London Cyclist August-September 2007

www.lcc.org.uk

August/September 2007

£2/free to members

Tour de France Report and photos

PLUS! Guard against bike theft Laptop panniers reviewed Getting started in cycle touring

Get ready to Freewheel London’s first mass participation ride ■

NEWS

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ZOE WILLIAMS

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KEN WORPOLE

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RIDES & EVENTS

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Contents

August/September 2007

Issue 106

What a hectic couple of months – from Bike Week celebrations (page 9) to the spectacle of the Tour de France (page 5), it's been a fantastic summer for cycling (and cyclists) in London.

And now comes the news that the capital will host its first-ever mass participation bike ride, London Freewheel (page 14), in September. The popularity of the LCC group rides to the Tour (thanks in no small part to LCC securing a fantastic trackside area for members) bodes well for Freewheel, with more people than ever interested in cycling. But for every great win, there are reminders that there is still much work to do to achieve a cycle-friendly city. Barry Mason's local news report from Southwark (see page 34) was quite a reality check when it arrived in my inbox amid Tour de France euphoria. Encouraging private and public authorities to boost cycle parking privision is just one of the challenges still facing campaigners, and something that will no doubt be discussed when LCC convenes its Open Space forum to provide members with the chance to have input into the organisation's new five-year strategy (page 13) – don't miss your chance to have your say about where LCC should focus its resources and energies. Lynette Eyb

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Product reviews

18

24 Laptop panniers

WIN!

a drybum seat cover

Get your computer from A to B

27 Electric bikes Mel Allwood tests one out

WIN!

a magazine subscription

Regulars Features 14 London Freewheel

COVER STORY

Tour de France, Bike Week, London Cycling Awards and much more

From Chessington to Croydon

44 Outward Bound

10 Your letters plus Zoe Williams

16 Fixed wheel bikes Tom Bogdanowicz finds out what all the fuss is about

13 Open letter from the LCC Board Making the most of your membership bike shop discounts and AGM news

Technical

32 Local group news Reports from your part of town

COVER STORY

22 How to... lock your bike securely 23 Workshops Maintenance courses across the capital

47 Outward Bound Cycling the Isle of Wight

Simon Munk on the rocky road to 2012

Susan Greenwood says anyone can see the world on two wheels

The Scottish home of the bicycle

28 LCC members’ page

18 Cycling and the Olympics

london Cyclist

45 My Way

4 News

The capital's first mass participation ride

20 Getting into touring

47

WIN!

Tour de France posters

49 Dispatches On the road in Barcelona

50 My Bike & I RoadPeace executive director Amy Aeron-Thomas chats to LC

36 Diary Rides and events for all cyclists COVER STORY

50

40 Books ’n’ things Books, films and Fine Lines

41 Backpedalling with Ken Worpole

Cover photo: Eric Nathan (www.ericnathan.com) Inset: Adam Monaghan

Editor Lynette Eyb Product reviews Erin Gill, Mel Allwood Design Anita Razak Proof-reading Rosie Downes Marketing Ben Crowley Advertising Mongoose Media, Dan Rich (020 7306 0300 ext 116, lcc@mongoosemedia.com) ■ London Cyclist welcomes voluntary contributions, including photographs. All work is accepted in good faith. Content may be edited and reproduced online – see www.lcc.org.uk/londoncyclist You can contact the editorial team via 2 Newhams Row, London, SE1 3UZ (020 7234 9310, londoncyclist@lcc.org.uk) All views expressed in London Cyclist are those of the authors and are not necessarily endorsed by the editor, nor do they necessarily reflect LCC policy. All material is copyrighted and may not be reproduced without the written permission of the editor. London Cyclist is printed by Wyndeham Grange on paper made from 100% de-inked post consumer waste.

See page 28 for more on the London Cycling Campaign.

LONDON CYCLIST August/September 2007 3

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News AN LCC CAMPAIGN

Director’s column

Photo: BritainOnView

Koy Thomson When the Visit London campaign laid 2000 square metres of soft, green turf over the chewing gum-studded grey of Trafalgar Square, they perhaps didn’t realise what a subversive act it was. I sat at Nelson’s feet and heard a sound I’d never heard above central London traffic: children laughing and playing. Even more extraordinary, people slowed down and enjoyed their city. Londoners had dangerously been given a vision of an alternative, liveable city. A vision has huge transformative power: it can free people of thinking that is so dominant it is never questioned, for example, the imprisoning mentality of planning around cars.

Cycling has its own transformative power. Cyclists truly experience and interpret the city environment. They are within it, not enclosed from it. They experience every smooth curve, every rough edge, and have a deep sense of where the city is right and where it is wrong. In return they get a daily blast of freedom, and for many a desire to improve things for the better. If a city is a delight for cyclists, it is a liveable city. And the chances are it will also be a delight for their other identities as walkers, drivers and commuters, since cycling decreases the load on other forms of mobility. However if cycling declines, the city invariably declines too. Cyclists are the ‘pit canaries’ of the modern city.

LCC is shaping its new five-year strategy with its members, friends, and those who share an interest in what a cycling city could be if only we had the courage to imagine it. See page 13 to find out how you can take part. We are asking you to describe your vision for London as a cycling city – anything from the lovely response from an LCC member in Wandsworth “like cycling on a Sunday morning every morning”, to perhaps targets for the share of trips by cycle. Free your imagination and not only set the agenda for LCC, but help define the services and support you need for us to realise the vision together.

LCC’s spectator rides to the Tour de France were fantastic, and Freewheel (see page 14) is the next big opportunity to introduce thousands more people to the everyday freedom of London cycling.

I am delighted to take over as director of LCC and look forward to meeting and working with members and, of course, recruiting many more.

4 August/September 2007 LONDON CYCLIST

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Bikes in landmark win Support for cycles at leading tourist sites An LCC campaign has ◆ London Zoo will tell led some of London’s visitors on its promotional leading tourist sites to material how to arrive improve their cycling by bike; facilities and promote ◆ Arsenal Football Club cycling to visitors. now has information The campaign about cycle access on followed an LCC survey its website and also that found that almost provides secure parking half London’s top 20 on match days; tourist attractions did ◆ The Tower of not promote cycling on London will add bicycle the travel information information to its section of their websites promotional materials. or provide adequate Despite the success cycle parking. LCC of the campaign, many urged members to write other attractions, including to the operators of Madame Tussauds, The Tower of London is just one tourist attractions asking Kensington Palace and attraction promoting its cycle facilities them to ‘put cycling on the London Eye still in response to the LCC campaign the map’, with improved fail to provide either information and facilities. adequate cycle facilities As a result of the campaign, inspired by or information on cycle parking on their City Cyclists (www.citycyclists.org.uk): promotional material. ◆ The British Museum pledged to change its HOW TO GET INVOLVED travel information for visitors, placing greater See www.lcc.org.uk/campaigns for more on the focus on travel by public transport or bicycle; campaign and to download a template letter ◆ The V&A Museum of Childhood in Bethnal to send to a tourist attraction which needs Green will install cycle racks; to improve its cycle parking and information. ◆ The National Gallery now promotes its Members without internet access can call the cycle parking on its website; LCC office (details on page 28)

AN LCC CAMPAIGN

AN LCC CAMPAIGN

EU calls for safer lorries The European Parliament in May voted to make full safety mirrors compulsory on lorries over 3.5 tonnes from 2009.

Fewer than 10% of lorries in the UK have full safety mirrors. LCC wants the British government to implement the new EU legislation as soon as possible. Belgium, Denmark and The Netherlands have already ordered their lorries to comply.

“Safety mirrors improve visibility for lorry drivers and reduce the risk to cyclists and pedestrians,” said Charlie Lloyd, of LCC’s HGV group. “The government needs to make this a legal requirement for lorry MOTs

in 2008 so all lorries have full mirrors by 2009.”

The Department for Transport estimates that a year’s delay in putting the measures in place could cost 18 lives in the UK alone.

HOW TO GET INVOLVED To help LCC’s campaign to make mirrors compulsory on all lorries, you can write to your local MP (there is a draft email at www.lcc.org.uk/ campaigns). Members without internet access should call the LCC office (details on page 28). There is information under ‘cycle sense’ at www.lcc.org. uk/info outlining how to stay safe when cycling near lorries.

Motorbike ban remains Transport for London (TfL) is not ready to relax restrictions on motorbikes using bus lanes.

“The Mayor has not been persuaded of the case for allowing motorcycles in bus lanes,” said a TfL spokesperson. “A report looking into this is yet to be published as the data from the three TfL trial sites is still being reviewed.”

Cycling groups, including LCC and CTC, fear that motorbikes in bus lanes, combined with a predicted surge in motorbike use, will result in greater risk for both pedestrians and cyclists using London’s roads.

For more news, go to www.lcc.org.uk

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News Send items for the news pages to news@lcc.org.uk or write to the address on page 3

LCC NEWS

London shines for Tour de France Boost to cycling following a highly success of race weekend

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< London’s Bradley Wiggins, of the Cofidis team, finished fourth behind Swiss rider Fabian Cancellara in the Prologue

< LCC members and their friends enjoy the sunshine while watching the Prologue from the special LCC viewing area at Hyde Park Corner < Italian Matteo Tosatto, of the Quick Step Innergetic team, in action during the Prologue

The LCC stand in Hyde Park’s People’s Village was busy all day, with staff and volunteers chatting to potential new members

<

Australian Robbie McEwan of the Predictor-Lotto team, pictured here during the Prologue, went onto win the Stage 1 from London to Canterbury

For more news, go to www.lcc.org.uk

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Kaine West Whitehead, 9, took part in a unicycle hockey demonstration in the LCC area in the People’s Village

The annual All Party Parliamentary Bike Ride saw around 25 MPs and peers cycle the Prologue route in June. The MPs were marshalled by LCC staff and volunteers

Photos: Adam Monaghan, Tom Bogdanowicz, Ian Schofield (www.iesphotography.co.uk), Peter Mynors, Lynette Eyb

The perimeter fence of the LCC secure cycle parking was home for the day to a 100-year-old triplet ridden to the event by three members of Ealing Cycling Campaign

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Organisers couldn’t have asked for a better start to the 2007 Tour de France, with Londoners turning out en masse to welcome the world’s greatest cycle race July 6-8. It is estimated more than two million spectators gathered in London to see the Tour’s Prologue on July 7 and the start of Stage 1 the following day.

The Tour was the first major outing for LCC’s Active Spectator Programme, designed to encourage Londoners to cycle to major sporting events. LCC’s outgoing director Simon Brammer said almost 3,000 cyclists – including new and returning riders – took advantage of LCC’s exclusive viewing area at Hyde Park Corner after riding with local groups into central London. LCC’s area in the People’s Village in Hyde Park was busy all day, providing the organisation with direct access to thousands of potential new members.

“The Tour de France event this weekend was a fantastic success for LCC,” said Simon Brammer. “We broke all our records for the number of members recruited in a weekend and our area in the People’s Village attracted thousands of passers-by. It was the perfect end to my four and a half years at LCC and I want to thank all the staff and volunteers who helped make it such a special day.”

Mayor Ken Livingstone said he hoped the Tour would “encourage many more Londoners to get on their bikes and enjoy the health and environmental benefits of cycling in the capital”.

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News

Police beat bikes in court

in brief

Critical Mass ruling casts shadow over rides

Buddy scheme wins

The Met Police’s appeal against the ruling that London’s Critical Mass bike rides did not need permission under the Public Order Act has been successful. While the ruling does not ban Critical Mass, it does give police the power to make arrests under the Public Order Act if they believe the rides run the risk of causing serious public disorder, damage to property or community disruption.

Critical Mass rides have been taking place since 1994, with cyclists riding an unplanned route from the South Bank on the last Friday of every month to celebrate cycling.

Last summer, the High Court ruled that rides did not need to have prior permission from the police under the Public Order Act 1985 as they were habitual processions. However, the Metropolitan Police appealed the decision, asking for prior notification of the route.

Two Appeal Court judges overruled the High Court decision, in spite of a declaration by Lord Justice Wall that to rule that Critical Mass fell under the auspices of the Public Order Act was “potentially oppressive”. The outcome means that unless police are notified of a date, time and route,

Social enterprise, Liftshare, won Best Environmental Product at the Business Commitment to the Environment Awards for BikeBUDi, a web-based scheme that matches cyclists with others sharing a common commuter route.

Bike thief in court they may have the power to arrest participants. If anyone does give notice of a route, they could be arrested if the route changes.

“It is difficult to understand why the Metropolitan Police appear to want to smash Critical Mass,” said Charlie Lloyd, of LCC’s campaigns team. “It is a peaceful celebration of cycling which gives people confidence to ride in central London.”

London Assembly member Jenny Jones said the decision was “bad news for everyone, as it will end up with the police wasting time arresting innocent cyclists like me”.

See www.criticalmasslondon.org.uk for more on Critical Mass.

Regent's Park trial

LCC NEWS

Board appoints new director to lead LCC The LCC Board has announced the appointment of a new CEO to replace outgoing Director Simon Brammer.

Koy Thomson, who will formally take over the post on August 13, has already attended a number of major events – including the Tour de France and Bike Week – as part of the LCC team.

Koy comes to LCC after nine years at ActionAid, where he was an international policy director and later director of its knowledge management initiative. Prior to this, he worked at the International Institute for

Environment and Development and Friends of the Earth.

LCC Board Chair Ian Callaghan said this experience would enable LCC to consolidate its position as a leader in the development of cycling in London.

“The climate in which we operate as the world’s largest urban cycling organisation has changed dramatically in the past few years,” he said. “During his four years as director, Simon Brammer has led his staff team in massively enhancing the standing of LCC as a professional and respected campaigning

LCC NEWS

Local riders need new asylum Newham and Redbridge LCC is hoping that a replacement can be found to help fill the gap that will be left when the popular Cycle Asylum bike shop on Romford Road in Manor Park closes at the end of August.

Well known for the half bike that sticks out over the shop front, it has been in existence for over 60 years, first as the bike and toy shop Kimberleys, then run for 11 years by Dave Markovich, and for 12 years by Ian Calloway, who is relocating to

start Bike Boutique on weekends at Greenwich Outdoor Market.

Ian thanked his customers for their business, and said he was “gutted” at having to leave due to his lease expiring.

Hopes are high that repairs and maintenance for cyclists in Newham and Redbridge can be provided by a combination of commercial and social enterprise. Anyone interested in the opportunity should contact Chris Elliott at Redbridge LCC (c.elliott@dsl.pipex.com)

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A thief who was convicted of stealing more than 100 bikes from railway stations in Lonson and the South-East received an ASBO banning him from trains, plus a five-month suspended jail term. Woking Magistrates Court was told Daniel Westrop, 27, from Bromley, stole upto three bikes a day before selling them on. The court also ordered Westrop to pay his victims compensation and perform 100 hours’ community service.

organisation. He has also established links with key players in the London political and funding scenes which will stand us in good stead for the future.

“With Koy’s background and skills, we now have the opportunity to push on in making London a cycling city for all. It’s particularly exciting that Koy’s arrival coincides with the renewal of our strategy, and I strongly hope LCC members will get fully involved in that process.”

See page 4 for LC’s director’s column. See page 13 for more on LCC’s new five-year strategy.

The Royal Parks have opened the Broad Walk in Regent’s Park to cyclists for a threemonth trial. The pilot scheme will run through until the end of September 2007, and applies only to the section of the Broad Walk from St Mark’s Gate at the northern end to Broad Walk Gate at the junction with Chester Road.

For the Royal Parks Pathways Code of Conduct, see www.royalparks.org. uk. Comments on the pilot scheme can be emailed to cycle@royalparks.gsi.gov.uk or posted to Cycling Enquiry, The Old Police House, Hyde Park, London, W2 2UH.

Joe Wentworth, a student graduating from the Royal College of Art (www.rca. ac.uk), has won a Sustainability Design Award for his retrofit folding handlebars.

Once fitted with Joe’s handlebars, a bike will sit comfortably in tight spaces such as hallways, and allow for easier movement through the passage.

When not in use, the handlebars lock in the folded position, creating a steering lock and providing an additional theft deterrent. The design has been prototyped and is undergoing initial testing. Joe’s design can be integrated into the design of bikes, or added after purchase. He is keen to hear from manufacturers interested in the design.

For more news, go to www.lcc.org.uk

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News

LCC NEWS

Rewards for excellence

in brief

London Cycling Awards calls for nominations

Cycling numbers up

Do you know of a cycling project that deserves recognition? Then LCC wants to hear about it, with nominations for the London Cycling Awards 2007 now open.

The awards aim to recognise and celebrate projects that have contributed to the renaissance of cycling in the capital.

The categories this year are: Best Cycle Facility; Best Community Cycling Initiative; Best Cycling Initiative for Young People or Children; and Best Workplace Cycling Initiative.

It might be that your employer has launched an innovative scheme to get people cycling or perhaps you know of a project to help children gain confidence on two wheels. It could even be your project.

Last year’s winners included a BMX ‘outreach’ programme for children; Pollards Hill Cyclists, a

Cycling on the capital’s major roads surged in April to the second highest level since the official Transport for London counts started in 2000. It’s the first time the April figure has shown more than a 100% increase over the 2000 figures.

LCC – have your say LCC’s Annual General Meeting will be held on the evening of Tuesday, October 16. See page 30 for more detailed information on the meeting.

Last year’s London Cycling Award-winners pose proudly for the cameras club that encourages new and returning cyclists; a road scheme for cyclists and pedestrians on Blackfriars Bridge; and a cycling initiative at Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust.

Nominations can be made by an organisation involved in a scheme or anyone who

considers a project worthy of recognition.

The awards will be presented at LCC’s AGM on October 16.

See www.lcc.org.uk for details on submitting a nomination, or call the LCC office (see page 28) for more information. Nominations close September 21.

Award for New City Liz Bowgett, an LCC member, and the New City Cycling Club have received the Outstanding Level Award for Sustainable Travel from Transport for London. The award follows the club’s Partnership Working Award at the London Cycling 999 Awards.

London maps online

Cyclists win Code battle The Government has agreed to amend the Highway Code to encourage drivers to take more care around vulnerable road users. Following a highprofile campaign coordinated

by CTC and supported by LCC, more than 40 of the propsed rules have been changed to the benefit of cyclists.

The revised code makes it clear that cyclists have every right to cycle on the road, and that cycle lanes and cycle facilities are not compulsory, with a cyclist’s decision to use them dependent upon their experience and skills.

The Department for Transport had proposed a revised version of the Highway Code which could have seen cyclists held liable if hit by a driver while not using a cycle lane.

The new Highway Code is set to come into effect later this year after a short stakeholder-only consultation.

LCC NEWS

New London route guides released design that allows them to cover twice as much territory. Map 7, for example, stretches from Woolwich in the east to Shepherd’s Bush in the west, while the north-south map runs from Tottenham to Streatham. The central London map that occupied the reverse side of the old maps has been replaced by an enlarged map to dedicated central London.

Visitors to the LCC’s Tour de France The colour schemes remain the area were the first to see the new same with routes highlighted in blue London Cycling Guides. The maps, and yellow, with purple added to originally developed by Transport for London in partnership with LCC, were highlight areas closed to cyclists.

The new maps will be available via distributed in Hyde Park during the Transport for London from August Prologue.

10. See www.lcc.org.uk/info for The 14 maps replace the old print details of how to order. run of 19, thanks to a double-sided

Boroughs seek new benchmarks ‘Love Hackney – love your bike’ was the message at the first Benchmarking event hosted by the Borough of Hackney as part of a CTC-coordinated project to identify cycling best practice. The Transport for London-funded project will visit 11 boroughs to encourage boroughs to share knowledge.

“It’s a chance for council officers working on cycling, planning, safety and engineering to get together with each other and others – such as LCC groups,” says Sara Basterfield, CTC project coordinator.

In Hackney, other boroughs identified training, political support, resources and the HomeBikePark cycle parking scheme as examples of best cycling practice. Lambeth’s benchmarks included its resource structure and infrastructure, while Islington was praised for its dialogue with the local LCC group, introducing speed humps and backing a green travel map.

For more news go to www.lcc.org.uk

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Camden Cycling Campaign (CCC) has launched an innovative new web-based mapping system covering cycle routes in London.

The system at http://maps. camdencyclists.org.uk is based on Google Maps. CCC started the project and has done the intial programming, but its success depends on other cyclists contributing to it. The system already has coverage of LCN routes in six London boroughs. Work on the location of bike shops, parking, danger spots and road works is also under way.

For more information on the project or to contribute to it, email maps@camdencyclists. org.uk

Bikes on the catwalk Fluorescent jackets, reflectors and mushroom helmets were on the catwalk for Prêt à Rouler, London’s first cycle clothing fashion show at cycle shop Velorution in June.

Models on bikes showed off garments and bicycles from established brands and rising stars. “We want to show that cycling doesn’t mean lots of Lycra and that it is possible to arrive by bike and look good,” said Adrian Bell, sustainable mobility manager at Transport for London, a show sponsor.

Photos: Lionel Shapiro, Tom Bogdanowicz

AN LCC CAMPAIGN

LONDON CYCLIST August/September 2007 7

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News

LCC NEWS

Another Bike Week success

in brief Cycle pool launched

Cycling is celebrated in every corner of London Cyclists from across London came together from June 16-24 to celebrate Bike Week.

Hundreds of rides and events were held across the capital to introduce new and returning cyclists to two wheels.

Across the country, 1,247 local organisers registered 1,750 events, including 297 for Bike2Work initiatives, at www.bikeweek.org. uk. Events ranged from small local affairs to the World Naked Bike Ride, which ran in the lead-up to Bike Week and passed through London, receiving widespread media coverage. See page 32 for Bike Week reports from LCC’s local groups.

Next year’s Bike Week will be held from June 14 to 22.

< Hammersmith’s LCC group spread the word about cycling at the West London Greenfest

Lambeth’s first cycle pool was launched at Bonneville Primary School in Clapham during Lambeth’s Bike Week.

As part of their travel plan, Bonneville School received 30 bikes from the council’s School Travel Plan Programme, allowing all pupils to benefit from cycle training. Also during Bike Week, the Lambeth School Travel Plan Programme hired the Brixton Ritzy to show students Belleville Rendezvous, an animation about a man training to become a Tour de France cyclist.

Enfield's festival spirit Enfield Council held a Festival of Cycling during Bike Week, featuring lots of unusual bikes to see and try out, games, competitions, face-painting, and free Dr Bike check-ups.

Community cycling

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<

Dr Bike at Camden Cyclists’ Bike Week breakfast

Cycle centre Bikeworks (www. bikeworks.org.uk), which promotes inclusive cycling for all, held events throughout Bike Week in Mile End Park to help get the local community on riding. Events included all-ability taster sessions and cycle training initiatives.

Members of Kingston, Richmond, Wandsworth, Ealing, Merton Hammersmith & Fulham, and Hackney LCC groups were pictured following the annual Richmond Hill Bike Week ride

< Charlie Weeks takes part in the Slow Bike Race at Streatham Bike Fest during Bike Week

< Visitors to the LCC stall during West London Greenfest

A Celebration of Cycling was held on June 16 in Danson Park, Bexleyheath, with skills demonstrations and races taking place. A new cycling club for under 16s – set up

by Bexley Council and local cycling clubs Gemini BC and Woolwich CC – was also launched.

LCC NEWS

Merton’s billboard messages Cycling in Merton has a higher profile than ever thanks to a Merton Cycling Campaign (MCC) initiative to use advertising boards around the borough to promote more widespread bicycle use.

Six themed posters appeared around the borough for two weeks in June, providing advice on topics as diverse as

For more news go to www.lcc.org.uk

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cycle training and buying a bike to the benefits of commuting, safety issues and the pleasures of the Wandle Trail.

MCC used grant funding to design the posters last year, with the borough council covering the costs of printing.

The full set of posters can be viewed online at www.mertoncyclists.org.uk

Photos: Tom Bogdanowicz, Camden Cyclists, Susie Morrow, Richard Evans

Bexley celebrates

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Letters Have your say Observations on the buses I liked Simon Brammer’s report (LC > June/July) on how stressful it must be to drive a bus in London.

I do not believe we should just have to share the road with buses and get on with it. We do have to share roads with all vehicles, but we should not be made to share the same lane. I feel we are in an absurd situation where the most vulnerable of all road users are made to share road lanes with the biggest trucks in town. Given that cycles are slower, it is quite dysfunctional that the lane is shared between such different vehicles.

When I get on a bus, it is really frustrating to see a cyclist slowing the bus slow down. As a cyclist, I try to not get in the way of buses, but if I’m in a bus lane with no alternative cycle route – how am I supposed to get out of the way?

We should campaign for properly signposted bike routes that allow us to avoid high streets and bus lanes, and make it just as punishable to step on a cycle lane as it is now to step on a bus lane.

Ana A, SE5 This morning I had an accident involving a bus. The bus driver opened the door while miles away from a bus stop. I happened to cycle near by and a passenger

getting off the bus knocked me down. The driver did not bother checking if I was OK. I am sure bus drivers are trained not to open the doors unless it is a bus stop, but many still do it. Perhaps they should be more often penalised for this kind of misbehaviour.

I have been cycling in London for nine years and buses or black cabs have caused most accidents I have had. If there is not enough space or money for separate cycling lanes, the authorities should ensure that the attitude and bad habits of drivers change, otherwise London will never become cycle-friendly.

Ada Kantecka, by email

LCC NEWS

the wheel in a simulator

Money for Camden Camden Council has won Greenway funding for a Camley Street/Agar Grove link, as well as money to convert a footway on Spaniards Road to shared use. This will run on the south side of the path between the top of the cycleway and Spaniards End. The funding is for 2007-08.

Tour of Britain route Full route and date information for the 2007 Tour of Britain have been announced. The race, from September 9-15, will visit nine new venues, which will each host a stage for the first time. The race will start in London and finish in Glasgow.

See www.tourofbritain.com

Funding put to vote Transport charity Sustrans has selected 79 community projects from around the UK to include in its ‘Connect2’ bid to the Big Lottery Fund’s Living Landmarks: The People’s Millions competition. Connect2 is up against five other schemes, with the winner to be decided by a public vote on ITV1 in December.

member Jenny Jones that, despite studies having been done on 11 out of the 12 target gyratories, no funding has yet been allocated to implement any of the schemes.

“Big one-way systems are dangerous for road users, as they encourage [motor] traffic to speed and cause twice as many casualties as twoway roads,” Ms Jones said. “Part of my budget agreement with the Mayor was to make London a green city by providing the appropriate conditions for walking and cycling, but this is not happening with these big one-way systems.”

The Greens are pressing for the London-wide removal of gyratories to be put on the same footing as other major investment schemes such rail and underground, and for big money to be committed in next year’s budget. Trevor Parsons

For more news go to www.lcc.org.uk

in brief HGVs to carry signs Motor company Ford has joined the Transport for London (TfL) campaigns aimed at reducing the risks cyclists face from HGVs. Ford will display warning signs for cyclists on the back of more than 2,000 HGV trucks and trailers. The signs, which have been developed by TfL, carry the message ‘Cyclists – beware of passing this vehicle on the inside’. See page 4 for details of LCC’s HGV campaign.

Progress slow on removal of one-way systems

When the unloved 1960s Shoreditch gyratory system returned to two-way in 2002, slashing bus journey times and creating massively improved conditions for walking and cycling, it was hailed as the flagship for a rolling programme removing large one-way systems from London’s high streets.

Five years on, there has been no progress on the ground, though enabling work has continued behind the scenes. Transport for London has published a hitlist of a dozen gyratories it wants to reform – including Aldgate, New Cross, Tottenham Court Road/Gower Street, Stoke Newington, Tottenham Hale and Wandsworth.

Others such as Hammersmith, the Nag’s Head, and the Upper Norwood Triangle aren’t yet in its sights.

However, Mayor of London Ken Livingstone recently revealed to Green Party London Assembly

Eastway legacy fight

The Eastway Users’ Group continues to fight to secure a post-Olympic legacy for track and off-road racing in East London following the demolition of the Eastway Cycle Circuit. Planning

applications for a new circuit have been scaled back from 34ha to 10ha. For more information, see www.lcc.org. uk/campaigns and click on ‘current campaigns’.

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Product reviews Shoes If you’re cycling around town in trainers, you’re missing a trick. Mel Allwood tests cycle-specific shoes designed to put power into your pedalling Specialized Sonoma 2 £49.99, Specialized UK, www.specialized.com

Specialized has made a few versions of this Sonoma shoe, with the design evolving over the years. It comes in men’s and women’s versions.

The main body is almost entirely mesh, which means your feet stay wonderfully cool in warm weather. Unfortunately, if it rains you quickly get wet. I combine these shoes with waterproof socks if the weather looks like it will be bad.

The problem with shoes Your product review on cycling shoes (LC June/July) is welcome, especially because it identifies shoes suitable for toe clips. In my opinion toe clips are the most useful option for city cyclists who may want to use their bikes at any time and on any occasion. This is because toe clip straps can be adjusted for almost any type of shoe – office, casual, trainers, etc.

However, one also wants to have cycling shoes that are optimised for the toe clips. The choice available is very poor. The two types you have reviewed appear not ideal because they have knobbly soles. Knobbly

Cycle parking alternatives I don’t quite see the point of Tom Bogdanowicz’s ‘Stand & Deliver’ article (LC Apr/May) on bike stands.

We all know there are disparate designs dotted about – none of them any good, in my view.

All those illustrated are established on the flawed supposition that the bike’s frame should be leant against the metal tubing: perhaps not a problem if you ride one of the ubiquitous scruffy, beat-up mountain bikes, but unacceptable for those of us who take pride in our expensive mount’s appearance.

To overcome these shortcomings, I have arrived at an alternative design which I feel is superior in most respects to the more conventional types. By facilitating leaning the seat of the bike against the stand, and then bracing of the pedal, no other part of the bike (frame, paintwork, graphics, brake arms, lamp brackets, carriers, etc) needs to come into contact with it. Moreover, fore-and-aft movement

News

A day spent on the buses

LCC’s director gets behind

“So do you want to see what it’s like to drive a bus?”

The challenge came in the middle of a conversation about cyclists and bus drivers. Given that LCC had recently provided input from the cyclist’s viewpoint for a Transport for London (TfL) DVD for bus drivers, the ‘drive a bus challenge’ from TfL was not one I could refuse.

I was relieved to discover that it was a bus simulator (the first in the UK) I’d be driving and not a real bus, and that it was located in ‘Firsdon’, a fictional borough housed in a huge Simon Brammer, right, takes building in north-west charge London. of a ‘bus’ in the fictional The simulator cab is based borough of Firsdon on a real London bus, with the same controls. You are pedestrian about to step positioned very high up out and at to the passengers distracting the very front. Pulling away from me and the motorist trying the curb, you realise just what hard to overtake. Even an enormous vehicle a cyclist a bus is popped up next to the – you fill the entire width bus as I of your was about to pull away. side of the road and have When to a car emerged at speed constantly look in the from a mirrors to side road, I hit the brakes. judge where you are in The terms of lumbering 17-tonne your road position. I managed bus with its 80 passengers took its to get out onto the ‘road’ time to drive hasn’t stopped me and stop (visions of passengers being pick up passengers without and annoyed at the driver shopping flying down who mowing them down. All the aisles) drove up to my back was – we stopped, but only wheel and under control, and I was just beeped me a few days pretty in time. ago, but pleased with myself. However, it will make me think differently I never realised quite soon the empty roads how next time I am in the same were stressful driving a bus lane replaced (at the click could be: as a bus. of a button) real drivers need to be with traffic, bad weather alert for In the spirit of understanding, and seven hours a day. the darkness of night. we have now offered My stress Since the congestion to take TfL levels surged as I clutched charge, driver trainers out on the we’ve seen a boom in bikes, in wheel. Suddenly, I was two bus lanes, in London. having transport modes in London: Watch this to predict the behaviour space. Many thanks to of buses and bikes. Like Simon everyone around me, it or not, Wallis of TfL and Bob from the they have to co-exist.

Ingber of My trial First for the experience.

The soles are smooth and made of highly grippy rubber.

The cleats don’t stick out the bottom, so I had no trouble walking on slippery floors.

However, they’re not ideal shoes if you plan to use toe clips, since the Velcro closure gets tangled in the clip. But Sonomas are great if you use simple flat pedals - the grippy soles are an advantage – or if you use clipless pedals (SPDs).

I liked the Velcro closure, which meant I could pull shoes on and off quickly. the I would have liked a reflective on the back of the women’s strip version, though – the men’s version has shiny tabs at both the heel and toe.

I’m a big fan of Specialized shoes. The company takes care to design shoes that fit real people’s feet.

It has come up with something it calls ‘body geometry’, which seems have some substance to it. For instance, Specialized’s to geometry’ shoes, which ‘body include Sonomas, have a raised part in the centre of the sole that sits neatly under the arch of your foot. It works for me – supporting my feet as I pedal.

I can wear a pair of Sonomas all day without Conclusion getting sore feet. Another Sonomas are comfortable example of Specialized’s and sufficiently stiff for ‘body geometry’ design is powerful pedalling. The the way its women’s shoes grippy sole is a plus have narrower heels and point. The mesh body smaller holes for the ankle. is perfect for hot days, but This avoids the problem you’ll need waterproof I’ve encountered with other socks for winter. Not makes, where I pull up hard ideal for cyclists who on the pedals and end up use toe clips, but fine yanking my foot out of for everyone else. the shoe.

28 June/July 2007 LONDON CYCLIST

June JulyProducts.indd

Adidas Minnret shoes £49.99, Chicken & Sons www.chickencycles.co.uk and www.adidas.com /uk Adidas Minnret shoes are designed for use around town. The upper is a combination of mesh and suede, and the black or grey colour scheme is simple, unobtrusive and subtly urban.

The best thing about them is that they look similar to a pair of trainers. If you don’t want to wander around in shoes the world you’re a cyclist, that tell this is a pair to consider.

I would have preferred one less Adidas logo – there’s one on the heel, which is fairly discreet, but having one on the side of the toe and one on the tongue seems excessive. On the other hand, the reflective strip on the heel is well-placed to show up in headlights.

The shoes feel comfortable.

There’s a fair amount of and the heel comes up padding high, so my ankle felt supported. rather than Velcro, mean Laces, you can get the fitting just right. They’re built more like a trainer than a cycling shoe, with enough rubber on the heel to allow you to walk comfortably.

The soles are not as stiff as the Shimano and Specialized shoes we tested. Although this means they’re not as effective at

Shimano MT20 £39.95, Madison, www.ultimatepu rsuits.co.uk and www.cycle.shima no-eu.com.

Shimano makes a huge range of cycle shoes, for everything from BMX to professional racing to touring. These shoes come under Shimano’s ‘leisure’ shoe range. They’re a lace-up shoe, with some mesh in the upper and a medium-tread sole.

These MT20s are the stiffest of the three pairs of shoes we tested, even in larger sizes. The sole is made of a very solid plastic plate, and as a result they easily transfer power from legs to pedals. The sole is curved so you can still walk reasonable slightly from front to back, distances in them, despite fact that the soles don’t the really bend. My tester, Ben, walked a punctured bike home and didn’t get sore feet.

Ben loved the rigidity of the shoes when cycling, and found them very comfortable.

His biggest complaint was that the styling is ‘dull’, but if your goal is to get away without out of your cycle shoes changing when you get to work, surely this is an advantage. As well as being available in ‘boring’ grey, there is also ‘unexciting’ beige.

You’ll easily get away with wearing these to the pub, although if you’re trying to pull off a smart outfit, they’ll let you down.

These shoes are equally well equipped for clipless and toe clips. Shimano pedals makes the vast majority of clipless

Tips for buying shoes ■ Cycle shoes are most efficient if the sole is very stiff because this guarantees that the power from your legs is transferred efficiently to the pedals.

But it’s easier to walk in shoes that have some flexibility in the sole. Choose accordingly: if you change out of your cycle shoes on arrival, go for something with a stiffer sole.

■ Shoes designed for running are what you shouldn’t wear on a bike. Their soles are flexible, so a lot of the power from your legs won’t reach your pedals – it will be lost. And you’ll quickly wear them out, making them useless for running.

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is resisted; panniers do not lean on the stand, and it is much easier to park two bikes on a single stand in head-to-tail fashion, as the seat of one does not try to occupy the same space as the handlebar of the other. The stand also takes up less space when not in use.

Havering has undertaken to install this design. Fellow members may like to suggest them to their own boroughs.

David Garfield, Essex

soles get snagged on the pedals as you move your feet in and out of the clips. What we need is good stiff-soled shoes that have flat but grippy soles. They should have smooth lace up tops, preferably be water resistance and not over padded. And they need to be a neat design without welted sides. None of this is difficult for manufacturers – they have the technology – but I am still looking for the right design.

Martin Birdseye, by email Product reviewer Mel Allwood writes: I wonder whether you’ve considered a pair of Pearl Izumi Groove shoes? They have grippy soles that don’t snag in your pedals, a neat lace, and a rubber bumper at the front to stop the toeclips scuffing the shoe. They also have a nice big boxy toebox.

Support for ‘two tings’ Re the British waterway’s ‘Two Tings’ campaign (LC June/July), on a warm day on a busy stretch of the towpath by Hampton Court, I tinkled my way past groups of strollers.

“Thank you,” called out one lady, “of all the cyclists this afternoon, you are the first to give us a warning!”

When I’m walking, I prefer to be alerted by a cyclist’s bell, rather than be startled by a bike. I always say “thanks” if walkers move out of the way.

David van Rest, SW19 While applauding David Dansky’s advice (LC June/July) on good manners, his advice on bells is contrary to the official line (on the previous page you show the British Waterways campaign advice of ‘two tings’ to alert walkers to a cyclist’s presence). Patrick Field saying “moderate your speed to that of the people in front” is unworkable.

During my hours cycling on canal towpaths and on Sustrans paths as a ranger, it has always been acceptable to slow down, give two rings and “thank you” as I pass.

Derek Clark, by email I was bemused to read David Dansky write that “in parks or on canal towpaths, it is no more acceptable behaviour to ring your bell or request people get out of your way than it is for car drivers to do the same to you on the road”. I always ring my bell to alert pedestrians and find they are nearly always willing to move aside to let

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Letters

Letters can be sent to letters@lcc.org.uk or to the address on page 3. Letters may be edited for legal or space reasons (please keep them short and concise)

Where’s the Olympic legacy?

The Olympics are hammering local sport in East London. The Eastway Cycle Circuit (Lee Valley Cycle Circuit) has been bulldozed and its replacement in outer London is not ready. As for the legacy after 2012,

Bikes and the railways I used to take my grandchildren with their bikes in the guard’s van and we’d go somewhere for a marvellous ride. Now it’s impossible because, although in theory we can take bikes on the train out of rush hour, in practice if you have more than two, you have to put them among sitting passengers who do not appreciate being pinned in with bicycles. This is sad. I still have grandchildren whom I’d love to take on such trips, but now I can’t.

Juliet Simpson, Sevenoaks Two wheels all the way My daily commute takes me from Greenwich to Holborn and I invariably travel on two wheels.

I use my motorcycle as often as I cycle. I find the majority of riders happily co-exist and am disappointed by attempts to sow conflict among us. I don’t feel threatened by motorbikes when I’m pedalling, nor vice versa. Bicycles and motorcycles safely share bus lanes, and will no doubt continue to do so regardless of the lobbying.

Ignore the hysteria: anyone who feels uncomfortable on two wheels (either flavour) should try some of the excellent, economical training which is fun and easily available.

Or try breathing out! (See Dennis Dracup’s letter in LC June/July claiming that cyclists absorb carbon dioxide, rather than emit hot air...)

Ken Kneller, by email

Zoe Williams This issue, I was going to tell you about an amazing new invention by a woman called Gabriella Parkes: pink pedal covers that allow you to wear high heels on any kind of bike. They work a treat if you don’t have toe-clips, since the rubber cover stops your foot from slipping forward.

Much more important, though, are bendy buses. Cyclists started complaining about them a nanosecond after they were introduced. It was absolutely, totally obvious that they were dangerous. Some years later, in June, in other words, statistics were released that confirmed cyclists had been right all along. A day after that, a spokesperson from the Greater London Authority explained that the figures were misleading – all bendy buses were on central routes, and there were more accidents on central routes than suburban ones. This isn’t true. Nearly all bendy buses, despite starting in the centre of town, end up in a suburb. But it kept the guy from sounding like a moron on radio, so I guess the payback that he sounds like a scoundrel in retrospect is a price worth paying.

Shortly beforehand, those posters started to appear, in which HGV drivers were urged to check for cyclists, while cyclists were encouraged to “be aware of larger vehicles”.

The tagline on this campaign is “share the road”, where “share” means “you self-powered oik can have 5% and be grateful; you gas-guzzling monster can have 95%, and could you try if at all possible not to kill the oik?”

The GLA is incredibly pleased with itself because the number of cyclists has gone up massively since 2000. What irks in both the bus debate and with these posters is the idea that when things get better for cyclists, that’s thanks to the local authority, and when they get worse, that’s a sad fact of life (though it might help if cyclists looked where they were going).

I’ll stick my neck out and say that the rising number of cyclists is due to a combination of environmental awareness, health-consciousness and a reluctance to use packed public transport, and wherever you are on these vectors, or if you’re not on any at all (I cycle because it’s handy), to what degree would you say it was due to a GLA campaign? Any at all? Thought not.

When they choose what bus to buy, they have, by contrast, total control. When they plan cycle routes and devise large-vehicle restrictions, they have total control. How is it, then, that London’s cycling positives stick to them like iron filings in a magnet factory, while the negatives are mere statistical anomalies? I guess because they have press releases and we don’t. Maybe we should all have an on-bike sandwich board system, trumpeting the positive statistics for which we are actually collectively responsible. It’s an effort, and there’d be a question mark over the point of it, but we definitely wouldn’t be missed by HGVs.

Photo: Peter Dench

LCC’s HGV mirror campaign A very worthy campaign you are running to lobby for trucks to be fitted with mirrors. However to say that each year “400 people lose their lives because they were not seen by lorries” is not approaching the issue from all angles.

Many people can be alarmist about not being seen by cars/HGVs and forget that there are people controlling them who are not hell bent on running you off the road.

If they can’t see you, they can’t avoid you. While fitting lorries with mirrors may help, if cyclists position themselves where even with the use of the mirrors the driver cannot see them, fatalities are going to occur.

I find HGV lorry drivers extremely considerate. They tend to give me more space than any other road user and make better decisions about when to do it. They are professionals – they are taught about interacting with cyclists and the video they are shown highlights the potentially disastrous outcomes for cyclists of the limited visibility drivers have.

How many cyclists are aware of the limited visibility for HGV drivers and how to deal with it?

Not many, otherwise I wouldn’t see them squeezing down the left-hand side of vehicles – the single most dangerous thing a cyclist can do.

As explained in your article, more than half of cyclist fatalities involve left-turning lorries.

Plenty of organisations offer training as part of the National Standards or Bikeability, and road positioning is at the heart of what they teach. While LCC’s campaign is addressing part of the issue, cyclists need to take responsibility for their own safety, and training is a huge step towards this.

Lucy Nandris, N4

promises are already being broken.

The Eastway was a one-mile circuit vital for training road racers.

It hosted rallies of recumbent bikes and other human-powered vehicles, and a disability cycling club. It was unique in London. Children who trained at the Eastway had their eyes on the 2012 Olympics – where are they supposed to train now?

The original promised on-site legacy was a 34-hectare velopark.

The ODA’s plans show a much reduced area next to the polluted A12, and no room for a proper road circuit, and no mountain bike circuit.

Meanwhile, footballers are set to lose the pitches of Hackney East Marsh. This is supposed to be restored afterwards, but we now know how much the ODA’s commitments are worth.

Tim Evans, Hackney Ed: See page 16 of this issue for our Olympics update.

450

me pass, holding on to their dogs so they don’t get run over. What they hate are people who hurtle past with no warning of any kind, causing both them and their mutt to jump out of their coats.

Julie Rand, by email

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Letters Have your say >

Notes on cycling I moved to London with my Raleigh in 1981, and cycled for five years before cars and advancing years persuaded me to stop. At 50, my wife bought me a Marin Larkspur; I returned to cycling and joined LCC. Here are a few observations about the changes to cycling in that time.

It is now much easier to cycle in London. Drivers – especially buses and taxis – seem much more sensitive to the needs of cyclists.

I am not sure what the reasons for this are, but among them I list my grey hair, cycle lanes and greater awareness of cyclists (we used to be seen as eccentric nutcases), as well as LCC’s campaigning.

There has been a huge improvement in technology. My cycle is so light and the gears so good that riding uphill requires minimal effort. Lights and high visibility clothing help us to be seen.

The camaraderie among cyclists is as strong as it always was and it is now great to see ambulance and police officers on bikes next to you at the lights.

My last thought though is a negative one. The minority of cyclists that disregard the Highway Code is detrimental to the relationship being built with other road users and does our campaign great damage. I believe as an organisation we should be clearly saying that this behaviour is unacceptable.

Tim Benson, by email Another second-hand shop In LC June/July you list secondhand shops, but you missed Bob’s Bicycles off the Walworth Road.

Bob’s Bicycles, a superb seconds shop with excellent and good value bike servicing, can be found at 9 John Ruskin Street, SE5 0NS (020 77080599, 07961 102 072).

You’ll also find the shop listed at www.tfl.gov.uk/tfl/roadusers/ cycling/cycleshops Dan Taylor, Southwark

Letters can be sent to letters@lcc.org.uk or to the address on page 3. Letters may be edited for legal or space reasons

If Cheltenham can do it ...

I was in Cheltenham yesterday. It is not a big town but has a cycling bridge that’s more impressive than anything I have seen in London.

How is it that London’s investment in cycling infrastructure usually seems to mean green paint?

Ed Fawssett, by email

notices. Cast iron railings are brittle – they look strong but they aren’t.

From her kitchen window she has seen youths kick the railings until they snap, then just lift the bike off. It takes only seconds, and it’s why she doesn’t like cyclists using her railings. I shall in future look for steel fixtures to anchor my bike.

Can we please have more proper cycle racks so we don’t have to use street furniture and railings?

Jane Northcote, EC2 Ed: See page 22 or www.lcc.org. uk/info for more on bike security.

Out of the mouths of babes An 11-year-old cycle trainee, as we approached a signalised pedestrian crossing during training, asked: “Do we have to stop at the red light?”

When I questioned him as to why he had asked, he replied: “Cyclists don’t usually stop at red lights.”

This is an aspect of the behaviour of those who don’t stop for red lights which I had not considered before. The trainee was unsure of the law because of his observations of some cyclists. Food for thought.

Liz Delap, SE10

A close shave with a cyclist I’ve been cycling in London for over 25 years. I also own a car.

The other evening it was dark and raining as I was driving home. As I approached a junction, I looked both ways to see if the road was clear for me to pull out. When I pulled out, I heard a scream from a cyclist who I had not seen. He was shouting at me and I was mortified when I realised I had nearly knocked him off his bike.

I pulled over to talk with him; he was shaken and justifiably angry.

He didn’t understand how I couldn’t have seen a 14-stone guy on a bike.

He had a light on his handlebars but it wasn’t a very powerful one, and his jacket was not fluorescent.

When I cycle at night, I wear a fluorescent yellow jacket, have a front light on my handlebars and one on my helmet because motorists often don’t see cyclists, and fluorescent yellow seems to be the colour that is most visible.

I was shocked that I nearly knocked this guy off his bike and it makes me more aware of the need to be more visible on my bike.

Name withheld by request

The solution to bike theft Further to Richard Jackson’s letter in LC April/May, I knew a friend who had a bike stolen despite it having three locks. There are a lot of ‘professionals’ about.

Maybe it is worth investing in a motorcycle lock, buying a Datatag (www.datatag.co.uk) and ensuring there is CCTV around. Failing that, maybe you will have to cart it round everywhere, including when you go to Sainsbury’s, which a fed up friend does. Maybe the solution is a curfew on blokes – how many bicycle thieves are women?

Eva Charrington, Hildenborough I have been irritated by notices saying “Do not lock your bicycle to these railings”. I had thought that the people who put up these notices just didn’t like bikes, but then a friend who has cast iron railings outside her house showed me why people might put up these

Congratulations to our June/July prize-winners: ◆ Corinne Dennis shorts: S. Padmore, E5. ◆ Truflo pump: H. Laspas, SE1. ◆ Official Treasures of le Tour de France: J. Qureshi, SE13 7TT; M. Songhurst, WC1; T. Benjamin, E17.

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Letters

An open letter From the LCC Board How can we work together to develop London as a cycling city for all? You are invited to have your say in LCC’s future.

An invitation to Open Space To do this, the Board wants to develop the new strategy through a technique called ‘Open Space’.

This is a process designed to bring large groups of people together to develop shared priorities for the future. Open Space involves

holding an open meeting without a pre-determined agenda, or clear picture of where we will end up. The creativity, passion and imagination of participants builds the agenda for small group discussions that set the direction. This process will feel very different for those of us used to tightly managed events, but it will enable all our ideas and voices to be heard. The record of discussions will be the source material from which to shape our strategy.

Open Space will focus on how we can work together to develop London as a cycling city.

We are planning two events: a full-day session in Camden on Saturday, September 8 for members, local groups, community projects, staff and Board members (lunch will be provided); and a halfday session for partner organisations such as Transport for London or our funders, again with staff and Board members, on Friday, September 14. This will be held in London’s Living Room.

After these events, interested participants will join the strategy working group to help turn the discussions into a document. The revised strategy will be launched in the New Year to coincide with LCC’s 30th birthday.

We hope that as many of you as possible will be able to come on September 8. It’s a real opportunity to help shape the direction of your organisation and our future.

How to get involved You can find detailed information, as well as frequently asked questions about the process, on our website, lcc.org.uk. Members without internet access are invited to call the office on 020 7234 9310 for a hard copy.

If you are interested in coming along to Open Space, please just drop an email to hello@lcc.org.uk with ‘future’ in the subject box and your contact details in the body of the email and we will send more information out to you in time for the event. Alternatively, please just call us on the number above.

We look forward to seeing you all there.

Regards, LCC’s Board of Trustees

LCC’S BOARD OF TRUSTEES LCC’s Board of Trustees comprises of elected members whose key responsibilities include setting the strategic direction of the organisation, ensuring that it meets the requirements of the charity commission, and implementing good governance. They are: Ian Callaghan (chair) Jon Hoare (chair of the strategic review working group) Stephen Bearpark Andy Cawdell Ruth Chapple Sarah Flood Alastair Hanton Theresa Hoenig Suzanne Jensen David Love Oliver Schick

Photo: Stuart Coles

You cannot fail to notice that it is an exciting time for cycling in London.

Over the last five years, cycling has increased by more than 80% and looks set to continue rising further.

LCC has played a significant role in driving this change, whether that be through the work of local groups, through information provision or through the work we undertake with organisations like Transport for London to ensure that your voices and those of all London’s cyclists are clearly heard.

This great work has been done in the context of LCC’s five-year strategy (see lcc.org.uk/about). All the work we do is defined by this strategy – anything that doesn’t advance a part of the strategy doesn’t get done.

Our current strategy ends this year, and the Board of Trustees has been looking at how best to renew it, drawing on the knowledge and passion of everyone associated with LCC. The next five years are going to be at least as eventful as the last five for LCC. The landscape we face, in every debate from climate change to the Olympics and transport to health, is radically different from how it looked five years ago, so we have to do more than simply fine-tune the existing strategy. The Board’s view is that we must seize the opportunity for a fundamental rethink of how we campaign, deliver our services to best effect and, of course, how we raise money to fund this work.

How we develop our new strategy will be vital. To create a new vision for LCC, we want to tap into the skills and experience of you, our members, as well as those of our staff and volunteers, the projects and community groups we support and all the other organisations we work in partnership with.

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Feature

Taking it to the masses It promises to be the biggest and best celebration of cycling ever seen in the capital.

David Love explains why you should join the London Freewheel fun

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ut Sunday, September 23 in your diary now – that’s the day a banner will be raised over London saying “Cyclists welcome”. Join 30,000 other cyclists and enjoy the sound of silence on 100% traffic-free streets as the capital holds its first-ever mass particpation bike ride (MPBR), the Hovis London Freewheel.

It’s taken a long time for London to catch up with the rest of the world. Some 30 years ago, cycling activists in several cities worldwide started to campaign for better facilities by staging protest rides. First Cape Town, then New York, then Berlin saw cyclists take to the streets to make their statement. Since then, MPBRs have developed in different ways according to the needs of each local community. But the one thing they have in common is that they have become incredibly popular.

From a few hundred cyclists apiece, these annual events now routinely attract more than 30,000 riders – Berlin’s Sternfahrt (Star Ride) has seen nearly a quarter of a million cyclists take to the streets.

MPBRs offer a huge dose of fun, put cycling on the municipal agenda, boost tourism and raise millions for good causes. They may have started as protest rides, but in contrast to Critical Mass, mired in its legacy of conflict and confrontation, their broad appeal lies in their clear and simple goal to celebrate the bicycle.

What’s it like to take part?

If you seek a sense of personal challenge, pack your bike and head to Cape Town each March to join 35,000 other cyclists for the 109km Cape Argus Cycle Tour. The stunning landscape, plus the warmth of the climate and the people will make you want to bottle its sheer joy and bring it home. You’ll need to do it twice to see how your performance compares with last time.

A less frenetic event awaits you each May in New York, where the 42-mile Five Boroughs Bike Tour affords a rare sightseeing opportunity on fully closed roads. The ‘5 Boros’ is not timed, but it’s meticulously marshalled and the close proximity of 32,000 fellow riders means that you’ll never get lost.

Berlin’s Star Ride is a shorter hop from the UK and it’s worth the trip just to wonder at how it ever happened, how it overcame huge political (not to mention physical) obstacles, and how the convergence of so many bikes in the city centre proves the absolute acceptance of utility cycling in Germany. This is the same place, after all, that encourages bikes on the underground – can you imagine that happening on the Piccadilly Line?

Now there’s no need to travel to a mass bike ride or even pay an entry fee. Register and ride the Freewheel, drink in the freedom of car-free streets and help make cycling in London a part of everyday life – just like it used to be.

MASS PARTICIPATION RIDES London Freewheel: www.londonfreewheel.com Cape Argus Cycle Tour: www.cycletour.co.za New York Five Boroughs Bike Tour: www.bikenewyork.org Berlin Star Ride: www.radzeit.de

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VICTORIA PARK HUB St Paul’s Cathedral

FINSBURY PARK HUB

VICTORIA EMBANKMENT

Somerset House

xxxxx

THAMES STREET

Monument

Cleopatra’s Needle BLACKFRIARS BRIDGE

Globe Theatre

GLADSTONE PARK HUB

WATERLOO BRIDGE

VICTORIA EMBANKMENT

Charing Cross Station

FREEWHEEL FESTIVAL

Royal Festival Hall

Admiralty Arch

SOUTHWARK BRIDGE

Tate Modern

Tower of London

LONDON BRIDGE

PECKHAM RYE HUB

National Theatre

Southwark Cathedral

Tower Bridge TOOLEY STREET

St James’s Palace

City Hall

London Bridge Station

Turn around point HORSE GUARD PARADE

THE MALL

VICTORIA EMBANKMENT

St James’s Park

Waterloo Station

County Hall BRIDGE STREET

BIRD CAGE WALK

Westminster Abbey

ellington Barracks

London Eye

WESTMINSTER BRIDGE

Big Ben Houses of Parliment

CLAPHAM COMMON & RAVENSCOURT PARK HUB

London’s Freewheel How to take part London Freewheel will take place on Sunday, September 23, with the traffic-free London route open 11am-4pm. It will be signposted and marshalled. To take part, register at www.londonfreewheel. com – places will be limited, so sign up soon to receive email updates and a welcome pack.

LCC is organising a series of rides from all over London to the six ‘Freewheel Hubs’ – Gladstone Park in Brent, Finsbury Park, Victoria Park in Tower Hamlets , Peckham Rye, Clapham Common and Ravenscourt Park – where cyclists can gather to cycle en masse to the vehicle-free route. The hubs will also offer bike checks and general cycling advice.

Many riders are expected to use Freewheel as an opportunity to raise money for charity or as a company team-building day out. LCC offers advice to encourage more people to ride to work, and also has a corporate affiliates programme for employers who wish to encourage their staff to cycle. See www.lcc.org.uk/info or call the LCC office (see page 27) for details.

Be a Freewheel volunteer LCC is a supporter of the event and is working with local groups to encourage new and returning cyclists to take part. It will also be recruiting experienced cyclists to volunteer at the London Freewheel. If you are an experienced cyclist – preferably with National Standards training – and would like to help lead rides, man the Freewheel Hubs or marshall on the day, contact the LCC office or see www.lcc.org.uk for updates. LCC is also keen to hear from members who are able to help man the LCC stand and offer general cycling advice (and information about LCC) to potential new members on the day.

Additional reporting Tom Bogdanowicz and Lynette Eyb

Photos: Eric Nathan, Tom Bogdanowicz

The sight of 30,000 cyclists riding through one of the world’s largest cities would be difficult to ignore, particularly if politicians and celebrities were scattered among the common people. That’s exactly what organisers of the first London Freewheel event are hoping to achieve.

September 23 will feature a 14km traffic-free central London route that will take riders past some of the city’s most famous sights. LCC local groups will lead feeder rides from all corners of London to the main event. It is anticipated that many cyclists will choose to ride for charitable causes.

A Freewheel Festival will run in St James’s Park concurrently, giving cyclists, their families and friends the chance to take part in a carnival in the middle of London, with mountain and trial bike stunts, BMX, cycling acrobatics, Bicycle Ballet, picnics and children’s activities all planned. LCC will also be on hand with cycling information and advice.

London Mayor Ken Livingstone said Freewheel would be a “free, fun celebration of cycling aimed at everyone [but] particularly those people who have a bike but haven’t ridden for a while”.

“We want the Hovis London Freewheel to fuel London’s renaissance as a cycle city,” he said.

“Cycling is good for you and good for the environment.

Having taken part in the Hovis London Freewheel, I hope people will find that cycling regularly in London is easier than they thought.”

The event’s sponsor, bread-maker Hovis, is hoping its involvement isn’t limited to one year.

“Hovis has a history of association with cycling and we recognise that cycling is a mass participation activity – more people cycle than play football,” Tim Dewey of Hovis told London Cyclist.

The company helped pioneer cycling maps more than 100 years ago and was also responsible for placing a bike at the centre of its most famous advertising campaign, the ‘boy on the bike’ campaign’.

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Fixated on fixed They’re the trendiest things on the streets of London – Tom Bogdanowicz looks at the popularity of fixed wheel bikes oticed something unusual about the bikes you see in London between 10am and 5pm? They seem thinner, lighter, sleeker. Take a closer look at any courier or bicycle fashonista when they slow down for a second. Examine the gears – that’s right, no gears. Eyeball the brakes – only one, and it’s on the front wheel. Mudguards – you’ve got to be kidding.

Unless you know all the answers, don’t, whatever you do, ask to have a go. You’ll get on, discover the pedals don’t stop turning, and end up on your rear.

Fixed is the latest word in London cycling. At Condor Cycles, the central London shop, fixed wheel bikes, sometimes also known as track bikes or fixies, are a top seller – and they are currently accounting for almost half the sales of the Condor brand.

Greg Needham of Condor Cycles says the shop last

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year sold more than 700 of the fixed Pista model. “It’s our best-selling model and fixed sales are doing even better this year – we’ve brought out more new models to cope with demand,” he says.

It’s the same story at Roberts, the south London bespoke frame builder. “We haven’t seen such demand for fixed wheel bikes in a long time,” says Chas Roberts. “We’ve built more track bikes in the past two years than in the previous five.”

Shop owners say new fixed models imported by LeMond and Trek were snapped up by stores within days. Even smaller London shops are doing a brisk trade in fixies recently introduced by mainstream bike makers like Genesis and Specialized.

This year’s track racing event at Herne Hill Velodrome was a veritable fixie-fest: you could hardly see for the fixed wheel bikes – not just on the track, as you’d expect, but off-track as well. Second-hand fixies were on sale at prices that could buy a tasty mountain bike.

Riding a fixed wheel bike The big difference between fixed wheel and ordinary

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CAption Caption caption

The fork of a Chas Roberts fixie

From street to track and back again Early bikes like Boneshakers and Penny Farthings all had fixed wheels and the earliest Tour de France races were contested by cyclists on fixed wheel bikes. The invention of the freewheel and the derailleur effectively eliminated fixed wheelers from the roads and their use became limited to velodromes. One exception, until the new boom, has been timed individual races, or time trials, some of which are for fixed wheel bikes.

The return of the fixed wheel bike to urban streets was first initiated by New York bike messengers who turned fixed into a cult, complete with upturned, sawnoff dropped handlebars (cow-horn style) and old tyre inner tubes around the frame to protect the paintwork.

London’s bout of fixed wheel mania is tied to a rising interest in retro steel frames which are slimmer and more decorative than today’s ubiquitous aluminium mountain bike or hybrid. There’s even a shop, Brick

Lane Bikes, that specialises in this type of bike. Owner Jan Milewski says riders like to personalise their fixies – pink rims, Goth studs, anything goes. “We sell all the fixed bikes we can get – most vintage frames are sold before they arrive in the shop,” he says. To satisfy demand, Jan is currently scouring Europe for classic frames.

After doing a law degree in Poland, Jan worked in a bank before coming to Britain and joining the heavy chain gang as a courier. He sold cycle parts over the internet before last year taking the plunge and converting a rundown shop in Bethnal Green Road into Brick Lane Bikes. Staff are multilingual – you hear a mix of English, Polish and Hebrew.

Jan’s aim is to offer the unusual – whether it’s exotic Italian track frames or the ultimate in courier bags: “No point in selling what you can find in every other shop,” he says. Fixies, new and old, are his big sellers, though classic steel framed road bikes are growing in popularity. And Jan’s favourite bike? A low profile Bianchi fixie that was once ridden to a world track record; see if you can spot it in the shop.

FIXING YOURSELF UP WITH A BIKE For street purists New: Hand-built frame from Roberts, Bob Jackson, Condor, Mercian, etc; Mavic, Campag or Sugino chainset.

Track ends, one brake. Thicker track width chain. Priced from £600.

Vintage: Classic track frame from Italy (Columbus tubes) or UK (Reynolds tubes); Campagnolo chainset and hubs (Williams for older UK frames); Cinelli bars and stem. Track width chain. Priced from £500.

For street realists New: Condor, Genesis, Specialized, Surly or Fuji frame with two brakes, flip/flop hub (fixed/freewheel). Priced from £300.

Old: Second-hand track or road frame (£25-£500). Older road frames with adjustable (horizontal) rear ends can be converted to fixed

wheel. See www.sheldonbrown. com/fixed-conversion.html Good contacts: www.condorcycles. com, www.robertscycles.com, www.fixedwheel.co.uk, Brick Lane Bikes (020 7033 9053).

Track racing: Herne Hill Velodrome welcomes beginners every Saturday morning (£6 includes bike hire).

Own bikes must have dropped handlebars and brakes removed for track use. See www.vcl.org.uk The exhibition: Fixed, a free exhibition tracing fixies from 1888 to today, is on until September 9 at the Design Museum (0870 909 9009, www.designmuseum.org).

Photos: Adam Monaghan, Damien Lewis

bikes is not the lack of gears but the fact that the cog on the back of a fixed wheel bike is, as the name suggests, fixed, and you cannot freewheel: your legs revolve non-stop. And if you do stop pedalling, either the bike stops (if you’ve timed it right), or you vault over the handlebars. If you pedal backwards, the bike goes backwards.

Riding fixed on busy roads takes getting used to, but it offers some attractions. It’s not just the ultimate in cycle fashion but the ultimate in speed – track bikes, at about 8kg, are half the weight of a mountain bike.

And fixies are easily fixed (sorry). Then there’s the theft deterrent – fewer parts to steal and not easy for a tealeaf to ride away. Lastly there’s the promise of increased fitness as you pedal non-stop and use your muscles to slow the bike down. Fixed wheel riders say that the single gear encourages a regular pedalling cadence and helps to build strength. “It gives me more control,” says one regular commuter, while Johnny Wilkinson, owner of two fixies, says: “I love the simplicity and it teaches you to keep an eye on the road ahead.”

Newcomers to fixed bikes can opt to use a single speed freewheel at first. Many fixies have a freewheel on one side of the rear hub, fixed on the other. If you want to have the real track experience, Herne Hill offers induction sessions every Saturday (see info box).

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Broken promises The Olympics could be our biggest chance yet to promote cycling in the capital, but will the opportunity be grasped? Simon Munk reports on the current state of play his year, the London Olympics and cycling have been very wobbly companions. Sometimes they’ve been pedal to pedal, in perfect synchronicity; sometimes they’ve drifted apart. As the finishing line approaches in 2012, will they crash into one another or get into a gold-winning place?

The biggest wobbles have been over the Eastway Cycle Circuit. This popular site just outside Stratford sat in the middle of the proposed Olympic Park and, like nearby allotments, football pitches and housing estates, it had to go. The Eastway Users’ Group (EUG) was promised a shiny new ‘velopark’ to match Eastway’s mountain bike trails and road circuit, as well as an indoor velodrome and BMX track in the Olympic Park after the Games. Great news, if only the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) had stuck to the plan.

The temporary replacement facilities turned out to be controversial. The first site proposed by the ODA, Rammey Marsh, was too small, too flat and, being next to the M25, too polluted. After a fierce fight, the ODA switched to Hog Hill in Redbridge.

Unfortunately, nesting newts at Hog Hill mean neither mountain bike or road racing will be on site until the end of the year. Interim road racing facilities have also fallen through at Albert Dock, but at least mountain bikers were able to run the annual Beastway summer

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Top: An artist’s impression of how the Games site will look in 2012 and, above, what the site looks like now

series at Hainault Forest Country Park, near Hog Hill.

T h e b ro k e n p ro m i s e t o f i n d a ro a d r a c i n g replacement in 2007 and the attempt to relocate Eastway to a tiny, polluted scrap of land were worrying signs that the ODA was choosing convenience over cycling excellence. Now, the ODA has also revised its plans for the post-Games velopark near Stratford.

Back to reality Revealed in February alongside planning applications for the Olympic Park, the new plans leave only two hectares for a road circuit and “a token bit of off-road”, according to Michael Humphreys, chair of EUG. “No off-road competition would be possible,” he says.

“Racing on the road circuit would be uninspiring and dangerous.” The Eastway site covered 25 hectares; campaigners understood the original velopark was to cover 34 hectares but this has now been pegged at just seven. The Lea Valley Regional Park Authority, the eventual owners of the velopark, and the ODA say the original 34 hectares will now be shared between cycling, hockey, tennis and other recreational pursuits.

The indoor velodrome is also set to take up more space than originally planned – it won’t now be scaled down from its Olympics size. “The site is overshadowed by the velodrome – 6,000 seats do nothing for riders and

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Olympic shut down While there is little doubt that transport connections w i l l b e i m p ro v e d p o s t - G a m e s , t h e re ’s s t i l l a construction period east London cyclists must face.

The ODA has announced road closures to coincide with construction work. Key routes including Waterden

Above left: An artist’s impression of what the velodrome will look like come Games time.

Above right: Riders enjoying Eastway prior to its demolition

Road, Carpenters Road and Marshgate Lane were set to close as LC went to press, leaving the Lea Valley canal and Greenway as the main cycle routes.

LCC is working ensure other trunk routes such as the A12 and Stratford High Street are improved for cyclists. And with the increased construction traffic around the site in mind, “we’ve asked Transport for London (TfL) to influence the ODA to have a zero collision target for construction vehicles (they have one for construction work),” says LCC campaigns manager Tom Bogdanowicz. “This could encourage them to use companies that have lorries with full safety mirrors.” (See page 4 for LCC’s ongoing HGV campaign.)

Active spectators a priority LCC is also nurturing its Active Spectator Programme – a vision to encourage spectators to use bikes to get to major sporting events. The programme had its first outing during the Tour de France when local LCC groups organised rides to Hyde Park, giving thousands of new and returning cyclists the chance to experience a group commute into central London.

All the positive movement such as this seems to be coming from outside the ODA. Sustrans has made a financial case for its GOAL 2012 pedestrian and cycling bridge across the Thames in the Docklands, as well as its network of greenways to help spectators ride and walk safely to Olympic sites.

While the campaigners are striking a straight line forward, it remains to be seen whether the ODA will continue to wobble. Of its involvement with the Active Spectator Programme, an ODA spokesperson said: “Further details will be included in the first full Olympic Transport Plan to be published later this year.” Cyclists across the capital are waiting.

HOW TO GET INVOLVED Write to your MP, London Assembly member and the press demanding a legacy for cycle sport in London. For more on the Eastway campaign, see www.lcc.org.uk and type ‘eastway’ into the search box. Members without internet access can call the LCC office (see page 32). Members can also promote cycling by taking part in LCC’s Active Spectator Programme, which will continue through until 2012.

Photos: MIke Wells, London 2012

only make it more likely to be used for purposes other than cycle sport,” says Humphreys.

Some have suggested Hog Hill as a permanent replacement for the outdoor trails and road circuit, but the site is currently only funded until 2012 (although there is a 25-year lease in place). And even if it does remain, it is miles from Eastway and won’t be suitable for the east London children who learnt to cycle and race there, or those who rode from Brixton and further to race. The only possible replacement for them is the velopark.

After a tense and well-attended meeting in June between the EUG and the ODA, British Cycling, the national governing body, came out in favour of the EUG’s position: “There is insufficient space allocated for road and off-road competition and training” in the velopark, it said, while also criticising the ODA for failing “to make sufficient movement towards meeting our concerns”.

At the meeting, ODA representatives said they were redesigning the road course and providing a 5km mountain bike course that used the entire Olympic Park, but this trail would cross pedestrian paths, and would therefore only be available for marshalled races when the area was closed to the public.

Humphreys said the EUG was now hoping to work with the ODA on “wholesale” changes to the current plans, and he urged LCC members to write to MPs, London Assembly members and the press to help influence London-wide policy on cycling provision.

“Insist that London needs the proper return of (an) open-air facility like Eastway – a focus destination for cycle routes and recreational facilities; a place for school and youth groups to learn about cycling (away from) traffic,” he said. “(It should be) a fitting legacy for a sustainable and compact Olympic Games which made claim to be improving transport connections and the sporting chances of inner east London communities.”

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Hitting the open road With a bit of planning and a decent map, anyone can become a cycle tourer, says Susan Greenwood, who completed a solo Transamerica crossing

As you sit behind a bus inhaling fumes, it’s hard to imagine that your bike could take you from one side of the world to the other, but it really is the ultimate freedom machine, reliant only on your energy to power it. You may spend the majority of your time in the saddle pedalling through gutter debris and broken glass, but there’s an open road out there with no time limits, no traffic jams and endless options. So where do you want to go?

Cycle touring is that simple. Pick a route, find a good map, pack your stuff and away you go. Keep your wits and drop your guard, say yes not no, roll with the punches and you may just experience your most liberating journey which, once started, never has to end.

Getting started, especially for the novice tourer, is the hard part. Whether you’re aiming for a 4,000mile camping tour or a 200-mile luxury B&B trip, the key to a successful voyage is to break every part of it – from packing to pedalling – down into manageable chunks. And to pack Clif Bars. Cycle touring is not beyond anyone but it helps if you are prepared.

First things first Are you fit enough? You’ll always meet people who declare they are as fit as Lance Armstrong and that’s how they can cycle tour. Wrong. Being fit is important but being superhuman is not. If you can ride two 50mile days back to back, then you’re fit enough to start a tour – within two weeks of riding, you’ll be fit enough to finish it. Tailor the first few days to your level of fitness and the rest will see to itself. If you’re only going for a few days, you won’t have the luxury of training on tour, so hit the Surrey hills before you leave. Obviously the more at ease you are in the saddle, the easier you’ll find continuous riding. But remember that a tour is not a race – it’s a journey, so take your time and enjoy it.

Above: Susan takes a break in Toronto, Kansas Below: At the summit of Hoosier Pass in Colorado

Get packing – but what to pack?

We have now established that you are fit enough to wear padded cycling shorts without feeling selfconscious. Kit can make or break a tour. There is a tendency for first-timers to pack as much as they possibly can. This is a bad thing as the more you pack, the more you have to drag up mountain passes. Stick to the bare essentials, checking weather conditions along your route and planning accordingly. If you only invest in a few things, invest in these: good, multi-panel cycling shorts; a windproof jacket; a lightweight tent (1.2kg); waterproof panniers or a trailer; a compact camping stove and a pot; padded gloves and leg warmers. A big bottle of hair conditioner does not count as essential.

WEBSITES SUSAN USED www.wiggle.co.uk www.minx-girl.com www.russtler.com www.clifbar.com

MORE INSPIRATION www.crazyguyonabike.com www.alastairhumphreys.com www.adv-cycling.org www.boomersonbikes.com

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Technical See www.lcc.org.uk/info for more on leisure cycling and travelling with your bike, as well as information and advice on maintenance

Food, glorious food Apart from glorious sunrises and epic views, one of the most amazing things about cycle touring is the amount of food you will need to consume. If you are riding 70-mile days in varied terrain, it will not be unusual for you to eat 4,000 calories a day and still lose weight. A bonus for the hips but an absolute killer on the budget!

Camping radically brings down the cost of a trip, and

helps develop that feeling of unshackled freedom – your route and timetable are not decided by where the next hotel or restaurant is. Besides, pasta always tastes better if you eat it while watching the sun set in Yellowstone National Park. You will find your body tells you what it needs in order to perform best – chocolate cravings should soon disappear in favour of longer lasting energy boosts. Have I mentioned Clif Bars? And remember to hydrate, hydrate, hydrate.

Choose your own adventure The best roads for a cyclist are quiet and scenic, so when you plan your route, get a map that shows you these rather than simply motorways and A roads. Take into account gradients – there’s not much you can’t get over on a bike, but if you want an easy ride rather than the most rewarding ride, keep an eye on those contours. Also, in more isolated regions, keep in mind distances between towns or even houses. I once met a guy who had cycled 130 miles through Utah in July with only six litres of water. The water ran out after one day but it was another two before he could refill, so plan for long, lonely stretches and make sure you are equipped. Rather than see that as a scary thing, though, understand it as the beauty of cycle touring. Everything you need to live and exist is attached to your bicycle Above: Lochsa River, and moves with you. It’s an unfettered existence and an Idaho on Highway enormous confidence booster. Once you know you can 12 – “some of the live without things, you become so much more free. best 66 miles in the It sounds trite, but cycle touring is about the journey, world”, says Susan not the destination. It’s a learning experience and you Left: Sunrise in become wiser as your trip progresses. On many levels Henry Coe State it can seem daunting, but it all begins with one turn of Park, California the pedals – and anyone can do that.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Susan Greenwood was working as a freelance PR copywriter and charity volunteer when she won the chance to be a Guardian Netjetter last year. Susan cycled the Transamerica cycle path from the east coast of the US to the west over a period of three months. She used a solar-powered laptop to blog regularly for The Guardian on each American state’s eco-friendly tourism initiatives. You can read more about Susan’s trip at http://travel.guardian.co.uk/netjetters

Photos: Susan Greenwood/The Guardian

Let’s get technical Bicycles are pretty simple machines and having a basic understanding of how they operate will work in your favour, but don’t think you have to take a workshop of tools with you as you always meet people along the way who can help you out. As a rule, allen keys, patch kits, screwdrivers and spare inner tubes are essential.

The market for touring bikes has grown a lot in recent years, but I’ve seen people tour successfully on a range of weird and wonderful machines, and I’ve seen custom-made tourers shed spokes within 600 miles. If your tyres are wide enough to support your load, your wheels have 36 spokes, the frame is sturdy (I love steel touring frames but aluminium ones will be lighter), with fixings for two water bottles, back racks for panniers, a very comfortable saddle (leather ones are best) and mudguards, then you should be fine. Some touring bikes come with straight handlebars. I would recommend adding bar ends to these to ease pressure on your wrists. It’s amazing what hurts after 500 miles.

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How to...

See www.lcc.org.uk/info for more advice on secure parking, as well as advice on maintenance, training and cycling to work

Lock your bike securely

✓

✗

✓

Everyone knows someone who’s had their bike nicked from the streets of London. Follow this simple advice to minimise the chances of your bike becoming a statistic.

◆ Lock your bike where it will be visible so that thieves will have less opportunity to steal or vandalise it. ◆ The London Cycling Guides (see page 7) show where cycle parking is available.

HOW TO LOCK IT ◆ Spend at least 20% of the value of your bike on a quality lock, and use two types of lock if you’re leaving your bike for any length of time. ◆ Always lock your frame and both wheels to an immovable object. Quick release levers can make wheels easy to remove, so ensure they are secure. ◆ Take all accessories and removable parts with you (including your seat if it has a quick release lever). ◆ Avoid leaving a chain lock against the ground or a wall as thieves can smash the chains against these. ◆ When using a D-lock (or U-lock), attach the frame and back wheel to the immovable object so that you leave minimum space between the bike and the object to stop thieves inserting bars into the space to lever the lock open. Always position the lock opening down so it’s hard to pour substances into the lock to weaken it.

WHERE NOT TO LOCK IT ◆ Dark alleys ◆ Butterfly racks – avoid parking that only allows you to secure the front wheel to the stand. It’s easy for a thief to detach your front wheel and steal the rest of your bike. ◆ Avoid short posts that can lift out of the ground and taller posts that the lock can fit over the top of. ◆ Don’t use drainpipes or brittle fences that can be easily broken. ◆ Don’t park where there is a sign telling you not to – your bike may be unceremoniously removed in your absence (see Letters, page 12). This includes the area around Whitehall and Parliament Square – it is police policy to remove bikes from around this area for ‘security reasons’.

MORE INFORMATION LCC ADVICE: See www.lcc.org.uk/info for more advice on cycle security and parking. Members without internet access should call the LCC office (details page 28). LCC’s leaflet Bike Security is available from the LCC office.

SOLD SECURE: This non-profit company rates bike locks. See www.soldsecure.com BIKE INSURANCE: LCC offers members a deal on theft insurance. See www.lcc.org. uk/membership or call the office for details.

MARK YOUR BIKE: LCC recommends you register your bike at www.immobilise.com, a property register used by the police to reunite stolen goods with their owners.

LCC CVR security.indd

WHERE TO LOCK IT ◆ Store your bike inside your home, office or in a secure parking area if possible. LCC can advise on encouraging your employer to install cycle parking (see right). ◆ When parking on the street, use cycle parking stands if available, otherwise use immovable ‘street furniture’.

BIKE SECURITY

Lock it or lose it!

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Photos: Michael Stenning, Lionel Shapiro

The LC Bike Surgery Where in London am I (legally) able to ride my bike in a park?

Chris Farley, Camberwell There are more than a hundred parks where you can cycle in London – the latest to be added to the list is Regent’s Park, which is enjoying a three-month trial period of cycling along the Broadwalk (the trial started on July 7). Other parks where you can cycle include Richmond Park, Hyde Park (certain paths only), Kensington Gardens (certain paths only) and Bushy Park. There are also routes either alongside or through Battersea

and Brockwell parks and Clapham, Wandsworth and Tooting commons in south London. North of the river, there is a wonderful route along Parkland Walk, a disused railway line, that links Finsbury Park and Alexandra Palace.

There is a comprehensive list of parks (and sights to enjoy near them) online at www.lcc.org.uk/info under the ‘leisure cycling’ link.

Most cycling paths in parks and commons are marked in green on the new London Cycling Guides (see page 7).

Note that children under the age of 10

are allowed to cycle in all Royal parks.

If you are cycling in a park or on a common, or along a canal, please remember to always be considerate to others, especially the elderly and infirm, and that pedestrians always have priority on shared routes.

HOW TO SEND US YOUR QUESTIONS If you have a question on routes, campaigning, maintenance, safety or any other topic, send it to the LC Bike Surgery via londoncyclist@lcc.org.uk or to the address on page 3, and the LC team will answer it for you.

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Technical

Workshops

Visit www.lcc.org.uk/info for more on bike maintenance. To list a workshop on this page, please email londoncyclist@lcc.org.uk

Want to know how to maintain your bike? Try a course or workshop Bromley What: Bigfoot Bikes workshops include hands-on sessions. Suitable for beginners. Bring your bike but clean it first! Booking is essential.

There are two courses: The Basics (pre-ride safety checks, fixing punctures, cleaning and lubricating a bike, etc). Brakes and Gears (tuning up gears, tightening and adjusting brakes, changing cables, replacing brake pads). NB Disc brakes are not covered but a session may be organised if there is demand Cost: £20 – includes a maintenance pack worth at least £9.

When: Call for details At: Hayes Old Church Schools Contact: Bike Foot Bikes (020 8462 5004, roger@bigfootbikes.com) www.bigfootbikes.com Camden What: Course includes puncture repair, brake tuning, chain repair, tuning gears, cleaning. Two tutors, maximum 12 participants. Details at www.camdencyclists.org.uk Cost: For all three sessions £45 When: Bookings now open for courses in September At: Velorution, 18 Great Titchfield St, W1W 8BD Contact: Stefano Casalotti (stefano@lamsam-casalotti.org.uk, 020 7435 0196) Central London What: One-day courses, basic and intermediate at weekends; one-toone, or group bespoke sessions; bike assessment and adjustment; puncture masterclasses Cost: £60/one-day course, £27.50/ hour for bespoke tuition; £100 for assessment and adjustment; £20 for punctures.

When: Puncture masterclasses: every second Wednesday; 6pm-8pm.

Phone for other course dates.

At: CTUK training room Discounts: 5% for LCC members Contact: CTUK (020 7231 6005, info@cycletraining.co.uk) www.cycletraining.co.uk What: Regular courses (maximum four participants). You work on your own bike. No mechanical knowledge is assumed. Topics covered include: cleaning and lubrication, machine inspection and safety checks, tyres, tubes and punctures, adjusting brakes/gears. Six hours’ tuition Cost: £58 (£52 for LCC members) When: Saturdays 10.30am-5pm

At: Bikefix, 48 Lamb’s Conduit Street Contact: Patrick Field (020 7249 3779, www.londonschoolofcycling.co.uk) Greenwich What: Year-round maintenance classes comprising classes for all levels and including advice on tyres and punctures, brakes, gears, hubs, etc. Bring your own bike, along with any parts you want to fit eg brake cables or pads, racks, etc.

Cost: Call for details When: Call for details At: Armada Centre, Armada Court, 21 McMillan Street, SE8.

Contact: Julian Dobson (07771 692 344, 020 8463 0801 julian@jadobson.demon.co.uk) www.greenwichcyclists.org.uk Hackney What: Evening workshop Cost: Free. Donations appreciated When: First and third Tuesdays of each month (August 7 and 21; September 4 and 18), 7pm-9pm At: The Kings Centre, Frampton Park Baptist Church, Frampton Park Rd Contact: Adam (07940 121 513, adamt@constructionplus.net) Islington What: 2.5-hour, self-help cycle maintenance workshop Cost: £1 (50p unwaged) When: Fourth Wednesday of month (not August/December); 7pm-9.30pm At: Sunnyside Gardens, at the corner of Sunnyside Road and Hazellville Road, N19 (off Hornsey Rise) Contact: Adrian (07810 211 902) What: One-day workshop covering adjusting, cleaning and lubricating bike; punctures; brakes; and gears Cost: £20 (£12.50) When: September 22 and October 6, 10am-4pm At: Freightliners Farm, Sheringham Rd, N7 Contact: Jonathan Edwards (020 7704 1884). Regret no email Kingston What: Two options introducing maintenance and first aid‚ repairs to help people keep their bikes in good working order, safe and easy to ride Cost: Six sessions are £46 or a Saturday one-day session is £26 When: One-day sessions: October 13 and March 8, 10am-4pm. Phone for six-sessin dates.

At: North Kingston Centre, Richmond Road

Shinyi Gbue was among the 11-15-year-olds who attended a Lambeth Borough-hosted five-day bicycle customisation and safety course at Brixton’s St Vincent’s Community Centre on May 29. The course, Bling Your Bike, saw participants take junk bikes and turn them into safe, smart machines

Contact: Kingston council (adult. education@rbk.kingston.gov.uk) or Rob (020 8546 8865, mail@kingstoncycling.org.uk Lambeth At the time of going to press, no classes had been finalised, but it is hoped that some will be in place for September/October. Check www. lambethcyclists.org.uk for updates.

Redbridge What: Three-week courses covering: puncture repair; fitting brake blocks; gear adjustment; general check (pedals, spokes, bearings, brakes, headset and bottom bracket) Cost: £15 per course When: September 19, 26 and October 3 At: Wanstead House, 21 The Green, Wanstead, E11 Contact: Terry (07795 981 529, terence.hughes@btinternet.com) or Chris (020 8989 9001, christopher.rigby1@ntlworld.com) www.redbridgelcc.org.uk Southwark What: Three-week course including: puncture repair; cables, brakes; chains; trueing wheels. Maximum 10 students to two mechanics.

Organised by Southwark Cyclists and held in On Your Bike’s workshop with professional mechanics (10% discount for students on purchases from the shop).

Cost: £36 per course When: Tuesdays 7pm-9pm (please telephone for dates) At: On Your Bike, 52-54 Tooley Street, SE1 Contact: Barry (07905 889 005)

Sutton What: Twice-yearly basic class and Dr Bike (free cycle safety check).

Cost: £5 per class (family discounts) When: Phone for detaiils.

Contact: Chris (020 8647 3584, cyclism@blueyonder.co.uk) or Shirley (020 8642 3720) Tower Hamlets What: Hands-on workshops. Tools, demos; bring your own spares Cost: Free. Donations welcome!

When: Last Saturday of the month (except December); 11am-3pm At: The Boxing Club, Limehouse Town Hall, 646 Commercial Road E14 Contact: Owen Pearson (07903 018 970, workshop@wheelers.org.uk) www.wheelers.org.uk/workshop

Waltham Forest What: Workshops where you can maintain or assemble a bike Cost: £3 to cover expenses. Tea, coffee, biscuits provided When: The workshop (when staff available) will open 11am-3pm on Saturdays. Open 10am-12pm the second Saturday of the month (LCC day). No maintenance the first Saturday of the month (recycled bikes for sale 1pm-3pm). Fridays and Saturdays (10am-3pm), volunteers are welcome to recondition bikes.

At: Council Transport Depot, Low Hall Manor, South Access Road, Walthamstow, E17. Please stop at security for directions within the site Contact: Christopher Rigby (christopher.rigby1@ntlworld.com, 07910 235 149) or the workshop (07948 060 473). Keen to hear from volunteers able to help keep this great service up and running.

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Product reviews Laptop panniers If you’re regularly transporting your laptop around town, you may want to invest in a laptop pannier. Mel Allwood puts four to the test Altura Urban 15 Briefcase Pannier, £49.99 Zyro (www.zyro.co.uk)

Cannondale CyPod, £65 Cannondale (+41 6148 79380, www.cannondale.com)

Although the Urban 15 is promoted as a ‘briefcase pannier’ it seems designed primarily for transporting laptops. The pannier’s main compartment is padded and waterproof – and perfectly sized to carry my Dell laptop.

In addition to its integral padding, the Urban 15 comes with a removable, padded laptop case. Instead of sliding your laptop directly into the pannier, you remove the laptop case, unzip it, place your laptop inside, rezip and then slide the whole package into the main pannier compartment.

This sounds like a palaver, but I found the double padding and secure fit reassuring. I don’t want my laptop to start playing up simply because it’s been jostled inside a pannier as I’ve encountered one of London’s countless potholes.

There’s a sizeable pocket for power pack, pens, mobile, wallet, keys, etc. But don’t expect to squeeze anything else in – this is a pannier for laptop transport not for general clobber.

Other plus points are the padded, detachable shoulder strap, the zip-able cover that hides the pannier hooks when you’re off the bike, and the high-quality locking mechanism for attaching the pannier to your bike rack. Provided you make sure to press down on the red tab as you place the pannier on the rack, the pannier will stay put no matter how large the pothole.

The Cannondale CyPod pannier is well named. Rather than a square-cornered briefcase, it’s semi-rigid and curvy and reminds me of a seed kernel.

The laptop sleeve is tucked away at the back, keeping your computer separate from the other things you’re carrying. It’s best suited to smaller laptops – I tested it using a laptop with an 11” screen and it fit into the CyPod perfectly. Once the laptop’s in place, there’s room in front for a few additional items. The CyPod has a capacity of 14.4 litres, although the curvy shape means you’ll have more luck with flexible items than square or stiff ones – unprotected paperwork will get dog-eared, but there should be room for a jacket, lunch and some stray cables.

The closure takes some getting used to – a separate flap at the front zips away. Handily, the bag sits neatly upright on its own. With my laptop inside, I appreciated the CyPod’s extra stability and rigidity.

The bag comes with plenty of bright reflective stripes and a carrying handle – it’s soft and moulded, so doesn’t cut into your hand, even if the bag is heavily loaded.

Conclusion

Conclusion

Extremely well thought-out design. Everything you need to protect your laptop. But you’ll require a second pannier if you have a lot of other clobber to carry.

A well designed, robust case with appealing organic styling.

Ideal for smaller laptops, with enough room left over for a few essential bits and bobs.

WIN A ‘DRYBUM’ SEAT COVER! Tired of facing a wet saddle? LC has three drybum bike seat covers to give away. Drybum is like having a shower cap for your bike – no more wet bum if you use drybum! For more details, see www.drybum.co.uk.

To enter our prize draw, please send an email to londoncyclist@lcc.org.uk

or a postcard to LCC (address listed on p.3), marking your email or postcard “drybum prize draw” and including your full name, telephone number and postal address.

WIN!

Deadline for entries is September 2, 2007. For LC prize draw terms and conditions, please see www.lcc.org.uk

24 August/September 2007 LONDON CYCLIST

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Product reviews

Agu Quorum Platinum 660 KF, £59.99 Madison (www.agu.com, www.ultimate-pursuits.co.uk)

Conclusion Sensible, practical bag, with understated styling that won’t attract too much attention.

Creek2Peak City Slicker II, £74.99 Fisher Outdoor Leisure (www.fisheroutdoor.co.uk) This is the largest of the four bags we tested, with a whopping 21 litre capacity. There is a slightly smaller version, the City Slicker I, with 18 litre capacity. The City Slicker II is a broad, sturdy bag, with plenty of space for a full size laptop and as much else as you can carry.

I managed to get laptop, lunch, two books, jacket and a clean outfit into it without having to sit on it to close it.

It comes with a separate laptop sleeve, which slides neatly into its own section but which can also be used on its own.

As well as being the largest of the panniers, it was also the heaviest when empty. This is largely thanks to the wooden backboard insert, designed to keep the pannier stiff.

I have to admit I wasn’t keen on cycling around with a heavy plank of wood weighing me down, but when I passed it onto Ange, a visual artist, to test she was delighted: “Great, a pannier with a built-in drawing board.”

The City Slicker II comes with a sturdy, comfortable shoulder strap. Top marks for additional feature goes to the external key pocket, which means that (a) you always know where they are and (b) you can lock your bike up and get into your house without having to rummage about in the compost that inevitably accumulates at the bottom of panniers.

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The Agu Quorum Platinum has an integral, padded laptop pocket, rather than a separate case that slips inside the main bag. The laptop pocket is big enough for a full size laptop, despite the fact that the Agu has the smallest capacity of the four panniers we tested, just 13 litres.

Like the Altura pannier, the Agu hangs vertically from the rack, which means there’s plenty of heel clearance. Attachment to the rack is via a pair of sturdy Klick-Fix hooks, which are secure enough to deal with potholes. But they’re slightly fiddly to set up, requiring a small screwdriver and a fair dose of patience.

The lid closes with a pair of clips, with an extra hood over the corners to keep the weather out. For particularly wet journeys, there’s a integral bag cover, which normally lives in its own pocket but can be pulled out to cover the whole bag.

The bag is cushioned, and rubbery feet at the base act as extra shock absorbers. So if you forget you’ve got a laptop in there and dump the bag on the ground there’s a final line of defence. It also comes with a shoulder strap.

The pannier is slightly larger than A4 sized, so paperwork can be transported easily. A flap at the back conceals the hooks while you’re off the bike, so you can get away with it as a civilian bag.

Conclusion A solid pannier in all senses, but with rather drab styling.

Very spacious – you can carry your life around in it.

LONDON CYCLIST August/September 2007 25

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Product reviews Electric bikes Been wondering what electric bikes are like? Mel Allwood gives one a try Powabyke 24 Speed Commuter, £845 Powabyke Electric Bikes (01225 443 737, www.powabyke.com) The Powabyke is an electric bike, with 24 derailleur gears and a battery-powered motor integrated into the front wheel. The battery is charged by plugging it into a normal wall socket via the supplied charger, just like a mobile phone. You can either park the bike near a socket or remove the battery from the bike frame and charge it separately. A full charge is 0.75kWh, costs around 6p, and takes around eight hours.

Other than a large chunk of battery sitting in the main frame of the bike and the motor that replaces the front wheel hub, the rest of the bike is made from ordinary bicycle components. Particular mention goes to the rims – they are spectacularly strong and sturdy, in a style more commonly seen on BMXs. An adjustable stem and a suspension seat post both help ensure a comfortable ride.

When you start off it’s just like an ordinary bike. You can feel the extra weight of the motor and battery, which can make balancing difficult, but after a few tries it’s easy to remember to leave the bike in a low gear to make the first push easier.

The motor doesn’t kick in until the bike is moving along – you have to be going at walking pace to get it going. Once rolling, turn the throttle, which is just like a grip shift gear changer, and the motor swings into action. The extra power from the motor means you go faster, for less effort. If you stop pedalling the motor will eventually stop working, too, because it only operates if the pedals are going around. However, you can keep the motor happily going whilst pedalling very sedately, so you can move along at a respectable speed on a Powabyke Commuter without making much of an effort.

It’s alarming the first time you twist the throttle – it’s as if somebody has come up behind you and given you a push. It made me laugh, and it seemed to have this effect on others, too. Turning the throttle gives you progressively more power.

It maxes out at 15mph – any more power and the law would class it as a motor vehicle, meaning all manner of crash helmet and paperwork nonsense. But there’s nothing to stop you pedalling powerfully to boost your speed beyond the 15mph that the motor supplies.

Letting the bike do most of the work, you get about 15 to 20 miles out of a full charge. The more you share the burden by pedalling, the further you can go without running out of juice. Once the battery’s flat, you can pedal home,

but you’ll be pedalling a heavy bike.

For all its advantages, the Powabyke Commuter is not for everyone. It’s not particularly speedy – my tester Helen complained that even at full throttle she was still overtaken by some young, fit cyclists. And the motor adds a good deal of weight.

With the best will in the world, there’s no denying that the Powabyke is a substantial beast. It has lighter competitors, using more advanced (and expensive) battery technologies, but the truth is there’s no comparing any electric bike with a standard cycle. The Powabyke weighs almost twice as much as my commuting bike, and it was a challenge manoeuvring it up the three or four steps into Helen’s house, let alone the two narrow flights of stairs to my flat.

Powabyke isn’t the only manufacturer of electric bikes in the UK. With plenty of competitors, Powabykes – there’s a whole range to choose from – tend to sit somewhere in the middle of the electric bike market. Spending a bit more money will generally get you a lighter, snappier version, and if space is an issue, there are also folding models. But Powabyke has been going for a good many years, and has a network of reliable dealers. At one stage, we got stuck charging the battery, and Powabyke’s staff were unfailingly polite and helpful. I was encouraged by the high level of back-up we were offered.

Conclusion If you’re young, fit, healthy, and impatient, you’re probably not an ideal electric bike customer, since the extra weight of the motor and the bulk of the battery makes the bike unwieldy and you can probably cycle faster on a standard bike. Also, you need ground floor access at home. You won’t want to lug an electric bike up and down stairs every day.

However, if you’ve been cycling for years but find yourself cycling less because you’re not as strong as you once were, an electric bike might be an option. Or, if you’re just a little bit too far from work to be able to cycle there without wearing yourself out, and you’re organised enough to remember to charge up the battery, an electric bike might be the answer.

WIN A SUBSCRIPTION TO A TO B MAGAZINE! If you’re interested in electric bikes, A to B magazine (www.atob.org. uk), published six times a year, is a worthwhile read. A to B includes in-depth reviews of all sorts of electric and folding bikes. LC has teamed

WIN!

up with A to B to give away a year’s subscription. To enter, please send an email to londoncyclist@lcc.org.uk or a postcard to LCC (address listed on p.3), marking your email or postcard “A to B

prize draw” and including your full name, telephone number and postal address. Deadline for entries is September 2, 2007.

For LC prize draw terms and conditions, see www.lcc.org.uk

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LCC members’ pages

You can contact the membership team on 020 7234 9310 or email membership@lcc.org.uk

These pages have all you need to know to get the most out of your LCC membership LCC’S VISION LCC’s vision is to make London a world class cycling city

BENEFITS OF MEMBERSHIP LCC is a campaigning charity mainly funded by your membership. We work to improve conditions for cyclists and to promote cycling throughout London.

INSURANCE & LEGAL Third party insurance If you cause damage to a person or their property while cycling, they may make a claim against you. As a member of the LCC, you are covered for up to £2 million. If such an incident occurs, phone the LCC office for immediate advice and assistance.

Free legal advice Free legal advice is a member benefit. If you need any legal assistance on a cycling-related issues, please phone the LCC office and we will put you in touch with a cyclist-friendly solicitor.

Theft insurance LCC Cyclecover theft insurance also comes with free personal accident cover for LCC members.

Theft insurance costs about 10% of the value of your bike and is a ‘new for old’ policy. For an instant quote, please call 0870 873 0067 and have your LCC membership number to hand.

INFORMATION & CAMPAIGNING Local groups LCC has a local group in every borough, plus the City of London.

These groups campaign on local

STRATEGIC AIMS ■ To involve people from all communities in cycling ■ To improve the quality of life in London by increasing cycling ■ To bring about the best possible services for people who cycle or want to cycle in London ■ To be leaders in urban cycling

CONTACT LCC 2 Newhams Row London SE1 3UZ t: 020 7234 9310 f: 020 7234 9319 e: hello@lcc.org.uk w: www.lcc.org.uk Contact the LCC Board: chair@lcc.org.uk

Registered charity number: 1115789

cycling issues, and also organise events, meetings, workshops and social rides. See page 32 to find out what your local group is up to.

Maps LCC, in partnership with Transport for London (TfL), has produced free cycle maps covering all of London. These can be ordered via www.lcc.org.uk or by phoning TfL on 020 7222 1234.

London Cyclist free of charge (see page 35). Send your short, concise ad to londoncyclist@lcc.org.uk or to the LCC (address left). Ads from businesses are not accepted.

HOW TO HELP LCC GROW Ask a friend to join You can help boost our work by recruiting members to LCC. The more members we have, the greater our campaigning voice.

Simply ask your friend or colleague to visit www.lcc.org.uk/join to join online or ask them to call 020 7234 9310 to join over the phone.

Tell your boss about us LCC has several schemes to help encourage employers to help make riding to work easier. For details, see www.lcc.org.uk or call our office and ask for information on our corporate affiliates programme.

Volunteer your time Our small office in central London relies on volunteers for its membership administration and campaigning. If you have some spare time, we could use your help!

Phone the office for details.

London Cyclist magazine

How to join LCC

This magazine is sent to members every two months. It is packed with news, features, cycling tips, products news and the latest on our campaigns. It has been voted the number one member benefit.

If you like what you see in London Cyclist but you are not yet a member, we encourage you to join the campaign to receive the magazine delivered to your door every two months. Members also receive the great package of other benefits listed on this page. You can join by calling 020 7234 9310 or via www.lcc.org.uk/join.

Who needs eBay? Members who have bikes or accessories to sell can advertise in

Member discounts Anyone who joins LCC can cash in on a range of ongoing benefits open only to members.

They include:

who care about the environment. For further details, phone the ETA on 0800 212 810 or see www.eta.co.uk. You will need to quote your LCC membership number and reference 1061-9001.

Bike shops Maintenance Cycle Training UK (CTUK) offers LCC members a 5% discount on bike maintenance training. You can call CTUK on 020 7582 3535.

Breakdown cover LCC members get a 50% discount on membership of the Environmental Transport Association (ETA). ETA is a breakdown service for transport users

LCC members also get discounts on bikes, accessories and servicing at the follwowing bike shops in the capital.

Remember to show your membership card before you make a purchase or book your service.

MAIL ORDER / ONLINE Cotswold Outdoor Quote ref 2115 at www.cotswoldoutdoor.com ♣ Loads Better Mail order only. Suppliers

of xtracycle and Kronan bikes (0845 8682459) ▲ ✔ Mon-Sat 9-5 Old Bicycle Trading Co Mail order only.

Hub gears new and vintage parts (020 8306 0060) ● ✔ www.oldbiketrader.co.uk Outdoor Indoor Ltd Mail order clothing Supplier. ● ✔ www.outdoorindoor.co.uk CENTRAL Action Bikes Dacre House 19 Dacre St SW1 (020 7799 2233) ● ✔ Mon-Fri 8-8 Sat 9.30-5.30 Action Bikes 23-26 Embankment Place Northumberland Avenue WC2 (020 7930 2525) ● ✔ Mon-Fri 8-8 Bikefix 48 Lambs Conduit St WC1 (020 7405 1218) ● ➔ Mon-Fri 8.30-7 Sat 10-5 Condor Ltd 51 Grays Inn Rd WC1

(020 7269 6820) ● ✔ Mon-Tues Thurs-Fri 9-6 Weds 9-7.30 Sat 10-5 Cavendish Cycles 136 New Cavendish St W1 (020 7631 5060) ● ✔ Mon-Fri 9-6 Sat 10-5 Cotswold Outdoor 23/26 Piccadilly W1 (020 7437 7399) ♣ (quote ref L2115 and show card) Mon-Fri 10-8, Sat, 10-6 Sun 11-5 CycleSurgery 3 Procter St Holborn WC1 (020 7269 7070) ▲ ✔ Mon/Weds/Fri 8.306 Tues/Thurs 8.30-7 Sat 10-5 Sun 11-5 Evans Cycles 51-52 Rathbone Pl W1 (020 7580 4107) ▲ ✔ Incl servicing Mon-Fri 8-8 (Closed Thurs 11-12) Sat 9-6 Sun 11-4 Evans Cycles 69 Grays Inn Rd WC1 (020 7430 1985) ▲ ✔ Incl servicing Mon-Fri 8-8 (Tues closed 11-12) Sat 9.30-6 Sun 12-5

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LCC members’ pages Many of these shops have email and websites.

For details see www.lcc.org.uk

Evans Cycles 178 High Holborn WC1 (020 7836 5585) ▲ ✔ Incl servicing Mon-Fri 8-8 (Tues closed 11-12) Sat 9.30-6 Sun 11-4 Fluid Cycles Mobile repairs and servicing in Underground zone 1 and the Docklands (020 7021 0742) ● ✔ (on servicing and repairs) Mon-Fri 8.30-6 Weekends by arrangement Re-rolling Mobile puncture repair service within central London (Cycle Guide no. 10) but may travel further (07715 711150) ● ✔ Mon-Fri 7.30am-7pm Velorution 18 Great Titchfield St W1 (020 7637 4004) ● ✔ Mon-Fri 8- 6.30pm Sat 10-6pm Also sells secondhand bikes EAST Bicycle Magic 4-6 Greatorex St E1 (020 7375 2993) ■ ✔ Mon-Fri 9-6 Sat 10-5 Bike Shack 621 High Rd, Leyton E10 (020 8539 5533) ● ✔ Mon-Sat 9-5 Wed & Thurs 9-6 Brick Lane Bikes 118 Bethnal Green Rd E2 (020 7033 9053) ■ ✔ Mon-Fri 9-7 Sat-Sun 11-6 Chainlink Cycle Centre 140 Hornchurch Rd Hornchurch RM11 (01708 470 007) ■ ✔ Mon-Sat 9-6 Cotswold Outdoor Ground floor, St Clements House, Leyden St E1 (020 7655 466) ♣ (quote ref L2115 and show card) Mon-Fri 10-7, Sat 10-5 Cycle Asylum 700 Romford Rd E12 (020 8478 2540) ■ ✔ Incl servicing. Mon/Tues/ Fri-Sat 10-6 (Closed Weds/Thurs & Sun) CycleSurgery Brody House Strype St E1 (020 7375 3088) ▲ ✔ Mon/Weds/Fri 8.306 Tues/Thurs 8.30-7 Sat 10-5 Sun 10-4 CycleSurgery 12-13 Bishops Sq, E1 (020 7392 8920) ▲ ✔ (excludes Marin bikes.

Full SRP items only. Excludes Selfridges concession.) Mon-Sat 10-6 Sun 12-6 Ditchfields 792/794 High Rd Leyton E10 (020 8539 2821) ● ✔ (everything over £10) Mon-Sat 9.15-5.30 Evans Cycles The Cavern 1 Market St (Off Brushfield St) E1 (020 7426 0391) ▲ ✔ Incl servicing Mon-Fri 8-8 (Closed Thurs 11-12) Sat 9.30-6 Sun 12-6 Evans Cycles 1 Farringdon St EC4 (020 7248 2349) ▲ ✔ Incl servicing Mon-Fri 18-8 (Closed Thurs 11-12) Sat 9.30-6 Sun 11-5 Evans Cycles Cullum St EC3 (020 7283 6750) ▲ ✔ Incl servicing Mon-Fri 8-8 (Closed Mon 11-12) Sat 9.30-6 Sun 12-5 Evans Cycles Unit B, Reuters Building, 30 South Colonnade, Canary Wharf E14 (0870 164 4037) ▲ ✔ Incl servicing Mon-Fri 8-8 Sat 9.30-6 Sun 12-6 Fluid Cycles Docklands See ‘Central’ Heales Cycles 477 Hale End Rd Highams Park E4 (020 8527 1592) ■ ➔ Mon-Fri 9-6 Sat 9-5.30 London Fields Cycles 281 Mare St E8 (020 8525 0077) ● ✔ Mon-Fri 8-6 Sat 10-6 S & S Cycles 65 Woodgrange Rd E7 (020 8503 1000) ● ✔Mon-Sat 10-5.30 Wharf Cycles Unit B6, Lanterns Court, Millharbour E14 (020 7987 2255) ● ✔ Mon-Fri 8-7 Sat 10-5 Sun 11-4 NORTH Action Bikes 64 Ballards Lane N3 (020 8346 2046) ▲ ✔ Discount also on servicing Mon-Sat 9-6 Sun 10-4 Bike and Run 125 High Rd N2 (020 8815 1845) ● ✔ Mon-Fri 9-6 Sat 9.30-5.30 Bike Mech The Castle Climbing Centre Green Lanes N4 (07762 270 616) 10% discount on servicing only Mon-Fri 9-7, Sat 10-5 Bikes R Us Mobile cycle repairs

throughout north London (020 8882 8288 – workshop, 07949 066 889 – van) ● ✔ on servicing and most repairs Mon-Sat 9.30-5.30 CycleSurgery 70 Holloway Rd N7 (020 7697 2848) ▲ ✔ Mon 9-6 Tues 9-7 Weds 8.30-6 Thurs 9-7 Sat 10-6 Sun 11-5 Cycle Store (The) 201 Woodhouse Rd Friern Barnet N12 (020 8368 3001) ▲ ✔ Mon-Fri 9-6 (Closed Weds) Sat 9-5 Sun 11-3 Holloway Cycles 302/304 Holloway Rd N7 (020 7700 6611) ● ✔ Mon-Fri 8.306.30 Sat 9-6 Sun 11-5.

Mosquito Bikes 123 Essex Rd N1 (020 7226 8841/020 7226 8765) ● ✔ Mon-Fri 8.30-7 Sat 10-6 Sun (summer only) 11-4 S & S Cycles 29 Chapel Market N1 (020 7278 1631) ● ✔ Mon-Fri 10-6 Sat 10-5.30 Sun 10-2.30 Shorter Rochford 27 Barnet Rd Potters Bar EN6 (01707 662 332) ▲ ✔ on RRP Mon-Fri 9-6 (Closed Weds) Sat 9-5 Shorter Rochford 65-67 Woodhouse Rd N12 (020 8445 9182) ▲ ✔ Mon-Sat 9-6 (Weds 9-7) (Closed Thurs) Two Wheels Good 165 Stoke Newington Church St N16 (020 7249 2200) ● ➔ Mon-Sat 8.30-6 Sun 11-5 Two Wheels Good 143 Crouch Hill N8 (020 8340 4284) ● ➔ Mon-Sat 8.30-6 NORTH-WEST Broadway Bikes 250 West Hendon Bwy NW9 (020 8931 3925) ■ ✔ Mon-Sat 9.30-5.30 Sun 11-1 Chamberlaines 75-77 Kentish Town Rd NW1 (020 7485 4488) ■ ✔ Includes shop discount Mon-Sat 8.30-6 Cycle King 451-455 Rayners Ln Pinner HA5 (020 8868 6262) ■ ♣ Mon-Sat 9-6 Sun 9-4.30 Cycle King 173 Hillside Stonebridge NW10 (020 8965 5544) ■ ♣ Mon-Sat 9-6 Sun 10-5 CycleSurgery 44 Chalk Farm Rd NW1 (020 7485 1000) ▲ (except Marins) ✔ Mon/Weds/Fri 9-6 Tues/Thurs 9-7 Sat 10-6 Sun 11-5 CycleSurgery Hampstead 275 West End Lane NW6 (020 7431 4300) ▲ ✔ Mon/ Weds/Fri 9-6 Tues/Thurs 9-7 Sat 10-6 Sun 11-5 Cyclopedia 262 Kensington High St W8 (020 7603 7626) ● ✔ Mon-Fri 8-8 Sat 9.30-6 Sun 10.30-5 Evans Cycles 250 Watford Way, NW4 (0870 142 0108) ● ✔ Mon-Fri 8-8, Sat 9.30-6, Sun 11-5 Simpson’s Cycles 114-116 Malden Rd NW5 (020 7485 1706) ▲ ✔ (Birdys ■) Mon-Fri 9-6 Sat 9-5.30 Sparks 5 Bank Buildings, High St NW10 (020 8838 5858) ● ✔ Mon-Sat 9.30-6 SOUTH Bikes Plus 429 Brighton Rd Croydon CR2 (020 8763 1988) ▲ ✔ Mon-Sat 9-6 Cycle King 26-40 Brighton Rd Croydon CR2 (020 8649 9002) ■ ♣ Mon-Sat 9-6 Sun 9-4.30 Evans Cycles 5 London Rd Croydon CR0 (020 8667 1423) ▲ ✔ Incl servicing MonFri 9-6 Thurs 9-8 (Closed Thurs 11-12) Sat 9.30-6 Sun 11-5

Parade Blackfen Rd Sidcup DA15 (020 8303 3761) ▲ ✔ (Incl labour) Mon-Fri 9-6 Sat 9-5.30 Sun 10-3 Bromley Bike Company 27 Widmore Rd Bromley BR1 (020 8460 4852) ● ➔ Mon-Sat 9.30-5.30 Thurs 9-8 Comptoncycles.co.uk 23-25 Catford Hill Catford SE6 (020 8690 0141) ▲ ✔ Mon-Fri 9-6 Sat 9-5 Edwardes 221-225 Camberwell Rd SE5 (020 7703 3676) ▲ ✔ Mon-Sat 8.30-6 Evans Cycles 111-115 Waterloo Rd SE1 (020 7928 2208) ▲ ✔ Incl servicing Mon-Fri 10-8 (Closed Thurs 11-12) Sat 9.30-6 Sun 11-5 Evans Cycles 77-81 The Cut SE1 (020 7928 4785) ▲ ✔ Incl servicing MonFri 8-8 (Closed Weds 11-12) Sat 9.30-6 Sun 11-5 Evans Cycles 6 Tooley St SE1 (020 7403 4610) ▲ ✔ Incl servicing. Mon-Fri 8-8 (Closed Thurs 11-12) Sat 9.30-6 Sun 11-5 Herne Hill Bicycles 83 Norwood Rd SE24 (020 8671 6900) ● ➔ Tues-Fri 9-6 Sat 10-5 (Closed Sun & Mon) London Recumbents Rangers Yard Dulwich Park College SE21 (8299 6636) ● ✔ Variable discount on bike hire.

Mon-Sun 10-6 On Your Bike 52-54 Tooley St SE1 (020 7378 6669) ▲ ✔ Sat 10-6, Sun 11-5 Also has bike hire ReCycling (Only sells catalogue returns, renovated and second-hand bikes) 110 Elephant Rd SE17 (020 7703 7001) ▲ ✖ Mon-Fri 10-7 Sat 9-6 Sun 11-5 Robinsons Cycles 172 Jamaica Rd SE16 (020 7237 4679) ■ ✔ Mon-Sat 9.30-6 Thurs 9.30-2 Sidcup Cycle Centre 142-146 Station Rd Sidcup DA15 (020 8300 8113) ● ✔ Mon-Fri 9-5.30 Thurs 9-7 Sat 9-5 Park Tools school Wilsons 32 Peckham High St SE15 (020 020 7639 1338) ▲ ✔ Mon-Fri 10-6 Sat 10-5 Witcomb Cycles (Frame-builder and repairs) 25 Tanners Hill Deptford SE8 (020 8692 1734) ■ ✔ (Mon closed) Tues, Weds, Fri 9.30-5 Thurs, Sat 9.30-4 Xadventure Bikes 25-29 Perry Vale Forest Hill SE23 (020 8699 6768) ■ ✔ Mon-Sat 9.30-5.30 SOUTH-WEST A W Cycles 23 Abbey Parade, Merton High St SW19 (020 8542 2534) Mon- Fri 8.30-6 Sat 8.30-5 Closed Wed & Sun ▲ ➔ Brixton Cycles 145 Stockwell Rd SW9 (020 7733 6055) ● ✔ Mon-Wed & Fri-Sat 9-6 Thurs 9-7 Cowley Security Locksmiths (Locks and key cutting) 146 Colne Rd Twickenham TW2 (020 8894 1212) ● ✔ Mon-Fri 8-5 Cycle City 57 Approach Rd Raynes Pk SW20 (020 8542 4076) ■ ➔ Mon-Fri 8.306 Sat 8.30-5 Closed Sun Cyclopedia 256 Fulham Rd SW10 (020 7351 5776) ● ✔ Mon-Fri 8-8 Sat 9.30-6 Sun 10.30-5 Dialabike 30 Strutton Ground SW1 (020 7233 4224) ■ ✔ Mon-Fri 9.30-5.30 Evans Cycles 13-15 Jerdan Pl (off Fulham Bwy) SW6 (020 7384 5550) ▲ ✔ Incl servicing Mon-Fri 8am-8pm

(Closed Mon 11-12) Sat 9.30am-6pm Sun 11am-5pm Evans Cycles 320-320b Vauxhall Bridge Rd SW1 (020 7976 6298) ▲ ✔ Incl servicing Mon-Fri 8-8 (Closed Tues 11-12) Sat 9.30-6 Sun 11-5 Evans Cycles 48 Richmond Rd Kingston KT2 (020 8549 2559) ▲ ✔ Incl servicing Mon-Fri 9-6 Thurs 9-8 (Closed Thurs 1112) Sat 9.30-6 Sun 10-4 Evans Cycles 167-173 Wandsworth High St SW18 (020 8877 1878) ▲ ✔ Incl servicing Mon-Fri 8-8 (Closed Thurs 11-12) Sat 9.30-6 Sun 10-4 London Recumbents Staff Yard Battersea Park SW11 (020 7498 6543) ● ✔ off hire only. Open weekends and school holidays Luciano Cycles 97-99 Battersea Rise SW11 (020 7228 4279) ■ ✔ Mon-Sat 95.30 Sun 10-3.30 Mike’s Bikes 27 Aberconway Rd Morden SM4 (020 8640 1088) ▲ ✔ Mon-Fri 8-5.30 Sat 9-4 Moose Cycles 48 High St Colliers Wood SW19 (020 8544 9166) ● ✔ Mon-Fri 9.30-7 Pitfield Cycles 137 Kingston Rd New Malden KT3 (020 8949 4632) ■ ➔ Mon-Sat 9-5.30 Psubliminal 17 Balham High St, SW12 (020 8772 0707) 5% discount on servicing. Tues-Fri 9-6.30 Thurs 9-7 Sat 9-5.30 Siecle 789 Wandsworth Rd SW8 (020 7978 2345) ❋ ✖ (applies only to bikes) Mon-Fri 9.30-5.30 Sat 10-4 Smith Brothers 14 Church Rd SW19 (020 8946 2270) ▲ Also offers bike hire services Mon-Sat 9.30-5.30 South Bank Cycles 194 Wandsworth Rd SW8 (020 7622 3069) ● ➔ Mon-Sat 9-6 Stratton Cycles Ltd 101 East Hill SW18 (020 8874 1381) ● ✔ Mon-Sat 9-6 Triandrun 53 Wimbledon Hill Rd, SW19 (020 8500 4841) ▲ ✔ Mon, Tues, Thurs & Fri 10-6, Sat 9-6 Closed Wed & Sun WEST Action Bikes 101 Uxbridge Rd W12 (020 8743 5265) ● ➔ Mon-Sat 9-6 Sun 10-4 Action Bikes 176 Chiswick High Rd W4 (020 8994 1485) ● ➔ Mon-Sat 9-6 Sun 10-4 Bikewise 61 Swakeleys Rd Ickenham Middx UB10 (01895 675376) ■ ✔ Mon-Sat 9-5.30 Sun 10-2 Bonthrone Bikes 917-919 Fulham Rd SW6 (020 7731 5005) ● ✔ Mon-Fri 11-7 Thurs 11-8 Sat 10-6 Sun 12-5 Evans Cycles 548-550 Chiswick High Road, W4 (0870 060 5489) ▲ ✔ Mon-Fri 8-8, Sat 9.30-6, Sun 11-5 Mend-a-Bike 19 The Arches 33 Munster Rd Fulham SW6 (020 7371 5867) ● ✔ Mon-Fri 9-7 Sat 9-6 Wizzbike.com 113-114 High Street, Brentford, TW8 (05601 169 854) ▲ ✖ Mon-Wed, Fri 8-6 Thurs 8-8 Sat 9-6 Sun 11-5 Woolsey of Acton 281 Acton Lane W4 (020 8994 6893) ▲ ✔ Mon-Fri 9.30-6.30 Sat 9.30-6 (Closed Weds)

SOUTH-EAST Bigfoot Bikes 50 Hayes St Bromley BR2 (020 8462 5004) ● ➔ Inc servicing; exc labour Tues-Sat 9-5.30 Bike Shop (The) 288-290 Lee High Rd SE13 (020 8852 6680) ▲ ✔ on items over £10 Mon-Fri 9-5.30 Sat 9-5 Blackfen Cycle Centre 23 Wellington

BIKES

ACCESSORIES

0%

●

✖

5%

■

➔

10%

▲

✔

15%

❋

♣

• Show your LCC card to claim your discount.

• The discounts vary and are not negotiable. ● ➔ means no discount on a bicycle and 5% discount on parts and/or accessories.

• Discounts don’t usually apply to special offers or sale items.

LONDON CYCLIST August/September 2007 29

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LCC members’ pages

You can contact the LCC team on 020 7234 9310 or email hello@lcc.org.uk

London Cycling Campaign’s Annual General Meeting and London Cycling Awards Annual General Meeting On the evening of October 16, 2007, London Cycling Campaign will hold its Annual General Meeting at City Hall.

Following the success of last year’s format, the event will again feature a celebrity panel discussion. For updates, visit the AGM section of the LCC website at www.lcc.org.uk/about. The meeting will also provide an opportunity to meet LCC’s recently appointed chief executive Koy Thomson.

The agenda for the formal AGM business is as follows: AGM Agenda a) Introduction b) Apologies for absence c) Minutes of the previous AGM d) Board and Committee reports and questions e) Staff report and questions f) Approval of Accounts g) Appointment of auditors h) Election of Board members i) Members’ motions j) Any other urgent business

Call for nominations Nominations are invited for election to the LCC Board of Trustees, which is made up of 10 members elected by LCC’s membership. It meets bi-monthly and is responsible for the overall management of LCC between AGMs. Appointments to the Board are for two years and normally half the positions fall vacant each year.

To nominate a candidate, download the nomination form from the AGM section of www.lcc.org.uk/about. Nominations (proposed and seconded) must be received at the LCC office by 5pm, August 20, 2007. Nominee, proposer and seconder must all be current LCC members on October 16, 2007.

Call for motions This is your chance to put forward motions that may have an impact on the future direction of LCC. Please bear in mind that any motions relating to LCC policy must have been considered by the campaigns committee, as laid down in the AGM Standing Orders (copies available from the LCC office).

Please note that only those who are current members on October 16, 2007 can vote at the AGM. To register, contact the LCC on 020 7234 9310 or email agm@lcc.org.uk. Full papers, including Standing Orders and Accounts, will be sent to all who register.

London Cycling Awards 2007 As usual, the evening will also feature LCC’s prestigious London Cycling Awards. The categories for this year’s nominations are: Best Cycle Facility, Best Community Cycling Initiative, Best Cycling Initiative for Young People or Children and Best Workplace Cycling Initiative.

For more information on how to nominate, see page 7.

Book tickets online at www.cycleshow.co.uk and you could win 1 of 2 Specialized bikes worth £1,999 each New venue

2008 bikes fresh from the box

Special rate for LCC members

Now at Earls Court 1 with twice the space, more brands, bigger retail zone, indoor mountain bike test track and much more…

Be the first to see next year’s bikes and accessories from the likes of Brompton, Dahon, Specialized, Trek, Scott, Pashley and Condor.

£9 in advance (quote LCC when booking) Children £7 in advance Under 12s £1 95p booking fee per order

Ticket hotline 0870 838 2222

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Local groups News BARKING & DAGENHAM

Tom Pettengell and the Stibasa sandwich board at Barking’s Big Green Borough Day in June

Welcome to Barking & Dagenham Council’s new cycling officer Nick Davies, who comes to us from Waltham Forest Council. There’s more about him in the local group’s newsletter, Hubbub. A small group of cyclists enjoyed the eighth Bygone Barking By Bike history ride around Barking – we were able to see some parts of the town that are being redeveloped, too, near the historic core, the River Roding.

The Big Green Borough Day (June 9) saw the debut of our new Stibasa poster, mounted in a home-made sandwich board. Thanks to Tom Pettengell for making that happen. The picture on the poster is the same one as on www. stibasa.org.uk, painted by my nephew Thomas when he was five. He came and was mortified to see one of his “early works” on display – he is now seven and can do much better. Everyone else thinks it’s great. I’ve started a blog at www.stibasa.blogspot.com. It’s easier to update than a home-made website, so most new Stibasa material will go there. I’ve also started an egroup, primarily for LCC members in B&D, but anyone may join. See http://groups.google. com/group/stibasa for more.

Contact: Colin Newman (020 7871 0489, 07761 577255, Colin.Newman@stibasa.org.uk) Website: www.stibasa.org.uk

BRENT

We have been having a very busy summer. At the Gladstonbury Festival we recruited, handed out maps and spread the cycling message.

The monthly rides lead by Paul Hayward have continued to attract healthy crowds. In July we held our most important meeting so far for which we made a major publicity effort. At this meeting, a cycling ex-councillor, three Brent council officers concerned with cycling, and a member of the LCC Board engaged in a discussion with the audience of members and non-members on how the cycling agenda could be taken forward in Brent. Training, dealing with the major barriers to cycling in Brent, both physical and cultural, safety, and how to influence the decision-making process were some of the themes raised. The major realisation to come out of this useful meeting was that, though there are officers in the council working hard, we will need to cultivate contacts at the higher elected levels of the council if they are to be given the support they need to make major progress. Members can help by making their views known to councillors both individually and at the Local Area Forums.

Undoubtedly the highlight of our summer was the ride to see the Tour de France Prologue, when, having joined with Camden and Barnet groups, we travelled through the West End of London in a highly-disciplined mass of about 120 riders, the likes of which the capital can rarely have witnessed before. Thanks to all for their participation on this memorable day, and to Charlie at LCC for his great work on the event. Do call into one of our meetings at our new venue; you can bring your bike inside.

Meetings: Wed, August 1 and Wednesday, September 5, 7pm, Samaritans Centre, 1 Leopold Rd NW10 Contact: Ben Tansley (ben.tansley@bentan. demon.co.uk) Website: www.brentcyclists.org.uk CAMDEN

Photos: Trevor Parsons, Colin Newman, Adam Thompson, Camden Cyclists

BARNET

Despite rain, we had a good Bike Week and enjoyed ourselves, though we didn’t recruit as many new members as we would have liked.

This despite a variety of day and evening rides, Dr Bikes, family picnics, etc. A cycling weekend in the New Forest was also deluged by rain, but spirits were undampened. There will be another cycling weekend in Norfolk in September. The battle for leafy, rural Partingdale Lane has been lost. A traffic ‘rat run’ closed to traffic some years ago, it became a haven for walkers and cyclists. It was re-opened amid controversy when the council changed. It was then closed again after action by a pressure group, which obtained a court order for re-closure on grounds of lack of consultation. Despite protests that the lane is too narrow and dangerous for twoway traffic, the council is now constructing a pavement along the lane prior to reopening it to traffic.

Meetings: Last Thursday of the month at Trinity Church Hall, Nether St, N12.

Contact: Jeremy Parker (020 8440 9080) BarnetLCC@come.to Website: www.barnetlcc.org

BikeFest in Regent’s Park was very popular and we welcomed support from LCC in recruiting new members. Although we had organised a vast array of scaffolding-based bike parking, it was entirely used up. And the Dr Bikes were completely over subscribed. Bike Week was busy with a Cyclists’ Breakfast, Dr Bikes and rides. A new event, the Camden Peripherique, attracted large numbers to ride round the borough escorted by cycling police officers. We are shocked by TfL’s new plans for the Swiss Cottage gyratory: it will do virtually nothing to improve safety for cyclists. This has already become a major campaigning focus for CCC, starting with a demo on July 4. We’re waiting for the outcome of the Hampstead Heath cycling review; meanwhile, we led 25 parents and children on a ride on Hampstead Heath using the designated paths, and walking others.

Meetings: 7.30pm on the second Monday of the month (August 13 and September 10) at Primrose Hill Community Association, 29 Hopkinsons Pl, NW1 (you can leave bikes on railings outside).

Contact: Stefano Casalotti (020 7435 0196, stefano@lamsam-casalotti.org.uk) and Jean Dollimore (020 7485 5896, jean@dollimore.net) Website: www.camdencyclists.org.uk

Camden Cyclists’ Swiss Cottage gyratory protest on July 4 CITY

With the Financial Times proclaiming “Cycling is the new golf”, one might have hoped that the City had got the message. Unfortunately its new Core Strategy – setting out plans until 2025 – forgot to mention the City Cycling Plan, despite this having happened last year with its five-year transport plan. The new strategy is proposing special driving rights for ‘high level decision makers’ (ie top businessmen) due to the lobbying of certain City fathers who know the City’s streets best from the window of a chauffer driven limo. These vaguely elected people have also been trying to undo the few improvements on the main streets for those walking and cycling on the basis that these delay their cars. The Smithfield Nocturne race was a great success despite a downpour and the minutes from the most recent City Cycle Forum plus a (lack of) progress report of the Cycling Plan can be found on the City’s website.

Plans to improve cycle routes are going slowly, sometimes even backwards as City officers doing other schemes ‘forget’ that the streets they are dealing with have been designated cycle routes.

Fortunately our new Google maps service on our site (thanks to Camden Cyclists) now has all cycle routes, shops and cycle parking in the City, the first part of London to have such 100% coverage.

Meetings: Email for details Contact: Ralph Smyth (info@citycyclists.org.uk) Website: www.citycyclists.org.uk EALING

We’ve had a busy summer. Bike Week attracted lots of interest. Many of you enjoyed the rides to the Green festival, Richmond Hill, and the family ride around the borough. Many thanks to John and Carlo from Wizzbike, the new cycle shop in Brentford, who tirelessly fixed bikes on a wet Saturday, and to everyone who helped out. Over 100 people visited our stalls and signed up for information. Our Cycle Into Summer campaign kicked off with Dr Bikes at Oakland and North Ealing schools’ summer fetes. Next up is Our Lady of the Visitation in Greenford. July saw our biggest ever ride – 88 people joined our ride into London to watch the prologue of the Tour de France. Elsewhere the campaigning continued: we’ve had meetings to discuss the installation of cycle ramps at Ealing Broadway Station; we have a representative on the council’s bus lane scrutiny committee; and David Lomas attended a two-day cycling meeting organised by Ealing Council. Coming up: we’re planning a ride to the big Freewheel event on September 23. For details, check www.ealingcycling.org or join our email

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Local groups See the ‘local groups’ section at www.lcc.org.uk for more contact information and news from your area

newsletter group by sending a blank email to ealingcycling-subscribe@yahoogroups.com.

Meetings: Meetings: First Wednesday of the month Contact: David Lomas (020 8579 0805, david_lomas28@hotmail.com) Website: www.ealingcycling.org.uk ENFIELD

We had an excellent Bike Week here in Enfield, although the weather did its best to get in the way of things. Firstly, the round-theborough charity ride on a 24-seater bike was called off due to rain – in Sheffield (the bike was stored there and stranded in the floods).

The charity ride has now been postponed until Enfield Town Show on September 8, when the Big Bike will set off from Enfield Town Park on its trip round the borough. The bike is reputed to be the the largest of its kind in the UK, so do put that date in your diary and come down to give the riders a big send-off. We had good turnouts on our other three rides during Bike Week. Although the weather forecast was grim, we managed to avoid most of the rain. The finale of Bike Week was the Enfield Festival of Cycling, organised

by Enfield Council. Enfield Cycling Campaign ran a Dr Bike and information stall, while the Company of Cyclists Roadshow provided interactive entertainment in the form of numerous unusual bikes for the public to try out. The turnout was good despite atrocious weather on the day. Enfield Cycling Campaign is greatly encouraged that the council have put on an event such as this and looks forward to bigger and better things in the future. In July, we had a very successful and enjoyable ride to see the Tour de France Prologue. A big thank you must go to the teams at LCC and TfL who organised the LCC viewing area and the cycle parking – and even managed to arrange good weather for the day. We are now looking forward to London Freewheel on September 23. Keep an eye out for details of our feeder ride to the main event.

Meetings: First Thursday of the month Contact: Richard Reeve (r.reeve@blueyonder. co.uk, 020 8363 2196) Website: www.lccenfield.fsnet.co.uk

HACKNEY

Not one but two rides went from Hackney to Hyde Park on July 7, full of people eager to watch the Tour de France Prologue. The first, led by ourselves and departing from the town hall, had around 100 participants including many youngsters. The second, organised by STA Bikes, Hackney’s grass-roots cycle organisation, was swelled by lots of new cyclists who’ve been attending the STA Bikes’ family cycling club on Saturdays, as well as by members of Pedal Power, the cycling club for adults with learning disabilities. There were old hands on both rides, but for many, especially on the STA ride, this was the first time they had travelled into central

Hackney Cyclists take a rest during their Burnham to Crouch ride in May 20

London by bike. Our flagship Bike Week event, the breakfast in London Fields, featured a new crowd-pleaser: porridge! Hundreds stopped to sample this and more traditional al fresco fare, while the police registered details of people’s bikes (including the mayor’s titanium Brompton) onto the immobilise.com database. BBC London radio and television were there to cover this as part of Hackney’s big push against cycle theft.

Cocktails and chatter flowed at the Commuter Cooldown, our Friday ‘drive-time’ event on Green Lanes. Thanks to the Dr Bike from Two Wheels Good, who never got a chance to put down his spanners. An innovation for this year’s Bike Week was our A10 Pitstop. We cleared two parking bays just off the Kingsland Road and filled them with workstands and mechanics tuning dozens of bikes belonging to commuters and residents.

We continue to press for action on truck/bike collisions, as Hackney suffered a third fatality within 12 months when a left-turning tipper truck killed Ninian Donald at the junction of Kingsland

WIN Tour de France posters and a T-shirt To celebrate the Tour de France’s successful visit to London, the London Transport Museum Shop in Covent Garden (www. ltmuseum.co.uk) has a set of four Tour posters and a T-shirt to give away to one lucky LC reader. The posters are available individually (£9.95) or as a set £30); there are three T-shirt designs from which to choose. The products are part of a range of cycling-related merchandise released for the Tour and London’s Summer of Sport (www.london.gov.uk/summer-of-sport). There is also a hydration bag (£19.99) and a courier bag (£12.99).

To be in the running to win a set of posters and a T-shirt, send an email to londoncyclist@lcc.org.uk or a postcard to LCC (address listed on p.3), marking your entry “London Transport prize draw” and including your full name, telephone number and postal address. Deadline for entries is September 2, 2007.

For LC prize draw terms and conditions, see www.lcc.org.uk

His and hers Raleigh Choppers at the bike park run by Hackney Cyclists at Stokefest in June.

Road and Whiston Road on May 5. These events have to be seen in the context of casualty figures which are low and falling overall while cycling is growing, but we are particularly concerned at the danger presented by vehicles associated with the building boom. Meanwhile, we are reminding Hackney’s cyclists of the golden rule: never, ever go down the left side of a truck at a junction.

Meetings: First Wednesday of the month, 7.30pm, at Marcon Court Estate Community Hall, near corner of Amhurst Road and Marcon Place, E8.

Contact: Trevor Parsons (020 7729 2273, info@hackney-cyclists.org.uk) Website: www.hackney-cyclists.org.uk Mailing list: Send a blank email to hackney-lcc-subscribe@yahoogroups.com HAMMERSMITH & FULHAM

The Greenfest West London, our contribution to Bike Week, was a great success. Thanks to all involved in planning the event and on the day.

We had the Company of Cyclists there, many environmental stalls and great music in a lovely setting by the river. On our two rides to the Tour de France we had nearly 50 people, which is great as we do not normally approach that number on rides. We hope they will continue on rides with us. We will not have our regular monthly meeting in August, but those on our email group will find out about a hoped-for Summer Garden Party at Roger’s, and any rides and barbecues on the beach we may organise.

Our attempts to get the borough council to take effective action on some issues has met with mixed responses: cars still park on the cycle track on Wandsworth Bridge during car auctions after a year of protests, road markings at New King’s

WIN!

W W W. T O U R D E F R A N C E L O N D O N.C O M

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Local groups News LAMBETH

Above left: Redbridge Cycling Campaign on a ride to the Tate Modern and, right, the annual Sikh ride around East London gurdwaras to raise money for local charities. See page 35 to contact the Redbridge group

Lambeth Cyclists have had a very busy June and July, with Bike Week, Tour de France and the Lambeth Country Show being highlights. Our meeting in June was another success as we had no less than three council officers, including the head of transport strategy, speak to us about the council’s plans for the future. We shall be repeating this format annually. Look out for our regular architecture rides, usually the last Saturday of the month. Check our website for details of the latest ride. Why not come along to one of our friendly and informal meetings?

There’s a social part in the bar afterwards.

Meetings: 8.30pm, Tuesday, August 21 and September 18, upstairs meeting room, Bread & Roses pub, 68 Clapham Manor St, SW4.

Contact: Philip Loy (lambeth_cyclists@hotmail. com, 020 8677 8624) Website: www.lambethcyclists.org.uk MERTON

Road/Harwood Road have not yet been re-instated. Although the council talk green and pro-cycling, so far they have not delivered. Help us make this borough have a truly cycle-friendly infrastructure.

Meetings: First Tuesday of the month (not August) Contact: John Griffiths (020 7371 1290, 07789 095 748, john@truefeelings.com) Website: www.hfcyclists.org.uk HARROW

There is renewed interest in forming an LCC local group in Harrow. If anyone is able to help start and coordinate the group, please email charlie@lcc.org.uk or call the LCC office (see page 28). There are many potential members in the area, with questions and queries from cyclists coming in on an almost daily basis.

There also appears to be demand for an maintenance classes and organised rides.

ISLINGTON

Our Bike Week went well and many thanks to all who helped at the events. The police took the opportunity of fitting data tags to masses of bikes as part of their efforts to reduce the high rate of cycle theft locally and the council held a very popular Tour d’Arsenal cycling and sports event on the podium of the new stadium, which attracted thousands of people. We promoted our ride to the Tour de France Prologue for which we had lots of registrations and about 90 people cycled from Highbury Fields with us. There is currently a consultation on making Highbury Fields a 20mph zone. We’ve been invited by the council for a joint meeting on traffic schemes with their engineers and Living Streets representatives which should be a useful forum for discussion. We were represented at the Islington CTC benchmarking visit (see page 7), the results of which are not expected until later in the year. The result of the borough’s Green Parking Charges referendum showed 56% in favour and 44% against on the question ‘Should the cost of a

resident’s parking permit depend on how much the car pollutes?’ The council has also recently committed to removing local gyratories. We often get asked about cycle rides in the area and if anyone is interested in leading one occasionally, please get in touch.

Meetings: 7.30pm-9.30pm on the second Wednesday of the month (August 8, September 12 and October 10) and at Islington Town Hall, Upper Street.

Contact: Alison Dines (020 7226 7012, alisondines@clara.co.uk) KENSINGTON & CHELSEA

As we went to press, the Kensington & Chelsea LCC group, along with representatives from CTC and Cycling England, were to attend a landmark meeting with key people from the Royal Borough, including the cabinet member for transport. The key item on the agenda was how best to provide for cyclists! The council has been given LCN+ funding this year, but wishes to consult cyclists on what really achieves the best for cyclists.

Watch this space! To keep up to date with cycling issues in the borough, please join our Yahoo group (email kccyclists-subscribe@yahoogroups. com or join via the K&C web page on the LCC site), and come along to our meetings.

Meetings: Monday, August 20, Monday, September 24, 7pm-8pm at Café Deco, 62 Gloucester Rd, SW7.

Contact: Philip Loy (philip_loy@yahoo.co.uk, 07960 026450) Website: www.lcc.org.uk > Kensington & Chelsea KINGSTON

More than 80 cyclists rode with us to Hyde Park to see the Tour Prologue and we’ve had some helpful publicity in the local press off the back of that. We’re planning a trip to Lyon in September/ October to see how the city and people have adapted to intensive promotion of bike use.

Meetings: 8.30pm on August 14 and September 11 at the Wagon & Horses, Surbiton Hill Road.

Contact: Rob James (020 8546 8865) Website: www.kingstoncycling.org.uk

Come and join us on the London Freewheel on Sunday, September 23 and bring your friends (see page 12 for full details). MCC will be leading a ride into town for this, so see our website and register at www.londonfreewheel.com. MCC has been long interested in road safety matters, ever since our 2003 survey showed that fast traffic and safety were at the top of the list of reasons putting people off cycling. I was therefore intrigued to learn recently of a new Australian publicity campaign which aims to reduce road deaths by questioning the manhood of speeding drivers. A series of TV ads shows women shaking their little fingers – a gesture used to symbolise a small penis – as speeding male motorists race past. See the BBC (http://tinyurl.com/32e7lr).

Could it work here? The Ravensbury Park Barrier Saga drags on. The council considers that it has made “reasonable adjustment” by installing RADAR gates for disabled park visitors, who must obtain a key to get in. Since this is not merely a local facility, but an international cycle route, will it be issuing keys to disabled people across Europe? A daft solution did beg a daft question... the fight goes on.

Meetings: Usually 8pm on the first Thursday of the month, please email or phone for details.

Contact: Richard Evans (020 8946 0912, richard. m.evans@ntlworld.com) Website: www.mertoncyclists.org.uk SOUTHWARK

On June 20, in Bike Week and before 170 of us rode up to see the summer solstice sunrise from Primrose Hill, Southwark Council signed the lease for its new office block. It moves into 160 Tooley Street at Easter 2009. The new, long four-storey block is opposite the Unicorn Theatre, behind a Victorian facade. The council announced this major acquisition with “Going greener” headlines.

The new block will, of course, be much more efficient than the borough’s older office buildings.

It will house 2,100 staff. And, as I write, have space to park just 100 bicycles. The hunt is on for more space for bikes. We’ve missed the need for much more workplace bike parking in the new office blocks. Storeys of whole floors of

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Local groups OCTOBER/NOVEMBER DEADLINE: 5pm Thursday, August 30 Please email news to boroughnews@lcc.org.uk – photos are welcome and will be published if space permits. Please keep contributions as concise as possible.

OTHER LOCAL GROUP CONTACTS

SUTTON

Many thanks to the Dr Bike helpers and riders during Bike Week. CRISPS progress: A23, A24, A297/A217 and A232 are with C Buchanan.

Wimbledon Greenways to Sutton is with Meyer Brown. Borough officers consultation on 20 mph zones and STEPS zones 3 North Cheam, 29 Culvers and Wandle Valley, and 32 Hackbridge.

Sutton Council will disband area committees and forums, and will establish six local committees: Beddington and Wallington, Sutton, Cheam and Belmont, Carshalton, Northern Wards and North Cheam and Worcester Park. August midweek rides (meet 6.50pm for 7pm start) on 6th from Mellows Park, Wallington A271; 14th Kings Lane Recreation Ground off Carshalton Road, A232 and 23rd Cheam Station, Upper Mulgrave Road (lights 8.15pm). Dr Bike will be August 27 at the Environmental Fair, Ruskin Road entrance.

Meetings: Second Tuesday of the month, 8.30pm at the Robin Hood Pub, Robin Hood Ln, Sutton.

Contact: Chris Parry (020 8647 3584), c.parry@blueyonder.co.uk Website: www.lcc.org.uk > local groups WANDSWORTH

We’ve had loads of fun at WCC gearing up for Bike Week and Tour de France events.

Barbecues, stalls, leaflet distributing, Dr Bikes,

BEXLEY Contact: Frances Renton (01322 441979, f.renton@gold.ac.uk) www.lcc.org.uk > Local groups BROMLEY: www.lcc.org.uk > Local groups CROYDON Contact via www.croydon-lcc.org.uk or http://groups.yahoo.com/group/croydoncyclists GREENWICH Meetings: First Wednesday of the month.

Contact: Julian Dobson (07771 692 344) Website: www.lcc.org.uk > Local groups HARINGEY Contact: Adam Coffman (adam@tao.org.uk) www.lcc.org.uk > Local groups

‘Dr Bike’ (Mike Grahn, of Wandsworth Cycling Campaign) checks over a visitor’s bicycle during Tooting Cycle Corner during Bike Week

HAVERING Contact: Bernie Curtis (CurtisBernieS@aol.com, HCC@dynoweb.f9.co.uk, 01708 347 226)

feeder rides for the Tour and, of course, our famous night-time ride through Richmond Park all went off very satisfyingly. Now it’s time for the summery meetings in a local pub garden and for some new plans to be made. We often get extra numbers at our garden meetings, so do come and join us – no one will ask you to do anything more than just turn up!

Meetings: Second Tuesday of the month at 7pm.

Contact: Simon Merrett (020 8789 6639, coordinator@wandsworthcyclists.org.uk) Website: www.wandsworthcyclists.org.uk

HILLINGDON Contact: Sarah James (020 8868 2912) or Steve Ayres ( 01895 230953) www.lcc.org.uk > Local groups HOUNSLOW Meetings: Last Wednesday of the month Contact: Liz Trayhorn (020 8751 5430) www.lcc.org.uk > Local groups LEWISHAM Meetings: Third Wednesday of the month Contact: Roger Stoker (info@lewishamcyclist.net) www.lewishamcyclists.net

WESTMINSTER

There was a flurry of excitement recently when part of Westbourne Bridge was closed to traffic, releasing enough space for a cycle track, but this was only temporary during works on the bridge. There is still a need for a south-north link, in particular through the Paddington area.

We therefore welcome the inclusion of this axis in the Sustrans Connect2 project. We are pleased to report that Westminster is embarking on a further phase of cycle parking. This will be concentrated in the congestion charging zone extension, using funds specially made available

by TfL. Look out for work starting on a cycle crossing of Bayswater Road just west of Marble Arch, replacing the existing zebra crossing. The new crossing will eventually connect the routes through Hyde Park with routes to Bloomsbury and to Kilburn.

Meetings: 7pm, Tuesday, August 7 near the bandstand, Serpentine Rd, Hyde Park Contact: Colin Wing (020 7828 1500, cyclist@ westminstercyclists.fsnet.co.uk) Website: www.westminstercyclists.fsnet.co.uk

Members’ adverts ◆ For sale: Townsend Corsica 531 sports bike in good condition.

Drop handlebars, quick release wheels, 28”x1 5/8” alloy. 18-gear Shimano. Frame roughly 23”. £100ono. Tom, 020 8593 4365. ◆ Wanted: Basket made specifically to fit a ladies’ Rayleigh Caprice, probably 1980s model. Also a Lucas mileometer for 26” wheel. David, 01277 821 627. ◆ For sale: Trek 206 trailer bike, 6-speed, 20” wheel, folding arm, 2 seatpost hitches, £50. 01895 255 594.

NEWHAM Contact: Bernard McDonnell (07947 236 965) www.lcc.org. uk > Local groups REDBRIDGE Contact: Gill James (020 8989 4898, gilljames@btinternet.com); Chris Elliott (020 8989 6285, c.elliott@dsl.pipex.com) RICHMOND Meetings: The second Monday each month Contact: Ian Lyall (Ianlyall@BTOpenworld.com) TOWER HAMLETS Meetings: Second Wednesday of the month Contact: Owen Pearson (020 7515 9905, wheelers@towerhamletswheelers.org.uk) www.towerhamletswheelers.org.uk WALTHAM FOREST Contact: wfcycling@wfcycling.org.uk www.wfcycling.org.uk Most groups have email lists to communicate with members and exchange ideas. Ask your local group for details.

How to advertise Small, non-business ads are free for LCC members. Please email londoncyclist@lcc.org.uk or write to the address on page 3, including your short and concise advertisement, full name, postal address and LCC membership number. The Oct/Nov LC issue deadline is 5pm, Thursday, August 30.

Businesses or members interested in larger advertisements should contact Dan Rich on 020 7306 0300 ext 116 or email lcc@mongoosemedia.com

Photos: Susie Morrow, Gill James, Jagvinder Singh

bike parking on big new London Wall floorplates in The City haven’t translated south of the river.

IPC Media moved their HQ into Bankside 123 on Southwark Street and had to hire offsite bike parking. The Royal Bank of Scotland moved 5,000 staff there from The City – where they had more bike parking. More London at London Bridge won’t permit any surface bike parking. It’s underground staff bike parks are full. Southwark planners keep telling developers that one cycle parking space per 20 employees is right. IPC needs one to five now, or one to three in 2009.

Renzo Piano’s elegant Shard of Glass will rise to 65 storeys. Transport for London (TfL) has taken floors four to 10. One to 20 bike parking might result in 3,000 cyclists with nowhere to park.

The TfL-sponsored cycle park opening in October at On Your Bike will hold a few hundred bikes, but commercial bike garaging is not the answer.

New blocks must provide sufficient parking for all existing and potential cyclists working in them. What’s the point of us encouraging more bikes onto the streets if we don’t work hard for adequate onsite parking too?

Meetings: The second Wednesday of the month at 7pm at Blackfriars Settlement, 1/5 Rushworth Street, SE1. Pub after.

Contact: Barry Mason (07905 889 005) Website: www.southwarkcyclists.org.uk

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Diary Rides & Events Your guide to events and rides are open to all cyclists What you need to know about social rides Unless stated, train-assisted rides meet at the relevant ticket office. Lunch is at a pub or take sandwiches if you prefer. Don’t forget: water, lights, a spare inner tube and tools.

Armchair riding To keep up with late changes and extra information, subscribe to the London Riders email list.

Send a message to lccrider-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

Organisers To publicise your ride or event, enter details onto the LCC database (www.lcc.org.uk/rides). To get events into the October/November issue, please upload full details by noon, Thursday, August 30.

Britain’s premier road race

Scotland’s Isle of Arran is promoting itself as a cyclefriendly destination, with the island’s rugged north lending itself to off-road cycling in the hills or gentler pursuits on the flatter coastal roads.

See www.visitarran.com or call 01770 302 374 for more information.

Monster event at Loch Ness Places were still available for the First Monster, a 120km team duathlon challenge around Loch Ness, as LC went to press. The September 2 event will see more than 1,000 participants raise money for Save The Children, including Dancing On Ice winner Kyran Bracken and ex-Labour spindoctor Alastair Campbell.

For information on entry and local accommodation, see www.firstmonster.co.uk

After the excitement of the Tour de France comes the Tour of Britain. Britain’s premier road race will hold its time trial prologue at Crystal Palace on September 9 before the first stage kicks off from Reading to Southampton the following day. The race ends after the final stage from Dumfries (see page 44) to Glasgow on September 15. For more information, see www.tourofbritain.com or call 0870 112 8650.

Meet fellow cyclists at LCC volunteer evenings Help LCC with its member retention mailouts on August 15 and September 12 – the evenings are sociable and provide a great chance to meet fellow cyclists. If you can help, call Julie Tublin on 020 7234

9310 ext 215 or email julie@ lcc.org.uk. Refreshments are provided. LCC is also keen to hear from members or students interested in volunteering in the office on a regular or semi-regular basis.

See Dorset with new cycle guides The Studland & Purbeck Integrated Transport Partnership has released an excellent series of guides covering some of Dorset’s most beautiful areas. The six-map kit rates rides by difficulty and length, with routes varying form one-hour stretches to all-weekend rides. Lulworth and Durdle Door, Corfe Castle and Wareham are among the destinations covered in the series, which is available by calling the Pubeck Council tourist information centre on 01929 552 740 or by emailing tic@purbeck-dc.gov.uk. The guides can also be downloaded from www.purbeck.gov.uk

Fundraising rides to help save historic churches The second Saturday in September sees bike rides and walks – labelled ‘Ride and Strides’ – held to raise money to preserve historic church buildings. The event was started by the Suffolk Historic Churches Trust in 1983 and more than 30 counties across the country have since joined, including Essex (see www.foect.org. uk or call John Hoskins on 01376 552 350); Friends of Kent Churches (see www. friendsofkentchurches.co.uk or call Carolyn Millen on

01622 843 383) and Leicestershire (www.leicshistoric churches.org.uk), which has sent information to every Christian church in its area.

Ask your local LCC group if it has a ride to coincide with the event, or contact your local church directly to see if it is involved.

The event is not an overtly religious affair, rather a day for churches and the wider public to come together to appreciate and help preserve some of the country’s most interesting heritage buildings.

Cyclists pedal past a church in the quiet village of Ketton, Rutland

RIDES AND EVENTS Wednesday, August 1 ◆ Afterworker. 6.30pm from Green Bridge, Mile End Park.

Relaxing two-hour ride with Tower Hamlets Wheelers.

Contact Keith (07944 177 343) Saturday, August 4 ◆ Gravesend to Sheerness.

8.45am from Greenwich Station for the 9.07am train. 60 miles with Lewisham Cyclists.

Contact: Ian (07986 872 205) ◆ Sevenoaks to Stansted Ride. 9.15am from Bat and Ball, Sainsbury. Easy paced 40 miles; ideal for newcomers. Contact: Lucy Bentley (01322 220 212) ◆ Chevening to Weir Wood.

10am from Chevening Church. A moderately paced 40 miles; ideal for fitter newcomers. Contact: John Tobin (01689 852 871) Sunday, August 5 ◆ Cider Works Ride. 9.54am train from Charing Cross to Ashford. Ashford to Headcorn with Tower Hamlets Wheelers.

Lunch at the cider works.

Contact: Leigh (07957 164 619). ◆ Rochester to Ashford Ride.

9am from Rochester Castle steps. An all-day ride through Kent. Contact: Geoff Hunt (01634 719 504) Wednesday, August 8 ◆ Midweek Ride. 7.30pm from Kingston Market Place. Easy paced, short ride with Kingston Cycling Campaign. Includes a pub stop. Contact: John Dunn (020 8397 1875, johnedunn@ blueyonder.co.uk) Thursday, August 9 ◆ Ace Café Ride. 6.15pm from Green Bridge, Mile End Park or 6.45pm outside Madame Tussaud’s. Easy 12-mile Tower Hamlets Wheelers’ ride to the Ace Café, Stonebridge Park.

Contact: Keith (07944 177 343) Saturday, August 11 ◆ Sevenoaks to Hever.

9.15am from Place: Bat and Ball, Sainsbury. 40 miles, ideal for fitter newcomers. Contact: Lucy (01322 220 212) Sunday, August 12 ◆ Bread Pudding Ride.

10.30am from Kingston Market Place. Easy-paced ride into Surrey with Kingston Cycling Campaign.

Bread pudding for all. Contact: John Dunn (020 8397 1875, johnedunn@blueyonder.co.uk) ◆ Cuckoo Trail. Meet 8.45am on Green Bridge, Mile End Park to ride to Victoria Station for 9.47 train to Polegate. 30 easy miles.

Contact: Steve (07870 365 533).

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Diary

◆ Orpington to Outward.

9.45am from Orpington Railway Station. An easy-paced ride of 40 miles. Contact: Neil Proudfoot (01689 854 869).

Wednesday, August 15 ◆ LCC Mailout Evening.

See left Until August 17 ◆ BMX Coaching and Taster Sessions. 12pm-4pm at Lake Farm Country Park, Dawley Road, Hayes. Free under 16s sessions with the London Cycling Awardwinning Hawks BMX Club.

Contact: Scott Dick (07944 557 689, www.hawksbmx.co.uk) Saturday, August 18 ◆ Sevenoaks to Bedgebury.

9.15am from Borough Green Bakery. An easy paced 40 miles for fitter newcomers. Contact: Lucy Bentley (01322 220 212) Sunday, August 19 ◆ Little Green Ride. 9.45am from Finsbury Park Station. An easy paced 30 miles into Hertfordshire.

Contact: Sue (020 7729 5409, not before 11am on Saturday) ◆ Orpington to Hoath Corner.

9.45am from Orpington station.

An easy paced ride of 40 miles for fitter newcomers. Contact: Neil Proudfoot (01689 854 869) ◆ Woolwich to Waltham Abbey.

9.15am from Woolwich Foot Tunnel.

Moderately paced ride. Contact: Steve Airey (020 8298 0711) August 24-28 ◆ Greenwich Cyclists’ Wild Wales Challenge. Fun and challenging rides plus beautiful scenery. Contact: Karen Servadei (kservadei@yahoo.co.uk) or Barry Mason (07905 889 005) Saturday, August 25 ◆ Sevenoaks to Chiddingstone. 9.15am from Bat and Ball, Sainsbury. A ride for fitter newcomers. Contact: Lucy Bentley (01322 220 212) Sunday, August 26 ◆ Bread Pudding Ride Summer Special. 10.30am from Kingston Market Place.

Two easy paced local rides with Kingston Cycling Campaign. Starts 10.30am and 2pm. A slice of bread pudding for all. Contact: John Dunn (020 8397 1875, johnedunn@blueyonder.co.uk) ◆ Sevenoaks to Limpsfield.

9.30am from Sevenoaks Blighs car park. A moderately-paced ride through the Kent and Surrey countryside. Contact: Bob Tomlinson (01322 863 091) Friday, August 31 ◆ Critical Mass. London’s largest monthly cycle ride. Meets from 6pm by the National Film

Mountain bike championships See the best mountain bikers in action at the UCI Mountain Bike and Trials World Championships at Fort William from September 3-9. The event focuses on the representation of national teams rather than trade teams, with 700 of the world’s top riders expected to compete across the disciplines of Cross Country, Downhill, 4-Cross and Trials. Nineteen world titles will be up for grabs.

For tickets, see www.fort williamworldchamps.co.uk.

Call 0845 225 5121 or see www.visithighlands.com or www.visitscotland.com for detailed information on accommodation options in the area.

The changing face of London Scratching The Surface: London’s Facades

by London Architects is an exhibition and a series of talks taking place until September 1 exploring the changing face of the capital from the perspective of the city’s leading young architects. With city planners and architects having to increasingly take cycling infrastucture into consideration, this event should provide campaigners with an insight into their thinking and creative processes. For more details or to book, call 020 7636 4044 or visit www.newlondonarchitecture.org/talks

How to get involved in an LCC working group LCC has a number of working groups that campaign on Londonwide cycling issues. The groups provide an avenue for members with specific interests or expertise to get involved in campaign work, and volunteers are always needed for these groups. The groups cover the following: parks and canals; cycle planning and engineering; cycle parking; public transport carriage;

policing and enforcement; Olympics; HGVs; and all-ability cycling.

Groups meet monthly, bimonthly or quarterly at the LCC office and have a mailing list for information exchange.

If you are interested in joining a working group, email LCC’s campaigns chair, Oliver Schick, at oliver@hackney-cyclists.org.uk, or phone the LCC office (see page 28).

Call for volunteers as Bicycle Ballet hits top top gear Bicycle Ballet, which brings cycling, music and dance together in the name of street performance art, is working towards a number of events for August and September.

Organisers are keen to hear from cyclists who are interested in getting involved with this unique arts project.

Anyone interested can get in touch via www.bicycleballet. co.uk. The site also lists future performance dates for those eager to support cycling’s burgeoning relationship with the arts.

Theatre on South Bank. See www.criticalmasslondon.org.uk ◆ ICAG Feeder Ride to Critical Mass. 6.15pm from Islington Town Hall. Islington Cyclists’ Action Group ride to Critical Mass (above).

Contact: Alison Dines (020 7226 7012, alisondines@clara.co.uk) Sunday, September 2 ◆ City of London Ride. 10am from Ealing Town Hall. A mystery tour around the capital. Contact: David Eales (07990 531 472, jellied30@hotmail.com) September 3-9 ◆ 2007 UCI Mountain Bike & Trials World Championships. See left Wednesday, September 5 ◆ Midweek Ride. See August 8 Sunday, September 9 ◆ Bread Pudding Ride.

See August 12 Until September 9 ◆ Fixed. Free exhibition of fixed wheen bikes. Details: 0870 909 9009, www.designmuseum.org.uk.

See also page 14 September 9-15 ◆ Tour of Britain. See page 36 Wednesday, September 12 ◆ LCC Mailout Evening.

See page 36 September 15-23 ◆ Isle of Wight Cycling Festival.

See page 47 September 16-22 ◆ European Mobility Week. www.mobilityweek-europe.org Until September 16 ◆ Watch The Space. Festival that includes bike-related peformances. www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/wts Saturday, September 22 ◆ World Car-free Day. A celebration of life without cars. www.worldcarfree.net/wcfd Sunday, September 23 ◆ London Freewheel.

See page 12 ◆ Bread Pudding Freewheel Feeder Ride (see above) From Kingston Market Place with the Kingston Cycling Campaign. Contact: John Dunn (020 8397 1875, johnedunn@ blueyonder.co.uk) Friday, September 28 ◆ Critical Mass. See August 31 ◆ ICAG Feeder Ride to Critical Mass. See August 31 PLANNING AHEAD October 11-14 ◆ The Cycle Show. www.cycleshow.co.uk Tuesday, October 16 ◆ LCC AGM. See page 30 October 16-20 ◆ Bicycle Film Festival. www.bicyclefilmfestival.com

Photos: Ray Gibson, BritainOnView, Steve Lindridge/Ideal Images, Tom Moore

For last-minute rides, contact your local group (details page 32) or go to www.lcc.org.uk/rides

LONDON CYCLIST August/September 2007 37

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Books ’n’ things Fine lines extract from Our Betty: Scenes From My Life by Liz Smith Grandad had had a bicycle specially made for my seventh birthday. It was built a bit big so it would last, and I started with wooden blocks for pedals. There was very little traffic on the roads and I cycled everywhere.

By the time I was sixteen, the wooden blocks had long gone, my legs, much grown, spindled out at an angle, and the now little bike clattered and squeaked and clanged as its various parts moved painfully.

Grandad had been dead a long time, and there was no money now.

The gallant little wreck still carried me around, and this was how I discovered I would never be able to drive a car.

I always had dreams – unfortunately, I go deep into them and lose sight of my surroundings. One particular day, I was jolted out of my daydream to find myself on a furious teacher’s feet. I’d walked right into her but never saw her because of where my mind was.

It was the same thing this time. I had set off up the long flat road towards the steelworks. There I was, on the wreck, lost in one of my dreams. Sailing along in a fairy palace and oblivious to the world, I suddenly woke up to confront several hundred screaming men, also on bicycles.

Not surprisingly, I was the object of their fury. It was the end of the shift at the steelworks and in my unconsious state I had pedalled slap into the first few coming out. The rest had rapidly built up behind.

All I saw were hundreds of open mouths with a lot of noise coming out of them.

The last incident with my bicycle was when I was deflowered outside Woolworth’s. The bike, by this time, was all shifting parts.

The saddle had fallen backwards, point upwards, though I hadn’t noticed as by now I was tall enough to ride standing up. But one day when the lights changed abruptly, I braked abruptly – and, even more abruptly, sat heavily on the upturned saddle. Wow! Our Betty: Scenes From Life, Liz Smith (£6.99, Pocket Books)

Reviews Cycling To Work: A Beginner’s Guide, Rory McMullan (£4.95, Green Books) This pocket-sized book is designed to be a handy guide for anyone who wants to start cycling to work. It covers a wide range of topics, from what to wear to cycle maintenance.

There’s not much in here that you won’t find on the LCC website and some of the facts are already a little out of date, but employers could do worse than make this available to staff who need a boost onto their bikes. It’s a shame that, being aimed at a UK audience, the book misses out on some useful tips (such as mentioning the London Cycling Guides – see page 7 of this issue – or Transport for London’s Take a Stand scheme), but overall it’s a useful resource. Rosie Downes The Cyclist’s Training Manual, Guy Andrews and Simon Doughty (£14.99, A&C Black) Refreshingly different from most other racing/training manuals, this book manages a conversational and engaging style, which is also informative. The sharp photography maintains the interest of both the novice and seasoned rider. The first chapter explores the various cycling disciplines, as well as the bikes and clothing to suit the demands of each. Sections concentrate on technique, etiquette, training techniques, diet and nutrition. There’s a very contemporary feel running through it, and action shots bring each section to life. As training guides go, it’s one of the best I’ve seen in some time. Michael Stenning Downhill All The Way, Edward Enfield (£7.99, Summersdale) With all the excitement of the Tour de France, Edward Enfield’s Downhill All The Way provides welcome respite for those of us less inclined to climb mountains. Retiree Enfield recounts his north-south crossing of France in a humorous, heart-warming fashion. The charming anecdotes and his invaluable Continental touring tips combine to make this ideal summer reading. Not exactly rock ’n’ roll, but enough to tempt you to get out a map and go. Andrew Barnett

Guides AA Cycle Rides: London & the South Coast (£7.99, AA Publishing) With this book, the AA has proved itself to be wedded to the car to the point of insanity. Alongside each of the 25 routes outlined is a paragraph devoted to “getting to the start”. Surprise, surprise, there is no information about how to get to the beginning of routes by anything other than a car. A car-based approach might be justified for the cycle route around Queen Elizabeth Country Park in east Hampshire, since it’s just off the A3, but 13 of the routes are within the Greater London area. The AA seems to think that people really will drive to Fulham in order to cycle to Hammersmith! It seems cruel not to provide information about train stations – I can’t be the only person who’d prefer to plonk my bike on a train to Wimbledon Common rather than endure the hell of driving there. It doesn’t please me to report that the AA remains desperate to promote driving at all costs – in fact, it depresses me. Erin Gill Great Britain (£16.99, Lonely Planet) How refreshing to see a mainstream travel guide publisher acknowledging Britain as a great destination for tourists on two wheels. The index of the new edition of Lonely Planet’s Great Britain has not one, but two columns cross-referencing cycle routes across England, Wales and Scotland, with every corner of the mainland, as well as the isles of Arran, Man and Wight, catered for. Cycle hire and maintenance shops are more comprehensively listed than in previous editions, meaning the guide offers inspiration and information for those pondering cycling holidays in Britain. Lynette Eyb

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Book ’n’ things

If you were inspired by the Tour de France’s visit to London, the following books – re-released for 2007 – may be of interest.

The Yellow Jersey Companion To The Tour de France, edited by Les Woodland (£8.99, Yellow Jersey Press) Les Woodland’s book is basically an almanac of every fact and figure you ever wanted to know about the Tour.

Under ‘Crashes’ there’s the story of the boy who grabbed a camera battery when a photographically inclined policemen collided with Tour riders. The boy went on to win three world championship medals. Woodland entertains with his ‘trivia’ notes like the one about the wartime British pilot and cyclist who needed a haircut while in a hospital – the prisoner with the scissors was Fausto Coppi. Whether you want to become a Tour expert or dip into it for fun, this is a handy addition to any cycling bookshelf. Tom Bogdanowicz Le Tour: A History Of The Tour de France, Geoffrey Wheatcroft (£8.99, Pocket Books) Geoffrey Wheatcroft’s Le Tour: A History Of The Tour de France dexterously combines European and French history with a year by year chronicle of the Tour. We hear about riders who died in the First World War, including three Tour winners, as well as the rivalries between Hinault and Lemond; Anquetil and Poulidor; and Italians Bartali and Coppi. This new edition includes London’s role in the 2007 Tour, and ends with a useful glossary of all those strange cycling words like pistard and degringoleur.

Tom Bogdanowicz Put Me Back On My Bike: In Search Of Tom Simpson, William Fotheringham (£8.99, Yellow Jersey Press) This is the story of the ’60s British Tour hopeful who died atop Mt Ventoux in the 1967 race. Simpson was a miner’s son who dodged national service to pursue cycling, pushing himself beyond his limits and constantly modifying his components to gain a competitive edge. This insight into Simpson’s life also debunks some of the folklore: as he lay dying, Simpson was reported to have said “Put me back on my bike”, but this, says Fotheringham, was nothing more than journalistic licence. Michael Stenning Rough Ride: Behind The Wheel With A Pro Cyclist, Paul Kimmage (£8.99, Yellow Jersey Press) A book that has always divided opinion, this re-released and extended version of the original is a true classic that every fan of cycle racing should read. It provides a fascinating insight into the gruelling life of a domestique on a professional team as seen through the eyes of Irish rider Paul Kimmage. You can almost feel the pain and the needles. Andrew Barnett

Released in paperback The Hour, Michael Hutchinson (£7.99, Yellow Jersey Press) This is a well written and often amusing look at the prestigious hour record (for the most miles travelled in an hour on an indoor track) and Hutchinson’s attempts to break it. Hutchinson guides the reader through his personal cycling journey which began as a teenager in Northern Ireland when cycling for him was largely a form of transport. A chain of events sees him swap academia for a stopwatch and prepare for the race of truth. This is an entertaining, personal account written in a very accessible fashion that both seasoned riders and casual observers are likely to appreciate. Michael Stenning

Backpedalling Ken Worpole “August and the people to their favourite islands,” wrote the poet WH Auden, whose birth centenary is celebrated this year. But that was before the Second World War, and only for a certain class of people.

Pre-war London Labour politicians such as George Lansbury and Herbert Morrison were determined that working-class Londoners should also enjoy a splash in the sun, Lansbury by famously opening up the Serpentine Lido to women bathers in 1929 (much to the disgust of the Royal Park commissioners), and Morrison by promising in 1937 to turn London into ‘a city of lidos’.

At the height of lido-mania there were 68 lidos and open-air pools in London. By 1975 there were 50, and today just eight, along with the Serpentine and the swimming ponds on Hampstead Heath.

However the tide is turning, if you’ll excuse the pun.

London Fields Lido, which was closed in the late 1980s, has been re-opened, and is a fabulous place to visit. What’s more, many people seem to arrive by bike. The cycle park around the front entrance seems to gather a greater concentration of bikes than anywhere else in the city, almost worthy of a jazz festival in Copenhagen or Amsterdam. Summer in the city? It’s the only place to be. On a recent visit, one sun-worshipper had even stretched his towel out next to his folding bike, rather sweetly.

If people really do begin to take climate change seriously, then there will have to be more provision for outdoor recreation and enjoyment in London, and in every other town and city. This is preferable to travelling great distances to do much the same thing: swim, sunbathe, eat ice-creams, meet interesting people, and perhaps let life take off in new directions. That’s the thing about lidos – they function entirely differently from indoor swimming pools. Indoor pools for me are associated with the smell of chemicals, too much aftershave in the changing rooms, announcements about lost locker keys, and a slightly dizzying sensation of claustrophobic, over-warmed air, as if one had been locked in a dry cleaner’s. Outdoors, lying in the dappled shade of the sycamore trees at London Fields, one can fall asleep and dream of Baltic islands or inland lakes in the High Pyrénées. Which is another way of saying that lidos create their own special worlds, a rare accomplishment in a rampantly commercialised city. Life slows down in lido-world. It’s a cyclist’s natural second home. And I have said nothing about the colour blue.

Ken Worpole’s history of 1930s radical fiction, Dockers And Detectives, will shortly be re-published. For more details, see www.worpole.net

Photo: Ken Worpole

Tour de France

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My way

Chessington to Croydon As the sun rises, Simon Taylor sets out from Chessington on his daily commute to Croydon. Despite encountering narrow roads and congestion, he says nothing beats taking two wheels to work under the flyover that crosses the tram lines at Reeves Corner, and after that it’s just a short ride up a gradient, a right turn around the Whitgift Shopping Centre and I’ve arrived (hopefully dry).

Beating the rush hour traffic My first deadline of the day is to leave the house by 6.15am – any later and the traffic gets significantly worse than usual.

Early in my journey I have to encounter Ewell – it’s one of those daily chores that just has to be done. Once upon a time Ewell could have been a sleepy little suburban

village, but not now. The roads leading to its high street are narrow, uneven, pot-holed and busy. Ewell is a struggle, and I always feel better when it’s behind me.

Soon there is the relative comfort of Belmont, the best part of the ride. There’s a very handy shortcut for cyclists that takes you through to the Brighton Road, and from there a link that weaves past impressive detached houses to Banstead Road. Then comes ‘the Big Dipper’: the steep drop and subsequent sharp rise of Staplehurst Road is something of an oddity, considering its general surroundings. This really is a hill – and it never fails to give me a buzz.

After that, the journey gets more serious on the way to Wallington.

The clock is ticking, and the white heat of the rush hour approaches.

Stafford Road is a clogged artery leading straight to Croydon, and there are no cycle paths or Advanced Stop Lines at traffic lights. Fiveways Junction is exactly that – a congregation of five main roads – and it’s unrelentingly congested. I don’t see many other cyclists on this route, and I know why. A mistake here, easily done when the road surface is so poor and room in such short supply, could be fatal. I keep out of the way as best I can, and trail behind the stampede.

Just as I reach Croydon, it gets better. There’s a cycle path

YOUR WAY Is your regular commute interesting? Can you take a few photos along the way? Email us at londoncyclist@ lcc.org.uk or write to the address on page 3

THE JOURNEY Distance: 13.3 miles Time: 55 minutes Low point: Ewell High point: Banstead Road and Staplehurst Road (‘the Big Dipper’)

Photos: Simon Taylor

Every day needs careful planning, organisation, compromise, technical skill, promptness and reliability – and that’s before I even arrive at work: I’m talking about the cycle ride to get there.

I work for the Home Office in Croydon and I’ve been there since April 2005. I’m an experienced cyclist, and I have almost always travelled to work by bike, although previously more locally. Over the years I thought I’d become a hardened bike commuter, but nothing had quite prepared me for the route to Croydon: it’s the toughest challenge I’ve had on two wheels. I’ve quickly learned that travelling in rush hour is almost impossible, and the only realistic option is to get going early.

Left: Bourne Hall Gardens – Ewell’s clogged High Street is just metres from this idyllic scene Above: Simon’s 22-month-old daughter Trini gets an introduction to bicycles Below left: Wellesley Road wins Simon’s nomination for having London’s worst drain cover

The road less travelled Travelling by bike means there is very little variation in how long my journey takes, and I’m almost always at my desk by 7.20am. I keep smart clothes at work in my drawer, and bring in a couple of fresh, clean shirts each Monday. It would be great to have a shower, but the First Aid room does have a sink, and that’s where I clean up every morning.

Cycling on over-crowded roads is not easy, and this route often tests me to the limit. Bikes are perhaps the least popular road users here, and I frequently sense prejudice against cyclists. Then again, I’ve got my own grudges, including one against the white van driver I saw this morning with a newspaper propped up on his steering wheel, cup of coffee in one hand and mobile phone in the other, accelerating across my path.

Of course, motorists don’t know what they’re missing. As I start up on clear mornings, I look ahead at the sunrise and feel the breeze in my hair. Acceleration makes me breathe deeper and pushing the pedals warms me up, giving me a sense of vitality and a burst of energy. If you could buy that feeling in bottles, it would sell out in minutes.

I love my cycle ride, and on the occasional days I have to commute by train I stare out the window wishing I was on the bike instead.

A little more tolerance, space and time would be an improvement, but that applies to work – and life in general – just as much as to my journey there each day.

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Outward bound

Above: The house where Kirkpatrick Macmillan, the man to first put pedals on a bike, was born. Macmillan stayed at Courthill near Penpont, about 14 miles north of Dumfries. The house now carries a plaque in his memory (below) Left: The River Nith provides a picturesque backdrop for cyclists exploring the south of Scotland

he annual Tour of Britain might be the most famous cycling event to pass through Dumfries & Galloway these days, but history tells us that the Scottish region has a far more important claim to fame: it’s the birthplace of the pedal bicycle.

Blacksmith Kirkpatrick Macmillan in 1840 found that by putting pedals on a bicycle, he could make the 14-mile journey from his home in Keir Mill to the region’s capital, Dumfries, in less than an hour – quite an accomplishment at the time. Today his achievement is commemorated by the KM Cycle Trail, which takes cyclists through beautiful scenery from Dumfries to Drumlanrig Castle, home to the Scottish Museum of Cycling, where a collection of more than 70 bikes is on display, including a replica of Macmillan’s original invention.

T

Pedalling history The last stage of this year’s Tour of Britain will depart from Dumfries & Galloway, birthplace of the pedal bicycle. Laura Scott takes a ride through the history books north of the border

Cycling made easy VisitScotland has made it easy for cyclists to holiday north of the border by introducing the Cyclists Welcome Scheme, a stamp of approval that indicates accommodation providers have got all the facilities and services cyclists are likely to need.

We stayed overnight in Thornhill, the town nearest the birthplace of the bicycle and home to cosy hotels and welcoming pubs. This is a beautiful part of Scotland, with views across open countryside to the high grassy slopes of the Lowther Hills. There are two signposted cycle routes to here, and both take you directly past the front of the impressive pink sandstone edifice that is

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Outward bound

Drumlanrig Castle. The first route is the KM Trail, which travels past the smithy where Kirkpatrick Macmillan toiled. Today it’s commemorated by a simple brass plaque on the wall of the building.

The second route is the south-west Scotland section of the National Byway, Britain’s heritage cycling route, which encompasses 217 miles of signposted trails in Dumfries & Galloway before heading north into Ayrshire.

Both routes make the most of the quiet country roads that give a real sense of isolation, despite their accessibility.

Riding into Dumfries, we found wide and well-marked cycle lanes throughout the town. Route 7 of the National Cycle Network passes through here, taking in the lovely Dock Park which hugs the edge of the River Nith as it meanders towards the open sea.

Dumfries is a great place to potter about, and no visit to the area would be complete without taking in a Robbie Burns-related attraction or two – and there are plenty to choose from. Scotland’s national bard spent much of his adult life in Dumfries, and his favourite pub, his home and his final resting place are all worth a visit.

There’s an obvious appreciation of the finer things in life in this sandstone town, with public art installed along the length of the waterfront and impressive examples of contemporary craftsmanship at both the tourist information centre and at the town’s main art gallery, Gracefield.

Loch Ken. This 11-mile stretch of fresh water – and the countryside surrounding it – is home to an impressive array of bird life, including rare red kites which can sometimes be seen riding the thermals overhead.

Viewpoints, picnic tables and walking routes line the loch, and a circular cycle trip along its shores is a rewarding way to spend a sunny late summer’s day.

There’s much to be said for enjoying a cycle-based break in the UK. Our trip to the south of Scotland is likely to be the first of many UK cycling holidays we’ll embark on.

The road to Castle Douglas One of the more interesting things about Dumfries & Galloway is the number of towns that have branded themselves as specialising in particular visitor experiences. The region is home to Wigtown – Scotland’s ‘National Book Town’ and Kirkcudbright Artist’s Town. We also visited Castle Douglas, a ‘Food Town’ that draws people from far and wide to enjoy traditional food shopping – it has a plethora of butchers, bakers, grocers, delis and cafés lining the busy high street.

The road to Castle Douglas takes you through one of the most scenic parts of Galloway – the road alongside

CYCLING IN SCOTLAND ■ For more on cycling breaks throughout Scotland, including details of the Cyclists Welcome Scheme, see www. visitscotland.com/cycling or call 0845 225 5121. A special ‘Cycle Scotland’ brochure can be ordered online or over the phone. VisitScotland’s London offices are at 19 Cockspur Street, London, SW1Y 5BL (0845 225 5121) ■ For more on Dumfries & Galloway, see www.visitdumfriesandgalloway.co.uk

■ For information on what to see and do in the Ayrshire & Arran region, see www.ayrshire-arran.com

THE TOUR OF BRITAIN ■ The Tour of Britain starts with the Prologue at Crystal Palace on September 9. Its final stage starts in Dumfries & Galloway and heads to the finishing line in Glasgow on September 15. For details, see www.tourofbritain.co.uk

Photos: VisitScotland/ScottishViewpoint, BritainOnView, Iain McLean

Left: The Scottish Museum of Cycling at Drumlanrig Castle (below). The 17th century mansion and the seat of the Dukes of Buccleuch is set in glorious parkland northeast of Thornhill, Dumfries & Galloway

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Outward bound

Island escape

With its cycling festival in its sixth year, Claire Whittington says there’s no better time to pedal the Isle of Wight

POPULAR ROUTES Round the Island Cycle Route Starting at East Cowes, this circular route takes you 62 miles through some of the island’s best scenery, mainly using quieter lanes, signed in a clockwise direction with a white bike or with a blue bike anti-clockwise. It is a moderately hilly route that can be completed in a day, or at a more leisurely pace over two or three days.

For those looking for something a little shorter, there are West and East Wight loops. The West Wight Loop comprises 15 miles, starting from Yarmouth clockwise, and the East Wight Loop is 16 miles and begins in Nettlestone.

The Sunshine Trail Another popular route is the Sunshine Trail, so called because the trail circles an area which is said to receive the most sunshine in the country each year.

VISITING THE ISLE OF WIGHT TRANSPORT

Based around Shanklin, Lake and Sandown, it is a 12-mile circular route that includes a section of the Newport to Sandown route 23 cycleway. Though largely flat, the trail also has a challenging off-road mountain bike section.

ISLE OF WIGHT CYCLING FESTIVAL The Isle of Wight will hold its sixth annual cycling festival from September 15 to 23, with more than 2000 cyclists expected to take part. The programme includes a host of rides for people who only dust down the pedals once a year, as well as rides for more experienced mountain bikers and road cyclists.

The festival is part of the Isle of Wight Cycling Season, and will launch at Seaclose Park, Newport with a cycle show that includes a mountain bike stunt display and a ‘Sink or Swim’ challenge during which competitors use pedal-powered crafts to try and cross the Medina River – ideally without getting wet.

Claire Whittington is an organiser of the Isle of Wight Cycling Festival, September 15-23 (www.sunsea andcycling.com, 01983 203 889).

Below: Best known as a sailing hub, the Isle of Wight’s profile as a cycling destination is on the rise

Wightlink-Isle of Wight Ferries: 0870 582 0202, www.wightlink.co.uk Red Funnel Ferries: 0870 444 8898, www.redfunnel.co.uk Hovertravel: 01983 811 000, www.hovertravel.co.uk Island Line Trains: 0845 748 4950, www.island-line.co.uk Southern Vectis Buses: 0871 200 2233, www.islandbuses.info

Anchorage Guest House: 01983 247 975, www.anchoragecowes.co.uk The Annexe: 01983 855 449, www.isleofwightwalks.co.uk Bourne Hall: 01983 862 820, www.bournehallhotel.co.uk Wavell’s B&B/Cycle Hire: 01983 760 738, www.yarmouthiw.fsworld.co.uk The Orchards Holiday Park: 01983 531 331, www.orchards-holiday-park.co.uk For those without touring kit, Wight Cycle Hire (www.wightcyclehire.co.uk, 01983 731 888) will move your luggage around the island for you.

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MORE INFORMATION ON CYCLING THE ISLE OF WIGHT

Swiss Cottage Hotel: 01983 862 333, www.swiss-cottage.co.uk

See www.islandbreaks.co.uk or call 01983 813813.

Photos: BritainOnView, Isle of Wight Tourism

Q

uiet country lanes and scenic off-road routes make the Isle of Wight an ideal destination for the cyclist looking to get away from London for the weekend. There are cycling routes to suit everyone, with a choice of challenging off-road bridleways, peaceful byways and level, purpose-made tracks on old railway lines. Despite the island covering just 147 square miles, there are some 200 miles of cycle routes to entice you into the countryside or along the coast.

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Dispatches

The Spain barrier Barcelona isn’t yet as bike-savvy as some European cities but, as Laura Laker reports, it’s well on the way to developing a cycling culture Cycling is relatively new to Barcelona – many of its wide streets are terrifying places for the inexperienced cyclist and its drivers seem to pay little heed to stop signs, even when pedestrian lights are indicating that it’s safe for those on foot to cross. The situation is fast improving, however, and the past two years have seen a boom in cycling.

In a bid to get more people on their bikes and to cater for the subequent demand, nearly 200km of cycle lanes have been installed across the city. The work has been undertaken partly in conjunction with the introduction of a pay-asyou-ride cycle scheme aimed at commuters rather than tourists (the scheme requires registration and the website is in Spanish and Catalan only).

Getting to know Barcelona La Rambla, Barcelona’s central and most famous street, is where most visitors start their exploration of the

city. It starts at Plaça de Catalunya, the central square, and runs down to the Mediterranean port. This wide pedestrian thoroughfare contains an interesting array of gift stores, as well as innumerable buskers, whose performances vary in quality and entertainment value.

Stalls selling animals and fish are rumoured to be on their way out, but there is still the market La Boqueria, just off La Rambla, home to a vast array of fresh produce.

Many cycle hire shops are also based around La Rambla (see below). Nearby you will find the cathedral set in the beautiful Gothic quarter, which lies on the eastern side of La Rambla. This quarter is ideal for cycling as it provides narrow, car-free streets with

plenty of bike stands, which is an important consideration as theft is an issue in the city.

Spring and autumn, when the temperature has not yet reached its scorching summer peak, are the ideal times to cycle in Barcelona.

The mornings are cool, and perfect for setting out on a bike tour of the city. The port area is beautiful and quiet early in the day, and being mostly exposed, it is a good idea to visit these areas when the sun is lower. Similarly, the natural park, Parc Colserolla in the north of the city, known as Barcelona’s ‘green lung’, is the ideal spot for a picnic, accessible by bike via the disused waterway Carretera de las Aguas, which snakes through the lower portion of the park.

CYCLING IN BARCELONA General information: www.barcelonaturisme.com.

The Metro: Bikes are allowed on the Metro at weekends, and during weekdays from 5am-6am, 9.30am-4.40pm, and from 8.30pm until close.

Cycling map: www.bcn.es/bicicleta/docs/ mapabici.pdf CONTACTS Bike Rental Barcelona: (0034) 6660 57655, www.bikerentalbarcelona.com Budget Bikes: (0034) 9330 41885 Barcelona Cyclotour: (0034) 9331 71970,

Above: A cyclist relaxes in the summer sun Below left: Bikes are becoming more and more popular in the Catalan city

www.barcelonarentbikes.com Barcelona By Bicycle: (0034) 9326 82105, www.bicicletabarcelona.com Al punt de trobada: (0034) 9322 50585 Biciclot: (0034) 9322 19778, www.biciclot.net BICYCLE TOURS Barcelona Cyclotours (see above) runs tours starting from 21. Budget Bikes (see above) also has tours from 21. Tours are generally themed (beaches, night, Gaudi, etc). Many cycle hire shops also provide tours – enquire at those listed above.

Photos: Laura Laker, istock.com

Routes through the city The principal cycle lanes cutting through the city run along the Diagonal, a route from the southwest of the city to its north-eastern corner. Widely used by many of Barcelona’s 30,000-strong commuters, these lanes are a hive of activity during the week. A green ring around the city has more recently been provided, skirting the city’s parks and navigating the wide boulevards of the built up areas. On many busy roads, segregation is used to encourage cyclists to use pavements rather than roads.

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Interview

My bike & I Amy Aeron-Thomas The executive director of RoadPeace chats about her bike, road safety and how her injured dog has upset her cycling routine Can tell us a bit about your bike?

I have a Trek 730. It was an emergency buy after I was sideswiped by a lorry and had to get another bike for my commute. I also have a Brompton.

Do you remember your very first time on a bike?

I have seen photos of myself on a tricycle but I can’t remember my first bike, although I’m sure it was a hand-me-down from my brothers. I do remember my 13th birthday present being a yellow Schwinn which I thought was the bee’s knees at the time.

How long have you been riding in London?

I’ve lived here since 1994 and have been riding since then. Before RoadPeace, I was working in Berkshire, so I had a train and cycle commute for many years.

What’s your idea of a perfect day on two wheels?

It would be the first day of a two-week cycling holiday.

I bought the Brompton so I could cycle on holidays as well as commute on trains. Then my dog was hit by a car and lost a leg so we have had months of being stuck in London. People feel sorry for my dog but I should be the one getting the sympathy as our freedom disappeared. My perfect cycling holiday would probably be in Wales. This would keep my husband happy, and not involve any flights. It would also include someone else pulling a trailer so my dog could come.

What’s the best thing about being a cyclist?

I love the fluidity. It’s the only time in my life that I come anywhere close to being graceful.

Do you consider yourself a good cyclist?

Average, not great, not bad – that’s who the traffic system should be designed for. I’m a fan of Sweden’s Vision Zero and The Netherlands’ Sustainable Safety systems where they expect humans to act human and make mistakes, so they restrict the speed limit so you don’t get the death penalty for making a minor mistake.

Do you often try to convert others to two wheels?

I spend more of my time trying to convert others to the logic of strict liability compensation systems whereby the burden of proof is transferred to the motorist.

Under this system, any collision involving a cyclist or a pedestrian is assumed to be the fault of the motorist, unless the contrary can be proven.

Tell us a bit about RoadPeace’s work.

Assisting crash victims has to be our first priority as the government does not accord them the same rights as other victims of crime or disease. Crash victims are excluded from the Victim Support mandate (and its £30 million a year to help victims of crime). This is just one example of how crash victims are discriminated against in the justice system. We campaign for justice for victims and for road danger reduction, and we challenge society’s acceptance of road death and injury as being an acceptable price to pay for motorisation. We have campaigned more for speed cameras as too many so-called safety organisations rolled over and passed on tackling the motoring lobby. More people are killed by speeding drivers than all other causes of homicide.

“We need 20mph speed limits on as many roads as possible” What needs to be done to ensure cyclists are as safe as possible on London’s roads?

[We need] 20 mph speed limits on as many roads as possible. All lorries should be required to install sensors and alarms for when a cyclist rides on the inside of the lorry. Having a blind spot on your vehicle should be a criminal charge – not an excuse for not seeing the cyclist you ran over. All learner drivers should take cycling lessons, magistrates and councillors too. There needs to be greater awareness among policy makers and the public about the real threat on the roads – our casualty statistics focus on the victim and not the vehicles. We need less emphasis on cycle lanes and helmets – these are not solutions but optional extras that distract time and effort from the real safety measures needed.

Have you cycled much in other cities or countries?

I’ve cycled in some of the countries where I’ve worked.

Uganda was a great place to cycle but I won’t risk it in Nigeria. I can’t forget buying a bike in central Dhaka in the 1980s and cycling home to the outskirts of the city.

I did not make that trip a second time. I left the States 20 years ago but when I visit family in Virginia, I see an increase in cycling but it’s not the same as in London.

If you could do one thing on two wheels, what would it be and why?

Be able to cycle 50 miles without stopping, ride my whole way to work, convert my (adult) children to cycling, wobble less ... but maybe that has less to do with the bike than me….

This is an edited version of LC’s interview with Amy Aeron-Thomas. For the full interview, visit www.lcc.org.uk/londoncyclist

ABOUT AMY AERON-THOMAS Amy joined RoadPeace in the 1990s, and became its director last year. RoadPeace (020 8838 5102, www.roadpeace. org) is a charity supporting those bereaved or injured in road crashes.

It also campaigns for improved road safety for all.

50 August/September 2007 LONDON CYCLIST

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Starts August 1st

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