cycle THE MAGAZINE OF CYCLING UK
WHEEL BASES Cycle-friendly businesses in Norfolk, Kent & Cornwall
NOT CARBON COPIES
On test
ISLABIKES EJONI HANDLEBAR PACKS PRAXIS CHAINSET TYRE GLIDER & MORE
HEBRIDES BY HAND
AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2022
SCOT TI S H I S L AN DS BY E LEC TRI C-AS S I ST HAN DCYCLE Page 32
Women’s-specific road bikes on test
P lu s WHICH GRAVEL BIKE FOR A 5'3" RIDER? NORTHERN IRELAND’S NEWRY CANAL WAY CYCLING UK’S BIG SUMMER RAFFLE AND MUCH MORE
MEMBERSHIP FROM JUST £3.88 A MONTH!*
CONTENTS Features 32 Hebrides by hand Cycle-camping the Scottish islands on an electric-assist handcycle
Welcome
38 You’re welcome Cycle Friendly Places in Norfolk, Kent, and Cornwall
47 Active travel for all? The barriers that prevent disabled people from cycling
50 E-asy rider
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The Amstel Gold Sportive by e-bike
Products 18 Shop window New products coming soon
20 Gear up Components, accessories, and books
60 Not carbon copies Women’s-specific endurance road bikes from Decathlon and Cube
66 Islabikes eJoni
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A lightweight e-bike aimed at older riders
69 Bikepacking bar rolls Four bags to strap to your bike’s handlebar
Regulars 04 Freewheeling Bits and pieces from the bike world
07 This is Cycling UK
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29 Letters Your feedback on Cycle and cycling
On the cover
Summer Raffle
DAN JOYCE Cycle Editor
16 You are Cycling UK Rachael Wigginton, cycle campaigner
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Win big in our Summer Raffle. Find out how to enter on pages 14-15 or visit cyclinguk.org/ raffle
New long-distance route in Norfolk; cycle holiday insurance; the second Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy; Cycling UK’s Summer Raffle
Neil Russell and Buster near Balliekine, Arran, overlooking Kilbrannan Sound, by Jess Paul
44 Weekender Northern Ireland’s Newry Canal Way
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 Designer: Katrina Ravn 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: Sam Jones, Hardy Saleh, Liz Colebrook, Maria Frazer
Sometimes it’s the little things that make cycling journeys difficult, not the obvious ones. Years ago, after breaking my back, I made a trip across country that involved a 15-mile bike ride, two trains, and a couple of miles at the other end. Recent surgery and a hip-to-armpit body cast were complicating factors solved by riding an upright Dutch roadster. The cycling was fine. The real problem was a lack of ramps. I couldn’t lift the bike at all. Not over the footbridge. Not on and off trains. Station staff and fellow passengers thankfully stepped in. Without their help, I’d have been stranded – like wheelchair users too often are on planes etc. Inadequate provision for cyclists is, as Kate Ball explains in the feature on page 47, the main reason we don’t see disabled cyclists out and about more. If we build it, they will come. Or to put it another way: if we don’t, they won’t. A change of perception is needed too. Cycling is often portrayed as sporty, sweaty, and physically challenging, despite being easier than walking. Compared to Shanks’s pony, a bike will take you four or five times as far for the same time and effort. Everyone’s bicycle or tricycle is a mobility aid. The less fit and less able-bodied you are, the more of a game changer a bicycle or tricycle becomes. Whether your cycle is pedal-powered, handcranked, or electric-assist, it doesn’t just gift you convenience but freedom… assuming those thoughtless barriers are (sometimes literally) removed.
you are
Rachael on her hybrid: “nothing special, but it serves me well”
Campaigner
RACHAEL WIGGINTON Frustrated by the fact that her daughter couldn’t safely get around by bike, Rachael joined the Cycle Advocacy Network
C
ycle campaigning: that’s what other people do, isn’t it? Cyclists with experience of taking planners and councillors to task? In reality, any of us can contribute by becoming involved with the Cycle Advocacy Network. Rachael Wigginton has been doing just that in Leicestershire since joining Cycling UK in lockdown in 2021. “The reason I joined was because my daughter cannot ride around safely in the local area to see her friends or participate in her activities without me taking her there and back,” she said. “I take her by car to the next village, two miles down the road, because it’s not safe for her to cycle on the fast country road. That’s one parent doing eight miles of unnecessary driving. I felt I had to get into campaigning to put pressure on the local authority to do more for children’s health and wellbeing.” Rachael had no prior history of cycle campaigning. “I knew nothing about campaigning, the government’s position on cycling, or how things work at a local level,” she said. “CAN has given me an awful lot of knowledge and a great network with lots of experience and expertise. There’s always someone who has got a helpful answer to a question I have.” Her cycling background is more ‘bicycle user’ than ‘cyclist with a capital C’. “I have always cycled,” she said, “as a child, as a student, and as I’ve got older. I’ve always considered cycling to be a means of transport first and foremost. I use my bike mostly to go to the local shops, the dentist, doctor, local pubs and cafés. It gave me great freedom as a child and that sense of freedom when I cycle remains.” That’s what she says she wants others to be able to experience: unfettered, enjoyable utility cycling. “At the
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moment cycling seems to be seen more as a health and leisure pursuit,” she said. “I want the local authority to put cycling at the heart of their transport strategy. I see myself as a local ‘agitator’ – to get people to think differently about where and how we live and get them thinking about how much better it would be if more people walked and cycled.” Rachael primarily uses social media to get her message across to councillors and residents. “I have set up ‘Better Biking for Blaby District’ on Facebook,” she said. “We now have 220 members, which outside of the village Facebook (FB) groups is probably the biggest in the area, and it’s growing all the time. “I’m finding Facebook and Twitter very powerful tools. Several councillors follow me and are on the FB group. I also post things on the village FB groups about cycling. The majority support what I’m trying to do, but there are people who can’t see how things could be different.” Some of those people, inevitably, are councillors or council employees. “Leicestershire is the lowest funded county in the country and pleads poverty,” Rachael said. “However, it’s more the lack of ambition that is the real issue. There have been opportunities to bid for funding.” Rachael regularly challenges the council on social media when they promote parking for local events but don’t say ‘walk or cycle if you can’. That message is finally getting through. “The biggest change we’ve seen recently,” she said, “is one of the county councillors in a video talking about how residents can help by swapping local car journeys for walking or cycling journeys. That’s the first time we’ve heard that actually articulated by a councillor in Leicestershire.”
You CAN too Do you want to help get more people cycling? Do you want to share the joy of riding a bike? Do you want to see real change – with separated cycle lanes, safer roads, and shops, offices and homes accessible by bike? So do we! The Cycle Advocacy Network (CAN) brings together people with a shared interest in creating the conditions that enable more people to cycle, including better infrastructure for cycling and safer roads. For more information, visit cyclinguk.org/can
More info Rachael’s Twitter account is Leicestershire Loves Cycling: @LeicsCountyBike
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R e v ie w s
Books
Print queue
Cycle doesn’t feature all books received. Reviewers pick the ones they think you need to know about from the Editor’s shortlist. Send review copies to: Cycle, PO Box 313, Scarborough, YO12 6WZ
CYCLING INSPIRATION FOR SUMMER RIDES
Bike Fit
Details
By: Phil Burt Publisher: Bloomsbury Price: £20 ISBN: 9781472990181
THE SECOND EDITION of Bike Fit is an excellent primer on bike fitting. The initial chapters provide a thorough understanding of bike-related human anatomy, and talk about the why as well as the how. The advice focuses on a ‘window’ of bike fit positions, which is a more approachable process than the laserguided and expensive services offered by some bike fitters. The chapter on indoor riding is particularly handy for those who subject themselves to such sweaty affairs. Tom Page
Cycling King Alfred’s Way
Lost Lanes Central THE FIFTH BOOK in Jack Thurston’s series of best-selling guides to the most beautiful bike rides in Britain focuses on the middle of England, the part I call home. It presents 36 rides through: the Peak District; Shropshire and Worcestershire; Gloucestershire; the Heart of England (Birmingham, Warwickshire, Lichfield, Loughborough, Northamptonshire, and Leicestershire – including the beautiful Bradgate Park); and the East Midlands. Details By: Jack Thurston I was excited to review this book because Publisher: Wild I’ve ridden parts of some of the routes, Things Publishing including ride number one, ‘Peak Pleasure’, Price: £16.99 from Buxton to Bakewell and back through ISBN: 9781910636343 the limestone heart of the White Peak. That one covers the Monsal Trail, which I rode recently for the first time since my childhood. Jack’s descriptions and directions are accurate. The book has everything you need to plan a staycation. It includes route overviews and maps, recommendations for the best pubs and cafés (vital), as well as information on overnight B&B and camping stops, wild swimming sites, and details on how to access each ride by train. Each section is wonderfully descriptive, with plenty of surprising historical factoids for each area peppered throughout. The photos are great and immediately evoke a sense of adventure. I can only imagine how long it took to research this book, but also what a pleasure it must have Excerpts been. The only thing that could You can read excerpts from make this book better would be some of the books that Cycle a pocketable version; it’s bulky but has reviewed at cyclinguk.org/ too handy to leave at home. cycle-book-excerpts Lauren Purdy
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CYCLING KING ALFRED’S Way was on Julia Goodfellow-Smith’s bucket list. She describes her journey from ‘noncyclist’ to KAW finisher, through nervous beginnings off-road and mishaps on
Details By: Julia
Goodfellow-Smith Publisher: Cressrelles Price: £4.99 ISBN: 9780863194832
towpath training sessions to finally riding England’s premier gravel bike route. A perfect complement to Cycling UK’s guidebook, Julia’s humble first-person perspective will be valuable to anyone thinking of tackling their first cycle tour. Zak Viney
Cycling in East Anglia
Details
By: Huw Hennessy Publisher: Bradt
Guides Price: £12.99 ISBN: 9781784778781
EAST ANGLIA HAS much to recommend it as a cycling destination – quaint villages, medieval churches, wildlife-rich fenland… and it’s flat! This guide contains 21 rides across Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire. Directions are concise and comprehensive, and details on where to eat and how to get to your chosen route are included. The book is small enough to tuck in a jersey pocket, but this means the maps are small too. However, QR codes for Komoot routes are included, so you can have them on your phone or bike computer. Rebecca Armstrong
Details Where: Scottish islands Start/finish: Isle of Arran to Isle of Lewis Distance: 650km Photos: Neil Russell & Jess Paul
Top: Neil and Buster nr Balliekine, Isle of Arran Bottom: Bay of Small Isles, Isle of Jura
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HEBRIDES BY HAND
G R E AT R I D E S
NEIL RUSSELL Neil took up handcycling after entering a paratriathlon. He hated the swimming and wheelchair racing but loved the cycling section
Great Rides
HEBRIDES BY HAND
Cycling UK member Neil Russell spent May exploring the islands off the west coast of Scotland on his electric-assist handcycle
“T
hose 30mph winds last night were pretty impressive!” I said to the campsite owner on the Isle of Coll as we packed up our tent. There had been little shelter from the gusts: the island’s landscape is beautiful and rugged but wide open. “Well, the forecast is for 50mph winds on Tiree for the next couple of days,” he replied, with a look of concern. Tiree was the next island on our trip, and the one we were getting the ferry to in the next hour. The islands off the west coast of Scotland are renowned for their azure waters, brilliant white sands, and communities of warm and welcoming people. When the weather is equally hospitable, there are spectacular views from quiet roads and endless opportunities for adventure. It’s no wonder that so many cyclists visit. Unfortunately the weather wasn’t particularly warm or welcoming for my own handcycling tour. That wind! Nonetheless, as a wheelchair user and adaptive rider who continues to explore the opportunities and freedom that handcycling returns to me, it promised to be the trip of a lifetime. I’d be exploring from Arran up to the Isle of Lewis, and seeing my homeland in a way that few adaptive riders have done before. Unsupported long-distance bikepacking is a logistical challenge I’ve yet to master, as it requires the transportation of a wheelchair as well as a whole host of other additional gear. So I was
The islands off the west coast of Scotland are renowned for their azure waters, brilliant white sands, and welcoming people
lucky to rope in two family members to drive a support vehicle. My partner, Jess, joined me for the first leg of the trip. After driving up from our home in North Wales, she accompanied me across Arran, Gigha, Islay, Jura, and Mull. My dad, Ken, took over the baton as driver for the second part of the trip through Coll, Tiree, Barra and Vatersay, and all the way up the Hebridean Way before our return to the mainland at Ullapool. Despite their support, it was a little daunting to tackle an adventure of this length. “However things pan out,” I told myself, “it’ll all be fine.”
CHIMING WITH THE ARRAN BELLES We couldn’t have asked for a more welcoming start to the trip than meeting with Janice and Murray on arrival to Arran. Janice had kindly offered to meet with us and give us a place to unload and put together my handcycle before starting the journey. After a good chat about our shared love of cycling and all it offers over a glass of Scottish blend, we set off to meet up with more members of the Isle of Arran Belles. This all-ladies cycling group not only guided me around the south of Arran from Brodick but also provided us with the loveliest lunch and conversation. They set the bar very high on day one. I always like to talk with other cyclists, often informing them about adaptive riding. So it was
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Feature
YOU’RE WELCOME SAM JONES
Cycling UK’s communications and media manager
EVERYONE WINS WHEN LOCAL BUSINESSES GO THE EXTRA MILE FOR CYCLISTS. SAM JONES INTRODUCES CYCLING UK’S CYCLE FRIENDLY PLACES PROGRAMME
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C YCLE TO U R I S M
F E ATU R E
T
he air was brisk and my fingers felt the nip of winter from aluminium brake levers. Pedalling pal Ian and I were 20 miles into a loop around the Surrey countryside near Frensham. Wondering where to stop for a bite, I spotted a sign on the trail pointing into what looked like a farmyard. We’d stumbled upon Craft Brews UK, a local brewery based in a Countryside Restoration Trust property, Pierrepont Farm. Soon we were warmly welcomed by the proprietor and placed by the open fire with a beer and some cake, our bikes in easy sight – alongside others. Clearly we weren’t the first cyclists to pass this way. Master brewer Joe Wood told us that he’d come to appreciate the trade from passing off-road riders, which had risen sharply since 2020. Craft Brews sits right on Cycling UK’s popular King Alfred’s Way (KAW) bikepacking
route, which we launched that year. “We love the camaraderie of the cycling community,” Joe said. “Their presence all adds to the vibe and helps bring the brewery alive.” The patio outside the brewery now features fingerposts telling you how far it is to Winchester, the start and finish of the route (97km or 253km away, depending on direction – see cyclinguk.org/ kingalfredsway). There’s secure cycle parking for responsible riders who have one too many and take a taxi home rather than riding while under the influence. When Ian and I told him we were from the charity behind the route, Joe couldn’t
BREWER JOE WOOD SAID HE APPRECIATED THE TRADE FROM PASSING OFF-ROAD RIDERS
thank us enough for including Craft Brews on the route. His genuineness was as warming as the fire, and we could have happily stayed longer to talk about beer and bikes if we’d had the time.
KING ALFRED’S WHEY As it was, we set off again. We hadn’t gone 20 metres before we were whey-laid [sic] by another sight: an artisan cheese maker on the same site. John Brown from Cheese on the Wey was offering samples, and seeing our bikes gave us a piece of the cheese he’d made to commemorate KAW: King Alfred’s Yellow Jersey. This puntastic celebration of curds and cycling was made from the milk of Jersey cows, and he couldn’t think of a more apt name given the flow of bikepackers he’d witnessed along the new route. We enjoyed the samples and loaded our saddlebags with more to be savoured at home.
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Main photo: pub in Wycoller, Lancs, by Joolze Dymond. Others this page: Sam Jones
Pierrepont Farm, Surrey: real ale and artisan cheese alongside KAW
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CYCLOPEDIA
w o h w o Kn Headwear
How to wear a cycle helmet (if you choose to)
Photo: trekbikes.com
Making sense of commonly misunderstood subjects
Care & replacement
I
n short: not on the back of your head like a bonnet or with loose straps. To work as intended in a fall from your bike, a helmet needs to fit correctly, be adjusted correctly, and be worn correctly.
THE RIGHT SIZE Cycle helmets generally come in only a handful of sizes: one or two children’s sizes, for example, or small, medium, and large adult sizes. Each will have a range in centimetres, showing the head circumferences it should accommodate. Measure your head before going to the shop. Hold the tape horizontally around your head, above your ears and eyebrows. Your head is probably 50-something centimetres, with men having larger heads than women on average. Try on helmets at the shop. The most comfortable may be a size up – or a different model entirely – because different designs suit different head shapes, some fitting rounder heads best, others longer heads. Men’s and women’s helmets may look different (for which you can thank the brand’s marketing department) but the only real difference is that the S/M/L size bands for women’s models may be smaller. Get whichever fits best, regardless of its supposed gender. If you have a particularly large head (over 60cm), try Bontrager: its helmet sizes go up to 66cm.
ADJUSTING THE FIT There may be a choice of foam pads to fine tune fit and comfort. Most helmets have a strap that cradles that back of the head, adjustable via a ratchet or dial. Adjust it until the helmet feels snug but not uncomfortable. Leave the chin strap undone for now. Shake your head from side to side, like you're indicating “no”. The helmet should
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DAN JOYCE Dan sometimes wears a helmet, which seems to annoy everyone
Heads don’t come in just three sizes. Adjust those straps
move with your head and not come loose. Then bend over gently so the top of your head is pointing at the floor. Even with the chinstrap undone, the helmet should be snug enough that it stays on.
HOW TO WEAR IT The brim of the helmet should be no more than a couple of fingers’ width above your eyebrows. If your forehead is exposed, it’s unprotected. Finally adjust the chin strap. The twin straps at each side should meet in a V under your earlobes. The strap under your chin should be loose enough that you can yawn comfortably but snug enough that you can get only a finger or two underneath. It may take a while to sort this out, as you faff with sliders and strap lengths. Take this time. Be aware that the straps can work loose over time, so you may need to readjust them later.
ACCESSORIES A cycling cap or a stretchy snood will fit fine under most helmets. You may need to adjust the chin strap and probably will need to adjust the rear ratchet strap. Anything fitted to the exterior of a helmet must be able to snap free instantly in the event of a crash. Visors are designed to do this. Lights and cameras may not be. If they snag the ground or road, your head could be spun around, exacerbating (or causing) neck injuries or rotational brain injuries.
The foam pads in helmets absorb sweat. Take them out and handwash them if they start to niff, or put them in a mesh bag in the washing machine. If the helmet itself gets dirty, you can handwash it tepid water. Let it dry out naturally. Cycle helmets are designed to crumple. If you have a fall and bang it, you should replace it. Even if it’s not visibly damaged there may be hairline cracks. Some manufacturers have a crash-replacement policy; ask about this at the shop. Even if you don’t crash your helmet it will have a limited lifespan, due to sweat, sunlight, and general wear and tear. Manufacturers suggest a use-life of three to five years – a fair guideline.
Helmet policy Cycling UK has a prochoice policy on helmet use and campaigns against compulsion. See cyclinguk.org/helmets
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BIKE TEST
CARBON ROAD BIKES
Biketest
LIZ COLEBROOK Liz holds the brazing torch at Beaumont Bicycle and is a qualified occupational therapist
Not carbon copies
Spend £2k on an endurance road bike and you can expect carbon fibre. Liz Colebrook tests women’sspecific models from Decathlon and Cube
B
oth of these road bikes are designed for women. The Van Rysel is also designed by women. Whether women need a women’sspecific bike is a moot point: see cyclinguk. org/article/cycling-guide/women-need-womenspecific-bikes. The last time I reviewed one, the women’s-specific aspect amounted to a change of handlebar, saddle, and colour. I was curious what differences these two would exhibit. They’re both ‘endurance’ road bikes. The industry is always inventing new names but I like ‘endurance’; it’s more obvious than ‘sportive’. Essentially, such bikes are designed to offer more comfort without compromising much on the aerodynamics and weight. So you can expect a slightly higher handlebar position, lightweight wheels, and a super-light, shortwheelbase frameset. Van Rysel is Decathlon’s relatively new performance brand. The name means ‘from Lille’, paying homage to Decathlon’s HQ in French Flanders, near the border with Belgium. There are two women’s-specific Van
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Rysel road bikes: the aluminium Women’s Road Bike EDR AF 105 (£849.99) and this, the carbon Women’s Van Rysel EDR Carbon Disc 105 (£2,299.99). Cube’s Axial WS GTC Pro (£2,049) is one of six women’s-specific road bikes designed by the German brand. As with Van Rysel, the less expensive models – such as the entry-level Axial WS (£949) – are aluminium rather than carbon.
Frame & fork The science of carbon fibre is complex. Basically, carbon fibres are layered to dissipate riding stresses while optimising strength and stiffness where they’re needed. The design process is heavily computerised and the high construction costs reflect bicycle designer Keith Bontrager’s well-known maxim: “strong, light, cheap – pick two”.
CARBON ROAD BIKES
BIKE TEST
First look
Lightweight and sporty for a ‘budget’ carbon bike, thanks largely to its lighter wheelset
Carbon's high construction costs reflect Keith Bontrager’s maxim: “strong, light, cheap – pick two"
Tech Spec
DECATHLON WOMEN’S VAN RYSEL EDR CARBON DISC 105
Carbon frames can The Cube has a wide fracture dramatically protective strip under in a collision where an the down tube to limit aluminium or steel frame potential damage to the would crumple or bend. frame from stones flying But in the normal course up from the road. It’s of events, where the a small but important stresses are predictable, a detail on a carbon bike. carbon frame and fork can Meanwhile, Decathlon have a better strength-tohelpfully provides an weight ratio than any metal Allen key torque wrench frame yet still dissipate with the bike so you can some road vibration. This tighten any bolts that clamp (potential) combination of onto carbon – such as the performance and comfort stem – just right. Top: An 11-32 cassette is fine, given the bike’s low weight helps explain why carbon Neither bike is designed Bottom: The full carbon fork fibre is the dominant for conventional frameunderscores the Van Rysel’s material for higher-end fitting mudguards. The sporty aspirations: it won’t take a conventional mudguard road bikes – including Cube can be equipped or a tyre bigger than 25mm endurance ones. with the brand’s Cubeguard Both the Cube Axial Attain Disc guards, while and the Decathlon Van the Van Rysel would Rysel feature a full carbon frame and require SKS Raceblade Long or Crud fork. The Cube is a kilogramme heavier Roadracer guards. overall than the Van Rysel, mostly due to Components variances in the wheels rather than the Both bikes feature Shimano’s 105 frames. The other significant difference groupset but the spec isn’t identical. The is the sizing availability: the Van Rysel Van Rysel has a 140mm rear disc rotor, seems only to be stocked in XS and S which makes sense for small-to-medium sizes (although XXS is listed), whereas riders and saves weight. The Cube the Cube is offered in a full range of employs Shimano’s hydraulic 105 brake sizes. This may be a result of production levers for smaller hands – commendable problems stemming from recent upsets in on a women’s-specific bike. global manufacturing and transportation.
cassette. Shimano R7000 STI shifters, rear derailleur and ‘braze-on’ front derailleur. 22 ratios, 28-122in. Braking: Shimano hydraulic R7000 STI levers, R7070 callipers, Shimano Centerlock rotors (160mm front, 140mm rear). Steering & seating: Van Rysel Racing aluminium handlebar, 80mm Van Rysel Racing stem, integrated threadless stem, carbon spacers. Van Rysel Ergofit women's saddle, 27.2×350mm Van Rysel seatpost, Allenbolt seatpost clamp. Equipment: tools for assembly, battery lights, bell, pair of tubeless valves. decathlon.co.uk
Price: £2,299.99 Sizes: XXS (not currently available), XS, S (tested) Weight: 8.2kg (18lb) Frame & fork: high-modulus carbon fibre frame with pressfit bottom bracket, 142×12mm dropouts, and fittings for flat mount brake and two bottles. Full carbon fork with tapered steerer and 100×12mm dropouts. Wheels: 25-622 Hutchinson Fusion 5 Performance tyres on Fulcrum Racing 700 DB tubeless-ready wheels. Transmission: basic resin pedals with toe-clips, Shimano 105 R7000 chainset (50-34t, 170mm), 86mm pressfit bottom bracket, KMC X11 chain, Shimano R7000 11-32t
Dimensions in millimetres and degrees
647 543 73.5˚
770 47
55
142
408
585 73˚
52
505
680
170
270
622 25
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GROUPTEST
H A N D LEB A R PACKS
Details
WHAT TO LOOK FOR
1
Capacity
We’ve tested smaller bags from 9-litres volume and up, but most have 12-15L or larger siblings. Watch out for handlebar space with those.
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Grouptest
Bikepacking bar rolls Soft bags that strap to the handlebar have become a staple for bikepacking off-road. Guy Kesteven tests four models
T GUY KESTEVEN Guy has been a bike tester for 25 years. He’s a freelance technical editor for paper and online media and talks to himself while riding bikes at YouTube/ GuyKesTV
raditional handlebar bags have been popular for day rides and touring for years due to their ‘under your nose’ convenience, easy-to-organise box design, and their capacity to accommodate maps and light mounts. They’re rattly on rough ground without a support frame, however, and their boxy, lidded construction can make them hard to stuff bulky gear into. That’s where stuffsack-style bar rolls come in. Perfect for cramming with bulky but light kit like sleeping bags, bivvy bags and down jackets, their soft, rounded design can also strap directly onto the handlebar to keep them more stable and quieter. If you’re going far enough, fast enough then they’re arguably more aerodynamic than traditional bar bags as well. Different sizing, strapping, weatherproofing and accessorising priorities mean that choosing the right one for your bikepacking needs isn’t always easy. Hopefully this test of four medium-capacity, standard drop-bar-compatible bags will help.
Mount
Direct strapon mounts are the simplest but leave no room for hands on the bar centre and are more likely to rub on cables/frames. That’s why many designs/riders use soft spacer blocks to give a grip gap.
3
Harness or all in one?
All-in-one, direct-strap designs are the most weight/bulk efficient. A separate harness/ holster/hod can be left on the bike while
2
the bag goes walkies with you, however.
4
Weather Resistance
Finding your warm layers have got wet while you’re riding is a potentially dangerous disaster. Look very closely at what the waterproof/water resistant descriptions actually mean. If in doubt, double bag.
5
Durability
Bar rolls don’t get as filthy and rubbed up the wrong way as seat packs, but anything sawing around on your bike on rough terrain can wear. Grapevine recommendations count for a lot, but it’s worth buying from a company with a good warranty service as well.
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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
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Blue skies on the Isle of Harris
Cathedral visit logged
Island hopping
England
Pilgrims’ progress The Cathedrals Cycle Route takes you more than 1,800 miles across England. Maria and Jim Frazer are riding it bit by bit
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he Cathedrals Cycle Route (CCR) was exactly the challenge we’d been looking for. We’d read about it on the Cycling UK website just before Bike Week 2021: a 1,800-mile route visiting each of the 42 Church of England cathedrals. My husband Jim and I love bike touring, history, and adventure. Before lockdown we’d finished all 214 Wainwrights in the Lake District and we were looking for a new outdoor project. The CCR ticked all the boxes for us. The inaugural ride started from Newcastle Cathedral, just 12 miles up the Tyne from our home on the coast, on the same day that we’d pledged to do a ride for Bike Week. We witnessed the CCR’s ‘grand depart’, spoke to the route’s instigator, chatted to the participants – and felt huge pangs of envy. We followed on the back of the small peloton of riders as they crossed the Tyne, heading south – next stop, Durham Cathedral – and we swore we’d do this route. We’ve so far covered 250 miles in two short four-day trips, visiting 11 cathedrals between Newcastle and Lincoln (we include the Roman Catholic ones as well on our travels),
Scotland
using the train to take us back to where we left off last time. We are about to embark on our next segment: Lincoln to Norwich. We’ve had so much fun being ‘pedal pilgrims’, meeting many people en route who want to share stories, visiting places we’ve never been to before, experiencing the grandeur and history of the cathedrals, marvelling at the diversity of nature along the fantastic route, and rejoicing in our bikes. It’s an amazing ride. You can do as much or as little as you like, starting from anywhere in England. Download the route, pack your Pilgrim Passport and get pedalling! cyclinguk.org/cathedrals-cycleroute-challenge
Chesterfield Canal towpath, nr Worksop
Sandy D Franklin toured the Inner and Outer Hebrides in blazing sunshine WHEN YOU NEED to slow your world down, what better way than a tour of the Hebrides? Starting on Arran, my spirits soared as we cycled over The String Road from Brodick to Pirnmill. A curlew called. Gigha was next, wild camping at the southernmost point with a stunning sunset behind the Paps of Jura. The next morning was wet but by the time we’d cycled to Kennacraig for the ferry to Islay the sun had lit up the landscape. The next day we cycled out to the Oa peninsula and watched a golden eagle landing on a nearby crag. We camped on a windy knoll by Port Mòr on Colonsay. Seals sang, a hen harrier flew over, and the moon cast its beam over the sea. The tides were right to wade across to Oransay where we hoped to find corncrakes. But, as with our next island, Coll, we did not get to see or hear them. Neighbouring Tiree was full of surfers in this year of the staycation. On the ferry to Barra we spotted dolphins, porpoise, a minke whale, and rafts of seabirds. I can’t imagine experiencing such superb weather in the islands again. It was perfect for a boat trip to the uninhabited island of Mingulay, which is similar to St Kilda. Cycling north through the Outer Isles, the islands were ablaze with heather in bloom. Eriskay, bathed in sunshine, looked more Greek than Hebridean. We battled a headwind through South Uist and Benbecula, then experienced cloudless skies and more sparkling seas on North Uist, Harris, and Lewis. Finally, we sailed from Stornoway to Ullapool, not wanting to leave.
C YC L I NGUK . O RG
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