DIY e-bike conversion - how hard can it be?

You can buy a complete e-bike and there's plenty of choice, from rather ugly 'sit up and beg' models to sleek carbon fibre models with concealed batteries.  But I didn't want straight bars and I wanted a range of at least 70 miles. I'm also very fussy about having a bike that fits me very well, being over 6ft tall, which after a lot of effort I've achieved with two of my bikes. So I started looking for a suitable conversion kit for my winter bike, which I could use all year.

London: Great Tree Walk

A cold Sunday in November was ideal for a walk in London with Redbridge Ramblers, advertised as 'Great Tree Walk'. I was expecting a pleasant stroll through London parks, certainly preferable to slogging through wet clay fields in Essex.  So we headed to St Pancras station, along with over a dozen others, to meet our leader, Chris who soon corrected my assumptions on the theme of the walk.

19th Century Cycle Routes

19th century Navigation for Cyclists

How did cyclists find their way around Great Britain in the early days of the Cyclists’ Touring Club, which was founded in 1878?

One-inch to the mile Ordnance Survey maps became available in 1891, but long distance cyclists would need to carry a lot of these and the more practical Bartholomew’s half-inch maps hadn’t been invented yet.

The discerning cycle tourist wanted to know much more.

• Which is the best route between two towns? 
• What are the roads like? 
• Where are the hostelries along the way (including the local CTC Hotel)?

Wapping Walking Tour

The walk and the open day at the River Police Museum were both part of the Wapping Summer Shindig, organised for the community by the Turks Head Charity.

Marshland until drained in the 16th century, Wapping takes its name from a Saxon chief, Waeppa. Centre of London’s docks, crime associated with pressed sailors, poorly paid dockers and rich cargoes made it the natural home of the River Police.

Tour route

A Cycle Tour in SW England

A Cycle Tour from Crowthorne to Cornwall and back again

Our aim on this trip was to see how far we could get going SW from the edge of London, taking our time to explore the changing landscapes of southern England.

This account is mainly of interest to cycle tourists who fancy trying a similar two-week 'Travelodge tour' (other cheapish hotels are available). In these days of comfortable and fast motor transport (aside from traffic jams), you appreciate a destination even more if it takes a lot of planning and two weeks to get there and back under your own steam.

We now pre-book cheap hotels that (unlike B and Bs) allow bikes in rooms and a quick get-away in the mornings. We used to use Youth Hostels, but they are now fewer and often booked up with school parties, so we miss being able to self-cater and socialise with fellow travellers in the evenings.

A 5-day Circuit of London by Bicycle

A tour of the Green Belt around London

There’s hardly a car or house to be seen, yet we’re going to be less than 33 miles from the centre of London for the next 5 days.  Feelings of anticipation and slight apprehension have given way to excitement to be on our way.  A warm June breeze pushes us along.  It’s going to be an easy first day, from St Albans to Chelmsford, on our route around the capital.

Hutting in Austria

Fancy trying a hutting holiday? 

Nurnberger Hütte in the Stubai Alps

Hutting is a great way to enjoy mountains like The Alps, hiking between remote mountain hotels at around 2000m. Once up at that level, you follow waymarked paths, contouring along mountainsides, traversing cols and avoiding too many long ascents and descents. On a clear day the scenery can be stunning. You won't often see many people between huts, except a few at midday doing the route in the opposite direction. You'll probably come across marmots and steinbock, with birds of prey circling overhead.