Manchester train bike diagram

Unexpectedly nice...

Manchester Arndale cycling frenzy

There was a proper scrum in Aldi in the Arndale at dinner time today. It was noticeable that it wasn't the usual Aldi shopper - whoever that might be - involved in said scrum either.
Rather, it was mostly blokes of between 25 - 45 years old all crowded around intensely scrutinising the contents of a few cages which usually contain mop heads and industrial sized boxes of mechanically reclaimed meat which have been fashioned into tasty morsels for man's best friend.
While I was sizing up the fair trade bananas and the unusually appalling standard of grape-fruits, it dawned on me what was going on: it was a cycling special day.

Saddleworth lollipop man heads to work

Now and again Aldi get in a whole load of inexpensive but pretty good cycling gear and a massive blokey bun fight ensues.
Think Boxing Day sales but with blokes stretching their hands into gloves which are conjoined by strips of nylon and a wild blur of day-glow sleeves reaching upwards as arms are inserted.
It's a feeding frenzy basically.
I had to make do with a quick browse of the sock section as I was weighed down by fruit a feared a citrus-based disaster might occur. The bike stands looked pretty good though but the lights I spotted from afar looked pretty shit.
Anyway, as per yesterday's post, I'm shopping local me.

Cycle into Manchester's past

Lovely event coming up as part of the Manchester Weekender.  Visit Creative Tourist for further deets.

1910 cycle ride at Victoria Station, 10.30am, Sunday 14 October 2012, £5. Walking tours are so, like, yesterday*: take a tour of the city via two wheels instead as guides Emma Fox and Kate Dibble uncover the remnants of the early 20^th century: the ‘war to end all wars’, Manchester Ship Canal, the largely unknown Trafford Park Village, and Manchester United’s move to Old Trafford. On this cycling tour, pedal along two of Manchester’s most significant canals, and have the option of either stopping off at IWM North for Pat Barker’s one-off reading at 6pm, or heading back to the city centre for refreshments at Pop Up Bikes. Bloomers and tweeds optional. Meet at Victoria Station (wall map). Organised by Manchester Guided Tours. Bring your own bike and lock; expect to cycle on road and occasionally narrow/muddy track. Suitable for adults and accompanied teens. *they’re not, obviously; we refer you to our previous listing.

Nice 'tache

Manchester bike shops v online

If, like me you've ever bought anything from an online retailer, your email inbox will have lit up recently with a blizzard of messages encouraging you kit yourself out for the Autumn / Winter season.
I much prefer going to local independent shops for cycling bits but being in work, getting dragged to visit the in-laws and watching shite football teams which never win anything, tends to limit my opportunities to pay a visit to my favourite shops.
So, more often than not, I find myself shopping online for stuff - clicks and mortar as retail sector wonks annoyingly call it.
There are some pretty good ones out there too: Parker International, Tweeks cycles, Wiggle, Chain Reaction and many others.
These are good operators but the world would be a much more uninteresting place without bike shops.  So, I'm resolving myself to re-double my efforts to support independent retailers and spend my money locally.
Obviously, Ken Foster's will be the natural place to start and I'll try a squeeze in a trip to Harry Hall soon - spread the love and all that.
There are loads of other shops about too - I might do a review of them all actually - as a secret shopper or something.
Ride safe, shop local

The Amber Nectar, in Chorlton 

Truly wonderful cycling imagery

There is some really lovely stuff on this tumblr site. All cycling related of course - like this photo of the memorial to Tullio Campagnolo at the summit of the Croce d'Aune in the Italian Dolomites. 

If you like photography, design and cycling then you will be hard pressed to find a more enthralling collection. A feast for your eyes. Indulge.

Cycling: Manchester's Other sport?

It's been raining for about 18 hours solid now but I'm determined to not let it get to me.  I've not had much opportunity to blog of late and as I dry out from this morning's commute, I've been thinking about Manchester and what the city offers cyclists.
Manchester is no worse, or better, than any other typical UK city for cycling infrastructure - it's generally shite with the odd decent bit thrown in where it can be retro fitted into the existing road network.
Manchester should really be much, much better though.
The civic leaders are quick to extol the virtues of having Team GB holed up in East Manchester and point to their presence with pride - rightly so too.
It was, after all Manchester City Council, or rather its council tax payers, which stumped up the money to pay for the Velodrome and British Cycling's electricity bill back in the day.
But there's could be so much more which could be done.  So, what, I hear you ask am I going to do about it?  Well, other than occasionally blog about the region and tut at things I don't like, I'm going to check out the Greater Manchester Cycling Campaign with a view to getting involved in their activities.
I'm also going to ask Trinity Mirror why the Manchester Evening News does not have a dedicated cycling section on its website.  Surely if there's enough going on in Golf and Basketball in the region, cycling deserves a place outside of 'other sports'.

Ride safe

Cycling in Cheshire alone

There was a distinct chill in the air this morning on my Sunday ride. The first ride after the autumn solstice, I sadly missed the club run bus and took my mild strength hangover out for a solo ride.
Sometimes there is nothing more soul destroying than riding alone for mile after mile, but today was one of those days which was the opposite.
The opportunity to ride at your own pace and on your own route is the main attraction of riding alone, plus you can let your mind wander.
On the negative side is you are always on the front and you might not push yourself as far or as hard.
But, that said, I always feel that it doesn't matter how far or how hard you ride, just as long as you do ride.
So my ride took in The Wizard, Swiss Hill and a number of the lovely lanes around Prestbury and Alderley Edge. Nice.

1300 fined for cycling on Manchester's pavements

The final paragraph of this article in this week's South Manchester Reporter reveals that almost 1300 people were fined for riding bikes on the pavement between 2005-09.
The clear association here is that people do this as they feel safer.
In fact, this is noted by our some of Greater Manchester's local authorities which have designated pavements as shared surfaces for cyclists and pedestrians.
Personally, I rarely ride on the pavement but fining 1300 people is frankly a fucking joke.
And, relax...

Bad example

Tony, this sort of behaviour gets cyclists in trouble over here.

Britons roll on...

After a few days away from the computerised world in North Wales, I return to find cycling in Britain has had yet more successes to report.
First off Jonathan Teirnan-Locke has become the first Brit to win the Tour of Britain and then, Elinor Barker mullered the field to become the junior women's world time trial champion.
What a superb performance!

Thin blue ride

There have been various calls over the last few months for cyclists to engage in some sort of formal training before taking to the road.
Notwithstanding the logistical challenge of making everyone who owns a bike doing some sort of test and enforcing it, it seems to me to be unnecessary.
Quite apart from anything else, most people I know who cycle, take a keen interest in their riding style.
The best thing I ever did for my cycling and car driving for that matter, was learn to ride a motorbike.
The thing with riding a motorbike is that if you crash, you're basically toast meaning you have to know what you're doing.  I'm by no means the best bike handler in the world but I'm much, much better than I used to be.
Simple things like checking blind spots - something which car only drivers seldom do - are given extra importance on a motorbike as they become 'your lifesaver'.
Many cyclists and motorcyclists like to think of themselves as students of the road and if I could recommend one book to read, it'd be the Police motorcyclist's riding guide: Roadcraft.

Warning: may include doughnuts

If you want to know how to read a bend, all about lane positioning and being safe at speed, this is a great place to start.
My copy is from the early 1980s and it basically explains defensive riding techniques before the term was invented.
You can pick copies up for a couple of quid and it'll make you a better rider.

NEC: not encouraging cyclists

I'm enduring the hospitality of the Birmingham NEC this week and find it to be a pretty inhospitable place for the two-wheeled visitor.
Among the posters for the bike show at the end of September, the provision for cycling and cyclists is non-existent.
The whole place is pretty soulless anyway, but it's a means to an end.
Sadly, cycling has been completely overlooked with not even a Sheffield stand in sight.
Poor show really...

Breeze: women-only cycling event in Manchester

A week next Sunday (23 September) the women only Breeze ride takes place including one in Greater Manchester at Phillips Park in Swinton.
The purpose of the Breeze series is encourage more women to take to two wheels.  It is an undeniable truism that more fellah's ride bikes than women do.
And this is a sad thing.

Pictures like this re-establish your belief in humanity

When I get a bit excited and carried away with bikes and their social / historical significance, I ponder on the simple invention of two circles and two triangles which has brought freedom and emancipation to millions of people all over the world for the last 150 years or so.
The bike should be embraced by all people in equal number: it does not distinguish between gender, race or age of its rider.  The bicycle does not discriminate.
So events like Breeze are a good thing in my book and I sincerely hope they lead to more and more women taking up cycling.

What's in the bag?

Among all the important questions facing the cycling commuter is the one about how you are going to transport your stuff to and from work.
Over the years I've tried various different options including every rack / pannier configuration you can imagine, ruck sacks of varying sizes and even a over-the-shoulder newspaper style bag which was disastrous.
I find panniers a pain, as your bike end up out of balance.
Finding something that works for you is a matter of trial and error but I'm happy to pass on a few tips which might make it a bit easier for you.

Busy day in the office

• Leave your lock where you lock your bike: it's probably the heaviest thing you'll carry so don't take it on a tour unnecessarily, it has no interest in sightseeing.
• Travel light: only carry what you really need. Pour moi: shirt, socks, trollies, keys, wallet, phone.
• Find space for a puncture kit, pump and some tyre levers.
• Be careful with food: Yoghurts and nectarines are both a disaster waiting to happen.
• Zip it: loads of bags have zips these days which are good for keeping your stuff inside.
• Keeping dry: if you don't have an outer cover for the bag, put your stuff in a plastic bag to keep all the rain out.
• Being seen: Many people opt for those day glow HUMP things. Me no like. Get something with reflective fabric if you want, but most importantly, have decent lights on your bike.
• Smaller is always better.  The bigger your bag, the more stuff you'll carry.

So there you go, hope it was of use!

Beautiful day in the Peaks

Lovely ride out today in the autumnal sunshine. Route was something like: Chorlton, Stockport, Marple, Hayfield, Chinley, Whaley Bridge, Kettleshulme, Windgather, Dead Man's Hill, Blaze Hill, Pott Shrigley, Poynton, Bramhall, Cheadle, Didsburyshire and back to Chorlton.
Plenty of people out on their bikes today too - always good to see.

Media react to Tour of Britain start

For all of the hype surrounding cycling this year, what's the media response to the tour of Britain starting today?
The best you can say for the BBC, the most visited news site in Europe, is that the news made it onto the sport homepage - just.
On this, admittedly single piece of evidence, cycling's stock has risen but by an imperceptibly small amount.

Used cycling top: £200

Allied with Team GB's superb successes at the Olympics and Paralympics, has been the uber-cool Stella McCartney kit that they've been wearing.
The limited availability of the cycling kit has led to a boom in the second hand market for the abstract Union flag design.

Available now on ebay

If you have a look on eBay for Team GB Olympic cycling kit, you'll find that jerseys are demanding hundreds of pounds and people appear to by paying it.
You'll also find, what some people refer to as 'cheap Chinese replicas' going for £30.
Apparently the 'originals' were manufactured in Italy rather than the far east but given that almost everything else is made in China, there's probably very little difference between the two products.
It all rather makes you wonder why the kit isn't still available.  Profits could go back into legacy or whatever.

Superb racing in Spain

The racing in this year's Vuelta has been absolutely superb.
Despite Chris Froome inability to make an impression on the GC, the duel between Bertie and Joaquim Rodriguez has been fascinating.
Regardless of what you think of Bertie, you have to admire his racing style.  Yesterday's stage was a faultless  example of cycling strategy bearing fruit.
Battering over the 180km course at an average of 48kph, he not only managed to get the jump on his rivals, he swatted them aside to take the leader's red jersey.
Rodriguez's view that he expected Contador to beat him turned out to be prophetic.  He must be wondering how it happened after not allowing Contador any breathing space in the high mountains, he goes and blows it  on a stage with Cat 3 climbs.

Expecting the worse

There may still be more twists and turns to come but it'd be a brave person to bet against Bertie now.
This year's Tour was superb to watch with Bradley dominating proceedings, but it lacked the excitement that's been shown in the Vuelta.

New arrival

Following recent fork disasters, these little beauties have just arrived from the wonderful people at Brick Lane Bikes.

They are so shiny as to appear blue in the picture - they're actually chrome.  That's tomorrow night sorted then!
Interesting but useless, the forks chime in a perfect D when you tap them.

Signs of autumn for Manchester cyclists

There's no doubt that autumn is on its way.  Despite the fact that 'summer' has been indecipherable from winter at times this year, the coming of autumn brings a new set of challenges to the cyclist. 

Not quite here yet, but it wont be long...

If the last couple of years are anything to go by September and October should be months to look forward to.  There was a balmy week last September when the mercury rose to a scorching 33 degrees and autumn has generally been much dryer than summer for the past five years. Add to this the beautiful natural colour palette and autumn is my favourite season.
On the flip side, there was a distinct chill in the air this morning on the daily commute and for the first time I could see my breath at the lights.  The other major difference is that the schools are back in force and therefore, so are the cars. The difference is really noticeable.
We have the squelchy mulch of fallen leaves and the low sunrises to come and with the sun now setting before 8pm, it wont be long until it's time to put the lights back on...
If I could choose my perfect cycling weather it would be like those all too rare halcyon autumnal days of clear blue skies, bright sunshine and chilly temperatures.  Bliss.

New DfT minister is...

MP for Derbyshire Dales Patrick McLoughlin is the new department for Transport minister following Justine Greening getting the bullet
This is the bloke who is now in charge of cycling policy - you can read more about him here.

A what? A bicycle you say?

Let's give him an opportunity to show leadership and enlightened approach to transport matters including cycling.  Here's hoping...

Pastel pedallers

The announcement last week that Team Sky is to be kitted out in Rapha togs next season signals another significant moment for cycling in the UK.
Dropping the Adidas kit in favour of Rapha's more style-concious threads will, in my humble view, result in a huge growth of replica cycling jerseys being seen around town.

Looking good? How will Team Sky look next year?

Rapha's gear is always very nice: a bit retro and undoubtedly stylish compared to much cycling kit you see out there. I have to say their colour choices are always a little neopolitan ice cream for me - or dare I say it, a bit effeminate.

The Rapha colour reference chart (possibly)

However, what do I know? I reckon the Sky gear will be superb when its issued and sell by the broom wagon load.  It'll be launched to a colossal fanfare too.
It should be really interesting to see what they come up with.

27 reasons to be cheerful

The track cycling at the London Paralympics finished yesterday with another flurry of medals for the British team which is based at the Manchester velodrome.
The final tally of five golds, seven silvers and three bronze medals was enough to place Team GB atop the medals table and with a bit more luck, it could have been more.
Mechanical issues aside, the overall performance has built on the achievements of Beijing four years ago but increased competition, particularly from China, has led to serious competition for medals - and the sport is all the better for it.

Paralympics 2012 track cycling medal table

Add these medals to the nine track and three road race medals won at the Olympic games, and Team GB's total haul of 27 medals represents a superb return.  
It's quite fitting that the team is based at the aesthetically functional Manchester track rather than the beautiful London version, after all churning out medals which inspire people to ride is what it's all about.
Less good news in Northern Spain for British riders where Chris Froome is being put to the sword in the Vuelta. 
Despite last week's Cycling Weekly claiming that Froome basically had the ride in the bag, under the baking Spanish sun Froome looks tired and just cant live with the bursts of acceleration from the Spanish trio of Bertie, Joaquim Rodriguez and Alejandro Valverde.
It looks like Froome has left too much of himself on French tarmac and that we'll have to wait until next year's Tour form Britain's next stab and a GC winner.
Still, we have the World Championships to look forward to in a couple of weeks.
Ride safe

Manchester sportive weekend

It's quite a big weekend in Manchester for the amateur sportive rider and the charity fund raise with two big cycling events going on. The Manchester 100 and the 55 mile Bruntwood Ellipse both take place tomorrow afternoon.

Route of the Manchester 100

I've never done the Ellipse but I've ridden the whole route in sections on different rides.
I've done the Manchester 100 and it's quite forgiving for a 100 miler. It's pretty flat with just a couple of lumps at Norley and Kelsall as I recall.
Still, these things are all relative.
I've got my miles in today for this weekend as I build my strength after recent enforced lay offs.
So, good luck to everyone taking part in both events, hope it goes well for you!