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National and regional press releases in reverse order with the most
recent first ..
2010
(for 2009 - 2006 articles please click on Archived Items)
For the Round Britain Cycle Ride, click here
South West Training Activity Sessions 2010
11th March 2010
Go Ride Race South West .. Jodi Vickery, Go Ride South West Coach
The South West Go Ride Team are to host their own Go Ride Race Series offering young people in the region who are new to the sport a fantastic opportunity to take part in a series of 4 Go Ride Races. Not only are they offering a series of Go Race but also providing some training and activity sessions at the same venues to prepare the riders for what fun lie’s ahead prior taking part in their first Go Race!
The opportunity arose when South West’s Go Ride Coach Jodi Vickery decided to approach ex race pals Jay and Maddie Horton of Fully Sussed who were organising a Regional Cross Country Mountain Bike series. From her experience and local race knowledge of Mountain biking in the region she recognised an opportunity not to be missed using some top race venues that even the pro’s wouldn’t wish to miss!!
We all know how daunting the concept of your first race can be, when everyone looks like they have far greater experience and what looks like very specialist equipment. This often proves a barrier to competition for many riders new to the sport. This is where the races and training/activity days are aimed at novice riders from ages 8-16yrs who may be totally new to the sport, joined a Go Ride club, or simply taken part in school coaching sessions.
Jodi also felt it was a great way of showing the young riders how they can progress from Go Race to Regional Competition by linking in with the South West Series and allowing the Go Race to take priority on the timetable to enable the Go Racers to stay on and watch the pro’s!! There is no obligation what so ever to take part in both the training days and the Go Race, however it is advisable to take part in the training days if you wish to Go Race.
- BC Race Licences are not required to take part.
- When signing up for all 4 training days you will receive your very own Go Ride jersey!!
- Activity/training sessions: - Go Ride Race:
Saturday 10 April Idless Woods, Truro Sunday 11 April Idless Woods, Truro
Saturday 12 June Newnham Park, Plymouth Thursday evening 13 May Newnham Park, Plymouth
Wednesday 28 July Haldon Woods, Exeter Sunday 13 June Newnham Park, Plymouth
Thursday 19 August Haldon Woods, Exeter Thursday evening 19 August Haldon Woods, Exeter
Bikes and helmets are available on request all you need to do otherwise is complete a Go-Ride Race entry form available on the site and pay your £1 levi!!
For the training/activity days these are offered on a separate basis whether you want to Go-Race or not, these 4 training days are £30 and on signing up you receive your very own Go-Ride jersey!! Clink on the link below for all details.
http://new.britishcycling.org.uk/search/article/goridest-South-West-Region-Holiday-Coaching-Programmes
Alternatively contact South West Go-Ride Coach
Jodi Vickery 07534 281 268 Email jodivickery@britishcycling.org.uk
or Regional South West Manager Chris Yates 07940 738 361
LIMITED PLACES & JERSEYS AVAILABLE SO BOOK TODAY!!
CROSS COUNTRY MOUNTAIN BIKING TRAINING/ACTIVITY SESSIONS ages 7-16 yrs
Saturday 10th April 10 - 2pm
Idless Woods Nr Truro (Go Race Sun)
Saturday June 12th 10 - 2pm
Newnham Park Plymouth (Go Race Sun)
Wednesday 28th July (Go Race as below)
Haldon Woods 10 - 2pm
Thursday 19th August 10 - 4pm (Go Race 4:30pm)
Haldon Woods Exeter
All of the above venues and training days are in conjunction & prep for the go race SW Series of the same weekend & also run in to the thurs evening races. However you do not have to participate in the go races. Please see additional poster for details or contact below.
Limited bikes & helmets available on booking.
Go Ride Training £30 for 4 days ~ Receive a free jersey!!
Go Race : £1 per race
The site at Newnham must not be ridden outside of allocated race/training times.
 
  
Thursday, February 25, 2010, 07:00
READY TO RIDE: Hatherleigh man Graeme Willgress prepares for his planned
4,000 mile cycle ride around the UK. Picture: Ian Snell
A FORMER teacher who had not ridden a bike for 17 years because of health problems is preparing to tackle a 4,000 mile cycle challenge around the UK. Graeme Willgress from Hatherleigh was forced to give up his job because of mental health issues which culminated in a breakdown four years ago. He suffers from bi-polar disorder but started volunteering with sustainable transport charity Sustrans and soon found himself responsible for the Meeth to Bideford section of the Tarka Trail.
Graeme said: "I had not been well enough to do anything and wanted to give something back. "Mental health is still an area of great fear and stigma, but it needn't be and exercise has a hugely positive impact."
He hopes his challenge will raise both awareness of the condition and at least £2,500 for Sustrans. He added: "I have had a series of mental health problems over the course of my adult life and only came to recognise them when I had a breakdown four years ago. "Being emotionally exhausted led to me being physically exhausted as well. "I hadn't cycled since 1992 and started again in September last year.
"I started gently riding parts of the Tarka Trail, I was really enjoying it and feeling really relaxed. "I wanted to give something back as well as explore the UK. "I have decided to do the challenge unaided on my own and will be camping. "An American company has offered me a teepee which is large enough to live in and store my bike."
Graeme has also been offered support and equipment from tyres to chewy bars to eat when he is in training. He plans to cycle the British coast in April/May next year and is currently training three times a week.
Graeme said he needs to do a couple of preparatory rides first and this April plans to cycle around the South West peninsula from Hatherleigh to Land's End, on to the Lizard, Plymouth then back on one of the national cycle routes.
In August he is planning a ride which will start in North Wales, go along the national route to Chepstow and then home. He said: "I never know from day to day how I will feel, but I have come a long way and I want to enjoy this challenge as well as raise money and awareness.
"There will be days lost and I think it is going to take me about four months as this is me living within the boundary of my illness. "It is daunting but I am very excited about it.
"I would like the money raised to go into Sustrans South West, and would like to make people aware of the importance of exercise in managing conditions like mine." To support Graeme visit www.justgiving.com/Graeme-Willgress
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CTC’s response to the Government’s Active Travel Strategy
22/02/2010
The Government has just published its Active Travel Strategy (Monday 22 February).
CTC – the UK’s national cyclists’ organisation welcomes the Strategy’s declaration to make this the ‘Decade of Cycling’ and its case for increasing cycle levels. The strong evidence of the health benefits of cycling has been well set out by the Strategy’s authors, who also provide a useful outline of what has worked so far in towns across England.
CTC has been campaigning for the Government to increase cycling to the level achieved by many of our European neighbours, so is pleased this aspiration is endorsed by the Strategy. However, even though it refers to the doubling of cycling levels in London in 8 years and Darlington
in 3, it is disappointing that the Strategy itself contains no specific timescales for achieving similar goals nationally. Furthermore, there are no new initiatives or investment to deliver the promised ‘Decade of Cycling’.
CTC’s Campaigns and Policy Director Roger Geffen said: “The Active Travel Strategy is a supportive statement of warm words about cycling. Unfortunately, it cannot deliver the massive step-change in cycle use that it recommends alone. CTC wants government departments to tell us what they are going to do and spend to make this happen. To tackle obesity, climate change and congested roads we need more than a homily to the humble bike; we need an action plan with pound signs attached.”
CTC believes cyclists need to come together to ensure there is a strong cross-party consensus for the Active Travel Strategy to become a reality, so that cycling grows into a mainstream activity. It is clear that we won’t see any real changes until after the election, so that’s why CTC will shortly be launching a new campaign called Vote Bike, so that cyclists can enlist the support of their parliamentary candidates to ensure cycling stays on the Government’s agenda.
Now is the time to get serious about getting a lot more people cycling.
Ends
For more information please contact the CTC Press Office on 0844 736 8453 or 07786320713.
Notes to editors
§ CTC - the UK’s national cyclists' organisation, with 70,000 members and affiliates in 250 clubs across the UK, is the oldest and largest cycling body in the UK, established in 1878. We provide a comprehensive range of services, advice, events, and protection for our members and work to promote cycling by raising public and political awareness of its health, social and environmental benefits. For more information see www.ctc.org.uk.
§ Further information about the Strategy, and CTC’s input to it, can be seen at www.ctc.org.uk/activetravelstrategy
§ Active Travel Strategy was promised by Gordon Brown as part of his ‘Building Britain’s Future’ strategy, launched last summer. It is published by the Department for Transport.
§ CTC’s Vote Bike Campaign will be launched at the beginning of March. Cyclists will be able to contact their parliamentary candidates online and ask them to sign up to CTC’s Vote Bike manifesto. CTC will then publish the results to help cyclists decide who to vote for, as well as to identify cycle-friendly MPs in the new parliament, about half of which is expected to consist of new MPs. The Vote Bike manifesto builds on CTC’s New Vision for Cycling and CTC’s Safety in Numbers campaign, both launched last year. |
Government outlines vision for an active England
22/02/2010 15:30
The Government wants to see access to cycle training for every child, creating a generation of new, safe cyclists according to Transport Minister, Sadiq Khan.
This is one of the aims of the 'Active Travel Strategy' - published today - which outlines plans to put walking and cycling at the heart of local transport and public health strategies over the next decade.
The other aims of the strategy include:
- Every major public sector employer to be signed up to the Cycle to Work Guarantee
- Cycle parking at or within easy reach of every public building
- Sufficient secure bike parking at every rail station
- Local authorities introducing 20mph zones and limits into more residential streets to improve safety for pedestrians and cyclists
Transport Minister Sadiq Khan said: "Active travel means a transport system where walking and cycling become the norm. "Instead of automatically reaching for their car keys, I want to see people feeling confident enough to jump on their bike or pull on a pair of trainers. "I am confident that this strategy will achieve this, making active travel a genuine and viable option for everybody."
Public Health Minister Gillian Merron said: "Walking and cycling are two of the easiest ways for people to build regular physical activity into their daily lives – whether it’s riding to work, walking to school or simply having fun. “This strategy demonstrates that even making small changes can bring about significant health benefits, and helps reinforce the message of the Government’. Change4Life movement, which is helping people to eat well, move more and live longer.”
Today's announcement is supported by a £12.5m package of investment which will secure cycle training for half a million additional school children by 2012.
The funding - which is part of the Government's £140m cycling budget over three years - will be provided to Local Authorities, the Government's Cycling Demonstration Towns, Youth Sport Trust, School Sports Partnerships and cycle trainers. Also published today are results from an evaluation of the Government's Sustainable Travel Towns project, which aims to showcase towns that put walking, cycling and public transport firmly in the spotlight. Across three towns - Darlington, Peterborough and Worcester – there have been:
- 7% to 9% reductions in car trips
- 26% to 30% increases in cycling trips
- 10% to 13% increase in walking trips
NOTES TO EDITORS
1. The Active Travel Strategy is cross -Governmental Strategy, led by Department for Transport and Department of Health, to get more people walking and cycling more often and more safely.
2. The evaluation of the “ Sustainable Travel Town” demonstration projects was undertaken by an independent research team to review and assess the activity undertaken in Darlington, Peterborough and Worcester to promote increased walking, cycling and public transport use between 2004 and 2009. The Summary Report of the evaluation can be found at http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/sustainable/smarterchoices/. More detailed analysis of the projects will be made available in early March.
3. We are also publishing a number of research reports from the first six Cycling Demonstration Towns programme. These are an economic analysis of the programme which indicates that the investment delivered high value for money, a survey of levels of physical activity in the Towns across the programme and summary of the programmes in each of the six towns. The reports can be found at http://www.dft.gov.uk/cyclingengland/cycling-cities-towns/results/
4. We have announced a further package of measures costing over £ 12m in 2010-11. We have awarded the following grants:
- £6m to over 90 Local Authorities and Cycle Demonstration Towns;
- £6m to schools through the School Sports Partnerships; and
- £500k for bursary grants to train more trainers to deliver the increases in cycle training delivery.
To date we have funded over 300,000 additional training places. This package has the potential to deliver 300,000 further Bikeability training places in 2010 and will help us deliver our target of 500,000 places by 2012 a year early.
Press Enquires: 020 7944 3066
Out of Hours: 020 7944 4292
Public Enquiries: 0300 330 3000
Department for Transport Website: http://www.dft.gov.uk
Report: British Cycling's 50th Anniversary Gala Dinner & Annual Awards
Event: 20th February 2010, Manchester | Posted: 21st February 2010
Report: Eddie Allen | Images: Larry Hickmott and Luke Webber
  
L-R: Victoria Pendleton with the Volunteer nominees, British Cycling's inaugural Hall of Famers - marking the end of a special birthday night for British Cycling and goodness knows what MB is thinking!!
In September 2009, Wendy went to the UK School Games as a Team Attaché to the Yorkshire team. It was a weekend that would change her life. Being allocated to Mark Barry, who was part of the Olympic and Commonwealth Squads in the 1980s, inspired her to the extent that she decided she would now do her third year at university and train as a coach, specialising in track and road racing, MB having agreed to mentor her as she works through the process.
Last night he was honoured by British Cycling .. and there they can tell their own story ..
Cycling champions, tireless volunteers, backroom heroes and sporting stalwarts past, present and future flocked to Manchester for British Cycling's golden anniversary - the 50th Anniversary Gala Dinner, for the first time incorporating the traditional Annual Awards and the induction of 50 of British Cycling's finest into the newly created Hall of Fame - one illustrious name for each year of British Cycling's eventful first 50 years.
Hundreds of guests attended the day's celebrations, which were spread across two venues - with the Annual Awards prize-giving taking place at Manchester's Midland Hotel, with National Champions from all categories across the sport being recognised.
The event then moved to the spacious surroundings of the Manchester Central Convention Centre, where guests were treated to a sumptuous gala dinner, the Hall of Fame Roll of Honour, special presentations and an evocative journey through the first 50 years of British Cycling's history, from organisation's origins in 1959 to its world beating performance in the 2008 Beijing Olympics. A display of cycling memorabilia including Chris Boardman's Athlete's Hour Record bike also helped guests rekindle memories from many epic moments on British Cycling's exciting journey.
Whilst dinner was served, the Hall of Fame roll of honour was announced, with sporting champions, volunteers and back room staff from every decade inducted in this, the first Hall of Fame presentation. The roll of honour was interspersed with interviews with this year's crop of National Champions and other distinguished guests.
The evening quickly moved on the presentation of Volunteer Awards, with Vicky Pendleton, Sir Chris Hoy, Sarah Storey and Steve Peat rewarding our sport's most dedicated volunteers in person.
Above: Victoria Pendleton congratulates the assembled Volunteer Award winners, to the right of Victoria Pendleton is Mark Barry, Wendy's Team Manager at the UK School Games.
Hosting the evening was Sky News anchorman Dermot Murnaghan, who guided the assembled guests through a 50 Years of British Cycling, with the help of British Cycling President, Brian Cookson. Through video, images and interviews with key figures in the organisation's development, the story of the last 50 years was told, from the federation's infancy in the late 1950s to its phenomenal achievements in Beijing.
Then came a series of Special Recognition Awards, which celebrated the achievements of outstanding figures in the sport, including road and track sensation Bradley Wiggins, sprint star Mark Cavendish and British Cycling's former Chief Executive Peter King, who took the organisation from the brink of collapse to the heights of success.
The evening's awards were rounded off with Brian Cookson and Victoria Pendleton officially inducting British Cycling's first 50 Hall of Famers with legends such as Barry Hoban rubbing shoulders with modern day heroes like Craig Maclean.
As the evening drew to a close, it was clear to all present what an exciting ride the past 50 years have been and, judging by the current crop of national, world and Olympic champions present on the night, the next 50 years of British Cycling will be as exciting as the past.
British Cycling Awards Presentation
On the afternoon of February 20, Britain’s best cyclists from across all the disciplines, assembled in the rather posh Midland Hotel (Manchester) for a presentation of awards. Over the course of three hours, the awards were divided up into age categories, (Youth & Junior, Senior and then Masters) and one by one, the awards were presented to the winners by some very important VIPs including Olympic Gold medallists, Jamie Staff and Sir Chris Hoy. As each award was presented, photos were taken and these can be seen in the slideshow below.
 
Boy's cycling design chosen for Olympic 50p coin
A design by a West Yorkshire teenager has been chosen from more than 3,000 entries to become a new 50p coin inspired by the Olympic Games.
16:30 GMT, Tuesday, 9 February 2010
 
(L) Judges said Theo's design 'captured the essence of cycling'., (R) Theo's prize included a gold coin featuring his design
Theo Crutchley-Mack, 16, from Halifax, said it was "absolutely amazing" that his picture of a cyclist in a velodrome was chosen by the Royal Mint. His design was also seen and approved by the Queen. Up to three million of Theo's coins will be released into circulation later this year.
"Just the thought of my design going throughout England and millions of people seeing my design, that's just absolutely amazing, I can't think of much better than that," Theo said.
Dave Knight, head of commemorative coins at the Royal Mint, explained the judges' choice. "It's a very good design, irrespective of Theo's age, it is very good," he said. "It is technically very proficient, and he has really captured the essence of speed and cycling in general," he said.
Theo was awarded with a special commemorative gold coin featuring his design. The teenager, who is a keen cyclist himself, described how the picture had been lost under a pile of papers before his mother found it and encouraged him to send it in to the competition.
The coin is the second in a series of 29 officially licensed commemorative Olympic 50p coins. The first was created by nine-year-old Florence Jackson and unveiled in October last year. Each coin in the series depicts a different Olympic and Paralympic sport, with the remaining 27 coins to be announced later this year.
Cyclist's flower power spreads the love after potholes bloom in icy weather
Potholes are worse this year thanks to the freezing weather, but one man has taken an unusual approach by planting primroses
(Photograph: Pete Dungey)Pete Dungey has been tirelessly ridding Oxford of its potholes by filling them up with primroses.
I read once that the best way to tackle a muddy path full of puddles when on a mountain bike was to take a leap of faith and plough straight through the middle of them, the reason being that the ground is firmest at the deepest part of the puddle. Or something like that. Whatever the science, it's a technique I have employed pretty successfully over the years, forgetting six inches of front suspension can make up for a multitude of rider errors.
Thus it is not a technique to be employed in rush hour when faced with what looks like a puddle but which is, in fact, a water-filled pothole. Fixing a blown out front tyre with nail varnish and a plaster is a story for another day.
The pothole situation has worsened dramatically this winter when water which had seeped into cracks in the road then froze, opening them up. Cycling organisation CTC has seen a spike in the number of holes reported to its Fill That Hole website – 3,500 were reported in January, compared with 750 in December last year. The Local Government Association has asked the Department of Transport for emergency funds of £100m to deal with the most pressing repairs. In 2009, councils filled 968,195 potholes – or one every 33 seconds.
Roger Geffen, the campaigns director for the CTC said: "We've had a substantial spike in reports but councils are taking notice and acting upon it, filling them in. The problem is they can't get everywhere to find them in the first place." He estimates that at least 30-40% of the holes that are reported are dealt with.
But one man has had enough. And he's using flowers to prove it. Forget stuffing them down the barrels of guns, Pete Dungey has been tirelessly ridding Oxford of its potholes by filling them up with primroses. "It began as part of a project called 'subvert the familiar'," says the graphic design student. "I wanted to do something that would grab attention but also raise awareness of an issue, and so the project was born. I have been planting the gardens for about a fortnight now and see it as an ongoing thing."
"Potholes are a big problem that could be eradicated quite simply. Hopefully it's something that grabs attention and raises awareness although I wouldn't call myself a renegade cyclist."
Pete currently works alone but he's hoping other people will follow his example. If you do, he's asking you to take a snap and email it to him via his website.
As a mountain biker I'm all in favour of practising my swerving skills before work, zig-zagging between pot holes. Roger, however, has some more useful advice for urban cyclists: "Firstly, try not to go through any puddles. But more importantly – and certainly more importantly than usual – don't hug the kerb, because that's where most of them are."
IAM warns motorists to give room to cyclists trying to avoid potholes
The Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM) has called on car drivers to pay extra attention to cyclists looking to avoid potholes as the nation emerges from the cold snap that covered Britain in a blanket of snow earlier this month.
In a press release issued by the IAM, Neil Greig, the organisation’s Director of Policy and Research, said that “as well as worrying about your vehicle, with potholes being a major cause of suspension failure, drivers should be particularly conscious of cyclists and motorcyclists trying to get past a pothole and give them a wide berth.”
Mr Greig added: “They are entitled to a wobble and would appreciate not having a motorist attempting to overtake just as they avoid a hole in the road.”
He advised that cyclists and motorcyclists alike should “look well ahead and change direction early so they have time to deal with the holes, and so that their movements don’t cause surprise to other road users.”
Potholes become particularly prevalent after spells of icy weather when water penetrates cracks in the road and expands as it freezes, causing cracks in the tarmac.
Other advice to drivers regarding potholes from the IAM includes leaving adequate space behind the car in front to ensure that potholes can be seen, checking tyres afterwards if you do hit a pothole, and avoiding making sudden movements after spotting one so as not to take other road users by surprise.
The IAM advises that since potholes are likely to reappear in the same place, road users should take a mental note of where they saw one in case it recurs.
Last year, we reported how cyclists’ organistion CTC had helped a cyclist win £7,600 in damages from West Berkshire County Council following injury sustained after hitting a pothole.
CTC has a longstanding campaign against potholes called Fill That Hole!, supported by a a website, www.fillthathole.org.uk that allows you to register any potholes you may spot while out riding your bike, with details then notified to the relevant local authority.
Should a local authority be notified of the existence of a pothole and fail to rectify the situation and that pothole is subsequently the cause of an accident, the council concerned may be liable for damages to the injured party.
As the snows have receded, local authorities have started counting the cost of the works that will be needed to repair potholed roads. Earlier this month, we reported how Cardiff City Council had spent more than £1.2 million repairing 9,000 potholes during 2009.
Snow beater: put on your knobbliest tyres and get pedalling
Travel disruptions mean cycling, with a few adjustments, may be the best bet for getting to work vaguely on time
Matt Seaton Wednesday 6 January 2010 07.33 GMT www.guardian.co.uk
A cyclist pushes their bike across a snow covered bridge in Salford Quays, Manchester. Photograph: PA Wire Snow, for many, is already here. And after I'm done writing this, I'm going to put the knobbliest tyres I have on my bike for this morning's commute.
I've got used to riding with a big crowd of cyclists on my way to and from work, but I suspect that as it has snowed overnight in London, the rank and file of two-wheeled commuters will be thinned out substantially.
But really, there's no need to leave the bike at home, just because of a bit of the white stuff. In fact, with bus, train and London underground services reduced by the inclement weather, cycling might be about the best bet for getting to work vaguely on time.
I just came back from a couple of weeks in north-east US. It snows there any time from November to April, and easily a foot at a time. In New York, where they snowplough the avenues and the main cross streets with incredible efficiency (courtesy of the sanitation department, which uses garbage trucks kitted out with blades and chains on the wheels), I saw no shortage of cyclists pedalling through the snow and slush. Up in Vermont, I rode on dirt roads carpeted in packed snow and sand: with a wind chill of -20C, the biggest issue was avoiding frostbitten fingers; staying upright was no problem.
Only ice is the real no-no, but riding a bike in snow is not only easy, it's even fun. And you get the added kudos because people think you're incredibly intrepid getting to work, as though you'd just pedalled to the South Pole or something. With all the hype about the winter weather, I did start web searching for some serious winter tyres – the type with metal studs that will bite and give grip even through hard-packed icy snow. I found a very useful article on tyre choice from this New Hampshire cycle shop, but there's so little demand for studded tyres in the UK that these products are hard to source, and by the time your order arrives, the snow will almost certainly have disappeared. So I'd suggest that unless your commute takes you over the Cairngorms, a pair of studded tyres for £70 is a slightly over-the-top technical fix for a problem that occurs a day or two a year at most.
Assuming, then, that we're doing cycling in the snow the cheap and cheerful way, I've got a few tips, but I'd be interested in yours ..
• The more tread on your tyres, the better. You can ride in snow on slicks, but I wouldn't choose to. If you have a mountain bike, with chunky off-road treads, this is the day for it.
• Let some air out of your tyres, whatever sort they are. Ride them soft: you'll get more grip.
• It's natural, when you're a bit anxious about conditions, to ride leaning forward and tense, with your hands on the brakes. But try to relax the hands and arms, and keep your weight back.
• As in any slippery conditions (such as very wet roads), do your braking early and as much as possible in a straight line. Definitely only use the front brake in this way; otherwise, use the back brake more. And you can also use the back brake to test the amount of adhesion you have.
• Try to steer "with your hips" rather than your hands: in other words, make directional changes progressively and with your whole mass on the bike, rather than by sudden sharp steering inputs at the handlebars.
• As snow gets grooved by car tyres and refreezes, you can encounter rutted tracks and momentary "tramlining" effects. Deal with this by allowing the front wheel of the bike to go where it wants; again, keep your weight back, stay relaxed and don't be too ambitious about your speed.
• Mostly, on British roads, the snow is cleared or turns to slush quickly, but beware of transitions from snowy side streets to clear roads: this is where you're most likely to encounter ice or tricky ruts.
• I generally ride around town with some sort of hat, rather than a helmet. But in the snow, I'll wear a helmet – there's just a little more likelihood of a slip. Most likely, it would be slow-speed and harmless, but I'd factor in the extra risk by wearing a helmet.
• Unless you have mudguards (with good clearance!), wear old clothes: that slimy black slush is perplexingly indelible and a dirty stripe up your arse is not a good look in the office.
• The most dangerous time, as with any analogous activity (skiing, skating, downhill mountain biking etc), is when you get over-confident. The day I got a little cocky on the back roads in the Green Mountain State, I found myself sliding down the road on my butt. So hey, what do I know?
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