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From the editor
As the seasons turn, some cyclists will be switching to their winter bikes – older or cheaper bikes dedicated to the wet, cold, muddy and road-gritted conditions of the bleaker months. It makes sense. Your best bike won’t have its shiny drivetrain, brakes and bearings ground down because it will sit out the bad weather indoors.
I’ve never had a winter bike.
This has puzzled new riders turning up for local club rides: “Is that your winter road bike?”
“Er, no. It’s my everything road bike.”
Maybe it’s the fact that it looks fairly inexpensive. More likely it’s the mudguards, which seldom come off. Any bike with guards is, potentially, a winter-ready bike. That’s why mudguards feature heavily in this issue’s feature on autumn and winter cycling. They’re the first thing you need.
Adapting your best or only bike for the off season makes economic sense. Higher-end component wear might be more costly and you will need extra, but not necessarily expensive, equipment. But you’re saving on the price of another bike. Mudguards, tyres and a new chain cost less than a new winter road bike. A set of pivot bearings for a full-suspension mountain bike costs less than a new hardtail.
44 Shop window
Quick releases
04 Freewheeling
Bits and pieces from the bike world
07 Quick releases
Cycling UK’s Adventure Series for bikepackers; new free wills service; why access to green spaces is so important; October’s glow rides; and more
Tour & explore
16 Across countries
From Mid Wales to London on lanes, cycle routes and towpaths
22 Weekender
Previews of new products
46 Books
Cycling inspiration when you’re stuck inside
48 High-grade steel
Two all-rounder road bikes: Condor’s Fratello Disc and Mason’s Resolution
55 Stooge Dirt Tracker
A bikepacking-ready, retro-style rigid mountain bike
58 Commuter lights
Six sets of batterypowered be-seen lights for urban cyclists
It also makes sense in terms of enjoyment. Why have a bike you really love riding and use it for only half the year? Wear and tear is what happens to a bike you love to ride. Embrace what Grant Petersen, in his book Just Ride, calls ‘beausage’ – the idea that beauty comes from usage not unblemished perfection. Winter bikes are useful. A bike you’re happy to use all year round is better still.
DAN JOYCE Editor
The South Somerset Cycleway, an 80−mile tour of the West Country
24 Fiets first
Touring the cycle network of the Netherlands on a recumbent e-trike
Feature
30 Autumn gold
Seasonal essentials on a tight budget for you and your bike
Reviews
39 Gear
Components and accessories tested
Over to you
63 Letters
Your feedback on Cycle and cycling
66 Profile
Keeping up with Grandma
68 Q&A
Your technical, health and legal questions answered
70 Bike finder
An audax-style light
tourer for rough roads and easy tracks
73 Travellers’ tales
Cycling UK members’ ride reports
Founded in 1878
Cover photo: Teenage boy mountain biking in the Quantock Hills AONB by Jon Hicks/Getty Images
Shining examples
On the evening of 22 October, towns and cities across the UK will come alight. From Cornwall to Edinburgh, communities will come together for vibrant mass glow rides in support of Cycling UK’s ‘My ride. Our right’ campaign. Together, we’ll light up the night and call for safer streets and better cycle routes, especially for women riding after dark.
Glow rides: light-bulb moments
We believe women should have the right to move around the streets with confidence. Sadly, when the evenings get darker, many women put their bikes away. Others feel forced to choose between cycling on a busy main road or a dark, isolated cycle path. A friend told me that when she started commuting in winter, she would wear baggy
clothes and tuck her long hair into her jacket to look less obviously female. And she’s not alone.
Having the option to cycle can be liberating: only half as many women feel nervous about cycling at night compared to walking. But that still leaves one in five women who feel constrained by concerns about cycling in the dark. We need routes that feel safe, visible and welcoming.
Mass glow rides are a powerful way to demonstrate that there are lots of us who want to cycle all year round. We come in all different shapes, sizes and ages, but we’re united by our desire to be able to travel freely.
Guiding lights
Cycling UK Stevenage was one of the first groups to jump at the chance to organise a
Top and above: Happy glow riders in Norwich making a serious point
Above right: Glow rides in Southampton
KNOG plays a blinder
The glow rides are kindly supported by KNOG. Check out their products to help light up your ride. freewheel.co.uk/ brands/knog
Can’t ride? You can still support
Shine a light on the issue
You might be wondering if mass rides can really change anything to help create better cycle routes. It’s a valid question. For these glow rides to have the maximum impact, we need to make sure our politicians understand why they are happening, so they can press for changes at a national and local level.
glow ride. Jill Borcherds from the group says: “The best cycle network is only as good as its weakest links. Our Stevenage Glow Ride will highlight some examples of where things are not so great on our streets and cycleways, including dark and secluded routes with only busy road alternatives. We want cycling to be a practical choice for everyday journeys in Stevenage – as well as leisure rides – for women and everyone else.”
As the glow rides are hosted by individual community groups, each event will feel unique. KRIMMZ Girls Youth Club in Bolton has put its own spin on its Noor Glow Ride, saying: “Women from across the community will come together to light up the night with decorated bikes and glowing accessories, spreading the message that cycling is for everyone. Noor means light, and this ride symbolises visibility, strength and the positive impact women bring to their communities.”
In Edinburgh, following several mass glow rides by InfraSisters, decision-makers are starting to see that this isn’t just a ‘cycling issue’ – but rather it’s about women feeling confident to move around the city in the evening.
You can help create the same revelations where you live. Will you take a moment and send a message to your MP, Senedd Members, MSPs or MLAs to tell them why safer cycling for women matters to people in your community? We’ve created a simple online tool to make it quick and easy. Visit the ‘My ride. Our right’ website: cyclinguk.org/my-ride-our-right
Be a torchbearer
While these rides are led by women, they are open to anyone who wants to take part and support the cause of enabling more women to cycle. By joining in, you’ll be part of a powerful nationwide movement showing that cycling should be safe, accessible and visible for everyone.
Light up your bike, and let’s light up the streets. Find your nearest ride on our website: cyclinguk.org/glow-rides
Not able to join a glow ride? You can still get involved and help Cycling UK make cycling better for everyone. Your donation supports our work, now and beyond the glow rides.
This autumn, we’ve helped community groups across the UK light up rides with free flags, banners, insurance and advice. But there’s still more to do.
By donating, you’re backing our mission to make cycling safer, more accessible and inclusive – and helping us continue pushing for change long after the lights of October’s glow rides have faded away. Join in. Switch on. Donate today. cyclinguk. org/donate-glow
Near left and right: Peter Cornish. Others: Mary Doggett
Acrosscountries
Great rides
E-biking from Mid Wales to London, Nick Sanders chose paths less travelled, avoiding busier roads in favour of quiet lanes, cycle routes and towpaths
On a bicycle, the journey is often more important than the destination. Anyone driving from Wales to London would likely head down the soulless M4. On my e-bike, I planned to use byways, river banks, canal towpaths and minor roads to create a peaceful route unencumbered with cars. Since I was aiming for a relatively trafficfree route, I took advantage of some of the 12,739 miles of the National Cycle Network (NCN) .
I live near Machynlleth, notionally the ancient capital of Wales and the seat of this country’s first parliament. (It was formed at the start of the 15th century by Owain Glyndŵr, who led a 15−year revolt against English rule.) My home town – where I often have a coffee in between Glyndŵr’s Parliament House and the chippy – was my start point. The end was England’s and the UK’s capital: London.
The Big Hill to Llanidloes
On a bicycle you carry as little as you need. You are decluttered and plugged into your surroundings. You hear the cooing pigeon, the rattle of wind against standing wheat, the church chimes and the bleat of sheep. It’s so peaceful.
The more you carry, the longer it takes to pack and unpack. You can lose hours on tour just taking things out of overstuffed bags, only to put them back in again. I’m too random a character to be precise about my packing but I kept things simple: fairly minimal camping equipment; a few tools; a spare battery and charger for my e-bike; and some assorted bits of clothing that packed around my cameras. Then I was on my way.
Leaving town I headed for Machynlleth’s sister town, Llanidloes. This mountain road over the aptly named Rhiw Fawr (‘Big Hill’) is magnificent. A right turn off the B4518 took me onto on a tiny road that
immersed me in the beautiful Hafren Forest, and I entered Llanidloes via a back road.
It was a hilly start to my ride but was easy on the e-bike, and the Wild Oak Café on Llanidloes high street will let you recharge if you buy coffee and cake. Around here, the NCN routes are numbered 8 and 81. They’re well signed and take you along traffic-free farm roads, high on the tops of a range of local hills that form the northern front of the Cambrian Mountains. Rich green fields are lined by rows of conifers, a windbreak for scattered farm houses on a steep landscape dotted with sheep.
Down in the valley, the River Wye is shallow and narrow here but it grows wider every mile until you get to Builth Wells. I didn’t scroll through the Booking.com app for somewhere to stay but wild camped instead. While the right to roam scarcely exists in England and Wales, I find that if you ask a farmer and leave no trace, you can generally pitch in a field without problems.
Into the Wye Valley
Builth Wells – specifically Georgie Porgies Coffee Stop – was a perfect spot for breakfast. I then rode back across the bridge and followed the B4567 south. On the north bank of the river, I stopped at the tea room at what was Erwood Station until the Mid-Wales Railway was dismantled in 1962.
The tour was going well. Adventures like this are greater than the sum of their parts. They’re
Above left: Braywick Park, a nature reserve in Maidenhead’s suburbs
Left: Wiltshire back roads
Right: Nick at home in Machynlleth
Autumngold
Whatever cycling you enjoy most, autumn and winter have similar demands. Mudguards. Suitable tyres. Lighting. Clothing for when it’s colder and wetter. The products that meet those needs vary a lot by rider type. I’ve written shopping lists for a club road rider, commuter, family e-biker
Seasonal essentials for you and your bike don’t have to cost a fortune. Dan Joyce suggests some solid gold bargains for different cyclists on a £100 budget
and mountain biker with an arbitrary limit of £100. The aim is to show what it’s most worth spending your money on when the budget is tight.
That financial pressure means that stores like Decathlon, Evans Cycles and Halfords get multiple mentions here. This isn’t to say it’s not worth spending more or that these are the only options. (Do let us know your own seasonal essentials via the Letters pages or the Cycling UK Forum.)
Prices are RRP at time of writing, unless noted. Discounted prices have been included where a store has brand exclusivity. Don’t forget your Cycling UK member discounts at Halfords and Evans (cyclinguk.org/benefits).
Autumn is a good time to service your bike to head off potential problems. As a member, you can get a free bike check from Evans. For more information, see cyclinguk.org/ evans-bike-service
Club road rider
Mudguards – proper mudguards, not saddle flaps like Ass Savers – are vital for any year-round roadie. They stop dirty water from spraying over you and your bike. On a group ride they’ll also keep your club mates clean. Common courtesy requires them on wet roads.
If your road bike has the clearance and mounts, a set of SKS Bluemels mudguards (sks-germany.com) in a size 10mm wider than your tyres is a good choice. Expect to pay £30−£40. Otherwise you’ll need road-bikespecific mudguards (cyclinguk.org/ review-mudguards). Crud Roadracer Mk3 guards (£34.99, crudproducts. com) are Cycle’s favourite among these. You can make the fit even more secure by adding cable ties.
To fully protect you and following riders, mudguards need to extend below hub height. Most don’t so you’ll need mudflaps. You can Blue Peter your own from, for example, dampproof course membrane or cut-up ice-cream tub lids. Bore two vertically positioned holes in each mudguard and attach the mudflaps with small nuts and bolts. Alternatively, buy some ready-made ones from Raw Mudflap (£11, rawmudflap.uk).
In the days when road bikes came with 23mm tyres, it was standard advice to go up a tyre width for the winter. You can run a wider tyre softer, meaning more rubber in contact with the road for grip. These days road bikes typically come with tyres at least 28mm wide so there’s no pressing need to size up.
There is value in having tougher, grippier tyres for autumn and winter. But a second pair of tyres is not cheap; Continental GP 4 Seasons, for example, are £70 each. To save money on road tyres, run longer-lasting fourseason tyres all year round instead. (I’m on Continental GP 5000 AS TR.) As for lower pressures: not having rock-hard tyres is common practice now. (See also cyclinguk.org/cycle/ tyre-pressure.) Try dropping yours by 10psi, initially, if you haven’t already. While group rides tend to take place in daylight, overcast days and
Off-season cycling
For more information about autumn cycling, visit cyclinguk.org/ autumn-advice
poor weather limit visibility. To make yourself more conspicuous on roads with fast-moving traffic, a rear light is a good idea. The Btwin CL 100 LED USB Rear Bike Light 5 Lumens (£7.99, decathlon.co.uk) is cheap, rechargeable and has steady and flashing modes.
You’ll need to keep your bike’s drivetrain relatively clean and well lubricated. (See p36 for more on cleaning.) For lubrication, any chain lube used regularly enough is sufficient. Halfords All Weather Lube 100ml (£5, halfords.com) will do the job and is PTFE free.
Upgrading your summer cycling outfit for autumn can just about be done for less than £50. Here goes: Forclaz Multi-Position Tube Scarf (£4.99, decathlon.co.uk); JSP Stealth Amber Lens Safety Spectacle 731FR (£3.67, screwfix.com); Planet X 365 Glove (£7.49, planetx.co.uk – RRP £14.99); Boardman Windproof Removable Sleeve Jacket in yellow for men, blue for women (£20, halfords. com); Pinnacle Knee Warmers (£8, evanscycles.com – RRP £29.99); Carnac Neoprene Toe Covers (£4.99, planetx.co.uk – RRP £9.99).
Road rider essentials
• Crud Roadracer Mk3 mudguards
• Raw Mudflap, pair
• Btwin CL 100 LED USB rear light
• Halfords All-Weather Lube 100ml
• Forclaz Multi-Position Tube Scarf £4.99
• JSP Amber Lens Safety Spectacle £3.67
• Planet X 365 Glove £7.49
• Boardman Windproof Removable Sleeve Jacket £20
• Pinnacle Knee Warmers £8
• Carnac Neoprene Toe Covers £4.99
“On a group ride mudguards will also keep your club mates clean. Common courtesy requires them on wet roads”
Opposite: Jon Hicks/Getty
Images.
Above: Paul Hailwood
In the frame
Bikes, components, kit and media reviewed by journalists and staff
Gear
SCHWALBE
Aerothan innertube
Thermoplastic urethane (TPU) innertubes present a compelling challenge to butyl and latex tubes –and even road tubeless – for riders seeking the best performance from their tyres. Schwalbe’s Aerothan TPU tubes feature robust tube walls and reliable, accurately dimensioned aluminium stems. At 50g for the 28in SV 15−AE tube tested, weight still matches the very lightest butyl tubes.
Verdict
The lightweight butyl tubes I used lost 10psi overnight while the Aerothan’s air loss was negligible – as was the difference in performance on my coast-down test slope. But the Supersonic tubes feel fragile, the Aerothan tubes don’t; the latter win.
SUPERLIGHT BUT ROBUST
AIR RETENTION
WIDE SIZE RANGE
This tube can be used in tyres from 23mm to 32mm in section. TPU tubes have limited elasticity and will stretch permanently if inflated past their yield size. Once this has happened, the tube should not be used afterwards in a narrower tyre, as it will risk failure. Fitting is easy with the tube lightly inflated, the low-friction surface letting it slip easily into the tyre/ rim pocket. Aerothan tubes are approved for use with rim brakes, and in tests have proven more resistant to heat damage than latex or lightweight butyl. I used them on steep, highspeed descents with rim brakes. Their manufacture uses an average of 92% recycled material to produce 100% recyclable tubes. They can be repaired using Schwalbe’s own
Other options
CONTI TUBE RACE 28
SUPERSONIC £15.95
Exceptionally lightweight (50g) butyl tube that needs careful installation. conti-tyres.co.uk
MICHELIN AIR COMP
LATEX 700C £10
Low rolling resistance and tough for a latex tube. This road tube weighs 75g. bike.michelin.com/en
glueless patches. And they offer impressively low rolling resistance. This, their light weight and small size when folded are the three features that make TPU tubes most attractive to performance-minded riders. I tested them alongside Continental Supersonic lightweight butyl tubes (also 50g). There is a notable difference in feel. The Supersonic tubes offer a quieter ride, but the rolling performance is much the same. Richard Hallett
In the frame Bike test
High-grade steel
If you’re buying a road bike for over £4,000, why choose steel? Guy Kesteven tests a Condor Fratello Disc and a Mason Resolution to find some answers
To introduce this test, I’m going to cheat and quote Cycle magazine editor Dan from when we exchanged emails about it: “Surveys tell us that road bikes are now the most popular type of bike among Cycling UK members. That’s what we’re testing here. Not tourers. Not gravel bikes. Not race bikes. Quality, generalpurpose road bikes that are brisk, comfortable and practical.”
But with alloy, carbon fibre and titanium frames all available, why is the oldest, heaviest frame material – steel – still popular for this sort of bike? The surprisingly different ride feel of the two bikes here, Condor’s Fratello and Mason’s Resolution 3, go a long way to explaining why ferrous bikes have so many fans.
Frame and fork
Before we get into the differences between the two bikes, there are some clear similarities. Both frames are handmade in Italy using triplebutted (three wall thickness in each main tube), internally corrosionproofed, Italian Columbus Omnicrom steel. The Fratello is made from ‘Spirit’, the Resolution 3 a mix of ‘Spirit’ and ‘Life’. Both bikes have carbon fibre forks.
Frames and forks have clearance
for 35mm tyres or 32mm with mudguards – which both bikes have fittings for, as well as four-point rear rack eyelets and a brace of bottle cage mounts.
Each bike has internal main-frame and fork routing for the disc brake hoses, front hub dynamo wiring through the fork, 12mm axles front and rear and conventional gear hangers. The swappable hardware for the ‘Smart’ gear routing on each bike also looks very similar. It allows you to fit blanking plates if you use a SRAM AXS wireless or a Shimano Di2 electronic groupset.
While the Condor’s cable shift routing is external, the Mason’s cables are routed internally right to the dropouts. The Resolution 3’s use of an oversize T47 bottom bracket shell enables the rear brake hose to run internally the whole way, too. The Fratello has a traditional BSA design and partly external hose routing.
The literal big difference between the two frames, however, is tube diameters. The Spirit pipework of the Condor changes from 32×38mm to
Middle:Slimmer stays and less chunky dropouts contribute to a more archetypal steel-frame ride
Bottom: Campag Chorus – but you can pick and mix the spec
35×36mm on the hexagonal down tube and 33×24mm to 33×25mm on the rectangular top tube. The D-shaped Life down tube on the Mason morphs from 43×45mm to 45×43.5mm, and 35×30mm to 35×35mm on the top tube. The rear stays on the Condor are also slimmer, with extended sections of simple plate on both chainstays and a much thinner head tube than the Mason.
In terms of cosmetics, Condor offers five colours with reflective logo panels to Mason’s three hues and more subtle but extensive graphics. Metal head badges and internal corrosion treatment are common to both bikes.
Components
In the frame
Tech spec
Condor Fratello Disc Campagnolo Chorus Hydro
Price: £4,279.99 as tested (£1,449.99 frame & fork).
Despite different groupsets from Campagnolo and SRAM, and variations in the Deda build kits, complete bike weights are similar enough to have a negligible outcome on performance.
Mason and Condor both let you choose the specification from a large range of options, so commenting on specific transmission and braking traits is largely irrelevant here. Interestingly, despite carbon rims, the Campagnolo Shamal wheels of the Condor are actually fractionally
Below: External gear cables run under the
“ BOTH SHOW THAT STEEL CERTAINLY STILL HAS ITS PLACE IN THE MATERIALS MENU OF
MODERN CYCLING”
heavier than the alloy-rimmed Hunt Aerodynamicists (1,565g versus 1,585g). I swapped them over for part of the testing to isolate the effect of the wheels and different width and brand of tyre on the overall ride, just to be sure I’d levelled the playing field.
Ride
However level things look on the scales, the differences in ride between the Mason and Condor are immediate and clear. From the first pedal stroke the larger diameter tubes and bottom bracket of the Resolution 3 give it a firmer, more positive response to effort. The stouter fork and head tube give a more direct connection through the handlebar. Add a significantly slacker head tube (71.5ºcompared to 73.5º) longer trail (69mm versus 55mm) and a longer wheelbase (1020mm versus 997mm), it’s obviously more stable and surefooted in its stance.
I found that reassuring and was a lot more confident carrying speed as a result. Less front-end flop and
Sizes: 46, 49, 52, 55 (tested) 58, 61, 64cm.
Weight: 9.67kg (21.31lb), including guards but without pedals.
Frame & fork: Columbus Spirit triple-butted steel frame with external cable routing, two bottle cage mounts, flat-mount disc, mudguard and four-point rear rack mounts. Condor Pioggia Disc full carbon monocoque fork with flat-mount disc, mudguard and internal disc hose and dynamo cable routing.
Left: The Condor Fratello is essentially a modern update of the classic clubman’s bike
down tube and BB
Commuter light sets
With the nights drawing in, it’s time to fit your lights or buy new ones. Emma Silversides tests six battery sets for urban commuters
Bike lights are a practical and legal requirement whenever you’re cycling at night. If you’re riding on country roads or trails, you’ll need a front lamp with a beam bright enough to light your way. In urban areas where there are streetlights, however, the main role of bike lights is to make you visible to other road users. Because of this, urban commuter lights tend to be cheaper, smaller, lighter and less powerful (fewer lumens) than those designed for use in pitch dark.
While be-seen lights may not illuminate the road ahead, they must alert others to your presence – from as many directions as possible and ideally from a considerable distance. Some will also offer sufficient lumens to ride in full darkness. Runtimes on be-seen lights tend to be long as
they require much less battery power than powerful headlights.
Note that you’re required to use your lights between dusk and dawn, not just when it’s full dark. It makes sense to use them when visibility is limited by poor weather conditions or overcast conditions, although that’s not a legal requirement. Some cyclists also use be-seen lights during daytime, especially on roads with a lot of traffic.
For more details on lighting requirements, visit cyclinguk.org/ lighting-regulations
“In urban areas… the main role of bike lights is to make you visible”
Routes without streetlights require a front light that throws a decent beam
What to look for
Charge and run time
Consider how long the lights last on a single charge, especially the mode you will use most, and how long recharging takes. Charging will usually take longer via a PC’s USB port than a wall socket. Check that charging cables are provided or that you have one (often USB-C) that fits.
Attachment/mount
Make sure it’s secure. A screw-on bracket is ideal if you have only one bike. Stretchy O-ring mounts offer easy swappability. Check compatibility with bar dimensions/shape. Consider the bar/ post space you have free.
On/off button
Accessibility and responsiveness are important, especially with gloves. A firm button press limits accidental activation.
Output
For be-seen front lights, 50 to 200 lumens in urban areas is fine, more for suburban. For the rear, 10 to 80 lumens is sufficient. Different modes can improve visibility in different conditions but too many options can be frustrating when toggling through them.
Water resistance
Look for a secure, robust charging port cover. The IP (ingress protection) rating should be at least 4 (‘water splashes’). It’s not unusual for a light to be missing an IP rating against solids. For more on IP ratings see: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IP_code.
Main photo: Joolze Dymond
Travellers’ tales
The magnificent Severn
Where: England & Wales
Who: David Smith & Dave Lane
When: May 2025
Share your story
We’d love to hear your Travellers’ tales! Email: editor@ cyclinguk.org
After a wonderful 700-mile tour of the NC500, Cape Wrath and the Orkneys last September, I jumped at the chance to again join fellow cyclist Dave Lane for a fourday adventure along Britain’s longest river, from sea to source. The River Severn begins its journey 610m (2,001ft) above sea level on the north-eastern slopes of Plynlimon, the highest point of the Cambrian Mountains. Our journey began with a symbolic loop to Severn Beach for breakfast. Then we rode over the iconic Severn Bridge, officially marking the start of our route upstream. That evening, we followed the peaceful Gloucester &
Sharpness Canal towpath, arriving in Gloucester after 93 miles as the sun dipped behind the docks.
Day two took us 80 miles through river-hugging towns: Tewkesbury, Upton-on-Severn and Worcester, where the cathedral loomed grandly above the riverside cycle path. As the landscape gently rose, we rolled through the historic heart of Shropshire to YHA Ironbridge Coalport.
The third day, an 83-mile stretch, began on the old railway track to Ironbridge. We cruised into Shrewsbury, passed through Welshpool, and crossed the iron bridge at Abermule. After some scenic miles on quiet lanes, we reached Llanidloes.
Our final day was the crown jewel. Climbing into the Cambrian Mountains, we left the bikes to hike the last half-mile to the Severn’s source at Plynlimon. There, under brilliant sunshine, we unpacked our picnic with panoramic views of Mid Wales all around – a rewarding pause at the river’s beginning.
The Wolf Cub’s teeth
Where: Suffolk
Who: Chelmsford local group
When: July 2025
Four of us decided to try to tame the Wolf Cub, the shorter version of the Wolf Way, over a long weekend in July. On day one we rode to our Premier Inn in Bury St Edmunds.
Next morning, the first 13 miles of the Wolf Cub were easy going; we were following roads to Tuddenham. Then we hit the longest off-road section, where we struggled through sand and along Seven Tree Road (which is not a road). Admitting defeat and scratched by brambles, we joined the tarmac road that runs through the King’s Forest. We bypassed the Grundle hollow way on our return to Bury St Edmunds.
Day three was a race against the rain to see how far we could get. One of us caught a train straight home. The rest of us headed down NCN 13, which the Wolf Way overlaps. By Sudbury we were soaked and further downpours were forecast, so we bailed there. Despite our difficulties, all considered the trip a triumph.
If you live near Chelmsford and are looking for a friendly group to ride with, please email me, Ian Reffell: chelmsford_rep@ essexcycling.co.uk
