Cycle / December/January 2020/21

cycle THE MAGAZINE OF CYCLING UK

STAYCATION INSPIRATION

UK rides to do next year

TIME OUT

The great escape of overnight bikepacking

2021 TECH

Shiny new products available now

P lu s BIRMINGHAM WATERSIDES RIDE GUIDE HOW TO CYCLE IN A JILBAB OR DRESS PORTUGAL’S ATLANTIC ROAD IN AUTUMN AND MUCH MORE

On test

ISLABIKES EJIMI FOLLOWME CARGO SKS COMPIT+ WORKSTANDS & MORE

DECEMBER 2020/JANUARY 2021

TEENAGE PICKS SMALL HARDTAILS FOR YOUNGER TEENS Page 60

CONTENTS 38

Features 20 2021 tech Previews of 2021 products

Welcome

32 Time out

38 Staycation inspiration Great rides you can do without going abroad

50 The Atlantic Road Cycling along the coast of Portugal

Products 22 Gear up Components, accessories, and books

60 Teenage picks Hardtails for younger teens from Whyte and Canyon

66 Islabikes eJimi An unusually light electric mountain bike

69 Workstands

50

Four ways to make bike maintenance easier

Regulars 04 Freewheeling Bits and pieces from the bike world

07 This is Cycling UK

60

DAN JOYCE Cycle Editor

18 You are Cycling UK How a folding recumbent trike keeps member Ian Yarroll touring

31 Letters Your feedback on Cycle and cycling

On the cover

Coronavirus For updated advice regarding the Covid-19 outbreak, visit: cyclinguk.org/ coronavirus

Battling the bike lane backlash; Missing Links in the off-road network; Cycling UK’s volunteer celebration; 2020 recap; Christmas appeal; and more

48

Jasmine Townend testing a Whyte 802 Compact (p60) at Dalby Forest.

By Jay Townend

48 Weekender 16-mile beginner’s ride through Birmingham

55 Cyclopedia Questions answered, topics explained

73 Travellers’ Tales Cycling UK members’ ride reports

CYCLING UK: Parklands, Railton Road, Guildford, GU2 9JX E: cycling@cyclinguk.org W: cyclinguk.org T: 01483 238300. Cycle promotes the work of Cycling UK. Cycle’s circulation is approx. 51,000. Cycling UK is one of the UK’s largest cycling membership organisations, with approx. 70,500 members and affiliates Patron: Her Majesty the Queen President: Jon Snow Chief Executive: Sarah Mitchell. Cyclists’ Touring Club, a Company Limited by Guarantee, registered in England No 25185, registered as a charity in England and Wales Charity No 1147607 and in Scotland No SC042541. Registered office: Parklands, Railton Road, Guildford, GU2 9JX. CYCLE MAGAZINE: Editor: Dan Joyce E: cycle@jamespembrokemedia.co.uk Head of Design: Simon Goddard Advertising: Harvey Falshaw T: 020 3198 3092 E: harvey.falshaw@jamespembrokemedia.co.uk Publisher: James Houston. Cycle is published six times per year on behalf of Cycling UK by James Pembroke Media, 90 Walcot Street, Bath, BA1 5BG. T: 01225 337777. Cycle is copyright Cycling UK, James Pembroke Media, and individual contributors. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission from Cycling UK and James Pembroke Media is forbidden. Views expressed in the magazine are those of the individual contributors and do not necessarily reflect those of the editor or the policies of Cycling UK. Advertising bookings are subject to availability, the terms and conditions of James Pembroke Media, and final approval by Cycling UK. Printed by: William Gibbons & Sons Ltd, 26 Planetary Road, Willenhall, West Midlands, WV13 3XB T: 01902 730011 F: 01902 865835 Founded in 1878

Top to bottom: Joolze Dymond, Paul Lloyd, Dan Joyce, Sam Jones

This winter is likely to be one of discontent. It’s never the easiest season for cyclists, being wetter, colder, and darker. But this year’s Christmas conviviality will be constrained by the pandemic, and even with a gradual vaccine rollout there’s less to look forward to in 2021.

You can study maps and websites of other countries but you can’t yet be sure you’ll be able to go there – or afford to do so, if Brexit happens to tip sterling into a nosedive…

Yet when we pass through midwinter, the earth will nevertheless start tilting us slowly back towards the sun. Longer, warmer days are coming. And there are no lockdown scenarios in which we won’t be able to ride our bikes at all. Even at the height of the first wave, cycling solo was encouraged. So it’s an escape that’s sure to remain open.

Getting on your bike for exercise or fresh air is good as far it goes. We feel better for doing it and any day can accommodate it. But it’s meatand-potatoes cycling: nondescript, a way to pass the time that’s pleasant.

Such rides aren’t ones that you circle on the calendar and count down to.

As well as everyday rides we need rides to look forward to: days on which we’ll do something different. Cycling abroad might be on the back burner but (restrictions allowing) we’re spoiled for choice within the four nations of the UK. What (cross fingers) is on your to-do list for 2021?

A night out under the stars in the Yorkshire Dales

cycle O RLD O F CYCLIN G W L FU ER ND O W E TH D A SH O RT TO UR ARO UN Out there

OCHAIN ACTIVE SPIDER

Vicky (right) with daughter CeCe on a ride along the seafront during lockdown

You ride

Vicky Balfour Started a new group

What’s different about this chainring spider is that it’s designed to rotate backwards by 6, 9 or 12 degrees to reduce pedal kickback on full-suspension mountain bikes. In theory the suspension will work better – like that of a bike without a chain – and it’ll be more comfortable. £279.99, ochain.bike

PUMPED UP CREW Vicky is also a Pumped Up crew member; she’s dedicated to inspiring more people to ride. To find out how you can get involved, visit cyclinguk. org/pumpedup

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Ratio 12-speed Upgrade Kit Convert your 11-speed SRAM road shifter to work with a 12-speed SRAM mountain bike Eagle derailleur and cassette to gain wider range gearing. The DIY kit includes a new ratchet with 12 steps rather than 11. £49.50, ratiotechnology.com

New tech

M

y daughter CeCe is quite an intrepid person and loves to be involved, just as we all do. So over the first lockdown I did up a Mission Trikes PiggyBack trailer trike and took her cycling.

To start with we just did short journeys along the different seafronts near us. She absolutely loved it, and our longest ride to date is 16 miles. Soon we were meeting up to ride with family and friends – two of whom were Caroline and her son Thomas, who also has special educational needs.

We chatted about how amazing it would be to get more families cycling from our children’s special school, St Nicholas School in Canterbury. We formed the T&C (Thomas & CeCe) Bike Club and linked up with a local charity, Wheel Potential, which provides disability-friendly bikes in Canterbury.

Due to the inclement weather and the latest lockdown, we haven’t managed to arrange the first club ride yet but we’re ready to go in the New Year.

CeCe loves cycling with her grandparents too. Both her grandpas have e-bikes and love pulling her through the New Forest or along the coast to nearby towns.

Bike tech

Squire Inigma BL1

An enigma it isn’t: it’s a keyless lock operated by Bluetooth from your smartphone or Apple watch. Trelock did Bluetooth locks sooner (the SL460 Smartlock) but Squire’s D-lock is Sold Secure Gold. It can be set to open for multiple users. Expect more locks to follow this trend. £159.99, squirelocks.co.uk

Events 2020 RECAP

Despite the pandemic, Cycling UK organised over 30 online events, tutorials, and forums this year.

We’ve chatted to legends like Alex Dowsett, Lizzie Deignan and Rebecca Charlton. We’ve discussed the barriers to women cycling and talked about adventures, the menopause, and family cycling in our virtual Women’s Festival of Cycling. And we’ve run webinars on cycling maintenance, given tips on commuting, and talked about our new off-road route, King Alfred’s Way. If you missed any of these, catch up this winter: youtube.com/c/CyclingUK/videos.

On my bike

Try this

BE A CHAMPION FOR DIVERSITY Do you want to encourage others from different backgrounds to take up cycling? Our new Diversity Champion volunteering role is for club cyclists who would like to ensure that people from a variety of races, religions, abilities, cultures, sexual identities and orientations are made to feel welcome and take part in group

Picture this...

riding activities. The Diversity Champion’s Toolkit shows you how you can: promote, celebrate and raise awareness of diversity and inclusion; and recommend ways of improving the experience of and engaging with diverse groups. For more information about what the role entails, see cyclinguk.org/ diversity-champions-toolkit.

If our ongoing #12nightsoutin1year challenge is anything to go by, bad weather is just another excuse for adventure. Rain and storms haven’t stopped the UK’s bikepackers heading out into the wilds and sharing their exploits.

To take part, and be in with a chance to win great prizes, visit: cyclinguk.org/12nights-out-in-1-year.

Pictured is September’s winner, taken by Sam Walsh.

Bike Hacks

CHEAPER SEALANT

Tubeless tyre sealant isn’t cheap. A pint (473ml) of Stan’s No Tubes sealant has an RRP of £18. My (editor Dan Joyce’s) mountain bike has 29+ tyres and I use at least 100ml in each so it doesn’t go far. I discovered Oko Off-Road Grade tyre sealant in a shop that sells sit-on lawnmowers. It costs £12 for 1,250ml: two-thirds the price for over two-and-a-half times as much! The thicker fluid isn’t meant for mountain bikes but it’s working fine in my big, low-pressure tyres. You could dilute it if need be – then you’d have even more for your money.

Sarah Mitchell

New Chief Executive of Cycling UK Why do you cycle? I started because I couldn’t afford the Tube in London.

Now I automatically get on my bike for almost every local journey: commuting, shopping, meeting friends.

How far do you ride each week? It used to be a minimum of 60-70 miles commuting.

Now I’m working at home it varies.

Which of your bikes is your favourite?

I only have one! It’s a good old workhorse Ridgeback commuter bike.

What do you always take with you when cycling? Waterproof trousers. (Also handy for cycling in a skirt and keeping warm.)

Who mends your punctures? The fantastic team at Finsbury Cycles!

It’s raining: bike, public transport, or car?

Bike.

Lycra or normal clothes? Lycra, depending on changing options at the other end. I own lots of crease-proof dresses.

If you had £100 to spend on cycling, what would you get?

A camera. I had a nasty incident in February which made me realise how useful these can be.

What’s your favourite cycle journey?

Cycling through Hyde Park in the evening over the Serpentine. There’s a good, newish cycle lane and the road gets quieter after dark. It feels like an oasis in the centre of town.

What single thing would most improve matters for UK cyclists? Segregated and connected cycle lanes would give lots more people the confidence to take their bikes out, and connected routes would mean that bikes can actually be a practical alternative to cars for those short journeys.

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Stay in touch CYCLECLIPS: free weekly email newsletter. Sign up at cyclinguk.org/subscribe CAMPAIGN NEWS: monthly campaigns bulletin. Sign up at cyclinguk.org/subscribe-tocycle-campaign-news

Together in spirit Social distancing may have kept us apart but it hasn’t stopped us working hard to support all UK cyclists, writes new CEO Sarah Mitchell

Main photo: Joolze Dymond

W

hen Cycling UK started out as the Bicycle Touring Club in 1878 it brought together a community of people who loved cycling. We are still doing this today, 142 years later – albeit sometimes virtually! – and I am really proud to join a community of cyclists that has grown enormously. Cycling UK is unique in welcoming cyclists of all kinds and abilities and from all four nations of the UK. This has been a strange time to join the Cycling UK family, but in my first weeks I have been impressed by the dedication and experience of our staff, our members and supporters, and by the sheer range of our groups and projects. It’s good to see that our tradition of campaigning is still going strong, with our popular action on the Highway Code and a timely campaign against the bike lane backlash. As your new CEO, I am keen to ensure that we continue to fulfil our role as the cyclist’s champion, to share our love of cycling with all cyclists and to welcome them to Cycling UK. Cycling UK has achieved an incredible amount over 2020, against all the odds. The team has been working hard to keep running as many of our projects and as much of our support work as possible. Despite restrictions, which varied across all our regions and nations, we have continued to cycle and to campaign. We launched the brand new King Alfred’s Way route; we ran our Pumped Up campaign to get more people cycling; our total membership grew to a new high of 70,500; and our campaigns reached more people than ever, with 16,000 supporting our work to amend the Highway Code.

The huge enthusiasm for cycling that lockdown unleashed across the UK was really inspiring, and it was no surprise to

Stay connected

facebook.com/CyclingUK

70,500

2020’s Cycling UK membership. An all-time high

me to discover that 77% of the public support local authorities’ efforts to encourage cycling and walking through measures such as cycle lanes. It’s unfortunate that a small but vocal minority of critics are now trying to scare local authorities into ending these initiatives. Cycling UK and our volunteer campaigners are working hard to bolster this work.

We need your help to speak up for the silent majority who support local infrastructure improvements. Visit cyclinguk. org/article/six-reasons-build-cycle-lanes.

As of early November, the restrictions on group rides look set to continue in one form or another. However, even in the strictest lockdown areas we can still get out on our bikes to enjoy the autumn colours and the bracing(!) winter air.

Personally, I’m looking forward to trying out Martin Nelson’s London Cycle Orbital routes (london-cycle-orbital.org.uk) over the coming winter weekends.

As we look ahead to 2021 it’s still uncertain when we’ll be able to return to life as usual, let alone cycling as usual. But over its long history and over recent months, Cycling UK has shown that we are nothing if not resilient. We will continue to support our members through tough times with our advice and guidance, and we’ll build the cycling community through our project work. When restrictions allow I look forward to meeting many of you and seeing for myself much of the great work we do together, including our Big Bike Revival projects, the Scotland Cycle Repair Scheme, our member groups, the community cycle clubs, and all our encouragement and support for new cyclists.

Twitter @wearecyclinguk

www.cyclinguk.org

77% of the public support local authorities’ efforts to encourage cycling and walking through measures such as cycle lanes

cycling@cyclinguk.org

01483 238301

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Growth in cycling in Seville after they built 50 miles of bike lanes

Many new UK bike lanes face removal

BIKE LANE BACKLASH

Christmas

GIVE THE GIFT OF MEMBERSHIP Christmas is coming and Cycling UK membership is the perfect present for the cyclist in your life. Gift membership includes a Cycling UK neck tube and either: a Cycle of Good phone case or wallet made from inner tubes; or the new King Alfred’s Way guide. Of course, it also provides access to our wonderful member benefits, such as £10m third-party insurance: cyclinguk.org/festive-gift.

Myths about cycle lanes are making some local authorities scrap them. In reality bike lanes are both popular and effective, as Duncan Dollimore explains

A

s I read a piece in last Sunday’s papers under the headline “End the cycle lane madness”, I was reminded of Daniel Moynihan’s quote that everyone is entitled to his own opinion but not his own facts. It’s claimed that cycle lanes cause congestion, nobody uses them, and they’re bad for local businesses – and the lie is halfway around the world whilst the truth is still putting on its shoes.

This negative reaction to cycle lanes or cycling in general has a name – bikelash – and it’s not a new concept. It’s been whipped up in recent months as local authorities have used government funding to put in temporary cycle lanes.

Instead of just screaming ‘fake news’, we’ve been trying to calmly present the evidence showing that cycle lanes: move more people in less space, reducing congestion; lead to more people cycling more often, whenever they are built well in the right place; and are good for the high street, with cyclists staying longer and spending more money. Unfortunately, some councils seem to be responding to the myths and are pulling out cycle lanes they’ve only just installed.

Survey after survey has shown that most

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people support measures to enable more people to cycle, but if councillors only hear the voices of a vocal minority who oppose cycle lanes they can overestimate the opposition. To encourage councils to be bold with their plans for new cycling and walking infrastructure, they need to know there’s wider public support.

To cut through the nonsense about the benefits or otherwise of cycle lanes, we’ve gone straight to the experts, capturing their voices in a film explaining the public health, air quality, economic and congestion benefits of building more bike lanes. We’ll be fighting back against the bikelash, making sure councillors hear evidence from the experts not just speculation from sceptics.

Of course, there’s always the risk that the doubters say they’ve had enough of experts, which is why we also need you to write to your council and local councillor to support active travel schemes in your area.

We’ve made that really easy with template emails, and there’s a link to both our online email action and our expert’s case for cycle lanes film on our Space for Social Distancing web page: cyclinguk.org/cycle-poweredrecovery.

Free Cycle of Good gift with membership

Road safety

SAFER ROADS IN SCOTLAND Live in Scotland and want safer roads? Hurry: you’ve got until 1 December to tell the Scottish Government.

They’re consulting on a new Road Safety Framework. As our Campaigns and Policy Manager in Scotland explains (at bit.ly/cyclesafer-roads-scotland), achieving their ambition of no deaths on the road by 2025 will require a huge effort. Read our guide to responding: bit.ly/cyclesafer-roads-response.

Subscriptions

MEMBERSHIP CHANGES New membership rates came into effect on 1 November. There are changes to some categories and fees but not the adult rate, which is frozen for a year. For details, look out for your next renewal letter or visit cyclinguk.org/newmembership-structure.

Membership now comes with great new discounts and deals – see cyclinguk. org/member-benefits.

Free 30-day CycleSure insurance now offered

Campaigns

CYCLE ADVOCACY NETWORK Cycling UK has launched the Cycle Advocacy Network to support those who stand up for cycling in our communities. There are so many local issues: safe riding to schools; cycle parking at the supermarket; accessible off-road countryside trails; direct commuter routes to town. By pooling ideas and resources, we can really make a difference. cyclinguk.org/cycleadvocacy-network

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Zero increase in Cycling UK adult membership fee for the next year

Cycle Sisters inspires Muslim women to cycle

Volunteers

CELEBRATING DIVERSITY

D

iversity was the theme of Cycling UK’s Volunteer Celebration on 3 October, an event that took place virtually due to the pandemic.

Interactive training sessions on safeguarding adults and unconscious bias were followed by a lively panel discussion on inclusive cycling groups, hosted by Cycling UK’s Engagement Officer Anna Glowinksi. Panellists included: Vicky Balfour;

Mark Holton from Cycling UK LGBT+ cycling group CycleOut London; Jolly Oluka from SCOREScotland; and Joanne Maw from Member Group CTC Swale.

We launched a new volunteering role for cycling groups: Diversity Champion (see p5).

This was led by Aneela McKenna, a professional in the field of equality and inclusion.

Evening entertainment was our first ever Big Bicycle Quiz, hosted

by Anna Glowinski and Cycling UK volunteer Lorraine Dixon. Hundreds of people watched the quiz on YouTube or Facebook Live.

Head of Volunteering Alex Cuppleditch then announced the names of the winners of a Lockdown Love Certificate of Appreciation, celebrating groups and individuals who have ‘Gone the Extra Mile’ during the pandemic – see cyclinguk.org/ going-extra-mile.

Member groups

CTC COVENTRY’S 100th BIRTHDAY CTC Coventry, which was formed in 1921, has announced a series of events to celebrate its centenary next year.

The programme kicks off on Sunday, 11 April with a ride to commemorate the

club’s inaugural ride.

It will set off from the Coventry Transport Museum (right).

Other events during the year include a Triple Centenary Ride to mark the 100th birthdays of not only CTC Coventry but

also Memorial Park and the Meriden Service. For more details, see http://live. coventryctc.org.uk.

Near left: Robby Spanring. Far left: Andy Gollogly. Below: Alamy

this is

this is Removing a barrier or reclassifying a footpath can connect a network for cyclists

New Trustee Sam Marshall has been a member since 1993

Trustees

UNDISPUTED ELECTIONS

Off-road

MISSING LINKS Let’s join the dots in the rights of way network by opening up bike access on some sections. Sophie Gordon describes how Cycling UK’s new mapping tool will help

C

ycling UK has launched a new mapping tool to help fill in the missing links for off-road cycling. It enables you to suggest improvements in the network and ask your council to include these routes in their future planning.

While Scotland and Wales have been fairly progressive in their approach to offroad access, England is lagging. Scotland’s Land Reform Act 2003 allows responsible access to most land provided you follow the Outdoor Access Code. The Welsh Government is developing legislation to make many rights of way multi-use, as a result of campaigning by Cycling UK, OpenMTB, and others. However, in England not much has changed since Cycling UK (then CTC) won cyclists the right to ride on bridleways in 1968.

In a perfect world, an off-road ride would allow you to leave your home and follow a network of trails – from towpaths and disused railway lines to rocky trails – in one seamless flow. In reality, your ride is likely to include busy roads you’d rather avoid or a detour on muddy bridleways because the direct, better-surfaced route happens to be labelled a footpath. Opening up one short

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missing link can make all the difference.

Local authorities produce cycling and walking plans, and also plans to improve off-road rights of way. But these plans often aren’t connected. This isn’t surprising when you consider they are created by separate teams within the council. That’s why Cycling UK wants to gather all your suggestions on one map, where you can pinpoint the gaps in the network and ask your council to include them in their future plans.

We’ve never been more aware of the importance of being out in nature, and of the simple joy and escape of riding your bike. Let’s join the dots to connect those routes and help more people get outdoors. cyclinguk.org/missinglinks

One fifth – proportion of England’s rights of way network cyclists can use

Jacqueline Hills has been re-elected to the Cycling UK Board of Trustees and two new trustees – Sam Marshall and Robin Tucker – appointed, following the membership-wide elections at the end of October. All are Cycling UK members and have years of experience with key skills the Board was seeking. Read more about them online: cyclinguk. org/trustees-2020.

Raffle

YOU WIN! The Summer Raffle 2020 was one of our most successful to date. Thanks to all who took part: your support is vital to the charitable work we do.

Thanks also to our sponsors: Raleigh, Brompton, Rapha, Freewheel, and Cotswold Outdoor. The winners were: 1st prize, Mrs Irene North (pictured below); 2nd, Mr J McCrone; 3rd, Mr Bill Stevens; 4th, Mr Jim Warden; 5th, Mr Phillip Batt; and 6th, Mr Alan Kay.

this is 16,500

people took part in our Highway Code action

220,000

views of our Highway Code film on proposed junction rules

2,000

copies of our King Alfred’s Way guide sold

Big Bike Revival was modified to help key-workers

2020 IN REVIEW

Despite the pandemic, Cycling UK was busier than ever as more and more people got back on their bikes.

Adrian Wills reflects on an extraordinary year

Clockwise from top: Susan Keywood, Adrian Wills, Joolze Dymond, Mónica Reus Boccherini

I

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from £80m to

£100M

8,784

Headlines

t was a year few of us will ever forget.

Coronavirus has had a significant impact on all of our lives in ways we couldn’t have imagined at the start of the year. Many people have lost friends and loved ones to the virus, and everyone has had to make sacrifices to combat the spread of Covid-19. Yet it has also offered some glimmers of hope, as we’ve seen streets freed of traffic, air pollution reduced, cycling rates up by almost 400%, and even the Prime Minister declaring a “golden age of cycling”.

Unfortunately, group rides and the social side of cycling took a major hit. As Cycle went to press, England had recently entered a second full lockdown. Despite this, Cycling UK has been busier than ever, even though many of our activities have had to be postponed and our staff forced to work from home.

We’ve recorded our highest ever membership levels, more people than ever have visited the website, volunteer numbers are up, we’ve found new ways of engaging with a new audience of cyclists, we’ve doubled down on our awardwinning campaign work, and we’ve secured more money than ever to deliver behaviour change programmes and new projects.

We’ve never stopped working to make cycling

Active travel budget in Scotland increased

better for you. As 2020 draws to a close, here’s a look back at some of our main highlights and achievements.

Campaigning Our campaign work remained at our heart during 2020. We continued to champion cyclists’ rights, open up new routes, and fight for safer roads for cyclists.

It was the year we: Had our most successful engagement in our campaign about revisions to the Highway Code.

Campaigned for more funding for more space for walking and cycling across all nations, in response to the pandemic.

Launched our Campaign Advocacy Network.

Launched the 350km King Alfred’s Way off-road trail around the heart of historic Wessex.

Launched our Missing Links campaign to help more people explore the countryside by bike.

Appointed staff in Wales and Northern Ireland.

Worked with partners in Scotland to secure a 25% increase in the active travel budget.

Helped 638 supporters respond to the Transport Scotland consultation – slightly more than half of all responses.

Helped secure a law change in Northern Ireland to legalise e-bikes.

potholes reported on Fill That Hole

638 supporters

responded to Scotland National Transport Strategy

Membership Membership reached 70,500, our highest ever.

We supported nearly 3,000 health and social care workers with three-month free memberships during the first national lockdown.

Launched a new membership structure to improve the membership benefits, experience and communications, and to create a fairer and more accessible membership.

New 30-day free cycle insurance & personal accident benefit introduced.

Launched new Employer Membership to organisations.

Fundraising Raised £25,000 for the Keep the Wheels Turning appeal for key-workers.

Raised £43,500 in our summer raffle in tickets and donations.

Engagement Many of our regular activities sadly had to be cancelled or postponed. For others we had to rethink how we could still run events to encourage people to keep cycling. For example, for our annual Bike Week and Women’s Festival of Cycling we ran a whole series of online events and webinars to keep people engaged and motivated.

this is

Our campaign to support the cycling surge

1.3 MILLION

women reached through our Women’s Festival of Cycling

100 Women in

Cycling recognised

83 MILLION

people reached through our virtual Bike Week

51,000

people visited our website through Bike Week

4,500 people logged rides for our inaugural World’s Biggest Bike Ride

Free three-month memberships for NHS heroes like Mónica

Volunteering and groups

Our online festival celebrated cycling for women & girls

More than 9,400 volunteers registered.

186 new groups.

Behaviour change Changing people’s attitudes and behaviours are two of the most crucial steps in helping more people to cycle. That’s why we run programmes and projects such as the Big Bike Revival throughout the year. The coronavirus pandemic unfortunately meant some of our projects had to be suspended, while others were adapted.

For example, the Big Bike Revival was modified in the spring to help key-workers use their bikes to cycle to work and avoid public transport. The programme has now been expanded to provide pop-up Dr Bike sessions in England, while in Scotland we have been running the Scotland Cycle Repair Scheme.

4,673 key-workers reached through the Big Bike Revival.

2,602 key-worker bikes repaired in England.

1,367 people made use of the Pop-Up Dr Bike scheme in England.

907 bikes have been serviced or fixed by the Pop-Up Dr Bike scheme in England.

9,500 people have had free repairs under the Scotland Cycle Repair Scheme.

Pumped Up Off the back of the huge surge in people cycling during the pandemic, we launched our Pumped Up publicity campaign to encourage people to keep cycling. As part of the campaign we ran three separate but linked initiatives: Pumped Up portraits – 50 cycling pictures and stories of individuals across the UK for whom cycling had become a way of life.

Pumped Up crew – creating the AA of cyclists – a volunteer crew to help support those new to cycling.

The World’s Biggest Bike Ride was launched under the banner of the Pumped Up campaign.

Our profile

HOW OTHERS SAW US IN 2020 More than 4,648 press mentions of Cycling UK in the media.

More than 9.1 million website page views – an increase of 107% on last year.

Our number of social media followers has grown by 29%.

Number of Instagram followers doubled.

Facebook followers up by 34%.

83 e-bikes, cargo bikes and adaptive cycles loaned for free in Scotland to enable keyworkers to get to work safely and communities to make deliveries during lockdown.

We launched three new projects in Scotland: the Dunoon Bothy, the Golspie Bothy, and Active Cairngorms E-Bikes.

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Feeling lonely can be as bad for your health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day

(Clockwise) Narinder, who learned to ride in 2018. Cycle training in Manchester. Ride leading in Sefton

Charity

CHRISTMAS APPEAL

Help break the cycle of social isolation. Donate now at cyclinguk.org/breakthecycle, asks James Newman

T Photos: Narinder Kaur (above), Joolze Dymond (facing page)

here’s no doubt that 2020 has been hard for everyone. Every single one of us has felt the sadness of not being able to see a relative on a special day, missed hugging our friends or grandchildren, and had times when we were frightened about the future. For those of us fortunate enough to live with loved ones or friends, we can take some consolation that we’ve not faced these trials alone. But there are many who have had to face these dark months by themselves.

Feeling lonely can be as bad for your health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day and is linked to an increased risk of dementia, heart disease, anxiety and depression. With lockdowns and restrictions on movement, social isolation is another repercussion of the pandemic many are having to deal with.

Narinder’s story Narinder Kaur, from Walsall in the West Midlands, has been on the frontline as an

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Intensive Care Nurse since the pandemic struck.

No stranger to grief, she lost her father two years ago. She overcame her loss thanks in part to the support of Cycling UK’s community work, through which she learned how to cycle.

“If it wasn’t for Cycling UK helping me to learn how to ride a bike, I’m not sure how I would’ve coped after losing my dad,” says Narinder. “It came at the right time because I couldn’t stop thinking about my dad. But when I was learning to ride, I was having to focus on learning a new skill. It helped me move forward.”

Living alone and working in the Intensive Therapy Unit (ITU) has taken its toll on her at times, often leaving her with no outlet or break.

“Physically I’ve been well,” she says. “As a nurse in ITU, it has been incredibly overwhelming and stressful. At times it was so hard, I was quite traumatised. When my colleagues and I were putting on PPE preparing to go on shift, we were just praying we would be okay, and we worried for our loved ones.”

However, one thing that has helped her through has been the community she has found in her cycling group, which Cycling UK helped set up at the Walsall Arboretum.

“Sometimes you become vulnerable, because there’s no one else to talk to – or people you do see don’t understand you. So when the cycling group gets together, it’s been absolutely amazing. The community cycling club is like family,” Narinder says.

“As a nurse, I’ve still been going out and seeing people during the lockdowns. But you want to leave work behind and talk about simple things. I was getting out doing exercise alone, but you can only do that by yourself for a little while. You need that connection where you can talk to others.”

Prior to the pandemic, social isolation was more prevalent in deprived areas, where it’s accompanied by much poorer health outcomes.

There’s a gap of over nine years between life expectancy in the UK’s wealthiest and most deprived areas.

And, tragically, it is these same areas that have been hit hardest by the pandemic, with death rates twice that of better-off areas. For some parts of the country – such as Manchester, Liverpool, Glasgow, and Belfast – lockdown restrictions eased for only a few short weeks.

Millions will have been unable to see friends and family for many months.

this is

Your donation

THE VALUE OF HELP Your donation can help people like Narinder, who gives so much more back to her local community where she now regularly volunteers helping others discover the benefits of cycling.

£15

could pay for essential PPE, sanitiser and gloves to ensure bikes are safe for all to use

I learned how to ride a bike in 2018 after losing my dad. If that hadn’t come about, I would’ve struggled big time. I am very grateful to Cycling UK, so thank you.

£30

could buy a waterproof jacket to help people ride during winter

– Narinder Kaur

How your donation could help Throughout Scotland and England, Cycling UK’s community interventions are helping people like Narinder, providing a little bit of normality in this tumultuous time.

We are building networks, not just helping people cycle but also providing support, alternatives to public transport, and tackling social isolation. We are connecting communities, while also addressing the local needs that cycling can help to fix.

The groups and people that Cycling UK are helping are diverse: over 30% of people are from BAME backgrounds, with participants evenly split between men and women. And, although we didn’t plan it this way, some of our strongest networks are in those places hit hardest by coronavirus, including Manchester, West Yorkshire, Glasgow, and the Midlands.

Within the constraints of a myriad of restrictions, our local development officers have worked throughout summer and into autumn to ensure those that need the support to keep cycling during the pandemic can continue to do so. We’ve adapted all the community groups and projects we support so that they have become fully social distanced and can support as many people as possible.

£50

With more than 150 community clubs and individual projects, it has taken a lot of extra work and logistical wizardry, not to mention extra cost.

But the results have been more than worth it.

We want to continue this vital work and do even more to help all our community clubs and projects. That’s why we need your support with a donation this Christmas to help us in our mission.

Your generosity can make such a difference to all those people suffering social isolation.

How to donate • ONLINE: at cyclinguk.org/breakthecycle

could provide a secondhand bike for a new cyclist

£125

could train a volunteer to lead group rides

• PHONE: by calling 01483 238 300.

• POST: send a cheque made payable to ‘Cycling UK’ to: Cycling UK, Parklands, Railton Road, Gulidford, SURREY GU2 9JX, not forgetting to let us know it’s for our Break the Cycle appeal.

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you are

Tech Spec IAN’S GEKKO FX Model: HP Velotechnik Gekko fx 20 Frame: Aluminium Wheels 20in all round, fitted with 2in Schwalbe Big Apple tyres, which provide some shock absorbency but still roll well.

Gearing: 8-speed SRAM derailleur with a 3-speed Sturmey Archer hub gear. This has the advantage of only needing a single chainring at the front so there’s no exposed front mech. Gear range 17-87in.

Brakes: Avid BB7 mechanical disc brakes on both front wheels; V-brake on rear (parking brake only).

Steering & seating: Standard HPV mesh seat.

Accessories: Mudguards and pannier rack – only HPV ones will fit; flag and streamers; Bontrager Ion 200 daylight running lights; CatEye mirror.

My trike

IAN YARROLL Balance problems prompted Ian to switch from a bike to a recumbent trike. Unlike most others, his will go on trains and planes as it folds

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oad bikes, tourers, mountain bikes – I’ve ridden and owned many bikes over the years. But my current one isn’t a bicycle at all: it’s a recumbent trike. Two years ago I started developing balance problems, which made riding a two-wheeler hazardous.

I started to look at tricycles, initially without much enthusiasm. I was thinking of shopping trikes and road-biketype trikes. Neither is very stable nor folds easily. Although I cycle most days, it’s touring that I am really into. I needed a trike that could carry my usual touring kit and be easily transported by train or plane.

From online research and talking to trike dealers, I quickly came up with a shortlist of two: the ICE Adventure and the HP Velotechnik Gekko fx. Both are excellent trikes. They’re superbly engineered, with precise steering and braking, and they fold well. Both manufacturers offer a wide range of options so you can configure your own trike.

I decided on the Gekko because of its neat and quick fold.

You simply fold the seat onto the frame, pivot the back wheel between the front wheels, and a clip automatically holds everything in place. You then move the trike on its built-in trolley wheels. It takes less than a minute.

The Gekko is fun to ride – very stable, comfortable, corners like a go-kart, and very quick on the downhills. You have to accept that trikes are slow uphill. They make up for it in lots of other ways.

I’ve had trips to Portugal’s Alentejo and the Scottish islands, ridden the Velo Francette in western France, and had various overnighters around Wales. Although the Gekko is essentially a road trike, I’ve ridden on gravel trails, forestry tracks, and all sorts of cycleways without any problems. Some of the older cycleways can be a bit narrow but most of the newer ones seem to be designed to take cycle trailers, which are about the width of a trike. I’ve used trains, planes and ferries on these trips; I’ve just booked the trike as a non-folding bike.

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Top: With a rack and low gears, Ian’s trike is set up for touring Below: The Gekko fx 20 folds to 83×52×82cm in ten seconds

Touring by trike is slower but it’s a different experience. You see much more as you are looking upwards and outwards rather than down at the road. Somehow it seems a more immersive experience. Part of that is the very comfortable ride with a laid back riding position: no pressure on your hands or being hunched up over handle bars. You also spend a lot more time talking to people whenever you stop. There’s a lot of curiosity about trikes!

Probably the most frequent question I’m asked is “Don’t you feel vulnerable riding a trike?” Riding on fast main roads is sometimes not a good experience but then it isn’t on a bike either. On smaller roads and lanes, almost without exception, I find that I’m given more space than I used to get on a bike. I have daytime lights and a high-vis flag with streamers, which definitely helps visibility. Mirrors are another essential.

One of the main things I’ve learned in the past two years is that there are many types of bikes and ways to cycle them. If what you’re riding now doesn’t suit you any more, just look at the alternatives that are out there!

More Info More details about the trike and touring can be found in my blog : https://www.ridethebike.co.uk/otherblogs/recumbent-trike-touring/

P roduct News

2021 TECH

Trade shows were cancelled throughout 2020 but new products are still dropping off the conveyor belt of dreams. Dan Joyce sifts through a selection Stock shortages

The pandemic has been a two-edged sword for the bike industry – as an article next issue explains

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Lezyne MultiChain Pliers £40

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This 61g tool incorporates a chain splitter, valve core remover, disc rotor aligner, bottle opener, and magnetic storage for two quick-links. lezyne.com

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Schwalbe Aerothan Tubes £24.99

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Like Tubolito’s orange tubes, Schwalbe’s Aerothans are: made from a thermoplastic polymer; lightweight; compact; expensive. My first thought: tubes? schwalbe.com

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Campagnolo Ekar

£1,449 A 1×13 groupset from Campag: shrewd move into gravel territory or have they jumped the shark?

“The world’s lightest gravel groupset” features a tiny small cog: cassettes are 9-36, 9-42, or 10-44. campagnolo.com

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Ravemen PR1200

£99.99 Not just another highpowered LED light, the PR1200 has two lenses: a ‘full beam’ spot and ‘low beam’ for the road that shines down instead of dazzling.

There’s also a USB-out for charging your phone. ravemen.com

NoPinz Subzero Suit £159+

Stuck sweating on Zwift because there’s another lockdown? The Subzero suit has cooling gel inserts to keep your core temperature lower. Men’s and women’s available. nopinz.com

Surly Disc Trucker £1,900

Surly’s steel tourer gets triple bosses and dynamo routing on the fork, 12mm thru-axles, a taller head tube, ‘riser’ drops… and a higher price. It keeps sensible 3×9 gearing and 26in and 700C options. surlybikes.com

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PRODUCT NEWS

2021 TECH

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Whisky Winston Handlebar $200

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Everything that’s old is new again: the moustache handlebar is back. This one is carbon fibre. It has a 25mm drop, 73º backsweep, 60cm width, and a weight of 250g.

It’s intended for commuting, touring, and off-road use. whiskyparts.co

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Tern GSD £4,500+ I really liked the original GSD e-cargo bike (cyclinguk. org/terngsd10). It now has a motor with more torque (85Nm Bosch Cargo Line), a stiffer frame, integrated lower rack decks, a proper chainguard, a lock, and more. ternbicycles.com

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Cinq Plug5 Pure

€159 There’s no buffer battery in this new version of the topcap, dynamo-powered USBport but 12km/h is enough to start charging a phone or topping up a power bank.

The ‘rotary door’ closure is neat. cinq.de

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Effetto Mariposa Vegetalex

£24 for 1L Biodegradable and plastic free, Vegetalex is a plantbased tyre sealant that uses a mix of ground olive stones, cellulose fibres, and xantham gum. Works for tubeless, tubes, and tubulars. effettomariposa.eu

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Cube NuRoad Race FE £1,599

Cube’s all-rounder isn’t a race bike but a well-equipped gravel bike/light tourer/ commuter. For 2021, gearing is 2×11 Shimano GRX with a 30-42 chainset driving an 11-34 cassette. Hub dynamo lighting, too. cube.eu

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Chater-Lea Grand Tour Double Crankset £595 Chater-Lea, resurrected by a fan of classic lightweights, is again producing high-end components in the UK. This 46-30 crankset (for a 113mm JIS bottom bracket) is coated by titanium nitride and weighs 668g. chaterlea.com

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12 More online Check out our in-depth reviews of the latest bikes and gear online at: cyclinguk.org/cycling-advice

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Gear up

( ( Put to the test

Is there a product that you think needs reviewing?

Write to: Cycle, PO Box 313, Scarborough, YO12 6WZ

COMPONENTS, KIT, AND MEDIA SELECTED AND REVIEWED BY BIKE JOURNALISTS AND CYCLING UK STAFF

cycle@jamespembroke media.co.uk

Other options

QUAD LOCK £45.95+ Similarly solid vertical or horizontal locking system with a huge range of mounts for different activities: bike, car, motorbike, desk, armband, etc.

Pros & cons + Secure attachment + Stops phone dying – Case lacks rain protection

SKS

Compit+ smartphone holder Sturdy phone mount that’s also a power bank £79.99 + £9.99 (phone case) zyrofisher.co.uk

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ike many cyclists, I use a smartphone to navigate rather than a dedicated GPS unit. This has two drawbacks: you need to make sure your phone is securely attached; and keeping the screen on can quickly drain the battery. The Compit+ system from SKS aims to solve both, with a solid mount that allows wireless charging on the move.

Compit+ consists of the handlebar mount, the phone case, and the battery pack. The phone can sit vertically or horizontally, with a 45º twist to lock or unlock.

The neatest part is the optional “COM/UNIT” battery pack, which fits between the mount and the phone. A similar size to a smartphone, this can also be mounted ‘portrait or landscape’, letting you put it at right-angles to the phone so its LED charge indicator is visible. It provides wireless charging plus USB output. There’s also a built-in NFC chip to automatically trigger actions (e.g. starting Strava) on a compatible Android phone.

Testing it on all-day rides, I was impressed. The mount felt rock

quadlockcase.co.uk

solid on even the rockiest trails.

The battery let me keep my phone screen on all the time to display the map. SKS claims that a full phone battery and full battery pack will give 10 hours of screen time. That may be optimistic as capacity is only 5,000 mAh. I had a few niggles. My MTB stem is wider than the maximum 49mm that the handlebar mount, which clamps either side of it, is designed for. There was just enough flex to fit it. (A new stemcap mount is now available.)

While the battery is rainproof, there’s no weather protection for your phone – indeed, the case feels less protective than the Spigen case I normally use. The holes in the case are annoyingly small for everyday use, too. The Lightning port will only fit the skinniest of cables, and accessing the mute switch is awkward. So I wouldn’t use the phone case when not riding.

Rob Kingston

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.

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TOPEAK RIDECASE £44.99

Rugged phone case that attaches to a choice of stem-cap or handlebar mounts. Portrait or landscape mounting.

Case includes flip-stand.

extrauk.co.uk

Verdict

A rock-solid mount that keeps your phone topped up.

A bigger battery capacity and a more protective case would be nice.

REVIEWS

GEAR UP

Pros & cons + Stable + Inexpensive – Axle attachment rattles

FollowMe

Cargo Trailer An easy way to haul two (or two more) panniers £265.00 followmetandem.co.uk

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Other options

argo bikes aside, it’s hard to beat a trailer for carrying a large amount of stuff by bicycle. The FollowMe makes light work of loads of up to 28kg and, unlike a cargo bike, is small enough to be stored easily. That 28kg maximum may not sound much but it easily exceeds the 9kg per pannier limit of Ortlieb Back Rollers, plus the weight of the panniers themselves, leaving another 8kg for a tent or suchlike attached to the FollowMe’s top deck.

Instead of on a large luggage platform, the load is carried in panniers placed on a rear rackstyle frame either side of a single wheel. This limits both the size and weight of the load but makes

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EXTRAWHEEL BRAVE £475 Extra-wheel type trailer, as the name says, with 35kg load capacity and optional dedicated panniers.

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DE C E M B E R 20 2 0/JAN UARY 2021

for a shorter trailer, with the weight of the load directly over the wheel axle.

A vertical pivot just ahead of the wheel allows the trailer to follow the cycle’s direction, while the clip-on attachment to the bike’s rear axle provides the freedom for the trailer to move independently over bumps. Safety clip retainers prevent the axle attachment coming off inadvertently. The model tested has a 20-inch wheel and fits bikes with a standard quick-release hub.

For the test, I packed 15kg of hardwood logs evenly into a pair of Back Rollers. Such a load would make any bike fairly unwieldy if placed entirely on a rear rack. As it sits over the trailer wheel axle,

BOB YAK 26" £459 Classic long-wheelbase single-wheel trailer with optional dry-bag and 32kg load capacity.

bobgear.com, ambadistribution. com

the only significant weight on the bike rear wheel is a small part of the weight of the trailer, which is useful when using it with a lightweight rear wheel and tyre.

Wheeling the bike and trailer around requires some thought but little strength, the trailer following obediently. So it does when riding, with minimal perceptible effect on the cycle’s handling save when making quick directional changes. Only rattles from the loose-fitting axle pivot remind you of the load. Even uphill it felt easier than a bike with the same load rack-mounted, despite the extra 5kg of the trailer itself.

Richard Hallett

Verdict

Adds decent carrying capacity to any cycle, lightweight road bikes included, without adverse effects on handling or budget.

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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 ON YOUR SOFA

The Amazing Story of the Man who Cycled from India to Europe for Love PK’S FAMILY LOVE him but to society he’s

Left: Stephen Fabes

untouchable. Sleeping rough and selling

Signs of Life SIGNS OF LIFE charts Stephen Fabes’ ambition to ride across the six nonAntarctic continents. It reads like a bucket list, a lifetime’s worth of touring in six years that flies by as you turn the pages.

However, Signs of Life isn’t one man’s box-ticking ride around the world. It’s a thoughtful and often amusing insight into the author’s journey, bringing to life the people he encounters with an open and sympathetic eye.

Details The humour, humility, and selfBy: Stephen Fabes awareness reminded me at times of Eric Publisher: Profile Newby. Local history, politics and anecdote Books Ltd are woven together, introducing the reader Price: £18.99/£6.49 to a world most will never encounter, and I ISBN: 978-1788161213 for one felt richer for the experience.

That’s partly down to Stephen’s unique perspective, coming from his background as an A&E doctor. Signs of Life challenges our views on sickness and health, not just in the furthest reaches of the world but also back here in the UK. In doing so, it urges us to look beyond the symptoms of physical and societal illness, and to understand their cause. It encourages compassion – a lesson the world seems to have forgotten. It’s hard to believe this is Stephen’s first book; I sincerely hope it’s not his last.

Sam Jones

Details

By: Per J Andersson,

translated by Anna Holmwood Publisher: Oneworld Publications Price: £9.99/£4.99 ISBN: 978-1786072085

There’s an interview with Stephen on the Cycling UK website, in which he talks more about his travels. Visit cyclinguk.org/ Stephen-Fabes

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Delhi. Then Lotta, a backpacker, changes everything. PK sets off by bike to reunite with her in Sweden. It’s touch and go: no map, no concept of distance, and much prejudice. Some reviewers call this true story ‘feel-good’; I feel challenged and humbled.

Cherry Allan

The Greatest THE TITLE OF this book says it all. The

story of Beryl Burton’s racing career and personal life seems almost unbelievable, from her utter dominance of women’s time trialling in the UK for three decades to her influence on women’s racing today. A key theme

Details

throughout the book is the imbalance

Fotheringham Publisher: Youcaxton Price: £20/£9.99 ISBN: 978-1912419531

With women’s sport still playing second

By: William

between men and women’s racing. fiddle to the men’s today, what would ‘BB’ have to say?

Peter Brooks, Cycling UK member

Endless Perfect Circles ENDLESS PERFECT CIRCLES chronicles

Ian Walker’s amazing world record for the fastest bicycle crossing of Europe.

His brutally honest account gives real awareness of the world of ultra-distance

Details

Interview

portraits, he survives art college in New

By: Dr Ian Walker Publisher:

Independent Publishing Network Price: £9.99/£4.29 ISBN: 978-1838535551

cycling. His record attempt was very much about getting his head down and producing a constant cadence – or, as Ian eloquently puts it, creating “endless perfect circles”. The book is written with humour, passion, and insight.

James Scott

O p inio n

Letters

Get in touch LETTERS are edited for space, clarity and, if necessary, legality. The Editor reads and acknowledges all letters to Cycle but publishes only a selection and doesn’t enter into correspondence. Feedback for the next issue must arrive by 23 December.

WRITE TO: Cycle, PO Box 313, Scarborough, YO12 6WZ or email cycle@jamespembrokemedia.co.uk

Left: Cycling UK. Right: Joolze Dymond. Below right: Andy Gollogly

THIS MONTH LOST WAYS, SLOW CYCLING, LIGHTING REGULATIONS, GERMAN CYCLE PATHS, AND MORE

Time is running out to discover and retain thousands of kilometres of bridleway

th Letter of the mon

Don’t lose your way

C

ycling UK is trying to increase access for cyclists but thousands of kilometres of routes could be lost on 1 January 2026. Bridleways that have fallen out of use will be extinguished on that date because of provisions in the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000.

Some of the lost ways are footpaths but many are bridleways. In the 1950s, when the first maps of rights of way were drawn up, equestrianism was at an all-time low. And, of course, cyclists were not allowed to use bridleways at the time. So much of the checking of the proposed maps was done by walkers, who were happy to focus on footpaths.

Up to 01/01/26, if you can show that a route was once a public way, it must be added to the rights of way map, even if it has been out of use for centuries – unless there is a court order or similar blocking it up. If a route has been wrongly recorded as just a footpath, it must be upgraded.

There have been few cyclists involved so far but it could be for you if: you enjoy off-road cycling or finding new routes; you like looking at old and new maps; or you are interested in local history.

Chris Smith, Sussex Don’t Lose Your Way campaign

Win a Lezyne Macro Plus GPS worth £100 The letter of the month wins a Lezyne Macro Plus GPS, courtesy of Upgrade Bikes. It pairs with your phone and offers turnby-turn navigation, Strava Live Segments, training integration, optional horizontal orientation, a best-in-class run-time of 28 hours, and more.

For details about this and other Lezyne GPS computers, or to find your local stockist, visit upgradebikes.co.uk

For more information, along with details of how you can get involved, visit: cyclinguk.org/2026.

And check out our latest Missing Links campaign: cyclinguk.org/missinglinks.

Stay connected

facebook.com/CyclingUK

Twitter @wearecyclinguk

Not so fast

I was greatly cheered by Ben Morris’s letter last month. Someone else realises that you don’t need to go as fast as possible on a bike to enjoy the ride!

I have nothing but admiration for cyclists who regularly ride 100 miles a day and fill websites with their personal best times. If people want to use the world as an outdoor gym that’s fine with me, but there are other ways of using a bike.

My advice to anyone taking up cycling again is to ride slowly and look around. The world is a fascinating place and it is best seen from the saddle of a bike.

Oliver Cook

Warning on lights

I feel the tone of your article about cycle lighting (CycleClips and also p60, Oct/Nov) quite scaremongering, hinting as it does that whatever we buy (because of lack of BS-approved marking) will not stop a cunning lawyer from claiming we may be partly at fault for having non-compliant lights. But more importantly, I was disappointed to

cycling@cyclinguk.org

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LETTERS

YOUR FEEDBACK

find no reference to the departure of the UK from the EU. Will the EU Directive referred to in the 2018 article still be valid? Will we still be legal if we comply with German laws in the (non-EU member) UK? Lawrence Dooley UK cycle lighting regulations are out of touch, as evidenced by the more sensible attitude of the police. But as it stands, they are the law. We need a change in the regulations – which Brexit won’t necessarily provide – or a change in the availability of compliant lights. Saying “It’ll be fine” isn’t good enough. Cyclists are being tacitly encouraged to break the law. Before 1989, cycle lights only had to be “visible from a reasonable distance”. Much simpler!

Tandem torque

Referring to the test of two tandems in the last issue: the Thorn Raven is fitted with the 14-speed Rohloff hub gear. Is that able to cope with the output of two strong riders pedalling in tandem?

Dave Grover Some iterations of the Rohloff hub aren’t rated for tandems – see rohloff. de/en/experience/technology-indetail/specifications – but the one on the Thorn is. For tandem use, Rohloff say the ratio of chainring to sprocket size must be at least 2.5 to 1.

th Photo of the mon

Manchester mural

I’ve just finished painting stage one of a huge cycling mural at Platt Fields Bike Hub (plattfieldsbikehub.org.uk) in Manchester. It signposts the public to local cycling clubs, cycling groups, and larger organisations like Cycling UK, British Cycling, Sustrans, and Transport for Greater Manchester. I wanted the everyday cyclists in my community to be put on a podium of their own for once.

Anna Smith

CYCLING UK FORUM

Right: Alamy

Do as you would be done by Riding the radwegs

Whilst I applaud the intent of the draft Highway Code and its emphasis on the hierarchy of vulnerability, I think we cyclists need to take a long, hard look at ourselves when sharing space with pedestrians.

On the road, we are quick to shout or gesture when close-passed by a car doing twice our speed. Yet on shared-used paths, too many cyclists shout at vulnerable users for not jumping out of the way fast enough!

Ian Slater

The recent article on the Rhine took me back to our first holiday without the kids in 2000. We decided to cycle from Basle (using the European Bike Express to get there) to Amsterdam. We enjoyed it but were dismayed that there were so many industrial stretches.

The Danube seemed to be the obvious alternative but we heard it was becoming crowded. So, in 2010, we decided to try the Elbe instead. We boarded the ferry from I am writing in relation to your Newcastle with our Bromptons, review of baby bike seats. I think it is then took a train to Hamburg. important to note that, although your We spent two weeks cycling to reviewer detailed the fun he had on Dresden. The path was well signed, the Shotgun seat, it doesn’t actually mostly flat along river levees, and meet the EU safety standards. This hardly used. After Hamburg it was is not saying the seat is in any way mainly in the old East Germany: unsafe, but according to the very rural and peaceful, standard for front seats except for the occasional set by the EU, it does not disused factory. We’d Obituaries pass. This is probably love to go back Are published as it has no side sometime to finish the online at cyclinguk. protection for the child. route to Prague. org/obituaries.

Mat Newman, WeeRide Carol Attewell Contact publicity@

Standards issue

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Get immediate feedback from other members on at forum.cyclinguk.org. Here’s an abridged extract from a popular recent thread: cyclinguk.org/police-warning WHEN THE POLICE GIVE AN ASSAULTED CYCLIST A WARNING geomannie: A shocking story of police blaming the victim: bit.ly/cycleDBassaulted. The only bright part of this story is that Cycling UK are getting involved. reohn2: After too many similar instances I now stay off the roads when cycling as much as I can.

The UK isn’t the cycling friendly nation it once was IMHO. freeflow: It is shocking that the driver was not charged for assault. However, I can sympathise with the driver getting frustrated.

The excuse of “I was filtering” is pretty thin and demonstrates poor roadcraft by the cyclist.

Paulatic: I think the driver was fully aware of where the cyclist was at.

Moving over the white line and then speeding up to not allow him to

get in front. I suspect his anger had been brewing for a number of mornings seeing Dave on a bike get further along the road than himself. atlas_shrugged: The cyclist failed to understand that because the driver was in a Range Rover it was his road. Even worse, the cyclist caused the police to have to do some work.

Pebble: This was an assault and how the cyclist was riding has nothing to do with it – you are not allowed to attack other road users for any reason.

Vorpal: The cyclist rides that way every day and knows the road well. I see absolutely nothing wrong with his cycling. The driver who assaulted him seems to have set up the situation for the purpose of assaulting him.

Details Where: Yorkshire Dales Start/finish: Settle, North Yorkshire Distance: 23km Pictures: Joolze Dymond

Top: The view from Jubilee Cave, last winter Bottom: Climbing towards Nappa Cross, Sep 2020

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B I K EPACK I N G

G R E AT R I D E S

HANNAH COLLINGRIDGE & JOOLZE DYMOND Hannah is a fulltime writer and ex-bike mechanic Joolze is a pro photgrapher who takes her drone everywhere

Great Rides

TIME OUT A night under the stars is an escape from dayto-day cares. Hannah Collingridge and Joolze Dymond persuaded their partners to join them

T

aking a break in 2020 has been tough.

Lockdowns, quarantines, and social distancing have curtailed opportunities to get away, with or without a bike. At least we’ve been able to keep cycling. And with a bike and some bags, it’s possible to have an adventure without straying far from home: a sub-24-hour overnighter (S24O) takes you out of the house (at last!) and into the great outdoors.

Joolze and I have done plenty of bikepacking but our other halves haven’t been with us before.

Joolze’s husband, Dave, used to do hillwalking and backpacking. My wife, Norna, has a lot of lightweight camping experience – in Australia. So she’s a dab hand at setting up mosquito nets and checking boots for spiders but hasn’t been bivvying in Britain. There was experience, therefore, but all in the dim and distant past.

INTO THE HILLS For our overnight trip, we wouldn’t need to leave Yorkshire. We picked the Settle Loop in the Dales, with an extension towards Malham Tarn. We’ve ridden it before as a group. A familiar route means that you don’t have to worry about other things while you get used to the handling of a loaded bike.

Whichever way round you do the loop – we did it clockwise – there’s a big climb out of Settle. The planned format was: lunch before we set off; a very leisurely ride, enjoying

A familiar route means that you don’t have to worry about other things while you get used to riding a loaded bike

the fine autumnal weather and limestone scenery; camp up for the evening; then ride back to Settle for a second breakfast next morning. Joolze and I had done an overnighter here in the snow last December so we already had a couple of promising bivvy spots in mind.

It is a stiff and steady climb out of Settle, the tarmac giving way to a limestone track and then to grass. Climbing is when you realise how heavy your bike is, even if you took care to take as little as possible. You need to find a sustainable rhythm.

As Norna said: “There’s no point aiming for your normal speed; just stick it in a low gear and tap it out. Let your mind wander and look around at the views.”

Grinding up hills seems to exacerbate any chafing. Apply chamois cream before you set off and reapply as soon as you feel hot spots starting.

Take a small travel jar filled with some of your favourite brand.

Part way up the climb we stopped to have a breather and adjust the luggage on Norna’s handlebar. It always takes a bit of fiddling to set up a particular bag on a particular bike just right.

What seems great in the car park needs to be trail tested. There’s also the art of getting on a loaded bike, especially with a saddle pack sticking out of the back. Norna, who hasn’t got the longest legs, was finding this… challenging. The rest of us were deeply supportive and laughed in empathy.

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Clockwise: Handlebar rolls. Dave above Malham Tarn. Hot drinks all round

G R E AT R I D E S

Do it yourself

Bikepacking basics

Baggage check

HISTORY AND GEOGRAPHY

Seatpacks reviewed: cyclinguk.org/ article/group-testseatpost-bagsbikepacking

Along the Settle Loop there’s a series of caves, famous for demonstrating 14,500 years of human history and 130,000 years of animal presence in the area. The finds have also helped our understanding of the post-glacial periods so it’s an important site that’s worth exploring. But doing so is better on foot so we continued on, past glorious views of Pen-y-ghent, one of Yorkshire’s Three Peaks.

A little later we stopped for a brew. It’s always good to keep the stove and supplies handy, maybe at the side of the roll bag on the handlebar, so you can stop and brew up easily. Any warm drink outside is the best thing ever. I’ve got a packable coffee filter, so Joolze and I can have fresh cup when we’re out at the cost of very little extra weight. Dave and Norna had tea. I tend to drink brews without milk when bikepacking; fresh milk is heavy and goes off quickly, while powdered milk is the work of the devil.

A quick word at this point about mug dangling.

This is where a mug is carried on the outside of a pack, where trail muck can get in and on it. Don’t do it. Pack your mug in your bag and keep it clean: your guts will thank you for it. The trail is not an ideal place for stomach troubles.

We carried onwards to Malham Tarn, a rare natural lake in the limestone Dales. Usually, unless it’s very wet, there isn’t surface water on limestone. The rock is pervious, so water tends to be underground, carving its way below your feet.

Malham Tarn is there because of a bit of Silurian slate. The water comes out of the tarn near the

Use what you have. Don’t splash out before your first trip. Beg and borrow from friends.

Keep the route and the level of riding simple. Better to under-do the first trip than to put people off.

Take some treats for camp – biscuits, hot chocolate, etc.

Ensure you have plenty of warm food and drink. You use more energy than you think keeping warm.

road, and you can see where it disappears underground at Water Sinks. We had time to examine it as we were going to be out all night. Time moves differently on a bivvying trip.

MAKING CAMP For the evening we found a discreet, sheltered spot, put up the tarp and shook out the sleeping bags. For food, we’d decided on dehydrated meals: heat the water, add to the pouch, and wait until it’s rehydrated. It’s a handy way of everyone getting something they like for tea, and you can busy yourself with other camp jobs while you wait.

Dave had treated himself to a new stove for the trip, so was busy exclaiming over how much more efficient it was than his old one. Then we dug out the cheese board… Joolze has a tiny cheese board as her luxury item on trips, complete with cheese and biscuits.

Of course you can make whatever you like over a camp stove. Just remember you’ve got to carry in both the food and the fuel. The good thing about a stove is that it leaves no trace.

Campfires damage the ground and are serious fire hazards.

As it grew chilly, we all changed into something dry and warm. It’s possible to sleep in your chamois but not pleasant. Much nicer to get changed. You’ll really appreciate a warm jacket at this point. Down has the best warmth to weight ratio but synthetics are happier in the wet. Hats

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Lockdown limitations

B I K EPACK I N G

The trip took place when ‘the rule of six’ applied. And now?

Check cyclinguk.org/ coronavirus

Top: Pen-y-ghent, from Joolze & Hannah’s 2019 trip Bottom: Hannah in her bivvy

are essential and a dry pair of socks is lovely. Pack a couple of plastic bags – they’ll help greatly if your feet get wet during the day. Take off your wet socks, dry off your feet, put on your delightfully dry socks and then, if you need to leave your sleeping bag again, pull on the plastic bags before you put your feet in your shoes. Stuff that is only a bit damp will dry off if you sleep with it in your bag overnight. And if it’s not fully dry, at least it’s warm.

If you suffer from the cold, don’t skimp on your sleeping mat. I bought a couple of Exped mats secondhand and have found them a really worthwhile investment. Norna was impressed with how comfy a good inflatable mattress can be, even if she’d had reservations about the cost at the time. Because we only had one three-season bag between the two of us, I kept on my down jacket and hat and used my summer bag.

Despite the light frost we found in the morning, no one had been too cold overnight, thanks to the combination of a sleeping bag in a bivvy bag under the tarp. You never get a good night’s sleep – it’s more a series of dozes until whichever bit of your ageing body decides it needs to be moved.

You can tell which of your companions is asleep at any given point by who is snoring. As Joolze said, Dave had a cracking night on this trip!

BREAKFAST DEBRIEF Dave’s stove earned its keep again at breakfast, and the light frost disappeared in the morning sunshine. Since it was dry and sunny, we could

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pack everything away dry for once. Then it was simply a case of reloading the bikes and rolling down to town for a second breakfast.

In the warmth of the café, we asked Norna and Dave how they’d found their overnight trip.

“It was certainly an experience!”, Norna said.

“I’ve not ridden my mountain bike for over two years, so it was a steep learning curve riding it loaded with luggage. However, despite my misgivings, it was a lot easier than I imagined. I can now see why Han raves about it so much and I can’t wait to go again.”

Dave said: “Joolze has always returned from her bikepacking trips tired but full of stories of the little adventures she and Hannah have been through. It brought back memories of walking and wild camping in my youth. I’m so pleased I’ve finally found the time to venture out with them.

Looking forward to heading out again soon to play with the new kit I’ve treated myself to…”

So it was a successful trip. Everyone enjoyed it and we’re still all speaking to each other. It will be happening again.

More info A guide to the full Pennine Bridleway, written

by Hannah and illustrated by Joolze’s images, will be published by Vertebrate in May 2021.

For more details about the Pennine Bridleway until then, visit the National Trails website: nationaltrail.co.uk/en_GB/trails/ pennine-bridleway/trail-information

Fact file

Dales bikepacking Distance: Deliberately low: 23km over an afternoon and the following morning.

Route: The Settle Loop of the Pennine Bridleway, with an extension to Malham Tarn. Wide, open tracks with few tricky bits.

Conditions: Cool and breezy but glorious autumn sunshine. Slight frost the next morning.

Accommodation: Bivvy bags with an additional tarp.

Equipment used: Hardtails with bar rolls and seatpacks.

We all had a sleeping bag, mat, and bivvy bag.

Maps/guides: OS OL2 Yorkshire Dales Southern and Western.

I’m glad I had…

Hannah, good coffee; Norna, down jacket and hat for camp; Dave, chance to play with my new stove; Joolze, warm booties.

Next time I would…

Dave, not wait so long to try it; Norna, try a longer route; Hannah, take more fig rolls as everyone liked them; Joolze, make Dave sleep further away!

Feature

STAYCATION

Photo by Joolze Dymond

THE PANDEMIC MAY BE A STICK IN THE SPOKES FOR FOREIGN CYCLING PLANS BUT

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DOMINIC BLISS Journalist During lockdown, Dominic wore through multiple tyres on the trails of suburban London and the Surrey Hills

INSPIRATION THERE ARE PLENTY OF GREAT RIDES IN THE UK. DOMINIC BLISS OFFERS SUGGESTIONS

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ith its lockdowns and travel restrictions, 2020 will long be remembered as the year of the staycation. And who knows?

Perhaps 2021 will follow suit? While we may not be allowed to ride our bikes abroad where we’d like next year, there are benefits to staying within the four home nations of the UK. Granted, the weather doesn’t always play ball, but you can’t deny that our countryside offers some astoundingly beautiful biking opportunities, whether you choose to stay on the road or venture off it. There’s the added bonus that, by travelling within the British Isles, you’re cutting down enormously on your carbon footprint and saving yourself money in the process.

Of course, domestic travel restrictions are as tough to predict as international ones. Next year we may still be cycling in groups of six. Whatever the rules, there are countless routes for roadies, touring cyclists, gravel bikers and mountain bikers to enjoy, whatever their level of expertise and fitness. Here are some suggestions for all types of trails in all four of the home nations.

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ENGLAND

Tackle the Pennine Bridleway and you’ll soon see why they call the Pennines the “backbone of Britain”. This trail, on a combination of minor roads, gravel tracks and stone paving, runs 205 miles from Derbyshire to Cumbria across open moorland, river valleys and the beautiful countryside of both the Peak District and Yorkshire Dales National Parks. It also forms part of Cycling UK’s Great North Trail, so you could keep going all the way to Cape Wrath or John o’ Groats!

Following the route of centuries-old droveways and packhorse trails, it has been modernised with equestrians and mountain bikers in mind. Although it traces a different route from the Pennine Way hiking trail, it runs broadly parallel.

With many gates and road crossings to negotiate, it is mostly well waymarked.

The bridleway owes its existence to a keen horse rider called Mary Towneley, after whom one section looping off the main trail has been named. In 1986, Mary rode 250 miles from Northumberland to Derbyshire to highlight the poor state of Britain’s bridleways.

PEAK DISTRICT TRAILS While the entire 205 miles of the Pennine Bridleway is too demanding to complete in a weekend (unless you’re superhuman), the southern section – from Middleton Top to Hebden Bridge, not far from the start of the Mary Towneley Loop – is a great and still fairly demanding taster.

Start at Middelton Top visitor centre, near Wirksworth, and follow the High Peak Trail along a disused railway.

Soon you’ll find yourself in the rolling hills of the Peak District National Park, and on an old packhorse road that connects Tideswell to Hayfield. Next you skirt the eastern edge of Greater Manchester, and then you head northwest across moorland and past several reservoirs to Hillingworth Lake. Just north of here is the start of the Mary Towneley Loop, and beyond that Hebden Bridge.

Heather Procter is the Pennine National Trails partnership manager. She describes what off-road bikers can expect: “The most southerly section of the trail between

Left: Joolze Dymond

Off-road ride The Pennine Bridleway (southern section) 130km/81 miles GPX: cyclinguk.org/route/PennineBridleway

FAMILY/BEGINNER Tamsin Trail 11.7km/7.3 miles Walsden Moor near Todmorden, on the Pennine Bridleway and the Great North Trail

Middleton Top and Parsley Hay follows the High Peak Trail, a reasonably level track along disused railway lines. This section offers views over surrounding White Peak countryside, and glimpses of the industrial heritage of the railways. Parsley Hay through to Peak Forest gives riders a great feel for the White Peak, traversing the limestone plateau with rolling pastures, stone walls, and steep wooded dales.

“The limestone grasslands of the area, including the nature reserve at Chee Dale, are full of wildlife in the summer. Peak Forest to Hayfield signals the move into the Dark Peak, on the millstone grit and around the edges of blanket bogs and heather moorland. Hayfield to Uppermill provides great views over the surrounding landscapes, and a first glimpse of the reservoirs which are to become familiar.

Uppermill to Summit is characterised by long climbs and extraordinary contrasts between the bleak, remote moorland of the Pennine edge and the roads and towns of the South Pennines.” nationaltrail.co.uk/en_GB/trails/penninebridleway cyclinguk.org/offroadcampaigns/great-northtrail

Richmond Park in south west London is best known as a busy roadie hangout. However, for beginners and youngsters the offroad Tamsin Trail, around the park perimeter, is perfect. This wide, well-maintained gravel track loops for 7.3 miles, through trees, copses of bracken and the odd herd of deer. There are two short but steep climbs. There’s easy access from railway stations, including Richmond, Norbiton, North Sheen and Mortlake. bit.ly/cycle-tamsintrail

TOURING Peddars Way & Norfolk Coast Cycleway 134km/83 miles

These two routes link up to offer an 83-mile easy-going tour of Norfolk on a mixture of off-road and onroad surfaces. Start near Thetford and follow the flat-as-a-pancake Peddars Way (an old Roman road) for 46 miles to Hunstanton on a combination of dirt paths, gravel tracks, forest trails and short tarmac sections. Then take the Norfolk Coast Cycleway, a 37-mile chain of quiet public roads from Hunstanton to Sheringham. There are stations at both Thetford and Sheringham. bit.ly/cycle-peddars-norfolkcoast

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SCOTLAND

Touring The North Coast 500 835km/519 miles GPX: cyclinguk. org/route/NorthCoast500

Head north of the border and the weather can be inclement, especially on the west coast, where the midgies – which descend in their hordes in summer – will frustrate even the most stoical cyclist. But of all the four home nations, the natural scenery of Scotland cannot be beaten.

To witness some of the very best, embark on a legendary road route called the North Coast 500. Some call it “Scotland’s Route 66”. Yet this 500-mile tarmacked tourist route around the Scottish Highlands sees a lot less traffic than the famous road trip from Chicago to Los Angeles.

Although it can get busy in the summer season as motorists – some of them not the most responsible drivers – negotiate the route, outside of the tourist season there are rural sections where you’d be lucky to spot anything speedier than Highland cattle.

Above: The spectacular climb of Bealach na Ba Below: Loch Eriboll on the north coast

OFF-ROAD RIDE Glasgow to Loch Ossian

HIGHLAND SCENERY Riding clockwise, the route starts in Inverness and takes in some gloriously Caledonian sights including windswept coastal roads, snaking inlets, rugged sea cliffs, loch-spanning bridges, deserted sandy beaches, fairytale castles, little known Gaelic villages, island-dotted bays, imposing Highland Munros, and mainland Britain’s most northerly point. It runs for 519 miles in all, with an elevation gain of around 10,500 metres, and would take a fit and experienced touring cyclist five days or more. Former professional cyclist James McCallum holds the course record – 31 hours and 23 minutes.

“It was like nothing I had ever taken in before and a million miles from what I did as a professional athlete,” the cyclist said after completing his ride in 2018. “Yes, I have done many races around the world but none of them had the combination of the constant elevation changes or the beautiful scenery of the NC500.”

Most cyclists tackle the route clockwise, to benefit from the southwesterly winds that prevail on Scotland’s west coast.

There is plenty of accommodation en route, and many great spots for wild camping.

179km/

111 miles

Heading west from Inverness, the route first crosses the southern section of the North West Highlands on A-roads towards the Applecross peninsula. Before you reach the coast you’ll face the toughest test of the entire ride, and arguably the toughest road climb anywhere in Britain: Bealach na Ba. Once that’s completed, for the remainder of the route you mostly hug the coastal roads, twisting, turning, rising and dropping as you skirt the entirety of the top section of the Northwest Highlands, taking in Ullapool, Durness, Thurso, John o’ Groats, Lybster, Helmsdale, Dingwall and back to Inverness.

Since he holds the record, the last word on this Scottish classic really should come from James McCallum. “Plan for every eventuality both mechanically and from a weather perspective. Scotland can be both very beautiful and brutal at the same time.” northcoast500.com

Obscura Mondo Cycling Club’s An Turas Mor route takes you off-road from Glasgow into the Highlands proper. This is a two-day slice of it.

The first leg to Balquhidder Station is a good warm up through the Trossachs. The more challenging second leg makes good use of tracks built for Scotland’s new hydro schemes and ends at the remote Loch Ossian youth hostel. anturasmor.co.uk

FAMILY/BEGINNER Fort Augustus to Laggan Locks 18km/11 miles

The Great Glen slices diagonally across the neck of Scotland, coast to coast. For beginners or families, the 11-mile section between Fort Augustus and Laggan Locks – on flat towpaths and cycle paths – is the perfect introduction. It starts at the southern end of Loch Ness and skirts Loch Oich as far as the northern tip of Laggan Locks. Even beginners can make the journey there and back in a day. highland.gov.uk/greatglenway

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F E ATU R E Left & below left: Dan Joyce

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WALES

Family/beginner Mawddach Trail 15km/9.5 miles GPX: cyclinguk. org/route/MawddachTrail

Wales boasts some of the UK’s finest mountain bike centres and – when you reach the middle of the principality – some gloriously traffic-free roads. MidWales is also home to this cycle and walking path alongside the Mawddach Estuary. It once featured in the Julia Bradbury BBC TV series Railway Walks.

The well-surfaced track follows the final section of a former railway line that originally linked Barmouth with Ruabon, in North Wales, and the West Midlands beyond. Between 1869 and 1965 it brought holidaymakers to the coast. But as part of the Beeching cuts in the 1960s, it was deemed surplus to requirements. The railway’s loss was the cyclist’s gain.

Suitable even for beginners, it starts in the market town of Dolgellau, in the car park next to the bridge, and gently winds along the southern edge of the estuary, mostly flat and clearly marked the entire way. But thanks to the amazing views south towards Cadair Idris, you’ll at least get a psychological sense of the steep ground surrounding you.

Eventually you approach the mouth of the estuary and turn right over Barmouth railway bridge. Here is the only section that beginners or youngsters might find tricky as the route follows the A496 into Barmouth town, but fortunately only for 300 metres.

THE BEST RAIL TRAIL IN WALES? “The Mawddach Trail is easily one of the most spectacular railway walks that Britain has to offer,” says the trail website.

“There are stunning views across to Diffwys and the Rhinogs, and up the estuary to Y Garn and the Arans beyond Dolgellau. Pretty much the whole of the estuary is listed as a site of special scientific interest. There are two RSPB reserves (Taicynhaeaf and Arthog), and a whole host of historical sites to ponder over as you make your way through this beautiful landscape.”

Julia Bradbury describes the route well in the BBC episode of Railway Walks dedicated to the trail. She starts by heading west out of Dolgellau, following the river and the bypass towards the head

Above: Mountain backdrop to a flat route Below: Barmouth Bridge is 699m long

ROAD RIDE The Dragon Devil

298km/185

miles

of the Mawddach estuary. “From here the old railway makes its own path, across the reed bed and floodplains to meet the River Mawddach at Penmaenpool Bridge,” she says. “Now the river really begins to look like an estuary. The railway path hugs the south banks as it follows the corridor through the Welsh hills. Then there’s a long curve as trains once reached the bustling Barmouth Junction, the final landmark before the stunning approach to Barmouth itself. Barmouth Bridge may be man-made, but what finer way could there be to reach the Welsh west coast?”

Once you’ve reached this coast, perhaps you’ll have plenty of energy left to turn around and head the 9.5 miles back to Dolgellau. mawddachtrail.co.uk

Margam Park, near Port Talbot in South Wales, is the starting point for one of Wales’s best know sportives, the Dragon Ride. Since it’s an open-road sportive you can, of course, ride it at any time of year.

The organisers offer four routes; the longest, at 185 miles, is called the Dragon Devil which takes in several peaks above 500 metres in the Brecon Beacons. Total ascent?

4,396 metres. dragonride.co.uk

OFF-ROAD RIDE The Trans-Cambrian Way 160km/100 miles

This behemoth of a trail stretches 100-odd miles from Knighton, on the English border, all the way to Dovey Junction, near Wales’s west coast, taking in the remote hills and moorlands of mid-Wales, on country lanes, moorland tracks, and dirt trails. transcambrianway.org.uk

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Below: A quiet lane in County Fermanagh, NI Below: Upper Lough Erne

NORTHERN IRELAND

Head away from Northern Ireland’s major cities and you’ll quickly discover some gloriously traffic-calmed country roads over rivers and rolling hills, and alongside beautiful lakes – or loughs.

One of the best is the Kingfisher Trail, a 300-mile or so route (depending on which turns you take) through the border counties of Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic. One of its prettiest sections is the Northern Loop, a 100mile circular ride in the south west of Northern Ireland, around Lower Lough Erne, mainly on quiet country roads.

Most cyclists start in the town of Enniskillen but unfortunately there’s no railway station here. You can choose to tackle the Northern Loop clockwise or anti-clockwise. This description assumes the former.

After heading southwest out of Enniskillen you’ll soon wiggle past Florence Court Hose, and then to the north of Gortmaconnell Rock, up to Lower Lough MacNean. Now you briefly dip into the Irish Republic as you pass through the towns of Blacklion and Belcoo, before heading northwest past Ballintempo Forest and then along the northern edge of Lough Melvin. At Belleek you make a tiny loop into the Irish Republic’s County Donegal, before crossing the River Erne, then north of Lough Scolban, to the edge of the mightier Lower Lough Erne. Now you follow a long, circuitous route around this lough, south back to Enniskillen.

A LOOP AROUND LOUGHS Sights along the way include the Marble Arch Caves – a vast system of limestone caves accessed via a subterranean boat trip – and Ireland’s oldest pottery in Belleek.

On the return leg there are the wonderful forest parks at Castle Caldwell and Castle Archdale, as well as some pretty islands on the eastern edge of Lower Lough Erne. If you’re lucky, you might spot one of the brilliantly coloured birds after which the route is named.

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Left & below left: Alamy

Road ride Kingfisher Trail (Northern Loop) 160km/100 miles GPX: cyclinguk.org/ route/KingfisherTrail

BEGINNER/FAMILY Castlewellan Castle trail 4km/2.5 miles

The gentle, circular green Castlewellan Castle trail, on wellmaintained forest paths, skirts the shore of the lake and passes by the pretty Victorian Castlewellan Castle. Even though it’s off-road, it offers an easy gradient and is only 2.5 miles long. Perfect for total beginners to off-road biking or even the smallest of cyclists. mountainbikeni.com/castlewellan

Martin Hughes is a touring cyclist form Cork. He and six friends rode much of the route one year in June.

“You need to keep your wits about you, especially in towns,” he offers by way of advice. “We found that it was good to keep the map to hand while cycling so you would be expecting the next place to turn. It is very easy to miss turns, especially when tired after a long day.

The signs are often partly obscured by vegetation.”

TOURING Loughshore Trail

182km/113

miles

Lough Neagh is the largest lake in the British Isles. The 113-mile Loughshore Trail (Route 94 of the National Cycle Network) uses quiet country lanes to circumnavigate the lough, taking in nature reserves, parks, marinas, castles and islands along the way. bit.ly/cycle-loughshoretrail

kingfishercycletrail.com

CTC HOLIDAYS: BACK IN THE SADDLE Like other travel businesses, CTC Cycling Holidays had to cancel many trips in 2020 due to Covid-19. But our volunteerled company has worked hard and is optimistic about holidays in 2021, with many more planned in the UK. For details, visit cyclingholidays.org.

CTC Cycling Holidays is unique in being run by volunteers. They design and run cycling trips for everyone from beginners to adventurous travellers – in the UK, Europe, and worldwide. We’re looking to recruit more volunteers to help run our trips. Your expenses are covered when leading rides. Please advise us

on your ride or tour leading experience, but training is provided. Get in touch via the Contact Us link on the top right of the website homepage: cyclingholidays.org.

Top to bottom: King’s Norton Junction, just south of the route. Harborne Walkway. Cannon Hill Park.

Sustrans’ Rea Valley Route

Weekender

Brum for beginners City rides done right avoid cars. Kieran Yates describes a 16-mile loop that runs beside some of Birmingham’s many waterways

B

KIERAN YATES New cyclist Kieran started cycling again with New Roots in March 2020

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ritain’s second biggest city has a rich industrial heritage: it’s been called the first manufacturing town in the world. But these days it’s a long way from the smoke-blackened inter-war landscape portrayed in TV’s Peaky Blinders. Birmingham has more parks than any other city in Europe and more miles of canal than Venice (though fewer gondoliers!). Pick your route and there are great cycle rides to be had.

New Roots CCC is a Cycling UK affiliated community cycle club that leads rides – open to all but primarily beginners – from Edgbaston Reservoir every Friday at 2:30pm. This is one of my favourites.

It’s mostly flat, with good path surfaces, little interaction with traffic, and some great scenery. For much of the way, you wouldn’t know you’re riding through the UK’s second largest city.

New Roots also has a bike maintenance workshop for bike servicing and refurbishing. Old bikes are upcycled for use by people who wouldn’t be able to afford a new one. Unwanted bikes are always welcome.

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Towpath etiquette

For advice on canal-side cycling, visit cyclinguk. org/canals

BIRMINGHAM

WEEKENDER

Weekend ride

BRUM FOR BEGINNERS

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EDGBASTON RESERVOIR Starting by the Tower Ballroom, warm up with a clockwise circuit of the reservoir. It can get busy with walkers so take care. Leave the reservoir behind the Midland Sailing Club and make for Summerfield Park.

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The Harborne Walkway The Harborne Walkway is a beautiful stretch of what was once a railway. It used to see fly-tipping but the local community cleaned it up. It’s about 1.5 miles long and is well surfaced, although there’s a drop of a few inches at the edges in places.

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Ariel Aqueduct After the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, you join a cyclepath near a roundabout.

As you go round the corner, you’ll see the Ariel Aqueduct, built in 2011. Passing under it, you join an excellent, bluesurfaced cycle route beside the A38.

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Cannon Hill Country Park This is a lovely place to have a break.

There are boating lakes, bowls, tennis, families having picnics, and so on.

Birmingham Wildlife Conservation Park is a small zoo at the edge of the park.

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Rea Valley Route Follow the signs onto the Rea Valley cyclepath, a Sustrans route. You could follow the River Rea north into the city centre but our route goes south. You’ll cross a few roads but keep on it until you reach the southern end.

Map © Crown copyright 2020. Ordnance Survey. Media 015/20. Photos by Elliott Brown & Damien Walmsley (Flickr CC), Wayne Fox, and Sam Jones

Route name: Birmingham waterside ride. Start/Finish: Edgbaston Reservoir car park. OS grid ref: SP045867. Map: OS Explorer 220. Ride length: 25.7km (16 miles). Climbing: 102m. Bike type: any. Ride level: beginner. GPX file: cyclinguk.org/birmingham-weekender

6 New Roots For information on rides, workshop, or bike donations, contact Steve Potter: 07541 097451 steve.potter@newrootsltd.co.uk

WORCESTER & BIRMINGHAM CANAL Turn right on the towpath towards the city centre. You’ll pass the Cadbury factory (sometimes you can smell the chocolate) and over the Ariel Aqueduct.

Follow the canal all the way into Birmingham centre.

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Details Where: Coast of Portugal and Spain Start/finish: Lisbon to Santiago de Compostela Distance: 900km (560 miles) Pictures: Paul Lloyd

Top: Coast of the Parque Natural de Sintra-Cascais Bottom: Old quayside on the Douro River, Porto

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G R E AT R I D E S

PORTUGAL

PAUL LLOYD

Great Rides

Cycling UK member Life-long cycle touring enthusiast dreaming of the next trip

THE ATLANTIC ROAD The shoulder seasons are perfect for cycling in Southern Europe. Paul Lloyd took an autumn tour up the coast of Portugal and into Spain

S

alt air, breaking surf, wide open views of sea and sky – I love coastal tours. The Estrada Atlantica, or Atlantic Road, follows the western shores of Portugal. It’s also the last leg of EuroVelo 1, an epic, largely coastal route that starts at the top of Norway and heads south.

While EuroVelo 1 sometimes deviates inland, in Portugal it stays close to the ocean. Much of it has separate cycle paths marked out in red asphalt on the seaward side of the road. In parts, the bike path runs through the sand dunes on a plank boardwalk that’s shared with pedestrians. Much of this coastal landscape has been designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty by the EU, which is where the funding came from to build the boardwalks.

CLIFFS, BEACHES, AND ESTUARIES I began my tour in Lisbon. The first few days were hilly; the coast has cliffs and headlands as well as long sandy beaches. The road periodically twisted and turned away from the sea and up into the hills.

With each climb, I left behind a largely treeless landscape at sea level – succulents, bushes, and sea grass – and found myself among pine forests.

Many days included several hundred metres of ascent and descent, so the riding felt a little like the coasts of the West Country in the UK. It’s flatter between Figueira da Foz and Espinho, and north of Porto up to the Spanish border. Here the cycle path tracks the

Do it yourself

Getting there You could start this tour in Lisbon like I did, or further south in Faro in the Algarve.

Alternatively, ride north to south and start in Porto or northern Spain – Vigo or Corunna, perhaps.

You could take the train to Porto from wherever you arrive Spain or do the whole trip by train from the UK: see the Aug/Sep issue of Cycle and seat61.com. You can take bikes on trains and some buses in Portugal and Spain.

shoreline, with long boardwalk sections. The bike hummed across the boards, sometimes startling pedestrians I approached from behind. I passed them with a few words of thanks in Portuguese.

Around Gafanha, six days into my journey from Lisbon, I passed extensive lagoons busy with birdlife: grey herons, egrets, even some flamingos.

In another wetlands area near Espinho, I crossed a network of boardwalks across a marshy area full of reeds. It felt like I was floating above this waterlogged landscape.

Ferries take you across various estuaries you encounter en route. I enjoyed these, the drawback being the wait for services. There were chances to chat to other travellers, however, especially at the crossing between Portugal and Spain across the Minho estuary, where walkers doing the Camino bunched up.

Being close to the ocean meant cycling through many fishing communities. Brightly painted fishing boats were hauled up onto beaches or tied to little jetties. I couldn’t imagine how these boats would tackle the huge Atlantic waves I saw rolling in. While much of the fishing nowadays is no doubt done in bigger trawlers, in Praia da Granja I passed crowds of local people gathered around small fishing boats selling the morning catch straight off the boat. Fish is such a big part of daily diet in this part of Portugal. Seafood restaurants were a staple of my trip.

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G R E AT R I D E S

Camino de Santiago

PORTUGAL

Three different trips to Santiago: cyclinguk. org/cycle-magazine/ great-rides-caminode-santiago

Clockwise: Ponte Luis I bridge, Porto. Boardwalk nr Espinho. Museum in Ericeira

Thanks to its sandy beaches, Portugal’s west coast is a magnet for tourists. In places, the architecture that’s sprung up to service them detracts from the coast’s natural beauty. Yet I still passed many towns and villages with traditional whitewashed buildings, with blue facings and tiled façades. Since my tour took place after the summer season had ended, the roads were quieter and towns full of locals. The autumn tourists I did see were in campervans, some with surf boards on the roof. This coast is a haven for surfers.

AN ODE TO AUTUMN The weather on any journey can make or break the trip. Cycling in southern Europe can be brutally hot in the summer. In the year I went, most Mediterranean countries saw high-season temperatures in the forties. By autumn, Portugal was perfect for cycling: low twenties most days.

At the western extremity of Europe, I expected wind – and from the south west, due to the Gulf Stream. Riding north from Lisbon, the wind blew fiercely from a different direction: north west.

Alfonso, a Portuguese cyclist I met at a campsite in Pedrógão, told me that this was the prevailing wind direction for most of the year. As a result most people cycling the Estrada Atlantica, unlike me, go north to south.

On my fourth day of cycling, the wind strength thankfully dropped and I was blessed with calm weather for the remaining days. This brought sea fog and mists, mainly in the mornings. There was an autumn chill first thing and a wet tent to pack

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before setting off. The morning mists added a bit of mystery to the deserted dunes and beaches I passed along the way.

OVER THE BORDER My journey along the Estrada Atlantica took me 600 kilometres from Lisbon up to the border with Spain at Caminha. I decided to extend my journey beyond that, taking in the Galician coast of north west Spain before turning inland to finish at Santiago de Compostela.

Galicia brought an interesting change in the landscape: a series of more mountainous headlands pointing south west, with deep bays in between.

The seascape was even more dramatic and offshore islands dotted the horizon. It reminded me of the coast of south west Ireland.

As in Portugal, there were many sheltered bays and sandy beaches but here it was quieter still.

The tourist season was well and truly over, the hotels, restaurants and campsites all closed up for the winter. After such solitude, it was a shock to cycle into the bustling city of Santiago to finish my journey.

More Info The Estrada Atlantica route is described very well in sections on the website: euroveloportugal.com

Fact file

The Atlantic Road Distance: 900km over 12 days, averaging 75km/day.

Route: Lisbon to Porto following the coast road and EuroVelo 1.

Then Viana, Caminha and into Spain. Then Vigo, Pontevedra, Sanxenxo, Boiro, Noia and Santiago de Compostela.

Conditions: Fine autumn weather but sometimes windy. Light traffic. Great scenery the whole way.

Accommodation: Campsites in the main.

Hostels in Lisbon, Porto and Santiago.

Equipment used: Dawes Super Galaxy, Ortlieb luggage, Wild Country Quasar tent.

Maps and guides: I took the relevant pages of an AA 1:400,000 Spain and Portugal Road Atlas (including city street maps) supplemented by the excellent EuroVelo online guide.

I’m glad I had: A warm sleeping bag and a head torch. It got dark early in the evenings and it was sometimes quite cool overnight.

Next time I would: Start on the Algarve or continue cycling as far as Santander in the north east to return to the UK by ferry.

Advice

CYCLOPEDIA

Questions answered, subjects explained – Cyclopedia is your bimonthly cycling reference guide

Q & A

Legal

Knocked off bike

Your Experts

Q

I was knocked off my e-bike at a roundabout by a driver who said he didn’t see me. He apologised and drove me and my bike home. I took his name and car registration number but he said he couldn’t remember his insurance details and would prefer to settle privately.

He offered to pay for the repair of the bike.

However, the next day I awoke with severe back pain, along with the arm and leg scrapes that I was already aware of.

Can I reasonably demand more than the price the bill from Halfords for restoration of the bike? Should I pursue this through his insurance?

J James

A

If you are involved in a road traffic collision it is important to ensure that you get the driver’s details. This can be because (as in your case) not all injuries sustained in a collision manifest themselves at the scene of the accident, when your adrenaline is flowing, but quite often later on.

If a driver tries to persuade you to Coronavirus settle the matter privately and without For up-to-date insurers, I would advise that you cyclists' advice take their contact details and then regarding Covid-19, insist on obtaining their insurance visit: cyclinguk.org/ information anyway – just in case. coronavirus

DR KATE HATTERSLEY Cycling GP {Health}

RICHARD HALLETT

This request may be met with hostility but remember that in a road traffic collision in which a person or vehicle is injured and/or damaged, the driver must, as per the Highway Code rule 286, stop and provide their name, address, vehicle registration number, and insurance details when requested. Furthermore, failure to stop at the scene of an accident you are involved in is an offence under the Road Traffic Act 1988 section 170(2). If you do stop but refuse to give your details to the other driver, it is still an offence under that section.

There is no reasonable excuse not to provide insurance details following a collision. The excuse that the driver wishes to protect their no-claims bonus, or insurance premium, is not really valid as it is a normal condition of most vehicle insurance policies that policy holders must report any accident in which they are involved to their insurer – even in situations where both parties agree to settle privately.

Your are absolutely within your rights to seek compensation for symptoms which manifested the day following the accident and should seek compensation from the third-party’s insurance company. If the driver refuses to provide his insurance details, make sure you have recorded his personal details and vehicle registration and then instruct a trusted personal injury solicitor to assist you in pursuing a claim.

Fortunately, as you are a member of Cycling UK, you can access free initial legal advice as part of your membership package.

Richard Gaffney Left: Alamy

Drivers must give their details in any collision causing injury/damage

It’s also possible to claim against a driver’s insurance for injuries noticed next day

Cycle’s Technical Editor {Technical}

RICHARD GAFFNEY Principal Lawyer, Slater + Gordon Lawyers {Legal} C YC L I NGUK . O RG

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Right: Alamy

Q&A

Atrial fibrillation is common in older cyclists. If serious, medication can control it

Health

Heart palpitations

Q

Now and again, after a few hours of cycling, I have palpitations and low blood pressure.

It mainly happens at night, then takes me two or three days to recover. I’ve seen my doctor and consultants, and had blood tests, without success. I’m 75.

My local cycle retailer thought I might be drinking too much water when cycling and suggested electrolyte levels were the problem.

I already eat bananas and Brazil nuts for iron and potassium but tried some Hydro Tabs and OTE products. These seem to help.

While I only cycle about 100 miles per week these days, my health is good. The only medication I take is a 20mg gastro-resistant tablet. While I don’t think it has any bearing: in 1964, I suffered a fractured skull in a climbing accident and severed the temporal lobe artery, causing 50% brain damage. In those days, I was the first known person to survive with half a brain. I mention this because we can lose a lot of hydration from our skulls.

Is my problem just age related or is there any particular food I can take to balance the lack of sodium and potassium?

Brian Smith

A

This is a tricky problem for you, especially as you have had specialist tests without finding an answer.

Your basic fitness is excellent for your age if you can cycle 100 miles a week. The fact you are well and energetic is reassuring.

Age alone would not cause this if you are healthy.

I suspect you are right that somehow

the hard exercise is depleting you of vital electrolytes, even if the common ones (sodium and potassium) are not low.

Omeprazole and its relatives also deplete sodium and magnesium if taken long term. It will be a matter of experimenting with commercial drink supplements (such as High 5 or SIS) and going out for shorter rides to see what you can get away with without triggering an attack.

It may also be that you are having episodes of an irregular heart beat called atrial fibrillation, which is very common in older cyclists. This would cause the palpitations and low blood pressure you experience. A heart monitor might pick this up when you are riding.

The condition can be controlled with medication such as beta blockers.

It is hard to feel you are unable to carry out the same rides you could do when younger but still great to get out on the bike in the fresh air. You might also consider trying an e-bike to extend your cycling life.

Dr Kate Hattersley

While short-pull levers can operate V-brakes, they'll run out of lever travel. Avoid

Technical

Easier braking

Q

In the June edition of Cyclopedia, Simon Ash asked about braking for people with grip problems. There is a product in motorcycling that is light enough for cycling and will help with that problem. It is designed for a motorcycle clutch cable and is not too expensive.

Google ‘Easy Clutch’ and you will see pictures of a small metal casing with a lever in it and a short cable coming from one side. Leverage has been said to reduce necessary pressure by 40%.

John Tompkins

CYCLO PE D IA

A

The device you mention does reduce lever pull force required, conceivably by 40%, but lever travel must increase accordingly. No problem for a motorcycle clutch.

The same force reduction effect can be achieved by using standardpull (road or cantilever) brake levers with full-size linear-pull V-brakes, but unless the blocks are set very close to the rim the lever will run out of travel before the brake operates properly. A modified lever with greater reach may overcome this but would only suit a larger hand.

Richard Hallett

Replacement bungee hooks are available online

Technical

Karrimor no more?

A

I have a pair of Karrimor rear pannier bags, purchased in the late 1970s. The bungee connector for one of them has separated. I have not been able to communicate with Karrimor.

Can you offer me any information about that company’s operation in UK and the prospect of obtaining a replacement connector?

Derek Watts

Q

The Karrimor company was bought by a subsidiary of the Sports Direct group in 2004, at which point warranties were cancelled and repairs outsourced. The name is now licensed for marketing and product branding. Bungee hooks are widely available, however. See, for example, thebungeestore.com.

Richard Hallett

Get in touch EMAIL your technical, health, or legal questions to cycle@jamespembrokemedia. co.uk or write to Cyclopedia, Cycle, PO Box 313, Scarborough, YO12 6WZ. We regret that Cycle magazine cannot answer unpublished queries. But don’t forget that Cycling UK operates a free-to-members advice line for personal injury claims, TEL: 0844 736 8452.

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CYCLOPEDIA

w o h w o Kn Making sense of commonly misunderstood subjects

KHADIJAH ZAIDI Ride leader and cycling instructor with Cycle Sisters, cyclesisters.org.uk

Clothing

How can I cycle in a jilbab or long dress? t really is easier than you might think!

There are only a few things to consider, then you’ll be able to cycle in the clothing in which you feel most comfortable. Many of the tips below are also relevant to cycling in a long skirt or dress. The only real difference is that a jilbab is worn over other clothing.

You need to lift the jilbab up a bit to keep the fabric away from the chain. You can: tie the fabric in a knot on your side; tuck a few inches of your jilbab into your trousers underneath at the waist; or put a belt over your jilbab and hitch up the jilbab a bit over the belt. My personal method is to just lift up my jilbab a little before getting on. If it moves out of the way, I just move it back. You need to be comfortable taking your hand off the handlebar to do this, but it's a useful skill to have anyway.

A bike with a step-through frame makes it easier to get on and off. Generally this would be a hybrid or a Dutch roadster, but any frame with lower top tube and thus a lower standover height would work – for example, a smallwheeled bike like a Brompton.

Choose breathable fabrics and nothing too

Left: Jenna Selby

I

A jilbab is no barrier to cycling, so long as you have the right bike

flowy. If you have a very loose jilbab, you can always try the trick described in the sidebar to get some of the extra fabric out of the way.

Stretchy fabrics should be avoided as these are hard to remove from a chain if they do get caught! You also want thin layers under and over your jilbab, so you can adjust your clothing more easily as you ride.

On windy days, a jilbab, skirt or dress can sometimes fly up. To prevent this, use a horseshoe-shaped trouser clip over the jilbab just below the knees. The jilbab will come up a little bit while cycling whatever the weather, so I always wear loose trousers underneath mine – with a trouser clip on my right ankle to prevent the trouser fabric getting caught in the chain.

Change your bike, not your clothes Everyday clothing is fine if you’ve got mudguards and…

Step-through bike Ridgeback Avenida 6, £449.99 ridgeback.co.uk

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Chain guard SKS Chainbow, £21.99 sks-germany.com

DE C E MB E R 20 2 0/JAN UARY 2021

Trouser clips B’Twin, yellow £1.99 decathlon.co.uk

Skirt guard Hesling 28-5 Grid, £19.60 cyclopbikes. co.uk

Rain poncho B’Twin Cycling Rain Poncho 900, £29.99 decathlon.co.uk

In for a penny…

Take a penny and a rubber band or hair band. Place the penny over the fabric in your skirt behind you, between your legs about halfway up the skirt (position will vary depending on length).

With your other hand, grab the penny from the front, through the fabric of the skirt. You should now be holding the penny and a double layer of skirt. Take the rubber band and tie a knot around the penny, holding it in the fabric.

This will bring together the skirt between your legs so it becomes like a pair of shorts/trousers. This hack makes it possible to cycle in a skirt without anything underneath being on show.

Cycling for women For a wide range of advice on women’s cycling, visit: cyclinguk.org/ women

RAFFLEBIKE

ADVERTORIAL

Advertorial

YOUR TICKET TO A BETTER BIKE Rafflebike gives cyclists the chance to win bikes, gear and gadgets for the price of a mid-ride coffee and snack

T

his year has seen a record number of cyclists head out onto the UK’s roads, trails and tracks. For a time, bike shops were emptied and online retailers stripped bare, with many people heading to sheds, gardens and garages to salvage bikes that have seen better days. Even now, many consumers are facing lengthy delays to get the kit that will see them through these tricky times. It’s at this time that Rafflebike came into existence.

Rafflebike is a new online platform which exists to give cyclists the opportunity to upgrade their bikes, acquire the best gear and own the very latest gadgets for just a fraction of the cost.

As the story goes with most good ideas, the two founders, Henry

A lucky Rafflebike winner

and Nigel came up with the idea of Rafflebike during a catch-up pint back in January. The pair – who’ve been close friends since they met at university – are looking to make Rafflebike the go-to website for cyclists looking to win the very best gear across the cycling world for the price of a mid-ride coffee and snack. Whether you’re a mountain biker, gravel grinder, touring explorer, triathlete or all out roadracer, Rafflebike has something for you.

The company brings new levels of rigour to the cycling competitions space. They are partnered with The Institute of Promotional Marketing who independently select all of their lucky winners.

Rafflebike is committed to creating a trusted and safe space for both male and female cyclists to win their dream bike and a key part of this equation is transparency. The site offers capped maximum entries on every draw, real-time updates of tickets left, and closing dates that are posted at launch and never extended. Critically, every draw is guaranteed, regardless of the number of tickets sold.

By the end of December – their biggest month of prizes so far – Rafflebike will have given away a whopping £36,000 in bikes and gear to cyclists over just

four sets of prize draws. They have some incredible prizes available to win this month and have offered Cycle readers a generous two free entries each to win £900 of men or women’s winter cycle clothing when you spend £16 or more on any tickets. Browse their prizes at Rafflebike.com and add the discount code ‘RBCYCLINGUK’ at checkout to claim your free tickets.

More Information info@rafflebike.com www.rafflebike.com @Rafflebike @Rafflebike Ages 16+. Full terms and conditions at rafflebike.com/terms-and-conditions C YC LIN . O RG. Ocycle 59 59 C YCGUK L I NGUK RG cycle

Biketest

Teenage picks Mountain bikes to fit riders aged 11-14 can be hard to find. Jasmine Townend and Matilda Stringer test two from Canyon and Whyte. Analysis by Dan Joyce

W JASMINE TOWNEND & MATILDA STRINGER 13 year olds Jasmine and Matilda are members of Richardsons CC, a Cycling UK affiliate group. Both have competed in XC races and ride often in Dalby Forest.

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hen your son or daughter outgrows the biggest model from Islabikes, Frog, or whoever, a small-sized adult bike is the next step. But not all brands cater for riders aged 11-14, for whom even a size S might be too big, too heavy, and fitted with overly stiff suspension.

Women’s specific models can be a better bet for this age group, irrespective of gender. They come in smaller sizes and may have shorter cranks, softersprung suspension, shorter reach brakes, and less of a stretch to the handlebar. Too bad they’re often pink.

Neither of the 13-year-old girl testers preferred the Canyon’s salmon colouring – and most lads that age would hate it. Kudos, then, to Whyte, which calls its ‘women’s’ mountain bikes ‘compact fit’ and employs neutral colours.

Both bikes on test cost almost £1,000. That isn’t as much in bike terms as it was but still buys a well-made aluminium hardtail with an air-sprung suspension fork, intuitive 1× gearing, and hydraulic disc brakes.

German brand Canyon sells direct to the consumer online, so all its bikes tend to be well specified for the price. The flip side is that you can’t try before you buy.

The Grand Canyon WMN models, like the men’s, have

wheel size scaled to bike size: 29in wheels for the biggest, 27.5in for the smaller sizes.

It’s a sensible idea.

Whyte is a British company best known for its progressive geometry trail bikes – that is, bikes with a slacker head angle and longer front centres. These differences are obvious when you stand the test bikes side by side.

Frame & fork: Canyon Unboxing the bikes, the first thing that struck me was the size of the Canyon. It’s dinky. That’s not because it’s an XS and the Whyte is an S; the size bands are different between the brands. The XS Canyon is meant for riders 152-162cm tall, the size S Whyte for 155-165cm riders, which is pretty close. Yet the Canyon is a much smaller bike. I’d advise buying the next size up from what's recommended.

Details on the Canyon’s aluminium frame suggest it’s been designed as an all-purpose bike. The frame geometry is that of a cross country mountain bike but it also has mounts for a pannier rack and kickstand. Unlike Grand Canyons 7 and 8, there’s no additional port in the 6's down tube for a dropper seatpost cable. (The covered hole between the bottle bosses is where the gear cable and brake hose are zip-tied to stop them rattling.)

The Canyon’s fork is an SR Suntour XCR 32 with 100mm of air-sprung suspension.

This is easily adjustable with a shock

S M A L L H A R DTA I L S

BIKE TEST

First look

XC-style hardtail with a premium drivetrain, an adequate fork, and an optimistic rider height table

Details on the Canyon’s aluminium frame suggest it’s been designed as an allpurpose bike

Tech Spec

CANYON GRAND CANYON 6 WMN pump, which Canyon top tube and a head angle provide, so it can be set soft of just 64.5º put the front enough for a lightweight wheel way out front. It’s rider and firmed up as they 90mm further forward than grow. On arrival, the test the Canyon’s, relative to bike’s fork had a notable the bottom bracket. This amount of stiction. It eased should mean much less as the test progressed but chance of the rider diving never became as plush as over the handlebar. A short the Whyte's RockShox. That’s stem keeps the bar reach not because it’s a Suntour manageable; the Whyte fork – they make perfectly fitted both testers well. good ones – but because It doesn’t look like you it sits at the bottom of the can fit an internally routed company’s air fork hierarchy. dropper seatpost but you Top: Schwalbe’s Tough Tom On a £1,000 bike, I’d want at can. I quizzed Whyte and Rapid Rob tyres have a sensible ‘all conditions’ tread least a Suntour Raidon. designer Ian Alexander pattern but aren’t tubeless The XCR fork has a 1 1/8in about this. He replied: Bottom: The Q-Loc fastening offers quick and easy straight steerer. To swap “We use a BB shell design wheel removal without it for a fork with a tapered that has a bulbous inner compromising wheel security steerer, you’d first need to fit section that allows internal an EC49/40 lower headset clearance for the stealth cup to the frame. The bearing would dropper seat post cable to pass from the then sit outside the head tube rather than seat tube, through the BB shell, and up internally and thus accommodate the into the down tube.” All that’s needed is a 1 1/2in base of a tapered steerer. The fork different grommet where the gear cable dropouts are 15×100mm and use Suntour’s and brake hose enter the frame.

Q-Loc fastening. This works fine – better The Whyte has a Boost (110mm axle) than Manitou's fiddly Hexlock system. fork and Boost rear dropouts, which are 6mm wider than standard. In this case, Frame & fork: Whyte that makes them 141mm wide as they’re Even though it has ‘compact’ in its name, ‘boosted 135mm' dropouts rather than the Whyte is a much longer bike. A longer screw-through ones. This is a cost-saving.

170mm Shimano M610 chainset with 30t chainring, Shimano CN-M6100 12-speed chain, Shimano Deore M6100 10-51t 12-speed cassette.

Shimano Deore M6100 shifter, Shimano Deore XT M8100 SGS derailleur. 12 ratios, 16-83in.

Braking: Shimano MT400 hydraulic disc brakes with 180mm (front) and 160mm (rear) rotors.

Steering & seating: 710×31.8mm aluminium flat bar, 60mm×7º threadless stem, Acros integral headset. Women’s saddle, 30.9×350mm aluminium seatpost, Allen bolt seatpost clamp. canyon.com

Price: £999.00 Sizes: XXS, XS (tested), S, M Weight: 12.9kg/28.38lb (no pedals) Frame & fork: Aluminium frame with 73mm threaded BB, 135mm dropouts, fittings for rear rack, bottle/luggage cage, kickstand.

SR Suntour XCR 32 air-sprung fork with 100mm travel, 1 1/8in straight steerer, and 15×100mm Q-Loc dropouts.

Wheels 57-584 Schwalbe Rapid Rob (rear) and Tough Tom (front) tyres, Alex Iridium DP25 rims, 36×3 spokes, Shimano MT400/ MT401 front/rear Centerlock hubs.

Transmission: platform pedals, Dimensions in millimetres and degrees

585 530 74˚

670 42

92

135

422

635 68.5˚

100

350

700

170 295

584

1050

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That’s so unfair!

S M A L L H A R DTA I L S

BIKE TEST

Teenagers aren’t all Kevins. You can enjoy rides together. Read: cyclinguk.org/article/guidecycling-teenagers

First look

Capable trail hardtail with up-to-date geometry, huge tyre clearances, and an effective 120mm suspension fork

Tech Spec

WHYTE 802 COMPACT V3 Wider axles are nevertheless worth having. The hub flanges are further apart, which improves the lateral strength and stiffness of the wheels a little. And the fork legs, seatstays, and chainstays are further apart, so there’s more tyre and mud clearance. Though it’s fitted with 2.35in tyres, the Whyte would comfortably take 2.6in or even 2.8in.

The Whyte’s 120mm RockShox Recon RL fork is superior to the Canyon’s XCR. It’s plusher and has better damping. It also makes the bike more ‘upgrade proof’ as it uses the steerer and axle standards of higher end components.

be denied that the Canyon has a wider gear range and that its all-Shimano drivetrain offers slicker shifting.

The testers picked up on this. Jasmine said: “The Canyon was nicer going up hills and I found it had a better gear range. Even going down the hills the gears were a bit higher; on the Whyte, my legs were just spinning going downhill in top gear.” Matilda said: Top: Simple low-speed compression adjustment, with “On the Whyte, the gears a ‘blow off’ valve if you hit sometimes skipped when I something hard locked out Bottom: The Whyte’s tyres was going up a hill. It was and rims are tubeless ready. quite annoying when I was There’s room to fit bigger trying to push hard.” tyres too – right up to 2.8in I’d have liked to have seen 165mm cranks rather than 170mm on bikes this size, to make Components pedalling more ergonomic and to reduce Both bikes have 1× Shimano drivetrains. the chance of pedal strikes. Neither tester The difference is that the Canyon is 1×12, commented on this, however. Possibly using an enormous 10-51 cassette and an they’re already accustomed to longer XT rear mech, whereas the Whyte is 1×10, cranks. using a Deore rear mech and an 11-46 Both bikes have reasonable tyres SunRace cassette. Shifting is okay across whose tread pattern might be described the Whyte’s cassette and there are those as “aggressive cross country” or “all (me!) who prefer 10-speed to 12. But it can’t conditions”. The Maxxis Forekasters of the

MPX-11 chainset with 32t direct mount chainring, SunRace 10-speed chain, SunRace CSMS2 11-46t 10-speed cassette. Shimano Deore SL-M4100 shifter, Shimano Deore RD-M5120SGS rear derailleur.

10 ratios, 19-81in.

Braking: Tektro Auriga HD-M275 hydraulic discs with 180mm front and 160mm rear rotors.

Steering & seating: 760×31.8mm 6061 aluminium riser bar, 40mm Whyte stem, FSA threadless headset. Whyte saddle, 30.9×350mm Whyte aluminium seatpost, Whyte Get A Grip seat clamp. whyte.bike

Price:£975 Sizes: XS, S (tested), M Weight: 13.01kg/28.62lb (no pedals) Frame & fork: 6061 T6 aluminium frame with 73mm threaded BB, 141mm dropouts, and fittings for one bottle, rear rack (lower mounts only).

Rockshox Recon RL air-sprung fork with 120mm travel, 110×15mm dropouts, and tapered steerer.

Wheels: 57-584 Maxxis Forekaster tyres, WTB ST i27 tubeless compatible rims, 32×3 spokes, Whyte Boost disc hubs.

Transmission: platform pedals, 170mm Whyte Dimensions in millimetres and degrees

635 595 750

704 37

110

406

141

440

725 64.5˚

127

74.5˚

170 300

584

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BIKE TEST

S M A L L H A R DTA I L S

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.

Above: The Whyte’s plush 120mm fork Near right: The Canyon’s 100mm fork Top right: 10-51t 12-speed on the Canyon Bottom right: 11-46t 10-speed on the Whyte

Whyte are tubeless ready, as are the rims, so a conversion would be straightforward. The Canyon’s Schwalbe Tough Tom and Rapid Rob tyres aren’t tubeless ready. The Iridium DP25 rims (made by Alex) aren’t labelled as tubeless ready but feel like they are: the tyres were so tight I could barely get them off the rims. This would be a problem for anyone without a strong grip.

One minor annoyance with the Canyon was that the gear cable and brake hoses had been left too long. If you were buying in a shop, you could get these shortened at point of purchase.

That’s not possible when your bike arrives in a box. You’d have to do it yourself or pay.

Jasmine’s dad Jay said: “I like the finishing touches on the Whyte – little details like the Union Jack on the seat clamp, the design on the head tube. They make the bike look more expensive than it is.”

Other options

ISLABIKES CREIG 27 £999.99 Lightweight (11.6kg) aluminium hardtail with a 100mm RockShox 30 Gold RL fork, 160mm cranks, and 1×8 SRAM X4 gearing. Aimed at slightly smaller riders (ages 10+) than our test bikes.

islabikes.co.uk

Verdict

Ride With a wider handlebar, much more stabilising trail, a front wheel further out front, and a better fork, the Whyte ought to be a more confidence-inspiring ride on more technical terrain.

Comments from the testers bore this out.

Jasmine said: “I preferred the Whyte. The suspension felt a lot smoother.” Matilda said: “I liked how the Whyte rode; it was more smooth.

The bars are wider on the Whyte so it’s easier

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to control. The Canyon was really small for me so it was hard to control.”

Matilda’s mum Katy thought that both bikes, at around 13kg, were heavy. “There were some bits in Cropton Forest where we had to get off and push,” she said, “and we swapped bikes so I could push the Whyte uphill because it was a lot heavier than my bike.”

While 13kg is par for the course for a £1,000 hardtail these days, she has a point. The largest Islabikes Creig, which is roughly the size of the smallest (XXS) Canyon or Whyte (XS) and costs the same, tips the scales at only 11.6kg. It’s a big difference that’s worth having.

Smaller riders need lighter bikes.

CUBE ACCESS WS SL £999.99

An XC-focussed aluminium hardtail with a steeper head angle, 100mm RockShox Judy Silver TK fork, and 1×12 SRAM NX Eagle gearing. Sizes M and L get 29er wheels, S and XS 27.5.

cube.eu

The Canyon isn’t a bad bike by any stretch but the Whyte is clearly better. It’s a well-designed trail hardtail with unflappable handling, a good fork, and masses of room for British mud or bigger tyres. The economies with the drivetrain and rear dropouts make little impact on performance.

The Canyon has a top tier drivetrain but it’s handicapped by the sizing information on Canyon’s website and by its second best fork. Its geometry better suits less technical terrain, which might not be a deal breaker if your daughter or son isn’t the trail rider the Whyte is aimed at. Just be sure to upsize – and if you can spend an extra £150, do so: the Grand Canyon 7 WMN has a better fork and a dropper seatpost. And it’s cyan blue, not pink…

BIKE TEST

E-BIKE

Dimensions in millimetres and degrees

670 600 73˚

530 45

450

662 70˚

86

70

405

736

170 302 1105

135 622 55

Tech Spec

ISLABIKES EJIMI

Biketest

Islabikes eJimi Extra power to your pedals without much extra weight.

Dan Joyce reviews a new electric MTB from Islabikes

T

Other options

he e-bike dilemma: with a fairly steep head if you need electric angle. Additionally, the assistance, you’re 40Nm motor laboured on not best served by a the steepest (20-25%) climbs. heavy bike that’s harder While a higher torque motor to manoeuvre and pick would climb better, you’d up. Islabikes address this only find one on a much by using the lightweight heavier e-bike. Given the Top: The battery is hidden in ebikemotion system for riding expectations of most the down tube Above: The app is essential for their e-Icons range. Ready eJimi owners, the trade off ride data and fault diagnosis to ride, the eJimi is 14.5kg. for lower weight is worth it.

It’s aimed at older or The ebikemotion motor still less able cyclists, like the plays a role on tough hills, unpowered Icons. It has a step-through and less precipitous terrain is a breeze. frame, low gears, twistgrip shifting, shortThe 250Wh battery is concealed in reach brake levers, and easy-tyre-change the down tube, where its weight is well rims. Like the Islabikes Jimi, the e-version balanced. There are anti-tamper bolts to is at its best on trail centre blue or green prevent you removing it. That means you routes and non-technical bridleways. must park the eJimi near a power socket to On more difficult trails I found the recharge. Mileage will vary by usage but handling unforgiving; it’s a rigid bike I’d expect 30-40 miles mountain biking –

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RIBBLE HYBRID AL E £1,999

KINESIS RISE HARDTAIL E-MTB

Good value e-hybrid with the same ebikemotion setup, SRAM NX Urban 1×11 gearing, and 35-622 Marathons. 13.1kg

Hardtail with the Fazua Evation system, an X-Fusion E-Slide 34 fork, and 1×11 SLX. 19.65kg.

ribblecycles.co.uk

kinesisbikes.co.uk

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DE C E M B E R 20 2 0/JAN UARY 2021

£3, 200

Price: £2,499.99 Sizes: S, M (tested), L Weight: 14.53kg (32lb) inc pedals.

Frame & fork: 6061 aluminium frame, fittings for rack, mudguard, external dropper post, internal battery. Carbon fork with tapered steerer, 12×100mm thru axle, fittings for mudguard and two luggage/bottle cages.

Wheels: 57-622 Schwalbe Rocket Ron tyres, Islabikes ETC rims, 32×3 ss spokes, Islabikes disc front hub, Mahle ebikemotion X35 rear hub.

Transmission: no pedals, 170mm Islabikes low Q-factor direct mount cranks, 30t narrow/wide chainring, KMC X10 chain, Sunrace 10-speed 11-40t cassette. SRAM 10-speed Gripshift shifter, SRAM GX rear derailleur. 10 ratios, 22-79in.

Electronics: Mahle ebikemotion X35 250W hub motor, 250Wh Panasonic battery, iWoc Trio handlebar control.

Braking: SRAM DB Level TL closereach levers & hydraulic callipers, 160mm rotors. islabikes.co.uk

and it can easily be ridden unassisted.

There are three levels of riding assistance, plus a ‘walk’ mode, selected via an iWoc Trio handlebar controller.

This shows the same colours (green, amber, red) in the same place for the power modes and the approximate charge remaining, which is a little confusing. It’s also hard to discern in direct sunlight.

There’s no handlebar display so if you want information like speed, distance, or exact charge remaining, you must install the ebikemotion app on your phone. This app isn’t flawless but is very useful for fault diagnosis as it sends information to Islabikes. (It helped isolate a problem I had with the rear wheel sensor.)

Verdict

The eJimi adds discreet, lightweight electric assistance to a bike already well-designed for older or less able riders. The iWoc control could be better; everything else is spot on.

GROUPTEST

W O R K S TA N D S

Details

WHAT TO LOOK FOR

1

Rigidity

size is important where storage space is limited.

The more rigidly the cycle is held, the more force can readily be applied when working on it.

Grouptest

Foldable workstands A workstand is a wise investment for any home mechanic. Richard Hallett tests four that can be folded to save space

RICHARD HALLETT Technical Editor Richard photographed the stand above outside as his workshop is full of lathes and stuff

Clamp security

2

Adjustability

Height adjustment enhances comfortable working. Rotation adjustment is useful to orientate the cycle as required for work or cleaning.

The most popular arrangements either clamp one of the cycle’s various tubes or the front fork ends, in which case an option to clamp the rear dropouts will allow the fork to be removed.

3

Footprint

5

The area encompassed by the stand’s feet. Four feet make for a larger, more substantial footprint but may rock on an uneven surface; three won’t do this. Folded

A

lmost any level of cycle maintenance is made easier if the machine is held in a workstand rather than leant against a convenient wall or, in the worst case scenario, turned upside down.

Each of the four stands tested uses one of two proven methods to hold the cycle: a substantial two-jaw clamp, which closes over one of the cycle’s various tubes; or a clamp for the fork ends, combined with a support cradle under the bottom bracket shell with strap to hold the frame down.

The former is best used to grip the bike’s seatpost to avoid the possibility of denting or cracking a thinwall tube through use of excessive force. The support cradle or cup requires a strong hold-down if it is to provide a secure grip on the frame when exerting force on a component. Without one, the stand’s resistance is applied at the fork or rear stay ends.

4

Light is good for portability but heavier stands tend to be more rigid.

6

Tool tray

Keeps necessary tools close at hand.

4 2

Weight

5

6 1

3

Cycle’s test promise At Cycle, we are proudly independent. There’s no pressure to please advertisers as we’re funded by your membership. Our product reviews aren’t press releases; they’re written by experienced cyclists after thorough testing.

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GROUPTEST

W O R K S TA N D S

1

2

Verdict In terms of holding a cycle firmly, the Minoura is the pick of this bunch.

The RS5000 is also highly adjustable, as is the Feedback stand. Work height is restricted by the fact that both are best used to grip the seatpost.

The Tacx and Topeak designs grip the cycle near the bottom bracket instead.

This should help when applying the considerable tool force often needed in this area, although neither has a firm enough hold on the frame to take full advantage. The Tacx could be improved in this respect, and with a stronger grip would be the best on test.

Learn to fix your bike

We have five guides to basic repairs online: cyclinguk.org/ article/simple-bikemaintenanceguides

3

More online

4

1 Topeak Prepstand X

2 Minoura RS5000

THE PREPSTAND X is versatile and adaptable but lacks rigidity. The bracket joining the top strut to the main column is a loose fit and can rock slightly, while the rubber bottom bracket support allows the frame to move even when the plastic holding strap is pulled taut.

On the upside, the cycle can be orientated 90º either side of horizontal and spun through 180º or more for easy access. A dummy rear hub with chain keeper helps with bike washing. Weight: 4.9kg. Max load: 18kg.

Highly adjustable but somewhat wobbly

£229.99 extrauk.co.uk

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For more reviews of bikes, kit and components, as well as how-to guides, visit... cyclinguk.org/cycling-advice

Tacx 3 CycleMotion Stand

Feedback 4 Sports Pro Ultralight

MINOURA’S SINGLE-LEVER clamp head is a benchmark performer, offering onehanded operation whether grasping a tube up to 65mm in diameter or rotating the cycle through 360º. Microadjustable using the knob on the threaded lever rod, the soft-surfaced clamp is exceptionally forceful.

Set up is a breeze, the two legs easily extending to provide an ‘A-shaped’ tripod arrangement in which the base of the main column is the third foot. Weight: 5kg.

Max load: 30kg.

FOUR FEET ON a trestle-style frame with fold-out legs make the Tacx stand the most stable and rigid of those on test. A hard plastic cradle holds the underside of the bottom bracket shell and relies on a weedy strap for security. This is ineffective and the cycle is prone to rock around on the cradle. A stronger strap or clamp gripping the frame would make this best in class. It comes with a tool tray and wheel skewers.

Weight: 8kg. Max load: 20kg.

FEEDBACK’S STAND IS the lightest here. Its clamp grips tubes up to 48mm diameter and is the equal of Minoura’s design: it’s quick and secure, rotates through 360º, and is held in place by a pleasing-to-use Unique Torque Amplifying Clutch. The long clamp neck, which drops down for storage, adds to leverage on the relatively spindly main column tubes; there’s some sway in the structure even with an 8kg bike. Weight: 4.8kg. Max load: 38.6kg.

Stable and well-balanced, with an excellent clamp

Sturdy and stable base but needs a stronger hold on the frame

Decent clamp and lots of adjustability but flexy

£239.99 zyrofisher.co.uk

£114.99 buy.garmin.com/en

£225 feedbacksports.co.uk

CYCLE

H O L I DAY S & D I R EC TO RY

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Rough stuff Rough Stuff

SLM

TRAVELLERS’ TALES

(

Share your story We’d love to hear your Travellers’ Tales! Email: cycle@ jamespembrokemedia.co.uk

(

Fiddler’s Green Fishermen’s Memorial

Milltir Cerrig in the Berwyns

Fog on the Tyne

England & Wales

Yarmouth to Barmouth Maxine Rogers and husband Paul rode east to west across England and Wales

F

or a few days this September an east wind was forecast, and we saw an opportunity just too good to miss. Two days later we were in a one-way hire car, heading with our bikes for a drop-off in Great Yarmouth.

But this was a semi-locked down country and the Great Yarmouth hire depot was closed for the duration so the car had to go to Lowestoft! What else would go wrong? Nothing, as it turned out.

We rode to Norwich during the remainder of that day, a short flat ride to a delightful city. The next day was the biggie: 103 miles seemed quite a test for me and my e-bike. To go the distance, I had to nurse the battery and range extender carefully. That strong tailwind was a massive help!

We had three more days of delightful riding, skirting through parts of seven English counties and two Welsh ones. We watched the landscape change from huge fields of arable farmland and wide skies to small fields of livestock, with hills and woodland. Pigs and horses gave way to cows and sheep; knapped-flint

North East

buildings to churches of limestone and sandstone.

On our last day we set off from what seemed like an industrial sculpture of cherry pickers parked in a yard beside our hotel. As we climbed over the barren Milltir Cerrig in autumn spectacle, the wind finally turned to hinder us. But it didn’t bother us. We rode across the bridge at Barmouth sadly, knowing we’d be on a train very soon, face masks applied, our adventure over. But what an adventure we’d had, even with social distancing!

At the finish.

Barmouth Bridge (p45) in background

The Loire was off-limits – the Tyne wasn’t. Mike Ward toured it I WAS MEANT to be cycling down the Loire but Covid-19 put a stop to that. Enter the Tour de Tyne. Vive la différence!

Armed with a flask of coffee and yesterday’s leftovers, I headed east from Newcastle. There wasn’t a breath of wind. I eased down from Seaton Sluice to Tynemouth, then upriver on the muchtravelled Hadrian’s Way. After 50 miles I lunched at the Roman settlement of Corbridge. The day was young and my legs felt good. Could I still do 100 miles? Eighty-one miles in, I stopped at Kirkley Café, which was buzzing with cyclists.

At the start of stage two, destination Wark, my legs felt heavy. Should I continue? Then I spotted a left turn on the map and found a divine spot all to myself on the banks of the North Tyne. Legs now singing, I returned happily to my car.

After a rest day, a four o’clock alarm heralded the drive to Wark to resume the tour. Passing through a misty valley en route, my day was made.

On the Reivers Cycle Route in the wilds of Northumberland, I came across a cattle grid, cows, and a sign on a gate urging me to stay at home. I amended my route but didn’t go home, not just yet. The sun broke through as I combined two stages and took the rollercoaster route round Kielder Water. Glorious views were stored on my phone. I returned to the car, then home, elated.

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TRAVELLERS’ TALES

The family set off on GCSE results day in August

The Midlands Curbar Edge is a hill climb course. Hence the breather

Peak District

The great outdoors When lockdown lifted, Lucy Coyne and two friends took a short tour of the Peak District

I

t’s our first group ride postlockdown and the world has changed. There’s a lot of catching up to do. Heading up out of Sheffield into the Peak District, hills slow the flow of words. It’s bright, windy, and dramatic as the view opens out. Huge billowing clouds scud across the hills.

Racing shadows are dark against the sunlit fields. The city slowly disappears behind us into the haze.

The threat of rain pushes us into a beech glade at Ringinglow, where we maintain our social distance with the cyclists on the other bench, swapping route info across the intervening space. After more climbing to Stanage Edge, passing other riders brewing up in the back of a car, we whizz down into Hathersage where we stop for

Escaping the busy traffic on the tops

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our second coffee in nine miles.

Cyclists are out in force. In fact, people are in general. The roads are busy. We’re all enjoying the newly legislated freedoms.

Alongside the River Derwent en route to Grindleford, we ride through a cool, green tunnel of trees, wet with a fine mizzle. We’re heading for Stoney Middleton and our B&B. We arrive in the afternoon sunshine and it’s bustling at the Moon Inn. Next morning, on the A623 for the first few hundred metres, we ride amidst a car rally. It’s unnerving.

Dozens of souped-up, loud, fast cars roar past us, racing towards Chapelen-le-Frith. Thankfully the Eyam turning takes us up and away. We regroup over coffee and cake before the long climb up from Calver to Curbar Gap. Curbar Edge, towering stacks of monolithic gritstone high above us, is dramatic against the blue sky.

We creep slowly up the lane to find scores of walkers, cars, and cyclists at the top. Everyone’s enjoying the sunshine and the fabulous views across the Peaks.

It’s time to head back towards Sheffield, our annual tour reduced to a weekend. As always, though, we have shared a mini adventure.

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DE C E MB E R 20 2 0/JAN UARY 2021

Twitter @wearecyclinguk

Home free A short UK tour saved 16-year-old Sebastian McGrath’s summer WITH COVID-19 HAVING put paid to our annual French cycling holiday, my parents decided to take us on a trip to visit our grandparents in Shrewsbury, 180 miles from our Buckinghamshire home.

Our first day took us along cycle route NCN57 over the Chilterns via Great Missenden and Princes Risborough, reaching Thame along the Phoenix Trail.

We spent our first night in Woodstock, Oxfordshire. A sunny but hard day was rewarded with a beautiful hotel and meal.

Day one’s terrain was mixed, like our bikes: gravel, touring, and road.

Day two was mostly plain sailing, following NCN5 through rural parts of the Cotswolds. Then disaster struck near Stratford-Upon-Avon. My rear derailleur snapped, lodging itself firmly into the spokes of the wheel and forcing me to push my bike. The beautiful, hilly views of the Cotswold were no consolation for the hour-long walk to our B&B. The following day was better, not least because we found a bike shop that would repair my bike. Our next stop was Wolverhampton. An easy day via Redditch and the canals of Birmingham brought us to a comfortable hotel for our last night.

We reached our final destination in Shrewsbury via NCN81. I was happy to have ridden halfway across the country and would love to do it again.

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