Cycle magazine August/September 2022

cycle THE MAGAZINE OF CYCLING UK

WHEEL BASES Cycle-friendly businesses in Norfolk, Kent & Cornwall

NOT CARBON COPIES

On test

ISLABIKES EJONI HANDLEBAR PACKS PRAXIS CHAINSET TYRE GLIDER & MORE

HEBRIDES

BY HAND

AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2022

SCOT TI S H I S L AN DS BY E LEC TRI C-AS S I ST HAN DCYCLE Page 32

Women’s-specific road bikes on test

P lu s WHICH GRAVEL BIKE FOR A 5'3" RIDER? NORTHERN IRELAND’S NEWRY CANAL WAY CYCLING UK’S BIG SUMMER RAFFLE AND MUCH MORE

CONTENTS Features 32 Hebrides by hand Cycle-camping the Scottish islands on an electric-assist handcycle

Welcome

38 You’re welcome Cycle Friendly Places in Norfolk, Kent, and Cornwall

47 Active travel for all?

The barriers that prevent disabled people from cycling

50 E-asy rider

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The Amstel Gold Sportive by e-bike

Products 18 Shop window New products coming soon

20 Gear up Components, accessories, and books

60 Not carbon copies Women’s-specific endurance road bikes from Decathlon and Cube

66 Islabikes eJoni

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A lightweight e-bike aimed at older riders

69 Bikepacking bar rolls Four bags to strap to your bike’s handlebar

Regulars 04 Freewheeling Bits and pieces from the bike world

07 This is Cycling UK

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29 Letters Your feedback on Cycle and cycling

On the cover

Summer Raffle

DAN JOYCE Cycle Editor

16 You are Cycling UK Rachael Wigginton, cycle campaigner

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Win big in our Summer Raffle. Find out how to enter on pages 14-15 or visit cyclinguk.org/ raffle

New long-distance route in Norfolk; cycle holiday insurance; the second Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy; Cycling UK’s Summer Raffle

Neil Russell and Buster near Balliekine, Arran, overlooking Kilbrannan Sound, by Jess Paul

44 Weekender Northern Ireland’s Newry Canal Way

54 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 Designer: Katrina Ravn Advertising: Elly Kiss T: 0203 198 3092 E: elly.kiss@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: Sam Jones, Hardy Saleh, Liz Colebrook, Maria Frazer

Sometimes it’s the little things that make cycling journeys difficult, not the obvious ones. Years ago, after breaking my back, I made a trip across country that involved a 15-mile bike ride, two trains, and a couple of miles at the other end.

Recent surgery and a hip-to-armpit body cast were complicating factors solved by riding an upright Dutch roadster. The cycling was fine. The real problem was a lack of ramps. I couldn’t lift the bike at all. Not over the footbridge. Not on and off trains. Station staff and fellow passengers thankfully stepped in. Without their help, I’d have been stranded – like wheelchair users too often are on planes etc.

Inadequate provision for cyclists is, as Kate Ball explains in the feature on page 47, the main reason we don’t see disabled cyclists out and about more.

If we build it, they will come. Or to put it another way: if we don’t, they won’t.

A change of perception is needed too. Cycling is often portrayed as sporty, sweaty, and physically challenging, despite being easier than walking.

Compared to Shanks’s pony, a bike will take you four or five times as far for the same time and effort. Everyone’s bicycle or tricycle is a mobility aid.

The less fit and less able-bodied you are, the more of a game changer a bicycle or tricycle becomes. Whether your cycle is pedal-powered, handcranked, or electric-assist, it doesn’t just gift you convenience but freedom… assuming those thoughtless barriers are (sometimes literally) removed.

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MORE ITEMS ON PAGE 18

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Moston Cycling Club New cyclists tackle first tour

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group of cyclists who only learned to ride in the last year have completed their first long-distance cycling trip thanks to the skills they picked up as part of Cycling UK’s Big Bike Revival.

The four-strong group are all members of Moston Cycling Club, Greater Manchester, which is led by Marina Waters. They met when they attended a free Big Bike Revival event, which aims to encourage everyone to cycle more often and gives them extra skills to do so.

Before long the women were regulars on the beginner rides led by Waters, and soon talk turned to a long-distance ride. They decided to ride from Manchester to Liverpool along the Trans Pennine Trail, with an overnight stop in Warrington – nearly 50 miles and longer than anything the ladies had ridden previously.

“It was an amazing experience and everyone loved it,” said Waters.

“Even the weather was great for us. The Manchester to Liverpool ride is the longest we’ve done together. They all rose to the challenge and enjoyed themselves along the way.”

“For me the challenge was the duration of the ride due to an ongoing knee injury,” said fellow rider Anne. “Being over 60, nothing comes easy without effort and determination. The highlight for me was the fun and camaraderie we had over two days. Cycling into Liverpool, knowing I had achieved something I would have thought impossible six months ago, was amazing.”

BIG BIKE REVIVAL The Big Bike Revival takes place across England and offers a programme of events delivered locally by community groups and organisations that are FREE for all. cyclinguk.org/bigbikerevival

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Classic kit

Quad Lock Bike Kit One of the best ways to attach a smartphone to your handlebar or stem, the Quad Lock kit includes a phone case (low-profile enough that your phone still fits in your pocket) and a quarter-turn mount. It’s secure, lightweight, easy to use, and compatible with other Quad Lock mounts for desks, car dashboards, running armbands, etc. From £45.95, quadlockcase.co.uk

Really?

CeramicSpeed OSPW Aero Wow: €739 for a little fairing to cover the jockey wheels on your bike to make you more aero. Think of the time savings you’ll make! As it replaces rather than covers the derailleur cage it’s structural and thus allowed under UCI rules. ceramicspeed.com

On my bike

Ukrainian refugee rides We’re supporting our Cycling UK member groups to welcome Ukrainian refugees. Riding with a group is a chance for our new guests to make friends and explore their surroundings. If you know of any Ukrainian refugees staying with family or friends, why not invite them along to try riding with your

member group? To help, we’re offering Ukrainian refugees a free 12-month digital-only Cycling UK membership. They must be taking part in the UK Government’s ‘Homes for Ukraine’ scheme and be referred to us by a Cycling UK member group to be eligible.

Contact groups@cyclinguk.org

Events

Wild Wales Challenge Merseyside CTC’s annual Wild Wales Challenge returns on Sunday 28 August for its 38th edition.

With a choice of routes – 86 or 66 miles – the Wild Wales Challenge explores the spectacular scenery and climbs of Snowdonia. The long route takes in 9,200ft of climbing, the shorter one 6,500ft. The £32 entrance fee includes lunch, refreshments, changing rooms and showers at the event HQ, and a Welsh slate plaque for all finishers. Visit cyclingukmerseyside.com/wwc

Above left: West Surrey CC. Below left: Derek Gould

Jack Thurston

Try this

Author and podcaster

Why do you cycle?

Freedom: first from parental authority, then from overcrowded buses and tube trains.

Now it’s the freedom to explore.

How far do you ride each week?

I don’t count miles but I do ride every day.

Which of your bikes is your favourite?

Our Xtracycle longtail cargo bike with Bosch electric assist has enabled my family to live a nearly car-free life in rural Wales. It does shopping and school runs, days out and camping trips.

What do you always take with you when cycling?

A camera. Taking pictures encourages me stop to look around.

Who mends your punctures?

Me. It’s raining: bike, public transport, or car?

If it’s just me, I’ll ride. If I’m with my kids I’ll put it to a vote.

Lycra or normal clothes?

Lycra for serious athletic endeavours, normal clothes for touring and daily riding.

Picture this Make the most of the long summer days by giving Cycling UK’s bikepacking challenge a go. Follow @wearecyclinguk on Instagram and share your snaps with the hashtag #12NightsOutIn1Year. May’s competition winner, right, was by @tonithetankengine.

Not tried bikepacking yet?

The Cycling UK website has advice, kit reviews, and routes: cyclinguk.org/bikepacking

If you had £100 to spend on cycling, what would you get?

A pump for seating tubeless tyres.

What’s your favourite cycle journey?

Riding south over Waterloo Bridge.

For years it was my way home. Now there’s a segregated bike lane!

What would most improve matters for UK cyclists?

Retrofitting all main roads with good quality segregated bike tracks.

Jack’s latest Lost Lanes book is reviewed on p26.

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Stay in touch CYCLECLIPS: free weekly email newsletter. Sign up at cyclinguk.org/subscribe CAMPAIGN NEWS: monthly campaigns bulletin. Sign up at cyclinguk.org/subscribe-tocycle-campaign-news

On our bikes Active travel is becoming an economic necessity as well as an environmental one. Sarah Mitchell reflects on everyday cycling at home and abroad

Stay connected

facebook.com/CyclingUK

of Big Bike Revival participants live in the bottom three deciles of deprivation.

Visit: cyclinguk.org/ bigbikerevival

both, very different, cities. I was delighted to join the launch for Out on Bikes with Grampy, a book about cycling that is now in the bookbag for 55,000 early-years kids across Scotland, introducing them all to cycling. Read more at cyclinguk.org/grampybook.

Velo-City is the annual get-together of cycling people from all over Europe and beyond. This year was my first opportunity to attend. It was truly fascinating to learn about the different challenges and solutions around cycling in different countries and cultures. I wrote about this in a blog (cyclinguk.org/blog/opinion-learning-and-inspirationvelo-city-2022) and also spoke at a plenary session about our work across the UK. Don’t forget, while you’re out on your bikes this summer, that our annual raffle is now running. Prizes include an e-bike, a new Garmin Edge 1040 Solar and Varia taillight package, a Rapha commuter jacket and backpack set, and lots more. All raffle proceeds contribute to our charitable and campaigning work.

You can find out how to enter the raffle on pages 14-15. Finally, our AGM comes at the start of September, and you can see the agenda and voting Active travel can replace details in the insert expensive car journeys included with this issue of Cycle.

Twitter @wearecyclinguk

Left: Joolze Dymond

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s rising costs assail us from all sides, more and more of us have been turning to cycling – both as an alternative (cheaper!) way to get around and also to escape the news with some fresh air and fun.

Cycling UK is on hand to help would-be cyclists discover the joys of two (or three) wheels. After the successful launch of the Cantii Way in May we are excited to announce our new Norfolk route, the Rebellion Way, which launches in September. There are more details on page 8.

Active travel has been a hot topic in the media, with the announcement in June of the top team at Active Travel England. We’re looking forward to seeing this team in action, supporting local authorities to deliver truly high quality cycling and walking infrastructure across England.

At the annual Westminster Parliamentary Bike Ride in June I was inspired by all-ability cycling campaigner Isabelle Clement’s description of cycling as a ‘mobility aid’. All-ability wheeling throws a different and exciting perspective on cycling, and in this issue we take a closer look at active travel for people with disabilities.

I have been out and about a lot over recent months, taking my bike on a whirlwind tour of Glasgow and Edinburgh to meet with the Scottish Advisory Council and Scottish ministers, as well as trying out some of the new infrastructure in

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www.cyclinguk.org

I was inspired by all-ability cycling campaigner Isabelle Clement’s description of cycling as a ‘mobility aid’

cycling@cyclinguk.org

01483 238301

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43%

of 18-24-year-olds are considering changing their method of travel due to increased transport costs

Right: Jordan Gibbons

(source: YouGov)

Gravel bikes are optional for the East Anglian route

Wales

20 IS PLENTY FOR WALES On 12 July the Welsh Government voted for 20mph to become the default speed limit on restricted roads – typically residential and built-up areas with high pedestrian activity. It’s a bold move that will transform road safety for more vulnerable road users, making streets safer and neighbourhoods more liveable. Cycling UK hopes it will be matched across the rest of the UK.

Routes

THE REBELLION WAY Cycling UK’s newest long-distance route is a nearly 200-mile loop of Norfolk. Jordan Gibbons outlines what’s on offer

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ou wait all year for a new cycle route and then two come along at once. Hot on the heels of the Cantii Way, Cycling UK has announced another new route for the autumn: the Rebellion Way. It’s a 197-mile (317km) loop of Norfolk, starting and finishing in Norwich. If you’ve got a bit of time to spare it’s an ideal four-day trip but if you’re tight on time it can be easily split in half at King’s Lynn. So we know what you’re thinking: where did that name come from?

The route is named for two of Norfolk’s most fascinating rebellions: those of Boudicca and Robert Kett. Boudicca was the leader of the Iceni and led a revolt against the steady encroachment of Roman rule nearly 2,000 years ago. Heading out of Norwich, the Rebellion Way passes by Venta Icenorum, the capital of Boudicca’s Iceni tribe, where you can see remains of the settlement to this day. The route also takes in sections of the Boudicca Way, where it is accessible by bicycle.

On the return leg, the route passes Kett’s Heights, a key location in Kett’s Rebellion, which was a revolt in Norfolk in response

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to land enclosure. Beginning in Wymondham in July 1549, rebels began to destroy fences placed by wealthy landowners. The group targeted Robert Kett who, instead of fighting the rebels, joined their cause and offered to lead them. The rebellion grew to number 10,000, who marched on Norwich, later storming and taking the city. Kett’s movement ultimately failed, and he met a sticky end when the King finally caught up with him, but his goals of free access to the countryside are echoed to this day in Cycling UK’s work.

As you might expect from a Cycling UK route, the Rebellion Way takes in a varied mix of country lanes, bridleways, byways, bike paths and quiet ways that have been chosen to be accessible for most people. It doesn’t just visit Norfolk’s major hubs either: while Norwich, King’s Lynn, and Wells-next-the-Sea all feature, just as much time is spent in Oxborough, Castle Acre, and Little Walsingham.

The full route will be released in September.

Join the mailing list to get updates and be in with a chance of winning Restrap goodies: visit cyclinguk.org/rebellion-way.

Governance

AGM & TRUSTEE ELECTIONS Cycling UK’s 2022 AGM takes place on Friday 9 September. You can find everything you need to register and vote on the motions in the AGM insert included with this copy of the magazine. You can also find details on our website: cyclinguk.org/ agm-2022. Voting for the Cycling UK 2022 trustee elections will be launched in the Oct/Nov edition of Cycle. Further information can be found at cyclinguk. org/become-trustee

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CYCLE SOS AT YOUR SERVICE Cycling UK’s incident line has moved to a new legal partner, Cycle SOS. The phone number (0330 107 1789) stays the same, as does the benefit to you.

Cycle SOS offers a bespoke service from a team of specialist personal injury lawyers who have helped thousands of cyclists in the last 20 years. cyclesos.co.uk/cycling-ukincident-line

Transport

NO BIKES ON EUROSTAR YET Eurostar has delayed reintroducing the carriage of oversized luggage, including bikes. The cross-channel rail operator suspended this facility in March 2020. It was due to resume this summer.

However, Eurostar told Cycling UK “the twin pressures of the post-Covid ramp-up in travel and Brexit” have made this unfeasible. An update is expected in September. cyclinguk.org/article/ cycle-carriage-eurostar

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Member groups catering for beginners have nearly three times as many (282%) active members and twice as many women

Left: Dan Joyce

Legal assistance

Many travel policies don’t cover mountain biking or touring

Insurance

ABROAD WITH A BIKE

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o one likes thinking about insurance. It’s dull, can be expensive, and often feels like paying out for something you never use.

Yet if something does go wrong it can be a life saver. We routinely take out travel insurance, especially if travelling abroad.

But what about cycle insurance?

If you’re travelling with your bike you need to consider the possibility of damage to or theft of the bike, personal injury, and damage to other people or property. Don’t assume that your usual travel insurance will cover cycling. According to Compare the Market, most policies cover your belongings up to a total of around £3,000, with a single-item

limit of around £200-£300 – far lower than the value of most cycles. Also, most policies only cover ‘regular’ cycling, which typically excludes mountain biking, racing, and even touring. Any holiday in which cycling is the main activity wouldn’t be covered either.

For any of this you’ll need cycle-specific travel insurance, such as Yellow Jersey’s. This covers you for any type of cycling, as well as emergency medical expenses, repatriation and trip cancellation. It includes the full value of your bike (less any excess, which is usually £100), as well as gadgets like smartphones and GPS devices. What’s more, Cycling UK members get a 15% discount. cyclinguk.org/ member-benefit/yellow-jersey-travel

Big Bike Revival

BBR CARDS: HERE’S THE DEAL A behaviour change card game is one of the extra resources for Big Bike Revival (BBR) delivery partners this year to help participants overhaul their travel habits. The card game use techniques proven to help people address the issues that are stopping them cycling more.

The cards are unique in that they focus on the social side of what gets people cycling, tapping into

how our partners enable people through their conversations and community support. Whether it’s fixing people’s cycles at an event, teaching riding skills, or leading a social cycle ride, we’re providing more than just a quick fix: the Big Bike Revival is about creating lasting change in people’s lives. cyclinguk.org/bigbikerevival

this is Chris Boardman, head of the new Active Travel England

Membership

IT UPGRADES & YOUR ACCOUNT We are updating our IT systems to bring you a smoother and more efficient service. Due to these upgrades, you’ll need to create a new online account to access your member benefits or to renew your membership.

If you pay by Direct Debit, you’ll also see the name of our new payment provider, Stripe, on your bank statement. More details at: cyclinguk.org/article/ faqs-systemsupgrade

Transport

ACTIVE TRAVELLERS CHECKED? The Government’s plans include warm words but lack cash. Cycling UK policy director Roger Geffen reports

Our IT systems are changing

Membership

SIZZLING OFFERS THIS SUMMER The Caravan and Motorhome Club is offering you 8% off glamping breaks via Experience Freedom.

They’re the perfect base to get out and explore new areas, tracks, and trails, with luxury camping options in some of the most picturesque spots in the UK. You can also get 10% off bike servicing at Halfords to keep your bike in top condition for your summer getaway.

More at: cyclinguk.org/ member-benefits

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ider political events in July meant that the Government’s long-awaited unveiling of England’s second Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy (CWIS2) went almost unnoticed. There wasn’t much to take notice of in any case – it says little that we didn’t already know.

The funding made available in the newly published CWIS2 is still insufficient to meet its stated objectives, which means that councils and others now need to work together to ensure the money is spent as well as possible.

It is arguable that CWIS2 doesn’t even meet the legal requirements of a CWIS. It spells out the objectives to be achieved and the financial resources to be made available for achieving those objectives (as required by the Infrastructure Act 2015). However, there is still a glaring mismatch between the increases in cycling and walking the Department for Transport (DfT) is aiming to achieve, and the funding available for doing so.

Unfortunately, the law does not clearly stipulate that the resources available must be sufficient to meet the objectives. That’s something I hope we can address when the

Government publishes its Transport Bill later this year.

This mismatch creates a real risk for the newly-born body Active Travel England (ATE). Cycling UK has strongly welcomed its creation, and the appointments of Chris Boardman as its Commissioner, Danny Williams as Chief Executive, and other key staff. I and other colleagues look forward to working with them, old and new faces alike.

But the gap between the funding available and what ATE is expected to do with it may turn out to be a poisoned chalice.

I obviously hope to be proven wrong.

To read the article in full, visit cyclinguk. org/blog/governments-new-investmentstrategy-lacks-cash-we-must-make-best-it.

More than 80 members were added to our Roll of Honour during Volunteers’ Week: cyclinguk.org/cycling -uk-roll-honour

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Prizes

SUMMER RAFFLE Welcome to Cycling UK’s 2022 raffle.

Enter now at cyclinguk.org/raffle

Photo: Joolze Dymond

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elebrate cycling and win big with our Summer Raffle. Buy a ticket for just £1 and you could be cruising through the summer on a new Raleigh e-bike, using top-grade tech with a Garmin Edge and Varia taillight bundle, or winning cash to put towards your next cycling adventure.

Every ticket sold goes towards making the world better by bike. Last year’s raffle helped fund some fantastic campaigning successes in the 12 months that followed. We won our fight to improve the Highway Code. We won the Cyclists’ Defence Fund’s legal battle against West Sussex County Council, showing councils there are repercussions for ignoring government guidance on unlawfully removing cycling lanes. Then we marched alongside millions at the COP26 Summit to highlight that active travel must be part of the solution to the climate crisis.

As you know, there is still so much more work to be done in terms of campaigning for cyclist’s rights, improving cycling infrastructure, opening up more of the countryside, and getting millions more people to discover the joy of cycling. With your

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continued support, just think what we could achieve this time next year?

Buy your tickets today. You’ll support our vital work and you could win something incredible from top brands in the cycling industry. Encourage your cycling friends and family to join in the fun. Together we can make the world better by bike.

How to play • To enter online: Please enter online if you can as it cuts our administration costs. Online entries must be made via credit or debit card by 30/09/22, before 11:59pm.

Visit cyclinguk.org/raffle or scan this QR code with your phone.

If every member bought or sold £15 worth of tickets, this would raise over

£1million!

• To enter by post: Send back your labelled ticket stubs, payment form, and payment details (before 26/09/2022 to ensure you are entered in time) to: Summer Raffle Cycling UK Parklands Railton Road Guildford GU2 9JX For full instructions, please see the payment form. We’ve sent paper tickets to members we’ve identified as having previously entered only by mail.

If you didn’t receive tickets by post but would like to enter that way, please order books of tickets before 05/09/22 by emailing raffle@cyclinguk.org or phoning our membership team on 01483 238301.

Full terms and conditions can be found at cyclinguk.org/raffle. The draw will take place on 03/10/22. Good luck!

Enter the raffle now!

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Prizes Here’s what you could win. Don’t forget that every entry and donation goes towards Cycling UK’s charitable work and campaigning.

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1 Raleigh e-bike

Worth £1,699

2 Garmin New Varia tail light RCT715 (£349.99) and Edge 1040 Solar (£979.98)

Bundle worth £1,329.97

3 Cash prize

£500

4 Rapha commuter jacket and small travel backpack

Worth £200

5 Ison Distribution Passport bikepacking set (seat pack, frame bag, bar bag and top tube bag)

Worth up to £174.96

6 Halfords gift voucher

£150

7 BZ Optics glasses of the winner’s choice, excluding prescription glasses

Worth up to £119.99

8 Cycling UK X Stolen Goat short sleeve jersey and matching arm warmers in either the heritage or modern design

Worth £105

9 Cotswold Outdoor Lowe Alpine Air Zone Spirit backpack

Worth £85

10 Heliocare sun cream bundle

Worth £59.99

11 5× KTV Drive pair bike lights

Worth £39.60

12 5× Cycling UK bandidos

Worth £9.99

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Rachael on her hybrid: “nothing special, but it serves me well”

Campaigner

RACHAEL WIGGINTON Frustrated by the fact that her daughter couldn’t safely get around by bike, Rachael joined the Cycle Advocacy Network

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ycle campaigning: that’s what other people do, isn’t it? Cyclists with experience of taking planners and councillors to task? In reality, any of us can contribute by becoming involved with the Cycle Advocacy Network. Rachael Wigginton has been doing just that in Leicestershire since joining Cycling UK in lockdown in 2021.

“The reason I joined was because my daughter cannot ride around safely in the local area to see her friends or participate in her activities without me taking her there and back,” she said. “I take her by car to the next village, two miles down the road, because it’s not safe for her to cycle on the fast country road. That’s one parent doing eight miles of unnecessary driving. I felt I had to get into campaigning to put pressure on the local authority to do more for children’s health and wellbeing.”

Rachael had no prior history of cycle campaigning. “I knew nothing about campaigning, the government’s position on cycling, or how things work at a local level,” she said.

“CAN has given me an awful lot of knowledge and a great network with lots of experience and expertise. There’s always someone who has got a helpful answer to a question I have.”

Her cycling background is more ‘bicycle user’ than ‘cyclist with a capital C’. “I have always cycled,” she said, “as a child, as a student, and as I’ve got older. I’ve always considered cycling to be a means of transport first and foremost. I use my bike mostly to go to the local shops, the dentist, doctor, local pubs and cafés. It gave me great freedom as a child and that sense of freedom when I cycle remains.”

That’s what she says she wants others to be able to experience: unfettered, enjoyable utility cycling. “At the

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moment cycling seems to be seen more as a health and leisure pursuit,” she said. “I want the local authority to put cycling at the heart of their transport strategy. I see myself as a local ‘agitator’ – to get people to think differently about where and how we live and get them thinking about how much better it would be if more people walked and cycled.”

Rachael primarily uses social media to get her message across to councillors and residents. “I have set up ‘Better Biking for Blaby District’ on Facebook,” she said. “We now have 220 members, which outside of the village Facebook (FB) groups is probably the biggest in the area, and it’s growing all the time.

“I’m finding Facebook and Twitter very powerful tools.

Several councillors follow me and are on the FB group.

I also post things on the village FB groups about cycling.

The majority support what I’m trying to do, but there are people who can’t see how things could be different.”

Some of those people, inevitably, are councillors or council employees. “Leicestershire is the lowest funded county in the country and pleads poverty,” Rachael said. “However, it’s more the lack of ambition that is the real issue. There have been opportunities to bid for funding.”

Rachael regularly challenges the council on social media when they promote parking for local events but don’t say ‘walk or cycle if you can’. That message is finally getting through. “The biggest change we’ve seen recently,” she said, “is one of the county councillors in a video talking about how residents can help by swapping local car journeys for walking or cycling journeys. That’s the first time we’ve heard that actually articulated by a councillor in Leicestershire.”

You CAN too Do you want to help get more people cycling? Do you want to share the joy of riding a bike? Do you want to see real change – with separated cycle lanes, safer roads, and shops, offices and homes accessible by bike?

So do we! The Cycle Advocacy Network (CAN) brings together people with a shared interest in creating the conditions that enable more people to cycle, including better infrastructure for cycling and safer roads. For more information, visit cyclinguk.org/can

More info Rachael’s Twitter account is Leicestershire Loves Cycling: @LeicsCountyBike

P roduct News

SHOP WINDOW

We’re cycling into economic headwinds these days but window shopping is still free. Dan Joyce casts an eye over a cross-section of new stuff Show times

Bespoked, the UK’s handmade bicycle show, is at the Olympic Velodrome in Stratford, London from 14-16 October. bespoked.cc

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Using a similar format to Tern’s e-cargo bikes, this is an unassisted small-wheeler that weighs ~16kg, fits in the space of a standard bike, and will carry 70kg on its rear rack. ternbicycles.com

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Carradice Originals Barley Saddlebag (Animalfriendly) £82

Another way to hide tools in a steerer tube, this 159g ratchet set has 2, 2.5, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 8mm Allen keys, a T25 Torx, and a Phillips #1. The steerer must be open at the fork crown. granite-design.com

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Vegans rejoice. Some of Carradice’s cotton duck bags are now available with upcycled firehose material replacing leather straps and trim. carradice.co.uk

Granite Design Stash RT £64.95

Defender Shock Contact Alarm

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Schwalbe G-ONE RS £74.99

The G-ONE RS has the best rolling performance of any gravel tyre, according to Schwalbe. It’s meant for tarmac, gravel, and dry trails only, limiting UK applications. Sizes: 35-6222, 40-622 and 45-622. UK price TBC. schwalbe.com

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£14.95 This wire-free alarm for sheds and garages, installed on the inside, emits a 130dB siren if the correct four-digit code isn’t keyed in within seconds. It runs on 3×AAA batteries. defendersecurityproducts. co.uk

Skarper DiskDrive £1,000+

Comprising a replacement disc rotor (300g) and an allin-one battery/motor unit (3kg), the Skarper DiskDrive will let you switch from bike to e-bike or vice-versa in moments. The battery is 202Wh, the motor 250W with 50Nm torque. skarper.com

Garmin Varia RCT715 £349.99

Garmin’s rear light and approaching-traffic radar is now available with a built-in camera (1080p/30fps). You’ll need a smartphone and/or compatible bike computer to use all its features. garmin.com

Tern Short Haul D8 £1,100

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More online

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Check out our in-depth reviews of the latest bikes and gear online at: cyclinguk.org/cycling-advice

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R e v ie w s

Gear up

( ( Put to the test

Is there a product that you think needs reviewing?

Write to: Cycle, PO Box 313, Scarborough, YO12 6WZ

COMPONENTS, KIT, AND MEDIA SELECTED AND REVIEWED BY BIKE JOURNALISTS AND CYCLING UK STAFF

editor@cyclinguk.org

Pros & cons + Lowered gearing + Fit and finish – Specific BB assembly

Other options

MIDDLEBURN RO2 £400 Expensive, versatile, UK-made chainset with a 46-30 option. We’ll be reviewing this later in the year. mountainbike

components.co.uk

Praxis

Alba DM-X chainset with Praxis BB M30 Compact double with a good choice of crank lengths, bottom brackets, and chainring sizes £185.00 praxiscycles.com, upgradebikes.co.uk

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vailable in a choice of five crank lengths from 160mm to 175mm and with the option of bottom bracket assemblies to fit a wide range of frame formats –including regular BSA and T47 threaded, BB30/PF30 and even BB Right – the Praxis Alba chainset can be configured as a 50-34t compact, 48-32t subcompact or 52-36t mid-compact.

The two chainrings are fixed to a detachable spider using 160mm and 104mm BCDs. The spider itself is attached to the righthand crank by two small set screws, with drive torque

handled by a lobed interface.

Permanently press-fitted to the right-hand crank, the aluminium axle requires a Praxis M30 bottom bracket. This locates the axle in a similar way to the Truvativ EXP design, with the 30mm diameter axle a sliding fit in the right-hand bearing. It’s reduced to 28mm in diameter at the non-drive side end, with the left-hand bearing gripped between the axle shoulder and left-hand crank; the latter is tightened to provide secure axial location.

It’s important to pay attention when installing the cranks,

since the bottom bracket, which requires its own specific spanner, is supplied with a wave washer and five different dust covers.

The forged aluminium cranks have a boxy outer face and cutaway inner that keeps the weight of the chainset to around 800g. The bottom bracket adds around 100g to take the total for the test sample – 175mm cranks, BSA bottom bracket and 48-32 chainrings – to just shy of 900g.

Whether under power or in the workstand, the chainset spins freely, with little drag from the bearing seals and nil chainring runout. The cranks are nice and stiff. With a 148mm tread (or Q factor) they are slightly narrower than the industry ‘standard’ of 150mm. This, plus the useful 6% gearing reduction the 48-32 chainrings offer over a regular compact, makes the Praxis Alba an attractive choice for road, audax and sportive riders as well as tourists and gravel riders.

Richard Hallett

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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SHIMANO GRX 2×10 £109.99 Gravel-specific chainset with 46-30 rings and four crank lengths. Also available as in 1×11 and 2×11 formats.

shimano.com

Verdict

This is a goodlooking, sturdy and nicely-made alternative to the major manufacturers’ offerings, with a useful range of chainring sizes, crank lengths and bottom bracket formats.

REVIEWS

GEAR UP

Pros & cons

+ Should re-fit even the tightest tyres + Unlikely to nip tube – Might not remove tighter tyres

Tyre Glider

Tyre Glider Unconventional tyre fitting and removal tool that works well on the right tyre/rim combos £9.99 tyreglider.co.uk

T

Other options

his compact tool was designed in the UK by Welsh road cyclist Kevin Baker, who had a eureka moment while opening a tin of tuna.

Watch the video on the website to understand how it works.

After I’d had my own “aha!” moment, I attempted to remove a tight-fitting tyre. Unfortunately, this shorter than normal and rather chunky tyre lever wouldn’t hook under the bead, the essential first step in tyre removal. I tried pinching the tyre together all around the rim but still had no joy. The interface was both too wide and too thick for this tyre/rim combination.

I tried a looser tyre/rim

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combination, and that did work as shown. My advice? For tight tyre removal, don’t abandon your traditional composite levers with narrow chiselled ends and decent leverage.

Better news on the re-fitting.

I warmed up on a loose-fitting tyre whose rim meshed perfectly with the tool, and the procedure was very smooth and rewarding.

With the tight-fitting tyre, two problems became apparent.

Firstly, the hooked part of the rim (the part that enables the tyre bead to take high pressures by dovetailing with the bead) needs to be no wider than 3.3mm.

Mine was probably 3.4mm as the tool was difficult to slot over the

rim wall. I ‘persuaded’ it, which basically removed 0.1mm of the tool’s recycled plastic material.

The tyre did go on, however.

As I did the final push, the second problem manifested itself. The tool snagged some of the extraneous tyre rubber around the bead, which although only cosmetic is something I wouldn’t want a customer to experience. Next, I tried re-fitting a notoriously problematic Schwalbe Marathon Plus tyre.

Again the tool worked perfectly as the rim was compatible.

All in all, this is an interesting design concept that favours a strong, dextrous hand.

Liz Colebrook

VAR TOOLS RP-42500 £7.50

CYCLE-PAL COMPACT £17.95

Compact ‘bead jack’ tool that is effective at getting even tight tyres back on the rim. Has an extra lever for removal. Reviewed April-May 22. vartools.uk

Doesn’t remove tyres but reliably re-fits any tyre on any rim.

Construction is robust and durable.

Reviewed April-May 22. cyclepal.co.uk

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Verdict

Not a universal tool but if you have a compatible tyreand-rim, you may be able to ditch your tyre levers!

REVIEWS

GEAR UP

Pros & cons

CycleDiva

Blue Lagoon Tee

+ Comfortable fit + Sweat-wicking – Limited colour options

Other options

Casual-style sports top for various activities, including cycling. No pockets, though £45 cyclediva.co.uk

C

ycling gear often comes up a bit small in the sizing compared to high street fashions. This top is no exception. I’m a UK size 16 but the XL fitted more comfortably than the L suggested by the online size guide. So it’s worth sizing up if you prefer a true-tosize, slightly looser fit.

The t-shirt arrived in recyclable packaging, which is a big thumbs up from me. My first thoughts are on the colour: there are only two choices for this shirt, ‘Pink Corals’ and ‘Blue Lagoon’, which I’d call baby blue. Both are a bit too gender-reveal to me. I’m not a fan of pink cycling kit but the blue is inoffensive and nice and bright. More varied colour options would be nice.

The shirt is very comfortable, doesn’t rub on the seams, ride up

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anywhere or cling to your body.

It fits well. Being a lighter colour, you’d think it would be a little transparent, but you couldn’t make out what colour sports bra I was wearing underneath, even a dark red one. That’s a relief because I rarely wear matchymatchy gear.

I initially wore the shirt on my five-mile commute over the top of some bib shorts. On sunny days, when the temperature was 14+ degrees, it kept me cool and comfortable. It was also fine for off-road rides when paired with leggings, keeping sweat at bay.

And it works for layering under a jacket or windproof for summer evenings, or for wearing while using an indoor trainer.

There are no pockets so you’ll have to make sure you can carry any kit or your mobile phone

in saddlebags etc. I had my panniers for my commute and I use a bum-bag when I’m offroading so that wasn’t an issue for me.

There are cheaper alternatives on the market, of course, but at £45 it sits in the middle price-wise for a sports top. It’s made from 100% recycled plastic bottles, is fully recyclable, and isn’t too lycra-looking. If those are your main concerns when choosing gear, it ticks all the boxes.

Lauren Purdy

ROCKRIDER WOMEN’S SHORT-SLEEVED MOUNTAIN BIKE JERSEY ST 100 £14.99 Made from recycled fabric that is soft and breathable yet resistant to snags from vegetation. Features a zip-up phone pocket. decathlon.co.uk

FINDRA MAISIE MERINO -LITE TEE

Verdict

For something that’s ethically made and doesn’t leave you clammy like a cotton t-shirt (my usual go-to), it’s decent cycling kit for someone who wants a more casual look.

£65

Made from an ethically sourced Australian merino wool blend (87% wool, 13% nylon), this wicking t-shirt has a longer back and odour resistance. findraclothing.com

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Books

Print queue

Cycle doesn’t feature all books received. Reviewers pick the ones they think you need to know about from the Editor’s shortlist. Send review copies to: Cycle, PO Box 313, Scarborough, YO12 6WZ

CYCLING INSPIRATION FOR SUMMER RIDES

Bike Fit

Details

By: Phil Burt Publisher: Bloomsbury Price: £20 ISBN: 9781472990181

THE SECOND EDITION of Bike Fit is an excellent primer on bike fitting.

The initial chapters provide a thorough understanding of bike-related human anatomy, and talk about the why as well as the how. The advice focuses on a ‘window’ of bike fit positions, which is a more approachable process than the laserguided and expensive services offered by some bike fitters. The chapter on indoor riding is particularly handy for those who subject themselves to such sweaty affairs.

Tom Page

Cycling King Alfred’s Way

Lost Lanes Central THE FIFTH BOOK in Jack Thurston’s series of best-selling guides to the most beautiful bike rides in Britain focuses on the middle of England, the part I call home. It presents 36 rides through: the Peak District; Shropshire and Worcestershire; Gloucestershire; the Heart of England (Birmingham, Warwickshire, Lichfield, Loughborough, Northamptonshire, and Leicestershire – including the beautiful Bradgate Park); and the East Midlands.

Details By: Jack Thurston I was excited to review this book because Publisher: Wild I’ve ridden parts of some of the routes, Things Publishing including ride number one, ‘Peak Pleasure’, Price: £16.99 from Buxton to Bakewell and back through ISBN: 9781910636343 the limestone heart of the White Peak. That one covers the Monsal Trail, which I rode recently for the first time since my childhood. Jack’s descriptions and directions are accurate.

The book has everything you need to plan a staycation. It includes route overviews and maps, recommendations for the best pubs and cafés (vital), as well as information on overnight B&B and camping stops, wild swimming sites, and details on how to access each ride by train. Each section is wonderfully descriptive, with plenty of surprising historical factoids for each area peppered throughout.

The photos are great and immediately evoke a sense of adventure.

I can only imagine how long it took to research this book, but also what a pleasure it must have Excerpts been. The only thing that could You can read excerpts from make this book better would be some of the books that Cycle a pocketable version; it’s bulky but has reviewed at cyclinguk.org/ too handy to leave at home. cycle-book-excerpts Lauren Purdy

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CYCLING KING ALFRED’S Way was on Julia Goodfellow-Smith’s bucket list.

She describes her journey from ‘noncyclist’ to KAW finisher, through nervous beginnings off-road and mishaps on

Details By: Julia

Goodfellow-Smith Publisher: Cressrelles Price: £4.99 ISBN: 9780863194832

towpath training sessions to finally riding England’s premier gravel bike route.

A perfect complement to Cycling UK’s guidebook, Julia’s humble first-person perspective will be valuable to anyone thinking of tackling their first cycle tour.

Zak Viney

Cycling in East Anglia

Details

By: Huw Hennessy Publisher: Bradt

Guides Price: £12.99 ISBN: 9781784778781

EAST ANGLIA HAS much to recommend it as a cycling destination – quaint villages, medieval churches, wildlife-rich fenland… and it’s flat! This guide contains 21 rides across Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire. Directions are concise and comprehensive, and details on where to eat and how to get to your chosen route are included. The book is small enough to tuck in a jersey pocket, but this means the maps are small too. However, QR codes for Komoot routes are included, so you can have them on your phone or bike computer.

Rebecca Armstrong

O p inio n

Letters

Get in touch

THIS MONTH E-BIKE BATTERIES, DANNY MACASKILL’S RAILINGS, BIKES ON TRAINS, MAPS, GENDER BIAS, AND HI-VIZ TOPS

LETTERS are edited for space, clarity and, if necessary, legality. The editor reads and acknowledges all members’ letters but publishes only a selection and doesn’t enter into correspondence. Feedback for the next issue must arrive by 31 August. Please include your membership number.

WRITE TO: Cycle, PO Box 313, Scarborough, YO12 6WZ or email editor@cyclinguk.org

E-bike battery fires like this are thankfully rare Right: Knoydart

Sticky situation

th Letter of the mon

Win a Green Oil bike care kit worth £64.99

Burning issue

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fter three wonderful days e-biking in the wilds of Knoydart, I learned a salutary lesson about e-bike batteries. Back in Mallaig, my car burst in to flames and the interior was destroyed by fire.

The fire brigade concluded that the source of the fire was probably the three e-bike batteries, which I had placed on the floor of the car to reduce the load on the tow-bar cycle rack – something I have done many times, without any adverse effect.

Shortly before this, the bikes had been sprayed with sea water during a very rough ferry crossing from Inverie, in Knoydart, to Mallaig. The most likely explanation for the fire was that residual seawater on the battery terminals must have caused a short circuit, which would have been enough to make one or more batteries to spontaneously combust.

It seems that e-bike battery terminals should be coated with dialectric grease, which repels water (whether from rain or sea). In any case, I would always rinse off any salt water and thoroughly dry batteries in future. An expensive lesson learned!

Michael Fearneyhough

Stay connected

facebook.com/CyclingUK

The letter of the month wins an Eco Rider Deluxe set, courtesy of Green Oil. Green Oil’s plant-based lubes and cleaners are fully biodegradable and contain no PTFE. The kit comprises: Green Oil Wet Chain Lube; Ecogrease; Green Clean Bike Cleaner; Clean Chain Degreaser; FSC Drive Chain Brush; two Bike Armour cable-rub protectors; an EcoRag; a reusable plastic tub for water or storage; and some seeds to grow your own food! For details, or to order Green Oil products, visit green-oil.net

Twitter @wearecyclinguk

Every time my daughter Ula and I pass a particular set of railings in Edinburgh we think of Danny MacAskill. For 12 years we have pointed them out to visitors and replayed them Danny’s video, now at 38 million hits. How could anyone ever cycle the tops of those railings?

Last week, we were sharing our pilgrimage with Savannah and, leaning against the rails, I felt a gritty patch on the very tips. Still there after 12 years are wee sticky grippers, like a skateboard surface, each the size of half a penny.

It’s great to have discovered these pieces of cycling archaeology. We are writing to Historic Environment Scotland to have the site listed.

Oliver Brookes

Wasp-proof helmet

Thought this might be helpful to members this summer. Weightless, simple to use, and costs pennies – it’s the most effective wasp-proofing I’ve ever used: a hairnet over my helmet!

Brenda Watson Nice photo but… boring safety announcement: anything on a helmet’s surface that can ‘grab’ the road can make neck injuries or rotational brain injuries worse in a fall. See also p58.

cycling@cyclinguk.org

editor@cyclinguk.org C YCL I NGUK . O RG

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YOUR FEEDBACK

Bike storage on CrossCountry train

LETTERS

Gender bias

Bikes on trains – just

I suspect this will be one of many letters responding to Adrian Williams (Letters, June/July). I’ve just got back from cycling in Scotland with a friend.

We travelled by train from Leicester to Aberdeen and back. Privatisation has split the journey into three companies, all releasing bike reservations at different times and limiting bikes to two per train. Booking was risky because some sections had to be booked before others were available.

On the trains, LNER required us to lift our bikes vertically and hang the them from a hook. I am reasonably fit and found this very difficult; what do older cyclists do? East Midlands Railways had a simple side-by-side solution but the restraining straps were frayed and would not pass through the buckles.

Irregular usage by cyclists?

Usage by passengers is irregular too: some trains are nearly empty, others overcrowded. Seats are still provided. There is no case for making life so difficult for rail users with bikes, particularly now when we should be encouraging sustainable onward travel.

John Morfey

Put routes on the map

The April/May issue was another lovely edition of your fab magazine for me to read. But sadly, yet again, a cluster of features seemed to forget that women’s bodies are a different shapes from men’s. The gear review of shoes didn’t give any women’s options and nor did the zip-off trousers review.

It should be standard that you include 50/50 reviews of women’s and men’s gear, and reviews by women writers. Or that you put women’s options in all of your reviews. C’mon, its the 21st century. Disappointed.

Abigail Elce Good call. We should include women’s options. There is an XC1W version of those Shimano shoes and, while the Hummvee zip-off trousers only exist in a men’s version, the Hummvee 3/4 shorts are available for women. In terms of the gender split of reviews in general, the aim is to balance them over the course of a year rather than within each individual feature. I still want us to be able to run reviews of, say, two women’s-specific bikes or four pairs of men’s or women’s shorts.

Hi-viz tops

I’ve been meaning to write for On page 31 of the June/July issue there some time but the latest, otherwise is a letter by Elaine Wright showing a excellent issue of Cycle was the last hi-viz top with “Give Cyclists 1.5m” on straw, and I can contain myself no it. Please can you give me information longer. What have you got against on where to purchase one? maps?! Time after time you have these Julie Bee great articles on touring routes but I asked Elaine, who replied: “Corporate no maps. This time, the Cantii Way: Togs via Amazon (amzn.to/3Az1Ukj) no map. NC500: no map. Paul Rogers’ did the hi-viz printing and we article is the one shining light added ‘thank you’ in marker (even if I need a magnifier pen to make it seem more to read it). Please make Obituaries friendly. Glad people maps a standard for any Are published are asking because article where a route or online at cyclinguk. they really make location is involved! org/obituaries. a difference.”

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th Photo of the mon

Space for cyclists Among the various cycle-friendly pieces of infrastructure I came across in rural Brittany, this well-adhered-to highway measure worked well. If only we could develop such traffic calming on the many busy and fast two-lane B-roads in the UK. Robin Bevis

CYCLING UK FORUM

Get immediate feedback from other members at forum.cyclinguk.org. Here’s an abridged extract from a recent thread: forum.cyclinguk. org/viewtopic.php?t=150880 WHAT FIRST AID DO YOU TAKE ON TOUR? Psamathe: In the past I’ve taken just a few plasters. But invariably I’ve needed to find a pharmacy to purchase stuff e.g. antiseptic cream (in NL), antihistamine (in FR). What do others take on tour?

RickH: I don’t recall ever taking any sort of first aid stuff on tour. I don’t recall ever needing anything either.

VinceLedge: I would always take some steristrips as well as plasters, handy for any slightly bigger cuts. millimole: A sensible approach might be to have water (to wash out cuts and abrasions), clean cloth strips (as covering & bandage), steristrips, and a smartphone to find a pharmacy or to call for assistance. axel_knutt: Elastoplast, Savlon, antiseptic wipes, bandage, paracetamol, nail clippers, scissors, Flecainide, Diltiazem, antacid tablets.

foxyrider: I was a boy sprout so I like to be prepared! I take antiseptic wipes, plasters, a small bandage, Savlon, paracetamol, and a bite/ sting pen. rualexander: triangular bandage, gaffer tape, gauze, painkillers, Immodium, small scissors, dental repair kit, iodine.

Jdsk: Things that might not have been mentioned, some of which are in the NHS list (bit.ly/NHSfirstaidkitlist): tick remover; hydrocortisone cream; scissors/noncycling multitool; prescription medications with official-looking letter if you’re going anywhere relevant; note of medical conditions and contact details if relevant; appropriate antibiotic for those with a propensity for urinary tract infections.

Bmblbzzz: So from the NHS list as above… who carries a thermometer with them?

Details Where: Scottish islands Start/finish: Isle of Arran to Isle of Lewis Distance: 650km Photos: Neil Russell & Jess Paul

Top: Neil and Buster nr Balliekine, Isle of Arran Bottom: Bay of Small Isles, Isle of Jura

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HEBRIDES BY HAND

G R E AT R I D E S

NEIL RUSSELL Neil took up handcycling after entering a paratriathlon. He hated the swimming and wheelchair racing but loved the cycling section

Great Rides

HEBRIDES

BY HAND

Cycling UK member Neil Russell spent May exploring the islands off the west coast of Scotland on his electric-assist handcycle

“T

hose 30mph winds last night were pretty impressive!” I said to the campsite owner on the Isle of Coll as we packed up our tent. There had been little shelter from the gusts: the island’s landscape is beautiful and rugged but wide open.

“Well, the forecast is for 50mph winds on Tiree for the next couple of days,” he replied, with a look of concern. Tiree was the next island on our trip, and the one we were getting the ferry to in the next hour.

The islands off the west coast of Scotland are renowned for their azure waters, brilliant white sands, and communities of warm and welcoming people. When the weather is equally hospitable, there are spectacular views from quiet roads and endless opportunities for adventure. It’s no wonder that so many cyclists visit.

Unfortunately the weather wasn’t particularly warm or welcoming for my own handcycling tour. That wind! Nonetheless, as a wheelchair user and adaptive rider who continues to explore the opportunities and freedom that handcycling returns to me, it promised to be the trip of a lifetime. I’d be exploring from Arran up to the Isle of Lewis, and seeing my homeland in a way that few adaptive riders have done before.

Unsupported long-distance bikepacking is a logistical challenge I’ve yet to master, as it requires the transportation of a wheelchair as well as a whole host of other additional gear. So I was

The islands off the west coast of Scotland are renowned for their azure waters, brilliant white sands, and welcoming people

lucky to rope in two family members to drive a support vehicle.

My partner, Jess, joined me for the first leg of the trip. After driving up from our home in North Wales, she accompanied me across Arran, Gigha, Islay, Jura, and Mull. My dad, Ken, took over the baton as driver for the second part of the trip through Coll, Tiree, Barra and Vatersay, and all the way up the Hebridean Way before our return to the mainland at Ullapool.

Despite their support, it was a little daunting to tackle an adventure of this length. “However things pan out,” I told myself, “it’ll all be fine.”

CHIMING WITH THE ARRAN BELLES We couldn’t have asked for a more welcoming start to the trip than meeting with Janice and Murray on arrival to Arran. Janice had kindly offered to meet with us and give us a place to unload and put together my handcycle before starting the journey.

After a good chat about our shared love of cycling and all it offers over a glass of Scottish blend, we set off to meet up with more members of the Isle of Arran Belles. This all-ladies cycling group not only guided me around the south of Arran from Brodick but also provided us with the loveliest lunch and conversation. They set the bar very high on day one.

I always like to talk with other cyclists, often informing them about adaptive riding. So it was

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G R E AT R I D E S

HEBRIDES BY HAND

Do it yourself

Adaptive bike touring Choose comfortable accommodation.

Camping feels more of an adventure but after a long day handcycling, a hot shower and bed help to recharge your own batteries.

• Give yourself time to explore. Racing from A to B to get to a ferry is not the same as immersing yourself in the environment.

Clockwise: A big tent was better. Neil’s dad Ken. Weatherproof!

• Be realistic about the weather you are likely to encounter.

And be prepared for it to be even worse than you can imagine…

• Don’t be put off by access issues. Given some research and time spent e-mailing and phoning, you may be surprised how accommodating and accessible most places can be.

• Be safe. The backup of other riders or a support vehicle helps stop minor mechanicals turning into full-scale evacuation situations.

great being able to talk to the ladies about the beauty of Scotland and the freedom that cycling, in all its forms, offers people. The weather that day was perfect for cycling: warm and dry enough to not have to worry about waterproofs yet sufficiently windy and early enough in the season to not have to face the swarms of midgies that Scotland is famous for.

Jess and I camped at Lochranza that first night, in a bigger tent than the backpacking model we had originally planned to use. This one had a porch suitable for my wheelchair. It was the right decision, due to the comfort it gave me as an adaptive rider on an extended camping adventure.

We then headed back to the mainland briefly, where I cycled from one ferry port to another so we could take a ship to one of Scotland’s more remote islands, Gigha. Here, Jess struck gold by discovering a remote wild camping spot on the northernmost point of the island. It offered exactly the sort of peaceful seclusion we had hoped to encounter on the trip. As we settled in for the evening, sitting around a campfire and looking

out over the bay, it was hard to know who was more content, us or our springer spaniel, Buster.

My problemsolving skills were tested when finding and booking campsites with an electric hook-up and accessible facilities

RECHARGING MY BATTERIES By the time we were crossing Islay and Jura, I’d started to realise how different cycling is on this scale – riding for many days, back-to-back – compared to the cycling I’d done previously.

Despite a background in outdoor education and an awareness of sport and nutrition, it surprised me how far off the mark and unprepared I was when it came to fuelling my journey.

I’d also underestimated the impact that poor sleep would have on me and my ability to put in the miles each day. We had to make a lot of on-the-spot adaptations, sometimes changed our plans, and I had to start consuming more calories.

My problem-solving skills were tested when finding and booking campsites with an electric hook-up and accessible facilities. The electricassist handcycle I was riding required its batteries charging more often than I thought it would. The Lasher ATH-FS (full suspension) trike with e-assist

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HEBRIDES BY HAND

G R E AT R I D E S

Fact file

Hebrides by hand • Distance: 650km approx, riding 30-70km each day.

• Route: Starting on the Isle of Arran and finishing on the Isle of Lewis.

• Conditions: Road routes throughout.

Predominantly wet and windy.

• Accommodation:

and gravel tyres was nevertheless a great choice, taking mixed surfaces in its stride. The suspension meant a much smoother ride: a trike encounters more bumps than a two-wheeler and all of them would otherwise come through to me. Large volume gravel tyres set up tubeless were also ideal. I had no issues with punctures or loss of traction on hills.

AN ADVENTURE ASSESSED With the benefit of hindsight, I was naive when I went into this trip. Yet without such naivety I may never have begun it. I had the time and I wanted to challenge and push myself to see what I could do. Away from home, remote, yet still close enough to bail out if everything went wrong, the islands off the west coast of Scotland were exactly the right location for such a trip. It was environment that allowed me – a relative newcomer to the freedom provided by handcycle touring – to discover what kind of rider I am… and am not!

I had expected the blue water, green rolling hills, and white sands that tourism adverts and social media show us. Instead, I had about a day and a half total of blue skies and sunshine over the whole three-week trip. Consequently, we often camped in muddy ‘campsites’, using facilities that were challenging to say the least. We had to

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put up and down a tent nearly every day in wild winds. I had to accept that this was the adventure I’d planned, and just keep cycling.

I lived in Scotland for 35 years so shouldn’t have expected perfect weather. Yet I did. It was overly optimistic. The trip became a whole different kind of challenge, more about endurance than enjoyment at times. It taught me the hard way what kind of rider I am.

Writing this a few weeks after the trip has given me a clearer perspective about myself, what I enjoy, what I find manageable as an adaptive rider, how the type of riding I do fits within a mainstream cycling world, and what types of cycling adventures I’ll embark on going forwards. Though perhaps not all that I had hoped it would be, my adventure across the islands of Scotland was an opportunity not afforded to all, and it’s one that will forever influence my riding in the future.

More info You can follow Neil’s other adventures with adaptive riding on Instagram.

His account is: www.instagram.com/handbikepacking

Most nights spent camping, either wild camping or at campsites.

A couple of nights in a hotel and a bunkhouse near the end of the trip • Cycle used: Lasher ATH-FS Handcycle (lashersport.com) with electric assist and 27.5in gravel tyres.

• Route planning: I mainly used Strava before the trip, then used these GPX files in conjunction with Google Maps.

• I’m glad I had: Good quality clothing and waterproofs – Endura supported me and their gear made the bad weather much easier to deal with. Natural honey sachets from BuzzPower gave me a sugar boost without the stomachunsettling side effects gels can give.

• Next time I would: Break it into smaller chunks of three or four days at a time and explore each island in depth. I’d camp less and sleep in a proper bed at least every few days. I’d also focus less on distance and on chasing ferry bookings.

Feature

YOU’RE WELCOME SAM JONES

Cycling UK’s communications and media manager

EVERYONE WINS WHEN LOCAL BUSINESSES GO THE EXTRA MILE FOR CYCLISTS. SAM JONES INTRODUCES CYCLING UK’S CYCLE FRIENDLY PLACES PROGRAMME

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C YCLE TO U R I S M

F E ATU R E

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he air was brisk and my fingers felt the nip of winter from aluminium brake levers.

Pedalling pal Ian and I were 20 miles into a loop around the Surrey countryside near Frensham.

Wondering where to stop for a bite, I spotted a sign on the trail pointing into what looked like a farmyard.

We’d stumbled upon Craft Brews UK, a local brewery based in a Countryside Restoration Trust property, Pierrepont Farm. Soon we were warmly welcomed by the proprietor and placed by the open fire with a beer and some cake, our bikes in easy sight – alongside others.

Clearly we weren’t the first cyclists to pass this way. Master brewer Joe Wood told us that he’d come to appreciate the trade from passing off-road riders, which had risen sharply since 2020. Craft Brews sits right on Cycling UK’s popular King Alfred’s Way (KAW) bikepacking

route, which we launched that year.

“We love the camaraderie of the cycling community,” Joe said. “Their presence all adds to the vibe and helps bring the brewery alive.”

The patio outside the brewery now features fingerposts telling you how far it is to Winchester, the start and finish of the route (97km or 253km away, depending on direction – see cyclinguk.org/ kingalfredsway). There’s secure cycle parking for responsible riders who have one too many and take a taxi home rather than riding while under the influence.

When Ian and I told him we were from the charity behind the route, Joe couldn’t

BREWER JOE WOOD SAID HE APPRECIATED THE TRADE FROM PASSING OFF-ROAD RIDERS

thank us enough for including Craft Brews on the route. His genuineness was as warming as the fire, and we could have happily stayed longer to talk about beer and bikes if we’d had the time.

KING ALFRED’S WHEY As it was, we set off again. We hadn’t gone 20 metres before we were whey-laid [sic] by another sight: an artisan cheese maker on the same site. John Brown from Cheese on the Wey was offering samples, and seeing our bikes gave us a piece of the cheese he’d made to commemorate KAW: King Alfred’s Yellow Jersey.

This puntastic celebration of curds and cycling was made from the milk of Jersey cows, and he couldn’t think of a more apt name given the flow of bikepackers he’d witnessed along the new route. We enjoyed the samples and loaded our saddlebags with more to be savoured at home.

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Main photo: pub in Wycoller, Lancs, by Joolze Dymond. Others this page: Sam Jones

Pierrepont Farm, Surrey: real ale and artisan cheese alongside KAW

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Both businesses are hidden local gems.

Like countless other local shops, pubs, B&Bs and tea rooms I’ve stopped at in my travels, they’re places I’d probably never have visited if I hadn’t been riding by.

When you’re travelling by car, on holiday or otherwise, you’re generally focused on getting from point A to point B. You’re unlikely to notice interesting places en route until they’re disappearing in your rear view mirror at 50mph. By bike it’s different.

You have time to spot these places, time to consider visiting, and more incentive to do so. Cyclists need to refuel. We need places to stay if we’re away from home. And when the journey is at least as important as the destination, there’s no reason not to pause.

ECONOMIC CYCLES Here are some of the highlights from Cycling UK’s Economic Benefits of Cycle Tourism (2020) report:

£520m

Total cycle tourism spend from people cycling in the UK per year

£241m-£363m

Amount cycling and mountain biking tourism contributes to the Scottish economy each year

£46.75

Average amount spent per cycling tourist per day

THE PEDALLING POUND

A TOOLKIT FOR CYCLE TOURISM King Alfred’s Way has been followed in successive years by two new routes in

9% more Cycle tourists spend 9% more than the average visitor

1.23m

Number of overnight cycle trips in the UK per year

35,788 (Top) Frances and Stuart Brint, Penzance (Below) KAW press trip

Cornwall and Kent, the West Kernow Way and Cantii Way respectively. A third longdistance route, the Rebellion Way, is due in Norfolk this September.

These new routes form part of Cycling UK’s role in the European Regional Development Fund’s EXPERIENCE project.

We’ve been working in Cornwall, Kent and Norfolk to create not just new longdistance routes but also to help the local hospitality sector become more attractive to the two- (or three!) wheeled tourist.

Our Cycle Friendly Places (CFP) initiative is especially focused on the shoulder seasons either side of the summer months.

“Through Cycle Friendly Places we’re aiming to provide a minimum standard of provision for cyclists at accommodation and hospitality venues,” said Cycling UK’s project manager for EXPERIENCE, Philip Igoe. “We want cyclists to know that, if they turn up, there will be safe parking and other facilities that make cycle

Jobs generated by the UK’s cycle leisure and tourism sector For more information, visit: cyclinguk.org/economicbenefits-cycle-tourism

touring that bit easier and more pleasant.”

Cycling UK is currently pinpointing all CFP accredited businesses with an online mapping tool. This should make it easier for cycle tourists plan their journey to the places that will look after them best.

It will be a bit like a digital version of the old CTC Handbook, which also listed cycle-friendly establishments.

“This will drive footfall to the businesses not just in the tyspical holiday months, but also during those leaner times when the summer rush is over,” said Philip. “It’s not just advice we’re providing to CFPaccredited businesses. We’re also offering: equipment packs worth up to £500, which include toolkits; the means to create secure parking; and, of course, expert advice on how to be more cycle friendly.”

PROVISION IN PENZANCE

Top: Frances & Stuart Brint. Below: Jordan Gibbons/pannier.cc

Cycling is an enriching way to travel because of this serendipity. It takes us places that other forms of transport seldom do. And we’re not the only beneficiaries: cycle tourism contributes to the rural economy in a way that a drivethrough coffee and burger do not.

“When you’re travelling by bike you’re not just parachuting into a popular location,” said Cycling UK’s campaigns officer and route finder general Sophie Gordon. “You’re passing through the little towns, villages and hamlets off the beaten trail. Cyclists all enjoy a cake stop or pub lunch, and when we’re refuelling ourselves we’re providing a boost to the kind of independent cafés and shops generally frequented only by locals.”

This isn’t just theory but is proved by numerous studies, which show cycling tourism brings to the UK economy at least £520m per year. That’s the same amount the Chancellor saw fit to allocate to small businesses through his Help to Grow scheme in 2021 Budget. Cycle tourism pays big bucks to the Exchequer, and Cycling UK routes are contributing to this.

“Following the launch of KAW, many businesses along its length saw the opportunities of a new route passing their front door, and began to cater for the increasing numbers of visiting cyclists,” Sophie added. “Our research shows KAW riders on average are spending £84 per day. That’s a sizeable contribution to rural businesses which might not normally see such passing trade.”

F E ATU R E

One beneficiary of Cycling UK’s CFP initiative is Keigwin House in Penzance.

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Photos this page: Itteringham Village Shop

F E ATU R E

Itteringham Village Shop in Norfolk caters to cyclists of all kinds

This small hotel housed some of the first pioneers along the West Kernow Way. It’s run by cyclists Frances and Stuart Brint, who are keen to welcome those looking to holiday with their bikes.

“We’re amateur cyclists ourselves – but we don’t have enough time to go out like we’d want to,” Stuart said. Instead they do their utmost to make it easier for their visitors to make the most of the Cornish countryside, offering secure parking in a locked garage behind the hotel, tools for straightforward jobs, and a good relationship with Penzance Bike Hire down the road for any major jobs.

“I’m a huge fan of everywhere being more cycle friendly,” said Stuart. “It’s good for the environment and for people’s mental and physical wellbeing. The more areas there are that are cycle friendly – electric or conventional bikes – the more, I’d hope, local economies will benefit.”

When they heard about Cycle Friendly Places, Stuart and Frances immediately signed up. “As a business, it [Cycle Friendly Places] has provided equipment we probably wouldn’t have gone and got. It has encouraged us to look more

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towards cycling and to offer specifically cycle friendly accommodation.”

NORFOLK REWARDS Another business reaping the benefit of the passing cycle trade is the communityrun Itteringham Village Shop in Norfolk.

This village shop has been trading since 1637. It’s still going strong, volunteer Mike Hemsley told me, in part due to the increasing number of cycling customers – especially those using e-cycles.

“We recognise that an ever increasing number of people passing through the village are walkers or cyclists out enjoying our beautiful rural location,” Mike said. “They’re seeking refreshment, a friendly welcome, conversation, and of course our tasty selection of local treats. For us to ignore this passing traffic and not cater to their needs would be a commercial own goal.”

Like Keigwin House, Itteringham Village Shop has taken advantage of the CFP free equipment packs, so it offers customers the use of a professional repair toolkit and secure cycle parking, along with the usual niceties you’d hope for from a cycle friendly place, such as free water refills and use of the facilities.

They’re even prepared to go that extra mile for larger groups of cyclists, as long as they’re given forewarning. Mike asks for a day’s notice so they can allocate staff and stock in anticipation of a visit.

Our heritage as a charity is firmly rooted in helping the touring cyclist, and in turn the establishments that cyclists support. But there’s another important reason for our work in this area: it also supports our campaigning.

STIMULATING CYCLING “Our routes and work on EXPERIENCE are tangible demonstrations of the benefits that off-road and rural cycling have, not just for visiting cyclists but the businesses and communities they pass by,” said Sophie Gordon.

“In turn, the evidence we’re collecting from this work is helping our ongoing campaigning for increased and improved off-road access at local and national levels in England and Wales.”

The message appears to be getting through. Recently, Tynedale and Ponteland MP Guy Opperman told the Northumberland Chronicle: “Northumberland needs to invest in improving cycling and walking infrastructure to boost the visitor economy and enhance the health and wellbeing of its residents.”

So next time you’re pondering whether to stop for coffee and cake, visit the village shop, or shelter in a B&B, feel no guilt. Take comfort in the fact that you’re doing your bit to help the economy and to support the case for better cycling conditions everywhere.

Top to bottom: Towpath Coffee, Jerrettspass.

Finegan & Son, Newry.

The path is tarmacked and flat. Hollie Berrie Tea Rooms.

Weekender

Newry Canal Way This flat and scenic Northern Irish towpath is an ideal route for families and beginners.

Andrew McClean is your guide

A ANDREW MCCLEAN Cycling UK’s Northern Ireland engagement officer

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sk a leisure cyclist in Northern Ireland to recommend a ride and the odds are good they’ll say the Newry-Portadown canal. The waterway is lined with bullrushes, with views over rolling hills and yellow rapeseed fields. And there are lots of coffee stops along the way.

Explore The ride is a straight shot between the two Belfast towns, which are connected to each other and Ride the Maritime Belfast by train. The surface, gradient and Heritage Trail: distance are suitable for almost any bike and cyclinguk.org/ rider, with a tarmac path the entire length route/maritimeand no discernible climbs on it. Our group heritage-trail managed on two heavy, folding electric bikes and a singlespeed road bike with skinny tyres.

There are two things to note if you’re considering the bike-train combo. Firstly, check the train times before you leave; they aren’t frequent. Secondly, take the train to Newry to start there if you’re only riding one way. We rode from Portadown to Newry, which requires a long, steep slog from the canal up to the railway station to finish. It would be much nicer as a downhill start.

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NORTHERN IRELAND

WEEKENDER

Weekend ride

NEWRY CANAL WAY Route name: Newry Canal Way. Start/finish: Canal Quay, Newry, BT35 6BP or The Old Pump House, Francis Street, Portadown, BT62 1AZ. Maps: not required but covered by OSNI Discovery Series Sheet 29 (The Mournes) and Sheet 20 (Craigavon). Ride length: 32.2km (20 miles). Climbing: 11 metres.

Bike type: any. Ride level: beginner. GPX file: cyclinguk.org/weekender-newry-canal-way Portadown The start (or end) of the cycle path takes you along the River Bann to its confluence with the Cusher River and the Newry Canal, which you follow. Ground Espresso, a riverside coffee shop in Portadown, is an ideal place to start or finish.

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Craigavon Just north of Portadown, and not actually on the route, is Craigavon, which had Dutch-style infrastructure before the Dutch did. Devised in the 1960s, the town was built to completely separate man and motor. For details, visit blackpaths.org.

Start/Finish

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MONEYPENNY’S FORGE AND LOCKHOUSE Guided tours, a bee garden, a history of the canal, a blacksmith’s workshop, metalworking classes, and demonstrations celebrating the ancient craft of blacksmithing.

Scarva A village that distinguishes itself in three ways: by re-enacting the Battle of the Boyne; its flower displays; and the best selection of homebaked goods this side of the River Bann! Hollie Berrie Tea Rooms right on the canal is a must visit. I recommend the rice crispy buns!

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Lough Shark/ Acton Lake The place for an overnight stop if you want to make a weekend of it. Lisnabrague Lodge sits right beside the lough and is home to three timber glamping pods and a hot tub. The owners have also converted the old boathouse if you fancy more select accommodation.

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Map © Crown copyright 2022 Ordnance Survey. Media 026/22.

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NEWRY Sitting in the foothills of the Mourne Mountains, it is well worth a look around before dashing for the train or beginning your ride. There’s a wide array of eateries, but it is hard to top Finegan and Son, a speciality coffee shop with a lovely atmosphere, a locally sourced menu, and fish tacos to die for.

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INCLUSIVE CYCLING

Out of order: the cycle crossing over a main road near a retail park

YOU DON’T SEE MANY DISABLED CYCLISTS AROUND. KATE BALL KNOWS WHY. SHE HAS ARTHRITIS, WHILE HER CHILDREN HAVE AUTISM AND ADHD. THEY ALL CYCLE NEVERTHELESS

O

ur family is part of the tiny fraction of the population who use cycling for transport while having disabled adults and disabled children in the household. I have arthritis in my back, which makes walking difficult and pretty much everything painful. I use crutches to walk short distances – yet can ride across the city on my e-bike.

Two of our children have ADHD and autism. Additionally, our daughter is also learning disabled and attends a special school. Yet they are the only pupils at their schools who regularly cycle there (always with me). We think this gives us some insight into why most disabled people don’t use active travel.

Before looking at the barriers disabled cyclists face, let’s look at the scale of the problem: 22% of people in the UK are disabled, according to the Government’s latest UK family resources survey.

Disabled people are about 50% more likely to be inactive than non-disabled people (source: Sport England). That’s not because they don’t want to be active.

While 84% of disabled people never cycle, a third of disabled people who currently don’t cycle want to do so.

Crunching these numbers reveals that around 6% of the UK’s population are disabled people who want to cycle. And that doesn’t include the disabled people who’d walk more or get about by mobility scooter or wheelchair if they could. So

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Left: Hardy Saleh

ACTIVE TRAVEL FOR ALL?

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INCLUSIVE CYCLING

what’s stopping all these people getting onto the streets, particularly on bikes?

BARRIER #1: THE COST

Bottom left & opposite: Hardy Saleh. Others: Kate Ball

This is the least of the problems wouldbe disabled cyclists face but it’s not insignificant. We use a Circe Helios STEPS tandem, which has electric assistance. I can’t ride without a motor for extra power and our daughter can’t steer or brake reliably so it’s the least-specialist cycle we can use.

Its retail price is £4,700, which is more than three-and-a-half years of the lower mobility component of the disability living allowance. It’s a heck of a punt if you’re not really sure you’re going to use the bike a lot. Prices can be even higher for more complex cycles. As disabled people are more likely to live in poverty than non-disabled people, splashing out thousands of pounds on a specialist cycle is out of the question for most.

We ride over 100km each week on the tandem. It’s much cheaper per mile than

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a car and more convenient too: we can usually ride door to door, minimising my need to walk and our children’s need to cope with busy car parks. It’s also faster for urban journeys than a car, even allowing for low-strength riding. And of course it’s better for our health and for the environment. It’s better for drivers as well as we’re not blocking up the road with another big vehicle.

But then there’s another barrier…

BARRIER #2: NO EVERYDAY CYCLING EXPERIENCE It’s almost impossible to get everyday cycling experience when you’re disabled.

So how do you go from being a noncycling disabled person to becoming a disabled cyclist who is able to get to the places you need to go? Pottering about at a disability taster session is not the same as useful riding – the kind of cycling where you can set off to a destination with minimal planning and be able to get there reliably, as you could in a car.

Most of us disabled adults have families, jobs, and other responsibilities, never mind the basic ‘get food, get prescriptions, get to appointments, keep the household running’ routine we all share. Unless you’re already confident using a cycle, simply finding time to learn and introduce cycling into your daily life is going to be a gigantic hurdle.

If you’re an adult with disabled children, working out how to get places even in a car can be enough of a struggle. Figuring out how to teach road safety and cycling skills to someone with additional needs can be another massive barrier, especially if you’re having to consider how their additional needs will interact with your own.

An example: we had long period in which one child would have a meltdown at pedestrian crossings whenever we couldn’t cross on our green man. We live near a hospital so ambulances often zoom down this road… This meltdown risk made every walk more stressful than it would have been for a non-disabled family. It made cycling impossible because a child can leap off a bike and run if upset, and when your hands are on the handlebar you can’t hold onto them.

We’ve been very lucky in our ability to access active travel while disabled. That’s mainly because we were able to take our learning in small steps. I wasn’t disabled when we first had kids, and like my partner I’ve been a keen cyclist all my life. Our older two children aren’t disabled, and I was a childminder when they were little. So I’ve had years of practice as an able-bodied adult hauling various sizes and numbers of children around using cycle trailers, tag-a-longs (the tandem tag-a-long got a lot of comments), and solo bikes. When we had disabled children and I became disabled myself, we already had lots of experience of active travel.

Even so, we had quite a few years when cycling our regular journeys wasn’t an option. Not because I couldn’t ride. Not because the kids couldn’t ride either.

It was something else…

BARRIER #3: BAD INFRASTRUCTURE

Problems mapped.

Towed trailer versus incline. Riding in snow

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The biggest barrier to active travel is bad infrastructure. In most places the streets, tracks, crossings and cycle paths are just not accessible enough to allow disabled people to choose walking, rolling or cycling for their journeys.

INCLUSIVE CYCLING

Steps accessing a cycle path: at best, difficult; at worst, a dead end

For disabled pedestrians, potholed and sloping pavements blocked with badly parked vehicles and blown bins, littered with dog poo and broken glass, lead you to crossings that change from green to red too fast for you. If you’re in a powered wheelchair or using a mobility scooter, you might make it over a crossing fast enough.

For disabled cyclists an extra delight is that you’re supposed to be on the road most of the time. Potholes and badlyinstalled dropped kerbs can really hurt.

Car-obstructed dropped kerbs can end a ride; for many disabled people, a fullheight kerb may as well be a six-foot wall.

Then there are the chicanes, the literal barriers, and the local sandpit (yes, a sandpit), all designed “to stop motorbikes accessing parks and cycle tracks”.

None of these should exist according to the Department for Transport’s design guidance but they’re everywhere! In a half-hour ride using our city’s muchadvertised cycle map, I found 42 places where my children and I can’t ride on the recommended cycling routes.

Then there are the everyday inconveniences: signposts that require slalom weaving; crossing edges that are too steeply sloped; bollards and dropped kerbs that are too narrow for you to wait at alongside your autistic eight-year-old who is very proudly riding independently; corners built too tight for a larger cycle to make it around… These all make cycling much, much more of a mental and physical effort for a disabled person than for someone without any disabilities.

Poor treatment by motorists is also a big problem. We get much more aggressively treated by vehicles than able-bodied cyclists, even on quiet side streets. I think the issue is that we can’t visibly accelerate into safe spaces to let cars and vans pass us. Never mind that we’re cycling legally, considerately, and on our own side of the road! The way we’re treated as less-mobile cyclists is vastly worse than the way I was treated as an able-bodied cyclist with better manoeuvrability, even when I was using very large cycles and riding with children.

What the able-bodied don’t see is the real cost of the extra effort disabled people like us are putting in. One lift of a wheel up a kerb, one badly spaced chicane, or one close pass might look like nothing much. Yet coping with the consequences of these tiny things can mean a couple of days with reduced mobility, unable to make the dinner or sit to read the kids a story. It can mean a child’s meltdown, where plasterboard walls get holes kicked in them.

F E ATU R E

When you get to your destination, you hit the problem that cycles aren’t recognised as mobility aids. You’re supposed to dismount for any pedestrian area or pavement. This can be really problematic, even for those of us able to hobble. It can be impossible for people who can’t walk at all.

On top of this, the cycle racks often won’t take your larger bike, or are placed so your cycle will, ironically, block disabled access to the building. Some cycle racks even have steps to get to them. The supermarket, doctor’s surgery, and city centre really should have decent, accessible cycle parking.

You won’t see the consequences of bad infrastructure if you’re looking for stuck, crying or shouting disabled people. The disabled people simply won’t be there.

AND YET Despite all this we keep on cycling.

Why? Because we love it. I ride because I want to see the countryside (don’t get me started on the 60mph speed limits on narrow rural roads…), to explore the city, and to be active. These days, cycling is the most comfortable way for me to exercise. I can’t ride hard enough to get out of breath any more but at least I can feel free with the help of my e-bike.

I ride with my children to give them that same taste of freedom. We ride for enjoyment and for health and for convenience and for the environment.

And I’ll keep working to bring down all the barriers we face to active travel, because everyone else should have the choice to cycle too.

Kate has made a video of her school run with local film-maker Hardy Saleh, focusing on what could be done to make active travel more of an option for more people: bit.ly/youtube-kateball-schoolrun

WHEELS FOR WELLBEING Cycling UK affiliate group Wheels for Wellbeing has a mission to remove the barriers to cycling for disabled people.

The charity offers Brixton-based cycling sessions on specialist cycles, as well as support and advice on everything connected with disability cycling. It also campaigns

for inclusive cycling. Visit the website, wheelsforwellbeing.org.uk, to find out more or make a donation.

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Details Where: South Netherlands Start/finish: Valkenburg Distance: 80km+ Photos: Sportograf.com & Amstel Gold Race Experience

Top: E-bikes flatten hills.

Bottom: The event attracted 15,000 riders

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AMSTEL GOLD

G R E AT R I D E S

MATT MALLINDER Matt is Cycling UK’s director of influence and engagement.

He briefly raced on the Continent in his youth

Great Rides

E-ASY RIDER Post-lockdown, Matt Mallinder wasn’t ready for an early-season sportive in the Netherlands. His e-bike, however, was fully charged

“P

ump up the jam, pump it up…” I’m riding the Amstel Gold Sportive in the Netherlands, and so of course there’s Europop. I hear it from the switchback road that climbs through as-yet naked vineyards. I hear it louder as I round a corner and see the sound system. Technotronic’s late ’80s hit is booming out of speakers that probably use more Watts than my e-cycle.

My e-cycle. That’s what’s allowing me to enjoy my first post-Covid-lockdown cycling weekend in April 2022, despite a lack of fitness. I’m scything through a field of cyclists, passing fitter riders, much to my delight and their surprise.

While lockdown gave people the time to learn a new language, build a garden office or pretend that they had paddle-boarded their whole life, I went the other way. I neglected the bike. There, I’ve said it. I’m not proud of myself.

My cycling has for the last few years been fitted around a pre-teenage family and a menagerie of pets. But each year’s calendar had a spring Continental sportive weekend marked on it. ParisRoubaix, Tour of Flanders, etc. My time. These dates were the catalyst for a month of last-minute training, which always saw me through. Irregular commuting during lockdown had robbed me of my base fitness, however. I still wanted my sportive weekend fix – big ride, beer and frites, watching the professionals the day after – but was not on starting-line form.

Should I just be a spectator? Drop to the lowest distance? Or, hang on, accept some assistance?

Electric assistance: literally cycling made e-asy.

The shortest route for the hilly Amstel Gold

Do it yourself

Sportive was 80km, just on the quoted range for my e-bike.

I was Holland bound.

The route could be ridden anytime using the GPX file, which you can download from www.amstel. nl/amstelgoldrace/ toerversie. Those familiar with the race would recognise the iconic climbs like the Cauberg. It would be a lovely area just to visit as there are lots of restaurants and pleasant, quiet roads but the sportive offers camaraderie. I travelled by car and ferry with two friends and our bikes. We drove from Dunkirk (3 hrs) although trains are available. We stayed near the start at Bungalow Park Schin op Geul in Walem, 5km from the start.

DUTCH COURAGE

Riding the Amstel route

The Amstel Gold Toerversie (sportive) takes place the day before the Netherlands’ biggest one-day classic. Sponsored by the national beer, Amstel, it’s one of Northern Europe’s early season races. Riders can experience four seasons in one day: snow, wind, showers, and low sunlight. It’s raced over the short steep ‘bergs’ or climbs that punctuate the area, the most famous being the Cauberg in the picturesque town of Valkenburg.

Isn’t Holland flat, with windmills and everyone riding shopping bikes? Nord Holland, yes, but this is Limburg, the southernmost of the Netherlands’ 12 provinces. It’s right by the border with Belgium.

Yet the Dutch respect for cycling is evident even here, 200km from Amsterdam. Cycle lanes run parallel to well-maintained roads or take up wide, designated sections upon them. While the roads aren’t closed for the sportive, patient drivers give way to cyclists where bike lanes cross junctions.

An impressive 15,000 people had signed up for the sportive and were swarming like bees as we made our way to the start in Valkenburg. The route options were 80, 125, 150, 200, and 240km, all finishing back in Valkenburg. Ever-present event marshals waved us off.

POWER TO THE PEOPLE My riding companions were on non-electric bikes.

The 8% gradient Geulhemmerburg climb after just

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AMSTEL GOLD

Fact file Clockwise: Pavé and bergs but not Belgium. Job done

5km gave instant comparison. My Specialized Turbo Creo has three power-assist modes: eco, sport, and turbo. I chose turbo and surged ahead.

I didn’t do it out of spite but to reassure myself that I could manage the route and its upcoming climbs.

I could. With the extra boost from the 240W motor, I pedalled up in a high cadence and with a smile on my face. I was ready to enjoy the next 80km.

The route took us into the countryside around Valkenburg, through hamlets with super neat gardens and lots of churches. There were quiet farm roads, beautiful meandering descents, and pokerstraight climbs. Village squares had locals sipping coffee and chateaus emerging from the mist.

When engaged, the e-cycle motor made a notunpleasant hum. Passing riders invariably gazed down at my cranks. One 70-year-old chortled and reflected that he too might get an e-bike when he was older.

Unlike macho sportives like the Étape du Tour, the Amstel offered much more camaraderie. There were noticeably more women riding, as well as wider range of ages and abilities – including some, like me, who were not really fit enough to do it unassisted. That’s the moral of this story: the e-bike allowed me to do a ride I couldn’t otherwise have completed, alongside friends and a peloton of riders who were fit enough. And we were all riding the same roads the pros would race on the day after.

I wasn’t alone on my e-bike. There were many others doing the same, humming along with fitter clubmates. It was an egalitarian event, cycling made truly accessible.

The field of cyclists was stretched by the longest climb of the ride, the 3km, 9% slope of the Bergesweg. Others selected low gears and began to grind to the top. I picked sport mode; I want to

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feel the burn a bit, not just rev around. Wide vistas over sunlit fields distracted from the slog. Coming down I was on my own. The bike’s motor is limited to 15.5mph, so on descents or on the flat I had to do all the work myself to keep up with the faster riders.

13% REMAINING At 64km into the route, the Siebergrubbe climb corkscrewed up through the houses on the outskirts of Valkenburg. Residents clapped in sympathy, knowing that the climb of the Cauberg was next.

That’s where the race is usually decided. It’s 13%, just over a kilometre long, and the finish is right there. The pros sweep past bars and restaurants packed with fans enjoying the race sponsor’s beery delights. My inner child came to the fore: I’d attack the legendary finish I’d seen countless times on the telly. Here I felt a bit of a fraud. While fellow riders grimaced, I selected turbo mode…

Over the crest of the hill, the finish gantry loomed ahead. Pro cyclists’ names were written on the road.

Finish line signs counted down: 500m, 300m…

Once over the line I was awarded my medal and handed a sample of Amstel Gold beer. Only one word describes the day: energiek, the Dutch for energised. It was a reconnection with the bike after Covid. I’d enjoyed lovely countryside, friendly people, the charming city of Valkenburg, and, of course, those helpful extra Watts.

More info The 2023 edition of the Amstel Gold Sportive will be held on 15 April. For more details, toggle to the English translation at: www.amstel.nl/amstelgoldrace/toerversie

Amstel Gold Sportive • Distance: 90km, including riding to the start and back.

• Route: A loop around city of Valkenburg in the southern Netherlands.

• Entry fee: €30 • Conditions: Spring weather: sleet, rain, and sunshine. Ridden on smooth roads with short climbs and nontechnical descents.

• Bike used: Specialized Turbo Creo SL e-bike.

• Navigation: GPX route downloaded but each junction was signed and, in most cases, marshalled.

• I’m glad I had…

The e-bike motor!

• Next time I would…

If fitness allowed, a comparison ride without the motor or else another companion on a e-bike so it was fair.

• Further info: www.amstel.nl/ amstelgoldrace/ toerversie

Advice

CYCLOPEDIA

Right: pannier.cc

Questions answered, subjects explained – Cyclopedia is your bimonthly cycling reference guide

Q & A

Legal

Parking violation

Q

While touring we parked our laden bikes by a Norfolk pub’s kitchen, with approval from the people working there, and went in for a meal. The owner subsequently decided they were “a health and safety hazard that had to be moved immediately”. She dragged them to another location – they were locked together.

When we found out we were furious. A bent derailleur could have left us stranded.

Luckily we got away with only scratches.

Where would we have stood legally and financially if they’d sustained real damage?

Ron Stobbart

A

You had sought permission from employees of the business. While this was a prudent step, it’s a moot point whether they would have authority to speak for the owner. The maître d’ is clearly a different proposition from the kitchen porter.

The pub owner may have specified the nature of the health and safety hazard, but we are not privy to it. A defence to a charge of criminal damage is Coronavirus having lawful excuse. An e-bike with For up-to-date a battery starting to smoke? That’s cyclists’ advice probably lawful excuse. If the bikes regarding Covid-19, were blocking a fire exit from public visit: cyclinguk.org/ parts of the premises or the kitchen, coronavirus

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DR KATE BRODIE Retired GP {Health}

then proportionality has to be applied.

That might have included an inquiry of the staff and then a walk through the premises seeking the owners; cyclists are often easy to spot. So forcible removal with a reckless disregard for damage seems disproportionate, without taking other steps first.

The civil liability chain runs thus: duty, breach, causation, damage. Clearly there’s a duty not to do anything that carries a reasonably foreseeable risk of damaging another’s property, absent lawful excuse. By moving the bikes in a clumsy manner in which damage was reasonably foreseeable, the duty is breached. The move caused the damage which leads on to quantification of loss.

Concluding, unless there was a real as opposed to a fanciful danger or risk, and in the absence of any other measures to resolve the situation, then the pub owner appears to have acted disproportionately or recklessly, so would be liable for losses reasonably flowing from the act.

Paul Darlington

Technical

Wireless woes

Q RICHARD HALLETT Cycle’s Technical Editor {Technical}

PAUL DARLINGTON Consultant Solicitor, Cycle SOS {Legal}

Four years ago I swapped my 11-speed Shimano 105 groupset to 11-speed SRAM Red eTap as I have arthritic wrists. The front derailleur has stopped working properly. It goes into the big ring, then after a couple of seconds it changes back to the small ring. I took it to my local dealer who sent a video of it to SRAM, who said they have never seen this before and that they could not repair it.

In their words: “It has had its life."

There are no replacements on sale as the system is now obsolete. I don't want to spend a lot of money on a new groupset. Is it salvageable? I’m

Q&A

currently using a mechanical front derailleur with a bar-end shifter.

Clive Bryan

the sphincter or valve that controls the bladder after intensive radiotherapy, but this may still be the best choice.

Best wishes to you if your fears are confirmed. There is no doubt that regular exercise such as cycling improves the outcome for cancer patients in terms of fitness and recurrence rates.

Dr Kate Brodie

A

Technical

Crankset Q-factor

Q

I’m thinking of buying a Mason Definition (above right) with SRAM Rival eTap (2×12). The crankset is offset more than others to allow for use on wider-tyred bikes. Is there a potential issue with the chain line, given that I’d spend 99% of my time on the large chainring?

Peter Bond

A

The SRAM Rival Wide crankset has a quoted Q-factor of 150mm.

This is the effective distance across the outside faces of the cranks at the pedal threads. It dictates the lateral spacing of the pedals, but this can be increased by using pedal washers. Lateral adjustment of the shoe cleats will also affect foot spacing, or tread, when pedalling.

Although many designs are narrower by a few millimetres, 150mm is widely considered the industry norm for road cranks. Despite the ‘Wide’ label, your SRAM crankset shouldn’t place your feet uncomfortably far apart. The quoted

chain line is 47.5mm, which is wider than that of a ‘road’ double and equivalent to an MTB triple. If you’re using a suitably spaced cassette, for example on a 135mm MTB rear hub, then you’ll be fine with chain alignment, especially if you avoid the undesirable large/large and small/ small combos.

Richard Hallett

Health

Technical

Brooks repair

Q

I have a couple of well-used Brooks saddles that need recovering. I thought Brooks offered this service but apparently not. Do you know of any other options?

Peter Green

Cycling with incontinence

Q

Returning to cycling at the age of 66 after a ten-year break, I was disconcerted to learn that I may have prostate cancer and face the possibility of treatment that may lead to a degree of urinary incontinence.

What advice would you give to me and others in this predicament?

Andy Whelan

A

Taking the issue of urinary incontinence first: there are different reasons for a leaky bladder.

It can be an overactive muscle or a faulty valve. The first can be calmed with medication or avoiding bladder irritants like coffee and tea. The second may respond to pelvic floor exercises.

There are specialist continence nurses available through your GP who can help with this. If neither controls the leakage, then padding up with continence pads would keep you dry. It is important that you feel able to drink enough to keep hydrated when cycling.

A diagnosis of cancer is life-changing.

Sometimes the cost of a cure is long-term side effects from treatment. Your team should talk all this through when looking at the best options for you. It is true that some patients can suffer damage to

Left: Alamy

Welcome to the largely non userrepairable world of electronic shifting. The workings of your front mech are less easily envisaged than those of a mechanical shifter, not least because they are hidden inside a weatherproof cover. The rude mechanicals themselves are controlled by a tiny electric motor with attendant electronics. If the problem is mechanical, you may be able to determine what it is if you are able to remove the cover, although this does not guarantee you’ll be able to fix the fault in tiny moving parts.

Assuming you can find it, rectifying a fault in the electronics is probably beyond the home mechanic. Essentially, such components are disposable, as the manufacturer’s response indicates. The Red eTap 11-speed front mech is still available online. It’s pricy, although less so than a new groupset.

Richard Hallett

CYCLO PE D IA

A

The leather upper is the only part of the saddle Brooks don’t offer to ‘repair’. If your saddle frames have outlasted their respective uppers, you may try contacting Brooks using the company website’s Get In Touch page (getintouch.brooksengland.com/hc/ en-gb) and enquiring about replacing, not repairing, the leather. However, given that the upper is the part that breaks in to match your anatomy, you may as well start from scratch with a new saddle and, importantly, new frame.

Richard Hallett

Get in touch EMAIL your technical, health, or legal questions to editor@cyclinguk.org or write to Cyclopedia, Cycle, PO Box 313, Scarborough, YO12 6WZ. We regret that Cycle magazine cannot answer unpublished queries. But don’t forget that Cycling UK operates a free-to-members advice line for personal injury claims, TEL: 0330 107 1789.

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CYCLOPEDIA

r e d n i f Bike Which bike should I buy?

Ask us at cyclinguk.org/bikefinder

Small, light bikepacking bike For: Katy Hill, aged 43, from Cirencester. Bike needs: I’d like a bike that is as comfortable off-road as on lanes, and that can carry my tent, sleeping bag and supplies along King Alfred’s Way. I’m planning also to explore the estate tracks and military roads of Scotland’s highlands, wild camping. I’m only 5'3" and a bit. I’m used to mountain biking but want to go further and carry my tent and food. Must have: Bosses to fix a pannier rack. More than one bottle mount on my size (S?). 1× gears would be ideal. Hydraulic disc brakes. Light enough that I can lift it onto my car.

Must not have: Electric gears. Rim brakes. Budget: £2,500

Katherine Moore There are two potential sticking points here: rack mounts (which surprisingly few modern gravel bikes come equipped with); and the smaller size required. Thankfully some brands don’t neglect shorter riders.

I suggest the Sonder Camino AL GRX1 in S (£1,399, alpkit. com), which in a size Small is recommended for riders between 5'2" and 5'7". The aluminium alloy frame is built up with Shimano’s gravel-specific GRX groupset, with a quality 1× FSA drivetrain as well as powerful hydraulic disc brakes, which come in especially handy on the descents with a loaded bike.

This alloy build comes in far below budget too, which means you could consider upgrading the wheels to a lighter carbon set, or leave plenty of spending money for your touring setup plus a lot of cafés along the way! Alternatively you could consider Sonder’s titanium models, with the Sonder Camino Ti GRX1 (£2,299) priced much closer to your budget, including a wheel upgrade too.

Whichever frame material you choose, the Sonder Camino design boasts generous tyre clearance – up to 50mm-wide tyres on 700C wheels or an even chunkier 2.1" on smaller 650B wheels. There are also plenty of options for carrying water, with multiple bottle cage bosses both inside the main triangle as well as under the down tube. From cruising those local lanes to bikepacking the wilds of Scotland and King Alfred’s Way, the Camino should have you covered.

SONDER CAMINO AL GRX 1 £1,399

Katy Hill

Dan Joyce A gravel bike with a drop bar is fine on rough roads and easier trails but a flat bar will be flat out better for control on any technical tracks you encounter in the Scottish Highlands. As a mountain biker, it’s a setup you’re used to. It’s also much cheaper. The Sonder Camino AL Apex1 Flat (£869) saves over £500 over the AL GRX1. It should also fit you better as the flat bar, on the same frame, will reduce the effective reach.

Few other gravel bikes come with a flat bar option. A rigid mountain bike would be good but, as we’ve noted before, they’ve all but disappeared. So I’m going to go against cycle industry orthodoxy and suggest… a hybrid. Specifically, a hybrid with 650×47B (47-584) or wider tyres, such as the Whyte Victoria Commuter (£899, whyte.bike).

The size S should fit perfectly, as it's meant for riders from 5'0" to 5'4". It comes with the spec and fittings you require, weighs only 10.8kg, and has off-road ready geometry. Replace the 40t chainring with a 32 or 34 to reduce the gearing, and the tyres with tubeless gravel ones like Continental Terra Trail in 47-584 (@£39.95) or Schwalbe G-One Bite TLE in 50-584 (@£62.99).

Consider fitting an On-One Geoff handlebar (£29.99) or Jones DB Loop H-Bar (£149) to give a range of hand positions; you’d then need a longer gear cable and brake hoses. A rack and panniers will be heavier than bikepacking bags but a Tubus Vega Classic rack (£100, 540g, clears a 60mm tyre) and Ortlieb Gravel-Pack panniers (£125, 1,160g/pair) won't be too weighty.

WHYTE VICTORIA COMMUTER £899+

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w o h w o Kn Headwear

How to wear a cycle helmet (if you choose to)

Photo: trekbikes.com

Making sense of commonly misunderstood subjects

Care & replacement

I

n short: not on the back of your head like a bonnet or with loose straps. To work as intended in a fall from your bike, a helmet needs to fit correctly, be adjusted correctly, and be worn correctly.

THE RIGHT SIZE Cycle helmets generally come in only a handful of sizes: one or two children’s sizes, for example, or small, medium, and large adult sizes. Each will have a range in centimetres, showing the head circumferences it should accommodate.

Measure your head before going to the shop. Hold the tape horizontally around your head, above your ears and eyebrows. Your head is probably 50-something centimetres, with men having larger heads than women on average.

Try on helmets at the shop. The most comfortable may be a size up – or a different model entirely – because different designs suit different head shapes, some fitting rounder heads best, others longer heads.

Men’s and women’s helmets may look different (for which you can thank the brand’s marketing department) but the only real difference is that the S/M/L size bands for women’s models may be smaller.

Get whichever fits best, regardless of its supposed gender. If you have a particularly large head (over 60cm), try Bontrager: its helmet sizes go up to 66cm.

ADJUSTING THE FIT There may be a choice of foam pads to fine tune fit and comfort. Most helmets have a strap that cradles that back of the head, adjustable via a ratchet or dial. Adjust it until the helmet feels snug but not uncomfortable.

Leave the chin strap undone for now.

Shake your head from side to side, like you're indicating “no”. The helmet should

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DAN JOYCE Dan sometimes wears a helmet, which seems to annoy everyone

Heads don’t come in just three sizes.

Adjust those straps

move with your head and not come loose.

Then bend over gently so the top of your head is pointing at the floor. Even with the chinstrap undone, the helmet should be snug enough that it stays on.

HOW TO WEAR IT The brim of the helmet should be no more than a couple of fingers’ width above your eyebrows. If your forehead is exposed, it’s unprotected.

Finally adjust the chin strap. The twin straps at each side should meet in a V under your earlobes. The strap under your chin should be loose enough that you can yawn comfortably but snug enough that you can get only a finger or two underneath. It may take a while to sort this out, as you faff with sliders and strap lengths. Take this time. Be aware that the straps can work loose over time, so you may need to readjust them later.

ACCESSORIES A cycling cap or a stretchy snood will fit fine under most helmets. You may need to adjust the chin strap and probably will need to adjust the rear ratchet strap.

Anything fitted to the exterior of a helmet must be able to snap free instantly in the event of a crash. Visors are designed to do this. Lights and cameras may not be. If they snag the ground or road, your head could be spun around, exacerbating (or causing) neck injuries or rotational brain injuries.

The foam pads in helmets absorb sweat. Take them out and handwash them if they start to niff, or put them in a mesh bag in the washing machine.

If the helmet itself gets dirty, you can handwash it tepid water. Let it dry out naturally.

Cycle helmets are designed to crumple.

If you have a fall and bang it, you should replace it. Even if it’s not visibly damaged there may be hairline cracks. Some manufacturers have a crash-replacement policy; ask about this at the shop.

Even if you don’t crash your helmet it will have a limited lifespan, due to sweat, sunlight, and general wear and tear. Manufacturers suggest a use-life of three to five years – a fair guideline.

Helmet policy Cycling UK has a prochoice policy on helmet use and campaigns against compulsion. See cyclinguk.org/helmets

BIKE TEST

CARBON ROAD BIKES

Biketest

LIZ COLEBROOK Liz holds the brazing torch at Beaumont Bicycle and is a qualified occupational therapist

Not carbon copies

Spend £2k on an endurance road bike and you can expect carbon fibre. Liz Colebrook tests women’sspecific models from Decathlon and Cube

B

oth of these road bikes are designed for women. The Van Rysel is also designed by women. Whether women need a women’sspecific bike is a moot point: see cyclinguk. org/article/cycling-guide/women-need-womenspecific-bikes. The last time I reviewed one, the women’s-specific aspect amounted to a change of handlebar, saddle, and colour. I was curious what differences these two would exhibit.

They’re both ‘endurance’ road bikes. The industry is always inventing new names but I like ‘endurance’; it’s more obvious than ‘sportive’. Essentially, such bikes are designed to offer more comfort without compromising much on the aerodynamics and weight. So you can expect a slightly higher handlebar position, lightweight wheels, and a super-light, shortwheelbase frameset.

Van Rysel is Decathlon’s relatively new performance brand. The name means ‘from Lille’, paying homage to Decathlon’s HQ in French Flanders, near the border with Belgium. There are two women’s-specific Van

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Rysel road bikes: the aluminium Women’s Road Bike EDR AF 105 (£849.99) and this, the carbon Women’s Van Rysel EDR Carbon Disc 105 (£2,299.99).

Cube’s Axial WS GTC Pro (£2,049) is one of six women’s-specific road bikes designed by the German brand. As with Van Rysel, the less expensive models – such as the entry-level Axial WS (£949) – are aluminium rather than carbon.

Frame & fork The science of carbon fibre is complex.

Basically, carbon fibres are layered to dissipate riding stresses while optimising strength and stiffness where they’re needed. The design process is heavily computerised and the high construction costs reflect bicycle designer Keith Bontrager’s well-known maxim: “strong, light, cheap – pick two”.

CARBON ROAD BIKES

BIKE TEST

First look

Lightweight and sporty for a ‘budget’ carbon bike, thanks largely to its lighter wheelset

Carbon's high construction costs reflect Keith Bontrager’s maxim: “strong, light, cheap – pick two"

Tech Spec

DECATHLON WOMEN’S VAN RYSEL EDR CARBON DISC 105

Carbon frames can The Cube has a wide fracture dramatically protective strip under in a collision where an the down tube to limit aluminium or steel frame potential damage to the would crumple or bend. frame from stones flying But in the normal course up from the road. It’s of events, where the a small but important stresses are predictable, a detail on a carbon bike. carbon frame and fork can Meanwhile, Decathlon have a better strength-tohelpfully provides an weight ratio than any metal Allen key torque wrench frame yet still dissipate with the bike so you can some road vibration. This tighten any bolts that clamp (potential) combination of onto carbon – such as the performance and comfort stem – just right.

Top: An 11-32 cassette is fine, given the bike’s low weight helps explain why carbon Neither bike is designed Bottom: The full carbon fork fibre is the dominant for conventional frameunderscores the Van Rysel’s material for higher-end fitting mudguards. The sporty aspirations: it won’t take a conventional mudguard road bikes – including Cube can be equipped or a tyre bigger than 25mm endurance ones. with the brand’s Cubeguard Both the Cube Axial Attain Disc guards, while and the Decathlon Van the Van Rysel would Rysel feature a full carbon frame and require SKS Raceblade Long or Crud fork. The Cube is a kilogramme heavier Roadracer guards. overall than the Van Rysel, mostly due to Components variances in the wheels rather than the Both bikes feature Shimano’s 105 frames. The other significant difference groupset but the spec isn’t identical. The is the sizing availability: the Van Rysel Van Rysel has a 140mm rear disc rotor, seems only to be stocked in XS and S which makes sense for small-to-medium sizes (although XXS is listed), whereas riders and saves weight. The Cube the Cube is offered in a full range of employs Shimano’s hydraulic 105 brake sizes. This may be a result of production levers for smaller hands – commendable problems stemming from recent upsets in on a women’s-specific bike. global manufacturing and transportation.

cassette. Shimano R7000 STI shifters, rear derailleur and ‘braze-on’ front derailleur. 22 ratios, 28-122in.

Braking: Shimano hydraulic R7000 STI levers, R7070 callipers, Shimano Centerlock rotors (160mm front, 140mm rear).

Steering & seating: Van Rysel Racing aluminium handlebar, 80mm Van Rysel Racing stem, integrated threadless stem, carbon spacers.

Van Rysel Ergofit women's saddle, 27.2×350mm Van Rysel seatpost, Allenbolt seatpost clamp.

Equipment: tools for assembly, battery lights, bell, pair of tubeless valves. decathlon.co.uk

Price: £2,299.99 Sizes: XXS (not currently available), XS, S (tested) Weight: 8.2kg (18lb) Frame & fork: high-modulus carbon fibre frame with pressfit bottom bracket, 142×12mm dropouts, and fittings for flat mount brake and two bottles. Full carbon fork with tapered steerer and 100×12mm dropouts.

Wheels: 25-622 Hutchinson Fusion 5 Performance tyres on Fulcrum Racing 700 DB tubeless-ready wheels.

Transmission: basic resin pedals with toe-clips, Shimano 105 R7000 chainset (50-34t, 170mm), 86mm pressfit bottom bracket, KMC X11 chain, Shimano R7000 11-32t

Dimensions in millimetres and degrees

647 543 73.5˚

770 47

55

142

408

585 73˚

52

505

680

170

270

622 25

977

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CARBON ROAD BIKES

BIKE TEST

First look

Nice details such as smaller levers and down tube protection. Takes mudguards too

Unlike the Van Rysel, the Cube is offered in a full range of sizes – 47, 50, 53, and 56cm

Tech Spec

CUBE AXIAL WS GTC PRO

The extra cost of the Van The saddles on both Rysel is down to its pricier, bikes are generic women'slighter wheelset. I would specific models: slightly always advocate spending shorter in length and money on wheels and tyres a fraction wider to suit if you have the funds to the wider sit bones that upgrade. A good pair of most (but not all) women wheels is as important as have. The more we lean the frame and fundamental forward into a tucked to a bicycle’s performance. position, the more we When it comes to ride on the narrower part gearing, I seldom use a of our sit bones and the compact double’s 50t outer less weight we have on ring. I prefer a 1×11 setup them. Conversely, the more on my own bikes. Living in upright we ride, the more Top: A nice flattened lever hilly Shropshire, I descend we rest on the wider part profile provides sure-fingered quite fast enough already of our sit bones and the braking. The levers are shorter-reach as well without pedalling downhill more weight we put through Bottom: Both bikes’ saddles to add any extra speed. them. The riding position are okay but will likely be swapped for a rider’s favourite But these are road bikes thus matters as much as the and big chainrings go with width of our sit bones when the marketing territory, choosing a saddle. unfortunately.

The patchwork state of our roads Key to comfort for me is the handlebar is a challenge for the endurance bike setup. Happily both Decathlon and Cube designer, who has to think hard about offer a size-specific bar width and stem how best to iron out the lumps and length. They also provide chainsets with bumps. Wider, compliant tyres are a shorter crank arms on smaller models, no-brainer, however, and both come with which is just as it should be (but hasn’t tubeless-ready ones – 25mm tyres for the always been the case). The shorter you Van Rysel, 28mm for the Cube. are, the more important it is to employ The ride a shorter crank arm. Apart from giving My first impression of the Van Rysel a better fit, it’s kinder to your knees and was how smooth and quiet it felt. makes it easier to pedal efficiently.

HG600 11-speed chain, R7000 11-32t cassette. Shimano 105 R7025 shifters, Shimano 105 R7000DGS 11-Speed rear derailleur, Shimano 105 R7000 31.8mm-clamp front derailleur. 22 ratios, 28-122in.

Braking: Shimano 105 hydraulic R7025 brake levers and BR7070 callipers, 160mm Centerlock rotors (front and rear).

Steering & seating: 40cm Cube Compact Race handlebar with ACID road handlebar tape, 80mm Cube Performance Stem SL, VP I-t integrated threadless headset.

Natural Fit Venec WS saddle, 27.2×350mm. Cube Performance alloy seatpost, Allen-bolt seatpost clamp.

Equipment: none cube.eu

Price: £2,049 Sizes: 47, 50 (tested), 53, 56cm Weight: 9.2kg (20.23lb) Frame & fork: ‘Twin Mould Monocoque’ carbon frame with pressfit bottom bracket, 142×12mm rear axle, and fittings for flat mount brake and two bottles. Cube CSL race disc full carbon fork with tapered steerer, 100×12mm dropouts, and fittings for flat mount disc brake.

Wheels: 28-622 Continental Grand Sport Race SL tyres, Cube RA 1.9 aero disc wheels with tubeless-ready rims Transmission: no pedals, 105 Shimano RS510 chainset (50-32t, 170mm), Shimano BB71-41B 86mm pressfit bottom bracket, Shimano Dimensions in millimetres and degrees

623 517 74.6˚

750 47.5

65

142

414

585 71.5˚

47

460

686

170

270

622 28

985

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CARBON ROAD BIKES

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.

Above: Standard-size 105 levers (Van Rysel) Near right: Higher bar heights than race bikes Top right: Conventional 50t outer ring – too big?

Bottom right: Down tube protection (Cube)

It’s comfortable and has just the right degree of responsiveness. I didn’t have to keep adjusting my riding line, which you sometimes have to do if you’re busy looking over hedges at the passing countryside.

One factor that isn’t spoken about much is ‘wheel flop’. When you hear talk of how a bike handles, there are several forces at play, ranging from the rider's position over the handlebar to the offset of the fork, the tyre size and the frame’s head angle. Wheel flop is the physics of how ‘keen’ a wheel is to naturally tip to the left or right as it begins to move away from the mid-line. The Van Rysel has a wheel flop of 15mm, the Cube 19mm.

This meant slightly more adjustment of my riding line on the Cube than the Van Rysel.

Over a longer ride, that would mean slightly more upper body work for the rider of the Cube than the Van Rysel.

At 8.2kg the Van Rysel is lightweight for a disc brake bike. I appreciated that in hilly south Shropshire, where I could climb relatively effortlessly without running out of gears. Although the handlebar puts you in a nice tucked aero position for descents, I would sacrifice that for a slightly flared bar with a flat top – also known as a ‘wing’ handlebar. This would spread the weight on my palms when riding on the tops. I'd also re-wrap the bars with a quality gel bar tape.

Contact points really matter on long rides.

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Other options

TREK DOMANE AL DISC £1,900

High-quality aluminium frame with gender-neutral ‘endurance’ geometry and a carbon fork designed to absorb road vibration. Plenty of mounts for accessories make this a highly versatile alternative.

trekbikes.com

Saddles are very personal in terms of fit; once you’ve found a favourite you tend to stick with it. Bicycle manufacturers know this and tend to specify relatively inexpensive saddles, knowing that customers spending £2,000 on a bike will probably fit a favourite one they already own.

Size-wise, the Cube offers more standover clearance, is shorter in the reach by about 30mm, but has the same handlebar height from the ground as the Van Rysel. The handlebar has a different profile but is still one I’d swap for a wing bar with a tape upgrade. I appreciated the new R7025 levers for smaller hands as soon as I touched the brakes. They’re really comfortable. The lever is flattened just at the contact point, which makes the braking action easier and lighter.

Verdict

TRIBAN WOMAN’S GRAVEL BIKE GRVL 900 SHIMANO GRX TITANIUM FRAME £2 ,199.99 For ultimate endurance, Decathlon’s topend women’s gravel bike offers a titanium frame that’s built in Italy by Dedacciai and guaranteed for life. It’s 1×11 and under 10kg. decathlon.co.uk

There isn’t much to choose between them but overall I prefer the Van Rysel. Its lower weight is noticeable even when you’re wheeling it out of the house, let alone on climbs. I like its smaller, 140mm rear rotor and lighter wheelset. It’s tastefully finished, and the fork design is in keeping with the frame’s aerodynamic lines and tapered head tube.

The Cube Axial WS GTC Pro is nevertheless a very nice bike. I particularly like the brake levers for small hands and the down tube frame protection.

Cyclists who don’t fit an XXS, XS or S Van Rysel will also appreciate the greater range of frame sizes.

BIKE TEST

E-BIKE Dimensions in millimetres and degrees

640 600 73˚

340 45

430

700 69˚

80

61

420

668

165

268

135 584 41

1025

Tech Spec

ISLABIKES EJONI

Biketest

Islabikes eJoni The electric version of Islabikes’ sit-up-and-beg step-through is ideally suited to riders with less strength or stiffer joints.

Dan Joyce test rode it and polled other riders’ opinions

L

Other options

ike the eJimi high, however, so it’s (cyclinguk.org/ not hard to get a foot cycle-magazine/ down without a dropper. bike-test-islabikesPedalling is nicely ejimi), the eJoni is the ergonomic thanks to electric version of a bike shorter cranks with a built for older or less able narrower pedal tread. riders. The step-through The 250Wh battery in frame, upright riding the down tube isn’t meant Above: The PulsarOne display position, low gears, and to be removed until it needs shows assistance mode and easy-tyre-change rims replacing (after about charge remaining much more remain. A 250W Mahle 15,000 miles, at a cost of clearly than the iWoc controller hub motor adds power £599.99), so you must park for easier pedalling. the eJoni near a socket for This adds weight but not so much that recharging. It should do 30–40 miles per it’s hard to manhandle. At 15.5kg (size charge. As ever, range is hammered by M) the eJoni is no heavier than many very steep climbs (I took it up a 25% hill). unpowered city bikes, and light enough Standard fittings include mudguards, to be lifted up a few steps or onto a towa rear rack, and high-quality Supernova bar mounted bike rack by most owners. lights wired to the main battery. You can’t Mounting and dismounting is easy fit bottle cages except to the carbon fork or thanks to the low-step aluminium frame. a stem-top mount (£13). A propstand (£23) is If you needed it to be easier still, you another extra. Get one – and the optional, could fit an externally-cabled dropper wireless PulsarOne display (£100) that the seatpost. The bottom bracket isn’t too test bike came with.

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RIBBLE URBAN AL E £2 ,499

Lightweight e-bike with a Mahle hub motor (X35), iWoc controller, 1× drivetrain (11-speed Apex), hydraulic discs, and lights.

ribblecycles.co.uk

cycle

AU G U ST/ SE PTEMBER 2022

CUBE COMPACT HYBRID 500 £2 ,899

Low-step urban e-bike with 20in wheels, a 5-speed hub gear, and a torquier (65Nm) Bosch mid-drive. Much heavier at 23.8kg. cube.eu

Price: £2,699.99 as tested (from £2,599) Sizes: XS, S, M (tested), L Weight: 15.58kg (34.28lb) as shown Frame & fork: 6061 aluminium frame with internal battery, 68mm BSA BB, 135mm dropouts, fittings for rack, mudguard, and external dropper cable. Islabikes carbon fork with straight steerer, 100mm QR dropouts, fittings for mudguard and two luggage/ bottle cages.

Wheels: 41-584 Islabikes Mixte tyres, Islabikes 584×19 Easy Tyre Change rims.

Front: 28×2 spokes, QR hub. Rear: 32×2 spokes, Mahle X35+ motor rear hub.

Transmission: Wellgo pedals, 165mm Islabikes low Q-factor cranks, 32t

chainring, square taper BB, KMC Z Narrow chain, Sunrace 8-speed 11-40t cassette. SRAM 3.0 Comp 8-speed Gripshift, SRAM X4 rear derailleur. 8 ratios, 21-77in.

Electronics: Mahle X35+ 250W hub motor (40Nm torque), 250Wh Mahle/ Panasonic battery, iWoc Trio controller, PulsarOne display.

Braking: Tektro HDM276 hydraulic discs with 160mm rotors.

Steering & seating: Ergo lock-on grips, 660×31.8mm bar, 60mm×17º stem, integrated headset.

Islabikes saddle, 27.2×350mm seatpost.

Equipment: Supernova Mini 2 Headlight & E3 Tail Light 2, mudguards, aluminium rear rack. islabikes.co.uk

The eJoni rides as breezily as you’d expect when power-assisted and isn’t bad without the motor. Neither I nor my main tester liked the saddle: such an upright position demands a wider, more padded and perhaps sprung seat.

I’d change the tyres as well, to 40-584 Schwalbe Marathon Plus. For although the Islabikes tyres are easy to get on and off the rims, removing and refitting the motor-equipped rear wheel is fiddly.

Verdict

Arguably the pinnacle of the whole, keep-youriding Islabikes Icons and e-Icons ranges. It’s super easy to mount and dismount, easy to ride, and easy to live with. Next time someone says e-bikes are “cheating”, show them this.

GROUPTEST

H A N D LEB A R PACKS

Details

WHAT TO LOOK FOR

1

Capacity

We’ve tested smaller bags from 9-litres volume and up, but most have 12-15L or larger siblings. Watch out for handlebar space with those.

2

Grouptest

Bikepacking bar rolls Soft bags that strap to the handlebar have become a staple for bikepacking off-road. Guy Kesteven tests four models

T GUY KESTEVEN Guy has been a bike tester for 25 years. He’s a freelance technical editor for paper and online media and talks to himself while riding bikes at YouTube/ GuyKesTV

raditional handlebar bags have been popular for day rides and touring for years due to their ‘under your nose’ convenience, easy-to-organise box design, and their capacity to accommodate maps and light mounts. They’re rattly on rough ground without a support frame, however, and their boxy, lidded construction can make them hard to stuff bulky gear into.

That’s where stuffsack-style bar rolls come in.

Perfect for cramming with bulky but light kit like sleeping bags, bivvy bags and down jackets, their soft, rounded design can also strap directly onto the handlebar to keep them more stable and quieter. If you’re going far enough, fast enough then they’re arguably more aerodynamic than traditional bar bags as well.

Different sizing, strapping, weatherproofing and accessorising priorities mean that choosing the right one for your bikepacking needs isn’t always easy. Hopefully this test of four medium-capacity, standard drop-bar-compatible bags will help.

Mount

Direct strapon mounts are the simplest but leave no room for hands on the bar centre and are more likely to rub on cables/frames.

That’s why many designs/riders use soft spacer blocks to give a grip gap.

3

Harness or all in one?

All-in-one, direct-strap designs are the most weight/bulk efficient.

A separate harness/ holster/hod can be left on the bike while

2

the bag goes walkies with you, however.

4

Weather Resistance

Finding your warm layers have got wet while you’re riding is a potentially dangerous disaster. Look very closely at what the waterproof/water resistant descriptions actually mean. If in doubt, double bag.

5

Durability

Bar rolls don’t get as filthy and rubbed up the wrong way as seat packs, but anything sawing around on your bike on rough terrain can wear. Grapevine recommendations count for a lot, but it’s worth buying from a company with a good warranty service as well.

3

1

5

4

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.

C YCL I NGUK . O RG

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GROUPTEST

H A N D LEB A R PACKS

2

1

Verdict The Alpkit bag is the simplest, least stable, and needs a waterproof liner. I’ve little durability data on the lightweight fabric but the bag is keenly priced and the UK factory backup is excellent.

The Ortlieb sits at the other end of the engineering, price and weight spectrum but gives tons of lash-on options, full bar use, and bombproof, weatherproof performance.

Restrap’s new combo impresses too, although the lightweight drybag is very thin and the mounting system adds potential paint-wear peril.

Apidura’s Expedition bag is cleanly executed, compact, lightweight yet durable, and very weatherproof at a good price for the quality. You’ll need to add spacers to get your bar tops back.

Seatpacks review

Our most recent seatpacks grouptest is online: cyclinguk. org/article/grouptest-seatpost-bagsbikepacking

More online

3

4

1 Alpkit Kuoka

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For more reviews of bikes, kit and components, as well as how-to guides, visit...

2 Apidura Expedition

cyclinguk.org/advice

3 Ortlieb Handlebar-Pack 4 Restrap Bar Bag Small

£46.99 alpkit.com

£96 apidura.com

£105 ortlieb.com

£109.99 restrap.com

ALPKIT’S LATEST BAGS use X-Pac X11 fabric, a lightweight organic ripstop cotton with a recycled polyester waterproof backing.

Untaped seams make a drybag liner advisable. The 14L tube rolls closed at both ends and has webbing daisy chains top and bottom. Two straps thread through these to compress the contents and lash the bag onto the bar. There’s a stiffening square on the back and a light clip patch up front, but no head tube strap so the bag is free to bounce around.

There are no bar spacers either, but it’s less than half the price of the other bags. Weight: 250g.

APIDURA IS ONE of the original bikepacking brands. The bags’ minimalism makes them a racers’ favourite. The 9L Expedition pack is super compact (the 14L is £104) but has clips for adding an auxiliary 4.5L accessory pocket (£50). There’s a bungee for spare clothing, while key areas are reinforced with Hypalon (rubber dinghy fabric). Waterproofing from the ultrasonically welded fabric is excellent, and despite the low weight the bags have an excellent reputation for durability. There are dedicated 7L and 11L Backcountry bags for flat bars. Weight: 300g.

ORTLIEB’S HANDLEBAR-PACK has a belt-and-braces bar attachment strategy, using broad rubberised velcro sub-straps with latched-buckle webbing straps over the top. The double-depth bar pads provide hand room, and the stiffened roll has a head tube strap for security. I tested the smaller 9L bag (15L is £125) but its fixtures and durable fabric still make it fairly heavy and pricy. The bag is so well sealed it has to have an air release valve for use after being rolled shut, so rain is no issue. There’s an accessory pack add-on for £60.

Weight: 450g.

RESTRAP’S BAR BAG is the only stuffsack-and-holster design here, which makes it the heaviest. Despite being ‘Small’ it’s the joint biggest at 14L so you’ll need to line up the separate dry bag evenly. It’s the thinnest material here too, which causes some concern. Spacers give you the top of the bar back for hands, lights, etc, and there’s a hod-top bungee for stashing a jacket. The QR bar buckles use a cam action to keep them tight, while lower straps loop up under the fork crown for excellent stability – but perhaps more paint rub. Weight: 310 + 160 = 470g

Affordable bag in eco-friendly fabric that bounces in the rough

Minimalist but super tough and weatherproof compact bag

A waterproof, bombproof bag for life with multiple fixtures

Versatile drybag-and-holster.

Good stability but a thin sack

cycle

AU G U ST/ SE PTEMBER 2022

CYCLE

H O L I DAY S & D I R EC TO RY

To advertise contact Elly Kiss: elly.kiss@jamespembrokemedia.co.uk

TRAVELLERS’ TALES

(

Share your story We’d love to hear your Travellers’ Tales! Email: editor@cyclinguk.org

(

Blue skies on the Isle of Harris

Cathedral visit logged

Island hopping

England

Pilgrims’ progress The Cathedrals Cycle Route takes you more than 1,800 miles across England. Maria and Jim Frazer are riding it bit by bit

T

he Cathedrals Cycle Route (CCR) was exactly the challenge we’d been looking for. We’d read about it on the Cycling UK website just before Bike Week 2021: a 1,800-mile route visiting each of the 42 Church of England cathedrals. My husband Jim and I love bike touring, history, and adventure. Before lockdown we’d finished all 214 Wainwrights in the Lake District and we were looking for a new outdoor project. The CCR ticked all the boxes for us.

The inaugural ride started from Newcastle Cathedral, just 12 miles up the Tyne from our home on the coast, on the same day that we’d pledged to do a ride for Bike Week. We witnessed the CCR’s ‘grand depart’, spoke to the route’s instigator, chatted to the participants – and felt huge pangs of envy. We followed on the back of the small peloton of riders as they crossed the Tyne, heading south – next stop, Durham Cathedral – and we swore we’d do this route.

We’ve so far covered 250 miles in two short four-day trips, visiting 11 cathedrals between Newcastle and Lincoln (we include the Roman Catholic ones as well on our travels),

Scotland

using the train to take us back to where we left off last time. We are about to embark on our next segment: Lincoln to Norwich. We’ve had so much fun being ‘pedal pilgrims’, meeting many people en route who want to share stories, visiting places we’ve never been to before, experiencing the grandeur and history of the cathedrals, marvelling at the diversity of nature along the fantastic route, and rejoicing in our bikes.

It’s an amazing ride. You can do as much or as little as you like, starting from anywhere in England. Download the route, pack your Pilgrim Passport and get pedalling! cyclinguk.org/cathedrals-cycleroute-challenge

Chesterfield Canal towpath, nr Worksop

Sandy D Franklin toured the Inner and Outer Hebrides in blazing sunshine WHEN YOU NEED to slow your world down, what better way than a tour of the Hebrides? Starting on Arran, my spirits soared as we cycled over The String Road from Brodick to Pirnmill. A curlew called.

Gigha was next, wild camping at the southernmost point with a stunning sunset behind the Paps of Jura. The next morning was wet but by the time we’d cycled to Kennacraig for the ferry to Islay the sun had lit up the landscape. The next day we cycled out to the Oa peninsula and watched a golden eagle landing on a nearby crag. We camped on a windy knoll by Port Mòr on Colonsay.

Seals sang, a hen harrier flew over, and the moon cast its beam over the sea.

The tides were right to wade across to Oransay where we hoped to find corncrakes.

But, as with our next island, Coll, we did not get to see or hear them. Neighbouring Tiree was full of surfers in this year of the staycation.

On the ferry to Barra we spotted dolphins, porpoise, a minke whale, and rafts of seabirds.

I can’t imagine experiencing such superb weather in the islands again. It was perfect for a boat trip to the uninhabited island of Mingulay, which is similar to St Kilda.

Cycling north through the Outer Isles, the islands were ablaze with heather in bloom. Eriskay, bathed in sunshine, looked more Greek than Hebridean. We battled a headwind through South Uist and Benbecula, then experienced cloudless skies and more sparkling seas on North Uist, Harris, and Lewis.

Finally, we sailed from Stornoway to Ullapool, not wanting to leave.

C YC L I NGUK . O RG

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TRAVELLERS’ TALES

Journey’s end in Romania

Europe

Rivers & canals to Romania In 2015 Colin Marsh followed Europe’s waterways for 1,900 miles

Wildeshausen, Germany

Northern Europe

Loads more fun Instead of buying his Danish cargo bike in the UK, Robin Mager bought it in Copenhagen and rode it home

B

ack in June 2019 I made one of my best cycling decisions when my dream bike shifted from classic steel, through bling titanium, past trendy gravel to… cargo bike! I wanted it simple and usable and settled on the Larry vs Harry Bullitt (non-electric) from Denmark. You can buy these in the UK but I decided it would be more fun to go over to Copenhagen to pick mine up.

Two days, with a mix of trains and Flixbus, got me to Copenhagen. On a bright Monday morning I was at Larry vs Harry’s ready to collect. There is a ‘getting used to’ period with cargo bikes, and perhaps the middle of a strange capital city with different road rules is not the best place to try this out. Still, I survived a quick sightseeing tour and got back to the campsite unscathed.

Then it was a matter of heading west for just over 980 miles, a task that took me 11 days, included six countries, a few wild camps, and luckily no punctures.

I soon learned that the Bullitt can handle singletrack (I was lost) and that it’s also pretty nimble. But if you come to barriers, steps or fallen trees you’re in trouble, especially if you’re carrying a

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load. Other benefits include easy and stable parking on ferries, and it can also be used as a washing line support.

Handy when you run into the amount of rain Storm Miguel delivered!

The Bullitt made a great touring machine. It was a nice change not to have to be too precise with pannier packing, and I’d always got a seat/table for road side picnics. For cargo bike riders there is a big difference between the infrastructure on the Continent and in the UK. As I rode home across my home country, the days were interspersed with frustrating cycle path barriers.

Three years later the Bullitt is still in almost daily use. It has carried everything from washing machines to the weekly shop.

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AU G U ST/ SE PTEMBER 2022

AFTER YEARS OF cycling holidays in Europe with my brothers, I decided that at the age of 72 I was old enough to attempt a solo trip. My plan was to set off from Dunkirk and follow the waterways of Europe to Romania.

I spent months plotting a route, booking low-cost accommodation and arranging nights with Warmshowers hosts. From France I followed canals through Belgium into the Netherlands, then the Rivers Rhine and Main through Germany as far as Bamberg. From there, I rode beside the Main-Danube Canal.

The River Danube was then my guide through the rest of Germany, Austria and Slovakia. My apprehension about entering Slovakia wasn’t helped by being chased by two dogs on the outskirts of Bratislava.

But my hosts for the next two nights were much friendlier. I reached the border town of Štúrovo the same day I left my second host.

There I had a great view of Esztergom and its basilica and castle, perched above the river.

From Esztergom, the Danube Bend took me southwards to the town of Vác, a few miles north of Budapest. After two nights here, I met my brothers near Budapest Airport.

Together we followed stretches of the River Tisza through Hungary and the River Mureş through Romania, before reaching the foothills of the Carpathian Mountains and the village of Cisnãdioara, the location of the children’s home for which my six-week sponsored 1,900-mile ride raised over £8,000.

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