As kids we were always told that it is from little acorns that great oaks grow. It was from such an acorn in the form of a chance email to Spokes way back at the beginning of 1999 that Car Free Day UK got off the ground. The email came from Jean Marc Ben Deputy Mayor of Calais asking who Spokes were and, could we help in getting Dover Town Council to take part in CFD that year? On 22 September 1999 Spokes escorted cyclists over to Calais with the Mayor of Dover on a Brox Bike. Reading of this on the Internet, Richard Evans of the Environmental Transport Association contacted Spokes that autumn. We joined forces. CFD 2000 was launched in style with Deal and Sittingbourne becoming the first ever UK towns to sign up. Last year even more towns joined in. But this year promises to be even better. At last the government have recognised CFD as a national event and given it its backing.

The Chair of the new NCSB is Steven Norris former Conservative Transport Minister, who once famously said he wouldn’t support Jeffrey Archer in his bid to run for Mayor of London. Norris is a supporter of cycling and patron of Sustrans. One of his conditions for taking the job was one to one contact with the Minister, whenever it is needed. Nine members make up the new board including John Grimshaw of Sustrans and Ollie Hatch, Director of Velo City Conferences and secretary for the All Party Parliamentary Cycling Group at Westminster. A former chair of that was Spokes supporter Ben Bradshaw MP. The next year looks set to be interesting.

Sam Webb

The Salisbury Plain Challenge, a 50 km off road route that twists and turns around the military playground, is a perfect place to get a real taste of winter cycling. Or at least that’s what I thought when I booked my place from the comfort of my armchair. I wasn’t disappointed. However I had not really thought this through. I had not trained sufficiently nor had I done my geography homework. The term ‘Plain’, which to me means a ‘flat’ landscape perhaps with some undulation, in reality became deep valleys and long heart-breaking hills.

The idea of almost unlimited access to a usually restricted area had also lent the enterprise some appeal. However, it soon transpired that the signs ‘Warning- unexploded ordnance’ and ‘ Danger- do not stray from the path’ gave the 1,200 cyclists who had turned up for the challenge, a warning to rethink any short cuts they had in mind. It was nevertheless, a beautiful frosty day with magnificent views across a virtually unspoilt stretch of countryside.

The day began with free bananas, ‘jelly’ energy drinks and words of encouragement from the marshals. As the day progressed they became the new Knights of the Road. The amassed lycra-clad figures assembled for an early start, all helmeted and mittened up, chatting in a nervous way, occasionally glancing at the other contenders bikes, whilst thinking ‘all that titanium must have cost a lot!’ The route began with a steep hill and a few immediate breakdowns; deraillier gears snapping off the frame, a seat post parting company with its saddle, a chain or two breaking, all presumably something to do with the –8ºc temperature.

These early casualties were perhaps fortunate for the 50km enduro soon began to be just that: an endurance for both man and machine. The route followed tracks and trails used by the military for tank manoeuvres and war games. This was the first challenge as these tracks were frozen with a regular ridge and dip pattern left by the tanks; even those with full suspension bikes received a good shaking as mile after mile passed. However, as we puffed, pedalled and shook, we took time to admire the scenery, magnificent clear blue skies with a mist rising from the Plain, leaving the higher ground floating above the valleys filled with vapour and the bare trees silhouetted against the misty countryside - breath taking!

By lunchtime, we soon realised that the sunshine that had helped warm us, had also soften the frozen earth. ‘Brown glue’ would be a good description as the ground thawed, bikes became the same colour, as did many riders, any distinction lost beneath a covering of freezing mud. Then with the sun setting, temperatures dropping and severe wind chill, this ‘glue’ began to harden where it had stuck; in the chains, sprockets, gears, brakes and tyres. Some riders were reduced to one remaining gear, usually the lowest and most found that the wonderful lightweight bike they had started with, now felt as if it was made of steel scaffold tubing

However all was not lost. The marshals who had provided food and encouragement now became mobile breakdown teams rescuing many cyclists from the fate of a long walk or, worse still, a night of navigating by the stars. It ended as a very special day, with memories of fine countryside and wonderful marshals. It’s an annual event with monies raised for charity and is a worthy challenge for anyone looking for a really demanding winter ride. See you next year?

Laurence Tricker

Rob Smith - Your New Cycling Officer

Pfizer people get on their bikes - Some 17% of Pfizer’s staff live within 5 miles of the site near Sandwich writes Sophie Chadwick and there is still a huge potential for increasing the number. Good weather cycle use at Pfizers in Sandwich has increased significantly although last years terrible weather put a dampener on things. The new path from Ramsgate, much of which is off road copes with 55% of all cyclists going to Pfizer. Other factors to improvement are improved facilities at work, including showers and drying facilities and better cycle parking with an internal bike park.

Cycle parking has increased by 180 places and there are 3 cycle access points to enable staff to take their bike through the security cordon using their security card. Cycle training is to take place at Easter in conjunction with Dover District Council and KCC aimed at getting people who can’t cycle back onto the saddle.

Rock on Sponsors 

Sheila Webb (Liaison Officer)

A BIG THANK YOU to all those who generously sponsored me for my ‘ROCK ON TO READING’ ride which raised £1,010 for SUSTRANS and Tenovus Cancer Charity and for the ‘ROME TO THE DOME’ ride which Sarah and I rode in September 2001. It was a memorable ride of 1300 miles and our group of 28 cyclists raised a total sum of £63,000 for ‘Leukaemia Busters’ charity.

P.S. If anyone knows the previous owner of my 30-year-old blue ‘Harry Quinn’ bike I would like him (probably) to know that Harry and I travelled 2000 miles last year and raised £2000 and he is still going strong!

I adopted Harry at Ashford Borough Council’s Household Waste Site as part of the Kent County Council’s ‘Recycle A Cycle’ scheme when, as volunteers, we helped to sort the 1000 bikes that were handed in during half-term amnesty week in Oct 1999. A second week of recycling bikes resulted in 2000 assorted machines!

Should YOU want a second-hand bike or two, contact ‘Necessary Furniture’, Canterbury Industrial Park, Island Road, Hersden, near Canterbury. tel 01227 712680

Well perhaps – but I would never have got back in the saddle at all if there weren’t such things!

I am not a keen cyclist, although I did use a normal bike to get to and from work in my more youthful days. The distance of 1.5 miles did not make it worthwhile to use the car except when the weather was inclement.

The trouble was, a long gradual uphill climb in one direction and a short "get off and push" incline on the return journey, were rather irritating. I got older and less energetic. Then one day when my chain snapped, I decided my cycling days were over and subsequently used the car.

Recently, my sister-in-law was given an electric bike, a Powabyke, as a Christmas present and felt obliged to use it. She lives on top of a hill in Old Wives Lees, about 2 miles from our home in Chartham. She does not drive a car so she had either to use the bike or walk to visit us. A little reluctant at first to be seen on this unusual vehicle, she now cannot contemplate life without it! Although not exactly speedy, the bike will carry her up the hill without needing to pedal, unless she decides to assist the motor by so doing.

After some deliberation and being impressed by her machine, I thought that here could lie the answer to my own commuting problem. Eventually I took the plunge and invested the princely sum of £640 for a similar machine. That may seem a lot of money, but a good mountain bike could be even more expensive! Having once considered a motor scooter, the electric bike seemed even better – no tax, no insurance and no petrol required. The only overheads are the minimal charging costs and the normal maintenance.

Indeed the bike has proved a marvellous asset and convenience. I can get to work in about the same time as it would take to remove the car from the garage and park it at the other end. I have no worries about security or vandalism because the bike is parked only a few feet from my workplace. Unless there is a veritable monsoon the car can stay in its garage!

The ‘Powabyke’ has a range of about 30 miles on one charge, an average speed of 10mph on the level and will take me up all but the steepest hills, when a little gentle pedal assistance is required. The battery unit lifts out of the frame for charging, but if you can park it adjacent to the power supply this is not necessary. Also, by dint of removing the battery unit, you have converted the machine into an ordinary bicycle – except for the giveaway motor in the front wheel hub.

The bike gets the thumbs up from me and without it I would not have returned to the cycling fraternity at all. Why not pick up a leaflet from your cycle dealer for more details? There are several models to choose from including tricycles.

Alan Croucher – a born-again cyclist

On 5th May 2002
The Natural Theatre Company 
will be performing
 en route and at the Winding Pond 
to help celebrate the 172nd anniversary 
of the Canterbury-Whitstable railway line.

See our Events page for details.