Category: Cycling

The Eco-Cyclist’s Guide: How To Embark On Sustainable Bike Travel

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The writing is on the wall: Human-caused climate change is real. And according to the scientific community, weโ€™re quickly running out of time. People are increasingly aware of this, changing their habits to limit emissions. Considering cars and airplanes account for a significant percentage of fossil fuel emissions, many are opting for eco-friendly ways to travel. Train journeys, for example, emit just 10% of the equivalent flight. But the clear winner is bike travel: hereโ€™s how to do it sustainably.

photo of city during dawn

Paris: ร€ Vรฉlo (Vรฉlibโ€™)

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Following my arrival in the Alps (see previous posts) I embarked upon a two-week trek along (most of) the Tour du Mont Blanc (TMB), one of the worldโ€™s classic hikes. Keep scrolling for a selection of photos but before you do, I did manage to squeeze in some cycling whilst passing through Paris on my way home. Yesterday evening, with a hiking colleague from the TMB group who had also made the correct decision to take the train home rather than fly, I cycled from my hotel down to the Eiffel Tower. This morning I set off again on a short Parisian odyssey on one of the Vรฉlibโ€™ eBikes taking in the Louvre, Champs ร‰lysรฉes, Arc de Triomphe, Seine (a bit bumpy of the cobbles!) and back to the Gare du Nord.

Cycle Magazine: Le Grand Tour – Now Available Online

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If you are a member of Cycling UK and pay your ยฃ4 every month, you will hopefully have had the opportunity to read my account of last year’s Grand Tour that appeared in the June / July 2023 issue of Cycle Magazine. (If you are not a member, why not?? It’s a bargain and the magazine is one of the best cycling reads that you can get your hands on; real people, real cycling, real stories…)

2023 UCI Cycling World Championships

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This website tends to be about cycle touring and related matters, but quite often veers off in the direction of other cycling-themed areas, for example professional cycling. I can’t say that I follow professional cycling religiously. I have a reasonable passing interest in it and will take the time to follow if I can. I remember working in France in the 1990s and watching the Tour de France on the TV in the afternoons after work. It was – and remains – a brilliant way to get to know France! When Le Tour came to Yorkshire that was fun and last year on my Grand Tour of Europe I had the opportunity of visiting the world headquarters of the UCI in Aigle, Switzerland which was interesting (see video below).

person with toy airplane on world map

A Comprehensive Guide Toย Organising Anย Overseas Cycling Holiday

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Jetting off for an overseas cycling holiday is the perfect way to explore newย landscapes, embrace new cultures, and challenge yourself on two wheels.Flying with a bike can seem daunting if youโ€™ve never done it before.ย Whether youโ€™re a leisure rider or seasoned cyclist, itโ€™s important toย startย planning everythingย well in advance to ensure your holidayย goesย smoothly and your trusty steelย remainsย unscathed.

Yorkshire Day Special: Cycling The Way Of The Roses

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To celebrate Yorkshire Day 2023, another opportunity to listen to a Yorkshire-themed podcast (albeit one that starts in Lancashire).

“Andrew P. Sykes takes The Cycling Europe Podcast out on the cycle path and travels from Morecambe on Lancashire’s west coast to the county’s historical capital at Lancaster, across the Pennines and through Yorkshire via Settle and Ripon, completing his trip in that county’s historical capital at York. The Way of the Roses is a route of contrasting landscapes and, at times, challenging terrain; join Andrew (and his bicycle Wanda) as they spend three days following one of northern England’s most popular cycle routes. The music is composed and played by Rob Ainsley. More of Robโ€™s music can be found on his website e2e.bike.”

If you’d like to contribute to The Cycling Europe Podcast, please get in touch by emailing podcast@CyclingEurope.org. If you’d like to support the podcast, please visit CyclingEurope.org/Support. Thanks if you can!

Happy Yorkshire (Cycling) Day

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The weather may be more reminiscent of winter but it is August 1st and that means it’s Yorkshire Day. What better an opportunity (especially bearing in mind that it’s chucking it down outside) to sit back and watch three Yorkshire-themed cycling videos from recent years. If you happy to live in Lancashire, you’ll also benefit from a few minutes of your county at the start of the Way of the Roses film. Happy Yorkshire Day!

The Cycling Europe Podcast: Episode 074 – Cathryn Ramsden / Dale Majors / Gavin McCulloch / Rich Jeffries

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Cathryn Ramsden cycled with her husband and son from Calais to Annecy. Dale Majors has cycled with his wife and six young children on several long trips across Europe and in the US. Gavin McCulloch cycled to Moscow from Scotland in 1990. Rich Jeffries was reluctant to cycle across Belgium but loved it! In this episode of The Cycling Europe Podcast they share their experiences in bite-sized interviews and monologues. How do you persuade a 12-year-old boy to cycle hundreds of kilometres? How do you manage the logistics of travelling as a family group of eight? How do you feed yourself in Russia when the supermarkets are full of beetroot? And how do you overcome the urge to give Belgium a wide berth?ย