News

Men with big cars fail to impress

October 4, 2013

Conventional wisdom has it that an expensive sports car represents an extension of virility. However, much to the consternation of Porsche and Ferrari dealerships, and men of a certain age, the length and breadth of the land, a new survey suggests the opposite may be true. Kerb...

Driving

Britain’s youngest cycling champ is three

September 27, 2013

It is now possible to become a world cycling champion without even turning a pedal. Three-year-old Yaroslav Shemanov beat over 1000 other riders to win top spot in the British Balance Bike Championships earlier this month. How best to learn to cycle? Cycling is a hugely valuable life skill that helps children with coordination, balance and...

Cycling

Rise of the mini-break holiday

September 27, 2013

No one can be certain why the number of mini-breaks taken in Britain jumped by more than 60 per cent this year, but great weather, squeezed household budgets and even the current vogue for glamping (link) are said to have all played a part. The popularity of the four-day mini-break appears to have been at the expense of the traditional...

General News

Intelligent bicycle brakes

September 27, 2013

It would seem strange if a car’s brake pedal worked only the front wheels, so why do bicycles have separate levers to control the front and rear stoppers? There are already twin-cable brake levers on the market for bicycles, but the drawback of such a system is that an equal amount of pressure front and rear, which is not always desirable....

General News

Hand-painted cycle helmets

September 19, 2013

The jury might be out on the efficacy of cycle helmets, but most people seem to agree that they can be of some benefit to racers, mountain bikers and the very young. The challenge facing parents who choose for their children to wear head protection is how to make helmets seem appealing. An imaginative, if expensive, answer to the problem...

Cycling

Transatlantic flight by helium balloon

September 19, 2013

An adventurer has failed in his bid to fly across the Atlantic suspended beneath 370 multi-coloured helium balloons. Jonathan Trappe’s voyage was to have been a less environmentally damaging – if more time...

Air Travel

Bicycle smashes motorway speed limit

September 19, 2013

How fast do you ride your bike? A commuter cyclist might average 15-18mph and a professional 25-28mph, but even a Tour de France champion descending a mountain stage would fall far behind the 83.13mph achieved this week by a team of Dutch students in their VeloX3 fully-faired recumbent bicycle. The speed sets a new world record for the...

General News

British motorists dream of Italian, but buy British

September 19, 2013

British drivers have a passion for Italian cars, but when it comes to parting with money, favour British-built motors over Japanese models that are more reliable. What is the greatest influence on our choice of car? A competitive...

Driving

Victoria Beckham has bicycle stolen in New York

September 13, 2013

Whoever you are, and whatever you ride, the moment you realise your bicycle has been stolen is a gut-wrenching experience. The rise of social media means it is an experience that can now be shared with the world. Only this week, a tweet, and accompanying Instagram, from Victoria Beckham announced her bicycle had been pinched from a pavement...

Cycling

QBike: Automated bicycle wash

September 13, 2013

The latest gizmo to cross over from cars to bicycles is an automated wash designed to be installed in bike shops or hotels that regularly welcome cyclists. The QBike looks high-tech, but it does not quite match the features of a fully- automated car wash, forgoing steam cleaning and air jets in favour of water nozzles and drying off...

Cycling