News

Solar panels to power your cycle rescue

June 1, 2023

Whether you use your phone to plot a route, take pics or call our cycle rescue service if you break down, it's all for nothing if it runs out of juice. We're giving away a small set of solar panels to recharge your phone while you're on the move - as well as celebrate the long overdue appearance of the sun here in the UK. The panels...

Cycling

E-bikes are the Cinderella of the EV world

May 31, 2023

If you’ve ever watched an e-bike newbie return from their first ride, particularly someone who hasn’t used bikes of any description for a while, their joyous reaction will tell you all you need to know about this tech’s potential to change the world As countries around the globe scratch their heads over how to provide nationwide charging...

Cycling

Raleigh Chopper 2023 reboot (for '70s kids of any age)

May 31, 2023

If you're old enough to remember the launch of the Raleigh Chopper in 1969, you won't need to be reminded how popular this cultural icon quickly became among an entire generation of kids. The bike's long, padded seat, high-rise handlebars, and top tube mounted gear shift mimicked chopper motorcycles, but more than that, it's image tapped...

Cycling

Critical Mass for a new generation of cyclists

May 30, 2023

Something extraordinary happens when a group of cyclists becomes so large it dominates the road. Motorised traffic slows and people who might otherwise be too worried to ride on the road feel confident enough to join in. While it might be an everyday experience for riders on Dutch streets, here in the UK, pedal-powered critical mass usually...

Cycling

How to buy secondhand children's bicycles (without breaking the bank)

May 23, 2023

Nothing beats a bit of half-term cycling with the kids - what better way to have fun together and burn off a little energy into the bargain? It's also free...if you have bikes already. The price of brand new bikes has become eye-watering in recent years and many entry-level models are unreasonably heavy, which can do a good job of putting...

Cycling

Are smart motorways always dumb?

May 23, 2023

People power can be a potent force for change - particularly where road danger reduction is concerned. Just look at what the Dutch achieved in the early 1970s. Closer to home, public opinion has prompted a u-turn by the government on 'dynamic hard shoulders' - more often described as smart motorways. In recognition of what's described as a...

Driving

A stealthy way to wear Lycra up for grabs

May 23, 2023

Want the practical qualities of Lycra, but unsure about the look of tight shorts? We might have just the thing. Endura Hummvee cycling shorts are described as mountain bike gear, but we think their appeal is broader. For a start, they offer commuters a practical, comfortable and warm way to wear shorts all year round. The shorts feature an...

Cycling

Travel light and bring poetry

May 22, 2023

When Dervla Murphy was ten, she was given a bicycle and an atlas, and within days she was secretly planning a trip to India. For my tenth birthday my parents gave me a second-hand bicycle and Pappa [her grandfather] sent me a second-hand atlas. Already I was an enthusiastic cyclist, though I had never before owned a bicycle, and soon after...

Cycling

Veloconcerts: The all-singing and dancing cargo bike

May 18, 2023

As cargo bikes find their place in cities seeking to reduce dependence on cars and lorries, they're being used in ever more creative ways. VeloConcerts is a cargo bike-based mobile stage which can unfold in minutes. We assemble and manufacture the VeloStages at our workshop in Vienna together with Jakob Illera from INSEQ Design. The...

Cycling

Pop-up water bottles to reduce plastic waste? We'll drink to that

May 18, 2023

The Hydaway is a collapsible and reusable water bottle that aims to reduce the 50 billion plastic water bottles discarded each year in America alone. The brightly-coloured accessory makes an interesting alternative to a conventional bicycle bidon, too. [quote type="cycle_insurance"] The Hydaway water bottle is intended to be filled from the...

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