cycle LETTERS Write to: Cycle Letters, CTC, Parklands, Railton Road, THAT WAS THEN Guildford, GU2 9JX, or email [email protected] 100 years ago... BIKES FOR SMALL WOMEN range of gears. We toured for two weeks, Rear lights camping, and the bike was more than up Recently the West Riding County to carrying all our gear. My height is 5'6". Council passed a bye-law compelling Gill Cochrane all vehicles to carry a red rear light, and also expressed the opinion that SPORTIVE GEARING this new regulation should also apply You say in your ‘Sram gears down’ news to cyclists. The Lancashire CC is also piece in April-May that ‘While you considering similar legislation – urged could (mix and match road shifters with thereto by the Royal Automobile Club, cassettes) no one does... it is generally supposed. which is why you’ll see some sportive Cycles are not at present included in the Universal Lights Bill, and riders walking up the likes of consequently are not affected by Hardknott Pass.’ such bye-laws, but there is fear that Well I, for one, have been using the motorists will make a determined When my mountain bike wore out, 9-speed Ultegra shifters with MTB effort to enforce rear lights upon I decided I wanted to try drop bars. rear gears (and a triple chainset) on us, their object being palpably the I quickly discovered there were no my Fred Whitton bike for the last two increase in speed at night. suitable bikes small enough – or more years and will do so again this year. I’ve This is only one of the constantly specifically, short enough in reach. never had to walk any of the hills and arising new phases of road usage, Except… the Islabikes Luath 700, have achieved sub-8hr times on both which necessitate the existence of designed for children aged 11-plus. occasions! I admit that this choice of kit a representative cycling body like After protracted discussions with looks a little out of the ordinary on my our club to maintain our rights to a Islabikes, we decided it would just about carbon Planet-X time trial frame, but reasonable use of the King’s highway. cope with the child seat and bought one. what works, works… It is unfortunate that several of the ‘cycling columns’ in the general Press We changed the 34/48 double chainset Myles Davison, Edinburgh suggest that cyclists would not be for a 24/34/44 with 165mm cranks. averse from the innovation. These I have found it very comfortable and ’S BIGGEST SPORTIVE columns are only too often contributed have had several other smaller people Steve Thomas suggested that the by writers whose practical cycling looking at it. I haven’t used it much Ardechoise sportive might be the biggest is a thing of the past, and who are with the bike seat, but I think that is to in Europe with 15,000 taking part. The influenced largely by the motor trade. do with the seat and Reuben’s weight 300km Vatternrundan (Round Lake CTC Gazette editorial June 1910 rather than the bike. I think the only Vattern) in Sweden will have 20,000 disadvantage is the price: £450, which entries this year (now full). It advertises means that nothing is very high spec. that it is the biggest recreational cycle Helen Hubbard ride in the world, measured by people many different ethnicities cycling but times kilometres. our failure to show positive images I asked Isla Rowntree about small adults Keith Chesterton of different groups will hardly help fitting on her children’s bikes. Her reply was in drawing these people to cycling. that some might. Her bikes are not scaled WHITE, MIDDLE-AGED MEN? I am a white middle class mid-50s down adult ones; they’re proportioned rider and quite frankly I’m surprised differently. But as you’ve found, that’s not at the narrowness of the ambit of the always a problem. magazine. We should do better for everyone. Last year, after nearly 30 years, my Gary Wilson ‘step through’ framed Coventry Eagle finally had to be put to rest. As we were You’re right, of course. While Cycle is the scheduled to cycle tour the Canal du only cycling magazine I’m aware of that Midi in France that September, I didn’t does track this issue, it’s something we have much time to find and buy a new clearly can do better on. bike. It was nigh on impossible to obtain CTC’s Cycle Champions are reaching what I wanted off the shelf. out to ethnic minority groups. As well as I searched the local bike shops and the immediate benefit to those cyclists, explored the net, finally settling on a I have just received the latest CTC there is a secondary benefit in that Cycle Dawes Horizon, which has turned out magazine and I again notice how very magazine will have a more diverse, more to be an excellent replacement. It is few images there are of black and ethnic representative choice of cycling images to sturdy but not cumbersome, with a great minority groups. There may not be so draw on.

18 cycle JUNE/JULY 2010 Cycle lists touring, audax and other events submitted by CTC member groups and Obituaries affiliated groups as a member service. Many members would regard audax DEREK ROBERTS MBE: cycling as part of cycle touring – or at least 20/8/1916-15/3/2010 a close relation – as both are really about A CTC member since 1948, Derek the journey rather than the result. In an served on CTC Council for 10 years. audax you can stop when you want, and He proposed the introduction of the maximum speed and modest minimum National Councillors, supported speed mean they’re not races. the creation of the National Cycle Archive and revived the Cycle Touring While Cycle doesn’t focus on racing, and Countryside Trust. He was a even ‘pure racing bikes’ can be used for passionate advocate for cyclists’ sportives, audax, and recreational rides. rights, particularly regarding helmet Myles Davison (above) uses a time trial use (which he opposed) but was FUNNY PAPERS frame! I wouldn’t – but vive la difference. best known as a cycle historian. In When was the last time we found a giggle 1955 he co-founded the Southern amongst the pages of our mag? One ROYAL MAIL GOES POSTAL Veteran-Cycle Club (now the Veteran- decade ago, two... three? I really can’t The otherwise excellent article on Cycle Club). In 1965 he established remember. No criticism of our editor Pashley Cycles in Cycle (April/May issue) the Fellowship of Cycling Old intended, but what is it about cycling omitted the sad fact that the glory days Timers (FCOT) as a successor to the these days that we no longer produce the of the Pashley MailStar are over, at least Fellowship of Old Time Cyclists (for likes of, say, Rex Coley who could tickle a as far the Royal Mail is concerned. The cyclists who cycled prior to 1890), and titter out of even the most innocuous of Royal Mail plans to replace all but 500 of edited its magazine, Fellowship News. For his services to cycling he was happenings awheel? their 24,000 with vehicles and awarded the MBE in the New Year’s Is it that we have become too electric trollies, citing concerns about Honours List for 2007. preoccupied with images of maudlin the ‘risks of cycling’. Andrew Millward Martians with not a jot of personality Michael McKrell, Manchester protruding from under those ridiculous NEVILLE CHANIN looking helmets and ubiquitous An extraordinary cyclotourist, Neville sunglasses? Or have we just become too Chanin rode in 50 countries on five darned intense about our cycling continents in over 50 years awheel, before dying of heart failure at a B&B these days? in Winchester on his way home from Let’s have less poncey posing and watching the Paris/Camembert cycle more girth grabbing guffaws. The West race in Normandy. A CTC touring Metropolitan section knew how do it in information officer from Stroud, 1927. Why not now? Neville was an ebullient after-dinner Roy Spilsbury, Penmaenmawr speaker, CTC AGM cross-toaster, and slide show presenter; his shows often drew crowds of over 100. He cycled NOT SO FAST almost 650,000 miles, despite never When did CTC become an adjunct of commuting on his bike. Twice in the Audax UK? The What’s On pages have We’ll have more on this next issue. For now, 1960s he led 200-mile night rides had 70-80% audax events in every issue see the news item on page 6. from London to the York Rally, and he for a long time now. The current issue watched the Tour de France in person for over 50 years, as well as spectating has 49, excluding double/triples on THE H-WORD at the Giro, Vuelta and other races. A the same day, against 26 other, more I was surprised and disappointed to read past president of Evesham Wheelers, traditional club events. your response to Richard Salt’s letter in his funeral drew a peloton from many The April-May issue of Cycle was a the April/May magazine. I belong to a clubs across the country, as well as ‘Sportive Special’ and had an article cycle club that insists that all members the president of Cycle-Club Dieppe, on sportive bikes that states: ‘The wear helmets on club rides. We believe whose cyclosportive rides Neville Boardman is a racing bike, pure we have a duty of care to our members, completed every year since 1971. and simple.’ and a responsibility to minimise risk and Chris Davies My local group is run by an audax set standards for careful riding. JACK GILL: 1932-2010 enthusiast who refuses an alternative Your use of the word Orwellian Died suddenly on 8/1/2010, aged ride, wanting everyone to support his to describe the anti-choice position 77. A lifetime member of the CTC, in event. CTC is supposed to be for cycle reminds me of the arguments used the 1970s and ’80s he rode with the touring and not for proving how fast against motor cycle helmets, seat belts, Southern (Family) group. He first did you can ride through our beautiful drink driving bans and smoking bans. a 100-mile cycle ride in 1946, aged 14. countryside. You should take note of the BMA’s He was a cyclist all of his life right up Peter Kenner, Lancaster change of stance on compulsory helmets until the end. Ann Gill

JUNE/JULY 2010 cycle 19 recycle your ‘cycle’ When you’ve read Cycle, why not give it to a friend – or a doctor’s surgery?

cycle LETTERS

rather than dismissing it. It is they who Obituaries have to deal with the consequences of ‘freedom of choice’. BRENDA CARLTON: 1937-2010 I would expect CTC to at least promote Died in a tragic accident on 1st the use of helmets, if not support February. Brenda married fellow compulsory use. Your stance, backed Medway Road Club cyclist Ron in up by your selective use of data on your 1960. They had a son and daughter, website, seems to indicate that you are and cycling continued without a anti-helmet, which I view as totally break. They joined the Cheltenham irresponsible. & County CC in 1972 and became Peter Welch involved in the Cheltenham CTC section in 1980, Brenda becoming I strongly support the CTC’s position of Rides Secretary, Social Secretary free choice on whether to wear a helmet and later Outdoor Events Secretary. Catering was her forte and many when cycling (and preferably informed riders appreciated her fruit cake on free choice) together with the use of the audax events that she and Ron mixed helmeted and unhelmeted cyclist organised. Ted King MBE images in Cycle. As well as being depressed like the RICHARD R RUSSELL: editor by the ‘Orwellian’ anti-choice 1930- 2010 position, I am depressed too that people quickly put more pressure on the rear A pivotal figure in Lothians CTC, pronounce on the subject without brake, which brought me to a standstill, Richard toured (youth hostelling and informing themselves on even the basic near the bottom. Was there anything I camping) all over the country and facts first. could have done to reduce the wobble? raced on both and , First, most cyclists don’t wear helmets. Ron Hawdon setting Scottish tricycle records at It’s about a quarter of cyclists in the 25 and 100 miles and 12 hours in UK that wear them (and only one in a This is shimmy, which Chris Juden 1955. A printer by trade, he was a thousand in the Netherlands!) addressed in Cycling Answers in the Oct/ CTC Councillor, committee member Are they a sensible piece of safety Nov 2009 issue. See www.ctc.org.uk and and Road Club official for years. His equipment? Well, as has been pointed follow the links ‘News and Publications’ and awards included the Tom Davis cup and the Zoller Quaich but, most prized out in the British Medical Journal, if they ‘CTC Publications’ to download the relevant of all, honorary life membership of are it would save many more lives and PDF. In short, the best thing to do is to lift CTC. Peter Martin serious head injuries if pedestrians wore your weight off the saddle and grip the top them. The death and head injury rate of tube between your thighs. DENNIS RAYBOULD: pedestrians from trips and falls alone far 1932-2010 exceeds that of cyclists from all causes. SNOWBALLS & SOAKINGS President of CTC Shropshire since But the biggest presumption is that I was pleased to see the ‘Cycling 2007, Dennis was an inspiration: he they work. The two most detailed answers’ item in the April/May edition was encouraging and supportive to investigations of accident data in the on the legal position around cyclists committee members in their roles and always willing to help newcomers. UK by Hewson found: ‘The conclusion having snowballs thrown at them. This He was instrumental in establishing cannot be avoided that there is no is clearly a deliberate (if minor) assault. the popular Shrewsbury Midweek evidence from the benchmark dataset in Another insult we face is also touched group and will be sadly missed. Our the UK that helmets have had a marked on: Dan Cook (p39) mentions being sympathies go to his children, Susan, safety benefit at the population level for drenched by a passing lorry during a Andrew, Jane and Emma and the rest road using pedal cyclists’ – in line with a rainstorm. Does being splashed matter? of the family. John Nowell number of other non-UK studies. Yes. While not always dangerous, it’s MAURICE GARRETT: Dr Tony Raven horrible, and is one more preventable 12/7/22-25/1/10 problem for cyclists, and a reason that Died in hospital in Eastbourne. SPEED WOBBLE fewer people cycle. Maurice was a lifelong cyclist, despite I was recently cycling downhill with a What can be done? I was told that in suffering for many years from the group in Northumberland when I had an Sweden it was required that motorists results of an accident with a bus alarming experience. I was descending splashing pedestrians should offer to pay around 1940. He joined the Bath Road at about 45mph leaning over the for dry-cleaning of their clothes – maybe CC before the War and in his latter handlebars, on a steep incline of a well- this should be considered here, too. years was a member of the East worn, rough-surfaced tarmac road. Tim Dowson Sussex DA and its mid-week section. I went into a wobble – handlebars We will remember him as a true violently swinging from side-to-side. Letters are edited for space (if above gentleman. John Armstrong With white-knuckles I hung on, and 150 words), clarity and, if necessary, Send obituaries, preferably 100 words applied both brakes, which I realised legality. Letters and emails for the Aug- or fewer, to the editorial address. was increasing the front wheel wobble. I Sep issue must be received by 25th June.

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