4ucycling

 When it’s time to get on your bike, Europe really offers something for everyone. There are mountain climbs for those who like a challenge (this is the continent that birthed the Tour de France, after all) as well as scenic flat-as-a-pancake rides along coasts and through bucolic landscapes, many of which are suitable for families. Here, Paul Sullivan picks 10 of the best cycling routes in Europe. 1 Alpe d’Huez, France Best for: dramatic Alpine scenery Distance: 13 km (9 miles) Duration: 1–3 hours, depending on fitness levels This iconic ascent, best known as one of the key sections of the Tour de France, offers 21 bends that corkscrew between Bourg d’Oisans and Alpe d’Huez in the French alps. The scenic 3,670 ft climb is unrelenting, yet 1,000 riders per day – pros as well as determined amateurs – tackle it each summer. 2 Baltic Sea Cycle Route (Hansa Circuit) Best for: fresh sea air Distance: 7,980 km (4,958 miles) Duration: varies Otherwise known as Eurovelo 1...

I used to cycle EVERYWHERE. In my early teens my trusted Raleigh Racer took me to see friends, boyfriends, movies and shops. But then marriage, kids, cars and jobs happened, the weight piled on, and my poor old bike got left behind to rot. Mum got fed up of having to stack stuff around it, and after being hoarded in my shed for a couple of years, I eventually gave in and sent it for recycling. Living with a cycling addict is a bit of a nightmare, everything revolves around cycling, even trips away with the kids, (it even infected our honeymoon!) and I have to admit that there were times when I resented it appearing to be more important than our relationship. This year I finally relented and gave in to the annual pleas of hiring cycles as a family. “It’ll be so much fun mum!” filled me with dread, the last time I’d attempted to cycle I’d got out of puff at the sight of a slight incline and given up before even attempting it. But I was about to discover that a lot of it is down to the ...

 Bike sharing is a concept originating back to the 1960s. However, it was slow to catch on until better technology was developed, which could provide real-time information about the scheme, track the bikes and help safeguard against theft. Now, bike sharing is booming at an unprecedented rate, largely due to the reasonably low cost of the schemes, and how easy they are to implement compared with other transport infrastructure. And it’s an easy win for governments and urban societies, which can boost their green credentials by embracing such an environmentally friendly design. In 2004, only 11 cities had adopted bike sharing. Today, more than 1,000 public bicycle schemes of varying sizes and specifications run in more than 50 countries, across five continents. Europe’s biggest scheme is the Paris Vélib’, with 1,800 stations and more than 20,000 bikes. Hangzhou, China hosts the world’s largest system – three times bigger than Vélib’ – which is set to expand to 175,000 bikes by ...

The benefits of bike sharing schemes include transport flexibility, reductions to vehicle emissions, health benefits, reduced congestion and fuel consumption, and financial savings for individuals. But the most special quality of public bicycles is the idea of sharing. By sharing with others through a publicly available scheme, individuals can use bicycles on an “as-needed” basis, without the costs and responsibilities associated with ownership. In doing so, these schemes allow people who may not otherwise use bicycles, to enjoy the benefits of cycling; whether they’re tourists or locals. Bike sharing schemes can also act as a door opener for increased bicycle use, by making a strong visual statement that bicycles do belong to a city’s streets. According to my research, commuters using on-road transport can see bike sharing as a powerful on-street “cycling promotion campaign”. What’s more, other studies report that cycling increased in cities which implemented bike sharing sche...

CYCLING IN AUSTRALIA: I’m living in the middle suburbs of Shanghai – a great cycling metropolis. Bike-riding rates are 30 to 40 times higher than Australian cities. Hardly anyone wears lycra or rides a mountain or racing bike here. Cycling is all about “effortless” propulsion at low speeds on cheap, upright city bicycles in everyday clothes. People ride at half the speed of my mates in Australia, never breaking a sweat. Everyone rides here: grandmothers, professors, street sweepers, office workers, my guitar teacher, children. It is these “missing” bicycle riders we don’t see in Australia. Those going to the shop, the train station or the pub on a bicycle, instead of walking or driving a short distance. So how do we target these groups? We are certainly going in some good directions with bicycle policies and programs in many of Australia’s major cities, turning back 60 years of disinvestment in cycling. But how do we take the next step? Here are some suggestions, based on com...

Most new cyclists have huge gains in fitness during the first few months of riding regularly. After this initial introductory period, improvements become much more minimal and may be harder to recognize. Instead of being satisfied with your performance, there are easy ways to identify individual deficiencies that will help continue your progression and ultimately help you to become a faster cyclist. Here are 10 tips to include in your training plan that will help you get faster, stronger and break free from your everyday training rut. Improve Your Fitness The first and easiest way to become a faster cyclist is to improve your fitness. This can be done simply by getting on your bike more often. Just ride! Start by finding a way to commute to work, attend a group exercise class, or squeeze in another ride on the weekend. Buy New Wheels A nice set of carbon wheels are typically lighter, more aerodynamic and create less drag than the heavy stock version that came with your road ...

Riding in the Rain American poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, best known for his epic Hiawatha, observed that ‘into each life some rain must fall’. As cyclists, we’re more aware of it than most, but British Cycling club coach Dan Bennett, who runs Progressive Cycle Coaching, highlights the benefits of a good soaking. “Riding in the cold and wet gives you the mental toughness to handle a change in the weather in a race or sportive. It also increases your bike-handling skills, teaches you where the limits of your tyres are, and keeps you in better tune with your bike. Apply the brakes in equal amounts – 50 per cent on the front, 50 per cent on the back – and ride a little further towards the middle of the road: you’ll be less likely to pick up flints and other stones washed off the verges that may cause punctures.” The real key to winter riding is your clothing. “Wrap up with the best training clothing you can afford,” he says. “And when you’re riding in low temperatures on a windy w...