In Devonport, Plymouth, I recently came across this sign: This is on the corner of New Passage Hill and St Aubyn Road and clearly shows the route to be signed as NCN27. Now NCN27 is the Devon Coast to Coast route that runs between Ilfracombe and Plymouth, but that ends at Millbay Docks in Plymouth, … Read more
I love Cornwall. It is a simply gorgeous county with stunning scenery and friendly people. Cornwall is home to the Camel Trail, and has many more traffic-free cycling routes. There is a downside to Cornwall (aside from the roads that don’t skirt hills, but instead perform a full frontal attack, up-and-over, every time) and that … Read more
The title of this post may seem harsh, but it is nonetheless a fair and accurate description of the reality cyclists find themselves in. This taxi driver came too close to CycleGaz Spend five minutes talking to any cyclist that regularly rides on the road and chances are they’ll tell you about near-misses and other run-ins they’ve … Read more
Since getting my new bike I haven’t ridden my hybrid even once. This isn’t because I don’t like it, but rather because it actually needs quite a bit of work. My hybrid, aka The Trusty Steed So this had me thinking – perhaps I should rebuild it completely. It’s a Raleigh Pioneer, strong enough to … Read more
I’ve been annoyed for a while now by a clunking noise my bike was making. It’s a new bike and I got it in January, but I have already put 1000 miles on it, mostly commuting but with several leisurely rides thrown in for good measure. It sounded like it was coming from the chainrings … Read more
With great expectation I’ve been awaiting the route and dates announcement for the 2013 Tour of Britain.Last year, I cycled out to meet up with my friend Simon and his wife, after which we cycled out to Merrivale (a Devon stage King of the Mountains segment outside Princetown) and I was rather hopeful that the … Read more
Dear Police, Like most people, I admire you for the often tough job you do and I understand that you are under-resourced, and your budgets are being squeezed from all sides. Yet despite this, you continue to do the job, and I’d like you to know we’re grateful for that. Since they were small, I’ve … Read more
A good cycle route is one that goes somewhere people want or need to go. That’s a very simple concept to understand, but apparently some people have trouble with it. On NCN27, between Yelverton and Tavistock, lies the hamlet of Grenofen. Once, before Grenofen Tunnel was re-opened as a cycle route, NCN27 skirted the edge … Read more
Yes, indeedy – I am now a British Cycling Ride Leader. Well, all truth be told, I’m an assistant Ride Leader as I don’t yet hold a valid first aid certificate. Once I have the first aid certificate, I’ll be auto-promoted to full Ride Leader. I attended a one-day training course yesterday in Plymouth, along with 9 … Read more
In the UK we have Advanced Stop Lines (ASLs) at many traffic lights. Some people call these the “cyclist’s box”. Rule 178 of the Highway Code says this about ASLs:“Advanced stop lines. Some signal-controlled junctions have advanced stop lines to allow cycles to be positioned ahead of other traffic.Motorists, including motorcyclists, MUST stop at the … Read more
Plymbridge Road, going towards Plympton* Somebody far wiser than me once said the hill is not in the way, the hill IS the way. (If you know who to attribute this to, please let me know?) On my new commute I have a fair few hills, which reminded me of this thought. See, we can … Read more
I’m an experienced cyclist, aren’t I? After all, I ride confidently in heavy traffic, and I ride thousands of miles every year, I know my Highway Code, my commute is 12 miles one way and I’ll often go out on my bike for a whole day’s riding. And yet, I feel like a complete novice! … Read more
Woohoo! After quite some time I have finally taken receipt of my new bike. It’s a B’Twin Triban 3, which you may or may not know, is an entry-level road bike. I decided to get a new bike through Cyclescheme as there were clear savings to be made. Fortunately my employers are very cycle-friendly (our … Read more
This is a picture of a road. Not just any old road, but a newly(ish) surfaced road in a newly regenerated old neighbourhood in Plymouth. Specifically, this is Ker Street in Devonport. The architects clearly tried to retain a link to the charming past of the area, a past that is reflected in the many … Read more