cycle THE MAGAZINE OF CYCLING UK
NEW KINESIS G2 WOMEN’S SHORTS REDSHIFT SHOCKSTOP EVOC XL & MORE
ONE OF THE CLASSICS
Fun on the Flanders cobbles
BROMPTON ELECTRIC
Super-portable e-bike on test
BICYCLE ROUTE 66
Over 2,000 miles to get your kicks
SIZE WISE
BIKES FOR THE SHORT, THE TALL, AND THE HEAVY Pages 40-47
P lu s SUMMER RIDE IN NORFOLK GEARS WITHOUT TEARS CYCLING & MENTAL HEALTH AND MUCH MORE
On test
JUNE/JULY 2019 £3 OR FREE TO MEMBERS
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CONTENTS 40
A short tour around the wonderful world of cycling
Welcome
07 This is Cycling UK
Local riding
Cycle Editor
To find any Member Group or Cycling UK affiliate, visit cyclinguk.org/groups or phone 01483 238301
Paul Tuohy looks forward to Bike Week; Trails for Wales success; cycling ambassadors; Big Bike Revival 2019 kicks off; and more
16 My Cycling Harrogate Wheel Easy’s Malcolm Margolis
18 Shop Window
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Previews of new products
20 Gear up Components, accessories, and books reviewed. Casual gear previewed
31 Letters Your feedback on Cycle and cycling
48 Weekender The 50-mile Diss Cyclathon this June
63 Cyclopedia Questions answered, topics explained
81 Travellers’ Tales Cycling UK members’ ride reports
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This issue 34 One of the Classics On the cobbles at the Tour of Flanders
40 Size wise Bikes and equipment for the short, the tall, and the heavy
50 Bicycle Route 66 Over 2,000 miles to get your touring kicks
51 Life balanced How Cycle for Health helps mental well-being too
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58 Cherry blossom whirl A Japenese end-to-end in spring
On the cover Pip Munday and Nik Hart model the new Cycling UK kit. Photo by Robby Spanring
68 Brompton Electric It’s super compact but how does it ride?
71 Kinesis G2 A £1,500 aluminium all-rounder
75 Women’s shorts Casual summer shorts for ladies
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: Dave Bain, Cycling UK, Harry Lyons, Golazo Sports
Being average is a blessing. The human environment is built for you. Chairs, tables, clothes, door lintels, stairs… and, of course, bicycles. The default fits. When you’re the middle of the bell curve, economics can’t afford to ignore you. Being average male height is handy for a magazine bike tester because there’s always a model to fit – called Medium. I often fit Medium cycling clothes too, despite having slipped way down the sides of the bell curve when it comes to weight. I haven’t shrunk; average weight has risen. High street fashion says I’m no longer Medium but Small. Fair enough. Since people are getting larger, the high street has sensibly adapted and moved its metrics. The cycle industry? Not so much. Athletic men, usually young, are often portrayed as the norm, with normal people treated as outliers. So we get too many bikes with gears that are too high and riding positions that cause aches and pains. Want normal people on bikes? Let’s start by having more bikes that are genuinely comfortable and fun to ride for the average man (who weighs over 13 stone, according to the Office of National Statistics) and the average woman (who is 5ft 3in). And let’s provide better for the genuine outliers: the very short, the very tall, and the very heavy. Until then, if you’re not the bike industry’s Mr or Ms Average, turn to page 40 for ideas.
DAN JOYCE
Every issue 04 Freewheeling
this is
More online Help make 20mph the default in Scotland’s built-up areas by supporting the Safer Streets Bill:
The default speed we’re urging the Scottish Government to adopt in urban areas
The Braich traverse in Snowdonia. More great trails in Wales will be opened up soon
Off-road access
TRAILS FOR WALES!
bit.ly/20mphScotland
Road safety
SAFER LORRIES FOR LONDON Cycling UK is celebrating another landmark victory after Transport for London announced it has won public approval to go ahead with new safety standards to reduce the dangers of lorries to vulnerable road users in the capital. From next year, lorries will need to achieve a minimum standard of safety to protect cyclists and pedestrians. These requirements will increase from 2024. cyclinguk.org/ campaign/action-on-lorries
Thousands of miles of trails will be opened up across Wales for cycling in a radical shake-up of access laws announced by the Welsh Government
T
he new plans to open up Welsh rights of way were described by Cycling UK head of campaigns Duncan Dollimore as “possibly the most significant changes to rights of way legislation since Scotland’s Land Reform Act in 2003”. The announcement follows four years of campaigning by Cycling UK and mountain biking advocacy network OpenMTB. Through our Trails for Wales campaign we mobilised over 12,000 people to write to the Welsh Government to support proposals to increase public access to the countryside – and thanks to you, they listened. The plans include permitting cycling and horse riding on many (not all) footpaths. It’s a pragmatic approach that Cycling UK fully supports. A “presumption of multi-use” is promised, with exceptions determined by suitability rather than historic classification as footpath or bridleway. It’s a vast improvement on the 21% of the rights of way network currently available to cyclists in Wales. Open access land, such as expanses of
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moorlands like Cadair Idris and the Berwyn Mountains in North Wales, should also be opened up to explore on a bike or horse rather than just on foot. This potentially means an estimated 15,000 miles’ worth of new routes to discover, plus up to 450,000 hectares of access land. The details still need to be determined, so Cycling UK will continue to speak up for offroad cyclists. We’d like to see a Scottish-style Outdoor Access Code created to promote responsible enjoyment of the outdoors. As Stacey King from OpenMTB said: “It is heartening to see the Welsh Government recognising the huge public support for its forward-thinking proposals for access reform. … [It] recognises the true value of mountain biking as both a public good and an economic attraction.”
How you can help
Add your voice by writing to the minister to support the changes. Visit: cyclinguk.org/trailsforwales
Campaign win
TOO CLOSE FOR COMFORT Cycling UK has won national recognition for its Too Close for Comfort campaign. The Partnership Scheme of the Year award for the campaign, which has provided educational mats and VR headsets to UK police forces, was presented at the Young Driver Focus conference in London to Cycling UK’s Duncan Dollimore and Keir Gallagher. cyclinguk.org/ toocloseforcomfort
Casuals P re v i e w s
Style counsel Got a favourite outfit to ride in? We’d love to see it. Tag @wearecyclinguk on Instagram or email your cycling photos to: cycle@jamespembroke media.co.uk
TO MARK OUR WOMEN’S FESTIVAL OF CYCLING, VICTORIA HAZAEL PICKS PRACTICAL KIT FOR LADIES
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Castelli Rosso Corsa Support Bra £55 The first bra “specifically designed for cycling” supports rather than compresses like traditional sports bras, and is designed to wick sweat. Sizes XS-XL, to fit C and D cups. castelli-cycling.com
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Weathergoods Urban Tote Bicycle Bag Cognac
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Geek Black Reflective Leather Lace Up Shoes £150 The textile upper of these calf-leather-lined, rubbersoled shoes is reflective, so they shine brightly in headlights. The sole is for flat pedals. traceyneuls.com
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Weathergoods Imbris Poncho
£79.99 This cool poncho has two hand straps on the inside, so you can stretch it across to the handlebars to keep your legs dry while cycling sweat-free in showers. cyclechic.co.uk
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Velovixen Padded Cycling Knickers £39
Now available in more designs, Velovixen’s popular cycling pants – designed to be worn under normal clothes – have a padded seat. velovixen.com
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Bobbin Toggle Single Bag £35
Best on flat or riser bars, this day-bag is made from heavy-duty showerproof cotton with leather details. 24×19×8cm. bobbinbikes.com
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£79.99 A Scandinavian-style 8kg-capacity bag made from weatherproof PU material. It has a padded laptop pocket, long handles, a detachable shoulder strap, and discreet rack hooks. cyclechic.co.uk
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7 3 5 Get your friends cycling
Read our guide on how to persuade your pals to ride: cyclinguk.org/ encouragefriends
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Goodordering Picnic Pannier
£65 Retro-style pannier with handles and a detachable shoulder strap. The insulated design makes it ideal for food, but it can carry stuff like laptops too. goodordering.com
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Details Where: Flanders Start/finish: Oudenaarde, Belgium Distance: 74km (others available) Pictures: Golazo Sports and Matt Mallinder
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FLANDERS
G R E AT R I D E S
MATT MALLINDER Director of Influence & Engagement Matt briefly aspired to be a pro-cyclist before getting a proper job.
Great Rides
ONE OF THE CLASSICS Pro racing, beer, waffles, Flemish Lion flags – and a chance to ride the parcours. Cycling UK’s Matt Mallinder experiences the Ronde Van Vlaanderen
E
arly Sunday morning in April: I’m in a nondescript village standing by the roadside with hundreds of locals drinking lager or espresso. There is mist overhead, no traffic, and an air of expectation. The crowd isn’t the usual lycra-clad huddle who turn up for Sunday-morning races. They’re not ‘cyclists’ but ‘cycling fans’ and today is their Grand National, their Wimbledon final, and their Superbowl rolled into one. For this is Belgium, more specifically the Flanders region, and this is the Ronde Van Vlaanderen, otherwise known as the Tour of Flanders. If cycling is a religion in Belgium, the Ronde Van Vlaanderen (RVV) weekend is their cathedral. Along with another 16,000 sportive riders, I’m here to take communion. The weekend offers the chance to indulge in the best of Belgium: beer, bikes and ’bergs. Sunday is a chance to watch the professional riders in the men’s and women’s races. On Saturday, however, it’s our turn…
VRIJDAG NACHT (FRIDAY NIGHT) We would get to ride in the wheel tracks of our cycling heroes, household names to every Flandrian, such as Eddy Merckx, Johan Museeuw and Tom Boonen; Belgian riders having won 69 of the 103 editions. We’d tackle the legendary ‘Hellingen’: narrow, cobbled farm tracks that create chaos for professionals and amateurs alike.
The steepness came as a shock. Riders stopping ahead forced me to put a foot down… A remount was impossible
The race base in Oudenaarde is accessible for a weekend break by ferry or Eurotunnel from the south of England. As we arrived to collect our numbers, the event village was lively. There was a pan-European cast of cyclists: French, Spanish, and Italians looking bronzed and fit. The Brits, in summer cycling kit, were easy to spot. Even with 16,000 riders, the logistics were smooth: ‘race’ number, maps, and souvenir T-shirt were swiftly collected, with enough time for free bike checks or last-minute kit purchases. I added a name tag to my frame and my signature to a large sign on wall – just like the pros!
ZATERDAG OCHTEND (SATURDAY MORNING) Half our group of ten UK riders opted for the full 229km route beginning in Antwerp, but the idea of an earlier start and 100km or so of flat riding before the first of the climbs didn’t appeal to me. It might be what the professional teams would face, but I’d really come to sample the famous climbs. With a two-hour starting window for the 74km route, there was no need for the staggered start of some sportives. It was straight through the start arch and onto a canal cyclepath to join the route, a laissez faire attitude that was to continue for the whole ride. The course meandered along quiet country lanes, with road junctions well marshalled by volunteers holding back traffic. Unlike the longer routes, the shorter option tends to be ridden by
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Feature
SIZE WISE IT’S HARDER TO BUY A SUITABLE BIKE IF YOU’RE SHORTER, TALLER, OR HEAVIER THAN AVERAGE. RICHARD HALLETT HAS SOME ADVICE
RICHARD HALLETT Cycle Technical Editor Richard began building frames with Cliff Shrubb in 2013
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First look
The e-bike bits are the front hub motor and bag-mounted battery. The rest is basically standard Brompton
Left: Motor noise isn’t intrusive in the country Above: Controls and display are on the battery not the bar. Folding is unaffected
Biketest
Brompton Electric The long-awaited electric version of the iconic compact folder is finally here. Journalist Richard Peace puts the six-speed through its paces
T RICHARD PEACE Cycling journalist and author
Other options
Richard is the author of Electric Bicycles and the Ultimate C2C Guide
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he Brompton’s fame precedes it: it’s a benchmark folder that packs down quickly and extremely compactly yet rides reasonably well. These aspects have already been well covered in Cycle (cyclinguk.org/cycle/biketest-compact-folding-bikes), so this review will focus on the new bike’s electric-assist aspects. Design-wise, even though Brompton developed its own system in association with Williams (of Formula One fame), it is a pretty conventional solution.
Incorporating the electrics A slim and sleek hub motor sits in the front wheel, with an easily-removable battery mounting where the front luggage block usually fits. The only other sign that this is an electric bike is the small ‘black box’ that is part of the battery mount and acts as a kind of junction box for the hub motor and LED lights wiring.
NANO BROMPTON
GOCYCLE GX
Less sophisticated than Brompton’s e-bike but a proven system and attractively priced for a retrofit kit.
With a claimed weight of 17.8kg and a range of “up to 40-miles”, the new quick-folding GoCycle GX looks like a Brompton Electric competitor.
+£785
nanoelectricbikes. co.uk cycle
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£2 ,899
gocycle.com
This isn’t a radically new design approach for a Brompton electric bike; retrofit options preceded Brompton’s own electric version and some favour a similar approach. Brompton have replaced the potential to carry capacious front luggage with a 312Wh battery (with an integral USB port for charging your phone and other devices on the go). It’s great for getting the battery off in a trice, as you’ll want to do when folding the bike, as it cleverly leaves you with two lighter items to carry rather than one heavier one. But it does limit your luggage carrying capacity to 1.5 litres. There is an optional bigger bag (+£130), rated at 20 litres, which gives some storage space either side of the battery. The Brompton website doesn’t appear to offer a rear rack as an option, which would increase luggage capacity further. Still, on the bike it looks a very smart design, with the electric cabling very neatly routed and the front wheel easily removable (in the event of punctures etc) via a ‘screw and pull’ connector in the power-feed cable. The LED cable runs are similarly neat and tidy. The top of the battery unit features an on/off button, which also lets you toggle between the three power settings, and an on/off button for the lights, which also have an automatic option. This arrangement has the advantage of not needing a cable run to a handlebar control but the disadvantage that you need to lean over the bars to adjust power levels. The bank of blue LED lights is highly visible and it’s easy to see the
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Feature
Life balanced
Riding a bike can transform mental health and physical wellbeing. Cycle for Health participants tell Adrian Wills how it helps
Photographs: Robby Spanring
D
an developed depression and anxiety after suffering a bereavement at university. Andrea finds it difficult to communicate and tends to isolate herself. Both have been prescribed cycling as a form of treatment for their poor mental health as part of Cycle for Health, a ground-breaking referral scheme funded by the West Yorkshire Combined Authority’s CityConnect programme. Both say it’s transformed their lives. At its worst, Dan’s depression meant he was unable to get out of bed for four days. He lost all motivation and spiralled into hopelessness. He says: “You lose enjoyment in life and the things you used to enjoy doing. You stop living, pretty much, and get very low. It’s not a good way to live.”
BACK IN THE SADDLE Dan, who’s 31 and from Featherstone, near Wakefield, has struggled with depression
ADRIAN WILLS Head of Comms, Cycling UK When he’s not cycling, Adrian is writing books
and anxiety for around 15 years, but last year was introduced to the Cycle for Health programme through a community health and wellbeing college. He joined a small group at an athletics track away from traffic, where he was able to build his confidence and bike-handling skills. “We did a little bit of cycling around the track just to get used to the bikes, then a bit of gear changing and graduated to doing some signalling. Eventually we went around the park and tried to get used to pedestrians and other things you might encounter. I think that was one of the biggest parts of it for me, learning to communicate with the people cycling around you.” While the course has boosted his mental health, it’s improved his physical well-being too. “You might have a bad week, and you come here and you might feel a little bit low, feel a bit tired, a bit drained, but you leave feeling invigorated and energetic,” says Dan.
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F E ATU R E
C YC L E F O R H E A LT H
For Andrea, 47, from Wakefield, the course has been an opportunity to meet people and make friends – a remarkable achievement for someone who admits to suffering from anxiety and who tends to withdraw from society. 1 IN 4 “I hadn’t been on a bike for years people will and years. I couldn’t get on or dismount experience a mental safely, so it was really learning the health problem this basics,” she reveals. “We did all sorts year. It will cost the of activities, weaving in and out of NHS more than each other on the bikes and going £12billion through cones. We learned about balance and safety checks; I didn’t even know where the front and back brakes were!” And, like Dan, she’s seen a huge difference in her mental health. “I’m more confident. I’m able to be out with other people more than I would normally. And health-wise, my fitness has improved. My lung function is a lot better than it has been, and now I actually want to go out and do other things, and keep cycling, keep active, and really start living my life.”
FITTER AND HAPPIER
Better by bike
Cycle for Health is now in its fourth year in West Yorkshire. At the start of the programme, more than two-thirds of those who took part admitted they weren’t doing the recommended levels of physical activity each week. By the end of the programme, that had dropped to a third, with almost 80% reporting their fitness had improved. Referrals to the Cycle for Health scheme have come from GPs, hospitals, clinical commissioning groups, and mental health charities. Jacqueline Sharp, an occupational therapist based at the Fieldhead Mental Health Hospital in Wakefield, says: “We’ve seen some really positive benefits – for example, people who were having difficulty motivating themselves, even coming out of their bedroom, who then started looking forward each week to doing the cycling. And the difference in people’s energy levels when they came back from having done this enjoyable activity was really evident.” The programme, as its name suggests, is not only about tackling mental health but physical conditions too. Tom Murray, Cycling UK Project Officer, reveals: “We get people coming who may be in remission from cancer. We also get people with type 2 diabetes, or they may be recovering from surgery – a hip operation, for example.”
Cycle for Health has three targets:
RIDING HIGH In Eccles in Greater Manchester, where a similar pilot scheme has been running, 60-year-old Yasma joined the programme as a way of getting back to cycling after developing osteoarthritis in her knees, and losing her confidence to ride. Her instructors helped her with her saddle height and explained she was gripping the handlebars too tightly: small changes that made a huge difference.
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Top: Yasma had lost her confidence to ride Below: cycle instructor Paul Pryce
to increase activity levels thereby improving health and wellbeing; to change travel behaviour by offering cycling as a mode of transport; and to offer opportunities to cycle where it otherwise would not be possible. Over 12 weeks, participants receive cycle tuition, develop cycling skills, and go on led bike rides. The main route onto the programme is via referral from a professional within a health setting who considers that 12 weeks of cycling and activity will have a positive effect on a person’s mental or physical wellbeing. Find out more at: cyclinguk.org/ community-outreach/ health
She admits: “I was finding I was having difficulty breathing because I wasn’t using the gears correctly. Now I have more stamina and I’m less out of breath, and it’s improved my confidence.” Jo Amess, a Cycle for Health Guide Ride Leader, explains: “The aim of the Cycle for Health scheme is to get people active, so if you’ve been inactive previously, or if you’re not really into sport, it’s getting you out there on a weekly basis.” Paul Pryce, a cycle instructor who worked on the Manchester pilot scheme, adds: “Some people aren’t sure they can ride a bike – it might have been 10 or more years since they tried. But usually within five to ten minutes they’re doing loops and grinning, remembering what it was like when they were a child. That’s a big leap forward for them.”
More info There’s video of the Cycle for Health programme on the Cycling UK website. Visit: cyclinguk.org/cycleforhealth-video1
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GROUPTEST
CASUAL SHORTS
Details
WHAT TO LOOK FOR
1 Grouptest
Casual shorts Don’t fancy the lycra look? Liz Colebrook tests four pairs of baggy cycling shorts for women
W LIZ COLEBROOK Frame builder Liz holds the brazing torch at Beaumont Bicycle and is a qualified occupational therapist
ho’d have thought that cycling shorts would make a fashion comeback? With neon styles splashed across the high street for the first time since the 1980s, we won’t be alone in our lycra this summer. Still, it’s not for everyone or every situation, even when the shorts are a discreet black. Viable alternatives do exist. There’s more to casual ‘baggy’ cycling shorts than a looser fit. These shorts, which are designed for a range of cycling disciplines, have cargo pockets, vents, more protection, durability, detachable shorts liners, and wicking stretch fabrics. Crucially, this looser, casual style gives us more modesty for situations when we don’t want to reveal every curve – going from bike to pub, for example. The key issue with shorts not designed for cycling in is the bulk where four seams meet at the crotch. This pushes uncomfortably into sensitive soft tissue when riding – cue the ‘gusset’, a diamond-shaped insert at the crotch area, which both addresses this problem and increases the range of movement.
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.
Comfort
Look for breathable stretch fabric and a diamond gusset. If you don’t usually wear padded shorts, you’ll probably have a cushioned gel saddle so are unlikely to need a shorts liner. If you’re used to traditional lycra shorts and a ‘firmer’ saddle, consider wearing a padded shorts liner. If so, make sure the shorts have room for this and don’t feel too tight or bulky.
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Care
If you’re touring, look for quick-drying fabrics that will stand frequent washing.
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pockets are extremely useful, especially if zipped or designed so it’s difficult for items to fall out. Some feature reflective material for added safety at night.
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Cycling shorts shouldn’t gape at the back or impinge at the front; look for a slightly higher cut at rear. Consider the fit at the thigh too for possible combination with legwarmers. If the waist-to-crotch measurement is deep enough, you can wear a shorts liner underneath.
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Pockets
When off the bike, sightseeing for example, decent-sized
Cut and fit
Durability
Look for strong seams and fastenings. A double seat (double thickness fabric) is a nice feature.
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TRAVELLERS’ TALES
(
Share your story We’d love to hear your Travellers’ Tales! Email: cycle@ jamespembrokemedia.co.uk
(
Above: Colombia rewards low gears (p66) Below: River launches happily ferry bikes
South America
Colombia pictures Steve Gregson sketches out his latest trip through a country that’s captured his imagination
B
etween January and March, Colombia is a fantastic cycle touring destination. My wife and I have enjoyed long tours there over a 28-year period. Barrancabermeja, on the historic Rio Magdalena, can be reached by air, river launch and even mini-train, so has been a focal point on three of our visits. It is a busy, vibrant city with a big heart. The riverside port area has food kiosks, small fishing boats unloading catches, and, if you’re lucky, informal folk music jam sessions. We left the city heading west, through cattle ranch plains, and caught a night’s rest before the long climb through the Andean foothills. We rode past a new dam and through a welllit tunnel before a fast downhill into Bucaramanga. Colombian mountain roads are generally built at 5%, making for relaxing climbs and descents; you can actually enjoy the scenery. After another long descent into the Canyon Chicamocha, we took a spectacular cliff-side road into Cepita. We spent a couple of days exploring unmade tracks, all rideable, then it was back to the main road and on to San Gil via Villanueva. There, a helpful hotel-owner’s son took interest in our trip and printed off photos of all the junctions on the complicated but traffic-free route. How
kind! The Colombians are so pleased to have cycle tourists. After a week on quiet roads to the west of San Gil, we were excited to ride through the colonial villages of Barichara and Guane, where there are now boutique hotels. Lots of climbs and descents through Galan and La Fuente led us to the relaxing highAndes town of Zapatoca. We met two other couples on the multiple hair-pinned descent – evidence of the improved security in the country. A final climb took us to Bucaramanga, where we found cardboard boxes, attended a concert, and packed for the flight home.
Right: Out of the ‘hotel’ and straight onto traffic-free routes
Low Countries
Largely bargy Paul & Jan Hepworth boat-andbiked from Amsterdam to Bruges OUR ACCOMMODATION WAS MV Fluvius, a former barge converted into a floating luxury hotel. Hire bikes were on offer but we chose to take our own. Outward travel was via the Hull-toRotterdam ferry and return from Brussels via Eurostar. A typical day’s ride was 30 miles, with Boat Bike Holidays’ tour leader heading up a multi-national group. A volunteer ‘sweeper’ in the group brought up the rear. The option of self-led riding was also on offer. At the end of each day’s ride we met the boat, which had travelled along the canal network as we rode. The Netherlands and Belgium share a common system of numbering and signing intersections on their cycle networks. A daily route sheet listed ours sequentially, so navigating was a doddle. Much riding was through tranquil rural areas, with urban sections largely on segregated paths. The final day had an option for sightseeing in Bruges or a local-led ride. We went independent and headed to the coast at Blankenberg. Our route was closed at one point due to water-main repairs and we misread the detour notice, ending up on the main road to Zeebrugge Port, with only a painted line to separate us from thundering HGVs! But we quickly got back on track.
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