newsnet 03.08.07
The weekly newsletter for members of CTC
News
London bike thieves
beware
I guess most of us have experienced the upset, anger and sheer stomach-churning frustration of having a bike stolen. Having adequate insurance helps, obviously, but imagine the catharsis of being able to use a column in a national newspaper to rail against the perpetrators: Read the excellent article in the Daily Telegraph by cycling MP, London Mayoral candidate and now cycle theft victim Boris Johnson. Mr Johnson once said he wanted an “Elysium of cycle facilities and Sharia law for cycle thieves”…could it be that his experience this
week guarantees these wishes a place in his election manifesto? Meanwhile, designer Wayne Hemingway has come up with a neat solution to the storage and safekeeping of bikes at home. Have a look at the 'Shack Up' – it’s coming to your local B&Q soon.
DLR will carry bikes (see terms and conditions)
Docklands Light Railway is putting on extra trains to carry bicycles this weekend, but there’s a catch: You have to be a competitor in the London Triathlon, which takes place tomorrow and on Sunday. A
'competitor train' will run every 20 minutes non-stop from DLR Tower Gateway to Custom House for ExCeL stations, and back, during both days of the event. In the normal run of things, bikes are not permitted on the DLR. Let’s hope this temporary thawing in attitude towards cyclists prompts a more permanent change of heart.
Success story continues to unfold
Folding bike maker Dahon has announced record results for the first half of 2007 with sales of 180,000 bikes reports bikebiz.co.uk. Another player will join the blossoming folding bike marketplace later this year; Wayne Hemingway’s ‘Road Runner’ will retail for approximately £100. The fashion designer, who has been involved with the building of a so-called Home Zone designer says the bikes could be given away with social housing; an idea already being trialled in Salisbury. Each new homeowner in a new housing development has been given vouchers to exchange for two adult bikes as well as cycling and walking maps. Residents of the 640-home development, in Old Sarum, near Salisbury, Hampshire, will also be given free bus passes.
Bikes and bamboo
Bamboo isn’t only the name of the brown Labrador which a week ago brought down the two leading riders in the Tour de France (I know because at the time I was staying in the B&B run by the dog’s owner), it’s the material being promoted by the Ghanaian government with which to manufacture bicycles in rural communities. A bicycle, made to carry a load of 100kg, has been designed for use by farmers in the rural communities. No pictures unfortunately, but it’s
not a new idea - interesting design for a bamboo bike trailer here.
Downhill cycling on the up
Environment Minister Michael Russell this week announced a major boost to mountain biking in southern Scotland during a visit to Ae forest. The Minister viewed new trails which will shortly be opened thanks to a £400,000 investment as part of the 7stanes mountain bike project. The new downhill skills area will be
the longest downhill entry level trail in Scotland.
Trans-Atlantic-Mission
Ted Van Zanten is a student at MIT working on a project to re-engineer bicycle transmissions and wants to hear your views before he completes a prototype. He is interested in finding out the common perceptions of alternative transmissions as well as suggestions for desired features. He has developed two surveys: one for on-road and one for off-road bikes.
Happy Birthday to us!
Raise a glass this weekend to CTC – we’re 129 years old on Sunday 5th August.
What’s on?
Rides - just not for the faint-hearted
Enjoy a challenging 150km Audax ride on Sunday 19th August in the quiet rolling countryside of Hertfordshire with a circular tour organised by CTC in Edgware (west London). Starts at Glebe Hall, Stanmore at 08.30. Entry fee is £4.00 for CTC, AUK & BCF members and £1.50 extra for non-members - all you
can eat at the finish for £1.50.The ride qualifies for DATC points and is a Brevet Populaire. Contact Simon Trott at sptrott@...
This year’s Phil & Friends Challenge Ride on 12th August starts and finishes in Stannington, Sheffield and covers 150km or 100km across the Peak District taking in Holme Moss, Winnats Pass and Monsal Head – 2600m of climbs in total! The ride raises funds for CTC’s vital campaigning work on behalf of all cyclists. Join the ride
In your area…
The CTC online events page is regularly updated. Find cycling events in your area here
CTC Campaigns
The newly-published Rail White Paper contains some positive cycling proposals, but there’s still time to share your bike/rail experiences by taking part in the so-called ‘Weakest Link’ survey being run by lobbying organisation Transport 2000. To date there is a significant response from people who don't cycle to a station because there is nowhere to park their bike safely when it is left for the day (or overnight) and others who comment that whilst the station is bathed in light and covered by CCTV the ways to get there remain
intimidating with barriers to access and routes in shadow or overgrown with vegetation. Post your comments to here
Products
Beware of groovy bars
A judge has found in
favour of a mountain-biker who was seriously injured when one side of his handlebar snapped off. The Hon. Justice Gray accepted that the metallurgical evidence provided by Dr Morgan of Bristol University provided a more likely explanation of the failure than that offered by contradictory experts (full report of the case here). A key aspect of this failure was the unusual machined surface finish of this handlebar: resulting in fine circumferential grooves rather than a smooth polish. It is probable that the bar was weakened by a fatigue crack that initiated in of these grooves and camouflaged by it. CTC Technical Officer Chris Juden advises cyclists to replace any handlebars that are found to have grooves in their surface – whether by accident or by design!
A pretty comprehensive of replacement handlebars available here
Remember that profits from everything you buy from our shop help support the campaigning work we do. Plus, most items that aren’t already on sale are reduced by 10%. The shop can be found at www.ctcshop.com or feel free to give us a call on 0870 873 0069
Member benefit
Cotswold Outdoor
Cotswold Outdoor is one of the UK's leading retailers of outdoor clothing, climbing and camping equipment. CTC members get a 15% discount on clothing and equipment detailed in its summer and winter catalogues by quoting Reference Code C2061 when ordering in store, by telephone or online (use C2061 in the promotional code box when ordering over the web). To place an
order or find details of your nearest store, phone 0870 442 7755 or visit www.cotswoldoutdoor.com
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