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The internal combustion engine has done an admirable job at resisting obsolescence. In the face of climate breakdown, an air pollution crisis and the continuing cheating of emissions testing, car makers (and legislators) have been reluctant to curb use of fossil fuels. However, the death knell for the internal combustion is tolling as the...

This isn't an early April Fool. We think there's a genuine case for using boulders as a way of protecting pedestrian areas like Low Traffic Neighbourhoods (LTNs) - the schemes that use bollards or planters to stop rat running and create safe spaces for walking and cycling. The road blocks – also known as modal filters – that protect LTNs...

We know we're jumping the gun, but a fleeting glimpse of sunshine this week had us daydreaming of picnics by bicycle. British weather is so capricious, it pays to be ready to picnic at a moment's notice. That's why we're giving away a picnic pannier well in advance of the al fresco dining season. This retro style bicycle pannier from...

The true test of an insurance company is what happens when you come to make a claim so we're delighted to have once again reached the finals of the Insurance Times awards - this time around in the Claims Champion of the Year category. https://vimeo.com/703649184 Put your trust in us From the very beginning, we've striven to go above and...

We're the first to admit that releasing an April Fool prank a few days before the day itself is a little underhand, but how else would we have convinced media around the world to run the story? 1. Pedal-powered Popemobile Having established a reputation as a Pope who liked to take the bus, we offered Pope Francis the opportunity to cement...

Applying the N+1 bike ownership model is all well and good, but many of us are constrained by limited space and finances. If you have to restrict yourself to one bike, what should it be? Individual needs vary, but the range of bikes on sale today can be bewildering. A trip to your local bike shop will see you confronted with any number of...

You might have thought the ignominy of the dieselgate scandal might have put an end to car makers cheating emissions tests. However, a report by the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) has discovered 'suspicious' NOx emission levels in 77%–100% of tests, indicating the likely use of a prohibited so-called 'defeat device'....

Let's herald the change of season with the sounding of bicycle bells - that most under-valued of accessories. It's a legal requirement that bicycles start their lives with a bell fitted, but these are invariably cheap and nasty so they're usually quickly removed. However, good ones can be things of beauty - and useful, too. We have a choice...

The anti-cycle theft smoke bomb we featured last week inspired us to take another Heath Robinson-style flight of fancy. Thieves might be becoming ever more brazen, but the last thing they'll expect to confront is a bicycle paint bomb. Hidden within the tubing of our fiendish DIY bike rack is a canister of brightly coloured 'criminal...

The more you cycle, the more you notice how many motorists are using mobile phones illegally. The threat of six points and a £200 fine appears to be no deterrent. And the most maddening thing is that there's already a solution - ask any young motorist who's covered by the insurer Marmalade and they'll tell you all about it. A condition of...