WINTER 2019
CLIMATE CRISIS
LCC’S NEW CAMPAIGN THE REALITY OF CLIMATE SCIENCE MICRO- MOBILITY HEALTHY STREETS
E-BIKES & E-SCOOTERS LIGHTS REVIEWED WINTERISE YOUR BIKE URBAN HILL CLIMB
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MAGAZINE OF
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News | Features | Travel & Rides | How To | Bikes & Reviews FEATURE > 17
RIDES 47
GUIDES RIDE GUIDE
Jane Davis of Lewisham Cyclists guides us on a peaceful ride around Kent’s country lanes
L
EWISHAM Cyclists regularly make use of good rail links out to Kent for rides and this one is both beautiful and, unusually for Kent, pretty flat. If the group’s feeling energetic, there’s a 60-mile loop from Paddock Wood, but shorter versions are available by finishing the ride at a station two or three stops down the line for the return. There’s several lovely sights en route, a couple entailing a short detour from main route; do this ride on a sunny day in Spring and
KENT’S
QUIET LANES the smell of apple blossom is everywhere. This is the 36-mile version and ends at Headcorn station, which has you back in south-east London in an hour. Nearly the whole route is on quiet country lanes crossing the the River Beult floodplain, apart from a couple of short sections. It’s fine for road bikes, though the old lanes can be rough in places and you may encounter a few potholes. But it’s worth it for the peace and quiet, and far less of a problem than the busy traffic on Kent’s A-roads.
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1 START: YALDING PADDOCK WOOD 10km
LINTON HILL 17.5km
FRITTENDEN BIDDENDEN ASHFORD RD 46.5km 40km 34km
FINISH: HEADCORN
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LONDON CYCLIST Winter 2019 47
HOW TO
WINTERISE YOUR BIKE
Keep riding this winter with six top tips from top bike fixer Jenni Gwiazdowski
Jenni Gwiazdowski Founder of London Bike Kitchen and book author
The leaves are falling and the temperatures dropping, but that’s no reason to stop riding your bike! Winterising your bike — which may sound like a whole, complicated thing — is actually as simple as making a few tweaks and changes to your current set-up to ensure you’re riding comfortably throughout the darkest, wettest months.
1: FIT SOME MUDGUARDS A good set of mudguards mounts on your frame and not only protects your bike fork. Otherwise we can frame and your butt, but recommend SKS Raceblades stops you spraying fellow which work with most cyclists in the face! Full-wrap frames or RideGuard’s 100% guards provide the best recycled plastic guards that coverage but require suitable you simply zip-tie on.
3: WASH OFF GRIT AND SALT Salt is your bike’s enemy. It If your bike has rim brakes will kickstart corrosion, as you should wipe down your well as rust components. wheel rims with a damp Throughout the winter you rag to keep on top of any should gently rinse the grime budding corrosion. Disc brake off your bike once every two rotors can also be cleaned to or three weeks if you can. improve performance.
2: SWAP DRY LUBE FOR WET Wet lubes are meant for apply a wet lube, one drop wet weather; they are more on each link, remembering to viscous and won’t wash off wipe off any excess after — straight away in rain/snow. less is more! Biodegradeable They also protect the chain lubes from Green Oil, Pedros against corrosion and rust. and Fenwicks are among the After cleaning your chain, ‘greenest’ options.
4: CHANGE YOUR BRAKE PADS Change your rim brake pads and make your brakes more to the more grippy red reliable. Likewise disc brakes compound. While these will benefit from the ‘organic’ red pads will wear down compound pads instead of faster (they’re made from a sintered ones as they’re more softer compound), they will grippy (though they do wear improve braking in the wet much quicker).
LIGHTS 54
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REVIEWS
FRONT LIGHTS
With so many options now available, we look at four front lights that aren’t only suitable for commuting but also for longer tours and adventures... BLACKBURN Dayblazer 400
n £79 n Weight: 120g n Run Time: 3-16hr n Charge Time: 6hr
n £34.99 n Weight: 60g n Run Time: 1-10hr n Charge Time: 3hr
The Rando 500 is billed as the latest in L&M’s ‘Urban’ line-up, though we’ve found it more than useful on our main adventure/ gravel bike too. The reason? Unlike the other lights in the range, this one can trickle-charge while in use if you’re running a dynamo set-up (we use a Cinq5 USB Plug on top of the headset). Custom firmware lets the light charge while powered and self-regulates to the ideal power setting — it’s very neat and a smart solution for tourers and long-distance cyclists, as well as commuters. Other than that the unit is the same as we’ve seen previously: tough, waterproof casing; bar, helmet and GoPro-compatible mounts; tight, smooth central beam; and that orange side light. It’s a thumbs-up upgrade.
Last winter we reviewed the Dayblazer’s bigger, bulkier, 800-lumen stablemate and, while performance was generally impressive, our main gripe was the minimal side visibility. This year we’re glad to say Blackburn’s taken note and gone to town on the body design as this revised, featherweight light now sports a huge front cutaway section that means you can be seen a few dozen metres away. Run times were consistent, but we needed a daily top-up charge for regular commutes. The beam has a fairly narrow focus but it’s fine for city use, however we avoided the ‘strobe’ mode completely as it distracted us and annoyed our fellow cyclists. More fragile than the others tested here, it still offers good bang for your buck.
REVIEWS: JK, Jon Collard
zyrofisher.co.uk
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FEATURE > 22
Our new ‘scorecard’ charts each borough’s Healthy Streets progress
INTERVIEW > 26
Brompton MD, Will Butler-Adams, talks about its new Campaign for Movement
Our overarching goal is more universal — a safer, greener, fairer, healthier, happier society ASHOK SINHA, OPINION, PAGE 9
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FEATURE >30
LIGHT & MOTION Rando 500 freewheel.co.uk
The science and dangers of the global climate emergency explained
FACT FILE START: Paddock Wood station FINISH: Headcorn station DISTANCE: 36 miles/58km TIME: 3 hours riding time. Up to 5-6 hours if you take detours and visit places. GRADIENT: Mostly flat. About 300m or so of ascent and descent. SUITABLE FOR: hybrids, road or gravel bikes. Some rough patches and potholes on the country lanes so care’s needed there. And always remember to carry basic tools, including a mini-pump and spare inner tubes, and know how to use them!
KENT’S QUIET LANES
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How e-bikes, e-scooters and other tech are central to future micromobility in our cities
Road deaths are not natural; they’re not ‘one of those things’ CARLTON REID, OPINION, PAGE 10 LONDON CYCLIST Winter 2019 3
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CONTENTS | WINTER 2019
Cover image: Urban Hill Climb 2019, Swain’s Lane (by Sam Holden) EDITORIAL
Stepping it up a few gears W
HAT AN incredible couple of months it’s been for climate campaigning, with many millions of people joining the mass protests, both here in the UK and around the globe. Young and old, all social demographics, it’s been inspiring to witness and be a part of. And, as you’ll read in this issue, it’s at the core of LCC’s next big push as we move towards 2020’s Mayoral elections. In these pages the LCC team sets out the case for action on climate change and how you can get involved. Professor Joanna Haigh from Imperial College explains the science and dangers of the climate emergency, while Pearl Ahrens and Megan Sharkey consider the rise in e-bikes, e-scooters and new tech as part of the ‘micro-mobility’ mix that will both decarbonise and keep our cities moving. We also speak to Brompton’s MD about its own ‘Campaign for Movement’. Of course it wouldn’t be a proper Winter edition without us also reviewing dozens of new bike lights — in fact there’s been so much innovation this year that we’ll be looking at ‘smart’ lights separately in the following mag. Plus we’ve got tips on how to ‘winterise’ your bike, ride guides and lots more. My personal top tips for winter cycling? Waterproof socks and clear lens glasses. You can thank me later. Happy riding! John Kitchiner Editor
LCC MEMBERS’ LEGAL HELPLINE
LONDON CYCLIST Unit 201 Metropolitan Wharf, 70 Wapping Wall, London E1W 3SS n 020 7234 9310 n lcc.org.uk
EDITORIAL
Editor: John Kitchiner (londoncyclist@lcc.org.uk) Design: Anita Razak Contributors: Fran Graham, Simon Munk, Tom Bogdanowicz, Rob Eves, Sarah Flynn, Ashok Sinha, Carlton Reid, Joanna Haigh
ADVERTISING
Allie Gill, 01306 621147 allie@lcc.org.uk
SOCIAL MEDIA
TWITTER: @london_cycling FACEBOOK: @LondonCyclingCampaign INSTAGRAM: @london_cycling 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 published by LCC. OUR AIMS: lcc.org.uk/strategy MEMBERSHIP: lcc.org.uk/membership TO DONATE: lcc.org.uk/donate LCC is a charitable limited company, reg no 1766411; charity no 1115789 London Cyclist is printed by Buxton Press on FSC carbon-balanced paper from responsible sources.
Osbornes Solicitors is the official legal partner of LCC, providing members with exclusive access to a legal helpline. If you’re involved in a collision or have a cycling-related legal issue, phone the Cycling Team at Osbornes for advice on 020 7681 8672. CBP0007421307115017
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Winter 2019
LORRY SAFETY WEBSITE LAUNCHED
New website aimed at reducing road danger offers videos, tips and tailored training advice for drivers and cyclists
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CC’S BRAND new lorry safety website (lcc.org.uk/lorrysafety) has just gone live and features useful videos, tips on reducing road danger, and the latest information on safer lorry design and tailored training for drivers and riders. LCC is launching the site as part of its commitment to reduce road danger — with support from Mobileye, an Intel company and global leader in collision avoidance technology for cars, lorries, buses and autonomous vehicle technology, and McGee, a specialist contractor who considers its first priority to be safety. Videos on the site illustrate the challenges of interacting in dense road environments. Detailed guidance on the cyclist’s best strategy when close to a lorry are addressed, and drivers are informed why, for example, a rider might ride in the centre of a traffic lane when approaching a side street.
Direct Vision standard LCC has campaigned actively for lorry designs that eliminate the so-called ‘blind spots’ on conventional lorries that lead to collisions. TfL has now formally mandated that all HGVs entering or working in London from October 2020 must either be rated ‘one star’ or above for Direct Vision, or have specified mitigation measures (including camera and alert systems) installed. TfL started issuing permits in October 2019. Vehicles without a permit after 26 October 2020 will face a £550 fine.
SAFETY TECH: Mobileye helps make drivers aware of cyclists near their vehicle
Vision Zero LCC wants the number of fatal and serious collisions involving lorries to be zero. Lorries are involved in approximately 50% of cyclist deaths and 20% of pedestrian deaths in London despite accounting for only 4% of the miles driven in the capital.
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NEWS
FIND YOUR CYCLING CHALLENGE IN 2020 2019 HAS been a busy one for Team LCC and it has seen our riders tackling the famed climb of Ditchling Beacon as part of the classic London to Brighton event, as well as enjoying a frites-filled cross-country cycle from London to Amsterdam. These were two of the highlights of a packed calendar and we’re already looking ahead to plenty of exciting challenge events for 2020 — not just cycling ones either! From a day in the saddle on the RideLondon circuit to a riverside run with the Vitality Big Half, we’ll support you every step of the way. As well as guaranteeing your entry, you’ll receive an official Team LCC jersey or t-shirt, as well as tailored advice for your chosen challenge and our comprehensive fundraising guide. Every penny you raise supports our vital campaigning work, so why not join Team LCC and set yourself a new cycling (or fitness) goal at the same time? Visit our challenge events page at: lcc.org.uk.
THE FACTS:
London’s Healthy Streets programme
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LCC HANDS IN LATEST PETITION ON DANGEROUS JUNCTIONS
%
Mayor’s % target for ‘sustainable transport’ trips by 2041
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% of trips made by ‘sustainable modes’ in Hillingdon (the lowest)
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% of trips made by ‘sustainable modes’ in Hackney (the highest)
7 2 %
% of people walking or cycling 5x per week in Dagenham & Redbridge
LCC STAFF were joined by London Assembly Transport Committee members to pass our dangerous junction petition — signed by 3,000 of you — to the Mayor of London, outside City Hall on 17 October. Transport Committee Chair Florence Eshalomi, Deputy Chair Caroline Pidgeon MBE, Caroline Russell and Keith Prince accepted the petition, representing the main political parties in London. Later the same morning, Caroline Pidgeon pressed the Mayor on his Safer Junctions programme during Mayor’s Question Time. The Mayor pledged to eliminate serious and fatal collisions from London’s roads in just over 20 years (‘Vision Zero’). But he also revealed a horrifying 103 people have died on London’s roads since 1 January, most at junctions. And of 31 completed Safer Junctions, these were seeing an average of 30% cuts in collisions. Our response, and that of Caroline Pidgeon in the meeting, was that retaining nearly 70% of collisions wasn’t good enough.
JOIN THE STAFF TEAM AT LCC COME AND work for LCC at our friendly riverside office in Wapping. We’re currently recruiting for the following positions in our Marketing and Membership team: n Membership Retention Telemarketer n Challenge Events officer Both positions play a key role in generating income for our campaigns. So, if you would like to play a part in helping us make London a truly great cycling city, please apply today. You’ll be working with a great team of passionate cyclists, and the occasional friendly dog. For full job descriptions and to apply visit lcc.org.uk/current-vacancies. LONDON CYCLIST Winter 2019 7
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OPINION
The right climate Ashok Sinha explains why LCC’s new campaign is so critical and why it needs members’ ongoing support
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WENTY YEARS ago, Professor Joanna Haigh and I were in the same climate change research group. I’m thrilled that Jo, recently retired, has given some of her time to bring London Cyclist readers up to speed on the science and threats of human-driven climate change in these pages. It’s not the kind of stuff that members of a cycling charity are used to seeing. But, in the context of LCC’s next mayoral election campaign calling for decarbonisation of London’s roads by 2030, it’s a timely and essential reminder of what humanity is causing and facing. It’s enough to make Jo scared. In my role as Chair of the London Sustainable Development Commission I still bump into other climate scientists from time to time; let me tell you, they are scared too. Members have been asking me what this has to do with cycling? Surely the heartbeat of LCC’s work is to proselytise and mobilise for action to create Dutch-style conditions for cycling — so why a climate change campaign? My colleague Fran Graham laid out the logic in the last issue, but it bears repeating: London must decarbonise, transport is one of the most challenging sectors in which
to do so, it’s the sector where our politicians have the greatest control, and switching personal journeys on a massive scale (to cycling, e-bikes, and potentially new tech), will be fundamental to the transport revolution that London must embark upon. Or, as the LCC bike plates that many members’ cycles are sporting say, ‘Action on Cycling = Action on Climate’. To which I would add, action on climate necessitates action on cycling.
Extending our message Still, I accept that this segue may be hard to effect. When it comes to campaign communications, less is more, and simplicity is all. That’s why the crystalline messaging of LCC’s Love London, Go Dutch and Space for Cycling campaigns hit home. But we can achieve this again: people have already become used to LCC extending our message beyond dangers to cycling to the chronic afflictions of air pollution and sedentariness; the climate
“Our overarching goal is a safer, greener, healthier, happier society”
Ashok Sinha Chief Executive of London Cycling Campaign
emergency simply gives us the greatest of all cases for accelerated and widened action to promote cycling. The good news is that LCC activists are already successfully taking that message out into the community, capitalising on the climate emergencies so many boroughs have declared. Ultimately, our organisation is built on a moral purpose — social and environmental justice. It’s what distinguishes us from other cycling bodies whose main purpose is to be a cyclists’ union. We are that too, but our overarching goal is more universal — a safer, greener, fairer, healthier, happier society. In any case, no organisation has an opt-out when it comes to the climate emergency, certainly not LCC. That’s why LCC is now officially in the front line. But we will only succeed if members get behind our — your — climate campaign. By the time the next edition of London Cyclist lands with you, the campaign will be in full flow. Please make sure you are signed up to our e-news, following us on social media or getting involved in your local group. Start making the links at community, workplace or social level. Be ready. We will need you. And thank you in advance for everything I know you will do.
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OPINION
Call it correctly Precise use of language can help re-frame issues around road safety says Carlton Reid
I
’M NOT saying I’m desperate, but over the last few months I’ve tweeted to some celebs with huge follower numbers, and, among the replies, there are three I’d like to share with you. Little Britain’s Matt Lucas ‘liked’ that I put him in touch with today’s owner of a 1970s folding bike brand. Historian Dan Snow joked that I was a “genius” for knowing which great Victorian engineer had developed a long glass tube to straighten cucumbers. And American reporter Daniel Dale (who has the Herculean job of fact-checking Donald Trump’s statements for CNN) agreed with my gripe that the US president should not have described a high-profile recent road death as an “accident”. Harry Bickerton created the folding bike brand in 1971 (recently resurrected by his son, Mark). The cucumber cloche was the bright idea of railway innovator George Stephenson. And Trump’s “accident” comment referred to the death of young motorcyclist Harry Dunn, killed in August by a CIA operative’s wife driving on the wrong side of the road outside RAF Croughton in Northamptonshire. And it’s the latter I’m going to focus on here: that much-abused ‘A’-word. I’m sure its use bugs you as much as it bugs me. It’s crash, not accident.
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Calling a crash an accident suggests that it was a fluke, that it couldn’t be helped, natural almost. Road deaths are not natural; they are not ‘one of those things’. They are preventable, and one way of framing the issue is through the precise use of language. British police forces have long been aware of this framing and, generally, road crashes are no longer described as RTAs but as RTIs, Road Traffic Incidents. Incident is a neutral word, accident is not — causation matters.
Framing the issue Similarly, cycle advocates get aerated on social media by the sloppy use of the word ‘car’ rather than ‘motorist’ in reports about crashes. It’s common to read and hear about motor vehicles being involved in all sorts of incidents — “car ploughs into pedestrians” — ignoring the fact there were humans in control of those vehicles. With dark humour, cycle advocates complain about the
“Road deaths are not natural... one way of framing the issue is by precise use of language”
Carlton Reid Transport Journalist of the Year (Specialist Media) 2018
epidemic of deaths and manglings reportedly carried out by these ‘driverless’ cars. When journalists use ‘car’ instead of ‘motorist’, this removes the agency, absolves those at fault. I’ve frequently called out the lack of agency in news reports about road crashes, but there’s something else also at fault. Yes, killer motorists have usually made wrong choices, but most were guided to do so by poor road designs and lax laws. We have a systemic problem, not merely one of individuals making bad choices. And systems are shaped by language. In theory, the advent of real driverless cars should be welcomed by cyclists and pedestrians. Computer algorithms will remove the most dangerous part of the car — the lump behind the steering wheel — but the future is currently being written to favour motoring over other modes. Driverless cars could be programmed to be aggressive, break speed limits, and otherwise ‘smooth the traffic flow’ by means that will doubtless disenfranchise the non-motorised. It’s a long shot and only one tactic among many, but one way to redirect this possible dystopia is to be ever vigilant over the use of certain words, calling out loaded language whenever encountered because language shapes the future.
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CAMPAIGN
THE ALARM BELLS ARE
RINGING Fran Graham investigates the growing number of districts declaring a climate emergency – what it means, why it’s important and what happens next
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T exactly 1pm on Friday 20 September, the hundred thousand people standing in and near Parliament Square were deafened by bells. Thousands of them. Bicycle bells, alarm clocks, phone alarms, all ringing out together. The noise was intended to be a
wake-up call for politicians, and the sound was replicated by tens of thousands more in cities and towns across the country. All in all, it’s estimated that more than four million people joined the Global Climate Strike. The call from each demonstration was the same — we are facing a climate emergency, and we need urgent action from all political
leaders to advert this crisis. And there is evidence that the call is being heard. In response to the energised, passionate and expanding climate movement, hundreds of motions declaring a climate emergency have been passed by councils, mayors and even national government — a climate emergency declaration was even
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CAMPAIGN
1. A target for zero carbon Most declarations pick a date by which they will aim to be ‘net zero carbon’ or ‘carbon neutral’, with no net carbon emissions released into the atmosphere (this can include releasing emissions and offsetting them). Bristol City Council, the first UK council to declare a climate emergency, has pledged that the city will be net zero carbon by 2030. The UK Government is aiming for net zero carbon by 2050, as is the Mayor of London. Most current climate emergency declarations fall into this time frame (2030 to 2050), but even the bodies aiming for a 2050 deadline will have to start making meaningful steps towards this now.
one of the last actions of Theresa May’s administration. But here’s the rub — no-one has yet pinned down how they will match their declarations by effective action. One thing is clear though, when it comes to transport emissions, a mass shift to cycling will have to be part of the solution.
WHY DOES IT MATTER?
SO WHAT EXACTLY IS A CLIMATE EMERGENCY DECLARATION? There is no unified definition. They all vary, but the common themes tend to be:
3. A plan to engage with the community about it Most often this will be achieved through a citizen’s assembly — a randomly selected group of people who will learn about the issue, then debate, discuss and propose solutions to the climate crisis. This is an important, but often missed step. By talking through the complex range of solutions with an assembly, politicians can see which ideas might gain broad common support, and can demonstrate the public appetite for solutions that many politicians would shy away from putting forward.
Photos: Max Turner
The science is abundantly clear. The next decade is going to be crucial to preventing the most dangerous and damaging impacts of the climate emergency. The landmark report from last November’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (a gathering of the world’s top climate scientists) told us that if we keep emitting carbon at the same rate over the next ten years, we will have committed ourselves to a world that exceeds 1.5 degrees of warming. The goal that many governments and organisations are working
towards now is to stay below that 1.5 degrees of warming. Surpassing it will bring even more frequent extreme weather events and sea level rise which will disrupt food production and displace millions of people. With the scale of change needed to avoid the worst impacts growing bigger with each year of inaction, it’s not surprising that everyone is describing the situation as an emergency. So by declaring a climate emergency, the government and local councils can acknowledge that they are taking things seriously. That they recognise they need to take action, and this action has to be proportionate to the crisis we’re facing.
2. A plan to set a plan With a target set, they need to work out how they are going to achieve it. Depending on the size the declaration covers (town/city/ country) and the power available to the politicians (councillor/mayor/ member of parliament), this plan will have to be tailored. Many declarations set a date for when they intend to publish their plan.
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CAMPAIGN
WHAT HAPPENS AFTER? Some have cracked right on with building those plans for reaching their target for net zero. Camden has held citizens’ assemblies: over the course of three meetings in July, residents and businesses put forward recommendations for cutting carbon emissions, which included cycle lanes and car-free zones. These will be fed into the climate plan due in 2020. The UK government has also announced it will be holding citizen’s assemblies to work out how it will reach its 2050 target. One of the significant values of the declarations is that they can force councils to see all their projects and programmes through a climate emergency lens. For example, Rokhsana Fiaz, Mayor of Newham, has cited Newham’s recent climate emergency declaration as a key reason for opposing the expansion of London City Airport. Declarations can also be used to hold politicians to account. Since Sadiq Khan declared a climate emergency, many people, including LCC, have been saying that this cannot be reconciled with a commitment to the Silvertown Tunnel, which would create an additional motor traffic crossing of the river in east London. For many bodies, however, the
next steps can seem unclear, and this is a massive sticking point. Once they have declared a climate emergency, how do they ensure that these aren’t just fine words?
ACTION SPEAKS LOUDER THAN WORDS The response to the climate emergency will cut across every area of responsibility for councils, mayors and the government. Some will require national level interventions, such as those around food and farming, and energy production, but there are many areas where a mayor or council can play a significant role — such as road transport. Councils and the Mayor have a huge amount of control over London’s roads (councils own 95% of the roads, and the Mayor owns the rest), and road transport is responsible for 20% of all the city’s carbon emissions. It’s also one of the few sectors where emissions aren’t falling; they have actually gone up across Britain, with the increase in fuel efficiency cancelled out by the growing number of miles driven. In London, they have remained static since 2000, an abysmal record when you consider the city has reduced emissions from homes by more than a third over that time. Dramatically cutting car use
is going to be vital to reducing emissions. It’s also perfectly possible. An astounding twothirds of car trips made by London residents could be cycled in less than 20 minutes. Also around six in ten car trips are made alone, without any passengers. That’s an awful lot of journeys made by individuals that could easily be cycled or walked. By building the kind of roads people feel safe and comfortable on, councils and the Mayor can give many more people the choice to leave the car at home and take a carbon-free mode of travel. The Mayor also has the power to introduce smart road user charging (SRUC). A fairer system than the current flat charge rate of the Congestion Charge or ULEZ, it would mean that the most polluting trips would pay the most, generating money to build even more walking and cycling infrastructure, and help to disincentivise exactly the type of trips we need to move away from.
DECARBONISE THE ROAD SYSTEM BY 2030 With the scale of the challenge facing us, LCC is looking towards the Mayoral election in May 2020 where we will be asking candidates to commit to decarbonising the road transport system by 2030. That gives us 10 years to dramatically change how everyone moves about London for the better. Because as well as cutting carbon emissions, it will also cut air pollution, congestion and create a healthier, happier and cleaner city. n Sign-up for campaign updates at lcc.org.uk/climate.
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CAMPAIGN CLIMATE
CLIMATE CHANGE:
THE SCIENCE As LCC prepares for its big climate campaign in the run up to the mayoral elections, Professor Joanna Haigh of Imperial College explains the science and dangers of the climate emergency
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Photo: Steve Parsons/PA
VER THE past 40 years I have been working on various aspects of climate science and have become increasingly alarmed at the now unequivocal evidence of human-induced climate change. It is reassuring that the issue is more in the public eye these days and governments are taking action, but far more needs to be done if we are to avoid seriously dangerous effects. So here I’ll briefly present some of the evidence on recent climate change, its impact, potential future effects and what we might do to minimise the worst aspects. Our studies show the unremitting upward trend in CO2 over the past 60 years. In the early 19th century, before the industrial revolution, its concentration in the atmosphere was about 275ppm (parts per million) since when it has increased by nearly 50%. The last time it was this high was about three million years ago, well before modern humans arrived and when life on Earth was very different. The increase is unambiguously due to human activity, and not to some natural factor, as evidenced by, for example, the corresponding decline in oxygen as it is used up by the combustion of fossil fuels. This increase in CO2 has driven a rise in global temperature at the Earth’s surface. LONDON CYCLIST Winter 2019 17
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Measurements show an overall global warming since the 19th century of over 1ºC. The 20 warmest years on record have all been within the last 22 years. The warming does not increase directly in step with the CO2 rise because other factors, like volcanic eruptions, changes in the Sun’s activity and natural climate variations also play a role, but the overall trend is clear. Surface temperature is only one indicator of climate change though. Global sea level (SL) has been rising fast since the mid-19th century, due to both the thermal expansion of the water and the melting of land-based ice sheets and glaciers. Satellite data shows that the mass of both the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets is decreasing. If all Antarctic ice were to melt SL would rise a huge 61m, and Greenland ice a further 7m. This will not happen soon but we are currently on track for about 1m this century with serious coastal inundation around the world. As the air warms it becomes more moist and over the 20th century heavy rainfall events became more intensive. Cyclone Idai, which hit southern Africa in March 2019, has been described as the worst weather-related disaster to hit the southern hemisphere. Storm-surge floods of up to 6m caused wide devastation with more than 2 million people affected.
Wildfires from Scotland to south England: here at Hythe in Hampshire in July 2018
It is now becoming possible to assess how a particular extreme event was made more likely, or its impacts more severe by the rise in CO2 (accounting for natural and other factors). So, while climate change cannot be unambiguously linked to Idai, with rainfall levels on the increase and storm surges more severe due to rising SL, there is little doubt that such storms will become more dangerous. An increase in average temperature undoubtedly means a rising occurrence of heatwaves too, as in Europe in June/July 2019 during which many temperature records were broken. The heat was accompanied by dramatic ice melt in Greenland, in the Arctic and on European glaciers and unprecedented forest fires in Siberia, Canada, Alaska and Greenland. Since the 1970s, droughts have become longer and more extreme worldwide too, particularly in the tropics and subtropics.
Impacts and adaptation Many climate impacts are experienced most severely in the least developed countries. SL rise, storm surges and coastal flooding cause injury, ill-health and death in low-lying coastal zones and small islands. Coastal livelihoods are impacted by the loss of marine ecosystems, biodiversity, and the goods and services they provide. Many species and systems are subject to very high risks with a warming of 2ÂşC, particularly Arctic sea-ice and coral-reef systems. Inland flooding can also cause severe ill-health and disrupted livelihoods for urban populations. At the other end, extreme drought and insufficient access to water for drinking and irrigation result in reduced agricultural productivity, loss of rural livelihoods and income, particularly for farmers with limited resources in semi-arid regions. Extreme weather events can lead to the breakdown of infrastructure and services such as electricity and water. Heatwaves have severe effects on health, particularly for vulnerable urban populations and those working outdoors. Variability and extremes in warming, drought,
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threshold for dangerous climate impacts, based on a ‘normal range of variation’, but following representations from low-lying island states, the UN climate meeting in Paris 2015 unanimously agreed to aim for a limit of 1.5ºC.
Net Zero Emissions
flooding, and precipitation bring the risk of food insecurity and the breakdown of food systems. Decreases in regional crop yields and water availability are distributed unevenly and projected to become more so for warming above 2ºC. As water and food supplies are challenged the prospect of ‘resource wars’ becomes more of a reality, adding to threats from political conflicts and enhancing migrations; in addition to the millions who will have to move as coastal cities become inundated. A Green Climate Fund, set up by the UN in 2009 aiming for the wealthier countries to raise $100billion per year to assist developing countries with climate change mitigation and adaptation had by 2017 raised a total of only $10billion, and with disagreements on what/ who should qualify for funding and well as on the definition of a donation.
The Future If emissions continue to grow at the current rate climate models predict an increase in global temperature (above pre-industrial) of 3.2-5.4ºC by 2100. Given what we have already seen for a 1ºC increase, this is more than scary. Recognising the severity of human-induced climate change the UN set up the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) as an advisory body in 1988. In 1992 an international treaty, the Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), was agreed to “stabilise greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system”. A global temperature rise of 2ºC above preindustrial was first identified in 1975 as the
Flash flooding: like this in north London (Oct 2018) have become more frequent
To constrain global warming to any particular value will require net emissions to stop by a date which depends on the value of the threshold: the lower the limit the earlier the necessary date of cessation. To avoid crossing 1.5ºC IPCC concluded (2018) that carbon emissions should peak by about 2020 and effectively cease by 2050. The extraordinary achievement of the Paris conference in reaching an agreement on ambitions should not be underestimated, but it is pertinent to ask whether, if all parties fulfilled the pledges made, would the target be met? Some emissions of GHGs may be unavoidable where it proves challenging to find replacements, eg possibly aviation and some industrial processes. In these circumstances any hope of achieving zero net emissions will rely on active removal of GHGs from the atmosphere or ‘negative emissions’. Biologically-based schemes focus on changes in land use and agricultural practices, such as afforestation, development of new crop strains or less soil disturbance, or techniques whereby plant material is buried, taking with it the CO2 it has absorbed during photosynthesis. As well as posing engineering challenges, questions remain about the impact on food security should farmland be converted to production of biofuels. Capture of CO2 from fossil fuel power station flues, or directly from the atmosphere (eg by ‘artificial trees’) has been demonstrated but questions remain about costs, availability of storage locations and effectiveness at scale. Other interventions in the climate system are proposed to reduce or counteract global warming: ‘solar geoengineering’ seeks to compensate the heat trapped in the atmosphere by reducing the amount of solar energy reaching the Earth’s surface. Methods proposed include LONDON CYCLIST Winter 2019 19
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reflecting sunshine back to space by placing giant reflectors in orbit and injecting particles into the stratosphere. These schemes might reduce global warming but would result in a continuing ocean acidification and uncertain changes in weather patterns. Given major concerns with implementation and governance the implementation of solar geoengineering seems ill-advised.
Mitigation options? About one quarter of GHG emissions arise from energy production. Advances in replacing fossil fuels by renewable energy sources such as solar, wind and geothermal are progressing fast. The UK has essentially removed coal from its portfolio and in 2018 renewable energy capacity overtook fossil fuels. This has been enabled by a sharp reduction in costs of renewables. Major energy consumers China and India are also making significant investments in renewables. Decarbonisation of domestic heating will require significant investment in infrastructure, possibly a shift to hydrogen as a fuel. Just equipping homes with effective insulation could cut energy requirements by 50%. Electrification of transport will need advances in storage technology as well, possibly hydrogen fuel cells.
Acting on climate change Decarbonising all sectors of the economy is necessary to avoid the worst impacts, as well as to comply with the UNFCCC agreements, but there are other positive outcomes from action
Water scarcity: already affects 2 billion people around the world
on climate change. Cities around the world acknowledge that by taking climate action they can address challenges such as air pollution and extreme weather events, and save trillions of dollars on energy and health. Reforestation would not only provide CO2-hungry trees it would also help in flood protection, soil stability and biodiversity. The production of meat is more carbon intensive than growing crops. Compared with potatoes, wheat and rice, beef requires 160 times more land and produces 11 times more GHGs. So a reduction of red meat and dairy consumption would help carbon emissions as well as give health advantages. Economic benefits can be derived not only from energy and resource efficiency but also through the development of new infrastructure with green jobs in energy technology, recycling and eco-design.
Personal actions Major reductions in global GHG emissions will only be achieved through significant policy shifts in the major and growing economies, but there is much that the private citizen can contribute. See London Cyclist Autumn 2019 for more details.
Reflection The UK led the world with the Climate Change Act 2008, establishing the independent Climate Change Committee and adopting legally-binding carbon budgets. Its 2019 strengthening of the targets, with an ambition of reaching net-zero emissions by 2050, is also exemplary. But the UK is currently not on track for the 2025 budget, let alone net-zero by 2050. I find myself both optimistic that there is now an international understanding of the reality of human-induced climate change and need for action, and scared that we are not acting fast enough. I just hope that having the UN accept its proposal to host the next big climate conference in Glasgow in 2020, the UK government will establish itself as a leader in establishing practical solutions to the emergency.
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TAKING YOUR BOROUGH’S
TEMPERATURE
Hillingdon
How healthy are the streets in your borough? LCC has been part of a new project to track your council’s Healthy Streets progress. Simon Munk takes London’s pulse…
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CC, WORKING with five other ‘active travel’ campaigns, has spent more than a year producing London’s first ever ‘Healthy Streets borough scorecard’. This tracks eight metrics — divided into four ‘inputs’ that boroughs can do quickly and cheaply, and four ‘outputs’ that show the long-term effect of policies and infrastructure interventions on the borough’s residents — that are all designed to link to TfL and the Mayor’s Healthy Streets approach. All eight metrics relate to active travel and car use, and aim to highlight how boroughs are doing in terms of ensuring their residents are able to walk and cycle, and are using their car less.
Working with Campaign for Better Transport London, CPRE London, London Living Streets, RoadPeace and Sustrans London, with prominent transport academic Dr Rachel Aldred from the University of Westminster providing technical advice, the project assessed a huge range of metrics for inclusion in the final eight the scorecard tracks. These aren’t meant to paint a complete picture of a borough’s Healthy Streets progress, as we simply don’t have access to the data or resources to do that. The aim is to give a flavour of where each borough is doing well and badly on progress, and to give councillors and officers pointers as to things they can do next. Of course, a bit of healthy inter-borough competition
on these issues won’t hurt in embedding the Healthy Streets approach into boroughs either. “People’s access to streets that are safe enough to take the healthy option of cycling has long been a postcode lottery. But our data shows the gulf is widening further between the most progressive boroughs, such as Waltham Forest, the City and Camden, and the rest,” said Dr Ashok Sinha, LCC’s Chief Executive at the launch. “Every London borough should study this scorecard and take action: the best can and should improve further still, and the rest can and should rise to the challenge of guaranteeing their residents cleaner air to breathe and safer streets in which to walk and cycle.”
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Enfield
Barnet Harrow
Haringey
Waltham Forest
Redbridge Havering
Islington Hackney Camden
Brent Hillingdon
City of City Westminster
Ealing
H&F
K&C
Hounslow
Tower Hamlets
Newham
Southwark
Barking and Dagenham
Greenwich Bexley
Lambeth
Richmond upon Thames
Wandsworth
Kington upon Thames
Lewisham
Merton Bromley Sutton
Inputs and outputs
weren’t penalised if they also had less dense road networks to put them on. The four output indicators represent decades of transport policy and action (or inaction) on the part of boroughs. These are: the proportion of walking and cycling (and public transport) trips made by residents; the proportion of residents who walk or cycle five times or more weekly; the proportion of those seriously injured or killed while walking and cycling, by overall journey trip stages of those modes; and the average number of cars per household. These are the long-term results of what happens if you promote healthy streets, or promote widespread and unfettered car use.
Whereas the four input indicators are designed to be things that every council can and should do, even if they don’t have access to specific TfL funding. They are: number of modal filters (stopping motor traffic, but not other modes, driving through) as a proportion of overall borough road length; proportion of borough (not TfL) 20mph roads; proportion of borough (not TfL) roads with controlled parking; length of protected cycle track by proportion of overall road length.
The results The results have been surprising and interesting. And it’s well worth looking up your borough in the scorecard to see where they’re good
Photo: Cyclehoop
The consortium of campaigns decided fairly early on that all metrics we used had to be derived from data sources we could track year after year, which meant they’d be updated annually and they’d be likely to be available to us. All metrics also had to be closely related to the Healthy Streets approach and its ten key indicators, particularly the ones most closely associated with transport such as “people choose to walk, cycle and use public transport”. And all metrics were designed to be ‘normalised’ or ‘rate-based’ so that boroughs with lots of cycling, for instance, would not be penalised if they saw more injuries to those cycling, or that boroughs with fewer modal filters
SCORES ON THE DOORS: our scorecard shows how each borough fares based on eight metrics. The overall colour rates each borough from very good (green) to very poor (red)
Croydon
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and where they’re weak — every borough has some areas it does better and worse on. Fairly obviously, there is a stark difference between inner and outer London boroughs overall. Inner boroughs do far better on stuff like car ownership, parking and residents who walk and cycle. But even there, there’s often outer boroughs beating the worst of inner London, and indeed stark differences between those who did well in some areas and less well in others. Again, this isn’t meant to be a complete record of borough health, and it’s worth looking into your borough in more detail. But, discounting the City (it has too few residents to really be an accurate reflection of its standings), you can say the following: Tower Hamlets, Camden and Hackney do very well; Havering, Redbridge, Bexley, Bromley and Hillingdon do worst. Of these, perhaps only Tower Hamlets, that comes second only to the City, needs some explanation. Much of Tower Hamlets success could be down to low car ownership, a high proportion of cycle tracks and a high proportion of CPZ coverage. However, here’s where the limitations of the data become clear: the former may well be due to poorer borough residents, the tracks are down to TfL (it has not been possible yet to separate cycle tracks for just borough-controlled roads), and in Tower Hamlets, controlled parking is in one zone, so residents can (and do) drive anywhere within the borough to park for free once they have their permit. That said, Tower Hamlets also does well on 20mph coverage.
Next year is when we’ll be able to assess boroughs for the first time on not just their raw figures now, built up over decades (for instance, most of Tower Hamlets’ modal filters are from the 80s or earlier), but what each borough has done in the last 12 months. It may be that Bromley can’t turn around its high car ownership overnight. But if it starts implementing controlled parking near its stations, puts in some modal filters and makes the borough 20mph, it should be able to leap up the annual progress chart.
Coming next
Also of great interest is that two outer London boroughs perform better than several inner London ones. Haringey comes out top out of outer London — doing well on low car ownership, high CPZ and 20mph coverage and therefore active travel mode share. It does, however, do far less well on road danger. Just behind Haringey is Waltham Forest — the miniHolland star also does well on CPZ and 20mph coverage, it does well on walking and cycling mode share, and it does pretty well on modal filters and cycle tracks. Just pretty well on filters and tracks? Waltham Forest’s ongoing progress on walking and cycling schemes, including mini-Holland schemes still in construction and new schemes coming forward on top, means we expect to see a further leap ahead next year.
LCC, along with other partners, has already been visiting boroughs and speaking to officers about their results. Councillors and officers in many boroughs are keen to hear about what they can do better in general and specifically to improve their scores for next year. On top of continuing to liaise with boroughs, we’d recommend you look at scores in your borough and make sure your local group is talking to officers to suggest actions, alongside actions around climate, to prioritise making streets and residents healthier. Our group of organisations also continues to evolve and develop the scorecard, so we may well add more metrics next year, or evolve the ones we have now to give greater detail, where we can. And we’ll then be aiming to publish an update for 2020. We hope a lot of boroughs are putting in work to see their rankings improve. n Find the full scorecard detail for every borough here: lcc.org.uk/ healthy-boroughs-scorecard
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INTERVIEW
WILL BUTLER-ADAMS Famed for its iconic folding bikes, London brand Brompton is now launching a ‘Campaign for Movement’. Rob Eves speaks to the company’s MD Tell us about the Campaign for Movement — what is it and why is Brompton doing it? The Campaign for Movement launched on World Car Free Day on 22 September. It’s our rallying cry that we need to act now in order to make our cities happier, healthier places to live. In order to drive change we need to work together at all levels of society, so Brompton is encouraging individuals to make habit changes, as well as lobbying government and supporting businesses and local communities to get more people cycling, via the Brompton Bike Hire and Brompton for Business schemes. To encourage more people to get on a bike and make a long-term change to their health and the environment, Brompton Bike Hire is giving away 5,000 £1 memberships, each credited with three free hire days — that’s 15,000 free bike hire days, or 40 years’ worth! So LCC members can encourage their friends, families and communities to get into cycling for £1. Download the app, find a bike dock near you and enter the code ‘MoveFree’. All proceeds from these memberships will be donated to charities working towards improving health and creating greener cities. What about on the lobbying front? We’re lobbying the government for a step-change in funding for active travel. By spending £10bn over the next five years, we could transform our major cities and towns to be as cycle and walking-friendly as those in the Netherlands and Denmark. Working with the All Party Parliamentary Cycling
Group, we will continue to put pressure on government and use our voice to highlight the huge imbalance in funding between surface transport (which is the biggest contributor of carbon emissions in the UK) and active travel, as well as the numerous benefits of investing in cycling and walking infrastructure. Where did the Campaign for Movement idea originate? I’ve spent 17 years travelling around the world and have observed that the challenges and frustrations we see in cities across the UK are the same as those in China, France, America, Thailand and elsewhere — this is a global problem. Of course each city and culture has its own particular issues, but these challenges are far more similar than they are different. A solution is not simple, it is multi-faceted — architecture, transport, air quality, schools, education, politics — so to help solve it we all need to work together rather than take it on in isolation. Our campaign is hopefully the beginning of a long journey of collaboration. If it succeeds, how will the streets of our cities be different in 20 years’ time? Cities need to think first about its people, all the people; evolve with that at their heart. If we succeed, the cleanest air will be in our cities (this is where most of us live), the streets should be safe for children to walk or cycle to school, there should be space to relax and have fun, our neighbourhoods should be buzzing with people moving around above ground not squeezed into metal tubes deep underground. And above all we should be happier and healthier. What can we do as individuals to help set our cities on the right trajectory? We need to have the confidence not to follow the crowd, to take time to reflect on how we live our lives and consider if it is what we want. The average distance travelled in a city is less than five miles, that’s just a LONDON CYCLIST Winter 2019 27
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20-minute journey on a bike. In London 4% of people are cyclists, yet 98% know how to ride a bike. The 4% are not elite athletes, they’re normal people, but they’ve taken a step and are usually happier for it. Can cycling really be a panacea for all our urban ills? Cycling is not the solution, it is part of the solution. We need to walk, feel the rain, smell the seasons. We must give back our cities to the people who live there, create space by removing cars that take up precious land, but add no value as they sit dormant on the tarmac. Politicians must lead with ambitious plans to deliver the infrastructure we need to support safe active travel. But the bicycle has a lot to contribute: it is the most efficient mode of transport, it is good for the heart and soul, and you’re burning calories not carbon! Do brands have a responsibility to use their influence for the greater good? We all have a responsibility to contribute to society and the environment as best we can, at home and at work. If companies don’t care, tell untruths and feather their own nest to the detriment of others, then eventually they will be found out and their customers will decide to take their custom to a company they have more respect for. That’s the hope. What will be the hallmarks of successful businesses over the next 20 years? It is the same as it has always been: those that add value to the customer will succeed, it is only that now the customer is more aware of the impact of companies. If the customer knows that the company is damaging the planet or mistreating suppliers, then the product they are being offered doesn’t have the same value and they may decide to buy it from somewhere else.
How do you personally try to reduce your environmental impact or make London a better place? I try to do my bit with recycling, using my bike often, eating less but better quality meat and I have a little electric Nissan car. But as a family we also have an old oil aga at home, we have a larger car for doing longer journeys, and I’m sure there’s many other things that we could improve. We are on a journey where the biggest impact will come if we all take the first step and contribute a little and then we take the next step. But we have to start... If you could send one message to our political leaders what would it be and why? Stop HS2. Invest £10billion of that saving to make all our UK cities cycling friendly, invest £10billion into the NHS, invest £10billion into social care... and save about £55billion. This would deliver much more value to the citizens of the UK and make us a bit healthier and happier.
The bicycle is the most efficient mode of transport, it is good for the heart and soul, and you’re burning calories not carbon!
I believe in the customer. If we care for the customer, their needs and expectations of us, then we will be driven to look after the planet, our staff and do our bit for society.
Photos: Brompton, Michael Chan
What’s of greatest importance — people, planet or profit?
Leading the way: MD Will guides a Brompton ride during a visit to the Far East
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micro-mobility
THE FUTURE? The rise of e-scooters and other emerging tech means the conversation around mobility in our cities is changing, as Pearl Ahrens and Megan Sharkey explain
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N LESS THAN two years, electric scooters have begun to proliferate across the world — we’ve seen them everywhere from European and Stateside cities to smaller towns on our own shores. And these e-scooters have very quickly become part of the much discussed ‘micro-mobility mix’, which includes other emerging technologies such as electric unicycles, Segways and, of course, e-bikes. There is currently no legal, academic or consistent definition of what constitutes micromobility, but the industry roughly defines it as any transportation device that is lightweight and not very fast, which means it also includes autonomous freight-carrying vehicles. Some even define micro-mobility according to trip
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distance, for example less than five miles. While we have restricted our recent LCC Policy Forum review solely to devices with a human rider. But why are we talking about micro-mobility in a cycling magazine when, according to most of the above definitions, it’s not actually ‘cycling’? It’s because in the current moment, micromobility is discussed solely within the domain of technology and markets: it is reduced to e-scooter rental apps, compared to Uber, and tracked according to market forces, while the existing hardware present in cities and the behaviours of riders are ignored. It’s clear that venture capitalists, data and apps are increasingly shaping our cities and transport. A popular tech podcast notes that analysis of micro-mobility is done “using the history of computing as a framework” rather than starting from visions of how we would like our transport systems to work for us. The same is true for personal micro-mobility devices, which are sold in electronics shops like toys or gadgets, rather than as a mode of transport in their own right. Tech is important, however, and these business models are novel and fascinating. But the exclusive technological focus becomes a problem when micro-mobility devices exist in our cities and interact with other traffic. A transport framework is needed to think about
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the purpose of micro-mobility in cities and how cyclists (should and do) fit in. Like any new mode, even if temporary, micro-mobility devices could have a profound effect on the transport network over the next few years. From mode share and active travel, to how we carry freight and deliver food, to who is cycling and how the street space is divvied up, all these impact London every day, so cyclists should be discussing and leading the micromobility conversation. Micro-mobility’s impact on climate change, and the vulnerability of the actual user on the road make it an even more salient mode for cyclists to discuss.
Is micro-mobility ‘active’ travel? Active travel, an extremely useful umbrella term, encompasses cycling, e-biking and walking, along with children’s and adult kick scooters. Its use implicitly emphasises the health benefits of these modes, and clearly differentiates them from motorised modes of travel where the user is mainly static. It’s arguable that some micromobility is active, and some is non-active: e-bikes are certainly active because they do not move without continuous human effort, and e-scooters are an active mode when not using the electric assist.
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The main qualm the cycling community often takes with micro-mobility is that by any standard, it’s not as active as walking, and its use is replacing short walking trips. And the LCC Policy Forum review found that this is true for the most part. Dealing with modal shift first: some manufacturers are touting micro-mobility devices as the solution to ‘the last mile problem’ — the metaphor for the roughly one-mile journey from your house, school or workplace to a public transport stop. Active travel advocates may call this a shrewd attempt to monetise the historically free and healthy last mile solution: walking.
Are walking trips being replaced? An average of e-scooter rental surveys from across the world found that, when asked about their last trip by e-scooter, 36.5% of users would have otherwise walked, and 35.9% would have used a private motor vehicle. This data, however, is skewed towards the USA. When looking at Paris, the data shows a much lower shift from private motor vehicle (8%) and a high shift from public transport (29%). We anticipate the legalisation of e-scooters in entire countries, such as Germany, will provide more in-depth data and understanding of e-scooter mode shift in different scenarios.
Switched on: London businesses are already seeing the benefit of using cargobikes in the city
Aside from activity, the weight and speed of these new devices are significantly less than the private motor vehicles many of them are replacing on the road, which immediately reduces the danger to cyclists. So, in terms of shared interests in safer road space, an increased modal share of micro-mobility users could widen the lobbying power of cyclists. In addition to the wider range of people using cycle lanes for freight (see below), it’s also been suggested that micro-mobility could expand the range of people using cycle lanes and cycle-like devices for everyday travel. The idea that micro-mobility users consist of a different set of people from regular cyclists is supported by e-scooter pilot data, which shows an average mode shift from cycling (in the US) of 8.8%. The Portland Bureau of Transportation reported that “e-scooters attracted new people to active transportation: 74% of local users reported never riding Biketown (Portland’s bikeshare scheme) and 42% never bicycling”.
Different models make a difference It’s been argued that different models of e-scooters may attract users who do not regularly cycle, but do know how to cycle. In San Antonio a fleet of Razor EcoSmart e-scooters which strongly resemble bicycles, with a seat and front basket, has proved so popular precisely because they look like bicycles that they’re now the only type of e-scooter rented out in the city. Perhaps this may encourage these non-regular cyclists to take up more active cycling in the future? This new set of people may also prefer to use micro-mobility devices not for utility trips, but for carrying their children to the park in an e-cargobike, or nipping alongside them on an e-scooter. People who would not think to own a moped, but would rent an e-scooter for a short trip instead of driving. In London, e-scooters are seen as within the purview of commuters, but with the range of micro-mobility devices now being developed this doesn’t have to be the case. A Cycleboom study noted that many people are struck by the “sheer enjoyment and thrill” of riding an e-bike,
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a delight lost in ‘vehicular cycling’ and cycling purely for transport. For e-bikes in particular, the fast acceleration no doubt forms part of this glee, as well as the sustained e-assist which gave older people in one 2019 study the “same amount of exercise but more pleasure”. In only a few years, the cycling community’s opinions on e-bikes have shifted from ‘it’s cheating’ to acceptance. Similarly, by acting like a less orthodox form of cycling, the introduction of well-regulated micro-mobility to London could help broaden the constituency of cyclists into untapped territory.
As well as freight, micro-mobility could expand the range of people using cycle lanes and cycle-like devices for everyday travel wider lanes and turning curves, and better visibility for devices low to the ground. Other interests may collide, as payment per drop means couriers are travelling very fast and being active is not necessarily their main concern. Rather than getting frustrated at the small amount of space we are all currently allocated, we as cycle campaigners should be planning strategies to take advantage of the changing composition of London’s ‘cycling’ constituency, and use the wider base of riders to argue for improved infrastructure.
Micro-mobility for freight In London, the conversation about micromobility in freight isn’t hypothetical, with delivery companies already catching on to the suitability of e-cargobikes for business (see London Cyclist, Summer 2019 issue). The new variation on this idea, though, is the merging of micro-mobility rental and food delivery business models; a delivery company rents a fleet of devices exclusively to its own employees, which passes the costs of use onto the worker. Deliveroo has started doing this in London, by renting out e-mopeds to its workers. In Buenos Aires, parent company MaxiMobility owns both Glovo food delivery business and the Movo public e-scooter rental business, so it’s feasible that Glovo employees will start to use the Movo e-scooters to deliver food. These two examples show a pattern which, if replicated in London over the next few years, would raise questions about who is benefitting financially from public cycle infrastructure. How will this new employment model impact cycle lanes if the number of household deliveries continues to soar? Micro-mobility users on e-bikes, e-cargobikes, e-mopeds and e-scooters would be at work in cycle lanes, and so will have different interests from individual cyclists using cycle lanes to get around in their daily lives. Some interests may align, such as good road surfaces and safe spaces to upskill new riders very quickly, and some may particularly overlap with riders of unorthodox cycles, for instance
What next?
Delivery services: could be increasingly made by e-bikes or e-scooters
LCC’s engagement with micro-mobility is driven by its potential for reducing carbon emissions and air pollution by significantly cutting private motor vehicles on our streets. As a transitional mechanism, careful implementation of micromobility devices (private or rental) could help decarbonise the city and get drivers out of their cars. Will it be, as micro-mobility operators suggest, a ‘gateway to active travel’ though?
BRING· IT
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CAMPAIGN LONDON
ELECTRIC AVENUES As the ‘micro-mobility’ options increase, Tom Bogdanowicz looks at the latest e-bikes and e-scooters for hire across the capital
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IRST CAME shared bikes in docks (aka Santander bikes), then came dockless shared bikes (Mobike is still around and Beryl has just arrived), and now we have dockless e-bikes and e-scooters. In some boroughs, notably Islington which has welcomed all the brightly-coloured e-bikes, they are very visible on local streets. And the most recent additions appear to be popular. At one location on a minor road where e-bikes are routinely deposited by users, we’ve noted that unlike dockless bikes which could stand untouched for a week, the e-bikes seem to get daily use (and the operators speak of four trips per day). Bird, which runs 50 e-scooters on private land (they remain illegal on public land) reported high usage throughout the summer and it says that, worldwide, shared scooter trips are outpacing the growth of dockless bikes. Thus far, London has welcomed four e-thing operators: Bird, Freebike, Jump and Lime. All the operators have learned lessons from the early days of dockless (some councils just confiscated unauthorised bikes) and taken the trouble to agree terms with local authorities and distributed bicycles/e-scooters in accordance with those terms. That means that in some boroughs they are plentiful and in others they are absent.
Ready to roll: use your phone to unlock multiple e-bike options across the capital.
All the operators have the capacity to geo–fence (restrict the travel zone and parking) of their vehicles and do so in accordance with what they have agreed with boroughs: this means that if you ride beyond the designated zone the power will likely cut out (and it’s hard work pedalling a 20kg bike) and, if you park it outside the zone, you will likely be penalised (£5 to £10). All four operators use apps to access the bikes/scooters and electronic payment systems LONDON CYCLIST Winter 2019 35
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or credit cards. So no smartphone means no e-thing. And, as expected, all the operators require you to switch on GPS to keep track of your location and their bike (see their ‘terms’ for what they do with the data). The cost of using an e-bike or e-scooter varies but experience indicates that, on average, a 30-minute e-bike trip will cost about half as much as an Uber for the same journey and about twice the price of a Santander bike (£2 per day if you stick to 30-minute trips). Shared e-bikes are no different to regular e-bikes in terms of exercise — some blogs say that e-bikes burn 20% fewer calories than a regular bike — though their greater weight means more effort if you switch the power off (see Freebike review). No one seems to claim fitness benefits for e-scooters, but it’s suggested they help with balance and are a possible ‘gateway’ to more active lives (see page 30). n The LCC Projects team is doing consultancy work with Lime who provided access to their new e-scooter on private land. The Lime e-bike was hired and paid for, as with the other e-bikes.
FREEBIKE With Freebike it pays to read the fine print: locking and starting is triggered by the brake levers and a perk (for the health minded) is that if you opt for the ‘Freebike’ icon on your phone screen you get 20 free minutes of humanpowered riding. After those 20 minutes it’s 50p every 10 minutes. The more common choice, of course, will be electric power which costs £1 per 10 minutes (no unlocking charge) charged in £1 units (effectively cheaper than rivals on most trips). The bikes themselves feel uncannily like Santander bikes — solid, sturdy and stable. With electric power they give a comfortable ride and the disc brakes offer solid performance. Without electric power we were pleasantly surprised that, despite a lack of gears, we were able to ride uphill without a sweat. What’s different about Freebikes is that while there’s no start-up charge, unless you park them at a designated ‘station’ you’re charged £1 (or £3.50 in the City). The app shows where stations in Islington, Camden and City can be found and how many bikes are ready for hire at each one. The app required the usual card details but
LIME
Photos: Tom Bogdanowicz
Lime has had two years and 100 million-plus e-scooter and e-bike rides to learn from. In London it was the first operator to offer shared e-bikes but, like Bird, it’s ready for a roll out of shared e-scooters (see overleaf) as soon as legislation, which it eagerly awaits, makes this possible. Meanwhile, Lime has rolled out its easily identifiable green e-bikes which, aside from the eponymous colour, look and feel like a traditional Dutch bike (including a basket) until you start pedalling. The scale of Lime’s global operation — they’re present in 100 cities — means its software is as user-friendly as it gets in this sector. We had no trouble registering, unlocking a bike and setting off; locking and 36
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CAMPAIGN LONDON
complained that the internet wasn’t working, even though it was. Also on one of our Freebike trips our phone ran out of battery, which meant that we were unable to lock and ‘return’ the bike. From a later call to customer services we learned that the bike had been deactivated and our (muscle powered) ride was free. n COST: E-power — nothing to unlock and £1 per 10 minutes; muscle power — nothing to unlock and ride for 20 minutes, then 50p for 10 mins. n ZONES: Camden, City of London, Islington.
BIRD
returning, done by pressing down the rear lock lever, was intuitive and straightforward too. A useful function is an indication of the charge level of bikes in your vicinity. The swept-back handlebars provide a comfortable riding position and we found the power supply to be even. However, the brakes were on the spongy side. Along with Freebike, the Lime bike has only one gear so it will not win any hillclimb contests. But unlike Freebike, Lime rejected an attempt to hire a bike with an almost dead phone. Presumably they don’t want ‘couldn’t return the bike’ complaints. n COST: £1 to unlock and 15p per minute. n ZONES: Islington, Hackney, Tower Hamlets, Brent and Croydon
Bird, along with Lime, is one of the big two e-scooter operators and the only one to offer legal access in the UK thanks to a deal with the London Legacy Development Corporation (LLDC) in the Olympic Park, which is private land. On public land e-scooters are illegal at present and Bird geo-fences its scooters to the Olympic Park which means the power cuts out when you stray beyond it (including the pedestrian area around Westfield Stratford). The service in the Park can be restricted on event days and Bird does not distribute e-scooters when the weather is bad. Bird reported that high use (despite a higher price than all the e-bikes) of their 50 scooters in the summer of 2019 effectively paid for their costs and maintenance. Scooters are unlocked via an app and charged at a higher rate than other e-things. We found them stable and reassuringly sturdy, with a reliable brake and one-finger accelerator. Turns required care and when we tried one on grass (not advised) it slithered erratically. The obvious advantage of locating the e-scooters in the Olympic Park is that riding is mostly on very wide paths, legally shared with pedestrians. Their popularity shows how carfree routes can boost both bike and scooter use. n COST: £1 to unlock and 20p per minute. n ZONES: Olympic Park only. LONDON CYCLIST Winter 2019 37
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LONDON
JUMP
There’s an app for that: new ‘hired’ e-bikes are proving more popular than dockless bikes in some areas.
As any web-search will tell you, Jump is part of Uber and, like its larger rivals, it offers e-scooters in places where they’re legal, but in London it’s just e-bikes. The fluorescent red bikes are hard to miss and they appear to be more plentiful in Islington than black cabs. Contrary to expectation we did not find it possible to just hire a bike with an Uber app. Instead we had to register, add card details, etc for a separate Jump e-bike app. But, armed with a smartphone, we were then able to quickly unlock (via QR code) and enjoy a relatively plush ride for a bike with pretty hard tyres. For the fun of it we tried it off-road and had no problems on broken tarmac or hardpacked trails. Unlike its one-geared rivals the Jump has three gears which helps out noticeably on uphills. To our surprise we found that the user who hired the bike could let someone else ride it. Having said that, the hirer’s phone was next to the bike when the bike was locked and returned, so perhaps that is the key requirement. n COST: £1 to start, 5 minutes free then 12p per minute after that. n ZONES: Islington, Camden, Hackney, Tower Hamlets, Kensington & Chelsea.
LIME E-SCOOTERS We had a brief chance to ride the latest Lime e-scooter in a small courtyard. Partly as result of new German safety requirements and partly to improve durability, the new custom-made scooters are both significantly sturdier and safer than earlier off-the-peg models. A step-on back brake works alongside a brake lever and there is a mini-suspension fork holding the largerthan-standard scooter wheels. In our limited try-out the scooter worked smoothly up and down a slope; releasing the power lever led to a quick reduction in speed. It’s too early to talk about durability for this new model, but Lime claims that almost all the parts are recyclable or re-usable. 38
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03/11/2019 20:44
URBAN HILL CLIMB 40
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TRAVEL SPORT
Rob Eves speaks to some of this year’s winners at Urban Hill Climb, the highlight of the autumn cycling calendar
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PHOTOS: Sam Holden
HIS SEPTEMBER the ninth edition of London’s very own Urban Hill Climb returned to Swain’s Lane. In recent years the annual event has become a firm favourite on the cycling calendar, and it’s also the capital’s only hill race on closed roads. The iconic course runs for just 670m up Swain’s Lane, a road tucked between Hampstead Heath and Highgate Cemetery, which is well known in London’s cycling community because of its 9% average gradient — and the opportunity it affords to do some hill training within the M25. This year 300 riders took part and battled it out against the clock. Those competing to win their categories completed the course in well under two minutes. But Urban Hill Climb also includes categories for folding bikes, cargobikes and e-bikes too, so it’s more than just a road race. It’s a unique day out where the occasional pro rider and numerous up-and-coming amateurs rub shoulders with bike couriers and Brompton enthusiasts. We speak to some of this year’s winners, plus a two-time national champion explains what makes a great hill climb bike.
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SPORT
WHAT MAKES A GREAT HILL CLIMB BIKE? Three little words — attention to detail! A hill climb bike is all about raw speed, harnessing the power of that drooling sweaty mess in the saddle, putting it down to the tarmac and firing man/woman and machine up that evil gradient. The starting point is always the wheels — as light and as stiff as possible, there are no concessions to comfort here, no thoughts of durability or braking performance. Next up is tyres. Again you want as light (see a theme here…) and supple as possible, just not so light and supple that they puncture on every gritty hill. It becomes a balancing act, finding that sweet-spot between outright speed and puncture resistance (hint — always go for speed!). Gearing is a good one and countless hill climbs have been won and lost through good/ poor gearing choice. Fixed used to be de rigueur but with the advance in components it’s all about 11-speed bikes now. A single chainring up front with a broad spread of gears at the back works well on most courses — just make sure you don’t overgear yourself, nobody wants to make the ‘walk of shame’. All these things will help towards creating that ‘great hill climb bike’, but what really counts in this game? Well, we all know that what really makes the difference is the rider, so get out there, ride lots, enjoy the suffering and go smash some hills. n Dan Evans, 2x British Hill Climb champion
GET INVOLVED
LCC took over production of Urban Hill Climb this year and we’re planning to build on the great work done by the previous team at Rollapaluza — we want to make the event even more fun and even more inclusive, so more people can take part. Next year’s event is slated for Saturday 26 September. So if you want to find out more about sponsorship or retail opportunities, or if you want to take part, drop an email to urbanhillclimb@lcc.org.uk.
THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS OF HAMPSTEAD & HIGHGATE
MOURIJN BOK
Winner (women over 60s)
Why did you decide to enter and what advice would you give to anyone thinking of entering next year? “It started as a bit of a joke in a household with cycling-obsessed men who were umm’ing and ahh’ing about the event. I realised there was no-one in my age category, so I entered. I’d climbed the hill on just three previous occasions and practised once more before entering to make sure I could make the top without falling off. In the week of the event, I rode it seven more times to reassure myself that I could do it. “The brief was to keep it steady for the bottom third to conserve energy for the steep ramp, and then try to maintain a nice tempo to the finish. Cheers erupted up the course as I tackled the steep incline and this support helped to propel me over the timing mat to record a personal best time. A great experience and wonderful atmosphere.”
FAI LEUNG
Winner (folding bikes, men)
What’s your advice for tackling Swain’s Lane? “Being held on the steepest hill in London means it’s no ordinary ‘bike race’. Your bike doesn’t have to be made of carbon either, as long as it has two wheels you can get involved. You’re on a slight gradient from the start and I find it best to keep a relatively fast cadence in a lower gear at the first section and to not overcook it because the hardest part is yet to come. Before you reach the plateau/gatehouse area you hit the next tough section where the race really starts; you really need to power up, but not to overdo it. You need to keep something back to help push yourself to the very top.”
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SPORT
HARRY WALTON Winner (e-cargobikes) What’s it like completing the Urban Hill Climb on an e-assist cargobike? “E-bikes fit in perfectly with my determinedly car-free lifestyle and I use mine every day for utility riding. My girlfriend and dog are regular passengers on the bike, so I was delighted when they were permitted to enter the event with me. The climb itself was an exhilarating blur and it was a privilege to go up Swain’s Lane without any exhaust fumes fouling the experience. The crowd spurred me on (and the promise of chocolate cake from The Highgate Bakery at the finish line). Undoubtedly, Urban Hill Climb is the most exciting, varied, and accessible race I’ve ever taken part in. Many thanks to LCC for taking it on.”
TAMALA McGEE Winner (women 45-49)
MADDIE HEYWOOD
Winner (women 18-39)
What did you enjoy about this year’s Urban Hill Climb? “I really enjoyed the event for so many reasons. The people at the start line were lovely and distracted me right up until 30 seconds before I set off, helping me calm my nerves. I knew a few people from ladies’ race training and from some category 3/4 criterium races, so it was nice to see friendly faces. But, of course, winning my category was just amazing because I really didn’t expect it given how new I am to hill climbing races — this was just my second one. “Looking down at my watch at the top of Swain’s Lane and seeing the time — and knowing I had done a time similar to Jessica Evans’ time (the fastest woman in 2018) — I almost cried with shock. Being able to stand on a podium and being handed very generous winnings, including gorgeous kit from Assos and beer from Howling Hops, was just the icing on the cake.” What made Urban Hill Climb special for you? The ‘crowd doping’! Swain’s Lane is my local hill. I’ve cycled up it 500 times, but hills are not really my thing. So it wasn’t for glory that I entered, it was pure curiosity. I’d spectated before, laughed at the pain faces and wondered what that felt like. One of the things I love about cycling is the feeling when the burn comes — and I got to that stage in a couple of minutes during the race, true efficiency! And there was glory... I PB’d it by a whopping 28 seconds and won my age category. “This has to be down to crowd doping. Folks were shouting my name and cheering me on. No idea who they were as I was staring at the road a few metres ahead of my front wheel. Would I do it again? Damn right I will! The best story I heard from the day was about my friend Philip’s wife; he’s a keen cyclist and I ride with him sometimes. His wife noticed there were no women in the over-60s category so she decided to enter it. And won it — in her first ever race and only having gone up Swain’s a few times before. What a superstar. Her name is Mourijn Bok.”
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LCC MEMBERS SAVE 10% ON THEFT INSURANCE
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Specialist Cycle Insurance designed for LCC Members by CycleSure. Members receive a 10% discount on all new policies in their first year. And, a donation is made to LCC for each policy purchased!* Use code LCC10 at: www.cyclesure.uk/lcc
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RIDE GUIDE
Jane Davis of Lewisham Cyclists guides us on a peaceful ride around Kent’s country lanes
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EWISHAM Cyclists regularly make use of good rail links out to Kent for rides and this one is both beautiful and, unusually for Kent, pretty flat. If the group’s feeling energetic, there’s a 60-mile loop from Paddock Wood, but shorter versions are available by finishing the ride at a station two or three stops down the line for the return. There’s several lovely sights en route, a couple entailing a short detour from main route; do this ride on a sunny day in Spring and
KENT’S
QUIET LANES the smell of apple blossom is everywhere. This is the 36-mile version and ends at Headcorn station, which has you back in south-east London in an hour. Nearly the whole route is on quiet country lanes crossing the the River Beult floodplain, apart from a couple of short sections. It’s fine for road bikes, though the old lanes can be rough in places and you may encounter a few potholes. But it’s worth it for the peace and quiet, and far less of a problem than the busy traffic on Kent’s A-roads.
FACT FILE START: Paddock Wood station FINISH: Headcorn station DISTANCE: 36 miles/58km TIME: 3 hours riding time. Up to 5-6 hours if you take detours and visit places. GRADIENT: Mostly flat. About 300m or so of ascent and descent. SUITABLE FOR: hybrids, road or gravel bikes. Some rough patches and potholes on the country lanes so care’s needed there. And always remember to carry basic tools, including a mini-pump and spare inner tubes, and know how to use them!
KENT’S QUIET LANES
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LINTON HILL 17.5km
FRITTENDEN BIDDENDEN ASHFORD RD 46.5km 40km 34km
FINISH: HEADCORN
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RIDE GUIDE
Route Guide KENT’S QUIET LANES
YALDING TO FRITTENDEN Following Vicarage Road and West Lane out of Yalding you’ll pass a turning called Mill Lane on the right. Just past this turning is a beautiful old mill house and pond. It’s easy to miss, but has a beautiful old working water wheel which is worth a look. Through Hunton and beyond is probably the toughest bit of ascent on the whole ride as the road starts to climb up from the River Beult. A right turn soon delivers you safely back down again to ride along the contours of the valley. As you descend (probably the fastest descent you’ll get on this ride), take care not to fly past your left turn on to Redwall Lane. This road meanders along for a while, ending up at the A229. Take care on this right turn as drivers move fast along this stretch. If you’re a big group you may have to take the turn in smaller groups and regroup on the quiet lane just a few yards along.
FRITTENDEN TO BIDDENDEN You can ride straight on the advertised route or turn right soon after the junction in Frittenden, down Sand Lane and on to the oddly-named
Dig Dog Lane. If you do that, there’s a detour on the right down a track which leads to Sissinghurst Castle. It’s a much nicer way to access it, than via the main road but it might be a bit bumpy for some on a road bike (hybrids and gravel bikes are better for this). Back on the main route there’s a short stretch of main road to deal with again. Take care as you need to take a right turn off it which eventually takes you past Biddenden Vineyard, where you’ll find a small tea room and shop, and old cider-making machinery on view. BIDDENDEN TO HEADCORN Now it’s a lovely ride along the wonderfully-named Gribble Bridge Lane. After two miles or so, we meet our last stretch of fast A-road; again, only a few yards, after turning right on to it you turn left almost immediately to join another pleasant lane, which leads to another enjoyable descent. The network of lanes in this area is dense and intricate; if you go wrong, you’ll almost certainly be able to find your way back by following the white road signs at nearly every junction. If you do detour (deliberately or by mistake) to the village of Smarden you won’t regret it — beautiful houses line its ancient streets, and the Chequers pub has a great garden complete with pond and ducks. The main route heads straight up past Headcorn Airfield, which has a cafe as well. Then before you know it, you’ll be in Headcorn itself where there are plenty of places for refreshment including the Village Tearooms which has a pleasant garden round the back. Or just go straight to the station and pick up one of the regular trains back to the city.
CUT-OUT AND KEEP
There are a couple of deer parks in this area. One belongs to Boughton Monchelsea Place, a Tudor hall, which can be visited at certain times by booking in advance (boughtonplace.co.uk). It is a short detour off the route, up Church Lane, the second left turn after leaving the main road. The route follows Lower Farm Road for a couple of miles and you rarely see motor vehicles on this section. Then it winds around still more quiet lanes with a little bit of B-road in between, that takes you back down to, and over, both the River Beult and the railway. The next turn takes you back on to quiet lanes, which are rarely used and can get a little rough. There is a better surfaced road into Frittenden but this one wins, partly because it’s one bit of the world that hasn’t changed in the 40 years we’ve been riding in Kent. And it’s beautiful, through oak woodlands where tiny cottages sit hidden away. One, on the right, was always referred to as the ‘Hansel and Gretel cottage’ by my daughter when we rode these lanes when she was a child. You’ll pass some old farmhouses with their original oast barns and ponds too, before finally reaching Frittenden with its friendly local pub, the Bell and Jorrocks.
©Crown copyright 2018 Ordnance Survey. Media 060/18
Photo: Supersnappz
PADDOCK WOOD TO YALDING Head out of Paddock Wood from the station on Church Road, and once across the junction with Mile Oak Road on to Pearson’s Green Road you’re riding the quiet lanes of Kent, alongside apple orchards. To the right, just after the junction, you’ll pass one of the oldest farms in the area; the buildings include an interesting oast house, little changed from when it was converted in the 17th century from an even older barn. Be careful not to miss the left turn onto Willow Lane which takes you through Laddingford to the village of Yalding. Saturday is its farmers market and the centre can be busy.
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HOW TO
WINTERISE YOUR BIKE
Keep riding this winter with six top tips from top bike fixer Jenni Gwiazdowski
Jenni Gwiazdowski Founder of London Bike Kitchen and book author
The leaves are falling and the temperatures dropping, but that’s no reason to stop riding your bike! Winterising your bike — which may sound like a whole, complicated thing — is actually as simple as making a few tweaks and changes to your current set-up to ensure you’re riding comfortably throughout the darkest, wettest months.
1: FIT SOME MUDGUARDS A good set of mudguards mounts on your frame and not only protects your bike fork. Otherwise we can frame and your butt, but recommend SKS Raceblades stops you spraying fellow which work with most cyclists in the face! Full-wrap frames or RideGuard’s 100% guards provide the best recycled plastic guards that coverage but require suitable you simply zip-tie on.
3: WASH OFF GRIT AND SALT Salt is your bike’s enemy. It If your bike has rim brakes will kickstart corrosion, as you should wipe down your well as rust components. wheel rims with a damp Throughout the winter you rag to keep on top of any should gently rinse the grime budding corrosion. Disc brake off your bike once every two rotors can also be cleaned to or three weeks if you can. improve performance.
2: SWAP DRY LUBE FOR WET Wet lubes are meant for apply a wet lube, one drop wet weather; they are more on each link, remembering to viscous and won’t wash off wipe off any excess after — straight away in rain/snow. less is more! Biodegradeable They also protect the chain lubes from Green Oil, Pedros against corrosion and rust. and Fenwicks are among the After cleaning your chain, ‘greenest’ options.
4: CHANGE YOUR BRAKE PADS Change your rim brake pads and make your brakes more to the more grippy red reliable. Likewise disc brakes compound. While these will benefit from the ‘organic’ red pads will wear down compound pads instead of faster (they’re made from a sintered ones as they’re more softer compound), they will grippy (though they do wear improve braking in the wet much quicker).
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5: INVEST IN SOME QUALITY LIGHTS With the nights drawing in, While the innovative new make sure you’re not caught Beryl Pixel (above), a personal out by carrying spare USB favourite, is now available rechargeable front and rear to LCC members when lights. Exposure, Lezyne and they refer a friend or family Cateye are regular top picks member to join. Visit lcc.org. from LC reviewers. uk/brighter to learn more.
6: LOWER YOUR TYRE PRESSURE Running your tyres at a experiment with just a few slightly lower pressure will less psi at a time; lose too ensure your tyre has more much air and you’ll be prone surface area contact with to pinch punctures. Also, the road, thus improving make sure to avoid shiny both grip and handling on black patches — that’s usually wet streets. Don’t go mad, black ice and not much fun!
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RIDE THROUGH THE NIGHT Join Team LCC for Nightrider 2020 6th - 7th June Nightrider is back in London for 2020! Setting off from Lee Valley Velodrome at 10pm – you can see London’s top sights, iconic landmarks and lesser known treasures in a new light while fundraising for LCC. Whether you cycle with friends or go it alone – Nightrider is fantastic fun and a night out like no other!
Find out more at:
lcc.org.uk/nightrider
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06/11/2019 11:01
L ATEST | BIKES | GEAR | MEDIA
BOOKS
NEW PRODUCTS
FRONT LIGHTS 54
LIGHTSETS 56
HELMETS 60
BOOKS 63
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REVIEWS
FRONT LIGHTS
With so many options now available, we look at four front lights that aren’t only suitable for commuting but also for longer tours and adventures... LIGHT & MOTION Rando 500
BLACKBURN Dayblazer 400
n £79 n Weight: 120g n Run Time: 3-16hr n Charge Time: 6hr
n £34.99 n Weight: 60g n Run Time: 1-10hr n Charge Time: 3hr
The Rando 500 is billed as the latest in L&M’s ‘Urban’ line-up, though we’ve found it more than useful on our main adventure/ gravel bike too. The reason? Unlike the other lights in the range, this one can trickle-charge while in use if you’re running a dynamo set-up (we use a Cinq5 USB Plug on top of the headset). Custom firmware lets the light charge while powered and self-regulates to the ideal power setting — it’s very neat and a smart solution for tourers and long-distance cyclists, as well as commuters. Other than that the unit is the same as we’ve seen previously: tough, waterproof casing; bar, helmet and GoPro-compatible mounts; tight, smooth central beam; and that orange side light. It’s a thumbs-up upgrade.
Last winter we reviewed the Dayblazer’s bigger, bulkier, 800-lumen stablemate and, while performance was generally impressive, our main gripe was the minimal side visibility. This year we’re glad to say Blackburn’s taken note and gone to town on the body design as this revised, featherweight light now sports a huge front cutaway section that means you can be seen a few dozen metres away. Run times were consistent, but we needed a daily top-up charge for regular commutes. The beam has a fairly narrow focus but it’s fine for city use, however we avoided the ‘strobe’ mode completely as it distracted us and annoyed our fellow cyclists. More fragile than the others tested here, it still offers good bang for your buck.
REVIEWS: JK, Jon Collard
freewheel.co.uk
zyrofisher.co.uk
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EXPOSURE Strada RS exposurelights.com n £255 n Weight: 180g n Run Time: 2-36hr n Charge Time: 6hr Based in the South Downs, Exposure’s been designing and manufacturing beautifully-engineered lights for well over a decade now — and this 10th iteration of the Strada offers superb functionality in a robust, yet lightweight, aluminium casing. The real magic’s on the inside, though, as the lithium ion battery powers seven programmes across three modes (High, Medium, Low), so you genuinely have an option for every eventuality. Clearly 1200 lumens is too much on busy roads, so you just select a lower mode — but we’ve found the full monty ‘road specific’ beams a huge safety boost on unlit towpaths, pitch black parks and country lanes. There’s impressive side illumination too. We love that the rear of the unit shows exactly how much time is left on the battery (to the nearest minute) and it remembers which mode you last used. Experience tells us this one will also outlast our drivetrain and tyres, so it’s a solid investment.
LEZYNE Macro Drive 1300XXL upgradebikes.co.uk
n £85 n Weight: 345g n Run Time: 4-100hr+ n Charge Time: 3.5hr Lezyne’s Macro/Micro/Hecto/Zecto range is one of our favourite light families and there’s several new additions, including this one, for 2020. As we’ve come to expect build quality is second to none and the ‘finned’ metal casing copes well with the odd drop or scrape. The lights use what the company calls ‘Tri-Focus Optics’ to create a dazzlingly white central beam and it’s really effective on dark streets, plus there’s still plenty of dispersal to highlight features like hedgerows off to the side. Most of the time we deployed the ‘Economy’ mode around town and this gave us a week’s worth of commutes without recharging; in the lowest ‘Femto’ mode (15 lumens) you can potentially go a couple of months without a charge. Cutaways give brilliant side visibility, cycling through modes is a doddle and the rubber mount only takes seconds to fit or remove. One final, rarely-mentioned thing is the ability to micro-adjust left to right on the mount, ideal when swapping between handlebars with different sweep.
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REVIEWS
REAR LIGHTS & LIGHTSETS
With the versatilityto be mounted on either handlebars or helmets, these twin light combos are perfect for urban commuting BERYL Pixel Set
COSMO Bike
n £35.99 n Weight: 18g each n Run Time: 5hr+ n Charge Time: 2-4hr
n £68 n Weight: 42g (including mount) n Run Time: 7-8hr n Charge Time: 2hr45
This clever little light can operate as either a front or a rear. It cycles through constant white, white pulsing, constant red and red pulsing modes by clicking on the unit’s face button; also the on/off switch. It’s designed purely for city cycling, meaning it will help you be seen rather than help you see, and mounts to your bars and seatpost using a conventional silicone strap (for bags or helmet use the Velcro strap). The neat ‘power save’ mode also allows you a good hour or two when the battery’s 85% depleted which has been plenty to get us home safely. n Get a free set of Pixels if you sign up a friend to LCC membership. Go to lcc.org.uk/brighter.
We always like to see new tech entering the fray, especially if it’s simple to use and brings something extra to the party — and the Cosmo Bike meets both crtiteria. Downloading an app to your smartphone and pairing two Bluetooth devices is as tricky as it gets; the app guides you through the set-up in minutes. You also need to fit a remote controller to your bars. The light can be fitted to helmets or seatposts, and we went for the bike option to better judge the multiple modes in action. Tapping the light twice turns it on, then you either leave it in constant mode, use it to signal left/right turns (amber light), or use it as a hazard light. All modes worked as they should but we found the controller a little hit-and-miss at times. Overall one of the better app-based lights we’ve tried at an accessible price..
REVIEWS: JK, Jon Collard
beryl.cc
cosmoconnected.com
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BRIGHTSIDE Topside brightside.bike
n £29.99 n Weight: 65g n Run Time: up to 18hr (depending on mode mix) n Charge Time: 4hr While it’s not the first 2-in-1 combo light we’ve tested, the Topside is certainly the brightest and, for its given lumens count, the longest lasting. The simple clip-in mount attached to every vented helmet we tried using two rubberised bands, and once fitted you really don’t notice it’s there; we found the optimal postion more on the top of the head than towards the front, otherwise the red LED points skywards and is less visible from behind. You can choose to deploy the front or rear lights individually, have them both in constant or flashing mode, or any mix between the two. On full (100 lumens) mode the front offers a fairly wide and very consistent beam, perfect for peering round dark corners before you turn and was visible from one end of our street to the other, a couple of hundred metres away. Side illumination is decent rather than outstanding, but run times were impressive. A neat, cheap option for helmet wearers.
EXPOSURE Switch Mk4/Tracer set exposurelights.com
n £115 n Weight: 75g (Switch), 35g (Tracer) n Run Time: 3-24hr (Switch), 3-24hr (Tracer) n Charge Time: 2.5hr (Switch), 4hr (Tracer) Last year we tested Exposure’s Sirius (£100) and Tracer ReAKT (£65) individually, but this set combines the next lights down in each collection at what we think is a bargain price — especially when you consider the quality construction and features. The Switch is one of those sleek ‘mini torches’ that you can attach to either bars or helmet and you get up to 475 lumens depending on mode and programme selected. We stuck with Medium mode on well-lit city streets, switching up to High on spooky parkland crossings; the massive range of side illumination was almost more impressive though and you can easily be seen from 100m away. The Tracer shares this latter trait and its bespoke pulsing pattern is particularly good during daytime. You really can’t ask for more in a lightset, however if there’s one thing we’d like to see improved it’s the overly fiddly USB port covers — yes they keep the rain out, but they’re not easy to grip even without frozen digits.
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REVIEWS
INNOVATIVE COMBI LIGHTS
Away from the ‘standard’ front and rear lights, our testers assess four ingenious new products aimed at improving visibility and security THE ORB Waterbottle Light
CATEYE Orb Bar End Set
n £29.99 n Weight: 200g n Run Time: 8hr (constant) n Charge Time: 4-5hr
n £19.99 n Weight: 20g each n Run Time: 50hr (constant), 100hr (flashing) n Charge Time: n/a (uses 2032 watch-style batteries)
Developed with £26k of Kickstarter funding, the Orb brilliantly addresses the important issue of side visibility (one third of collisions are caused by side impacts). It works as a normal bike bottle, holding 700ml of water, but switch on the light and it glows orange in constant or flashing modes. On full mode the four LEDs offer a combined 70 lumens and lasted for about 8hr on commutes, while the USB-charged battery ran for 14hr on flash settings. The light unit is safely enclosed in the top, but it’s a non-standard size so won’t work with existing bottles; it does work with standard cages though. Also worth noting is the unusual 110% money back guarantee.
Cateye’s Orbs look similar to several get-you-home lightsets we’ve reviewed over the years, except the USP of these nonUSB lights is that they fit into the end of your handlebars. While they fit into flat and riser-style bars (as you have on hybrids and mountain bikes) that would mean they’d be pointing out sideways, potentially confusing fellow road users, so they’re intended for road bikes with drop handlebars. The drop of such bars generally points directly backwards and the Orbs give you a little extra (5 lumen) visibility. Clicking the lens cycles through modes and turns them on and off. They’re no substitute for a proper rear light but could potentially also help deter close-passing cars.
REVIEWS: JK, Tom Bogdanowicz
orb.bike
zyrofisher.co.uk
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L-BOW Rear Light l-bow.co
n £39.95 n Weight:269g n Run Time: up to 145hr (low flashing mode) n Charge Time: 4hr Unfortunately close passes remain a familiar occurence for many cyclists — check out road.cc’s ‘Near Miss of the Day’ or Jeremy Vine’s Twitter feed for hundreds of terrifying examples — and the L-Bow aims to “extend your road presence”, hopefully making things a little safer. The L-shaped unit fixes to your seatpost (22-32mm sizes) and aligns in three different positions: right for UK cycling, left for overseas, straight up for whenever the need arises. We left it in the right-hand position for our commutes and the light didn’t come close to running out in three weeks’ use in low flash mode; we had to leave it on overnight to time battery discharges. The arm stayed firm over rough cobbles, but we found we clipped it with our leg regularly when getting onto the bike (flipping it temporarily near-side solved this). Whether it improved our visibility is hard to say, but the safety potential will surely appeal to many commuters.
BOUH SR600 Light/Alarm bouh.co.uk
n £125 n Weight: 250g n Run Time: 2.5hr (full beam), 10hr+ (low beam) n Charge Time: 5-6hr An un-boxing delight, the SR600 combines a motion-sensitive alarm with a USB-rechargeable front light. Attach the light for 2hr per week (even in off mode) and the alarm remains charged. After following the fitting instructions carefully you then arm the alarm by removing the light, which turns on a red flashing LED. Any serious attempt to move the bike (not just an accidental push) turns on an ear-piercing alarm; re-installing the light disarms the alarm (there’s an option to not arm it too). There’s no linked app, which could enable you to switch the alarm off remotely, but Bouh says if you lose your light you can either use a second paired light (if you have one) to disarm the alarm or wait for the battery to die. The sleek light gives out up to 600 lumens via a range of flashing or still modes; we found the ‘on’ button quite easily triggered though. Overall it’s a unique security solution.
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URBAN BIKE HELMETS The LC test team looks at eight of the best new cycle lids for city riding ABUS Hyban 2.0
LAZER Next+ MIPS
The Hyban is a stylish half-way house between the open venting and back-of-head coverage of modern mountain biking lids and the rounder shape of many urban helmets. And those looks are backed up by performance – it’s robust, easy to adjust for a secure fit and feels suitably protective all over. We used it for weekday commutes, on longer weekend rides and on leisurely ambles along the canal and it proved comfy in all those environments. For the longer rides the weight does become more noticeable, but it’s hardly disastrous, and the sweat-reducing vents more than offset that minor gripe. The LED light integrated into the back of the helmet (and not the adjustment straps) is also a welcome addition, and we felt more visible by other road users with an additional light higher up. Overall, the Hyban’s a solid all-rounder for most cycling needs.
The Next+ is an updated take on the common skate/BMX designs, incorporating new features and styling. It’s very comfortable too — over relatively short distances. On long rides, the weight (it’s the heaviest lid on test here) does become more of an issue, as does the lack of major ventilation, while the thick padding is a bit sweaty on the longer hauls. For shorter trips, however, this helmet feels sturdy enough that you’d likely not come off worse in any minor collision – further aided by the built-in MIPS protection system which deals with rotational forces better than a standard helmet. It also sat snugly into the neck at the rear, really encasing the head and giving a greater sense of all-round protection. Adjustment is via a rear dial, with red flashing LED built-in, and there’s a small peak (removable with an allen key) to keep rain out of your eyes.
HEDKAYSE One
NEOS Tuzii Ursa
The latest folding helmet on the market is made from squidgy expanded polyurethane; you can squash it in a bag, it can take multiple knocks before a replacement is required, and it bends to fit closely around your noggin. Getting that close fit isn’t ‘pick up and play’ though — we needed to read the instructions to learn how to adjust the straps and take it off. Once this is mastered, it’s easy to adjust and comfortable in use, plus the straps seemed to need less readjusting than regular helmets. The reasonably heavy weight wasn’t an issue in use, but the closer fit did lead to a sweatier head. Set against that, though, the freedom of movement is great and you can more easily look over your shoulders. Daily commuters might not need a folding helmet (and the new tech does come at a hefty cost), but for regular cycle hirers it’s a very useful option.
This hemispherical helmet features lots of vents (including front ones with mesh to keep bugs out) in a rather eye-catching design that combines a dynamic shape with better cooling and lighter weight than BMX-style lids. That minimal weight and airflow combines with quality padding to ensure the helmet worked well even on long, harder rides. But while Neos suggests the Tuzii Ursa is suitable for “touring, mountain biking, commuting and leisure” we wouldn’t go throwing ourselves down rocky chutes in it as it’s too nice for that and not quite vented enough. The optional plastic peak really helped with sun glare too, though it does sit unusually low in the middle, which was initially disconcerting but fine once we were used to it. In use it manages to feel good, look good, vent well — and comes in at a price that should suit most tighter budgets.
extrauk.co.uk n £54.99 n Weight: 480g n 6 colours
hedkayse.com n £150 n Weight: 490g n 6 colours
freewheel.co.uk n £43 n Weight: 570g n 3 colours
neoscycling.co.uk n £45 n Weight: 230g n 3 colours
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REVIEWS
REVIEWS BY: Simon Munk, Ranjan Sen, Selena Calder, Sarah Flynn, Richard Hawkins, Rob Eves
GIRO Caden MIPS
ALPINA Grunnerlokka
The second MIPS helmet on test is an understated urban style with long, thin vents. MIPS means that the helmet is better at protecting your head from side-on, glancing and rotational impacts, as well as direct ones — which, given most impacts cyclists face aren’t head on, is a good thing. So the Caden offers increased safety and decent venting, all at a fairly light an unobtrusive weight. But it does cost a chunk more than its MIPS rival in this test and (to some eyes) looks a little less stylish, though it’s also a bit more functional than some of the others here. It comes with a built-in fabric peak, but you can swap that out. And while there’s no rear light or other bells and whistles, there is one more smart feature — the rear vents are larger and designed to be a ‘lock port’. Sling a D-lock through them and you can lock this helmet to your frame.
One of the lighter-feeling helmets on test, the Grunnerlocka (named after one of Oslo’s hippest districts) delivers style and details: leather-esque padding, metal bolt anchors for the straps, plus reflective peak. There’s even a ratchet chinstrap, headphone cable guides and ear strap adjusters that work much better than most. The offset top vents make attaching a headcam or light tricky but not impossible; we finally managed with one of those ‘plug in’ mounts that came with a specific light. Our main issue was the overall size, or rather volume, of this skate-style lid — the large came up very large, even on our biggest-headed testers and it sat pretty low. Minimal venting made it better suited for slower rides too as things got sweaty at a faster pace. But it offers really solid protection if the style and fit works for you.
LIMAR Urbe
CANNONDALE Intake
Closer to a mountain biking design, this angularly-vented helmet features a removable clip-on peak and front vent mesh to keep insects out at high speeds. Internal padding, though quite basic, did the job of making the helmet feel pretty comfy even on hotter and longer weekend outings. Venting was perfectly adequate for our usual 30-minute, brisk-paced commutes, although we feel people with more hair than our folliclychallenged tester might find it a bit clammy even with those extra vents. And while there’s a nice LED light on the fit adjuster at the rear, the first time we used the Urbe, the light’s cover fell off as we pulled it out of a rucksack, which raised concerns about its build quality and longevity. Having said that we’ve had zero ‘functional’ issues in use. Weight and fit were among the best on test, and reflective decals and stitching add more urban touches to this sportier design.
At first glance the Intake looks like something of a hybrid, indeed the blurb claims it’s designed for “the latest generation of cyclists who aren’t confined to riding on asphalt”. And in testing we found those claims to be pretty accurate as it’s a very decent all-rounder — perhaps the best here alongside the Abus Hyban — and comfortable on our daily city commutes, as well as longer road rides and gravel/bikepacking weekends away. It’s easy to adjust, well padded and the venting’s more than adequate. That generous padding certainly makes it comfortable for most head shapes we tried it on, the flipside being that it leads to sweatiness on warmer days despite the cooling airflow. Headcam wearers and those who prefer a light on their lid will find mounting tricky as there’s no central vent for a clip/strap. That said the Intake ticks most boxes — not too roadie, not too offroadie, just about right.
giro.co.uk n £79.99 n Weight: 320g n 4 colours
mylimar.co.uk n £59.99 n Weight: 300g n 3 colours
moorelarge.co.uk n £65 n Weight: 330g n 3 colours
cannondale.com n £59 n Weight: 280g n 2 colours
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REVIEWS
BIKE BOOKS
BIKE CITY AMSTERDAM
REVIEWS: JK, Sarah Flynn, Rob Eves
Fred Feddes Bas Lubberhuizen, £25 If one city is synonymous with cycling, it’s Amsterdam. And here Feddes documents the city’s cycling history, from the development of its bike culture, through cycle campaigning and activism, and into urban design. The book traces the rise of the car in the 60s, and the subsequent challenges of reclaiming space for cycling and redesigning car-dominated streets. The mass cycling protests of the 70s and the work of the Fietsersbond (Cyclists’ Union) will be of particular interest to some LCC members, as will the more recent ‘battle’ over the passageway beneath the Rijksmuseum, a cycle route used by 10,000 people a day that also houses the main entrance to the museum. An abundance of imagery — photographs, campaign posters, infographics, maps and more — bring the city’s cycling evolution to life. RE
THE ROUGH-STUFF FELLOWSHIP ARCHIVE Intro by Mark Hudson Isola Press, £30
Like finding an old photo album tucked away in the attic, this ‘archive’ is an treasure trove of visual storytelling, recounting the beauty of early off-road adventures by the Roughstuffers. From cover to cover, the images, journals, post-ride reports and hand-drawn maps provide a quiet reminder of why many of us got into cycling in the first place; for the pure joy of riding your bike. And for the promise of a nice hot brew somewhere en route. Expect smart dress codes, modified road bikes, hike-abikes galore, pipe smoking and proper packed lunches. This book truly celebrates the history of cycling in wild places through the lenses of these pioneering men and women of the RSF. Established in 1955, it claims to be the oldest off-road club in the world — and luckily these days you can follow their adventures on Instagram (@rsfarchive). SF
WHERE THERE’S A WILL
KNIGHTS & BIKES Gabrielle Kent Knights Of, £6.90
Unlike the cycling-themed kids’ books we’ve reviewed previously, Knights & Bikes (and its follow-up Rebel Bicycle Club) is aimed at slightly older 8 to 10-year-old readers — and is based on the recently-released, crowdfunded video game of the same name. We follow two girls, best friends Demelza and Nessa, on mysterious, treasure-hunting exploits on the island of Penfurzy, where they find out what the island really has to offer as it reveals itself, its legends and its long-lost curse. It has that swashbuckling feel of Swallows and Amazons crossed with The Goonies (there’s even the odd 80s cultural reference), and bikes are their means of accessing all this new adventure. It’s really well written — fast-paced, full of fun, with friendship at its heart — and supplemented with stylish illustrations by Rex Crowle and Luke Newell. JK
Emily Chappell Pursuit Books, £14.99 In this, her second published work, Chappell gives readers an insider’s perspective on the Transcontinental Race (TCR), a 4,000km, selfsupported, ultra-distance cycling race across Europe. Whether grinding up mountain passes, snatching 20 minutes’ sleep on the outskirts of an unknown village, eating whatever comes your way or navigating on the fly, readers get a front row seat to the crippling self-doubt that ultradistance racers face, pushing themselves to their absolute limits, surviving largely on pure will alone. The author’s sentiments on hope, grief and endurance, however, stretch far beyond the realm of cycling and we think this makes the book a brilliant read for non-riders too. In fact the very last line aptly sums up our feelings on this gripping memoir: “I didn’t want it to end.” SF
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ICONIC BIKES
1871 onwards
Penny-Farthing Instantly recognisable and regularly life-endangering, the Penny-Farthing helped advance one key bike innovation explains John Kitchiner
A
developing early sewing machines, had the idea of replacing the traditional wooden spokes with metal ones that were individually tensioned between hub and rim; it made the wheels (and overall weight of the bike) much lighter and easier to accelerate. Starley’s Coventry-based company would become the centre of Britain’s bike industry for many years — the Ariel ordinary was a best-seller — while he himself also invented the differential gear found on cars. The reason Penny-Farthings came about in the first place was because people wanted to cover greater distances and in quicker times than afforded by rival designs. And before the advent of gears the only way to do this was to increase the size of the front wheel (Starley’s original was 5ft across). One newspaper ad from the time claimed its bike could over a mile in 2 minutes and 43 seconds, while a pioneering endurance rider managed a staggering 1,404 miles (2,246km) in six days in the 1890s. However, that pales into insignificance compared to the 22,000 miles (35,405km) ridden by Joff Summerfield on his hand-built Penny-Farthing as he completed a round-the-world trip between 2006-2008.
Illustration: David Sparshott
S IF ANY more proof was needed that the Victorians were completely bonkers, let’s consider this one bicycle for a moment. A monstrously oversized front wheel paired with a tiny pram wheel; a mounting/dismounting technique similar to getting on and off a horse; zero comfort or forgiveness; and, most worryingly, no safe or easy means of stopping. It’s quite a heady combination and while some of the theory behind their development is relatively sound, the fact that they achieved any kind of popularity at all is, as one commentator has noted, more likely due to the “undesirability of the only pre-safety cycle alternative, the dreaded Boneshaker”. Back in Victorian times they were called ‘ordinary’ bicycles or ‘high-wheelers’, the name Penny-Farthing not being adopted into common parlance until at least a couple of decades after their first invention in 1871. The term was derived from two different coins from that period — the penny, which was 34mm in diameter, and the farthing which was 22mm. The biggest technological advance of these bikes were the wire-spoked wheels. James Starley, inspired by his work 66
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