cycle THE MAGAZINE OF CYCLING UK
On test
BRISTOL BICYCLE MICROSHIFT ADVENT TUBOLITO TUBES U.S. BAR BAG & MORE
AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2019 £3 OR FREE TO MEMBERS
READY TO ROAM INSPIR ATION FOR INDEPENDENT ADVENTURING Pages 42-48
TO CAPE WRATH!
Visit Scotland’s remotest corner
LIGHT MY FIRE
Four compact camp stoves
P lu s CYCLING ACROSS THE ATLAS VETERANS’ CENTURY RIDES WOMEN’S FESTIVAL OF CYCLING AND MUCH MORE
AMP UP YOUR RIDE
Road bikes with batteries
MEMBERSHIP FROM JUST £3.88 A MONTH!*
CONTENTS 42
Features 38 Still got it Century riding aged 50-plus
Welcome
42 Ready to roam
52 Crossing the Atlas Bikepacking through Moroccan mountains
58 Kindred spirits The worldwide cycle-touring community
50
22 Shop window Previews of new products
24 Gear up Components, accessories, casual gear, and books
66 Amp up your ride Bianchi and Orbea electric road bikes
72 Bristol Bicycles Touring A fully-equipped tourer for £745
52
Local riding
DAN JOYCE Cycle Editor
75 Camping stoves Four compact cookers for cyclists
Regulars 04 Freewheeling A short tour around the wonderful world of cycling
07 This is Cycling UK What’s been happening in Cycling UK’s world
20 My Bike Susan Nicholson’s Surly Pugsley
20
35 Letters Your feedback on Cycle and cycling
On the cover To find any Member Group or Cycling UK affiliate, visit cyclinguk.org/groups or phone 01483 238301
Products
In Switzerland on a nine-day Trans Alp ride in 2018. Photo by Cass Gilbert
50 Weekender Cape Wrath: Scotland’s remote north-west corner
62 Cyclopedia Questions answered, topics explained
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. 65,000 members and affiliates Patron: Her Majesty the Queen President: Jon Snow Chief Executive: Paul Tuohy. Cyclists’ Touring Club, a Company Limited by Guarantee, registered in England No 25185, registered as a charity in England and Wales Charity No 1147607 and in Scotland No SC042541. Registered office: Parklands, Railton Road, Guildford, GU2 9JX. CYCLE MAGAZINE: Editor: Dan Joyce E: cycle@ jamespembrokemedia.co.uk Head of Design: Simon Goddard Designer: Katrina Ravn Contributing editor: Charlie Lyon Advertising: Jack Watts T: 0203 859 7099 E: jack. watts@jamespembrokemedia.co.uk Publisher: James Houston. Cycle is published six times per year on behalf of Cycling UK by James Pembroke Media, 90 Walcot Street, Bath, BA1 5BG. 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: Precision Colour Printing, Haldane, Halesfield 1, Telford, TF7 4QQ. T: 01952 585585 Founded in 1878
Top to bottom: Jo Gibson, Robby Spanring, Getty Images, Susan Nicholson
Riding a bicycle keeps you young. Not in the sense of adding days to your life, although to a certain extent it does, but rather in adding life to your days. You may have already seen that as a meme; you can probably buy it printed on a mug. It’s no less true for that. Riding a bicycle provides uncomplicated joy. You can enjoy it as much at 80 as you did aged eight. It’s time out from the world’s cares, an immersion in your senses and the capability of your body, a connection to the bones and biosphere of the planet. I think that’s why cyclists look younger than sedentary adults. It’s partly about being fitter and healthier, but it’s also about having a gleam in your eye, being engaged with the world. Using it, not losing it. The spry cyclists I met at Teesside CTC’s Triennial Veterans’ Ride in July were a case in point. For some, getting older means a downward spiral in mobility and freedom, terminating in a care-home armchair. For others, it means signing up to do a 100-mile ride. Hopefully we’ll all continue to find ourselves on the latter path as the years roll by. Let’s cross our fingers and keep cycling! And if things don’t pan out perfectly, we’re entering a golden age of assisted pedalling. E-bikes long since evolved from tank-like hybrids with breeze-block sized batteries. Check out the svelte e-road bikes from page 66 onwards.
Inspiration for independent adventuring
this is
9,112
Left: Julie Skelton. Right & below: Andy Catlin
Miles ridden by Simon Woodward visiting all 402 British Cycle Quest checkpoints
Transport
SCOTLAND’S FAILING 2020 VISION Transport Secretary Michael Matheson has announced that the Scottish Government’s target of 10% of everyday journeys in Scotland to be made by bike by 2020 won’t be met. Only 4% of such journeys are now made by bike, and no new funding has been announced. cyclinguk.org/ failing2020vision
Insurance
CRASH, BANG, WALLET!
I
t was a case that not only made headlines but sent a shudder of fear through cyclists across the country. Robert Hazeldean, a cyclist who collided with a pedestrian when she stepped out in front of him, was ordered to pay £4,300 in compensation plus the pedestrian’s legal costs. The judge ruled both Mr Hazeldean and the pedestrian, a yoga instructor who suffered a minor head injury, were equally culpable. The costs to be paid would have been capped at £6,690 had he been insured, but he wasn’t and has claimed that the £100,000 legal costs sought by the pedestrian’s lawyers
could bankrupt him. Cue a massive spike in traffic to Cycling UK’s website as people sought out information about insurance. Cycling UK membership not only provides cover if someone else is injured by your actions – for example, a pedestrian stepping into your path – but also if you’re involved in a collision with a fellow cyclist or cause property damage. Richard Gaffney, of Slater and Gordon, said: “The case of Robert Hazeldean emphasises the importance of Cycling UK members’ insurance and legal representation for both fault and non-fault accidents.” In other words, we’ve got you covered.
Transport
20MPH SETBACK IN SCOTLAND To Cycling UK’s dismay, MSPs voted against proposals to make 20mph the default speed limit for residential streets in Scotland. A huge opportunity to make the streets where
14
cycle
AU G U ST/ SE PTEMBER 2019
people live safer and healthier has been squandered. Thanks to everyone who used Cycling UK’s website to ask MSPs to support the bill; over 5,000 emails were sent. We’ll
continue to campaign for safer streets.
Incident Line
RINGING: THE CHANGES The main number for the Cycling UK Incident Line has changed to 0330 107 1789. If your phone plan includes free calls to landlines, 0330 numbers are free. The 0844 number remains valid but the cost will vary depending on your provider. cyclinguk. org/incidentline
Cycling UK Incident Line 0330 107 1789
My Bike
Susan Nicholson Rheumatoid arthritis severely limits Susan’s ability to get around, especially out into green spaces – unless she’s on her Surly Pugsley
Susan puts it, “grab a helmet, borrow a bike, and have a go.” Some are getting competitive and want to set up a BMX racing team. On 17th August, Wishawhill Wood hosts a round of the pump track world championships.
Back on a bike
Above: With its ultra lowpressure tyres, the Pugsley offers very low-impact exercise Bottom: The track from above
T
he standing joke was that I was the person who worked for a bike company and didn’t ride a bike,” Susan says. She works for Socialtrack, a Cycling UK-affiliated community enterprise that runs the Wishawhill Wood Pump Track in North Lanarkshire, and for Club 365, which provides free ‘school’ meals to children in the holidays at the same venue. “Come and have fun with us on the bikes and we’ll give you a square meal,” is how Susan describes the partnership. “Socialtrack was founded when they asked the kids in Craigneuk, one of the most deprived areas in Scotland, what they wanted,” she says. “They said ‘a bike track’. The council spent £300,000 building what’s now one of the best, most-used pump tracks in the UK.” It’s been open since April last year. “The kids absolutely love it,” Susan says. “Cycling was not open to them before this. Cathkin Braes [the trail centre near Glasgow] is amazing but you need a car to get there. Whereas we’re 100 yards from a council estate.” At the Wishawhill track kids can, as
20
cycle
AU G U ST/ SE PT EMBER 2019
Tech Spec
SECONDHAND SURLY PUGSLEY Cost: £700 (new from £2,200). “I thought: ‘I can sell that for what I paid for it, if it doesn’t work out.’” Adaptations: Brake levers moved. “Everybody who gets on it says the brakes are in the wrong place. But they’re not; they’ve been adjusted for my hands.” Tyres set up tubeless. “And they had to take 1/4 inch off the seatpost because I need it a bit lower.”
Yet Socialtrack is about much more than sport. “Antisocial behaviour in the area dropped last summer,” Susan says. “There were no nuisance fires. In terms of what it’s saved the police and the fire service, the track had paid for itself by September.” Susan was already volunteering with Club 365 when Socialtrack opened next door. They needed someone to help with the admin. Susan stepped up. “I knew the kids,” she says, “because I’d been in the neighbourhood.” For a long time, Susan was a passive observer to the cycling going on. “I have problems standing, so I used to sit on a bike at the track – Fred’s Surly Instigator. I used to think ‘When my joints get a bit better, I could just about have a go at this.’ “I found the Surly Pugsley online. It’s really stable and easy to ride. The boys have set it up tubeless, so it has even lower pressures in the tyres than you would normally have for a fat bike. It’ll go up a kerb and it won’t jolt your hands. Whereas a full-suspension bike, if it bottoms out, it’s still going to cause a jerk. And any impacts are bad with rheumatoid arthritis. “I had ridden a bike before but not since I was diagnosed four years ago. I’m now on it 20 minutes a day, and I’m down one dose of painkillers; the more you move with arthritis, the better you are. “There’s a muddy gravel path down the side of the pump track. I couldn’t walk 60 yards along that because my ankles are so bad, but I can now ride a quarter of a mile down it. I can get to spaces that are green. I can have five minutes sitting under the trees in the peace and quiet.” Susan was the winner of the ‘Exceptional Individual – Community Project’ category at the 2019 Cycling UK Volunteer Awards. See cyclinguk. org/susan-nicholson-social-track. Find out more about Socialtrack at socialtrack.co.uk.
this is
1 Events
SNAPSHOTS OF SUMMER Summer is peak season for Cycling UK events. Here are some highlights from May, June, and July
I
t’s been a busy summer of biking for Cycling UK, with inspirational projects and events across the country aimed to encourage more people onto their bikes. In May, we rolled out the Big Bike Revival in England with five showcase events in Southampton, Birmingham, Walsall, Manchester and Newcastle. In June, we launched Bike Week in London at an event attended by the new cycling minister Michael Ellis MP. Also in June, the women of the Belles on Bikes in Falkirk were out on their bikes inspiring more women to ride. More women saddled up at the start of July for the launch of the Women’s Festival of Cycling, when more than 150 female riders, led by TV presenter Angellica Bell, rode on Parliament to raise awareness of women’s cycling.
18
cycle
AU G U ST/ SE PTEMBER 2019
IN THE PICTURES
1 & 2. Falkirk Belles on Bikes have been getting women cycling throughout the summer, with rides along the Forth Valley and further afield. Their Facebook page is facebook.com/ BellesonBikesFalkirk/ 3. TV presenter Angellica Bell leads a ride of more than 150 women to the House of Commons for the launch of the Women’s Festival of Cycling. 4. The Women’s Festival of Cycling was launched with a carnival atmosphere and a ride through London.
2
3 4
More online Organising your own event this summer? Cycling UK can help: cyclinguk.org/eventorganisers-toolkit
7
6 IN THE PICTURES
5. Cycling through the ages: launching Bike Week in London with a penny farthing, an old roadster, a Brompton, a Chopper, and a BMX. 6. Baroness Barker with some of our 100 Women in Cycling at our parliamentary reception for the Women’s Festival of Cycling. 7. Getting ready for the MPs’ Bike Ride in central London for our Bike Week launch. 8. MPs, industry leaders, and supporters of cycling take part in an MPs’ bike ride through central London. 9. The 2019 Big Bike Revival in England kicked off in five cities across the country. 10. Bikes, bikes, and more bikes in Manchester for the launch of the Big Bike Revival in England.
5
8 10
Photos: Robby Spanring, Julie Skelton, Andy Catlin
9
C YCL I NGUK . O RG
cycle
19
Feature
READY TO ROAM
JO GIBSON Mountain biker Jo is a jack of all trades – XC, enduro, endurance riding, and bikepacking
ADVENTURE CYCLING IS FOR EVERYONE BUT IT’S EASY TO BE HELD BACK BY DOUBTS. JO GIBSON JOINED EIGHT OTHER WOMEN ON A BIKEPACKING JOURNEY OF DISCOVERY
C
Advice
CYCLOPEDIA
Police can issue a fixed-penalty notice to drivers doing 24mph or more in a 20mph zone
Q & A
20's flaunted
Your Experts
Q
I’m fortunate to live in and cycle commute through a London borough that has implemented a 20mph limit on almost all of its roads to protect pedestrians and cyclists. It turns out, unfortunately, that it has had little to no effect on driver behaviour, and the council tells me that there is nothing they can do about this. They say it’s meant to be self-enforcing. Is there anything that can be done to oblige the local authority to enforce the limits they have set? Nick de Bunsen
A 20mph speed limit is only regarded as being ‘self-enforcing’ where it has 20mph signs coupled with traffic calming measures such as speed bumps, road narrowing, and an uneven road surface. The principle is that traffic calming measures slow vehicles down to speeds below the limit, so the zone becomes self-enforcing. As to whether local authorities can be obliged to enforce 20mph zones, the generally held view is that only the police have the power to enforce the law. The Cycling UK campaign group ‘20’s plenty for us’ Forum hold the view that local authorities, Need an answer to a with the approval of their police force, question right now? can institute public prosecutions. Try our forum: forum. However, whether authorities would cyclinguk.org
cycle
do so, given the cuts many have to make, is another matter. In terms of the police enforcing 20mph zones, guidance was previously published by the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO, now the National Police Chiefs' Council) which summarised that in a 20mph zone if a driver is driving 10% plus 2mph over the limit (i.e. 24mph), then the police can issue a fixed-penalty notice. If the driver is going over 35mph, then they can be summoned to court. Bear in mind that these are guidelines only; an officer has the discretion to act outside of them. Richard Gaffney
Legal
A
62
Left: Alamy
Questions answered, subjects explained – Cyclopedia is your bimonthly cycling reference guide
AU G U ST/ SE PTEMBER 2019
Continental's Top Contact II would be a better-rolling option
DR KATE HATTERSLEY Cycling GP {Health}
RICHARD HALLETT Cycle’s Technical Editor {Technical}
RICHARD GAFFNEY Principal Lawyer, Slater + Gordon Lawyers {Legal}
Technical
Better e-bike tyres
Q
I find my Raleigh e-bike’s ride very harsh and uncomfortable. I think the tyres are to blame. They are 42-622 CST Classic Zeppelin. Can you recommend some more comfortable tyres? M Starkey
A
The CST Classic Zeppelin weighs a quoted 800g in the size you have, which suggests that there is a lot of material in it, whether rubber, carcass fabric, or the antipuncture belt shown in product literature. Such tyres often suffer from a harsh ride, which must be considered a trade-off against the likelihood of a flat. One exception is Continental’s top-end Top Contact II, which is 100g lighter in 700×42 format. Made in Germany, and expensive at £55 per tyre, it rolls very well and is exceptionally durable and puncture resistant. It is also said to be suitable for e-bikes up to 50km/h, although there’s no legal requirement for e-bike tyres. Richard Hallett
MEMBERSHIP FROM JUST MEMBERSHIP £3.88 FROMAJUST MONTH!* £3.88 A MONTH!*
CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION *See www.cyclinguk.org/join for more information and for terms and conditions.
Biketest
Amp up your ride E-bikes don’t have to be heavyweight hybrids. Richard Hallett tests lightweight e-road bikes from Bianchi and Orbea
A RICHARD HALLETT Cycle’s Technical Editor
66
cycle
AU G U ST/ SE PT EMBER
n e-road bike is essentially a highperformance pedelec. It incorporates its electric drive system within what looks and, for the most part, rides just like a fast, lightweight road bike. A number of major manufacturers have brought out such machines in the last couple of years, aimed presumably at buyers looking for a bit of help when needed without having to abandon the sensation of speed and efficiency enjoyed by sporting leisure riders – riders like ex-pro racer Sean Yates, who sings the praises of Ribble’s Endurance SLe e-road bike. If there’s a common theme among e-road bikes, it’s that they're sleek enough to pass, at a glance, for a regular bicycle. The battery pack is hidden within the frame and the motor unit designed for stealth
rather than openly displayed. Two drive systems dominate: the Fazua Evation, driving the bottom bracket axle and secreted within the frame down tube; and ebikemotion’s X35 drive, housed in the rear hub, which is employed on the bikes tested here. Both arrangements have their merits: the Evation’s motor and battery can be removed when not wanted, saving some 3.5kg and leaving the bike little heavier than a standard bike; the X35’s hub installation, which leaves the transmission and chainset unmodified, creates zero drag when the motor is turned off. It’s also lighter, weighing a claimed 3.5kg for the system as installed – battery, motor, charge point, switch button and cabling – against the Evation’s 4.7kg.
Frame differences Equipped with the same ebikemotion X35 drive system, the two bikes offer a nearidentical powered assistance experience but are otherwise surprisingly distinct. Paint scheme aside, and the Bianchi’s Celeste livery will float many a traditionalist’s boat, the most obvious difference is in available tyre clearance. Where the Aria e-Road is very much a conventional carbon-stiff road bike,
E-ROAD BIKES
BIKE TEST
First look
A 12.6kg road bike that breezes up hills under power but doesn't drag without – in traditional Bianchi colours
The Bianchi is very much a conventional carbonstiff road bike, with clearance for 28mm tyres
Tech Spec
BIANCHI ARIA E-ROAD with clearance for the and, enhancing its ‘gravel’ 28mm tyres fitted but little credentials, asymmetric more, Orbea’s Gain has chainstays. It’s also enough room for fat 40mm available in a choice of rubber, and could even colours, like the orange be considered an e-gravel shown on the facing page. bike. There’s plenty of Components room for mudguards too, The Orbea rolls on Mavic although only the fork has Aksium rims and Yksion threaded eyelets for stays; tubeless tyres. The front the rear end doesn't. wheel is a standard Aksium The Gain is still the disc, while at the back the more versatile of the two, ebikemotion hub is laced and by some margin the into a 32-hole Aksium rim. more affordable. It’s not Top: The discreet iWoc ONE Several of the rear wheel obvious why there’s such button is the on/off switch, the mode button, and the charge spokes are short enough to a significant price gap. indicator all in one show thread beyond their While the Orbea wears the Bottom: The Bianchi's carbon fork is on trend with a 12×100 nipples which, given that latest Shimano 11-speed 105 thru-axle and a flat-mount disc the wheel was fairly true, group and the Aria gets calliper suggests it was built with Ultegra, they both feature inconsistent spoke lengths. full carbon fibre framesets, Furthermore, the choice of one-cross arranged to house the drive system, lacing seems optimistic for a disc-brake backed up with decent handlebar rear wheel transmitting power assist. componentry and competent wheelsets. It didn’t get much chance to Sure, the Aria’s carbon fibre ‘aero’ demonstrate its durability, since the bike seatpost adds a touch of class and came with a left-hand front brake. It’s enhances the aesthetic appeal of what easy to forget after a few miles that one is an undeniably pretty bicycle, but the is riding brakes set up the ‘wrong’ way, Orbea is itself well-proportioned, with with potentially lethal consequences, fine detailing, a more slender down and it’s non-trivial to swap hydraulic tube that better conceals the battery
Price: £4500 Sizes: 47, 50, 53, 55, 57 (tested), 59, 61cm Weight: 12.6 kg (57, no pedals) Frame & fork: Aria Disc e-Road carbon, Ebikemotion X35specific, integrated battery, integrated sensor, IWoc One compatible; Bianchi full carbon disc fork with tapered threadless steerer, thru-axle 12×100mm. Wheels: Vision Trimax alloy disc, front: 21 bladed spokes 14×1 disc side, 7 radial non-disc side; rear 32×3 singlebutted spokes with ebikemotion X35 V.2 hub. Vittoria Rubino IV 700×28C clincher tyres Dimensions in millimetres and degrees
720 560 800
73.5˚
60
410
598 73˚
43
540
680 43
Transmission: Shimano Ultegra throughout (52-36t crankset, 11-28t cassette, 2×11 dualcontrol levers); Shimano SM-BB7241B bottom bracket; KMC X11-1 EPT chain. 22 ratios, 34"-127". Braking: Shimano BR-R8070 hydraulic disc brakes, 160mm rotors Steering & seating: 31.8mm Reparto Corse Aero Compact aluminium alloy handlebar; Reparto Corse 3D forged 6061 alloy stem, rise 8°; Fsa Orbit C-33 1 1/8"-1 1/4" headset. Bianchi Aria Full Carbon Aero seatpost; Selle Royal Seta S1 saddle. bianchi.com
172.5 265
135 622
995
C YCL I NGUK . O RG
28
cycle
67
MEMBERSHIP FROM JUST MEMBERSHIP £3.88 FROMAJUST MONTH!* £3.88 A MONTH!*
CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION *See www.cyclinguk.org/join for more information and for terms and conditions.
GROUPTEST
C A M PI N G STOV ES
Details
WHAT TO LOOK FOR
1 Grouptest
Camping stoves Nights out are nicer when bookended by hot food and a cuppa. Sam Jones tests compact stoves
T
SAM JONES Senior Campaigns and Comms Officer Check out Sam’s bivi blog: cyclinguk. org/blog/ bikepackingwhen-youre-bivino-mates
ouring cyclists and bikepackers travel on their stomachs: after a long day in the saddle it’s essential to refuel. To do so while camping you’ll want a stove – unless you’re willing to eat cold food or dine out. The best choice of stove depends on where you’re heading (domestic or international?), what sort of cook you are (boil in the bag or camp chef?), and, of course, weight and space limitations. There’s an array of different fuels you can burn, from alcohol-based ones such as methylated spirits through to aviation fuel. Most stoves are either multifuel (petroleum varieties), gas (canisters) or liquid fuel (alcohol). In the UK, canisters are popular and easy to find but not cheap. These stoves are much lighter, cleaner and easier to use than their more versatile multi-fuel brethren. They’re great for trips in the Western hemisphere – but finding fuel in farflung places can be a struggle!
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.
Weight
Travelling light is important for cyclists just as it is for backpackers. You’ll easily find stoves under 100g, so if you’re the sort that packs half a toothbrush on your trips you should be well catered for. Multifuel stoves usually weigh more but offer greater versatility.
2
Packability
Lightweight means small, with most of the bulk likely to be taken up by your fuel and pan. If space is an issue, try finding a pan that fits both stove and canister inside it.
3
Cooking control
Think about what you want to cook on the
go. Are noodles fine or do you want a risotto? Stoves are not all equal when it comes to cooking!
4
Fuel
Canisters are convenient but disposal is difficult. They don’t work well in the cold and are expensive if you’re planning on regular use. Liquid fuel takes longer to cook with but is cheaper to buy and more readily available. Think about what’s most important to you.
5
Stability
Stable stoves make happy (and unscorched!) campers. If you’re going for a canister-based stove, consider investing in a canister stand.
2 3 1
4
5 C Y CL I NGUK . O RG
cycle
75
TRAVELLERS’ TALES
Great-grandfather and grandfather in 1910
England
A genealogical journey
Above: Cycle path on the old Severn Bridge Below: Horse riders at Overton Down
A cycling great-grandfather inspired Richard Blackshaw
South West & Wales
Severn wanderers
The kindness of strangers was key on Lucy Coyne’s three-day tour of SW England and Wales
C
hance encounters are part of the joy of cycle touring for me. This year’s annual trip with female friends – our first unsupported – was no exception. It was a circular loop of 180 miles, taking in Bristol, Bath, Gloucester, and Chepstow, crossing the River Severn twice. We began on the Bristol and Bath Railway Path, cruising down scented, vividly green tunnels of new growth, sunlight dappling the path ahead. Then… psst! Our first puncture. “You all right?” Nathan the Deliveroo rider and ex-aerospace engineer asked. He couldn’t release the wheel nuts either. Luckily Colin and Peter
were cycling by and had a spanner. Trying to make up time after savouring the towpath ride from Bath, we made it to Devizes on the A361. But the light was falling, so with 15 miles to go we began looking for transport. We found it: we were the last delivery of the day for Jason the Yodel van driver! On day two we took lanes and bridleways through the emerald and yellow patchwork of the Wiltshire and Gloucestershire countryside. At one point we rode alongside trainee racehorses at Overton Down. Day three began with a lift from taxi driver AJ, who piled us and our bikes into to his vehicle to ferry us through the darkness to Gloucester. We cycled across the border into Wales, past Tintern Abbey, and to another encounter with race horses at Chepstow. For our second crossing of the River Severn, we used the old bridge. The tide was out, the mud was glutinous, and the sky was very blue, with wispy clouds high above the soaring supports.
BICYCLE OWNERSHIP CAME within reach of the ordinary working man or women in the late 19th century. My great-grandfather, a postman in Torquay, purchased one and raced around the Devon lanes at every opportunity. In 1889 he discovered that postmen in Manchester received one shilling per week more, so he applied for a transfer to the north. In February 1890 he set off on his muchprized bicycle to cycle the 260 miles to Manchester, leaving his wife and child behind until he had sourced suitable lodgings. In the interim, he would regularly cycle the 520 miles round trip to visit his wife and child in Torquay! My great grandfather decided to repeat this adventure in 1904, and convinced his son, my 14-year-old grandfather, to join him. There was much rough sleeping in farmer’s barns, but there was always plenty of food and his father seemed to be popular at the farms along the way. After the trip, my grandfather vowed not ride a bicycle again! However, the picture shows him camping with his father in 1910. In 2013, I tried to find cycling maps from the period to follow my great-grandfather’s route, but I got carried away and rode LEJOG instead. It must be in the genes!
More online Fancy contributing to Cycle? Read the guidelines here: cyclinguk.org/be-part-cyclemagazine
Stay connected 82
cycle
facebook.com/CyclingUK
AU G U ST/ SE PTEMBER 2019
Twitter @wearecyclinguk
cycling@cyclinguk.org
cycle@jamespembrokemedia.co.uk