Inspiration

Have a look at this video these people are selling clothes in New York City but they are advocates for Cycling too, I like their sty...

Cycle Harrogate on Stray Fm

This afternoon Andy Dennis from the Cycle Harrogate group recorded an interview with Stray Fm's Patrick Dunlop. It was a great chance to spread the word about the campaign and to further press for this issue to be taken seriously. You can hear the broadcast hourly from 0700hrs on Wednesday 30th M...

Can you Hear Me?

So left hand, right hand etc. The Radio interview will be happening tomorrow and we will update you with the broadcast date and time, turns outfit is a pre-record and we hadn't realised. Thank you once again to Stray FM for giving Cycle Harrogate the opportunity to spread the word and to empower the good cycling folk of Harroga...

Black is the new Florescent yellow

I have spent a good proportion of my time on a bike in a mixture of hi-viz yellow and Scothchlite so I look like a christmas tree in car headlights. This has certainly kept me alive but it's not exactly cool is it? In the summer months when dryer weather and lighter nights mean there is less of a need to look like an emergency worker commuting. I try and wear more normal gear and its feels way better. Now if I can just find something natty in...

On the road

This Cycle Harrogate thing started off as a way to try and get cycle paths built up the Knaresborough Rd. That seemed a little selfish, a little self interested, I would benefit sure and it would be there for everyone but what about the cycle provision we already have? Shouldn't we be getting people to use it? I'm no cycle zealot, I'm not anti-car. I have had some great and memorable journeys in a car; driving the length of the States...

Why Cycle?

Why Cycle? Burn fat not oil Screaming along flat out is one of the best feelings in the world. Mark Cavendish Rides a bike. Free cycle parking in big cities Its quiet, wildlife doesn't know your coming. Downhill is a buzz. Wheelies and track stands. When it's cold and your hair freezes you feel exhilarated that you could still be bothered. Its quicker than sitting in traffic, sitting in traffic is rubbish. So...

Cycle Harrogate Stray Fm

The lovely people at Stray Fm are to give the campaign some airtime on 3pm Monday 28th May to talk about the Knaresborough Road and how we want to help get Harrogate Cycling. Andy Dennis aka @walka2b who some of you may know from his marathon walking exploits, will be being interviewed as his legs it turns out are not just used for walking. Tune in even if you have no interest in what we are about, Andy is usually worth a list...

100 signatures

Great news on the petition front we have crossed the hundred signtaure line. Much of the thanks for this goes to Malcolm Margolis and his supporters. We have seen a real surge since I spoke to him. Now to keep the momentum up....

Cycling for a Lifetime

Once you learn to ride a bike it opens up so many options. This lad in Aloi camp Northern Uganda was expert at riding the family bike to do his jobs. One day he may even be able to sit on the sadd...

The Great Cycle Boffin

We had a wonderful chat on the phone with Malcolm Margolis last night. Malcolm is driving force behind both Wheel Easy Harrogate's premier leisure cycling club and also a good portion of the impetus behind getting the new Cycleway across the Stray. He and his wife Gia are involved with Sustrans and the Harrogate Cycling Group  I was hoping Malcolm would be able to help and support us and he didn't disappoint. Malcom  has sent our petition out to his members and we are to meet in the next few weeks...

Riding a bike should be easy

These aren't my words I wish they were, but they do a way better job of explaining why I think cycle provision is so important than I am able. This article was written by Ben Addy aka @BenjaminAddy who works for Sustrans the cycling charity. It was first published on the website of  Welsh organic clothing makers and full-time cycle nuts Howies. Ben has graceously said that I can reproduce it here. You can find a little more...

The Man from the Council says.... We will get back to you.

This afternoon we met with Glen from North Yorkshire  Council.  The story is that there may already be a "scheme" in place to put provision up the Knaresborough Road.  If there is no scheme we or the Council will put one forward as a starting point. Next obstacle is to find funding in these recession hit times although there are a few funding sources around and we may want to talk to people like Sustans to see if they would wish...

How I Cycle

There was  lovely 2 page spread in The Guardian magazine this weekend showing photos of cyclists in Copenhagen. What is lovely to me about these pictures is that they are not 'cyclists' in the sense that we use, they are people on bikes. This summer we were lucky enough to holiday in Denmark, which changed my view on cycling, cyclists and my bike. 10 years ago I bought a Mountain Bike, it was to be an all terrain machine on which I wound...

Meeting the man from the Council

So we didn't meet with the council as we had hoped this week but they are coming round for a chat next Thursday. Hopefully by then we will have a few more signatures on the petition and a deal more idea exactly what we will be asking for in the way of provision. We will of course keep you inform...

Twenty Three and a half hours

Cycling makes you live longer - actually half an hour of any light activity a day does just that. Here's a really nice video summarising some important evidence on the surprisingly positive effects moderate exercise can have on your life. This is one of the reasons Cycle Harrogate would like more people to ride their bik...

Why Cycle Harrogate matters

Image by Carlonreid on Flikr Sitting in my car on the Knaresborough Rd on the days when  for one reason or another I didn't cycle to work it's easy to let the often stationary traffic get to you. It's important to remember though that you're not in traffic you are traffic. Harrogate is a beautiful town but often crossing it in a car is a shocker. On many days my journey to work is quicker by bike than car, even though I go literally...

Cycle Harrogate some questions answered

Cycle Harrogate some history? Cycle Harrogate started off as a response to the slow pace of change by local government to provide quality cycling provision for the people of Harrogate. We began with a petition aiming to get some swift improvement on the Knaresborough road between Starbeck and the Stray. There was a load of support on Facebook and Twitter for this initiative. We continue to work to improve the lot of all bike riders in...