cyclng.scot CYCLING SCOTLAND SCOTTISH CHARITY NO.SCO29760 PEDAL FOR SCOTLAND 2017 SOUVENIR ISSUE FREE No.13 WINTER 2017 ALSO IN THIS ISSUE WINTER CYCLING TIPS PEDAL FOR SCOTLAND 2017 PICTURE SPECIAL GLEN TROOL CIRCULAR ROUTE
2 WELCOME Pedal for scotland stores ISSUE NO.13 WINTER 2017 3 As we crossed there was a palpable sense of achevement and the joy was wrtten on my face. I also had Kevlar puncture proof tyres that gave me a sense (false or otherwse) of securty as we navgated our way around the route, although wth brllant marshals and easy to follow sgnage, not much navgaton was requred. Regular statons every 10-13 mles kept me fuelled wth water and unlmted Tunnocks Caramel Wafers (THE Reason to book the Gold package) whle they ncely splt the 45 mles nto smaller rdes that made the whole thng feel more manageable. I especally loved the stop (and support) n Lnlthgow and just had to take a palace selfe. Welcome to ths ssue of SPIN magazne, our souvenr ssue for Pedal for Scotland 2017. As well as a pcture specal, we ve chosen to nclude a Classc Challenge szed route for you to add to your tranng schedule for our 2018 event and some top tps for keepng cyclng through the colder months. Remember, f you regster soon, you can take advantage of our Early Brd entry offers. We ve also heard from some of our rders about ther own experences on the Classc Challenge and Wee Jaunt Falkrk. Here Edde from Ffe, Stephen from Glasgow and The Brode Famly from Falkrk share ther Pedal for Scotland stores. Pedal for Scotland ths year was exceptonal, especally as I had frends and famly wth me. I took part n the 45 mle Classc Challenge wth my brother from another mother, Scott McFarlane, who I have known for 25 years plus frends Lews, Marc, Gordon, John and Kerry. Tranng for me s every tme I head out on my bke - I lke to thnk t all adds up. Because there were more people wth me ths year, we tred to get together and tran but ths dd not always work out. We headed out n 3s, 4s and sometmes 5s. We started small dong 12 mles then up to 20 mles then 24 mles. It was mportant to start small as some of the group had not been on a bke for 10 years or more. The bggest group was 30+. Tranng wth a group s so much fun and a great way to just catch up wth frends, have a good laugh and encourage the ones who are dong t frst tme. We started a WhatsApp group and the banter was great, I would recommend f you are startng out or takng part for frst tme. Padded shorts are a great dea too and, of course, a decent bke whch has been servced or looked over by decent bke shop. Takng part n Pedal for Scotland s a must for me every year. The frst tme I took part I cycled for cancer charty, Magge s, who helped my mum and many of my famly and frends through cancer, so ths event has a place n my heart. The event s well organsed and the people are amazng whether volunteers or rders. Everyone s always frendly and happy to chat whether at the start, 20+ mle mark or the fnsh. There s always someone happy to chat and encourage you along. I love t. for Scotland was always an event that I vowed to do, but every year, I always managed to somehow fnd one reason or another not to do t. Pedal But not ths year. I was out of excuses and as a runner turned cyclst (and owner of good and bad knees, as opposed to rght and left) I had developed a newly dscovered love of cyclng. However, there was another reason that I wanted to do ths event (and why I was possbly apponted as a Pedal for Scotland ambassador) and t s motvaton behnd almost everythng I do. To show that shape, sze, age and ablty (lack of t n my case) are not barrers to takng part n sport and havng fun. Fun s not the word I would assocate wth the 93 mles of the Bg Belter, but wth a long dstance trathlon my ultmate goal I saw ths a challengng mlestone. However, as weeks of sayng: I ll up my mles ths week passed wthout any uppng happenng, I started to worry. And then, my lfe got flpped-turned upsde down (although I ddn t become the prnce of a town called Bel Ar). Long story short, I dropped out of the Bg Belter and saddled up for the 45 mle Classc Challenge wth my pals Paula (fellow ambassador) and Gerry. And t turned out to be my best day of 2017. Other than a 21 mle cycle wth my Pearl Izum Champon team, my tranng rdes were restrcted to three mle commutes to work wth the odd 10 mle detour through Glasgow s parks. Whle I wouldn t necessarly recommend ths approach, the setup of the Pedal for Scotland Classc Challenge s such that t s actually accessble to anyone wth a bke and a reasonable level of ftness. As we crossed the fnsh lne, there was a palpable sense of achevement and the joy was wrtten on my face. Ths was my longest ever rde and I felt that I could cycle the whole route back. Two mnutes later, I was thankful that my euphora and msplaced enthusasm were tempered by the pre event decson to book the bus back to Glasgow. Possbly the best 20 I have ever spent. I had pedalled for Scotland and next year, I am gong to peddle ths event to everyone I know and I hope that you wll jon me. And next year, the Bg Belter wll be mne. Stephen blogs at www.howmanymles.co.uk So, on the mornng of the event, I was feelng confdent and lookng forward to catchng up wth frends and partcpatng n my frst Pedal for Scotland. Even as rder after rder overtook me, my sprts were not dampened. Even as the ran began to fall, my resolve dd not dsspate.
4 Pedal for scotland stores ISSUE NO.13 WINTER 2017 5 My son Connor (9) took part n Pedal for Scotland last year wth hs Uncle Andy and absolutely loved t. So when the chance came around agan ths year, (and just down the road from us, - the Wee Jaunt n Falkrk), he was eager to take part agan wth the whole famly. As well as havng fun, Connor and my other son Aden (11) really lked what the STV s Chldren s Appeal was all about and wanted to help rase money for chldren lvng n poverty n Scotland. A happy consequence of tranng for the bg day was that we were spendng more tme as a famly and gettng ft and healthy at the same tme. Aden beng just 10 at the tme but very tall, had to become acquanted wth hs frst adult-szed bke. Had t not been for the sponsors that were rollng n, I doubt he d have gotten to grps wth t so quckly as t was a lot heaver than hs prevous chld bke. He felt he had a job to do, and was determned not to let anyone down! When the bg day arrved, we set off THE early n the mornng, cyclng to the event wth a couple of layers on n the cool mornng breeze. Arrvng at the Helx was when thngs got really exctng as there was a real buzz n the ar. We took to our postons as the sun was rsng hgher nto the sky, and then we were off! It was nce that Pedal for Scotland doesn t emphasse wnnng the race but rather the takng part and the cause tself. As a rder, ths meant that the pressure was off tryng to get to the fnsh lne as fast as possble, and nstead focused on havng fun and explorng the route at a lesurely pace. And what a route t was! For those who haven t been to The Helx or The Kelpes, and even for those lke ourselves who had, there s somethng about beng on a bke that makes you apprecate these beautful landmarks as you maybe haven t before. Even more so n the glorous weather we ended up havng! Long gone was the cool start to the day and some of those earler much-needed layers were very much needng to come off! We were all roasted but had plenty of water to keep us cool. Much rather that than pourng of ran, and let s face t, you never can tell n ths country! The day couldn t have gone better; the sun was shnng, the atmosphere was fantastc, the route was delghtful and most mportantly, t was all for a great cause. It was lovely for us all to receve a medal at the end too. My husband and I as well as our two chldren throughly enjoyed the day and urge everyone and anyone to take part n future events, you won t regret t! Lynsey Brode BrodeS It was nce that Pedal for Scotland doesn t emphasse wnnng the race but rather the takng part and the cause tself. WINTER CYCLING TIPS Ok, tp numero uno: Prepare! Spend a few mnutes thnkng about what you don t lke about wnter cycle commutng, make a lst f that helps. Chances are there are low tech, low cost solutons. Other tems whch we use ths tme of year nclude Buffs: keeps the chll off your neck, Chapeau cyclng Caps: keeps the chll of your head, and can protect your eyes from the wnd & ran, Overshoes/Waterproof Socks; may seem a bt much, but the luxury of arrvng at your destnaton wth dry feet wll put a smle on your face. Mudguards, we may sound lke a broken record promotng mudguards, and they don t look cool, but they wll protect you and your bke from all the spray thrown up from your tyres. Full-ft mudguards are the best for commutng as they cover a large part of the wheel, clp-on mudguards are better than nothng. We stock new and used mudguards and you can pck up some used ones for a matter of pounds. Here at Bke for Good ths tme of year we notce our customers needs change, and we re all too ready to gve advce and support on how to confdentally handle wnter cycle commutng. We collectvely have thousands of mles of wnter cycle commutng experence to pass on to you, t doesn t need to be expensve and you won t need a new bke, but take our lead and we guarantee t s not all wet feet and freezng cold fngers! As you d probably magne, the majorty of our staff cycle to work, and there has been a slow and steady modfcaton of staff bkes, mudguards get ftted, tyres get wder, bkes roll n and out lke Chrstmas trees, and the wnter garb makes an appearance. We ve rounded up our collectve wsdom nto a handful of tps, follow ths mantra and t wll make the wnter commute not such a bg deal after all. Ths tme of year you ll have probably notced the road surface s completely dfferent than t was even a few months ago, t s wetter, slpper and occasonally cy [look out of the wndow & keep an eye on the weather report, and an eye out for sub zero temperatures!]. Your contact wth the terra-frma s wth your tyres, a part worn, unpumped, slck tyre s less than deal as there s lttle grp, and hgh chance of a puncture. Consder a good qualty, puncture resstant tyre [Schwalbe Marathon Plus s a dead cert]. Tyres are a bt of an nvestment, you get what you pay for and pound/mle they ll cost you less than a penny a mle and keep you uprght on the bke! Cyclng clothng s BIG busness, but you don t have to get drawn nto the velo catwalk. A few key tems wll keep you comfortable and safe. It s undenable Hgh- Vs, or even just a brght coloured jacket wll get you seen on the open road, get somethng waterproof and you ll be confdent to head out on a wet day, doubledup wth waterproof gloves and you ll feel nvncble! Bt of an obvous one, but bke lghts are not to be overlooked, n ths day and age of cheap electroncs you needn t break the bank to get somethng decent. Rechargeable lghts are great, and a more ecologcal opton compared to lghts wth dsposable batteres. Spend 30 or so, on somethng from a reputable brand lke Moon or Blackburn and they ll last you years. If you are commutng on cycle paths, maybe a lght that wll llumnate the path, but please be consderate not to blnd pedestrans, drvers or other people cyclng. Fnal Note: better to have t wth you and not use t, than not have t and need t! So there you go, wnter cycle commutng doesn t need to be all wet feet and frozen hands, pop nto the shop on Haugh Rd n Glasgow f you want to have a chat about equpment, and look out for our free pop-up workshops across Glasgow ths wnter! Rch Bke for Good
6 GLEN TROOL ISSUE NO.13 WINTER 2017 7 Glen Trool crcular loop START: Newton Stewart END: Newton Stewart DISTANCE: Approx. 47 mles TERRAIN: Quet roads and traffc free paths NATIONAL CYCLE NETWORK: Route 7 ACCESS: Tran statons at Dumfres and Stranraer and then Servce 500 bke buses to Newton Stewart ROUTE DESCRIPTION: Ths s a challengng but extremely rewardng rde n the heart of Dumfres and Galloway, where the beautful landscape, attractons and fascnatng hstory more than compensate for the steep clmbs. The rde starts n Newton Stewart and follows Natonal Route 7 east, crossng the A712, to Creetown. The route contnues along Natonal Route 7 untl you reach Gatehouse Staton where you turn off onto a track towards Clatterngshaws and Glen Trool. Ths track travels north beneath the spectacular Bg Water of Fleet Vaduct, as seen n Alfred Htchcock s The 39 Steps. You wll then wnd through forests and countrysde, past Loch Granoch, untl you reach Clatterngshaws Loch. If you feel lke a break, you can turn off to the rght along the man road to Clatterngshaws Vstor Centre for refreshments and tolets, as well as vst the nearby Bruce s Stone - the frst of two that can be seen on ths rde. Follow the quet road round Clatterngshaws Loch to Cragencalle House and you wll come to the start of another traffc free secton that passes Loch Dee. The route contnues to Loch Trool where you ll fnd the second Bruce s Stone - where Robert the Bruce s reputed to have paused after hs vctory at the Battle of Glentrool n 1307! Here you ll rejon the road downhll nto Glentrool Vllage. Just past the Glen Trool Vstor Centre, you turn left onto a quet road that runs near the Rver Cree through the woodlands and countrysde back to Newton Stewart for a well earned rest! Bargrennan Knockvlle Challoch Glen Trool crcular loop Cumloden NEWTON STEWART A75 Baltersan Blackcrag Bargaly Palnure A75 Talnotry Creetown Cragencalle Fnd out more: www.sustrans.org.uk/ncn/map/ route/newton-stewart-crcular
8 PEdal for scotland 2017 ISSUE NO.13 WINTER 2017 9 PEDAL FOR SCOTLAND 2017
10 PEdal for scotland 2017 ISSUE NO.13 WINTER 2017 11 FALKIRK
12 PEdal for scotland 2017 ISSUE NO.13 WINTER 2017 13 EDINBURGH PERTH
14 C Y C L E F R I E N D LY E M P L O Y E R L ong tme Pedal for Scotland supporters, the Royal Bank of Scotland, have been presented wth the frst-ever Cycle Frendly Employer Plus Award from Cyclng Scotland n recognton of ther efforts to support and encourage more staff to cycle to, from and around ther Gogarburn HQ n Ednburgh. Royal Bank of Scotland receves Scotland s frst-ever Cycle Frendly Employer Plus Award The natonally-recognsed award, whch s delvered wth fundng from Transport Scotland and supported by Healthy Workng Lves, recognses and encourages workplaces commtted to ncreasng levels of cyclng at ther workplace. Recevng the award, Ross McEwan, CEO of RBS sad: Royal Bank of Scotland s delghted to receve ths award from Cyclng Scotland. We place a huge mportance on the health and wellbeng of our staff across the busness and our efforts to support cyclng ntatves at Gogarburn have been well receved by colleagues. Keth Irvng, Cyclng Scotland CEO, sad: Wth hundreds of people cyclng to work everyday, pool bkes for anyone to use and major cyclng fundrasng efforts, from Sport Relef to STV Chldren s Appeal, RBS deserves ths new Cycle Frendly Employer Plus Award. We are delghted to see such leadershp from a major company, supportng a healther, happer and more productve workforce. Illumnate your New Year celebratons wth our Fre & Lght outdoor experence. Come together wth frends and famly to explore some spectacular sghts. The Helx, Falkrk from 5pm Book Now: www.thehelx.co.uk 01324 506850 #freandlght2018 Want to encourage more cyclng at your workplace? The Cycle Frendly Employer Award s open to all Scottsh employers. Interested? Fnd out more and regster onlne by completng a short questonnare at www.cyclng.scot/cfespn Teams can take part n Pedal for Scotland by sgnng up to Pedal for Scotland Gold at pedalforscotland.org Organsed by 8 Y 201 A M 6 Y A D SUN W O N R E T S REGI SCOTLAND.ORG FALKIRK P E DA L F O R table u s, e d r endly r f y l m a f tes! A l b a d n a s for all age AT THE HELIX PARK STARTING Charty Partner Cyclng Scotland s s recognsed Scottsh Charty No.SCO29760
Proudly presents GLASGOW TO EDINBURGH 4 RIDES TO CHOOSE FROM EDINBURGH FALKIRK 6 MAY 2018 SUNDAY 9 SEP 2018 REGISTER NOW PEDALFORSCOTLAND.ORG Charty Partner Cyclng Scotland s s recognsed Scottsh Charty No.SCO29760