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38 CW from far left: Dave Barter, Josie Dew, Victoria Hazael
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FROM THE E DITOR OUT WITH FRIENDS, the subject of getting across London between railway stations crops up. Evidently the Tube – that claustrophobic warren smelling of dust, grease, and people – isn’t always great to use. ‘I just cycle it,’ I say. ‘Aren’t you worried about cycling in London?’ It’s the first response, a variation on the theme: I’d like to cycle but it’s too dangerous. I wasn’t worried, I said, and explained why: there are plenty of backstreets to use; the traffic is slow moving even on the main streets; and with cycling’s rising popularity in the capital, there’s better provision for cycling and better awareness of cyclists than in most towns and cities in the UK. I listed some of the positive reasons for city cycling. It’s fast and reliable. It’s cheap. It’s free exercise that wakes you up. Only later did I realise that I’d missed an important one that I took for granted: it’s fun – even in London, with its busy roads and bad air. There’s still that sense of satisfaction in being self-propelled, in pushing the pedals, in steering where you want to go. There’s something existentially fulfilling about riding a bike, which Robert M Pirsig captured neatly (albeit talking about motorbikes): ‘[In a car] You’re a passive observer and it is all moving by you boringly in a frame. On a cycle the frame is gone. You’re completely in contact with it all. You’re in the scene, not just watching it anymore, and the sense of presence is overwhelming.’
Contents EVERY ISSUE
THIS ISSUE
04 B I G P I C T U R E
32 C O S T A T O C O S T A
Cycling UK’s Challenge Ride Series kicks off in March
07 F R O M T H E C H I E F EXECUTIVE Paul Tuohy on bike theft and electric bikes
08 C Y C L E S H O R T S CTC Cycling Holidays tour manager Neil Wheadon, 81-year-old Joan Green’s e-bike, a new outdoor partnership for Cycling UK, schools discouraging cycling, and a membership survey
18 S H O P W I N D O W New product previews
20 G E A R Components, kit, accessories, and books reviewed
29 L E T T E R S Your feedback on Cycle and cycling
Get five years’ membership for the price of four. Phone 01483 238301
Bikepacking across Spain from the Med to the Atlantic
38 B E T T E R B Y B I K E
The benefits of cycling to school, to the shops, to work, and for business
44 T O U R D U M O N T B L A N C Real mountain biking in the Alps
51 S T R E E T S A H E A D
What car-free islands can tell us about urban planning
54 C Y C L I N G B A C K T O HAPPINESS Touring Brittany after being hit by a car
64 F I R S T R I D E S
16-inch wheel starter bikes from Islabikes and Frog
70 G A Z E L L E H E A V Y D U T Y N L Electrically-assisted Dutch utility bike
73 R E A R L I G H T S
Four rack-mounting rear lights tested
60 Q & A Your technical, health and legal questions answered
81 T R A V E L L E R S ’ T A L E S Cycling UK members’ ride reports
ON THE COVER Cycling through London Fields. By Wig Worland
Cycling UK, Parklands, Railton Road, Guildford, GU2 9JX E: cycling@cyclinguk.org W: cyclinguk.org T: 0844 736 8450* or 01483 238300
Founded in 1878
DAN JOYCE Cycle editor
Membership
Cycle promotes the work of Cycling UK. Cycle’s circulation is approx. 51,000. Cycling UK is one of the UK’s largest cycling membership organisations, with 67,000 members and affiliates Patron: Her Majesty the Queen President: Jon Snow Chief Executive: Paul Tuohy. Cyclists’ Touring Club, a Company Limited by Guarantee, registered in England No 25185, registered as a charity in England and Wales Charity No 1147607 and in Scotland No SC042541. Registered office: Parklands, Railton Road, Guildford, GU2 9JX. CYCLE MAGAZINE: Editor: Dan Joyce e: cycle@jamespembrokemedia.co.uk Head of Design: Simon Goddard Designer: Katrina Ravn Advertising: Anna Vassallo tel: 0203 859 7100 e: anna.vassallo@ jamespembrokemedia.co.uk Publisher: James Houston. Cycle is published six times per year on behalf of Cycling UK by James Pembroke Publishing, 90 Walcot Street, Bath, BA1 5BG. Tel: 01225 337777. Cycle is copyright Cycling UK, James Pembroke Media and individual contributors. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission from Cycling UK and James Pembroke Media is forbidden. Views expressed in the magazine are those of the individual contributors and do not necessarily reflect those of the editor or the policies of Cycling UK. Advertising bookings are subject to availability, the terms and conditions of James Pembroke Media, and final approval by Cycling UK. Printed by: Precision Colour Printing, Haldane, Halesfield 1, Telford, TF7 4QQ. Tel: 01952 585585 *0844 numbers are ‘basic rate’, costing under 5p/min plus your phone company’s access charge on a BT landline. Other providers may charge more.
CYCLE SHORTS
Budget e-bikes are hefty and basic but can transform your riding
Joan touring Scotland and Northern England
My Bike
JOAN GREEN’S E-BIKE At 66, Joan gave up group riding. Now aged 81, she’s back cycling with her clubmates – thanks to the purchase of a Powabyke e-bike
W
ELL, I’VE BEEN and gone and done it: I’ve bought an electric bicycle. After 15 years of selective and solitary pedalling, I am now able, aged 81, to go out with the club again. Would I recommend it to you? You bet. Electric bicycles have some way to go technically, and mine is not above losing power five miles from home. But I can now do 40 miles on a ride, keeping up with everyone else, and enjoying glorious days out again. Not everyone is young and fit and riding to Timbuktu or the Amazon. It’s nice to hear about those who do, but for most of us the joy of our lives is setting out from home with a group of friends and exploring our local areas. As long as we can do that, we are happy. The worry, as we approach 50 or perhaps 60, is how much longer we can keep it up. It matters so much to us, we don’t know what we would do without it. It is the icing on the cake, the sparkle in our eyes. What will we do without it? Can we do without it? The good news now is that you will never have to. Honestly. I’ve got two metal hips, screws in my spine, stents in my arteries, and narrowing of my spinal vertebrae – and I
1 0 C Y C L E F EBRUARY/M ARCH 2018
was still out there last Sunday. I’m planning to do something similar next Sunday too. An electric bicycle is power-assisted and silent. It only works when you pedal, so you still get a good workout, but it offends no one else with noise or fumes. You can keep up with everyone else on the hills, and you use whatever level of power you need on the flat. There are usually three levels of power, with a booster for very steep hills and a walking mode in case you ever have to get off and push. The current models are very heavy, so don’t think you can lift one over a stile, but tracks and rough-stuff are perfectly do-able.
EXPANDING HORIZONS The only real limitation is range. Although some manufacturers claim you can get 100 kilometres out of one battery charge, I don’t believe it. One retailer told me that he advises his purchasers to halve the manufacturers’ claims. If you think on the lines of 30-40 miles to one battery charge, you will be safe and get yourself home. You can, of course, take a charger with you for a little boost, or a spare battery, but both chargers and extra batteries are heavy and
cumbersome. Hopefully, some day, there will be bicycle charging points along the way, just as there are for cars in big cities now. Because of the weight, most electric bicycles are very sturdily built and won’t give you a sleek, young image. That’s a pity, because I would love to become the glamorous young thing that I never was first time round. The riding position on my bike is Dutch grandma style. The handlebars are straight and, because of all the gear and cables attached to and around them, there is little room for modifying them. The wheels are thick and heavy, but they are stable and roll beautifully once you get them going. The gears are not what you might wish to choose, but you have the motor to use to get around that. You will likely pay between £1,000 and £3,000. Don’t buy mail order unless you are a superb mechanic and a good electrician. They do go wrong and need adjusting. I am sure electric bikes will soon be more like club machines. The batteries will be improved, and recharging as you go along is bound to be developed. Yet already your future is assured: you can keep cycling! I am smiling all the way to the club meet (again).
Joan Green’s Powabyke Xbyke XLS Mk2 PRICE: £1,149 for Mk3 version FRAME AND FORK: Very heavy alloy frame, Zoom suspension fork WHEELS: hybrid/off-road tyres, 26-inch Jinhatong alloy wheels, 250W front hub TRANSMISSION: Prowheel 48-tooth chainset, 12-22 tooth 6-speed freewheel, Shimano SIS indexed shifter and derailleur BRAKES: Promax V-brakes STEERING & SEATING: Kyagel saddle supplied (swapped for my 40-year-old Brooks), Zoom suspension seatpost. Riser handlebar with adjustable-angle stem EQUIPMENT: 36V 9-Amp lithium battery, front lamp, mudguards, stand, and rear carrier powabyke.com
PRODUCT NEWS | SHOP WINDOW
The London Bike Show
Product news
Returns to ExCeL from 23-25 February. Visit Cycling UK on stand LB513. See thelondonbikeshow.co.uk and p78 for more details.
SHOP WINDOW
DAN JOYCE Cycle editor
EDITOR DAN JOYCE PREVIEWS A SELECTION OF NEW CYCLING PRODUCTS AVAILABLE NOW OR COMING SOON
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1 GENESIS FUGIO FRAMESET £799.99
Fancy building up your own road-plus bike? The Fugio’s asymmetic-chainstay chrome-moly steel frame and carbon fork will fit 50mm 650B tyres and a road chainset. genesisbikes.co.uk
EMPIRE VR70 KNIT 2 GIRO MTB SHOES £219.99
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Like the socks and sandals they take design cues from, Giro’s knitted shoes should be comfortable and breathable. For UK use, I’m sceptical. giro.com
FRONT LUGGAGE 3 PINNACLE RACK £40
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Porteur racks are back in fashion. This aluminium one is designed for Pinnacle bikes but should fit most bikes with mid-leg mounts and a drilled crown. Carries 8kg. evanscycles.com
4 TRANZBAG
FROM €89.90
A lightweight bag – the Road version is 290g, packing to 22×8×4cm – for taking your bike free, TranZbag say, on ‘virtually all’ national public transport in Europe. tranzbag.com
5 RESTRAP MESSENGER BAG £49.99
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Made in Yorkshire, this waterproof Cordura messenger bag has a 10.5litre capacity that suits laptop-and-lunchsized commuting loads. restrap.co.uk
6 ISEN ALL SEASON ROAD £1750 F&F
Isen Workshop is a partnership between Hartley Cycles and Talbot Frameworks. This carbon-forked, steelframed ‘all roads’ bike is designed for both 700×35C and 650×40B in larger sizes, and 650×35C and 26×1.6in in smaller sizes. isenworkshop.com
7 MAXXIS MINION DHF PLUS £59.99-£64.99
Many 3-inch tyres struggle for grip on muddy UK trails. This could be your year-round front tyre solution. Sizes: 27.5×2.8 (71-584) and 29×3 (76-622) in 60 and 120tpi. maxxis.co.uk
D E TA I L S WHERE: Across Spain START/FINISH: Tarragona to Bilbao DISTANCE: 643 miles over eight days PICTURES: Dave Barter
SPAIN | G RE AT RI D E S
Great rides
COSTA TO COSTA
Most of the riders used rigid 29ers
Dave Barter joined eight other mountain bikers for a bikepacking trip across Spain, from the Mediterranean to the Atlantic
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ritish winter is downtime for those cyclists who enjoy wild camping by bike. Trailblazing is replaced by web browsing as we look for ideas for drier times. In November 2016, I stumbled across a bikepacking forum thread: ‘Musings upon a Spanish Coast to Coast’. The title sounded promising: a warm climate; a decent enough distance; and the word ‘musings’, which betrayed a small vein of eccentricity. The thread’s poster, Duncan, had upped sticks to Spain. He had identified a largely off-road coast-to-coast route that hadn’t been ridden before, through countryside rarely visited by the tourist trade. We’d dip our front wheels into the Mediterranean Sea at the start and finish at the Atlantic Ocean a week or so later. In between, we’d ride through mountain ranges, vast plains, narrow gorges, and the occasional town. We would cycle the path walked by those following the Camino del Cid, a route of pilgrimage from Valencia to Burgos carved out in memory of famous Spaniard Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar – El Cid.
INTO THE HILLS In May 2017, nine bikepackers lined up awkwardly for a group photo in Tarragona,
with the Mediterranean in the background. A few were friends; others were strangers. Our common bond was Duncan, who’d planned the route and sketched out some of the logistics. And it was Duncan who corralled us, calling an end to the equipment faffing and leading us out of town. For the first few miles, we hugged the shoreline through to Cambrils. Then we waved a fond farewell to the Spanish coast and headed inland up a deserted road climb. Traffic disappeared. It’s no exaggeration to say that it didn’t return until the last day in Bilbao. Circling birds of prey eyed us as we toiled up the hill in the midday heat. Duncan told me of professional road races that visit these roads. I could see why: they were perfectly surfaced and bisected stunning countryside. I began to inwardly recite the lament of the British-born cyclist: ‘Why can’t we have this back home? No cars, nice roads, hot sun…’ In the heat of the Spanish afternoon, we pedalled along empty roads and dusty tracks through Gratallops and a beautiful valley system, which led us up to a climb into the village of El Molar. Our ‘adventure’ ethics were a little compromised at this point; Duncan had booked us into a local
Do it yourself
H O L I DAY ESSENTIALS We flew into Barcelona with our bikes packed in polythene bags, and travelled to Tarragona via a combination of trains and cycling. From Bilbao, the airport is a short ride out of town. A high degree of technical ability is not needed but stamina and the ability to be relatively selfsufficient are – many days visit remote locations with few amenities. You need an off-road capable bike. I used low-tread 29×2.2in tubeless mountain bike tyres. Low gearing will also be needed, and rudimentary Spanish vocabulary will help a lot.
TRAFFIC DISAPPEARED. IT’S NO EXAGGERATION TO SAY THAT IT DIDN’T RETURN UNTIL THE LAST DAY IN BILBAO CYCL I N G U K . OR G CYCL E 3 3
FE ATURE | BET TER BY BIKE
Feature
BETTER BY BIKE TRAVELLING FROM A TO B FOR TRANSPORT IS SELDOM FUN – UNLESS YOU GO BY BIKE. JOSIE DEW, ROB AINSLEY, ROLAND SEBER, AND DAN JOYCE DESCRIBE THEIR ENJOYABLE EVERYDAY JOURNEYS
IN THE SCENE On a bike, you're immersed in your surroundings, with sounds, smells and wraparound vision
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BET TER BY BIKE | FE ATURE
ransport cycling is healthy, it saves money, it’s good for the environment, and you’re almost never late. Yet there’s another good reason to go by bike that’s easily forgotten in the day-to-day routine: it’s fun. Not as much fun as weekend leisure riding, perhaps, but more fun than drumming your fingers on a steering wheel in a traffic jam or standing at a draughty bus stop. You’re still riding your bike, and most of the time riding a bike is enjoyable. You need a bike that suits your preferred route. You need clothing that’s comfortable for the way you ride. You need the right accessories. You need the skills to cope with any traffic you’ll encounter. But you know all this. So rather than going over ‘how’ of transport cycling, we’re instead going to consider the ‘why’.
T
THE SCHOOL RUN
those I explored by bike as a child, with bigger vehicles and more impatient drivers. So we try to be as visible as we can. On the rear of our 14-foot long Circe triplet-trailer combo, I now have two high-rise flag-poles, two flying fish, a big bright orange windsock, a potty, and the best lights I’ve ever used (from Exposure). There are 100 children at our village primary school, and in the seven-and-a-half years that I’ve been cycling there and back, we have been the only ones who cycle to school year round in all weathers. ‘I would love to do it,’ some of the parents say to me, ‘but the roads are too dangerous.’ ‘But if you cycle,’ I say, ‘you’re making the roads safer for us all, and then more people would cycle, which makes it even safer!’ Some children see us turning up on our
“I cycle to school because it’s fun, it’s free, and I want my children to get some exercise”
Opposite: Seb Rogers. Right: Josie Dew
Cycling UK Vice President Josie Dew doesn’t pile her kids into a car to get them to the school gates For many parents the school run is a bind and a bore. To those who drive, it means
driving back and forth to school ad infinitum. I’ve now been doing the school run every day by bike for over seven years, and it’s one of the highlights of my day. I’m outside, whipping along on my wheels, having fun with my young brood. My eldest daughter Molly started school, two-and-a-half miles away, aged four. As she was such a tiny thing, for the first few weeks of the school run Molly went in a bike trailer (a Burley d’Lite). She soon progressed onto a trailer cycle and then a FollowMe. As she got older, Molly mostly rode her own bike (an Islabikes Cnoc), but if the weather was icy or stormy, I’d put her in the big bulbous bathtubof-a-box on my Nihola cargo trike. As time passed and I gave birth to two more potential cyclists, a trailer-pulling Circe Helios tandem joined my fleet, then a Circe Helios triplet. On several occasions, we’ve even done the school run by wheelbarrow… Last September, Molly started at secondary school (she travels there by bus along a busy A-road) but the bicycling school run is still going strong with Daisy (7) and Jack (4). As I’ve lived and cycled in this village all my life, I know well all the roads and narrow highhedged lanes, the dips, the bends, and the drain covers. The roads are busier today than
(L to R) Jack, Daisy and Josie on Jack's first day at school
CYCL I N G U K . OR G CYCL E 3 9
Q&A | EXPERT ADVICE
Expert advice
MEET THE EXPERTS
YOUR TECHNICAL, LEGAL, AND HEALTH QUESTIONS ANSWERED. THIS ISSUE: COMPENSATION, ROHLOFF HUBS, LOWER GEARS, KICKSTANDS, AND MORE
D R M AT T B R O O K S Cycling GP {Health}
?
Question of the month
Left: Getty
RICHARD HALLETT Cycle’s Technical Editor {Technical}
Knocked off? Call the Cycling UK Incident Line
RICHARD GAFFNEY Principal Lawyer, Slater + Gordon Lawyers {Legal}
Legal
KNOCKED OFF – W H AT N E X T ?
Q
I’ve been knocked off by a driver, escaping with grazed knee and bruised shoulder. The driver pulled out in front of me, then tried a U-turn. I hit the rear car door and came off. I managed to hobble off the road to safety. I was shaken and didn’t take the driver’s insurance or ring the police. I left the scene after being helped to my feet by the apologetic driver. There was a witness, who has the driver’s registration. So to clarify: I have the driver’s registration but didn’t call the police; I have a witness; I visited the doctor today and he recorded my injuries. Can I pursue this? Jamezy, via the Cycling UK Forum
A
I am glad that you have managed to escape the incident with what seem from your description to be relatively minor injuries.
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You are allowed to pursue a civil personal injury claim against the driver up until the third anniversary of the incident. In order to pursue a successful claim against the driver in this situation, you would need to establish that the other party was at fault or was negligent in their actions, and that you suffered injury/ loss as a result. The fact that you have a witness who can support the circumstances of the incident, and the fact that the driver seems to have acknowledged he was at fault, bodes well in terms of your position. Other evidence will then be required to determine the extent of your injuries and loss. This is usually in the form of a medical report from a suitable medical expert, dealing with the extent of your injuries, how they have affected you and may affect you into the future. One would also look to recover any
expenses, such as damage to your bike, any loss of earnings, treatment costs, etc. The other matter in most people’s minds is how they will afford to pursue a claim. The usual rule in the courts is that the loser is responsible for the winner’s costs, including most of your legal costs (some costs are not recoverable). However, lower value claims (under £1,000) dealt with in the Small Claims Court will not permit you to recover any solicitor’s fees. If you were to instruct a solicitor in such a situation, it is likely that the costs of so doing would outweigh the value of the claim. For higher value claims (above £1,000), legal fees are recoverable, and it is advisable to use a specialist personal injury solicitor to ensure that you receive the most out of your claim. Cycling UK members have the benefit of no-cost personal injury support and a 100% compensation pledge, backed by Slater and Gordon, to support their personal injury claims. Contact the Cycling UK Incident Line on 0844 736 8452 or visit our website, slatergordon.co.uk, for further information. Richard Gaffney
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BIKETEST | CHILDREN’S BIKES
VICTORIA HAZAEL Senior Communications Officer
Bike test
FIRST RIDES
Victoria Hazael and four-year-old daughter Martha test two starter pedal bikes for children: an Islabikes Cnoc 16 and a Frog 48
T
HE DESIGN OF bikes for children Jerry and Shelley Lawson wanted to buy has come a long way in the last quality bikes from a bike shop for their young dozen years. There are still plenty children and found it difficult. They quit the of heavy ‘bicycle shaped objects’, corporate world and launched their own but there’s now a choice of well-designed company, aiming to sell lightweight children’s junior bikes that are lightweight, correctly bikes through independent dealers. There proportioned and, as a consequence, much are now 900 UK bike shops selling Frog easier to learn to ride on. Islabikes and Frog Bikes. You can get your child measured Bikes, both UK companies, are two of the and try out the bikes in store. best-known brands. FRAME & FORK Islabikes was founded in 2006 by triple Both bikes are robust but light enough for British cyclocross champion Isla Rowntree, a four-year-old rider to pick up. The frames who couldn’t find decent children’s are aluminium, as is the fork of the bikes for her nieces and nephews. Frog 48; the Cnoc 16’s fork is She began designing her own, BIKES steel. While the bikes are visually and Islabikes quickly became IN ACTION different, the frame geometry the brand that enthusiasts For videos of the bikes is remarkably similar. bought for their children and in action, plus interviews The Cnoc’s frame and grandchildren. The industry with Isla Rowntree and fork comes with a five-year was forced to raise its game. Frog co-founder Shelly Lawson, see cyclinguk. guarantee (two years for Islabikes are only available org/IslaFrog. components). Frog Bikes offer direct; they’re not sold in a standard warranty of two years, shops. To try out a bike, you which you can extend to five to cover can visit their test track in Ludlow or the frame and fork. Both aren’t valid if attend events all over the UK. Alternatively, you sell the bike or pass it on. Frog Bikes you can order a bike after measuring provide a small bottle of touch-up paint, your child at home. If it’s not quite right which was useful as ours picked you can send it back, even if it’s been up scratches. ridden outdoors. You can fit mudguards to both bikes. Frog Bikes was started in 2013 when
BOTH ISLABIKES AND FROG BIKES PROVIDE SENSIBLY SHORT (102MM) CRANKS WITH A NARROW PEDAL TREAD (OR Q-FACTOR) 6 4 C Y C L E F EB RUARY/M ARCH 2018
They’re essential if your child will be cycling to school and you don’t want a muddy uniform. The Cnoc 16 has standard mudguard fittings, with chromoplastic guards available from Islabikes for £24.99. Mudguards are standard on the Frog 48, although missing from our test bike. The Frog’s shorter guards bolt to the fork crown and seat-stay brace; there are no eyelets at the dropouts.
COMPONENTS Each bike is a singlespeed with a 27in gear. Pedalling either bike should be even easier for little legs than the small gear size suggests, because both Islabikes and Frog Bikes provide sensibly short (102mm) cranks with a narrow pedal tread (or Q-factor). A smaller distance between the pedals makes it more practical for a child to pedal, and it reduces the wobble from left to right. Frog Bikes have worked hard to reduce the Q-factor on their bikes. They paid for
Above: The specially-made Islabikes tyres are designed for use on road and off
CHILDREN’S BIKES | BIKETEST
ISLABIKES CNOC 16 There are two smaller Cnoc models: the Cnoc 14 Small and Cnoc 14 Large
FROG 48 The number in the name gives the minimum inside leg length in centimetres
CYCL I N G U K . OR G CYCL E
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REAR LIGHTS | GROUPTEST
Group test
RACK-FITTING REAR LIGHTS Seatpost lights are more common but rack-fitting ones are more convenient. Richard Hallett reviews four
RICHARD HALLETT Technical Editor
L I G HT O U TP U T Six candela, the minimum in this test, is subjectively enough from a rack-mount rear light. All the lights tested shine steadily with no flashing mode, perhaps due to road traffic regulations in the countries where they are commonplace.
B AT TE R IE S Generally AAA or AA, usually two of them. Battery life is fair even with disposables. Easy access to the batteries need not mean insecure, although some sort of threaded fixture makes tampering harder.
R E F L E CTO R An integral reflector, ideally marked with UK or EU regulations approval, means you don’t need a separate one elsewhere. It’s also a useful safety feature should the batteries run down.
SW ITC H O PE R ATI O N You’ll need to turn on the light in the dark, possibly while wearing gloves, so a switch that’s easy to locate and operate in such conditions is a bonus.
CO M PATIB I L IT Y
WATE R R E S I S TA N CE
Will it fit 50mm or 80mm mounts – or both? Does your rack have suitable mounting points? Stylewise, does it match the rack?
While many bikes with a rear rack will also have full mudguards, the light still needs to be rainproof for year-round riding.
I
F YOUR BIKE has a luggage rack, you may be able to fit a rear light in arguably the best place for it. Bolted to a rack, a rear light is at a suitable height, securely attached, and clear of any obstructions such as luggage. Not all racks have suitable mounting holes. The standard European fixing has two 5mm holes 50mm or 80mm apart; some, but not all, rack-mount lights can be altered to fit either format. If your bike’s rack
lacks these fixings, you can buy (or possibly bodge) a suitable bracket. There are other important advantages to a rack-mount rear light. They are less attractive than a clip-on light to casual thieves, and can be left on the bike for use when needed. And all those on test incorporate a large reflector. This feature usually bears EU or British Standard approval, which helps in keeping the user road legal.
Road legal after dark Does your bike comply with UK lighting regulations? You can check online. Visit cyclinguk.org/cyclistslibrary/regulations/ lighting-regulations for a list of requirements.
CYCL I N G U K . OR G CYCL E 7 3
Travellers’ tales
Nowhere has its own signpost
Off-road to Nowhere MARK JOLLY TOOK AN UNUSUAL TRIP ON NEW ZEALAND’S NORTH ISLAND
Tern Joe folders for train use
ROOKIE S RIDE THE R ADWEG Susanne Langer and family embarked on a traffic-free tour of Bavaria
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We’re regular commuters rather than tourers, but two years ago, at the Youth Hostel in Keswick, we met a wonderful German family who were cycling coast to coast. Their enthusiasm fired our own imagination. Last summer, we felt ready for our own adventure. With a five-year-old, a FollowMe tandem, and only a modicum of parental fitness, we needed to go somewhere largely flat and traffic free. A shared desire for ‘a proper summer’ ruled out the North Sea Cycle route, while the fabled river-valley routes of the Danube and the Elbe were dismissed as ‘too busy’. We settled on the AltmühlRadweg, a German long-distance cycle path that includes imposing castles, countless lakes, and many enticing beer gardens. Following the valley of the sleepy Altmühl River, the route starts at
Archimedian screw, Graben
the walled medieval city of Rothenburg. Imagine a walled city like York, but bigger and with better-preserved old buildings. It finishes at the imposing baroque abbey of Weltenburg on the Danube. Covering some sections by train and averaging about 15 miles per day, we cycled the stretch Rothenburg to Kinding, and included a detour to the Großer Brombachsee, a reservoir and popular recreational lake. The area is renowned for its fossils, and Solnhofen’s unassuming Bürgermeister-MüllerMuseum holds one of only six known specimens of the archaeopteryx. We tried our luck at finding our own mini-dino at one of the quarries open to visitors. Most of our cycling was along idyllic, traffic-free paths through the countryside, offering plenty of opportunities for breaks for sightseeing, splashing, playing, or eating ice cream. It helped that in our fortnight spent in Bavaria, we didn’t get rained on once; the sky reflected the blue-white pattern of the Bavarian flag. Our tour ended in the picturesque village of Kinding, which has excellent rail transport links to nearby Nuremberg and its airport.
alfway along the Mountainsto-Sea Trail on the North Island of New Zealand, you come to the Bridge to Nowhere. It’s a perfectly serviceable bridge, built for cars. Yet there are no roads to or from it. All you can see on the other side is an intense green wall of New Zealand bush. It looks impossible to get through – and in bad weather it is, even on a mountain bike. The bridge was built in the 1930s in anticipation of roads that never arrived. Now the only people who use it are hikers and cyclists. ‘Nowhere’ is an apt name, but it’s a unique and colourful nowhere, with fantastic views of mountains and the wildly verdant vegetation of native forests you won’t see anywhere else in the world. The Mountains-to-Sea Trail is 217km, going from Mount Ruapehu in the middle of the North Island, to the shore on the west coast at Whanganui. Some of it is on unsealed roads, other parts on technical mountain bike trails. I am not an experienced mountain biker and I fell off five times in one difficult section near the Bridge to Nowhere. There are sections where it is too dangerous to ride, for fear of falling down a cliff. But it’s well worth the effort. Read an extended version of this article at booksandbikes.co.uk.
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The 217km trail is best by MTB
The Altmühl-Radweg has countless sightseeing opportunities CYCL I N G U K . OR G CYCL E 8 1