Martyn Ashton showing us how its done

My lingering thoughts after this extremely impressive video was, "how the hell does this guy not get any punctures?" Take a look and you'll see what I mean...

Is this the best looking wardrobe around?

This popped up in our Twitter feed this week courtesy of Bicycle Basecamp. Absolutely love it!

I've already been looking in to making my own now :)

Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin says cyclists must "do their bit" on road safety

I seem to be seeing more and more that cyclists are being told they need to do more to help with their safety on the roads. Do you agree?



Secretary of State for Transport Patrick McLoughlin has told the Conservative Party Conference that cyclists “need to do their bit” in ensuring roads become safer. His remarks come a week after his shadow cabinet counterpart, Maria Eagle, urged the government to implement the manifesto of The Times newspaper’s Cities Fit For Cycling campaign.

"This was the summer that Britain got cycling,” said Mr McLoughlin, after highlighting the Olympics as a major project that Britain had delivered. "The number of people cycling is soaring, but the number of accidents has gone up too. We've got to change that.

"We've got to build safety into our roads for everyone that means better design and better education too because this isn't just about getting motorists to take care, it is also about getting cyclists to do their bit too."

Read the rest of the article

Cycling became more dangerous last year, official figures reveal

The Times reveals more bad news for cyclists in the UK :(

Cycling became more dangerous last year, when the rate of cyclists killed and seriously injured rose sharply, official figures showed today.

The rate of cyclists killed and seriously injured measured as a proportion of distance travelled rose by 9 per cent in 2011. It was the third consecutive year in which the rate of death and serious injury amongst cyclists had increased.

The data undermined Government claims that it is becoming ever-more safe to cycle as increased numbers of cyclists take to the roads in Britain. The figures also provoked calls for an urgent inquiry into the apparent decline of road safety.

Read the rest of the story...

Had a cycling accident in the last three years? If the accident wasn't your fault you could be entitled to compensation. Call CycleAssist today for a free no-obligation assessment of your case on 01625 506 655.

100-year-old cyclist rides 100km

It just goes to show that old age shouldn't get in the way of a full and active life!

A French centenarian became the fastest cyclist of his age when he covered 100 km (62 miles) at an average speed of just over 23 km/h (14.3mph).

Robert Marchand, a former fireman and boxing enthusiast from Paris, who will celebrate his 101st birthday in November, had been training every day for months to cross the finish line in under five hours.

"I did better than expected," he said at the velodrome in Lyon, southeast France, where he completed the 300 laps in 4 hours, 17 minutes, 27 seconds, averaging 23.305 km/h.

Read the rest of the story

Fastest ever bike change?

This video seems to be going viral this week, so we thought we'd also share it here on the blog. Is this one of the fastest change-overs you've seen?

You may have to rewind and watch it a few times before you see it!

 

Wales set to launch its own national cycling team

Wales have confirmed that they will set up their own cycling team of the back of the success of Great Britain's cycling team in this year's Olympic Games.

Welsh Cycling is to set up Team SWI WC on 3 October at Wales International Velodrome, Newport. 

The move comes on the back of unprecedented success of Great Britain's cyclists in the velodrome at the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.  

Read the rest of the story here.

Admiral reveals the most irritating road users

Apparently 36 per cent of people find cyclists the most irritating road users. 
At least we weren't top of the list eh?

Admiral has revealed Britain’s most irritating road users in a new poll, and it’s the older generation that winds up British motorists the most. 

The car insurance experts asked more than 3,000 people to tell them which road users they find most irritating as part of its annual Admiral Survey of Motorists with YouGov.  

It found that elderly motorists top the list, with four out of ten (41%) respondents saying they get them hot under the collar. Next was taxi drivers (37%), followed by cyclists (36%) and van drivers (34%).

Read the rest: http://www.webwire.com/ViewPressRel.asp?aId=161336

Potential cyclists ‘too scared’ to ride, says Transport Minister

Potential cyclists are too scared to ride on the roads, holding back the uptake of cycling in Britain, the Transport Minister admitted in an interview with The Times.

Norman Baker, the minister responsible for cycling, added that bike riding had traditionally been the “Cinderella” part of transport policy, overlooked in favour of other modes of transport.

Read the rest of the story here.

A few tips for safer winter cycling

Have you noticed the sudden change in weather? It feels like mother nature has by-passed autumn this year and hopped straight to winter!

Winter can cause he average cyclist a lot of trouble, so I thought I'd share some tips to help you keep up-to-date with your safety!

Make yourself visible

Ok everyone knows is not 'cool' to wear anything hi-vis when you are on your bike, but Winter is much darker than Summer and your visibility needs to be boosted. Have a look online to find clothing that offers you better visibility.

Avoid puddles and standing water where possible

Not only will Winter try and catch you out with its dark nights, it will also throw much more rain water at you than Summer (Huh, that might be arguable this year actually...!) so make sure you avoid standing water where possible.

Not only can it be dangerous if it gets inside your tyres, it can also affect your breaks and grip. Puddles can also cover up nasty potholes so make sure you stay away from them where possible.

Freeriding in Utah Looks Fun

If anyone likes a bit of freeriding then this video is definitely worth a watch.

Plane tickets to Utah anyone?

Schwarzenegger Spotted Cycling in London

Legendary film start turned American senator Arnold Schwarzenegger has been spotted cycling in London on one of the famous Boris bikes. You've got to love it!



 Image source: https://www.facebook.com/BarclaysBikes

One Scary Looking Bike Ride

Would you ride it?

'Fun' revealed as main reason we go cycling

A new survey has revealed that 'fun' is the main reason that us Brits get on the saddle and go cycling.

'fun' took more than 80 per cent of the votes with 'to save money' and 'to save the environment' performing much lower than expected. For the full report click here (external link)

A must watch video for any budding cyclist

No matter what your preferred type of cycling is, its almost impossible to deny that Danny MacAskill is a truly inspirational rider.

In fact he's one of the few cyclist I've found myself saying "Did...he actually just do that?" Usually its just a lot of hype and not much substance, but I genuinely feel that he is one of those people that can do things most would not even be able to imagine. You'll know exactly what I mean when you see the first trick in this video.

If you've not seen or heard about this wee Scotsman before then you are in for a massive treat -

6 Reasons Why Cycling is Worth Taking Up

Can't understand why so many people are taking to their bikes recently? These points below should help to iron out some confusion and see why two wheels seems like such a good idea.

1. Cycling is cheap

A lot of people are taking to cycling because its so cheap. The odd puncture and service will cost you next to nothing to sort out and cycling has the potential to save you hundreds of pounds on either transport costs or petrol bills.

 2. Cycling keeps you fit 

Cycling is a great way to stay fit! Its a nice and steady way of burning a few pounds off to and from work, or even at the weekends when you go out cycling recreationally.

3. Cycling is quicker than walking 

Walking is the most available form of transport we have to us but its slow. Cycling, if done efficiently, can feel like a breeze and can get you from a to b quicker than you might think.

4. Cycling is good for the environment 

Unlike cars and other petrol powered vehicles, cycling is good for the environment because it doesn't cause any pollution.

5. Cycling helps reduce congestion

Cycling is also a great way of taking another car off the road, and therefore it helps to reduce congestion in your local town or city.

6. Lastly...Cycling is fun!

Lastly, cycling is a fun thing to do! You see a lot of your surroundings and you have the satisfaction of all the above points when you are riding.

Why not give it a go?

Chris Akrigg Fixed Wheel Video

I was just browsing Vimeo when I stumbled on this video, which I think I've definitely seen before some months ago. Anyway, if you're in to your fixie bike riding this is definitely worth a watch! Some inspiring trickery.

Chris Akrigg THE MAURICE.0 from chris akrigg on Vimeo.

What Would You Do?

Stumbled across this photo today and thought it was worth sharing!

What would you do?

Win an iPad 2 Through Road Cycling UK

Road Cycling UK have teamed up with our sponsor Cycle Assist and are offering you the chance to get your hands on an iPad 2!

To find out more details about the competition and how to enter visit the Road Cycling UK website here:

http://roadcyclinguk.com/1537788-competitions/competition-win-an-ipad-2-2.html

A Message From Our Sponsor

Have you had a cycling accident in the last three years and feel that it wasn't your fault? The good news is that with the help of Cycle Assist, a leading Bicycle Accident Solicitor, you could win compensation for any costs or damages that you may have incurred.

For more information on claiming compensation, please visit or website or contact us directly for a free no-obligation assessment of your case.

http://cycleassist.co.uk
01625 506 655

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4 Obscure Bikes I'd Love to Own

Bikes have evolved considerably since their invention, and we can only sit and wait to see if there will be any considerable changes to their design in the future.

I started having a look back at some old and obscure bikes today and came across a few that, if nothing else, look immensely fun to ride.

So here we have it, a few old and/or obscure bikes that I wish I owned

The Penny Farthing 

Before the invention of gears the only way to get some decent speed was to have a HUGE front wheel. Definitely not for the faint hearted, the penny farthing is a bike that I'd love to be able to causally ride down the street or to work.

The Best Ever Cycling Accessory?

I love cycling accessories. They can transform the practicality of a bike and make carrying difficult items a breeze.

That being said, this has to be one of the best I have seen in recent weeks:

6 Retro BMX Bikes You Wish You Owned

I've always had a soft spot for BMX bikes and find it baffling some of the stuff people can do on them these days.

Check out some of these fantastic retro BMX bikes I've sourced from across the internet.

A Wonderful Short Cycling Video

Check out this lovely little cycling film I recently found on Lo-fidelity cycling club. If only the roads were still this quiet eh?

A Look into the Design of Public Bikes

Sometimes we take for granted the amount of thought that goes into designing bikes. There are so many aspects to consider such as comfort, speed or practicality.

This short video i found on Vimeo shows some of the thought process behind the design of Public Bikes.

These look to be well crafted and well thought out bikes with huge influence from Europe. You can see their range on their website here.

A Small Collection of Gorgeous Fixie Bikes

Love them or hate them, fixie or single speed bikes have taken the world by storm thanks to their low maintenance and good looks.

Here are a few of the nicest I've seen on the web over the last few weeks.

The Red Light Debate. Would you run them?

The red light debate seems to be heating up in the UK cycling community. France has just revealed that after successful trials cyclists in Paris will be allowed to run red lights.

Other European countries are also said to be trialling the change in law.

I'm interested to know what everyone thinks on this matter? Should cyclists be allowed to go through red lights to try and make certain situations safer, or do you think we should stick to the rules like the rest of the road users?

If you are a cyclist would you be happy to run a red light?

How do you motivate yourself to cycle?

Motivation: sometimes we have too much at the wrong time and sometimes we struggle to find it when we need it most.

I must say that the weather this weekend brought a massive boost to my motivation towards cycling and I took the time to get out the old mountain bike, wash her down and list her on eBay ready to make room for a brand new hardtail. Not sure what I'm after yet but with a budget of around £800 I'm hoping to get something half decent, possibly a Specialized or a Trek.  (any recommendations would be greatly appreciated!).

I'd also love to hear any comments or tips on how you motivate yourself to get out on your bike! Please leave a comment below and then hopefully people will be able to reference this post when they are low in positive thought.

I've found the following help:

• Watching Youtube videos
• Washing and servicing the bike
• Reading Cycling blogs/forums

Bike Messenger Racing in London

I think I just found the definition of crazy on Youtube.

Drivers and Cyclists Need to find Mutual Respect

After reading an article on Chester Cycling (Here) today it really got me thinking about why cycling accidents happen.

Do they happen because of bad drivers, is it bad cyclists, or is it people deliberately wanting to go out of their way to cause problems for cyclists?

The truth of the matter is that its probably a combination of all the above and more, but increasingly I'm seeing stories where aggressive people driving cars cause problems for cyclists for no real reason.

The big problem I see with this, is that as more drivers do this, the more cyclists hate drivers and in return the more drivers hate cyclists and the battle of Cyclists VS Drivers is fueled for another day.

In my opinion this is a terrible thing, because its not helping with the safety of anyone on the roads, its just getting people's backs up.

Its definitely a minority or morons that want to go out of their way to cause problems or cyclists but this is having massive repercussions in the cycling world because we're using it to hate drivers in general when not all of them are to blame. 

More needs to be done in this country to help cyclists and keep them safe, that I accept,  but in my opinion we should try are best to find mutual respect instead of trying to decided who's the victim and who's the perpetrator shouldn't we?

Are you a cyclists or driver that has a view on this? I'd love to hear your thoughts so please leave a comment below to see what we can do to solve this unfathomable problem.

Cycling to Work - Commuting without a hitch

I've tried cycling to work a few times and must admit that it can be a scary business. Yes I saved money on petrol (which is great), yes it kept me fit and active (which is great also!) but there are times when I question whether or not these gains were worth the sacrifice.

If you are planning on cycling to work and have a bit more will power than me to make it a regular thing, then these tips below might help you to avoid cycling accidents and other cycling related problems.

Safety:

1. Stay away from the curb

Its tempting to ride close to the curb in order to avoid an accident but cycling close to the curb is dangerous. You will often find that you have to dodge potholes grids puddles and debris so its best to keep about an arms length away...this is known as the 'secondary' position and is the correct position to ride anyway. It lets other road users know that you are happy to let them pass but keeps you out of trouble.

2. Move well out when passing obstacles

If you need to pass an obstacle such as a parked car then make sure you give yourself plenty of room by moving in to the primary riding position (middle of the road) well before you get to the obstacle itself.  This will show cars behind you that you do not want them to try and overtake and will make the procedure safer.

3. Try and Avoid Puddles 

Puddles are the enemy! They can leave you soaked through and they can also send you flying if you catch them at the wrong speed or angle. If you can ride around them safely then do so.

Preparation:

1. Have a change of clothes 

Having a spare pare of clothes at work can be an absolute god send, especially as the weather is so unpredictable in the UK. I've had rides where its been sunny at the beginning and I've ended up walking in to work like a drowned rat!

You're clothes will also get hot and sweaty so its best to have something to change in to when you get to work. A towel and some deodorant is also useful to have in the office just in case.

2. Lights and spare batteries 

Bike lights are essential if you ride in the dark as they warn drivers that you are there. I recommend also packing some spare batteries just in case they decided to 'konk' out mid journey. Obviously this would be a massive problem if you didn't have spares so carry some with you.

3. Pack Spare innertubes 

Instead of packing a puncture repair kit invest in a few cheap 'jockey' innertubes that will get you to your destination. This is a much quicker way of solving your puncture problem. You can repair the punctured tire when you have more time.

4. Inspect your route

If you are serious about having a safe journey you might want to head out at the weekend in the car and check that your journey is safe. Also time how long it takes so you know how early you will have to leave the house. 

Other Tips:

1. Take a snack

In my experience I always needed a boost of energy when I got to work so packing a brunch bar or a piece of fruit was great for crushing the hunger goblins and comes highly recommended.


2. If in doubt, give it a miss

If you are having doubts about your journey then the best thing to do is give it a miss. Cycling to work when you just don't want to cycle to work is not a pleasant experience!


That's all the tips I have the time to share right now, hope you find some of them useful. If you have any of your own please leave a comment below and I'll gladly add them to the list!

Thanks