Cycle Commuter issue 4 by Cyclescheme

Anatomy of a bike shop ● Muddle-free maintenance ● Upgrade your bike skills ● Essential kit Spring/Summer 2010 Issue #4 £1.95 where sold

54 Featuring

top cycling products

Improve

your life

● How pedal power can

make your world better ● Why the future’s bright for cycling

Spring into action! ● Tested: 4 bikes

for your perfect commute

Inside this issue... Your guide to... Bags Racks Jackets Lights Helmets Locks

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*Mixer

Tange Prestige double butted cro-mo frame | Eccentric BB | Charge Whisk disc Prestige cro-mo fork | Shimano Alfine 8 speed hub gear Shimano Alfine Hollow Tech II crankset Shimano hydraulic disc brakes | Continental City contact tyres

*Galvanised Mixer RRP: ÂŁ919.99 ( Black Mixer ÂŁ899.99)

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contents Issue 4

Spring/Summer 2010

Bikes tested

All about... 5

Welcome to Cyclescheme

Cyclescheme FAQs

How Cyclescheme works, who’s eligible to take part, and how you go about getting the bike We answer the most frequently asked questions so you know everything you need to know

Features

How cycling will improve your life

Pedal power will make your world better, and you along with it...

30 26

The future’s bright for biking

Why cycling to work puts you at the heart of a two-wheeled revolution

20 Specialized Globe Live 1

30 Birdy C2W

40 Marin Novato

48 Land Rover Commute 6.9

This simple, traditional-style utility bike is ideal for your daily commute

Meet a smooth and slick urban mountain bike that’s tough enough to handle life on the streets

A solidly built and dependable utility machine for getting the commuting miles in

Bringing you the very best cycling gear for your daily commute and beyond…

Essentials

Bags

Racks

We give you the lowdown on the bike kit you just can’t do without How to choose what’s right for you Four of the best racks on the market

Muddle-free maintenance

Workshop mechanic Mike shows you the quick and easy way to solve the two most common bike problems

Stuff

Anatomy of a bike shop

Getting a bike through Cyclescheme means getting to know your local bike shop. Here’s what you’ll see there...

If you’re looking for a folder that rides as well as a standard bike, this could be the perfect choice

Top products & essential kit 12

Upgrade your bike skills How to get the cycle training you need to ride confidently and expertly in traffic...

Produced, designed and published for Cyclescheme by Farrelly Atkinson www.f-at.co.uk Prices correct at time of going to press. E&OE. All content © Cyclescheme 2010

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Frame: Lightweight alloy with Dynamism custom tubing Forks: Carbon blades Sizes: 18” 20” 22” Tech: 27 speed Shimano Deore gears, Alex Ace19 double wall rims, Schwalbe City Plus tyres, Dawes custom saddle, Shimano V-brakes and alloy pedals.

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cann

Welcome

Cyclescheme is the UK’s number one provider of tax-free bikes for the Government’s Cycle to Work initiative We oﬀer big savings on the best bikes and safety equipment. Dealing with Cyclescheme’s network of over 1,500+ local bike shops also gives you the best experience, with the expert personal service, convenience and choice that larger multiple retailers just can’t match.

About Cyclescheme...

he Cycle to Work Initiative is a salary sacrifice scheme which gives you the chance to save on the cost of a new bike as well as security and safety equipment to go with it. The way salary sacrifice schemes work is that you give up part of your salary and receive an equivalent benefit that is exempt from Income Tax and National Insurance. What does this mean in practice? Well, technically it’s your employer who buys the bike. You hire the bike and equipment from your employer, and you pay back the cost of the bike from your gross salary. You save on Tax and NI payments, saving you money over the hire period. VAT can also be claimed back, and this saving is usually passed on by employers, unless they are not able to – for example in the case of universities and NHS trusts. Cyclescheme has partnered with over 1,500+ independent bike shops throughout the UK giving you access to a massive amount of choice and

The Cycle to Work Initiative is a salary sacriﬁce scheme which gives you the chance to save on the cost of a new bike as well as security and safety equipment to go with it. expert advice on equipment selection. To locate your local store go to www.cyclescheme.co.uk and use the postcode store locator. You are not limited to any brand of bike or equipment and so you can choose the best for quality and value for money. This results in the best package of bike and safety equipment for you. Cyclescheme runs schemes with the Department of Transport, Office of Fair Trading and Department of Health, as well as scores of police forces, councils, universities and blue chip companies. Hire agreements are written entirely in accordance with government guidelines and this service is free to employers, including promotional literature and roadshows.

Who’s it for? Want to take part? Great! If you’ve received this mag from your employer then they’re probably already running a scheme, so things should be straightforward. There are some limits as to who can take advantage of the tax breaks, though. The most important ones are:

• • • •

The scheme is open to all full, parttime and contract staff whose term of employment is more than the period of the hire (12 months) You need to be a UK taxpayer via the PAYE system You need to be 18 years of age or over to comply with Consumer Credit Act legislation You need to be earning more than the National Minimum Wage after your wages have been reduced to comply with UK tax law

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Spring/Summer 2010

FAQ...

Common questions about the scheme answered by our Cyclescheme experts...

Q A

How do I save money through the scheme? The savings are made because salary sacrifice reduces your gross salary before any tax or NI has been deducted - so the amount of tax and NI paid is less than usual. Employers who are able to offer VAT savings to their employees further contribute to the total savings of up to 50%.

Q A

How often does the bike have to be used for work? There is no requirement for you to cycle to work for a specified number of days throughout the year and there is no special requirement for you to record your trips. You can also use the bike for leisure at weekends and on holiday, although a bike purchased under Cyclescheme should be ridden for at least 50% of time during trips to work. The Inland Revenue does not expect you or your employer to keep a record of mileage.

What happens at the end of the hire period? Why can’t my employer just give me the bike at the end of the scheme? It’s your employer’s choice at the end of the hire period whether they opt to sell you the bike. Typically your employer will give you the option to buy the bike at market value: this is the amount that a willing buyer would pay to a willing seller, in this case to transfer the ownership of the bike to the employee. In our experience the market shows values of these types of bikes and equipment to be around 5% of the original retail value after 12 months. Please note that such practices and expectations are merely indications based on historical factors and cannot be guaranteed. This market value payment is essential if the you are to legitimately own the bike after receiving tax benefits throughout the hire period. The market value amount cannot be stated before or during the hire period as this could be considered a benefit in kind, which does not warrant any tax-relief.

Q A

Can my employer pass on VAT savings? For employers who are VAT registered it may be possible for savings to be passed on to employees. Organisations such as financial institutions, charities and NHS trusts are usually unable to take advantage of VAT savings.

Q A

Does my employer require a Standard Consumer Credit Licence? The Government has issued a blanket consumer credit licence to all participating employers buying bike

Pedalling facts

An airbag system to help protect cyclists will go on trial in Amsterdam this autumn. The airbag is mounted on the outside of cars with sensors to identify when a cyclist is present and anticipate a collision. At that point, the airbag is deployed, providing a cushion for the cyclist’s head to reduce impact and, by extension, the number and severity of injuries.

packages up to £1000 including VAT. When you sign the Hire Agreement, the resulting relationship is defined under the terms and conditions of the Consumer Credit Act 1974. If your employer wishes to supply bikes over £1000 then they will need to buy an individual consumer credit licence from the OFT, which takes around six weeks to come through and lasts for five years.

Q A

Who’s responsible for the bike during the hire period? What happens if it gets stolen? You’re responsible for maintaining the bike while you’re using it; it’s a condition of the hire agreement that you’ll sign. It’s definitely worth investing in a Sold Secure lock and insurance because if the bike gets stolen you’ll have to repay your employer from your net pay, without any tax savings.

Q A

Can I get a sale bike through the scheme? Bike shops pay a small commission to Cyclescheme when they supply a bike. If a bike shop has marked a bike down in the sale then they may wish to add a small surcharge if they supply it through the scheme. This is only permitted if made clear to the customer before a quotation form is completed.

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Spring/Summer 2010

News

Maps of the future

Beauty and The Bike

n initiative in York is bringing bicycles and beauty products together to highlight and break down some of the barriers that prevent young women from cycling. Schoolgirls from primary and secondary schools across the city are being encouraged to get riding through the initiative, called Beauty and The Bike, which is being run by sustainable transport charity Sustrans with the help of female cycling trainers from Cycling City York and

staff from the city’s Lush cosmetics store. Girls taking part attend three sessions addressing issues including the health and fitness benefits of cycling and how to look good while keeping safe on the bike. Participants are given goody bags containing free ethical beauty products and also undertake natural beauty sessions, as well as learning basic bicycle maintenance skills, getting refresher cycle training and drawing up their own bike routes for a guided ride into the city centre.

600,000 miles and counting...

pensioner from Surrey has clocked up more than 600,000 miles – that’s equivalent to going round the globe around 24 times – over the past five decades. Former hospital worker Sue Swetman, from Epsom, took up cycling at the age of 13, admits she is “not very good at sitting down” and rides she has completed include Land’s End to John O’Groats and an 800-mile journey down the West Coast of the USA. She has also cycled around France and New Zealand but most of the 609,721 miles she has ridden, recorded in a series of

diaries, have mainly been as a result of local leisure rides, rather than endurance events. Mrs Swetman, who continues to ride with her husband Pete, who is himself likely to break the 400,000-mile barrier this year, said: “When I was younger we would be able to go on holiday and rack up 1,000 miles in a fortnight. These days we struggle to reach 10,000 miles in a year, but we don’t do it to reach a target mileage. The cycling is just part of my way of life. It is something I started doing with my family at a young age and something I still do, and happen to still really enjoy.”

Blogger Andreas Kambanis is using his London Cyclist blogspot to promote a downloadable book featuring 25 great London cycle routes. Andreas has put the eBook together with his specialist knowledge of the capital and the routes can be enjoyed by all types of riders. The eBook has easy-to-follow directions with colour maps and GPS coordinates, and there are mountain biking routes, greenways, towpaths and other paths that are a pleasure to cycle down. “I love my freedom, and with an eBook I can add cool extras such as the GPS coordinates. One of the really big benefits is that you can print off any pages you need to take with you on your cycling instead of having to carry a bulky book. An eBook also means I’m able to send free updates. After all why should you have to pay again when a new version comes out?” go to www.londoncyclist.co.uk/ routes/london-cycle-routes-book for more details.

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News

Off the rails!

ew Zealand has gained a bit of a reputation for developing new ways of getting around while getting a thrill in the process, whether that be using a bungee rope to execute a 140-foot vertical drop off the Kawarau Bridge, or tucking yourself inside a Zorb sphere to roll downhill. Now, a Kiwi cyclist has developed a human-powered monorail system based around a recumbent bicycle and a 200-metre track in Rotorua, North Island that showcases the concept. It is reportedly pulling in crowds of visitors eager to try it out for themselves. Called the Shweeb – the name is derived from the German verb ‘schweben’, which means ‘to float’ or ‘suspend’ – its inventor, Geoffrey Barnet, hopes that the concept may provide a solution for people looking to get around congested cities. Mr Barnett hit upon the idea when he was living in Tokyo and worked on

Pedalling facts

The German government allegedly asked groups of Hitler Youth cyclists on pre-war cycling tours of Britain to memorise their surroundings while abroad, according to recently released MI5 documents. “Make a note of the names of places, rivers, seas and mountains,” it read. “Perhaps you may be able to utilise these sometime for the benefit of the Fatherland.”

the concept for four years before opening the track in Rotorua in 2007. He explains: “I came up with the idea of a bicycle monorail network while teaching a class in which the topic for discussion was transport solutions. The idea of riding above the traffic jams on multi-level rails seemed the only way that Tokyo’s millions of residents could move around the city quickly and safely. It had the added advantages of being environmentally friendly and offering a workout.” If the video posted on the website at www.schweeb. com is anything to go by, it’s a lot of fun to use and provides a unique perspective on getting around, even if it does perhaps look a little like something out of a 1950s sci-fi movie, or a James Bond villain’s lair. The designer believes that as well as being a fun tourist attraction, the Shweeb could provide an ideal solution to getting around facilities such as parks and university campuses, and for crossing rivers.

Cyclescheme joins the Grass Roots Group

Cyclescheme directors Gary Cooper (front) and Richard Grigsby

Cyclescheme has become a part of the Grass Roots Group, a business services company that offers a broad range of employee benefits. Cyclescheme founders Richard Grigsby and Gary Cooper, both avid cyclists, successfully ran their own bicycle shop in Bath when persistent attempts to join a nationwide Cycle to Work provider proved futile. Their response was to start their own scheme, which has grown to such an extent that the Sunday Times, in its Fast Track 100 report last year, listed Cyclescheme as the no. 1 fastest growing private company in the UK. “I’m delighted that Richard and Gary have chosen to join the Grass Roots family”, commented Grass Roots Group CEO David Evans. “There is a strong sense of shared values. They have immense passion for what they do and a great team of people that have followed their vision. This is a first class business with great scope for future development. It’s a hugely exciting moment for all of us.” Richard Grigsby echoed similar sentiments: “Gary and I felt the time was right to become part of a larger business, providing we could find one which shared a similar ethos. We have known Grass Roots since our conception and they know us very well. The Cyclescheme team will remain in Bath, with Gary and I continuing to work as Directors. Grass Roots Group are celebrating 30 years in employee benefits provision and Cyclescheme will now benefit from this vast experience”. www.cyclescheme.co.uk 9

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Spring/Summer 2010

Cycling celebs pedal their way to £1 million

avid Walliams and a crack team of cycling celebrities raised £1 million for Sport Relief this year with a relay ride from John O’Groats to Land’s end. The team of Walliams, Fearne Cotton, Miranda Hart, Patrick Kielty, Russell Howard, Davina McCall and Jimmy Carr had to cope with high winds, icy roads, a blizzard and temperatures well below freezing as they battled across Britain. The ride got off to a bad start for poor Miranda Hart, who suffered a fall even before the group had moved off to ride the first hour together. Typically the worst that’s likely to happen is that your tumble might have been watched by some passing schoolkids so just imagine how much worse the embarrassment must be when it’s caught by a phalanx of press photographers, with a TV film crew getting in your face to capture it on film as well. Then, add to that the fact that most of your riding companions for the next few days are professional comedians – you have to feel

for her. Following the rollout, Walliams took up the challenge by himself, with his co-riders taking shelter in the accompanying bus while awaiting their own turns in the relay. In Fearne Cotton’s case, that would revolve around her riding through a snowstorm and having to stop to fix a puncture to boot, while Patrick Kielty could point towards his “mangled” bike after coming off, although he completed his stint and a subsequent one during the night that took him

The team’s achievement is particularly impressive when you consider that not only is this a group of novice cyclists, but they were also riding against the prevailing winds through Glencoe with his water bottle freezing as the thermometer hit 15 below. Davina McCall undertook one two-hour turn with the temperature never getting above minus ten Centigrade, so cold that it forced one of the experienced outriders to abandon after he stopped being able to feel his tongue. Things got a bit easier as the group headed south but after several sleepless nights the challenge became as much a mental as a physical one. Fearne Cotton, who proved to be one of the

most adept riders among the celebrities, acknowledged how draining the ride had been. “We knew that we needed to try and keep something in reserve for the hills in Cornwall,” she said, “but to be honest I was just running on empty.” The team’s achievement is particularly impressive when you consider that not only is this a group of novice cyclists, but they were also riding the route the ‘wrong’ way, against the prevailing winds, and had to cope with the tail end of the most severe winter to have hit the UK in decades. Walliams undertook the final solo turn himself, heading towards the setting sun, and was joined for the last few miles to Land’s End by his team-mates. He said, “As much as I’ve grown to enjoy being woken up at 2am to go out and cycle up an enormous hill, I shan’t miss it. This has been really difficult.”

Pedalling facts

A disused electricity substation in York is being transformed into a bicycling hub for the city. The £270,000 project will will be operated by a charity which recycles bicycles and parts, and besides secure parking the building, which will be open six days a week, will have a sales area, workshop, café and washroom.

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Featuring an all-new AluxX alloy frameset, Seek is the future of the city bike. Practical, but fun. Brainy, but ready for adventure. Powerful disc brakes, fast-rolling tyres, durable frame guards and reďŹ&#x201A;ective styling for visibility set it apart from the crowd. Learn more about Giantâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s wide range of city bikes at giant-bicycles.com or visit us today at giant-stores.co.uk.

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Spring/Summer 2010

Stuff Bringing you the very best cycling gear for your daily commute and beyond…

Madison D’Arcs £29.99

Riding glasses aren’t just for posing in – they protect your peepers from the sun, wind, rain and any gunk that gets thrown up from the road. The grippy D’Arcs come with three different wraparound lenses to shield your eyes whatever the light conditions. www.madison.co.uk

Geax Pit Stop £10.99

This clever can fixes a flat in seconds. When you get a puncture – and, sooner or later, you will – whip out the Pit Stop and give it a blast. Abracadabra – the inner tube is sealed and re-inflated. www.geax.com

Foska Beanz road jersey £45

Foska don’t do dull jerseys – you can choose from many striking designs including Dennis the Menace, Popeye and even a map of the London Underground. The shortsleeve versions are made from breathable Coolmax in a slim but not too tight cut. www.foska.com

Altura Night Vision overtrousers £59.99

Stick these on over your everyday trousers and they’ll keep rain and road spray out a treat. The knees are articulated, the lower legs are adjustable so they don’t get tangled in your chain, and loads of reflective trim gets you noticed at night. www.zyro.co.uk

Shimano WM41 shoes £69.99

The cleats that attach these shoes to your pedals are recessed into the sole so you can walk in them without slipping when you get off the bike. This is a femalespecific fit but a men’s version is available too – the MT41. www.madison.co.uk

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Stuff

Fenwicks FS foaming degreaser £21.99

There’s no magic bullet for getting your bike shiny and clean and free of road grime, but this stuff is as close as you’ll get. Spray it on and it fizzes into every nook and cranny to lift out stubborn dirt and leave your bike looking like new. www.fenwicks.info

Ergon GP1 grips £21.99

If you get achy hands when using a flat handlebar or suffer from numb fingers, these grips will reduce the pressure by spreading your weight out over your palms. They come in two different sizes and clamp in place so there’s no slipping. www.ergon-bike.com

Specialized SpeedZone Sport computer £34.99

Track your speed and the distance you’ve ridden with this tough little computer. It’s easy to set up, the display is clear and the chunky buttons are simple to press even when you’re on the go. www. specialized.com

Electron Backupz USB rechargeable LED twin pack £34.99 Keep a set of these teeny lights in your bag just in case you get caught out in the dark. The front one comes with two bright LEDs, the rear one with four, they attach to your bike in seconds and you can recharge the batteries from your computer. www.madison.co.uk

Crank Bros Multi-17 tool £22.99

This handy little gizmo will get you out of all kinds of mechanical scrapes. It contains all the features you’re likely to need for getting to the end of your journey, including a chain tool and a spoke key, and it’s so light you’ll forget you’re carrying it. www.crankbrothers.com

Knog Ride Hard long gloves £33.99

These goatskin gloves cost a little more than normal but they’re worth it for the cool looks alone. Perfect to complete your urban hipster look. www.knog.com.au

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Spring/Summer 2010

Improve your life! How cycling will…

A bike isn’t just a mode of transport – it’s a life-changing machine. Here’s how pedal power will make your world better 16

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Beneﬁts of cycling

bike is a handy way of getting from A to B but it’s so much more than that too. Make the most of your bike and it’s a time-saving, stress-busting, fat-burning, health-boosting, environmentenhancing, fun-increasing, money-rescuing life improver.

Save money Have you ever totted up how much money you can save by commuting by bike? Say you ride five miles to work every day and five miles home again; in a 48-week year, allowing for holidays, that’s 2,400 miles. In fuel costs alone, that’s about £320 you’ve saved over a typical car. Plus, you’ve reduced the wear and tear on your vehicle, the 3,000-mile service comes around less quickly and the resale value is higher because you’ve got fewer miles on the clock. And you don’t need to factor in parking fees, the Congestion Charge or any of the other costs that driving inevitably attracts with agonizing regularity. Cycling saves you a fortune. Okay, you have running costs on a bike too, but we’re pretty confident that replacing a full set of brake pads on your car is going to set you back more than 20 quid. Cycling works out a whole lot cheaper than

public transport too. An annual Travelcard for zones 1-4 in London will cost you nearly £1,500. You could spend half of that on a good bike that’ll last you years and use the rest to treat yourself to a few days away. However you look at it, a bike is a sound investment that pays for itself in no time. You’re definitely better off cycling – ker-ching!

Cycling myths

Boost your health and ﬁtness Where do we start on the health and fitness benefits of cycling? Riding a bike will boost your physical condition in so many different ways, helping you look and feel better as well as improving your wellbeing. For a start, riding a bike will reduce your level of body fat– and who doesn’t want that? A half-hour commute at a moderate intensity might burn off 250 calories, maybe more – it depends on your size and exactly how hard you go. Do that regularly and keep your diet under control and you’ll soon start to drop excess weight. And it’s non-impact so your chances of picking up an injury are low. Cycling is a perfect way to improve your cardio-vascular health too – the functioning of your heart, lungs and circulatory system. Try this statistic on for size: cycling just 20 miles a week lowers your risk of heart disease to less than half that of someone who

Cycling is dangerous It simply isn’t. The statistics say that you’re more at risk as a pedestrian – and whoever thought of walking as a risky mode of transport?

You breathe in lots of fumes Nope, you actually breathe in less pollution when you’re cycling than you do when you’re driving.

You’ll get wet all the time Okay, you might occasionally get caught in the rain, but not as often as you think – once or twice a month on average. After a couple of times you realise that, as long as you’re prepared with decent waterproofs, it’s really not a problem.

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Spring/Summer 2010 takes no exercise. Like that one? It massively reduces your likelihood of developing high blood pressure and makes everyday activities easier too. On top of that, cycling will tone your working muscles, strengthen your immune system, increase your bone density, protect your joints, lower the risk of some cancers, make you look younger… You’re getting the message, right? Basically, cycling even short distances is fabulous news as far as your health and fitness is concerned.

Improve your mood Cycling can have a huge

positive influence on the way you feel. Evolution hasn’t prepared us for the fairly sedentary lifestyle that most of us lead – we’re simply not designed to be deskbound and function better when we’re more active. A moderate level of exercise improves your mood and self-esteem and helps reduce stress and even depression. “I find that getting on my bike first thing in the morning puts me in a better frame of mind for tackling the day,” says Steven Barnett, who has a halfhour commute to and from work in Liverpool. “It gives me

A moderate level of exercise improves your mood and self-esteem and helps reduce stress and even depression

a kick start so I don’t arrive at the office feeling lethargic. And my evening ride makes me think about something else as soon as I leave my desk, so I don’t take the stresses and strains of work home with me.” Cycling is enjoyable, pure and simple. That’s why you learnt to ride a bike when you were a child and why so many people spend their free time cycling. It’s fun – and that’s got to be a good thing.

Save time Commuting by bike can often save you a heap of time too. Okay, out on clear, open roads a bike is

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Benefits of cycling never going to be as fast as motorised transport but the tables are turned as soon as the traffic starts snarling up. “I commute by bike between Bath and Bristol, which is about 13 miles each way,” says John Andrews. “When I used to drive it I’d get held up in jams at both ends of the journey, then have the hassle of finding a parking space. On the bike I just ride past the hold-ups and that saves me loads of time.” Plus, time spent commuting in the car is dead time – you’re not getting a whole lot out of it. Commute by bike and you’re not just

getting to and from work, you’re exercising into the bargain, so you don’t need to spend valuable time in the evening at the gym or going out for a run. Cycling is the time-efficient option.

Improve the environment By riding a bike you’re doing your bit for the environment too. To begin with, manufacturing a bicycle takes a small fraction of the materials and the energy required to build a car. The resources needed to make one car can make somewhere between 70 and 100 bikes. And here’s the big one – road transport is the third largest source of greenhouse gases in the UK. Driving a car is the most air-polluting act most people ever commit whereas riding a bike makes no harmful emissions at all into the atmosphere so you’re taking big steps in helping to prevent global climate change. Bikes also take up far less room on the road, don’t contribute to noise pollution and require much less parking space. “We all need to do what we can to reduce pollution,” says Sheffield commuter Paul O’Leary. “Switching from the car to a bike for shorter journeys – whether that’s riding to work, the shops or visiting friends – makes so much sense for the planet.”

“I lost 17 stone by cycling to work” If you want some concrete proof of how cycling can improve your life, take a look at Gary Brennan. At the age of 28 Gary was 39 stone with a 68in waist and, not surprisingly, his health was suffering seriously – he had diabetes, high blood pressure and was inline for a gastric bypass operation. So Gary, of Hyde, Greater Manchester, got on his bike and started cycling the seven miles to and from work every day. "The first time, I was really scared the bike would just give way under me and I felt exhausted after just one mile,” said Gary. "It was painful, it was tiring, and it was pretty embarrassing as well, to be honest. A guy of my size trundling down the road at 10mph is never going to be a pretty sight.” Gary also cut back on the calories by ditching his crisps and fizzy drink diet, and within a year he had dropped a massive 17 stone (108kg) in bodyweight. "Without question, cycling has saved my life," Gary said. "If I hadn't started getting on the bike to work I wouldn't be here now. I feel amazing now - my health problems are gone and I can do so much more. I no longer need the gastric bypass that I was scheduled to have just 18 months ago." Gary won the Sporting Achievement award at Manchester City Council’s Be Proud awards last year.

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Spring/Summer 2010

in detail...

Bike test

Sling your bag on the front carrier for the trip to work, fill it with shopping for the ride home...

Specialized Body Geometry saddle is well padded and comfy

Other rated rides... Charge Lazy Susan £499.99

With full mudguards, lowmaintenance hub brakes and a rear rack that’s part of the alloy frame, the Lazy Susan is a practical bike as well as a good looking one. A men’s version, the Steamer, is available at the same price. www.chargebikes.com

Giant Tourer RS 1 £550

Giant’s new Tourer bikes are as suitable for urban commuting as they are for exploring far-flung lands. A suspension fork and seatpost add comfort while full mudguards, lights and a rack add practicality, and the 24-speed gearing should get you up pretty much any gradient. www.giant-bicycles.com

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On test...

Globe Live 1 £449.00

This simple, traditional-style utility bike is ideal for all sorts of trips around town, including your daily commute

lobe is a sub-brand of major US manufacturer Specialized with a range of urban bikes that combine function with a healthy dose of style. The singlespeed Live 1 is a versatile utility machine, the integrated basket up front coming in handy for all kinds of duties around town, including your journey to and from work. With a high front end and fairly short reach, the Globe puts you into a head-up ride position that’s ideal for scooting around in traffic, while the wide, swept-back bars

With just the one gear you’ve got no shifters or derailleurs to worry about and the rear brake is a coaster built into the hub so it’s well protected from the elements provide plenty of extra comfort and control. The steeply sloping top tube keeps the standover height low so getting your feet down in a hurry is never a problem and the overall weight is reasonable too. Where the Globe really scores, though, is in terms of practicality – it comes complete with a load of really useful features. Ready-fitted aluminium mudguards keep water and grime from spraying up from the tires and, while we’re on the subject, Specialized’s Flak Jacket punctureprotection technology will keep flats to a minimum. A chainguard stops your clothes getting caught up in the drivetrain, an alloy double kickstand comes in handy every time you stop, and that wooden-bottomed porteur basket at the front can carry loads up to 25kg (55lb) without any trouble. It sits on a rack that’s fixed directly onto a custom-forged fork crown so everything is perfectly stable,

Dawes Geneva £599.99

This aluminium bike is commuter-ready, coming with a rack, mudguards and a chainguard along with lights and even a frame lock. The adjustable stem allows you to fine-tune your ride position while the Shimano Nexus sevenspeed hub will provide masses of maintenance-free service. www.dawescycles.com

and if you need to carry even more than that, there are eyelets for fitting a rack at the rear too. Price: £449.00 Chances are that you won’t have Frame: Globe A1 Premium to spend too much time or money Aluminium cargo design, custom tubing with looking after the Live 1. With just mudguard and rack brazethe one gear you’ve got no shifters ons, integrated kickstand or derailleurs to worry about and mount Fork: Straight-blade the rear brake is a coaster built into aluminium fork with the hub so it’s well protected from basket/rack system the elements. The 36 spoke wheels Drivetrain: Sugino EX-1 crankset, singlespeed are strong enough to put up with Brakes: Alloy linear lots of use and abuse without pull front brake, coaster going out of true as well. rear brake The big-volume tyres smooth Wheels: 700c, Specialized Infinity tyres over cobbles and frost-damaged with Flak Jacket puncture road surfaces, and although saddle protection preference is a personal thing, Other: Globe porteur front rack/basket, Specialized’s Body Geometry Specialized Body Fitness is certainly a popular choice Geometry saddle, alloy – we’ve got no complaints at all in pedals, mudguards, kickstand terms of the Globe’s ride-quality. Sizes: S, M, L, XL If you live in a particularly hilly area or you have a long commute, you might yearn for gears – particularly if you’ve got the Live Standover height This is the 1 fully laden – but for distance between the ground and everyone else this the section of the top tube where is an appealing lowyou stand astride the bike. You need maintenance option at least an inch or two of clearance for everyday trips there or getting on and off can be around town. difficult and potentially dangerous. www.globebikes.com

Tech Specs

Jargon Buster

Cannondale Tesoro Light £899.99

Cannondale’s commuter-cumtourer can handle big loads and all weathers. With an upright ride position, swept back bars and a frame designed to reduce road vibration, it’s a comfortable steed while a spec that focuses on strength and reliability will stand the test of time. www.cannondale.com

www.cyclescheme.co.uk 21

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Spring/Summer 2010

Example

Package

Add safety equipment for the full bike-to-work experience!

£44 9.0 0

Glo be L ive 1

£64 .99

Altu www ra Night .zyro Visio .co.u k n Windp roof

99 £3ll C9iti .helmlmetets.com

D-lo .99 ramount £5uir4eUrbaneloPcaks.co.uk Sq w.squir ww

Be .bellhe www

Total retail price

£608.97

Example† Cyclescheme savings for basic and higher rate tax payers

Price† after savings for basic rate tax payer

£361.73

Price† after savings for higher rate tax payer

£309.31

Example savings This is an example† of how savings are made for basic and higher rate tax payers on this bike package hired over a 12 month period. †

At the end of the hire period, under a separate agreement, the ownership may be transferred to the hirer for a market value payment. Savings will be affected by your personal level of taxation. Not all employers can pass on VAT savings. Some employers use finance to purchase the bikes, which will affect savings.

Basic rate

Higher rate

20% Tax, 11% NI, 15% VAT

40% Tax, 1% NI, 15% VAT

Bike package retail price

£608.97

Bike package retail price

£608.97

Income tax, VAT & NI saved

£247.24

Income tax, VAT & NI saved

£299.66

Gross monthly repayments

£50.75

Gross monthly repayments

£50.75

Net monthly payments

£30.14

Net monthly payments

£25.78

Total cost of bike package

£361.73

Total cost of bike package

£309.31

cc04.bt-globe.dave1.indd 22

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Dahon commuter ad2a-w:Layout 1

16/2/10

11:10

Page 1

24”

Cadenza XL

20”

Briza D3

16”

Speed Pro TT

Curve D3

Ios XL

FOLD

26”

Just so many reasons to ride folding – save money, save space, save the environment Distributed in the UK by Zyro Ltd. Email: dahon@zyro.co.uk Full range on-line at www.zyro.co.uk from £399 SRP.

cc04.ads.indd 23

31/3/10 14:56:30

essentials Spring/Summer 2010

e kit you just can’t do without… We give you the lowdown on the bik

Helmets

Bash your bonce on hard tarmac and you’ll soon regret not wearing one...

Locks If you don’t lock a bike you’ll lose it soon enough. Invest in a decent one to keep the criminals at bay. Master Lock Street Fortum £30.49

This is the cheapest lock on the market with a Sold Secure Gold rating – Sold Secure being an independent test house that gives Bronze, Silver and Gold levels of approval based on a product’s resistance to theft. The Street Fortum features a 13mm-wide hardened-steel shackle, a dual lock and a high-security cylinder to keep a bike safe and it comes with a carrier bracket so it’s easy to mount on the frame when you’re riding. www.masterlock.com

Met Camaleonte £49.99

The lightweight Camaleonte is a comfortable urban helmet with a secure retention system that allows you to get the perfect fit in seconds – and the subtle style doesn’t leave you looking like you’ve just dropped off the back of the Tour de France. The visor is removable, taking the anti-allergic pads out for washing is simple, and the side-strap dividers are lockable so they never work loose. Reflective stickers around the back will help get you noticed in car headlights too. www.met-helmets.com

Kryptonite Modulus System cable lock £34.99

This new pack contains two braided steel cables that are each over a metre long so you can lock a bike to all kinds of large, immovable objects. The stainless steel cylinder has a weather guard to protect the internals while the bracket fits most frame tube shapes and sizes. www.kryptonite.com

Bell Citi £39.99

A simple dial at the back of this helmet tightens it comfortably in place while the detachable visor has a built-in gutter to stop rain dripping in your eyes. You can get an add-on rear-view mirror too. It’s available in a range of different colours, this one really standing out in the dark. www.bellhelmets.com

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Essential kit

Jackets

A breathable jacket cut for cycling is a must for allweather riding

Lights

A legal requirement after dark and a musthave for commuting

Cateye EL-320 & TL-610 £59.99

This simple setup whacks out a serious amount of power to keep you safe on the road. Although the front light uses just a single LED, it’s bright enough both to get you seen and to show the way for over 20 hours between battery changes, while five big LEDs keep you safe from behind and provide impressive side visibility too. This is a brilliant option for the money, in more ways than one. www.cateye.com

Endura Gridlock £49.99

The Gridlock is specifically designed with urban riding in mind. This midweight jacket is cut fairly slim to reduce flapping, the long arms and extended back keep you well covered and sealed seams lock the rain out. A fast-wicking mesh liner improves breathability while zipped vents under the arms provide extra temperature control. It’s available in a range of colours, including highvisibility yellow, and in both men’s and women’s models. www.endura.co.uk

Niterider UltraFazer 3.0 £27.99

This great value package from Niterider includes the excellent UltraFazer 3.0 front light and a TL5 rear light, both of which are well sealed against the elements and boast impressive run times. Side windows in the front light mean that you’re more visible to traffic at junctions too. www.niterider.com

Altura Night Vision Windproof £64.99

This stretchy windproof comes with acres of strategically placed reflective print. You even get a tab around the back for fitting a Night Vision Lightstick – a bright LED strip. The front panels stop cold air in its tracks and they’re water repellent too while the less exposed back adds breathability. www.zyro.co.uk

www.cyclescheme.co.uk 25

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Spring/Summer 2010

The futureâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s bright for biking Why cycling to work puts you at the heart of a two-wheeled revolution

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31/3/10 15:32:07

The future’s bright for biking

f you’re a new convert to cycling or you’re about to become one, you’re part of a revolution on wheels. There has been a massive increase in the number of people riding bikes over the past decade, encouraged by everyone from local councils to the national government, environmentalists to mainstream employers, fitness gurus to GPs. With all that support, the cyclist’s lot has never been so good and the future is looking even brighter… The Cycle to Work Scheme (see page 5) has been a huge success since it was introduced back in 1999, but it’s not the government’s only action to promote healthier journeys to work and reduce pollution. England now has 17 Cycling Demonstration Towns and one Cycling City – Bristol. Between them they are receiving the largest investment in cycling the country has ever seen in order to tempt more people onto bikes. Bristol City Councillor Jon Rogers, who heads the £22.8m Cycle City programme, said, “The objective is clear. We’re trying to double the number of cyclists on Bristol’s roads and cycle paths in two-and-a-half years by creating safer cycling and improving the infrastructure, training in schools and developing work place travel plans.” That includes, for example, opening new cycle tracks and upgrading existing ones, adding lighting in some areas and providing low-cost recycled bikes. Put simply, it’s all about making cycling a more attractive option. The government has also introduced the Cycle to Work

Guarantee (see Get your employer to be more bike-friendly opposite), a voluntary scheme that encourages employers to offer a better deal to cyclists. Launched last October, it asks businesses and other organisations to commit to providing facilities and incentives for their staff to ride to and from work. Bruce Learner, Corporate Responsibility Manager at cereal producer Kellogg’s said, “We have encouraged our employees to join the Cycle to Work Scheme since 2007 – we’ve had refresher cycling courses and created bike racks and we regularly hold bike maintenance workshops. We even signed up Sir Chris Hoy as our Bran Flakes ambassador to show how much we love cycling! Ten percent of our employees at the Manchester head office cycle to work and we’re keen to increase this as part of this new commitment.” Nowhere has the recent growth in cycling been more stunning than in the capital where the local government body Transport for London is strongly behind bike use. This summer, for example, sees the introduction of a new Cycle Hire scheme that will allow you to use a public bike for short journeys in and around central London. There will be 400 docking stations where you can pick them up and drop them off, and you’ll pay a fee based on the amount of time you have the bike, the first 30 minutes being free. “I pledged to deliver a cycling revolution across the city, and there is now a growing excitement about our Cycle Hire scheme, which will give all Londoners the opportunity

Get your employer to be more bike-friendly

The government’s Cycle to Work Guarantee encourages employers to make more provision for cyclists by focusing on these areas: ●

Storing Secure, safe and accessible bike parking facilities for all staff who want them. This might mean fitting cycle stands that allow both the wheels and the frame to be secured to something immovable in a safe, dry area.

●

Changing Good quality changing and locker facilities for all staff who want them. This could include the installation of showers for those who ride longer distances.

●

Buying Offset the cost of cycling equipment and save on the tax through a Cycle to Work Scheme.

●

Repairing Bike repair for cyclists on or near site. An employer could, for example, buy basic tools and maintenance facilities for cyclists to use or team up with a local shop.

●

Inspiring Training, reward and incentive programmes to achieve targets for more cycling. For more information on how to get your employer to sign up go to www.cycletoworkguarantee.org.uk www.cyclescheme.co.uk 27

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Spring/Summer 2010

British success has upped the proﬁle of cycling in this country, with riders like Victoria Pendleton, Nicole Cooke and Chris Hoy bagging golds at the Olympics

to hop on a bike and experience the joys of cycling,” said Mayor of London Boris Johnson. “Much like hailing a cab, people will be able to pick up one of 6,000 bikes and zip around town to their heart's content – not only a quick, easy and healthy option, but one that will also make London a more liveable city." British success in cycle sport has upped the profile of cycling in this country too, with riders like Victoria Pendleton, Nicole Cooke and Chris Hoy bagging golds at the last Olympics, and Bradley Wiggins and Mark Cavendish enjoying incredible success in road events like the Tour de France. It’s all been grist to the pedal-powered mill over the past few years, encouraging ever more people to climb into the saddle. But while Britain has certainly become increasingly bike-centric in all sorts of different ways, Sustrans, the influential charity that promotes sustainable transport, wants much more. The organisation behind the 12,000-mile National Cycling Network has just called on all levels of government to invest in doubling the proportion of journeys under five miles made by foot, bike and public transport by 2020. Sustrans has outlined a range of ways to encourage people to change their travel behaviour, such as creating safe, attractive walking and cycling conditions,

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EST. CALIFORNIA 1974

improving public transport and reducing fares, and increasing spending on sustainable travel. “We currently make two out of every five local journeys by bike, on foot and by public transport – we believe it is possible, and necessary, to double that figure to four out of five,” said Sustrans’ Policy Director Peter Lipman. “And it is achievable… The solutions are there and cycling to school, walking to work and having affordable public transport are a start but we need governments to take action to make these options more widely available.” Expect to hear more from Sustrans in the lead up to a General Election coming your way soon.

Riding into the mainstream It wasn’t so long ago that cycling was a fringe activity in the UK but these days it seems that everyone’s at it, including many of the country’s most famous names. Political figures like Conservative leader David Cameron and Mayor of London Boris Johnson regularly take to two wheels around the capital, while their arch-inquisitors Jeremy Paxman and Jon Snow are cyclists too. Britain’s Formula 1 World Champion Jenson Button loves his bikes and so does Aussie driver Mark Webber who has created his own sportive ride. Their Spanish rival Fernando Alonso recently said he’d like to go even further by setting up a top level cycling team. Designers Wayne Hemingway and Paul Smith are both keen cyclists while comedian Dave Gorman rode between every venue on a 32-date tour last year, taking in all corners of the British mainland. Lots of celebs have been involved in high-profile charity rides lately too. Rugby World Cup winner Lawrence Dallaglio and his team (pictured) rode over 1700 miles to all of the Six Nations stadiums – from Rome to Edinburgh – earlier this year in aid of Sport Relief and the Dallaglio Foundation. Meanwhile, stars including comedians David Walliams and Jimmy Carr and TV presenter Fearne Cotton were riding for Sport Relief too on a non-stop relay from John O’Groats to Land’s End. Cycling has never been so popular.

Buy direct & get more from your voucher Award winning bikes from KHS www.cyclescheme.co.uk www.khsbikes.co.uk

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Spring/Summer 2010

in detail...

Bike test

Cables are routed through the frame for neatness and ease of folding

The main pivot also acts as rear suspension with an elastomer damper

Other rated rides... Dahon Speed P8

Ridgeback Attache

The Dahon is a quick machine on the road, it folds down in seconds (to 30 x 77 x 64cm) and is simple to carry. Eight derailleur gears take care of the steepest climbs while V-brakes provide strong, reliable stopping power. www.zyro.co.uk

The Attache’s Shimano Nexus seven-speed hub gear will require very little maintenance while the ready-fitted mudguards, rack and stand are all commuterfriendly. It folds down to 28 x 56 x 81cm and comes with its own tough carry bag. www.ridgeback.co.uk

£549.99

£599.99

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On test...

Birdy C2W£999.00

If you’re looking for a folder that rides as well as a standard bike, this full suspension German model could be the perfect choice

irdy bikes come in several different flavours but they all have two things in common. First, they feature suspension at both the front and rear to improve the quality of the ride. Second, they’re folders, so you can carry them about easily and stow them away when space is short. The C2W is the cheapest model in the range – ducking just under the £1,000 mark, you can get one through Cyclescheme. At its heart, the Birdy has a burly aluminium frame with a pivoting back end that’s controlled by an elastomer shock.

The small 18in wheels accelerate up to speed quickly and ﬂicking up and down through the eight wide-ranging derailleur gears could hardly be easier thanks to Shimano’s twisting shifters The front suspension looks complicated but it’s actually very straightforward, a coil-spring absorbing the shocks to keep you comfortable and in control. The pivot points for the suspension double up as pivot points for folding the bike down. You flip the front wheel backwards, the back wheel forwards, drop the quick release seatpost and fold down the handlebar – and, magically, the Birdy is packed down to 76 x 58 x 28cm. That’s not the most compact size ever but it’s certainly very portable and easy to store away on public transport or in your car boot. As with any folder, you need a bit of practice to hone your origami skills, but we were soon getting the job done in under a minute. What separates the Birdy from most of its folding rivals is

the ride – this is a quick, solid bike out on the road. In keeping with the C2W’s urban character, the ride Price: £999.00 Weight: 10.9kg / 24lb position is fairly upright to give you Frame: TIG-welded 7005 a good, confidence-inspiring view T6 aluminium of the traffic ahead. The small 18in Fork: Aluminium front swingarm wheels accelerate up to speed Drivetrain: Shimano quickly and flicking up and down twist shift 8-speed through the eight wide-ranging Brakes: Tektro V-brakes Wheels: Shimano/Birdy derailleur gears could hardly be hubs, Alex Crostini easier thanks to Shimano’s M1.1 18in rim twisting shifter. Other: VP-611 pedals, R-M Design saddle In common with most folders, Sizes: One size the Birdy comes with a super-long stem but it feels much stiffer than normal and, with no hinge in the middle, the C2W’s frame is impressively flex-free too. This means that when you crank up the speed the bike remains steady beneath you, and with the suspension working busily on rough road surfaces, everything feels that much smoother too. The Birdy might not be the cheapest option out there but neither does it feel compromised for the sake of folding convenience. It’s Elastomer shock The Birdy’s a folder with a genuinely rear suspension uses an impressive performance elastomer shock; essentially – you could easily use it for it’s a rubber block that long rides, not just short squashes and then re-extends urban hops – and that’s why to take the edge off bumps it justifies the extra cash. in the road and dampen out www.r-m.de vibration. www.foldingbikes.co.uk

Tech Specs

Jargon Buster

Brompton M3L

Airnimal Joey Sport

The M Type Brompton comes with a riser handlebar to give an upright ride position, then you pick all the key features for yourself – everything from the mudguards to the gearing. Folding the bike down to 58.5 x 54.5 x 27cm is incredibly quick. www.brompton.co.uk

With 24in wheels, eight-speed derailleur gearing and Shimano Acera V-brakes, the lightweight Airnimal is ready for long sport and leisure rides as well as nipping around town. You can fit a rack and mudguards for practicality on your daily commute. www.airnimal.eu

£735.00

£819.00

www.cyclescheme.co.uk 31

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Spring/Summer 2010

Example

Package

There’s not much of the £1000 voucher value left if you go for this bike but you could use the savings to pay for some riding gear…

£99 9.0 0

Bird y C2 W

£49 .99

£84 .99

En ww dura G w.e ridl ndu ock ra.c om

Lezy www ne Mess .upg enge r rade bikes Caddy B .co.u k ag

99 £Gir3o S9ec.tiodnishoenlm.coe.utk .ma www

Total retail price

£999.00

Example† Cyclescheme savings for basic and higher rate tax payers

Price† after savings for basic rate tax payer

£586.57

Price† after savings for higher rate tax payer

£501.56

Example savings This is an example† of how savings are made for basic and higher rate tax payers on this bike package hired over a 12 month period. †

Basic rate

Higher rate

20% Tax, 11% NI, 17.5% VAT

40% Tax, 1% NI, 17.5% VAT

Bike package retail price

£999.00

Bike package retail price

£999.00

Income tax, VAT & NI saved

£412.43

Income tax, VAT & NI saved

£497.44

Gross monthly repayments

£83.25

Gross monthly repayments

£83.25

Net monthly payments

£48.88

Net monthly payments

£41.80

Total cost of bike package

£586.57

Total cost of bike package

£501.56

cc04.bt-birdy.dave1.indd 32

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cc04.ads.indd 33

31/3/10 14:57:57

Spring/Summer 2010

Choose the right bag There are loads of different ways to carry your essentials to and from work. Here’s how to select the best option for you...

START

Are you happy to carry your loads on your back rather than on the bike?

Yes

Handlebar Bag

A handlebar bag sits up front on your bike and is suitable for light to moderate loads – nothing too bulky. It’s secured with a quickrelease bracket and is especially handy if you need quick access to the contents. Lots of handlebar bags come with a map holder on top for touring – a removable shoulder strap is more useful for commuting. Pictured: Arkel Big Bar Bag £114

Are you happy to fit a rack to your bike?

Yes

Do you want to carry more than about 5kg of kit?

Yes

Do you need to keep your stuff covered?

cc04.bags.dave1.indd 34

31/3/10 15:34:28

Bags

Do you need to get kit in and out of your bag in a hurry?

Yes

Courier Bag

A rucksack can take moderately heavy cargo and, unlike a courier bag, distributes the weight over both shoulders to reduce the pressure. Some come with an integrated laptop sleeve while others are equipped with a hydration system – a water reservoir that you drink from via a plastic hose, which is useful for longer weekend rides. Look for vent channels to stop your back getting sweaty. Pictured: Ortlieb Vario Rucksack £110

Courier bags, also called messenger bags, come in all sorts of sizes – some will only just take an A4-file, some will carry everything you own with space to spare. Look for a sternum or waist strap to hold everything steady and a padded internal sleeve if you want to carry a laptop. One big advantage is that you can use a courier bag comfortably when you get off the bike too. Pictured: Abus Dryve courier bag £99.99

Rucksack

Panniers

Panniers fit on a rack that’s attached to your bike and they handle bulky and heavy loads better than anything else. Some panniers come with straps to make them easier to carry once you get off the bike while plenty of others are designed as briefcases, complete with computer compartments, specifically for commuting. Look out for waterproof options for year-round use. Pictured: Altura Arc 40 Panniers £79.99 (pair)

Basket

Baskets are usually made from wire or wicker and are an easy way to transport relatively light loads – you don’t want to put too much weight in there or you’ll affect your bike’s steering. They’re convenient if you need quick access to your things although they don’t offer any protection from the elements. Many baskets are easily detachable and come with a handle for easier carrying. Pictured: Basil BaSimply II Basket £40.99

Rack Bag

A rack bag sits on top of a rack so the weight is central – you don’t need to worry about your bike being unbalanced – and it leaves the space on the sides of your rack free so you can fit panniers as well. The capacity is fairly limited (usually under 10 litres) but it might be all you need for your daily commute. Some are waterproof and most come with a strap and/or handle for extra off-the-bike convenience. Pictured: Agu Yamakasa 475 rack bag £44.99 www.cyclescheme.co.uk 35

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Spring/Summer 2010

Spotlight on:

Bags Whatever your commute, and whatever the bike you ride, you’ll need to carry things to and from work. Here are some great bags to ease the load. Lezyne Caddy Messenger bag £84.99

Made from hardwearing cordura nylon and vinyl-coated ripstop fabric, this burly bag is full of neat touches. You can fit a decent load in it and your kit will stay dry too. The shoulder strap features a nicely engineered aluminium buckle that makes the bag easy to adjust and you can fit the stabilising strap on either side. You get pockets for all your bits and bobs and the padded laptop sleeve is big enough for a 17in computer. www.lezyne.co.uk

Abus Silene Handlebar Bag £59.99

This neat bar bag is made from tough, water-repellent nylon and has a 4L capacity. You get various compartments inside, foam stabilisers keep everything in shape and reflective material adds safety. As well as the handle on top, it comes supplied with a detachable shoulder strap. www.abus.com

Topeak Pannier DryBag £94.99 per pair

The polyester DryBag lives up to its name with the fully sealed seams and roll-top closure stopping even heavy rain from working its way inside. You get 21L of storage space in each pannier so you could easily use just one on your commute, and the fixings fit quickly and securely to most rack rails. Compression straps keep everything stable while 3M reflective trim helps get you seen at night. www.topeak.com

cc04.bags.dave1.indd 36

31/3/10 15:35:40

Bags Altura Urban Dryline 17 briefcase pannier £69.99 This briefcase mounts securely to a bike rack and, coming with a handle and removable shoulder strap, it’s easy to carry about town too. Waterproof and deeply padded, it’ll keep a 17in laptop safe inside – a 15in model is available at £54.99 – along with all the other essentials you need for the day. The mounts are offset so you get good heel clearance as you pedal and high-visibility reflective trim helps get you noticed at night. www.zyro.co.uk

Topeak MTX Trunk DryBag £66.99

You can sit this 12.1L bag on top of a standard rear rack or use it with a beam rack clamped to your seat post. Made from waterproof polyester, it comes with sonically welded seams, a roll-top closure and weather-tight zips to keep your cargo dry, and the detachable shoulder strap is useful for carrying it off the bike. www.topeak.com

Vaude Roomy 17 + 3 £60

This women’s backpack lives up to its name by providing 20L of carrying space in lots of different compartments, allowing you to keep everything organized. The best bit is that a clever suspension system holds the body of the bag away from your back to increase ventilation and keep you comfortable, while waist and sternum straps reduce the pressure on your shoulders. You get a waterproof cover zipped away in the base too. www.vaude.com

Basil Sports Women’s Double £55.29

These panniers are made from water repellent polyester and come with raincovers zipped away inside. You get 38L of space including plenty of pockets so you don’t have to rummage through everything to find what you’re after. Plenty of reflective fabric aids visibility and handles make them easy to carry when you’re off the bike. www.basil.nl

Basil Wicker Basket £27.49

Basil make loads of baskets in various different materials and sizes, this traditional-style wicker model hooking in place on your bars in no time. Taking it off is just as quick while a handle allows you to carry it around town with ease. www.basil.nl

www.cyclescheme.co.uk 37

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Spring/Summer 2010

Spotlight on:

Racks

If you want to carry heavy loads, a rack will take the strain off your back. Here are four of the best

Blackburn EX2 £39.99

When Blackburn build racks they stay built. The burly EX2 can carry a child seat or fully loaded panniers for touring so it’ll easily take your laptop safely, along with whatever else you need to lug to work and back on a daily basis. The aluminium is anodized to avoid corrosion, an extra rail keeps your bags well away from the wheels, and a lifetime warranty adds peace of mind. www.blackburndesign.com

Tortec Velocity rear rack £29.99

Topeak Beam Rack MTX £39.99

You can clamp this robust alloy rack to your seatpost in seconds thanks to the simple quick-release mechanism. It can carry rack-top bags – such as the Topeak MTX Trunk DryBag on the previous page – weighing up to 20lb (9.1kg) which should safely cover your commuting needs, and a safety reflector at the back adds a little extra visibility. Plus, unlike most racks, the lack of side stays means that it works fine on suspension bikes. www.topeak.com

The slim, compact Velocity will carry fullsized panniers and office bags up to 25kg, holding them closer to the wheel than normal for better handling. That makes it an ideal choice for nipping through traffic on the way to and from the office. Robust and light, it works with wheels up to 28C and 1.25in width. www.zyro.co.uk

Topeak Super Tourist DX rack £34.99

This hollow-tubed aluminium rack is super-strong and lightweight and fits pretty much any frame. The integrated top plate provides a built-in mudshield, you get a plate for fitting a rear light, and the extra side rail allows you to use most panniers alongside a Topeak Trunk bag if you really want to load your bike up. www.topeak.com

cc04.bags.dave1.indd 38

31/3/10 15:36:58

cc04.ads.indd 39

31/3/10 14:58:37

Winter 2009

in detail...

Bike test

Mechanical disc brakes offer plenty of power for quick stopping

Alivio shifters give you a wide range of gears and slick changes

Other rated rides... Claud Butler Urban 300 ÂŁ369.99

The mudguard-capable Urban 300 gets easy-action Rapidfire Plus shifting on and a suspension seat post to take the edge off rough roads. The comfy Kenda tyres are puncture resistant too. www.falconcycles.co.uk

Ridgeback Tempest ÂŁ399.99

Built around a reinforced aluminium frame, the Tempest is strong and lightweight and you get considerable stopping power from hydraulic disc brakes. The transmission is from Shimano too, providing quick and accurate shifting through the 24 speeds. www.ridgeback.co.uk

cc04.bt-marin.dave1.indd 40

31/3/10 15:39:37

On test...

Marin Novato £649.99

Meet a smooth and slick urban mountain bike that’s more than tough enough to handle life on the streets

hat on earth is the point of a road-going mountain bike? Surely, mountain bikes are designed for… well, the mountains, or at least for off-road trails. But the thing is, they’re built to be bombproof, agile and a lot of fun – all of which are excellent qualities for an urban road machine too. That’s why you should take a good look at the stealthy Marin Novato… The Novato’s frame has been built to last with multi-sided aluminium top and down tubes that are triple butted to keep the weight low and the strength high, and double butted chainstays and seatstays out back. Unlike most off-

You might well prefer the head-up position that a bike like this oﬀers for riding in traﬃc over the more aggressive geometry of a road bike – plenty of people do road bikes, it comes with a rigid aluminium fork plugged in up front – there’s no point lugging suspension around the streets – and you get eyelets for fitting both mudguards and front and rear racks. You might well prefer the head-up position that a bike like this offers for riding in traffic over the more aggressive geometry of a road bike – plenty of people do. Plus, the Novato’s wide alloy handlebar is a touch easier to steer than a narrower drop bar, and the sharply sloping top tube means there’s no danger of whacking your undercarriage on the frame when you stop in a hurry – which is reassuring. The components are easily tough enough to handle

Scott SUB 30 £499.99 The entry-level model in Scott’s three bike SUB (Speed Utility Bicycle) range has a sculpted aluminium frame and alloy fork. Though the Tektro V-brakes don’t offer quite the allweather stopping power of disc brake alternatives, they’re easier to maintain. www.scottusa.com

the demands of urban riding. The wheels, for example, built up from Shimano hubs and Mavic rims Price: £649.99 and fitted with wide, punctureWeight: 12.2kg / 26.9lb Frame: 6061 aluminium resistant tyres from Continental, Fork: Aluminium rigid barely notice an unavoidable Drivetrain: Shimano encounter with a drain cover or Alivio/Deore 24-speed, FSA crankset pothole. You’d want something Wheels: Shimano hubs, more hardcore on board if you Mavic XM-117 rims, fancy getting muddy in the hills Continental Sport Contact tyres at the weekend, but towpaths, Other: Hayes MX4 gravelly bike paths and anything mechanical Disc else you’re likely to encounter in town… not a problem. The 24-speed drivetrain is a real mix of kit from Shimano and FSA but it works well together and you’re unlikely to run out of gears whether you’re climbing slow or descending fast. Hayes’ MX4 mechanical disc brakes are a great choice too. They provide strong stopping power, which is a good start. But equally valuable, they carry on performing just as well in the rain because the braking surfaces are so far from the wet road. Knowing exactly what you’re going to get when you squeeze the levers inspires confidence. Taken as a whole, the Novato is an easy bike to get along with. Tough, manoeuvrable and capable of handling Triple butted A double-butted tube whatever you throw has thicker walls at the ends than in the at it with plenty left middle section to reduce weight but in hand, it makes retain strength where it’s needed most. an excellent urban Triple-butted tubes have different companion. thicknesses of wall on each end. www.marin.co.uk

Tech Specs

Jargon Buster

Cannondale Bad Boy 8 £999

Cannondale have a whole range of urban Bad Boys so there’s a model to suit every budget. This one comes with a Shimano Alfine 8-speed hub gear for maximum reliability and minimal maintenance and excellent Avid Juicy hydraulic disc brakes. gb.cannondale.com

www.cyclescheme.co.uk 41

cc04.bt-marin.dave1.indd 41

31/3/10 15:39:56

Winter 2009

Example

Package

Add safety equipment for the full bike-to-work experience!

£64 9.9 9

Ma rin N ova to

9 19.9op Lights

£Cateye Lo ye.com

£29 .99

Ma ww ster Lo w.m ck S aste tree rloc t Fo k.co rtu m m

.99 £29 Knog Ride Hard gloves

.cate www

Total retail price

£729.96

www.knog.com.au

Example† Cyclescheme savings for basic and higher rate tax payers

Price† after savings for basic rate tax payer

£428.68

Price† after savings for higher rate tax payer

£366.56

Example savings This is an example† of how savings are made for basic and higher rate tax payers on this bike package hired over a 12 month period. †

Basic rate

Higher rate

20% Tax, 11% NI, 15% VAT

40% Tax, 1% NI, 15% VAT

Bike package retail price

£729.96

Bike package retail price

£729.96

Income tax, VAT & NI saved

£301.28

Income tax, VAT & NI saved

£363.40

Gross monthly repayments

£60.83

Gross monthly repayments

£60.83

Net monthly payments

£35.72

Net monthly payments

£30.55

Total cost of bike package

£428.68

Total cost of bike package

£366.56

cc04.bt-marin.dave1.indd 42

31/3/10 15:40:13

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www.kansi.co.uk cc04.ads.indd 43

31/3/10 14:59:00

Spring/Summer 2010

Anatomy of a

Bike shop

Getting a bike through Cyclescheme means going to a bike shop. Here’s what you’ll see there...

here’s something about going into a specialist shop that can reduce even the bravest consumer to a nervous wreck. Deep down we imagine that it’ll be a nightmare of technical terms and gaping gaps in our knowledge. We expect a reception similar to the one afforded to the walk-in clients of Championship Vinyl, the record store of Nick Hornby’s High Fidelity: frosty, calculating, even derisory if you say the wrong thing. In reality there are very few shops like that in any trade – they’d soon go out of business – and the modern bike shop is not a place you’ll need to go Come on in! armed with an encyclopaedic Don’t be shy... knowledge of all things bike. After all, it’s the staff that should have the answers, not you! At Cyclescheme we’re proud of our partnership with independent bike shops across the country and you should expect friendly and professional service wherever you live. Obviously bike shops vary greatly in their size and layout, but here are some of the things you’re likely to see...

CLOTHING Bike specific kit can transform your riding. Bright colours help you to be seen out on the streets too.

Through the door...

OTHER CUSTOMERS These will range from complete novices to experienced riders (like this chap). Everyone’s there for the same reason though: to get advice and maybe get some new gear. Don’t be put off if other people look like more serious cyclists: everyone started as a novice!

TEST BIKES Unless you’re really sure, don’t pick a bike unless you’ve tried it for yourself. Staff can help you to determine what size frame you’ll need, it’s really important to get that right!

cc04.bikeshop.dave1.indd 44

31/3/10 15:43:28

Anatomy of a bike shop

The shop floor

ACCESSORIES Mudguards are a boon for our wet climate and pumps, repair kits, tools and the like can help you to take control of your commute. A few simple skills are all you need. Safety equipment can be included on your Cyclescheme voucher.

ete s

STAFF Staff are there to help and are a rich seam of information you can mine. Don’t be afraid to approach them and ask questions: if they don’t know what you want, they can’t help! Spend some time explaining what kind of riding you’ll be doing and they’ll be able to recommend some bikes to try.

ple s: !

TYRES & COMPONENTS Bike bits wear out and different things suit different riding conditions. Ask if your bike is correctly set up for the riding you do.

ENERGY DRINKS AND SNACKS Okay, you’re not going to need these on the run in to work (unless it’s a long commute) but they’re great if you get bitten by the cycling bug and want to try some longer rides.

www.cyclescheme.co.uk 45

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31/3/10 15:43:40

Spring/Summer 2010

The bikes

Making your choice It can be a bit overwhelming to see so many bikes in one place, especially if you’re not sure what you need. The bike shop staff are the key here: they should be able to talk you through the different options and help you narrow down your choices. When you’ve done that, don’t be afraid to get a few of the bikes down and have a closer look, and ask as many questions as you need to help you make your decision. A test ride is a must too; once you’ve stepped over a few bikes you’ll begin to get an idea of how they differ. The most

important thing is how the frame of the bike fits you: how tall it is at the saddle and the handlebars (the seat tube and head tube) and how long it is (the top tube) will determine your position. City bikes tend to be shorter with high bars for a more upright position. Road bikes are longer and more stretched out, and there’s every position in between too. Try a few bikes you wouldn’t normally think of riding, just to get an idea of the differences. You never know, you might like them! Getting a bike is only the beginning of your relationship

cc04.bikeshop.dave1.indd 46

31/3/10 15:44:05

Anatomy of a bike shop with your local bike shop. Once the bike has had a few weeks use it’s a good idea to take it back for a check up – usually a bike shop will include that as part of the deal. At that point it’s time to put your steed in the very capable hands of the workshop staff. Every bike shop will have a fully kitted out workshop and at least one experienced mechanic who’ll be able you get your bike running like new. Regular servicing is key to happy cycling. Remember that cycling is cheap but not free and be prepared to replace bits before they break and you’ll enjoy many miles of fuss-free commuting!

Where are your nearest partner stores? It’s easy to find out! Simply head over to the cyclescheme website at www.cyclescheme.co.uk and enter your postcode in the pink bar at the top.

The workshop

Many thanks to Total Fitness in Bath for lending us their new shop to shoot! www.cyclescheme.co.uk 47

cc04.bikeshop.dave1.indd 47

31/3/10 15:44:58

Spring/Summer 2010

in detail...

Bike test

Tektro disc brakes will stop you on a sixpence in any weather

Wide bars and riser stem give a commanding position for town riding

Other rated rides... Trek 7.5 FX £599.99

The versatile 7.5 comes with a solid 9-speed Shimano drivetrain, strong Avid rim brakes and Bontrager saddle and grips. You can fit guards and a rack for year-round commuting and it’ll handle long rides too. Available in a women’s specific model. www.trekbikes.com

Specialized Sirrus Expert £999.99

One of the most popular Cyclescheme bikes, the swift Sirrus Expert comes with carbon seatstays and a carbon-bladed fork, both featuring Zertz elastomer inserts to dampen vibration and keep you comfortable. www. specialized.com

cc04.bt-landrover.dave1.indd 48

31/3/10 15:48:17

On test...

Land Rover Commute 6.9 £749.00 A solidly built and dependable utility machine for getting the commuting miles in

f this Land Rover bike was a Land Rover car then it’d be a Defender, for sure: it’s a solidly built, multipurpose machine with a high cockpit and dependable equipment. It’s a good option if you’re looking for something that’ll take a bit of abuse, or lug some heavier loads. The bike is built around a chunky aluminium frame with an ovalised down tube and square section stays at the rear. There’s a disc mount on the back, as there is on the beefy carbon-bladed fork up front. The alloy wheels come with

The Land Rover’s upright riding position is pleasant for riding around town, the high cockpit providing good vision and keeping you in control of the bike disc-specific rims and Tektro Auriga hydraulic brakes take care of stopping. The transmission is made up predominantly of sound Shimano Deore components with a next-level-up LX rear mech. The geometry is somewhere in the middle of flat bar land; it’s neither too long nor too short. However, it’s made very upright by the use of a high riser stem and wide semiriser bars. That’s not a characteristic you often see on bikes of this type and it gives the Land Rover a pleasant position for riding around town, the high cockpit providing good vision and keeping you in control. It does limit your speed on longer rides but this is a bike that’s happy to roll along at a more leisurely pace. The wide, comfy tyres will easily deal with unsurfaced paths, so it’s a good mount for canal and fire road riding on the weekend as well as trips to work.

Mongoose Kaldi Double £339.99

Specifically designed for commuting, the Kaldi comes with a durable aluminium frame and steel fork. Shimano’s Alivio components offer 24 gears and Continental’s tyres feature a puncture guard to keep you rolling. www.mongoose.com

With a weight of 11.6kg/25.6lb, climbing is a slightly pedestrian affair but there’s never any doubt Price: £749.00 Weight: 25.6lb/11.6kg you’ll reach the top – the mountain Frame: 7005 alloy bike gearing means you can winch Fork: Cross Trekking, yourself up pretty much any incline, carbon blades, alloy steerer with disc mount even carrying a big load. Speaking Drivetrain: Shimano of loads, you get eyelets for fitting Deore 9-spd, LX rear mech a pannier rack without any trouble, Brakes: Tektro Auriga Pro hydraulic discs and you can add full mudguards Wheels: Formula disc too if you want to go utilitarian. hubs with Airline double Heading downhill the bike is wall disc-specific rims, 32 spokes, Continental pretty surefooted and the Tektro Contact 700 x 37c tyres brakes are excellent with good lever Other: Wellgo flat feel and a huge amount of stopping pedals, Land Rover power on tap. The all round multi-panel saddle Sizes: 18, 20, 22in performance of the bike is good: the frame is stiff and the Deore gears work faultlessly too. So who’s this bike for? Well, the name may be Commute, and it’s certainly happy on a short urban hop, but the Land Rover is as much a utility bike as a commuter. It’s happy on unsurfaced leisure rides and doesn’t complain when it’s loaded up, Disc brakes Rather than making it a versatile applying a stopping force to machine. It isn’t sporty the wheel’s rim, disc brakes but someone looking for operate on a metal ring a well-built, dependable attached to the hub. Disc workhorse rather than brakes tend to be stronger and a speedy tarmac-eater less affected by wet conditions won’t go far wrong here. than rim brakes. www.2x2worldwide.com

Tech Specs

Jargon Buster

Ridgeback Avenida 7 £499.99

The Avendia features a 7-speed hub gear that keeps maintenance to an absolute minimum. Mudguards, rack and kickstand add to the appeal. A women’s model is available at the same price. www.ridgeback.co.uk

www.cyclescheme.co.uk 49

cc04.bt-landrover.dave1.indd 49

31/3/10 15:49:17

Spring/Summer 2010

Example

Package

Add safety equipment for the full bike-to-work experience!

£74 9.0 0

Lan d Ro ver Com mut e 6. 9

£29 .99

£74 .99

99 £G4iro9Sty.lus.choemlmet

Res cov pro H er w um ww p ruc .res ksa pro.c ck om

Abu 100 s Steel-O 0/10 0 loc -Flex Gra k ww nit w.zy ro.co .uk

.giro www

Total retail price

£904.96

Example† Cyclescheme savings for basic and higher rate tax payers

Price† after savings for basic rate tax payer

£536.59

Price† after savings for higher rate tax payer

£458.82

Example savings This is an example† of how savings are made for basic and higher rate tax payers on this bike package hired over a 12 month period. †

Basic rate

Higher rate

20% Tax, 11% NI, 15% VAT

40% Tax, 1% NI, 15% VAT

Bike package retail price

£904.96

Bike package retail price

£904.96

Income tax, VAT & NI saved

£368.37

Income tax, VAT & NI saved

£446.14

Gross monthly repayments

£75.41

Gross monthly repayments

£75.41

Net monthly payments

£44.72

Net monthly payments

£38.24

Total cost of bike package

£536.59

Total cost of bike package

£458.82

cc04.bt-landrover.dave1.indd 50

31/3/10 15:50:01

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cc04.ads.indd 51

25/2/10 11:04:05

31/3/10 14:59:41

Spring/Summer 2010

Mike the Mechanic’s

Muddle-free maintenance

Workshop mechanic Mike shows you the quick and easy way to solve the two most common bike problems

How to fix a puncture Fixing a puncture is usually simple but it still makes sense to carry a spare inner tube with you. When you get a flat, put the spare in, take the damaged tube with you and fix it at home. Here’s the right way to patch it up.

Take the wheel off your bike. If it’s a rear wheel puncture, shift the gears until the chain is on the smallest sprocket first. Let any remaining air in the inner tube out of the valve.

Run your fingers around the inner surface of the tyre to check for the cause of the puncture. If there’s still a thorn or piece of glass embedded in the rubber waiting to strike again, pull it out.

Apply the glue, spread it around the area with your finger until it’s a thin film and allow it to dry. Then fix the patch in place, pushing the edges down hard to make sure that they’re firmly attached.

Prise the tyre bead from the wheel on one side of the tyre – you might need two or three tyre levers to help you lift one small section at a time. Push the valve out of the hole in the wheel’s rim and remove the inner tube.

If you don’t have a spare inner tube, pump up the tube slightly and look and listen for escaping air. When you find it, mark it with a crayon and deflate the tube. Then use the sandpaper in your puncture repair kit to roughen the area around the hole.

Grate chalk over the patch and any excess glue to stop them sticking to the inside of the tyre. Then put a small amount of air in the tube, replace it on your wheel and lever the tyre back in place. Inflate the tube fully and replace the wheel.

cc04.maintenance.dave1.indd 52

31/3/10 15:51:47

Bike maintenance

How to sort your gears If your gears are indexed correctly the chain will move to the correct sprocket when you push the shift lever on your handlebar. But over time the cable will often stretch causing things to fall out of kilter. Here’s how to put it right.

Shift into your highest gear – the smallest sprocket at the centre of the rear wheel – ensuring that the shifter is in the position that lets the cable be as loose as possible.

Move the shifter one click and turn the cranks. The chain should move up one sprocket. If it doesn’t, find the barrel adjuster where the cable enters your rear derailleur and turn it anticlockwise with your fingers about a half turn at a time until it does.

Move the shifter another click and turn the cranks again. If the chain doesn’t shift to the third smallest sprocket, turn the barrel adjuster about quarter of a turn at a time until it does.

Got the fettling bug?

Check that the shifts to the smaller sprockets are working fine. Keep adjusting – anticlockwise to tighten the cable, clockwise to loosen it – until the gears are back in sync. If you can’t get the cable tight enough to move the chain up with one click of the lever, there might be another adjuster by the shift lever that works in a similar way, and/or one on the down tube cable stop. If not, loosen off the anchor bolt, pull the slack cable tight and start the process again.

If you find that you're enjoying keeping your bike running like clockwork then you can take your skills to the next level with a Cytech Home Mechanic course. The two-day course is designed to give a good level of mechanical ability covering all the basic maintenance areas. All the tools you need are supplied, and you'll end up with an industry recognised qualification. Currently the courses run in Manchester and Milton Keynes; for more information, visit: www.thecyclingexperts.co.uk/cytech www.thecyclingexperts.co.uk/cytech.

www.cyclescheme.co.uk 53

cc04.maintenance.dave1.indd 53

31/3/10 15:52:01

Spring/Summer 2010

Upgrade your b Whether you’re a complete novice or you could just do with brushing up your road skills, it’s easy to get the cycle training you need to ride confidently and expertly in traffic...

ike training isn’t just for kids. Far from it; most of us – even experienced roadies with more miles in the saddle than we’d care to remember – could do with fine-tuning our traffic skills. The good news is that practical tuition is easy to come by and can make a big difference to your safety.

Cycle Training UK

“We work with a wide range of people and different skill levels, ages and reasons for training; from four-yearolds cycling for the first time without stabilisers to octogenarians that cycle every day,” says Jean Mowbray of Cycle Training UK (CTUK), the biggest independent provider of on-road cycle training in the country. “By far the most common reason that people come to us

is that they want to commute to work and need the skills and confidence to be able to travel safely and confidently across the city.” Some of CTUK’s clients never learnt to cycle when they were children and are getting into the saddle for the first time while, at the opposite end of the spectrum, others have been riding for years but realize that they’ve fallen into bad habits and could do with a refresher. “With a rise in child seats,

Cycle Training UK (CTUK) have trained over 60,000 people in London and across the UK. They provide cycle training that meets and exceeds the UK’s National Standards and, as well as cycle training for individuals, schools and businesses, provide cycle maintenance courses, instructor training and development, and consultancy work. A two-hour one-toone training session costs £60. Call 020 7231 6005 or go to www.cycletraining.co.uk.

cc04.technique.dave1.indd 54

31/3/10 15:54:35

r bike skills young parents want training to cycle confidently with their child in tow,” says Jean. “Cycling for health is also a popular reason and for others it’s simply about leisure; many older people want to cycle in parks or on holidays with their children and grandchildren. One trainee kept her training a secret from her family and surprised them all when she hopped on a bicycle in Center Parcs.” Whatever your motivation, the first step is to find yourself a trainer. There are plenty out

there who offer Bikeability programmes based on the UK National Standards for cycle training – go to www.ctc.org.uk or www.bikeability. org.uk to find an accredited instructor near you. You then just need to give them a bell and arrange a session. Trainers will want to know your skill level and experience before you start in order to tailor things to your needs. “At CTUK we provide one-to-one training to adults at a time and location that’s convenient, each lesson lasting two hours,” says Jean. “A session can be booked for during the week, in the evening (during daylight hours), or at the weekend.”

CTC CTC (Cyclists’ Touring Club) provides a list of instructors for the government’s National Standard for Cycle Training which is aimed at both adults and children. Instructors will be able to help with everything from basic handling skills to coping with difficult traffic conditions and road layouts. Go to www.ctc.org.uk.

Upgrade your bike skills

Read the road The best books to improve your skills

Cyclecraft by John Franklin This book explains how to cycle safely and confidently in all traffic conditions and is relevant to total beginners and more experienced riders looking to extend their skills. It also contains valuable advice on teaching your children how to cycle. Available at £12.50 from www.cyclecraft.co.uk

City Cycling by Richard Ballantine Richard’s Bicycle Book sold gazillions of copies when it was first published in the 1970s. This offering from the same writer provides a wealth of information on all aspects of urban riding from choosing your bike and looking after it to riding safely and with confidence in traffic. Available at £9.99 from bookstores www.cyclescheme.co.uk 55

cc04.technique.dave1.indd 55

31/3/10 15:54:47

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