to the High Court for a judicial review of the council’s decision. We don’t issue court proceedings lightly or often, but we’ve always been prepared to do so when needed, standing up for those who cycle and those who might, particularly when the case involves a point of principle or may set a precedent.

That was why, back in 1899, the Cyclists’ Touring Club (CTC) went to court after the landlady of the Hautboy Hotel in Ockham refused to serve Lady Harberton, who had arrived by bicycle in what was then described as a ‘rational cycling costume’. That essentially meant more practical clothing for cycling, but which often left the wearer enduring ridicule from the public.

I should add that CTC lost that case, but while laws and court procedures have changed in the last 120 years, the outcome of litigation was uncertain then and remains uncertain today.

Victory or defeat isn’t always an indication of whether you were right to bring the case to court. Precedent-setting cases are worth fighting.

We can only bring those cases to court, then and now, thanks to the support of you, our generous members.

Trial date set for January Back to the present and Shoreham: our legal action is being funded through Cycling UK’s Cyclists’ Defence Fund (CDF), which was initially established after nine-year-old cyclist Darren Coombes suffered a brain injury in a

this is

(Clockwise) The (expensive!) judicial review is set for 25-26 January. Lady Harberton, whose case CTC fought in 1899. The protected cycle lane in Shoreham served five schools.

collision with a motorist. The driver’s insurers admitted liability but sought to reduce Darren’s compensation because he wasn’t wearing a helmet at the time. The claim was defeated and CDF was established in the aftermath to defend and stand up for cyclists, or those who might cycle, in similar precedent-setting cases.

Speaking out and taking action when other’s don’t can be a costly business. As well as the unpredictability involved, another thing that hasn’t changed with litigation is that it isn’t cheap!

That’s why your donations are so vital to CDF. Without them, we simply couldn’t continue to challenge decisions like the one in Shoreham, or take action when the police and crown prosecution service fail to do so after a cyclist’s death, as we did in the Michael Mason case four years ago.

Judicial review cases are particularly expensive. Yet we now have a trial date listed for 25-26 January next year. It’s been a long process to get there as the High Court initially refused Cycling UK permission to bring the case. We successfully appealed that decision to the Court of Appeal – but appeals and delays cost money.

To make sure we’re able to carry on with this case – and to ensure we always have CDF funds in place so we can fight for justice again in the future – we need your kind donations to CDF this Christmas. Please donate what you can now or consider supporting with a recurring monthly gift, the best way to ensure we are ready for the fights to come. All of our work through CDF

is funded by donations. To donate and find out more, go to cyclinguk.org/cdf.

Please donate this Christmas I’ve mentioned Flo, so I’ll leave the last word to Cycling UK’s CEO, Sarah Mitchel. “I used to cycle to school myself,” she said, “and so I was particularly disappointed to hear that children like Flo, who used to be able to cycle to school on a safe cycle lane, now can’t because that lane’s been removed. I’m proud to be leading an organisation that’s prepared to challenge decisions which make it harder to get more people cycling and has been championing the cause of cycling for over 140 years. But we can’t do this without your support, so please donate to Cycling UK’s Cyclists’ Defence Fund this Christmas to ensure we can carry on standing up for cycling.”

We’ve gone to court about a council’s decision to remove a particular cycle lane in England, but CDF was set up to fund work and action wherever it’s needed across the UK. We’re hugely grateful for the amazing donations and support received since we started this case. If you’re outraged that a council anywhere can prioritise residents’ on-street parking over the safety of kids cycling to school, please consider donating to CDF. This is about more than just this one cycle lane.

We’re fighting this case to set a precedent. We want to stop this from happening in the future so that we can bring about lasting change and realise our vision of a country where there is safe, separated space for everyone to cycle.

PLEASE DONATE • ONLINE: at cyclinguk.org/cdf • PHONE: by calling 01483 238 300 • POST: send a cheque made payable to ‘Cycling UK’ to: Cycling UK, Parklands, Railton Road, Gulidford, Surrey, GU2 9JX, not forgetting to let us know it’s for the Cyclists’ Defence Fund.

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Details Where: Northern England & Scotland Start/finish: Middleton Top to Cape Wrath Distance: 732 miles Photos: Joolze Dymond & Jordan Matthews

High Cup Nick: an extra loop that Cycling UK is working to make a through-route

G R E AT N O R T H T R A I L

G R E AT R I D E S

JORDAN MATTHEWS Cycling UK cycling development officer Based in Tyneside, Jordan is a keen long-distance cyclist. His blog is justoutpedalling. wordpress.com

Great Rides

FAR NORTH The Great North Trail is one of the UK’s longest off-road routes.

Jordan Matthews planned to do it in ten days last summer

T

he pandemic put an abrupt end to my round-the-world cycle tour, so I’ve since been exploring the UK. Last summer it was the Great North Trail, which traverses some of Britain’s best scenery on a mix of singletrack, bridleways, gravel roads, and tarmac ones. I planned to do it in ten days, most of it on my own.

But for the first two days I was joined by a friend.

Neither of us, it turned out, had a quick-link.

We discovered this in the first hour of day one.

I snapped my chain on a grass-in-the-middle bridleway in sight of the Dark Peak. As I removed a link and rejoined the chain, hoping it would hold until I could repair it properly, I kept muttering: “Everything in our stride.”

Longer trips seldom go exactly to plan so you’ve have to roll with it. Later the same day we found ourselves caught behind a herd of cows, slowly trudging to be milked. Our average speed plummeted, making my daily mileage target look ambitious.

Sometimes the animals gave way to us instead.

Riding up Cam High Road in the dark, two dots reflected our lights, then two more. They darted off the track as we got closer. Sheep! The off-road descent in the dark to our overnight stop in Hawes was thankfully sheep free. From there on I was riding solo.

STRANGERS IN THE NIGHT Appleby was the next stop of note: more animals, in the shape of a horse and cart parade. I’d arrived while Appleby Fair was on. Never having seen it before, I sat on

Trailblazing

An Turas Mòr Cycling UK is indebted to the Obscura Mondo Cycle Club for developing the An Turas Mòr off-road route between Glasgow and Cape Wrath. It runs for 354 miles from the Central Belt, through the Scottish Highlands, to the country’s north-western tip. It takes in hill tracks, drove roads, forests, and mountain passes – and it’s an integral part of the Great North Trail. It’s a physically demanding route, by itself or as part of the Great North Trail, but it’s not technically demanding. It can be ridden on a gravel bike, not just a mountain bike.

For more information, visit anturasmor.co.uk.

a bench in the centre of town to take it all in. I pushed on when the smell of manure became overwhelming.

I was soon alone again, pedalling through the North Pennines, then Kielder and the Borders: up sunny inclines, down descents, through bogs, on forest tracks. Pedalling into the sunset, near the top of Minch Moor above Innerleithen, I had an unexpected encounter as I looked for a place to camp.

A stumbling man approached me, leaning on poles. “I’m pleased to see someone!” he panted. He was taking part in the Race Across Scotland Ultra Running Race. I wished him good luck, pitched my tent, and settled down for the night.

I was woken by lights on the flysheet. Voices, coming closer. What? It was 1:30am. Then the lights and voices faded. It took a while to click: more ultra runners. I checked the GPS tracking site of the event on my phone: at least one runner had just come right past. The fear of the unknown had gone. I nearly unzipped my tent to cheer on any others. But I was tired, so I went back to sleep.

DODGING MOSQUITOES By the time I reached Glasgow I was a day behind my schedule. I’d underestimated quite how ‘offroad’ some of the off-road sections of the Great North Trail are. I reminded myself that it wasn’t a race, and that I’d given myself two days leeway at the end in any case. I’d take my time. Literally as I was thinking this, the sun came out.

After Drymen, I left the hiker-populated

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Feature

ABROAD AFTER BREXIT THE UK LEFT THE EUROPEAN UNION A YEAR AGO, AND ONE OF THE THINGS AFFECTED IS TRAVEL. LAURA LAKER EXAMINES WHAT’S CHANGED FOR CYCLISTS

BREXIT

F E ATU R E

LAURA LAKER Cycling journalist Laura writes about cycling and urban transport for The Guardian. She enjoys touring as well as utility cycling

W

ith our exit from the EU, the UK has seen huge upheavals in trade, freedom of movement, and regulations – including those around holiday travel to the Continent. Cycling UK members have been asking our advice on how the changes will impact affect future European tours.

Information about Brexit can be partisan or simply vague. The GOV.UK website leads with: “you may need to do extra things before you travel to an EU country, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein”. So we did some digging.

This is what’s changed.

Mountains above Santa Cruz de Tenerife in the Canary Islands

First up, passports. It is recommended you have at least six months left on your passport from the day you travel, allowing for up to three months’ European travel, or in case you extend a shorter trip – for planned or unplanned reasons.

Now that the UK is outside of the EU border, British passport holders can stay for a maximum of 90 days per 180-day period. You will need extra documents to stay longer; which ones depend on the purpose of your trip.

UK nationals may need to show an onward or return ticket on arrival, prove they have enough money to stay, and use a different border queue to EU citizens.

Pam Pilbeam, who runs Cycling With Us cycle holidays, says crossing the border is still a fairly simple process. “They will look at your passport; you may find they want a piece of paper filed in before you go.

They are almost certain to check luggage. The more complicated bit is Covid [precautions].”

A quick note about Covid. Pam says some of the worst problems facing British travellers comes not from Brexit but from our high Covid rates, which puts us on some countries’ ‘orange’ or even ‘red’ lists. Check on GOV. UK and with the relevant country before departing.

Many countries, including Germany, the Netherlands and France, now permit fully vaccinated travellers from Britain if they can prove they are double-jabbed.

“Travel with a paper [vaccination] certificate because a lot of countries aren’t au fait with the app,” Pam advises.

“All our vaccines are acceptable; it’s only if you’re unvaccinated or have only had one vaccination they will require the PCR test and quarantine [before entry].

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Photography: Getty Images & Alamy

CHECK YOUR PASSPORT

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F E ATU R E

B EH AV I O U R CH A N G E Would-be cyclists need the capability, opportunity, and motivation to start cycling

Feature

Left: Moston community cycle club

CYCLING FOR ALL

Cycling UK’s behaviour change projects are playing a key role in getting a million more people on bikes, as Christina Bengston explains

C

ycling UK has been supporting cycling since 1878. We’ve advocated for the rights of people who cycle, campaigned for better infrastructure, and worked to improve cycling access for all.

But many people need more than this to be persuaded to ride a bike – and Cycling UK has programmes to help them.

“Cycling UK works to break down the barriers that stop people from cycling,” said James Scott, Cycling UK’s director of behaviour change.

“It’s not the physical barriers such as cycle infrastructure, although they’re incredibly important. We look at the psychological barriers that prevent people from cycling, and then put in behaviour change techniques through our programmes to allow people to overcome those barriers at a personal level and get cycling more.”

If you’ve ever tried to cut down on the cake or stop looking at screens before bed, you’ll know how difficult it can be to change behaviour, even if we know it’s going to be beneficial to our health.

Cycling UK’s development team has years of experience in engaging communities, however.

The model they use is called COM-B, which

CHRISTINA BENGSTON Cycling UK internal communications and media officer

proposes that there are three components to behaviour (the B in the acronym): Capability, Opportunity, and Motivation. Capability, when it comes to cycling, could be a matter of addressing physical riding skills or of dealing with attitudes that might prevent someone getting on a bike.

Opportunity could be providing someone with a bike or helping them fix one that they’ve got.

Motivation could be working with someone to set goals and plans, and to develop habits.

But one size doesn’t fit all. There are at least ten behaviour change programmes running from year to year. From our successful Big Bike Revival and network of Community Cycle Clubs to In Tandem, where we work with people with sight loss, and our new project in Scotland, Shift.

“People are different and locations are different,” said James. “We design interventions that are specific to a particular context in a particular environment. A project designed to get people cycling in London wouldn’t work in Manchester, for example. Although they are both big cities, the context and the environments are completely different.”

Cycling changes lives for the better, as three of the recipients of Cycling UK projects told us.

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Biketest

Expedition tourers Load up and hit the road less travelled.

Simon Withers tests a Spa Wayfarer and a Thorn Nomad Mk3

T

SIMON WITHERS Journalist Simon has been a cycling journalist for over 20 years.

His tours have included a northto-south trip across Australia

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wo of Britain’s most respected purveyors of tourers have supplied this issue’s expedition bikes: Spa Cycles and Thorn.

Both bikes are designed to carry you and your kit on extended tours over some of the worst road – and non-road – surfaces you’re likely to encounter.

The Spa Wayfarer and Thorn Nomad Mk3 are both made from chrome-moly steel, long the standard material for touring bikes, and have drop bars. While there is a major price difference, much of that is down to the Thorn’s Rohloff hub gear, which bumps the cost significantly. We’d hoped to test a cheaper, derailleur-equipped Nomad but that wasn’t possible due to a shortage of derailleurs when the test was commissioned.

One area in which Spa and Thorn have broken with touring convention is braking: both have discs. Their cable-actuated TRPs may not have the all-out stopping power of hydraulic discs but I’d

prefer mechanical discs in the back of beyond for their serviceability and their ability to survive freezing weather. And should your rims get bashed out of true, discs of any kind mean you'll still be able to brake safely.

Both bikes are available in a panoply of sizes and with numerous different kit and component options. Thorn’s Mk3 Nomad is also compatible with S&S couplings, a Gates belt drive, and a propstand, which I’ve found handy on loaded tourers.

Frame and Fork It’s steel, of course, for both the Spa and the Thorn. The numbers may be different – Reynolds 725 for the Spa and Thorn’s own 969 for its Nomad – but the steels themselves are much the

E X PED ITI O N TO U R ERS

BIKE TEST

First look

Thorn's bombproof load lugger is now available with three wheel sizes and either derailleur or Rohloff gearing

Tech Spec

THORN NOMAD MK3

same. Both are butted, main frame tubes by a few heat-treated chromemillimetres, the seatstays molybdenum steel, and by a whopping 6mm or so. both should last years This oversizing even if looked after, barring extends to the Thorn’s catastrophic crashes. rack mounts. With the Should that happen, steel exception of the lower rear is more readily repairable boss, these are M6, which than aluminium, titanium is too big to fit a standard or carbon fibre.

Tubus strut unless you Both bikes are durably painstakingly enlarge the built, however. They’re hole. It does mean you neatly TIG-welded, with can carry heavier loads gussets under their down but I had to break out the tubes where they join P-clips from storage to fit Top: A 180mm front rotor and linear-pull brakes provide more the head tubes. This a rack for the test. Thorn’s stopping power, while a thrustiffens the area and adds own racks are of course axle fork limits steering flex strength. The Nomad has compatible.

Bottom: The shifter is neater here than on the end of the Thorn’s new superbly handlebar but there’s less Components industrial-looking Bikespace for lights, gadgets, etc The most obvious Packing Disc fork, which difference between the can accommodate 650B two is the gearing. The Spa has ninetyres up to 60mm wide. As Thorn say: speed Sora with a triple chainset, “carrying an extra pound of steel in the giving 27 theoretical ratios. The Rohloff frame is the most effective insurance hub gear on Thorn’s Nomad only has 14 you can have.” ratios but they’re sequential and there It’s a similar story throughout the are no redundant gears. frames, with the Thorn like a steel bike The Spa’s gear range, with 50mm on steroids, which accounts for its tyres, is 23-124in. You’re rarely going 160kg (over 25 stone) maximum overall to need a 124in top gear on tour, rider-and-luggage weight. In addition and I’d go lower overall for loaded to having a more muscular-looking expeditioning. fork, all of the Thorn’s frame tubes are The Rohloff delivers a more larger in diameter than the Spa’s, the

spokes, Rohloff Speedhub.

Transmission: Thorn flat pedals, Thorn 43T chainring, VP BC73 bottom bracket, KMC Rohloff -specific chain, Rohloff Speedhub & twistgrip shifter. 14 ratios, ~20-104in.

Brakes: Tektro TRP linear-pull levers, Tektro TRP Spyke mechanical callipers, 180/160mm front/ rear rotors.

Steering & seating: cork tape, 420mm Van Nicholas bar, 90mm Van Nicholas stem, FSA Orbit XLII seatpost, Brooks B17 Super Champion leather saddle, Thorn 400×27.2mm seatpost.

Equipment: 70mm SKS Chromoplastic mudguards thorncycles.co.uk

Price: £2,791.60 as tested Sizes: 40, 47 stepthrough; 50S, 50L, 52S, 52L, 55S, 55L, 58S, 58L, 61S, 61L (55S tested) Weight: 16kg Frame & fork: Thorn 969 double-butted chrome-moly frame, Thorn eccentric bottom bracket, quick-release rear dropouts, and fittings for rear rack, mudguard, 3 bottles. Reynolds chrome-moly steel fork with straight steerer, 110×15mm thru-axle, and fittings for guards & rack.

Wheels: 57-584 Schwalbe G-One Allround tyres, Ryde Rival 26 rims, 32×2/1.8/2mm spokes, Shimano front hub, 32×2/1.8/2mm rear

Dimensions in millimetres and degrees

655 555 73˚

800 59

66

142

450

645 70˚

92

510

702

170 310

584

1085

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GROUPTEST

R E A R PA N N I ER S

Details

WHAT TO LOOK FOR

1

Grouptest

Rear panniers P

LIZ COLEBROOK Framebuilder Liz is a framebuilder and the owner of Beaumont Bicycle. She’s also a qualified occupational therapist

How much a pannier holds, measured in litres. An average single rear pannier holds about 20-25L, a single front pannier half that.

expect our panniers to leak. Construction methods and materials can boast impressive waterproof credentials, but the closure system is also relevant in keeping stuff dry.

2

4

Attachment system

How a pannier hooks onto the luggage rack.

This should include a safety system to prevent panniers from jumping off. Look for modular hooks as not all racks have the same size (or shaped) tubing.

The hook-to-rack fit should be as snug as possible or it will ‘chatter’ in motion.

Large capacity panniers can accommodate camping loads, long-trip essentials, or simply grocery shopping. Liz Colebrook tests four pairs anniers put big loads on the bike rather than on your back. More capacious than bikepacking bags, they traditionally come in pairs and attach to a luggage rack via a userfriendly hook system, making them secure in transit yet quick to remove and carry about.

For longer expeditions, an additional front rack fitted to the fork with smaller panniers can extend capacity while keeping the load balanced.

A single rear pannier is popular with commuters and day-trippers; it all depends on how much you need to carry. If you don’t have enough stuff for a single rear then a small front pannier used at the rear works well (and is also a good way to introduce children to cycle touring). But for a weekly shop or a longer excursion, a pair of practical rear panniers is ideal.

Capacity

3

Weather Resistance

Nowadays, we don’t

Functionality

This includes ease of access, heel clearance, ease of carrying when off the bike, optional extras, and visibility.

5

Durability

Panniers need to stand the test of time as we cart our ‘goods and shackles’ about. Being able to order spares or have worn parts repaired is a major plus; some manufacturers offer this service.

4

1

2 3

Cycle’s test promise At Cycle, we are proudly independent. There’s no pressure to please advertisers as we’re funded by your membership. Our product reviews aren’t press releases; they’re written by experienced cyclists after thorough testing.

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TRAVELLERS’ TALES

Dan (rear) also pushed his tourer down some hills

England & Scotland

Halfway north Mark Green rode the first 400 miles of the Great North Trail

Near Tarbert, North Harris, on the hilly road to Stornoway

Scotland

A Hebridean journey Fifty-five years after his first unsupported tour, John Chaplin explored the Western Isles

H

aving bought a Surly Disc Trucker during lockdown, I visited the Outer Hebrides and the Isle of Skye in August. This was my second unsupported tour, the first being during the World Cup in 1966 at the age of 13. It’s never too late!

Loaded with panniers and camping gear, I cycled to London to catch the overnight sleeper from Euston. I caught another train to Oban, then camped overnight nearby and caught the ferry to Castlebay, Barra, at the southern end of the Hebrides.

There began my two-week tour, which took in 11 islands and four more ferries. Some of the islands are connected by causeways. There is a Camp site at Borve on the Isle of Barra

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waymarked route called the Hebridean Way (185 miles), which guides you all the way from Vatersay to the Butt of Lewis. I mainly followed this but with additional diversions, not least to the beautiful Uig Sands on Lewis.

The islands are all different in their geography so you get a chance for some flat riding as well as some very good climbs. The scenery is breathtaking, with high hills, moorland, white sandy beaches, and many sea and freshwater lochs. The Hebrides are rich in culture too, with prehistory sites like the Callanish Standing Stones and a more recent history of fishing and blackhouses. Crofts are still worked.

After enjoying the Hebrides, I caught the ferry from Harris to Uig on Skye and spent three days cycling to Armadale in the south for the ferry to Mallaig. Skye was different again: very green and lush, but with the magnificent Cullins on view. I had my only wet day of the trip on Skye, though I had plenty of headwinds.

After 12 days on the islands, it was back to the mainland and a short train journey to Fort William, where I caught the Caledonian Sleeper south.

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DE C E MB E R 20 2 1/ JAN UARY 2022

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HAVING CYCLED KING Alfred’s Way earlier in the year, I asked my pals Dan and Terry if they fancied giving the Great North Trail a go. They did. We settled on Derby to Edinburgh: half the total route, with 400 miles over seven days.

We set off in early October, planning to stay in pubs and B&Bs. Our worries about taking ‘too much bike’ were proved false on day one: mine and Terry’s adventure bike rigs, with Jones bars and huge 29er tyres, were perfect. Dan’s decision to take his faithful touring bike with semi-slick tires was a noble mistake – one that would lead to many timid descents and even pushing downhill!

The off-road sections were varied and included flat, gravel trails, deep moorland bogs, and steep riverbed sections strewn with loose rock. The technical uphill sections were very slow and, as a result, we finished most days rumbling along hillsides in pitch darkness, thankful of every lumen we had.

On the section between Hawes and Alston we needed a plan B, as Great Dun Fell loomed before us in the gloom and we realised that the ascent over Tyne Head Moor would be too difficult in the dark. A campsite in Dufton took us in.

It was a hugely demanding but rewarding week. The geology slowly changed as we headed northwards. We felt honoured to ride through moorland valleys entirely empty of roads, buildings, and people. Next up, Edinburgh to Cape Wrath!

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