Anatomy of a Bike

Homepage Manual Contents

Excerpt from: Bicycle Reference Manual for Developing Countries. Edited by Barbara Gruehl Kipke, April 1991 (updated September 2009).

Most bikes these days are sold 'off the peg' rather than tailored to your requirements. The following may help you choose between the 'package deals'.

• Frames

  Frames come in different sizes and it can be very uncomfortable if you get the wrong size. A rough guide is to divide your height by 3 - eg a 178cm (5'10") person requires a 59cm (23") frame. A more exact method is to subtract 23cm (9") from your inside leg measurement. Better quality frames are lighter and more responsive; they use higher quality tubing such as Reynolds double-butted 531.

  Diamond (men's) frames are stronger, but step-through (women's) and mixte frames are perfectly adequate unless you are very heavy or will be carrying heavy loads. Small-wheel bikes, apart from such makes as Moulton, Bickerton, und Dawes Kingpin, are generally surprisingly heavy.

• Gears

  More doesn't necessarily mean better. Many 5 and 10 speed bikes (especially the cheaper 'racers') have a range of gear ratios that make them harder work up hills than a decent 3 speed. See 'Changes' below.

• Wheels and tyres

  Cheaper bikes have wheels with steel rims; they are heavier and need special brake blocks for safe stopping in the wet. More expensive (£ 150+) bikes have wheels with alloy rims. Well made wheels are less likely to break spokes.

• Saddles / Seat

  Some of the cheaper saddles can be very uncomfortable. More expensive bikes have either anatomic (leather and foam over a shaped plastic base) or leather saddles. All leather saddles usually need breaking in to your shape; they also sag if water soaks into them. That said, they can be very comfortable.

This picture is published by Al2 on wikimedia.org under GNU Free Documentation License and Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License. Follow the link to wikimedia.org for more language versions of the diagram.

Bikes often need adjustments or repairs after purchase, so it is worth buying from a place near you that specialises in cycles. A good shop should give your bike a check over a month or two after purchase This is particularly advisable for bikes with cotterless cranks. Shop around to see what sort of a range they have, what they suggest and whether they are prepared to mule alterations (see 'Changes' below) free or cheaply. Check with other cyclists for warnings or recommendations.

Avoid mail order suppliers (apart from those listed on p35) us many of the bikes they sell are junk and, if anything goes wrong (it will) parts and service may be a problem.

Either buy one from a shop (which must offer a guarantee) or take along a knowledgeable friend to check it over. A used bike may not be u bargain if you have to spend money on new tyres, repairs or whatever to get it into shape. Points to look out for are:

• Bent frames

  Don't buy! Often the result of u front-end collision. Check the paintwork or the top tube behind the headset for tell-tale wrinkles. Another sign is instability if you try and ride the bike with your hands off the handlebars (this doesn't apply to small-wheel bikes). If only the front forks are damaged, replacement cost £9 + fitting.

• New paint jobs

  They may conceal a stolen bike or a bent or rusty frame.

• Wheels

  If they wobble more than 1cm (3/8") they may need replacement (£10+).

• Tyres

  If the tread is worn down, add £4+ each.

• Bottom bracket

  If the axle wobbles about when you give the crank a pull, add £8+.

• Chain

  If it is rusty and/or worn, £4+.

• Brakes

  It's illegal to sell a bike without effective brake. Check that the brake cables aren't frayed.

• Gears

  Do all the gears work? Avoid 3 speed gears that have the oil cup missing. The best hub gear is the Sturmey Archer AW model; spares for others may be difficult to find. New 3 speed rear wheels are £30, derailleur changers £6+.

If possible, ride the bike on a quiet road - defects usually make a noise.

It is unlikely that the bike you choose will be exactly what you want; however, it is often relatively cheap to get changes made by the shop when you buy it.

• Gears

  Many bikes, especially cheap racers, come with the wrong range of gears to suckle anything more than a slight slope. Derailleur gears should range between about 30 and 80 inches. Hub gears should have a middle ratio of about 50 inches. If not, you need a new back sprocket. With derailleur gears you may be able to change the front chainring (£7+) or the rear freewheel (£6+) - which may in turn require a new derailleur (£8+). Excessively high gears may damage your knees!

  If you have to work out the gear ratio yourself, divide the number of front chainwheel teeth by the number of rear sprocket teeth and multiply the result by the rear wheel diameter.

• Saddle

  Comfortable ones are £6+. Women may prefer anatomic models designed for them. A plastic bag (stored under the seat) will protect it from rain.

• Mudguards

  Short ones are useless in the rain. Full-length ones protect your buck from spray and make an ideal noticeboard for stickers.

• Brakes

  See 'Winter'

• Fitting

  Adjust the saddle height so that both feet can just touch the ground with your toes horizontal. A low saddle can give you knee trouble! At least 5cm (2") of the seat tube must be left inside the seat post; there is usually a safety mark on the tube. Adjust the handlebar height to between level and 2cm (1") below the seat; be careful to not go above the safety mark.

• Handlebars

  You don't have to keep the 'racing' handlebars found on most good bikes; you can either decapitate them or replace them with straight bars.

Don't give up in disgust when something goes wrong; cycles are very simple machines to repair. The next two pages contain excerpts from the Reader's Digest guide to cycle repairs. For a more technical (and complete) guide see Richard's Bicycle Book (Pan, £2.95).

Most problems can be located by listening carefully while riding along a quiet road; apply a bit of logic after checking how frequent the noise is, and whether it only happens when you pedal.

If you are not sure what the problem is, or can't (or won't) do the repair yourself, take it along to a bicycle repair shop, which are listed in the back. The Campaign has the occasional 'Dr Bike' surgeries, where you can get your bike checked over for free; ring the Campaign (928 7220) for details.

• Maintenance classes

  Some local educational institutes may run them in the evening; and there are a few community cycle repair places such as Ormond Road workshops in Islington (263 3865), Tower Hamlets Community Transport (987 6447), White Horse Workshops in Limehouse (790 1061) and the Last Chance Centre in Hammersmith (748 3020) where you can borrow tools and get advice.

Mending a puncture

A flat tyre may be caused by a faulty valve or punctured inner tube, Check the valve first. If it is OK, note the position of any flints or nails that may have damaged the tube before removing the tyre. After removing the tube, check that the rim tape is in good condition and covering the spoke nipples; and remove any flints or glass from the tyres. To detect a puncture without using water, run the inflated tube around close to your ear or lips so that you can feel or hear the escaping air. It air is escaping from an old patch, remove the patch and remove the old glue with glasspaper.

You need a repair kit (70p) a pump (£2) three tyre levers (70p) and a universal spanner (70p).

How to mend a puncture (A description with pictures on wikihow.com)

Adjusting brakes and fitting new blocks

Adjust brakes so that the blocks are about 3mm from the rim. To draw the shoes closer to the wheel, turn the knurled adjuster anti-clockwise while gripping the brake blocks together against the rim, to release the tension of the cable.

Bicycle brake systems: Side-pull brake / Centre-pull brake (article on wikipedia.org)

Replacing and adjusting brake cables

When a cable breaks, replace it immediately.

The two common types of brakes are centre and side pull, and the two types of brake cables are those with barrel-shaped nipples, and those with pear-shaped.

Front and rear brakes must be regularly checked to make sure that the inner cables are not frayed and the outer sleeve is not stretched. Regular lubrication gives the cables and their sleeves a longer and more efficient life. All brakes have some way of adjusting the tension and keeping the brake blocks as close to the wheels as practicable. When the cable has been replaced, press the brake lever a few times so everything draws together, and make the final adjustments with the adjuster screw.

How To Change A Gear Or Brake Cable (article on bikecyclingreviews.com)

Why is it that men behave as though women cycle to expose themselves to the verbal judgement of any passing male? The circumstances range from the ridiculous to the more ridiculous. When I cycled up Whitehall three 16 year olds formed a cordon of two-wheeled lawnmowers around me, shouting obscene suggestions of what they wanted to do to me. There was the man old enough to be my grandfather who whispered coarsely from the protective custody of the zebra crossing when I stopped to let him cross. After pub closing time it is not uncommon for the comments to turn to a symbolic spitting, or, on one occasion, the spraying of Coke from the window of a passing car.

I cannot prevent myself from bitterly resenting their invasion of my privacy; and yet I carry on cycling around London. No other means of transport combines regular exercise and almost total flexibility - the only crucial factor is the distance. As exposed to insult as you are, it is far safer than waiting on dimly lit streets or empty platforms. It also has the advantage that as you sail pass some lecherous male, it is easy (and safe) to shout 'fuck off'.

Apart from problems such as these, cycling is pretty much a unisex sport. Erotic it isn't (whatever those 16 year olds may think); the only effect I have noticed is that standard cycles can cause cystitis. If this is a problem, there are various saddles on the market that are designed for women so that they don't reach the parts that other saddles... There is far more choice in men's bikes than women's (particularly in sports models) which means that they come in more sizes and are easier and cheaper to buy second-hand. If you don't like a man's (diamond) frame then a mixte frame is slightly stronger than the traditional step-through (ladies') frame, while still being easier to get on and off.

If you are happy with the traditional three speed upright bicycle, they are easy enough to buy. They have their advantages - you can get a wire basket that fits on the front to take your belongings. (Don't put your purse on top - purse snatchers operate on motorbikes these days.) You can also buy uprights like the Raleigh Cameo, which has a chain guard that protects your leg from grease and lengthens chain life. Another sensible item is the skirt guard, which stops clothing being caught in the rear wheel.

In London the ubiquitous street lighting means there is rarely a problem in seeing where you are going. Far more important is making sure that you can be seen; to this end a full complement of lights and reflectors is essential.

(Deborah Arnott)

Very young children can make their first journeys in baby slings, but an upright riding posture is necessary for both comfort and safety.

Children should not be put into child seats until they have good head control and can sit up (usually about nine months to a year). Head support, safety straps, footrests and shields and a sturdy attachment to the bike are crucial factors when choosing a seat, yet no models satisfy all these criteria. Look at brands such as Bikit, Safe-ride, Troxel, Pac-2 and DCM and expect to pay £25+. Avoid the cheaper Leco seat, which is uncomfortable and offers little protection.

If you are carrying two children, an adult trike can take them in seats mounted between the rear axle.

For children aged between two and six, child seats mounted on the top tube are the alternative. They are lighter and smaller than rear mounted models, and the child is partially shielded by the adult's body and in full view.

In all cases make sure the child is well wrapped up and not suffering from the cold. Child helmets are available (£15+), or try advertising for 'hand-me-downs'.

• Over fives

  Time to do their own pedalling, either on a scaled-down adult bike or decent BMX (avoid motorbike imitations and look for real ball-bearings) or on the back of a tandem with kiddy cranks' which allow the child to pedal. (Buy them from Ken Rogers on 897 9109.) Alternatively the Rann or Hann trailer bolts on to the back of a bike and allows independence (though not complete freedom!) You can buy the trailer from Bill Hannington (0734 479308) or through small ads in Cycletouring, the CTC's bimonthly journal.

  It is worth paying more for a kid's bike or accessory - their safety depends on it working properly, and better equipment will have a higher resale value.

  In deciding when and how to introduce children to cycling, remember that there is always a risk involved, but that they will enjoy it a lot and become more independent.

  For further information, see articles by Jim McGurn in Bicycle Magazine, May and December 1983.

• Cycle training classes

  Most cycle accidents involve kids; so although existing training schemes are not perfect, they are certainly better than nothing. If your child's school can't (or won't) provide training, contact your council's Road Safety Officer.

Cycling benefits not only your own health but that of other people. Only very rarely - unlike the car - do we injure other people; we do not pollute and we do not use up irreplaceable resources of fossil fuel. Our energy supply is in fact perpetually renewable for as long as crops continue to grow on the earth. This may not be as long as it might be, given the propensities of homo sapiens, but it will almost certainly be longer than the expected life of our fuel reserves.

The atmosphere remains heavily polluted by the motor car, but it is not as bad as it was, and not as serious for cyclists as some make out. Lead in petrol remains (in my opinion) a national scandal, but its main danger is to the developing brains of the under 3s, and anyone old enough to be cycling is almost certainly beyond that sort of damage to their central nervous system.

The hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides from engine exhausts may well be more dangerous to health than was thought a few years ago. However it is debatable whether the cyclist is more vulnerable than the motorist, who tends to stay on the more polluted main roads.

Carbon monoxide from car exhausts, about which many emotive paragraphs have been written, is of no consequence to the cyclist. Research on volunteer nurses and medical students from St Mary's Hospital in Paddington showed that the carbon monoxide level in their blood was lower than normal after cycling for half an hour in traffic. This was because their heavier breathing was blowing off more of their own carbon monoxide - a natural break-down product of our worn out red cells - than they were breathing in from the traffic. Cigarette smoking produces carbon monoxide levels far higher than you can get on city streets.

There is no doubt that we feel better when we exercise regularly, although research cardiologists still tend to maintain that the medical benefits of exercise have not been proved. However, there is no doubt that those who exercise regularly live longer. Veteran cyclists and cross-country runners are known to be significantly less prone to arterial disease such as heart attacks and strokes.

(Dr Ronald Williams)

This theme is expanded in an article by Dr Williams in the British Medical Journal, 22 December 1979. If you are interested in getting fitter, the Health Education Council are publishing a free booklet on the subject in July 86; phone them on 631 0930 for details.

It is said that if you can keep a bike for more than five years in London you should phone the Guiness Book of Records. Theft isn't inevitable, but if you don't take precautions your bike will become yet another statistic very quickly. Only about 4% of bike thefts are cleared up by the police.

• Defensive

  A tacky paint job can deter thieves if you can bear to ruin the looks of your swish new bike. Park your bike where it will be passed by lots of people, rather than in a dimly lit back alley. Always lock your bike. even if you leave it in the stairwell of a block of flats. If there is no secure bike parking at work, it may be worth approaching your employer to provide facilities. The Campaign can provide information on cycle parking.

  Leaving your bike without locking it while you are in a shop, even for a few moments, can be very risky; large numbers of bikes are stolen on the spur of the moment.

  Stamp your bike's frame with your postcode the Campaign will do it free for members, and many bike shops and police stations have the requisite gear. An extra back-up is to write your name and address on a luggage tag mounted underneath the seat.

• Locks

  You Bet what you pay for here. Put the lock through the wheel(s) as well as the frame, especially if you've got quick release wheels. If your leaving your bike for more than a few minutes, make sure the lock is also looped round something solid, like a lamp post. Some idiots only lock their front wheels, and wonder why only the front wheel is left when they return. A final note about parking etiquette; try not to obstruct the pavement if you care at all about pedestrians, especially visually handicapped people.

Bicycle locks (article on wikipedia.org)

Now, a brief guide to what you get for your money.

• Below £7

  Avoid wire rope locks; use a metre length of case-hardened chain plus a padlock with a case-hardened shackle.

• Above £7

  Buy a heavy-duty case-hardened chain, and a good quality padlock.

• Above £23

  The ultimate - the choice here is between the rigid U-shaped locks such as Kryptonite and Citadel and the No-Crak lock and chain, all of which claim to resist even bolt-cutters. Most include free theft insurance (with very stringent conditions in the small print). All are heavy.

Nurses' locks These fit on to the bike and lock the rear wheel only. They're useful for when you are leaving the bike for a minute or two; they aren't secure for longer periods.

Accessories A thief who can't pinch your bike may have a go at what is attached to it. Battery lights disappear very quickly, so either bolt them on securely or take them with you when you lock up. And, of course, saddles, gears, brakes and more can disappear as well.

Insurance The cheapest way is to add your bike to your household contents policy. However, do study the small print; many such policies pay out at most £100 per cycle, and charge you an extra premium if you live with people you're not related to (yes, we know it's stupid). Also, many don't include third party insurance, which safeguards you financially if you cause damage or injury to others. Some cycle shops can arrange special cycle theft insurance; however, most cyclists take out one of the policies offered by the cycling organisations such as the London Cycling Campaign. When you take out a policy, do declare your (bike) losses so far, but don't be surprised if you get turned down if you've had more than two or three stolen in the last few years.

The police Despite their less than wonderful record in recovering stolen bikes, do let them know if yours is nicked. There is no central registry of stolen bikes (why not?) so tell all likely police stations. If your bike is recovered after a joy-ride, you are more likely to get it back if it has been postcoded or labelled in some way.

You don't have to put away your bike when winter comes. Even in wet weather, cycling can be tolerable (and sometimes even enjoyable) if you wear the right clothes, ride a bit slower, avoid slippery surfaces such as pothole covers. Do wear something bright so you can be seen through the murk.

• Brakes

  If your bike has chrome wheel rims (found on most cheaper bikes) replace the brake blocks with the Altenburger Superstop Steel variety, for bikes with alloy rims, Fibrax SH296 (£.20/pr) are recommended. They're expensive, but they do prevent that gut-gripping feeling you get between applying the brakes in the wet and starting to slow down.

• Clothing

  Your extremities are the first to feel the cold, so gloves and a woolly hat or balaclava are a good investment. In really cold weather, you will need the mitts available from cycle or ski shops at about £6 a pair. Spats or pedal covers (£3 a pair) and thermal socks can stop your toes from freezing. If you are really skins, plastic bags will do the job.

  Capes are the cheapest (£6+) rainwear; however, most of them are not designed for cyclists. The 'Pakit' cape is, but costs £23. The next step up in comfort (and price) is a jacket, perhaps with overtrousers. However, waterproofness works both ways: some people may find perspiration a problem when wearing ordinary wet-weather gear. 'Goretex' is a special material that allows a certain amount of perspiration to escape; however, it does require regular cleaning as the pores are easily blocked by city grime.

On the surface, cycling looks dangerous; according to the official figures, it is ten times as dangerous as driving. However, it isn't quite as bad as this because...

• If the figure is expressed as accidents per journey, it is between two and four times as dangerous.
• This is further reduced because a large proportion (57%) of accidents happen to those under 19 years old, who also do a smaller mileage per person. So, if we're comparing the risk to a particular, slightly older age group, the figures are more comparable.
• Car accident rates are higher in cities.
• The total cycle mileage may well be underestimated because most traffic counts are done on major roads, which cyclists try to avoid.

Confused? All the above means is that cycling is not quite as dangerous as it is made out. However, improve your chances by following the advice on page 8 about cycling in traffic. If you are responsible for young children who want to cycle, make sure they are trained before they go out onto the roads (see 'kids'). Much of the recent rise in cycle accidents involves children.

Amaze your friends and win at Trivial Pursuits with these facts at your fingertips.

• 250,000 cycle journeys are made each day in Greater London
• A cycle can be pedalled for 1600 miles for the same energy contained in one gallon of petrol.
• Seven cycles can be comfortably parked in the same space as one car.
• Only 19% of journeys to work in central London are by car - but they take up 85% of the road space. 4% are by cycles, which take up 2%.
• 75% of motorists commuting into central London are being subsidised by their firm or the tax system, often both.
• The average door-to-door speed by car or tube in London is about 8kph. The average cycle speed in London is l9kph.
• 80% of all journeys are under 5 miles.
• 4% of all road journeys are by cycle.
• There are between 7 and 15 million cycles in the UK, with 1.4 million being sold each year.
• 25% of households in the Greater London area have cycles.
• Adult cyclists are wholly responsible for only 31% of the accidents they're involved in.

Accidents. Properly designed cycle schemes should help to reduce these.

Borough Council. There are 33 (including the City) in London. Since GLC abolition your borough is responsible for cycle planning but it won't get the help from the Department of Transport that the GLC provided. Contact the Planning Department to find out what plans they have got for cyclists, the Engineers Department if they are doing anything on the roads, Road Safety for accident figures and cycle training.

Crossings of larger roads. There are two basic types:
Unsignalled. Simple refuges or islands in the road (or a gap in an existing obstacle) can be a cheap and safe way of helping cyclists cross the road eg Morley Street cycle gap, Southwark.
Signalled. Traffic lights for cyclists are great fun; you can stop the traffic at the touch of a button or by your bike activating a metal-detecting loop under the road. London's first was at Albert Gate, off Hyde Park, others can be found at Albion Gate in Hyde Park, and Newington Butts in Southwark.

Contra-flow cycle lanes. These let cyclists ride up one-way streets the wrong way legally. They can extend the full length of the street such as Upper Ground in Southwark and Crisp Road in Hammersmith; or just let cyclists past short sections of one way traffic into a two way street such as Meymott Street in Southwark.

Department of Transport. They have a small team of civil servants working on cycle schemes. They will fund 'innovatory and experimental' cycle schemes but seem to have run out of ideas. (Their London score so far is only £70,000 on three schemes). They now will only fund cycle schemes thought up by local councils if they are part of a highway or traffic management scheme of more than local significance (i.e. part of a very expensive scheme).

GLC - Good for London Cyclists. While it was alive it had 20 officers with a budget of £2 million a year working on cycle schemes. Between 1981-1986 it completed, with the borough councils, over 50 cycle schemes, 1,650 cycle parking stands and made sure that other transport schemes didn't forget bikes. Contrast their positive steps to help cyclists with the timid policy of the Department of Transport. The GLC is dead - long live the GLC!

Gaps in road closures: all road closures should have gaps for cyclists as we do not cause the problems they are meant to solve (rat-running through residential areas). While most councils agree with this in theory there are still hundreds of closures that don't let us through. They make ideal links in the cycle route network at very low cost.

Lanes, such as an Advisory lane. Marked by a dotted white line parallel to the footpath. Neither you nor car drivers have to take any notice of it. It is the most basic measure to protect cyclists. The one in Fulham Road was opposed by Kensington and Chelsea council on the grounds that it would cause 'chaos'. Travel along it and make up your own mind.
Mandatory Lanes. Marked off with a solid white line and a red surface; motorists must keep out of them. Examples can be found at Waterloo Bridge and Cedars Road in Lambeth. Drivers tend to stay outside the lane. If cars park in them persistently the lanes should be physically separated from the roadway.
Bus lanes. Often the best help that cyclists get on main roads during the rush hours. The only problems are the ever present parked cars, the surface which some cyclists find too rough and those bloody great red vehicles full of people who insist of stopping regularily in front of you.

Paths in Parks. London parks, as they are quiet and traffic-free, provide ideal links in the cycle route network. The GLC opened up many paths during their time, eg Hampstead Heath Battersea Park; many other boroughs, such as Lambeth, Hackney, lslington and Hammersmith have followed suit. Other authorities are not so co-operative; the paths in Hyde Park are very popular and have caused no problems but the Royal Parks Department of the Department of the Environment have refused to open up similar routes in Regents Park and Kensington Gardens despite the high level of illegal use and the busy surrounding roads.

Parking. Thankfully the days of the wheel-buckling concrete block and other front-wheel holders are numbered, and the 'Sheffield Rack' reigns supreme. (Design Centre approved after pressure from the Campaign). Public places with Sheffield racks include the National Theatre, Royal Festival Hall, Victoria and Albert Museum, some BR stations and even the Barbican (after pressure from us). So if your favourite station, theatre, hall, shops, college or whatever has not got any, make suggestions to the management or your council planning department. The Campaign can give you further information.

Routes. Put together a couple of crossings of main roads, a cycle lane here, a contra-flow lane there, some signs to show cyclists the way, and secure parking. Hey presto, you have a cycle route. The GLC put in over 11 fully signed cycle routes such as the Ambassador Route Dart 1. Somers Town Route (Camden) and Dollis Brook Route (Barnet). They are shown in the centre-section maps.

Road Humps. Approved by the Department of Transport in 1983 these low lying law enforcement officers are a good way of slowing down traffic while still allowing it through. However, the Department's regulations are so restrictive that only a few have been put in London. No problem on a bike and they would make cycle routes safer for cyclists and residents.

Staggered Stop lines. One small step for cyclists, one massive step for the Department of Transport. Allow cyclists to get ahead of the traffic at junctions so that drivers get a chance to see you before they cut you up. More common in Holland but they can be found in an infant stage at the Hotspur Route in Haringey and at Locks Bottom in Bromley.

Statistics. The trouble is that borough councils rely solely on police accident data when planning schemes. Many studies have shown that cyclists are more likely to go to the hospital than the police station after an accident, and that police figures are probably 70% incomplete. It should be law that every hospital casualty resulting from a road accident is reported by the hospital to the police.

Transport Supplementary Grant. How borough councils get money from the Department of Transport for traffic schemes. There is a catch; they can only spend it on highway and traffic management schemes of more than local significance. No one at the Department seems to know what this means although it must have a lot of zeros in the cost. It means that cycle schemes cannot be funded on their own. This should be changed.

Trunk Road. Controlled by the Department of Transport who now own over 200 miles in London. They have a Regional Cycling Officer for London who is supposed to consider the needs of cyclists. Their record is not impressive, the last incumbent suggested Hyde Park Corner was rather jolly on a bike and banned cyclists from some new proposals such as the Hackney to M11 Link Road. They want to spend £1.5 billion on the 65 miles of road they took over from the GLC; at £21 million a mile this is not a tree planting programme

(Tim Pheby)

As well as those listed below, most cycling organisations produce newsletters or magazines.

• Bicycle Action

  Monthly, 86p. Covers most topics. Visually interesting, fun to read, despite the typos.

• Bicycle Magazine

  Monthly, £1.20. The original British glossy cycle magazine.

• Bicycle Times

  Monthly. 85p. Some useful articles, but a bit amateurish.

• Cycling

  Weekly 60p. Mostly cycle sport.

• The Bicycle Buyers' Bible

  Bicycle Action, £2.50. Good advice and a full listing of available cycles.

• Bicycle Planning

  Mike Hudson, Architectural Press. Glossy textbook, which covers most aspects of the art. Available from the London Cycling Campaign for £20.

• The Bicycle Wheel

  Jobst Brandt, £9. The theory and practice of wheel building.

• Bicycling Science

  Whitt and Wilson, £12.95. Fascinating if you are interested in the scientific/ergonomic side.

• Cycling in and around London

  Bartholomews/CTC, £2.95. A more expensive version of this guide.

• Cycling in Europe

  Nicholas Crane, Haynes, £7.95. Comprehensive.

• Cyclist's Britain

  Pan/OS, £4.95. A good tour guide, which includes excerpts from OS maps.

• CTC Route Guide to cycling In Britain and Ireland

  Crane & Gausden, Oxford Illustrated Press, £3.95. Well-researched routes in sketch map form.

• International Cycling Guide 1985-6

  Nicholas Crane, Tantivy, £6.95. Cycling yearbook with lots of useful information.

• Highway Code

  HMSO, 40p.

• How to build wheels

  Street Science, £16.95. Booklet and video.

• Penguin Bicycle Handbook

  Rob van der Plas, £3.95. We prefer Richard's!

• Penguin Book of the Bicycle

  Roderick Watson and Martin Gray, £2.95. Good coverage of its history, sport, and manufacture.

• Reader's Digest Guide to the Maintenance of Bicycles

  £1.95. A good pictorial guide to most simple repairs.

• Richard's Bicycle Book

  Richard Ballantine, Pan, £2.95. Good, solid information on almost everything; and a very comprehensive repair guide.

• South London Route Guide

  London Cycling Campaign/St Christopher's Cycling Club. A fold-out map, which will be reprinted soon.

• Taming Traffic

  Stephen Plowden, Andre Deutsch £7.50. Outlines alternatives to the existing insane transport policies. Heavy going.

• West and Northwest Cycling Map

  London Cycling Campaign, 70p. A fold-out map that also shows sports facilities.

Most of the organisations below will give advice, information and help; if writing, do include a sae. Private homes are indicated by a *.

• Association of Cycle and Lightweight Campers

  11 Grosvenor Pl, SW1 (828 1012). A section of the Camping Club. (The Camping and Caravanning Club, Greenfields House, Westwood Way,Coventry CV4 8JH)

• Association of Cycle Traders

  Association of Cycle Traders
  PO Box 5110
  Hove
  BN52 9EB
  
  Email: info@actsmart.biz

• Audax

  77 West Farm Avenue, Ashtead, Surrey KT21 2JZ. Organise randonees (long distance cycle rides with time limits).

• Bicycle Network

  Bikes Belong Coalition, P.O Box 2359 Boulder, CO, 80306

• Bicycle Association of Great Britain

  3 The Quadrant, COVENTRY CV1 2DY, United Kingdom. Trade association for the industry.

• Bicycle Polo Association

  London House, 100 New Kings Road, London, SE25 4JN, United Kingdom

• Bike Events

  Bike Events Ltd, PO Box 2127, BRISTOL BS99 7LN. Organisers of the London-Brighton cycle ride and purveyors of cycle holidays.

• British Cycling and Cyclocross Federation

  British Cycling, Stuart Street, Manchester M11 4DQ, United Kingdom
  Email: info@britishcycling.org.uk.
  Legal aid, insurance services, touring advice; the main body dealing with cycle racing.

• British Human Power Club

• British Triathlon Association

  PO Box 25, Loughborough, Leics, LE11 3WX. The sport that combines running, swimming, and cycling.

• Bygone Bikes

  THE VINTAGE CYCLE CLUBS IN THE UK

• Croydon St Christopher's Cycling Club

  Involved in campaigning as well as the usual club activities.

• Cycle Campaign Network

  London Cycling Campaign, 2 Newhams Row, London, SE1 3UZ. Co-ordinating body for most local cycle campaigns.

• Cycle Speedway Council

  British Cycling, National Cycling Centre, Stuart Street, Manchester M11 4DQ

• Cyclists, Touring Club

  CTC, Parklands, Railton Rd, Guildford, Surrey GU2 9JX. The largest British cycling organisation. Legal aid, insurance services, touring advice bi-monthly magazine.

• British Schools Cycling Association

  8 Vicarage Lane, Mettingham, Bungay, Suffolk, NR35 5TE (0986 3394)*.

• European Cyclists' Federation

  Rue Franklin, 28 1000 Brussels, Belgium. Contact point for most European cycle activists.

• Fellowship of Cycling Old-Timers

  50 Kiln Lane, Headington, Oxford OX3 8EY.

• Friends of the Earth

  1717 Massachusetts Avenue Suite 600 Washington, DC 20036, USA. Campaigns on a wide variety of environmental issues, including cycling.

• London Amenity and Transport Association

  3 Stamford St, SE1 (928 1440). Campaigns for public transport, cycling, and pedestrians. Acts as an umbrella group for local amenity societies.

• Moulton Preservation

  21 Cremorne Rd, SW10*. Information on Moultons.

• National Bike Club

  c/o RoSPA, RoSPA House, Edgbaston Park, 353 Bristol Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham B5 7ST, UK . RoSPA's national cycling organisation, dealing with leisure and commuting cyclists.

• National Bicycle League

  3958 Brown Park Drive, Suite D Hilliard, Ohio 43026 USA

• Pedestrians' Association

  4th Floor, Universal House 88-94 Wentworth Street London E1 7SA. Campaigns for pedestrians' rights.

• Railway Bath Project

  King St, Bristol (0272 28893). Conversion of redundant rail tracks into cycleways.

• Road Time Trials Council

  77 Arlington Drive, Pennington Leigh, Lancashire. WN7 3QP. Controlling body for unpaced road racing.

• Rough Stuff Fellowship

  Secretary: Peter Kenner 1 Home Farm Aldcliffe Lancaster LA1 5AX . Off-road riding in the countryside.

• Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents

  RoSPA House, Edgbaston Park, 353 Bristol Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham B5 7ST, UK. Very motor car oriented, but does have two people working on cycling matters.

• Veteran Cycle Club

  Mike Sims 31 Rosebery Road Dursley Gloucestershire GL11 4PT

• Tandem Club

  Box TC, CTC, 69 Meadrow, Godalming, Surrey.

• Transport 2000

  12-18 Hoxton Street, London N1 6NG, United Kingdom. Campaigns nationally for a more rational transport policy.

• Tricycle Association

  Secretary: Norman Fenn, Halesowen, West Midlands, Tel: 01215 503644, E-mail: normfenn@hotmail.com tricycleassociationsecretary@hotmail.co.uk

• UK BMX

  Contact: Editorial & General Enquiries Robin Fenlon – Online Editor robin@rideukbmx.com

• Vegetarian Cycling and Athletic Club

  VC&AC, 13 Peers Lane, Shenley Church End, Milton Keynes MK5 6BG

• Veterans Time Trials Association

  137 Glenwood Ave, Westcliffe-on-Sea. Essex*.

• Youth Hostels Association

  National Office Trevelyan House Dimple Road, Matlock, Derbyshire, DE4 3YH . Cheap world-wide accommodation.