The Scaresbrooks' Cycling and Gardening and... blog » Cycling

Cycle/cycling insurance review

Alec'n'Val — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 12:53:22 +0000

We’ve ploughed through policies and squinted at small print to compare cycle and cycling cover for ourselves, so we thought we’d share the information in an insurance review. There’s info for you to compare specialist cycle and cyclist policies for everyday, holiday, commuter, leisure, triathlon and other competitive riding, for theft, damage, personal accident and liability. NB for UK residents.

Shoppers aren’t all motorists

Alec'n'Val — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 22:59:58 +0000

There’s a lot of fuss in Congleton about car park charges being introduced that will ‘kill the town centre’, but a study of some local shopping areas in Bristol showed that traders overestimated how many shoppers arrived by car. They thought 41%, but in fact it was only 22% - the rest walked, cycled or used the bus. And although the traders wanted better car parking facilities because they thought it would attract customers, in fact many shoppers wanted better pedestrian facilities and traffic calming.

Additionally, the non-car borne shoppers visited several shops on each trip, and went shopping more frequently, so it could be argued that they are more frequently exposed to impulse buys.

There’s more about how this and how cyclists make better shoppers on Copenhagenize.com – the Copenhagen Bike Culture Blog.

We do all our shopping by bike – it’s surprising what you can fit into panniers.

Warm hands for cycling?

Alec'n'Val — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 15:38:20 +0000

Just come across a possible solution – actually one for keeping hands dry but that’s half the battle. Washing up gloves.

I’d forgotten that my 3-layer approach to fending of frostbite in the fens (outside lifting carrots and in sheds sorting spuds) included work gloves over washing up gloves over Damart thermal gloves.

Next time I venture out on the bike I think I’ll try thermal gloves plus washing up gloves plus Buffalo mitts for extra warmth and to stop teenagers pointing at me any more than they already do.

Cold cyclists read this

Alec'n'Val — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 19:30:35 +0000

Further to my research into warm toes etc, I found a couple of useful sites yesterday. One is the Guardian’s Bike Blog for 5th and 6th Jan, where a lot of people have contributed ideas. The other is about riding in snow (including the clothes for it) from the appropriately named Nutty Cyclist.

Have decided to stay on foot for now – although the black ice might have us over before long.

Brrrrrrrr. It’s brassy on a bike.

Alec'n'Val — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 15:28:38 +0000

How do you keep your fingers and toes toasty in this weather? Not by cycling, that’s for sure. So far no-one seems to have been out clearing or gritting any but the main roads round our way (Congleton), so we’ve left the bikes in the garage (need a spade to clear the doors anyway) and have been walking everywhere instead. OK but slower.

Have never solved the cold toes problem, nor the cold thumbs. Doesn’t matter how thick or thermal the socks are. Even those neoprene over-shoe bootee things only work for a while, so the toes end up froze.
Thumbs are a similar problem – whatever mitts I wear (gloves are a no-no), they still get cold. Buffalo fibre-pile over Damart thermals seem to be the best for fingers, but not for thumbs – always end up numb. Is it because of rapid-fire gear change levers?

Anyone got the answer? Please? (Moving somewhere warmer does not count.)