Fighting pollution one bike product at a time.

We have all become more and more aware about issues concerning the environment recently. Single use plastic is bad and as a country we’re not taking the problem seriously enough. Cars and congestion are causes of stupid amounts of emissions, all sorts of chemicals are going down our drains eventually leading to the oceans and reaching sea life. basically it sucks to be nature right now.

But hey that’s cool. We are cyclists right? From throwing ourselves off mountains pretending we are the Athertons competing in the UCI Downhill word cup, or clubs roadie rides doing your own Tour De France. We help the environment by spending less times in our cars so there is absolutely nothing to worry about.

Well mostly yes. Have you ever considered that all the products you use to maintain your two wheeled steed may be polluting the environment? Of course your not considering that! Because you think your being an eco-warrior by using your legs and not adding to emissions in our air.

Okay. Bikes are not too bad right? No they are ceratinly not! Still better than cars with no footprint on the whole carbon thing, but if you think that all that WD-40 and GT-80 you spray into the frame it eventually washing off and goes somewhere right? Oils containing PTFE finds ways into our environment.

Not to mention that bikes go where cars don’t go. Up the mountains, along the beaches on and canals… All those oils and toxins that eventually reach our ocean and pollute our plant life. Places were nothing chemical should ever touch, such as your local bike park or nature reserve you could be contributing to getting these chemicals to these places!

Okay there are a few companies that sell a few products that are bio degradable but are they truly bio degradable and safe for our environment? If you read the ingredients and other info on their packaging some still contain harmful products, exactly what we need to be cutting down on!

Your harmful chemicals could be reaching beautiful places like here. Photo Credit https://www.instagram.com/dave_on_a_mountain/

Is there anybody out there who really do focus on making products that are animal safe and plant safe?

Yes. Yes there is. Green oil is safe. Not just from a marketing point of view this company really are 100% committed to helping the environment. There oils, lubes cleaners and grease are plant based! So no nasty PTFE chemicals coming off your bike during a heavy downpour in north Wales whilst your gaining that air over that table top, damaging the environment around you. These are truly human and animal safe products based right here in the UK.

Here is a Glimpse of what they do.

Based in London… Where their are a lot of bikes lets be honest! Imagine all the grease and oils that go down the gutters eventually leading to our oceans. If everyone used plant based products imagine the difference!

I have used Green oil chain oil for a while now and haven’t had any problems. I have questioned a bike shop about there supply in bike maintenance products.  The response I got was rather upsetting as all was said was ‘its just a couple of bikes it really will not make a difference’. Well according to We are cycling UK 31% of us take to our bikes whether it be a hobby, a commute or being a pro and every person makes a difference.

Green oil isn’t just a company set out on making great products from plant based and sustainable safe sources they have won countless awards for their products too!

Their bottles are recycled as well as being recyclable! I really think their products are a fabulous way to help cut out the nasties going into the water and harming other life around us. They have a multitude of products available on their website or even on sites such as Wiggle .

If your as particular with your care and cleanliness of your beautiful bike this one small change will make a lot of difference to the environment. If you own a lot of bikes or even work in a workshop this stuff is ideal. 100% bio degradable goodies that will be nicer all over your skin instead of dirty PTFE oils eh? This is a real moral company out there for the greater good of our beautiful planet!! Made by cyclists for cyclists!

Give them a follow on Social media, if you have any more questions why not ask them? or even get in touch with your local bike shop and ask if they give a crap about the environment enough to stock there fabulous products.

Instagram

Youtube

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Twitter

Go on, Ride clean!

 

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First off let me apologise for the lack if blogging goodness explaining how my cycling life has been the past few months.

I am experiencing both techical and health issues stopping me from feeding you spelling mistakes and poor grammer.

Here's my fabulous blogging station

So I have lost 4… Yes 4 pre typed on word document and spell checked just needed copying and pasting on to WordPress blogs due to my Hardrive packing in. So now I have to start again.

I am back on it now though let's go!

I have also been poorly on and off and had to have a short while off the bike. 😭

I have already tried to re type my blogs to turn this back to a regular thing.

Stay tuned bike nerds!

You don’t pay road tax!

Hands up, how many of you have heard this countless amount of times when on a bike?

Also who has replied with the fact it dosent exist and it’s a duty tax we pay on emissions, therefore our wee legs don’t pollute our environment so we are within out rights to not pay ‘road tax’. (okay you can’t fit that amount of speech in the time the motorist over takes you and speeds off!)

Another thing the arrogant motorist forgets is well over 50% of us hold a valid UK driving license or a valid CBT.  Or category A license (motorbike) and fail to realise people actully cycle because they enjoy it. Not because they can’t afford to pay ‘road tax’ Or run a car.

As our days have now become shorter for the winter months, we find ourselves more vulnerable due to the lack of care taken by motorists. It seems no matter how well we light ourselves up we still get abuse for being on “their roads” and it leaves alot of people feeling unsafe when commuting especially on these winter nights.

All lit up for winter

Why can’t we just get along?

In other countries within Europe they seem to get along alot better! France have adapted most of their roads for cyclists. I can imagine though if you lived in Paris owning a car would be a complete nightmare. It’s such a busy city. The amount of motorbikes and cycles locked up made you realise how many people are actully crammed up in a small place. Whilst in England some households have up to 3 cars.

Metres away from Notrè dame

When we went Paris, there were barely any cars the first day we arrived. Shocked and stunned we couldn’t understand why. We didn’t realise that Paris had banned cars in parts of the city for one day! (September 27th 2015) I urge you find articles online about the impact it had on the city. You will find its a very interesting read and they’re considering making it a monthly thing!

It was weird and wonderful, plus with fantastic transport links thoughout the city and Basically cycle safe routes all over they’re really trying to tackle climate change. You don’t always need a car you know…. True story.

Amsterdam was even more fantasic! The moment I arrived I felt like I wanted to live here.

Everyone cycles! Well almost. With Dutch bikes, cargo bikes and a few road bikes it’s absolutely amazing how much people depend on their two wheels people powered machines!

I have one of these! Dosent quite look like this though!

If your a cyclist and you haven’t been Amsterdam you really should go. It makes you wonder how they got it right and yet countries like our own haven’t quite hit it yet!

Okay so what’s the point?

Here in England we seem to suffer more abuse than our neighboring European friends. However cyclists here can be worse than the motorists.

The very first time I stepped into my car all on my own after passing my test, I drove to work. I didn’t want to and haven’t done much since but I wanted to see how long it took, also get used to the route for when I have to drive there.

I got to a long stretch of road just before my place of work that I cycle along every day. So naturally I would be careful of other cyclists.

Well it was dark. My lights were on… not pitch black mind just enough to be careful as the sun was rising within the distance.

Suddenly I was cut up… by a cyclist.. I felt betrayed by my own people. What made things worse is if I didn’t suddenly brake and control the car I could have easily clipped him or worse. It was a 40 mile an hour road. He was on the pavement for starters and dressed in all black. Once he ran out of pavement he jumped on the road and didn’t bother to look.

No lights…

No helmet….

No hi vis….

Foolishly riding in the pavement in the first place….

This is were I feel sorry for motorists. No wonder cyclists have a bad name when most motorists will only remember the one or two cyclists who caused them grief.

Anyway, as I composed myself feeling a bit shaken I over took him. I didn’t give him any abuse but he didn’t show any remorse… infact he looked at me as if it was my own fault for not seeing him.

So it works both ways. There are terrible motorists and horrificly stupid cyclists!

What can be done?

Well the fact is both motorists and cyclists are poorly educated when it comes to the highway code. Or some have no common sense.

I only passed my driving test this year. I did my theory in January and practical in July. Not once in my theory did I get question regarding a cyclist…. nor how to overtake a horse. I felt cheated by reading the highway code as most of it was wasn’t mentioned on my theory but just a collection of repeated questions and also first aid, towing a caravan! Of which my license will not let me do?? Is the UK theory too easy?

My driving instructor was brilliant at mentioning the dangers of over taking cyclists. However I have friends who have recently passed and have never had a mention of how to approach cyclists.

I have even received abuse of friends and colleagues for being a cyclist. So sad really being told such things as

“Some people deserve to be knocked off”

This is a horrible thing to say.. no life should be risked even if they’re riding a bit foolishly.

“Your okay as a cyclist but most of them ride two abreast and there breaking the law”

I hear this weekly near enough.  Read the high way code please and don’t say I am okay because you know me… you hate overtaking me as much as any other cyclist.

“They should ride on the pavements were they belong”

Again highway code… how to these people have driving licenses? Bikes can hit a speed of 20 plus mph. You want us on he pavements were we can injure pedestrians?

Sadly though there’s a collection  of cyclists who are so unsafe it’s unbelievable.  Also I think motorists fail to realise that we are not all that bad… Do not allow the small percentage of us that are unsafe to spoil your opinion on all cyclists, as we don’t  belive that the drunk drivers and careless drivers represent all motorists.

After all… We put our life in motorists hands, once we pedal on roads were heavily at risk and that shouldn’t be the case. Everyone should be careful.. respectful and caring of each other. 

Here’s a short video of a gent from my local cycling club were half way though the video he has a close shave with a large vehicle. However you can see most motorists overtaking safely!

Is it lack of patience or education that causes this? It’s not a nice feeling and I face it daily along side other cyclists. Maybe one day it will change.  However for now I pray that motorists take more care in dealing with cyclists on the road.
Also I hope the small amount of cyclists get pulled and punished for not having correct lights and breaking the law.

Is it all doom and gloom?

No its not. Cycling is fantastic. Some people may not take to it as much as the hard core fanatics out there, however how many people can say I have never ridden a bike? Even the top 10 absolute idiots of motorists have eighter ridden a bike or bought one for there children.  So why can’t we just get along?

There are a number of cycle friendly roads and cycleways out there. You just need to find them. Cycling is such a fantastic way to get fit, commute, strengthen the immune system and reduce pollution.

When I cycle I belive being positive is a big deal. I personally make sure I acknowledge every motorist that gives way to me. If someone does overtake me or shout abuse I refuse to go off on a rant and shout abuse back. Why??

Because I am a bigger person. Also if I record myself giving as much as I get on a Gopro  surely I look like the small percentage of cyclists who those motorists hate?

This is a long winded post and I am continuing with blogging about how much safety on the road effects cyclists.  Over the winter months I am going to ask my cycling club with their experiences.  Along with videos of close encounters for both motorists and cyclists.

I am hoping that the government will one day realise that we need more public campaigns for cyclists safety.  Any one who follows this blog I accept any input and stories you have to share.

Be seen! Be safe! Be polite and keep peddling!

#OOAFCONTOUR

I am currently embarking on my first ever holiday abroad and my first time flying. Currently I am 30,000 feet (according to the cabin crew) and just past Birmingham.

I am on route to Paris. As a start of my 3 destination holiday were we will continue to Brussels after spending 5 days in Paris then after 3 days in Belgium we will go to amsterdam for a few days before flying back to Liverpool airport.

Fair to say I wanted to cry at this point.

Last night we decided that as we had to wake up at 3am that going bed early was a clever idea. My other half was off within the hour fast asleep. Me? I was tossing and turning, my heart felt like it was going to explode and my anxiety was increasing the later it got. I think I saw every hour last night.

When I was woken up this morning I felt like I only had about 10 mins sleep. I am fully feeling the affects of a terrible nights sleep. But at 5 am we left home to get to the airport.

I felt sick. Still do infact. I am sitting here probably now heading towards Oxfordshire (again not an educated guess, cabin crew information) drinking my can of Stella (yes beer at 7am) just to keep my nerves at bay.

I panicked when the plane took off. My partner clearly found this hysterical. But I don’t think a 28 year old who has never been on a plane would have reacted any other way.

This is only an hour flight and already 30 mins in we have reached the ocean. You may have guessed I am blogging to assist in keeping myself calm. Though I have come to terms with the fact thay a giant tin can is actually able to fly. It’s not breaking physics, apparently it’s engineering at its finest. ( even if it is an easyjet flight).

Now we have passed the English channel. We’re in France and not far from Paris. My ears are trying to pop amd my leg is numb. (My god I will suffer on long haul flights)

However I have just achieved time travel… ok maybe not but they are an hour ahead so I have just lost an hour of my life to the future…

Okay, now I am at our little hoilday park. Our flight was quick. Border control was a breeze. The armed officers were not scary…. much…. and their version of the underground (or subway for the American followers) is really really easy to pick up. However, we did buy the wrong zone tickets and had to jump the barriers at our stop.  ( I wouldn’t dream of doing that in London.)

Expect a few blogs once we have found our feet and actually cycled in France.  My first question on arrival was bike hire so it’s all a go go!

France, let’s have it!