Seven Day Cyclist - Issue 8

Issue 8 • 2015 FREE

Grand Duchy of Luxembourg: Grand Cycling

DEEP IN THE FOREST – OF ARDEN

MIKE WELLS Serial Guidebook Author

Products & Tech • The Good Old Days • and much more

W E LC O M E

Welcome to 7DC8 Well, we have had a bit of a hiatus at Seven Day Cyclist. In response to feedback we have decided to make the magazine available as a free download direct from www.sevendaycyclist.co.uk via a link in the Get The Mag menu. This works for you and works for us. All back issues will be available as free downloads, too. We will refund subscribers who had open subscriptions in June (as explained on the Welcome page of the website.

Now, on with the cycling...

As the rain rattles on the window pane it is easy to forget that this should be the height of the cycling season. Daylight just past its zenith, the scent of blossom filling the country lanes, and what is filling my inbox? Warnings that we face a dire summer followed by the offer of a holiday by a pool in the Mediterranean sunshine, that’s what.

Personally, I can’t think of many things more dull than broiling myself by the poolside. No, there are too many places to explore by bike. It struck me that whilst I have cycled in some atrocious weather, a realistic assessment shows that it rarely rains on my commute and that most of my touring days have been at least clement. Apart from the obvious British obsession, bad weather often poses a challenge which one can attempt to dine out on or raise the stakes in conversations with cycling friends.

I have already had many fine days in the saddle this year. I have in most years, sometimes in the most unexpected places. Britain is a wonderful country for cycling, but there is a fascination about “abroad”.

Luxembourg, for example, is not on everyone’s cycling itinerary. Yet, I had a grand few days awheel there.

You can read about it in this edition, along with the first part of a supposed camping tour of Hebridean islands, a short tour of the Forest of Arden and other tours around and about. Truth is that whatever the weather and wherever we are, if we have a bike we have the freedom to go where we wish under our own steam. As the Headteacher of the first school I worked in said, “You really get about for a chap on a bike.” Think that really sums up cycle tourists.

Enjoy the sunshine and the rain and the breeze in your hair (even with your helmet on)

Steve We apologise for the late publication of this edition of Seven Day Cyclist and for any disappointment or inconvenience this has caused.

Copyright: All material contained in Seven Day Cyclist magazine and on this website, www.sevendaycyclist.co.uk, is protected by copyright. No material may be copied, reproduced or used in any format or medium without express prior written permission from the publishers.

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W E LC O M E

CONTRIBUTORS

Roger Suddaby Jill Phillip Paul Wagner Mark Jacobson PRODUCT TESTS AND TECHNICAL

Michael Stenning EDITOR

Stephen Dyster DESIGN

Colin Halliday CONTACTS

See details on www.sevendaycyclist.co .uk

Contents

4 Grand Duchy - Grand Cycling 12 Products 18 In the 3rd Age - Part One 28 There’s More to Cycling 32 City and Country 36 The Brompton Goes Wild

40 44 50 54 56 62

The Emperors New Clothes Meet Mike Wells Step Up: Eveyday Spuds The Good Old Days A Morning in the Forest Rear Rack

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GRAND DUCHY TOUR

Old and new on the Kirchberg

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GRAND DUCHY TOUR

GrandDuchy: GrandCycling Two Dutchmen and a cycling advocate went cycling in Luxembourg; Stephen Dyster tagged along.

O

K, you could cycle across the Grand Duchy in less than half a day if you liked, may be a bit longer if you are going from north to south or viceversa. Get your head down and you could be in Belgium, France or Germany and not far off the Netherlands in no time at all.

Ignore the deep, green valleys with castles glimpsed amongst the forested hills; miss out the extremely cycle-friendly UNESCO World Heritage Site that is the City of Luxembourg; forget that you could cycle along the Moselle and taste fine Luxembourgish wines. Take your

time and you will find a country that holds on to its history and traditions but is as cosmopolitan as they come. Even better, the transport and tourism arms of government have been busy developing a network of high quality cycle routes, much of which is traffic free …. ninety-five percent of which has either asphalt or concrete surface …. and, if you want to take a train with your bike within the Grand Duchy it’ll cost you the princely sum of two or four Euros depending on whether you buy an all day ticket or not, with your bike going free in a bike specific coach (on most trains).

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GRAND DUCHY TOUR

HILLS OF THE NORTH A fine way to arrive in the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, or Lëtzebeurge in local parlance, is along the Vennbahn cycle route, which begins in the ancient city of Aachen, winds its way across the Haut Fagnes or Hohes Venn following the course of the old railway line built to bring coal from the north to Luxemburg’s bourgeoning iron industry in the late nineteenth century.

Using the Feyen Bike Taxi service we’d taken our bikes from Clervaux, in Luxembourg, across the border to the German-speaking Belgian town of Sankt Vith.

Hiring bikes from Miselerland Rent a Bike - delivered to the door of the Hotel des Nations – who also transferred our luggage, offered flexibility regarding a start point.

On the road northward, Gust Muller, cycling advocate and strong supporter of government programmes to boost cycle tourism in Luxembourg, pointed out that around 150.000 people come into the Grand Duchy to work each day. As the owner of the family run Hotel des Nations, in Clervaux, where we spent the first night, said of the cars queuing up outside, “There goes half of Belgium on its way home.” So, whilst there were plenty of good road routes and climbs to cater for the

confident and energetic cyclist, the main roads were best avoided by the less confident and families, whilst the minor roads in the Ardennes can have some pretty tough gradients.

BATS From Sankt Vith to Troisvierges, the southern terminus of the Vennbahn is some thirty-four kilometres, the last eight in Luxembourg. At present the tunnel which marks the border is causing a problem; bats that love the damp atmosphere and do not wish to go elsewhere. So there is a diversion. It is a diversion that gives good views, coming close to the highest point in Luxembourg.

Interestingly, the diversion sign gave both the maximum gradient and the distance; just over a kilometre with a 10% maximum gradient. Nothing to get too worried about, but the aim of the detail is to encourage more people to have a go at leisure cycling.

It was, to anyone used to the UK a commonplace hill, but the two Dutchmen in the group got quite excited.

On both sides of the border old rail line wound round the flanks of lush valleys with darkly-wooded slopes above and sparkling rivers below. Entering Luxembourg on a summit means that it was basically downhill all the way to Troisvierges; but not all on the old railway line. Close to the tunnel an enterprising individual has dammed the cutting and developed a fish farm.

Railway fans will not be disappointed by the numerous information boards. On the Belgian side one board explained how the residents of Lommersweiler were so disappointed at the fact that their station had no proper road access from the village that they sabotaged the track causing a goods train to derail and deposit its cargo of syrup and sugar into the river as it slid down the bank.

TROISVIERGES

Clervaux Castle, home to the Family of Man

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Again, as Troisvierges is approached, the cycle route leaves the old line. The final tunnel is still in use by cross-border trains from Liege to Luxembourg City.

These do not always carry bicycles and even when they do there is an official limit of two.

A place of pilgrimage, Troisvierges (Three Virgins) was reminiscent of Edale as a terminus for the Pennine Way; café, bar and railway station, camping, hotel and so on. Popular with hikers as well as cyclists, the café had a store of leaflets with on-road cycle routes, walks and history and nature trails, including one that follows the footsteps of Luxembourgers attempting to escape

GRAND DUCHY TOUR

The Venbahn at Sankt Vith

during the Second World War. Of all its west European conquests, Luxembourg alone was incorporated into the Third Reich. Thus the Grand Duchy’s young men were conscripted into the German Army. Some went AWOL, others did as they were told and some attempted to reach their government in exile in the UK – a long and dangerous journey – to volunteer in the British armed forces.

TRAINING Our journey onward would be by train to Ettelbruck, calling at Clervaux and some smaller stations.

Why? Well, with just the weekend to explore the traffic free cycle routes, the ride over the hills on the roads would eat away the hours. At present a “missing link” occupies the cycle network between Troisvierges and Ettelbruck to the south. Deep in a narrow valley, the railway and the river take up almost all of the space.

The journey is spectacular by train and will be magical by bicycle if a route can be built. If you have time, get off at Clervaux – another

fine centre for sorties on foot or by bicycle into the surrounding hills. Amongst its cafes, hotels and shops, Clervaux has a castle. Restored, it is now home to “The Family of Man”. This is not a sixties pop-group, but an incredible collection of monochrome images collected by Luxembourger Edward Steichen who became Director of Photography at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. Aimed at showing the commonality of the human condition across cultures, the images are mostly from the middle of the twentieth century. Whilst clearly of that

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Our train awaits at Troisvierges

age, they are timeless. I did not think I could learn so much or be so emotionally stirred by a set of black and white photos.

CYCLING, AGAIN Ettelbruck is a busy town. PC15 starts at the southern end of the station platform. One should be careful of, but not deterred by, oncoming buses. Cycle path improvements meant that a signed “deviation” was necessary. As ever, the cycle track in town was narrower than the cycle track in the country (there Too pretty?

Bourton-on-the-Water three or even four metres was usual), but a bit of care and consideration got us through, only to find a mountain bike competition obstructing the path with no signed diversion.

Cheekily, or indignantly, we rode on, joining the riders who seemed to be just warming up. Though on trekking bikes, I still maintain we had a fair chance had we taken part. Such obstructions are almost unknown – part of getting used to the relatively new concept of having a national cycle network - and, given the look on Gust’s face, are likely to become extinct.

NOT PC49 It is a shame that the designation of national cycle routes is unlikely to get to 49. And if PC49 means something 8

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to you, you may well want to stick to the gentler Piste Cyclable routes that often use former rail routes.

Clearly signed, you could manage without a map when using these. Signs indicate direction, distance to towns, distance to junctions with other PCs and links to local communities close to the route. General maps are available from tourist offices. Consisting of short stretches of multi-use road (usually with cycle lanes) linking often very long stretches of traffic free cycling on old railway lines, closed minor roads and high quality purpose-built cycle tracks, they were an unmitigated joy.

Wide enough to ride two or three abreast, with lots pf space for families, the surface-smoothness was such that fast-but-careful road sport riders were a common sight.

South of Ettelbruck the route had more small inclines, though the land was less hilly. Away from the rail paths, old lanes and purpose built tracks still followed the river – the Alzette, in this case – sweeping over and around spurs and bringing sudden surprises.

SURPRISES ROUND THE CORNER Amongst these was Pettingen, a minor village where PC15 joins the village roads and twists round a corner to reveal the ruins of a castle. Typically it is used for local events, having a stage in the centre of the inner ward and a neatly mown dry moat with play equipment in it;

GRAND DUCHY TOUR

Gust enters Luxembourg

a real adventure playground (and a plus point for family cycling). The village café was visible through a hole in the wall, so Pettingen, though small seemed to have it all. Even better, practically for a small number and bizarrely for the rest, in a small house just around the next corner was the San Marino Consulate. We stopped for photos of this unlikely spot and wondered if anyone would come and check up on what we were doing.

Happily, we can announce that the staff were vigilant; as we focussed cameras the gate opened and a head appeared, briefly checking up on us. Clearly, we were not regarded as a security threat.

Mersch was the next town on route. Arriving next to the railway station with huge processing plants on the left and a garage on the right, picturesque was not the word. Gust showed us Luxembourg’s first Bike Cage and the wonderful, witty street art than was a genuine adornment to the underpass.

He guided us to a favourite café, but it was closed.

However, the square to which the café had closed its doors was a revelation. Standing alone was a belfry; in one corner a sculpted dragon; overlooking the square, from across the main road, the chateau sported an intriguing sundial; all notable amongst picturesque

The way ahead is clear

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GRAND DUCHY TOUR Saturday afternoon on PC15

Entering Mersch

buildings that belied the dominant industrial landscape that made for the first encounter.

That night we stayed at the family run A Guddesch Hotel Martha, an enterprising business with Bed and Bike status, a cooking school and a bakery as well as being a hotel and restaurant.

INTO THE BIG CITY The cycle route is being modified through Mersch.

Indeed there are changes afoot to further improve the cycle route all the way to Luxembourg City –

Information

Maps: general maps tend to include Luxembourg along with parts of Belgium, France, Germany or all three. The Luxembourg Survey covers the entire Grand Duchy from two 1:50 000 maps. These show cycle routes, but for up to date information on those it is best to get the 1:100 000 Luxembourg

By Cycle Map, published by Lëtzebuerger VëlosInitiativ with support from Visit Luxembourg.

Information on cycling and all else the tourist needs can be obtained from www.visitluxembourg. com . More detailed cycling help could be obtained from Lëtzebuerger Vëlos-Initiativ www.lvi.lu .

In the latter case, please remember that this is a voluntary organisation so a reply may take longer than from a staffed tourist office.

Most people who have cycled in Germany will know the Bed and Bike standard. This is now increasingly common in Luxembourg under license from the ADFC. Setting minimum standards, you can be sure of finding secure parking for your bike, a place to dry clothes and other facilities likely to be useful.

Around a quarter of all types of accommodation in Luxembourg currently hold the Bed and Bike mark.

Using public transport is simple and cheap. Trains and most buses carry bikes, though in the latter case a little sensitivity to other users does not come 10

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though it is darned good as it is. Of course, as a city is approached suburbia and industrial developments impinge on the scenery.

Gust had a surprise in store. Having already cycled in the city on PC1 (which PC15 joins on the outskirts), we followed a new route that climbed through a peaceful forest to emerge on the Kirchberg. It could have been a ride through the woods of the Scottish Highlands; a truly delightful way to emerge in an area which personifies modern, cosmopolitan Luxembourg.

Forty years ago there was little building on this amiss. Bike buses and train carriages are marked by a large bicycle symbol. Cross border trains may have different regulations to those that remain purely in the Grand Duchy. www.cfl.lu or www. mobiliteit.lu has information on public transport, though tourist offices will be able to help to.

The Luxembourg Card offers free use of public transport and gives access for nothing to museums and discounts at other tourist attractions. However, it is not necessarily the cheapest way to get about if you only plan to use public transport to carry your bike about and do not intend to visit museums and other attractions.

Some taxi businesses have picked up on the popularity of cycling and carry bikes, picking up or dropping off across international borders. We used Taxi Feyen, from Belgium (Telephone +32 80 34 9302 or +32 80 3490 87 email taxi.feyen@swing.be .

Getting there: transport links are very good, however getting a bike aboard aircraft or trains is not always as easy as might be hoped. Check with airlines and plan a railway trip carefully. Eurostar would give access to Paris or Brussels, both with direct services to Luxembourg City, but bikes will need to be booked on all services. Check for the latest information.

A good option for the British traveller would be to use the European Bike Express service to

GRAND DUCHY TOUR hill. Now it is home to major international banks and European Community institutions whose glass girt homes make a stark contrast to the skyline of cathedral spires and jumbled buildings across the deep valley.

Also on the Kirchberg are the Philharmonie concert hall, the Museum of Modern Art – with café-restaurant – and the remains of one of the satellite forts built by the renowned Marechal Vauban to help protect the main fortress.

This was a Sunday, so the park was full of people relaxing in the sun. We pondered how many multimillion euro deals or political agreements were reached on the benches hidden amongst the groves. And here, we went our separate ways. I went back to the city centre, to a hotel in the narrow streets behind the cathedral and to explore the older parts of the city.

Above all, it is a country that in the last few years has grabbed the handlebars and pointed them in the direction of cycle touring. I’ll go back soon, probably with the family, but however you want to tour you’ll find that Luxembourg has a lot to offer.

And in a future edition, we’ll have a quick ride round Luxembourg City.

Looking down on the Grund from the city

UNEXPECTED LUXEMBOURG? The National Tourist Board entitles some of its brochures “Unexpected Luxembourg”. Truth is that, even having been to Luxembourg City before, I had few preconceptions. As for the surrounding countryside, I knew nothing. What did I find? A fascinating country of contrasts with a culture that transcends its borders – until the nineteenth century the Grand Duchy was four times bigger. A small nation that has worked out how to cope with its size and the pros and cons that brings.

Thionville, though these are infrequent. Once part of the Grand Duchy it is a mere twenty five miles or so along the Moselle Cycle Way to Schengen from the south-eastern border of Luxembourg.

This would mean entering Luxembourg through its wine-growing area. Luxembourgers I met were proud of their wine – especially the Crémant – and unsurprised to find that so little of it made its way across the borders. For the European Bike Express see www.bike-express.co.uk and www.cicerone. co.uk for Mike Wells’ guide to the Moselle Cycle route.

Renting a bike is not an expensive option. In Luxembourg City you could use the Velo’h hire bikes which can be picked up or dropped off at over seventy-five docking stations. A credit card is required. In the city a bike more suited to extended use can be found at Velo en Ville close to the centre of the city in the old Grund quarter (Tel + 352 26 20 01 32 or 47962383 email velosophie@pt.lu .

Velosophie offer guided tours or information for self-guiding around the city For longer tours, three companies have partnered to support each other. The bikes were used were solid trekking bikes, perfect for some leisurely touring. Ours came from Rent a Bike Miselerland, based in the south of the country, www.visitmoselle. lu . They and their partners also transfer luggage, making for a light-weight day out. I felt that their

charges were very reasonable and certainly were competitive when compared to carrying a bike by train or plane from the UK. Language is not a problem. All natives speak Lëtzebuergesch, a Frankish dialect in origin related to German but with a strong French influence. All are also taught and most speak French, German and English. This can be confusing at first and you may find that a conversation involves a combination of languages. The key thing is that it is easy to get by.

Accommodation: a full list can be obtained from the tourist offices and a list of Bed and Bike accommodation, including camping, hostels, hotels/pensions can be found on the Luxembourg

By Bicycle map. We stayed at the Hotel des Nations, in Clervaux, situated conveniently opposite the railway station www.hoteldesnations.lu and A Guddesch Hotel Martha, in Beringen (Biereng), just outside Mersch, www.gudd.lu . Both are family run and comfortable, come from contrasting eras and have excellent, though very different, restaurants.

Note In the interests of openness, this trip was funded by the National Tourist Office of Luxembourg.

However, it really was as good as it sounds. www. visitluxembourg.com

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T ES T I N G T I M ES

Genetic Schizo Pedals 358g £44.99

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aking their name from the Latin for “split mind” Genetic Schizo pedals are a midrange model with cro-moly Shimano pattern cleat mechanism one side and flat for tricky terrain, punting along in stop-go traffic or quick supermarket runs in street shoes.

Obviously there’s some trade off in terms of weight and outright speed but comfort and reliability are the buzzwords here.

Drum polished forged aluminium bodies are generally very attractive and should remain youthful given periodic once-overs, although the casting on our

sample was a little workmanlike in places.

Measuring 93x66x28.5mm, they’re by far the broadest on test, which is great news for support - I have wide feet and enjoyed 80 mile rides without hint of painful hotspots. Serrated cages offer excellent purchase to soft soled shoes with no risk of excruciating shin slap, familiar to anyone who’s used old school rat-traps.

There’s scope for adding reflectors too, which might not win any style contests but are extremely effective, particularly on long, unlit commutes.

Cornering prowess was better than initially expected, adding confidence on long, swooping descents - in spite of my touring lorry’s long cranks and low-slung bottom bracket.

Cro-moly axles and sealed bearings are a similarly dependable combo that can either be

Muc-Off Team Sky Hydrodynamic Lube 50ml £16

M

uc-Off Team Sky Hydrodynamic chain lube is, surprise, surprise developed in conjunction with Team Sky and claimed to be “the ultimate in bicycle chain lubricant technology” capable of withstanding the harshest of weather conditions - wet, or dry and dusty. Well, you’d hope so given the pro price tag. Much of this is attributable to hand blended construction and hundreds of hours of research. They even built a chain lube optimisation dyno (CLOD for short) which is basically a chain and sprocket that allows performance monitoring in hard, quantitative “micro detail”.

Against this backdrop, I wasn’t surprised by the Dorset based brand’s reluctance to reveal specifics.

However, they would tell me it’s a “synergistic blend of esters coupled with aerospace quality based oil lubrication”. These are then fortified with “ground-breaking extreme pressure additives” which supposedly creates a film based prep preventing metal to metal contact. In layman’s terms, it’s reckoned 27% more efficient than competitor lubes and 15% better than their C3 Wet. Petrochemical free, it’s reputedly safe to our ecosystem too.

Thankfully application doesn’t require an MSC in chemistry. Simply run recipient chains through your solvent bath, dry and then dribble the pastel blue

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T ES T I N G T I M ES run unobtrusively into the ground, or rebuilt come time they eventually get the grumbles. These also appear weighed in favour of the flat side, which is extremely convenient for split-second dab downs and crafty getaways.

Talking of which, fully laden and grinding over the Malvern Hills at Colwall Cutting certainly taxed my muscles but even with my full 85 kilos dancing atop, flex was absolutely minimal.

Four degrees of float should keep most knees happy and universally popular 98A/Shimano M51 cleat patterns ensure snappy entry/exits with replacements readily available - pretty much anywhere. Steve Dyster Good looking and moreover solid pedals for commuting and touring.

www.ison-distrubution.com

fluid into each link - this turns transparent, so they’ve included the little UV torch to ensure even coverage.

Now leave it curing for four hours. A tiny drop on cleat mechanisms and jockey wheels is OK but we’re talking trace and avoid pivot points or cables - they’ll only gum up, requiring emergency solvent bypass surgery.

Chains run serenely smooth and the end result is very tenacious lube that bonded very well to stainless steel variants too. Cynics will argue efficiency isn’t down to lubricants and it’s certainly true to say factors such as component wear are very significant.

Predictably several weeks’ commuting and longer, 50 mile road runs have barely made any impression, although it does transfer to hands and shorts following puncture purges. Nonetheless, drivetrains remained

pretty clean with only traces of grit embedded on the top layer - wiping the outer plates every ten days or so kept this in check.

Three fairly intense blasts of WD40 degreaser were required to strip transmissions clean. However, mixed terrain runs with salty coastal causeways and the odd shallow river crossing induced that faint metal on metal symphony - after seventy intense miles. Formative conclusions point to an extremely competent allrounder but whether a pro formula is better for mere mortals than their C3 ceramic remains to be seen. We’ll report back once the gritting lorries have gone home.

Michael Stenning Impressive performance so far - but at a price.

We’ll report back once winter’s done its worst.

www.muc-off.com

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T ES T I N G T I M ES

Time XC4 pedals 278g £69.99

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ime XC4 pedals are midway up the French marque’s range of mud shedding cross country models but easy entry/release and decent float mean there’s plenty on offer for winter/fixed and weekday workhorses.

Time has shunned aluminium alloys in favour of resin composites, which will delight and divide in equal measure. On the plus side, it keeps weight to a carbon competitive 278g. Broader platforms promise greater support, theoretically curbing hot-spots and other discomfort on longer distances.

Hollow Cro-moly axles, sealed cartridge bearings are another buttery smooth pairing that should prove extremely reliable. A two year warrantee bolsters confidence and I’ve some aluminium bodied versions going strong after several thousand winter miles.

However, the XC4’s plastics are already showing minor, superficial pitting five weeks in.

Aside from expelling mud extremely efficiently, the ATAC cleat offers five angular and six lateral degrees of float. Unlike the others on test, this is dialled in by adjusting the shoe cleat’s angle.

Engagement is firmer than SPD/R patterns, requiring a forceful heel action for the first week or so, until those brass cleats bed in. Giving mechanisms a blast of heavy duty PTFE spray during this phase certainly helps.

Some touring shoes with blockier trail-inspired soles

interfered with alignment but nothing judicious use of a Stanley knife couldn’t fix.

I’ve found those medium build bodies surprisingly supportive in both Audax and trainer types over 3050mile mixed terrain outings on geared cross and touring builds alike. Swapping over to my fixer, traces of flex were apparent under explosive efforts but stiffer than some composite bodied competition.

After a week’s use, stepping in was snappier than double sided spuds-testament to the twin bar system.

Exits were similarly clean, though it took a few rides before the more exaggerated movement became intuitive.

Other riders report a tendency for unwanted disengagements; typically when tackling technical sections of singletrack, or pulling hard on the upstroke.

Not my experience of Time, even with slightly dogeared cleats. Talking of which, these are only available as genuine replacement and being a softer metal tend to wear faster than other systems.

When all’s said and done, as a concept, I really like the ATAC system but resin bodies favour riders 80 kilos or less and limited spares availability is disappointing. Michael Stenning Versatile and userfriendly pedals but spares availability is disappointing given their asking price.

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T ES T I N G T I M ES

Wellgo RC713 Single-Sided Road Pedals 305g £29.99

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ellgo RC713 single-sided road pedals are nicely executed homages to Shimano’s SPDR system that will delight seasoned riders seeking an inexpensive set for their workhorse, or fast/weekend tourists who like to stretch their legs. They’ve behaved better than we’d any right to expect off road too.

Build quality is excellent throughout. Painted bodies are often deployed to prevent lower rent aluminium alloy from turning scuzzy, or hide poor casting. Ours were mirror polished to a beautiful sheen - easily retained with quick licks of polymer car/furniture wax.

That said, they seem softer than some, their undersides showing superficial cleat abrasion after 100miles.

Talking of which, those supplied are accurately machined, fully compatible with big S and its legions of admirers. Wellgo recommends giving cleat mechanisms a quick shot of lube before use (beefier ISO/PTFE sprays or summer weight chain lubes are perfect). Release tension is fine-tuned via those familiar 3mm Allen screws that invariably get blasted with cack, so appreciate weekly squirts of maintenance spray during the mucky months.

Run with pensionable cleats, 4 degrees of kneefriendly float meant release was still prompt in all contexts, albeit slightly remote.Packet fresh examples and spring tension dialled in to 80 and 50% respectively made for snappy entry and splitsecond exits.

Fit n’ forget sealed cartridge bearings turning on CNC machined Cro-moly axles are what we’d expect at this end of the market. Lacking the wow factor of titanium and similar exotica, they’re still reasonably light and ninety kilo riders needn’t worry about them going banana shaped, or turning to jelly. Spares are plentiful too, so they can be cheaply rebuilt after several seasons’ hard service.

Out of the saddle sprints and prolonged honking alike haven’t induced any discernable flex, or creaking - we’d be interested to see how their magnesium bodied cousins compared. Ultimately, double sided models make better choices for absolute beginners but for the money, they seem ideal for winter/trainers, club bikes and general road duties.

Aside from one occasion where I forgot my orthopaedic insoles; long, steady miles on my ‘cross and fixed gear builds have been a pleasant surprise, the small platforms proving supportive with little hint of painful hot-spots.

These also improve ground clearance, which is great for competitive riding and concrete jungle alike.

While not intended for trail duties, ours have coped remarkably well along sections of badly churned bridle path and forest tracks, releasing convincingly despite being caked in gloop. Michael Stenning Smooth, reliable pedals for general road duties.

www.i-ride.co.uk

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Aquapac Storm-proof Messenger bag 625g SRP £95.00

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quapac storm-proof messenger bag might command the best part of a hundred quid but has passed a month’s foul weather testing with flying colours and bone-dry contents.

It’s a roll top design made from a 480 and 1680D Polyurethane (PU) coated nylon shell with a 40 denier silicone/PU coated nylon liner.

Now, here at Seven Day Cyclist we are always saying “waterproof” is by degrees. However, this one has an Ingress Protection rating of 6 (IPX6 in shorthand) meaning everything, bar full-on immersion.

Peering inside the stylish grey, black and orange outer reveals a generous main compartment with padded

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sleeve designed for a 15.6cm laptop. It’s certainly a snug fit-even with slimline models. Then again; the last thing you’d want is sensitive electrical stuff bounding around like a playful Labrador.

Smaller cubby holes provide refuge for smartphones, pens and/or tyre levers. There’s also a zippered pocket, easily big enough for business or bank cards, flanked by a key loop. Talking of which, I’ve managed pump, lock, mini-tool, spare tube and other small oddments comfortably.

Not that messenger satchels are designed for hauling heavy loads for any distance but the adjustable strap offers a decent range of adjustment to cater for different people and riding positions. Stonking along the climbs confirmed sway is minimaleven when fully laden. Sharp styling looks great sans bike on civvie-street, too - no problem at the office, or just mooching around town. We were also pleased by a blinky bracket on the outer storm flap.

Sweaty-back are another concern with rider mounted luggage. Two large mesh covered pads lift the bag away, encouraging airflow and seem very effective at moderate speeds and distances.

Belt n’ braces roll top closure, zip, Velcro and click-fix buckle conspire to lock the elements outside. Little surprise that ours has pretty much laughed at everything March could unleash. Utterly impervious and rugged enough to last, those inevitable brushes with low canal bridges common to towpath cycle routes, and similar masonry, have made little impression so far but long term use may reveal some chinks in its armour. Steve Dyster A good-looking bag that delivers - admirably. www.aquapac.net

T ES T I N G T I M ES

XLC Double-Sided MTB Pedals 379g £37.99

X

LC double-sided mtb pedals are faithful homages to Ritchey Logic with pleasing build and good spares backup. However, there are better options for hack bikes, or those looking to try clipless on the cheap.

Gloss white powder coat finish aside; these also bear uncanny resemblance to Wellgo’s WP801. No bad thing- my London workhorse sported a set, which managed over 10,000 trouble free miles before someone nicked them!

379g by our scales, cast aluminium alloy bodies and Cro-moly axles are pretty standard fare, ditto sealed cartridge bearings. However, casting is genuinely better and bearings decidedly smoother than cheaper imitators with seemingly identical specification. Opening the end cap with a 6mm key revealed stout grease and a friction busting DU (Teflon) coating, which undoubtedly help.

Wellgo WPD 98A cleats come supplied, though predictably VP and ironically; big S’s SH51 were impeccably behaved. Release tension is tweaked via the usual 3mm Allen bolt, though stainless steel mechanisms benefit from a quick shot of PTFE lube before heading out.

Given this design’s ubiquity, I

was expecting the XLC to perform much like anyone else’s. However, their 82.4x66.8x32.8mm bodies felt markedly stiffer, most notably on my fixed gear winter trainer, where honking and track standing are pretty much essential for speedy getaways and gazelleesque climbing.

Strangely enough, I found them less comfortable on day rides exceeding 50 miles or so compared with the Wellgo RC713. Despite double-checking cleats for correct alignment and using orthopaedic insoles, 70miles plus and the ball of my left foot would become uncomfortably warm.

Regardless of brand, disengagement demanded a more definite sweep for the first 100miles until cleats had worn some paint from the bodies’ outer ledge.

That’s not to suggest this was difficult, or paint poorly applied. Ours haven’t shown any hint of peeling or flaking despite scoring multiple direct hits from mud encrusted stones when I’ve been bombing along bridleways.

Even when encrusted in mud, cleats always engaged with a reassuring “click”, although Time’s ATAC system wins hands down on the self-cleansing front and might prove better options for riders with pre-existing knee issues. Michael Stenning Solid homages to an iconic design and well suited to heavier riders but slightly pricey for hack bikes or step-in virgins.

www.Raleigh.co.uk

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Intothe ThirdAge,

INTO THE THIRD AGE

PartOne

Roger Suddaby took his camping gear to the Hebrides

A

pparently, as a fifty–something, I am in my Third Age. This is apt and could easily be applied to my cycling experience.

THE FIRST AGE OF ROGER

I remember at the age of thirteen being presented with my first proper racing bicycle, a Puch fivespeed something or other, It was intended as a birthday present and to save on bus fares for the school commute. Being enthused by the novelty of the new bike and also being young and innocent (naive?), I decided at the earliest opportunity to hop on the bike one Saturday morning with an old style cotton bonk bag (musette) over the shoulder complete with sandwiches and some orangeade in the handle bar mounted bottles – remember those?

Before setting off to ride from my home in Carlisle to Keswick and back — a round trip of around sixty miles. Not bad for a first attempt although my legs probably ached a little after that. A friend of my Father then introduced my brother and I to the joys of day rides and club trips into the Lake District on the occasional Sunday. He was a keen cyclist and a member of the Border City Wheelers. I don’t recall ever actually joining the club but do remember attempting a club hill climb one Sunday morning with absolutely zero training or experience, going flat out to the top and then keeling over with

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Blue skies on South Uist

sevendaycyclist.co.uk

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INTO THE THIRD AGE exhaustion. This was my first and last hill climb.

Mostly however, my riding consisted of going to school every day and messing around with friends at the weekends and holidays. This would be my First Age. By the age of seventeen I had sold my bicycle and entered into the world of the motorcyclist.

THE SECOND AGE OF ROGER Later, after getting married and starting a family, I decided that I needed to get fit and save some money.

Motorcycles had taken a back seat and been replaced by the car, but the expense of running it was noticeable even in in those days. I purchased a relatively cheap ten-speed racer and proceeded to commute on most days, probably a round trip of about sixteen miles. After a few weeks of this I got faster and fitter and for a few years never felt better. I was now in my late twenties and this would be my Second Age. However, for some reason and for no reason in particular, I moved house, changed jobs, and drifted away from cycling for the best part of twenty years.

INTO THE THIRD AGE Then, just before turning fifty, and whilst living outside of Chicago in the USA, I found myself belatedly returning to cycling both as a means of regaining some general fitness and as a way of enjoying my spare time.

This time there was no commuting, the local roads being generally too dangerous, so instead I joined a newly-formed cycling club and started going out on regular weekend group rides, these tended to be drive and ride affairs. In the end I joined two clubs and took part in a couple of major charity rides known as the MS 150, completing my first century, and was getting into the whole speed and training, fitness thing.

After three years I returned to the UK but was keen to carry on with my cycling so joined Team MK, at the

same time ‘discovering’ the local CTC group. I now commute on a fairly regular basis – a minimum of seventeen miles round trip and do multi-day touring trip – a double Coast to Coast encompassing the official C2C and part of the Hadrian’s route. This will be my Third Age. So, buoyed up by the success of my Coast to Coast trip last year, I decided this year would see me touring further afield and, in the true spirit of cycle touring, carrying camping gear. My first tours had been B&B affairs requiring planning with little latitude allowed for good or bad days in the saddle and with a certain lack of spontaneity. Admittedly the trip was none the worse for this and after all was following a well cycled path that by its very nature ensured that directions and destinations were pretty much pre-ordained. But still, I wanted my next trip to be even more of an adventure.

INSPIRATION TO PERSPIRATION After some deliberation and a search for some inspiration on internet blogs and the CTC web site, I decided on the Outer Hebrides. Richard Barrett’s called ‘Cycling in the Hebrides; Island touring and day rides’ – one of the many wonderful Cicerone publications allowed me to spend many a winter’s night looking at routes, reviewing ferry timetables and deciding on the best way to cover the Islands.

On the last Saturday in June I completed the motoring part of the outbound trip by parking at Oban for the good old CalMaC ferry to the Isle of Barra. £33.50 bought me a Hopscotch number 23 ticket covering all my planned ferry journeys. Cyclists are first on and off the ferry so after a short wait I was wheeling my bike down the ramp into the vehicle bay with five hours or so to pass; arrival in Castlebay 20.30.

The rain stopped and the sun made an appearance as we headed out into open waters. The trip out was pleasant enough, especially the first hour or so working Welcome to Benbecula

Holiday cottage

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INTO THE THIRD AGE

Oban ferry terminal

through the inner islands. I had a tasty meal of a rather huge haddock and chips. The rain returned on the approach to Castlebay, so it was head down to Croft 183 where I had booked my pitch for the night.

Peter the proprietor took pity on me; instead of directing me to a pitch, he took me straight to his very high class bunkhouse and gave me a fully en-suite bedroom for an extremely reasonable £15. “Bunkhouse” doesn’t do it justice; to all intents and purposes a B&B with four bedrooms surrounding a common living room with TV, Wi-Fi, heating, as well as a communal kitchen, with free tea, coffee, cereals, milk and eggs provided. There was a dry lockup outside for bikes and he was in the process of building a kit drying area just in front of the house. This place deserves to do very well indeed and has my full recommendation.

the wind, so I set off around the western side of Barra just taking in the scenery with the aim of returning for the next crossing at 11:10. It was a damp sort of day but I was enjoying the adventure.

Leaving the jetty on Eriskay, I worked my way across the island, eventually crossing to South Uist. Fighting nobly against the wind all morning I decided to call it a day at Daliburgh and searched out some lunch. Whilst in the Co-Op I was told about a nearby Bunkhouse. It came with a separate room with TV and Wi-Fi for £15. not quite as nice its rival on Barra, in my opinion, but

“IN THE HEBRIDES SOUTH-WESTERLY WINDS PREDOMINATE” Waking up in a warm dry bed and hearing the wild weather outside was not the most inviting start to the day. However I loaded the bike and set off into the wind and rain. The rain did not last long but the wind was strong and coming from the north. This was to last all day, making for very hard work. There was no way that I was going to get to the early morning ferry against

RSPB campsite Balranald. sevendaycyclist.co.uk

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INTO THE THIRD AGE

better than camping in the rain and wind. After dropping off the luggage, I headed first to the local hotel for lunch, and then went for a short ride out to see some ancient round houses on the Machair. The total mileage after all of this was only 25 miles. Next day’s forecast looked better, but the northerly wind would persist. I began reviewing my targets based on the experience so far reaching the decision that I would try to get to the top end of South Uist, maybe as far as Benbecula.

Golden sands on benbecula

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HARD DAYS, SOFT BEDS So, after yet another night in a comfy bed I set off early, well, for me - 08:20. The wind had dropped and there were even patches of blue overhead. So progress was steady, with detours for sightseeing and to Lochdar to visit the Hebridean Craft Shop and Cafe for a spot of lunch and lovely views of the North Atlantic.

After this the miles sped by and despite the frequent stops I was soon crossing the South and North Fords and then over the causeway to Benbecula. Signs

INTO THE THIRD AGE

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INTO THE THIRD AGE

Room with a view Bernaray.

warned me of otters crossing the road, however none risked their lives under my wheels. Taking the scenic loop around the Western side of the island I twice stopped to watch small-eared owls hunting over the Machair; one of the advantages of cycling being the ability to make a quiet approach and a sudden stop.

THE RULE OF THE ROAD I learned to ride on the single-track roads without getting in the way of the local drivers, some of whom don’t hang about. Anticipating approaching drivers is important, so the mirror attached to the STI lever proved extremely useful. Stopping or slowing down at passing places and riding on the white line on the edge of the road soon became second nature. Drivers were considerate, if sometimes speedy, and usually gave a small wave. Eventually a skirt round western side of North Uist brought my day to an end at the RSPB campsite near their sanctuary at Balranald.

AT LAST, THE TENT Finally I get to do some proper cycle camping, I thought.

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Unfortunately, after pitching the tent, I had a wasted ten mile round trip to the one and only pub/restaurant for miles; closed due to staff sickness, apparently. So, on my return I had a very early breakfast and a Mars bar and decided to my camping and eating routine. Many communities just don’t have the facilities that we generally take for granted in more populated mainland Britain. A man could starve for goodness sakes. Anyway, including the wasted hunt for food and despite all of the stops along the way I had done a respectable sixty-six miles. I ended the day hoping for more good weather tomorrow when I would head for Lewis. Now, it was time to lie back and listen to the surf on the beach and the curlews.

AT LAST, A SOUTH-WESTERLY Tuesday began as a very promising day. I struck camp after a stroll along the beach behind the campsite, noting that the wind had swung around and was almost behind me, result! After that however things went slightly downhill; the ferry was cancelled due to a very low tide giving insufficient draught for the boat.

Then, it started to rain. It was midday and the next ferry

INTO THE THIRD AGE wasn’t until 17:30, so I decided to stop on Berneray.

Just down the road from the ferry was a nice little cafe for soup and a roll. I got talking to a gentleman from Bedfordshire working on a local history project who said that there was a Gatcliffe Trust Hostel two miles further along the road; so I headed off. The ‘hostel’ is an old crofter’s cottage right on the sea shore and is run by an Island charity. I had a bed in an otherwise empty room and spent a few hours in the lovely warm common room, another old croft, chatting with some other cyclists and a bird-watcher.

Around 4pm I went for a wander amongst the rock pools, later riding back to the cafe for dinner, stopping to watch seals in the bay. Payment was via an honesty box in the common room; there was no sign of the warden and I wanted to be up early to catch the 7:10 ferry to Harris. Another night not spent in the tent, this was getting to be a habit! Only twenty-eight miles cycled but not a bad day despite the rain...

SECOND BREAKFAST AND FIRST LUNCH AND DINNER After a pretty good night’s sleep I was up at 5:45 and had a Mars bar and ginger tea for breakfast, a quick shower and then off to the Ferry. Arriving in plenty of time at

7:00am I was on board by 7:05 and we were on our way by 7:15. The trip took an hour and is interesting in that the Sound of Harris is so shallow that they have to follow a slalom course through a series of green and red buoys which makes for an erratic course and explains yesterday’s cancellation. To be fair there was a prior notice of the cancellation that I would have received via the CalMac iPhone App, if only there had been a signal.

On landing in Leverburgh on Harris I found a tea and butty van and had a second breakfast before setting off northwards. Thankfully for cold legs, the first few miles were an easy warm-up although the road after that was much hillier but with great views along the way providing a good excuse for regular stops. Around lunchtime I arrived at Tarbert, finding a very good cafe on the main street and got stuck into scampi and chips.

Leaving town, it wasn’t long before the riding got tough with the long incline ahead becoming a 15% grind. Although never as bad as that first section the rest of the ride pretty much comprised of mountain pass after mountain pass, up and down for mile after mile. Finally. the last major downhill allowed a much appreciated freewheel.

Still hilly but nothing compared to the previous slog, I finally turned off along the B4060 towards

Butty bus.

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INTO THE THIRD AGE Kershader and my lodgings for the night; a small hostel that was almost deserted. A small diversion for dinner was made a mile after turning off the main road. Then after sixty-five miles of hard work, the bike was parked and I relaxed, as the sun appeared in time to dip into the sea.

THAT RATTLE AGAIN… After the promise of yesterday evening’s sunny climax it was with a certain level of depression that I awoke to the sound of yet more wind and rain. Nevertheless there was nothing else for it but to get up and head out. In no hurry and after messing around for a while looking at maps and timetables in advance of the next Independence day

Pipes and drums, Lews Castle

few days return journey, I finally went to the shop next door to the hostel and bought baked beans and some soft rolls. These swiftly became beans on toast and with a couple of mugs of tea, became breakfast.

During this time the wind and rain had abated, so I set off while it was dry. About an hour or so into the ride the ‘drookit’ weather returned, though the wind remained gentle. Twelve miles from the start point in Lock Erisort, I had to make a choice; straight ahead and seven miles to Stornaway and a warm dry room, or left and ten miles to Callanish?

GOOD CHOICE After a minute’s deliberation I opted for for Callanish and its standing stones, after all it would be silly to come all this way and not take in the sights and there would always be the cafe and visitor’s centre to provide some shelter. Even so, the weather improved as the rain eased off and became drizzle again. By the time I reached Callanish it was almost dry.

There are three sites at Callanish.

I made my first stop at Callanish III, before carrying on to the main visitor’s centre and, of course, the cafe. I had done about twenty-six miles and at almost 2:00pm it was a long time since breakfast, so I ordered coffee, cake and a spicy bean burger and chips! Yum...

The cafe also had Wi-Fi so I took the opportunity to finally ‘send’ yesterday’s blog update and to update my ‘Track my Tour’ entries.

This is a very useful little App for the iPhone that allows friends and relations to monitor the progress of your journey by following the track as plotted on a web site using the ubiquitous Google maps. Each waypoint may be accompanied by a photo and a short comment and the final result helps to review the trip later.

THE MAIN ATTRACTION Meal over with, I headedl to the main attraction; Callanish II... which is a very large and quite complex set of 26

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INTO THE THIRD AGE

Callanish III

standing stones complete with an aisle of stones leading up to the main circle wherein lie the remnants of a Beaker burial. Whilst not as immediately imposing as Stonehenge, to my mind it is more complete and impressive in its layout and position in the landscape. After an interesting half hour or so wandering around I headed back down to the bike. It was 4:00pm, so time to get going.

Almost unnoticed, the weather had improved drastically, still cloudy but dry and distinctly warmer.

Within less than a mile of setting off I stopped to remove the rain jacket and then shortly afterwards I stopped again to remove the over-shirt that I had been wearing over a cycle jersey pretty much since day one.

(It did get a wash) The ten miles seemed much shorter than the inward journey and I was soon in sight of the junction with the main road.

However, just before that there was another left fork leading off to the old single track road (still designated A585) that I assumed must have been the route before the new two lane road was built. This disappears off over the peat bog moorland with some undulations but nothing

too serious; my only companions on the road were skylarks and maybe three cars in total. Good choice I think.

JAM On entering Stornoway I encountered a traffic jam; well, a slow moving queue anyway. Stornoway is the biggest and most populous town on the isles by a good stretch and is relatively busy. I treated myself to a proper B&B and then went into town for fish and chips followed by a walk around Lews Castle where I whiled away some time watching and listening to a marching band practicing in the grounds - pipes and drums.

I made some planning notes for the next few days.

The result; due to falling slightly behind schedule, I’d take the bus back to Tarbert - I really didn’t fancy those mountains again. Then I would catch the 4:00pm ferry over to Uig on Skye. On Saturday I planned to get across Skye to Armadale and from there take the ferry to Mallaig from where the return to Oban would begin.

Next time we’ll see how the new plan worked and there’ll be a full list of useful sources of information . sevendaycyclist.co.uk

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MORE TO CYCLING...

There’s More to Cycling than Riding a Bike Paul Wagner reads the signs…

M

any years ago I was taught English properly, when grammar had rules and apostrophes knew their place.

I learned about words and their use, I learned to love our language, and I have loved it ever since. That, and the fact that I spent the whole of my life working in civil engineering (highways) may well explain why I have more than a passing interest in signs to be seen at the side of the road, and why I am always on the lookout for the occasional eccentric linguistic error that occurs when someone less finicky that I am is let loose as a signwriter. OK,

They must be boozy churchgoers round here

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What’s happening?

We never found out

my light-hearted pedantry comes under ‘trivial pursuits’ in the great scheme of things, but it has given me years of pleasure as I have pedalled my way along life’s lanes. Perhaps if I share some of my finds with you, you’ll see why I’m so keen on sign spotting.

I’M SORRY; I’LL READ THAT AGAIN. I am by nature curious. I always want to know what’s happening in every village that I pass through, so handwritten signs stuck up on walls are like a magnet to me. What’s more, I never pass a village notice board without stopping to see what’s on offer in the way of

MORE TO CYCLING...

Entire cat – who’d want part of one?

Chinese food at lunchtime? We’d rather have fish and chips

Would you go gardening in your best dress?

events. The friends that I ride with are similarly minded, and that way we find all sorts of interesting things to do, like getting invitations to church ‘open days’ (tea and cake!), or visiting a house that isn’t normally accessible to the public. Nor should you ride past pub A-boards without reading them carefully. More often than not they are promoting food sales, but they are frequently gaffe prone, handwritten proof that language is a living thing, all right!

I have mentally classified these signs as unofficial, semi-official and official. Unofficial includes the parish notice board in the hamlet of Plealey, near Shrewsbury, which is always a fruitful source of genuinely useful information. The local people promote a range of activities that is far beyond one’s expectations for such a small place, but when I saw a hastily penned note stating ‘Next Friday’s talk by the clairvoyant has been cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances’ I realised that they had momentarily lost their touch.

In the nearby village of Longden, the local pub, the Tankerville Arms, beloved of cyclists and walkers, was taken over in the spring of 2014 by someone who proceeded, somewhat against the rub of the green where country pub fare is concerned, to offer Chinese food at lunchtimes. No-one who ate there regularly was ready for such a radical change; we were more accustomed to sausages and mash, or fish and chips, so reluctantly, we stopped going there. In September a scruffy A-board appeared, proclaiming ‘No Chinese food till October’. In December, the pub was suddenly sold again – and the new proprietors reverted to the kind of

fodder that cyclists and walkers are used to. Just one amateur sign, but it reflected the changes that were afoot.

Another local pub, regularly used by our informal group the Friday Chip Runners, started cooking Sunday lunches. Right at the bottom of their roadside chalkboard advert were the puzzling words, ‘Home gravy’. I asked the girl behind the bar what that was all about, and she told me that there hadn’t been room to fit the word ‘made’ in, so, totally unperturbed, the chef had simply left it out. What? Talk about allowing language to breathe! Their gravy’s always pretty good, but that was an omission too far.

STREET ART A gang of us were pootling along through Harmer Hill when a back marker stopped and called us back. There, in a cottage flower border, he had spotted a woman bending over, clad in wellies and a floral frock; but all was not as it seemed. The vision was a painted board.

I don’t know who produced this piece of art but it’s still in the garden now, two years on, and I nod to her as a matter of course whenever I ride past. I wonder what her name is?

The public notice board in Dolgellau’s main car park had a really puzzling handwritten notice on it. ‘Found, male entire ginger cat’ may well mean something to cat lovers, but the ‘entire’ bit confused me no end. Is that entire as in ‘The whole cat, tail and all’, or does it have some covert veterinary meaning? I should have rung the number given and enquired. sevendaycyclist.co.uk

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MORE TO CYCLING...

Only Welsh and classical English understood

Boring Seat advert

I’ll give amateur stuff a rest now, and upgrade to ‘semiofficial’. A pub here in Shrewsbury is situated opposite the local parish church, but the church doesn’t have a car park. The pub is happy to allow the congregation to use their car park, and they display a beautifully scripted, permanent, sign, requesting, ‘Churchgoers please park at the back of the pub’. Why the back of the pub should be the chosen place I know not – it’s a fair stride away. The publican seems to be suggesting that either he doesn’t want virtuous-looking people lurking about in front of his establishment, or he thinks that by making them walk past the open pub door to get to their cars on the way home, the parishioners may be tempted in for a snifter. Whatever, they are not allowed to park close to the church; surely the most convenient location for people many of who are of mature years.

NON-EVENT The Mawddach Trail, that wondrous cycle path alongside the Mawddach Estuary in western Wales, has for the last couple of years been subjected to a variety of signs, erected by the council and their contractors while they carried out extensive flood defence works.

The place is awash with cyclists who, like me, have enquiring minds, so when an official notice carrying the words ‘Beth sy’n Digwydd?’ and ‘Whats happening?’ (sic, no apostrophe), appeared, right on the main site access, we easy-riders who had time on our hands spent an 30

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inordinate amount of time talking to one another and discussing what could, in fact, be happening. We watched diligently – we asked the workmen – but all through the summer of 2014, we saw nothing happening at all. Then the work was over, all traces of it disappeared, and no-one’s the wiser, even now. Come to think of it, it’s a sign that could be far more widely adopted – ‘What’s happening?’ is a universal question, and nobody ever knows the answer!

Just down the trail and across the water from that one, on the quay by Barmouth harbour, Gwynedd Council has erected an undeniably Official Sign, directed at anglers. There’s nothing wrong with it at all – quite the opposite in fact – I have never come across such a polite notice before. Couched in both Welsh and delightfully correct English, the sign requests that anglers should ‘Please ensure that your fishing equipment does not impede the course of passing boats’. I can almost hear the ‘received English’ voice dictating the words to the signwriter. I love it. An unofficial notice on a private garage door close by reflects the tone, asking dog walkers to ‘please restrain your dog from fouling the footpath’. I’m not sure how you’d do that, but then I don’t own a dog.

I photographed another notice with a similar message concerning dogs, painted on a wall in foot high letters, but the wording is too coarse to be entered here.

MORE TO CYCLING...

I’m jumping about, location-wise, so I’m back in Shropshire, now. One of local cycling’s favourite pubs, the Tayleur Arms in Longdon-on-Tern, burned down last year. Thank the Lord it is being rebuilt using the original interior footprint, open fireplaces and all, but to get to it, we frequently pass a council road nameplate that still puzzles me, now. ‘Sugden Lane. Known as Rodington Road’. It has been the Rodington Road for as long as I can remember, and that’s a long time. I have never known it as Sugden Lane, and I don’t know anybody who has, so why they don’t re-name it and be done with it, I will never know. Mind you, that goes against another of my quirky desires – to keep names as they have always traditionally been. I hate it when officialdom declares places to be called something else at the drop of a hat, particularly pubs, so I’m a bit ‘on the fence’ with this one!

COURTING CONTROVERSY I’ll shut up soon, but I just just tell you about one official poster that caught my eye spectacularly – in Mallorca, this time. Some time ago, my wife Jean and I enjoyed ten golden years cycling our winters away in the north of the island. I got to know the local back lanes very well, but there was one very minor, but important, lane, which opens up an expanse of idyllic countryside out towards Pollenca Town and the mountains, that other cyclists could never find. One evening a couple of girls asked me where it was and I told them – ‘It’s off the main Palma road, just before the big signboard with an advert for Seat cars on it’. Returning from their ride the following afternoon, they declared that in spite of searching, they had been unable to find it. I was

puzzled. You can’t miss it.

Next day I went and had a look, and I was absolutely stunned to find that the Seat advert had been replaced with an advert of an altogether different nature, promoting pre-natal care for babies. Roughly translated, the wording suggests that ‘behind every healthy baby is a healthy mother’; a totally worthy sentiment, but the picture of a woman and baby used to illustrate it was graphically bold. As a recorder of all things surprising I automatically took its picture, but the poster soon became a national talking point. Some people were upset by it and their opinion won the day, so a couple of weeks later the image was removed. I can see the light-hearted humour behind the poster and the look on the baby’s face amuses me no end, so I was not offended. Shortly afterwards, the Seat sign returned!

It’s time to quit while I’m ahead. I have been all over the place on my bike but these minor things, found as I have travelled round, have given me a lot of amusement. They don’t compare with the big picture – the countryside and its people will always be my first love – but looking for wacky signs and similar stuff is always at the back of my mind. I’ve got dozens of examples in my photo collection and constantly being on the lookout for them can slow your ride down, but hey – surely that’s no bad thing?

PS. I have recently noticed another manifestation of the ‘duff official sign’ syndrome – here, in Shrewsbury. It warns people on the popular NCR 81 that they may encounter ‘Oncoming cyclist and pedestrians’. There are dozens of cyclists using this route every day, so which one you need to look out for, I know not.

Just who the lone cyclist is, no-one knows.

A happy baby.

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CITY AND COUNTRY

I

t’s easy enough to resolve to keep cycling irrespective of the season, but not quite so simple to carry that through when daylight is at a premium and the sun-dappled lanes of high summer have turned into treacherous, pot holed tests of endurance. Although I am a fan of winter riding - still, sharp, bright days can provide some of the best cycling conditions of the year - selecting appropriate routes is as important as choosing the right tyres. if you want to get the most out of shortened days and unfriendly weather and continue to encourage less seasoned riders to keep cycling. Even in summer, riding close to a railway is a useful insurance policy on a ride to the seaside with the family.

Planning a ride near to a railway route, particularly in winter, makes sense on a number of levels.

For a start, using the train for the outward, or return, leg of your ride obviously makes it possible to increase the distance and time you can actually spend on the bike; an important factor when daylight is at a premium or riders have widely varied levels of endurance.

It also provides you with a built-in contingency plan should the weather turn inclement or someone gets injured, as well as the flexibility to vary distances for different ability levels.

The presence of a railway usually signifies other infrastructure close by, such as services, cultural attractions, shops and, of course, cafes - despite the sad demise of the station buffet. And stations can

Cityand Country: WinterandSummer

Jill Phillip follows another route close to a railway … this time from the heart of Glasgow to the Ayrshire coast.

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CITY AND COUNTRY provide cheap and easy parking (if required) outwith commuting days.

But another reason why I favour rides near railway routes is because they provide great opportunities to explore urban districts that are often overlooked. The attractions of scenic rural circuits, or popular areas of cities, are obvious but discovering lesser known places often uncovers different, unexpected, surprises.

Sustrans’ network of towpaths and disused railways provides excellent arterial routes to ride, often traffic-free, in and out of many major industrial cities, while green corridors through parks and along towpaths also contain a surprisingly varied and visible range of flora and fauna.

CITY CYCLING Pedalling through Glasgow may not be everybody’s

Head along these

idea of a peaceful, scenic ride. But the city sits on the cusp of the two sections of Sustrans NCR7 and, whereas the delights of the easy traffic-free pedal north to Loch Lomond are relatively familiar, the less celebrated southern section takes you from the city centre through glorious parkland, along dedicated cycle paths and undulating countryside to the captivating Ayrshire coast. And as the route runs closely parallel with the main rail line to Ayr, the numerous stations en route allow great flexibility in route length and ride options.

Starting at Bell’s Bridge, currently closed for renovation but use the next footbridge and follow the NCN 7 diversion signs, allows a wonderful opportunity to look along the Clyde and see how modern architecture has transformed the banks of the river. The Finnieston Crane now towers above a

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CITY AND COUNTRY

waterfront, not of ship yards and warehouses, but of the iconic outline of the Armadillo and the arcs and angles of the Squinty and Squiggly bridges.

Apart from a short crossing of the busy Govan Road, the route south uses either traffic-free paths or very quiet roads and provides an interesting contrast as you head through the ‘traditional’ Glasgow of Govan and Ibrox, before suddenly arriving among the palatial nineteenth century villas of Dumbreck. These quiet, tree-lined avenues with their ornate, stained-glass windowed mansions, provide a good illustration both of Glasgow’s industrial wealth and the innovative architecture practised throughout the city in the late Victorian era. Some of the most iconic designs of Glasgow’s most famous architect, Charles Rennie Mackintosh, are housed in the House for an Art Lover, in nearby Bellahouston Park; a short but interesting diversion off the route.

of the countryside than a city park - which is a good, alternative starting point if you want to avoid the city, or need somewhere suitable to leave a car.

Once through the park, a mix of disused railways and dedicated cycle lanes, effortlessly take you the few miles into Paisley. Famous for its eponymous textile pattern, its historic abbey, just a few hundred metres into the town centre, is well worth a detour. It also boasts a very positive example of the ultimate in integrated travel - the route of NCN 7 goes right along

COUNTRY CYCLING? More art treasures are on show at the world-renowned Burrell Collection, just down the road in Pollok Park.

The route then continues on paths through the park - its bucolic landscape, complete with resident herd of highland cattle make it more redolent of the heart 34

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And great views

CITY AND COUNTRY

...Along these

the platform of Paisley Canal station! The town also has two other stations and all are part of Glasgow’s suburban rail network, with frequent trains to and from Central Station.

From here the old railway path takes you through Johnstone to the interesting former weaving village of Kilbarchan, then on to one of the highlights of the entire route: Castle Semple Loch, a water-sports centre in the Clyde Muirshiel Regional Park, which also hosts an RSPB bird sanctuary and the remains of a sixteenth century collegiate church.

Lochwinnoch, a pleasant village with a range of services, sits at the side of the loch and the traffic-free route continues a few miles south to Kilbirnie. Be prepared for a more undulating section from Glengarnock through to Kilwinning, but although there are a couple of sharp climbs, they are short and well worth the effort for the views of pleasant, undulating countryside that open out from the quiet country lanes.

But do watch out for some equally undulating road surfaces!

SEA CYCLING An easy circuit round a quiet estate in Kilwinning leads to another attractive, traffic-free path into Irvine. Here you can take in the sea air looking across the Firth of Clyde to the jagged coastline of Arran, or visit the interesting Scottish Maritime Museum. The town has a full range of services and a regular, half-hourly rail service back to Glasgow.

Glasgow to Irvine is just over 30 miles of easy cycling, mainly traffic-free, so ideal for all ages and abilities and is short enough to fit in at times of the year when

daylight is at a premium. If you’ve got the time, why not extend your ride for another 20 miles or so down the coast through Troon and Prestwick to Ayr? With views of the alluring Ayrshire coast on one side, and some of the world’s most famous golf courses on the other, it’s certainly worth the effort.

Information TRAINS:

Scotrail runs regular services along the Ayrshire coast via Paisley and Irvine: check timetables at: http://www.scotrail.co.uk/timetablesroutes/1771/1761/2012/winter Have a look at Scotrail’s cycling policy: http:// www.scotrail.co.uk/cycling It includes details of their Cycle Rescue Scheme that, in the event of damage, theft or mechanical failure, will transport you and your bike to your destination: http://www.scotrail.co.uk/content/ cycle-rescue.html SERVICES: Shops, services and refreshments are widely available in the towns and villages along the route, as well as in the RSPB Nature Reserve at Lochwinnoch and next to Canal Station in Paisley.

If you are waiting at Glasgow’s Central Station, the Riverhill Coffee Bar across the road in Gordon Street serves delicious food and some of the best coffee in the city http://www.riverhillcafe.com/ coffee-bar/ DIRECTIONS: Sustrans route map Lochs and Glens South (NCN 7) provides full details, but the route is very well signposted, including directions to local stations.

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THE BROMPTON GOES WILD

ACROSS THE MENAI

The Brompton Goes Wild as Mark Jacobson finds himself across the Straits

TheBromptongoeswild

A

nglesey had been on my mind for some years, and finally I made that visit.

Leaving the train at Bangor, the Telford Bridge is recommended for cyclists rather than the new Britannia Bridge that carries the dual carriageway A55 with all its heavy holiday and ferry traffic.

ROCKS OF AGES Having chosen a camp site just beyond Trearddur, at Penrhos Feilw, I took my time riding there along lanes south and west of the A55. This is undulating country and nowhere as flat as the map might suggest. The route took me past Bodowyr Burial Chamber, a cap rock lying on three uprights, standing about 8 feet high. During this ride there had been seen everywhere a profusion of wayside flowers,

South Stack Lighthouse

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umbellifers, buttercups, red campion, bluebells, early gorse, etc. The coastline in this SW part of Anglesey is rocky with many small bays, open views abounding.

My choice of camp site proved eminently suitable, and it accommodated me comfortably for two nights. I do not think it would be so suitable in the season, as it is a huge holiday site. At this early time in the year only one other camper occupied the tent field, far across on the other side. Nearby is Penrhos Feilw, prehistoric standing stones. These ancient stone structures are plentiful and seem to offer more than an inanimate presence, almost providing a mild form of energy to their surroundings, in much the same way as might be felt from a tree of age.

THE BROMPTON GOES WILD

Blackthorn Farm camping

Bodowyr Burial Chamber

OLD TIME COPPER Early next morning saw me pedalling to South Stack, where I overlooked the lighthouse (not open to the public and this early hour). Glinting in the morning sun, it glowed white amongst the blue of the sky and sea.

From there I crossed the hill to Holyhead and found a café open early for a second breakfast.

Once I had found and used the cycle path alongside the A5 out of Holyhead, lanes then took me through to Amlwch, and its old Port. After a wander around that narrow confined haven, I visited the newly opened Copper Museum: Amlwch Port was at one time the major exporter of copper ore, all of which went to Swansea for processing, when the latter, known also as ‘Copperopolis’,

Dee Valley near Llandrillo

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THE BROMPTON GOES WILD

Port Amlwch Haven

Across the Menai once more

provided about 50% of the world supply, much used for copper bottoms for wooden sailing vessels, to protect them against marine infestations.

After lunch I rode to the top of Parys Mountain.

Ore from within was mined 4000 years ago but only rediscovered in the 1750’s, when large scale mining began. The tunnelling developed into deep shafts from the summit, and, as these spread out and collapsed, the mountain top fell in, so that now it presents itself as a huge, irregular crater, showing layers of different coloured soil and rock, deep into the mound, a land of industrial devastation. Unlike the standing stones, the convoluted crater gives a feeling of depletion in its devastation.

Parys Mountain crater

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Climbing Llanberis Pass

DANGER IN THE GRASS-CUTTINGS Next day I crossed to the eastern extremity of the island, reaching Penmon, a fairly hilly ride coming north and east of the A55. I was able then to again cross the Menai, returning to Bangor for lunch, before proceeding along NCR8 as far as Caernarfon. A long climb then followed inland until reaching my next camp site at Betws Garmon, under the southern slope of Mount Snowdon. Regretfully this site was sheltered from all breezes, and had uncut grass hiding myriads of midges which made life there very difficult.

STEAMING AHEAD Leaving without breakfast next day, due to huge brown clouds of voracious midges, I set off towards the Lleyn for a ride across the peninsular, only finding breakfast at around 10:30 am at Llinfaen village shop. Continuing towards Porthmadog for lunch, at the Welsh Highland Railway station buffet, I passed through Llanystumdwy.

From there I followed the rather quiet A498 to Beddgelert. From a riverside bank, I videoed the train arriving from Porthmadog, then raced it back towards my camp site, not quite making the passing place of the two opposing trains at Rhyd-Ddu in time, but catching the oncoming train as it steamed to the nearby summit of 650 ft. Steam has such an attraction, especially while

THE BROMPTON GOES WILD

gentle swish coming from the blades of a nearby aerogenerator, one of an isolated wind farm.

The road then made a long descent to reach the A5 at Pentrefoelas. The A5 then became my road, and it was surprisingly quiet. It actually leads downhill following the Conwy River to Betws y Coed, but I turned off on to some very minor lanes as my next call would be at Ty Mawr, reached by meandering around the high ground and along an unmade gravelly forest road. Not surprisingly, Ty Mawr is at the bottom of a deep valley, the road leading nowhere, so a tough return is necessitated.

NOT ON A MONDAY

standing close to the track as a locomotive goes by. I could not resist waving.

RING IN EMERGENCY It was good to leave the vast clouds of midges behind next morning, although I had to stop packing up my gear for a while when the tall bag fell over and disturbed the wee angry beasties! I set off at first towards Caernarfon, then taking lanes to reach Llanberis and the start of the climb to the summit of the pass. This is one occasion in which the 28T emergency chain ring on my Brompton came into good use.

Eventually grinding my way to the top, I made an expensive but necessary stop at the YH café. After that it was nearly downhill all the way to Betws y Coed and on to Llanrwst. A long uphill climb eventually brought me to my next ‘tiny’ camp site at Maes-y-Bryn. Despite the stream at the bottom, this field had no midges to speak of. What a relief! I was allocated the best pitch, too, right at the top next to the facilities, by the very friendly owner.

My ride next morning involved a circular route starting with Gwytherin, an attractive small village nestling in a fold of the hills. From there came a stiff climb up a very narrow lane, quite a long push for me. At the top was complete silence, except for the

A pub lunch was not available in Llanrwst, not on a Monday. However, I found goodly fare at a continental café near the centre, after which I continued downhill, using the B5106, as far as Caerhun before returning to my quiet camp site. This ride along the Conwy Valley is a delight.

Next day I set off for home, via Betws-yn-Rhos, to catch the return train from Colwyn Bay. It had been a rewarding week’s visit to both Anglesey and Snowdonia.

My time on Anglesey had been pleasantly spent, especially with the dry weather, blue skies and cooling NE breeze, which, surprisingly, lasted for six consecutive days. Only my last two days in Wales were cloudy with smatterings of rain.

information

For Penrhos Feilw camp site at Blackthorn Farm: http://www.blackthornleisure.co.uk/ For Maes-y-Bryn camp site near Llanrwst: www.maesybryncampsite.co.uk For Silver Birches camp site at Betws Garmon: www.silver-birches.org.uk (midges, but free WiFi)

Welsh Highland Railway Steam sevendaycyclist.co.uk

39

FRAME RENOVATION

The Emperor’s New Clothes: Repainting your non-ferrous friend B

ack in Issue 3 Michael Stenning took us through the structural and cosmetic reinvention of his beloved Holdsworth Zephyr. Despite steel’s revival and carbon fibre now distinctly mainstream; aluminium alloy remains by far the most popular frame material.

Excellent performance to weight ratio, ease of mass manufacture coupled with favourable pricing make its lasting appeal obvious. Even repainting isn’t too tricky, so long as you follow some simple rules. Michael got some help from the experts at Maldon Shot Blasting and Powder Coating, Chris and Graham, Co-Directors and craftsmen, and their father, Trevor.

URBAN MYTHS… Aluminium frames are not created equal and are alloyed with other metals to provide the desired characteristics. Some manufacturers experimented with 5000 series marine grade aluminium but it’s really a choice between 6061 (blended with magnesium and silicone) and 7005 (zinc and magnesium). Economies of scale are great news for end consumers. However, dents, cracks and similar structural damage spell scrapheap.

That said; with lateral thought, replaceable derailleur hangers can be whipped up by machine shops long after that model ceased production and OEM spares evaporated. Decent bike shops can repair stripped derailleur hangers, carrier mounts, brake posts and other small threaded parts. Bottom bracket shells can also be recut (usually to Italian) which restricts choice of unit, though much better than binning an otherwise serviceable frame.

Fatigue is another popular anxiety. True, cracks and other stress damage can appear very suddenly, so keep a watchful eye on anything suspicious between washes. Nonetheless, mid to upper end rigs can clock up massive mileages and deliver surprisingly compliant rides on and off road.

Aluminium doesn’t rust…yup; but it corrodes and benefits from a decent protective painted, anodized or lacquer finish.

CASE STUDY This Specialized arrived at Maldon Shot Blasting & Powder Coating for refinishing. Structurally sound, there is some obvious flaking and surface oxidisation forming around the bottom bracket shell.

STAGE 1 TESTING, TESTING Aluminium alloys are easily damaged by the wrong 40

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FRAME RENOVATION

blast media. Back in the mid 1980s, Cannondale made it explicitly clear that sandblasting would cause structural damage and void the warranty.

This remains an absolute no-no on contemporary frames, regardless of brand. Previously powder coated examples should slosh around in an alkaline stripper first, to avoid deep and extensive pitting. Methyl chloride was once the active ingredient in better quality DIY strippers and extremely effective. Alas, it’s also highly carcinogenic, so largely restricted to commercial use.

Factory finishes still vary in type and quality. Aqua blasting is the least aggressive procedure and combines a light powdery abrasive with fine mists of water. However, years of experience sees Graham head straight for the Iron Oxide cabinet.

This is an efficient, though still compassionate process that will lick a stove enamelled steel frameset clean in around three to four minutes. Being a softer metal, patience is paramount, so after 90 seconds Graham stops to inspect a small test area, which is clean but dull grey.

to a lightly etched sheen - ideal for sharpest results.

Inevitably some residual grains will rattle around their inner sanctum. These eventually drain harmlessly via bottom bracket shell, breathe holes, head and seat tubes. However, a thirty second chase through using compressed air keeps squatters in single figures.

Since we’re on the subject, ensure your project is stripped of all components/fasteners. Degrease threaded sections and have the courtesy to mention

STAGE 2 BLAST! BLAST! BLAST! Fifteen painstaking minutes later it’s essentially bare save for residual shadows.

Graham transfers to the shot blaster, tickling the tubes sevendaycyclist.co.uk

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FRAME RENOVATION accessories skipping primer should also be preheated this way prior to their colour coat.

STAGE 5 COLOUR

if something oily is lying dormant in the tubes - it could suddenly come alive, scalding the sprayer, or ruining new livery.

STAGE 3 PRIMER Detractors offer powder coating’s weight as a dealbreaker. This has prompted some firms to skip the next stage and explains why industrial painters can keep the prices lower. Ultimately, we only get what we pay for.

Aluminium alloys are porous, meaning moisture can develop during the curing phases, resulting in unsightly blemishes/bubbling often referred to as “gassing out”.

Even if you’ve dodged this particular bullet, stone chips encourage moisture and corrosion to flourish unnoticed, until the powder coat begins flaking/peeling away in chunks. With primer beneath, superficial battle scars are easily retouched using hobby enamels or car type paint sticks.

Contrary to misinformed opinion, you are only limited by your imagination and budget when it comes to powder colours and finishes.

In this instance we’re having ‘artic white’; which is a hybrid epoxy/polyester mix, combining durability with cosmetic allure. Standard epoxy finishes aren’t UV stable though, explaining why mass produced garden furniture dulls or fades within a year or two.

All colours, irrespective of paint family have their quirks, requiring subtly different techniques. Whites and yellows are particularly tricky given their lack of pigment.

This leads inexperienced operators to overcompensate, applying too much powder. Best case scenario we’re talking orange peel city; worst, it’ll emerge literally hanging (think thick, runny custard).

Graham weaves seamlessly along the tubes like a well–coordinated dervish and within five minutes we’re oven bound again.

HOME & DRY….

The overall effect looks absolutely stunning but Chris spots some blemishes along the top tube. In practice, this is easily corrected but further illustrations of discerning workmanship and the slightly unpredictable nature of aluminium alloys.

Affected areas are sanded back to primer using 180 grit and the frame is baked for another fifteen minutes prior to repainting.

SNAGGED N’ SORTED Graham is called away, so Chris takes charge, applying the remedial coat in three minutes before it’s returned to the oven.

In this instance, the customer doesn’t want a clear lacquer applying, which allows a variety of options. As it stands, the grand total is £55 plus VAT...

Frame earthed; Graham selects a grey epoxy zinc phosphate base. Generally kinder to sprayer and wider environment than chromates; this also enjoys excellent adhesion and flow rate, meaning it’s much easier for him to achieve a uniformly smooth effect. This is completed in four minutes; then oven cured.

STAGE 4 CURING The powder assumes a liquid state and fully cured in fifteen minutes at 200 degrees. Frames/components/ 42

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FRAME RENOVATION

OPTION 1 Several solid colour effects are very possible with powder coating; although it requires considerable skill and this carries a cost implication. Therefore, 2pac paints are more commonly used.

OPTION 2 The temperatures involved in curing powder coat acrylic and polyester lacquers would ruin decals.

However, these can be applied and sealed beneath 2pac clear coats.

WET STUFF (TRADITIONAL ALTERNATIVES) 2pac paints superseded nitro cellulose lacquers in automotive contexts during the 1970s and are another favourable option. These can be oven or air cured, so safe for carbon fibre and bonded (glued) frames including Alan and Raleigh’s Dynatec series, or those using plastic internal cable guides.

Pros: Results are excellent; albeit more labour intensive and closer to high quality stove enamels.

Cons: Being a wet-spray process, there’s also quite a bit of wastage/overspray.

2pacs contain cyanide, which is extremely hazardous and must only be by professionals wearing full body suits and air fed masks. Consequently, water based coatings are now widely used within the car industry but seem unsuitable for bicycle/motorcycle applications.

fixed/single speed. Frame and forks in a basic, primary colour can cost as little as £25.

Be prepared to undertake a lot of preparatory work yourself and oversee wherever possible; the prospect of entrusting someone used to blasting RSJ’s with a thinwalled bicycle frame turns my blood cold.

Many local authorities have graffiti removal teams with precision cleaning equipment. These can be adjusted to restore discoloured stonework or strip the foil from fag packets, leaving the cardboard behind completely untouched.

Masking may prove non-existent, requiring intensive, time consuming clean up.

Ask nicely, catch someone in the right mood and they might do you a big favour. Talking of which, a cycling mate who works in a car body repair shop might be able to turn a frame round at cost, on their own time but otherwise, I’d steer clear.

DIY Materials-wise, doing it yourself sounds like a great way of saving cash but is extremely time/labour intensive.

Fine if you’re looking for a summer project and/or seek to develop your spraying skills. Over the counter chemical strippers are messy, relatively expensive and slow-acting.

Some extremely high grades of aluminium might be worth stripping bare and polishing but I’d still err towards a professionally applied acrylic lacquer, which won’t yellow, crack or peel. Leftover acrylic paints and hobby enamels can achieve surprisingly satisfying cosmetic effects on town hacks but tend to be decidedly brittle.

Thanks to Chris, Graham and Trevor at Maldon Shotblasting & Powder Coating for their help in producing this feature. www. ctc-powder-coating.co.uk

SHOE-STRING Frankly, specialist/project finishers such as Maldon Shot Blasting & Powder Coating are your best bet since they’ll work to standards, not prices. Industrial ‘job lot’ firms operating on a factory-style conveyor process can prove godsend or nemesis in equal measure.

On the plus side, this might be fine for a workhorse sevendaycyclist.co.uk

43

MEET MIKE WELLS

Meet MikeWells Flood dyke cycle track in Hungary

H

aving just returned from a cycle trip in Eastern Europe, there’s a gentle sigh of relief in Mike Wells’ voice.

It comes not from not enjoying the trip or disappointment at returning home; its origins lie in having just completed the copy which is the result of his research. Volume Two of his guide to cycling along the banks of the Danube was to be off to Cicerone in the morning.

This isn’t a new feeling for Mike, because he is a Serial Guidebook Author. Stephen Dyster had a

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chat with him about his tales of the riverbank …

Cicerone has already published his guides to cycling the Moselle, the Rhine and the Danube from its source to Budapest, and we have more to look forward to. With the volume on the Lower Danube now being prepared for publication, his attention is turning to the Loire and the Rhone. Mike has wide experience of travel in Europe having worked for a number of years organising and running tours by train. A keen long distance walker, a subject on which he is also a published author, he has built up a lot of

MEET MIKE WELLS Unofficial ceremony in the Black Sea

Image courtesy of Cicerone

helpful contacts across the Continent. “My experience of cycling has grown along with the number of trips. I started writing these guides with very limited knowledge of European cycling.”

Mike cut his cycling teeth on long distance routes such as the Lon Las Cymru. Mike sounds a little disappointed that those routes seem to have become less wild than when he first rode them; “No, I am not, but I am a little unclear as to Sustrans’ remit; is it to get people to work or to provide a touring network?

It seems to me that the Lon Las Cymru fell a little

bit between two stools. In the first place it was quite daunting in places, but making it less so has made things better for families and people who like gentler things … though mid-Wales is rarely easy.”

Cuba, the Camino and the North Cape, amongst others, lead him, eventually, to cycling the Rhine and his first Cicerone publication. “Since then,” says Mike, “I have been doing a guide a year, cycling the great rivers of Europe.”

Does Mike have an obsession with rivers? No, but they hold many attractions for the touring cyclist, sevendaycyclist.co.uk

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MEET MIKE WELLS Former frontier; remains of the Iron Curtain.

not least that the source is more or less clear and the ride takes you to the sea or a bigger river. “It is relatively easy cycling. There are hills, but they tend not to be too big. I’m sixty-six and I am no great fan of big hills; I like things that generally go downhill; they also offer a sense of achievement and satisfaction.” says Mike. He then points to the excellent tourist infrastructure that tends to be found along the major rivers; all sorts of accommodation at all sorts of prices, every kind of restaurant you can think of; all this make it easy to decide where to spend a night, which is not true of the Lower Danube or Cuba or the North Cape, for example.”

So, what makes for good cycling infrastructure?

“Well, there are several factors. The Swiss model where everything is perfectly signposted and beautifully organised, then there’s the Romanian where I have just come back from, where there barely seems to be a cycle track in the country … well a few, but not much.

The Danube is a good example; in Germany parts of

the route are on gravel, a good surface but not asphalt.

Then you cross into Austria and almost all is off-road on dedicated cycle track with an asphalt surface.”

A great deal of money has been put into developing dedicated cycle tracks along most of the rivers, especially in Western Europe. “Of course, things continue to develop, so we rely on satisfied readers contacting Cicerone to say that this or that has changed.” Each Cicerone guide has a web page. Much information in a guide remains constant, but it is easy for some detail to become dated … minor route changes, improved or deteriorating surfaces, hotels closing or opening, new rail services.

I asked Mike what he feels a guidebook brings in this digital age. He laughs as he says, “My guidebooks ….

Incorporate things to see and do as well as the bare bones of route, eating and sleeping. Some long-distance cyclists want to get their heads down and don’t really want to look at things anyway. Guide books add to this.”

Again Mike laughs when I suggest that for even the

Straw cycle

Serbian cycle signs

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MEET MIKE WELLS

Going down? Cycle lift to the Danube in Belgrade

smallest town he seems able to find something of interest to include. “Going through Romania most of the little villages have absolutely nothing to write about, then I found one which was the birthplace of a little known poet who got quite a mention,” he explains.

Generally though, Mike feels that places to see do not always need to be spectacular. We discuss that type of cyclist who is happy to explore the curious if unspectacular. “In Luxembourg, I was exploring a link to the Moselle from Luxembourg City and I suddenly came across this mass of satellite dishes in a field.

Turned out to be the biggest satellite station in Europe, belonging to the largest company in the country in the grounds of a formal Grand-Ducal palace.”

Mike goes on to point out that he is not a camper. He looks for hotels and hostels. “I know that some people who buy the guides will camp, but I want to show that you can do these long routes without having to carry all that gear,” he says. “All the previous guides to the Lower Danube used to say that you had to wild camp as there were long sections with no accommodation, now, having tried out different routes, I’ve proved to myself that camping is not a necessity The Danube is, Mike suggests, the best developed EuroVélo route. “Oddly,” he says, “some of the best signposting is in Serbia. They have really grabbed hold of it; signposting is immaculate from one end of the country to another. Each signpost, at regular intervals, has a little saying on it, which, I think, is a lovely touch.

In English, too.” Mike digresses, “I stayed in a little guest house which has just opened up – largely for cyclists – in the middle of nowhere to the west of Belgrade. Well, the owner told me about the man who was responsible for signposting and that he has now been approached by the Romanians to signpost routes there.” He also has high praise for Hungary, where huge improvements have been made in the last ten years.

Eighty kilometres, maybe a hundred, is a typical day’s distance for Mike. Plenty of time to stop and look, eat and drink and no need for too early a start; “In the

Cyclists guest house

guide I aim to create sections of about fifty miles a day, with opportunities for lunch after about twenty-five. Of course, you can split things how you like. A family group might want to do half of one of these sections in a day. ” If you were to write a guide, Mike emphasises the need to plan before you ride the route. He explains,” I get the whole route mapped out on the computer, then work out where the breaks ought to be. Hopefully there’s a town or large village with accommodation of different sorts. The whole thing then follows from that, because they are critical to a tour.”

I put it to him that the guidebook author’s worst nightmare must be an incorrect direction, a left where it should be right. Fortunately, Mike has a plan to avoid this. He does his research at home. He rides the route on his own and adds detail of directions. This is all written up for his better half to check as they ride the route together. “I ride behind and she uses the draft as a guidebook to test it. I generally get about three or four things wrong in a forty thousand word draft, but Christine spots these.”

Mike finds a hybrid bike ideal for these sorts of routes. He bought his first Marin to ride the Camino to Compostella and is now on number three.” I became a convert to hybrid bikes. I knew very little about

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MEET MIKE WELLS

Corniche road approaching the Iron Gates between Serbia and Romania

them, but have traded up.” His favourite bike was his Rocky Ridge, which took him off-road touring in Iceland and along the old navvy road that runs parallel to the railway between Oslo and Bergen.” Then someone stole it!”

“A good quality, solid hybrid is the thing for the kind of cycle routes I do; mixed surfaces and a bit of off-road at times. Racing bikes are no good and I am not a great fan of the traditional drop-handlebar touring bike either.

I prefer slightly wider tyres and disk brakes. I have never found that I can’t get these things fixed and serviced if necessary, even in remote parts of Eastern Europe.

I like the riding positions on a hybrid, but a traditional tourer would cope with the routes OK.” Mike’s biggest recommendation? He gets a lot of cyclists from outside Europe planning to follow his route guides. Can they hire bikes? Of course, he replies, but don’t. Bring your own, if you can. If you can’t, bring your saddle!”

• Images courtesy of Mike Wells except where credited to Cicerone

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Information

So, as Mike prepares to head for the Loire, his current guides are available from all good booksellers and the publisher. See www.cicerone. co.uk As well as offering a variety of ways to purchase guides, each books webpage has an updates section, for example, for Mike’s Moselle guide http://www.cicerone.co.uk/product/detail. cfm/book/721/title/the-moselle-cycle-route#.

VWxetrnbLIU Mike says, “We rely on, hopefully, satisfied customers keeping updates coming in.”

The latest update on the Moselle Cycle Route page covers how to reach the start, by train, from London.

EuroVélo route 6 (EV6) includes the whole Danube.

Mike recommends his soon-to-be-published guide (well, as he says, he would) along with the Huber set of six maps (see http://cartography-huber.com/p10/ p5/shop/products/eurovelo-6-danube-cycletrailmap-set if you intend to cycle the Danube below Budapest. Of course, EuroVélo routes are often signed by their local names and numbers; EV6 also takes in parts of the Loire cycle route, the Rhine

MEET MIKE WELLS

Image courtesy of Cicerone

Image courtesy of Cicerone

Image courtesy of Cicerone

Image courtesy of Cicerone

cycleway as well as other local and national routes.

For the whole of any of the EuroVélo routes take a look at http://www.eurovelo.com/en/eurovelos In the Information menu you will find links to reviews, including those on www.sevendaycyclist. co.uk However, here’s a taste from our reviews; The Danube Cycle Route Volume 1: “Of course, when describing a route of this length, it will never be possible to cover much, other than directions, in significant detail. Cyclists will all find some excursions of their own, in any case. So, it is the task of the guide to introduce the reader to the Danube and sow the seeds of exploration and anticipation.

This guide does this admirably.”

The Moselle Cycle Route: “Am I tempted? Well, yes.

This is not an area I know awfully well. Who better to take me there than Mike Wells and Cicerone?

If you have not seen a Cicerone guide before read on. The guides follow a consistent pattern. There are sections on general information including how

to get to the start and how to get home, the route in general, food, cycle infrastructure, places to stay and places of interest. Then there are detailed route descriptions and maps. Interspersed with these appear more detailed sections on particular places or areas. Needless to say, to make the guide Church a Haseley practical size it is not possible to cover every spot along the way; equally it is unlikely that a cyclist will stop everywhere. That is one reason we want a guide to show us places as well as the Accurate timepiece route.

There are of course contact details for tourist information and other potentially useful organisations. I have used Cicerone guides for many years and have never been disappointed.

The information and mapping reflect the fact that Cicerone authors know their regions very well. In my experience a Cicerone guide is a grand companion on a cycle tour and a pleasant friend in the lounge.”

The Rhine Cycle Route? Take it from us, it reaches the same high standards … and there’s a review on he website, www.sevendaycyclist.co.uk

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C L I P L ES S P E D A L S

Step Up: Clipless

Pedals for Everyday Riding Michael Stenning counts his spuds

E

veryday riding calls for pedals that optimise efficiency, yet allow comfortable, dignified walking. Shimano arguably started this revolution back in 1990 with their double-sided SPD design. Spuds, as they’re affectionately known quickly became the dominant cleat pattern and spawned a bewildering array of homages ranging from £17 upwards.

ON THE DOUBLE Double-sided models have cleat mechanisms either side, so you can literally step in and scoot away. Aside from mountain bike and cyclo-cross duties, they’re particularly helpful for newbies and small surface areas are great for cornering - especially on a fixed.

Time’s legendary ATAC and Crank Brothers eggbeater designs are in many respects, self-cleansing, removing most mud, slush and grime as you ride hence their popularity off-road. These characteristics have obvious benefits for general riding; whilst ok with trainer type soles, their relatively small surface areas work best with stiffer Audax, or race versions.

Most basic SPD homages sport aluminium bodies, sturdy Cro-moly axles and sealed bearings. Spares availability might be a little hit n’ miss but worst case scenario, most can be run into the ground without owing a bean. Premium models will last many, many years with basic care and annual servicing.

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C L I P L ES S P E D A L S

Broader cages/platforms with dimpled/serrated surfaces offer decent wet-weather grip with most sole types; save for traditional leather. Brooks and some other brands offer Brogues designed for SPDs, though the ability to scoot about in street shoes for quick errands is really helpful and cheaper versions are ideally suited to hack bikes.

SINGLE-SIDED These have the cleat on one side and tend to follow Shimano SPDR’s lead. They’re a little trickier in stopstart traffic but my default for training and general road riding, since I can blast along and potter about in equal measure.

Upper end models even combine both Look Arc and SPD mechanisms. Generally designed for stationary ‘spinning’ bikes, they can be quite handy for training - especially in winter when protruding cleats can be a liability on wet, icy surfaces; but come with a weight penalty (approximately 700g).

MAJOR PROS/MINOR CONS Some people are unnerved by the notion of being attached to their bikes but step in mechanisms work in exactly the same fashion as ski-binders; one quick twist and you’re set free.

Not only is pedalling efficiency markedly improved, being fully engaged means feet can be used for manoeuvres such as hopping holes and similar obstacles. Blood flow isn’t restricted, so goodbye numbness and say hello to warmer feet in winter.

Float of four degrees upwards is plenty for happy knees and recessed cleats wear relatively slowly.

However, correct positioning/installation and regular inspection are crucial. Basic, black SPD patterns work just fine but will only release when the foot is twisted sideways. Aftermarket silver models will also disengage with a firm upward tug.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR, WHAT TO PAY

HYBRIDS This generally refers to pedals that have a flat platform on the other, which allows easy slow-speed dab downs say when punting along in erratic rush hour traffic.

Generally speaking more money equals lighter and technically superior materials but £20 or so buys a very serviceable set of pedals - complete with cleats. If you have several bikes, it’s worth sticking with one system, even if they’re different designs to reflect their purpose.

Talking of which, check shoe drillings; those with three are incompatible with simple twin bolt designs and sevendaycyclist.co.uk

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vice-versa.

Sometimes shops sell off stocks of old designs with high spec at very enticing prices. However, check the cleat isn’t unique to that brand/model since replacements may be tricky to come by.

Magnesium bodies and titanium axles offer considerable weight savings but are a very expensive way of achieving this and just like carbon/composites, manufacturer warrantees may exclude riders exceeding 95kilos.

Platform designs such as these Shimano AP530 offer greater support to the shoe for Audax, touring and longer commutes. Ground clearance needs to be taken into account with longer cranks, which could be a deal breaker for some traditional tourers or fixed gear conversions.

SET UP Most of us shop online these days but better chains and independent bike shops often have fitting services, which include shoes and cleat alignment. I would recommend this for anyone who suffers from knee/ joint pain.

Aside from being a direct interface between rider and pedal, cleats are also designed to minimise discomfort.

For most people, setting everything up on a stationary trainer with the assistance of an experienced friend should be fine.

Minor cleat misalignment is countered to some extent by float but incorrect alignment can quickly induce pain, typically felt outside of the knees. Left unchecked, this can damage the cartilage.

A simple gauge is to see how your feet fall naturally on flat pedals - if one or both feet feel as if they must rotate, then go with this. If in doubt have your positioning thoroughly evaluated by a trained 52

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professional.

Specialist insoles and shoes may correct slight discrepancies in leg length and there are products known as pedal extenders, which can alleviate pain.

However, they also increase the “Q factor” (distance between feet) and can present other problems since feet are no longer parallel.

Cleats point forward but in practice our feet tend to angle slightly to the left/right and moving them nearest the big toe can help if your ankles are catching the crank arm. Some people say positioning cleats as far back as they’ll go also minimises strain on their Achilles’ tendons.

Whatever your preference, remember to liberally

C L I P L ES S P E D A L S

middleweight, PTFE based spray lube. Never use grease, or they will gum up.

Scabby looking pedal bodies can be blasted clean and/or repainted by a project finisher to coincide with yearly overhaul, or new frame livery.

TIPS FOR BEGINNERS

grease the screws or they will seize into the soles.

Moderately stuck examples can usually be freed using some release spray and a torx bit. Visual once-overs on a weekly basis should suffice but order replacements before release/ engagement becomes vague.

Rates will depend upon materials and riding context. A courier constantly dis-engaging their feet, racing up several flights of stairs on a daily basis is likely to consume theirs far quicker than a weekend tourist or club rider.

Assuming you’ve dialled in the tension correctly and kept everything lightly lubricated, getting stuck is highly unlikely. However, we’ve all been there once… maybe twice.

When starting off, allow a full revolution of the pedals before clipping-in - this optimises balance and quickly becomes second nature.

Disengage just as you are rolling to a halt, resting your foot atop and keeping the other fully engaged.

Stopping still and then frantically trying to uncouple a foot is a recipe for embarrassment.

RELEASE TENSION This is usually adjusted by a 3 or 4mm Allen screw and will depend on preference and leg strength. I like mine fairly firm but often leave the left slightly looser as a precaution.

Newbies; or those trying a new system for the first time should slacken everything completely and practice dis-engaging before heading out; increasing tension gradually over the course of several rides.

MAINTENANCE Strip and inspect bearings, seals and axles for signs of wear every twelve months. Replace anything suspect and repack with high quality grease.

Keep cleat mechanisms clean and lightly lubricated with a sevendaycyclist.co.uk

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THE GOOD OLD DAYS

TheGoodOldDays Laden?

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ith a mobile phone and a credit card today’s cyclist can go on tour lightweight with little more than a rain jacket, an inner tube, tyre levers, pump and a wallet. Wash clothes and dry them overnight as necessary, stay in a smart hotel and you have all you need.

Not all of us have the money to travel so lightly. We see everything from massively-laden touring bikes carrying camping gear, clothing for two weeks and presents, it seems, for the extended family, to cyclists packing all their gear for a long-weekend into a rack pack.

Rather confusingly, most touring cyclists seem to

Heavily laden?

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be of the opinion that their contemporaries carry far more gear than is necessary. Taking into account light-weight materials there is probably little need to weigh ourselves down, but general opinion is that we decorate our handlebars with expensive gadgets and make use of the space we have freed up by spending our hard-earned on a specialist ultra-light three season waterproof jacket weighing less than our shorts by filling it up with things we don’t need.

Equally, the modern cyclist likes his creature comforts.

The intrepid may still bivvy in the hills, camp on the riverbank or search out the lonely bothy, but many of us want much more, though we might miss the sounds of the wild and the moonlight on the mountainside.

Actually, wanting creature comforts is not new; nor is the desire to seek wild and quiet spots to camp. Whilst this remains in part a question of how much money there is to spend, even the wealthy seek to go Spartan.

Our good friend Charles Edward Reade was not amongst these, though the tidiness instilled in and required of a Navy man must have helped him make-do with: • A spanner • A can of oil • A bell • A lamp • A screwdriver

THE GOOD OLD DAYS • A small pair of pliers • Spare nuts • A rag • Tyre composition • A knife • Stout string • Three shirts Two weeks worth?

• One pair of trousers • One waistcoat • Three pairs of socks • Six handkerchiefs • Collars • Slippers • Washing gear • Note and guide books He advised riders not to overload their machines.

All the above was shipped neatly strapped to the backbone and the seat-post of his tricycle. Specialist bags were available from Anderson and Abbott. A light-weight waterproof completed his luggage, whilst he wore un-nailed boots, “strongly seated” trousers, a well-ventilated soft hat with a brim and gloves. He does not mention his unmentionables, nor a tie! Of course, he was staying in hotels and would put his boots out each night to be polished and could have his clothes laundered. Not for him the rinse through in the sink.

In the nineteen-twenties, Charlie Chadwick and his cycling friends – from a very different station in life to Charles Edward Reade – bought camping gear and found that it added a new dimension to cycling. Their gear was simple and they rode in everyday outdoor clothing; knee-length socks, shorts or plus-fours, pullovers and jackets suitable to the time of year. Pipes and cigarettes for luxury. Camping gear consisted of an Itisa light-weight (for the period) tent, a primus stove, pans and a sleeping bag. This was the simple life, though for Charlie camping was really a means of cycling further afield rather than a pleasure in itself.

The Itisa tent was produced by Camtors (Camp and Sports Co-operators Ltd), which grew out of the Association of Cycle Campers. The latter was formed at a meeting in Wantage in August 1901 with TH Holding, founder of the CTC, in the lead, and Camtors eventually grew out of its Supplies Department. Eventually the business was taken over by Blacks of Greenock.

They not only made light-weight tents for cyclists, but manufactured a range of cycle panniers. An advertisement from 1931 declares that the company catalogue was an “encyclopaedia of camping. If you are interested in open-air life let us send you a copy post free.” The rear panniers come in at 15s 6d and

9d postage, the front pannier (which attached to the steering tube and was rather like a bar bag) 8s 6d and 6d postage. Weight? Respectively 1lb 14oz per pair and 101/2 oz.

Amongst the many fascinating illustrations in Jim McGurn’s excellent book “On Your Bike” are two showing touring cyclists in the late nineteenth century.

A family of three travel in Scotland on tricycles – one a tandem - all smartly attired, for the period, in everyday clothes. In the other, cyclists in the mountains of Norway, also wearing, everyday clothes, including ties, carry their gear on the front of the bike. Given their apparently remote situation they must be carrying sufficient gear, though their bags barely look big enough for camping gear. The latter recently led to a lively debate on Facebook; did the gear carried by these gentlemen indicate that today’s tourers encumber themselves unnecessarily?

So, here’s my list from my most recent multi-day tour – using hostels for accommodation: • Spare shorts adjustable spanner, zip• Spare leggings ties • Three pairs of socks • Two inner tubes, tyre • Waterproof jacket levers puncture repair kit, • Spare short-sleeved pump jersey • First aid kit • Long-sleeved jersey • Two water bottles (left • Overshoes accidentally at Clun YH) • Wash kit (including whole • Maps and book tooth-brush) • Mobile phone • Pack towel • Camera • Multi tool, chain breaker, Not too bad, I think, though it was a spring time tour with a favourable weather forecast. Many cyclists of previous generations claim to have packed all they needed for a two week hostelling tour into a saddlebag.

A modern commentator suggested that the modern cyclist was less smelly and probably less likely to suffer from fungal diseases. Rather unkind, I think.

References;

Jim McGurn, On Your Bicycle, John Murray, 1987 Charles Edward Reade, Nauticus in Scotland, republished by Forest Publishing Co. Charlie Chadwick, The Pre-War Cycling Diaries of Charlie Chadwick, Volume 2 Further Adventures (ed. David Warner), JPMPF, 2014. Available from The Veteran Cycle Club www.v-cc.org.uk www.gracesguide.co.uk/Camp_and_Sports_Cooperators sevendaycyclist.co.uk

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A MORNING IN THE FOREST

amorning intheforest William Shakespeare supposedly went a-poaching there. The Forest of Arden is good for cycling, too.

Stephen Dyster took the opportunity to zen round on a sunny morning.

Packwood House

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A MORNING IN THE FOREST

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he worst laid plans so often go astray, but when confronted by the traffic on the M5 the best laid one’s go caput with equal rapidity. All that time planning a route on the laptop, charging up the GPS and suddenly it counts for nothing.

WORST LAID PLANS During a lax period during which it had been hard to lay aside other duties and bimble off on the old bicyclette, there had opened a window of opportunity. Eagerly I had planned a speedy defenestration. The traffic bulletin put an end to starting by nipping out of the back of Frankley Services on the M5 and skirting round the south of Birmingham to meet the rest of the family at the in-laws. “No,” said the M5, “so clogged am I due to an RTI that you’ll never get through.”

This is where the road map comes in handy. A quick modification to a start point on the opposite side of Birmingham; instructions to the

chauffeuse; and a shorter distance to go; too short a distance to work up an appetite for lunch, so a quick outline of new route. A weird here and there Zen ride beckoned around the Forest of Arden.

Back in the day of the Bard of Stratford (-on-Avon, that is), Warwickshire was divided into two main areas; the Forest of Arden and the field or Felden area. The Felden was more intensively developed agriculturally; the latter much less so and subject to Forest Law and the authority of Forest officials. A distinction still clear to the traveller who bothers to look, the latter was familiar, the former not. So, perhaps a bit of a meandering route would be just the ticket to get to know it and disappointment that my time spent on the laptop the night before had been partly wasted – some of the route could still be used - mollified.

ON THE TOURIST TRAIL Dropped off at Box Trees, a little north of Hockley Heath, where the café was closed, I rode away

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Off the beaten track

into the glaring sunshine of a late winter or early spring morning – depending on how optimistic one’s disposition is - skirted Dorridge, and soon hit the crowds at Packwood House. Packwood is one of those National Trust properties bisected by the public road where the visitors amble about and need to be watched carefully.

I can’t blame them for not paying much attention to the road, indeed it struck me that it was just the way things should be in places like this; the motor vehicle taking second place. Mind you, were I intent on a livelier pace, I might not have felt so obliging. Parking the bike, I surveyed the scene, admired the shadows sharp against the grass and gravel, remembered coming here to seek out a BCQ clue, and left the crowds behind.

Here indecision broke-out; heading towards Baddesley Clinton – another NT property – I changed my mind, noticing on the map that at Kingswood not only was there a flight of locks, but that a short stretch of the cut not much longer than the width of the railway it ran under, linked the Stratford-on-Avon Canal to the Grand Union Canal. A benefit of having no-particular-place to-go; interesting bits of civil engineering can be visited.

Curiosity satisfied, the logical – there was plenty of time – decision was taken to head away from my 58

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destination and visit Tanworth-in-Arden. At least with the GPS and the installed OS maps it was possible to head where I wanted had I not had the relevant OS Map in the saddle-bag. Why Tanworth? Never been there before.

OFF THE TOURIST TRAIL The route was a good choice. Shortly after crossing the M42, Yew Tree Lane beckoned. A nightmare for the road-Stravaite, though as a section of off-road riding it might suit, this turned out to be a cycle-tourers delight.

Barely wide-enough for the occasional 4x4 that quite reasonably populates such places – let alone for a bike as well – heaped with mud and deep in puddles it demanded care and was well-worth it. Running by the Tapster Brook, which was forded, amalgamated with and forded again, banked by high hedges and open pasture … what can one say, except that the beauty of nature was charming. Mind, if I’d been rushing for the train I would probably have damned the crumbling surface to Hell along with the varied debris which mother-nature had deposited along it.

Getting back onto wider lanes and passing Umberslade Hall on my right, a couple of left turns revealed the village green at Tanworth-in-Arden. Having

A MORNING IN THE FOREST

wound into the village past the entrance to Umberslade Park Farm and an old-fashioned mechanics business, with the church appearing initially to block the road, the intrinsically middle-English scene was a sudden revelation.

ON THE GREEN If some of the components of the quintessential village centre are Church, green, war memorial, pub, post box, then Tanworth has arranged them well. Amongst the eye-catching features is a sundial mounted on the wall of the cottage behind the post box. The “Time on the Green” seemed to agree with the rest of GMT pretty well and it was time to head on.

The next few rolling miles brought first a horde of road-cyclists chain-ganging it in the opposite direction and an isolated cyclist recently dropped with a mechanical – I stopped, but he had what he needed – and, secondly, a series of lanes bereft of cars and bathed in dappled sunshine.

Danzey Green, Dean’s Green, Copt Green, Pinley Green, typical forest names marking dispersed patches of settlement so typical of this country and, for the touring cyclist, numerous tiny lanes to link them.

A place to spend time, the Green, Tanworth-in-Arden

Serendipity

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Sparkling winter sun

SERENDIPITY An assessment of time and route at Lowsonford, convinced me that I’d spent enough time heading towards my destination after my first anabasis, and so decided to undertake a second sortie in the wrong direction. A happy choice; after more riding on quiet lanes – all too easy to become blasé about – a turn of a corner brought me face to face with the gable end of a beautiful, I guess, late-medieval building. Ground-floor walls of stone, topped by a timber-frame d upper story, clearly the home of someone of substance. Just one of those serendipitous events that sometimes occur when wandering with the aim of not getting to lunch too early, this was just perfect. I tried to find out more when I returned home, but frustrated gave up and just have a memory of building so comfortably suited to its surroundings.

Keeping south through Claverdon and Langley – and in that second village let me note a most mannerly giving of way by a lady in a sports car, Karma I immediately passed on to the postman – across little valleys, one was relieved that Langley ford was empty. Set in on the south side of the village, the signs indicate that the water may cover the road for a considerable distance.

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IN DAYS GONE BY The crinkly terrain of the forest was beginning to give way to the gentler Felden landscape that predominates between the Avon and Edgehill. The last village before Stratford-on-Avon, Snitterfield, was the home of William Shakespeare’s grand-father. From here, the playwright’s father moved to Stratford. For me, it was the turningfor-home point, but not before stocking up with snacks at the well-stocked village shop. Another note on kindliness; whist in the shop my bicycle fell over, a young man picked it up, moved it to safety, propped it more solidly against a bench outside the shop and came in to tell me: Lycra is distinctive cyclist garb, so he hardly needed the Observer’s Book of Cyclists to spot me, but the thought was there.

Sitting for a short spell on the bench with my bike propped against it, one of the villagers pooped over to have a chat, telling-tales of cycling in the area when at school in the nineteen-fifties and regretting not having had a bike since their first car came along in the seventies. Though having gone forty-years without a bicycle – and no intention of returning to one – she yarned for a good while saying that life was more pleasant when there was the bike or the bus and the

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rare lift in a car as a treat.

From Snitterfield the road drops gently to the Sherbourne Brook and rises, with a little more gusto to Norton Lindsey. I rode idly in the sunshine, sniffing the air that was now warm with the smells of the countryside, the cutting edge of mid-morning blunted.

Norton Lindsey sits on low-ridge, its windmill most notable, but with a quietly pretty centre with several equestrians gathered at the junction near the pub.

THE WORLD OF THE COUNTRY Recently, I have found most horse-riders and their mounts getting far more used to cyclists. Granted, the still don’t want people speeding past without warning, but I find fewer are surprised simply to see someone on a bike. My tactic, though, remains the same. Though not generally going very fast, I slow and speak clearly from about twenty or thirty yards behind – sometimes more, especially if there are multiple horses. When recognised by rider and, hopefully, horse, I give as much space as possible and pass at a steady speed. It seems to work and there’s generally a thank you called after me. On the whole I like horses, but my caution really amounts from the fact that I don’t want self or bike damaged by a hefty blow from a size ten horseshoe.

Nodding a greeting, I couldn’t help but ponder a little on where cyclists and equestrians would feature on the scale of vulnerable road-users if strict liability ever becomes the law. Which eventually, assisted by signs to Hatton Country World, took me to reminiscing about sheep-racing.

Hatton Country World, close to Hatton flight of locks, has cafes and much more. If your party consists of craft-shop fanatics or children fascinated with sheepracing and the like, avoid it if you want a good ride that day. However, should you want a good ride next time it might be a good opportunity to placate them.

I prefer the flight of locks as a place to sit and watch the world go by whilst lightening the saddle-bag by a snack or two. This isn’t because I am a skinflint. I plead an interest in civil engineering projects mentioned earlier in this article.

Haseley Knob.

Now on familiar ground, I followed the road round the bank known as Park Pale. Associated with Kenilworth Castle, this probably marked the limit of a deer park or some such reserve. In the middle-ages these typically comprised a bank with a wooden “pale”. They can be found all over England.

Quickly passing through Leek Wootton to descend to a cross-road, I recognised what I remembered as a horrible junction. The cross-road, where the lane meets a B road, is directly under a railway bridge. At the back of my mind was the memory of nearly being hit when sticking my front-wheel out and poking my head round the piers of the bridge to get a view of the road. Must have been somewhere else, or on an approach made from a different direction.

So, all that remained of a morning in the forest was to cross the Avon – a bridge surrounded by attractive buildings and shaded by broad trees enables this climb the hill and tuck into lunch. These tasks were as easily accomplished as most of the ride had been. The M5 had done me a favour by compelling me to Zen around. It is an activity I intend to repeat, even if the motorway is clear. There would be far worse places than the Forest of Arden for another wander, too.

Haseley Church

Accurate timepiece

TO THE BANKS OF THE AVON Being alone and lunch beckoning, both the Country World and the locks went by the board. Pausing instead at Manor Haseley to admire the little church and its charming extension, I checked the route ahead and noticed that Haseley, presumably denoting a clearing in the forest, appeared over several square kilometres of the map; from Manor Haseley, to Haseley Green to sevendaycyclist.co.uk

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R E A R R AC K

So, as the blackthorn of time punctures the tyre of pleasure … what’s up in the 7DC9

We have views...

A rare picture of a car...

...and suds.

Cycling for two...

Ride on through the summer…

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