The Robens Osprey 2, Delivered & Erected!
It arrived today and after school I erected it in the grounds of the school. So far, impressed…
EU Wide ECF Cycling Barometer Launched
Here’s an interesting press release from the European Cyclists’ Federation. The UK doesn’t do too badly in their European Union-wide ranking. Full list of countries and their ranks below the statement from the ECF; “The European Cyclists’ Federation (ECF) is using the run up to next week’s Velo-city […]
Provençal Luxury Meets The Tour De France & Mont Ventoux
Last weekend when I was staying at my brother’s house in Yorkshire, my niece happened to be browsing through the travel section of The Sunday Times. She pointed out an article about ‘cycling-friendly‘ hotels, the first of which was in Provence, France and my ears pricked up. The […]
One Month To The Off…
The picture here would have been far better with a wild vista in the background but when you live in a third floor flat it’s tiresome taking everything out of the building for the sake of one photo to mark the fact that in exactly one month we […]
Tents: The Robens Osprey 2
I wrote at length a few days ago about my visit to Springfield Camping – A Visit To Tent Heaven – while I was in Yorkshire earlier this week. I looked at the Vango/Force Ten Nitro Lite 200+ and was generally impressed. I’m still very unsure about the […]
Reggie’s Refit: Can A Ridgeback Panorama Ever Have Looked So Good?
Pictures speak louder than words but here are a few anyway (the pictures are below). Just back from AW Cycles in Caversham after having picked Reggie up from his refit. What a smooth ride. No squeaks, no shakes, no rattles, no vibrations! And he looks good too. The […]
Not Watching The 2nd Test, England v. New Zealand
Surely not watching England play cricket must be one of the most relaxing activities known to man. I’m at Headingley cricket stadium in Leeds, Yorkshire and after having watched just under an hour of action this morning, I’ve just been spending a very pleasurable two hours wandering around […]
“Traveling Light Or Cycling Europe On Fifty Cents A Day” By Maximilian J. St. George
I was emailed yesterday by a guy in America called Angelo who is planning his own cycle tour of Europe. He had read Crossing Europe on a Bike Called Reggie and suggested that I might be interested in another book that predates my own by getting on for […]
A Visit To Tent Heaven…
Tent heaven or the nearest I have ever come to tent heaven can be found on the third floor of an old mill in the Calder Valley of West Yorkshire. It’s home to Springfield Camping and is the kind of shop that you really could live your entire life exploring. […]
The 10 Countries In 10 Days Cycling Challenge
If you are a reader of Cycling Active magazine and have an ability to spot detail amongst all the bike-related info., you may have noticed a mention of Good Vibrations: Crossing Europe on a Bike Called Reggie in the July edition of the magazine that came out last […]
A Day Out, Directed By Stephen Frears, 1972
The recent death of actor & comedian Paul Shane brought a few mentions of this film into the press. It was made in 1972 for BBC Television, written by Alan Bennett & centred around a cycling trip during Edwardian times by a group of cyclists from my own […]
Cycling The Eurovelo 2 In Wales
Steve White has posted a comment on the Eurovelo 2 section of CyclingEurope.org and I think what he has written is worthy of elevation to the main blog. Over to you Steve: “Back in April I cycled part of the Eurovelo 2 route. From Bangor, North Wales to and across […]
Pinch-Point Documentary Film: Motorists & Cyclists In Cambridge
A reflective film about cycling in Cambridge from a film maker called Bradley Stearn. Worth ten minutes of your time. See more of Bradley’s films by following this link.
The Parthenon Sculptures… The British Museum View
Some critics were disappointed by ‘Good Vibrations: Crossing Europe on a Bike Called Reggie‘ as it was just as much a travelogue as a book about cycling. Well, I’m sorry, but if you were one of those critics you might want to stay clear of book two based […]
…And A Video On Cycling From The President! (Of The CTC…)
A Statement On Cycling From Her Majesty’s Government
(Insert playing of the National Anthem here) Dear Andrew P. Sykes The e-petition ‘Promote cycling by implementing the recommendations in the ‘Get Britain Cycling’ report.’ signed by you recently reached 57,759 signatures and a response has been made to it. As this e-petition has received more than 10 […]
Crossing Europe On A Bike Called Reggie: Review Round-Up
I’m fairly open about reviews; I don’t expect everyone to enjoy reading Crossing Europe on a Bike Called Reggie and where justified criticism is offered, I take it on board as helpful advice. I am in the fortunate position of having many more positive reviews for the book […]
The Yellow Jersey Press Cycling Festival
This looks like a fun event in London on Saturday the 18th May. I may pop along (with a few copies of ‘Crossing Europe On A Bike Called Reggie‘ in my back pocket!) to size up the book market competition… Look out for me!
Slovakia 2013… The Trailer
I can’t say when the entire film will be released… if ever 🙂
Dispatch From The Eurovelo 8 Frontline
Those of you who are paying attention (no? not you?) will remember that Monica Piercy is also cycling from Greece to Portugal but that she is about two months ahead of me. On a purely selfish basis, this is extremely useful indeed as she can feed me with tantalising snippets […]
Connectivity In A Very Connected World
We live in a very connected World. Or at least I do and this website does. I spent last night trying to sort out all the connections to and from the likes of Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Flickr etc… and I think I have them mastered. In theory, this […]
Happy Families In Reading
I love eavesdropping on conversations in cafés. It’s like cutting into a cake; you only see one little bit of the cake (or hear about one little bit if someone’s life) but you make assumptions about the 99.99% you can’t see (hear about) based upon what you do. […]
The Skimmed Milk Race 2013?
As a fan of good quality design, I do like the front page of the website for The Milk Race. The organisers have resurrected the event in what appears to be a very different format from the Milk Races I remember in the 70s & 80s which were the […]
Eurovelo 8 & The Giro D’Italia 2013
There does seem to be quite an overlap between my route from east to west along the Eurovelo 8 & some of the stages of this year’s Giro d’Italia which kicks off tomorrow. There is a good breakdown of each of the stages on the BBC website and […]
My Bicycle & My Bicycle’s Rider
A couple of photos I took this morning when I arrived at work very early and was waiting for the doors to be unlocked…
The PowerMonkey Extreme: Power Problem Solved?
Way back in June 2010 I wrote this post about the FreeLoader solar charger. It was just before I set off along the Eurovelo 5 in the summer of 2010 and I was hopeful that I had found a nifty solution to the power problem as I cycled […]
The Temple Of Poseidon, Greece: The Start Of The Journey?
The Temple Of Poseidon is to be found in the very south-eastern corner of Greece. Very handy, no? It would make a fantastic symbolic start point to my journey along the Mediterranean to Portugal, no?
The Times: A Message From The Editor
“Dear Reader This is a landmark day for cycling in Britain. We would not have got this far without your invaluable support, but we need your help again. Today, an unprecedented House of Commons inquiry publishes the Get Britain Cycling report, making 18 bold recommendations which call on the Government […]
Camping The Eurovelo 8
It is by far my preferred type of accommodation. Usually. OK, when in a city centre, I am more often than not seduced by the attractions of a hotel but anywhere which is remotely green (and even not-so-remotely green), give me a camp-site any day. When I cycled […]
The Eurovelo 8 In Maps
When I cycled the Eurovelo 5 to Italy, all my maps were Michelin 1:200,000 scale maps and there were ten of them in total – see the overview map of Europe here (I didn’t take the Belgian ones by the way as I cut off Belgium from my […]
“A Great, Inspiring And Funny Read” 5*
“This was a thoroughly enjoyable read from the moment you pick up the book. From the ride planning, apprehension and excitement, plus the doubting friends and colleagues, you can understand exactly how the author felt in starting this epic journey. All of the days cycling are covered in […]
Good Vibrations: Review Round-Up #cycling #books
Another 5-star review of Good Vibrations: Crossing Europe on a Bike Called Reggie at Amazon.co.uk (see below) but also a couple of new short reviews at Amazon.com (see bottom of this post). First up is ‘Alex’ who has titled his review ‘A truly epic adventure and book‘; “Feeling […]
Coming Full Circle: CyclingEurope.org Meets Eurovelo.com
It’s getting on for five years since I first came up with the idea of cycling to Italy during my long summer holiday from work as a teacher. At the time, in those initial weeks and months of frankly secret planning (I was never even sure myself whether […]
“The Best Cycle-Related Travel Book I’ve Read”
A few months ago I wrote about Neola, a cyclist from Halifax who is planning a trip across Europe this summer from Santander to Romania. I may well bump into her and her fellow touring cyclist as I make my way in the other direction across Europe. Neola […]
Thank You For Not Driving
(Assuming that you didn’t… If you did, why not try not doing so tomorrow?)
Bristol & The Handmade Bicycle Show
Bristol is home to many things. Cycle paths carved into the paving stones of the streets, ice cream vans that are made by Mercedes, signs thanking you for not using your car (should you have one), pretty colourful houses in rows, intriguing street names & the first section […]
“Armchair Cycling Doesn’t Get Better Than This!”
Graham Thompson writes on Amazon.co.uk: “Andrew Sykes is a language teacher, an admirable profession that to do well, I assume, must have some empathy with the countries and people who live and speak those languages. If this is the case then a tour across Europe should come as […]
Eurovelo 8: Athens To Lisbon With Monica Piercy
If you can’t wait for my own little adventure along the Eurovelo 8 from Greece to Portugal, take a few moments to visit Monica Piercy’s website. She is going, as it says below, from Athens to Lisbon and she’s started! Monica is also on Twitter @mcpiercy. Good luck […]
Slovakia: Day 7 In Pictures – Bratislava
Slovakia: Day 7 – The Presidential Palace In Bratislava
Slovakia: Day 7 – Bratislava From The Novy Bridge
Slovakia: Day 6 In Pictures – First Impressions Of Bratislava
Slovakia: Day 5 In Words – Kosice
We have now left the High Tatras and are making our way back to the western edge of Slovakia and the capital Bratislava. The plan is that we will arrive in the late afternoon – at 16:07 to be precise – and stay on a floating hotel on […]
Slovakia: Day 5 In Pictures – Kosice
Slovakia: Day 4 In Words & Pictures
The reason I’ve been blogging about visiting France last week and being in Slovakia this week is three-fold. Firstly it gets me back into the travel writing mode and I’ll need to be be in that mode as from the 1st July for this summer’s big cycle along […]
Slovakia: Day 3 In Words & Pictures
A significant amount of climbing was involved in today’s mountain exploring but fortunately it was courtesy of cable cars rather than our own efforts. More of that in a moment. Last week I was contacted by a guy called Julian from the European Cyclists’ Federation (ECF). He is […]
Slovakia: The View From 2,634m (Lomnicky Stit)
Slovakia: Day 2 In Words (And A Few More Pictures…)
When we initially planned this walking holiday in Slovakia I wasn’t quite sure what the weather would be like. Even as recently as last week I was assuming that a few layers (perhaps an extra one than normal) and my normal waterproof cycling jacket would suffice in this […]
Slovakia: Day 2 In Pictures
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Slovakia: Day 1
I have spent today wearing a pair of trousers that must rank as the most comfortable pair of trousers that I have ever worn in my life. I thought I’d share that with you. They are made by a company called Marmot and are made of a baggy […]
Travelling To Slovakia
From my door in Reading to the door of this flat in Tatranská Lomnica has taken over 24 hours but from Stansted airport very early morning the journey has only taken 10 hours, most of that on a train from the Slovakian capital Bratislava to the station at […]
Slovakia: The Basic Facts
So, my early Spring travels continue next week with a visit to Slovakia for some hiking (although more about that in a second). What do I know about Slovakia? Well, I know that physically it is a landlocked country with Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east, Hungary […]
Ed Cox: John O’Groats To Lands End (And Then…)
Ed Cox has emailed: “As you may be aware, this Friday I am off on a not-so-warm-up cycle trip from John O’Groats to Lands End. This will be the prelude to my slightly bigger trip ‘Bristol2Brisbane’, testing all my gear, legs and logistics. I very much hope to use […]
More Notes From A Cross Channel Ferry
I’m at the annoying end of the cold. Not annoying in that it will soon be over with but annoying in that it is still spluttering erratically to an end. No doubt when I wake in the morning I will feel fine and an opportunity to take the […]
Le Mont St. Michel
Still ill…
Normandy American Cemetery & Memorial
Cold & shivery. That’s not just the weather by the way. It’s also me. Being ill is not great. Being away from home and being ill is bad timing. Being ill away from home when it’s freezing cold outside is annoying in the extreme. I’ve sniffed my way […]
Cabourg, Normandy
I’m a little bit worried. I’m cold and just a bit shivery. My legs are aching. This could mean one of several things. It could be that I am simply cold. I’ve not really had the chance to get a thoroughly warmed up all day what with being […]
Caen, Capital Of Basse Normandy
The fighting of 1944 inflicted severe damage upon Caen, the capital of Basse Normandy and the town where I am currently staying. Much of the central area is taken up with uninspiring architecture from the post war period. I knew all this by simply reading my Rough Guide […]
Eating Al Fresco In Northern France
I am aware that back in the UK it is currently very wintery but here on the other side of the channel…
Au Marché De Caen
A Day In Falaise
Now well into our second full day of the exchange. So far, no emergency phone calls from desperate teenagers demanding to go home early. It’s early days however… Yesterday was spent mainly in Falaise; the morning in classes at the collège, the afternoon wandering around the town. I […]
Rue Pierre Curie, Caen, France
Detente In Normandy
Just woken up on the first full day in France. Yesterday was a long but ultimately successful one. I managed to avoid the ferry quiz and we didn’t lose any of the children en route. What looked like a former prisoner transport vehicle came to pick up us […]
Notes From A Cross Channel Ferry
The Mont St. Michel to be specific, and a very quiet one at that. But a nice one and so far there are no English men in the bar knocking back pints of lager. Then again it is only 10.30am. There’s time yet… I’m off the bike for […]
Sony World Photography Awards
I’ll try and emulate some of these stunning photographs – see the full set on the BBC website – on my upcoming travels to France, Slovakia & then during this summer’s cycle along the Mediterranean coast. Amazing… More information on the World Photography Organisation website.
Celebrating The Tour De France In Yorkshire
Ian Street, fellow Yorkshireman, cyclist and writer has written the following piece for his website IntoThe Orchard. Ian is a man with ideas that need all the publicity they can get. Have a read and, as he says at the end of the article, contact him if you […]
Great Cycling Picture
If you know who I should credit for this, please do let me know. Posted on Twitter by @lbjwct. Update: Thanks to Ian (see comments below) I can credit the picture to Gary Perkin who took it back in 2009 at the ABSA Cape Epic. Epic indeed! See […]
Long-Distance Cycling Insurance: Problem Solved?
Insurance is on my mind. Most companies don’t insure bicycles and even if they do, most travel insurance comes with a limit set at 30 days maximum per trip. I need something more specialised for my two-month crossing of the continent with Reggie Ridgeback. And it’s here that […]
“La Route Du Sud A Vélo De Menton A Béziers”
A couple of publications have come my way in the last few days. The first is a cycling touring guide for the French portion of the Eurovelo 8 route in the south of France. The guide’s author, cyclist & teacher (sounds familiar) Daniel Jamrozik emailed me about its existence […]
One Man And His Bike… Meets Another Man And His Bike
A man decides that there is more to cycling than the daily commute. Somewhere in his forties, he is questioning the direction of the second half of his life. He needs a little time to think so he resolves to set off on his first long-distance cycling tour. As a naive touring cyclist […]
New Website: Eurovelo.com
Keep an eye on this; hopefully it will develop as the months go by… Update: A press release from the European Cyclists’ Federation reads as follows: “March 4, 2013 – Brussels, Belgium The European Cyclists’ Federation (ECF) has launched its cycling touring web platform,www.eurovelo.com, which provides a wealth […]
Blogging, Shopping & Dithering
I need to get back into the habit of blogging while on the move. Apart from this summer’s epic cycle (is it really ‘epic’ or is it just me trying to spin?), I’m off to France in just under three weeks with a small group of 15 year […]
Competition! Green Jersey French Cycling Tours
I met the owner of Green Jersey French Cycling Tours at the London Bike Show recently and this is the result! More details about the competition here.
Anjou Velo Vintage / Early Riser Festival
Here are a couple of events into which I am more than happy to funnel a little oxygen of publicity. The first is the Anjou Velo Vintage taking place in the Loire Valley town of Saumur in June. Way back in the summer of 1993 I spent about […]
Albania: Gav McDonald’s Story
Albania remains the mysterious part of my trip along the Eurovelo 8 from Greece to Portugal and I am fascinated by the stories of those who have cycled through the country. I met a chap called Gav McDonald recently at the London Bike Show. On his company website […]
“Brilliant” 5*
“Sometimes when you read the endorsements on a book you wonder if they can possibly be true. Have a good look at the back cover of Good Vibrations if you get chance & I guarantee they’re 100% accurate. The book is a very easy, compelling read. The author […]
“Good Vibrations: Crossing Europe On A Bike Called Reggie” At Waterstone’s
Don’t panic! Temporarily out of stock at Amazon, remember that you can pick up a copy of Good Vibrations: Crossing Europe on a Bike Called Reggie at any of the following Waterstone’s stores (Mr Palin picked up his copy in Reading Broad Street by the way…): ABERDEEN UNION […]
Keen ‘Arroyo Pedal’ Cycling Shoes
Here’s the description from the Keen website: “From bike to trail and back again, the versatile, breathable Arroyo Pedal will take you where you want to go. Combining the best elements of a bike shoe, trail shoe and a sandal, this all-terrain wonder features waterproof nubuck leather, a […]
And The Winners Are…
To help celebrate passing the milestone of 5,000 copies of Good Vibrations: Crossing Europe on a Bike Called Reggie, I asked people on Twitter & Facebook to nominate people or causes who might benefit from receiving a complimentary copy of the book. I had quite a few nominations and thanks […]
Thanks, From Andrew (And A Bike Called Reggie)
Dear friends Earlier this weekend my book ‘Good Vibrations: Crossing Europe on a Bike Called Reggie’ sold its 5,000th copy and I’d like to use this milestone to take the opportunity of saying a heart-felt ‘thanks’ to all of you. Written following a six-week cycle from my home in southern […]
Boktips From Sweden @velonavia #cycling
Mentions of my book on far-flung websites are always intriguing to read; the thought that someone far off is absorbed in reading about my little journey across Europe is as delightful as it is curious. Even more so when they are not written in English. This has been […]
Cycle Tramps… From Calderdale
I received a message this week on the Facebook page from Neola Kay Wilby; “I’ve just been looking at your route for the summer. My boyfriend and I will be cycling from northern Spain to Croatia then to Romania, cross through Germany, Amsterdam and back home! We’re doing it over […]
New Review! “An Inspirational Read” ****
“A few summers ago I stumbled upon Andrew’s blog when he was about a week into his journey. Each morning after that my habitual early start at my desk with coffee in hand was one hell of a lot more interesting having the anticipation of wanting to know […]
Le Tour De Calderdale?
On watching the video below your first reaction may be ‘hasn’t the person behind the camera got better things to do with their time on a cold, snowy day in the north of England?‘. It is a film of a journey through Calderdale in West Yorkshire but not […]
European Adventures With Teenagers, Bears & Avalanches
Regular readers of this blog will no doubt be aware that on the 1st July I set off from Greece in the direction of Portugal on my bike. My mission is two-fold. Firstly because I want to. Secondly because I will write my second book about the trip. […]
“An Excellent Read” ****
“I thought this book may maybe a bit boring considering I have recently read several cycling travel books of people travelling around the World. But in fact it was a very good read mainly due to the writer’s skill of making even the most mundane day sound interesting. […]
“What’s The EU Ever Done For Us?”
The following letter appeared in The Guardian on 12th January. It’s worth a read in light of today’s speech from David Cameron: “At last we may get a debate on Britain’s relationship with Europe (Leader, 11 January). What did the EEC/EU ever do for us? Not much, apart from: providing […]
Cycling Through Red Lights – The Facts?
The info-graphic below comes from GLUE. It gave me reason to reflect upon my own experiences as a driver in London during the Olympic Games last summer. Following my temporary transfer from cyclist to Gamesmaker driver (I don’t own a car so am almost 100% of the time […]
The London Bike Show In Pictures #cycling
Cycling In The Snow, The Film
The Tour De France 2014 In… Elland: Full Route
Not only is the Tour de France 2014 coning to my home county of Yorkshire, it will be passing through the town of my childhood, the place where my parents, brother & his family still live! Stage 2, Elland. More details on the Visit Yorkshire website & the date […]
“A Must Read For Cyclists And Travellers, Real Or Armchair Alike”
“Just finished [Good Vibrations: Crossing Europe on a Bike Called Reggie]! A thoroughly delightful book that simply lifts the spirit and creates the urge to travel. A must read for cyclists and travellers, real or armchair, alike. One of those rare books that you just wish would last […]
One Direction To Willie Weir
I hear that One Direction are doing quite well in the USA. Well, they are not the only ones to be getting rave reviews from our Americain cousins; Good Vibrations: Crossing Europe on a Bike Called Reggie has just recieved its fourth positive review on Amazon.com (to complement […]
The New ‘New Europe’: The Balkans
I’ll be cycling through Albania, Montenegro and Bosnia next summer along the route of the Eurovelo 8. I was sent in the direction of this video by an extremely helpful employee of the Montenegro tourist board. It really does make you think again…
Reggie The Bike, By The Canal
Mobile blogging comes of age. Let’s see if it all works seamlessly. Keep your fingers crossed. The photos were taken by the camera and uploaded to the iPad mini via a special adapter for SD cards. The iPad is tethered to the mobile phone 3G signal here is […]
The Library At Picnic Café, Reading
If you’d like to have a read before you buy, visit Picnic Café in Butter Market, Reading as they’ve just added a familiar title to their eclectic library of books (alongside ‘A Feast of [Keith] Floyd’ & Hervé Moran’s accomplished tome ‘The Genius of French Poster Art’). Take […]
The iPad Mini & En Route Communication
When I cycled along the Eurovelo 5 back in 2010, I typed out every blog post (30,000 words in total) over the course of the five week trip on my iPhone. It may be why, over the last few years, I feel that my eye sight has begun […]
