Plastic Bags

Plastic Bags.

What have plastic bags got to do with cycling?

    When it rains, and there is no shelter, a plastic bag can be placed over the saddle to keep it dry, OR use a plastic shower-cap to achieve the same end (and they look neater).

    When touring we install a heavy-duty plastic sack in each of our pannier bags.   Each item that is needed for the journey, is first placed into a clear plastic bag before then placing it into a pannier bag.   Being clear plastic, one can easily see what a bag contains.  By doing so, even old pannier bags can be relied upon to be completely waterproof.

    Every item that might have been in a box when it was purchased (like teabags, and cuppa-soups etc.), should be removed from its box and placed in a clear plastic bag or two.  Thereby taking up less space, being easier to accommodate in your bag, and still remain dry.

    Despite cycling through some heavy rain storms we haven’t had anything get wet yet.

    Keeping oneself dry.

    In my younger days I swore by a cape and a Souwester, but we think that Capes are less practical when not actually riding, and when you are, they maybe more subject to a cross wind.  It remains a matter of choice.

     If you wear shorts, then it really doesn’t matter that much if your legs and feet get wet, however what about shoes and socks (if worn).  On the odd occasion we have placed out feet in plastic shopping-bags, and tied around the leg above the ankle.  That does keep the feet and shoes dry, but I have a pair of grey ‘self-draining’ plastic sandals and if I wear those in the wet, then I have no need to use plastic shopping bags.  Wet socks (if worn) soon dry out. 

    I suppose one could wear a shower-cap under a helmet. 

    Plastic bags weight next to nothing.

    You can re-use plastic shopping bags when shopping.

Border crossing

One of the advantages the European Union has brought us cyclists, is the freedom to cross national borders without hinderance, in fact it is sometimes difficult to identify where the border once was. 

In fact the title of this pamphlet roughly translated reads~: "Borderless Cycling"

Grinding paste?

Every cyclists who cares for their machine ought to be aware that sand mixed with or or grease to makes grinding paste, and if the sand isn't removed (somehow)  then the gear teeth and chain are likely to become decidedly worn.  I have seen gears looking like the blades of circular saws.

The advice is:-  keep your bikes away from sand if you can.  .

With those bikes shown in the photo the derailleur hanger arm is lying directly on the sand.  Not good!

Gaz or Electric Kettle?

Those were the days.

We used to be able to take a Ferry from Ramsgate to Ostend (Sally Line) on a Friday and spend a long weekend in Bruges, Ghent, or up the coast to Holland, staying a YHA B & B or camping.   

On a Short-term touring one doesn't really want to carry too much luggage.  I was recently trying to decide what to take, when I weighed our camping electric kettle set up (with one pan and a spare gaz cartridge) against a couple of ½l thermos flasks, and was surprised to fine that the weighed exactly the same i.e.: 1.83 kg.  So we have decided to use the kettle.  Most B & B have a plug somewhere were one can boil a kettle.

    
Ferries It is no longer possible to get a ferry from Ramsgate to Belgium, or from Folkestone or Dover to Boulogne to make a long-weekend trip with a bike.

Beast of burden.

Beasts of Burden? 

My thoughts are  that if Jesus and Mary lived during these times they would ride bicycles, and forget about the donkey.

So I don't find it at all surprising to see those two nuns with their bikes, nor the dear lady they are talking to.   I can';t remember where I took this photograph, except that I am sure that it was in Belgium.

Cycleways

Our National Cycleways ought to be to the similar standard one expects to find on the Continent.

We had a look at NCN17 as it utilises the Pilgrim's Way between Charing to Lenham.   It was not easily cyclable in a number of places because of deep ruts, and areas of flooding, also the foliage, needs to be cut back and brought under control.   It is not good enough to declare a route as a National Cycleway if it isn't fit for purpose.   Young people would struggle to cope with a mountain bike.  It would be quite a struggle for touring cyclists.

This picture shows part of the 200km cycleway that circumnavigates Lake Constance or Bodensee as it should be called.

It attracts a lot of touring cyclists, from from plodding tourists to enthusiasts who make a their personal challenge to ride round the lake in one day (to do so they would have to cross the borders of three different countries).

Neglected bike

Poor neglected ladies bike in a cow shed, on a farm just north of Bruges (Belgium).  It might be still rideable.

Pump the tyres up and that.

Comes complete with pannier bags.

Dynamo light,

Chain guard.

 Well sprung saddle.

etc.

The farmer chappie should be arrested and charged with wilful neglect, and ill treatment of a bicycle~ he is taking a chance, the bike isn't even padlocked.

Save our lanes

CTC’s

‘Save our country Lanes’ project.

Some years ago the CTC ran a project aimed at protecting and conserving our rural lanes for the benefit of everyone.   This project seems to have fizzled out; as I can’t find any reference to it on the internet.   But, if Kent is anything to go by, then never has this issue been more important.

      The CTC once published a campaign leaflet, on which there was listed eleven issues that we (cyclists and the general public) should be concerned about, but one they did not list was to address the deterioration of their general condition through lack of maintenance.  If this problem is not addressed soon, from a cyclist’s perspective, some lanes may have to be downgraded to Byway or bridleway status, only suitable for off-road or mountain bikes. Whilst, they are in the state they are, riding along these lanes the cyclist needs to maintain the utmost concentration to avoid coming to grief. 

      

     A case in point:-

     Cycling the 27km from Ashford to Faversham via Westwell, over the Downs via Monkery Lane and a choice of routes via say: Throwley Forstel, Stalisfield, Belmont House and or, Whitehill.   This is delightful cycling country with quiet country lanes, set amidst beautiful scenery, but its roads are often in a poor condition.

      For instance, a few years ago I drew the attention of Kent Highways as to the poor condition of Westwell Lane’s surface, especially where there is a long steep decent.  It has become extremely dangerous.  The road surface is bad, but additionally it has ridges, potholes, and sharply broken road-edges, and a lot of loose debris causing braking to be ineffective.    The centre of many roads have a band of about a metre, or more, wide, which is composed of dirt and debris (often with a carpet of grass and weeds growing on it), leaving very limited space for a cyclist (not quite so serious for a car as the vehicle would be able span this central reservation), but the condition is still unacceptable.

        If that road is not bad, crossing the A252 into Monkery Lane, then this road is in an appalling state.  The central debris band is deep and wide, there are an abundance of potholes and broken edges in the remaining bits of road surface. 

      To summarise, the whole network of rural lanes should be inspected, and cleared of debris, broken edges repaired, and potholes filled where necessary.  If this project is not tackled there is a danger that we will lose many of this network of country lanes, which are an important feature of British Life.      

This is at a rather long and steep hill, not much space remains for a cyclist.

When you get this sort of scenario and central gravel strip, then it is really nasty.

Ted Prangnell, member of the CTC.

Kennington, Ashford.

1^st June 2014.