Cycling Articles Archive
Cycling in France, general cycling, touring, holidays with kids and many more of my ramblings;-)
Here you'll find articles on cycling, touring, equipment, France and some slightly off-the-wall topics, sometimes funny, sometimes serious and frequently opinionated. It's an archive built up over the last 20 years so please bear in mind that when I do things like describing pulling a baby trailer, that was a very long time ago.
Read and enjoy and I am always very happy to add contributions from others in order to make the Archive as broad and as worthwhile as possible.
Cycling Article Index
Reviews
Carradice bar-bag - perfect for cycling holidays in France? * Dawes Sonoran Hybrid Cycle review * Touring USB battery review * Touring Bike Brakes review * VSF T50s touring hybrid bike review * Ridgeback Expedition Touring Bikes review * Wheelbuilding book review * Cycling in Europe book review * Orbit Romany touring bike review * DTI Hugi Touring hubs review * Orbit Gold Medal touring bike review * Ortlieb pannier review * Burley and Thorn child trailers review * Brooks Titanium saddle review * Two person Tent test review * Brooks leather saddles review * Yak BOB trailer review * Trangia cooker review * Thermarest problems review * Robens Lodge 2 tent review
Technical
Stiffness in bicyle frames * Tyres for cycle touring * Reynolds 531 history * 26" vs 700c wheels * Tyre pressures * The technical facts about steel frame tubing * General use of steel in touring frames * Ladies Frames - why not? * Chain-link extractors overview
General cycle touring advice and guides
A guide on how to fall in love with cycling mountains! * Cycling holiday on the Velodyssee * A Guide to E-Bikes - central or hub motors? * Go on a cycling holiday – encouragement! * The Breton Bikes Guide to Cycling Holidays in France * Cycling Holidays for Beginners * Cycling holidays for experienced * Touring tyre tread patterns * Why cycle in Brittany * Food and Brittany * Cycling tool kit * Gearing for Cycling holidays * Carrying loads on a cycling holiday * DIY cycle camping holiday guide * How to choose a cycling holiday tent * My anti cycling-fashion rant! * How to climb on a touring bike * Hi Vis - worth it? * Death of the drop handlebar * Things to watch out for in a tent * A Cyclists Toolkit * Cycling with children - guide
Cycling Holiday route ideas
Cycleroutes from Gouarec in central Brittany (France) * Free hotel-based touring route from Roscoff * Free camping based route from Roscoff * Cycle touring up the Ventoux! * Tour de France 2018 in Gouarec * "A day in the mountains" * Climbing the Tormalet
General 'Fun' Articles
Cycling a 100+ years ago!
Cycletouring in 1887 * How people planned a cycletour - in 1887! * Cycle Training with freinds - in 1887 * How to pack for a cycletour - in 1887! * Cycling First Aid - In 1887!
And last but not least – the whole saga of.... The Breton Bikes ITG charity ride to the French Pyrenees
Latest Cycling Articles
Life In A Pannier
A short article by James Ellis
As I laboured up the hill with the wind driving into my face, sweat mingling with the rain that dripped down my neck, listening to my breath rasping with each aching push of the slippery pedals, I couldn’t help but think:
‘Damn, this is good!’
Nothing to do with cycling - and everything to do with one of my pet hates;-)...
I hate remote controls. They're generally a tacky bit of plastic which I don't need and have to pay for. The kids pinch them to play 'mobile phones' with (which doesn't matter unless it's a review item), they all look the same and they imply I haven't the energy to get up to turn a knob. But worst of all they are starting to become indispensable.
Choosing a camera for that tour in France...
Snap! Photography and Cycling.
Note - This is a very old article (as you'll realise the minute you start reading it) because it is almost all based around 35mm photography! It's amazing to think that it sounds like it was written 50 years ago and yet was current just 15 years ago - the pace of progress. As it stands it's of historical interest I hope and for the few fanatics still into 'real' photography it's still all true!
Read more: A Historical view on cycle touring and photography.
Nowadays all our feedback comes in the form of reviews on things like Tripadvisor - but in the 'old days we used to get emails like the following;-)
Tom's Holiday
"A very special bit of feedback"
What follows is probably of little interest to most people, but for me, and Breton Bikes it's a rather special few lines. Why? Because this is the feedback we got from Tom and Gerry 20 years ago. Not only were they our first ever customers from the USA, but more significantly they were our first ever internet booking. There's also the feedback from our first ever 'internet' family customers and I hope that in both cases you'll get a feel of the holiday as they are now - because little has changed! Of course nowadays it's all on Tripadvisor and Facebook, but in those days letters like these were precious...
Read more: Tom's (and others) feedback on his cycletour in France with us
Is the Sonoran a good first Touring bike?
Cycling Article Index
Manufacturers website - http://dawescycles.com/dawes/sonoran-gents/
A few months ago I reviewed the VSF T50s Hybrid with the aim of seeing if it was a solid entry-level touring bike. In this review I've chosen to review a bike with similar aspirations from the Dawes stable – their Sonoran Hybrid. As with the VSF these bikes have been run as part of our fleet so comments are based on both my and customers comments and the experience of the hard life of a hire bike... Note that some pictures are from our fleet (and grubby after a ride!) and the colour is now a rather sexy matt black - if you want pretty pictures go to the Dawes website...
Read more: Dawes Sonoran Hybrid bike - a budget tourer? - Review
Cycling Article Index
On Thursday the 12 July 2018 the Tour de France will cycle past our base at Gouarec in central Brittany. For those doing fixed-centre holidays with us, either gite holidays or camping, it means that you will be able to see the preparations in the village of Gouarec (which is ideal for such events), the whole panoply of the Tour itself and of course the party afterwards. Both the gite and the campsite are within 100m of the route!
For those who've never seen The Tour it is really something not to be missed. The whole village will be out in force, the village decorated, music, food etc and the whole thing just a massive celebration.
Cycling Article Index
Brakes for cycle touring – a very personal viewpoint...
It is easy for us to spend most of our time on worrying about how fast a bike will climb, what average speed we can manage or the rolling resistance of tyres. But in reality how quickly and easily we can stop a bike is more important. As cycletourists, often riding heavily loaded bikes on steep roads, this becomes an even higher priority. The one snag is that though brakes are now more effective than ever before also now come in a bewildering variety so hopefully this article will help you make a more educated choice for your own use.
I'm going to tell you about the best bit of kit I've bought in the last 5 years;-)
Cycling Article Index
30 years ago when Kate and I started cycletouring in France we had no electrical equipment with us whatsoever, with the exception of a small torch. As we cycletoured in France in summer having to carry lights wasn't an issue.
As time went on the situation even got easier as LED headtorches alleviated the need even for spare batteries. Happy days...