magazine of the London Cycling Campaign June-July 2010
SADDLE UP FOR SUMMER ■ Cycle Hire ■ Local rides ■ Rollapaluza ■ Veloteers ■ Bike Week PLUS: Tweed Run report, cycle training & bike tests
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Contents
020 7234 9310 www.lcc.org.uk
Editorial contacts Editor: John Kitchiner; londoncyclist@lcc.org.uk Design: Anita Razak; design@lcc.org.uk Communications: Mike Cavenett; mike@lcc.org.uk Products: Matthew Moore; m.moore@lcc.org.uk
Advertising contact Claire Barber, 020 7878 2319; lcc@tenalps.com
Contribute to the mag Email londoncyclist@lcc.org.uk to discuss feature and photography ideas
www.lcc.org.uk For the latest news, campaigns and events info, visit the LCC website, where you can also sign up for our fortnightly e-newsletter
Editorial, copyright & printing policy LCC is not aligned with any political party. 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. Editorial content is independent of advertising. All material is copyrighted and may not be reproduced without the written permission of the editor. London Cyclist is printed by Wyndehams on paper made from 80 percent recycled waste and 20 percent sustainablymanaged forest. London Cycling Campaign is a charitable limited company, reg no 1766411; charity no 1115789.
news, letters & opinion News Campaign updates, Cycle Superhighways feedback and other cycling issues Letters Your latest rants, raves, comments and queries Koy Thomson Explains why quality engagement is needed with policy makers Zoe Williams On what makes us behave strangely when riding with mates Amy Aeron-Thomas Why civil law must be reformed in favour of cyclists
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features Cycle Hire scheme We test ride the new bikes on a typical commuter challenge Beat The Thief Latest LCC campaign targets London's bike crime epidemic Veloteers Islington initiative shows how to get active at a grass roots level Interview The boys from Rollapaluza on their success and future ventures Best Rides in London Dulwich and Lambeth parks Tweed Run Possibly the most stylish event in the world? How To Encouraging more kids to cycle to school Technical What's involved in Level 3 Bikeability training
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reviews Bike Test Five singlespeed and fixed-gear bikes Grouptest Summer jerseys for men and women Product Gadgets and gear for all types of rider Culture A trio of guidebooks to inspire your next adventures res
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members Community cycling How three projects are benefitting from CCCfL funding Local group news Updates on campaigns and events, including Bike Week Rides listing What's happening around the boroughs over the next two months London cyclists Photographic vox pops with Tweed Run participants
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WHAT LCC DOES… ■ Campaigns for change ■ Supports our members ■ Promotes London cycling
COVER: Daniel Bosworth LOCATION: Kensington Gardens
LCC’S STRATEGIC AIMS ■ Promote cycling to the people ■ Redesign our streets for cycles ■ Promote cycling to our politicians ■ Make cycling diverse and inclusive (www.lcc.org.uk/strategy)
MEMBER BENEFITS ■ Up to 15% off in bike shops ■ Free third-party insurance cover ■ Exclusive deals on bike insurance ■ Free bimonthly magazine ■ Free legal helpline
June-July 2010 London Cyclist 3
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NEWS
News Visit www.lcc.org.uk for campaign updates and latest news reports
Familiar faces in new roles
Guerrilla gardener uses flower power to solve pothole problem www.allisonmoore.co.uk
LCC has appointed Gerhard Weiss as its new cycling development officer. Gerhard is joint-coordinator of the Waltham Forest LCC group and brings many years of cycling advocacy to the role, as well as a strong knowledge of local issues. LCC’s current cycling development officer, Charlie Lloyd, stays with LCC to concentrate on road danger reduction campaigns. Also Lucy Davis, who has been on maternity leave since 2009, has left LCC with our best wishes.
A green-fingered resident is giving some of the city’s many potholes a GroundForce-style makeover by planting flowers in them. Steve Wheen, a Shoreditch resident, has had his work featured in the Evening Standard and on TV news bulletins, and his efforts appear to have inspired others as copycat examples have been recently spotted in Lambeth. You can report potholes at www.lcc.org.uk/campaigns.
LCC warns of extra 700 lorries on city streets
CONCRETE JUNGLE: lorry journeys across the capital are at an all-time high
Cyclists were warned to take extra care when hundreds of 32-tonne lorries passed through central London to The Shard building site near London Bridge station last month. Starting during evening rush hour on Friday 16 April and lasting for 36 hours, almost 700 return lorry trips continuously poured 12,500 tonnes of concrete into the foundations of Europe's largest construction project. This put an extra lorry on London's streets every two to three minutes. Concrete lorries and similarlysized tipper lorries are among the most hazardous vehicles for London cyclists. A few weeks ago, a cyclist was killed in a collision with a tipper lorry from this very site. All cyclists in the central
London area, particularly south of the river around London Bridge and Borough, were warned to take extra care on Friday evening, all day Saturday, and Sunday morning. The lorries came from concrete plants in Bow and Battersea. Route details were published prominently on the LCC website and widely circulated. Until LCC contacted the contractors there were no plans to warn cyclists of the extra danger or to publicise the routes. LCC road danger campaigner Charlie Lloyd said: "More than half of the cyclist deaths in London are caused by collisions with lorries, as recent tragedies have shown. All developers and transport companies must do more to reduce the danger to cyclists and pedestrians."
+++ Sign up at www.lcc.org.uk to receive a fortnightly e-newsletter on London cycling issues +++ 4 London Cyclist June-July 2010
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‘Beat the Thief’ campaign tackles crime epidemic
LCC has launched a major theft campaign this spring to coincide with the seasonal increase in stolen bikes and to help tackle the year-on-year rises in the problem. The police, the Mayor, Transport for London, local councils, websites, bike shops, and cyclists themselves are all being engaged in efforts to reduce the problem. A recent survey of London cyclists has shown the desperate need for action, with 80 percent of cyclists reporting having had at least one bike stolen. LCC’s eight-point ‘Beat the Thief’ manifesto majors on increased police activity to reduce theft and shrinking the market for stolen bikes.
WHAT WE WANT: LCC's THEFT MANIFESTO
■ Creation of a police anti-theft squad The capital needs a dedicated police team to tackle cycle theft, engaging in pro-active ‘stings’ to find persistent offenders and gangs. ■ Tougher action against websites selling stolen bikes Websites need tough rules on ID, and sellers must be made to provide more information on bikes for sale, providing real photos and frame numbers. ■ Code of practice for shops Bike shops need to make sure they do not buy second-hand
bikes without proper checks on seller ID and bike provenance. A new code of practice will enable shops to demonstrate their good standards.
■ Tougher action against street markets Well-known locations for selling stolen bikes must be policed more aggressively to stamp out the market for stolen goods.
■ A central repository for recovered bikes This would make it easier to unite owners with their stolen bikes. ■ Stakeholder meetings Cyclists, police and politicians must meet regularly to ensure
that cycle theft is given sufficiently high priority, and that new developments are reacted to faster.
■ Increasing secure parking provision Thousands more secure cycle parking spaces need to be built for homes, estates, schools/colleges, workplaces, shops and transport hubs. ■ Better education Cyclists must be given sensible information to help them protect their bikes, such as registering the frame number online, buying insurance and using strong locks. They also need tips on how to avoid buying stolen bikes.
Oxford Street bus fatality highlights roadworks danger A cyclist has died in the vicinity of the major roadworks on Oxford Street, which form part of the massive Crossrail construction project. Jayne Halliwell, 26, was hit from behind by a 390 bus a few hundred metres west of Tottenham Court Road tube station. The driver of the bus was arrested on suspicion of causing death by driving without due care and attention. The narrow lanes, temporary one-way restrictions and diversions have caused many
cyclists to complain about the route. LCC safety campaigner Charlie Lloyd said: “There seems to have been a failure of organisation between the different arms of Transport for London in Oxford Street." LCC has frequently argued that London’s flagship shopping street should be entirely free of motor vehicles, with a continuous east-west cycle route as part of a pedestrianised street. ■ View a video made by LCC of the problems in Oxford Street at www.lcc.org.uk/campaigns
TIME FOR CHANGE: London's main shopping street needs to be pedestrianised
+++ LCC local groups organise bike rides throughout the year — see page 55 for a full listing +++ June-July 2010 London Cyclist 5
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NEWS
Dame Tanni attends Brixton forum meeting Wider paths for cyclists can benefit parents and businesses, as well as disabled and older cyclists, the leader of the London Disability Cycling Forum told a meeting attended by Dame Tanni Grey-Thompson. Dame Tanni, winner of 11 gold medals as a Paralympic wheelchair racer, was special guest at the Brixton event where the theme was ‘getting disabled people cycling’.
First UK city to adopt 20mph hosts Cyclenation
LANDMARK MOMENT: hire bikes will swamp the streets this summer
Cycle Hire scheme launches on 30 July London’s Paris-style Cycle Hire scheme is set to arrive on 30 July, two years after LCC convinced all candidates in the mayoral elections to commit to such a project. The scheme will see 6,000 bikes and 400 docking stations across Zone 1, with bikes being free for up to 30 minutes
(after paying a registration fee). LCC will be running rides in the Cycle Hire zone, showing quiet routes and quick short-cuts. Navigating unfamiliar streets is likely to be the biggest challenge for the thousands of people new to cycling in central London. LCC’s campaigns manager
Tom Bogdanowicz said: "Everyone in the city will have an opportunity to try cycling and enjoy its benefits. The Cycle Hire bikes have every chance of becoming as iconic in London as the red double-decker bus." ■ See page 18 of this issue to see how the bikes measure up.
The association of UK cycle campaigning groups, Cyclenation (of which LCC is a member), held its spring campaigning conference in Portsmouth last month. The biannual conferences gives cyclists the chance to exchange ideas in pursuit of improving facilities for cyclists around the country. Speakers included Simon Moon and Councillor Lynne Stagg talking on Portsmouth’s 20mph speed limit.
Two winners have been selected from entries to the competition for £25,000 worth of cycling services from the LCC-founded Cycling Star Alliance. Cancer Research UK, based in Lincoln’s Inn Fields, employs nearly 2,000 people within Greater London in its fight to improve treatments for the deadly disease. The charity plans to increase cycling to ten percent of its staff within a year, a level that’s five times the city average. The other winner is the Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, which employs nearly 10,000 people across four sites in London, and is aiming to double
the number of cycle commuter trips its staff take from six percent to 12 percent. The Cycling Star Alliance is a best-of-brand coalition of cycling service providers, including Specialized bikes, Cycle Systems Academy and cycle trainers. The Alliance aims to use its commercial exepertise to promote cycling across the capital. Charlotte Simpson of Cancer Research UK said: “We look forward to working with the Alliance and are positive that through their expertise and the generous resources from the grant, we will be able to increase and better support our cyclists.”
W Adam Thompson
Prize grants for London-based cancer charity and NHS trust
PEACEFUL PROTEST: against lorries responsible for cyclists' deaths in London
Mass tribute to cyclists Southwark Cyclists took the lead in remembering three cyclists killed earlier this year in collisions with lorries during the Critical Mass bike ride in March. Around 650 riders, including Hackney Cyclists and LCC staff, visited the three locations where the fatalities occurred. The crowd also stopped in protest outside The Shard construction site; a
lorry from the site was involved in a cyclist's death in nearby Weston Street and local residents have complained about the lorries using such narrow roads. Co-ordinator of Southwark Cyclists Barry Mason said: "It was a wonderful, respectful and very moving evening." ■ Check out LCC's video at www. youtube.com/london_cycling.
+++ Get a full listing of local maintenance classes at http://tinyurl.com/LCCmaintenance +++ 6 London Cyclist June-July 2010
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TfL forced to defend 'thin blue line' Transport for London has been put on the defensive as cyclists have criticised the unsegregated 1.5-metre cycle lanes that are the first signs of the Cycle Superhighways. There’s concern the test facilities in Clapham and Tooting won’t bring about the Mayor’s four-fold increase in cycling because cyclists still remain in the vicinity of fastmoving motor vehicles. TfL said: “We’re introducing measures to improve safety along the routes, including cycle lanes, Advanced Stop Lines, realignment of some lanes and junctions, and re-designing crossings. There’s great demand for space on London’s road network and it’s not always possible to provide separated cycle lanes.” ■ Watch our Superhighways video and read TfL's full response at www.lcc.org.uk.
THERE MAY BE TROUBLE AHEAD: early Superhighways work is drawing criticism from commuters, activists and bloggers
LCC and TfL partnership allocates £200,000 to community projects
Want £5,000 for workplace cycle parking? As part of the 'complementary measures’ for the Cycle Superhighways, TfL is offering cycle parking, training and maintenance to workplaces located up to one mile from Superhighways 3 (Barking to Tower Hill) and 7 (Merton to Southwark). The packages could be worth up to £5k for eligible companies. While the main target is companies with 50 employees or more, LCC understands that smaller organisations who share a building or courtyard can make a joint application. With limited funds available, LCC is encouraging workplaces to register their interest promptly at www.tfl.gov.uk/roadusers/ cycling/14120.aspx.
LCC has helped more than 40 community groups get funding from TfL and the Big Lottery. This year’s Community Cycling Fund for London was overwhelmed by applications for grants after adverts appeared in the regional press and on LCC’s website. The diverse schemes share a pot totalling over £200,000. Successful projects include: Changebox in Hounslow, which will be encouraging primary schoolchildren to cycle through the loan of bikes and instructor-escorted ‘bike buses’; the Notre Dame Refugee Centre,
a francophone help group in Westminster, which will be running its first ever bike scheme; and Hackney City Farm which will be persuading local bus users to cycle instead. Community cycling officer Rosie Tharp said: “As the fund administrators, it is LCC’s job to help the projects get up and running over the summer. We’re all looking forward to another exciting year of building up these community-led grassroots projects.” ■ Find out more about community cycling on page 49.
Exhibition laments negative effect of one-way streets A recent exhibition by the distinguished architectural expert and artist Peter Murray used a series of drawings to show the prevalence and negative effect of one-way streets in London. Held at the Rebecca Hossack Art Gallery during April it featured 12 graphical depictions of London neighbourhoods, captioned to explain the extent of the ‘uniphilia’ planners have inflicted on the inhabitants. Murray said: “One-way streets in cities reflect the dominance of the car and the failed go-faster policies of the traffic engineers. As we begin to realise that walking and cycling should be the dominant forms of private transport, the one-way street should be consigned to the dustbin of history.” ■ The exhibition catalogue can be downloaded at www. lcc.org.uk.
+++ Find a comprehensive archive of London Cyclist news and features at www.lcc.org.uk +++ June-July 2010 London Cyclist 7
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NEWS
Met launches website for reporting bad driving The Metropolitan Police has set up a new website to allow road users to report dangerous behaviour. The site gained exposure recently when LCC member James Hoggarth complained about a van driver who deliberately swerved into his path after a verbal altercation. Hoggarth reported the crime to the RoadSafe website and to the driver’s employer; the driver was sacked when video evidence backed up the cyclist’s version of events. A similar site created by Sussex Police has resulted in at least one operation to catch a driver whose repeated bad behaviour was reported by other road users. DCI Nick Chalmers, who runs the police reporting site, said: "The scheme allows any member of the community to report their concerns about
POLICE, CAMERA, ACTION: Met initiative hopes to counter poor behaviour and criminality on our streets
road conditions, road user behaviour or criminality to the police, and each report is dealt with on its own merits. The primary aim of RoadSafe is not prosecuting offenders, but raising awareness of the potential consequences of
their actions in order to promote road safety." LCC’s Mike Cavenett said: "This is no substitution for stronger enforcement of laws against speeding or mobile phone use, but it's welcome the police have recognised there are
too many unreported incidents. Perhaps it could be refined to capture accurate data on specific offences like mobile phone use." ■ www.met.police.uk/ roadsafelondon ■ www.sussex.police.uk/ operations/crackdown.asp
CHAMPION EFFORT: Olympian Jamie Staff launches new Office Depot fleet
Office Depot adopts bikes as Royal Mail abandons them Royal Mail has been heavily criticised for announcing plans to phase out its 24,000 bicycles, replacing them with more vans and mechanised trolleys. The measure is designed to make efficiency savings by allowing postal workers to make fewer trips back the depot during delivery rounds, although there has been no environmental assessment of the effect of adding tens of thousands of extra motor vehicles to the streets. Employee safety was also cited by Royal Mail, even though it is well documented by Cycling
Sydney, Australia, is the latest city to embrace cycling as a mode of transport, with plans to build 200km of new cycle lanes, including 55km of segregated tracks. Currently, the city centre has few facilities for utility cycling, with overall trips at below two percent, many of which fall into the leisure cycling category, and cycle commuting languishing below one percent. Australia has the second-highest levels of obesity in the world, behind the United States.
The new lanes form part of the City of Sydney's ‘Cycle Strategy and Action Plan’, which aims to double cycling in the city in the next five years, with a view to increasing it to 10 percent of all trips by 2017. ■ Elsewhere, Melbourne is to benefit from a Paris-style cycle hire scheme, which launches in spring 2010. It will feature 50 docking stations and 600 bikes around the city centre.
TourismNSW
Car-centric Sydney embraces bikes
England that the health benefits of cycling outweigh the risks by a factor of 20. The news comes as stationery supplies giant Office Depot unveiled a new fleet of cargo bikes to carry out 75 percent of its City deliveries, which were previously all done by van. The company distributes around 1,350 cartons of office supplies each day in the London EC postcode; around 900 of these will transfer to cargo bike. A spokesperson said: “Pedal power is good for our customers, good for London and good for the planet.”
+++ Get a full listing of local maintenance classes at http://tinyurl.com/LCCmaintenance +++ 8 London Cyclist June-July 2010
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LETTERS
Letters Comment, opinion, rants and raves — send yours to londoncyclist@lcc.org.uk I am not surprised that KSIs are concentrated on busy roads and bus routes (London Cyclist, April-May 2010) and would like to suggest another response: that cyclists are encouraged to use the London Cycle Network (LCN) as alternative routes. I am a 66-year-old female who started cycling regularly in London 10 years ago, first to commute and since retirement just to get around. People often ask if I don't find it too dangerous to which my response is that I avoid busy roads and bus routes. This is perfectly possible using the TfL/LCC cycling maps and a little research before setting out. There are great routes parallel to such traffic horrors as Edgware Road and Walworth Road and ways to get round some of the worst gyratories. Fewer traffic lights and special cycle crossings are among other bonuses. Sadly, many people (cyclists included) are not aware of the LCN or of the maps. Perhaps LCC could promote both and encourage the boroughs to maintain the signage better and pay attention to consistency across borough boundaries. I feel this could make a big difference to the success — and safety — of the new Cycle Hire scheme too. Clarissa Dorner, Westminster
LOSE THE LORRIES Your reader summed it up perfectly in the last issue — there are simply too many HGVs and lorries in our already congested city. They’re the worst thing to try to drive on our tight, narrow streets anyway and with their numbers set to rise with all the ongoing building works, it seems sadly inevitable that further cyclist deaths will follow. So while I agree that education of these drivers is vital, what will have a more meaningful and immediate impact is to cut their numbers. Cut the number of lorries and lessen the risks to other road users — it’s not rocket science is it? M Summers, Blackheath
www.danielbosworth.com
DIVERSIONARY TACTICS
TWO TINGS: don't forget a bell if you regularly ride on London's canals, unlike last issue's cover models on their borrowed bikes!
OH LORDY! Lord Adonis demonstrates the lack of joined-up thinking and obsession with 'choice' which has characterised this and previous governments (London Cyclist, April-May 2010). In his response to the question on climate change, he puts his faith in electric and plug-in vehicles, as opposed to suggesting that a reduction of motor vehicles is one way forward. This appears to totally ignore the issue of congestion, which going down the route of environmentallyfriendly vehicles will do nothing to alleviate. It is also questionable whether it will help reduce CO2 — how will this additional electricity be generated anyway? Given that there is an article in the same issue which clearly demonstrates the link between congestion and risk to cyclists, his interview gives evidence to the Labour Party's priorities as to where they see cycling as part of a wider transport strategy. In addition, his view fails to acknowledge that 'more choice' can become meaningless when there is a limited resource. In this case, either funding or road
space or both. Although an environmentally-friendly car may reduce the effects of pollution and CO2, it does nothing to increase safety for cyclists or pedestrians. It does nothing to free up limited road space. One person's choice limits other peoples' choices. It also ignores the fact that some choices have more of a negative impact on a community — including social, economic, health, environmental etc than others. Yet little consideration is given to these 'hidden' costs when trying to promote a policy of individual choice. Lord Adonis completely ignores the issue of inactivity and health raised in the question. Surely it is a question of how we want to use our public spaces and surely it is the government's role to prioritise and cease this meaningless allusion to 'choice' as the answer to everything. Monica Saunders, Twickenham
TING TINGS I have walked, run and cycled more miles on London's canals than I care to count, so I was struck by the image of two
cyclists on your April-May cover sporting cheery faces as they rode along the Regent's Canal. And then I looked again. No, this isn't another letter about the absence of a helmet, not an issue on the canal, it's about the absence of a visible bell on either bicycle. Did the ‘Two Tings’ campaign never happen? Given that the picture was obviously posed, couldn't someone have found a bell? I know there have been reams of letters in these pages about whether a bell is rude and, yes, an aggressive rider can give an aggressive ting. But when you're walking along a canal it really is unpleasant to have a bike come up behind you with no warning. The thing about a ting is that it can be given and heard 20 metres or so away, alerting walkers. You can't warn verbally (without shouting) until you are really close. The coverline said ‘Vote 'Bike: Let's put cycling at the top of the political agenda in May’ — a utopian thought if ever there was one. But while we're thinking about utopias, let's put shared use up there with it. Pete Wrobel, E10
10 London Cyclist June-July 2010
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BACKWARDS STEPS Why is TfL removing stretches of cycle lanes on either side of the A4 Great West Road? Naively I thought TfL was creating new cycling facilities, not destroying them. On the north side of the GWR at Adelaide Terrace, Hounslow, more than 100 metres of cycle lane has been taken out and replaced by pavement. The same thing has happened on the south side between Brooke Lane and Ealing Road. Access has been made more difficult by not having dropped kerbs. So instead of preserving what is almost unique in London — unbroken cycle lanes on both sides of a major carriageway — TfL is busy destroying this wonderful facility. Timon Day, email
LONG AND SHORT OF IT I enjoyed your review of baggies in the last issue and am planning to add a pair to my wardrobe. This will please my cycling buddies no end, who all take the proverbial at my love for Lycra. You criticise Howies for their high price, perhaps without the knowledge that their environmental credentials are impeccable; this is the primary reason that their clothes cost more than many other brands. Also, given that the Sugoi cost only 15 percent less, I'm not sure the Howies stand out as the high cost option. Not everyone cares about the environmental impact of their clothing and neither can all of us afford to put our money where our mouth us.
here, moving the emphasis away from cyclists complying with ever-changing lighting requirements, would be no bad thing. Liam Simington, email
Nonetheless it's worth thinking about; even cotton has a high impact due to the amount of water required to grow it. Thanks for the thoughtprovoking read. Ben Zass-Bangham, email
CHANGE FOR BETTER? LCC REPLIES: Having tested Howies gear since it was introduced, we’re certainly aware of its eco background and it’s a factor for many consumers. But function and performance were our key test criteria and this pair was bettered by others.
BUDGET BUYS? As a committed cheapskate your product reviews don't cater for me. In the February-March issue you reviewed ‘mid-priced’ road bikes costing £650 to £1,200. Most people don't spend that much. The panniers you review averaged £200 a pair, while Tesco and Argos sell some for £12 and £20 a pair respectively — could you not include them and tell us how durable they are? The choice of products feeds an aspirational, consumerist culture from which cycling could be a refreshing alternative. Please can you review massmarket products that a lot of people use and can afford? Michael Stuart, Kilburn
LCC REPLIES: Point taken on the panniers, but to be fair those road bikes would actually be considered ‘low end’ by many manufacturers, with ‘mid-priced’ bikes starting at a grand. Also the £400 to £1200 price bracket is actually where the over-
PANNIER TEST: too rich for some
whelming majority of bikes are sold in the UK. We’re covering a spectrum of bikes in our tests, from hybrids and mountain bikes to singlespeeds and folders, across a broad price range to reflect what people are actually riding — see page 40.
OLD STANDARDS I was interested to read the following letter from the 15 November 1951 issue of Cycling. I think we need to take this kind of stance again if we are going to challenge the undisputed place of the car at the centre of transport planning. It states: “The rear light as the warning device is gradually effacing the old-established principle that the duty of the driver... is to look where he is going and be able to pull up safely in the distance he can see ahead. A night-driving standard has developed which assumes that it is proper to speed into blackness if there is no red light showing.” Having lived abroad in Egypt and Japan the rule ‘don't hit pedestrians or cyclists’ seems to be the golden rule for motor vehicles. And a similar approach
I read with interest the letters in each edition of the very smart new London Cyclist and one in particular made me feel like commenting. I was like Stephen Parry-Jones, using both cycle and motorbike to commute to the City where I worked from 1951 until retirement in 2001 — 90 percent of my travel was on two wheels. From the late 1990s I noticed the attitudes of cyclists had started to change, becoming more aggressive, but I never had the treatment handed out to Stephen, which is unacceptable. The traffic these days is far heavier than in my time of regular travel up the A13 and along Commercial Road. The motorists drive faster, ignoring any speed limits, and this red light running by cyclists although seemingly accepted is quite wrong, but can no more be stopped by policing than drivers using their mobile phones. I still use a bike locally, not much more than 30 miles a week though. But it’s good to see so much more being done for the cycling world. However I would like it if all of us were not tarred by the same brush. I never run red lights, ride at night without lights, ignore one-way systems, or some of the other things some of today’s riders do. Tom Pettengell, email
Read more online
If you can't wait for the next issue of London Cyclist magazine, you can find a large archive of this subversive cartoon strip (based in a Wisconsin cycle repair shop) by visiting www.yehudamoon.com
June-July 2010 London Cyclist 11
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BEST RIDES IN LONDON
OPINION
Koy Thomson With the Cycle Superhighways project drawing more criticism by the day, LCC’s chief executive explains why quality ‘engagement’ works
F
ishing has a lot in common with Cycle Superhighways campaigning: hours and hours of preparation, tons of patience and you think you have a bite, but no. You pulled a little too sharply and you scared the fish. For eight long months our local activists have ridden the proposed highways, documented the challenges, proposed solutions and alternatives, engaged in consultative processes, lobbied managers, consultants and designers, and spoken directly to the Mayor, his advisors and senior managers. Sometimes we want to publicly let loose like the cycling blogs (see page 7), who are now saying what we have been saying to Transport for London since last September. This would alleviate the frustration, but it risks cutting off all of our communication channels. We believe it is important to talk because we believe that if quality rules the Cycle Superhighways will work and will genuinely herald a revolution in cycling in London and beyond. We want every pound spent on the programme to deliver quality solutions for encouraging new cyclists, and our members and activists have worked hard to show what those solutions are. When we started engaging we believed that open dialogue and freely given advice would yield results. It may seem a little strange that local volunteers and a relatively small charity like LCC are subsidising TfL, but that is the way the world works. Maybe it is too soon to throw our toys out of the pram, but we are continually assessing whether we are getting the best deal for London’s cyclists. Rest assured that there is not one junction, one section of road, one left-hand swipe, nor one roundabout that we have not assessed for improvement and made our views known. Campaigning’s a continuous process Long ago when I was working on international emergencies and famines, aid agencies used to distribute disgusting tasting high-nutrition biscuits. The thinking was that hungry people are so desperate that they will eat anything. Quite apart from the insult to people’s dignity it didn’t work. If you want people to eat you must encourage them to eat. Even for the hungry food must taste good. More recently, when helping Sri Lankan people with shelter after the tsunami, a colleague noticed how the pre-fabricated emergency shelters turned into ovens in the sun and people were not using them. Chasing the agencies involved had no effect until we invited them to hold their next coordination meeting in one of the shelters — similar thinking had prevailed. This is a lesson that the Mayor must learn: quality will attract new cyclists. New cyclists might be
desperate but they have high standards for what looks and feels safe, otherwise they'd be on the streets now. All of this is a good lesson that campaigning is a continuous process. It doesn’t end when you get the policy; it doesn’t end when you get the budget; it doesn’t end when you get the organisation; it doesn’t end when you get the pro-cycling politician. It ends when the ‘fat lady’ rides. Learn from Cycling England London is not the only interesting cycling city or town in England. Cycling England, the excellent cycle promotion body that we all must hope will survive and grow after the election, has just published a review of their Cycling Demonstration Town programme. Investment in cycling has bucked the national trend of gradual decline and has
“Two-thirds of potential cycling growth are those short trips to school, shops and the like” resulted in an average increase in cycling across the six towns of 27 percent between 2005 and 2009. The growth rates match London — and remember it was the congestion charge that really gave a spur to London’s cycling growth. The really interesting finding is that cycling investment pays back at least 3:1 and as high as 6:1 if investments (like rail, bus and road) are sustained over 30 years. That is, for every £1 you put in, you generate £3 or £6 of benefit. Give any transport planner a return of 3:1 or 6:1 and they would kill you for it. The truth is that if you don’t see a city, town or borough invest significantly in cycling then you can be sure they are not being careful with their finances and are being un-strategic in their policy. In other words cycling investment serves as a very good proxy for cost-effective transport policy and planning in this, an age of austerity. Alongside new campaigns on theft and parking we will be pushing the economic arguments at a borough level: twothirds of the potential for cycling growth are those short daily trips to school, shops, local services, and social visits. Our new priority must be to persuade councils to invest in cycling. It is not all about the grand commuter network.
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OPINION
BEST RIDES IN LONDON
OPINION
Zoe Williams Why is it that riding with a friend can make you behave in strange ways? Our regular columnist assesses the pros and cons of taking the lead
M
y chum and I were going to a gastropub, it’s a new one (thank you for asking) on South Lambeth Road and it does the classiest toasties in the south-east of England. Anyway, sorry, that’s not the point: he picked me up, and we cycled together. The etiquette of this is incredibly complicated, there’s so much you could get wrong, so much that you should never get wrong but unaccountably do because your friend is watching, so much vexed territory. It’s really like having sex with someone for the first time, except you’re not drunk and it’s not as much fun as it is on your own. So he waved me ahead, on the basis that I knew the way, but it was only five minutes down the road, we both knew the way as well as we knew our own names. He had seized the advantage — no, I don’t mean he wanted to be in my slipstream so he could go faster. Neither of us is what you’d call a competition cyclist. Rather, I just mean, it makes you self-conscious, being in front. Small things become magnified You get the yips, and suddenly you can’t indicate. So at the very time — possibly the only time — you don’t want to be veering all over the road, not indicating, that’s exactly what you’re doing. Now it looks like you’re trying to kill your friend, and that is your baseline paranoia: “with this incompetent cycling, I look like I’m deliberately trying to kill my dear friend.” Upon these foundations, a fairly regular hazard – a pothole, a grate – takes on pressing importance, and you start to do exaggerated hazard-avoidance, whereas if you were on your own, you would just peg over it and not take any notice. We don’t have the same bikes, of course, I have a road bike and he has the Trek hybrid that the whole world (apparently) bought when Ridgebacks suddenly and unaccountably went out of fashion. So there I was, skirting round the most minor hollow, flailing my arms about, yodelling “Pothole! Pothole hazard!”, when he probably couldn’t even feel it through his chubby tyres. New forms of one-upmanship When we got off and locked up, we were avoiding one another’s eyes. I had the feeling that if we’d looked directly at each other, he would have said: “You idiot! You’re a danger to yourself and others!” And I would have said: “What kind of scheming ratbag pretends they don’t
know the way, from Clapham to South Lambeth Road, just to make the other person go in front?” We got over this hillock and had lunch… finished it, were readying to go home… then he remembers that this other fella he knows is having lunch in Soho, so why not cycle over there? We’re only a quarter of an hour away.
“It's like having sex with someone for the first time, except you're not drunk and it's not as fun as it is on your own” We pulled out. He’d foxed me into going first again, but now I was a bit drunk so I didn’t care. There are quite a few reasons not to cycle while you’re drunk, I’m sure you can find them on the AA website. Whatever they are, they’re magnified when your friend is cycling behind you. The self-consciousness had transmogrified into showing off. I thought I was cool on my drop handlebars. What did I think this was, wartime France? Punching above your weight Suddenly potholes were my adventure playground. I was cycling up Whitehall hoping a minister would walk out in front of me, so I could double show-off by running over their feet (I did this once to Clare Short). We reached our destination exhilarated, but as ever with cycling, this shaded into a slight punchiness, and he immediately had an argument with a guy who wouldn’t let us lock up to his railings, while I stood behind looking like a belligerent cycling heavy. Why would anybody ever get into a fight like that, in a world where plentiful lampposts exist? Only cycling in pairs gets your blood up like this. Imagine what it’s like to have a tandem... Zoe Williams is a freelance journalist and columnist who contributes regularly to publications including The Guardian and New Statesman.
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OPINION
BEST RIDES IN LONDON
OPINION
Amy Aeron-Thomas As executive director of RoadPeace, the national road victim charity, our guest columnist insists that the cycling revolution won’t happen without civil law reform
L
ike many others, RoadPeace fears that the promised cycling revolution will not take place until our civil compensation system has undergone radical reform. Reforms are necessary to make the system fairer by compensating more vulnerable road users for sometimes horrific injuries, which will in turn create a culture of safer driving, where all road users are expected to exercise care over those more vulnerable than themselves. Some call this ‘driver liability’, whereas RoadPeace prefers ‘stricter liability’, which shifts the focus away from drivers. All are calling for the burden of proof in collisions involving motor vehicles, pedestrians and cyclists to be reversed. At present, in the event of a car hitting a cyclist or pedestrian, our motor insurance system requires proof that the driver caused the collision before any compensation can be paid to either cyclist or pedestrian for injuries sustained. Insurance companies currently rely on the outcome of a police investigation before deciding liability. Yet the Department for Transport estimates that the average cost of police resources spent on a serious injury collision investigation is only £250, and for a slight injury collision it’s only £60. These amounts do not pay for much police time and so it is the lack of a thorough investigation, rather than the proof of innocence, that often results in the police finding no evidence of any crime or culpability.
pedestrians, your insurance premium will mount. A valuable disincentive has been introduced for driving that causes harm. Such are behaviour changes effected.
Figures don’t add up The sad fact is that the cyclist or pedestrian always suffers worse injuries, so is at a severe disadvantage in reporting events and producing witnesses. Without proper investigation or eye-witness evidence, there is frequently no chance for a cyclist or pedestrian to claim compensation. This is why it is much fairer for the default position to be that injured cyclists and pedestrians automatically qualify for compensation, unless it’s proven they contributed to the crash. ‘Stricter liability’ does not mean that poor road behaviour by the average cyclist or pedestrian would automatically be compensated. For example, pedestrians dashing out from between parked cars or cyclists running red lights could have their compensation severely reduced. ‘Stricter liability’ would also have no effect on criminal prosecution: ‘innocent until proven’ guilty is a basic human right, but it refers to criminal prosecution, not civil compensation. Civil compensation is based on probability and a lesser standard of evidence, and it would be the insurance company that pays out, not the individual driver. However, if you’re a driver that repeatedly hurts cyclists or
percent compensation, whereas in Germany compensation is often reduced greatly if the injured pedestrian or cyclist is proven to have contributed to the collision. However, all have the same starting point, with injured pedestrians and cyclists not having to prove they qualify for compensation. Everyone in the UK travels on foot, and so would benefit from the reform. Cycling would also benefit massively as drivers instantly became more accountable and, consequently, less dangerous. We know that fear of traffic is the number one obstacle to increased cycling. Another benefit is that when insurance companies bear more of the costs related to injured pedestrians and cyclists, they will invest in safety improvements for vulnerable road users, as they have already for vehicle occupants, reducing road danger further. The cycling revolution requires a change of mindset about the duty of care owed vulnerable road users by drivers, motor vehicle owners and transport system providers. This includes not accepting speeds that pose a serious chance of killing or seriously injuring a pedestrian or putting up with blind spots on HGVs. Progress is being made, but reforming our civil law system has lagged behind. ■ www.roadpeace.org
Learn from other countries Stricter liability is the norm in much of the world, including western Europe, China, India, Australia and New Zealand, although the practice varies widely. For example, it’s very rare in France for an injured cyclist or pedestrian to have their compensation reduced. And in France and the Netherlands no matter what a child, an elderly person, or someone with a 20 percent or more disability does, they are always compensated — the system recognising that we all have a duty of care towards society’s most vulnerable. In the Netherlands able-bodied adults always get at least 50
“The cycling revolution requires change about the duty of care owed vulnerable road users”
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In the line of hire This summer will see an additional 6,000 bikes hit London's streets with the launch of the long-awaited Cycle Hire scheme, as Mike Cavenett reports
F
rom 30 July, London will join the growing list of cities embracing the principle of public bike hire. The London Cycle Hire scheme will ensure you always have the option to travel around Zone 1 by bike, not only saving you time and money but also benefitting health and the planet. LCC is proud to have lobbied for and supported the scheme from the very beginning, as well as successfully proposing a variety of infrastructure improvements to complement the bikes (see map at www.lcc.org.uk/successes). A total of £4.5 million pounds is being spent on introducing two-way cycling on many one-way streets, improved safety and streetscaping,
and better lighting. For example, cyclists will no longer be ticketed for crossing London Wall to get to Moorfields as this obvious route is made cycle-friendly. In the West End, contraflows in Bailey Street, Bedford Square and Percy Street will provide another east-west link for cyclists avoiding Oxford Street. And Lambeth Road and Lambeth Walk will be made calmer for cyclists by restricting motor vehicle access. In all, 121 ‘complementary measures’ have been approved, many of which were proposed by LCC’s knowledgeable local groups. LCC has also presented Transport for London with plans for an integrated Zone 1 BikeGrid (London
Cyclist, February/March 2010). This would take central London cycling to the next level, using spare road capacity and the West End’s garden squares to create a costeffective, people-centric integrated walking and cycling network. Following the French revolution Paris is the best-known of the existing public bike hire schemes, launched in 2007, and now with nearly 25,000 bikes — though France’s second city, Lyon, was actually the true pioneer. However, Montreal’s 'Bixi' scheme is actually the closest to London’s, being run by the same operator Serco. Barcelona, Brussels, Vienna, Rio de Janeiro, Buenos Aires, Washington
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DOCKING STATION iPHONE APP
http://cyclehireapp.com
The Cycle Hire Scheme doesn’t kick off until 30 July, but one developer has already come up with an application for the Apple iPhone to help you find your nearest docking station. The app was created by cyclehireapp.com, working independently of TfL and Serco, and will be given away free. The software uses GPS mapping and a database of locations to point you to your nearest docking station. It’s hoped the system will tell you if there are actually bikes there too, though this will depend on TfL publishing the information in real time. Similar applications for other phones such as the BlackBerry are also in the pipeline. Visit the site to take part in beta testing.
HOW JOURNEYS COMPARE: LONDON COMMUTER CHALLENGE How does using a hire bike compare to a typical journey across London when you don’t have a motor vehicle with you? We chose the symbolic journey from City Hall to the Houses of Parliament, in the hope that our politicians and civil servants will be encouraged to use the hire bikes as much as other Londoners and tourists. We travelled mid-afternoon and assumed just one person travelling alone. The figures below are based on recent information on prices, CO2 emissions and energy expenditure for the various modes of transport. Journey times are actual, from door to door. Journey: City Hall to Houses of Parliament Map: http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=3631908 Distance: 2.5 miles (4km) DC and Taipei are just a few of the other cities to take the plunge, with as many as 50 more cities also currently considering similar schemes, including car-centric Los Angeles and Melbourne. Quite simply, public bike hire has come of age. It wasn’t always this way: the first generation of public bike schemes appeared in the 1960s, in that most progressive of cycling cities, Amsterdam. The 'Witte Fietsen' (white bikes) were standard bikes that were left around the city for anyone to use, with instructions to simply leave them in the street for the next person. It was a disaster, though, with most of them being stolen or dumped in the canals within a few weeks. It was another 30 years before that other great cycling city, Copenhagen, dared to revisit the idea. In 1995, the Danes introduced the 'Bycyklen': purpose-designed ‘city bikes’ that were built to be ultrarugged and had to be liberated from docking stations by paying a fee. However, there was no membership
COST
TIME
CALORIES BURNED
CO2 EMISSIONS
WALKING
zero
55 mins
250
zero
CYCLING
£0.12-£1
15 mins
150
zero
TUBE
£1.80-£4
31 mins
50
320g
TAXI
£15
19 mins
none
840g
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Photos: Mike Cavenett
CAMPAIGN
scheme and ‘disappearances’ were still a major problem. Technology was slow to catch up with the idea, though, and it wasn’t until 2005 that Lyon introduced its citywide 'Velo’v' scheme, which was an instant success, and featured all the hallmarks of a modern bike hire set-up: large scale, preregistration, with rugged bikes and docking stations. Planners come on board City planners are calling public hire bikes a new form of public transport, attracted to this relatively low-cost means of shifting people away from crowded public transport and motor vehicles that congest, injure and pollute. Politicians too are waking up to this zero-congestion, zeroemissions travel that also improves public health. The London Cycle Hire scheme is projected to cost £140 million over six years (much of which is set-up costs), but will create an extra 40,000 bicycle trips per day from its 6,000 bikes and 400 docking stations. Plus, there’s plenty of evidence that people who experience city cycling via bike hire schemes go on to cycle more often elsewhere. In the context of a £7 billion annual TfL budget, this is money well spent. Former mayor Ken Livingstone first proposed the scheme back in 2007 and LCC successfully won assurances from the three main mayoral challengers in the 2008 elections that they would implement the scheme. Mayor Boris Johnson announced the London Cycle Hire scheme in April 2009 and is bringing the project to fruition this summer. Pros outweigh the cons The scheme is limited to Zone 1, for now, and Oyster won’t be integrated at first, but the positives far outweigh the few negatives. The press has issued dire warnings about vandalism, the lack of helmets, and the ‘risks’ in having thousands more bikes in Zone 1. Curiously, most of the current evidence supports the ‘strength in numbers’ theory, that adding more bikes to the mix increases safety for individual cyclists, perhaps because drivers become more aware. Whatever the reason, expect fewer collisions per mile cycled. On this occasion, we’re delighted to agree with the Mayor, that 2010 could well be a glorious summer of cycling. ■ To find out where your nearest docking station is, download a map at www.lcc.org.uk/HireScheme.
FIRST RIDE: CYCLE HIRE BIKES
Overall we liked the bikes, which are suitable for typical 2-3 mile journeys around the mostly flat expanse of central London. However, their weight (23kg) means they’ll be a lot harder going if hills or longer distances are involved. The bikes have features to deter vandalism and improve safety, such as plastic covers for all cables and lights that stay on for two minutes after you stop pedalling. They come with three speeds, an enclosed chain and strong aluminium frame and wheels. A fairly large ‘cockpit’ might put off smaller riders, though the step-through frame and skirt-guard make riding easy whatever you’re wearing. The only adjustment is to the saddle height and the calibrated seatpost makes for a quick fit. Each bike comes with a bell, kick-stand, but no lock in order to discourage long shopping trips.
1. Dynamo-powered lights The front light is a small, threeLED unit; there's also a pair of flashing red LEDs on the chainstays. Powered by dynamo, they keep working for two minutes after you stop pedalling.
2. Calibrated seatpost Numbered notches on the bike’s seatpost mean that when you arrive at a docking station, you can adjust the seat to your favoured height and be on your way in a matter of seconds.
3. Three-speed hub gears When you reach any kind of incline you’ll be pleased of the twist-shift three-speed hub gears. Top is fine on the flat, but hills and longer distances will likely need the fuller range.
4. Drum brakes Front and rear cable-operated drum brakes work like standard stoppers, but the friction unit is built into the oversized hubs, which are more durable and weatherproof than rim brakes.
5. Carry basket The carry-unit is sturdy, though quite shallow (to discourage passengers). Apparently, the front LED has been relocated because of feedback saying that it was too easy to obscure.
6. Docking unit The triangular docking unit protudes from the front of the fork and hinges upwards when you manoeuvre the bike into a docking station, before locking down with a reassuring clunk.
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CAMPAIGN
City-wide campaign A new LCC survey on bike theft has inspired one of 2010’s major campaigns. Mike
B
ike theft is causing major distress to London cyclists and severely undermining the Mayor’s attempts to increase cycling in the capital, according to a new LCC survey on the subject. Two thirds of respondents reported that they use their bike less because of the risk of it being stolen. Websites are blamed by many for making it too easy for thieves to sell stolen bikes — as many as one in six (17 percent) respondents saying they’ve seen a bike they recognised as stolen on the internet, with 93 percent of these people naming Gumtree or eBay. A disturbingly high 80 percent of London cyclists say they’ve had at least one bike stolen, with one in ten people saying four or more. Over 90 percent of people report never having recovered any of their stolen bikes. Five out of six people reported that they felt the police only made a “token effort” to investigate or recover their bike. LCC’s ‘Beat the Thief’ campaign
of bike theft. Reliable sources Rel say s that the examination of cycle theft will lead to a series of concrete measures involving the police, TfL and stakeholders. LCC wants a new police n taskforce to be tas assigned assign specifically to address cycle theft with a c brief b i f to tackle kl the thieves and distribution channels as a priority. Police powers and skills must be focused on investigation and disruption of the theft networks and their access to marketplaces, such as websites and street markets. Other organisations such as the industry, councils and LCC can focus on educating cyclists about locking, bike identification and marking while the police prioritise detection and prosecution. Among other suggestions being made by LCC is the need for a large warehouse or space where recovered bikes, of which there are many thousands every year, can be stored for a period and
aims to address an issue that the whole cycling community wants tackled. Bike theft soared by 30 percent in 2009 to a record level (as reported in the last issue of London Cyclist). Responding to the theft crisis, LCC is putting pressure on law enforcement agencies, politicians, civil servants and websites to investigate suspect sales and prioritise anti-theft measures. Mayor supports action on theft h f LCC is not alone in highlighting the problem — earlier this year the cycle industry identified theft as a priority for the police and the Mayor. At a meeting of the Islington Cyclists Action Group (the local LCC group), Boris Johnson, who has himself had five bikes stolen, said that ‘sharia law’ should be used on bicycle thieves In a key development LCC is contributing to a London-wide assessment of measures that are needed to address the plague
BEAT THE THIEF VIDEO Southwark Cyclists' Barry Mason rates your bike locking technique. Do you really measure up? Visit www.lcc.org.uk/theft to find out.
TIPS TO DETER THIEVES GOOD
✓ Lock frame & both wheels to a solid object ✓ Use a strong D-lock and/or chain, not skinny cable ✓ Two locks (chain/cable and D-lock) slows thieves ✓ Always remove lights and other accessories
BAD Photo: Mike Cavenett
✘ Don’t leave your bike in a secluded location ✘ Don’t lock it so your bike can be lifted over a post ✘ Don’t let your lock touch the ground so it can be smashed (thieves use the ground as an 'anvil') ✘ Don’t leave space inside D-lock for insertion of leverage tools
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hits the streets Cavenett explains the issues involved… victims of theft can try to retrieve them. We are also asking for a significant increase in secure cycle parking across London and support for our lobbying to ensure that every public destination provides visitors with full information about the location of the nearest cycle parking facility. Getting online in line In a further effort to stop bike theft, LCC and others are working on a Code of Practice that shops and internet sites can adopt (eBay, Gumtree and Craigslist are all part of the same company). If websites include a bike frame number field in adverts, for example, and websites ensure that sellers provide traceable phone numbers when they submit ads they’ll give buyers more confidence that they are not buying stolen goods. LCC is currently pursuing eBay and Gumtree with a view to finding a solution to this serious problem. To help cyclists keep a record of their bike details (needed when reporting thefts) LCC is producing a convenient, pocket-sized tag which also gives advice on effective locking technique. These tags are designed to be hung on parked bikes and LCC plans to distribute many thousands of them
across Greater London — if you want to help distribute them during Bike Week, call LCC on 020 7234 9310. Check what you’re buying If you are thinking of buying a used bike, take care that you don’t buy stolen: check the seller’s ID, ask for the bike’s frame number (for example, before bidding on eBay or making an offer on Gumtree), ask where they got the bike and make
sure they give you a receipt with their correct name and the bike frame number (your insurer will want to see it). Remember that even if a stolen bike is sold two or more times — knowingly or unknowingly — it still remains the property of the original owner who is entitled to recover it. ■ For the latest details on LCC's theft campaign, please visit www.lcc.org. uk/theft.
WHAT YOU'RE SAYING ABOUT BIKE THEFT
“I won't take my bike anywhere if I have to leave it unattended. These days I only ride between home and work.” Abdou Hassan
“It is easy to see stolen bikes on Gumtree: same mobile number, selling bikes daily with the same story.” Richard Court
“The authorities must actively try to catch bike thieves; maybe by watching a few bikes left with bad locks on them?” Paula Gent
“I take an enormously heavy D-lock and chain everywhere. This 6-7kg of metal ruins my light bike though.” Pete Hayes
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CAMPAIGN
Get active: be a Veloteer A new scheme in Islington is getting more local people involved in cycling issues. Stephen Taylor explains the idea behind 'Veloteers'...
P
otholes, cycle stands, road closures — sometimes cycle campaigning is about the very local. And with the recent council elections focusing attention, the Islington Cyclists Action Group (ICAG) decided it was the perfect time to launch its ‘Veloteers’ scheme. The idea behind the scheme is to mobilise the LCC membership in Islington who might not currently be very active. They might not have the time to attend monthly meetings or pore over plans for new traffic
management proposals across the borough, however, many of them still want to do something to improve cycling in their neighbourhood. The plan is to have at least one Veloteer in each ward across the borough. In that way we hope they will be able to directly influence local councillors. While Islington Council in general has a good track record in supporting cycling, some individual councillors are less than enthusiastic, especially when it comes to local cycle schemes which might have an impact on car parking. Councillors
sometimes need to be reminded that some of their own electorate are in favour of the cycle schemes. Where it began We started planning the Veloteers scheme in 2009, planning to launch sometime before the council elections in May 2010. The first stage of the process was to build interest in the scheme so we began to include items in our newsletter, on our website and via our email group alerting people. This was followed by a mail-out to the LCC membership in Islington
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Photos: Tom Bogdanowicz
CAMPAIGN LOCAL HEROES: new Veloteers and existing activists discuss what can be done in their area
inviting them to the launch event on 13 March. LCC was able to provide names and addresses for this purpose. We also followed up with more emails and online articles. The second part of the process was to plan the launch event. At the heart of the event was a bike ride around parts of the borough. The purpose of the ride was to show some of the good features in Islington such as 20mph zones and specific schemes which have benefited cyclists, like the award-winning scheme on Penton Rise. We also used the ride to highlight schemes which are of less benefit such as the cycle lanes within the 'dooring zone' on Barnsbury Road. Hopefully we got the Veloteers thinking about what could and couldn’t work in their neighbourhood. Afterwards the rest of the event, including refreshments, took place at Olden Gardens, a hidden gem in the shadow of the Emirates Stadium. Learning the ropes We had identified that our Veloteers would need to know who’s who in the council with regard to cycling matters and the most effective way to influence councillors. And we were lucky to secure both a senior council officer, who could tell us who to contact in the council, and the lead councillor for the environment to give us the inside line on how to approach
councillors to the best effect. The Veloteers also learned about the campaigns of ICAG and the LCC, especially the LCC manifesto for the local council elections. There was plenty of input from the Veloteers as well. We asked them about the issues that concerned them in their areas, posting them on a board. These included a lack of cycle parking, poor road surfaces, cycle accessibility on one-way streets and road closures, and dangerous and inconsiderate driving. The Veloteers were sent away with two actions each. First, to ask the candidates in the local elections to pledge to take action on the specific concerns raised. Secondly, to adopt one of the many potholes around the borough so that we can monitor how quickly they get filled in. At the end of the afternoon everyone seemed to leave enthused. Natalie, one of the attendees, commented: “It was great to learn about the developments that have already happened, and to get an understanding of what future lobbying could achieve, and how we could continue to get involved.” Maintaining momentum The launch event was just the start though. We also planned how to keep the momentum going, including setting up email and Facebook groups
FIRST HAND EXPERIENCE: of cycling measures at Goswell Road
for the Veloteers to share their successes. Before the event we had considered a few future events, but really wanted the ideas for the next steps to come from the Veloteers themselves. They didn't disappoint: suggestions included 'speed networking' with the new councillors, meetings in their own neighbourhoods and a big event for Bike Week. Quite often people feel they cannot achieve anything — they feel isolated and that nothing improves. We hope that the Veloteers will be able to share their experiences with each other about how they are making a difference, making changes. ■ If you're interested in local campaigning, contact gerhard@lcc. org.uk for info about your local group. And why not ask about LCC's next campaigning workshop in June?
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INTERVIEW
Paul Churchill & Caspar Hughes In the last few years Rollapaluza has become a familiar name in cycling circles. LC speaks to the former London couriers behind its continuing success
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Perfect timing with the cycling boom then? That was totally fortuitous really, we had no idea. Wasn’t there some involvement with LCC in your early days? They booked us for a couple of high-profile gigs, the first Freewheel and the Tour Prologue, which certainly helped raise our profile. We also did similar things with Sustrans and Rapha and it was important to have people endorse us early on. Don't people regard roller-racing as an extension of the fixed-gear scene? Yes, which is probably natural and we’re both ex-couriers. But we see ourselves more as a ‘cross discipline’ set-up – ours aren’t ‘fixie events’ as such, we get mountain bikers, commuters and all sorts. And we saw a massive lift after the Beijing Olympics, from all types of cyclist, which added to that groundswell. When you formally started up three years ago, did it require a massive investment in kit? Yes, it was quiet a risk. But luckily we got a big client very quickly and ran a massive university tour which enabled us to survive for at least one year. This investment allowed us to relax a little and spend a bit more time developing the rigs and developing our own events. How many rigs have you got now? We’ve got three standardised Rollapaluza rigs and have also refurbished a further three vintage rigs, though we don’t use these for
various reasons. All our standard rigs have been modified so that they can use kids’ bikes for schools events; Condor built us some custom bikes that aren’t available commercially to use on these rigs. What’s been your biggest or most enjoyable event? Chris Hoy on his return from Beijing was very special — his first cycling event was at our Rollapaluza at Salford Nocture and thousands turned out to see him and some of the other big stars. Looking out on the sea of faces was incredible. The launch event for our Phillipines franchise was a big deal too; it attracted five national television crews and was hosted by a national radio dj. Your National Series and the finale got a lot of great press… It was the culmination of several events around the country and attracted the best riders from all corners of the UK. We wanted it to be an unofficial national championship and people treated it like that. What's happening with your schools' events? They're particularly satisfying and something we’re very keen to develop. Basically we try to replicate our night-time events at the schools, with a bit of music and encourage the kids to get involved and cheer the riders on. We’ve done a thousand kids in the last month alone. All from London? All over the country. At the moment it’s hard to get in some places and part of the reason we’re currently recruiting another full-timer is so that we can develop a structured schools' programme. One of the great things is that it is totally inclusive – you don’t need a bike or helmet, or any special clothing or shoes — and it’s totally safe. Sustrans has helped fund some events as it’s a great way to introduce new people to cycling. Will this lead to a schools’ league or championship? It will and we hope to roll it out by the end of the year. We’re setting up a system where schools will be able to compete against each other up and down the country, both virtually and at proper events — that’s all part of our growing schools campaign. We have a pilot planned in Tower Hamlets, then hope to launch a London-wide league first before rolling it out nationally.
Any plans for other quirky events like the Muddy Hell cyclocross on Halloween? Yes, but we can’t tell you about them yet. One thing we’re proud of is that our events are seen as fun, less formal than most traditional cycling events and we want to transfer the fun side of what we do into other cycling disciplines. That’s how Muddy Hell was conceived and we want to do more.
farid/bliinkpix.com
Is it true that original seed for Rollapaluza was sown about a decade ago? It was November 2000. A courier mate of Caspar’s — Greg Tipper — experienced the first courier's roller race in Switzerland in 1999 and he wanted to replicate it in London. He’d done some of the old-school roller races, so he knew how to get hold of the equipment and held the first event in the Horseshoe pub. Then, after two or three of those held on annual basis, the moniker of Rollapaluza came into existence. It was several years later, after we'd been doing different things, that I approached Caspar and we both agreed Rollapaluza had great potential, not just as a sport and entertainment but something to take into schools as a fun way of introducing cycling to kids.
But the leagues will continue? The National Series and London winter league will still run, but we want to focus on this schools thing. We will also be running two to three teams throughout the whole of June, and through Bike Week, at a variety of events – last year we did 31 gigs in 30 days and this year we’re looking at 50 in a similar time. We’ve also got a mountain bike rig in development, hopefully with a well-known frame-builder, with lumps and bumps on the rollers to simulate off-roading – so that would add even more interest and broaden the appeal. A lot of women seem to get involved in your events... Actually it’s often 30 percent or more. We guess it’s because it’s seen as less intimidating than more formal racing and we’re certainly keen for that to continue. And you’ve started a cycling club? It’s got about 150 members now. We just felt some of the guys who were coming to our events might want to race or be part of something that’s semi-formal, but more relaxed than regular clubs. Again, interestingly, it has a high proportion of women. So what makes a good roller racer? Can you train for it? Everyone has different anatomy so there will always be those who are naturally more capable. But certainly if you can hold a higher cadence and have a smooth technique you have the potential to be a good sporting cyclist. You can train your cadence and we do pass on tips. Though it’s fair to say that, generally, people who’ve done lots of endurance work are unlikely to become good Rollapaluza racers. But technique can overcome power which is why we get so many David and Goliath moments. We’ve had an 82-year-old guy ride, a man who'd had a double hip replacement, a girl racing her gran, and even a vicar challenging a rabbi — it’s for anyone and everyone.
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Southwark Waterloo
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In the third and final ride from his new book, LCC’s Tom Bogdanowicz explores a variety of green spaces between the river and leafy Dulwich
Well concealed down a track off Burbage Road (look out for the sign), Herne Hill Velodrome was built in the 1890s. It was the cycling venue for London’s Olympics in 1948 and is the only surviving facility from that event. Southwark Cyclists and many others have been pursuing a long-running campaign to keep it open. There are now regular beginners’ track sessions at the stadium and UK stars like Bradley Wiggins and Nicole Cooke have trained there.
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The fixed wheel fashion has helped regenerate interest in activity and the classic Good Friday track meeting still draws a large crowd.
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BROCKWELL PARK
This delightful park has everything a cycling family could want: a lido, a convenient café in the elegant Georgian Brockwell Hall, a few ponds and a relaxed shared-use path around the park perimeter. Throughout the summer there are events and fairs in the park and you will often see the tarmaced area by Brockwell Hall being used to teach children Bikeability skills. There are public toilets by the Hall.
PIT-STOPS
■ The Prince of Wales, 43 Cleaver Square, SE11 ■ Au Ciel café, 1a Calton Avenue, Dulwich, SE21 ■ Mimosa, 16 Half Moon
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7. COURTNEY AND CLEAVER SQUARES The connection here is Edward, the Prince of Wales, who in 1914 opened the houses in Courtney Square as a home for elderly residents from the Duchy of Cornwall. 8. ADDINGTON SQUARE Located at the west end of Burgess Park, the Square’s flower garden is spectacular in the spring. 9. DULWICH PARK Small but beautiful, the park’s packed with cyclists every weekend because of the London Recumbents hire shop in its centre. The rhododendrons and azaleas explode with colour in season. 10. PECKHAM RYE PARK The hidden ornamental flower garden is well worth a visit. There is also a café and toilets. 11. RED CROSS GARDEN The Garden was created in 1887 by Octavia Hill, co-founder of the National Trust, as an open space for poor families in the area who had no access to gardens. Hill also set up the first Army Cadets here.
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Herne Hill stadium, where many Olympic cycling medallists have trained, and Burgess Park where adults and children can take up BMX riding. ■ This ride is adapted from the London Cycling Guide, written by LCC’s campaigns manager Tom Bogdanowicz, in association with LCC (see review on page 47). LCC members can get a 30 percent discount on the full price of £10.99 (with free P&P) by entering the code ‘cycle’ at www.newhollandpublishing.co.uk.
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outh London was regarded as the rough side of town as far back as Shakespeare’s day and, sadly, some people — including many from north of the river — still don’t stray far into the area. What they’re missing out on are some lovely parks, beautiful Georgian and modernist architecture, and colourful streets like Rye Lane that rival Marrakech for their vitality. This ride is a Southwark Cyclists’ creation with some Westminster Cyclists’ input, and features
Exit near the Hall (just before the green hut) and head straight across into Rosendale Road, which then takes you back to Dulwich — don’t miss the sharp left into Turney Road.
Lane, Dulwich, SE24 ■ Cafés at Brockwell Park, Dulwich Park & Peckham Rye ■ The Cut Bar, Young Vic Theatre, SE1
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BEST RIDES IN LONDON
Dulwich and Lambeth Parks
HERNE HILL
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DISTANCE 15 miles TIME 3 hours START Waterloo station GRADIENT Easy, mostly quiet streets with a few junctions to negotiate RAIL STATIONS Waterloo, Denmark Hill, Herne Hill, Elephant & Castle, Peckham Rye, North Dulwich
As you cross over from Rye Lane to the old route of the Surrey canal (now a shared use path) you cannot miss the one of the most striking modern buildings in London. Will Alsop (also responsible for the giant Palestra building in Union Street where TfL is based) and Jan Stormer designed the awardwinning Peckham Library in 2000. The inverted ‘L’ building is supported by narrow pillars at the front (an Alsop trademark)
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creating a sheltered piazza. The back of the building features multi-coloured glass windows.
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Southwark Cyclists and a popular venue for local children. The project won a London Cycling Award three years ago and has flourished ever since.
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Burgess Park is located atop the filled-in remains of Camberwell Wharf, part of the Surrey Canal which once ran from Surrey Quays to Peckham. In the small park you will pass a curious lime kiln and you can go off route to visit Chumleigh Gardens and its almshouses. At one end of the park (near Albany street) you will find the Burgess Park BMX track developed with the help of the ever industrious
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BURGESS PARK
FACTFILE Bermondsey
The bustling Rye Lane reveals the delights of multicultural London, with colourful shops offering products from around the world. Khans Bargain is perhaps the largest corner shop you’ll ever find (they allow bikes inside). You’ll also discover hairdressers galore, assorted fishmongers, butchers and ubiquitous ‘phone shops as well as almost every variety of fruit, veg and
tinned product on the planet. Old photos show there was always a queue of buses here, though back then they were horse-drawn.
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DULWICH PICTURE GALLERY
The paintings in the Dulwich Picture Gallery are what remains of a collection assembled in the 18th century by two art dealers (Francis Bourgeois and Noel Desenfans), for the last King of Poland, Stanislaw Poniatowski. The King lost his job (Poland was divided up by Russia, Prussia and Austria in 1795) before receiving the collection and the dealers donated much of it to Dulwich College. Sir John Soane, art collector and architect, was asked to design the Gallery and you can see, at the Gallery Road entrance
to the right, his ‘dome’ on top of the mausoleum which later served as the model for the familiar red telephone box. One of the paintings in the collection, Rembrandt’s portrait of Jacob de Gheyn III, is reputedly the most stolen picture in the world.
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EVENT
Dressed to impress for landmark tour
Last month saw the second running of London’s most fashionable and eccentric bike ride, the Tweed Run. Alex Crawford looks back on the day
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n just a year, the Tweed Run — billed as ‘a metropolitan bicycle ride with a bit of style’ — has gone from a relatively low-key affair to a magnificent, unmissable event for hundreds of cyclists. This time it even attracted people from other countries, all with one thing in mind: to banish Lycra for a day and show off their most dashing attire, their splendid vintage bikes and
raise money for Bikes4Africa. Created by Ted Young-Ing (a master tailor in training) for whom tweed is a way of life, and co-organised with ultra-enthusiastic and efficient Jacqui Shannon, this year’s event was exemplary and could pave the way for many more un-policed rides of its kind across the capital. It all started when Ted bought himself a pair of plus-fours
while on holiday in Scotland and "needed an excuse to wear them". So he organised a ride to the pub, then another and then as he says: "Unexpectedly more and more people showed up and it gathered its own momentum. This year really had to outdo last year." Which is how we found ourselves gathering at Tate Britain on a beautifully sunny day in early April,
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Photos: www.danielbosworth.com
with 400 fellow tweed enthusiasts from as far afield as Paris, Germany and Amsterdam. “It's amazing to think that these people came to London just to take part in the Tweed Run, it's truly humbling,” said Jacqui. Just as astounding was the effort — and, in many cases, cost — that participants were happy to put into their wonderful outfits. With a prize for the best dressed, who wouldn’t? Dressed to impress When asked why he thinks people latched on to the idea of dressing up in tweed and cycling around London, Ted says “it harks back to the idea of living in this disposable culture. People hanker after an old fashioned sense of tradition and decorum and the Tweed Run is a nice way to reaffirm traditional values in a modern way. Yes we’re poking fun in a sense, but also paying tribute to these things and showing they have a place in contemporary life.” The weather certainly played its
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EVENT part in creating a brilliant atmosphere — a cloudless sky with just a hint of a breeze (you don’t want to get too sweaty under all that wool after all) and the 12-mile route was chosen to showcase London. It took riders from the splendid Rootstein Hopkins Parade Grounds at the Chelsea College of Art & Design, right over to the City, via some of the city’s most prestigious landmarks including Westminster, Buckingham Palace and Hyde Park. A stop was made at Geo F. Trumpers in St James for a best moustache competition (won by a woman), before the group headed to Kensington Gardens for a spot of tea from a full china service, some delectable cucumber sandwiches and to hear a string orchestra. After tea the route continued via Mayfair, H Huntsman & Sons in Savile
Row (for the best outfits prizes), Piccadilly, Aldwych, Waterloo and Blackfriars bridges, ending at The Bathhouse in Bishopsgate for a lively after-party. Kicking off with raffles, lashings of Hendrick’s gin and homemade cakes, a variety of entertainment followed from Mr B The Gentleman Rhymer, Top Shelf Jazz, DJ Tom Kerwin and a team of swing dancers. Summer in the city “We have a phenomenally beautiful city and it’s great to cycle in," enthuses Jacqui. "The mixture of quiet and busier roads was chosen on purpose. To really encourage cycling you have to show people that they are capable of riding on all kinds of streets.” Ted adds: “For us one of the main aims of the day was to also
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show people that you don’t have to wear special ‘cycling’ gear to ride; that’s a surprisingly big factor which stands in the way of people getting on their bikes.” As for highlights, the whole day was speckled with unforgettable moments. From squeezing onto the steps of Tate Britain to have a mass group photograph taken, to the Japanese tourists on New Bond Street who excitedly asked what was happening and repeated ‘Tweed Run’ continuously to each other by way of remembering, to the delighted if bemused family of Orthodox Jews in Grosvenor Square cheering ‘Mazel Tov!’ while cyclists sailed past doffing their caps. Then there was the applause of onlookers at Piccadilly Circus and the hilarious pedestrian comments such as: ‘Oh look, it's the Tory Party’. Also the adorable nine-year-old girl who had come with her parents from Paris to ride; she didn't speak English but you could tell she knew she was doing something really special, just breezing through the day on her little vintage trike. Tailor-made for fun One of Ted’s favourite bits was “going down Savile Row and seeing all the tailors from all the houses come out and cheer us on”. For Jacqui it had to be “watching the 400 riders arrive at the tea-stop in Kensington Gardens. The musicians began to play as they came walking up the pedestrian area and then rode up the boardwalk hill — there was a sea of tweed and smiles as far as you could see.” It was surely an unforgettable experience for all of those who took part. As a marshal myself, it was a treat to be thanked so courteously
by the mass of riders for stopping the traffic! For safety and security reasons, Ted, Jacqui and their team of marshals had to do their best to discourage non-registered riders from tagging along, and for the most part it worked. The few strays seemed to behave themselves, with the stylish woollen sleeve numbers of the pre-registered riders who couldn't make it being re-distributed. Spiffing success, what? In terms of the Run’s success, from a rider’s point of view it would be hard to fault. Participants have raved about what a wonderful day they had, with forum quotes including: "just unforgettably perfect, splendid, grand, happy and jolly”, others complimenting the "excellent bikes and outfits, spiffing chaps. Pip pip". The organisers think the Run succeeded for a number of reasons: “We were very lucky to gain the support of the boroughs Westminster, City of London and, of course, Kensington and Chelsea, who were instrumental for the tea break. The Metropolitan Police was super supportive and very helpful with guidance and suggestions that we could not have done without.” Ted continues: “Extreme thanks are also due to all the sponsors, volunteers and our 40 marshals, who came on numerous test runs at nights and weekends to know the route and to ensure that everything went smoothly. It was a huge ask, and they did it with a smile!” While concurring that it went well, Jacqui adds: “It could always be improved though. I don't think at this point we would grow the Tweed Run;
if we can improve the ride for 400 that would be my goal. The ride is very special and part of that is the intimacy of the group. Being in central London is key to the event.” As for money raised for Bikes4Africa, well the totaliser’s at £1,500 so far, which is enough to send an entire sea container of donated and refurbished bicycles to Gambia. Should anyone wish to contribute further, then spokecards and enamel pin badges are still on sale in the Tweed Run webshop with all proceeds going to the charity.
GET INVOLVED If you would like to get involved and simply can’t wait for the next Tweed Run London, then there’s news just in about Tweed Run Toronto and Tweed Run New York this autumn. Keep checking the website for more info: https://tweedrun.com
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HOW TO
Children of the revolution
Forget making the school run by car, says Ann Kenrick, getting more kids on bikes has far greater benefits than you’d probably imagine…
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ike many, my enthusiasm for walking and cycling was born from a 1960s childhood when, along with public transport, these were the main ways of getting around London. But in the intervening 40 years the situation has changed dramatically, with more and more people abandoning their bikes and feet for the car. Driving to school has doubled over just the last 20 years and 41 percent of children are now driven to school in the UK. Anyone who regularly bikes around town during the week, in the hour before 9.30am, cannot fail to notice the difference in their journeys during the school holidays. Roads are clearer and journey times drastically reduced. This is not surprising given that one in five cars on the road at 8.50am is on the school run. Even with London's extensive public transport system nearly one third of children travel to school by car. Helping to set up a local group to combat this trend made me realise what entrenched attitudes we were up against. Many parents are keen in
principle for their kids to be fit and healthy, but in practice often object that it's unsafe or inconvenient for them to walk or cycle. Listen to the kids Children on the other hand are often keen to walk or ride. Research has shown that 45 percent of children would rather walk or cycle to school than go in the car. And local schools we have worked with have made real progress — for example over the last five years James Allen’s Girls School has seen walking increase by 33 percent and driving reduced by over 40 percent. The most obvious question — why should we bother? — is easy to answer. The fact that fewer children are walking or cycling to school has major implications for the health of the nation. Government research currently estimates that 70 percent of girls and 55 percent of boys will be overweight or obese by 2050, costing the NHS over £50 billion. And clearly more children being driven to school leads to more congestion and more
pollution, so reducing the effect of the school run is one of those 'little' steps in behaviour change that will cumulatively be part of all our efforts to tackle global warming. What can you do as a parent? ■ Explore the variety of bikes available to transport your child safely to nursery or primary school and get them used to the joys of biking from a very early age. ■ Talk to your school and your borough's School Travel Advisor about getting more bike racks and/or lockers installed at your school. ■ Encourage teachers to bike in as role models — many are not aware of the Cycle to Work scheme which almost halves the cost of the bike to them. Hammersmith and Fulham council set up a roadshow in one school to show off the latest bike models and the take-up by teachers was encouragingly high. ■ Ideally don’t surprise your child with a bike as a present. Take them along to the shop to make sure it is the right size and type for them.
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■ Make sure they get some training, either at school or via the borough council. Nearly all local councils offer free one-to-one training which will ensure your child knows about the benefits of hand signals, where to position themselves on the road and how to turn right safely. If they are old enough to cycle alone, work out a route on the quieter back streets and go with them a few times first (with them in front, so you can see what they are doing) before they go it alone. Remember it’s fun The key message I have for parents is that cycling and walking may be good for their child’s health and for the environment — but it's also fun. There are more than 23 million bikes in the UK, but unfortunately many sit in sheds getting rusty. If we are to see a real uptake in cycling as a form of transport and for leisure then the adults of tomorrow must be encouraged to get on their bikes early and discover the joys of cycling. If you have had success in increasing cycling in your school, LCC would be very interested in hearing about your experience — what worked and what did not. Recent London successes Work with your school and the local authority to get Sustrans involved — their recent reports show that in 2008-2009 their ‘Bike It’ project in London resulted in real progress in many schools including: ■ During 2009 children were challenged to follow the route cycled by adventurer Alastair Humphreys. Over four weeks 20,233 cycle journeys were made in London alone. ■ Recognising that some parents felt nervous because they didn’t have bike skills, a training course for mums was set up in Tower Hamlets and was so popular that two mums have now signed up to become instructors. ■ Overall in London, Bike It saw cycling to school double in schools participating in the project. This is the result of a mix of cycle training, virtual bike races, special ‘decorate your bike’ days and many more activities. If you think schools in your area could benefit from this scheme email holly.bruford@sustrans.org.uk. LCC and its local groups have also helped many schools get cycling initiatives off the ground. Contact the campaigns team on 020 7234 9310. ■ Ann Kenrick is an LCC Trustee. A percentage of any profits from her book 'Let me Out: How to enjoy the school run' will go to LCC.
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TECHNICAL
Take your skills to a new level It’s never too late to improve your cycling skills — David Dansky looks at what’s involved in National Standard (Bikeability) Level 3 training
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t’s 8.45 on a March morning, Camden Road southbound. I join a stream of cyclists riding in the middle of the bus lane, taking up the whole lane. The bus drivers seem happy to drive patiently behind the cyclists, occasional moving completely over to the next lane to overtake, giving the riders loads of room. No hooting nor aggressive tailgating. Drivers and cyclists seem to be sharing this extremely busy A-road harmoniously. What stood out was that a group of cyclists were taking up the bus lane, many of them positioning themselves in the centre of the lane — in what is known as the ‘primary position’. By riding in this position and continually glancing back communicating their presence to drivers, cyclists individually and collectively are able to influence how they get treated by drivers. And in this case that effectively turned a bus lane into a very wide cycle lane. It was also pleasing to note how many riders had opted to use a busy A-road rather than a circuitous cycle route to make their trip that morning. (The high numbers of riders that day also brought into play the ‘safety in numbers’ concept).
Bikeability Level 3 The ability to ride on a multi-lane road is one of the outcomes of National Standard (Bikeability) cycle training at Level 3 (see panel opposite). In addition to learning how to ride on dual carriageways and in bus lanes, people undergoing Level 3 cycle training will also learn how to move through traffic light controlled junctions and multi-lane roundabouts. Having written extensively about major and minor junctions in Aug-Sept 2008's London Cyclist (www.lcc.org.uk/archive), here are some brief tips about Level 3 riding. Dealing with traffic lights ■ The least risky option is to queue up at a red light as if you were in a car, in the primary position (see above) and move through the lights in the traffic stream. ■ Should you wish to get to the front (if there is a long queue), it is often less risky overtaking the queue of drivers by passing on the right. There is often more room on this side and drivers expect to be overtaken on the right. Should you encounter oncoming drivers you are clearly visible to them and you can move into gaps between waiting cars. If there is
an advanced stop zone, move into the middle of that; if not, wait behind the first car pushing into the traffic stream when the lights change. ■ Avoid filtering down the left unless the space is very wide. ALWAYS avoid moving down the left of any high-sided vehicle such as a lorry or other HGV. Dealing with roundabouts ■ On approaching a roundabout, move into the primary position of the appropriate lane (the left-hand lane if turning left or going straight on, the right-hand lane if turning right) and remain centrally in that lane as you move round the roundabout.
ROUNDABOUT WAYS: good position, signals and eye contact
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NATIONAL STANDARD (BIKEABILITY) LEVELS The aim of all National Standard cycle training is to get 'more trips by bike, more often and more safely'. There are three levels:
CENTRE OF THE LANE: the best place to ride and be seen
■ Central positioning will keep you away from drivers joining the roundabout, and since people already on the roundabout have priority, make eye contact with drivers wishing to join ensuring that they have seen you. Funding cycle training The Department for Transport (DfT) has recently announced funding for Level 3 National Standard (Bikeability) cycle training in England. It is not yet clear whether this funding will include London. The DfT hasn’t directly funded Level 2 cycle training in London, which has been funded by Transport for London for the past few years. The result of the Level 2 funding has been that many young people in primary schools have been trained to
that level. There has been a significant increase in leisure cycling as a result. However, the funding has not led to significantly more pupils riding to school. One reason for this is because parents who don't ride do not allow their children to ride, perceiving that cycling is a high risk activity (it is not). Another reason is that the young person's trip to school usually involves cycling through complex road infrastructure. Level 3 training may address both these barriers. Not only will the young people who receive Level 3 training be able to "make a trip on any road", their parents also may have received training and realise that riding a bike is not a high risk activity. In some London boroughs Cycle Training UK has been training adult cyclists to Level 3 for over 10 years
■ LEVEL 1 is about bike control. On completion of Level 1 a rider will have demonstrated excellent bike control and is to be able to ride a bike off road. ■ LEVEL 2 is about communicating with other road users and understanding road position and priority on single lane roads. Following Level 2 training the cyclists will be confident about making trips on single lane roads and should be able to make local trips to work, school and the shops. ■ LEVEL 3 looks at more complex road conditions and infrastructure, and applies the core skills learnt at Level 2. On completion of this level the rider will be able to make trips confidently on any road. and research has shown how effective this training is to get adults cycling. Cyclists are eligible for training from the borough in which they live, work or study. To see if yours offers free or subsidised lessons, call the main switchboard and ask about cycle training. Going back to those cyclists on Camden Road that morning, they had turned a bus lane into a cycle lane by claiming as much space as they needed to be safe. Imagine how the experience of cycling in London would be even better if all cyclists 'took the lane' turning roads into cycle lanes by their numbers and position in the lane. Getting cycle training to Level 3 will give you the skills and confidence to ride in that manner.
MORE INFO
KIDS' PLAY: holding the centre of lane
NEVER TOO YOUNG: children receive instruction on correct road positioning
Cycle Training UK is one of the leading providers of cycle training in the UK. They provide full National Standard Bikeability training. ■ www.cycletraining. co.uk
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BIKES
Singlespeed & fixed-gear bikes Simplicity and style have always made one-geared bikes popular for city cyclists, so here we test five diverse models from the new generation ONE GEAR GOOD?
TREK District £750 ww.trekbikes.com
You need to get close to see what makes the District so unique — it uses a belt-drive rather than regular chain (see inset). The technology’s been around for a few years, though only a handful of companies have really trialled it, so what are the advantages? Well the belt’s made from carbon fibre composite that’s reinforced to prevent stretch, no lubing makes it maintenance-free (and you don’t get chain grease on your trousers), there’s no worries over rusting and it’s completely silent — I mean, sneak-up-onyou-ninja-style quiet. In a couple of months’ testing the belt has run smooth and direct, noticeably more efficient than even a slighty worn chain, with the 55T front belt sprocket coupled with a 22T at the rear providing a gear that’s more than happy across Zone 1 and
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on smaller rollers in adjacent boroughs. It takes a bit of muscle to tackle inclines like Greenwich or Sydenham but that’s as much to do with the geometry and cockpit layout as the size of the gear — and it’s missing the point as this is intended as a flatland specialist. Of course, as a one-piece unit the belt cannot be split like a chain, so the frame has to separate somewhere to allow it to be fitted; Trek has opted for a clever dropout design, with integrated tensioner. Critics have suggested that this may cause rear end flex, but in practice it’s totally undetectable. The Alpha aluminium frame’s beautifully-finished and twinned with a Bontrager carbon fork, while fashionistas will appreciate the colourmatched deep-section rims. The 700x25c Race Lite tyres have coped well with our season-
changing weather, the dualpivot brakes have needed only minor adjustment and the leather-look saddle and grips (a little fat for my liking) give that retro kudos to what is really a very modern machine. The bar shape takes some getting used to if you usually ride flats or drops and, in tandem with the longish stem, makes racing anywhere tricky. The 'chainguard' is obviously redundant, and rattled, but you can whip it off. Available in five sizes from 50-60cm, also in grey/orange. It's the future for townies. JK PROS: low maintenance, lightweight, stealthy CONS: fiddly if you puncture
There will always be people who deride singlespeeds and fixed-gear bikes as ‘one trick ponies’ or fashion items, but that doesn’t paint the full picture. Sure if you want a 'do-it-all' bike, or have racing/ touring pretensions, then a one-geared bike isn’t for you. But in a largely flat urban environment, they do have their plus points. Lack of derailleurs, chainrings, cassette, cables and levers mean the bikes are lighter, easier to maintain and there’s less to nick when you leave it locked up. The size of the one gear's obviously important, but it’s generally agreed that a ratio which provides roughly 70 'gear inches' is most suitable in London. Check out www. sheldonbrown.com for a fuller technical explanation.
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COOPER T100 Monza £595
B’TWIN ELOPS CITY £109.99
The Cooper brand is legendary in motorsport, but in 2010 the company launched its first bikes, designed in the UK, built in the Far East. As well as the flat-bar Monza, there’s a bull-bar T100 Sebring singlespeed at the same price, and two drop-bar T200s, a singlespeed (£850) and a five-speed hub gear (£895). The Monza’s frame is decent-quality 5020 Reynolds butted steel, which comes in an understated shade of deep blue. Polished chrome and stainless steel accessories complete the look of a bike that attracts more than its fair share of instant admirers. Frames come in only three sizes (52-61cm), but with a choice of long and short stems Wheels comprise Formula track hubs and Alex R475 rims shod in Kenda rubber, which stood up admirably to London’s potholed carriageways. The
French sports chain Decathlon — with its megastore at Surrey Quays — has always produced suprisingly good bikes at killer prices and, at one sixth of the cost of others reviewed here, the Elops City is no exception. It’s also ‘odd one out’ with its stepthrough frame, pannier rack and basket, obvious hints at its intended user. In many ways it’s like the slimmed down, more attractive sibling of the new Cycle Hire bikes, with a one-size-fits-all robust steel frame and fork, and basic components. It gives an intentionally upright ‘sit-up-and-beg’ riding position, perfect for gentle cruising and both handlebars and brakes are both well shaped and positioned for this purpose. The rack has a 15kg capacity, more than enough for midweek shops or work gear, while the basket’s meant to
www.cooperbikes.com
rear hub is a 'flip-flop' freewheel/fixed item, with 16T cog. Completing the kit are Tektro stoppers, Sturmey-Archer chainset (with 42T chainring), and Brooks Swallow (or women’s Swift) saddle. On the road, the Monza will go fast if you want to, feels light (it’s under 10kg) and particularly stable thanks to its neutral geometry. The riding position is fairly low, but you can flip the stem if you want it more relaxed. Overall, the Monza is a great combination of value, subtle styling and engineering, mixing a reasonable spec with lively performance. MC PROS: weight, wheelset CONS: lack of sizes
www.decathlon.co.uk
have a 5kg limit — however our female tester found that even putting a D-lock in the basket had a destabilising effect on the front end. Likewise the kickstand works fine on its own, except when the basket’s loaded and it tends to topple. The single gear proved fine on flat roads, even feeling nippy on occasion, but it came up short on even relatively slight rises. Again geometry and set-up are the main contributors here and you need to accept this bike’s limitations. Impressively you get five years’ guarantee on the frame (two on parts) which alleviates some concerms about durability. For short journeys, it's fine. AC PROS: price, solid cruiser CONS: poor on inclines/corners
KONA Paddy dy Wagon Wag gon £595
www.genesisbikes.co.ukk
www.konaworld.com
The Flyer is the UK brand’s entry-level road bike and it's closer to singlespeed winter training/track bikes than trendy urban fixies, with drop bars and standard positioning of brake levers rather than messenger bars and centre brakes. The neatly-welded Reynolds 520 frame, finished in cool pastel blue livery that stands out from the crowd, gives a very comfortable, compliant ride. Stopping's a doddle with the well-specced and responsive Tiagra brakes, while getting up to speed and away from the lights is just as easy with the 46x18T gear. The wheels are aero-section Alex rims on large-flange Formula 'flip-flop' track hubs, allowing you to choose between freewheel or fixed. The wheels are shod with the
The Paddy Wagon is the least expensive of Kona’s three-bike singlespeed road range, with the £895 Band Wagon and extravagantly priced £1840 Grand Wagon completing the pack. This third iteration (named after designer Paddy White) comes in an attractive shade of sea green, which is paired with a set of orange rims to create that much-sought blend of classic and modern. Despite the plain-gauge steel tubing, the Paddy Wagon isn’t heavy compared with its rivals (at 10kg), and the bike comes in six sizes (49-60cm), so you should find one that fits perfectly. Wheels are Alex Rims and Formula hubs, with Continental tyres, and there are bosses (and clearance) for mudguards. There’s a comfy WTB saddle, sharp Tektro
excellent Continental Ultra Race tyres, adding grip, durability and comfort. I would have liked to see mudguard eyelets, but the frame doesn't have enough clearance, so retrofit clip-on guards might be an idea for the wetter months. We return to the Flyer’s looks which Genesis have not skimped on. The hubs, rims and chain are white which complement classy finishing kit: a surprisingly comfortable own-brand saddle and ‘leather look’ padded bar tape. There's five sizes from 52-60cm. MM Pros: brakes, finishing kit, classy styling Cons: no mudguard bosses
brakes and FSA 42T chainset with 'guard', while finishing kit is Kona’s own. The deep-drop handlebars (new for 2010) are a weak point though, putting the brakes a bit too far out of reach. And the long steerer tube, covered with 5cm of headset spacers, looks ungainly. Out on the road the 42x16 (fixed or free) gearing is ideal for London, and the bike always feels sprightly. Overall, the Paddy Wagon is a fine off-the-peg singlespeed which, with a little rejigging to the front end, would make a superb commuter or training bike. MC PROS: size range, styling CONS: bars
TESTERS: John Kitchiner/Mike Cavenett/Matt Mallinder/Alex Crawford
GENESIS Flyer y £599.99
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A proper bike top, with decent wicking properties, will keep you cool this summer — we've picked out seven options for women and four for men Foska IPayRoadTax Women’s £45 www.foska.com
www.corinnedennis.co.uk
Polyester fabric, full-length zip, one zipped rear pocket with two compartments, headphone cable routing, fitted. Sizes 8-16; red or white.
www.groundeffect.co.nz Intercool fabric, long front zip, 3 rear pockets (one zipped), fitted. Sizes S-L; eggplant or ice blue.
Gore Contest Lady £39.99
Sugoi Sakura £50
Shutt VR Sportive LE £79
Microfiber fabric, short zip, three compartment patch pockets, fitted. Sizes 34 (XS) to 44 (XXL); red, white, pink, turquoise, black.
Finotech fabric, 10in ‘invisible’ front zip, three elastic back pockets, drop collar, one-off original design. Sizes S-XL, one colourway only.
Merino Sportwool fabric, quarter-length zip, reinforced pocket design, signature rainbow band. Sizes 8-10, 12-14, 16-18 (and men's); soft blue or black.
Madison Trail £29.99
Endura England Flag £39.99
www.gorebikewear.co.uk
www.sugoi.com
www.shuttvr.com
MEN'S JERSEYS
Cotton/Lycra mix fabric, short zip, two rear pockets, loose fit. Sizes 8-18; cherry, green, navy.
Ground Effect Ricochet £36
www.wiggle.co.uk
Coolmax fabric, three-quarter length zip, three rear pockets, semi-fitted. Sizes 8-16 (and men’s version too); black or white.
Corinne Dennis Loose Fit Top £39.99
dhb Earnley Ladies £35.99
BEST RIDES IN LONDON
PRODUCT
Cycling jerseys
Specialized Atlas Tee £25 www.specialized.com
Polyester fabric, no zip or pockets, loose fit. Sizes S-XXL; navy, black/olive, slate/grey, tan/brown.
Altura Airstream £29.99 www.zyro.co.uk
Polyester fabric, half-length zip, two rear pockets. Sizes S-XXL; red, yellow or blue.
www.cycleeverywear.co.uk
www.endura.co.uk
M:Tec 30 Polyester fabric, short quarter-length zip, hidden hip pocket, loose fit. Sizes S-XXL; black, navy, olive/ black, red.
Coolmax blend fabric, long concealed zip, threecompartment rear pocket. Sizes S-XXL; Scotland, Wales and Ireland prints also available.
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Whether you’re a committed cyclist or recent convert, we round up more interesting kit to supplement your two-wheeled adventures Blackburn AirStik SL Carbon £44.99
BEST RIDES IN LONDON
PRODUCT
Gear and gadgets Veho Muvi Cam DV Camcorder £79.99
www.blackburndesign.com
www.veho-uk.com
If you’re after one of the smallest, lightest mini-pumps around, the AirStik SL Carbon should be high on your list. Weighing just 51g and measuring 15.7cm end-to-end, it’ll slip into any rucksack (or larger saddlepack) with room to spare. Blackburn claims the AirStik’s
two-chamber design delivers 37 percent more air per stroke. In practice, we managed to get up to 80psi after 200 strokes. The dual chamber design also lets you switch between moving more air per stroke in low mode and high mode to ease the pumping effort, though the
switch is inconveniently located under the screwed-down end-cap. Holding the presta-only head onto the tyre valve is a bit tricky, but its tiny size and weight (you can go for a heavier £19.99 aluminium model) still make the AirStik an invaluable addition to your repair kit. MM
QuadraByke £99.99
Surface Liquistretch Shorts £49.99
Keen Commuter Sandals £84.99
www.q-byke.com
Is it a bike? A trike? Quad bike? No — it's a QuadraByke, and it's all three. Designer Tony Wayman's multi-axle design lets you add or remove wheels without tools, so you can swap between the three set-ups in minutes. A choice of silver, pink, red or blue should satisfy even the most designconscious three- to six-year-olds. We had no complaints about the QuadraByke’s sturdy build quality, while the efficien t band brakes, enclosed chain and European certification should demonstrate the QuadraByke’s suitability for children. In almost Clarkson style our tester Gus (age 4) said: “It’s really good.” There you have it. For a decent price, you get a cool first ride that should last about three years and spark some Kodak moments. MM
www.surface-clothing.com
So new that they weren’t even available for last issue’s baggies test, these are the first shorts from Surface, a new clothing brand from the creator of Charge bikes. Designed specifically to look ‘non-bikey’ they’ll appeal to more than just recreational riders due to their technical make-up: a sweat-wicking, quick-drying, drizzle-proof fabric offers a four-way stretch that sits comfortably on even the chunkiest of quads. A cool knee-length cut, zip fly, belt-loops and zipped rear pockets add to the casual styling — just add the liner of your choice and you’re away. Supremely comfy. Sizes S-L. JK
www.keenfootwear.com
We’re fans of multi-purpose gear and these sandals double as both cycling and trail shoes. The sandals will take SPD cleats, or you can cover the recess with the supplied plate if you’re going to use them with flat pedals or for short treks. There’s plenty of room and protection from a substantial toe bumper, and the neoprene footstraps and pull-cord hold the sandals to your feet securely enough for leisurely to moderate pedal efforts. Sockless summer cycling tends not to be the sweetest-smelling activity, but the antibacterial footbeds help to keep those nasty niffs at bay. The black colourway with yellow accents may be a little gaudy for some tastes, but we think the cross-over appeal will gain Keen a few fans. MM
Claimed to be the world’s smallest DV camcorder at just 5.5cm, it can record 60 to 90 minutes of 640x480 (2-megapixel) video on the supplied 2GB Micro SD card or use up to an 8GB card for longer record times — and you can get three hours recording per charge. To use while riding, you’ll need the extreme sports pack (£19.99) or the pro handlebar mount (£29.99). When it comes to playing back, audio doesn’t come out too cleanly, but video quality is very good for an £80 item. Useful for filming group rides or miscreant drivers on your daily commute, the Muvi’s more than just a toy. MM
Bontrager Heritage Gloves £19.99 www.bontrager.com
Heading the banned list of items never to be worn off the bike — or singly — these retro-styled mitts have a grippy, lightly padded palm with some protection for the ulna nerve; the back’s mesh-vented in an old-school Bonty ‘paw’ logo, there’s a ‘snot-wipe’ on the thumb and closure’s a simple Velcro affair. Sizes S-XL, but go up a size if you’ve got ‘thicker’ hands. JK
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A selection of inspirational glossy guides reviewed this month, including one that's on special offer to LCC members
BEST RIDES IN LONDON
CULTURE
Books The London Cycling Guide £10.99* Tom Bogdanowicz If you’ve read the ‘Best Ride’ centre-spreads in the three most recent copies of London Cyclist (including this one), you’ll have had a taste of LCC campaigns manager Tom Bogdanowicz’s latest book. These were only edited, adapted extracts and the new guide is, naturally, much more comprehensive. Essentially it features 29 excellent circular routes suitable for cyclists of pretty much any age and ability, with a further brief look at nine ‘cycling parks for children’. Up to six pages are
Ken signs off After 15 years of providing regular columns for London Cyclist, Ken Worpole has decided to call it a day. In this time Ken has written many dozens of pieces on topical issues or his own cycling experiences. London Cyclist editor John Kitchiner said: “I’d like to thank Ken for his continued support and sincerely hope that he may still change his mind and contribute the occasional column, or travel feature, in the future. We all wish him well with his other publishing ventures.”
devoted to each main ride, with brief introductions supplemented by navigational text and a panel of essential info (see below) including stuff to see, eating and drinking options and nearest stations. Colour, annotated maps accompany each ride. Up front you'll also find 40 pages of sound advice on getting started and urban cycling technique, plus tips on bike transportation and security. If there’s a familiarity to many of the rides here that’s because many of them have been
developed and led by LCC local groups over the years and Tom is quick to thank his own co-contributors for their support. It lends the book an almost ‘family feel’ without being cliquey. In fact many LCC members can be spotted in the photos and there’s a prize on offer to whoever names the most ‘faces’ by 30 June (email tom@lcc.org.uk). All in it’s a polished title. But
Great Cycle Journeys of the World £24.99 Steve Razzetti
Author Razzetti is one of the UK's leading adventure sports writers and photographers. His coffee-table book showcases 34 inspirational routes from across the globe and is part guidebook, part photo-essay. The stunning photography instantly transports you to Botswana’s Mashatu game reserve, via Bolivia’s vertigo-inducing mountain passes to well-trodden favourites such as northern Spain’s Camino de Santiago pilgrim trail. Each five- to ten-day route is accompanied with a map and facts and figures on when to visit, permits needed, must-haves and useful contacts to help you avoid pitfalls. Warning — it’s enough to make you give up the day job and head for the hills, trails, plains… Matt Mallinder
I’d be remiss not to mention my solitary criticism: because not all the maps fit neatly across a single or double-page (like those for the two classic ‘London Landmark’ rides), some maps are split and run on separate pages or get overlaid as insets, with tiny, almost hidden ‘linking arrows’ — these really need to be simpler to follow in subsequent reprints. A courier friend saw the cover on my desk the other day and, without opening it, asked whether we really needed another such book? My answer was that if it’s good enough, then yes; you can count the number of decent London cycling guides on the fingers of a partially-sighted butcher. And this is the best for a long while. JK ■ * LCC members can buy the book at a 30% discount — that's £7.69 (with free P &P) — by quoting the code ‘cycle’ at www. newholland publishers.com.
100 Greatest Cycling Climbs £8.99 Simon Warren This pocket guide to Britain’s must-ride climbs is a direct challenge to your cycling CV. The Peak District’s Holme Moss and Wales’s Devil’s Staircase are epic climbs that have regularly humbled even top professional cyclists — but rated as 11/10, Scotland’s Bealach na Ba is a siren that no cyclist should hang up his wheels without conquering. If polka dot is your favourite Tour de France jersey then these 100 climbs will taunt you like Sir Edmund Hillary’s calling to climb Everest. The climbs in the book are grouped into nine sections covering England, Scotland and Wales so you can easily devise a weekend away to knock several off at a time. Each route is accompanied with a map, target times and is rated for gradient, length, conditions and general nastiness. Once you’ve opened this pandora’s book you won’t be able to show up at your next club run until you’ve bagged them all. Matt Mallinder
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LCC’s community team received over 110 applications to CCFfL in 2010 and here we look at three of the projects that have been awarded funding
BEST RIDES IN LONDON
COMMUNITY
Community cycling
East London couple inspire locals Tenants group benefits from cycle training
■ Project Tower Hamlets Cycling Club ■ Purpose Provide access to cycling for the local community ■ Awarded £5,000 ■ Activities Maintenance sessions, cycle training, led rides The Tower Hamlets Cycling Club was borne out of local resident Lakhdar Djelloul’s enthusiasm for cycling: “The community has been used to seeing me on a bike for years, and now it’s great that they’re joining me!” Many locals are on low incomes or have no space to store bikes so funding secured in 2009 enabled the club to buy new bikes and run free sessions open to all and particularly aimed at the local Muslim community that Lakhdar and his family are a part of. Since then the club has continued to grow,
HOW IT WORKS
LCC is influential in spreading cycling culture to harder-toreach communities in London. TfL and the Big Lottery’s Community Cycling Fund for London (CCFfL) awards grants of £5k and £10k from an overall of nearly £200k. The two funding rounds are now closed for 2010. Contact the community team for more information.
FOR INFO
Contact the community cycling team: ■ 020 7234 9310 (option4) ■ community@lcc.org.uk ■ www.lcc.org.uk/community
mainly through word of mouth as Lakhdar explains: “I’m always being stopped by someone wanting to know about cycling for themselves or their children.” Muslim women in particular have benefitted from the Women & Girls sessions, led by Lakhdar’s wife. Many are beginners, or cycling for the first time in years, and prove that dress is no restriction, cycling along in their jilbabs and hijabs. The club also runs men’s
sessions, some of which are used to find quiet routes to the Regent’s Park Mosque for Friday prayers and the children’s sessions are structured with a clear sense of progression. CCFfL funding has been awarded to facilitate maintenance sessions and to open up the club to new users such as those with disabilities. For further details contact Lakhdar Djelloul at towerhamletscycling club@yahoo.co.uk
Maintenance sessions in Ealing ■ Project Ealing Bike Hub ■ Purpose Teach people maintenance skills and support them to cycle in the local area ■ Awarded £4,695 ■ Activities Drop-in maintenance workshop and structured sessions, local rides Following the success of their family cycling project last year, Ealing CC has again been successful in their bid to CCFfL to set up a maintenance workshop and local cycling hub. The hub offers informal drop-in sessions as well as more structured teaching aimed at various groups such as young people and women. Ealing CC is working in partnership with the local police to restore abandoned and donated bikes.
The project also includes short social rides and enables Ealing CC to further promote their family cycling project and existing longer social rides. Project leader David Eales explains the motivation behind the initiative: “The project aims to demystify cycle maintenance. The hub will provide a more physical presence for cycling in the borough and show that cycling is normal, safe, fun and an easy means of transport for both work and pleasure.”
■ Project Berner Community Wheels ■ Purpose Encourage residents to take part in cycling activities regardless of age, gender and socio-economic background ■ Awarded £5,000 ■ Activities Cycle training, rides and taking part in events The Berner Estate Tenants Association won funding for a pool of bikes that residents — 80 percent of whom live in overcrowded accommodation and have no space to store bikes — can use. Residents will be able to get cycle training from the in-house instructors and the project will be recruiting locals to take part in Bike Week events and London Skyride. Parents on the estate said they would like to be able to cycle to school with their children and CCFfL funding will provide them with the opportunity to do so. The Tenants Association facilities are used by a range of groups including young people, women and the elderly and as project leader Mo Ali says: “The cycling fund will be used to encourage cycling as a fun, active and healthy way of getting around.” The project launched in May and Mo, a local resident, is already thinking long term about linking up with other local tenants association and taking the initiative borough wide.
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BEST RIDES IN GROUPS LONDON
Local Group News Find out more at www.lcc.org.uk/localgroups BARNET www.barnetlcc.org We have always been concerned that the planned mammoth Brent Cross/Cricklewood redevelopment scheme (7,500 new homes, power station, bigger shopping centre, etc) was giving insufficient attention to public transport facilities and particularly to cycling. Barnet Council was about to grant planning permission when the government minister called the scheme in for his office to consider the plans. So a bit of a setback for the developers and we await developments. ➤ Our programme for Bike Week (19-27 June) is not finalised as we go to press, so watch for updates online. ➤ As our next indoor meeting is during Bike Week (Thurs 24 June) we are changing the format to begin with an easy ride from the hall at 7pm, returning for an indoor picnic (bring food) at 8pm. We hope this may appeal to those who have never been to a meeting before and would like to join a group ride. Alternatively skip the ride and come to the picnic. We hope to see you then. MEETINGS: normally our meetings are on the last Thursday of the month at 8pm, at Trinity Church Hall, Nether Street, N12. However, exceptionally, July’s will be on the 15. The August meeting has had to be deferred to 2 September with another on 30 September. CONTACT: Jeremy Parker, 020 8440 9080.
LOG RIDE: Barnet members venture out into sun-dappled Broxbourne Woods
BEXLEY
BRENT
www.lcc.org.uk/localgroups
www.brentcyclists.org.uk
We are planning an active summer. In addition to the regular monthly rides (9.30am meet at Bexleyheath train station on last Sundays), we're also planning some easy rides in the borough starting in June. ➤ The exciting news is that Bexley Council has new enthusiastic staff keen to promote cycling. Bexley has been awarded funding from TfL to help encourage cycling in the borough. We will discuss this at the next cycling meeting and aim to produce a document/ statement to send to the council. We also hope to do some Dr Bikes this year. Feel free to email with any comments. MEETINGS: see website or email for details. CONTACT: Frances Renton, 01322 441979; f.renton@gold. ac.uk
The Brent Cross/Cricklewood development was halted at the 11th hour by John Denham, the local government minister, in March, following representations to him by Brent Cyclists and many others. This was to "allow time” for him to decide whether there should be a public enquiry. Of course, the General Election was called soon afterwards, the result of which was unknown at the time of writing. If there is a new government, it is possible they will allow this highly antienvironmental scheme to go ahead again unaltered. ➤ We have also been making representations on the Welsh Harp, controlled jointly by Brent, Barnet and British Waterways. The management plan is up for review, and we are calling for new cycleable paths on the
reservoir lands, with the ultimate aim of creating a walking and cycling route all round the reservoir. ➤ Brent is now supposedly a ‘Biking Borough’ and we met the (pre-election) leader of Brent Council to discuss this. Though he expressed a desire to do more for cycling, it is not very clear to anyone what the Biking Borough is going to mean in practice; it seems to be little more than a slogan at present. ➤ We had an interesting discussion on many aspects of cycling with author Ken Worpole at our April meeting and hope to organise more evenings like this. ➤ The season for festivals is coming up and we will be looking for volunteers to help on our stalls at the various community events at which we try to recruit. Keep an eye on our website and email group. Also look there for details of our summer maintenance workshops. ➤ Another three-day ride over the late August bank holiday is planned. If you want to come, now is the time to sign up. MEETINGS: 7.00pm on Tues 1 June, Wed 7 July, Tues 3 August at the Samaritans Centre, 1 Leopold Road, NW10. CONTACT: Ian Saville, 07949 164793; coordinator@brent cyclists.org.uk
BROMLEY www.bromleycyclists.org.uk Bromley Cyclists began 'Cycle a Mile' in March, on the first
'CYCLE A MILE': great turnout for new Bromley scheme in Norman Park
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Sunday of the month, in Norman Park, inviting beginners or those coming back to cycling to have a free bike MOT and then join in a group lap around the park. Twenty riders came the first month and 27 the second month. Responding to this success, the same event will be offered at the first borough cycling festival (an idea seeded by Bromley Cyclists) on 19 June and every Sunday thereafter, all at 2pm, until 12 September. Those who feel confident can do a second or further laps, or join a faster group for loops of the park. ➤ 850 children took part in the first borough primary schools competition, the final of which took place on 23 April. Bromley Cyclists introduced the idea, borrowed from Sutton, to the borough schools sport partnerships. The competition generated interest in the children's cycling clubs founded by Bromley Cyclists, which was seen as the measureable outcome of the competition. MEETINGS: 7.30pm, second Wednesdays, venue details on website. Other Wednesdays meet at Bromley South Station, 7.30pm, for an easy ride to a pub, the ‘Wednesday Weekly Wander’. CONTACT: Charles Potter, 07951 780869; coordinator@bromley cyclists.org
CAMDEN www.camdencyclists.org.uk BikeFest will be at Camden Green Fair in Regents Park on Sunday 6 June from noon onwards. Look out for cycling activities in Chester Road. ➤ Plans for Bike Week in Camden include: Sat 19 June, 1-5 pm, West Hampstead Dr Bike outside West Hampstead library; Sun 20 June, gentle-paced London parks ride, meet 11am in Regents Park (about 15 miles with lunch stop in café); Weds 23 June, 8-10am, Cyclists' Breakfast, Ossulston Street; Thurs 24 June, 12-2pm, Cycling and Business event in Fitzroy Square; Sun 27 June, ‘Camden Peripherique’ ride, meet 10am at Town Hall, Judd Street (about 22 miles with lunch stop in Golders Hill Park). MEETINGS: 14 June and 12 July at Primrose Hill Community Association, 29 Hopkinsons Place
RECRUITING NEW MEMBERS and there’s still We’ve already had a great response to our call for new members each new time to get your entries in for the Saddle Skedaddle competition.veFor entry into an recei you’ll 2010, June 30 and now between t recrui you member the prize draw to win a holiday worth £450. Don’t forget, you’ll receive an entry for each new member you recruit. (photo: Ewan Crallen) (off Fitzroy Road), London NW1. CONTACTS: Stefano Casalotti, 020 7435 0196; stefano@ lamsam-casalotti.org.uk. Or Jean Dollimore, 020 7485 5896; jean@ dollimore.net
EALING www.ealingcycling.org.uk In March ECC was awarded a substantial grant by the Community Cycling Fund for London to support a bicycle workshop in the borough. The objective of the workshop is to provide a drop-in facility, lessons and technical expertise for local residents who want to carry out minor repairs on and adjustments to their bikes. The workshop will be held on the first Saturday of the month and is likely to be launched on 1 May. This is a very exciting new venture for ECC which will only work if we have a sufficiently large pool of volunteers. To find out more check out www. ealingbikehub.co.uk ➤ At our April meeting, transport spokespeople from the four major parties presented their vision of cycling in the borough and then answered questions from the audience. It was striking that there were no disagreements on the importance of cycling as a sustainable form of transport and as a means of improving public health. Differences arose on how people could be encouraged onto their bikes, the priority that such initiatives should be given, and the level of funding required. ➤ We have a packed programme for Bike Week, with warm-up events in Waitrose (West Ealing),
local schools and West Ealing Farmers’ market during May and early June. During Bike Week we will host information stalls in Ealing and Acton, a Dr Bike session in Ealing and a full complement of weekend and evening social rides. Bike Week also marks the beginning of the summer schedule of local rides suitable for the whole family. MEETINGS: first Wednesday of the month, venue details on website. Social ride on first Sunday of the month, meet 10am at Ealing Town Hall — see website. CONTACTS: David Lomas, info@ ealingcycling.org.uk. Or David Eales, 07880 797437.
Sunday 27 June. Now in its fourth year, the festival returns to its roots in Enfield Town Park, so should be more accessible than the previous two years’ events. Lots of stalls and fun, plus plenty of interesting bikes to try out with the Get Cycling Roadshow. ➤ We will also be running evening rides on the Tuesday and Thursday of Bike Week. Do come along and get involved. ➤ Have you noticed any cycle stands that have gone missing recently in Enfield? As part of Enfield Council's ‘decluttering’ programme, several Sheffield stands were removed from Enfield Town along with guard railings and other street furniture. Enfield Cycling Campaign has argued that, as these railings were previously used as informal cycle parking, the number of Sheffield stands should be increased, not reduced, as a result. Please let us know about any other stands that have been removed in the borough. MEETINGS: see website for details. CONTACT: Richard Reeve, 020 8363 2196.
GREENWICH www.greenwichcyclists.org.uk
At our March and April meetings we invited Labour, Conservative, LibDem and Green candidates in www.lccenfield.fsnet.co.uk the national and local elections to answer questions about The highlight of Bike Week in cycling issues. Questions put to Enfield will again be Enfield’s Big the candidates included ones on Bike Ride. This year, the popular cycle paths, cycle mass ride in aid of pa parking in new Nightingale park MEMBER housing developCommunity ho DIS COUNTS ments, plans for Hospice Trust will m 11 new stores and the have a choice of t Greenwich workshops have just joined town centre two routes: an t the LCC discount scheme, pedestrianeasy eight-mile p giving members savings isation and a route or a longer i of up to 15%. www.lcc. borough-wide 16-mile route. The bo org.uk/discounts 20mph event will take place e 20m limit. We’ll see how many of the on Sunday 20 June and promises come to fruition. will start and finish in Enfield ➤ Greenwich Park's new 20mph Town Park. There is a registration speed limit — compliance with fee of £10 per adult and £5 per child over 8 years; there is also a the new speed limit is being family registration of £26 (two regularly monitored. At first adults, two children). Registration drivers (or cyclists) breaking it forms and information packs are will only be ‘advised’, but from available from Mary Rose on 020 4 May it will be enforced. 8366 9674 or www.nightingaleStatistics from before the hospice.org.uk. reduction showed an average ➤ Enfield Cycling Campaign is speed of cars going down the Avenue of 45mph, 50 percent also helping to organise the over the limit. Enfield Festival of Cycling on
ENFIELD
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what we can on the local scale, but this is a problem that requires a global solution. MEETINGS: first Wednesdays 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 MAILING LIST: send blank email to hackney-lcc-subscribe@ yahoogroups.com MAKING THEIR PITCH: Hackney members man the stalls in London Fields
➤ Postcode marking of bikes — the next cycle security marking session will be 4-7.30pm on Monday 10 May by the St Mary's (bottom) gate of the park. All cyclists are welcome to have their frames postcode-marked. There will also be a weekend event in the summer, possibly including a Dr Bike (date tbc). MEETINGS: first Wednesdays of the month, see website. CONTACT: Anthony Austin, 07740 434078.
HACKNEY www.hackney-cyclists.org.uk
education, enforcement and engineering, of course, but also where lorry trips are being generated, and how they could be reduced, re-directed and re-timed. No one is kidding themselves that local authorities have much power to change the status quo, nor that the problem is going to go away any time soon. Our borough, like its neighbours, is still in the middle of a building boom, and is ringed by huge construction projects. Although many lorry drivers are undoubtedly professional, they are all under heavy pressure to 'make headway', and too many of them still have far too little regard for their responsibility to other road users, even failing to understand how collisions happen — like the driver of a Bedrock tipper truck who, when remonstrated with for texting in a queue in Dalston Lane, angrily replied that it wasn't a problem because he was stationary in a queue. This is of course exactly the moment when an unwise cyclist could be moving up on his left. Fundamentally, of course, the vehicles they are driving are simply unsuitable for operation in the urban street environment. We will do
HAMMERSMITH & FULHAM www.hfcyclists.org.uk Our major contribution to Bike Week is Greenfest 2010. Plans for this are well underway. We hope many of you will come and enjoy the festival which is set in gardens beside the Thames in Hammersmith. If anyone wants to participate by volunteering, please get in touch — see www.greenfest.org. uk. We also hope to see you at one of our meetings or rides. ➤ Our website will soon be upgraded as part of a graduate student's thesis on optimising websites for the voluntary sector using Wordpress. This will allow a variety of user input. MEETINGS: see website. CONTACT: John Griffiths, 020 7371 1290 or 07789 095 748; john@truefeelings.com
On Wednesday 10 March, the day after medical student Muhammad Ahmed was killed by a Keltbray tipper truck in Southwark, London's construction industry inflicted another fatal blow, this time in our borough, with the killing of Shivon Watson by a GBN HARROW Services skip lorry at the junction www.harrowcyclists.org.uk of Victoria Park Road and Lauriston Road. Shivon, a recent Now that the local elections are arrival from her home city of history, Harrow Cyclists is Bristol, was cycling from Bow to making a renewed effort to fill in work at a young people's charity the ‘missing link’ in the Harrow in Hackney. One month later, town centre road makeover. Hackney Cyclists joined road Work to turn Station Road into a safety officers, police two-way street is moving ahead; and the council's fleet that will w save cyclists a huge manager in the first detour around a meeting of the revived dangerous one-way If you're a higher ra te Hackney HGV danger system. But that leaves a taxpayer and decl ar e an working group. missing stretch about 50 y d natio do ti ns made to LCC du ring the past year on your tax re Everyone present metres long in College turn seemed determined to Road by the bus station based on the differ , you can claim a rebate en do what they can which remains one-way, w rate and the basic ce between the higher ra reduce the risk from forcing cyclists to go a f assessment form. Th te when you fill in your selfe self-assessment fo heavy vehicles. Eight very long way round or use v rm allows you to nomina meetings a year have the t pavement, risking a te a charity to rece also ive re bate that you are any been programmed. ticket. It would be easy to ti due. The Inland Re venue will pass the repayment The full range of create a cycling contrac dire simple way to add ev ctly to the charity. It's a issues will be flow — there is a wide and en more to your gift discussed, including little lit used pavement that to LCC.
could easily be converted. So, with our positive attitude, we intend to help the council fill in the gap. Armed with tape measures to show how little work is needed, and green colouring, we aim to create our own safe cycle path. Our new user-friendly and interactive website will carry more details of this action. ➤ We've had renewed contact with the council over bike parking stands — with success as the racks are now making an appearance on at least some of the sites we have identified. ➤ Our new all-colour leaflet to promote the group is now in local bike shops — and will also be appearing on many handlebars using ‘rubber band technology’. ➤ Meanwhile, Harrow Cyclists has organised rides aplenty — our ambition is two per month over the summer, while also using our website to direct people to rides in neighbouring boroughs. MEETINGS: second Wednesdays of the month — check website. CONTACT: Colin Water, 07799 537504; waters.colin@gmail.com
ISLINGTON www.icag.org.uk The launch of our ‘Veloteer’ scheme in March was a great success (see feature on page 25); about 20 people joined a ride around the borough before lunch at Olden Gardens and then talks and discussions about the best way to get things changed by cyclists at a very local level. Everyone who attended has been encouraged to ‘adopt a pothole’, report it to the council and then monitor how long it takes to get filled. ➤ Cyclists crossing the junction of Northchurch and Southgate Roads on the Islington/Hackney border are urged to take care, especially when travelling westbound, following a recent collision there involving a cyclist. Vehicles on Southgate Road tend not to see or anti-cipate the cycle route coming from the east and suggestions for improvements will be discussed with the council. ➤ If you use the guard-rail at Highbury Corner for cycle parking, look out for notices warning of its removal in the near future. We've asked the
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council for more bike racks in the area to make up for the loss and you can suggest sites for cycle parking via the council website. MEETINGS: 7.30-9.30pm on second Wednesdays (9 June, 14 July, 11 August) at Islington Town Hall, Upper Street, N1. CONTACT: Alison Dines, 020 7226 7012; alisondines@clara. co.uk.
KENSINGTON & CHELSEA www.kc-cyclists.org.uk We hope to build on the very positive things that have happened this year in Kensington & Chelsea such as the cycle forum, whatever the outcome of recent elections. But there's always lots of detail to keep up with and issues to keep an eye on and that's were you can be the 'eyes and ears' of cyclists in the Royal Borough. Come to our meetings, join our rides, and subscribe to our email group! ➤ Bike Week is 19-27 June, so look out for rides and other events on our website. ➤ We continue to alternate our meetings with Westminster LCC so check their website too. MEETING: Monday 5 July at the Devonshire Arms, 37 Marloes Road, London W8. CONTACT: Philip Loy, 07960 026450; philip_loy@yahoo.co.uk
KINGSTON www.kingstoncycling.org.uk We’ve taken part in consultations for the Biking Borough report. It should, in essence, provide a reference list of issues that need to be addressed out on the streets and document what is currently happening and should happen to promote cycling as a means of transport. You’ll be able to find a link to it from our website. ➤ TfL has decided that the Cycle Superhighway route that would have terminated at the Robin Hood junction won’t be stretching out as far as our borough after all. ➤ A new off-road cycle track to the south of the Fountain roundabout at New Malden is disappointingly tortuous and frustrating. Interestingly, the scheme looked quite reasonable on paper but the way it’s been implemented has been poor. Corrective measures have been discussed with the council. ➤ A new cycle bridge has been installed across the Hogsmill at Sheephouse Way, near Malden Manor, at a cost in excess of £100k. This means that cyclists now don’t have to share the narrow bridge with pedestrians. ➤ What will the local election mean for the excellent contraflow lane at King Charles Road bridge? The neighbourhood
committee meeting on 8 Sept meetings to find out! looks like the one to attend to ➤ One role we hope to have support its retention. recruited for is Bike Week ➤ June 27 sees our celebration Co-ordinator for the events of 10 continuous years of rides during 19-27 June, so look out for rides and other events on our organised by John Dunn and website. Our June Architecture Roger Mace (see rides listing). Ride will be a Bike Week event We hope you’ll be able to join us whilst 'bridges' will be a theme for the ride and picnic. of July. ➤ We want to be able to ➤ Our L Lambeth easily contact our Country Show local membership hip Coun CALL FOR stall about campsta is always S ER TE N U VOL aigns and the t highlight a team We’re currently building would really of o the us p hel can o wh s eer of volunt to s appreciate summer call s, vey carry out phone sur g rounds. isin your help. If calendar, so dra fun or ps sho e bik ail you would like pop p along to If you’re interested, em h matthew@lcc.org.uk wit to be on our see se us in mbership me & e nam r you activists’ mailing Brockwell Park ng Bro number. list to get the on Saturday 17 Sa occasional prompt July and Sunday 18 mpt to sign a petition or or fire fire off a July. need July We always alw lobbying email, please send an volunteers too, so get in touch. email to info@kingstoncycling. ➤ On the campaigning front, we org.uk hope to see a continuation of MEETINGS: 8:30pm on 8 June the cycle-friendly policies and 13 July at the Waggon & whatever the outcome of recent Horses pub, Surbiton Hill Road. elections, but there's always lots CONTACT: Rob James, 020 8546 of detail to keep up with and 8865. issues to keep an eye on. That's where you can be the 'eyes and ears' of Lambeth Cyclists — join our email group, come to our LAMBETH meetings and join our rides. www.lambethcyclists.org.uk MEETINGS: third Tuesday of the month, 15 June and 20 July, By the time you read this a 7.30pm, upstairs at The Priory major political event will have Arms, 83 Lansdowne Way, SW8. taken place — the Lambeth CONTACT: Philip Loy, 020 Cyclists AGM in May! What 8677 8624; lambeth_cyclists@ personalities are now involved? hotmail.com Come along to our friendly
LEWISHAM www.lewishamcyclists.net
MAKING A SPLASH: Kingston members plough along the flooded Thames towpath at Richmond in late March
2010’s the ‘Year of the Bicycle’ says Mayor Boris... well is it? Now that the incomplete LCN+ has gone, boroughs are dropping cycling officers like confetti; Cycle Superhighways are no more than blue paint, worrying as they are using busy TLRN roads with no solutions to the many busy (and narrow) junctions. Cycle Hire is only in the central area — and where are the highway improvements there? Ah but there is the £25k for Biking Boroughs — £25k for more consultants to produce more reports. Lewisham didn't get any allocation. Where will the results be on the ground? Still cycling numbers are growing but are they offering local groups their assistance?
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crumbled away and even the beautiful listed Victorian BARKING & DAGENHAM grandstand is now unusably www.stibasa.org.uk rotten and forlornly locked off. Contact: colin.newman@stibasa.org.uk Grants can't be raised since the CITY CYCLISTS landowner won't grant more www.citycyclists.org.uk than short-term leases. But suddenly that landowner, the CROYDON immensely powerful and www.croydon-lcc.org.uk enigmatic Dulwich Estates, HARINGEY takes on top architects Studio E Contact: R White; robert.hcc@virgin.net to see how to save the place. All HILLINGDON very secretive so far, but this is Contact: Sarah James, 020 8868 2912, the best news there for years. or Steve Ayres, 01895 230 953 ➤ April sees our seven rides for the Southwark Silver Festival, COPY DEADLINE that's aimed at the over 50s, but Aug/Sept issue: Monday 14 June these rides are gentle explores Send your copy and photos to: for all age groups. editorlondoncyclist@yahoo.com ➤ May's election time and the 10-point manifesto agreed by Southwark Cyclists and ➤ We look forward to working Southwark Living Streets has with whatever administration the simple aim of making the good people of Lewisham Southwark the best place to elects — at least Lewisham is one walk and cycle in London. That's of the only five London rightly a huge ambition from authorities to have signed up for perhaps the best alliance of the DfT's Cycle to Work walkers and cyclists in the UK. guarantee so some chink of light there. We ask for anyone who ➤ May also starts our Rides on can offer to assist Lewisham Prescription, in partnership with Cyclists take the message Surrey Docks Health Centre. It forward to get in touch. should also see real progress MEETINGS: see website towards Burgess Park Bike CONTACT: Roger Stocker, Heaven, a new social enterprise contact through website. we're setting up at Burgess Park Bike Track to provide everything biked in mid-Southwark. Timing's perfect as big money SOUTHWARK is getting spent both on Burgess www.southwarkcyclists.org.uk Park itself and on rebuilding the Aylesbury estate. At the west Herne Hill Velodrome is the last end of Burgess Park is the working vestige of the 1948 two-year-old, £1m tennis centre, London Olympics. It's very well at the east end is the four-yearused not only by trackies but lots old, £3m football centre; Burgess of other cyclists too, there's a Park Bike Track is right in the great off-road loop and youth middle and was built with a wing as well. Many of Britain's £10,000 grant by us five years world-class medal-winning ago and has been grown cyclists have either grown up organically ever since — with there or used the track at some vegetables, chickens and even stage. Yet facilities have bees on the way! ➤ Then it's June and our 15 London Festival of Architecture rides. And VER 24 July is the fabulous CAR AND CYCLE BREAKDOWN CO percent Dunwich Dynamo, the LCC members benefit from a 10 le cyc and r ca eighteenth; be a little l ica eth on discount l nta me afraid and love it. iron Env m fro er cov breakdown own MEETINGS: first akd Bre 9’s 200 – on ati oci Ass Transport Tuesdays for social, ion, dit Company of the Year. And, in ad each 6.30pm at Leon's, for ETA will make a donation to LCC Sumner Street. Second t www.lcc. Wednesdays for policy sold. To find out more visi monthly meeting, org.uk/membership 6.30pm, The link the ow and foll Community Space, ts’. efi ben er to ‘memb Better Bankside,
OTHER GROUP CONTACTS
3 Great Guildford Street/Zoar Street corner, SE1. CONTACT: Barry Mason, 07905 889 005.
TOWER HAMLETS www.towerhamletswheelers.org.uk We've recently received a new bit of cycling infrastructure in Tower Hamlets, which is a contra-flow along Horseferry Road. This saves a bit of pedalling between Narrow Street and Cable Street, and legalises a move that many cyclists were making anyway. So we welcome the initiative, but are puzzled as to why the contraflow is on the right side of the road, when by moving a few parking bays it could be on the more logical left. We're worried about conflicts at the junction to Narrow Street, where motorists will not be expecting cyclists to cut across the road in front of them. ➤ After a slow start because of the unusually wintry winter, our rides programme for 2010 is up and running, and we're pleased to report that we're already reaching record attendances. Our spring weekend in Kent is now fully booked, but please look at our website for our day rides. Most rides start at the Green Bridge, Mile End, but check www.wheelers.org.uk/rides for the start time and full details of where we're going. ➤ We'd also like to mention another group in Tower Hamlets — the Tower Hamlets Cycling Club. Our day rides are generally in the 25-50 mile range, but if you're looking for shorter rides, or maybe rides for those new to cycling or specifically for families, then the THCC could be ideal — you can contact them via towerhamletscyclingclub@ yahoo.co.uk. ➤ We have some changes to our workshop dates — in May, we'll be in a different location (we're not quite sure where yet), so please check the website before coming, and in June, we'll be moving the workshop forwards a week (19 June) to the start of Bike Week. So come and get your bike in good shape for our Bike Week rides. MEETINGS: see website CONTACT: enquiries@tower hamletswheelers.org.uk
WALTHAM FOREST www.wfcycling.org.uk The Good — it seems our efforts publicising rides have paid off. After a slow start on what must have been the wettest and coldest day in 2010, we had two well-attended rides. Look out for future rides, especially in Bike Week. Our meetings are also getting livelier with some new volunteers who give lots of support; many thanks to Simon and Mat. The Bad — Clay Path, an important traffic-free short-cut between Lloyd and Aveling Park is to be closed at night. This would force cyclists and pedestrians to take huge detours either via the busy and fast Forest Road or the convoluted one-way system to the north of Aveling Park. We have objected to the traffic order as we have not been consulted. ➤ Also Waltham Forest seems to go against the grain by actually raising the speed limit. A stretch of Forest Road is to be made 40mph, instead of 30mph. We sent our strongest objection to this traffic order as well. ➤ Rides — 23 May, The Hill, the Palace, its Gardens & the Housing Estate, starting at 9am outside Walthamstow library ➤ Workshops — Low Hall depot, South Access Road, E17 — sale on first Saturday of the month; Recycling Fridays 9am-4pm; Public drop in on second, third and fourth Saturdays of the month, 11am-3pm (£3 donation for tools and support). MEETINGS: every second Wednesday of the month 8pm at the Hornbeam centre, 458 Hoe Street, E17, followed by drinks in the Drum on Lea Bridge Road. Please note that the July meeting is likely to be in the Rose & Crown; we'll notify you nearer the time. CONTACT: wfcycling@wfcycling. org.uk
WANDSWORTH www.wandsworthcyclists.org.uk We’re all hoping that our enthusiastic promotion of our expanded Wandsworth cycling manifesto (submitted in the run-up to the elections to all prospective local councillors and MPs) will bear some fruit. We’ll be following up on any promises
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made to get some sparkly pro-cycling measures in place. ➤ A fair few people are helping with the Wandle Valley Festival on 5-6 June — there’s a familyfriendly bike ride along the river and we’re running a stall. Do come along to help out or to join in the activities. ➤ The same applies to Bike Week: there are to be at least two interesting-sounding rides that week (to the Greenfest at Hammersmith and a ‘Beating the Wandsworth Bounds’). ➤ And we continue to generally hassle Wandsworth Council as best we can, to persuade them to consult us on any cycling plans they have in the borough and provide them with a cyclist’s-eye view of local traffic conditions. MEETINGS: second Tuesdays of the month, from 7pm, Friends Meeting House, 59 Wandsworth High Street (opposite Town Hall), and afterwards at Brewers Inn. CONTACT: Simon Merrett, 020 8789 6639.
WESTMINSTER www.westminstercyclists.org.uk A couple of recent decisions by TfL are likely to improve cycling conditions in Westminster. First of all, the city has been awarded £7m to turn Piccadilly, Pall Mall and St James's Street back to two-way. This is potentially good news: not only are these streets race tracks at present, but they lengthen the journeys of law-abiding cyclists. ➤ We have also heard that Westminster is receiving funding to allow two-way cycling along the canalside Delamere Terrace, currently another obstacle for law-abiding cyclists. And British Waterways are receiving funding to improve the path under the railway bridges near Marylebone. ➤ We are pleased also to report that a number of troublesome one-way streets are scheduled for two-way cycling as complementary measures to the Cycle Hire scheme. One day we might be able to cycle eastbound from the north of Mayfair into Soho... MEETING: Thursday 10 June at 7pm, near the bandstand, Serpentine Road, Hyde Park. CONTACT: Colin Wing, 020 7828 1500; cyclist@westminster cyclists.org.uk
RIDES & EVENTS
For the latest details on cycle rides: www.lcc.org.uk/rides
JOIN A RIDE: like the Big Bike Ride in Enfield
Saturday 22 May ➤ Maintenance course: 10am to 4pm, Swiss Cottage, NW8. Free. Contact: richard. riddle@camden.gov.uk Saturday 22 May ➤ North Downs: 9am, John Ball Primary School. Tough ride, age guide 12+. Contact: Tom Crispin (020 8318 1004); tom@britsc.com Sunday 23 May ➤ Bread Pudding Ride: 10.30am, Kingston Market Place. Contact: John Dunn (020 8397 1875); johnedunn@blueyonder. co.uk Sunday 23 May ➤ Oxleas Wood: 2pm, John Ball Primary School. For budding mountain bikers, age guide 8+. Contact: Tom Crispin (020 8318 1004); tom@britsc.com Tuesday 25 May ➤ Lazy London Marathon: 9am, Walthamstow Central library. Easy-paced along quiet routes and towpaths. Contact: Gerhard (7894 035 571); gegiweiss@ googlemail.com Wednesday 26 May ➤ Midweek Ride: 7.30pm, Kingston Market Place. Contact: John Dunn (020 8397 1875); johnedunn@blueyonder.co.uk Wednesday 26 May ➤ Rides Planning Meeting: 6:30pm, Dog & Bell, Deptford. Monthly meeting for Bromley, Greenwich, Lewisham and Southwark cyclists to discuss ride planning. Contact: Andrew Fergar (07717 693701); andrew.fergar@cliffordchance.com Saturday 29 May ➤ Newham and 2012 Ride: 10.30am, Stratford station. Almost entirely off-road. Contact: Bernard McDonnell (07947 236965 ); adavil@ntlworld.com Tuesday 1 June ➤ Hackney Cycle Workshop: 7pm, The Kings Centre, Frampton Park Baptist Church, Frampton Park Road, E9 7PQ. Contact: Adam Thomson (07940 121513); hackneybikeworkshop@googlemail.com
Sunday 6 June ➤ Bread Pudding Ride: 10.30am, Kingston Market Place. Contact: John Dunn (020 8397 1875); johnedunn@blueyonder. co.uk Sunday 6 June ➤ Cycle a Mile: 2pm, Norman Park (end nearest Bromley Common). First Sunday of the month for new riders; add a mile per month. Contact: Spencer Harradine (07958 693518); spencer@bromley cyclists.org Saturday 12 June ➤ Newham and 2012 Ride: 10.30am, Stratford station. Almost entirely off-road. Contact: Bernard McDonnell (07947 236965 ); adavil@ntlworld.com Saturday 12 June ➤ Open Gardens Weekend Ride 1: 10am, Kensington Gardens Broad Walk (outside café). First of two weekend guided rides to discover some of London's 170+ secret gardens; £9 weekend ticket. Contact: Rupert Gardner (020 7629 0159); rupertgardner@aol.com Sunday 13 June ➤ Open Gardens Weekend Ride 2: 10am, Covent Garden Piazza, west end. See above. Contact: Colin Wing (020 7828 1500); colin.wing@care4free.net Tuesday 15 June ➤ Hackney Cycle Workshop: 7pm, The Kings Centre, Frampton Park Baptist Church, Frampton Park Road, E9 7PQ. Contact: Adam Thomson (07940 121513). Friday 18 June ➤ Cyclist Tea: 5-7pm, Waterside Close, Coppermill Lane, E17. Regular Bike Week opener. Contact: Gerhard (7894 035 571); gegiweiss@googlemail.com Saturday 19 June ➤ Bromley Bike Blast: 12.30pm, Norman Park, Bromley. All day festival of cycling. Contact: Spencer (07958 693518); spencer@bromleycyclists.org Saturday 19 June ➤ Maintenance course: 10am to 4pm, Swiss Cottage, NW8. Free. Contact: richard. riddle@camden.gov.uk
Saturday 19 June ➤ Lea Valley Tour: 10am, John Ball Primary School. Two-day cycle tour to the Lea Valley Youth Hostel. Limited places; £25 under 18s, £35 over 18s half-board. Contact: Tom Crispin (020 8318 1004); tom@britsc.com Sunday 20 June ➤ Le Tour de Waltham Forest: 10am, Walthamstow town square. Annual cycling extravaganza at the beginning of Bike Week. Contact: Gerhard (7894 035 571); gegiweiss@googlemail.com Wednesday 23 June ➤ Midweek Ride: 7.30pm, Kingston Market Place. Contact: John Dunn (020 8397 1875); johnedunn@blueyonder.co.uk Sunday 27 June ➤ Bread Pudding Ride Summer Special Part 1 & 2: 10.30am or 2pm, Kingston Market Place. Choice of easypaced loops to celebrate 10 years of the Bread Pudding Rides, cake guaranteed. Contact: John Dunn (020 8397 1875); johnedunn@blueyonder.co.uk Wednesday 30 June ➤ Rides Planning Meeting: 6:30pm, Dog & Bell, Deptford. Monthly meeting for Bromley, Greenwich, Lewisham and Southwark cyclists to discuss ride planning. Contact: Andrew Fergar (07717 693701); andrew.fergar@cliffordchance.com Saturday 3 July ➤ Tilbury Ferry: 10am, John Ball Primary School. Suitable for families and young people, age guide 10+. Contact: Tom Crispin (020 8318 1004); tom@britsc.com Sunday 4 July ➤ Locks, Docks & One Smoking Ferry: 11am, John Ball Primary School. Classic Thames loop, age guide 8+. Contact: Tom Crispin (020 8318 1004); tom@britsc.com Saturday 10 July ➤ Newham and 2012 Ride: 10.30am, Stratford station. Almost entirely off-road. Contact: Bernard McDonnell (07947 236965 ); adavil@ntlworld.com
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VOX POPS
London cyclists
Portraits from April's Tweed Run, taken on an antique field camera www.danielbosworth.com
Name Tim Dawson Age 51 Bike 1905 Chater-Lea Path Racer What did you most enjoy about the Tweed Run? The delighted look on the faces of the public in central London on seeing 400 sartorial cyclists meandering through the streets.
Name Martin Young Age 40 Bike Triumph What did you most enjoy about the Tweed Run? I've come down from Leeds and don't usually get out on a bike much, so to ride past so many great landmarks was brilliant. And the dressing up, of course!
Name Kirsty Ennew Age 26 Bike Royal Enfield Winchester What did you most enjoy about the Tweed Run? The atmosphere, people cheering us on as we passed. Everyone was really supportive and I rode places I might not normally manage.
Name Jon Fowler Age 33 Bike Pashley Sovereign Roadster What did you most enjoy about the Tweed Run? Seeing so many elegantly dressed people and the amazing range of vintage bikes.
58 London Cyclist June-July 2010
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