cycle commuter issue 8

Spring/Summer 2012Issue #8 £1.95 where sold

Office bags Jackets Pumps Smartphone apps

Bike reviews l Essential kit l Cops on bikes l Jon Snow interview

64top cycling products

Featuring

Essential kit inside!

Pedal away the excess pounds

Top deals forcommuter cyclists

Get in shape!

Bike insurance

dash -more

lesscash!Save up to 42% ongreat commuter bikes

Go with the fl ow or choose the adventurous route. Seek’s sturdy,effi cient design encourages you to do both. Featuring a lightweight,tough ALUXX aluminium frame Seek is a fast city bike that can takesome bruises. Stable mountain bike positioning, powerful disc brakes,fast rolling puncture resistant tyres and refl ective styling, get to workquick, whatever the streets have to offer.

Learn more at www.giant-bicycles.co.uk

www.cyclescheme.co.uk

44Pinnacle Dolomite Three Light and efficient enough for long leisure rides, this Pinnacle is also practical enough for wet-weather commuting

50Specialized Globe Work A sensibly priced, no-nonsense hybrid that’s lighter and more versatile than you might expect from its name

22Cube Hyde Pro An urban hybrid that hides its eight gears inside the hub, protecting them from rain, dirt and hard knocks

50

22

contentsIssue #8 Spring/Summer 2012

34Brompton S2L The iconic British folding bike is an ideal commuting solution if you travel part way to work by train, bus or car

Top products & essential kit12Out of the ordinary…

The cargo-carrying Kona Ute

14Stuff The best gear for your commute and beyond

26Office bags Different ways to carry your office essentials

37Jackets Wind and rain protection for all budgets

48 Smartphone apps Cycling info from your phone

55 Pumps Keep your tyres firm and efficient

All about... 5 Welcome to Cyclescheme

How Cyclescheme works, who’s eligible to take part, and how you go about getting the bike

6How the Cycle to Work Scheme will save you money Why getting a bike through your employer makes a whole lot of sense

18Police, bikes, action! Why 1,500 Strathclyde Police employees got a bike through Cyclescheme

28Insure your bike How to soften the blow if your bike is stolen

40Thinner, fitter, faster How to get in shape simply by cycling to work

61My life on bikes: Jon Snow Why the Channel 4 News presenter always cycles

58Over to you Cyclescheme participant Chris Perry from Leicester

Features

32

44

Cyclescheme is part of the Grass Roots GroupPublished for Cyclescheme by Farrelly Atkinson www.f-at.co.uk

Prices correct at time of going to press. E&OE. All content © Cyclescheme 2011

Bikes tested

3

Hob complete bike RRP: £499.99

www.chargebikes.com UK distribution: 01202 732288


Welcome

The Cycle to Work Initiative is a salary sacrifice scheme which

gives you the chance to save on the cost of a new bike as well

as security and safety equipment to go with it. The way salary

sacrifice schemes work is that you give up part of your salary

and receive an equivalent benefit that is exempt from Income Tax and

National Insurance.

What does this mean in practice? Well, technically it’s your employer who

buys the bike. You hire the bike and equipment from your employer, and

you pay back the cost of the bike from your gross salary. You save on Tax and

NI payments, lowering your payments over the hire period.

Cyclescheme has partnered with over 1,850 independent bike shops

throughout the UK giving you access to a massive amount of choice and

expert advice on equipment selection. To locate your local store, go to

www.cyclescheme.co.uk and use the postcode store locator.

About Cyclescheme...

Who’s it for?Want to take part? Great! If you’ve received this mag from your employer then they’re probably already running a scheme, so things should be straightforward. There are some limits as to who can take advantage of the tax breaks, though. The most important ones are:

• You need to be a UK taxpayer via the PAYE system

• You need to be 18 years of age or over to comply with Consumer Credit Act legislation

• 16 to 18 year olds may be eligible for Cyclescheme enrollment with the aid of a guarantor

• If your earnings are equivalent to the national minimum wage, you may be able to benefit from a discount as part of a net arrangement with your employer

You are not limited to any brand of bike

or equipment and so you can choose the

best for quality and value for money. This

results in the best package of bike and safety

equipment for you.

Cyclescheme runs schemes with the

Department for Transport, Office of Fair

Trading and Department of Health, as well as

scores of police forces, councils, universities

and blue chip companies. Hire Agreements

are written entirely in accordance with

government guidelines and this service is

free to employers, including an online tool to

generate promotional literature.

Cyclescheme is the UK’s number one provider of tax-free bikes for the Government’s Cycle to Work initiative We offer big savings on the best bikes and safety equipment. Dealing with Cyclescheme’s

network of over 1,850+ local bike shops also gives you the best experience, with the expert

personal service, convenience and choice that larger multiple retailers just can’t match.

5

How the cycle to work scheme will

Get a bike and safety equipment through Cyclescheme as part of the government’s Cycle to Work initiative and you’ll save yourself a

whole lot of money. The savings are made because you’ll initially hire

the bike from your employer, and your hire charges are made via a salary sacrifice scheme. Your gross salary is reduced to take care of your payments before any income tax or National Insurance (NI) has been deducted, so you pay less tax and NI. This results in savings of up to 42%.

Plus, at the end of the hire period, most employers are able to offer you ownership of the bike at a fraction of its original cost.

Why getting a bike through your employer makes a whole lot of sense…

save you money!Maximise your savings!

Here’s how to get the best possible saving at the end of the hire period...

Send the bike back to Cyclescheme

You pay 18% or 25% of certificate value* to take ownership of the bike

Send the bike back to Cyclescheme, the deposit will be refunded

YES!

NO

NO

NO

YES!

YES!

YES!

YES!

* Current HMRC advice for bike values (inc VAT) after 12 months: 18% for bikes under £500, 25% for bikes over £500 **3% for bikes under £500, 7% for bikes over £500 (inc VAT)

Cyclescheme retain your deposit and confirm you as the owner of the bike. Enjoy using your bike!

Do you want to keep the bike that you have?

The agreement ends after 36 months, when Cyclescheme may offer you ownership of the bike

Do you still want to keep the bike?

Here’s how it works…Once your employer has set up a programme with Cyclescheme, you choose a bike and any safety equipment from one of 1,850+ independent bicycle dealers throughout the UK (go to www.cyclescheme.co.uk to find your nearest Cyclescheme Partner Stores). Then your payments cover the hire of the bike and equipment from your employer, usually for 12 months.

What happens next? Simple. Read on…

You pay a small refundable deposit** and sign an Extended Use Agreement with zero payments

Do you want to pay as little as possible?

Spring/Summer 2012

6

www.cyclescheme.co.ukwww.cyclescheme.co.uk

What happens next?The Government has published the table below to calculate the market value of bicycles and safety equipment at the end of the hire period:

Age of bike Acceptable disposal value % (inc VAT) Original value under £500 Original value £500 or over12 months 18% 25%18 months 16% 21%2 years 13% 17%3 years 8% 12%4 years 3% 7%

Cyclescheme’s market leading End of Hire process ensures attractive savings for all participants. By following Cyclescheme’s recommended option (entering into an Extended Use Agreement at the end of the hire period, see flow chart below) your savings are protected.

What happens if I move jobs?If Cyclescheme are notified of a change to your employment status during the initial hire period, we will contact you with the End of Hire options. During the extended use period, if you change jobs the agreement is still valid as it’s an agreement with Cyclescheme, not with your employer.

Can I start a new scheme during the extended use period?Yes. The Extended Use Agreement is entirely separate to the hire agreement, so you’re free to participate in future Cycle to Work schemes with your employer while you’re still in an Extended Use Agreement with Cyclescheme.

Example savings? We’ve put together the tables below to show you an example of the savings available for a basic rate tax payer, using both a £500 and £1,000 example package.

£500 example packageOriginal value £500NI saving £60Tax saving £100Market value payment £15Total saving £145

£1000 example packageOriginal value £1,000NI saving £120Tax saving £200Market value payment £70Total saving £250

Saving money through Cyclescheme

7

NewsSpring/Summer 2012

Twenty-twelve should see a

summer of bike love in Britain.

The London Olympics will

inspire people to get on their

bikes; fuel prices and congestion will make

commuter cycling ever more attractive;

and the Cycle to Work scheme will

continue to provide a great incentive to get

a new bike. On top of this, Cyclescheme

has teamed up with British Cycling to make

it even easier to take to the saddle.

Utilising the combined knowledge

and expertise of both the UK’s leading

provider of the Cycle to Work scheme and

the National Governing Body of cycling,

the two organisations hope to promote

cycling and its benefits, increase cycling

awareness, and encourage new and

returning cyclists to take to two wheels.

By sharing valuable tips and advice on

cycle commuting, the experts at British

Cycling will help to keep you on your bike

throughout all seasons. As the Governing

Body for cycling in Great Britain, British

Cycling provides support to all cyclists from

beginners to Olympic champions – so rest

assured, you’re in good hands!

Daniel Gillborn, Cyclescheme’s head

of commercial operations, said: ‘Here

at Cyclescheme, we are committed

to the long-term cultural and modal shift

from cars to bicycles. Our collaboration

with British Cycling is another key step

in leveraging the positive effects of our

Olympic year to increase the number of

people cycling to work, whilst enhancing

British Cycling’s commuter strategy too.’

British Cycling chief executive Ian Drake

added: ‘We’re working hard to encourage

more people to ride to work, both through

Specialized are now providing a 90-day satisfaction guarantee on every tyre they make. If you are not 100%

satisfied with any tyre, you can return it to a Specialized Dealer for credit towards a new Specialized tyre.

To take advantage of this guarantee, the tyres must be purchased from a Specialized Dealer, in store only (either aftermarket or as part of a new bike) and returned to the point of purchase with proof of purchase (receipt). This guarantee promotes the performance and durability of Specialized tyres. Original equipment colour spec preferences on new bikes are not covered.

For more information, see www.specialized.com

Cyclescheme and

join forces...

the two organisations hopeto promote cycling and its benefits, increase cycling awareness, and encourage new and returning cyclists to take to two wheels

our road safety campaigning

and by providing a raft of

expert tips and advice to

commuters, ensuring they

have the right kit and the

necessary skills to ride safely.

‘We’re delighted to now be

working with Cyclescheme,

who share our passion for

increasing the number of

cyclists across the country, and

together we look forward to

helping more people make the

move from the car or train onto

the bike.’

To find out more about

British Cycling, visit

www.britishcycling.org.uk.

Top tyre deal!

8


News

Make midsummer a cycling

weekend to remember by

heading to Bath on 22-24

June for Bike Bath, which offers an ideal

introduction into longer distance cycling:

the 30-mile ‘Cyclescheme Commuter

Challenge.’ Longer sportive rides of 60 and

100 miles are also available, along with

fine food and the chance to hear talks and

get books signed from cycling celebrities.

There are rides of all three distances

on both Saturday and Sunday. Saturday

will see riders head south from Bath into

the Mendips, while Sunday’s routes take

in the Cotswolds. Both days have some

challenging climbs. Along each route you

will find marshals, feed stations and first

aid support. There will also be Medi Bike

support riders roaming the course on their

motorbikes to provide assistance.

Ride entry costs £20 for each of the 30-

mile Cyclescheme Commuter Challenges,

£25 for the 60-mile rides, and £35 for

the 100-mile rides. There’s a £5 discount

on each fee if you ride both days. Team

entries will receive a discount too, while

under-16s get free entry, so long as they

are accompanied one-to-one

by a parent or guardian.

The weekend starts on

Friday evening, where there’s

pasta supper available at the

Bath Pavilion (£5 each), cooked

by Michelin starred chef Rob

Clayton. Cycling celebrities will

be giving talks afterwards.

On Saturday and Sunday

mornings, you’ll need to

arrive between 6:30 and 10:30

to pick up your timing chip

and number, and get any

mechanical issues with your

bike sorted. Riders will be

released in groups of 20. After

the ride, there’s more pasta

available for those who have

booked (£5 per head).

For ideas on how to get

fitter for these rides, turn to

page 40. For details about Bike

Bath, or to enter, visit

www.bikebath.co.uk. Use code

CYCS10 to get a 10% discount

on your entry!

If you’ve not had the chance to check out the Cyclescheme website yet, go to www.cyclescheme.co.uk for straightforward information and advice on how to get your tax-free bike. Everything you need to know is explained clearly in one place. Make sure you check out our short video that shows you exactly how the system works and another that explains what happens at the end of hire process. You’ll be an expert in minutes.As well as going through every step of the process, the website explains: l How much money you can save l How many calories you will burn l How much you’ll reduce your carbon footprint

Visit the Cyclescheme website

Explore the Community section of the website to find out how to get the correct fit on your bike and how to go about simple maintenance tasks like fixing a puncture and adjusting your gears. Other articles will guide you through buying the best cycling accessories, such as gloves and pumps, and show you how getting a bike through Cyclescheme has had a positive impact on many people’s lives.Don’t forget to check back regularly for your chance to win prizes and get discounts on bike-related products, events and services. So head along to www.cyclescheme.co.uk now.

Bath time!

9

Spring/Summer 2012

It’s the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics in

London this summer, and hopes will be

high that Britain can repeat its stunning

cycling successes in Beijing four years ago.

Britain topped the cycling medal table

at both the Olympics and Paralympics,

bringing home eight Olympic golds and

17 Paralympic golds.

There are four Olympic cycling

disciplines: road, track, BMX and mountain

bike. The four road events are a road race

and time trial for men and women. The

road races (28-29 July) are bunch-racing

events, 250km for the men and 140km

for the women, taking in circuits through

Surrey before returning to London, while

the time trials (1 August) pit solo riders

against the clock over shorter courses from

Hampton Court.

Pedal for the medals!The track is where Britain

dominated in Beijing. There are

ten events, five each for men

and women, running from 2-7

August at the new London

velodrome. They are: the Sprint,

where two riders compete

head to head; the Keirin, which

sees up to seven riders on the

track; the Team Sprint; the

Team Pursuit; and the Omnium,

a six-discipline individual

competition.

BMX, or bicycle motocross,

makes its second appearance

at the Olympics. Competitors

race 20-inch wheel BMX bikes

over a short dirt course of

berms and jumps that’s next

Kansi’s tweaks for 2012 Cycle Commuter caught up with folding bike firm Kansi in February, at the Fisher Expo cycle trade show, to find out what was new for 2012. The bike frame has had a redesign, with metal gussets added at the head tube and the main hinge to provide extra strength – good news if you’re big rider who has to cope with potholed roads.

There’s a new magnetic catch for the handlebar on its way, so that the bar will stay put easier when the bike is folded. And a new rear bag for luggage carrying is in development.

The features that have carved Kansi a following remain. Its wheelbase is longer than most folding bikes and it uses bigger 20-inch wheels, so it feels more like a conventional bike than a folder when you’re riding it. It’s still light and easy to carry. You can still colour coordinate its grips and transfers for free.

All three models of Kansi – £525 singlespeed, £725 three-speed, and £875 9-speed – are well within Cycle to Work scheme limits. For more details, see www.kansi.co.uk.

door to the velodrome. The races are from

8-10 August.

Cross-country mountain bike racing is

another young Olympic event. The races

take place on a purpose-built circuit of dirt

trails and rocks at Hadleigh Farm in Essex,

on 11 and 12 August.

The Paralympic Games take place right

after the Olympics. Cycling is the third

largest sport on the programme, in part

because bikes can be adapted to suit

practically any rider. There are hand-cycling

events, tandem races where one part of

the team is partially sighted, and more.

The Paralympic road cycling events are

at Brands Hatch from 5-8 September, while

the track events are at the new London

velodrome from 30 August to 2 September.

For more information, see

www.london2012.com/cycling and

www.london2012.com/paralympics.

10

WWW.MERIDA.COM

Cycling Active rated the Road Race 904 as “ a super bargain; an excellent frame with a well-judged specification that we would recom-mend without hesitation.“ – Jan 2012

Hydroformed 6066 aluminium frame with smooth welding, a full carbon tapered fork and Shimano 105 drivetrain.

£999.99

Out of the ordinary…Spring/Summer 2012

Kona UteA long-wheelbase bike that carries the cargo other machines won’t manage

The Kona Ute is a lightweight load lugger for the commuter who needs to carry more than office essentials. Maybe you’re a gardener or a plumber,

or you want to pick up a week’s groceries for the family on the way home from work. Whatever the load, the chances are you can strap it to the back of the Ute or chuck it in its capacious panniers. It’s like having an estate car instead of a saloon, and you’ll end up cycling many journeys you might otherwise drive.

The rear rack, which is topped with a wooden deck, is an integral part of the aluminium frame. Formed of 20mm tubing, it’s sturdy enough for anything you could carry by hand. The big Ute

bags come with the bike, which is good because the hooks of conventional panniers won’t fit the fatter rails.

On the road, the Ute isn’t the behemoth you might expect. It has the weight and upright riding position of an urban roadster, and it could be used daily for the same trips. Its longer wheelbase provides secure, stately handling, and its fat tyres soak road bumps and won’t bottom out under heavy burdens.

You’ll be able to winch even a loaded Ute up most hills as it comes with 18-speed mountain bike gearing. There are reliable cable disc brakes to scrub off speed coming down. For parking and bag packing, there’s a twin-leg kickstand.

There’s also a shorter version of the Ute: the MinUte, which is £750. The Ute itself, with the accessories shown, is £950. For more details, see www.konaworld.com.

On the road, the Ute isn’t the behemoth you might expect. It has the weight and upright riding position of an urban roadster

12

Spring/Summer 2012

StuffBringing you the very best cycling gear for your daily commute and beyond

HotSquash Smarty Pants £125 Fashionable women’s trousers that are rain and stain resistant, with enough stretch for easy pedalling, these are good on the bike or off it. Sizes 8-16. www.hotsquash.com

Continental Touring Plus Tyre £24.99 Kiss goodbye to punctures: this tyre has a thick layer of elastic rubber under the tread to thwart glass, stones and thorns. There are 26-inch and 700C options. www.conti-tyres.co.uk

Kryptonite Evolution Mini 7 Lock £44.99 A short U-lock is easier to carry and harder for thieves to force the shackle. Rated Sold Secure Silver, this one comes with a cable to secure the wheels or saddle too. www.madison.co.uk

Hornit DB140 £34.99 Alert dozy drivers to your presence with this 140 decibel horn, which runs off two AAA batteries and fits any handlebar. www.extrauk.co.uk

14


Niterider Cherry Bomb £19.99 This small rear light is super bright from a wide angle, thanks to three LEDs and a light-spreading lens. It uses two AAA batteries; rechargeables are fine. www.2pure.co.uk

Stuff

Respro Hi Viz Nitesight Helmet Band £16.99 The halo that cycle commuters deserve, this stretchy Scotchlite band will help you be seen at night from any angle. www.respro.com

SKS Bottle Cage Adapter £4.99 Can’t fit a water bottle to your folding bike or singlespeed? This adapter attaches one to the stem, seatpost, or frame. (The cage is extra.) www.sks-germany.com

Lezyne Lever Kit £6.99 Everything you need to fix a puncture in a tiny package: two tyre levers, a metal scuffer, and some self-adhesive patches that will stretch along with the innertube. www.upgradebikes.co.uk

MET Xilo helmet £29.99 This economical MTB helmet also suits the ride to work, having a peak to keep sun or rain from your eyes, good ventilation, and washable pads. www.fisheroutdoor.co.uk

15

Police, Bikes,

The Cycle to Work scheme has gone down a storm with Strathclyde Police, where one-in-six officers has already signed up for a tax-free commuter bike

Action!

Spring/Summer 2012

18

Officers on bikes are an integral part of police forces across

the UK. Constables and community support officers ride

modern mountain bikes these days not Dixon-of-Dock-

Green-style roadsters, and the number of bikes on the beat

is a testament to their popularity. As police bikes are a normal sight at

work, perhaps we shouldn’t be surprised by the number of officers

cycling to work. Yet the reception of the Cycle to Work scheme by

Strathclyde Police was particularly impressive.

‘We had the largest take up in the UK within the first few days of

starting the scheme,’ says Inspector John O’Neill, who is based in

Bishopbriggs. ‘We’d been hoping to get the Cycle to Work scheme for

some time. It’s a shame it’s started only a couple of years before I retire!’

‘It had been discussed before,’ says his colleague Steve Whitehall,

from Strathclyde Police’s HR Health & Well-Being Unit. ‘But I think the

public sector is limited with regard to the number of salary sacrifice

schemes in place at the same time. When the computer scheme

vanished, it was agreed we would do the Cycle to Work scheme

– we had officers on bikes already. Our workforce is 11,000 and

around one-in-six signed up to get a bike. Cyclescheme said it’s

one of the best responses they’ve seen.’

That would be noteworthy even in a place where the

topography and population density make cycling a compelling

option – London, for example, or Cambridge. Strathclyde Police

oversees an area that’s much bigger, lumpier and more diverse.

‘Half of Scotland, basically,’ says Steve. ‘From the likes of

Lanark (South Lanarkshire) up to Campbeltown (Argyle and

Bute). Some might get a bike and use it periodically; others

might cycle to work a lot. It depends where they are located.’

What’s not in doubt is the interest officers have shown

in the scheme. Steve isn’t sure why it’s been such a hit. ‘We

are about to complete a survey,’ he says. ‘I’ll be interested to

know what the rationale was behind people getting bikes.’

He suspects it’s health and fitness. ‘People want to keep

fit. I think it’s the nature of the work we do. And people see

the cost incentive there: it’s a good deal.’

A healthy workforce is something that Steve takes

“People want to keep fit. I think it’s the nature of the work we do. And people see the cost incentive there: it’s a good deal.”

Cops on bikes

19www.cyclescheme.co.uk 19

a keen interest in. He helps implement

the Healthy Working Lives programme

(healthyworkinglives.com). ‘It’s a Scottish

programme that tries to encourage health

promotion and physical activity at the

workplace,’ he says.

Physical fitness could become a hot

topic nationwide for the police. Home

Secretary Theresa May ordered an 18-

month review of police pay and conditions.

One of its recommendations was an

annual fitness test for officers – which

regular cyclists would doubtless pass.

The bikes that officers obtain through

the Cycle to Work scheme are for personal

use, for getting to work and back;

Strathclyde Police already had police bikes.

One benefit of this is that they were used

to accommodating bikes and cyclists. They

didn’t need to install cycling facilities. ‘We

had them here,’ says Steve, ‘so we had no

real issues with that. We had bike racks and

we had showers.’

They also had a cycle training scheme

in place, to instruct those officers who use

the police bikes. ‘And we offer that to our

staff who have bought bikes through the

Cycle to Work scheme,’ says Steve. ‘We have

to offer advice when we can, especially for

those who have not cycled for some time.

We always urge caution, so that they’ll be

safe coming to work and at work.’

Accidents are always possible and Steve

reports a couple of injured officers. On

the whole, however, work attendance has

improved. ‘We have reduced our sickness

and absence over the last couple of years.

I’m not sure if the scheme has contributed

to that.’ What it clearly hasn’t done is made

absence worse, cycling to work being

more beneficial than it is perceived by

those who don’t do it.

As well as providing transport, the Cycle

to Work bikes have been useful for building

bridges with the local community. ‘People

with the bikes have taken part in the likes of

the Glasgow to Edinburgh charity ride,’ says

Steve. ‘We get involved with cycling locally,

with kids cycling to school and so on. One

of our areas is Bishopbriggs [where John

O’Neill is based], and it’s regarded as one of

the most cycle friendly towns in the UK.’

Next year will see big changes for the

police in Scotland. ‘We’ll be merging into

one complete Scottish force,’ says Steve. ‘I

think Lothian and Borders have a Cycle to

Work scheme.’ Given that Strathclyde do

too, Steve is optimistic that the scheme will

roll forward and be available for officers in

the new unitary force.

As well as providing transport, the Cycle to Work bikes have been useful for building bridges with the local community

Not just for the ride to work: John O’Neill enjoys a mountain bike ride near Aviemore

Spring/Summer 2012

It takes only 10 minutes for an employer to sign up to Cyclescheme. It’s free to join and easy to administer online. Employees get a tax-free bike from the scheme, of course, but what about advantages for employers?

l Save money. Employers can typically save 13.8% of the total value of salary sacrifice, due to reductions in Employers’ National Insurance Contributions due.

l Healthier employees who take fewer days off sick. The London School of Economics found that cyclists were absent 15% less than non-cyclists – that’s one day less a year.

l More punctual employees. Cycle commuters are unaffected by traffic jams, parking problems, or public transport delays.

l Reduced demand for car parking spaces. That frees them up for visitors to use and might mean fewer could be provided – which would save money.

l It helps reduce the carbon footprint of your business. That’s good for the environment and might help public relations.

The benefits of cycling employees

20

The hub has eight internal gears, which need little care or attention

in detail...

Other rated rides...

Mid-width street tyres provide comfort on rougher roads or good tracks

Bike test

Merida S-Presso I8-D £999.99This has a similar appearance and purpose to the Hyde Pro, with a utilitarian aluminium frame and fork with the necessary fittings for commuting accessories. Its Shimano 8-speed hub is the even smoother running Alfine version and it has powerful hydraulic disc brakes instead of V-brakes. It’s supplied with mudguards and a kickstand. www.merida-bikes.com

Scott Sub 25 £749.99Scott’s range of Sub hybrids starts at £429 with the Acera-equipped Sub 40. The Sub 25 has a Shimano Nexus Inter-8 hub gear, with an eccentric bottom bracket to tension the chain. Its lightweight aluminium frame and fork are ready for Scott’s integrated Urban-Kit mudguard/racks – or others of your choice. www.scott-sports.com

Spring/Summer 2012

22

With up to four panniers, you could use this for the weekly grocery shop as well as the ride to work

shrug off potential pinch-flats on even the worst roads.

The frame is a good-looking aluminium one with butted tubes. That means the tube walls are thicker on the inside at the ends, so they don’t lose strength when they’re welded together into a bike frame, and thinner along their length, which saves weight. Result: a frame that’s light and strong.

It has the features you want for town riding too. It will accept full-length mudguards and pannier racks front and rear. With up to four panniers, you could use this for the weekly grocery shop as well as the ride to work – or maybe a cycle-camping trip somewhere not too hilly. There’s a mount for a kickstand on one chainstay, while the forward-facing rear dropouts enable you to set the wheel back to tension the chain without requiring a separate tensioner.

The riding position is relatively upright, which suits the shorter urban journeys that this bike is meant for. If you want to get more aerodynamic so that you can really step on it if you’re late for work, you only need allen keys: remove and refit the stem the other way up, at the bottom of the stack of spacer washers. (You’ll need to remove and refit the handlebar while you’re at it.)

Hub gears add to the cost of any bike, yet the Hyde Pro manages to be good value and its low-maintenance durability should save you money over the long term. There’s also a Hyde Pro Lady version with a step-through frame. www.cube.eu


Cube’s civilised hybrid is more Hyde Park Corner than an aggressive, do-anything Mr Hyde. Its internal hub gear is well suited to stop-start urban traffic and cyclepaths, because you can change gear from top

to bottom while you’re waiting at traffic lights. Try doing that with a derailleur!

The Shimano Inter-8 hub is a defining feature of the Hyde Pro. It’s controlled by a twist-shifter, with an indicator window to tell you what gear you’re in. The ability to change gear while stationary is surprisingly useful, as you don’t have to downshift as you approach junctions. You can change gear while pedalling too, though it works best if you back off the pedalling pressure a bit and ‘soft pedal’.

The range of gears with the 20-tooth sprocket fitted is the same as an 11-32 cassette. Even with just one chainring, that’s ample around town. The gears are evenly stepped and all feel efficient. Despite the fact that you’re spinning sets of meshing gears inside the hub shell, the sensation is more egg whisk than pepper grinder.

Other advantages include a non-dished and hence

stronger rear wheel, and the fact that bit of dirt or chainwear won’t spoil the bike’s gearshifts. The main disadvantage is that to get the rear wheel out, in the event of a puncture, you need to disconnect the gear cable and then undo the wheelnuts with a 15mm spanner.

Punctures are not particularly likely. The Schwalbe Road Cruiser tyres have an extra rubber protection belt under the tread to stop sharp objects, and the cushy 37mm width will

Cube Hyde Pro £589An urban hybrid that hides its eight gears inside the hub, protecting them from rain, dirt and hard knocks

Tech SpecsPrice: £589 Weight: 26.4lb (12kg) Frame: Double-butted High Performance Aluminium frame Fork: Aluminium Drivetrain: Shimano Nexus Inter-8 hub gear and twistgrip shifter, Truvativ E400 42t chainset, 20t sprocket Brakes: Shimano M442 V-brakes Wheels: Schürmann Yak aluminium rims, Shimano Deore and Nexus Inter-8 hubs, Schwalbe Road Cruiser 700x35C tyres Other: CSDG Rock City saddle, Easton EA30 flat handlebar, Easton EA30 stem Sizes: 46, 50, 54, 58, 62cm; Lady: 46, 50cm

On test...

Jargon BusterDished wheel A derailleur-

geared wheel is ‘dished’. Look

at it from behind and you’ll

see it’s not symmetrical: the drive-side spokes are angled more steeply than the

non-drive-side spokes. This

is to allow room for multiple

sprockets on the drive side.

Kona Dr Good £750The Nexus Inter-7 hub fitted to the Dr Good is just as practical as the 8-speed, though gear range doesn’t go quite as high or as low. The brakes offer all-weather reliability, however, with an Avid BB5 disc brake up front and an enclosed roller-brake at the rear. The backswept handlebar provides a more casual riding position. www.konaworld.com

Saracen Urban Clevermike £849.99Saracen mostly make mountain bikes, but beneath its bold two-tone frame and wheels the Urban Clevermike is a very practical commuter. Shimano’s 8-speed Alfine hub is excellent, and there are hydraulic discs for dependable braking. The 35mm tyres will deal with mean streets, while a suspension seatpost will take the sting from unseen potholes. www.saracen.co.uk

23

Spring/Summer 2012

Example Cyclescheme savings for basic and higher rate tax payers

Total retail price

£743.97Price after savings for

basic rate tax payer


higher rate tax payer

£431.50

£589 Cube Hyde Pro

Example savings Basic rate 20% Tax, 12% NI

Bike package retail price £743.97

Income tax & NI saved £238.07

Gross monthly repayments £62.00

Net monthly payments £42.16

Total cost of bike package £505.90

End of hireEUA payment £49.98

Total saving at end of EUA £188.09

Higher rate 40% Tax, 2% NI








This is an example of how savings are made for basic and higher rate tax payers on this bike package hired over a 12 month period.Savings will be affected by your personal level of taxation.

At the end of the hire period you may be given the option to continue to use the bike by paying a small one off deposit and signing an Extended Use Agreement (EUA) with Cyclescheme. There are no further rental payments during the EUA period. This option will maximise your savings via the scheme (see page 6 for more details).

Package

Add safety equipment for the full bike-to-work experience...

Example

£69.99 Madison Trail Softshell jacket www.madison.cc

£54.99 Altura Urban Dryline 15

www.zyro.co.uk

£29.99 Met Xilo helmet www.fisheroutdoor.co.uk

24

Hyde Race vanaf £ 769

ElEgant, Cool and dynamiC

CUBE Hyde Race is a lightweight urban lifestyle bike with low maintenance hub gears and rigid aluminium fork for daily rides. If you plan a longer trip away from urban traffic you can easily add an additional trekking set using the low riders eyelets. The CUBE trekkingset contains a carrier, lugagestraps and a mudguard set. Also available CUBE Hyde £ 549,- and CUBE Hyde Pro £ 589,-

For more information on CUBE and our bikes please visit: www.cube.eu | [email protected]

www.facebook.com/cubebikesuk www.twitter.com/cubebikesuk

Cube_cyclecommuter_20-02-12.indd 1 20-2-2012 17:42:30

26

essentialsWe give you the lowdown on the bike kit you just can’t do without…

Jargon buster Litres Luggage volume is measured in litres;

10-20 is usually enough for commuting. If

volume is not listed, multiply the bag’s width

x height x depth to get the volume in cubic

centimetres, then divide by 1,000.

Office Bags

Commuting luggage can go on

your bike or on your back. For

shorter trips and lighter loads, you

can’t beat the convenience of a

courier bag or rucksack. The further you’re

commuting and the more weight you’re

carrying, the stronger the argument for

letting your bike bear the burden.

Unless your essentials are compact

enough to fit a bar bag or basket, or in a

saddlebag, you’ll need a rear pannier rack.

A rack that fits to the bike frame rather

than the seatpost is sturdier, but not all

bikes have the threaded eyelets required.

Whatever bag you use, it needs to be

rainproof – perhaps via a separate cover

– and stable. Waist or chest straps secure

backpacks and shoulder bags better,

while panniers need top hooks that

won’t jump off the rack rails and a lower

hook that won’t snag the spokes. Basil D’Azure Canvas Messenger bag £69.99 Made from water-repellent canvas, Basil’s D’Azure is a stylish messenger bag with a good looking inner liner. It’s more bike-specific than you’d guess at first glance. A zipped pocket on the back conceals hooks to hang it on your bike rack, if you don’t want to carry it on your back by its detachable shoulder strap. There are reflective stripes front and rear, as well as a good sized zipped pocket on the outside. Capacity is 15 litres. www.fisheroutdoor.co.uk

Laptop, work shirt, or lunch – whatever you’re carrying to the office, you’ll want a smart, weatherproof bag

Spring/Summer 2012

www.cyclescheme.co.uk 27

Brompton S Bag set, black £115 One of the strengths of the Brompton – aside from its neat, compact fold – is its luggage system. A front bag clips securely to a block on the head tube, above the front wheel. This smaller S bag is designed for the lower, flat handlebar of the S-type Bromptons, but with a 20-litre capacity, understated looks, and a shoulder strap for off-the-bike usage, it’s equally suitable for any office-bound Brompton. It has waterproof zips and a high-visibility waterproof cover. The price includes all fittings. www.brompton.co.uk

Polaris Aquanought courier bag £49.99 This courier bag is another good option for carrying a laptop, as it’s completely waterproof. The seams are welded rather than stitched, and the bag has a dual fastening system: a waterproof zip plus a roll-top closure. There are clips inside the bag to attach accessories. The bag doesn’t slide around your back when riding, as the shoulder strap is supplemented with a waist strap. It also has a reflective patch. Capacity is 20 litres. www.polaris-apparel.co.uk

Altura Urban Dryline 15 £54.99 This compact 11-litre pannier is designed to carry a 15in or smaller laptop. Inside the main compartment there’s a waterproof inner layer and a padded laptop pocket. You won’t get much more in this section, but there is a deep outer pocket that’s big enough for a D-lock and tools. On the bike, Rixen and Kaul hooks secure the bag to the rack. On your shoulder, it doesn’t look to bikey, and the bike side of the pannier is covered by a zip-down panel. www.zyro.co.uk

Ortlieb Office Bag QL3 £120 It’s a briefcase that fixes easily to either side of your bike rack, hooked on at an angle so it won’t clip your heel. It’s sized to fit A4 files or a laptop; optional padded sleeves are available in 13.3in and 15.4in sizes. It’s fully waterproof, thanks to welded seams and a roll-top closure. Capacity is a generous 21 litres, and there are pockets and dividers inside. Outside, large Scotchlite panels provide night-time reflectivity, and there’s a detachable shoulder strap. www.ortlieb.co.uk

Deuter 32709 Essential Bike £89.99 A practical commuter briefcase, the Essential Bike will fit to any standard bike rack using the excellent Quick Lock hooks made by Ortlieb. You can lift the bag off with one hand but it won’t come off by accident. When you do take it off, there’s a flap on the back to hide the hooks and keep any bike grime off your clothes. Capacity is 13 litres, expandable to 16 litres, and there’s an internal document pocket. There are reflectives and a shoulder strap. www.i-ride.co.uk

Essential kit: Office Bags

Axiom Kingston Commuter £39 As its name says, this single pannier is specifically aimed at commuters. The non-tapered shape (38 x 29 x 14.5cm) fits A4 folders without making them dog-eared, and it’s left-right interchangeable. The base of the bag is shaped and reinforced with feet, so it will stand up by itself off the bike. It’s made from heavy duty, water resistant polyester, and its features include reflective logos, a strap to mount an LED light, and a shoulder strap. Capacity is 18 litres. www.paligap.cc

Spring/Summer 2012

What would you rather do if your bike were stolen: give up cycling, find the money for a new one, or just pick up the phone?

Lock it or lose itEven if you’ve got insurance, it’s a hassle replacing a stolen bike – not least because you’ll lose your no claims bonus. It’s possible you’ll get your stolen bike back, especially if it’s registered with a scheme such as Bike Shepherd (www.bikeshepherd.org) or Bike Register (www.bikeregister.com), but it’s better not to lose it in the first place.

• Lock your bike whenever you leave it, even if it’s only for a few seconds.

• Use a good (Sold Secure Silver or Gold) lock – or two locks, ideally different types, in high-crime areas.

• Lock your bike through the frame to something solid, ensuring it can’t be lifted over the top of a post.

• Lock your bike in highly visible, public locations.

• If your bike won’t be stored behind a five-lever mortice-locked door when it’s at home, lock it to a security anchor fixed to a solid wall or floor – or use a Shed Shackle (www.torc-anchors.com).

Check the small print

The bike package you get through Cyclescheme can include useful accessories such as cycle clothing, lights and a

lock. But there’s one important extra that won’t form part of your Hire Agreement that you’re strongly advised to purchase: cycle insurance.

For while your employer is the owner of the bike during the salary sacrifice period you’re responsible for the bike from the day you collect it. If it gets damaged, it’s your job to get it fixed. And if it gets stolen, it’s up to you to replace it. The good news is that if you do replace it, you’ll continue to make income tax and NI contribution savings from the

Before you rush out and buy insurance, it’s worth checking the details of your household contents policy.

Most personal possessions policies do cover bicycles for theft from the home. They tend to be less comprehensive than cycle-specific insurance policies, however, and have a lower maximum replacement value. It’s difficult to generalise because all insurance policies are different. Dig out your policy document and see what it

original Cyclescheme bike package. But that might be cold comfort if you’ve had to shell out up front for that replacement. If the original bike is insured, on the other hand, your insurance company will replace the bike, the scheme will roll on, and you’ll continue to clock up savings without a hitch.

Unless you’re certain your bike won’t be stolen, it makes sense to insure it. And how certain can you be? Well over 100,000 bicycles are reported stolen each year, and as most bike thefts aren’t even reported, the actual figure is probably closer to half a million. Many of these bikes won’t have been properly secured. Yet even the best lock isn’t impregnable.

says. Bikes will have a specific section of their own, headed ‘pedal cycles’. You can also turn up useful information simply by typing the name of your insurer along with the words ‘pedal cycles cover’ into Google. It can take a while to sift through the relevant information.

Take that time. The fact that your policy mentions pedal cycles isn’t enough. You need to know what the limitations of the policy are. If you’re unsure, phone up and ask – with your policy documents at hand.

continued over> 28


Insurance...

29

Insure your bike.

What is the value of the cover?A limit of £1,000 per bicycle is fairly common among contents policies that include bikes. That will be sufficient for your Cyclescheme bike package – unless you have other more valuable bikes that you also want covered. Check that the policy is ‘new for old’ or ‘replacement as new’ and not ‘wear and tear’: you want to replace a stolen bike with a new equivalent, not a bike that’s worth half as much.

What is covered?Accessories fixed to the bike are often excluded, as is damage to the tyres. If you have more than one bike at your home, check that all will automatically be covered. You may have to list your bike or bikes as ‘specified personal possessions’ for cover of a certain value to apply.

Where does the cover apply?Home contents policies may only apply when your bicycle is at home. Even though the majority of bike thefts are from the cyclist’s property, that’s still pretty useless to you as a commuter. You need cover away from the home too, which may incur an additional premium. Most policies only apply in the UK; if you want to be covered when you take your bike abroad, you’ll likely need a cycle-specific policy.

How must you store the bike?Some policies are only valid if you store the bike inside the home, behind a five-lever mortice lock (i.e. a modern house door). Others include locked outbuildings, though the bike may need to be locked to an immovable object in the outbuilding. When you’re away from the home, the policy may only be valid if use a lock of a certain standard – for example, Sold Secure Gold. There may be a limit on how long you’re allowed to keep the bike locked up away from the home, such as 12 hours at any one time.

What activities are covered?The Cycle to Work scheme is for bikes used mostly for commuting. You are free to use your ride-to-work bike for other purposes as well. Competitive cycling is seldom covered as standard in insurance polices. Mountain biking may also be excluded. If you carry your bike by car, it may only be valid if the bicycle is inside it rather than on it.

How much does it cost?Isolate any specific costs for cycle cover so that you can compare them with other household policies (for when

yours comes up for renewal) and with cycle-specific policies. What is the excess? This is the amount that the insurer will deduct from payments to you. A bigger excess can reduce the premium but may make it impractical to claim for, say, a stolen saddle or wheel.

What constitutes proof of ownership?Your copy of your Cyclescheme agreement should be sufficient but it’s worth checking. Some insurers may want the frame number of your bicycle – or for it to be stamped with your post-code by the police.

Cycle specific insuranceCycle-specific insurance policies will give you more wide-ranging cover than basic home and contents policies. You may well be able to get coverage that suits you better by having both. For while a cycle-specific policy will cost extra, it’s possible to save money by stripping out additional pedal cycle premiums from your contents policy. And there are some types of cover you will only get with a cycle-specific policy.

The cost of replacement cover for your bike will depend on how much it’s worth and where you live. Some cities are hotspots for bike theft and any policy will cost more there. For example, if you live in London you’ll pay more for the same policy than if you live in the Western Isles of Scotland. For insurers, Londoners are simply a bigger risk. More Londoners claim, so all Londoners pay more.The overall cost of a cycle-specific policy will depend on what else you want cover for. Here are some of the extras such policies offer – either by default or as an option.

Public liabilityAlso known as third-party liability, this is well worth having as a cycle commuter. It covers you for compensation claims made against you – for example, because you damaged someone’s car or knocked over a pedestrian. Membership of a cycling organisation such as British Cycling, CTC or the London Cycling Campaign can also provide this cover; don’t pay extra for this if you already have it.

Personal accident coverThis is a payment to you if you’re injured while cycling. The payment depends on the severity of the injury.

Roadside recoveryAlso known as cycle rescue. If you can’t complete your journey because your bike is damaged or stolen, you (and your bike) get taken to: your destination; your home; a bike shop where your bike can be fixed; or a railway station. The list of destinations varies and ‘damaged’ may exclude punctures.

Legal adviceEnables you to phone for advice on what to do if you have an accident. Members of cycling organisations may already have this.

Competition coverCover includes competitive cycling. Road time trials are often already included as part of a basic cycle-specific policy, while other events are not and require competition cover to be added.

Overseas coverCovers your bike for a certain number of days per year, either in Europe or worldwide. Worth having if you take your bike on holiday or abroad on business.

Higher sums insuredCycle-specific policies generally cover more expensive bikes, subject to an increased premium. We recommend Cycleguard, a leading cycling insurance specialist. Their ‘create your own cover’ system allows you to buy exactly the insurance you need. Options include theft and residential damage cover up to £5,000, roadside rescue cover, theft from a vehicle, public liability up to £10m and EU and worldwide cover as an extension.

What’s more, you can get 10% off as a Cyclescheme customer. Just head over to www.cycleguard.co.uk/cs to find out more about their services. Quotes are available in just a few seconds.

Spring/Summer 2012

30

the fold

Big bike handling, small bike foldA kansi rides better than other folding bicycles. It also folds quicker and easier than any other bike, plus it looks great too.

kansi.co.uk

urbanevolution

kansi_CC_FP_April12.indd 1 02/04/2012 16:49

The £15 luggage block is the perfect way to carry an office bag on your Brompton

in detail...


Two-speed is fine for most cities. You can upgrade to six-speed if you live in, say, Sheffield

Bike testSpring/Summer 2012

Kansi 3Twenty £724.99The Kansi has bigger, 20-inch wheels and a longer wheelbase, trading a less compact folded sized (83 x 68 x 46cm) for a more stable, normal-bike-like ride. There are three versions: this 3-speed, a singlespeed, and a 9-speed derailleur version. Mudguards are available, as is a shoulder bag to carry it in. www.kansi.co.uk

Birdy C2W £999.99The Birdy is a German full-suspension folder that usually costs over £1,000 in the UK. The C2W version is priced to fit the Cycle to Work scheme. Money is saved with cheaper tyres and 8-speed gearing but it’s still a quality folder with a refined ride. It folds to 79 x 64 x 34cm. www.r-m.de

32

The Brompton folds more quickly, more neatly, and more compactly than any other rideable bike

To fold it, you undo the catch on the seat tube and flip the back wheel underneath the bottom bracket. The bike stands up like this. Then you undo the frame catch and fold the front end back on itself; a hook on the fork hangs onto the chainstay.

Third, lower the seatpost, which locks the back wheel in position. You can tow the bike by the handlebar like this, as there are trolley-wheels on top of the mudguard – which is now underneath. To fold further, undo the stem clamp. The handlebar drops alongside the front wheel and a small socket on the fork clips onto a nodule on the stem. Finally, you fold up the left hand pedal. Everything’s locked neatly together, with the oily chain on the inside.

Any folding bike has to make compromises between folding and riding performance. With 16-inch wheels, the Brompton’s steering is quick. We’d call it nippy rather than skittish, and you soon get used to it. It’s not a plodder either. Those little tyres take 100psi. Commuters with a competitive streak will reel in mountain bikers and hybrid riders without too much effort.

There’s a wide choice of options, such as dynamo lighting and an excellent frame-fitting front luggage system. Turn to page 27 for a review of the surely office-bound Brompton S-bag.

If you’re a rail commuter or you need a folding bike for short hops across congested cities, the Brompton is still the compact folder to beat. And for flatter routes, the lighter, sportier S2L is all you need. www.brompton.co.uk


In 15 seconds a Brompton S2L transforms from a decent city bike into a folded package the size of a small suitcase: 60 x 58 x 29cm. It will fit into places that any normal bike, and many a folder, won’t go without a fight: train, bus, car

boot, studio flat, cloakroom, under your desk… Where you go, it goes. You can leave your bike lock at home.

Brompton offer a pick-and-mix approach to their bikes and say ‘nothing is standard’. But there are eight base modes: the upright, 6-speed H-type; the classic, 3-speed M-type; the touring, 6-speed P-type; and the minimalist, 2-speed S-type. Each is available in a Superlight, part-titanium version.

The standard steel S2L is nice and light, nevertheless. Its 2-speed derailleur saves weight compared to the hub gear that the 3- and 6-speeds use. It feels sportier on the road too, because its flat handlebar is lower and further forward than the other Bromptons, enabling you to assume a more athletic riding position.

Those two gears are fine for brisk city riding: you get a good cruising gear and an easier gear for starting off or climbing gentler hills. A bell is neatly integrated into the

shifter, while the derailleur is an evolution of the chain tensioner that all Bromptons use to wrap the excess chain when the bike is folded.

Ah, the fold! Other bikes fold; the Brompton is the bike you want to fold. It folds more quickly, more neatly, and more compactly than any other rideable bike. In the provinces, people still stop and stare.

Brompton S2L £810The iconic British folding bike is an ideal commuting solution if you travel part way to work by train, bus or car

Tech SpecsPrice: £810 Weight: 23.7lb (10.8kg) Frame: chrome-moly steel Fork: chrome-moly steel Drivetrain: Brompton 2-speed derailleur and shifter Brakes: Brompton dual-pivot callipers Wheels: Brompton hubs, aluminium alloy rims, Brompton Kevlar 16 x 1 3/8in tyres Other: Folding left-hand pedal, standard right-hand pedal, Brompton saddle with moulded grip, mudguards, trolley-wheelsSizes: One size. Extended or telescopic seatposts required for riders above about 5ft 10in.

On test...

Jargon Buster100psi PSI stands for Pounds

per Square Inch. Pressure isn’t the only factor in determining how easily tyres

will roll on good roads, but

it’s an important one. Road

bikes and sporty hybrids use

100psi tyres.

Ridgeback Attache £599.99Made for Ridgeback by folding-bike giant Dahon, this is a 20-inch wheel bike that folds in the middle, similar to the Kansi. It comes fully-equipped, with 7-speed hub gearing, mudguards, chainguard, rack, and kickstand. Weight (26.2lb) and folded size (around 80 x 66 x 29cm) are fair. www.ridgeback.co.uk

Mezzo D10 £974.99 Another UK-designed folder, and using the same 16-inch wheels as the Brompton, the Mezzo omits the mainframe hinge to gain a firmer-feeling ride. The reach to the handlebar is a bit longer too, which faster riders will prefer. It has some clever features, such as self-closing catches, and folds to 81 x 68 x 38cm. www.mezzobikes.com

33

Spring/Summer 2012


Total retail price





£577.09

£810 Brompton S2L

Example savingsThis is an example of how savings are made for basic and higher rate tax payers on this bike package hired over a 12 month period.Savings will be affected by your personal level of taxation.


£49.99 Proviz Hi Visibility Reflective jacket

www.proviz.co.uk

£19.99 Niterider Cherry Bomb

www.2pure.co.uk

£115 Brompton S-bag setwww.brompton.co.uk

Package


Example

Basic rate 20% Tax, 12% NI
















34

GERMAN ENGINEERING

AT ITS BEST!

13mm Square Shackle(Improved Protection fromBolt Croppers)

Advanced Locking Cylinderto Protect from Lock Picking

EaZyKF, TEXKF or USH Bracketfor Easy Transportation

BORDO 6000 SRP FROM £69.99

GRANIT X-PLUS 54 SRP FROM £84.99

More Sold SecureRated Products Than

Any Other Lock Brand!For the full ABUS range and

to find your local retailer, visit

www.zyro.co.uk

5mm Steel Bars Which FoldDown for Easy Transportation

(in case provided)

Innovative 2 ComponentCoating to Prevent Damage

to Paintwork

Supplied with case

LONGBOARD SETlongest fenderson the market

AIRKOMPRESSOR 12.0multi valve floor pump up to 174psi

TOM 1818 function all-rounder

INJEX-T-ZOOMmulti valve pump up to 144psi

TOUR BAG Lseat post bag with quick release attachement

TOP CAGElightweight &sturdy bottle cage

Made in GerMany SKS-GerMany.COM G E R M A N Y

AB_AZ_MTB_CYCLE_commuter_11.indd 1 10.08.11 17:07



Jargon buster Breathable: Most cycling jackets are breathable,

thanks to small pores in the fabric that release sweat

vapour but don’t admit rain droplets. But you can

always sweat faster than any fabric can breathe, so

look for extra vents if you ride energetically.

Cycling jackets keep out the wind and rain without making you overheat. Don’t leave home without one

JacketsC

ycling jackets are longer in the

arms, back and neck than other

jackets to keep out the elements

when you’re leaning over, arms

forward, in the normal cycling position.

They’re closer cut, because a flappy coat

would be annoying and inefficient, and

they’re seldom insulated, because you

generate a lot of heat on a bike. To stop you

getting hot and sweaty, virtually all cycling

jackets are breathable. Some also have

vents under the arms or across the back.

Jackets are described as showerproof

or waterproof. Showerproof means

just that: in sustained rain, water will

get in. However, if you ride hard in a

heavier waterproof jacket you can

end up just as damp through sweat.

A jacket that’s lighter weight and

perhaps only showerproof is generally

more comfortable for summer use,

particularly if you plan to ride fast.

Proviz Hi Visibility Reflective £49.99 As you’d expect with a name like Proviz, there’s abundant reflective trim on this jacket – and of course it’s fluorescent yellow, so you should stand out in any conditions. It’s waterproof and breathable, with cooling available via armpit and back vents. The collar is fleece lined, which makes a big difference on cold days, and there are rear and inside pockets. The front zip, like the rear pocket’s, is waterproof. Sizes S-XL, women’s 10-16. www.proviz.co.uk

Polaris Aqualite Extreme £49.99 More proof that waterproof jackets don’t need to be bulky: the Aqualite Extreme packs into the mesh sleeve on the cuff and will fit into pockets or seatpacks. Taped seams and a storm flap for the zip combine with the waterproof fabric to keep out rain,

while the elasticated cuffs and draw-corded hem and collar keep out the draughts. There’s a front pocket for a phone,

and a removable hood is available (£14.99). Pink, sizes 8-16. Men’s version available.

www.polaris-apparel.co.uk

Altura Pocket Rocket £49.99 Like the Endura Photon, Altura’s Pocket Rocket is a lightweight, pocket-sized jacket that’s fully waterproof. It’s an ideal just-in-case jacket for changeable conditions, whatever clothes you cycle to work in, and it really will stand up to sustained rain without the boil-in-the-bag sensation of heavier jackets. There are no pockets, so it’s better on the bike than off it, but there are some reflective details, plus thumb loops to stop the sleeves riding up. Yellow or black, sizes XS-XXL. www.zyro.co.uk

Madison Trail Softshell £69.99 Looking less ‘bikey’ than many jackets, the Trail Softshell is suitable off the bike as well as on it. The windproof and waterproof fabric is softer and warmer, and there are hand pockets as well as chest and rear pockets. Although you won’t stand out as a cyclist, there are cycling features: the arms are longer, the collar is high, the hem has a draw-cord, and the zips are waterproof. A good option if you’ll be on and off the bike. Women’s sizes 8-18, black or olive. Men’s version available. www.madison.cc

Endura Photon £69.99 Small enough to fit in a cycling jersey pocket like a lightweight showerproof, the Photon is fully waterproof. Seams are sealed and there’s a storm flap behind the front zip. Cuffs, hem and neck are elasticated, and there’s a rear pocket. Reflective trim on the shoulders and sleeves aids visibility. It comes with a mini stuff sack if you want to stash it in a bag or seatpack. Black, red or yellow, sizes S-XXL. Women’s version available. www.endura.co.uk

Ride Protector £39.99 This minimalist wind- and showerproof jacket is well suited to summer use by commuters who cycle to work in bike gear. It’s cut close, with elasticated cuffs, hem and collar, and there’s access through the back of the jacket to bike jersey pockets. The seams aren’t taped, so some dampness will get in here – not that that matters with bike gear beneath. The back and sides have reflective strips. Black or yellow, sizes S-XXL. www.i-ride.co.uk

Spring/Summer 2012

38

Dare2b Night Hawk £79.99 A mid-weight jacket that’s waterproof and breathable, the Night Hawk will pack into its own rear pocket. It’s lined with mesh, so doesn’t get clammy if you wear it over short sleeves, and there are vents in the back to let the heat out. The neck and hem have a draw-cord, while the cuffs are adjustable with Velcro tabs. Its reflective details are visible from any direction. Black or fluorescent green, sizes M-XL. The women’s version is called Night Gaze.www.raleigh.co.uk

Thinner, fitter,

Getting in shape is just one of the benefits of riding

to work. It can be a happy side effect or your

main motivation. You will get fitter. And you will

either lose weight or maintain your weight while

you enjoy luxuries that your sedentary colleagues would

convert into fat.

Like any exercise, cycling burns calories. How much

depends how heavy you are and how much effort you

put in. Leisurely cycling, under about 10mph, might burn

300 calories an hour. Double that for brisk cycling (around

13-14mph) and treble it if you’ll be scorching to work at 16-

17mph or more. Speed is a very rough indicator, since that

will depend on your bike, the terrain, the weather and the

traffic. You might want to think in terms of easy, moderate,

and hard to get a rough gauge of calories burned.

Even cycling at a very easy pace for half an hour each way

has big long-term benefits. If you burn an extra 300 calories

a day, that’s a yearly additional expenditure of (300 x 5 days x

48 working weeks)… 72,000 calories. If you had exactly the

same diet and did no other additional exercise, you’d lose

over 20lb of body fat (9.4kg). That’s nearly a stone and a half.

Cycling to work helps you lose weight and get fit however you do it. But the more you put in, the more you get out

faster

Add an extra loop to make that five-mile commute ten miles each way. Go the long way home!

Spring/Summer 2012

40

Thinner, fitter, Losing weight

The right fuel

Cycle commuting is effective

in managing your weight

because it’s regular exercise that

integrates with your daily life.

You don’t need to set aside time to do it,

like you do with the gym: you’re using the

dead time you’d otherwise spend sitting

in your car or waiting for a bus.

Because there’s a purpose to your

journey, it’s harder to put off than exercise

whose only end is the exercise itself. If you

don’t fancy the gym, you don’t go. If you

don’t fancy cycling to work, you must sort

out alternative transport. That will cost

money and risks parking problems, traffic

jams, or train delays. Since it can be easier

to cycle than not cycle, you’re much less

likely to backslide.

Cycle commuting isn’t like a fad diet or

fad exercise. It’s a lifestyle change. As such,

you’ll get long-lasting results: the weight

will stay off. What it won’t do is fall off

you (and then pile back onto you!) as

quickly as it might from whatever crash

diet is in vogue.

If you’re burning an extra 300 calories

a day, that’s 1500 calories a week. A kilo

of fat contains 7700 calories, a pound

3500. Each week you’d lose less than half

a pound. That’s not trivial but it won’t get

If you want to lose weight faster, you need

to cycle further or harder to burn more

calories and/or you need to change your

diet so you’re consuming fewer calories.

Eating fewer calories doesn’t mean

eating less food. It means eating more

food that’s less energy dense and less

food that’s highly calorific. It’s the usual

advice: more fruit and vegetables; less

food that’s sugary or fatty; and a more

moderate alcohol intake.

you into your old jeans in a fortnight.

The changes are gradual. Monitor your

weight, but not daily. Weigh yourself each

week or fortnight, on a given day and

before you’ve had your breakfast.

Try plotting your weight on a

spreadsheet and turning it into a chart.

That way, even if you have a ‘bad’ weigh-in

one time, you can see the overall trend.

What about carbohydrates? For some

dieters, they’re a dirty word. Ignore

them. Gram for gram, carbohydrate has

same number of calories as protein and

far fewer than fat or alcohol. Complex

carbohydrates found in the starchy

foods like rice, pasta, potatoes and bread

are an ideal food to fuel your cycling.

Apart from burning more calories,

cycle commuters have the same

dietary requirements as anyone else.

It’s important to have a good

breakfast, such as porridge,

to fuel your ride to work. Even

then, exercise that depletes

your energy reserves will make

you crave sugary food. So if

you have a hard commute,

take fruit or cereal bars to eat

at your desk; they’re better

options than biscuits or

confectionery.

Because there’s a purpose to your journey, it’s harder to put off than exercise whose only end is the exercise itself

Insurance...

41www.cyclescheme.co.uk 41

Daily workoutsCycle commuting squeezes what is

effectively two workouts into a busy

working day. That’s why so many amateur

racing cyclists commute by bike. As it’s

‘stealth training’, you might not realise

how much fitter you’re getting. However,

you will be building a base level of

fitness that will soon enable you to try

competitive cycling, complete a 100km

summer sportive, or ride 50 miles a day on

a cycling holiday.

If you want to focus on your fitness,

consider buying a good, lightweight road

bike or a fast hybrid with high-pressure

tyres. For while a heavy bike with draggy

tyres would train you just as well – better,

in fact – you wouldn’t enjoy it so you’d

end up riding it less. Whereas you’ll want

to spend time on a bike that’s rewarding

to ride.

In a similar vein, riding further and faster

is easier if you can minimise what you’re

carrying. Buy a spare bike lock and leave

one at work. Avoid carrying a laptop by

copying essential files to a flash drive.

Leave your work shoes and jacket at work.

You’ll tend to find that you get fitter

and fitter and then plateau. Once you’re

as fit as you need to be for your commute,

the only way to continue to get fitter is to

increase the duration or the intensity of

your rides.

Measured improvementsTo ride further, you’ll need – literally

– to go out of your way to make your

commute longer. Add an extra loop to

make that five-mile commute ten miles

each way. Go the long way home and

cycle for 90 minutes rather than 30. Throw

in a longer Saturday or Sunday ride.

Using your commute to boost your

fitness is one of the most time-efficient

ways to train. You’re already out of the

door and on your bike, so you don’t

need to spend time or mental

energy getting ready.

It’s harder to get

out the door and

do an extra ride

than it is to do an

extra few miles

once you’re already out there.

Upping the intensity of your

rides uses less time rather than

more, since you’ll be going faster.

You could time your commute

and log the results, aiming to go

quicker as the weeks pass. With

a cycle computer, you could aim

to achieve a certain average speed.

Whether you can measure door-to-

door depends on the nature of your

commute. It may only be safe or practical

to measure between two points on your

commute – starting the clock when

you pass that streetlight on the way

out of town, for example, and stopping

it at that Give Way sign as you get closer

to work. Safe cycling is your priority, not

the handful of seconds you might gain.

It’s not a race.

However you choose to do it, set

yourself achievable, incremental targets.

Try doing that section of your journey

a minute quicker or half a mile an hour

faster; include an extra five-mile loop

once a week rather than every day.

There are two components to

getting fitter: training and resting. If you

don’t get chance to recuperate, you’ll

become over-trained and tired. If you’ve

got a tough commute, don’t do it every

day by bike until you’re fit enough. If

you’re riding quickly, alternate fast days

with easy days. Like losing weight, gaining

fitness is a gradual process.

Spring/Summer 2012

Tanita UM-076 Body Fat Monitor Scale £34.99If you want to get leaner, measure your fat percentage not just your weight. www.tanita.co.uk

Bryton Rider 20 £99.99Use an entry-level GPS bike computer to log and upload your commutes so you can compare them.www.zyro.co.uk

Bananaguard £3.99Don’t mash your healthy snacks at the bottom of your commuter bag.www.bananaguard.com

42

OS Landranger map £6.99Plot a longer or hillier ride to work – or home – to burn more calories and get fitter quicker.www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk

Cycle commuter_260312.indd 1 27/03/2012 08:53:05

in detail...


These deep drop brakes have enough room to fit a mudguard plus 25mm tyre underneath

Bike test

Dawes Clubman £849.99Designed for endurance rides known as audax events, the carbon-forked Clubman is a fine multi-purpose road bike. More of the budget goes on the frame, which is made of resilient Reynolds steel, and less on the gearing, which is a 24-speed mix of Shimano 2300 and Sora. It comes with mudguards. www.dawescycles.com

Giant Rapid 4 £525If you want road bike lightness and efficiency without the drop handlebar, Giant’s Rapid range could be for you. The entry-level Rapid 4 has an aluminium frame and fork and wide-range Shimano 2300 24-speed gearing. Brakes are deep drop sidepulls, and you can fit mudguards and a pannier rack. www.giant-bicycles.com

20-speed Shimano Tiagra gears are a step up from Sora, particularly the levers

Spring/Summer 2012

44

vibration of the road like an aluminium fork can. At the back of the bike the aluminium seatstays are slimmer, trading superfluous extra stiffness for less weight and a less aggressive ride feel.

Road bikes at £750 typically come with 18-speed Shimano Sora gearing, so it’s nice to see 20-speed Shimano Tiagra on the Dolomite Three. This is one tier higher in terms of quality, and it gives you the ability to click your way up the gears when your hands are on the drops because Tiagra does all gear shifting at the brake lever; Sora has a little button on the brake hood.

Usually the difference between 10-speed and 9-speed gearing is smaller steps between gears rather than an increase in the overall range. Here, however, the cassette goes up to 28-teeth, so you gain an easier climbing-hills gear compared to rivals with cassettes that go to 25 or 26. As the chainset is a compact one, with a 34-tooth inner ring, you should find most hills manageable.

The lightweight wheels are shod with 25mm road tyres, a good compromise between comfort and efficiency since they do not need to be inflated quite as hard as 23mm tyres. The greater airspace means there’s less risk of the tyre bottoming out on a bump or pothole and pinching the innertube against the rim. You could switch to racier 23mm tyres for semi-competitive events like sportives, or there’s room for 28mm tyres for bad roads and towpaths if you forgo mudguards. www.pinnacle-bikes.co.uk


Road bikes are great for gliding around the lanes on a weekend and getting to work in a hurry from Monday to Friday. Most make few concessions to the UK’s soggy climate. Pinnacle’s Dolomite Three

does: it’s designed here so it’s built to take mudguards.Its sidepull brakes look like those on other road bikes but

have a deeper drop, so there’s enough space for a mudguard and a slightly fatter tyre underneath without any rubbing or risk of jamming. You can even fit a rear pannier rack, to carry a picnic or office essentials on the bike instead of on your back.

Yet the Dolomite Three isn’t a sedate load-lugger. Bigger frame clearances add only air, and the longer brakes and threaded frame eyelets weigh almost nothing extra. At a whisker under 21lb, it’s as effortless to ride as any road bike at this price.

It’s more comfortable than many as well. The tyres are 25mm wide instead of 23mm, which adds a little cushioning, and the taller head tube and shallow-drop handlebar mean that you’ll be sitting a little more upright than you would on a flat-out racer. Your lower back will thank you for this on long

rides like that summer sportive ride you’ve got your eye on. You won’t find yourself straining your neck to avoid staring down at the tarmac on the ride to work either.

The fork blades are carbon fibre. This saves weight compared to a steel fork and doesn’t transmit the buzzing

Pinnacle Dolomite Three £750Light and efficient enough for long leisure rides, this Pinnacle is also practical enough for wet-weather commuting or all-year fitness training

Tech SpecsPrice: £750 Weight: 20.97lb (9.53kg) Frame: T6061 heat-treated aluminium alloy Fork: Carbon blades, aluminium steerer Drivetrain: Shimano Tiagra shifters and derailleurs, FSA Omega 50-34 chainset, Shimano Tiagra 10-speed 12-28 cassette Brakes: Tektro R539 deep drop sidepulls Wheels: Alex DA-22 rims, Joytech hubs, Kenda Kriterium 700x25C tyres Other: FWE Race saddle, Pinnacle DB aluminium shallow-drop bar, Pinnacle alloy stem Sizes: S-XL

On test...

Most road bikes make few concessions to the UK’s climate. Pinnacle’s Dolomite Three is designed here so it’s built to take mudguards

Jargon BusterCassette The set of eight,

nine or ten differently sized

sprockets on the rear hub.

On a road bike, the smallest

is usually 11 or 12 teeth, the largest between 23 and

28 teeth. Mountain bike cassettes have a wider range.

Charge Filter Mid £799.99Charge’s steel-framed, steel-forked machine is essentially a road-going cyclo-cross bike. It has cantilever brakes instead of sidepulls, providing room for mudguards and 28mm tyres – or narrow off-road tyres if you remove the guards. The gearing is a mix of Shimano Tiagra and Sora. A versatile and comfortable bike. www.chargebikes.com

Claud Butler Echelon £549.99The Echelon is a keenly priced road bike with deep-drop brakes and mudguard clearance. Gearing is 16-speed Shimano 2300, and as the chainset is a racer’s 53-39 rather than a recreational rider’s 50-34 compact it’s better suited to flatter areas or fitter riders. The frame is aluminium, the fork carbon. www.claudbutler.co.uk

45

Spring/Summer 2012


Package

Total retail price





£530.68

£750 Pinnacle Dolomite Three




£49.99 Polaris Aquanought courier bag

www.polaris-apparel.co.uk £44.99 Kryptonite Evolution Mini 7 Lock

www.madison.co.uk

Example

£69.99 Endura Photon

www.endura.co.uk

















46

48


Jargon buster GPS: Short for the Global Positioning

System. Your smartphone’s GPS aerial

pinpoints the phone’s location by

connecting to four or more satellites

orbiting the earth. This enables it to

log speed, distance, routes, and so on.

Turn your phone into a bike computer, route finder, repair manual and more with these seven great apps

Smartphone appsH

ow quickly did you cycle to work

today? What’s the best route?

Where’s the nearest bike shop?

How do you fix that faulty brake?

The answers to all of these questions and more

can be found in your smartphone, once you’ve

downloaded the relevant app.

Apps are programs for smartphones. Most

apps are inexpensive and many are free. There

are scores of them for cycling. Where you

get them depends on your phone: iPhone

owners should open iTunes and visit the

iTunes store; Android phone users should

visit market.android.com. Or you can find

links from the app websites we’ve provided.

If you want to refer to your phone as you

ride, you’ll want either a handlebar bag

with a transparent, waterproof pocket on

the top, or a dedicated handlebar mount

for the phone. Manufacturers for the latter

include Topeak, BioLogic, and Arkon.

Fill That Hole FreePotholes are a hazard for cyclists. This app from national cyclists’ organisation CTC logs them and alerts the highway authority responsible for fixing them. You photograph the hazard with your phone’s camera, map the location with the phone’s GPS, add any extra details, click ‘submit’, and the app does the rest. It also logs the pothole on the Fill That Hole website, so you can see where potholes have been reported and whether they’ve been fixed. iPhone only. www.fillthathole.org.uk

Spring/Summer 2012

Bike Doctor £2.99 It’s a bicycle maintenance guide that you can keep in your pocket, with step-by-step instructions for everything from repairing a puncture to replacing a chain. Bike Doctor is aimed at beginners: the text is easy to understand and the photographs are clear. Just read through the relevant repair a couple of times prior to getting your hands dirty. Unlike printed books, the usefulness and longevity of Bike Doctor is extended with periodic updates. iPhone and Android. www.bikedoctorapp.com


National Cycle Network FreeThis isn’t a route-finding app as such: what it does is display 25,000 miles of recommended cycle routes, 13,000 from the National Cycle Network and 12,000 of regional and local links. These quiet road and cyclepath routes are suitable for transport and leisure, and they’re displayed on super-detailed 1:10,000 scale maps. The app shows places of interest too, including bike shops, accommodation, railway stations, and Sustrans projects. iPhone and Android. www.sustrans.org.uk

49

London Cycle Pro £1.99In the UK capital without your bike? This high-rating cycle hire app will tell you where the Barclays Cycle Hire docks are, how to get there, and how many bikes are parked there. It tracks your rental costs with a timer and offers CycleStreets-powered route-finding across London, showing the nearest dock at your destination. There’s also a free version, which has adverts. iPhone only, so try Cycle Hire Widget for Android. www.londoncycleapp.com

Strava Cycling FreeStrava logs the route, distance and speed of your rides and automatically uploads the results to the Strava.com website, where you can compare your efforts with your previous trips – or with other cyclists who have done the same route. It’s an ideal cycle training aid, since it does all of the data collection and number crunching for you, and it’s also good fun for establishing bragging rights with cycling colleagues. You got up Box Hill how fast? iPhone and Android. www.strava.com

Essential kit: Smartphone apps

CycleStreets Journey Planner FreeArguably the definitive UK route-planning app for cyclists, CycleStreets offers quick, quiet, and balanced journey options, like the Bike Hub app. You can view your route on scalable maps or as a stage-by-stage itinerary. The Photomap tool enables you to log and locate problems that cyclists face, a useful extra for campaigning cyclists. CycleStreets employs user-generated data from OpenStreetMaps so some areas have better routing information than others, but it’s improving everywhere. iPhone and Android. www.cyclestreets.net

Bike Hub Cycle Journey Planner Free Based on CycleStreets mapping, this route-finding app is specifically for cyclists: it won’t send you down busy main roads unless you click ‘quickest’ in the route options instead of ‘quietest’ or ‘balanced’, which both favour cyclepaths and backstreets. It aims to avoid hills, and you can use it to find the nearest bike shop too. Hire bike locations are shown but not updated live. There are some useful background articles too, such as Cycling and the Law. iPhone and Android. www.bikehub.co.uk

A comfortable saddle makes all the difference, especially if you commute in normal clothes

in detail...


Trekking gears provide a wide range, which is what you want for hilly journeys

Bike test

GT Tachyon 4.0 £530Like the Globe Work, the Tachyon 4.0 is a versatile hybrid with wide range trekking gearing, V-brakes, and city tyres that don’t demand billiard table smooth tarmac. The drivetrain is a bit better quality, being 24-speed, and the aluminium fork saves some weight. It’s mudguard and rack compatible. www.gtbicycles.com

Mongoose Crossway 200 £349.99You usually need to add accessories like mudguards and rack yourself; the 21-speed Crossway 200 comes with them fitted. That cuts into the budget a little, which is why the stem, bars and seatpost are heavier steel, but it’s a capable town bike nonetheless, with an aluminium frame and good 37mm Continental Contact tyres. www.mongoose.com

Spring/Summer 2012

50

trekking one, with chainrings smaller than a road triple, while the 7-speed cassette offers bigger sprockets than a road cassette. Both these things make lower gears available.

It’s true that 7-speed lacks the cachet and performance of 8- or 9-speed, but entry-level Shimano equipment actually works well. And what’s more important is not how many gears you’ve got, but rather that they go low enough for you. Wherever you live, the Work’s will: only mountain bikes generally have lower gears.

The wheels and tyres are robust; again, they’re trekking style rather than road style. Specialized Infinity tyres roll fine on tarmac and towpath alike and they have a synthetic strip under the tread, which Specialized call Flak Jacket protection, to help prevent punctures. At 38mm wide, the tyres have a good-sized air pocket to soak bumps and vibration.

The V-brakes are unbranded but decent quality aluminium alloy items, as are things like the stem, handlebar and seatpost. Some manufacturers economise on these components on entry-level bikes, substituting cheaper steel parts that add weight. Specialized haven’t. The Work gets a lighter, more secure threadless stem instead of an old-fashioned quill stem, and the wheels have quick releases rather than solid axles. All these weight savings keep the bike’s bulk down and make it that bit more pleasant when you’re climbing hills or accelerating.

There’s a step-through version of the bike available, if you plan to ride in a skirt or have mobility issues that make a top tube troublesome. www.specialized.com


Specialized’s Globe range is a collection of transport bikes for urban cyclists. With a name like Work, this one sounds like it’s aimed squarely at the commuter. So it is. Yet it’s also more than that: a

do-it-all hybrid that’s equally suitable for leisure rides and gentle off-road terrain such as towpaths and non-technical forest tracks.

It is, ironically given the brand, a non-specialised bike. If you don’t plan to own multiple bikes for different types of cycling, that versatility is a real strength. The frame is at the heart of this.

It’s a tough, trekking-style frame, made from lightweight aluminium, while the fork is high-tensile steel. That’s lighter and better quality than the mild steel that’s often used for the frames and forks of cheaper bikes.

The Work’s frame and fork have plenty of clearance for mudguards and chunky tyres, and you can also fit pannier racks front and rear. Obviously the bike will get a little heavier if you add these, although since it starts at just 29lb it won’t turn into a strength-sapping dreadnought whatever you do.

The riding position is fairly upright. That’s good for looking

around in traffic – or at the scenery if you’re riding for pleasure. It means more bodyweight on your backside, but the Work has that covered: the saddle is a broad one to carry an upright rider’s weight better, and there’s a pronounced central groove to remove any pressure from your undercarriage.

Wide-range gearing means that hills or heavy loads in panniers ought not to be a problem. The triple chainset is a

Specialized Globe Work £350A sensibly priced, no-nonsense hybrid that’s lighter and more versatile than you might expect from its name

Tech SpecsPrice: £350 Weight: 29lb (13.2kg) Frame: A1 aluminium trekking design Fork: hi-ten steel, straight-blade Drivetrain: Shimano EF-51 shifters, Shimano top swing front derailleur and Altus rear, Shimano FCM131 48-38-28 chainset, 7-speed 12-32 cassette Brakes: Alloy V-brakes Wheels: aluminium double-wall rims, forged alloy hubs, Specialized Infinity 700x38C tyres Other: Globe Work men’s saddle, alloy riser handlebar, alloy stem with 25.4mm clamp Sizes: XS-XL; Step-through XS-L

On test...

The Work’s wide-range gearing means that hills or heavy loads in panniers ought not to be a problem

Jargon BusterThreadless stem Often referred to as an Aheadstem,

a threadless stem clamps to

the outside of the fork’s steerer

tube. It’s lighter and more secure than a quill stem, which

clamps to the inside of the steerer via an expander bolt.

Trek 7.1 FX £350This the most inexpensive of Trek’s FX hybrids, which they call fitness bikes. The 7.1 is an all-rounder, with abundant frame fittings on its aluminium frame and steel fork, and a 21-speed trekking drivetrain with a low bottom gear of 28/34. Bontrager H2 tyres are durable town treads with a 35mm width. www.trekbike.com

Cannondale Quick CX 4 £549.99A more mountain-bike inspired hybrid, the Quick CX 4 has cable-operated Tektro Novella disc brakes and semi-slick Continental Double Fighter tyres, which suit dry-weather off-road excursions as well as tarmac. Gearing is 24-speed Shimano Acera/Altus, and the aluminium frame and fork have eyelets for guards and a rear rack. www.cannondale.com

51

PackageExample

Spring/Summer 2012


Total retail price





£310.28

£350 Specialized Globe Work



£79.99 Dare2b Night Hawk jacket

www.raleigh.co.uk

£69.99 Basil D’Azure Canvas Messenger bag

www.fisheroutdoor.co.uk


£34.99 Hornit DB140 www.extrauk.co.uk

















52

Prestige | Cycle | Brands

Prestige | Cycle | Brands

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“incredibly well thought through commuter bag”

Cordo Zuid Cycle Commuter.indd 1 01/03/2012 16:08:30

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The Lithium’s a rugged hybrid with big 29” fast rolling wheels that will tackle pretty much anything the tough city streets throw at you.

PINNACLELithium 5 2012

£600.00

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CycleScheme_20.03.12.indd 2 20/03/2012 17:00

OF FREE ACCESSORIES WITH ANY TERN OVER £450 CODE: CSTERN50*only available at participating dealers. Valid until 30.09.2012£50

“Bikes which fold, not folding bikes.” Great bicycles to ride first and foremost with a focus on safety, comfort, convenience, and portability.

Tern Link D8 2012

£475.00

CycleScheme_20.03.12.indd 1 20/03/2012 17:00



Bicycle tyres slowly leak air so it’s essential to have a pump – or two! – to keep them topped up

PumpsI

f your bike’s tyres are too soft, you’ll cycle

more slowly or use more energy. You’ll also

suffer more punctures, since it’s easier for

sharp objects to stick in the tyre and for the

rim to pinch the innertube over potholes.

All tyres have a recommended pressure

range stamped on the side. This pressure

may be quoted in ‘bar’, which is barometric

pressure, or ‘psi’, pounds per square inch. One

bar is 14.5psi. Thinner tyres require higher

pressures and need topping up more often

– every few days rather than weekly or

fortnightly, which is okay for fat tyres.

Two pumps are better than one: a floor

or track pump for use at home, and a hand

pump to carry on the bike. The floor pump

allows easy inflation and will most likely

have a pressure gauge. The hand pump

provides emergency inflation – smaller is

more portable, bigger more efficient.

Jargon buster Schrader or Presta? There are two common valve

types on bicycles: Schrader valves, like on cars; and

thinner Presta valves, with a knurled nut on a stalk.

Many pumps will fit either type, though you may

need to reassemble the pump head first.

Some are one-type only – be warned!

SKS Airkompressor 12.0 £29.99 The German-made Airkompressor has a long steel barrel that delivers lots of air per double-handed stroke, quickly inflating commuting tyres and maxing out at 174psi/12bar. Large feet keep it stable while you’re pumping. The multi-valve head works with Schrader and Presta valves and it locks quickly in place. The good-sized pressure gauge is easy to read, displaying both bar and psi. It’s a new pump, whose value should make it popular. www.sks-germany.com

Birzman Zacoo Dagger £34.99 Tyres aren’t the only part of your bike to pump up. If you commute on a mountain bike or hybrid with a pneumatic fork or shock, get a shock pump too. You’ll enjoy a more efficient ride on the road if you pump up the suspension hard or lock it out. This Birzman pump will do 300psi! You can use it to inflate tyres with Schrader valves too – although it will take a long time – or just to check their pressure. www.birzman.co.uk

Lezyne Tech Drive HP £24.99There are two sizes of this pump: small (170mm and 87g) and medium (216mm and 100g). Either can manage 120psi/8.3bar. You won’t tear the valve stem as your force the air in as it connects via a hose. This is reversible, with Schrader one end, Presta the other, and there’s a button on it to bleed air. The Tech Drive HP is made from CNC-machined aluminium, with composite end caps, and it inflates tyres to riding pressure with almost a third fewer strokes than comparably sized pumps. www.upgradebikes.co.uk

PDW Big Silver Road Pump £32Given the popularity of tiny mini pumps, this foot-long hand pump is indeed big. It inflates tyres more easily because of that. While it doesn’t have a maximum pressure rating, it will readily do over 100psi/7bar. It’s made of forged and machined aluminium parts rather than plastic, and if anything fails it can be rebuilt, so longevity should be good. The pump head is Schrader/Presta reversible. It comes with an alloy bracket to fix to your frame. 295mm, 128g. www.paligap.cc

56

Spring/Summer 2012

Airace Infinity Turbo Steel Floor Pump £38.99It’s nice to see a durable steel barrel on this mid-range floor pump, which will inflate to 160psi/11bar. You can be quite precise too, as there’s an air-bleeder like on shock pumps, so you can let air out with the pump head in place and the gauge still reading. The head automatically fits Presta or Schrader valves, and the gauge is mounted higher on the pump barrel to make it easier to read. The handle is comfortable, the base stable. www.fisheroutdoor.co.uk

Topeak Mini Morph £26.99Floor pumps are easier to use than hand pumps because you don’t have to resist each stroke – the floor does. Topeak’s Morph pumps are bike-portable equivalents, and at 260mm and 170g the aluminium-barrelled Mini is the smallest. There’s a short hose, a fold out foot rest, and a folding T-shaped handle. It will manage up to 160psi/11bar. It comes with a bracket to fix to your bike, or is small enough to stow in a bag. www.extrauk.co.uk

Crank Brothers Power Pump Alloy £34.99 The T-shape top of this pump has a Presta head one side, Schrader the other. You apply whichever you want, then twist at the pressure gauge to lock the head in place. A dial at the bottom of the pump enables you to switch between high volume pumping for fat tyres and high pressure pumping for thin ones. It will reach 130psi/9bar, and there’s a gauge to check on your progress. A good option for multiple bike owners. 238mm, 173g. www.2pure.co.uk

You ride:

Chris Perry rides 300 miles a week on the Dawes tourer he got through Cyclescheme 18 months ago

Chris from Leicester

Chris PerryLives: Desford, Leicestershire

Occupation: Riverside Ranger for Leicester City Council

Bike: Dawes Galaxy tourer, bought using the maximum £1,000 Cyclescheme voucher.

Commute: Desford to Leicester city centre, 10 miles each way in around 30 minutes. Ridden daily.

Fact File

If you drink beer and eat cake, get

a bike,’ says Riverside Ranger Chris

Perry. ‘It allows you to get fit and

enjoy your journey to work. My

cycle commute gives me time on my

own to clear my head. It’s a chance to

think about things and appreciate the

countryside.’

While the opportunity to relax is

what Chris likes most, his commute

has also had a big effect on his overall

fitness. He’s lost three stone and his

resting heart rate has gone down to

that of an amateur athlete: 57 beats

per minute. Then again, he often rides

more than 300 miles a week!

Chris commutes into Leicester

from a village 10 miles away. ‘The

route takes in country roads, a main

A-road, and then sections through

city centre parks. It’s very varied. It’s

rare that I go to work by car now.’

Some of the other 200 miles, Chris

racks up during his work as a Riverside

Ranger. ‘I look after nine miles of

riverside and canal towpath that runs

through Leicester, in a 2,500 acre

nature reserve. It’s a really important

wildlife corridor. Sometimes I use my

own bike for work, but we also have

work mountain bikes and an electric

trike for carrying heavy things like

hedge trimmers. I think that people

Spring/Summer 2012

58

who use the site appreciate that we cycle,

as it allows us to see any problems or

issues that they’ve got.’

Chris is a returnee cyclist rather than a

new cyclist. He used to cycle a lot in his

teens and early twenties, until he had a

bad motorcycle accident. ‘When I was

about 30 I got a mountain bike. I cycled to

work a couple of times of week.’

His opportunity to get a new bike

through Cyclescheme came 18 months

ago. ‘Leicester City Council are good at

pushing cycling. Last slot, I think there

were about 124 people getting bikes

through the scheme. We’re just waiting

now for the next slot to open up.’

Chris chose a Dawes Galaxy, a classic

British touring bike that’s made for mile

eating and well able to carry luggage.

‘I already had a Dawes mountain bike. I

like the Dawes brand. I know the bikes

are made in Taiwan these days, but I’d

still rather be putting money back into

a British company. I like steel frames too,

which the Galaxy has.’

Bad weather doesn’t stop Chris cycling.

‘I ride 12 months of the year. Even last

winter, I rode all through the snow. And

when it’s raining, as long as you’ve got

a good waterproof jacket it’s fine. Once

you’re going by a line of stationary drivers

with miserable faces, you soon feel better

about it.’

Cycling to work has even provided

Chris with the chance to meet

new people. ‘I’ve made some

quite good friends riding back

and forward to work,’ he says.

‘There’s a lad called Danny that

I hook up with when cycling.

He works for the county

council. So when we get to

Leicester, he peels off and

goes to County Hall, and I go

to my work.’

All that cycling has given

Chris an appreciation for

cycling as a sport. ‘I have

volunteered to help out at

the Olympics,’ he says. ‘I’m

transporting dignitaries and

athletes to the velodrome.

Hopefully I’ll get to see some

of the events too, and we’ll win

some medals. I can’t wait.’

When it’s raining, as long asyou’ve got a good waterproof jacket it’s fine. Once you’re going by a line of stationary drivers with miserable faces, you soon feel better about it.’

Over to you...

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My life on bikes

The Channel 4 News presenter and CTC President explains why he gets about London by bike

Jon Snow

Jon SnowLives: London

Occupation: Journalist and news presenter

About: Jon has been the face of ITN’s Channel 4 News since 1989, and was formerly a foreign correspondent. He has been a keen transport cyclist for 40 years; he even cycles at work to get to interviews and stories faster. He became President of national cyclists’ organisation CTC in 2007.

Fact File


Phot

ogra

phy:

Fel

ix C

lay/

New

scas

t & C

TC


Jon Snow could climb into a complimentary car for his journey to work across London. He could take the tube or the bus; public transport is pretty good in the capital. He chooses to cycle instead. Why?

for much of my adult life,’ he says, ‘but I

took a decision about ten years ago that

because I spend so much time on a bike,

I deserved to spend that time on a very

good bike.’

Jon bought the bike himself to replace

an earlier Condor hybrid that was stolen

in 2009 – the third he’d had pinched

in London, which is the UK’s bike-theft

capital. If it happens again, Jon will

be able to obtain a new bike through

Cyclescheme; employees of ITN have been

offered the scheme since April 2011.

Since Jon makes relatively short

urban journeys, he rides in office attire

– including his trademark colourful

socks and ties – rather than cycling gear.

‘I have wet weather gear and I have

normal clothes. I figure that BodyShop

can probably deal with anything up to

15 minutes or so. After that, you’ve got to

have a shower.’

Cycling in London has grown

dramatically over the last ten years, and

Jon says that he sees many more cyclists

on his ride to work. Yet he thinks the

Government could do more to provide

a better environment for cyclists, with

decent cycling infrastructure and not just

painted cycle lanes on roads. ‘I’m

pretty convinced that if you had

proper separated cycleways,

you’d have a very much safer

journey to work,’ he says.

There are some cycleways

in London; Jon isn’t impressed

by them. ‘There are very few,’ he

says, ‘and most of them are

too narrow. They need to

be two bikes wide in both

directions. In London, it’s one

bike in each direction.’

Since UK cyclists don’t enjoy

the facilities of Denmark or the

Netherlands, Jon urges anyone

new to cycling to work to equip

themselves with the necessary

cycling skills. ‘It depends where

they’re cycling to work, but if it’s

an urban setting, I would advise

them to go to a local authority

cycle training session or two.

They need to learn how to cope

with drivers.’

‘Above and beyond anything else:

efficiency, saving time, and keeping fit,’

he says. ‘Fitness is the least important

really. The efficiency and the time saving

is the key. You know exactly how long it’s

going to take. It never varies, irrespective

of whether it’s raining or anything else.

You’re never held up by the traffic.’

His Condor hybrid gives him the ability

to go to news stories in London rather

than waiting for them to come to him. He’ll

happily hop on his bike and ride over to

the House of Commons, for example, to

interview a politician about the topic of

the day. ‘Unless I’m going to the airport, it’s

very rare for me to take any other form of

transport in my working day,’ he says.

Jon isn’t sure exactly how far his journey

to and from work is – not in terms of

distance, at least. ‘I really know it in minutes,’

he says. ‘I don’t know how many miles. It’s

about 16 minutes, so probably about three

and a half miles.’

He rides a hybrid ‘largely because of

potholes and all the rest of it. It’s more

robust. You can’t really use anything much

lighter.’ Any hybrid would do the job, but

Jon’s is a high-quality bespoke model from

Condor Cycles. ‘I have ridden boneshakers

62

‘Unless I’m going to the airport, it’s very rare for me to take any other form of transport in my working day’

I Ride...

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cycle commuter issue 8

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