A to B m a g a z i n e

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Issue 55 August/September 2006 A to B 40 Manor Road,Dorchester,Dorset DT1 2AX,England ISSN 1460-0587 . tel 01305 259998 . fax 01305 259998 email atob@onetel.com . web www.atob.org.uk Editors David & Jane Henshaw . Illustrations Helen Whyte,John McNaught,Tim Pestridge Contributors David Henshaw,Andrew Hague Printers F riary Press Ltd . Next deadline 25th September 2006

Phew,we seem to have arrived in Dorchester.Several readers have asked why we made the move. We had been in Castle Cary for 16 years,which is a very long time by any standards,then there were all the usual reasons; closer to relatives,better schools, large garden to exercise steam engine and so on, but the main reason was transport. Since we arrived in Castle Cary, traffic volume has more than doubled and speed seems to have done much the same.Just getting to the railway station by bicycle was becoming increasingly scary,and new industry was set to attract much more traffic, mainly thundering 40 tonners. The rail service itself has become increasingly expensive and unpredictable, and with few roads left to cycle on (Sustrans is close to despair with this corner of Somerset),we saw no option but to take flight to the suburbs. What a contrast! Quiet tree-lined avenues, literally hundreds of bicycles (against half a dozen), plentiful cycle parking,bicycle trailers,children walking and cycling to school...After living car-free in the country,town life is a utopia.There are problems in Dorchester too,but they’re mainly problems for motorists.The odds are stacked much more in our favour here.Makes a change.

Contents

Ear to the Gro u n d : The Mole . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

A to B L e t t e r s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

P i vot Po i n t s : G e a ring & Fuel Economy . . . . . . . . 1 7

A to B N ew s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 0

The Tr i a l : M i c ro fo l d e rs - A - B i ke v Genius . . . . . . . . 2 2

Wo r k s h o p : Sturmey Rattle Solved . . . . . . . . . . . 3 1

Te s t e d : S c o t t o i l e r . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 4

The Tr i a l : Lightweights - Dahon v Bro m p t o n . . . . 3 8

Te s t e d : B i ke Friday v Brompton v Bird y . . . . . . . 4 4

A to B S m a l l s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 8

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