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Andrew

Heading East (And Back…) With Wanda

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Today is promised to be the hottest day of the year so far. Yesterday was my longest ride of the year so far, albeit split into 3; 65 km from home in the west of West Yorkshire to Tadcaster, just over the border in North Yorkshire, 16 km to York and a final 10 km from Huddersfield station back home after a train ride back west. Why? Well, apart from the joy of the cycling, Wanda, the Koga World Traveller had been booked in for her first service at CycleSense in Tadcaster and I’m delighted to say she passed with flying colours. New brake pads, change of oil in the Rohloff hub and a few checks here and there… Good as new!

Desert Island Cycling

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I noticed earlier today that Frank Burns had posted something to the Cycle Touring Festival Facebook page about the cycling travel writer Dervla Murphy having appeared on Desert Island Discs in 1993. She was 61 at the time and she chose as her book The Diary of Samuel Pepys and her luxury was ‘a still to distill berries etc… into drink’. Well, she is Irish after all. I’ve just listened to the whole programme whilst having a post-run bath and it’s highly recommended.

Episode 019: Abigail Melton & Lilith Cooper / Gears For Queers

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It doesn’t matter who you happen to be, whether it’s Mark Beaumont, Josie Dew, Alastair Humphreys, Fred Bloggs or even (dare I say) Andrew P. Sykes, if you’re intent upon embarking on a long-distance cycling adventure of your own, at some point you need to move out of your comfort zone, push the bike out of the garden gate and set off cycling, however uncomfortable that may feel, initially at least. That’s what Abigail Melton and Lilith Cooper decided to do and they’ve just written about their experiences as first-time cycle tourists in a new book called Gears For Queers.

Cycle Touring Zine Callout

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If you tune in to The Cycling Europe Podcast this weekend, you will discover a new episode – number 19 – in which ‘Gears For Queers’ – that’s Abigail Melton and Lilith Cooper – discuss their cycle as novice cyclists from Amsterdam to Montpellier in the south of France. They’ve written about their adventure in a new book that will be published in early June called (you guessed it…) Gears For Queers! If you listen to the chat on the podcast, you will hear mention of ‘Zines’ and specifically the Cycle Touring Festival Zine that Abi and Lilith are currently editing. They are looking for contributions and you have until May 23rd to get thinking and get creative.

Paul Gentle’s Tarifa to Nordkapp 2020: France, Part 2

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If you listened to Episode 015 of The Cycling Europe Podcast you will remember that Paul didn’t make it quite as far as Nordkapp, for fairly obvious reasons. But he did make it as far as Nice in France and will hopefully one day soon return to complete the journey. But here in the written world of these CyclingEurope.org posts (as opposed to the spoken world of podcasts), Paul has just arrived in France and is heading in the direction of Nice…

2020 Tour De France Contenders

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The 2020 Tour de France is scheduled to take place a little later this year, with 29th August pencilled in for the opening day of the Grand Tour. This year’s Tour is expected to be wide open, with a large pool of cyclists likely to be hopeful of coming out on top after 21 gruelling stages. Here is a look at who we think are the four biggest contenders for the latest renewal of the most famous cycling event in the world.

Cycle Touring Photo Competition 2020: Update

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Over 100 entries have been submitted to the Cycle Touring Photography Competition 2020! And there’s still three weeks to go before the deadline of the 31st May. All you need to do is send your best photos from 2019 (that must include a picture of your bike on a cycle tour of some kind) to office@CyclingEurope.org. Great prizes from Cicerone Press and the European Cyclists’ Federation. Full competition details at CyclingEurope.org/Compeition.

Barry Godin: Tour Of Mont Blanc

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As lockdown continues, cycling anywhere remotely exotic is most definitely off the agenda for several months to come. Stay local! However that doesn’t prevent us from vicariously enjoying the adventures of others from the pre-Coronavirus era. Barry Godin has just published a new film about mountain biking the Tour de Mont Blanc. Having walked almost all of the Tour de Mont Blanc route over two seperate hiking trips – in 2006 and then in 2016 – it’s an area of the world that I know well and Barry’s film was a pleasure to watch.

How To Take Amazing Cycling Photographs

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The continent is packed with tons of enthralling and breath-taking cycling routes. Regions such as Bordeaux, Vienna, Paris, Utrecht and Berlin are beautiful, and it would be a waste to cycle through these routes without memorialising them in photographs. However, taking action shots in these gorgeous places can be quite a challenge, especially if you are new to photography.

The Cycling Europe Podcast: The Story So Far In 2020

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It’s been a busy year so far for The Cycling Europe Podcast and with episode 18 just published, it’s perhaps a good moment to look back over the six podcasts that have been published since January. All of the podcasts can be listened to directly from The Cycling Europe Podcast homepage or via your favourite purveyor of podcasts.

Episode 018: Ed Lancaster / EuroVelo

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If you are a long-distance cyclist in Europe, it’s highly unlikely that you have managed to avoid the EuroVelo network of cycling routes. Created and administered by the European Cyclists’ Federation, the 16 routes are a source of support and inspiration not just long-distance cyclists but also those who set off on much shorter trips within Europe. But what is the thinking behind the EuroVelo network? Why was it created? What can you expect if you choose to cycle one of the routes? And where is the network going in the future? All questions that we asked Ed Lancaster of The European Cyclists’ Federation, the man in charge of developing and promoting Europe’s greenest travel network.

“How About This For A Ride To Paris?” (The Full Story…)

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With the Coronavirus continuing to hit hard, lockdown looking as though it will stretch well into May – perhaps even June – and with the consequences of ‘social distancing’ likely to impact upon our lives for many months to come, there are silver linings. The principal one from my perspective is time. The time to do things that ordinarily we would have put on the back burner; the time to finish old things, to start new things, to plan, to think, to dream… These latter three activities are particularly useful if, in the back of your mind, you have another long cycle tour in fermentation.

The 2020 Virtual Cycle Touring Festival: A Review

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Last weekend was the virtual Cycle Touring Festival. I was planning on writing a few words about the event myself but then a chap called Graham Johnson from Derbyshire got in touch. He had never previously attended the (non-virtual) Cycle Touring Festival but had signed up for a few of the online webinars – including the one delivered by yours truly – at this year’s virtual event and was planning on writing something for his local CTC / Cycling UK group newsletter. Could he use some of my photos to illustrate his text? he asked. Yes, of course! Could I publish your article about the festival on CyclingEurope.org? I asked. Yes, of course! Mutual happiness all round. And here is what he wrote, illustrated by the photographs he chose to use. I think it’s all rather entertaining. He is clearly a man with a book inside him.

The Virtual Cycle Touring Festival: This Weekend!

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Earlier this month I talked about the annual Cycle Touring Festival going virtual for 2020 and the time is almost here! The festival kicks off later today (Friday) and continues over this coming weekend of the 25th and 26th April. Laura and Tim Moss, who have organised the festival every year since 2015, have done a magnificent job in putting together, once again, an eclectic, interesting and potentially inspiring programme of events.

Episode 017: Geraint Rowlands, Owen Peak & Gareth Cadwaladr / Cycling Europe In 12 Years

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Epic cycle tours come in many shapes and sizes. Some stretch over many thousands of kilometres, some take in dozens of countries, lots take months, perhaps even years to complete. But few cycle tours take 12 years and still claim to be unfinished. That’s what a group of Welsh cyclists have been doing since 2007 since they set off from the port of Holyhead in Anglesey, Wales. The Cycling Europe Podcast spoke to Geraint Rowlands, Owen Peak and Gareth Cadwaladr about their cycle tour of Europe with a difference.

Paul Gentle’s Tarifa to Nordkapp 2020: France, Part 1

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If you listened to Episode 015 of The Cycling Europe Podcast you will remember that Paul didn’t make it quite as far as Nordkapp, for fairly obvious reasons. But he did make it as far as Nice in France and will hopefully one day soon return to complete the journey. But here in the written world of these CyclingEurope.org posts (as opposed to the spoken world of podcasts), Paul has just arrived in France and is heading in the direction of Nice…

Cycling Europe: ‘A Time Of Birds’ By Helen Moat

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Spring 2020 will forever go down in the annals of history as the time of the Coronavirus. We don’t yet know how the story will end – this is history in the making – but we do know that the pandemic has had a significant impact upon the lives of most people. Schools closed, festivals cancelled, sporting events postponed, film premieres rescheduled… Yet with the majority of the population at home, what better time to pick up a book and start reading. And what better time to head off on a vicarious cycle across Europe. But fear not! This is not some shameless plug for my own books. (Although they are rather good…) It is about a new book that is being published on April 9th called A Time For Birds by Helen Moat.

Paul Gentle’s Tarifa to Nordkapp 2020: Spain, Part 4

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If you listened to Episode 015 of The Cycling Europe Podcast you will remember that Paul didn’t make it quite as far as Nordkapp, for fairly obvious reasons. But he did make it as far as Nice in France and will hopefully one day soon return to complete the journey. But here in the written world of these CyclingEurope.org posts (as opposed to the spoken world of podcasts), Paul is in Barcelona and about to set off in the direction of France…

Episode 016: Mark Beaumont / The Man Who Cycled The World

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Welcome to this rather special episode of The Cycling Europe Podcast. Since the inception of the podcast in 2017, we’ve featured many people with fascinating stories to tell; people who have cycled across the world, people who have inspired others, people who have displayed their passion for cycling in some extraordinary ways. But the guest on this episode of the podcast eclipses almost all others when it comes to long-distance cycling achievement, Mr Mark Beaumont.

Paul Gentle’s Tarifa to Nordkapp 2020: Spain, Part 3

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Where were we? Or rather, where was Paul Gentle? The observant amongst you – well, the ones who listened to Episode 015 of The Cycling Europe Podcast – will remember that Paul didn’t make it quite as far as Nordkapp, for fairly obvious reasons. But he did make it as far as Nice in France and will hopefully one day soon return to complete the journey. But here in the written world of these CyclingEurope.org posts (as opposed to the spoken world of podcasts), Paul has just arrived in Valencia.

Episode 015: Paul Gentle / Tarifa To Nordkapp Via COVID

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Imagine you set off to cross a continent on your bicycle only for a global pandemic to stop you in your tracks. That’s what happened to Paul Gentle as he attempted to cycle from Tarifa in Spain to Nordkapp in Norway. The Cycling Europe Podcast spoke to Paul about his plans, his cycle through Spain and France and his race against the clock to get back home to the UK while it was still possible.

The Time To Stop Cycling? I Think It Might Be…

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It seems likely is that in a few weeks time, we will be at the point on the curve where Spain and Italy now find themselves. Yesterday it was reported that in Italy “The latest crackdown effectively bans jogging and bicycle rides, the only types of outdoor exercise that were allowed.” Might it be a good idea to refrain from doing so here in the UK when we are at an earlier point on the curve? I think it might.

Paul Gentle’s Tarifa to Nordkapp 2020: Spain, Part 2

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The Coronavirus outbreak has upturned many of our lives. I am now unemployed, for example, but in the context of a medical emergency, even that seems quite small beer. A couple of weeks ago, I posted a piece written by Paul Gentle about the first leg of his cycle from Tarifa in Spain to Nordkapp in Norway. Alas, that endeavour has also become a victim of the virus and now been cancelled. A few days ago Paul returned back to the UK from Nice in France. To his credit, however, Paul has written a second piece for CyclingEurope.org about the second part of his cycle through Spain.

The Normality Of Self-Isolating On A Bike Ride

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We live in surreal times. The world is approaching a state of lockdown. The shops are emptying of toilet paper and hand sanitiser. The Italians are singing from their Juliet balconies. We are encouraged to ‘self-isolate’ at the drop of a, err… handkerchief. Work from home! Wash your hands! Sneeze into your elbow! This is far from normal.

Episode 014: Timmy Mallett / Utterly Brilliant!

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The Cycling Europe Podcast returns with a celebrity interview! Mark Beaumont? Tim Moore? Josie Dew? Not quite… This celebrity not only has surprising long-distance cycling credentials but also some thought-provoking comments to make about the joys of heading off on your bike for a long-distance adventure. His name? […]

Santander To Coimbra 2019: The Movie

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If you follow @CyclingEurope on Twitter, you may have noticed that over the past couple of weeks, short videos have been posted recounting the story of my cycle from Santander in Spain to Coimbra in Portugal last summer. The reason for the appearances of the videos is two-fold. […]

The Bear Necessities Of Cycling In Japan

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A few weeks ago, I watched a short series of beautiful BBC natural history films called Japan: Earth’s Enchanted Islands. Alas they are are no longer on the iPlayer but a few short clips are available on YouTube. Here’s one of them: Bears… They featured several times in […]

Cycling Japan, Via London

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Wednesday 2nd January 2020, 9am A long, long time ago… well, back in 2008 when I was living in Reading, I decided to head off to London to see a document at the British Library. The document in question had been written by Archbishop Sigeric. He was the […]

Election 2019: A Fork In The Road

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The beauty of a democracy – even a half-baked one like the one operating in the UK – is that you can vote for whoever you want; Conservative, Labour, SNP, Plaid, Lib Dem, Green, Brexit, UKIP, DUP… The key thing is that you think about the consequences of […]

Top Tips For Cycling In Italy

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By Aaron King Italy is a beautiful country, full of striking scenery, historic sights, and famously passionate locals. Cycling is a great way to see Italy for tourists and locals alike. Whether you’re visiting the Italian Alps or Dolomites, or taking a trip to the famous Italian lakes, […]

The General Election 2019: Cycling

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Have you noticed that there will be a British general election in December? Hopefully you plan on voting. (If not, why not for goodness sake?!) As I did in 2017, I have looked at the different party manifestos for mentions of the word ‘cycling’. All the main UK-wide […]

Sustrans: Trails, Lochs And Glens…

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These are nice: “Walking and cycling charity Sustrans has teamed up with mapping experts Ordnance Survey (OS) to launch a series of video clips that explore the National Cycle Network – a network of traffic-free paths and on-road cycle routes spanning the breadth of the UK. Created by […]

The Best Destinations for Cycling in Europe

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By Kevin Raneri European cities provide a great experience for anyone looking to explore their destinations on a bike. Exploring beautiful routes with the wind in your hair is a unique experience. The cities boast excellent cycling routes, stunning views of the countryside, infrastructure for cyclists, and bike-sharing […]

Top 25 Bicycle Touring Blogs 2019

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Still maintaining its position at number 9 in the list… Bike Packing Bicycle Touring Pro Life in Travel Cycling About Tom’s Bike Trip Freewheeling France The Path Less Pedaled World Biking Cycling Europe Cycling Challenge Biciclown Bike Tour Global La Vida de Viaje Znajkraj Going Slowly With Saddlebags […]

Beautiful Views, Ugly Driving

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I’ve been on cat-feeding duty this week and this means an extension to the normal cycle from home into Halifax. It more or less doubles the length of the journey. This is no bad thing, especially as the road climbing from my house to the ridge that forms […]

reTyre: What Is This Sorcery?

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As you might imagine, I receive quite a few emails from companies trying to persuade me of the virtues of their latest cycling product. E-Bikes, cycling helmets, innovative bicycle lights and cycling gloves from China seem to be the most popular topics of the emails I read and […]

Emily Chappell: Where There’s A Will…

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In 2015 Emily Chappell embarked on a formidable new bike race: The Transcontinental. 4,000km across Europe, unassisted, in the shortest time possible. On her first attempt she made it only halfway where she found herself suddenly on her back in a field, floored by the physical and mental […]

The Sound Of Cycle Touring

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Some names are easily forgettable. David Evans, Margaret Butcher, Terry Wilson… (I just made those up. Apologies if you are offended because you have one of those names.) My own name isn’t that exciting; Andrew Sykes. That’s why I stuck the ‘P’ in there for the purpose of […]

Cycling Japan: The Numbers

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It’s not quite the deep mid-winter but today, with the heating on and me having yet to leave the house, it could easily be so. My mind turns to the heat and humidity (that was the topic of the last Japan-related post) of next summer, Japan and… a […]

8 Tips For Better Winter Cycling

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Shorter days, colder weather and excess moisture do not mean you need to place your bike in storage until summer rolls around once more — it simply means you need to be smarter about how you bike. Winter cycling is not for everyone, but if you think it […]

Cycling Japan: Into The Eye Of A Storm?

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With Typhoon Hagibis moving over Tokyo, it seems an appropriate moment to consider what the weather might be like when I cycle the length of the country in July and August 2020. Let’s start with typhoons. Here’s an image from the Windy.com website of Japan with the current […]

Episode 010: The Isle Of Wight

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The Cycling Europe Podcast is heading to northern Spain but pauses en route for two days of cycling on the Isle of Wight. Andrew P. Sykes follows the Round-the-Island Cycle Route in an anticlockwise direction before hooking up with the Red Squirrel Trail for a return to Cowes […]