Arthur Lamy's bike blog is a year old

Do you know that it’s been a year since I started writing this blog?

Well in the true tradition of annual events, here’s a reprise on some of the cycling highlights of the past year.

February: Lance Armstrong has his bike pinched at the Tour of California and English comedian Dave Gorman says that he will do his next British tour by bike. The tour was to be called the ’Sit down, pedal, pedal, stop and stand up’ tour.

March: Bell Helmets produce an ‘Easy Fit’ helmet for both adults and kids. These only need one simple adjustment and they’re ready to go. Amy Fleuriot and Sarah Buck start Cyclodelic, a fashion house that will mix fashion with function in women’s cycle clothing.

April: Bradford Volvo dealership, Clive Brook Volvo offer customers courtesy bikes while their cars are being serviced, and Ian Davis receives £7,600 compensation for an accident caused by a pothole.

May: The Cyclists’ Touring Club says that research has proved that the more people who walk or cycle the safer it becomes while in Germany, the city of Mannheim offers cash rebates to riders who trade in their old bike for a new one.

June: Sustrans release figures to indicate that over one million journeys a day are taken on its 12,000 mile network. In Leicester, the De Montfort University Emmanuel gospel choir cycle from Saffron Lane Sports Centre to the Clock Tower in the city centre, singing as they cycle, to raise money for the Special Olympics.

July: New York City celebrates the opening of 200 miles of dedicated cycle lanes. Artist, Antony Gormley’s latest work, ‘One & Other’, sees Mark Korczak spend an hour on a plinth in Trafalgar Square extolling the virtues of cycling. Alberto Contador wins the Tour de France.

Braking News

Armstrong’s instant peloton
Following on from another ’come and ride with me’ Twitter message from seven-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong, almost 5,000 Australian cyclists took up his offer and joined him for an impromptu ride around Adelaide. In Australia for the Tour Down Under, Armstrong used his usual means of communicating with his fans, but unlike before he gave them two full days notice of the ride, with the foreseeable consequences.

This was the fourth Twitter call-to-arms, the first was held in Glasgow in August and, with a lot less notice, a modest 300 riders turned up.

A 9,000 signature petition handed to Sadiq Khan
On Wednesday, a 9,000 signature petition was handed to Transport Minister, Sadiq Khan, at the House of Commons. The ‘Motion for Women’ petition which was supported by such organisations as; The National Federation of Women’s Institutes, The Townswomen’s Guild and Women in Rural Enterprises, called for greater safety on our roads.

Sustrans, the sustainable transport organisation that had gathered the signatures, said that more women would cycle if they felt safer on the roads. Many felt that cycle lanes that were completely separated from the traffic held the answer.

In Wales, the petition was given to the National Assembly for Wales, and in Scotland it was given to Stewart Stevenson, the Scottish Transport Minister.

Sprint Bonuses

• Has 14-year-old Aaron Stannage, from Barnsley, broken the world wheelie record? Last week he managed to cycle for over eight miles, in an hour, at the John Charles Stadium in Leeds. Guinness World Record officials were there and they will verify the record shortly.
• A pilot scheme allowing cyclists to turn left through a red traffic light is to be tried out in London. This will let cyclists get ahead of vehicles at junctions and, hopefully, reduce the number of cyclists who are killed or injured by trucks that turn left in front of them.
• HTC Colombia rider, Andre Greipel has won the Tour Down Under. This is the second time the German has tasted victory, he also won the event in 2008.
• Safer cycling campaigner, Joby Spragg, has received threats following media coverage of his helmet-cam filming of bad drivers. These helmet-cam vigilantes are a growing force, I’m sure I read about another guy in Scotland doing the same thing – with the same result!
• Dodgy hips and knees? Have a look at the ElliptiGO. Described as a bike without a seat, it has several advantages over a normal bike. Out in early 2010, and selling for $1,999.

And finally,
Big congratulations to seven-year-old Charlie Simpson who raised £50,000 for Haiti earthquake victims by cycling around his local park in Fulham on Sunday. He had originally hoped for £500, but his plea on the website Just Giving seems to have reached hundreds more people than he ever imagined.

Arthur Lamy is a freelance writer who has written books, guides and articles for, among others, IPC Media, Ottaker’s Bookshops, Seaflower Books and Jersey Tourism.

He is a Blue Badge qualified tourist guide specializing in cycling and walking tours.

He is also a keen photographer – Joint winner of the 2009 Jersey Telecoms ‘Front Page’ competition.

More information can be found on his website: www.arthurlamy.com