Useless Cycle Network

The picture on page 41 of A to B 35 sums up the situation in Nottingham (and too many other British cities) as far as cycling ‘facilities’ are concerned – white lines painted along uneven pavements obstructed by signs, traffic lights, trees etc. If this is British best practice, I’d rather not have it, thanks! The best lanes in Nottingham are the bus lanes – they are wide, clear, smooth and regularly swept of debris. And they’re in force 24 hours a day. The biggest problem with cycling in Nottingham is the ring road and horrendous one way system, which seems always to prevent you from getting where you want to go, to such an extent that ignoring ‘No entry’ and ‘No right turn’ signs will often get you to your destination quicker and more safely than going round Broadmarsh several times.

Oh, and for an example of the differing attitudes of road builders to cyclists and motorists, one only has to look at Raynesway (A5111) in Derby, which has just been slewed (to make way for yet another bypass).The road surface is excellent, but the token cycle path alongside seems to have been shovelled out of the back of a lorry and then stamped down with a pair of welly boots. Needless to say, I use the road!

Dave Burbridge
Derby

Please Sell me a Ticket!

I’m riding the Paris-Brest-Paris Audax ride in August on my old Moulton and I want to take the train there and back with my bagged bike. I’d prefer to travel there 16th August and return 23rd August.

I’ve previously read in A to B that I should be able to get through tickets (possibly discounted) from my Midlands station (Tamworth) to Paris rather than a ticket to London, plus Eurostar ticket, but I can’t find a method that works.When I try to book online on the Virgin or other British railway websites, nothing recognises Paris, Gare du Nord or similar. Any suggestions as to how I can get through ticketing from Tamworth to Paris (ultimately St Quentin-en-Yvelines, but Gare du Nord would do)?

Dave Minter
Via email

The failure to establish a user-friendly through ticket system has to be one of the biggest scandals of the rail privatisation debacle. Although long-distance trains stop at Tamworth, the station is run by Central Trains, and in your area only Virgin sells through tickets, so you’ll have to buy separate single tickets to and from a Virgin station.Then,Virgin can only sell tickets to Eurostar destinations, so you’ll need separate local French tickets too.That said, at £79 to £89, the Birmingham – Paris bit can be good value.The Virgin customer service line is 0870 789 1234. For train times, German Railways (www.bahn.de) provide an excellent English-language European service, but you’ll still have three tickets to book. Any better suggestions? (Eds)

Sturmey Responds

Just a couple of points about your report on the Dahon Vitesse (A to B 35).The Sturmey- Archer 3-speed is not the same as when it came from Nottingham, as the hub internals are very different.With the original AW hub, it was possible to find a ‘false neutral’ between gears 2 and 3, which nobody really minded until Dutch manufacturers asked us to correct it 15 years ago.We consequently introduced a ‘no in-between gear’ (NIG) 3-speed hub in 1989, but only in the drum-brake version, which is widely used here in the Netherlands.The old AW 3-speed continued to be made alongside the new hub, largely because it was a cheaper system.

When production was moved to Taiwan, the new owner was naturally unwilling to produce two different 3-speed systems, so the NIG was introduced into the AW. Spares for the AW will eventually run out, but the internals of the new hub (part number HSX143) were designed to fit the old hub shell.The gear indicator toggle chain is also longer.

Note too, that when Sunrace bought Sturmey-Archer they quickly recognised that the Sturmey-Archer name was much stronger in Europe than elsewhere, so the decision was taken to omit the Sunrace name and continue to brand the products as Sturmey-Archer.

Alan Clarke
Sturmey-Archer Europa N V, Amsterdam,The Netherlands

Nothing New

As an older reader (just celebrated my 80th birthday) and Pashley Moulton ATB rider, can I join in the debates? First,The Mole’s mention of Milton Keynes in A to B 35: I seem to remember the place was first conceived, with its grid-iron layout, as being dedicated to public transport (trams!) and cycleways, before the motor lobby hijacked the town.

Next, your News (page 19, A to B 35) that they’ve re-invented the shaft-drive. And why not? I’ve heard of shaft-drive bikes in the 1920s and ‘30s: it was only the slump in that decade which killed them off. I also recall the Trident (unfortunate name) from the 1980s, which had lovely German-designed skew gears in the rear wheel stay, but was ruined by a rubbish frame from Taiwan.Then there was a good made-in-Germany roadster, not to mention my old Yamaha Townmate scooter and other motorbikes, from the beautiful 1950s Sunbeam to BMWs. Shaft-drive must have a future, especially in transport bikes, and it’s a perfect match for the indispensable hub gear.

Doc Arnold
Appledore, Devon

Interesting about Milton Keynes: we’d never heard that before, but it might help to explain why this very car-centric town has a street pattern focussed on the railway station… According to Carlton Reid of cycle trade magazine BikeBiz, the Sussex drive unit fitted to the Aurora bikes may be the same unit that was fitted to the Trident back in the 1980s – apparently it first made an appearance at about that time. (Eds)

Which Airport Folder?

We require folding bicycles in a case of suitable dimensions to take on package tours.The cases must be able to withstand the rigours of airport handling and protect the bikes. The machines are for touring day rides of up to 50 miles – they must have mudguards, a gear ratio from below 40 inches to 75 inches, and carry the food, tools and clothing required on the ride. Is anything produced that meets our requirements? If not, would you suggest a compromise?

Richard & Margaret Nicholl
Wincanton, Somerset

We generally recommend the Bike Friday or the Brompton for hard case carriage by air, because these two fold into particularly square, compact, packages – the best defence against airline baggage handlers. If you like the Brompton’s rather upright stance, the L6 offers a gear range of 40″ – 86″ (or a bigger range with aftermarket sprockets), weighs from 11.6kg and costs £524. Fit a decent saddle and bar-ends, and this bike is more than capable of holding its own with sportier machines. If you do a lot of this kind of thing, a Bike Friday makes sense – typically expect gears of at least 31″ – 90″, weight of 10kg and price in the £1,000+ region.We should also mention the Airframe (light, but a bit bulky), the Birdy (full suspension, but equally large) and assorted Dahons (cheaper, but mostly larger and heavier). (Eds)

Tried the BMW?

We live near Rochester, upstate New York, and ride around the parks and along the Erie canal with two children, one on a tag-along behind my wife’s Birdy, while I ride an Airnimal. I can thoroughly recommend this fast, light and sturdy bike. I have a fast set of wheels (Araya rims fitted with 28 spokes) and an ‘all purpose’ set with standard rims and Spanky knobbly tyres.The climate here does not help – we are very near the Canadian border and there is lots of snow for five months of the year. So even with the knobbly tyres, it seems that I may have to invest in a more conventional mountain bike. I wondered if you considered reviewing the BMW folding mountain bikes (Q3.S and Q6.S) or if any of your readers have any recommendations? They certainly look like mean machines, but with a serious price tag (just under $1000 and $4000 respectively).

Baz van Cranenburgh
Fairport, NY, USA

For many years BMW folding bikes were thinly disguised Montagues, but the Q3.S and Q6.S are very different.We’ve been unable to get a bike from BMW, or a reply from Montague, but we notice that BMW is still listed as a partner on the Montague website. Anyone know more? (Eds)

The Holy Grail

I continue to search for an electrically-assisted bike which will give me enough help on our steep hills here in the Chilterns.Through the kind assistance of Addiktion Cycles in St Albans, I had a good long trial ride round the outskirts of the town on a new Lafree Twist. It was exhilarating on the flat, down hill and up slight hills, but it did not give me enough help on significant hills. Admittedly, I am nearly 73 years old, out of condition and on blood pressure drugs, but I am still disappointed, because you found it ‘possibly the best power- assisted bike, so far’.

I have tried other bikes in the past, but ruled them all out (Powabyke too heavy, Heinzmann too expensive, etc). Do you have any other suggestions, please? I really enjoyed my ride today, except for the steeper hills!

Brian N. Parsons
Berkhamstead

We were impressed by the Ezee Forza (see page 34), or try the Electro-Drive kit, which has limited range, but will climb almost anything:Two contacts – tel: 07974 723996 or 01244 671999, or email: sales@electro-drive.co.uk or sales@pedalandpower.co.uk

Cheaper at Halfords

The article about map holders in A to B 34 was of particular interest as I have been using the Zefal map holder with my Brompton for over five years, but mine came from Halfords and cost £3.99. It appears to be just the same as the Zefal and is available in all Halfords branches under their own cycle luggage label, although it now costs £4.99.

I am thinking about getting a carrying case for my Brompton as it is getting more use on public transport these days.The case made by Carradice appeared to be a nice piece of work when I examined one at the London CYCLE show last year, but they’re expensive and produce a rather bulky package to carry around when riding. However I see that Dahon markets a bag for folding bikes with 16″ wheels which they claim will fit the Brompton. It is made from tough padded nylon with shoulder straps, and when not in use the bag folds into its own pocket and can be carried as a waist pack.This ‘Doubleplay’ bag looks ideal, and costs only £24.99.The problem is that none of my local dealers had heard of it.

John Swain
Croydon

Dahon tell us the Doubleplay is out of stock, but the standard 16-inch bag is available direct for £19.99, plus £3.50 postage.Tel: 01580 890007. (Eds)

Golden Days Awheel

I had subscribed to A to B for nearly three years off and on before I purchased a Brompton L6 last August.Thanks to your readers’ letters I was able to ask all the appropriate questions, and was pleased to see that the nice copper-haired Stephen at Ratcliffes of Leigh gave honest replies, didn’t dismiss my concerns, and didn’t treat me like a mithering pensioner. Nor did he bat an eyelid when I returned from a 40-minute trip around the town

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The Brompton has exceeded all hopes and met all my needs so far. I find the saddle unsuitable for a day ride, but I’m reluctant to change it because I’m reluctant to increase the weight, which I find just manageable.

It was the sheer joy of reading Albert Winstanley in Cycling World that first got me on a bike in my early forties. I hope he’s still around – please write another letter Albert! Perhaps you could reveal the whereabouts of any hidden copies of Golden Days Awheel – a cycling treasure discovered in the St Helens Central Library?

Anne Kilmurray
Wigan

Albert still resides at a very earthly address in Bolton, Lancashire. (Eds)

Brompton Update

A few comments on my Brompton, which is used for coastal surveying work:

1) Schwalbe Marathon tyres: No punctures in 3,000km (1,900 miles) of use – part urban commuting where the problem is broken glass, and survey work where most punctures are due to thorns.The rear tyre lasted 3,000km, but the front has not been changed.

2) Pedals:The folding pedal got a bit too worn after about 2,000km (1,250 miles), so I have fitted old track pedals with toe-clips. I carry a 15mm spanner should I need to remove the left-hand pedal. I intend trying the MKS removable pedals when these become available.

3) Saddle height adjustment: Being tall, I fitted a telescopic seat post, and when folding the bike, I sometimes remove the top section.When unfolding, the main stem comes up to the maximum, and the top section is fitted with a plastic collar which also secures a rear LED. Removing the saddle helps with train racks, but is not usually necessary.

4) Rear frame pivot:This has worn a lot, probably due to salt, sand and water getting in during survey work, so the frame will be going back to the factory soon for new bushes. I intend to fit a grease nipple to improve bearing life.

5) Carrying bag: I made a nylon bag to carry the Brompton, with pockets for the saddle and left-hand pedal.This is useful on ferries that charge for bikes and in some (posher) hotels.

Martin Fillan
Hennebont, France

The Final Word

In which you get your say… briefly

Best mag of them all – one improvement: should be monthly! Love the political slant and the intellectual but anarchic style . Good mixture, bang up to date, balanced and dynamicRefreshing, honest, and a consumer guide too! Refreshingly different . A joy to read Don’t change – A to B is a perfect vision for the world . Honest, witty and non-commercial Still an excellent read . Good reading and honest opinions throughout . Well worth the money Really enjoyable . Excellent, crap-free read . Keep it A5 please . More bike tests – too hung up on rail travel .Any pressure for a decent rail service is good . Please ignore comments asking for less politics . More on folders, less about electric bikes . More electric bikes please More electric bikes . How about info on electric scooters? How about an article on trikes? Don’t forget recumbent trikes! Can’t wait for it! Top sprocket! Irreverent, soulful and fun