Cambridge Cycle Deliveries
plus the garden shed from the future, Backroads get new bikes and Belgian postmen lose their elctric assist!
I've often wondered why local businesses don't use bicycles to deliver papers and smallish parcels. The island is not that big, and certainly within a mile or so of St.Helier, it could be even faster than a motorbike, given that you can dismount and push your bike among pedestrians. Anyone who has driven towards, or back, from the Town during commuting or school run times, will know how frustrating it is.
Here is a piece from the European Cyclists' Federation online magazine that describes a very successful courier service that operates in Cambridge. The European Cyclists' Federation believes that “25% of all (transport-related) trips could be shifted from motorized vehicles towards cycle-related solutions”. Outspoken Delivery, the Cambridge-based courier company, is able to deliver a parcel across Cambridge for less than half the cost of a van-based service, and often do it quicker!
And all in a more sustainable way; with little or no carbon footprint.
What looks like the garden shed from Star Trek is due for release next year. In the incarnation shown on the website, the building is used as a small office, but these tetra-sheds can be linked up to provide anything from an office to an exhibition space. Could this be the way to store your fleet of bicycles?
Judging by the amount of holiday advertisements that will appear between now and the end of January, I guess that now is the time to plan that “holiday of a lifetime"? For those who may be considering a cycling holiday; you’ll probably be pleased to hear that Backroads – providers of cycling and walking holidays – are now offering Specialised S-Works Roubaix racing bikes as part of their package from the beginning of 2012. For ladies who would like a similar high specification women's racing bike, Backroads have the Specialised Ruby Pro; a women specific model with short-reach brake levers, ladies' saddles and shallow drop handlebars. Both models carry a $400 rental fee.
It's looking like a tough Christmas for Belgian postmen this year, because every bike in their fleet of 1,500 eBikes has had its battery removed for safety reasons. This follows a close call that a postman had recently; he noticed smoke coming from his bike, and took off the battery which promptly exploded! In October a serious fire took hold at the Post Office in Aarschott, which is believed to be the result of a battery melt down.
So it looks like no electric assist for them this Christmas, although the bikes will function like a normal bike. If this poses a problem, the Post Office still has the mopeds and motorbikes that they used to use in storage.
I don't think that getting kids to wear a cycle helmet is a problem; let's hope not because it will be law here soon if it's not already! If you're looking for a helmet for smaller children then these Danish helmets designed by LEGO creative Zdenko Santini may well fit the bill.
In 2013 the Tour de France will start in Corsica. This is great news for Corsica; because never in its 99th year history has the race visited this department of France. The Tour's first stage is a 200 kilometres race from Porto Vecchio to Bastia, and two more stages will take place in the island before the peloton moves back to mainland France.
In the a reprise of the past year and other previous years, here is a selection of ‘And Finallys’ from past blogs:
JANUARY 2011 A big hurrah for Senator Maclean who is trying to block the proposal to raise the speed limits in the Green Lanes to 20 MPH. I suppose that a lot of people who don't cycle much - and certainly the vast majority of our politicians don’t appear to - don’t fully realise the value of the Green Lanes to cyclists, walkers and horse riders.
FEBRUARY 2011 As the dust almost settles on the Alberto Contador: ' did he eat meat tainted with the banned fat-burning drug clenbuterol in it' saga, comes this priceless quote from one of Alberto's spokesmen: “He (Alberto Contador) says he won’t eat beef again in his sporting career, because he doesn’t want to risk another positive. He does eat pork and chicken, but no beef since August”.
MARCH 2011 Here’s a great idea from Korea to encourage cycling: because young Koreans are very keen to stay slim and keep fit, one Korean bank sells a savings plan that rewards customers who lose weight or go to the gym by increasing their interest rate.
APRIL 2011 I must say that I’m delighted that the Change of Speed Limit proposals came to nothing. When nearly every civilised country in the world is lowering speed limits to save cyclists’ and pedestrians’ lives, here in Jersey we’re thinking of raising them.
MAY 2010 Look out for Nick Meadows, he's just embarked on an 'Around the World' cycle ride using a home-made eco-trike.This wondrous vehicle combines solar, wind and leg power. Within it, he is entirely self-sufficient. For example, his bed unfolds down from the roof of the trike when he needs it. http://theotherway.weebly.com/
JUNE 2010 News from Prague informs us that a runaway tram was chased by its driver on his bike for over a mile before someone thought to turn off the electricity. The driver sustained slight injuries whilst attempting to get aboard.
JULY 2010 If you find that you have a bike that gets heavier as the hills get steeper, spare a thought for Paul Talbot who has the wholly eco-friendly, pedal along, solar powered coffee cart in Liberation Square. It looks like a monster to navigate, even before you start pedalling.
AUGUST 2011Here's a story to touch the heart; it is about the Street Books pedal powered mobile library in Portland, Oregon, in the USA. The project to bring books to the 'People who live outside' was started earlier this year by Laura Moulten., who received a Regional Arts and Culture Council grant to fund the scheme. Laura, a writer and artist, pedals a cargo type bike laden with books to different sites around the city. She finds that the cart brings street people together with books as the common denominator. http://streetbooks.org/category/streetbooks-bike/
SEPTEMBER 2011 The Cycling Embassy of Great Britain was officially launched on the South Bank on Saturday 3rd September. The Embassy represents anyone who cares to cycle, they believe that 30 to 40% of all journeys should be by bike and they feel that this can only be achieved by the provision of dedicated safe cycle routes, which are common in many European countries. http://www.cycling-embassy.org.uk/
OCTOBER 2011 Thinking of putting your winter draws on and cycling through the winter? Why not – It’s not that cold and really not that wet here in the capital of the universe. However, to be comfortable you will need the right kit, waterproofs, lights and reflective clothing. Here’s a clip from Proviz, a company that has local links and makes reflective clothing for bikers and runners.
Needless to say, don’t try this yourself.If you are going out when it’s dark you’ll need front and rear lights, and reflectors to meet with the local road traffic law.
NOVEMBER 2009 With Christmas just around the corner and with many people still struggling with what to buy a loved one, I’m indebted to the Adventure Cycling Association for this quote, from cycling writer Jim Langley : "Good bicycles turn effort into emotion. ... On a fine bike you can ride better than you ever thought possible and catch glimpses of extraordinary athletic prowess you didn't realize you had."
DECEMBER 2010 Here is a couple of very acceptable gifts for the cyclist in your life: the first are salt and pepper shakers made from Chris King cycle hubs. If you don’t know already, Chris King makes the finest cycle hubs, headsets, and bottom brackets. These shakers are made from the castings that didn’t quite make the rigorous quality control inspection. Go to: http://chrisking.com/store/shakers
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
BioLogic arrives in Britian plus Matt Baker's charity ride, the ultimate safe cyclist and The Big Pedal is coming to a school near you
BioLogic, best known for their BioLogic BikeMount for the iPhone4, announced that they now have a UK distributor, Paligap, based in Bristol, already well-established as distributors for such products as CycleOps trainers, Muc-Off cleaning products and Cipollini bikes. Products are due to start arriving in December.
Following on from last week's post about the London Bike Show, it looks like the show will be much bigger than last year. Cube Bikes, Sigma Sport, Extra UK and Upgrade Bikes are all new exhibitors this year.
Old BMC riders never die they just buy an electric bike: News in this week reports that International Sport Holding AG who produce BMC bikes and Bergamont have gone into partnership with Thomas Binggeli of Stromer ebikes.
With Road Safety Week coming soon here is the ultimate safe cyclist. He doesn't ride on pavements, jump red lights or act like a chimp. The only down side is he doesn't have much to say.
Here is something that launched in May, but which only seems to be getting screen space during the past couple of weeks; pleasecycle.com is a one stop enterprise that will kick start any company’s foray into the CSR, health and happiness benefits of cycling. It does this in a number of innovative ways, such as a system to log what cycling mileage company employees do and the resulting benefits, it provides an incentivised rewards scheme and underpins the whole idea with infrastructure services like training, corporate events and advice on procurement.
A big hurrah and well done to BBC's Matt Baker for his epic (it was on a rickshaw!) ride from Edinburgh Castle to London this week, to raise money for the BBC Children in Need Appeal. Matt cycled nearly 500 miles on his journey, sometimes cycling for 16 hours a day. Matt’s efforts raised £1.25 million for this very worthy cause.
Sustrans, the sustainable transport body, has The Big Pedal in place again for 2012. This is an event open to schools around the United Kingdom, in which school trips taken by bike or even scooter count towards a virtual race around Britain. The race is free to enter, and any size of school can take part. There are separate categories for primary and secondary schools, and the results are weighted so everyone has an equal opportunity to win. The event takes place between 5-23 March 2012.
And finally,
Don't miss the Revolution Track Series on Monday night, ITV4 at 7pm. This Monday's show will see Mark Cavendish, Geraint Thomas and other household names bashing the boards.
Fold up mudguards plus mini lights, Outdoor Show ticket offer and Cicerone cycle guides for Christmas
With autumn officially upon us, I thought now might be a good time to find some slightly different mudguards, lights and other winter stuff for thosehardy souls contemplating cycling through the next few months.
Here's something that you might have seen, I saw it a couple of years ago when it was in prototype form. So far, despite rave reviews, there does not seem to be a product out there yet. However check out this clip, and see what you think. The website says that development is being continued, so hopefully?
When the rainy weather arrives are you faced with the dilemma of: 'Am I happy to lose any credibility I once had, and fit mudguards?' A tricky decision, but here are a few alternatives to a wet bum while still staying relatively cool.
For example; The Full Windsor QuickFix mudguard that attaches in seconds. It folds away to a discreetly small size and can be hidden out of sight until absolutely necessary. It comes in four colours and costs £14.99. The FoldFix is similar, but attaches slightly more permanently with cable ties and sells for £13.49. On similar lines is the Origami Fender from Portland Design Works - the guys that brought you the Barista handle bar coffee cup mount. Again this one folds down and packs away when not in use. These cost $25 in the USA.
Probably a bit more accessible and in a bike shop near you will be the Mr.Crud Race Guard or from SKS the Dashblade. Both are easy to fit, but maybe not so quick to remove.
Lights tend to follow the minimalist route as well, unless you ride miles and miles through dark lanes, or even go off road in the dark. If you do this type of winter cycling, then spend as much as you dare, and you can spend a lot.
First, let’s take the minimal route; but beware that you might not see a great deal with these. They are really just so that you can be seen (hopefully), and their use is best under street lights. From this group, Knog really shine, they’re available in a big range of colours and fit on very easily without any extra bits. Another light that is tiny and bright enough is the Blackburn Flea.
If you do need to see where you’re going; here are a couple of effective lights. OK, these may seem expensive, but there are lights around that cost £300 or more, and don’t forget that these are rechargeable, so not buying batteries every week. Take the Light and Motion Urban300, ideal for commuting and rechargeable via a USB port, or one of the less expensive models of Exposure lights.
And of course the proper clothing is required if you're going to participate in those winter ride adventures. Here’s the latest offering from Morvelo. For a winter collection, it doesn’t have much in the way of long sleeve tops or cycling tights. It must be a collection for those macho types who wear shorts all year round (and sunglasses and flip flops)!
And while talking about Morvelo, it sponsors a cycling social networking site which is well worth a visit. Let’s see if we can have more than two members in the Channel Islands, and we’re on different islands- Hello to Suzanne Brown in Guernsey.
The London Bike Show has tickets on sale now. The show takes place between January 12th and 15th at Excel in London Docklands. This is a great show, and your ticket also gets you into The Outdoors Show, The Active Travel Show and the Tullet Prebon London International Boat Show which are taking place at the same time. Here’s the flyer, there is a special price if you buy your ticket this week.
Stuck for a gift for the cyclist in your life? Have a look at the Cicerone website, they offer a huge range of cycling and walking guide books, and until 5th December they‘re offering 20% discount off anything on their website, simply add the voucher code XMAS on the shopping basket page to claim your discount. A quick look at the cycling section lists 25 titles, ranging from cycling the Way of St.James, probably better known as the Camino de Santiago de Compostela; cycle touring in Ireland; cycling the Danube cycleway and a Land's End to John O'Groats guide and numerous other appealing titles.
And finally,
Brighton and Hove have started putting up silhouettes of cyclists and pedestrians, decorated with reflective high visibility patterns, to remind cyclists and pedestrians to make sure they can be seen on the dark winter nights.
New head up display in your specs plus 50 State bike tour, Sean Conway goes around the world and Cambridge's abandoned bikes
Ask any old duffer if they wore sun glasses and a helmet when they started cycling, and they will answer in the negative. Today wearing shades is normal, in fact the Spotiiiis HUD from Canadian company Sportiiiis relies on the cyclist, or indeed any sportsman, wearing glasses because it is a head up display that is seen on the lens of the spectacles.
The system is supported by the ANT+ protocol that wirelessly transmits data from a number of devices, such as cadence sensors, foot pods, calorimeters and heart rate monitors. Unlike some head up devices, one does not have to look away to take a reading.
As well as giving real time data on how the rider is performing, against preset parameters, by a series of seven different coloured lights, it’s also possible to pick up audio messages from a speaker fitted just in front of the ear. Because it does not fit inside the ear, the rider can still hear what’s going on around them.
Due out before the end of the year, the Sportiiiis HUD is selling for $199.00. Here is a clip.
I don't know if you'll remember a piece that I posted a while ago about young very newlyweds, Christy and Adam Coppola who were taking an extended honeymoon by riding through all 50 American States? Well, their ‘Give a Bike: 50 State Tour’ is now very near its end, having seen off 48 states, 12,000 miles and having raised $22,500 for their chosen charities: World Bicycle Relief and Achilles International.
It appears that Vin Cox's Around the World record could be in danger. It does seem like ages since someone had a crack at it, especially when compared with the never-ending stream of hopefuls that cycled the world in the last 18 months. The latest contender is Sean Conway who plans to set out next February. Sean hopes to circumnavigate the 18,000 mile route in less than 150 days. In doing so, he also hopes to raise £100,000 for SolarAid.
Among the interesting challenges that Sean will face, will be a ten lap pursuit race against Vin Cox on October 29th during the Revolution Track Series event. What will make this different is that both will be using fully laden touring bikes!
The ever growing Evans Cycles have just become UK distributers of Tern folding bikes. With 45 shops around the country, Evans are a business that are well in tune with the way the cycle trade is moving, and this brand joins others like BMC, Fuji and Norco which Evans also distribute.
I read that in Cambridge the city council have removed over 5,000 abandoned bikes in the past three years. The caveat for a bike that has been abandoned is a flat tyre, which I suppose is fairly reasonable. The council do hang onto the bikes for two weeks so that owners can redeem them if they were not actually abandoned.
Seeing the harbour railings at St.Aubin lined with bikes that didn’t look like they moved much, I asked a local business man from the area what he thought. He said that many never moved at all, they had been bought for £50 or so, therefore the owners were not overly concerned about them.
At least the use of the harbour’s railings meant that all the bike racks were available!
Another tale that strikes a chord, is the problems between cyclists and walkers on the Taff Trail. In an effort to set some rules in place; Cardiff City Council is extending the trial of its code of conduct for trail users. This establishes who gives way to whom, what side to ride and walk, and how to overtake.
News in this week confirms that Boris Bikes aka the Barclays Cycle Hire Scheme is heading east to Tower Hamlets and Shepherd's Bush. This will create 4,500 new docking points spread over 200 locations, and add another 2,300 bicycles to the fleet.
Serco, who operate the scheme, confirmed that they had been awarded the £50 million contract earlier this week.
Wear Jack Bobridges' skinsuit plus Etape de Tour, Rapha does winter and Wandering Willie Weir's hot hundred
Would you like to win the same make and model of skinsuit as Australian Jack Bobridge when he set the 4,000 metre Pursuit Record earlier this year? Yes, made from the same wind tunnel-tested dimple fabric produced by Swiss company Eschler, and usually costing around £350. Try your luck here, but before 26th October!
With the onset of colder weather and the nights drawing in, this could be a good moment to look ahead to next year and put in place some cycling adventures. The Tour de France route was announced (officially) last week so that means that the Etape du Tour, that's when you can ride an actual tour stage in the company of fellow amateurs, is also announced.
Like last year, there are two opportunities to ride the Tour route, the first takes place on July 8th in the Alps, and it gives riders the chance to ride stage 11 of the 2012 Tour, four days before the pro riders. As usual, it is a mountain stage with four climbs - I'm not sure if climbs is the right word for these behemoths that regularly figure in cyclists' dreams and nightmares – this stage includes the legendary Col de la Madeleine at 2,000 metres and its bigger brother the Col de la Croix de Fer, a mere 67 metres higher.
The second stage, for those who prefer the Pyrenees for their taste of the Tour, starts on July 14th and again offers four mountain peaks. This stage is another collection of dream climbs, with the Col D'Aubisque, the Col de Tourmalat, the Col D'Aspin and the Col de Peyresoude challenging riders along the 197 kilometre route.
From a quick look at the companies promoting the event, it appears that it will cost about £800 for a short break with a guaranteed etape entry. Just add the air fare and you too could be a hero, or at least pretend to be.
Just google Etape du Tour 2012 for more details.
It's good to see that once again Le Coq Sportif is supplying the official jerseys for this year’s Tour and other ASO events such as Paris-Nice, The Vuelta, Paris Roubaix and the Fleche Wallon. They started supplying the major tours in the 1950s and such riders as Bernard Hinault, Sean Kelly and Jaques Anquetil have all worn them in victory.
They also offer a quite large retro collection of jerseys in the style of 1950s peletons.
Rapha, well-known for their fine and exclusive cycle clothing have just added some new winter clothing to their range. If you're not familiar with Rapha, they produce aspirational cycle clothing that although understated, is very high quality. Despite being quite a new brand, they produce a range in conjunction with designer, and bike aficionado, Paul Smith and also support two racing teams; Rapha Condor Sharp and Rapha FOCUS.
New additions include five new long sleeve jerseys, five new shirts for leisure or commuting, two jackets, three winter caps and some shaving cream!
Here is a great post from Wandering Willie Weir, a guy who has been writing about his travels in the American Cycling Association's blog. His philosophy about bike travel is very accommodating. Click on the links and take a mini adventure, and if you really like it, consider putting Travels with Willie on your Christmas list.
The London Cycling Campaign is pushing forward with its plans to educate lorry drivers, cyclists and freight companies about the dangers that lorries pose on London streets. Support the good work by signing the petition.
And finally,
Here’s a cycling paradise, and it’s just across the sea in Holland.
Hertz hire bikes plus Revolution track racing on telly, wireless braking and a new Proviz video
Following a successful launch in London earlier this year, the Hertz Corporation, better known for car hire, has just launched another electric bike hire facility in Spain. Since June, the company added electric bike hire to its Marble Arch branch in London. Here you can rent one of twelve Ultra Motor electric bikes for a fee of £20 per day. For this riders get full training, a lock, an optional helmet, and a copy of the AA Guide to London that has suggested bike routes in it.
In Spain, customers are able to hire Swiss Flyer electric bikes from 24 euros a day, again with helmet, lock and training. This opens up seven provinces in Spain including Granada, Barcelona, Valencia and Alicante, together with the islands of Formentera and Mallorca.
Coming to a television set near you soon – Revolution, the international track cycling series which starts on 29th October at the National Cycling Centre.
Not only does this promise some exciting track tussles but also an opportunity to see members of Britain's Olympic Team shaping up for the 2012 Olympics. Team GB riders confirmed to ride the events include national heroes; Sir Chris Hoy, Mark Cavendish and Geraint Thomas.
The Controller of Sport at ITV, Niall Sloane said: “Revolution provides an excellent opportunity for us to extend our cycling coverage beyond the road season. We have seen growing audience figures for our coverage of events like the Tour de France and Tour of Britain so the Revolution coverage will enable us to engage this audience into the track cycling season.”
The Revolution Series will be screened on Monday evenings following the weekend racing on ITV4, so make a note to stay in on 31st October; 21st November; 9th January and 30th January.
There have been hundreds of clever, or not so clever, designs to make carrying a bike lock easy. Belts; locks hidden in seat posts, some kept inside the handlebars, to name a few. Here is a lock that hides in a water bottle type device, so great for carrying as everyone has a bottle cage, don't they?
This lock offers five feet of cable, enough to go through both wheels and the frame. They even suggest keeping the key in the top of the bottle; obviously don't leave it there when you go off. The Kuat Racks Bottle Lock should sell for about £20 when it reaches the market place.
I've just been looking through a FREE very readable, interesting and beautifully illustrated new magazine that has just been launched into the ether. Bicycle Traveller Magazine is wholly dedicated to cycle touring, and has articles by a number of well-known travel writers and photographers, including The Cycling Gypsies who you may remember from previous posts.
Some of the pieces are sent ‘on the road’, thanks to the magic of today’s technology, and because of this the reader gets those instant impressions that can be lost if written up later.
If you ever needed any inspiration to set you off on that first pedal stroke of discovery then this has to be it!
Here are more heart-warming stories from Street Books. If you haven't heard of Street Books before, they are a bicycle-powered library that does outreach work bringing books to people on the street; people who probably would not even dream of going into a library.
Well electronic gear shifting has been around, in one form or another, for some time, so wireless braking had to be coming soon? Yes, it's arrived! Even if only in prototype form at the moment: research led by Professor Holger Hermanns at Saarland University in Germany has produced a system that works on pressure applied to a handle bar grip. This is sent by radio to a receiver that operates the brake unit, the harder you squeeze the faster you stop.
The scientists hope to improve the current prototype, and possibly include traction control and anti-lock braking.
And finally,
Thinking of putting your winter draws on and cycling through the winter? Why not – It’s not that cold and really not that wet here in the capital of the universe. However, to be comfortable you will need the right kit, waterproofs, lights and reflective clothing. Here’s a clip from Proviz, a company that has local links and makes reflective clothing for bikers and runners.
Needless to say, don’t try this yourself.If you are going out when it’s dark you’ll need front and rear lights, and reflectors to meet with the local road traffic law.
Electric bike world record plus the Great Divide Tour, Bike prices in Europe and a 66,000 kilometre European Cycle tour.
It appears that for a few brief minutes this afternoon (Monday 10th October) ASO, the promoters of Tour de France, accidently put next year's Tour de France route out on the web. This information was planned to go live next Tuesday. If you'd like to see where it's all going between 30th June and 22nd July next year try Cycling News
Is this a world record?
Allan Lear, CEO of Australia's Hahn Environmental Services thinks that he has broken the Longest Distance Travelled by an Electric Bike in One Week World Record.
Lear left Hahn's head office in Queensland on August 25th riding a Stealth Bomber electric bike that had been modified for longer battery life, together with upgraded tyres and suspension. The motor had been set to deliver 200 watts of power, each of the four battery packs averaged almost fifty miles, and gave speeds of up to 25 MPH. The team arrived in Birdsville in the late afternoon of August 31. In total they had travelled 1,012 miles, averaging 143 miles a day.
The most interesting part of the project was the way that the team charged the batteries: they ran two wind turbines mounted on a specially modified ethanol burning Mini Moke. The ethanol was produced from food waste collected from local businesses.
Allan Lear said that the turbines charged not only the bike batteries, but also the portable radios and their mobile phones. You can see the whole adventure on Allan Lear’s video diary.
Here’s a fabulous set of images from Joel Martinez who took part in this year’s Great Divide Tour. I found this particular gem on the Adventure Cycling website.
Have you ever wondered if it is really necessary to wear lycra and use dropped handlebars? Find the answer here.
It's amazing how cycling is being embraced by corporate groups and institutions around Britain. A new centre for staff working at Heathrow airport has recently opened. This new facility is offering airport staff discounts on bikes and equipment, as well as repairs and servicing with no labour charges, and 10% on all parts used during the repair.
If you work at Heathrow, there are more than 4000 free bike parking spaces. Called The Heathrow Cycle Hub, let’s hope this initiative could be one of many.
Do people still say ' You could buy a car for that!' when they see bike price tags? Probably they still do, but official figures out last week say that, in the United Kingdom, the average spent on a bike is £242, including tax. Quite what you’d get in the four wheel motorised department for that I don’t know but I suspect not much.
The current cycle-friendly climate appears to be having an effect, because the number of bikes sold in Britain is second only to Germany, when compared to sales across Europe. When it comes to how much the average Briton spends, then sadly Great Britain drops down to ninth place. The overall leaders in this category are the Dutch who spend, on average, 745 euros on a bike. Germany comes second, some way behind, with an average bike costing 460 euros.
More details in the Colbri and Coliped 2011 report.
Want to be a good dinghy sailor? Then take up cycling. This is the advice of the Skandia Team GBR sailors.
They believe, and quite rightly too, that cycling not only increases aerobic capacity, but also strengthens leg and back muscles, making it especially beneficial for dinghy sailors. A quick check of what these guys and gals do in the winter off season show that many are riding up to 120 miles a week, often mixing mountain biking, road riding and social rides. The Skandia Team even organises week long cycling camps in Palma so that the team can put in four or five hours training on a daily basis for as many as ten days.
British Olympic gold medal winner Rebecca Romero announced today that she is abandoning her 2012 Olympic programme. She claimed that she had had a number of setbacks which had now forced her to give up her Olympic plans.
Romero is one of only two women to win Olympic medals in two different sports. She won silver for rowing at the 2004 Games in Athens. In 2006 she switched to cycling and won an Olympic Gold Medal in the individual pursuit in 2008 in Beijing. She was made an MBE in 2009.
And finally,
If you hanker for one of those life changing expeditions, take a look at the EuroVelo Routes; twelve routes that cover all of Europe and give a total of over 66,000 kilometres of cycle touring. Try a small one first, at only 1,900 kilometres, the Baltic Sea to the Adriatic Sea isn't that far. Among the other very tempting routes are; Route 2; Galway to Moscow or Route 5: London to Rome. Be warned you’ll probably need more than two weeks in August to do each of them.
Bikes, bikes, everywhere plus Brompton World Championships, Career Courier-The Movie and the Street Books mobile library.
Whether or not the high stock levels of bikes that currently exist in Europe will reflect in huge price cuts, or a planned delay in new 2012 models coming through, remains to be seen. Dealers in Holland, for example, are saying that sales dropped over 25% in June alone, and that even electric bike sales, which have been very popular, have slowed.
Could this be a good time to grab a bargain?
Trek Bikes have just launched an online suspension calculator for Trek full suspension riders. At this stage the application has settings for 2011 and 2012 full suspension models. The database will shortly be upgraded with models going back to 2009. This online application will make mechanics' life easier for initial suspension set ups in the store, and also allow anyone in WiFi range to pick up the information on a range of devices.
More at: http://www.trekbikes.com/uk/en/resources/suspension_setup
The Brompton world Championships were held at Blenheim Palace in Oxford last week during the Breast Cancer Care Bike Blenheim Palace Festival of Cycling. Winner of the main event, a Le Mans' style start, a quick assemble up and two laps of the course, was Michael Hutchinson who won a custom-painted Brompton with matching luggage.
The winner of the women's event, for the second year running, was Rachael Elliot, who also won a similar Brompton with luggage. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FGMstwEQUeg
Cycle Training UK has recently launched a book of games that can be played on a bike. These are suitable for cyclists of all ages, and will improve their bike skills, while still having a great time.
Available as ‘print on demand’ from Lulu: http://www.cycletraining.co.uk/index.php?pg=185
And whilst on the subject of books, here is a recent offering from well-established bike writers Jim McGurn and Mick Allan. Here is a preview on issuu .com , but it’s soon available as a hard copy. http://www.issuu.com/cyclorama/docs/cycloramabook?mode=embed&viewmode=magazine
The modern day desperadoes of the city streets - cycle couriers - carry the glamorous, but slightly tarnished image of a Wild West bounty hunter. Exciting, macho, but a bit sketchy: Kenton Hoppas' film ’Career Courier the Movie' must go some way to explaining the life style of these men and women, for whom every road is an open one. At last available to buy: http://www.careercourierthemovie.com/
Boardman bikes have announced this week a line of women specific bikes that include a Team Carbon road bike, a Road Comp alloy road bike, a mountain bike and a Hybrid Comp hybrid bike. They have frame geometry, handlebars, brake levers and saddles which are women -specific and chosen to fit correctly.
www.halfords.com/boardmanbikes.
Trek Bicycles have released details of some of their 2012 range. These include the FX series, probably the first stop for most leisure riders, a comprehensive range of flat handlebar bikes that are light, comfortable and easy to ride, and that will appeal to most people. Among the features found in the FX series are vibration damping IsoZone handlebar grips, Flex form saddles that move with the riders' pedalling motion and the IsoZone monostay which dampens vibration in the frame.
Twenty two bikes are available, some electrically-assisted. Check with your dealer to find out what’s available in the United Kingdom. http://www.trekbikes.com/us/en/bikes/road/fitness/fx
While I was researching the piece below, I came upon these exquisite bikes on the TreeHugger website: http://www.treehugger.com/galleries/2011/08/10-gorgeous-new-bikes-we-want-right-now.php
And finally,
Here's a story to touch the heart; it is about the Street Books pedal powered mobile library in Portland, Oregon, in the USA. The project to bring books to the 'People who live outside' was started earlier this year by Laura Moulten., who received a Regional Arts and Culture Council grant to fund the scheme. Laura, a writer and artist, pedals a cargo type bike laden with books to different sites around the city. She finds that the cart brings street people together with books as the common denominator. http://streetbooks.org/category/streetbooks-bike/
Minnesota Hire Bikes plus Green Travel Day, wooden world record and the British bike trade is booming.
Somehow this scheme in Minnesota seems way more fun than London's Barclay Bikes, even though it looks like they are exactly the same make and model of hire bike: https://www.niceridemn.org/
I did go to Transport for London’s website to see if they had a snappy little film clip, but they didn’t. However Barclays Cycle’s Channel did: http://www.youtube.com/user/BarclaysCycle#p/a/u/2/BJvDJM8FB1k
Two dates for your diary if you're an eco warrior; September 22nd which is Green Travel Day and Moving Planet Day on 24th September. On Green Travel Day there will be a selection of eco-friendly stalls in the Royal Square from 07.30am onwards. More at www.ec-jersey.com
Moving Planet Day is happening around the world, this year its focus is cycling. If you miss Green Travel Day, you could maybe do something on the 24th September, although there does not appear to be much happening in the Channel Islands. http://www.moving-planet.org/
Do you remember a piece that I posted last year about the guy hoping for a world record on an all wood bike?
Great news! On Thursday 18th August, with triathlete James Tully in the saddle, the bike achieved a new world record of 11.25MPH. The new record was made at Quibell Park Velodrome in Scunthorpe. Michael Thompson, who built the bike, said that he felt that with a longer runway, ideally 500 metres, it could go faster.
Here’s some YouTube footage: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=7gfm0f2yyGY
It's out in the papers and on TV, cycling is growing, so says a report just published by the London School of Economics and sponsored by Sky and British Cycling. The report was written by Dr.Alexander Grous, himself a keen cyclist. Among the figures that the report puts forth is that cycling generated over £500million in wages for the 23,000 people involved in the bike trade. 3.7 million bikes were sold, as were £853 million of accessories.
Here’s the full report: http://corporate.sky.com/documents/pdf/press_releases/2011/the_british_cycling_economy
Although the exact details are shrouded in mystery, HTC, the smart phone manufacturer and Giant, the cycle manufacturer, have joined forces in July to produce an e-bike that will use a smart phone as a multimedia trip computer. As well as all the regular speed and distance features, the smart phone will act as a GPS and also a heart rate monitor.
Using a smart phone is not that new, last year Daimler had an e-bike out that used an iPhone for checking battery power, speed and also navigation.
Here's a simple scheme for bike hire that does not need expensive docking stations or the technology that goes with it. Created by students at the University of Maryland, it uses mobile phone technology to control the dispatch and collection of its fleet of free hire bikes for students on campus. Doing away with the complex infrastructure that is used by systems like Barclays Bikes, makes this a viable proposition, and both the system and its founders go from strength to strength. http://webikedoyou.com/
Following on from the news that cycling is booming in Britain comes this story from Halfords who run a Cycle to Work scheme for its customers. Their press release reports that in June, Marshal Aerospace in Cambridge had 63 of its employees join the scheme, the highest number since the scheme was launched two years ago. In total 275 of Marshall Aerospace's staff have signed up to the Cycle to Work scheme. This represents around 17% of the workforce.
Employees pay for their bikes over 18 months, funding the cost by paying from their salary before tax and National Insurance are paid. For higher rate taxpayers this can mean a 52% saving on the normal shop price, while basic rate taxpayers will save around 40%. http://www.cycle2work.info/
Note this scheme is not available in Jersey.
Islabike Cnoc 14 review plus short skirt cycling in NYC, chocolate is good for you and British cycling success in the Eighties.
I’ve often wondered how children ever progress from the very smallest bike that they can have to anything bigger and invariably better. Is it because I think that cycling has had its day and life should take place on a computer screen in the comfort of your own home? No far from it, I think that bikes are still an essential in any kid’s life. What I do find is that the smallest bikes are often extremely poorly made and therefore very hard to cycle. Why make it harder, when kids already have to master balance, steering, stopping and looking where they’re going. What makes parents and grandparents buy cheap bikes, often not even from bike shops - where at least you should get a properly assembled bike - do they think the quality is the same, or that kids will outgrow them or wreck them?
The Islabike Cnoc 14
This week I have a review of a very small bike that is a million miles away from the above in quality, although perhaps not that far away in price. As the Islabike Cnoc 14 is designed for a three year old, it was a tad small for a road test. I have ridden its bigger brother, the adult sized Beinn 29, but more of that another time.
The Cnoc 14, as with all Islabikes, has been thoughtfully designed with none of the compromises that other manufacturers sometimes make. For example, brake levers are exceptionally small, so that small hands can easily reach them (in fact Isla gets some of her brake levers custom made especially); ball bearings are used in all rotating parts which makes the bike a lot easier to pedal and steer and the bikes are lighter than the average, so that kids can do cycling rather than weightlifting.
What I noticed first about the Cnoc 14 was that everything looked in scale, from the narrow handle bars to the tiny pedal cranks, from the short reach brake levers to the small handlebar stem. The frame is alloy, so it’s fairly light but not terrifically expensive to make and, surprisingly, for such a small bike, it has chromoly forks. These make for more precise steering and they absorb road shock too.
Rather than the more common pressed steel cantilevers, this bike has cast aluminium Tektro brake cantilevers that work perfectly with the cast brake levers, again no cheap steel pressings. The narrow diameter handlebars, easier for tiny hands to grip, are adjustable, as is the handlebar stem. Unusually for such a small bike, the Cnoc 14 uses an ‘aheadset’ type fork and handlebar stem.
In addition to all this and despite its size, the Cnoc 14 has aluminium wheel rims, which are easier to turn and which stop better, and a micro adjust seat post to ensure a perfect riding position. Both these features are usually found on better quality adult bikes.
Finally, the Cnoc 14 is designed to take both mudguards and stabilisers, both are available from Islabikes.
Islabikes sell bikes for two year-old up to adult. They also sell a range of kids’ cycling clothing, helmets and a small selection of tools. http://www.islabikes.co.uk/why_islabikes.html
Braking News
Interesting news from New York City: a woman cyclist was pulled over by the police, who claimed that her short skirt was distracting drivers. Jasmijn Rickman, a manager in the cycle trade in Holland, was in the city for the New Amsterdam Bike Show and thought the policeman was joking, until he asked for her ID.
She returned to her hotel and put on trousers.
http://www.refinery29.com/riding-a-bike-while-riding-a-skirt-may-be-a-crime-in-nyc
In a vote of solidarity, New York cyclists took part in a ‘Skirt Bike Ride’. I don’t know if any were busted for distracting any drivers: http://joannagoddard.blogspot.com/2011/07/riding-bikes-while-wearing-skirts.html
Popping into the Metropolis soon? Make sure that you book into W hotel on Leicester Square. Why? Well they have- for a short time only- some unbelievable bikes for you to borrow. These are six bikes that have been created by artist Benedict Radcliffe in conjunction with some big names from the world of music, fashion and design. The six bikes are currently being auctioned off on W Hotel's Facebook page with the proceeds going to the Elton John AIDS Foundation. http://www.facebook.com/wlondonhotel
The scheme was launched with a short clip of American trickmeister Jordan Smith road testing a bike in both the hotel and on London streets: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1MMO4xqBFH4
Do you like dark chocolate and do you do sporting endeavours? Well here is some good news: 25 male mice were tested, some were given just water and others given epicatechin, which is a component of cocoa. The mice were then subjected to 15 days of exercise on a treadmill. The epicatechin fed mice showed more performance and less muscle fatigue. Note though, eating more dark chocolate does not increase performance on its own - you do have to train as well. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21788351
What could be nicer than cycling between hotels with your luggage being taken on ahead of you? Inntravel is offering 7 night, self-guided cycling around the Swiss lakes of Thunersee and Brienzersee, with the town of Interlaken in the middle. Grade 2 cycling, breakfast and dinner and high quality bike hire included. http://www.inntravel.co.uk/Holidays/Cycling/Switzerland/Interlaken-Valleys-and-Villages.aspx
Or if you’d prefer to go further afield, perhaps New Zealand - ‘the land of the long white cloud’- how about this trip with Backroads: http://www.backroads.com/trips/BNZQ/?p=X999&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_content=BNZQLink&utm_campaign=AugNewZealandClassic
Trek in the USA have announced a huge step forward in online retailing for both its dealers and their customers. What Trek is proposing to do is to warehouse and fulfill orders taken on their dealers' websites. The new initiative is called Trek Sync, and it allows dealers to take advantage of Trek's warehousing and distribution facilities while still remaining as the core point of sale.
In summing up, John Burke, president of Trek said that Trek’s approach to e-commerce hoped to: “Bridge the gap between independently-owned brick and mortar stores and online retail. This strategy will help retailers develop deeper relationships with their customer base by connecting with them through multiple channels.”
Trek and Bontrager products will continue to be sold through bona-fide bike shops and not through online only shops. Bikes, framesets, forks and frames will still be shipped to dealers to ensure correct assembly and set up, and act as a collection point. There are no plans to bring this scheme to Europe or Great Britain yet.
With Mark Cavendish's great ride in the Tour de France, it seemed a good time to reprise the eighties - a decade that saw British riders on the podium in many classic races. Here is a page from British Cycling’s website:
http://www.britishcycling.org.uk/50th-anni/article/bc-50-Years-Of-British-Cycling-News-The-80s
The past week has been heartbreaking for many London bike shops. A huge number of both privately-owned and company-owned shops have fallen prey to the appalling acts of violence and looting. At the last count, over eight Halfords stores were broken into and looted, while branches of Evans have also been targeted as well as smaller sole traders. Elsewhere in the country, Evans in Manchester was attacked, but other stores there appear to have escaped undamaged.