Kit Review – TyreKey

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A TyreKey being used to get a tyre back onto a rim
The battle of getting tight tyres onto a rim It’s easy to see where the TyreKey got it’s name from – it looks much like a large key. There are two versions of the TyreKey, and I was given the newer version to try, which was redesigned to cope better with fatter tyres and wider ... Read more

10 good reasons to go cycle touring

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Top  ten  reasons to  go  cycle  touring Everyone likes a List Of 10, right? Well, here are 10 Good Reasons To Go Cycle Touring  The freedom!   You get to experience the landscape in a far better way  It’s very good for your physical and mental health  It’s good for the planet  It’s good for the ... Read more

Book review: The Slow Road To Teheran

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A WillCycle book review of The Slow Road To Teheran, by Rebecca Lowe
The  Slow  Road  To  Teheran,  by  Rebecca  Lowe I’ll freely admit I absolutely love books that tell the tale of daring, long-distance cycling adventures. A good book like that tells the story of a fantastic cycling adventure. A great book like that tells the story in such a way that cycling, though central to the story ... Read more

Your first cycle camping trip

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Cycle camping at Redlake, as part of a mini cycle tour
Excitement! The night before you set off on your first ever cycle wild camping trip on your own, you will probably be nervous. And more than a little excited! It’s a big thing you’re doing – stepping out of your comfort zone, and into the unknown. Of course, when we’re nervous, we’re most likely to ... Read more

Kit Review: A Trangia-copy spirit stove

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Trangia  copy? Yes, mine’s not an official Trangia, but a very well-made copy that you probably wouldn’t be able to tell apart from the original. Why did I get a copy? Easy – I wanted just the stove, and didn’t want to spend much, as this will be my backup stove. Why  a  backup  stove? ... Read more

Tips for staying warm while camping

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Warmth – an  essential  element Many people tell me they won’t go camping unless the weather is very hot, as they don’t want to be cold overnight. If done right, even in surprisingly cold weather, you should be able to stay toastie-warm. The tips I listed below should help you remain warm. Active  or passive ... Read more

Fear regrets, not failures

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We all live in fear The difference is what you fear. Some people fear the dark, some unfortunate souls fear open spaces. Many of us fight Imposter Syndrome on a daily basis, and fear being found out. Some fear being inadequate. Most fear death. A surprising amount even fear success. Almost everyone fears failure. And that ... Read more

Disaster on the Grand Union Canal

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The Grand Union Canal I long wanted to cycle the full 144 miles of the Grand Union Canal. The plan was to set off from Paddington Basin, right next to Paddington station, then follow the Paddington branch of the Grand Union Canal (GUC for short). The reasoning was simple: though a branch of the GUC, ... Read more

April 2022 Cycling T-Shirt Giveaway

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Win a FREE WillCycle Cycling T-shirt! We all like a freebie, don’t we? Well, during 2022, I’m doing 12 freebies! That’s right – I’m doing ONE cycling T-shirt giveaway per month. How to enter Entering is simple, but requires a Twitter account. Just follow WillCycle on Twitter, browse through the T-shirt designs available and pick ... Read more

The Power Of Travelling Slowly

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Cyclists riding slowly along a lakeside
Travelling  slowly Remember, even if you win the rat race, you remain a rat. Life comes at you fast, and that pace will only ever get faster. Yes, there’s a thrill to be had from ducking the knocks life throws your way in time, but there’s something even better: taking time out. Step out of ... Read more

Kit Review: Tyre Glider

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Tyre Glider tyre level kit test
Tyre Glider – A new tool in the battle of  fitting a tyre If you’ve ever struggled getting a very tight-fitting tyre on, or off a rim, then you will know it can indeed be a battle! Schwalbe Marathon Plus tyres are probably the tyre most people complain about, though on the plus side, they ... Read more

But Will, you never cycled around the world!

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Rural bliss while cycle touring the Grand Union Canal
But  REAL  adventurers… There is this enduring image that people have that to be a real cycle tourer, you should at least have cycled around the world. Barefoot. On a unicycle. That is, of course, utter rubbish. Simply put, a cycle tourer is someone who went touring on their bicycle, regardless how long, or short their ... Read more

Kit Review – Podsac Fork-mounted drybags

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A Podsac fork dry-bag
Good reputation Podsac has built a well-deserved reputation for great kit. Indeed, while cycling the Grand Union Canal, my mate Dom found that Podsacks are so waterproof that they made his bicycle float! As a result, I didn’t have any reservations when I ordered these from Planet-X. For clarity, I bought these at full price, ... Read more

Wild camping & cycle camping in the UK

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Cycle camping (mainly wild-camping) and cycle touring tips and advice
What is wild-camping? Wild-camping is camping away from formal camp sites. In the UK, wild-camping is legal in almost all of Scotland, but against the law in England and Wales (with the exception of parts of Dartmoor), unless you have explicit permission from the landowner. Here’s where things get a bit complicated: yes, wild-camping is ... Read more

The Impact We All Can Have

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We are all free. We are free to make up our own minds. We are free to make our own decisions. We are not free from the consequences of those decisions. For example, I’m free to try and rob a bank, even though that’s against the law. When I get caught afterwards (bank robbers always get caught) ... Read more