A mini pump is an essential thing to carry on any ride. I have a sign by my front door – ‘Don’t forget pump’. So often I have started a cycle ride only to realise I forgot pump and rather than risk being stranded in the middle of Oxfordshire have returned to pick up a [...]

A GPS can give a cyclist much more information about his ride and also suggest routes. For those long distance touring it can be much easier than carrying innumerable maps around. If you’ve ever tried reading a map, whilst cycling at same time, you will know benefit of a GPS. As well as providing directions, [...]

I have several bikes and cycle about 10,000 miles a year. Knowing when to change the chain is sometimes a difficult question. A simple test  is to use your finger and try to lift the chain off the chainring. If the chain can be pushed quite a bit away from the chainring, this is a [...]

Because pedalling is such an intrinsic part of cycling, it is important to optimise and perfect our pedalling action. Especially for beginners it is important to work on our pedal action. These are some tips to Improving Our Pedalling Action 1. Make Sure the Saddle height is correct. See: Correct saddle height and bike frame [...]

Recently I bought some of the new Continental Grand Prix 4000 Tyres. They are pretty good and claim to have lower rolling resistance, improved puncture resistance and also have a gauge to recommend when you should replace them. However, they were a bit difficult to fit and I have a blister on my thumb to [...]