cycle THE MAGAZINE OF CYCLING UK
STAYCATION INSPIRATION
UK rides to do next year
TIME OUT
The great escape of overnight bikepacking
2021 TECH
Shiny new products available now
P lu s BIRMINGHAM WATERSIDES RIDE GUIDE HOW TO CYCLE IN A JILBAB OR DRESS PORTUGAL’S ATLANTIC ROAD IN AUTUMN AND MUCH MORE
On test
ISLABIKES EJIMI FOLLOWME CARGO SKS COMPIT+ WORKSTANDS & MORE
DECEMBER 2020/JANUARY 2021
TEENAGE PICKS SMALL HARDTAILS FOR YOUNGER TEENS Page 60
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.
CONTENTS 38
Features 20 2021 tech Previews of 2021 products
Welcome
32 Time out
38 Staycation inspiration Great rides you can do without going abroad
50 The Atlantic Road Cycling along the coast of Portugal
Products 22 Gear up Components, accessories, and books
60 Teenage picks Hardtails for younger teens from Whyte and Canyon
66 Islabikes eJimi An unusually light electric mountain bike
69 Workstands
50
Four ways to make bike maintenance easier
Regulars 04 Freewheeling Bits and pieces from the bike world
07 This is Cycling UK
60
DAN JOYCE Cycle Editor
18 You are Cycling UK How a folding recumbent trike keeps member Ian Yarroll touring
31 Letters Your feedback on Cycle and cycling
On the cover
Coronavirus For updated advice regarding the Covid-19 outbreak, visit: cyclinguk.org/ coronavirus
Battling the bike lane backlash; Missing Links in the off-road network; Cycling UK’s volunteer celebration; 2020 recap; Christmas appeal; and more
48
Jasmine Townend testing a Whyte 802 Compact (p60) at Dalby Forest. By Jay Townend
48 Weekender 16-mile beginner’s ride through Birmingham
55 Cyclopedia Questions answered, topics explained
73 Travellers’ Tales Cycling UK members’ ride reports
CYCLING UK: Parklands, Railton Road, Guildford, GU2 9JX E: cycling@cyclinguk.org W: cyclinguk.org T: 01483 238300. Cycle promotes the work of Cycling UK. Cycle’s circulation is approx. 51,000. Cycling UK is one of the UK’s largest cycling membership organisations, with approx. 70,500 members and affiliates Patron: Her Majesty the Queen President: Jon Snow Chief Executive: Sarah Mitchell. Cyclists’ Touring Club, a Company Limited by Guarantee, registered in England No 25185, registered as a charity in England and Wales Charity No 1147607 and in Scotland No SC042541. Registered office: Parklands, Railton Road, Guildford, GU2 9JX. CYCLE MAGAZINE: Editor: Dan Joyce E: cycle@jamespembrokemedia.co.uk Head of Design: Simon Goddard Designer: Katrina Ravn Advertising: Harvey Falshaw T: 020 3198 3092 E: harvey.falshaw@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: Joolze Dymond, Paul Lloyd, Dan Joyce, Sam Jones
This winter is likely to be one of discontent. It’s never the easiest season for cyclists, being wetter, colder, and darker. But this year’s Christmas conviviality will be constrained by the pandemic, and even with a gradual vaccine rollout there’s less to look forward to in 2021. You can study maps and websites of other countries but you can’t yet be sure you’ll be able to go there – or afford to do so, if Brexit happens to tip sterling into a nosedive… Yet when we pass through midwinter, the earth will nevertheless start tilting us slowly back towards the sun. Longer, warmer days are coming. And there are no lockdown scenarios in which we won’t be able to ride our bikes at all. Even at the height of the first wave, cycling solo was encouraged. So it’s an escape that’s sure to remain open. Getting on your bike for exercise or fresh air is good as far it goes. We feel better for doing it and any day can accommodate it. But it’s meatand-potatoes cycling: nondescript, a way to pass the time that’s pleasant. Such rides aren’t ones that you circle on the calendar and count down to. As well as everyday rides we need rides to look forward to: days on which we’ll do something different. Cycling abroad might be on the back burner but (restrictions allowing) we’re spoiled for choice within the four nations of the UK. What (cross fingers) is on your to-do list for 2021?
A night out under the stars in the Yorkshire Dales
this is
Feeling lonely can be as bad for your health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day
(Clockwise) Narinder, who learned to ride in 2018. Cycle training in Manchester. Ride leading in Sefton
Charity
CHRISTMAS APPEAL
Help break the cycle of social isolation. Donate now at cyclinguk.org/breakthecycle, asks James Newman
T Photos: Narinder Kaur (above), Joolze Dymond (facing page)
here’s no doubt that 2020 has been hard for everyone. Every single one of us has felt the sadness of not being able to see a relative on a special day, missed hugging our friends or grandchildren, and had times when we were frightened about the future. For those of us fortunate enough to live with loved ones or friends, we can take some consolation that we’ve not faced these trials alone. But there are many who have had to face these dark months by themselves. Feeling lonely can be as bad for your health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day and is linked to an increased risk of dementia, heart disease, anxiety and depression. With lockdowns and restrictions on movement, social isolation is another repercussion of the pandemic many are having to deal with.
Narinder’s story Narinder Kaur, from Walsall in the West Midlands, has been on the frontline as an
16
cycle
DE C E MB E R 20 2 0/JAN UARY 2021
Intensive Care Nurse since the pandemic struck. No stranger to grief, she lost her father two years ago. She overcame her loss thanks in part to the support of Cycling UK’s community work, through which she learned how to cycle. “If it wasn’t for Cycling UK helping me to learn how to ride a bike, I’m not sure how I would’ve coped after losing my dad,” says Narinder. “It came at the right time because I couldn’t stop thinking about my dad. But when I was learning to ride, I was having to focus on learning a new skill. It helped me move forward.” Living alone and working in the Intensive Therapy Unit (ITU) has taken its toll on her at times, often leaving her with no outlet or break. “Physically I’ve been well,” she says. “As a nurse in ITU, it has been incredibly overwhelming and stressful. At times it was so hard, I was quite traumatised. When my colleagues and I were putting on PPE preparing to go on shift, we were just praying we would be okay, and we worried for our loved ones.”
However, one thing that has helped her through has been the community she has found in her cycling group, which Cycling UK helped set up at the Walsall Arboretum. “Sometimes you become vulnerable, because there’s no one else to talk to – or people you do see don’t understand you. So when the cycling group gets together, it’s been absolutely amazing. The community cycling club is like family,” Narinder says. “As a nurse, I’ve still been going out and seeing people during the lockdowns. But you want to leave work behind and talk about simple things. I was getting out doing exercise alone, but you can only do that by yourself for a little while. You need that connection where you can talk to others.” Prior to the pandemic, social isolation was more prevalent in deprived areas, where it’s accompanied by much poorer health outcomes. There’s a gap of over nine years between life expectancy in the UK’s wealthiest and most deprived areas. And, tragically, it is these same areas that have been hit hardest by the pandemic, with death rates twice that of better-off areas. For some parts of the country – such as Manchester, Liverpool, Glasgow, and Belfast – lockdown restrictions eased for only a few short weeks. Millions will have been unable to see friends and family for many months.
this is
Your donation
THE VALUE OF HELP Your donation can help people like Narinder, who gives so much more back to her local community where she now regularly volunteers helping others discover the benefits of cycling.
£15
could pay for essential PPE, sanitiser and gloves to ensure bikes are safe for all to use
I learned how to ride a bike in 2018 after losing my dad. If that hadn’t come about, I would’ve struggled big time. I am very grateful to Cycling UK, so thank you.
£30
could buy a waterproof jacket to help people ride during winter
– Narinder Kaur
How your donation could help Throughout Scotland and England, Cycling UK’s community interventions are helping people like Narinder, providing a little bit of normality in this tumultuous time. We are building networks, not just helping people cycle but also providing support, alternatives to public transport, and tackling social isolation. We are connecting communities, while also addressing the local needs that cycling can help to fix. The groups and people that Cycling UK are helping are diverse: over 30% of people are from BAME backgrounds, with participants evenly split between men and women. And, although we didn’t plan it this way, some of our strongest networks are in those places hit hardest by coronavirus, including Manchester, West Yorkshire, Glasgow, and the Midlands. Within the constraints of a myriad of restrictions, our local development officers have worked throughout summer and into autumn to ensure those that need the support to keep cycling during the pandemic can continue to do so. We’ve adapted all the community groups and projects we support so that they have become fully social distanced and can support as many people as possible.
£50
With more than 150 community clubs and individual projects, it has taken a lot of extra work and logistical wizardry, not to mention extra cost. But the results have been more than worth it. We want to continue this vital work and do even more to help all our community clubs and projects. That’s why we need your support with a donation this Christmas to help us in our mission. Your generosity can make such a difference to all those people suffering social isolation.
How to donate • ONLINE: at cyclinguk.org/breakthecycle
could provide a secondhand bike for a new cyclist
£125
could train a volunteer to lead group rides
• PHONE: by calling 01483 238 300. • POST: send a cheque made payable to ‘Cycling UK’ to: Cycling UK, Parklands, Railton Road, Gulidford, SURREY GU2 9JX, not forgetting to let us know it’s for our Break the Cycle appeal.
C Y CL I NGUK . O RG
cycle
17
Details Where: Yorkshire Dales Start/finish: Settle, North Yorkshire Distance: 23km Pictures: Joolze Dymond
Top: The view from Jubilee Cave, last winter Bottom: Climbing towards Nappa Cross, Sep 2020
32
cycle
APR I L/ M AY 2020
B I K EPACK I N G
G R E AT R I D E S
HANNAH COLLINGRIDGE & JOOLZE DYMOND Hannah is a fulltime writer and ex-bike mechanic Joolze is a pro photgrapher who takes her drone everywhere
Great Rides
TIME OUT A night under the stars is an escape from dayto-day cares. Hannah Collingridge and Joolze Dymond persuaded their partners to join them
T
aking a break in 2020 has been tough. Lockdowns, quarantines, and social distancing have curtailed opportunities to get away, with or without a bike. At least we’ve been able to keep cycling. And with a bike and some bags, it’s possible to have an adventure without straying far from home: a sub-24-hour overnighter (S24O) takes you out of the house (at last!) and into the great outdoors. Joolze and I have done plenty of bikepacking but our other halves haven’t been with us before. Joolze’s husband, Dave, used to do hillwalking and backpacking. My wife, Norna, has a lot of lightweight camping experience – in Australia. So she’s a dab hand at setting up mosquito nets and checking boots for spiders but hasn’t been bivvying in Britain. There was experience, therefore, but all in the dim and distant past.
INTO THE HILLS For our overnight trip, we wouldn’t need to leave Yorkshire. We picked the Settle Loop in the Dales, with an extension towards Malham Tarn. We’ve ridden it before as a group. A familiar route means that you don’t have to worry about other things while you get used to the handling of a loaded bike. Whichever way round you do the loop – we did it clockwise – there’s a big climb out of Settle. The planned format was: lunch before we set off; a very leisurely ride, enjoying
A familiar route means that you don’t have to worry about other things while you get used to riding a loaded bike
the fine autumnal weather and limestone scenery; camp up for the evening; then ride back to Settle for a second breakfast next morning. Joolze and I had done an overnighter here in the snow last December so we already had a couple of promising bivvy spots in mind. It is a stiff and steady climb out of Settle, the tarmac giving way to a limestone track and then to grass. Climbing is when you realise how heavy your bike is, even if you took care to take as little as possible. You need to find a sustainable rhythm. As Norna said: “There’s no point aiming for your normal speed; just stick it in a low gear and tap it out. Let your mind wander and look around at the views.” Grinding up hills seems to exacerbate any chafing. Apply chamois cream before you set off and reapply as soon as you feel hot spots starting. Take a small travel jar filled with some of your favourite brand. Part way up the climb we stopped to have a breather and adjust the luggage on Norna’s handlebar. It always takes a bit of fiddling to set up a particular bag on a particular bike just right. What seems great in the car park needs to be trail tested. There’s also the art of getting on a loaded bike, especially with a saddle pack sticking out of the back. Norna, who hasn’t got the longest legs, was finding this… challenging. The rest of us were deeply supportive and laughed in empathy.
C YCL I NGUK . O RG
cycle
33
Feature
STAYCATION
Photo by Joolze Dymond
THE PANDEMIC MAY BE A STICK IN THE SPOKES FOR FOREIGN CYCLING PLANS BUT
38
cycle
DE C E M B E R 20 2 0/JAN UARY 2021
DOMINIC BLISS Journalist During lockdown, Dominic wore through multiple tyres on the trails of suburban London and the Surrey Hills
INSPIRATION THERE ARE PLENTY OF GREAT RIDES IN THE UK. DOMINIC BLISS OFFERS SUGGESTIONS
W
ith its lockdowns and travel restrictions, 2020 will long be remembered as the year of the staycation. And who knows? Perhaps 2021 will follow suit? While we may not be allowed to ride our bikes abroad where we’d like next year, there are benefits to staying within the four home nations of the UK. Granted, the weather doesn’t always play ball, but you can’t deny that our countryside offers some astoundingly beautiful biking opportunities, whether you choose to stay on the road or venture off it. There’s the added bonus that, by travelling within the British Isles, you’re cutting down enormously on your carbon footprint and saving yourself money in the process. Of course, domestic travel restrictions are as tough to predict as international ones. Next year we may still be cycling in groups of six. Whatever the rules, there are countless routes for roadies, touring cyclists, gravel bikers and mountain bikers to enjoy, whatever their level of expertise and fitness. Here are some suggestions for all types of trails in all four of the home nations.
C YC L I NGUK . O RG
cycle
39
CYCLOPEDIA
w o h w o Kn Making sense of commonly misunderstood subjects
KHADIJAH ZAIDI Ride leader and cycling instructor with Cycle Sisters, cyclesisters.org.uk
Clothing
How can I cycle in a jilbab or long dress? t really is easier than you might think! There are only a few things to consider, then you’ll be able to cycle in the clothing in which you feel most comfortable. Many of the tips below are also relevant to cycling in a long skirt or dress. The only real difference is that a jilbab is worn over other clothing. You need to lift the jilbab up a bit to keep the fabric away from the chain. You can: tie the fabric in a knot on your side; tuck a few inches of your jilbab into your trousers underneath at the waist; or put a belt over your jilbab and hitch up the jilbab a bit over the belt. My personal method is to just lift up my jilbab a little before getting on. If it moves out of the way, I just move it back. You need to be comfortable taking your hand off the handlebar to do this, but it's a useful skill to have anyway. A bike with a step-through frame makes it easier to get on and off. Generally this would be a hybrid or a Dutch roadster, but any frame with lower top tube and thus a lower standover height would work – for example, a smallwheeled bike like a Brompton. Choose breathable fabrics and nothing too
Left: Jenna Selby
I
A jilbab is no barrier to cycling, so long as you have the right bike
flowy. If you have a very loose jilbab, you can always try the trick described in the sidebar to get some of the extra fabric out of the way. Stretchy fabrics should be avoided as these are hard to remove from a chain if they do get caught! You also want thin layers under and over your jilbab, so you can adjust your clothing more easily as you ride. On windy days, a jilbab, skirt or dress can sometimes fly up. To prevent this, use a horseshoe-shaped trouser clip over the jilbab just below the knees. The jilbab will come up a little bit while cycling whatever the weather, so I always wear loose trousers underneath mine – with a trouser clip on my right ankle to prevent the trouser fabric getting caught in the chain.
Change your bike, not your clothes Everyday clothing is fine if you’ve got mudguards and…
Step-through bike Ridgeback Avenida 6, £449.99 ridgeback.co.uk
58
cycle
Chain guard SKS Chainbow, £21.99 sks-germany.com
DE C E MB E R 20 2 0/JAN UARY 2021
Trouser clips B’Twin, yellow £1.99 decathlon.co.uk
Skirt guard Hesling 28-5 Grid, £19.60 cyclopbikes. co.uk
Rain poncho B’Twin Cycling Rain Poncho 900, £29.99 decathlon.co.uk
In for a penny… Take a penny and a rubber band or hair band. Place the penny over the fabric in your skirt behind you, between your legs about halfway up the skirt (position will vary depending on length). With your other hand, grab the penny from the front, through the fabric of the skirt. You should now be holding the penny and a double layer of skirt. Take the rubber band and tie a knot around the penny, holding it in the fabric. This will bring together the skirt between your legs so it becomes like a pair of shorts/trousers. This hack makes it possible to cycle in a skirt without anything underneath being on show.
Cycling for women For a wide range of advice on women’s cycling, visit: cyclinguk.org/ women
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
Teenage picks Mountain bikes to fit riders aged 11-14 can be hard to find. Jasmine Townend and Matilda Stringer test two from Canyon and Whyte. Analysis by Dan Joyce
W JASMINE TOWNEND & MATILDA STRINGER 13 year olds Jasmine and Matilda are members of Richardsons CC, a Cycling UK affiliate group. Both have competed in XC races and ride often in Dalby Forest.
60
cycle
DE C E MB E R 2020/JAN UARY 2021
hen your son or daughter outgrows the biggest model from Islabikes, Frog, or whoever, a small-sized adult bike is the next step. But not all brands cater for riders aged 11-14, for whom even a size S might be too big, too heavy, and fitted with overly stiff suspension. Women’s specific models can be a better bet for this age group, irrespective of gender. They come in smaller sizes and may have shorter cranks, softersprung suspension, shorter reach brakes, and less of a stretch to the handlebar. Too bad they’re often pink. Neither of the 13-year-old girl testers preferred the Canyon’s salmon colouring – and most lads that age would hate it. Kudos, then, to Whyte, which calls its ‘women’s’ mountain bikes ‘compact fit’ and employs neutral colours. Both bikes on test cost almost £1,000. That isn’t as much in bike terms as it was but still buys a well-made aluminium hardtail with an air-sprung suspension fork, intuitive 1× gearing, and hydraulic disc brakes. German brand Canyon sells direct to the consumer online, so all its bikes tend to be well specified for the price. The flip side is that you can’t try before you buy. The Grand Canyon WMN models, like the men’s, have
wheel size scaled to bike size: 29in wheels for the biggest, 27.5in for the smaller sizes. It’s a sensible idea. Whyte is a British company best known for its progressive geometry trail bikes – that is, bikes with a slacker head angle and longer front centres. These differences are obvious when you stand the test bikes side by side.
Frame & fork: Canyon Unboxing the bikes, the first thing that struck me was the size of the Canyon. It’s dinky. That’s not because it’s an XS and the Whyte is an S; the size bands are different between the brands. The XS Canyon is meant for riders 152-162cm tall, the size S Whyte for 155-165cm riders, which is pretty close. Yet the Canyon is a much smaller bike. I’d advise buying the next size up from what's recommended. Details on the Canyon’s aluminium frame suggest it’s been designed as an all-purpose bike. The frame geometry is that of a cross country mountain bike but it also has mounts for a pannier rack and kickstand. Unlike Grand Canyons 7 and 8, there’s no additional port in the 6's down tube for a dropper seatpost cable. (The covered hole between the bottle bosses is where the gear cable and brake hose are zip-tied to stop them rattling.) The Canyon’s fork is an SR Suntour XCR 32 with 100mm of air-sprung suspension. This is easily adjustable with a shock
S M A L L H A R DTA I L S
BIKE TEST
First look
XC-style hardtail with a premium drivetrain, an adequate fork, and an optimistic rider height table
Details on the Canyon’s aluminium frame suggest it’s been designed as an allpurpose bike
Tech Spec
CANYON GRAND CANYON 6 WMN pump, which Canyon top tube and a head angle provide, so it can be set soft of just 64.5º put the front enough for a lightweight wheel way out front. It’s rider and firmed up as they 90mm further forward than grow. On arrival, the test the Canyon’s, relative to bike’s fork had a notable the bottom bracket. This amount of stiction. It eased should mean much less as the test progressed but chance of the rider diving never became as plush as over the handlebar. A short the Whyte's RockShox. That’s stem keeps the bar reach not because it’s a Suntour manageable; the Whyte fork – they make perfectly fitted both testers well. good ones – but because It doesn’t look like you it sits at the bottom of the can fit an internally routed company’s air fork hierarchy. dropper seatpost but you Top: Schwalbe’s Tough Tom On a £1,000 bike, I’d want at can. I quizzed Whyte and Rapid Rob tyres have a sensible ‘all conditions’ tread least a Suntour Raidon. designer Ian Alexander pattern but aren’t tubeless The XCR fork has a 1 1/8in about this. He replied: Bottom: The Q-Loc fastening offers quick and easy straight steerer. To swap “We use a BB shell design wheel removal without it for a fork with a tapered that has a bulbous inner compromising wheel security steerer, you’d first need to fit section that allows internal an EC49/40 lower headset clearance for the stealth cup to the frame. The bearing would dropper seat post cable to pass from the then sit outside the head tube rather than seat tube, through the BB shell, and up internally and thus accommodate the into the down tube.” All that’s needed is a 1 1/2in base of a tapered steerer. The fork different grommet where the gear cable dropouts are 15×100mm and use Suntour’s and brake hose enter the frame. Q-Loc fastening. This works fine – better The Whyte has a Boost (110mm axle) than Manitou's fiddly Hexlock system. fork and Boost rear dropouts, which are 6mm wider than standard. In this case, Frame & fork: Whyte that makes them 141mm wide as they’re Even though it has ‘compact’ in its name, ‘boosted 135mm' dropouts rather than the Whyte is a much longer bike. A longer screw-through ones. This is a cost-saving.
170mm Shimano M610 chainset with 30t chainring, Shimano CN-M6100 12-speed chain, Shimano Deore M6100 10-51t 12-speed cassette. Shimano Deore M6100 shifter, Shimano Deore XT M8100 SGS derailleur. 12 ratios, 16-83in. Braking: Shimano MT400 hydraulic disc brakes with 180mm (front) and 160mm (rear) rotors. Steering & seating: 710×31.8mm aluminium flat bar, 60mm×7º threadless stem, Acros integral headset. Women’s saddle, 30.9×350mm aluminium seatpost, Allen bolt seatpost clamp. canyon.com
Price: £999.00 Sizes: XXS, XS (tested), S, M Weight: 12.9kg/28.38lb (no pedals) Frame & fork: Aluminium frame with 73mm threaded BB, 135mm dropouts, fittings for rear rack, bottle/luggage cage, kickstand. SR Suntour XCR 32 air-sprung fork with 100mm travel, 1 1/8in straight steerer, and 15×100mm Q-Loc dropouts. Wheels 57-584 Schwalbe Rapid Rob (rear) and Tough Tom (front) tyres, Alex Iridium DP25 rims, 36×3 spokes, Shimano MT400/ MT401 front/rear Centerlock hubs. Transmission: platform pedals, Dimensions in millimetres and degrees
585 530 74˚
670 42
92
135
422
635 68.5˚
100
350
700
170 295
584
1050
C Y CL I NGUK . O RG
57
cycle
61
MEMBERSHIP FROM JUST £3.88 A MONTH!*
GROUPTEST
W O R K S TA N D S
Details
WHAT TO LOOK FOR
1
Rigidity
size is important where storage space is limited.
The more rigidly the cycle is held, the more force can readily be applied when working on it.
Grouptest
Foldable workstands A workstand is a wise investment for any home mechanic. Richard Hallett tests four that can be folded to save space
RICHARD HALLETT Technical Editor Richard photographed the stand above outside as his workshop is full of lathes and stuff
Clamp security
2
Adjustability
Height adjustment enhances comfortable working. Rotation adjustment is useful to orientate the cycle as required for work or cleaning.
The most popular arrangements either clamp one of the cycle’s various tubes or the front fork ends, in which case an option to clamp the rear dropouts will allow the fork to be removed.
3
Footprint
5
The area encompassed by the stand’s feet. Four feet make for a larger, more substantial footprint but may rock on an uneven surface; three won’t do this. Folded
A
lmost any level of cycle maintenance is made easier if the machine is held in a workstand rather than leant against a convenient wall or, in the worst case scenario, turned upside down. Each of the four stands tested uses one of two proven methods to hold the cycle: a substantial two-jaw clamp, which closes over one of the cycle’s various tubes; or a clamp for the fork ends, combined with a support cradle under the bottom bracket shell with strap to hold the frame down. The former is best used to grip the bike’s seatpost to avoid the possibility of denting or cracking a thinwall tube through use of excessive force. The support cradle or cup requires a strong hold-down if it is to provide a secure grip on the frame when exerting force on a component. Without one, the stand’s resistance is applied at the fork or rear stay ends.
4
Light is good for portability but heavier stands tend to be more rigid.
6
Tool tray
Keeps necessary tools close at hand.
4 2
Weight
5
6 1
3
Cycle’s test promise At Cycle, we are proudly independent. There’s no pressure to please advertisers as we’re funded by your membership. Our product reviews aren’t press releases; they’re written by experienced cyclists after thorough testing. C Y CL I NGUK . O RG
cycle
69
TRAVELLERS’ TALES
(
Share your story We’d love to hear your Travellers’ Tales! Email: cycle@ jamespembrokemedia.co.uk
(
Fiddler’s Green Fishermen’s Memorial
Milltir Cerrig in the Berwyns
Fog on the Tyne
England & Wales
Yarmouth to Barmouth Maxine Rogers and husband Paul rode east to west across England and Wales
F
or a few days this September an east wind was forecast, and we saw an opportunity just too good to miss. Two days later we were in a one-way hire car, heading with our bikes for a drop-off in Great Yarmouth. But this was a semi-locked down country and the Great Yarmouth hire depot was closed for the duration so the car had to go to Lowestoft! What else would go wrong? Nothing, as it turned out. We rode to Norwich during the remainder of that day, a short flat ride to a delightful city. The next day was the biggie: 103 miles seemed quite a test for me and my e-bike. To go the distance, I had to nurse the battery and range extender carefully. That strong tailwind was a massive help! We had three more days of delightful riding, skirting through parts of seven English counties and two Welsh ones. We watched the landscape change from huge fields of arable farmland and wide skies to small fields of livestock, with hills and woodland. Pigs and horses gave way to cows and sheep; knapped-flint
North East
buildings to churches of limestone and sandstone. On our last day we set off from what seemed like an industrial sculpture of cherry pickers parked in a yard beside our hotel. As we climbed over the barren Milltir Cerrig in autumn spectacle, the wind finally turned to hinder us. But it didn’t bother us. We rode across the bridge at Barmouth sadly, knowing we’d be on a train very soon, face masks applied, our adventure over. But what an adventure we’d had, even with social distancing!
At the finish. Barmouth Bridge (p45) in background
The Loire was off-limits – the Tyne wasn’t. Mike Ward toured it I WAS MEANT to be cycling down the Loire but Covid-19 put a stop to that. Enter the Tour de Tyne. Vive la différence! Armed with a flask of coffee and yesterday’s leftovers, I headed east from Newcastle. There wasn’t a breath of wind. I eased down from Seaton Sluice to Tynemouth, then upriver on the muchtravelled Hadrian’s Way. After 50 miles I lunched at the Roman settlement of Corbridge. The day was young and my legs felt good. Could I still do 100 miles? Eighty-one miles in, I stopped at Kirkley Café, which was buzzing with cyclists. At the start of stage two, destination Wark, my legs felt heavy. Should I continue? Then I spotted a left turn on the map and found a divine spot all to myself on the banks of the North Tyne. Legs now singing, I returned happily to my car. After a rest day, a four o’clock alarm heralded the drive to Wark to resume the tour. Passing through a misty valley en route, my day was made. On the Reivers Cycle Route in the wilds of Northumberland, I came across a cattle grid, cows, and a sign on a gate urging me to stay at home. I amended my route but didn’t go home, not just yet. The sun broke through as I combined two stages and took the rollercoaster route round Kielder Water. Glorious views were stored on my phone. I returned to the car, then home, elated.
C YCL I NGUK . O RG
cycle
73