The Tortoise and The Hare

Most mornings and evenings you will find me impersonating the tortoise. He is slow, but he is cool. So calm. So laid back. So relaxed. Yet he still somehow manages to beat the hot-headed hare every single time.

That’s because the tortoise is smart you see. The tortoise realises that going any faster is futile. It’s tiring. It uses more energy. It raises levels of stress and anxiety which in turn lowers the effectiveness of the immune system, raised blood pressure and can even serve to shorten ones life. There’s a reason tortoises seem to live forever, you know.

The highway is busy too and although the Hare can shoot past the tortoise on the long open stretches, the Hare’s progress will undeniably falter as traffic queues to negotiate each junction, pedestrian crossing or roundabout. In fact, because of all the hares buzzing by, there will be more traffic slowly dissipating into each conurbation.

Even if the hare manages to wind it’s oversized muscular carcass around all the other traffic, it will be at the expense of other hares. Pushing, shoving, taking shortcuts through quiet neighbourhoods and perhaps stopping where he shouldn’t having run out of breath.

The tortoise passes the hare in traffic and reaches his destination feeling alive and fresh. The Hare is stressed and exhausted and hunting around voraciously for a half-decent caffiene fix. In his fluster, the hare didn’t notice the tortoise go quietly by.

Cold Weather Angst

I definitely love but also dislike cycling at this time of year. The extra risks brought by heavy frost weigh heavily on my mind. I do know rationally in my head that with a little extra care and the right preparation, all the conditions I’m ever likely to encounter cycling can be negotiated. In all my years as an adult cyclist I’ve never stopped cycling in the winter and never having had an ‘off’ makes my experience is fruitful evidence of this. Or am I just one of the lucky ones?

Last night I woke up in an anxious state. I had looked at the weather forecast the night before, and with that running through my mind I remembered a minor stop skid that took place outside our house as I brought the tandem to a stand still at the end of our journey. I also recalled some of the loony-bin drivers and their poor passing antics – this road is icy don’t ya know! And I found myself wishing that we didn’t have to venture out the next morning. I even considered for a moment the misfortune of the twelve Rhyl Cycling Club members out on their club run in January 2006 when the driver of a car with three bald tyres ploughed into them killing four of their number. I wouldn’t be this anxious if it was just me cycling alone, but having introduced my partner to cycling and this being her first cycling-winter, I feel some sense of responsibility and therefore I worry; what if something should happen to her? It is worse still when I’m piloting the Tandem and I’m in control for both of us.

I set my anxieties aside and went back to sleep. And the time for setting off on the next morning’s Tandem commute arrived. I gave the tandem it’s brief routine check over, lifted it out of the hallway into the cold, switched on all the lights and walked it down the drive whilst I waited for my partner to lock the house up. I steadied my nerves and we set off towards her place of work, riding over the icy patches on our untreated street without so much as a wibble. The tandem with its heavy weight, long wheel base and I have to say, two very proficient riders is very sure-footed. That journey passed without incident, and on the way back I called into a supermarket to pick up some supplies. Loading heavy items into the panniers and strapping the large pack of loo rolls to the rack, a small group of staff from the supermarket and the nearby shops gathered around to ask questions. I answered a few, made my excuses and went on my way, only guessing at the weight of the shopping behind me. All the way home, the bike turned heads. It always does, but I’m guessing in the cold weather the effect was even more pronounced.

I arrived back at home feeling awake, refreshed and ever so slightly smug. That was a piece of cake. In future I shall stop looking at the weather forecasts and more soundly I shall sleep.

HOT NEWS: C-charge “No” campaign underwritten by secret organisation of bicycle retailers!

Desiring increased bicycle sales on the back of ever growing congestion, cycle retailers worked together in a secret plot to undermine a “yes” in Manchester’s C-charge referendum.

One underground activist had this to say:

“We will wait for the congestion to reach it’s peak, then we will deploy our secret weapon: It’s a light weight steel bicycle with a rack, panniers, puncture proof tires and hub gears. Perfect for commuting on. We have thousands ready to sell and more being manufactured each day. One day the public will be ready. They will be crying out and we will be their saviour. We are just biding our time”

Note to the reader: This story is entirely fabricated.

Manchester TIF Bid (Congestion Charge)

I’m disappointed (but not surprised) by the result of the public vote on the Greater Manchester Transport Innovation Fund proposal.

Ultimately I’m confident that as congestion continues to increase over time, the general public will come to understand the importance of a more efficient and sustainable transport system, they will place pressure upon the public and private sectors, and that the improvements for which we had hoped will eventually come into being.

In the meantime sustainable economic growth and the lives of many will remain stunted whilst I continue to beat the congestion using my humble bicycle.

Advice for bookmakers: Slash the odds on record cycle sales in Manchester for the next ten years.

Keeping your bike secure

It is a very disheartening feeling many cyclists get everyday, when they return to where they had left a bike only to find it damaged, part stolen or missing entirely. What can you do to stop your bike ending up like the one pictured above?

It is impossible to secure a bike in such a way as to guarantee it won’t get stolen but there are many things that you can to reduce the risk of it happening.

Firstly think about where you lock the bike up – thieves love quiet places where they can work to liberate your bicycle undisturbed. Also make sure the object you are securing your bike too is a fixed structure that is not easily removed. Forget railings, chain link or wire fences and sign posts. Even ‘wheel bending’ cycle racks – the ones that barely hold the front wheel.

Second, thieves are attracted to flash bikes. Hence the “disguise” in the picture below. Also note the use of a rear rack. Adding a rack and mudguards can dull down an otherwise attractive bike.

Third, always lock-up your bike. Many, many bikes that get stolen aren’t even locked up in the first place. Note that I have used a solid type D-lock as my main lock. It is certified to the Sold Secure Gold standard. It’s not the most secure lock in the world, but it is portable. Always try and completely fill the space inside the lock to prevent it being forced open with a stubby bottle jack.

Fourth, anything that can be easily removed from the bike needs to either be secured or taken with you. I have secured the back wheel with a cable available from any good bike shop. Each end of the cable has loops to slide onto the shackle of the D-lock.

Fifth, use two locks. Thieves often come equipped with tools to deal with one type of lock, so using a second lock of a different type can deter them. Please note that In this instance (pictured below) I have used the second lock to secure the front wheel to a sheffield stand. In a higher risk situation I would use the second lock on the frame and detatch the front wheel either taking it with me or securing it with the cable holding the back wheel.

Sixth, electronically tag your bike. I’m not sure whether most thieves will even notice that the bike has been tagged, but it will increase the likelihood of bike and owner being reunited after a theft.

And when you have done all this, don’t forget to keep your bike locked up when it is at home. I would recommend chaining it to a ground anchor inside the shed, or at least to the step ladders and the lawn mower.

This blog entry is intended only as a snapshot guide. I am preparing a more detailed article on cycle security which also looks deterring theft by the type of bike used, insuring a bike and what to do in the event of getting a bike stolen. I would welcome your feedback.

All pictures and more can be found on my flickr photostream.

Lock up your bike!

Having had two bikes stolen so far this year, I sympathise with the owner of this wheel.

This was spotted outside Lidl in Leatherhead on my walk to work, whilst I was working away. I walked past this bike rack every day for two weeks so I know the bike had been recently locked up there.

The wheel was secured by just a cable lock, which would have been easily defeated by semi-seasoned thieves. I suspect therefore, that the owner had not secured the cycles frame to the rack and the thieves acting in this instance were opportunists.

If you are offered a Specialised bike, probably a HardRock pro, in the Surrey area with a back wheel that does not match the bikes specification (Specialized tyre, Alex rim) chances are it is stolen.

I cannot emphasize enough, how important it is to make sure your bike is properly secured when you leave it, both in the shed and whilst your are out.

There is a detailed article on preventing bike theft coming soon.

Reality Check?

As a cycle commuter, I find myself silently berating people who drive short distances to work instead of cycling.

I’ve been cycling for quite a number of years (no I’m not that old!) and I think nothing of totting up 30, 40 or even 50 miles in a day. In fact that, to me, sounds enjoyable. I have even been known to cycle much much further and still enjoy it. It is easy to forget how hard cycling can be, at least initially, for someone trying it for the first time.

I recently managed to entice my partner onto a bicycle. Actually, it didn’t take much enticement at all. I think her not driving and me not having a car seemed to tip the balance quite well in favour of her giving it a go. All that said, I don’t think I should overlook the role my partner’s sense of adventure played in her agreement to give it a go! A sense of adventure and also a calm attitude for when it all goes wrong are both essential swhen trying anything new, especially cycling.

We took a trip to a supermarket to do the weekly shop, using a cycle trailer to haul it back. It was 3.5 miles each way using busy roads and on the return journey the gradient was mainly set against us. Normally I wouldn’t have noticed most the climbing we did but I’m amazed how hard it made things for my partner – which I don’t believe is a reflection on her general level of fitness.

I was also amazed by her grit and determination to as she cycled all the way home. I felt tired out for her! (And slightly guilty for even suggesting the trip in the first place!). The best part is that the ice cream had not melted by the time we got back!

For those of us who are passionate about cycling, maybe we need to be doing more to encourage people to cycle instead of smuggly riding past them all the time in traffic jams!

One month without a car!

Over a month has passed since I took the decision to sell my car and not replace it. And although I have once or twice since going car free felt either frustrated or annoyed, all the apprehension I felt in the couple of weeks before taking the final step amounted to nothing. It has just fizzled away.

I write this as I sit on a 7:46 am train from Wilmslow to Shrewsbury on a journey to Telford. As I just sit here I’m appreciating a bronzed morning sun making it’s sleepy ascent above the Peak district.

This is after a 7am start from my home in south Manchester, where upon I cycled along the Wilmslow Road towards Cheadle under a beautiful red sky, spliced neatly into sections with vapour trails tinged redder still by a sun still lurking just beneath the horizon, accentuating the soft mist rising up off the moors.

In making this journey by car I would have not noticed or been able to fully appreciate either of these spectacular views. Of course it was still cold enough to chill my ears (the buff being a great invention but of no use left at home) and yet of course the going is not always as good at this. The wind, rain, even snow and ice are at times challenges to even the most hardened of cyclists. That said, with a little thought and practical knowledge these difficulties are easily dealt with.

And weather aside, although I think my impression of a snow man riding a snow bike the other weekend is worth a mention, the month has not been without it’s trials.

Most notably, somewhere between the day I sold my car (coincidentally coinciding with the completion of my 27th orbit around the sun upon the vehicle we designate earth) and the day after, my utility/pub bike was taken from the locked back garden of the house at which I was staying. For me this was a harsh lesson in not being complacent. Now when I stay there my bike is afforded room in the shed. And the void left by that bikes disappearance has been replaced by two bikes, which between them cover a wider range of purposes.

The next trial involved transporting myself from Manchester to Telford, picking up my two children and taking them to Birmingham Sea Life Centre, all by public transport and human power, all in the same day. This involved ten miles of cycling, six trains, two buses and a couple of miles of walking.

The journey presented three main difficulties and two huge benefits. The biggest difficulty for me was the length of the day. A close second was the lack of accessible baby changing facilities at Birmingham New Street station. There were some provided in the ladies toilets. Not much use to me, I’m afraid. We were pointed in the direction of alternative facilities which required an attendant to be in attendance. Only, I couldn’t find an attendant. So we ended up making our way onto the 1st floor of the Bullring centre. Third and finally, our journey on the train from Telford to Birmingham New Street was uncomfortable because the train was so busy and no remaining suitable space remained available for the double push chair.

These problems were offset by the fact that the journey was far more interesting for the children because, instead of just having to sit quietly in the back of the car while Daddy drove, I was able to play games with them and sing nursery rhymes to them (much more interactively). The journey became part of the day out rather than just a means to an end.

And the other big advantage? The journey had the least possible environmental impact and made a great example to both my boys. Undoubtedly I regard this trial success.

The final trial this month started with a 3 am phone call from the mum of my children. She had sickness and diarrhoea which meant that I need to get from Manchester to Telford before my boys started their day. I checked the train times and saw the first service of the morning from Wilmslow (it’s cheaper to catch a train from just outside of Manchester) would mean arriving at my destination (including bike time) before 7.30 am. Perfect! Well, almost.

I didn’t have a cycle reservation and neither would I be able to get one at that time in the morning. And the first train of the day was to Crewe, operated by Virgin and bound for London Euston. Always a problem to get a bike on those trains at short notice. I had a growing suspicion in my head that this was going to be a problematic journey. Normally, I’d go via Shrewsbury using Arriva Trains. Although they do have a cycle reservation policy their staff, in my experience, are not too strict on enforcing it.

I set out from home towards Wilmslow train station in plenty of time, hoping that I would be able to plead my case and get my bike onto that London-bound Pendalino service. Whilst I was waiting on the platform close to where the rear of my train would stop with about ten minutes to go, a member of the station staff emerged onto the opposite platform.

He walked down that plat form towards the corresponding position opposite where I was standing. As he steps faltered, I felt my temperature rise slightly with a vague notion about what was going to happen next.

As soon as the bald man started to speak in his thick north-western accent my suspicions were confirmed. This was going to be a difficult conversation.

“Do you have a reservation for that cycle?” he asked.
“No, sorry”
“Then you are not taking your bike on that train”
“I’m sorry I’ve got to. Unfortunately I didn’t know I needed to travel before now, otherwise I should have the reservation…” I started to protest.

I went on to give details of my predicament hoping it would soften the northern man’s demeanour somehow and encourage him to turn a blind eye but it seemed to have the opposite effect. He said I would delay the train and he was not allowed to let that happen.

All this of course begged the question, what would be different if I had the reservation? Would the train operator tweak the trains arrival time so it arrived a couple of minutes early? Would they lay on an extra member of staff to open the door at the back of the train and put my bike on board in super quick time? I think the answer is no to both of those questions.

I volunteered that I would not delay the train as I would carry the bike down the rear most carriage -the bike was light enough for me to do this safely – and it would save anyone walking down to the back of the train to let me on board. I saw the train approaching the station and told the guard calmly and succinctly that unless he was going to come and physically stop me, I was going to take my bike on that train. I couldn’t hear his reply as the engines from the train pulling into the station drowned out his now feeble sounding voice, quite a fitting end to that conversation.

I was on board momentarily after the doors on the train were unlocked and I almost ‘glided’ down the rearmost carriage to the bicycle store at the back of the train. The bike was secured before the train showed any signs of moving and I then decided that would be a good point to go and find the train manager, thinking an unsolicited apology would sound better than a forced one later on. Especially as I had still to buy a ticket in any case.

I had only walked the length of two coaches when I found the train manager heading in my direction and before I could start my mouth moving he asked whether I had brought a bicycle onto the train. Before he could go on and berate me (the tone of his voice fully gave away that intention) I interrupted with an apology and then an explanation. Which thankfully warmed him up a bit. Now instead of being treated like an evil enemy, I was getting told off like a naughty school boy. Phew!

It was with more than a little relief that the remainder of the journey went smoothly. And that proved to me, even in a bit of a fix, living without a car is manageable. I was ready to resort to hiring a taxi or cycling to the airport to hire a car (and I fully appreciate not many have that option!).

I’m sorry to admit that I will still be hiring cars from time to time, thus keeping up my petrol sniffing habit, however I will relish the day when people are more forward thinking and public transport is good enough to render car dependency a vague and distant historic notion.

I will celebrate modern times when the thought of private car ownership is generally considered absurd. The alternatives should no longer be considered alternatives. They should be the norm.

Hopefully as more people choose to shun the car, we are already moving closer to those times which should mean being car free can only get better!

Telford!

To cycle in Telford you need 360 degree vision and granite nerves.

Telford is a new town which comprises much older constituent towns. The whole area was slabbed in new road infrastructure in the late 60s and early 70s in readiness for expansion of it’s populous. Motoring for the masses was near the top of the agenda back then, and this is reflected in the way Telford is laid out.

Telford’s network of roads is fantastic. Congestion is still quite uncommon and traffic flows well. But I believe there are a few downsides, economically, sociably and environmentally.

What any outsider would consider to be part of the public highway, the inhbitants of Telford (generally) regard as there own personal race track. They seem reluctant to share it with anyone!

Telford is my home town. It is where I learned to ride a bike and where I first learned to deal with traffic. I’ve lived away for a while in Manchester, so now I really have something to compare cycling in Telford against.

After taking to the streets of England’s third city (and they present their own fair share share of problems) I feel very very vulnerable when I return to Telford’s roads and here is why I think that is so.

Drivers in Telford just don’t expect to slow down or stop. So they won’t slow or stop. The road layout seems to help condition them to this – some kind of ‘top gear’ mentality where drivers literally have to be in overdrive. There are now some places where drivers do have to be more patient, for example negotiating the Traffic lights at Hollinswood, Trench Lock and Ketley interchanges. The traffic controls at each of these locations are relatively recent introductions and the local newspaper was filled with correspondence for month upon month following the introduction of the traffic lights at each one. I think it’s good that Telford’s driver are having to learn a little patience, but I’m sad to say that in general, all the roundabouts, wide junctions, sweeping bends and good visibility on most the roads knitting Telford together have conspired to create an environment that is, at best, difficult for cycling and walking.

It is saddening that a good road network seems to bring out the worst in drivers the same way, in my experience, that a good car often does.

Going car free!

My recent experiences of cycling on the whole, have been so positive and successful that I have taken the plunge. I’ve moved my car onto pastures new and I’m relying entirely on a combination of cycling and public transport to get around.

So far it has all been quite sophisticated, including a trip at the weekend to meet some friends for a nice pub lunch with my two young children in tow.

My outgoings are now completely fixed with no hidden extra costs, so budgeting has become so much easier. I have time to relax – okay I’m waiting for or sitting on a train – but it’s good thinking time in which I am not forced to concentrate. I can write, draw, read or even shut my eyes.

And with all the extra cycling, in just a couple of weeks I’ve become a lot fitter and shifted all those extra pounds gained at Christmas. The regular dose of endorphins with each burst of exercise is keeping me happy despite the gloomy winter weather.

In the time leading up to the sale of the car, I was feeling very apprehensive but now I realise I can get still to most places and the journey becomes an interesting and enjoyable part of the excursion.

If you are in a situation where you do not need a car, I really do recommend considering the possibility of doing without it entirely!