Byke
Kultuur
Never

Issue 19, November 2003
Last updated 26th November 2003

This page created and maintained (badly & infrequently) by Séamus D. King.
Comments & queries to seamustuff@yahoo.co.uk. Mind you, no-one's sent me any emails yet.

Contributions from; Seamus King, Jason Patient, Tom Riley, Crispin Bennett, Anonymous Scaredy-cat.

This Issue

News, KC's Top Tips, my summer cycling trip, new cycling books, Petzl Tikka Plus LED headtorch, some piccies of me on the Mistral, Bike Right 9, some blokes birthday card, letters, emails and death-threats( one of which has riled an awful lot of people), coming events, back issues.

News
KC's Top Tips

A new feature suggested by a regular reader. Each issue will feature tip(s) under the KC pseudonym 'cos contributors can be anyone.
  1. Wet winter roads splash to pedals mean that it's a good idea to squirt SPD type pedals after each wet outing with WD40.
  2. More damp wet winter care is to open up those bike lights and give the electricals/electronics a squirt of WD40. LED lights in particular have very delicate electronics.
A few years ago, after reading the WD40 tip in, "Bicycle," magazine I squirted the stuff into an Ever-Ready Nightrider and was disconcerted to find that it rapidly corroded the plastic around the terminals rendering the light unuseable! Just thought I should mention this - technical ed.
The Summer Trip

Gosh. That was long time ago. Went to Spokesfest and had a good time in spite of the rain. On the way to Leicester I went behind a hedge for a wee and nearly broke my ankle when I failed to notice a two foot deep drain and fell down it. Excellent barbeque and beer at the Pumping Station and the beam engine running. That'd be when the rain started on Thursday night.
Friday noticeably wet with a ride led by Roger around some of the wetter parts of Leicester. Good pub lunch. Highlight of the day? Hmm? That'd be the piercing cry when Milly got bear tracks down her leg when her foot slipped off the pedal. Dinner; a good curry with Carol and Rob Hague, of Westcountry Recumbents, and Velovision's Peter Eland. Damn good curry.
Saturday. I ably demonstrated that I am a lardy, waste of oxygen by constantly being last and slowest on Simon's ride out to Somewhere Hall/House/Castle for lunch but it didn't rain at least not until we got back to camp. Dinner; kebabs I think. Cycling Photographer Jason Patient, Tom R and Sue from CoC showed up and then it rained and the beer left from Thursday was dispensed FREE!!!!
Sunday. Stuff on in Abbey Park; special needs, A New World Record for the longest Penny Stack (Pennyfarthing riders in line abreast each supported by the rider to the left or was it right) with 131 riders, Pennyfarthing racing (surprisingly interesting), HPV racing (B-O-R-I-N-G in my ever so humple pesonal opinion), messing around on CoC's Conference Bike and Joff Summerfield set off to ride his Pennyfarthing around the world. In the evening a few of us went for a curry, tres-yum. Afterwards we couldn't find a decent pub so made do with a liquor store and sat at a picnic table on the campsite; drinking beer, losing Jason's frisbees and enjoying life and then Jason tried to kill Roger with a plum. Twice!

And then I went home before setting off to Hull a day early. On the way, whilst pushing my heavily laden recumbent uphill, a mountain biker rode alongside and said, "I've got one of them. Prototype. Made by Pashley," and bit by bit the story came out how himself and his brother had ridden the two recumbents in the Polaris Challenge and not come last and the year before that they'd done it on unicycles and done very well. He was most impressed that I knew his brother was Duncan Castling though I don't know his name.

Ferry from Hull to Europoort, lost a lot on way to Aalst, busy campsite. Onto Nijmegan, campsite at Slijkewijk and a day trip to the impressive Velorama Museum with three floors of bicycles. Lost around Arnhem, along the Ijssel, left turn at Kempem to Lelystad with impressive ship Batavia, to Ehnkhuizen via the Markermeerdijk in the fog and a ferry to Stavoren and a spin out to Laaksum looking for Jeroen before heading north to Haarlingen. A bit along the coastal path but sheep-droppings and gates every hundred metres drove me back inland. Borger looked interesting but the hunebedden failed to impress. Wanted to stop in Germany but couldn't find any campsites where I wanted to be.
Bit of border hopping, busy campsite at Afferden, then down towards Maastricht where the campsite was gersloten so stopped at a site at Oost Marland where I impressed a couple with my folding wine-glass, met a bloke cycling to the Mediterranean and was most impressed with his Hilleberg Nallo tent (must get one of them).
As far south as you can go and a very nice chateau before hitting the border and the very foriegn sound of French speaking Belgians, some hilly country then Fort Eben-Emael before not being lost on the Albert Canal in the rain, back in Holland or was it Belgium at Baarle-Nassau or was it Baarle-Hertog?
Gulpener Gladiator,10%, says "Robust bier," on the label, tasted a bit sweet. Nice harbour at busy Willemstad. Near Zierekzee and the concrete blocks used to fill the gaps after the 1953 floods. Over the Zeelandbrug with the wind in my face, change of plan and head east only to find the Den Inkel/Perkpolder ferry doesn't run any more so back the way I'd come to Wemeldinge. Saw loads of M5 ligfiets' near Middleburg, Veere was nice but ver busy. Vlissengen for the ferry to Breskens then Sluis, it's big windmill and those shops.
Daytrip to Bruges/Brugge before back on the ferry then the most expensive mini-camping yet for 10 euros near Westkapelle and watched, "Evita," on the telly.
Hellevoetsluis was quiet, the fair was the day before, and the frituur shut for the season. Two nights there, should have stopped at Brielle, then the ferry to Hull.

England; smelly, loud, cars driven too fast all of the time and badly, litter, litter everywhere and broken glass, vandalism, graffiti, dog faeces, roadkill and it's cold and grey then it started to rain. Pleasant overnight at Lincoln youth hostel. Down to Belvoir Castle I had to ask at the shop if it was still on. She said yes and showed me where to camp near the carpark on grass with not a level pitch. Drank Belvoir Estates ginger and lime drink with a drop of Genever as Ned, Roger the Hilldodger, Claire and a tall bloke, whose name I forget, arrived on bikes. Much later Simon Sproketbender and Ian Hague arrived in a van. I intoduced Roger and Simon to a bottle apiece of Westmalle trippel, which were it not that I'd carelessly left both bottle-openers on the car-deck I'd have drunk on the ferry. Upon my suggestion Simon took orders then drove to Bottesford for the chip shop and off-licence then John Turvey arrived on his Trice
Gallons of tea at Margerets at Redmile for a quid and a grand day out. Dinner at some posh pub with overpriced Hoegaarden very yummy. Very long, cold ride home via Newark after a big breakfast at Margerets. Hot bath, cans of Strongbow, too much genever then bed.

Enjoying the Autumn on my Challenge Mistral at Bike Right 9


Some New Cycling Books

Flying Scotsman, the Graeme Obree Story
Graeme Obree
Written after a suggestion from his doctor, it describes his long fight to overcome years of depression, his struggle for cycling success as a means to cope with depression and also his suicide attempts. Not cheery reading but inspiring nonetheless.

Bicycle: The Noblest Invention
Lance Armstrong
Unlike his previous book, this one is about the bike.
"A bicycle is a classic design and the basic principle on which it works haven't changed. The basic concept of a body borne through space freely, with the aid of nothing but a crank, two wheels and arms and legs, remains poetically unchanged. What better way to see the world."

Slow Coast Home
Josie Dew
After her appallingly edited Japanese holiday books many thought she'd lost the narrative plot but her latest offering, an account of a trip around the coast of England, Scotland and Wales, shows that she's back on form but I do wonder about her toilet fixation.

The Rough Guide to the Netherlands
Martin Dunford, Jack Holland and Phil Lee.
Whilst not specifically a cycling book, additional contributions by Cass Gilbert and Laura Stone ensure that a cycling prescence is never far away. It was fun to retrace the route along the Ijssel river, somewhere I much enjoyed in the summer. It even mentions M5 ligfietsen in Middleburg (I was there too).
Nice looking guide book with a colourful map in the front and more detailed maps to each area chapter.
New Kit…

Petzl Tikka Plus
There should be some piccies to go with this but they're still in my 35mm camera. I have really got to get myself a digital camera
In issue 17 of Byke Kultuur the Petzl Tikka white LED headtorch was highly recommended as the ideal tent lamp but following a pithy comment from my optician, “well don’t read in the dark,” and summertime difficulties probably caused by flat batteries I decided to look around for a more powerful replacement just at the time that Petzl brought out this new model.
The Tikka Plus is very similar to the original model (which is still being sold), same size and shape but incorporates several modifications. It has gained an extra LED and now features a tilting mechanism to select the ideal angle, a new switch enables a choice of three light levels as well as a flashing mode.
On it’s lowest level it appears very slightly dimmer than the orginal Tikka, the middle setting is noticeably brighter and the highest setting very much more so. It also has a flashing mode which is far slower than would be found on a bicycle light.
With an extension lip below the lamp’s lens the new version eliminates the earlier model’s tendency for the light to just catch the tops of ones spectacles. An elegant solution to an irritating problem.
The lamp still uses 3xAAA cells and promises from 150 hours of light in the economy mode down to 80 hours in it’s brightest mode.
Price around £30.
I got mine in Decathalon in Sheffield and paid £28 which included a neat storage pouch.

I used the same apparatus and method as for BKN17 to obtain the following data...
LED Lamp State Output (Lux)
Tikka Single setting 10
Tikka Plus Maximum 22
Tikka Plus Optimum 14
Tikka Plus Economy 9
Tikka Plus Flash 15


The Tikka Plus flashes twice per second.
Typically, a bicycle LED lamp flashes around seven times per second.

Weight of Lamps inc. Batteries
Tikka 3xAAA 75g
Tikka Plus 3xAAA 78g

Bike Right 9
Before getting into my version of what happened you might want to take a look at Crispin Bennett's account, including lots of piccies,two of which are shown above, at....
http://www.crispinbennett.freedomnames.co.uk/Bikeright9.htm

Friday
A huge success (again) and the first one entirely without wor Tommy, still no-one can say we had a bad summer and it was a very good harvest so at least some good came of last years Wicker Man burning.
I took a scenic route from Berwick to Wooler on Friday morning and decided to stop off for lunch at the unfortunately named Lavender Tearoom at Etal. Unfortunately when I arrived I found that it was full of smelly cyclists; Jason’s Pre-Bike Right Ride was there ahead of me. Upon arrival at the youth hostel I spent an hour nodding my head at the incomprehensible Geordie accents of the other arrivals. Later Ken ‘The Pirate’ Davidson suggested they all drop their accents for the weekend and speak English. John McGuire raised a laugh with his reply, “I can’t do that. It hurts too much.”
Later I embarrassed myself by failing to correctly open a bottle of sparkling Tempranillo but managed to save nearly half the bottle by jamming my thumb into the top. Several people expressed admiration at the delightful red fountain I produced but they were all well outside the 10’ diameter danger zone.

Saturday
Jason’s hard ride was supposed to set out at ten but was delayed by Jase demonstrating the best way for a desperate man to remove an industrial strength cable-tie (zip-tie) that was securing his wheel to the frame. Byke Kultuur salutes the wit and imagination of Steve Andrews for providing this humourous distraction.

The shorter ride, led by Tom W and Hilary took in a more sedate route to Milfield before visiting some big hills. On the way; the ancient, new, wood-henge on Milfield airfield, the Cement Menagerie (closed) at Branxton and Flodden Field before lunch at Etal in the Lavender Tearoom and Black Bull pub and then we rode back.

The hard ride had visited Barter Books in Alnwick, probably the biggest 2nd hand book shop in the land. They also sell excellent cups of real coffee for 50p a cup and humoungous cookies at the same price. Several riders failed to recognize that Alnwick Castle is now better known as Hogwarts, having provided exterior location for the Barry Trotter films. Several riders from the short ride were jealous about the bookshop, the coffee and the cookies.

Sunday
Ride out to Kirk Yetholm maintaining a BR tradition. A not astonishgly good lunch in the pub followed by the results of the various competitions over the weekend. Surprise was expressed by many when it was revealed that Geoffrey Apps and myself were joint winners in the 'Touchy-Feely' competition with the two of us the only ones to correctly identify bicycle components in cloth bags.
Later we had a quiz in which my team won but was cheated out of our rightful rewards by cheating on the part of the quizmaster. Our team correctly answered the same number of questions as the team which came second and we also correctly answered the tie-breaker, both teams got the same answer for the second tie-breaker and our team alonbe correctly answered the third tie-breaker.
Yet, in spite of winning the quiz outright several times, first prize was awarded to the losing team.
It's as though a malicious spell had been cast over Jason so that every time we won he'd come up with another reason to deprive us of our rightfully earned reward.
Someone claimed we were sore losers but the fact of the matter is we didn't lose . We won! At worst we could be called sore-winners.
Fortunately on the way home I was able to get my own back on Jase by killing him, cutting off his head and setting fire to his house. I doubt he'll cross me again in a hurry.
The same weekend saw Jim McGurn's Birthday Cycling Weekend in York about which I've heard nowt.
I was invited but was up at Bike Right.

Happy Birthday Jim

Letters, emails, death-threats....

What is it with these recumbent racers? You put together some cycling event, Spokesfest or Cyclefest say, lay on a campsite, some social events, organise day rides, have a good time and what happens? They take no part at all in the event except for the few hours of racing and then everything is about them and everyone else is nothing and when they're done they bugger off without so much as a wave to acknowledge that there was something more to the event than elitist little party. Snobs. The lot of them. Andrew Lane,UK.
There, I bet you feel a lot better now you've got that off your chest.
I'll have to agree with you though. As a regular attendee of Cyclefest and Spokesfest it also riles me that, with the exception of a very small minority (actually one), the HPV fraternity seem so unwilling to more fully participate in such events. Perhaps they just don't want to associate with others outside their peer group.
Séamus

With the speediness of the 'net we're able to feature responses made to mine and Andrew's comments above, below...

Dear Séamus
The tone of Andrew Lane's and your comments in BKN 19 about the supposed reluctance of 'recumbent racers' to participate in Spokesfest and Cyclefest is unlikely to encourage more BHPC members to do so in the future. I think both your comments say more about your own prejudices and insecurities than about the facts.
Significantly more than one BHPC member attended the whole of Spokesfest this year, as I know from the numerous tale of free beer I heard! Phil Wray, a BHPC member, was one of the organisers of the Penny Stack. Bob Knight (BHPC racer) also rode an Ordinary. BHPC members (including me and my partner, Fiona) marshalled and helped time the Ordinary races. I admit I was one of the people who left straight after the racing, but only after having looked around the other attractions at Abbey Park. Having organised (admittedly much smaller) cycling events myself, I normally feel guilt at having to leave early, rather than swanning off with a sense of elitism.
A significant number of BHPC members regularily attend the whole of Cyclefest. The Coulsons have led tours for it. Mike Burrows (BHPC founder member) has lectured (and drank beer) at St. Martin's. Ian Chattington has crashed a Flevobike on the Prom. You must also remember that the BHPC have a race at Salt Ayre EVERY year. This year's event included a social tour. You will know that we welcome ANY recumbent rider to race at BHPC events, as well as Moultons, Ordinaries, Pedal Cars, Pedersens or anything else that doesn't conform to UCI rules. We are delighted to see someone other than the usual rabble competing and I have never thought to berate anyone who chooses not to. The term 'recumbent racers' is meaningless. I don't know of one regular BHPC racer who doesn't ride a recumbent regularily on the road. They are usually into other sorts of bike as well. There may well be BHPC racers who choose not to participate in general cycling events because they aren't interested - well, it's a free country!
Geoff Bird
Some witty retort I can’t think of for the moment
but thanks for the response Geoff. Us editor bods need putting in our places once in a while if only to maintain a more evenly balaced viewpoint .
Séamus

Seamus,
I raced at Spokesfest, I did not attend any other Spokesfest event, I did not wave goodbye to organisers (whoever they were).... Does this automatically make me an elitist snob? or unwilling to associate with others outside my "peer group"? or is there another explanation?
Let me tell you how the Spokefest went for me.
Other commitments prevent attending before Sunday.
Sunday morning - walk dogs at some ridiculous hour, pick up borrowed van, stuff bikes in van, travel to Leicester, find park, find correct entrance to park, find track, unload bikes, quick check on bikes, get changed, ride two laps before getting kicked off track because the racing is about to start, marshall for arm-powered race and try to clear some loose straw off of the corners, discover the wrong gates are open/closed in the park and everyone and his dog wants to cross the track immediately whilst loudly proclaiming their rights to walk where and when they please, marshall for two Penny Farthing Races, Penny Farthing racers award rider large trophy and then disappear, act as timer, race, act as timer, grab something to eat, marshall race, time race, race, marshall, help pick up straw bales, set out to have a look around, oh bugger its all over and everyone else has gone, pack up, travel home, walk dogs, return van, go to bed.
Here is what I think most BHPC members were mostly doing on Sunday:
Approx one third were racing, an approximately equal number of people were timing the racing and the remaining members were marshalling.
Pehaps you and your "peer group" could have helped us out and then we could have got more involved. Most of us didn't have a lot of time. I had to read Velovision to see what went on at the Spokesfest.
The BHPC are the least elitist bunch it has ever been my good fortune to be mixed up with, everyone is treated with equal respect and encouraged however fast or slow they are and whatever they are riding. Perhaps yourself and Andrew Lane should come along and participate before passing judgement on something you obviously know nothing about.
Paul Lowing
Here’s what I saw at Spokesfest; loads and loads of recumbents being raced around the Oval on the Sunday after not very many at all on the Thursday, Friday or Saturday. That sounds an awful lot like not supporting the event.
Seamus

Hi Séamus,
Enjoyed reading your page as always. Just had to mention, though, that after reading his life story you really should have spelt GRAEME Obree's name correctly!
All the best,
Mike Farnes
It's a fair cop guv' you've got me bang to rights. I’ve a note in my notes to check that spelling. No excuse that in my haste I missed it though I have now corrected it thank you. Cringing with embarrassment, Seamus

Hello,
First, great web site (Cycling Films List - ed )...thanks for having it!
By chance do you have any idea where I could go to purchase a copy of this movie:
6 Day Racer (1940's)
A bike messenger wins the big 6-day race. Lots of 6-day footage, starring era comedian, Joe E. Brown, though many sources incorrectly refer to him as Joey Brown.
I can find NO listing for it on VHS, DVD or even film anywhere and have no idea of who now owns the rights to it..
Long ago I saw this movie at a meeting of a bicycle racing club I was a member of and loved it.
If I recall correctly the actual name of the movie was: "The Six Day Bicycle Racer."
Many thanks for your time.
Herb
Nope. Sorry, haven't a clue but thanks for the email. Such encouragement encourages me to keep the list going. Thanks.
Séamus

Hi,
I am looking for a cycling movie about an american amputee that lost one leg and proceeded to break a world record for cycling across the United States (I think it was some time in the 1980's). I remember in the movie that he was from Orange County (maybe Long Beach) California. I can't remember the name of the movie or the name of the record breaking kid. I was wondering if you could help me as I wanted to find it and watch it again. Oh yeah, I don't know if this helps but I remember it being terrible acting... and I saw it on tv... I can't remember which channel. I'm not sure that it came out on the big screen.
If you can help that would be fantastic
Thanks
Loi (nother cycling movie buff) Do
As above
Séamus

Hello,
I am intrested in the purchase of your bike for £2200 if you can make arrangement to have it shipped to Republic Of South Africa or i sholud contact my personal Agent. Please check the cost of shipping and let me have the total As regards payment, I have already contacted someone owing me £6890 and he has agreed to send a check or money order and bank draft to you. As soon as it clears your bank, please deduct the cost+shipping and you can let me have my balance via Money Gram Transfer or western union money transfer. If this is okay, Please forward Name Address
Telephone Zip Code
so that I can arrange payment
Thanks
DAMMY JOHNSON
I don't know Dammy. I haven't got a bike that I'm selling. Is this some sort of confidence trick you're attempting? You'll be doubtless wanting my bank account number next.
Séamus (nasty, evil cynic).
Reader Neil Coles also got a strange email from Nigerian Dammy offering a substanial amount of money for a LWB recumbent he doesn't own so either there's a bunch of rich people desperate to introduce 'bents to Nigeria or there's some sort of 'con afoot.

Hi Séamus
Are you at all familiar with the phrase, "proof-reading,"?
A. Pedant.
Erm? I came across it once upon a time but suffer badly from more haste less....er...something, hence all the spelling mistakes, miss-edits (how's that spelt/spelled?) etc. Sorry.
Séamus
Coming Events...


Previous & current editions of Byke Kultuur Never...
Important Notice for Potential Litigants...

(a) I have no money!!!!

(b) If you find something so offensive that litigation crosses your mind, let me know and I will remove the item and publish a retraction, scaredy-cat that I am.
This page was created and maintained by Séamus D. King.

Contributions from me and others who prefer to remain anonymous.
Views expressed here are not necessarily those of the editorial staff even when they are.
Comments to seamustuff@yahoo.co.uk
This mail link only works right some of the time. Mind you, no-one ever emails me so it's not really a problem.