London Cyclist Magazine Spring 2017 issue

CYCLIST Spring 2017

Your voice for a cycling city ISLA ROWNTREE HERNE HILL VELODROME BIKING IN MENORCA CAFÉS OF QUIETWAY 1 BANK JUNCTION BIKE REVIEWS

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CONTENTS

15 FEATURES

FEATURES

REVIEWS

Electric bikes 08 The history and future of e-bikes E-bikes Buyer’s Guide 15 The latest bikes and technology Interview 22 Isla Rowntree on the ‘Imagine Project’ Campaign 28 All change at Bank Junction London 33 Herne Hill Velodrome’s success story

Campaign 40 Camden takes a lead on lorry safety Travel 42 Tackling the Cami de Cavalls trail Routes 58 The cafés of Quietway 1

Editor’s Choice 07 Round-up of innovative multi-tools Bikes 51 First look at our 2017 Longtermers Products 54 Bikepacking & touring bags

OPINION & NOTICES

MEMBER OFFERS

News & Team LCC update Ashok Sinha, LCC chief executive

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Give LCC membership this Easter Free books for you and a friend

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CONTENTS

Your voice for

a cyclingRow, city 2 Newhams London SE1 3UZ n 020 7234 9310 n lcc.org.uk EDITORIAL

Editor: John Kitchiner, londoncyclist@lcc.org.uk Design: Anita Razak Contributors: Ashok Sinha, Tom Bogdanowicz, Simon Munk, Rob Eves, Juwel Malique, Richard Peace, Mark Wellings

ADVERTISING Fellows Media fellowsmedia.com

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Jacob Holmes, 01242 259249; jacob.holmes@fellowsmedia.com

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. n London Cyclist is printed by Wyndehams on paper made from 100% FSC sustainably-managed and carbon-balanced forest.

ROUTE

CAFES OF QUIETWAY 1

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Konditor & Cook

Bruce Lynn and John Kitchiner scope out a selection of new and well-established cafes along Quietway 1, between Greenwich and Waterloo

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COVER: Track day at Herne Hill Velodrome PHOTO BY: tomoldham.com

CBP0007421307115017

LCC Members’ Legal Helpline

PHOTOS: John Kitchiner, Bruce Lynn

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Terry’s Cafe

Machine

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Of course there’s many cafes in the centre of West Greenwich and around the market, but right at the official start of the Quietway (next to the railway/ DLR station) you’ll find the new G-West Cafe [1] (@GWwestcafe) on Lovibond Lane. You can’t miss the gold-panelled exterior of this not-for-profit social enterprise which is fully owned and run by Greenwich West Community and Arts Centre. The cafe offers seasonal, freshly-cooked food and regularly has special student deals (pot of tea and two slices of toast for £3). The gallery next door exhibits works by a variety of artists.

Heading west the route takes you across Ha’penny Bridge over Deptford Creek and quickly on to Deptford High Street. Leaving the Quietway briefly, turn left and head along to the bustling market end of the road — here you’ll find London Velo [2] (ldnvelo.co.uk ). One of the new breed of cycle cafes, it combines a cafe and workshop front of house with a small bike shop and massive garden to the rear (you can take your bikes through for safe parking). A bagel and coffee will set you back £6 and you also get a free coffee if you pop in for a puncture repair.

Back to the Quietway and you now sample a

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Crol & Co

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START

Festo sul Prato

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London Velo

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G-West Cafe

lovely section of segregated cycleway before one of the iffiest streets for rat-running (Childers Street) — take care when crossing the various side roads here. Duck under the railway arch and you come out in Folkestone Gardens where you’ll see the new Festa sul Prato [3] (festasulprato.com) directly ahead. We’ve suggested to the owner that he adds some more signage to the parkside of the building as most passing cyclists don’t realise the unpresupposing brick building’s now been transformed into a welcoming cafe/restaurant.

The name translates as ‘Feast in the Meadow’ and there’s outdoor seating as well as cycle parking.

Usually there’s also works by one or two artists being exhibited. There’s lots of breakfast options from ‘posh’ full English to eggs royale, plus

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yoghurts, sourdough toasts and single espressos from £1.60. Lunchtime and evenings the menu is largely Italian, though they also hold ‘Festa Feasts’ with one-off specials.

To reach our next pitstop you ride arguably the best stretch of Q1. A mile of well-surfaced track, firstly on widened shared footpath alongside Surrey Canal Road and around the back of the Millwall FC stadium, before crossing the Connect 2 (Sustrans) bridge over Rotherhithe New Road for nearly a mile of very quiet, often filtered, streets.

Crol and Co [4] (@CrolandCocoffee), on the corner of Lynton Road and Dunton Road, will eventually be an antiques shop with an attached cafe. But for now it’s just a cool cafe with a quirky

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interior. There’s a bike rack outside and the owner is a cyclist, so understands the need for good coffee and a great selection of cakes and pastries.

Over the traffic lights and the next stretch of the Quietway, along Willow Walk, is the most heavily used; further west there are fewer cyclists as about half of the riders leave at Pages Walk and follow LCN22 towards London Bridge.

Those continuing west soon come to Tower Bridge Road where they can easily access another popular cycle cafe, Machine [5] (machinelondon.cc), about 60 metres north of the route. The recycled wood interior and furniture is worth a visit in its own right, but you can get Monmouth Street coffees, pastries, paninis and all your small bike grumbles fixed.

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From Tower Bridge Road it’s only five minutes to Terry’s Cafe [6] (terryscafe.co.uk) on Great Suffolk Street. This little gem has been going for over 30 years and does traditional cafe fare, including real breakfasts, to a very high standard (‘fancy eggs on toast’, £5.80; Monmouth Coffee, from £2). The photos on the walls are a muchloved feature.

We’re on the final stretch now using Cornwall Street where it’s only right you stop at Konditor and Cook [7] (konditorandcook.com), the marvellous mini-chain of cake shops which originated in this very store. Grab some goodies, but as there’s no seating inside you should head to the river to scoff them. Q1 itself ends on Upper Ground at Waterloo Bridge.

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uietway 1 runs 9km from Greenwich to the South Bank.

It was officially launched last June, though work was still taking place on some major crossings in Deptford until Christmas. And it’s still the first and only Quietway to be launched from the original list proposed by the previous Mayor — although the TfL website says “most of the first seven Quietways will be complete by the end of 2017”.

The idea behind the Quietways network was to direct cyclists away from busy roads, instead linking key destinations by following backstreet routes, through parks, along waterways or tree-lined streets. And Quietway 1 does most of these things — there are genuinely excellent sections, some offering superb separated space for cycling, proper filtering and safe bikeprioritised crossings. But it’s not without issue in a couple of areas either, namely rat-running traffic and questionable crossings.

The busy stretch in Bermondsey, which uses a part of the old LCN22 that’s always been popular with cyclists, has seen a 150% increase in cyclists at peak time. There are now maximum flows of 750 cyclists per hour along Willow Walk in the morning peak and 500 per hour in the evening.

It’s certainly become popular with all types of cyclists too — commuters, leisure cyclists, families and schoolchildren — and you’ll see fellow riders at all times of the day. Luckily there’s now also a network of excellent independent cafes along the route, at strategic intervals, so you can grab a brew on the way to the office or caffeine-crawl your way home.

ROUTE

LCC is a charitable limited company, reg no 1766411; charity no 1115789

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Spring 2017 LONDON CYCLIST 59

London Cyclist is published by London Cycling Campaign n Find out more about our aims (lcc.org.uk/strategy) n To become a member (lcc.org.uk/joining-options) n To make a donation (lcc.org.uk/donate)

Osbornes Solicitors are 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.

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NEWS

JOIN TEAM LCC FOR RIDELONDON Whether or not you were successful in landing a ballot place for this year’s RideLondon 100, we’d love you to ride for Team LCC. We need members and supporters to take part and raise much-needed funds to support cycling in London. You don’t need to have done a sportive before and you don’t need to be super fit, you just need to be up for a challenge.

The ride begins at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and follows a 100-mile route on closed roads through Central London and into the beautiful Surrey countryside.

With challenging climbs, stunning scenery and a great atmosphere, it’s a truly awesome event.

Last year saw Team LCC raise an

incredible £30,000 in support of the organisation’s vital advocacy and campaigning work.

Guaranteed places To secure yourself a guaranteed place for Prudential RideLondonSurrey 100 2017, you need be an LCC member or supporter, and be happy to raise (or give) a minimum of £500 to LCC. You will need to pay a registration fee of £58; this covers the cost of your entry.

In return LCC will provide you with the following: n Team LCC cycle jersey n Fundraising guide n Expert advice and support throughout n An eight-week training

programme in the Surrey Hills.

Every single penny raised will support LCC in working towards a healthier, happier, less congested, less polluted London.

This event is always heavily oversubscribed and guaranteed places are limited. Places will be allocated to LCC members on a first-comefirst-served basis. Take on the challenge now and sign up straight away at lcc.org.uk/ride-london-2017 Don’t fancy the full 100 miles this year? Not a problem. Why not take part in the 46-mile event, which follows part of the same route and happens on the same day?

For more information you can email us on TeamLCC@lcc.org.uk, or phone 020 7234 9310.

LCC CHAIR STEPS DOWN

After five years in the role, Ann Kenrick OBE has stepped down as Chair of the LCC Board of Trustees to concentrate on her new

appointment as Master of the Charterhouse (a housing and educational charity based in the heart of the City).

Ann has shown great leadership and tremendous commitment to her role at LCC, managing to combine it with her previous, demanding day job as Secretary-General of the Franco-British Council. The new Chair of the Board is Mustafa Arif.

As well as overseeing the organisation during a time of great change, Ann has been a frequent speaker at cycling events and protests and in the national and regional broadcast media — and was proud to complete RideLondon last year, raising funds for LCC at the same time.

Ann comes from a campaigning family. Her father Bruce founded Shelter and the Notting Hill Housing Trust in the 1960s. Speaking of her new role in charge of The Charterhouse, she says: “I am delighted to have the opportunity to work full-time in the charity sector,

and all the more pleased to be working in a field that was dear to my father’s heart, and such a feature of my childhood.”

But she will not be abandoning the cause of urban cycling. It is a measure of her devotion to the cause that a journalistic tweet reporting her appointment as the first female Master of the Charterhouse overlooked the two decades of policy work for which she was awarded an OBE and the French Ordre National du Merite, referring to Ann instead as ‘cycling advocate Ann Kenrick’.

In marking her departure, LCC chief executive Ashok Sinha said: “Ann has been wonderful to work with. We will sorely miss her on the Board, but are heartened that she will still be passionately promoting cycling in other ways. We wish her the very best in her new job.”

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Handy stats on the increasing popularity of e-bikes, both here and in Europe

3.5m Total number of bicycles sold in the UK in 2015 — 3,514,000

1.1% Number of e-bikes sold as % of total bike sales in the UK

28% Number of bikes sold as % of total bike sales in the Netherlands (988,000)

CAN YOU VOLUNTEER FOR LCC? We’re currently improving LCC’s membership package and we urgently need the support of two volunteers. Soon LCC members will save money in over 130 bike shops; they’ll also get discounts, deals and exclusive offers with some of cycling’s leading brands.

We’re looking for two outgoing

volunteers — one to help administer and run a network of bike shops, the other to help maintain and improve the package of benefits that LCC members can access online.

Both jobs are one day a week and open-ended, so we’re looking for people who can make an initial commitment of about three months. The roles could be ideal for existing members who love cycling, love London and want to improve LCC membership.

Any sales, marketing or communications experience is a bonus.

Find out more at lcc.org.uk/volunteer.

NEWS

NUMBER CRUNCH

EDITOR’S CHOICE

Innovative multi-tools FULL WINDSOR The Breaker fullwindsor.cc As the name suggests, at the heart of this unashamedly retro-styled tool is a chain breaker (with replaceable steel pin).

Elsewhere there’s a super-strong tyre lever, spoke key and the ubiquitous bottle opener. A magnetic slot holds the mini hex/Torx keys and screwdriver. And it’s all housed in a leather pouch with recycled inner tube liner and handy straps for attaching to Brooks saddles. £44.99.

LEZYNE Rap 21 CO2 upgradebikes.co.uk What’s unique here is that a C02 dispenser is cleverly integrated into the tool, for those minimalists or racers who prefer to use an inflator rather than a mini-pump.

The CO2 head slips off easily and threads onto either Presta or Shrader valves. There’s 7 hex keys, T25/T30 Torx keys, chain breaker, spoke keys and more. £31.99 PEDROS ICM with M7 silverfish-uk.com Looking like a fairly standard, compact multi-tool at a glance, the ICM has a few hidden talents — as well as coming with a lifetime warranty. There’s 17 tools in total, including the most common hex/Torx keys, chain tool, flathead and Phillips screwdrivers, two traditional spoke keys, plus a handy Mavic M7 spoke wrench.

Very neatly, the two sides also detach and become tyre levers. £29.99.

PARK IB-3 madison.co.uk The award-winning I-Beam design stands out here; instead of two side plates the IB-3 only has a central rod to which the tools are attached, making it lighter (170g) than most similarlyequipped rivals. 8 hex wrenches, Torx driver, chain tool (compatible with new 12-speed chains), 8mm box wrench, screwdriver and detachable tyre lever complete a tidy package. £24.99.

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E-BIKES

Love them or loathe them, e-bikes are here to stay. Author Richard Peace looks at their history and the shape of things to come

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ou might be surprised to learn that the history of the electric bike predates the 20th century.

There are records of early patents and reported discussion of the concept, but it is hard to know if any of these ideas actually made it off the drawing board.

In fact, internal combustion engines fitted to bicycles proved more of a commercial proposition throughout the early part of the 20th century, not least because a tank of fuel would take you much further and more quickly than a heavy battery-powered electric bike.

However, two developments starting in the 1980s set electric bikes on an upward trajectory

from which they haven’t looked back.

Firstly, staggering Chinese economic growth created a seemingly insatiable demand for affordable personal mobility and the e-bike (albeit with heavy lead-acid batteries) gave commuters something close to the speed of a small moped, while avoiding the growing legal clampdowns on petrol power forced on city authorities struggling with traffic congestion and pollution.

Secondly, around the early 1980s several e-bike developments started to emerge that laid a groundbed for later success. Lighter battery technologies, the miniaturisation of electronics, the development of torque sensors (allowing electric bikes to be used in the same way as conventional bikes) and legal recognition of this

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E-BIKES

new breed of transport, would all eventually lead to lighter, faster and more ‘bicycle-like’ e-bikes and a sharp increase in sales.

The story comes up to date At the turn of the 21st century electric bikes in the UK were still undoubtedly seen as uncool. Many still featured large lead-acid batteries (these had to be large to give anything like a decent range) and early lithium-ion batteries just beginning to appear on e-bikes were plagued by unreliability, especially on models at the ‘budget’ end of the market — and it was budget models which dominated UK sales at this time. Ni-MH (nickel-metal hydride) batteries were a good compromise at the time; safe, reliable and

long-lasting and with nearly three times the energy density of lead acid, but doomed to the dustbin of e-bike history once more reliable lithium batteries (with around twice the energy density) came along.

E-bikes were still clearly a different breed of machine to non-assisted models. Take one of the best-selling 1990s models, the Powabyke Classic: a rebranded Chinese machine, it weighed a staggering 36.6kg and its range of 20-30 miles was considered quite an achievement when many other machines went around 15 miles on a full charge. Powabyke is still around today but selling the much sleeker Mk II X-Byke with a stated weight nearer 20kg and lighter, longer range lithium-ion batteries. Statistics that

ABOVE: the very latest Specialized Turbo Levo FSR e-bike faces off against an early Yamaha prototype.

BELOW: Bowden’s ‘Bicycle of the Future’ in 1946.

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E-BIKES

HUB MOTOR OR CRANK MOTOR?

The Sinclair C5, launched in 1985, was essentially a fully-faired electric three-wheel recumbent

15 or 20 years ago the majority of UK e-bikes would have featured hub motors; ideal technology for building an e-bike to a price point acceptable to UK customers. The rise of crank motors gave rise to more powerful but generally more expensive e-bikes. There are distinct technical differences between the two systems though...

CRANK MOTOR: PROS & CONS + Efficient use of power; great hill climbers as they work through the bike’s own gear system. neatly sum up the way e-bikes have developed in the interim.

But things really got interesting in the 2010s with the introduction of much more powerful new crank motors like Daum (now branded Kalkhoff ), then Bosch which launched at Eurobike in 2010.

One new genre that the undoubtedly high quality Bosch motor system appears to have kickstarted is the electric mountain bike (or e-mtb). With no vulnerable wires leading from hub motors and with plenty of high-torque electrically-assisted pedal power available, e-mtb technology matured quickly. As one retailer commented about the new breed of e-mtbs: “Your ability to climb is limited only by your ability to stay on the bike!”

Crank motor power now entered something of an ‘arms race’ with Bosch launching its Performance Line motor in 2013 alongside the less sporty Active Line model (the latter was aimed at more sedate city bikes). Although all genres of street legal e-bikes were still limited to 15.5mph it was now how fast they got there that was important.

Soon Bosch had some serious competition in the e-mtb crank-drive market. E-bike pioneer Yamaha launched a totally new crank-drive

model, the PW, in 2014 and the same year also saw German automotive manufacturer Brose launch a very punchy motor which, like Yamaha, now appears on quite a number of bike brands.

Shimano had its own crank-drive from 2012 and upped the power stakes in early 2016 with the launch of its E8000 variant specifically for e-mtbs.

Hub motors still appear on plenty of budget e-bikes, nor are they an entirely extinct breed when it comes to e-mtbs, though very rare. One hub in particular has made a splash: the BionXD series, designed especially for mountain bikes.

Some continental models use this but it’s mainly available in the UK as a retrofit kit.

Indeed hub motors rather than crank motors are the favourite tech of most retrofit e-kits, Heinzmann being one of the longest standing with a reputation for high quality. There’s also a place for innovative hub motor technology too; UK firm Momentum Electric has allied a front hub motor with its patented torque mechanism on two great city bike models to give a ride very similar to a crank-drive machine, though lacking the out-and-out power of most crank motors.

The new breed of crank motors has also lead to a mini-resurgence in cargo bikes, inevitably now labelled e-cargo bikes, with all that power at the touch of a crank meaning hauling many tens

- Can be heavier than the lightest, smallest hub motors. Can be slower where lots of gear changes required.

Give gears a hard life. Limited choice of retrofit kits. Not available with regenerative braking. On average they are pricier than hub motors (though recent examples from the Far East like the Bafang system are offered at a lower price and appear good quality).

HUB MOTOR: PROS & CONS + The best examples are cheap, simple and lightweight. Front hubs mean a two-wheeled drive bike. Can provide regenerative braking. Wide range of retrofit kits.

- Relatively inefficient. Geared hub motors are geared for either speed or for powerful hill climbing and can’t provide both. Gearless hub motors tend to be relatively heavy.

UK & EUROPEAN E-BIKE SALES COUNTRY

TOTAL ANNUAL BIKE SALES

E-BIKE SALES

E-BIKES % OF SALES

3,514,000

40,000

1.1%

France

2,996,000

102,000

3.4%

Germany

4,350,000

535,000

12%

988,000

276,000

28%

UK

Netherlands SOURCE: CONEBI

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E-BIKES ABOVE: the Humber electric tandem from 1898.

RIGHT: an early advertising image of the Raleigh Select, launched in 1997.

of kilos up hills is now well within many riders’ capabilities. German firm Riese & Müller has specialised in this area in recent years and its range now even includes a full-suspension e-cargo bike. Urban Arrow is another firm that has developed leaps and bounds as an e-cargo specialist since picking up an industry start-up award back in 2010.

The future: smaller, lighter, more sophisticated?

While there don’t appear to be any quantum leaps on the immediate horizon, no doubt technology will carry on developing to enable e-bikes to become at least just a little lighter. Currently anything edging under 20kg (particularly if it has a decent-sized battery and full accessories such as lights and mudguards) is fairly respectable. 15kg and below indicates either a small battery, minimal accessories or possibly superlight and accordingly pricey materials. The singlespeed COBOC is a nice example of such a minimalist lightweight (though it does have a decent-size battery).

One definite advance from 2018 will be larger capacity cells (cells being the constituent parts of

a battery), a development driven in part by the upping of demand from US e-car company Tesla.

Look out for 700Wh batteries as standard (currently anything above 400Wh is quite respectable).

Lightweight e-folders (folding bikes) were still a pretty rare breed until recently. But companies like Raleigh, Tern and A2B now offer pedal-assist folders (see our Buyer’s Guide, page 15). And later in 2017, iconic London bike builder Brompton is set to launch its first electric models. Meanwhile good quality retrofit kits from the likes of Nano (UK designed back in 2007) and Cambridge’s more recent ARCC system (2015) exist that can deliver an effective electric Brompton.

Versatility and electric tech A bike with a quickly and easily-removable motor and battery would have the advantage of effectively being two bikes — electric and

non-electric — and this idea looks like it might just be coming to fruition after Focus teamed up with Fazua in 2016 to showcase a system that looked to fit easily on and off the underneath of a bike.

With large capacity modern batteries there is now also the chance for ‘excess’ electrical power to be used for other functions — such as charging your phone or powering a bar-mounted GPS unit that can put all kinds of information at your fingertips. Bosch launched its smartphone compatible NYON display a couple of years ago.

But the system that is grabbing a lot of the current headlines puts the rider’s own smartphone at the heart of the bike itself — COBI integrates phone, bike lights, brake lights, indicators and mapping software all in one ‘bike control and information system’. COBI is rolling out the system’s features incrementally, working with the likes of Bosch, but also selling it as a retrofit option for e-bikes and regular bikes.

BRIEF CHRONOLOGY OF ELECTRIC BIKE HISTORY 1898 An electric machine was produced by Humber — a stretched tandem bicycle with batteries between the two riders. It was used as a pacer in the Bol d’Or 24-hour paced track race of 1899 in Paris.

1920 German company Heinzmann produces the first commercially available electric bicycle motor. It still makes e-bike motors today.

1946 In the UK, Ben Bowden tries, unsuccessfully, to get his ‘Bicycle of

the Future’ (an electric bike) built.

bikes find little public acceptance.

1966 Moulton Consultants Ltd patents a chainwheel-drive system for a power-assisted bicycle. It was never put into effect.

1983 The Electrically-Assisted Pedal Cycles legislation prompts several UK companies to try their hands at electric bikes throughout the 1980s.

1970s China’s communist government starts to promote electric bikes.

1973 The first oil crisis prompts research into electric bikes in both Japan and the USA. However electric

1985 Sir Clive Sinclair launches the now infamous Sinclair C5. Essentially a fully-faired electric three-wheeled recumbent, it fails to capture the public imagination.

1990s The Chinese cities of Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shijiazhuang, and Suzhou begin drafting laws to restrict the use of petrol-powered motorcycles and ease restrictions on e-bikes, fuelling the massive rise of the Chinese e-bike.

1991 The first rechargeable lithium-ion batteries come on the market — another quantum leap towards a truly lightweight electric bike. Dogged by safety and reliability issues at first, they would not appear

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E-BIKES

Looking much further ahead, could e-bikes mimic the current trend among car makers and become self-driving? This might not be as far fetched as it sounds as some e-bike models are already semi-autonomous with the rider having to do little more than pedal, steer and brake. Various gear systems have been developed in cooperation with the motor manufacturers which aim to predict the optimum time to change gear — and to do it for you.

SRAM’s DD3 Pulse hub gears detect bike speed and change at set intervals, while Shimano’s Di2 gear systems are also available with some Bosch motorbikes such as Wallerang and can feature auto-changing.

However, ultimate place in the cleverness stakes goes to the Nuvinci H-Sync which is both continuously variable (no actual steps between gears, there is just a ‘spectrum’) and changes automatically based on the rider’s cadence.

Sensors also exist and are currently incorporated into some e-bikes that can detect steepness of gradient, sending a message to the motor to increase power automatically. But many of these systems, although available commercially, still appear to be at the ‘early adopter’ stage.

The Law Current UK e-bike law has followed European law since 2015. In the UK you don’t need a licence to ride e-bikes that meet certain requirements, and they don’t need to be registered, taxed or insured. E-bikes can be two-wheeled bicycles, tandems or tricycles. The requirements are: n The bike must have pedals that can be used to propel it. n The electric motor shouldn’t be able to propel the bike when it’s travelling more than 15.5mph. n The motor shouldn’t have a maximum

power output of more than 250 watts (250W is a ‘rating’ — you may see e-bikes advertised with greater ‘peak’ power claimed, though they may still be legal e-bikes).

If the e-bike bike meets these requirements it’s classed as a normal pedal bike. This means you can ride it on cycle paths and anywhere else pedal bikes are allowed.

Legal and safe e-bikes should have a ‘CE mark’ that shows they have been produced to the relevant European safety standard EN15194.

Any electric bike that doesn’t meet the e-bike rules needs to be registered and taxed. You’ll need a driving licence to ride one and you must wear a crash helmet. E-bikes that exceed 15.5mph are generally known as ‘speed pedelecs’ — this isn’t a legal term. Legally speaking, in the UK, such fast e-bikes will probably need registering as mopeds, though further to new European regulations which came into force in the UK in 2016 this may at least be an easier process.

Some European countries (eg Netherlands, Germany and Switzerland) have their own special national laws relating to speed pedelecs (which you may also see described as ‘s-pedelecs’). In these countries there is less red tape involved in registering an s-pedelec

monitored and matched the rider’s energy input. Price tag about £1,000.

1993 Yamaha introduces its PAS (Power Assist System) e-bike, one of the first true ‘pedelecs’ producing power in response to pedalling rather than a throttle control. It weighed 31kg with a 20km range.

1998 BionX introduces the EPS (Energy & Propulsion System) as either an add-on kit or ready fitted.

Unusually it has a gearless motor and regenerative braking.

1997 Raleigh Select electric bike launched. Like the Yamaha PAS, the Select had a proportional power control system that automatically

2002 Panasonic introduces the world’s first commercially available lithium-ion electric bike. The bike is powered by a re-engineered version of the Panasonic crank-drive, fitted

E-bikes in the UK and Europe While you might have noticed that e-bikes appear to be everywhere in the UK at the minute, their sales are still relatively small when compared to European leaders the Netherlands and Germany. The figures in our table (see page 10), based on 2015 sales figures released in 2016, speak for themselves. Clearly the UK has some way to go if e-bikes are to make up ground on Germany and the Netherlands.

But with the likes of Halfords and Evans Cycles introducing their own brand e-bikes and rapidly expanding the e-bike range on offer, it seems they, at least, are in no doubt which way the wind of bicycle sales is blowing. UK bicycle industry publisher BikeBiz’s 2016 survey also reported that over 90% of bike dealers they questioned now sell or want to sell e-bikes.

Despite the impressive take-up by Germany and the Netherlands there is no doubt that China is still the e-bike king. Today, China has 200 million e-bikes running on the road and annual e-bike sales in their own market number in the tens of millions...

with a tiny 1.7kg Li-ion battery.

Although designed for the domestic Japanese market, the new drive unit caused a great deal of interest elsewhere, with a number of European bike manufacturers signing up to use it.

2009 The UK-designed GoCycle is launched in the UK. This demountable e-bike is custom designed with features such as quick-release wheels to its magnesium frame.

Mid 2010s onward sees much greater complexity of electronic systems with Smartphone control and automatic gradient sensors being just a couple of examples.

Crank motors really start to dominate the high quality end of the market with a number of launches.

PHOTO: Volt Bikes

as standard offerings on e-bikes until well into the next decade.

compared to a full moped or equivalent registration.

2011-15 Bosch launches a crank-drive motor system that goes on to become a market leader. It prompts a rash of other motor systems to come onto the market.

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PHOTO: Volt Bikes

With the e-bike market growing so rapidly, here’s our round-up of what’s new in 2017

REVIEWS

E-Bikes Buyer’s Guide

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REVIEWS

A2B Kuo+ £1,099 a2bshop.co.uk Among the most surprising bikes we’ve ridden recently is this bronze ‘e-folder’ from dedicated electric bike retailer A2B. Surprising because it ranks as one of the lightest and most nimble e-bikes we’ve ever tested. At 19.75kg (43lb) it’s no featherwight, but that’s a 2.25kg (5lb) weight saving compared to other e-folders, which at the ‘budget’ end of the market is very impressive. And it’s immediately noticeable when nipping around town or carrying the bike indoors. It’s the combination of 250W hub motor and small battery (which sits comfortably on your palm) that keeps the numbers down. Of course range is limited to about 60km (37 miles) with this smaller powerpack, though it’s plenty for most commutes. Mode selection and computer are both mastered in seconds. That smart 6061 aluminium frame, Shimano drivetrain, Tektro V-brakes, puncture-resistant Kenda tyres and pannier rack, make it well worth adding to any demo list.

CUBE Reaction Hybrid HPA Eagle 500 £3,999

GOCYCLE G3 £3,599

cube.eu

gocycle.com

This is Cube’s new top-of-the-range hardtail e-bike (cheaper models start at £1,799) and we’re including it here as it neatly shows the progression in one model range that we’re very familiar with in just 12 months. We were lucky to have a 2016 model in our Longtermers test fleet and used it for bikepacking trips, coastal tours, commutes and even to bag a few Tour de France climbs before the peloton passed through. It was fun — a lot of fun — and did pretty much everything it initially promised. It was easy to use, the battery batted away our fears of early depletion and it was comfortable on every surface from broken tarmac to moderately rocky trails. However, it wasn’t without a couple of key compromises that we felt should be addressed in the next iteration.

Et voila! The geometry has had a complete rethink, with the Bosch motor and battery unit repositioned to make for a better handling bike, and both the seat-tube and downtube reshaped to create an improved riding position and cleaner silhouette. Instead of being bolted onto the downtube like an oversized waterbottle, the battery now sits in a neat ‘scooped out’ section away from dirt.

And talking of waterbottles, there’s now room for one inside the revised frame. Hats off to Cube for taking on board the feedback...

Probably the most distinctive e-bike on the planet, it was developed by former MacLaren Cars designer Richard Thorpe — and it’s a techhead’s dream machine.

Integrated ‘dashboard’ and daytime running lights (DRLs), an app to custom select ride modes, Shimano Nexus hub gear with predictive shifting, hydraulic disc brakes, foldable (with its own portable docking station) and weighing only 16kg, it’s like a space-age concept bike. And with no cables, chain, cassette or oil it’s as zero maintenance as you can possibly get.

There’s a reason the cheapest ‘base pack’ model costs £3.5k!

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REVIEWS

VOLT Connect £2,299 voltbikes.co.uk Based just up the road from London Cyclist HQ, Volt has been making stylish e-bikes for nearly a decade and now offers a dozen models to appeal to different types of cyclist, from city commuters to off-road explorers. We tested the new Connect, which features the latest Shimano Steps crank-drive system. The motor is one of the lightest available (just 3.2kg) and slots neatly into the regular bottom bracket position; it’s really quiet in use and smooth as it cycles through the modes. As well as two basic mode buttons, a third button offers ‘walk assist’ which is popular in places like Holland where you have to wheel bikes up/down ramps to cycle parking. The lithium-ion battery charges from empty to full in roughly four hours and has a range of 112km (70 miles). The frame finishing is excellent with internal cable routing, plus there’s integrated lights, rear rack, and suspension fork and seatpost to take the edge off potholes. Handily, test rides can even be booked online.

CIPOLLINI MC2 £tbc

TERN Vektron £2,980

mcipollini.com

ternbicycles.com

As possibly the most flamboyant rider to ever grace the professional race scene, Super Mario was never one to hide his light under a bushel — we, ahem, fondly remember those tiger print and ‘muscle’ skinsuits — so there’s been plenty of jokes doing the rounds as Cipollini’s bike brand has been teasing the media with grainy images of its new MC2 electric bike.

No bulging motors or bolted-on batteries, both components are completely hidden within the frame; the 240W motor in the seat-tube and the battery in the downtube. It’s exactly the sort of bike that’s had the UCI sweating over claims of ‘mechanical doping’ — reinforced since Femke Van der Driessche was caught cheating at the U23 World Cyclocross Championships in January 2016 — and which has led to a stricter screening regime before and after all the major events.

Details on the MC2 are limited as we go to press but we do know that these frames will be custom-made from K1 T800 carbon fibre to each customer’s preferred geometries and lengths. Plus there will be internal routing options for electronic, mechanical and wifi groupsets, and clearance for tyres up to 28mm. The supporting PR tagline bears repeating: “Not just an electric bike, but the perfect expression of who you are.”

No, we’re not quite sure either. We would have just called it the ‘CipollinE’ and been done with it.

Only last year there were almost no folding e-bikes on the market, but from this spring Tern’s Vektron is joining the party’s throng.

Combining a Bosch Active 250W motor and 300Wh Powerpack battery, the company claims you can get 100km (62 miles) on Eco mode from one complete charge. There’s integrated Valo 2 lights offering 150 lumens, rear pannier rack and Shimano’s brilliant hydraulic disc brakes.

The three-stage fold is made easy by neat quick-release clasps, but at 22kg (48lb) this isn’t a bike you’ll want to carry up several flights of stairs, though it can be rolled along a train platform easily enough.

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REVIEWS

PINNACLE Lithium Ion £2,000

GIANT Road-E+2 £2,599

evanscycles.com

giant-bicycles.com

We’ve tested a handful of Pinnacle bikes over recent years, including models from the road, hybrid and ‘adventure’ series, and this latest addition to the family brings together elements from the two latter camps. There’s a men’s and women’s version, both of which are only available in this fully colourmatched ‘electric blue’ shade.

At the heart of matters is a sturdy 6061 aluminium frame and alloy fork; internal cable routing is very tidy, there’s full wrap-around mudguards and mounts for pannier racks at either end. The lion’s share of the drivetrain comes from Shimano, so it makes sense that Evans chose to run the Shimano Steps motor/battery combo here. The 400Wh battery fully charges in four hours (or 80% in two hours if pushed for time) and you should get 80-100km in ‘eco’ mode. Top marks for speccing the super durable, super wide Schwalbe Big Ben tyres (650x50c) as we know how puncture-proof and resilient they are even on hardpack off-road trails. There’s only three sizes (M-XL), but with so many stores you should be able to book a test ride easily.

The biggest bike company in the world hasn’t been resting on its laurels and has reinvented its entire premium e-bike line-up for 2017. The new road, mtb and urban models share the same 250W Yamaha SyncDrive motors, with either a 400 or 500Wh ‘Energypack’ that’s cleverly integrated into the downtube. The road models weigh about 18.5kg, so double a regular aluminium racer, but you quickly forget that as you move through the pedal-assist modes. We’ve just added the Road-E+ 1 to our Longtermers fleet (see page 52) and early rides have astounded us at how quick and capable it is, especially on the climbs. Watch out for updates!

SPECIALIZED Turbo Levo Hardtail 29 £2,900 specialized.com Another big player that’s been focussing its R&D firmly towards integration and refinement on its e-bikes is Specialized. In fact, as the image below illustrates, other than an oversized bottom bracket junction (where the 250W motor is housed) the rest of the bike is indistinguishable from its non-electric stablemates. It’s all thanks to a super-slimline 460Wh battery which bolts into the underside of the downtube (pictured left on an FSR model); it even includes proprietary software to prevent over-charging and under-voltage.

The dedicated Mission Control app allows you to create customised routes and gives turn-by-turn navigation but, most brilliantly, if you upload a route it can adjust the motor/ battery outputs to ensure you always get home on one charge!

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INTERVIEW

PHOTO: Jay Brooks

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INTERVIEW

ISLA ROWNTREE Tom Bogdanowicz speaks to the cyclocross champion, cycling advocate and founder of Islabikes, the innovative bike brand for children What was your first bike?

I was given a bike for my fourth birthday; I remember the occasion vividly. It was waiting for me downstairs and was a secondhand Raleigh Pixie that had been lovingly touched up by my father. My parents had the good sense not to fit stabilisers and I rode it straight away.

My sister received the same bike for her fourth birthday two years later.

What motivated you to start Islabikes in the first place?

My friends and family had reached an age where they were starting families and, as the cycling person in our circle, they were asking me for advice on which bikes to get their children. I was very disappointed by what was available then. They were very heavy (a four-year-old’s bike was heavier than my adult ones) and ergonomically poor — for instance the brakes were impossible to reach or pull on by a young child. Sales gimmicks like ‘faux suspension’ and multiple gears that were baffling to a young child drew attention away from poor quality materials and just added weight for no performance advantage. I was concerned that they were so bad they’d actually put some children off cycling.

As a small adult I have struggled with the fit and usability of components myself and over the years made modifications to make

things easier. I appreciate the difference to confidence and control a few small changes can make. I felt I could apply this accumulated knowledge to bikes for much smaller people. I wanted to give a better cycling experience for children in the hope they would want to ride more and benefit from all the positive things cycling offers.

You’ve been a cyclocross champion — has that influenced your bike design philosophy?

Yes, of course. My racing attracts attention, but is a small part of my total cycling. I use my bikes for shopping, local transport around town and to work, on and off-road touring, mountain biking, road club runs. My best ideas usually come when I am out and about.

I think cyclocross racing has had a bigger influence on our internal business processes. I applied ‘marginal gains’ theory to my own cyclocross racing long before British Cycling made the term well-known. I’m not that physically gifted compared with other top cyclists but I realised that if I could

save a second on every corner, mount and dismount and obstacle in a ‘cross race the multiple laps format meant that could easily add up to over a minute across the duration of a whole race. It became an obsession! I’ve enjoyed applying the same logic within the business with like-minded colleagues.

One thing my multi-discipline cycling has influenced is making our bikes as versatile as possible. I learned early on that whatever you originally get a bike for you end up doing something different on it. A new cyclist doesn’t know what sort of cycling they are going to end up enjoying most and I like to think we have thought ahead with our bikes and they can adapt with the riders’ enthusiasm. A simple tyre swap or adding key accessories can make it suitable for a wide range of cycling.

Your bikes sell at a significant premium, so what makes them different?

They are more expensive than most other children’s bikes, but they’re not expensive in the context of the spectrum of adult bike pricing and a

We design holistically and this is particularly important with small bikes when you are trying to squeeze a lot into a very small space

child’s bike costs as much to make as an adult bike. There are the same number of processes, just a tiny bit less material. Our bikes offer a significantly enhanced riding experience though ­— put simply they are much easier to ride.

This is because of our depth of understanding of how all the components and design decisions interact. We design holistically and this is particularly important with small bikes when you are trying to squeeze a lot into a very small space.

I believe the biggest benefit is for less robust children who may not be able to ride at all on a heavy machine they find awkward to use and are scared they can’t stop. They are also easier to maintain due to the better quality components, so keep working well for longer (any cycle mechanic will tell you the hardest bikes to fix are the cheapest ones).

An additional benefit is the cost of ownership is actually very low as our bikes attract very high prices secondhand — typically two-thirds to three-quarters of the original price.

Unusually Islabikes do not appear to be divided into blue for boys and pink for girls. Is that good or bad for sales?

There are no significant physiological differences between girls and boys pre-puberty that affect bike fit, so we don’t need to offer different-shaped bikes for girls and

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INTERVIEW boys. Gender stereotyping is something I feel very strongly about.

Play is an important part of preparing for adulthood. Girls and boys are deprived of play experiences that may stimulate later skills and a career because we genderise toys. We offer our bikes in a range of colours and leave the kids to choose which one they like.

Your new ‘Imagine Project’ is a long-term, multi-level project with recycling and sustainability at its core — where did the inspiration come from?

I first became aware of the possibility of future raw material scarcity and the solution to this challenge that the circular economy offers when I read Ellen MacArthur’s book Full Circle several years ago. It was a few years later that I worked out how, in principle, we might apply that thinking to bicycles.

My motivation is the thought that bicycles may become inaccessible for most families to buy in future due to the high cost of the raw materials. That would mean children stop cycling — what a terrible thought! We are working on having a solution in place for when

RACE TRACK TO DESIGN STUDIO: cyclocross champion Isla is now working on the ‘Imagine Project’ prototypes (above)

materials can be easily separated at the end of their life and made into new products. And the materials we make them from must not be virgin raw materials, they must be ‘waste’ from other industries.

We will rent the bikes to families and once the child has grown out of one size we’ll swap it for a bigger one. This means bikes won’t end up languishing in sheds ‘waiting to be sold’, so again the precious raw materials will spend more time

bike to last much longer than current ones do and prove that they remain safe. We want a fantastic hassle-free user experience so minimum, ideally zero, maintenance between size exchanges.

But the bike must still feel fantastic to ride. We have to make sure all the material flows meet the circular principles, come up with a practical exchange mechanism, and all the background processes to support a new business model. And

In the UK, cycling is still too often perceived as a sporting activity for the elite few. It needs to be ‘normalised’: something that people do in normal clothes that time comes so families can continue to enjoy all the positive benefits of cycling.

Some shops already allow regular customers to swap children’s bikes as the child grows older, at a reduced cost. How will the Imagine Project be different?

These schemes are excellent, however they don’t fully address the materials issue. Our Imagine Project bikes will be designed for extreme longevity to get the maximum value from the precious raw materials they are made of, but also so the

actually being used. These are the principles of circular products.

You’ve chosen expensive stainless steel rather than aluminium or steel for the Imagine Project prototypes along with high-grade components. Could a high rental deter some families? How can the bikes be built to be accessible by as many families as possible?

We are not at the stage of setting rental pricing yet. This is a very long-term project with many challenges to solve along the way.

For example, we have to design a

of course, the pricing must still be accessible for as many families as possible. It’s a big undertaking!

Children clearly enjoy cycling, yet in London, where adult cycling has soared, cycling to school remains low. What is it going to take to make cycling to school as common as it is in the Netherlands?

This is a big topic and there are people that know much more about it than I do. However, I think there are two things that need to change. Fear of traffic is the biggest parental concern and segregated

cycling routes are the best way to reduce that fear. Unfortunately, around schools parents are the traffic. We need our representatives to make big brave decisions around investment in infrastructure and maybe ‘car free’ zones around schools so even those that do have to come in cars walk the last bit of their journey. This would also improve air quality around schools which is generally poor due to the density of cars.

The other part is cultural change. In the UK cycling is still too often perceived as a sporting activity for the elite few. It needs to be normalised — become something that people do in normal clothes just because it is the most convenient way to get around.

What are the key criteria for building a proper kids’ bike? And how do you size one correctly – given that you don’t want too big as the kid won’t/can’t ride it, but you don’t want them to grow out of it too quickly…

Light weight — a kilo is a much bigger proportion of a child’s weight than an adult’s, so has a bigger impact on their riding. And fit — in every aspect of the bike, including all the tiny details. Getting the right size is crucial.

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INTERVIEW

Fitting an adult to a bike is easy because the adult doesn’t change size. A child will fit their bike optimally when they’re in the middle of the growth range but obviously they need to use the same bike either side of that optimal fit, otherwise you’d be buying a new one every six months. This compromise is fine up until the bike becomes unsafe/uncomfortable, at which point a smaller/bigger size should be chosen. Our charts show the measurements that are safe and comfortable at the bottom of the adjustment range for a given bike hence allowing lots of growth room.

Any tips for cycling with children?

Keep it low pressure and fun. Lots of interest stops along the way. And keep feeding them — cycling burns up a lot of calories.

In London, as in the rest of the UK, women are under-represented in cycling whereas this in not the case in the Netherlands. Is better infrastructure the answer?

Yes! And the ‘normalisation’ of cycling. Also, almost all adult women have been subjected to the gender stereotyping I referred to earlier. As a result they are less likely to be confident mechanically and many

modern bikes are delicate and complicated. I believe we need to make bikes easier to own and use and this is also one of our Imagine Project goals.

What do you think of cycling in London and other UK cities?

I live in a small rural town, but visit London frequently and usually bring my Brompton. It delights me to see the explosion of cycle use and I feel exhilarated to ride there. Improved infrastructure and successive mayors that have had cycling on their agendas has no doubt contributed to this. However, the job is not done and we need to keep pressing for all the things that will encourage more people to take up this wonderful mode of transport.

Are we doing enough in schools to encourage and enable kids to cycle?

There are some great projects up and down the country that have resulted in high numbers of children cycling to school, but it’s patchy. Nationwide implementation of the best practice schemes would have a huge impact on children’s participation with all the attendant benefits that brings now, and in setting positive transport habits for the future.

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CAMPAIGN

BANK JUNCTION This April, the City of London will finally take action on the lethal Bank junction. Simon Munk lays out the future of this notorious location...

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W

hen hundreds of LCC members and supporters gathered at Bank junction in June 2015 it was to demand change at one of the most hostile and dangerous junctions in London, following the tragic death of 26-year-old Ying Tao. Tao was an Oxbridge graduate, a “perfect wife” and a management consultant. Tao may have been “bright and popular”, she may also have been “very cautious” and often lit up like a “Christmas tree”. But for her, the combination of a huge tipper truck and complex, messy junction still proved lethal.

At the end of April this year, the City of London will finally take hugely welcome action to honour her death and to provide a far better, safer junction for everyone — not just cyclists. The improvements should show what a less

car-dominated, more people-friendly future for London can look like. But they also demonstrate the difficulties in getting there, the risks to progress and the power of those opposed to positive change.

The trial scheme In December, the City of London’s committees voted to approve the scheme, dotting the final Is and crossing the final Ts on the long-running process to remove most motor vehicle traffic from the junction. The scheme ­— which begins at the end of April — closes the junction to motor traffic except buses, between Monday and Friday, 7am to 7pm. This will be done on a trial, temporary basis under an Experimental Traffic Order for up to 18 months. Then a final scheme will be considered, to go in by the end of 2020.

The scheme will be enforced with ANPR (automatic number plate recognition) cameras,

ABOVE: how Bank junction looked in Victorian times.

BELOW: hundreds of cyclists attending LCC’s protests.

with a £65 (or potentially higher) fine for any contravention. And officers will be on site and running an operational command centre to tweak the scheme once in, and to provide “behaviour support at the junction to encourage

PHOTOS: Ben/LCC, BlackCabLondon

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CAMPAIGN compliance by pedestrians and cyclists to reduce potential conflict”.

Officers will be monitoring and, if necessary, adapting elements of the scheme live and, once the scheme has bedded in, they will produce a report for the City on the next steps. One of the options likely to be put forward in the report is also removing buses to make Bank cycle/walking only. As well as scrapping the entire scheme, other options that may be put forward include letting taxis back in, and/or allowing through motor traffic on some arms in some directions.

Obviously, LCC will be pushing for the best possible scheme to go forward — of removing all motor vehicle traffic from this vital junction that is a point that many central London cycle journeys naturally pass through.

Not just for cyclists The scheme has moved forward in part due to the pressure we have all applied, including the protest and ongoing outrage over collisions with cyclists (and lack of action from the City to them). But, it’s not just those cycling who fare badly at Bank at present. That’s why LCC staff spoke alongside Living Streets representatives at the City’s committee hearings.

The collision tally for pedestrians at Bank is worse than cyclists (in terms of overall numbers, although those cycling are more likely to be seriously injured). Little wonder given the narrow pavements, complex crossings and high numbers of pedestrians who pass through the area every day (18,000 an hour at peak on weekdays).

In five years (2009-2014), Bank and its immediate surrounds has seen 105 collisions and 118 casualties. Nearly half of these are on the junction itself. The highest collision factors are “pedestrians stepping out” and “right turns”, and over half of all the serious injuries are heavy goods vehicles colliding with those cycling.

Officers, in their incredibly thorough reports, estimate that the current scheme, and timings, would remove over half of all casualties. If the scheme goes bus and cycle only 24 hours a day, and is extended to the approach arms, then that goes up to an 85% saving in casualties.

A future vision The pressure to do something at Bank junction has also intensified as officers and the City face up to the changing nature of London — the arrival of Crossrail is predicted to add further pedestrian movements to the already-heaving junction. The result of squeezing even more of us into this junction means that congestion and collisions are predicted to get worse if nothing is done. The City had to do something.

There are also potential public realm benefits

to be considered. Bank is one of the finest buildings in the City. And the junction should be, given the footfall through it and its attractions, an iconic location. But it isn’t — it’s congested, noisy, hostile. People hurry through it whatever mode of transport they use. Removing most motor vehicle traffic is a first step to creating an iconic plaza or piazza for people — not tipper trucks, taxis or cars.

Don’t bank on it The dream of a space for city workers and tourists to stop for a coffee in the centre is still a way off however. And its realisation, and even the trial scheme as currently planned, face numerous hurdles before Bank becomes a fiscally-sound bet.

There is significant opposition to the Bank junction scheme, despite its clear safety improvements. Most notable are the voices of taxi drivers. The Licensed Taxi Drivers Association (LTDA), other taxi organisations and individual cabbies have been sour about cycling schemes for some time now. Even quite minor cycling schemes face organised opposition from taxi drivers as a matter of course. And the LTDA has opposed every single major cycling scheme in the last few years. But the Bank junction scheme has drawn fire like never before.

Hundreds of taxi drivers blockaded Bank on a snowy Thursday night in January, then smaller numbers followed it up with afternoon rolling protests for several weekdays after.

Speaking at the City’s Transport & Planning Committee, Steve McNamara, General Secretary of the LTDA said the organisation “totally accepts something needs to be done at Bank and many

other junctions,” and agrees that Bank junction is “not a good place to be”.

But he has also said of the proposed solution to these issues: “It’s probably the craziest scheme anyone has suggested for some time. The reality is that taxis are driven by professional drivers, and they are easily accessible vehicles that drive at low speeds. Buses have more accidents than taxis... If it is based on the number of accidents, then buses should be excluded.” McNamara concluded to the committee: “It’s the wrong scheme at the wrong time in the wrong place.”

Of course, every cycling scheme seems to be the wrong scheme at the wrong time in the wrong place for McNamara, the LTDA and many taxi drivers. The reason here is that taxis are among those motor vehicles that the scheme would stop from passing through.

Taxis declare war What’s truly ludicrous about taxi drivers protesting the closure of Bank junction to them is how little they stand to lose from the changes, and how much they stand to benefit.

The officers’ report points out that by retaining access to the arms of the junction, delivery and loading changes for the properties around the junction are barely affected. And three taxi ranks are set to be moved nearer to the junction itself to ensure that passenger pick-up and drop-off is maintained effectively. “There will be no change for travellers with accessibility issues being able to access local properties,” said Chris Hayward, Chairman, Planning and Transportation Committee, City of London.

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Victory is not yet assured City has said it will review the Bank scheme after a mere four weeks on the back of howls of anger from the taxi lobby. We are pressing the case that very few conclusions about any road scheme can be drawn after only four weeks. Most schemes require months for traffic patterns to settle — TfL is now saying over a year for major schemes such as Cycle Superhighways.

Either way, with threats from taxi drivers to block the junction again when the trial scheme goes in (potentially invalidating any data in the first few weeks anyway), and the LTDA having previously initiated a judicial review over the Cycle Superhighways, this is a battle that’s far from over and we aren’t assured victory yet.

The taxi drivers are right in one sense — a

scheme which removes most motor vehicle traffic but retains fairly frequent movements of large buses is not ideal. LCC’s position is that the option we want the City to move forward with is removing buses too — for a truly people-friendly area and for the maximum opportunity to improve public realm there, plus boost walking and cycling rates and safety.

There are also other good reasons for removing buses anyway. London’s bus network is currently changing rapidly, and will change more over the next few years — as are other transit options. And these changes are particularly concentrated in central London.

Firstly, Crossrail’s completion is set to move a lot of east-west movements off buses and onto the new tube line. Stations on Crossrail, or that connect easily from and to it, are set to see much higher passenger numbers. Bank junction is predicted to see more people surfacing from the tube at it because of the Elizabeth line.

Bus networks are also being realigned to free up space for healthier streets — such as a motor vehicle-free Oxford Street. And to avoid the worst of central London congestion. Many of the current through bus routes face their worst delays because they pass, sometimes nearly empty, through the tightest bits of central London’s crush.

So rationalising the bus network for a changing London, and getting buses out of Bank may well make sense not just for cycling, but pedestrians also, for public realm and tourism wins, and for buses and public transport passengers as part of a network rationalisation.

Whether buses are happy to accept being booted from Bank junction also remains to be seen — as do many of the other variables with this complex and important scheme. LCC will produce updates on the situation at Bank once the scheme is in and will continue to campaign to ensure the trial is given time, and that an even more visionary scheme that removes all motor vehicle traffic from the junction is the end result.

PHOTOS: City of London

Obviously, some short taxi journeys from one side of Bank junction to another will now become more circuitous. But these are exactly the kind of motor vehicle journeys that shouldn’t be happening, whenever possible, in the first place. If you only want to hop in a cab for two minutes, and that will now become five or ten, then the obvious answer is walking or cycling that journey will likely be quicker (and probably would have been quicker cycling before anyway).

For longer journeys through the area, the officers’ report shows that the proposals will actually mean taxis get quicker. Yes, by excluding taxis from Bank, through taxi journeys will speed up. The City’s modelling work with TfL shows that by 2018, if nothing is done in the area, the average journey time through the area for general traffic including taxis is about seven-anda-half minutes. It remains about the same if Bank junction is closed to all bar taxis, buses and cycling. But if the junction is also closed to taxis, the general traffic journey time drops to an average of seven minutes. On average, taxis will benefit for their journeys through the area if they don’t go through Bank.

How can this be? Because, fairly obviously, the modelling shows that if Bank remains open to taxis, they will swarm through the junction, using it as a preferred shortcut — but the number of them (taxis now account for 20% of all central London weekday traffic, according to TfL) coming through will clog up the junction again. Buses, regularised and only every few minutes, won’t. (The modelling also shows that allowing taxis in at Bank would clog up Bishopsgate to an “unacceptable” level.)

That’s also why the taxi drivers’ argument that taxis are safer than buses for those cycling and walking doesn’t stack up either. Taxis are involved in a significant number of collisions in central London. But the sheer numbers of taxis and the modelling suggests strongly that what would happen is that cars at Bank would simply be replaced by taxis. Now that’s obviously safer than replacing all cars with HGVs, but it won’t make for a safe or people-friendly junction — and particularly not compared to a junction which is far quieter as most motor traffic is removed and only regular buses pass through.

Fundamentally, taxi drivers seem to be mostly protesting because (a) this is an iconic location and they presumably feel by fighting here they’re drawing a line in the sand, and (b) they haven’t worked out, or are avoiding, tackling their real enemy — the rise in congestion and competition from private hire vehicles and services like Uber.

These pose far more of a threat to the ongoing existence of the taxi trade than cycling. And if they properly started to take on them as a campaign, they’d likely find common ground with cycling campaigners.

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RIGHT BACK ON TRACK Author Mark Wellings reviews the rich heritage and bright future of the UK’s most historic cycling venue: Herne Hill Velodrome

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T ABOVE: Hopkins Architects’ drawings of the new pavilion and grandstand

rack cycling is one of the oldest and most specialised forms of cycle racing, featuring an eclectic mix of sprint and endurance events for individuals and groups of riders.

Intense, physical and cerebral — track cycling is all about speed, technique, tactics and nerve.

The bikes are strong and rigid to cope with extreme acceleration, with a single fixed gear and no brakes. It is the simplest and purest bicycle, where rider is at one with machine.

The tracks themselves vary from large open-air oval circuits with shallow banking, to the small, tight and steeply-banked hardwood ovals of the indoor velodromes. And Herne Hill Velodrome in south London is arguably the best-known, most-loved velodrome in the world, with the richest history; a unique and iconic institution, ranking alongside the legendary Velodromo Vignorelli in Milan, Roubaix in northern France and Buffalo in Paris.

Now, after several decades of physical decline and disrepair, when the velodrome repeatedly came under threat of closure, the rescue plan that emerged from the Save the Velodrome campaign is finally nearing completion. A resurfaced track, lights, a junior track and a multi-use games area have already been added. And a wonderful new two-storey pavilion designed by Hopkins Architects, who were also responsible for the London 2012 Olympic velodrome, is about to

become the crowning glory — securing Herne Hill’s long-term future as one of the leading centres of cycling in London and the UK. One continuous roar Built in 1891, Herne Hill stadium originally stood in nine acres of grounds formerly occupied by a dairy farm, modestly concealed from the general public by the recently-built houses on Burbage Road to the south, Village Way in Dulwich to the east and a railway viaduct to the north.

Back in the 1880s there were already over a dozen tracks in the London area alone, on surfaces ranging from grass and cinders through to wood and cement. Fulham, Catford, Chiswick, Crystal Palace, Surbiton, Alexandra Palace, Kennington, Wood Green, Paddington, Kensal Rise, Balham, Bow Grounds, Stamford Bridge and Sheen all held regular race meetings.

Crowds flocked to the track during cycling’s Victorian heyday of the 1890s, to watch a bewildering variety of races for penny farthings and the so-called ‘safety bicycles’. But velodromes built during this period rarely met with commercial success; the intense enthusiasm only lasted a few years and by the turn of the century many had closed down. Herne Hill, however, survived and thrived.

When two roads diverge Two great cycle racing institutions were born in 1903: the Good Friday Meeting at Herne Hill and

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FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: big crowds at the popular Good Friday track meet; girls racing at the Youth Team Championships; a short stepped section during summer cyclocross league

the Tour de France across the Channel. Le Tour is now the world’s biggest annual sporting event, while the Good Friday Meeting has been a showcase for the world’s greatest cycle racing stars, witnessing the breaking of national and world records for 125 years: from Jimmy Michael, Leon Meredith and Frank Southall in the early days through Reg Harris, Tom Simpson and Barry Hoban and on to Tony Doyle, Graeme Obree, Bradley Wiggins and other leading lights of the 21st-century British cycling phenomenon. And that’s just the British talent. There was also a panoply of foreign riders who appeared week in, week out, from Fausto Coppi to Jef Scherens, Toni Merkens and Stuart O’Grady. For both events to continue through to this day with almost unbroken regularity is a remarkable achievement.

Toad-in-the-hole and tight shorts The British public mostly disapproved of the government’s decision to host the 1948 Olympic Games at a time when people were still surviving on food and energy rations, two million were unemployed and there was a housing shortage.

But support gradually grew and the cycling team was a big hope for medals.

But the ‘Austerity Games’ were a far cry from today: the British track cycling team were put up in a house backing on to the track in Herne Hill.

They slept on camp beds and the mother of a team member cooked the meals — spam fritters for breakfast and toad-in-the-hole and rice pudding for tea. The team pursuit riders hadn’t even practiced the event, never mind raced together, before the squad met up at Herne Hill and the equipment was so poor that one

competitor was unable to race because his borrowed shorts were too tight!

It was a dramatic three days racing at Herne Hill — which remains the only venue from those games still in use today. The final tally was four medals in track cycling: silver in sprint and tandem, bronze in time trial and team pursuit.

Pop goes the track Although Reg Harris had been expected to win three gold medals and came away with only two silvers, he went on to rule the roost for the next decade, winning four world sprint titles and becoming a household name throughout the 1950s, as famous in his day as ‘brand Beckham’.

A thriving race scene continued at Herne Hill too. Professionals were coaxed to the track for a regular season of top-quality Saturday meetings, including world champions, top continental six-day riders and leading national track cyclists.

The 1960s saw an explosion in the popularity of continental professional road racing, with superstar roadies like Eddy Merckx and emerging homegrown talent such as Tom Simpson taking the scene by storm. It wasn’t simply a case of allegiances transferring from the track to the peloton, however; fortunately many of the road men loved to ride track too. And it was appearances at Herne Hill by stars such as Simpson and the great Fausto Coppi that provided many of the highlights of the 1950s and 1960s.

Although there were regular appearances by

PHOTOS: samholdenagency.com, Tom Simpson

Racing into the history books Leading firms like Dunlop and Gladiator had teams of up to 60 pacers to support the star riders, who brought fast and exciting racing, and capacity crowds. In the early years, most records and many races were paced (with the riders sitting in the slipstreams) — initially by tandems, then triplets, quads and finally quints. This was followed by using teams of quints, changing over to maintain even higher speeds. But in the pursuit for ever-faster speeds and thrilling races, human pacers were replaced by motorcycles. For a period, cycle racing behind pacers was the most popular form of public entertainment.

Thousands of people paid to watch multimanned or motorised pacing machines thundering around Herne Hill dragging racers in their wake. They were the fastest men on earth and it wreaked of danger. There were as many as six teams on the track at any time; crashes were frequent and spectacular, often serious — and occasionally fatal.

The inter-war years saw huge crowds and great racing at Herne Hill, but the German invasion of Poland ended that and within a month the grounds were closed to cycling and turned into an anti-aircraft and barrage balloon site.

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LEFT: a motorised derny leads out racers at the Youth Team Championships in 2015

Although it was reopened later in the year, the grandstand, built when the track had first opened its doors in 1891, was finally closed for health and safety reasons. The venue was a shadow of its former self and by 2010, it was threatened with closure yet again.

star riders such as Hugh ‘the Locomotive’ Porter, Alf Engers and Tony Doyle, by the mid-1960s Herne Hill was also taking on a broader role as a community facility (which it still maintains to this day), with over 10,000 schoolchildren using it each year. This was at a time when most cycle clubs still didn’t admit under-18s.

Phoenix rising The year 1992 was a turning point for British cycling and Herne Hill in particular. When Chris Boardman spectacularly caught Jens Lehmann in the 4,000m individual pursuit final at the Barcelona Olympics, he was the first British cyclist to win a gold medal since 1920. The victory reignited a passion for cycling that had not been seen since the post-war years and has steadily increased ever since.

Herne Hill’s fortunes were reignited in 1992 too, when the track was rebuilt, by then the only racing track in the London area. And 1992 was also the year that the 12-year-old Bradley Wiggins began racing at the velodrome after witnessing Boardman’s heroics on TV.

“I remember going there [to Herne Hill] as a kid with my mum and admiring the world champions who used to be invited in their rainbow jerseys,” said Wiggins, “the sprinter Michael Hubner, the six-day racer Danny Clark and the pursuiter Tony Doyle. I used to look up to those guys and hope that one day I would be doing what they were doing. It’s such an iconic facility not just for the local area, but for the whole British cycling scene.”

Feast and famine By the Athens Olympics in 2004, British Cycling’s World Class Performance Plan was bearing fruit in abundance. Britain won four medals, including two gold. But as British Cycling worked towards its zenith in 2008 (wining nine gold medals out of a possible 18 at the World Championships and then an incredible seven out of ten gold medals at the Beijing Olympics), Herne Hill was at its nadir.

Long-running difficulties with the lease came to a head and eventually the landlords lost patience.

On 1 January 2005 the stadium was shut, without any sign of long-term agreement between them and Southwark Council.

Friends of Herne Hill Velodrome Local residents, parents of young riders and the established cycling community at Herne Hill all joined forces. A public meeting in the Great Hall of Dulwich College in October 2010 was held to launch the Save the Velodrome campaign. Official charity, The Herne Hill Velodrome Trust, was set up shortly afterwards, with responsibility for ensuring a sustainable future for the site. They swiftly established a three-phase plan. Phase one: £400,000 of investment from British Cycling paid for the main track to be resurfaced with faster, all-weather tarmac. Phase two: a new 250m inner track, a multi-use games area and low-level perimeter lighting were all added in 2013, with finance from the Southwark Olympic Legacy Project. These added more activities to the velodrome’s timetable (for disability and younger children’s groups) and extended riding times.

The final phase and the centrepiece of the whole campaign will be the new pavilion, due to be completed by the end of February 2017 and funded by the London Marathon Trust, Sport England, the Mayor’s Fund and Southwark Council. A beautiful building with a stunning sloping wooden roof it includes changing facilities, covered outdoor seating and a new club room and cafe with views over the track. The original cast-iron columns from the 1890s are cleverly incorporated into the design. And, most recently, a crowdfunding campaign called The Big Finish raised almost £90,000 from 802 pledgers, for final refurbishments, in less than three weeks; 270 seats were also sold in the new stand.

After more than 125 years of action, Herne Hill velodrome thankfully looks set to remain a sustainable, vibrant, community-based centre for cyclists of all ages and abilities. Olympian Ed Clancy says: “For me it’s a great track to ride and amazing to have one that’s accessible to riders of all abilities.” It is simply the spiritual home of British track cycling. n Mark Wellings is the author of Ride! Ride! Ride!

Herne Hill Velodrome and the Story of British Track Cycling (Icon Books), available at all good bookshops.

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INTRODUCE A FRIEND TO LCC & BOTH RECEIVE A FREE SET OF CYCLING BOOKS For a limited time only if you introduce a friend or colleague to LCC membership we’ll say a big thank you by giving you BOTH two FREE books from Wild Things Publishing worth £31.

LCC.ORG.UK/MGM17

Ts & Cs apply

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CAMPAIGN

CAMDEN CLOCS UP ANOTHER FIRST Tom Bogdanowicz looks at how the north London borough has taken a lead on lorry and workplace safety

C

amden is the first London borough to become a CLOCS (Construction Logistics and Community Safety) champion.

In this article we examine why Camden decided to join 400 industry members of CLOCS and how it is implementing the CLOCS safety standard on the ground. Given the clear benefits of CLOCS, the question for politicians in other London boroughs (only Camden and the City of London are CLOCS champions) is why have they not joined CLOCS? WORK-RELATED ROAD RISK Gone are the days when you could see a construction worker climbing a poorly-secured ladder with bag of cement under each arm.

Health and safety at the workplace has been much more tightly controlled in recent decades and high accident rates such as those during the

construction of the Channel Tunnel (502 accidents in 1989-1990, giving a rate of 4% of the workforce) have faced Parliamentary scrutiny.

The focus on work-related road risk (WRRR), however, is a new development and became a priority issue in London after a series of fatal cyclist collisions in 2012.

Responding to the public outcry, Transport for London commissioned a report called Construction Logistics and Cyclists Safety which noted the high proportion of cyclists deaths (around 50%) resulting from collisions with lorries and identified a series of measures that could help reduce that death toll.

WHAT IS CLOCS? CLOCS — now entitled the Construction Logistics and Community Safety standard, in recognition of its role in reducing both pedestrian and cyclists collisions (around 20% of pedestrian fatalities involve a lorry) — was formed as an

industry-led body to help implement the recommendations of the CLOCS report. While the construction industry signed up in numbers (around 400 thus far) boroughs have been slower on the uptake.

Camden says its decision to join CLOCS was founded on its transport policy which prioritises sustainable forms of transport and seeks to minimise risk to road users.

The council’s Cabinet Member for Transport, Phil Jones explains: “In Camden we take a proactive role in improving the safety of large vehicles travelling through our borough and London… We have also used the opportunity to introduce changes to our procurement practices to include stringent road safety requirements, as well as via our planning process to ensure safer vehicle operation on construction projects in the borough. This means we are the first borough to monitor and spot-check compliance for safety equipment on large vehicles, as well

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CAMPAIGN

CAMDEN’S TIPS ON HOW TO IMPLEMENT WRRR TERMS AND CLOCS 1. DEFINE THE BUSINESS CASE Implementing WRRR should be defined as a normal health and safety issue that should be considered along with any other workplace or construction site issue.

2. P RIORITISE CORPORATE COMPLIANCE Aim to lead by example and, as a minimum, achieve the same standards as your WRRR terms. Engage your Transport Manager early on to set a timetable for achieving FORS accreditation.

3. B ALANCE SCOPE WITH ABILITY TO MONITOR AND ENFORCE Non-compliance rates across Camden suggest that simply including WRRR terms in contracts is not enough; compliance needs to be monitored.

4. P RIORITISE BY RISK If there is not the resource or appetite to implement across all contracts and vehicle sizes initially, then scope should be prioritised by risk. as driver training and accreditation.”

Having accepted the importance of WRRR in 2014 and incorporated it into its planning procedures and procurement policies, the step to becoming a CLOCS champion for Camden was a logical one. Using a nationally-recognised, and industry-led, standard improved clarity for developers and helped ensure consistent standards between the council’s own procurement and that in the private sector.

WORKING WITH CONTRACTORS Camden’s contractors are now required to meet work-related road risk terms linked to CLOCS and which include Fleet Operator Recognition Scheme (FORS) silver level accreditation as a component. As a CLOCS champion, Camden has stipulated that construction developments in the borough also have to adhere to the CLOCS standard. Compliance for both contractors and construction sites is monitored and enforcement

action taken if necessary. Camden’s own fleet is gold FORS accredited.

Camden uses Section 106 agreements to enforce CLOCS standards on development sites in the borough. All developers are asked to complete a Construction Management Plan which adheres to CLOCS standards and Camden’s own minimum requirements for building construction.

The Construction Transport Management Plan is accessible on the Council’s Planning Obligations (section 106) web page. The specific arrangements are agreed with council officers before developments can proceed on site. In effect, the application of the CLOCS standard is part of the planning process.

The advantage to developers of following the CLOCS standard and procedures is that they are in line with industry-led standards (something many of them highlight on their vehicles and websites) that have council support and,

SE AVAILABLE TOOLS AND 5. U EXISTING PROCESSES WRRR terms can be easily implemented using available templates, such as standard contract terms and WRRR non-compliance letters and monitoring resources, available via TfL’s WRRR toolkit and the Implementing Road Safety Using the CLOCS Process guide. n For further information, go to clocs.org.uk, camden.gov.uk/WRRR and camden.gov.uk/CLOCS

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CAMPAIGN importantly, that they are likely to have fewer impacts on the local community and therefore generate fewer complaints from residents.

Both cyclists and pedestrians will have noticed, for example, that the use of banksmen at developments in Camden and the City of London have reduced the occasions when conflicts arise at the entrances to worksites. The standards also specify the safety features fitted to lorries, vehicle routing arrangements, loading arrangements and access. The outcome, as far as Camden residents are concerned, is that they face less danger, less mud and rubble on the roads and less disruption as a result of CLOCS standards.

CLOCS standards align with TfL’s Construction Logistics Plan as well as FORS standards, so a company that meets requirements once knows it is in good stead for the other regulations.

ENSURING STANDARDS ARE MET Camden’s CLOCS procedures don’t end with an agreement on completion of a construction management plan and a section 106 agreement.

The agreement has legal implications and

Camden Council takes steps to check that the measures agreed are in place. This is now being carried out, on a trial basis, by representatives of the well-established Considerate Constructors Scheme (CCS) which has joined the CLOCS secretariat. Sites get visits from officers to check that CLOCS standards are maintained.

Where the developer or contractor is already a CLOCS member the monitoring and compliance process is simplified as they are usually familiar with the requirements, but Camden has found that compliance can vary.

Most larger sites that are aware of CLOCS will ensure that all contractors are FORS graded and in some cases they will carry out their own compliance checks. During the trial period CCS will be talking to developers and providing them with reports on compliance with suggestions on how it can be improved.

Camden has not had need to step up enforcement beyond negotiation on procedures but there is the option of seeking a legal injunction to ensure that Section 106 conditions are met.

WHAT YOU CAN DO Ask your local councillor (unless you live in Camden or City) why your borough hasn’t become a CLOCS champion yet. This article is intended as a quick summary that a councillor can read and share with officers and other councillors. It is also posted on the LCC website's news section. There is plenty more detailed information at clocs.org.uk and either TfL or LCC will be pleased to answer questions.

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TRAVEL PHOTOS: John Kitchiner, Mark Barren

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TRAVEL

This historic coastal trail in Menorca should be on every adventurous rider's bucket list says John Kitchiner How much water have you got left?" I tentatively ask riding partner Mark, fearing his reply.

"Reservoir's empty, so I'm down to about a bottle and a half," comes the answer. Not what you want to hear when the nearest prospect of a refill is still about three hours away — and there's no guarantee that option would even be available.

We're short of halfway on day two of our circumnavigation of Menorca; faces tinged with sunburn, arms glistening with sweat and legs a glorious mix of red dirt, sand and seawater. We'd been carefully monitoring our liquid intake, using supplies as sparingly as possible, but that was easier said than done as we pedalled steadily across an unforgiving landscape in throat-tickling 35-degree heat.

Planning, prep and fitness ticked all the boxes, however we were victims of something beyond our control: an extremely unseasonal weather window which had even the locals cowering for shade and seeking extended siestas. The Cami de Cavalls — in its full, unabridged form — was never going to be a stroll, but the gods had conspired to seriously up the challenge quotient...

Lies, damn lies and gradient profiles Adventures come in all shapes and sizes. And, as with most serious off-road rides, the basic stats — 185km of total distance with a mere 2,680m of elevation gain — belie the true difficulty on the ground. A glance at the map and its tightly packed

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TRAVEL contours, next to the jagged gradient profiles, pointed to a ride that shouldn't be underestimated. Ridden anti-clockwise from the capital Maó (Mahon), the northern half is by far the most rugged, exposed and sparsely populated, with double the climbing compared to the southern shores. Inclines could reach 30% at times so it wasn't for the faint-hearted.

The exact origin of the trail is unknown but it's thought to date back to the 14th century and the cavalleries, a system that was in charge of defending the island. The watchmen used this 'road' to guard the coast and its military purpose continued for several centuries, though throughout history the trail was also used simultaneously for communication between remote coastal communities, providing fast and easy access for fishermen and for salt collection.

In the middle of the last century, however, as the trail fell into disuse, property owners began to put up gates everywhere. It wasn't until the 1990s and persistent campaigning from locals and the island administration that thoughts turned to the route's leisure potential and it was opened up to the public again. During the next decade it became designated as GR223, one of Europe's network of Grande Randonnée footpaths. While hikers still account for the largest number of visitors, they're quickly being caught by adventurous trail runners and mountain bikers.

All along the watchtowers Leaving Maó, the first kilometre of our journey affords glimpses of cobbled backstreets and

ancient harbourside buildings, before we hit the blacktop and head initially eastwards then turn north-west. It's the ideal warm-up: gentle climbing, distracting views, negligible traffic and clean sea air. The official trailhead is at Sa Mesquida beach; as a handful of tourists lay out their towels for the day, our tyres get their first taste of dirt.

Sa Mesquida's also notable for a couple more reasons. It's the first of hundreds of stunning unspoilt coves we'll pass over the next few days.

What's more it's our first sighting of one of the famed talaia (watchtowers), perhaps the island's most distinctive buildings — and the reason the Cami de Cavalls actually exists.

The early kilometres of singletrack tease us brilliantly: short, punchy climbs followed by flowy, meandering descents. Rocky and loose in places, it sets the tone for what's ahead. We pass gated military zones on the inland side, the odd snorkeller in a tranquil inlet and small groups of flipflop-wearing hikers intent on finding the perfect spot for a paddle. It turns out that Menorcans will do pretty much anything to find an isolated swimming spot and it becomes one of our recurring jokes when we chance upon a bronzed local in Speedos miles from anywhere.

We reach the village of Es Grau by mid-morning and the temperature's already nudging the mid-30s. With so few cafes, shops or settlements of any kind along the northern half of the route, it's vital we take every opportunity to top up water supplies; both of us are carrying three-litre hydration reservoirs, plus a couple of litres in smaller bottles, and we would get through that

and at least another two litres of fluid every day. If in doubt, fill 'er up.

From here we ride around a giant lagoon — an important stop-off point for European/African bird migration — and through the cooling, scented pine forests of the Albufera National Park. There's remains of numerous Roman camps in this area, but we decide on a minor detour to Favaritx lighthouse instead. Skirting Port d'Addaia we encounter small saltflats before climbing on a gravelly path and minor road to Arenal d'en Castell. This is our overnight stop, though in hindsight (as some four-stagers do) we might have been better continuing towards Fornells and chipping off a few extra miles from day two.

The longest day Our second day in the saddle was always going to be epic — and so it transpired. Not only would we face the toughest and most technically-demanding riding of the trip, but there were only two potential watering holes (one of which, we'd been warned, might not be open) and there'd also be precious little shade from the punishing heat.

Luckily it was an 'easy' opening few kilometres again, hugging the coast to Son Parc on wider tracks. Passing the wetlands of Prat de Son Saura we're reminded that we'd be heading across half-a-dozen distinct terrains and landscapes in the next 10 hours or so: wetlands, saltpans, sandy coves, natural woodland, rocky scarps and limestone 'pavements'. The rich diversity of this peaceful Mediterranean island would be the strongest memory we'd take home with us.

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TRAVEL MAIN IMAGE: boulder-hopping on the far west coast.

THIS PAGE (clockwise from top left): brief respite from the sun at Cala Morell's caves; the snaking singletrack running to the horizon on the northern half of the route; lifesaver Mig and his Nimbo Limbo 'eco foodtruck'; hike-a-bike section on the outward leg; the first marker post on the Cami de Cavalls (the entire loop is signed).

Descending from a strange clifftop prairie dotted with hundreds of hedgehog-like socarells (a native plant), we're flagged down by a pair of local mtb'ers struggling to fix a flat. They were pretty much the only other properly kitted-out riders we'd see all trip, so ask where they're headed — turns out they were only going a short distance as it's "muy caliente para el ciclismo" (very hot for cycling). Really? Unsurprisingly, they looked a little concerned when we explained our plans for this particular day. We rode together until the next notable stop, the remote restaurant at Binimel-la. And while we tucked into an incredibly tasty paella we had some decisions to make.

Guided parties head inland from here, taking the road all the way up to the central town of Ferreries. Primarily because there's no accommodation on the coast for dozens of miles, but also because the next section of trail is the roughest, most exhausting and isolated of the entire loop. So most punters skip this bit altogether. Conversely, as experienced mountain

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bikers, this was one of the sections we'd been most looking forward to — and, in our favour, we were well fed, had topped up the tanks and it would get cooler as the day wore on. The flip was that we'd still have to reach the next roadhead and then endure a lengthy tarmac crawl back to Ferreries anyway, including a portion on the busy ME-1 motorway — all in fading light or darkness.

Of course, the latter plan won out and we were rewarded with some truly breathtaking riding. Yes there were a couple of cheeky hike-a-bikes; too loose, steep and narrow for even the MacAskills of this world. But they were short-lived and the bobbing, weaving, unrelenting ribbon was a thing to savour. Emerging battered but grinning at Es Alocs we knew it had been the right choice. Though the less said about the road slog to the hotel the better; we'd laugh about it in years to come.

Limestone cowboys Returning to the beach at Es Alocs the following morning, a glance at the map showed the first half

of day three would be quite hilly, while the second half appeared almost contourless. After the previous outing it looked straight-forward, but we'd learnt to temper our expectations until we saw the reality beneath our tyres.

Early on we're greeted by two short, intense climbs before dopping down towards Pla de Mar through a series of old copper mines. We get great views of the Muntanya Mala, one of the most inaccesible parts of the entire island and home to its tallest cliff, almost 200m high.

Continuing the traverse, Mark notices a rattle from his saddle and it turns out one of the rail clamp bolts has completely sheared. It takes a bit of head-scratching, then textbook zip-tie and Sugru bodging to get him in sufficiently rideable shape to make it to the next trailhead where we might find a more permanent fix. To be honest we're surprised we haven't had more mechanicals as the terrain's brutal, the sort that eats up fragile bike parts. Of course, within minutes I then get a double puncture after pinging through a jagged

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TRAVEL

ABOVE: emerging from the seemingly flat, constantly challenging and brilliant fun limestone plateau.

TOP LEFT: the flags were out for our return to Maó.

LEFT: pausing for a sundowner at Pont d'en Gil.

rock garden a little too fast. That's easily sorted.

Realising we still have a lot of ground to cover and our quick fix isn't foolproof, we call the cavalry and Joan from CamiDeCavalls360 meets us with a selection of seatposts which we promptly cannibalise to get back on track.

Good job too as the second half, as predicted, threw up something fairly unique. An almost featureless plateau, except for a few drystone walls and conical shepherd's huts, we could see for miles; a mottled white blanket running to the horizon. Up closer it's in fact pock-marked, wind-ravaged limestone, resembling a monstrous 'brain coral', with a faint trail across it; so indistinct at times that you have to create your own lines, reading the obstacles and committing wholeheartedly. It's actually really technical riding, no matter the lack of gradient — you're constantly looking ahead, assessing which clumps you can ride around or over, whether you need to lift your front wheel, adjust your pedal position, constantly weighting and unweighting the bike. It's also pretty tiring as you inevitably need to stand out of the saddle, cranking along in the biggest gear you can turn to ensure maximum traction. Momentum is your friend here. It's as grippy as the red rock of Moab but even more abrasive; knobbles are ripped off tyres and woe betide if you catch your ankle on a step-up gap.

Just short of the Calaspiques/Cala en Blaines tourist urbanisation we pause at Pont d'en Gil, a natural arch formation in the cliffs, just as the sun's

setting. It's a popular spot for romantic strolls apparently, but we have a date with beer and find a picturesque seat near Ciutadella's main square.

Southern softies Our plan is to knock off the return journey to Mao, around the south coast, in under two days and thankfully the gradient profile is a sight for sore limbs. In a reverse from the previous day, the first part is pretty benign, with the biggest lumps not popping up until we've got another 25km under our belts. Beyond Cala Galdana we experience the novelty of riding through beautiful deciduous woodland — it's the hilliest section remaining — and it reminds us of classic tracks back home.

We also pass dozens of pristine beaches; though we've carried our trunks every day we're hording a dip for the finale.

From Sant Tomas and Son Bou, the trail drops into a steep-sided ravine or two, each requiring a short portage out again. Mixing farmland and minor roads now, we sense the end approaching as we pass through back-to-back villages and round the south-east corner of the island.

We've been salivating at the prospect and it's time to finally dive into the warm, clear sea at Cala d'Alcafar. It seems crazy that, other than the odd foot-cooling soak, this is our first swim; in a place famed for its magical coves we're definitely going against the grain. But as mentioned earlier, adventures take many forms and ours was one we'd cherish for many different reasons.

FACTFILE GUIDING: CamiDeCavalls360.com offer guided and supported trips split over 3-6 stages. The trips with fewer stages are extremely arduous and aimed at fit, experienced mountain bikers. Most opt for 5-6 shorter days, with minibus support.

MAP: we'd recommend the excellent 1:50,000 map by CamiDeCavalls360.

BIKE CHOICE: you can hire well-specced trail bikes on the island. We took a Whyte 905 hardtail with 650b wheels and Specialized Stumpjumper FSR full suspension bike — both proved ideal for the rugged, mixed terrain.

ACCOMMODATION: there's everything from camping to 5-star hotels on Menorca and the tourist board (menorca.es) will be happy to help with any booking queries. If you take a guided CamiDeCavalls360 trip, they will sort everything out for you.

FLIGHTS: most budget airlines operate direct flights to Maó (Mahon).

KIT CHOICES: we chose lightweight, quick wicking clothing from Madison (madison.cc) and well-vented helmets and shoes by Giro (zyrofisher.co.uk).

WATER: carrying plenty of water is crucial as there's limited refuelling options on the north coast. We used Camelbak hydration packs (with 3-litre bladders), plus large Camelbak Podium and SiS bottles. Just remember to fill up at every opportunity!

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REVIEWS

BIKE UPDATEatS

bsite Via the we witter dT an k .u lcc.org ycling _c n o @lond

LONGTERM

TEST BIKES A first look at the first trio in our 2017 Longtermer test fleet — watch for more additions in the next issue

E-BIKE

GIANT Road-E+1

James Blake

Having spent time on our Longtermer e-mtb last year, I’ve been curious to see how a dedicated road model would fare — enter the top-of-theline Road-E (as in ‘roadie’) from Giant. And on paper, as in the flesh, it’s an attractive proposition. With a 250W Syncdrive motor and 500Wh lithium-ion battery built into the frame, it’s a clever piece of engineering, though there’s still no mistaking that chunky downtube for a traditional mile-muncher. Aluminium frame, 22-speed Shimano Ultegra drivetrain, Shimano hydraulic disc brakes, own brand wheels and Schwalbe Durano tyres — all ultra reliable kit that I’m very familiar with, so I’m looking forward to seeing how it copes with the extra demands that the heavy overall weight brings. And it is a hefty beast — not wanting to park it outside work, I carried it up six flights of stairs and it nearly killed me! Removing the battery and locking as normal is the only option here. By the way, the battery lasted a week of cold commutes on ‘Eco’ mode before recharging. With only a dozen rides under my belt, it’s already proved super nippy in the stop/start London traffic. We’ll be hoping for similar performance on the South Downs hills and flat coastal roads nearer home. Amy

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REVIEWS

CITY

ROAD

CINELLI Superstar

I didn’t have the best end to my 2016, having been knocked off my regular bike in December on the way home from work. So the opportunity to test the Superstar felt like a well-needed catalyst to get me back out riding through this changeable Spring as I prepare for a couple of big trips, including one to the Pyrenees, and another crack at RideLondon.

The Columbus carbon frame is really distinctive with that small kink in the top-tube, super slimline seatstays and oversized downtube.

In this gloss black finish, with a colour-matched carbon fork and understated graphics, it looks like it means business. Luckily the fit of the medium-size frame is pretty much spot on for me, so I won’t be making any major changes. The

stem is a fraction too long, however, so that will definitely be going as I fine-tune my perfect riding position.

Worth mentioning from the off is that unlike the Superstar you can buy in Evans and other retailers (pictured) which comes with a Shimano Ultegra drivetrain, ours has a higherspecced build. Instead we’ve got the latest Campagnolo Potenza groupset, Cinelli Neos bar/stem/seatpost, Michelin Power Endurance tyres and Selle Italia Novus Superflow saddle.

As a longtime Shimano user, it

ROAD/ADVENTURE SPECIALIZED Diverge Expert

was initially strange getting the feel for the Campag shifting, but after a couple of ham-fisted gear changes on my first ride it now feels intuitive and really precise. Just as well as the Superstar is going to be doing at least 100 miles each week commuting,

It’s more than two years since Specialized first launched the Diverge into an emerging ‘adventure’ sector; back then it was aluminium-framed, perhaps more ‘road’ than ‘off-road’ and people weren’t sure how it would sit alongside established cyclocross and touring models, or the best-selling Roubaix range. Of course you can’t talk about the Diverge without mentioning the Roubaix as it clearly owes much of its lineage to the latter, a bike that’s been ridden to countless wins on the cobbles and Spring Classics. But with that platform being completely reworked for 2017 with a new ‘micro suspension’, the Diverge steps out of its long shadow.

The geometry still remains very similar between the two, though the Diverge is marginally slacker, has a slightly longer wheelbase and a taller head-tube.

But the tube shaping is very different, most noticeably the flattened top-tube and the slender, square profile seatstays.

Cables and brake hoses are routed internally via the down-tube, there’s bolt-thru axles both front and rear, plus plenty of clearance for tyres up to 35mm.

plus long training rides at the weekends. Distributor Chicken CycleKit has also offered to switch us onto the disc brake version when it arrives, so we’re looking forward to jumping on that for a pretty unique and direct comparison. Dan Barnes

And, of course, there’s the shock-absorbing Zertz inserts built into the seatstays and fork, plus that strange-looking seatpost.

With the standard 28mm Roubaix Pro tyres, it’s certainly no slouch on the tarmac, in fact I’d go as far as to say it’s already livened up otherwise all-too-familiar commutes and evening hacks.

But it’s when you dive onto that inviting bit of ‘urban singletrack’, gravel trail or pavé (and we have it all round our way) — the stuff you’d avoid on a true road bike — that the Diverge really shines. You end up pushing it harder to see what it can soak up; when you hit a pothole or rut you don’t wince, you grin. It’s an odd sensation.

It’s early days yet and we want to tackle some longer rides on the Downs to see how our bones feel after 10 hours in the saddle. We’ve already tried our bikepacking kit and even the framebag fits without issue, though waterbottle access is tight so we might have to invest in a couple of side-loaders. And, as a priority, we want to swap on a pair of CX tyres to unleash its true roughstuffing potential. We already know it’s much more than just a ‘road bike’, the question is how much more. JK

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REVIEW

BIKEPACKING SEATPACKS ALPKIT Koala (regular) £70

ALTURA Vortex £59.99

alpkit.com

zyrofisher.co.uk

Capacity (litres): 13 Weight: 275g Dimensions (cm): 41 x 21 x 17 Carbon seatpost compatible: Not recommended

Capacity (litres): 12 Weight: 260g Dimensions (cm): 44 x 20 x 20 Carbon seatpost compatible: Not recommended

Alongside its award-winning climbing and camping kit, Alpkit really came to the attention of cyclists when it launched a bikepacking range — seatpacks, bar bags, custom-made framebags and accessories. The Koala is a great size for short tours or weekend trips, especially when paired with a similar-sized bag up front. We found it could take two inner tubes, minipump, tools, spare midlayer and gloves, plus an insulated jacket — and that wasn’t at maximum capacity. The seatpost straps are the grippiest we tested and don’t scratch, while the compression straps could be cinched up in seconds.

Also one of the most stable packs thanks to a solid base strip which prevents flopping. It’s not fully waterproof though, so you’ll need a drybag inside; Alpkit’s Airlok (£21) is ideal but adds 148g in weight.

Altura’s been making panniers and bar bags for years, so the jump to modern bikepacking kit was an obvious one. There’s also a Vortex framebag (£49.99).

Most impressively, as the lightest and cheapest seatpack tested here, it’s totally waterproof; all the seams are welded and sealed, while the outer face fabric sheds rain like your favourite jacket. It swallows bike tools and spare layers easily, though the problem here is the lack of base support. We tried minipumps and tools at the bottom to add rigidity, but in the end cut our own tapered plastic support which worked a treat. The only other issue was the slightly longer ‘nose’ didn’t fit all shorter seatposts. So a couple of things to address but lots of positives too, even small details like the strap retainers which prevent annoying flapping/snagging.

REVIEWS: JK, Rob Eves

SPECIALIZED Burra Burra Seatpack 20 £120 APIDURA Saddlepack (mid-size) £98 specialized.com

apidura.com

Capacity (litres): 20 Weight: 450g Dimensions (cm): 55 x 19 x 10 Carbon seatpost compatible: No

Capacity (litres): 14 Weight: 360g Dimensions (cm): 46 x 18 x 17 Carbon seatpost compatible: Not recommended

The larger of two seatpacks in the new Burra Burra range, the 20 looks classy and understated with very subtle branding. Rather unusually it features an integrated stabiliser arm — effectively like a bespoke mini rack — which attaches to the seatpost and holds the bag steady. It takes a few minutes to fit and adds a bit of heft to the overall weight, but we found it to be secure and rattle-free; other straps secure lower on the seatpost and to the saddle rails. Like all the bags tested here, a rolltop closure keeps out rain and dirt, while the welded construction has worked well in sudden downpours; there’s even a zipped pocket for safe storage of your wallet/phone.

Compression straps clip together to prevent flapping, while reflective tabs aid night-time visibility.

It won’t replace a pannier around town, but for overnighters it’s been ideal. The smaller 10-litre version (£110) might be a better pick for minimalist tourers.

We’ve mostly used this mid-size seatpack in one of two ways: as an addition to a 30-litre rucksack for off-road bothy trips in Scotland, or on its own for long Audax-style rides. Either way it holds a lot of kit and the three-point seat attachment means there’s little in the way of sway or unwanted movement when you hit a few cobbles. The four-layer laminated fabric might not be 100% waterproof, but in reality it’s kept our gear dry in pretty heavy showers without the use of a drybag; as all seatpacks act as a kind of de facto mudguard, it’s been impressive in that regard too. There’s lots of wellconsidered details that have come in very handy as well: bungee-cord for holding maps or wet clothing, reflective graphics and LED light attachment points, and a bombproof rolltop closure. It’s been scraped along walls and rocks but still looks as good as new. Tough but pricey.

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ROUTE

CAFES OF QUIETWAY 1

7

Konditor & Cook

Bruce Lynn and John Kitchiner scope out a selection of new and well-established cafes along Quietway 1, between Greenwich and Waterloo

Q

uietway 1 runs 9km from Greenwich to the South Bank.

It was officially launched last June, though work was still taking place on some major crossings in Deptford until Christmas. And it’s still the first and only Quietway to be launched from the original list proposed by the previous Mayor — although the TfL website says “most of the first seven Quietways will be complete by the end of 2017”.

The idea behind the Quietways network was to direct cyclists away from busy roads, instead linking key destinations by following backstreet routes, through parks, along waterways or tree-lined streets. And Quietway 1 does most of these things — there are genuinely excellent sections, some offering superb separated space for cycling, proper filtering and safe bikeprioritised crossings. But it’s not without issue in a couple of areas either, namely rat-running traffic and questionable crossings.

The busy stretch in Bermondsey, which uses a part of the old LCN22 that’s always been popular with cyclists, has seen a 150% increase in cyclists at peak time. There are now maximum flows of 750 cyclists per hour along Willow Walk in the morning peak and 500 per hour in the evening.

It’s certainly become popular with all types of cyclists too ­— commuters, leisure cyclists, families and schoolchildren — and you’ll see fellow riders at all times of the day. Luckily there’s now also a network of excellent independent cafes along the route, at strategic intervals, so you can grab a brew on the way to the office or caffeine-crawl your way home.

6

Terry’s Cafe

1

Of course there’s many cafes in the centre of West Greenwich and around the market, but right at the official start of the Quietway (next to the railway/ DLR station) you’ll find the new G-West Cafe [1] (@GWwestcafe) on Lovibond Lane. You can’t miss the gold-panelled exterior of this not-for-profit social enterprise which is fully owned and run by Greenwich West Community and Arts Centre. The cafe offers seasonal, freshly-cooked food and regularly has special student deals (pot of tea and two slices of toast for £3). The gallery next door exhibits works by a variety of artists.

Heading west the route takes you across Ha’penny Bridge over Deptford Creek and quickly on to Deptford High Street. Leaving the Quietway briefly, turn left and head along to the bustling market end of the road — here you’ll find London Velo [2] (ldnvelo.co.uk ). One of the new breed of cycle cafes, it combines a cafe and workshop front of house with a small bike shop and massive garden to the rear (you can take your bikes through for safe parking). A bagel and coffee will set you back £6 and you also get a free coffee if you pop in for a puncture repair.

Back to the Quietway and you now sample a

2

lovely section of segregated cycleway before one of the iffiest streets for rat-running (Childers Street) ­— take care when crossing the various side roads here. Duck under the railway arch and you come out in Folkestone Gardens where you’ll see the new Festa sul Prato [3] (festasulprato.com) directly ahead. We’ve suggested to the owner that he adds some more signage to the parkside of the building as most passing cyclists don’t realise the unpresupposing brick building’s now been transformed into a welcoming cafe/restaurant.

The name translates as ‘Feast in the Meadow’ and there’s outdoor seating as well as cycle parking.

Usually there’s also works by one or two artists being exhibited. There’s lots of breakfast options from ‘posh’ full English to eggs royale, plus

3

PHOTOS: John Kitchiner, Bruce Lynn

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ROUTE

7

5

Machine

4

Crol & Co

3

START

Festo sul Prato

2

London Velo

1

G-West Cafe

4

interior. There’s a bike rack outside and the owner is a cyclist, so understands the need for good coffee and a great selection of cakes and pastries.

Over the traffic lights and the next stretch of the Quietway, along Willow Walk, is the most heavily used; further west there are fewer cyclists as about half of the riders leave at Pages Walk and follow LCN22 towards London Bridge.

Those continuing west soon come to Tower Bridge Road where they can easily access another popular cycle cafe, Machine [5] (machinelondon.cc), about 60 metres north of the route. The recycled wood interior and furniture is worth a visit in its own right, but you can get Monmouth Street coffees, pastries, paninis and all your small bike grumbles fixed.

5

From Tower Bridge Road it’s only five minutes to Terry’s Cafe [6] (terryscafe.co.uk) on Great Suffolk Street. This little gem has been going for over 30 years and does traditional cafe fare, including real breakfasts, to a very high standard (‘fancy eggs on toast’, £5.80; Monmouth Coffee, from £2). The photos on the walls are a muchloved feature.

We’re on the final stretch now using Cornwall Street where it’s only right you stop at Konditor and Cook [7] (konditorandcook.com), the marvellous mini-chain of cake shops which originated in this very store. Grab some goodies, but as there’s no seating inside you should head to the river to scoff them. Q1 itself ends on Upper Ground at Waterloo Bridge.

6

©Crown copyright 2017 Ordnance Survey. Media 036/17

yoghurts, sourdough toasts and single espressos from £1.60. Lunchtime and evenings the menu is largely Italian, though they also hold ‘Festa Feasts’ with one-off specials.

To reach our next pitstop you ride arguably the best stretch of Q1. A mile of well-surfaced track, firstly on widened shared footpath alongside Surrey Canal Road and around the back of the Millwall FC stadium, before crossing the Connect 2 (Sustrans) bridge over Rotherhithe New Road for nearly a mile of very quiet, often filtered, streets.

Crol and Co [4] (@CrolandCocoffee), on the corner of Lynton Road and Dunton Road, will eventually be an antiques shop with an attached cafe. But for now it’s just a cool cafe with a quirky

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OPINION

ASHOK SINHA We need to be unstinting in correcting ‘Alternative Facts’ says LCC’s chief executive, especially from vocal anti-cycling groups

W

ell that’s a relief. The Mayor, Sadiq Khan, hasn’t in fact gone cold on Cycle Superhighways.

Nor does the data show that cycle tracks are the root cause of London’s traffic snarl ups. And the bicycle isn’t an antediluvian device to which only the desperate would turn. Not that you’d have thought so if you had been engrossed in Twitter in recent weeks…

In the new paradigm of ‘Alternative Facts’, reality is whatever you want it to be when viewed through the lens of predisposition. Thus when Sadiq was less than clear on the radio about his commitment to extending protected space for cycling in London, the Twittersphere erupted with “I told you so’s” and pre-prepared outrage. In fact the Mayor was referring to the latest evidence that the construction of cycle tracks causes substantial delays (when does digging up the road ever not?) and perhaps unsurprisingly he wishes to see if this can be done with less disruption.

In case you were wondering, I haven’t gone native: we just have to give this Mayor the same leeway as we gave Boris to deliver his promises to Go Dutch, staying alert but calm. Our Foreign Secretary did commendably well in the final years of his tenure as London Mayor but cycling nirvana was not achieved then, nor is it just around the corner; there’s a heck of a lot of hard graft and battling to come. So it’s fair to give Sadiq a sensible amount of time to line up his cycling and other strategic ducks. The clock is ticking however, and there will be no shortage of criticism if Sadiq falls short in meeting his very public and specific cycling promises. Indeed LCC will be leading it.

The kerfuffle above was a misunderstanding caused by a dodgy interview by the Mayor. By

62 LONDON CYCLIST Spring 2017

contrast, radical cabbies have been quite happily and energetically trying to make some Alternative Facts of their own stick. The object of their ire and site of their blockades is Bank junction (see page 28), a place notorious for collisions.

Here’s why: the City has wisely decided that from April this year, to save lives, the junction will be closed to all motor vehicles during the daytime apart from buses. But for some cabbies the Bank closure is the last straw. With no end of righteous indignation they undertook a week of blockades in January to protest at this closure, despite analysis by the City showing that cab transit times through the area will actually be better.

Adding a touch of bizarre comedy to the situation, the leader of the RMT (members of which were part of the protest) claimed

We know that ‘Alternative Facts’ have been very persuasive of late commuters were turning to cycling out of “desperation” despite its “impracticality” — indeed he was at pains to point out that the public have become so desperate that cycling’s share of movements through the junction have soared to 30% at peak time!

It’s tempting to laugh at this nonsense. It’s demonstrably true that people in fact value cycling for its pleasure, convenience, health and environmental benefits, with more and more people taking to it because of that. But we must also recognise that in the wide world out there,

silos of opinion exist where confirmation bias, to use the psychologists’ term, trumps reality: these are places where the Alternative Fact is one of grim-faced, despairing commuters enduring the deprivations of cycling when they would much rather be crawling along a traffic jam in a cab with the meter ticking over nicely.

Finding a common cause This is all so tiresome and unfortunate. Cabs are, of course, an important part of the transport system. It would be so much better for everyone if we could find common cause around reducing private motor vehicle use, increasing freight consolidation, incentivising click-and-collect deliveries, making the bus network more efficient, rationalising the private hire market — ie all the things that, aside from cycling itself, will reduce future congestion. In the meantime the City, with the actual facts on its side, is holding firm in dragging Bank junction into the 21st century to make this iconic location a more pleasant, less toxic place. Good for them. What a great example to others.

If bicycles had never been invented, London would still be facing escalating, crippling congestion — ­ and Bank junction would still be a fume-filled eyesore. The real, not alternative, fact is that cycling is not a symptom of the problem but a critical part of the solution. However, we know that Alternative Facts have proven to be very persuasive of late: we must consequently be unstinting in vigorously correcting them and continuing to tell it how it really is.

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