Scientists tell us that behaviourally modern humans existed for around 50 000 to 65 000 years. For the vast majority of that time, most humans lived in wild surroundings. Though some cities existed a few thousand years ago, by today’s standards, they were small, and most humans lived in a more rural setting. Then along ... Read more

Now autumn’s here (in the northern hemisphere, anyway) it’s not long before the really cold weather will be here. Obviously, cycling in cold weather is significantly different. For starters, you need a strategy for dealing with the cold. You may need to alter your routes, to avoid the risk of black ice. As for dealing ... Read more

eBikes are cool, and anyone who claims that ebikes are somehow “cheating” are simply jealous. On my commute, there’s a mile-long climb of mainly a steady 11%, and I know I’m always envious of the ebike riders who breeze past me up there. However, for all their advantages (and there are a great many) ebikes ... Read more

Of all my GoCycle multi-day routes, my Somerset Circle is one of my personal favourites. This route has it all: vibrant cityscapes (yet with traffic-free paths), absolutely flat roads, some challenging climbs, rural idyll, gravel routes, several tunnels, modern and 1000-year old buildings, more history (ancient and more recent) and miles and miles of traffic-free ... Read more

Op Snap is the system available in England and Wales, where cyclists can report bad driving by uploading video from their helmet cam. However, not all Op Snap reports are equal – do read this post about making a better Op Snap report, as well as this post about improving it even further. 1. Not ... Read more

Most people don’t cycle. That’s simply a statement of fact. Why is this simple fact so important? Because it’s extremely likely that your Op Snap reports will be reviewed by someone who doesn’t cycle, and therefore has no idea how terrifying a close pass can feel. Even if police decide to act against the driver, ... Read more