Kate The Goat-Herd… & Cyclist
I received an email on Friday from someone called Kate, a travelling cyclist who was planning on making Reading a stopover en route from London to Oxford. She’d found my contact details on WarmShowers, the social network for cyclists looking for and offering accommodation. I used the site […]
Bicycle Chuckle, Kenavon Drive, Reading
A sad end to the life of a once great Trek bike. Not mine I hasten to add but kindly fly tipped close to where I live with a collection of other chuckle. Chuckle? Yes, you did read that right. Chuckle, noun (uncountable): a collection of waste items […]
Huddersfield Town 2, Yorkshire Air Ambulance 1,000 (£)
Well, actually it was Huddersfield Town 2, Yeovil 0. But fear not; I’m not about to start giving a classified check of the League 1 results every Sunday morning, As mentioned a few posts ago, my brother (and several hundred other people) cycled from Yeovil to Huddersfield in […]
“Infectious Stuff”! Oh Dear…(!)
My cousin is a teacher of English language in Portugal. He works for the British Council in the beautiful hilltop city of Coimbra some 40 kilometres from the Atlantic coast. I’d certainly recommend it as a place to visit. Anyway, away from my travel advice, you’d think he’d […]
2,012: Let’s Celebrate!
You really can’t fault the marketing arm of London 2012. They seize upon any opportunity to remind us all that in only a few months (probably better to now say ‘few weeks’) the Olympic Games will be upon us and I’ll be strutting my stuff as a London […]
Wet Weather: A Tale Of Two Months
On the BBC’s Countryfile yesterday afternoon, the weatherman shown here explained how April 2012 had been very wet indeed. He used this graph to explain that in southern England since January 2010, there had only been three months that had received above average levels of rainfall. Of those, August […]
Good Vibrations: “Wonderful Adventure” 5*
“Just finished [Good Vibrations]… and thoroughly enjoyed it. It brought lots of memories of my experience of cycling touring even though mine was no where near as ambitious… Many of the cycle touring books I have read have been about people selling up and hitting the road for years on […]
Ditching The Bike For… A BMW!
I’m used to working long days; I do it five days a week, but yesterday’s visit to London for the Games Maker training was exceptionally long. I set off from Reading at just after 5am and trundled from station to station across Berkshire and through the western suburbs […]
A Key Bit Of Equipment!
It didn’t take long! Here is my new key for the Barclays London Cycle Hire Scheme… Roll on Saturday!
Good Vibrations: ‘The Vibes Are Good’ ****
“Andrew Sykes’s enthusiasm, determination and wry humour come through in this entertaining read. It will suit both armchair dreamers and two-wheel travellers considering their own possible adventures… Andrew’s trip from England to the toe of Italy during his summer break from teaching has the feel of a minor […]
Cycling Heros & Heroines: Charity Update
Time to catch up with a few of the cyclists who I have been following or I will be following over the coming weeks and months. There are quite a few… First of all my brother, Matthew, who is cycling with quite a few other supporters of Huddersfield […]
The London Cycle Hire Scheme
Have you ever used the Barclays Cycle Hire bikes in London? The ‘Boris bikes’? Me neither (well, unless you just answered ‘yes’ to the question I pose…). On my fairly frequent forays into London I regularly walk past the docking stations and consider having a go but then […]
Good Vibrations: “Love It!” *****
“This guy deserves a pat on the back; well written and thought about and kept me on the edge of my seat on what was going to happen next. I do recommend this book; you won’t regret [reading it].” ‘sifi’, Amazon.co.uk review of Good Vibrations: Crossing Europe on […]
Good Vibrations: The Advert (If You Missed It)
How Many Days To London 2012?
Good Vibrations: “I’d give it more stars if I could…” 5*
Another 5* rating on Amazon for Good Vibrations: Crossing Europe on a Bike Called Reggie; “I’m sure I heard Andrew on The Bike Show podcast giving a rough outline of his trip. It was such a good podcast I noted the title down & bought the book on […]
The GoPro Hero 2: Resistance Is Futile
Now, let me first say that the video below is extremely aspirational and in no way (unfortunately) reflects the life that I lead. But I am a real sucker for a good bit of advertising and a great piece of kit. I picked up Reggie earlier from A.W. Cycles […]
‘Boy’: British Airways ‘Great Britons’ Winner
Films like this should still be shown at the cinema before the ‘main feature’. An encouragement to anyone to drive safely when you see a cyclist. Great little film. Did it bring a tear to your eye?
Eurovelo 8: A Much Needed Update
I have received an email from Monica. Hi Andrew Next year starting 29th March I will be cycling from Lisbon to Athens using the Eurovelo Route 8, raising money for Camfed. I am organising the trip myself and spotted your website. All advice, large or small gratefully received. […]
London 2012: Spring Update
After having finished writing, directing & editing yesterday’s award-winning* advert for Good Vibrations, I cranked up the video camera yesterday, called in a few favours with my mates Seb, Dave, Boris & Kate, fuelled up the helicopter & knocked off the London 2012 Spring Update! (*Best CyclingEurope.org advert for […]
Good Vibrations: The TV Advertisement
Old London Town: Looking Good!
Earlier today I made my way back down south after having spent the weekend in Yorkshire. Arriving by train in the capital I passed through Kings Cross station. I used to be a frequent visitor to Kings Cross when I worked in London about twenty years ago but […]
Monty Python – Bicycle Repair Man
Michael Palin clearly needs a bit of publicity (see where his books are in the previous post) & I’m happy to give him a some… Comic genius.
Good Vibrations Gets A Bite Of The Apple!
Click the picture to access the Apple iStore and download your copy of Good Vibrations: Crossing Europe on a Bike Called Reggie.
Cobbles: The Good, The Bad & The Paris-Roubaix
Today sees the infamous Paris-Roubaix cycle race… 260 kilometres from the Paris suburbs to the Belgian border. Rather them than me. Cobbles were a recurring theme as I cycled south along the Eurovelo 5 from London to Brindisi. It seems that any historic town worth its salt on […]
Football Or A Good Book?
Having just read Good Vibrations: Crossing Europe on a Bike Called Reggie Simon Barnes in Washington DC has added a review at Amazon.com; “The author tells a very funny story of his adventure, with Reggie his bike, as they ride from southern England to the south of Italy. […]
Out Of The Orchard & Along The Eurovelo 5
Ian Street has just written an extended review of Good Vibrations: Crossing Europe on a Bike Called Reggie on his website Into The Orchard. Here is a snippet; “The book is simply broken down into daily chunks… and each day is littered with little vignettes and observations and […]
Heptonstall, West Yorkshire
L’Enfer Du Nord / The Hell Of The North
On his excellent website, IntoTheOrchard.com, Ian Street has just written about the Paris-Roubaix cycle race which takes place this coming weekend. He’s linked to a documentary that I’ll try to watch at some point over the next couple of days. It reminds me that I wrote about the Paris-Roubaix […]
On Your Marks, Get Set… Go! Go! Go soon!
I suppose it’s the time of year that long-distance cyclists worth their salt come out of relative hibernation and start setting off on great adventures. Apart from me… And that’s a fact that makes me a bit jealous of the three people who I am about to mention […]
In Praise Of… Instagram (& IntoTheOrchard.com)
Lots of people are using Instagram; it’s not difficult to see why. It’s a piece of picture editing software that comes in the form of an iPhone app and changes your photos from pristine digital images to retro pics from the 1970s. I’ve seen it in use on […]
“A Wonderful, Witty Account Of A Cycle Tour…”
Koga Trekking Bike Pornography
Facebook friend and ex-Emmerdale Farm (it will always be a farm to me, despite its modern-day aspirations; Seth Armstrong would never have approved the change) actor Richard Moore has just contacted me asking about new bikes. It got me dreaming again and I headed off to the Koga website to […]
Andrew & Reggie Cycle The World
If you can remember back to early summer 2010, although I didn’t keep it a secret, my departure along the Eurovelo 5 from my home town of Reading to Brindisi in the south of Italy was low-key to say the least. I sneaked out of town early on the morning […]
March 2012
It’s been the second busiest month at CyclingEurope.org since the move to WordPress back in January 2010. Thanks for visiting!
Motherf*****g Bike – Sons Of Silence
As you can imagine, it’s just like this when I cycle from Reading to Henley-on-Thames every day… I think I should really get one of the t-shirts for school. My street cred would go through the roof (but my career through the floor). Motherfucking Bike — Sons of […]
Un Ciclista Denunciado!
Give your Spanish a little workout by watching this video from Spain; can you figure out why he is being harassed by the police? If you can’t, read the story in English at Copenhagenize.com.
A Letter From The Editor Of The Times
Dear Reader Three weeks ago we launched our map aiming to make Britain a safer place to cycle – and you have responded in fantastic fashion. Over 6,700 areas across the UK have been pinpointed, highlighting the roads you feel uncomfortable cycling on and the junctions which put […]
Facebook Gets A New Look
Well, the Good Vibrations: Crossing Europe on a Bike Called Reggie page on Facebook does. What do you think? Aiming for 100 ‘likes’ before Easter. Can you help out? If you want to read the book before ‘liking’ (recommended!), click here for the paperback or here for the eBook. Thanks […]
Good Vibrations: “Inspiring!” / “An Entertaining Read”
A couple more top-rated reviews on Amazon this afternoon for Good Vibrations: Crossing Europe on a Bike Called Reggie; This entertaining, informative book inspired me to get out on my bike and ride, ride, ride!!! Read this if you love cycling, you will not be disappointed! Paul Lewis, […]
Good Vibrations: The Reviews So Far
Here are a few, well, quite a few, quotes from the reviews that have been so far made about Good Vibrations: Crossing Europe on a Bike Called Reggie. Click on the picture to make it a bit bigger (or strain your eyes and read the banner at the […]
2012: Summer Of Cycling
Just found this online; “In 2012, brought together by the all-party Parliamentary cycling group, dozens of major UK cycling event organisers, charities, NGOs, industry manufacturers, retailers and other organisations with an interest in pedal power are collaborating to promote a ‘Summer of Cycling’. The campaign aims to provide […]
The New British Olympic Kit?
As a newly appointed London 2012 volunteer, I’ve got to be careful here not to say too much but I think I am on solid ground by making a comment about the new kit that was revealed this week for the British athletes taking part in the games… It […]
Good Reads: Cycling Books
I am about to enter the high-brow world of literary criticism! Not only is Good Vibrations: Crossing Europe on a Bike called Reggie the book of choice at next Thursday’s London Cycling Book Club – I’ll be there in person of course (see banner below for full details) – […]
For some reason (I know not why), this post has received considerable attention today. Was the original Radio 4 documentary repeated?
“Five Stars, A Must Read For Any Cyclists”
Another top-rated review on Amazon for Good Vibrations: Crossing Europe on a Bike Called Reggie; “This is a must read for anyone who [rides] a bike. I found it to be very inspiring, it makes you want to get out and ride your bike (no matter what the weather […]
Cycling Around The World… With Anne Mustoe
Matthias Pleyer, organiser of the London Cycling Book Club which will be discussing Good Vibrations: Crossing Europe on a Bike Called Reggie in under two weeks’ time (more info on club’s website), has just asked me to answer some questions for the website. His final question was as […]
“Best Cycling Book I’ve Read To Date” *****
I do hope C. J. Boarland has read more than just the one cycling book; “Best cycling book I’ve read to date. Having decided to embark on my own mid-life cycling adventure this year I was looking for a book written for the ordinary guy who aspires to […]
London 2012: Volunteer Update (Shhhh!)
I finally received an email from the London 2012 Olympics this week about whether or not I had been successful in my application to be a ‘Games Maker’ (or volunteer). It was good news; “Congratulations! Following your interview to be a London 2012 Games Maker, we are delighted […]
Raleigh Sojourn Expedition Tourer
There’s a new kid on the block to rival Reggie and the other Ridgeback Panoramas out there: the Raleigh Sojourn expedition tourer. I haven’t ridden it, but the people at Road CC have and here’s what they have to say; “Raleigh have gone upmarket in the do-everything tourer market […]
Good Vibrations: “Very Enjoyable Read” 5*
“First time I have downloaded an eBook. Very enjoyable read. eBook does not have photos, but they can be found through the book’s website [and Facebook page]. Invaluable route planner for anyone wanting to cycle this route…” ‘benmac’, Amazon review
A Grand Cycle Tour Of Europe, Perhaps
I received an email from Pete in New Zealand earlier this week. He is a man with a great, or should I say ‘grand’ plan. He explains that he is soon to move back to Europe from down under and will be living near Turin, Italy on his return […]
Dallaglio Flintoff 2012 Cycle Slam
Lawrence Dallaglio is back on his bike again and this time he is cycling the Eurovelos 5 & 8, kind of… The cycling challenge is called “The Dallaglio Flintoff Cycle Slam” and the official website describes the endeavor as follows; “Between April 23rd and May 18th next year […]
EuroVelo, Veloroute & Voie Verte
Should you be thinking of cycling in France (OK, perhaps not at the level of the three guys here but…) and wondering what the difference is between the three kinds of cycle route in the title of this post, Maggie Lacoste of Experience France by Bike has just […]
“Compelling, Interesting, Amusing… Hard To Put Down”
I received the following very nice email earlier this week about Good Vibrations: Crossing Europe on a Bike Called Reggie: “I’ve just finished the vibrations and ‘good’ they were. I really enjoyed reading about your travels and thoughts on the way (and before). Apart from the obvious success […]
Replay: Henley-on-Thames To Reading
Thought it was about time the video of my commute home from Henley-on-Thames to Reading got another airing. It was made back in 2009 and I am thinking about doing a remake with my new Biologic iPhone 4 mount for Reggie’s handlebars (as discussed a few days ago in […]
Good Vibrations On Kobo & Lulu
Another two ways to get hold of your copy of Good Vibrations: Crossing Europe on a Bike Called Reggie – Kobo & Lulu (and coming very soon to Apple’s iStore!).
Levi’s® Commuter: Time To Ditch The Lycra®?
Cycling really is becoming mainstream. And fashionable. The full range can be seen on the Levi’s® website. (This is such hot-off-the-press news that the link isn’t yet active! You heard about it here first!!)
Cyclemeter 6.0 App / Biologic Bike Mount
As I have mentioned before, I don’t often invest in iPhone or iPad apps on a whim. The last time I paid up for something it was the excellent Cyclepedia which is a thing of great beauty & design. However, earlier this week, just as I was getting ready for […]
“A Great Read Which Will Inspire Any Cyclist!” *****
Another 5* rating for Good Vibrations: Crossing Europe on a Bike Called Reggie: “This book would tempt any cyclist (and non cyclist!) who has not been away on a tour to pack up the bike and pedal off. Andrew Sykes sums up the beauty and freedom of having two wheels […]
Adventures In & Out Of The Saddle
I’m so glad that it is now March. It seems that someone has told the people who control the weather to turn off the fridge and as a result we are slowly shuddering into what feels like the very first days of Spring. Saying such a thing does […]
“In A Word ‘Inspirational’. Gave It 5 Stars.”
“Just finished reading [Good Vibrations] at 4am… I found the whole context of the book to be in the real world, from the planning, or lack of [it], the meeting people and the comments on the places he visited and people he met. As someone who is too old to […]
London 2012 Velodrome With Sir Paul Smith
Bus W*****s (Update) & Volvo W*****s
Following my ‘Bus W*****s in Bristol & Reading’ post of a few days ago, I finally have a response from one of the ‘customer champions’ of Reading Buses. Before you read what she says, you may want to read the original email I sent to the bus company. […]
In Praise Of… The EuroVelo Advert
Stop this now! No more ‘In Praise Of…’ for a while 🙂
In Praise Of… The Crane Bell Suzu (Brass)
I let the bell speak for itself…
In Praise Of… Blue Door Cycles
I am at risk of being contacted by The Guardian newspaper if I keep using this ‘In praise of…‘ title, but this post and the next are going to do so anyway! Blue Door Cycles was the cycle shop I visited on Wednesday evening to talk about my trip across Europe as […]
Bus W*****s In Bristol & Reading
The above expression was coined of course by The Inbetweeners to great comic effect but what follows is at the other end of the spectrum of mirth. A Bristol bus driver has been sentenced to 17 months in prison afer using his bus as a weapon to knock a […]
In Praise Of…The Bike Show
That was fun. It’s a good job that time in the real world, outside the studios of radio stations, doesn’t go by as quickly as it does inside those little sound-proofed rooms. We’d all be in our graves before we were out of the maternity ward. Fifteen minutes […]
Thirty Minutes Of Worldwide Fame
Well, The Bike Show is available online so compared to Reggie’s five seconds of fame last Friday on BBC South Today, my thirty minutes on Monday evening surely compares quite well, no? Three ways to listen; if you live in central London the show is broadcast on 104.4FM, […]
Five Seconds Of Local Television Fame
Over the last few days, I have been crawling out of bed in the morning like a groom after his stag night. Not that I’ve been drinking the night before. Far from it. It has simply been the knowledge that Friday was the final day of term and […]
Pedal 4 Pounds Sponsored Bike Ride
A message from my brother…
Reggie In The Snow
Reggie The Rebel
With a puncture in the Oxfordshire countryside… 🙁
GVCEBCR: 5* “A Great Read”
“I read this book as I want to ride Lands End to John O’Groats so I’m reading anything I can on long distance cycle rides. This is a great book…one of those that make you tired because you end up reading late into the night! I was also delighted to […]
The Soma Fabrications Crane Suzu Lever Strike Brass Bicycle Bell
How about that for the name of a bicycle bell! You may recall that last week I was bemoaning the quality of bells fitted to modern-day bikes in my post A Bell Of A Problem: Hornits, Pings & Brings. The ‘bring-bring’ bell I bought from Evans in Reading […]
GVCEBCR: 5* “I Thoroughly Enjoyed The Book Cover To Cover”
“I sat down one winter evening and bought this book after hearing good things and reading other reviews about this cycling trip. I must say I thoroughly enjoyed the book cover to cover (or as best as you can with a Kindle). As much as I applaud the […]
Excitement Builds @Waterstones_Edi
Look at all these people in the Princes Street branch of Waterstones in Edinburgh. They are mingling excitedly for the arrival of something… What could it be? The new Harry Potter? A famous celeb? No? What? Are you sure? It can’t be… can it? Yes it can… Good […]
GVCEBCR: 5* “Great Entertaining Read”
“I enjoyed Good Vibrations, a nice easy read, well written and witty account of an epic journey. An unassuming account written as seen. Observations I could associate with, and shows what a great experience can be had travelling through the different cultures of Europe. The book gave me […]
GVCEBCR: 5* “A Most Enjoyable Read”
“I have just finished reading ‘Good Vibrations – Crossing Europe on a Bike Called Reggie’ by Andrew P. Sykes (@CyclingEurope on Twitter) and what a thoroughly enjoyable read it was too I must say. It tells story of Andrew and Reggie’s six-week journey along Eurovelo route 5 from their […]
CyclingEurope.org Supports ‘Cities Fit For Cycling’
Click here for more details.
Read Now, Discuss Later (At Blue Door Cycles)
A reminder that in two-weeks’ time, I will be at Blue Door Cycles in Upper Norwood, South East London (SE19) to chat about Good Vibrations: Crossing Europe on a Bike Called Reggie. If you get reading now, you should have made it to Brindisi by Wednesday 15th February […]
A Specialized Review For Good Vibrations
‘Specialized Guy’ describes himself as follows on Twitter; ‘Qualified Cytech mechanic. In 2011, I cycled 12,000km. From 1st April, 2012, I will be embarking on a European WWOOFing & EuroVelo cycle touring adventure.‘ So clearly he is into his bikes & touring. He goes by the Twitter name of @Specialized_Guy and […]
Matera To Cisternino, Puglia, Part III
The third and final instalement of my cycle from Matera to Cisternino is now available to read on The Puglia.com. It recounts how I meet my friends Basil & Liz after nearly a month of cycling from southern England to Brinidisi. Enjoy the extract and then read more […]
A Bell Of A Problem: Hornits, Pings & Brings
Were I ever to become the Prime Minister of this country (which admittedly is a long shot as I don’t belong to a political party and Prime Ministers recently have been getting younger and younger), the second thing I would do is to ban people from designing things […]
“Impressed & Envious! A Riveting Read!” 5*
Another 5* review for the collection on Amazon.co.uk; I honestly didn’t know what to expect when I decided to embark on this cycling trip from my armchair, but found almost immediately that I was absorbed in tales of highs, lows, comedy and adventure that kept me engrossed for […]
Bike2Basics: European Festival Cycling
Here’s a novel twist of organised cycling; Bike2Basics. The name gives little away about what this sibling threesome do, but of the two brothers and one sister, it seems to be the latter who is in charge & she has contacted me with a bit of information about […]
Via Francigena A La Good Vibrations, Part 3
I take my hat off to Thunderthighs who has taken his, err… my route one step further along the road to Brindisi with part 3 of his route map from Strasbourg to Bellinzona. Here is the link. Amazing!
Good Vibrations: Only £8.99 (& Free P&P) From Waterstones!
Click on the picture to go directly to the Waterstones Good Vibrations: Crossing Europe on a Bike Called Reggie page 🙂 Or on the last link. (Shut up Andrew.)
New Amazon Review: 5* “Excellent Book, Very Inspiring”
A new review for Good Vibrations: Crossing Europe on a Bike Called Reggie; “I loved this book, you felt like you were travelling along with him, funny in parts and very inspiring to just decide to ride to Italy from the UK, I hope some day I am […]
Shit Cyclists Say…
From YouTube; “We’re uniting a million voices to improve the future of biking. Join us by signing the pledge for better biking at http://www.peopleforbikes.org. Take the Peopleforbikes.org pledge: “I am for bikes. I’m for long rides and short rides. I’m for commuting to work, weekend rides, racing, riding […]
Want A Job In Reading?
Travelling Young; Matt Andrews / Anthony King
CyclingEurope.org has just carried out its very first interview! It’s with a couple of cyclists who are planning to do something rather special and who are an inspiration to the rest of us. I’m sure you’ll hear and see their names a lot more over the next couple […]
“A Thoroughly Enjoyable Read”
Another positive review on Amazon.co.uk for Good Vibrations: Crossing Europe on a Bike Called Reggie; I read this book on a recommendation and was not disappointed. The diary type narrative fully illustrated the vagaries of such an extraordinary challenge but with sufficient information on the adventure for me to […]
London Calling… Four Times!
My home town of Reading is only thirty minutes or so from central London on the train and over the next couple of months, I will be very grateful for that small quirk of geography as I will be up in the capital quite a bit. First off […]
The Bike Touring Survival Guide / Bike Touring / Bicycle Traveler
My eBookshelf has three new touring-related publications, one of which mentions me! From left to right, the first two – The Bike Touring Survival Guide & Bike Touring – come from the Travelling Two stable and the first of those – the survival guide – is only a free […]
On Hannibal’s Trail (Again)
I first wrote something about this documentary – On Hannibal’s Trail – back in October 2010 when it was shown on the BBC HD channel. At the time, Middle-Age Cyclist Darrell (that’s his website by the way, not me being presumptuous) commented as follows; It is a great […]
Thunderthighs To The Rescue
You’re probably wondering how this is going to end. A few days ago I found something on the Internet that intrigued me. It was on a site called Bikely.com. The site is a route bank for cyclists; you can register and upload your route for others to benefit […]
