cycle THE MAGAZINE OF CYCLING UK
On test
LIGHT BLUE PARKSIDE SHIMANO SHOES TIGHT-TYRE TOOLS GRAVEL TYRES & MORE
APRIL/MAY 2022
PUSH BIKES
END TO END GAME
MANIFESTOS FOR MAY’S ELECTIONS
Adventure racing the length of Britain
RIGID RIDES Surly Krampus Jones Plus LWB
HIGHWAY CODE U PDATE D RU LES FO R SAFE R ROADS Page 38
P lu s NORFOLK OFF-ROAD WEEKENDER BIKE FINDER: BEST £3,000 E-BIKE SARDINIA AFTER LOCKDOWN AND MUCH MORE
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CONTENTS Features 32 End to End game 2,000km on/off-road from Land’s End to John o’ Groats
Welcome
38 A new code How the Highway Code has changed to protect vulnerable road users
47 Push bikes Campaigning for cycling ahead of May’s elections
50 Sardinian journey
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A post-lockdown ride across the Italian island
Products 18 Shop Window New products coming soon
20 Gear up Components, accessories, and books
60 Rigid rides Surly Krampus and Jones Plus LWB on test
Cycle Editor
£650 roadster with Sturmey-Archer gears
69 Tight-tyre tools Technology for stubborn tyres
Regulars 04 Freewheeling Bits and pieces from the bike world
07 This is Cycling UK
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Cycling UK’s upcoming projects; the new Cantii Way in Kent; Shoreham cycle lane victory; new kit from Stolen Goat; and more
16 You are Cycling UK
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Coronavirus
DAN JOYCE
66 Light Blue Parkside 5spd
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For updated advice regarding the Covid-19 outbreak, visit: cyclinguk.org/ coronavirus
Three Peaks Challenge record holder Saoirse Pottie
29 Letters Your feedback on Cycle and cycling
On the cover
Cyclists in Surrey demonstrably not holding up traffic. Photo by Robert Spanring
44 Weekender 52-mile gravel ride in Norfolk
54 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: editor@cyclinguk.org Head of Design: Simon Goddard Advertising: Elly Kiss T: 0203 198 3092 E: elly.kiss@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: Alamy, Sam Jones, Markus Stitz, Guy Kesteven
While the Highway Code has never endorsed left-hooking cyclists, the new version is unequivocal. Rule H3 tells drivers: “You should not cut across cyclists going ahead when you are turning into or out of a junction just as you would not turn across the path of another motor vehicle… Do not turn at a junction if to do so would cause the cyclist going straight ahead to stop or swerve.” The driver who passed a group of us on a late February club ride was unaware of this – and us. His sudden turn into a driveway was the worst left hook I’ve experienced. Brakes were grabbed. Bikes were swerved. The front rider miraculously avoided diving through one of the nearside windows or sliding under the car’s wheels, instead clipping the rear bumper and coming to a halt. The rest of us managed not to pile into each other. The driver, when he was urgently encouraged to wind down his window, wasn’t defensive or aggressive. He was oblivious. Near misses like this, which we should perhaps call “near hits”, are enough to stop some people cycling. For others, the mere prospect of them is sufficient to stop them even considering riding on the road. So it’s great that Highway Code now spells out how drivers should behave around cyclists and other vulnerable road users, and it’s a testament to your support for Cycling UK’s Highway Code campaign that the changes were made. The next battle is to make drivers aware: of the rules and of the road.
this is
Stay in touch CYCLECLIPS: free weekly email newsletter. Sign up at cyclinguk.org/subscribe CAMPAIGN NEWS: monthly campaigns bulletin. Sign up at cyclinguk.org/subscribe-tocycle-campaign-news
Code unread? Most people don’t re-read the Highway Code so this year’s welcome revisions risk going unnoticed. Cycling UK is working to change that, says Sarah Mitchell
Stay connected
facebook.com/CyclingUK
Members and the new board as it develops and have supporters who high hopes for its backed Cycling impact. UK’s Highway Code In the meantime, campaign there is an immediate way for Cycling UK members and supporters to influence your local area and ensure that it becomes more cyclefriendly. This May national elections in Northern Ireland and local elections in Wales, Scotland and England are your chance to have your say. We’d love you to get involved: we’ve produced cycling manifestos and would encourage you to ask your local candidates to adopt these. See page 47 and cyclinguk.org/elections-2022. As the days lengthen and (hopefully!) the weather improves we know that many of you will be turning your attention to your cycling adventures for 2022. That’s why we’ll be launching our newest route, the Cantii Way in Kent, on 26 May (cyclinguk.org/cantii-way-2022). Following on from this there’s our annual celebration of cycling, Bike Week (cyclinguk.org/bikeweek), which takes place from 6-12 June. For seven days we’ll be inspiring local communities to help make the changes they’d like to see through cycling. We encourage you to take part, show how great riding can be, and make a donation so that we can reach even more people and enable everyone to cycle. Another date for your diary should be the National Cycling Show: after two years of covid complications, shows are back – and we’ll be there. Cycling UK members can get a free ticket (cyclinguk.org/MemberBenefit-NCS), so do join us at Birmingham NEC on 18-19 June. Happy cycling this spring, and I look forward to seeing many of you out and about.
Twitter @wearecyclinguk
Right: Robert Spanning
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hat good is a change in the rules if no one knows about them? Following our campaigning win on the Highway Code earlier this year we’ve been busy highlighting the facts about the changes to road users far and wide, as well as pushing the Department for Transport to invest in highquality information campaigns. Two abreast is explicitly endorsed Many of you enjoyed our simple illustrations, our frequently-asked-questions, and our short and clear film about the new Highway Code (all of which you can view at cyclinguk.org/highwaycode). Thanks to you, our members, we were successful in this campaign after many years, and thanks also to many of you for helping spread the word about the changes to your friends and family. At Cycling UK we are determined to introduce more people to the joys of cycling each year. That’s why we are really delighted to have secured continued funding for our behaviour change projects in Scotland from Transport Scotland, and in England from the Department for Transport. In the last year alone these projects worked with tens of thousands of people across disadvantaged communities, and they are central to our mission of getting millions more people cycling. Find out more about our behaviour change work here: cyclinguk.org/community-outreach. Our members regularly tell us about poor-quality cycle lanes, and we know that road design is important in encouraging people to cycle across the UK. So we welcome the creation of Active Travel England. This new body, headed up in the interim by former professional cyclist Chris Boardman, will set out and enforce good and consistent design standards in infrastructure in all our towns and cities. We’ll be supporting
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Following our campaigning win on the Highway Code, we’ve been busy highlighting the changes to road users far and wide
www.cyclinguk.org
cycling@cyclinguk.org
01483 238301
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P roduct News
SHOP WINDOW Bike shows are back. Can groupsets be far behind? Dan Joyce casts his eye over a selection of new and upcoming products
Show time
The National Cycling Show is at Birmingham’s NEC on 18-19 June. For details see page 4 or visit nationalcyclingshow. com
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or £49 Need to keep your camera handy on a ride? Ashdown’s strap also connects (with a Fidlock magnetic buckle) across your chest, keeping it stable like a courier bag. Padded straps are £10 extra. ashdownbags.com
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Islabikes Joni 20 & 24 £899.99
Designed for riders with disproportionate dwarfism, Islabikes’ 20in and 24in wheel hybrids are now available. They feature a low step-over, short cranks, and short levers. The Joni 20 weighs 9.2kg, the 24 is 10.1kg. islabikes.co.uk
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Tyre Glider £9.99 We missed this from our review of tight tyre tools (p69) but it looks interesting. There’s a video on the website showing how it works. tyreglider.co.uk
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Sea to Summit Telos TR2 Bikepack $649
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The Telos TR2 tent gets a bikepacking makeover. Poles are shortened to 12in for portability, it packs into dry-bags, and there are attachment points to fix it to your bike. seatosummit.co.uk
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Raleigh Motus Grand Tour Hub
£2,799 The new version of Raleigh’s top-end Boschpowered e-bike has been commuterised with a 7-speed hub gear option and a battery (500Wh) that’s hidden in the frame. raleigh.co.uk
Tern Doghouse Mini £335
Made up of three parts – the Soft Crate Mini (£90), Clubhouse Mini (£155), and Dog Roof Mini (£90) – this fits a Tern GSD or HSD and carries one dog weighing up to 13.5kg, who is tethered inside. ternbicycles.com
Ashdown 3-Point Camera Strap £39
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Rapha Trail Hip Pack £60
Bumbags are evidently back for mountain bikers (and gravel riders). This one has a 3L volume, a drawcord for securing a jacket, and two side pockets big enough for water bottles. rapha.cc
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More online Check out our in-depth reviews of the latest bikes and gear online at: cyclinguk.org/cycling-advice
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Great Rides
END TO
This photo: Mark Beaumont descends into Gleann Mór, part of the Alladale Wilderness Reserve
GBDURO
G R E AT R I D E S
Details Where: Length of Britain Start/finish: Land’s End to John o’ Groats Distance: 1,969km (Markus: 1,001km) Photos: Markus Stitz
END GAME GBDURO is a 2,000km adventure race from Land’s End to John o’ Groats. Markus Stitz filmed it in 2021, following the event by bike and train
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A NEW CODE Feature
THE HIGHWAY CODE HAS BEEN UPDATED TO BETTER PROTECT VULNERABLE ROAD USERS. DUNCAN DOLLIMORE EXPLAINS WHAT’S CHANGED – AND HOW 38
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H I G H WAY CO D E
F E ATU R E
DUNCAN DOLLIMORE Head of campaigns & advocacy Duncan’s first experience of a close pass was aged 14 riding with Bury CTC on a club run – 40 years later, he’s pleased the rules have changed!
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Photo: Robert Spanring
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fter more than a decade of campaigning by Cycling UK, new Highway Code rules for England, Scotland and Wales finally arrived on 29 January. The catalyst for the changes was to make people more aware of pedestrians, cyclists and horse riders, but they benefit all road users. That’s why, to their great credit, both the AA and RAC engaged with stakeholder consultations about the proposals, fed in their views, largely supported the changes, and have been measured and responsible in everything they’ve said about them. Alas, there are always those whose default response to anything they don’t like is to cry foul, without realising they’re highlighting their own inadequate and ineffective campaigning. The truth is that the Department for Transport (DfT) engaged widely with road safety, motoring and other groups, before formulating the proposals. There was then a public consultation, which anyone could respond to, so we informed our members and supporters, encouraging you to respond. Over 16,500 of you did, backing Cycling UK’s proposals. The Alliance of British Drivers, Motorcycle Action Group, Fair Fuel UK and others don’t like the changes and have vowed to overturn them, blaming you for their introduction. You’re the ‘lycra-clad cycling lobby’ apparently, and you and we loaded the consultation in our favour. I’m not quite sure how, but it seems that it’s our fault that these groups didn’t or couldn’t mobilise supporters to engage with the consultation. But why bother with the truth when you can falsely claim that motoring organisations weren’t consulted, fostering animosity by blaming everything on the ‘all powerful lycra lobby’? I’ve mentioned this reaction because it’s crucial that we highlight what you, as members, enable us to do. All of our campaigning is funded through membership, and that’s allowed us to pursue this ten-year campaign. Yet what secured the changes was the overwhelming public support when the DfT consulted – and that was down to you. So, if you ever wonder why we campaign, or whether signing up to support one of our actions or campaigns matters, the Highway Code changes answer both questions. So what are the changes, and do they really matter? Here are six key changes or clarifications.
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F E ATU R E
ELECTIONS
Northern Ireland has some cycling highlights, like the Maritime Heritage Trail, but needs better funding
Feature
PUSH B IKES
With elections in all four home nations, it’s an ideal time to press for political support for cycling. Jim Densham explains how you can help
Left: Alamy Above: Michael Taylor
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n 5 May elections will be held for local councils in England, Scotland and Wales, and for the Assembly in Northern Ireland. Elections are always a key opportunity to tell politicians that cycling is important to you because they want your vote and are in ‘listening mode’. It’s therefore essential to campaign for change at election time with a strong coordinated message to secure political support for cycling. Ahead of these elections, Cycling UK is calling for urgent delivery of safe, local cycling but with a specific flavour and twist in each nation. That’s why we have launched four different election campaigns – for the NI Assembly election, and for the local authority elections in Scotland, Wales, and the parts of England where elections are taking place. We have developed a progressive manifesto for cycling for each nation that sets out what we want candidates to commit to, although there’s a common ask for the delivery of connected networks of high-quality cycling and walking routes. There’s also a universal theme around the need for urgent action – that it’s time for politicians to deliver those essential networks. It’s time for them to ‘get there with cycling’, to make it happen. We need your help to tell politicians to deliver on cycling and enable people to cycle for short, local journeys. Please sign the election petition for your nation: cyclinguk.org/elections-2022.
JIM DENSHAM Cycling UK campaigns & policy manger – Scotland
NORTHERN IRELAND Against the backdrop of political, climate, and costof-living crises, the people of Northern Ireland will elect 90 Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) to the Assembly at Stormont. These candidates will represent Northern Ireland’s wide-ranging communities and cultures. Cycling has been sidelined for years but can be a positive solution to many of the issues faced in the region, and it’s one of the rare proposals that should unite everyone across the political spectrum. For this reason, our campaign in Northern Ireland embodies our campaign slogan: ‘getting there with cycling’. The last two years have felt like a change of mood is in the air in Northern Ireland, with a Blue-Green Infrastructure Fund, a record spending commitment for active travel, and the Belfast Bicycle Network plan. Sadly that change has stayed in the air, so now we need to push parties and MLA candidates to turn this new mood music into a crescendo of noise for delivery right across Northern Ireland.
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BIKE TEST
RIGID RIDES
Biketest
Rigid rides DAN JOYCE Dan rides a rigid 29+ mountain bike – a bespoke Carver Gnarvester that’s a bit like a titanium Krampus – so may be biased.
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Most mountain bikes come with suspension. Do you need it? Dan Joyce tests two bikes that do fine without: a Jones Plus LWB and a Surly Krampus, two off-road bikes ready for anything
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efore we start, let’s get one thing straight: if you want to ride as fast as you can down technical trails, a full-suspension bike will enable you to do that quicker and with more control. If that isn’t your main aim, there’s a simpler way to ride off-road: rigid. It isn’t necessarily the bruising experience you might expect. A decade ago Surly launched the first plus bike, the Krampus. It wasn’t a fat bike, more a 29er on steroids – thus 29+. Its 3in tyres gave better bump absorption and the larger overall wheel diameter even better rollover. Too “out there” for the fashion-focused cycling world, its influence can nevertheless be seen in the drift towards 2.5in and 2.6in tyres; bigger but not intimidatingly bigger. It’s like when 650B bikes took off after 29ers challenged 26ers: two steps forward, one step back. Plus bikes are still around, both in larger (29×3) and smaller (27.5×2.8in) wheel sizes, and with and without suspension. They remain fairly niche and the tyre options – particularly in 29×3 – have narrowed. Yet I don’t see them disappearing. Like fat bikes, they suit some cyclists and some kinds of cycling too well. The Krampus is still here too. Compared to the one we reviewed in Feb/Mar 2013, the current model has some modest geometry changes, such as ~1cm shorter chainstays, a slightly steeper seat angle, and a marginally slacker head angle. It’s also compatible with prevailing axle standards, an internal dropper seatpost,
and more luggage options. As well as the rigid version on test, it can be bought (£2,699.99) with a 120mm RockShox 35 Gold RL fork and a TransX dropper post. Jeff Jones has been building rigid bikes exclusively since the noughties, developing different geometry and components such as his eponymous H-bars to optimise the ride. Plus tyres on wide rims (29+ or 27.5+, depending on the model) were the last piece of the puzzle and have replaced standard 29er wheels on his bikes. These range from titanium spaceframe models with truss forks to diamond frame steel ones. Note that Jones dealers in the UK don’t sell complete bikes. You can buy a frameset here but bikes are shipped from the USA.
Frame & fork: Jones The Jones rips up received wisdom on mountain bike geometry, which favours really slack head angles, less fork offset, steeper seat angles, longer top tubes, and shorter chainstays. All that works fine for a certain kind of off-road riding but it’s predicated on suspension. The Jones is designed to be ridden rigid. Even if you could find a suspension fork to fit its
RIGID RIDES
BIKE TEST
First look
A multipurpose mountain bike that flies in the face of modern trends because it’s rigid specific
Instead of tipping you forward to “ride the fork”, the Jones sits you up and back, more like a roadster
Tech Spec
JONES PLUS LWB straight 1 1/8in head tube, preferred a 30.9 or 31.6mm there would be little point. seat tube, which could be Instead of tipping you shimmed down to fit a forward to “ride the fork”, the narrower, more compliant Jones sits you up and back, rigid post for those who don’t more like a Dutch roadster. want a dropper. The idea is that your hands The Jones fork uses a just rest on the handlebar screw-thru 150mm hub, rather than supporting like fat bikes. This means a your bodyweight. Your legs stronger and laterally stiffer take your weight and do front wheel as the spokes the business of absorbing have a better bracing angle. bumps when you’re riding (Think of a tent’s guy ropes.) out of the saddle. A wider hub means a wider The Jones is relatively fork and so loads of room There are multiple mounting points for a rear rack so that short between saddle and for 3in tyres. You’d easily you can fit whichever you handlebar. The medium size fit a 29×3.25in tyre front or, have in the optimum position Plus LWB has an effective indeed, rear. And you could top tube length of 585mm, fit mudguards over these 3in which is about 25mm shorter than a typical tyres, if you can find any large enough. medium size MTB and shorter still than Frame & fork: Krampus “long, low, slack” ones. It feels even shorter The Krampus is variously referred to as because of the backswept Jones H-bar a trail bike and an adventure bike. It’s on a tall steerer. But it’s not a short bike. both. The head tube and seat tube angles The front centres distance is 25mm longer are conservative compared to on-trend than the already roomy Krampus, due to a mountain bikes. But huge 29×3 wheels slacker head angle and a huge amount of don’t get deflected off line as easily so fork offset. And the chainstays are really an enormous trail figure from a super long too. It’s a big bike that looks like it slack head angle isn’t required. And a might handle like a barge. It doesn’t: it’s less extreme seat angle is better for riding quite agile, due to having less trail. comfort with a rigid fork, as it prevents you The chrome-moly frame and fork piledriving the fork into bumps. have fittings for racks, bags, bottles, and The seat angle, like that of the Jones, mudguards. The only thing missing is a is approximate because the seat tube port for an internal dropper post. So you is kinked. Your effective seat angle will can only run an external dropper, and only depend how high you set the saddle, as it one that fits a 27.2mm seat tube. I’d have
spokes, 148×12mm Jones rear hub, 150×15mm Jones front hub. Transmission: no pedals, SRAM SX Eagle chainset with 170mm cranks & 30t steel chainring, SRAM SX Eagle 12-speed chain, SRAM SX Eagle 11-50t cassette. SRAM SX Eagle shifter and derailleur. 12 ratios, 18-82in. Braking: Avid FR-5 levers, Avid BB7 MTN callipers, compressionless cables, 203mm front & 180mm rear rotors. Steering & seating: Jones H-Grips, 710×31.8mm Jones SG Aluminium Loop H-Bar, 80×17º Jones stem, Jones headset. Jones saddle, 27.2×400mm Jones seatpost. jonesbikes.com
Price:$2,860, plus $784 shipping and approx $1,000 in import duty & VAT (frameset $1,375) Sizes: S, M, L (M tested) Weight: 15.49kg (no pedals) Frame & fork: Custom butted 4130 chrome-moly frame with 68mm threaded BB, 1 1/8in head tube, 148×12mm dropouts, and fittings for mudguard, rear rack (various), kickstand, one double & two triple cages. Butted, tapered 4130 chrome-moly fork with 150×15mm dropouts and fittings for mudguard and two triple cages. Wheels: 76-622 Vee Tire Co T-Fatty tubeless ready tyres, 50mm Jones alloy tubeless ready rims, 32×3 stainless steel
Dimensions in millimetres and degrees
635 585 71˚
800 76
76
148
483
710 67.5˚
98
460
766
170 305
622
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GROUPTEST
T Y R E TO O LS
Details
WHAT TO LOOK FOR
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Grouptest
Tight-tyre tools Fitting tight tyres requires good technique and grip strength – or maybe just a different kind of lever… Liz Colebrook tests four
E LIZ COLEBROOK Liz holds the brazing torch at Beaumont Bicycle and is a qualified occupational therapist
ver struggled refitting a tyre? You may have managed at home in the warm but at the roadside with cold hands it’s a different matter, and you may have reached for a tyre lever despite the risk of pinching the tube. Enter the ‘bead jack’ or tyre-seating tool: a clever device to neatly pull that final section of tyre safely over the rim’s edge. They’re like tyre levers but different. Tyre and rim combinations have differing tolerances due to the manufacturing process (long story). Some are relatively easy to fit without the need for an ordinary tyre lever, while some are so tight they need three levers to remove and divine intervention to refit! The knack is to squeeze the tyre beads together, shifting them from the rim’s shoulders down into the recessed middle of the rim, also known as the well. This wins you some slack, making it easier to fit the section that’s diametrically opposite. With tubeless tyre and rim combinations, where the fit between rim and tyre contributes to forming a seal, fitting a tyre can be difficult even with this knack. It’s nevertheless an important step.
Portability
Consider the tool’s size and weight. Will it fit in your saddle pack or, if you don’t use one, your jersey pocket?
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Durability
No tyre lever is indestructible. Some of these tools showed wear after only a few uses.
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Compatibility
It needs to work with your bike’s tyre and rim width. Will the tool fit over your deflated tyre? Will the
tool locate onto your rim sidewall?
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Tyre removal?
Will it remove tyres as well as re-fit them, or are additional tyre levers required? And is there still room in your saddle pack?
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Ease of use
How much leverage is required for your grip strength? Could you use the tool with cold hands or wearing gloves? Could you use it in torchlight?
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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 YCL I NGUK . O RG
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TRAVELLERS’ TALES
Haydn and e-bike at Ironbridge
Shropshire
Never Mynd the hills A new e-bike inspired Haydn Greenway’s 100-mile weekend
Shap Fell, Cumbria. (Below) The finish, after 1,200 miles
Across Britain
Biking for butterflies Simon Saville combined his End to End journey with his passion for butterfly conservation
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he End to End was a trip I’d wanted to do for a long time, as I’m sure it is for many cyclists. After retiring I decided to combine the journey with fundraising for my favourite charity, Butterfly Conservation, for which I’m a trustee and local volunteer. My route was based on the LEJOG route on Sustrans’ National Cycle Network, but I modified this to take in as many nature reserves and wildlife sites as I could along the way. Local volunteers showed me around, so most days involved a few hours walking as well as 40 miles of cycling. My End to End journey was longer and slower than most: 1,200 miles over 30 days. Most of the time I rode alone, although I had a bike buddy with me on seven days. I rode through Exmoor, over Bodmin Moor, over the Mendips, and through the Cotswolds. Then it was the Wyre Forest and the Cheshire Plain, followed by torrential rain and a waterlogged satnav in Manchester. After climbing over the Forest of Bowland I explored the Silverdale area around Morecambe Bay, which is excellent for wildlife. In Scotland my route went from Glasgow to Stirling,
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along the Forth and Clyde Canal, then up into the Cairngorms and on to Inverness, Cromarty Firth, Lairg and the Flow Country. It was a voyage of discovery in so many ways. I learned to love hills – there’s never any shame in using a lower gear – but to hate headwinds. I visited over 40 wildlife sites, ranging from large National Nature Reserves to small urban wildflower meadows, and spotted 34 species of butterfly. My trip enabled me to raise over £30,000 for Butterfly Conservation. I’m now planning to publish my route as the Land’s End to John o’ Groats Butterfly Route. And I’ll be doing another Bike for Butterflies ride in 2022.
facebook.com/CyclingUK
AT 67, AFTER four decades of cycle commuting and day tours, I’ve become an e-bike convert. I bought a Cannondale Synapse e-road bike – and felt I could cycle forever! The idea of an ‘epic ride’ began to form. I asked my friend Martin, who is 66, if he fancied riding out to Church Stretton, camping overnight, and cycling back. It would be a round trip, for me, of 100 miles. We booked a ‘pod’ at the Mountain Edge campsite in south Shropshire. We met up at Ironbridge. Martin lives in nearby Telford. He also rides an e-bike. It was a drizzly morning when I set out from Cannock and rode the 25 miles to Ironbridge. After coffee opposite the famous bridge, we set off. Church Stretton is situated in spectacular countryside on the edge of the Long Mynd. The road to the summit, the Burway, is a formidable challenge. However, using a combination of a low gear and electrical assistance, I was able to ‘twiddle’ the pedals and climb the 1,300ft to the top of the hill. The views were awe inspiring. After a hearty meal and drinks we collapsed for the night. Meanwhile our bikes recharged their batteries. The ride home took us through beautiful Shropshire countryside: Wenlock Edge, Much Wenlock and Ironbridge, where we parted. I rode home to Cannock after a memorable ride.
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