CONTENTS

JUNE 2007

Velo Vision is published quarterly by Velo Vision Ltd. Subscription details, news and updates can be found on www.velovision.com

ISSN 1475-4312

Velo Vision Magazine The Environmental Centre, St Nicholas Fields, York, YO10 3EN, UK Tel/Fax +44 1904 438 224 (from UK, 01904 438 224) Email peter@velovision.com Website www.velovision.com

EDITOR AND PUBLISHER: Peter Eland ART DIRECTOR: Brian Holt WEB PROGRAMMER: Simon Ward PRINTER: Stephens & George Magazines Ltd, Merthyr Tidfil, Wales, UK. Tel 01685 388 888

PUBLISHING SCHEDULE: Issue 27: September 2007 Issue 28: December 2007 Issue 29: March 2008 Issue 30: June 2008

Velo Vision is a member of INK, trade association of the alternative press in the UK. www.ink.uk.com

VELO VISION AND VELO-VISION We weren’t first with the name. Velo-Vision (note the hyphen) is a progressive HPV-friendly bike shop in Körten, near Bergisch-Gladbach, Germany, who also make their own recumbents. Velo Vision magazine is working in friendly harmony with Velo-Vision in Germany.

Velo Vision is printed on paper produced from sustainable forests to Nordic Swan standards.

COVER PHOTOGRAPH:

Andrew Walters rides his prototype Monval Excel semi-recumbent tourer.

OPPOSITE:The deadly ducks of Escrick? We didn’t stop to find out... Both photos by Peter Eland.

4 News Swivelheads approaching, a Sturmey fi xed, a suitcase folder, artbikes and more…

8 More ‘e’ Vicar? Electric bike mega-test as our reviewers in fl at Cambridge and hilly Sheffi ed test three top electric bikes: 􏰀􏰀Sparta Ion 􏰀􏰀Ezee Forte 􏰀􏰀Airnimal Joey Move

17 Pedalling for President John Dowlin explores a new biography of pioneering lady cyclist and activist Belva Lockwood

18 Kings of the Road There’s a cycle courier company with a difference in Cambridge, as Rob and Peter King explain

20 Veloveurs of Lyon There are 3000 free bikes in this French city – Simon Boddy gives us a resident’s view of how it’s working.

22 The mighty Mini We review the AZUB Mini short-wheelbase recumbent. Could it be as much a design classic as its namesake?

26 The purrfect trike? At under £1000 in the UK, the Catrike trail could entice many with its affordability. But how does it ride? We fi nd out.

30 Short reviews The Sportscrafter Mini Rollers for recumbents and Weber’s ingenious mLite fl agpole LED

32 Reader’s Bikes Inventions, experiences and updates from readers: 32The Big Ride: Andrew Walters explains why 36" is the way to go 34Magic Carpet Ride: Mike Eland reports on the Stokemonkey/Xtracycle power-assisted transport system 38Handcycle evolution: Andrew Chamings updates us on the Draft handcycle – just back from the Alps 39The cycle chariot: Jez Wilkinson brings along his off-road cycle sidecar for us to try 40Bounce on a budget: Stephen McCluney reports on the PB-933 suspended recumbent

42 SPEZI 2007 Full report from the special bike trade show in Germany, including news of the new ICE bikes, the revolutionary Bike Friday Tikit and much more

50 Letters Reader responses from cycling coins to rideable roundabouts

56 Advertisements The fi rst place to look for specialist products or services

SURPRISE!

I keep on being surprised by bikes. The electric bike review and Stokemonkey report show just how much of a practical proposition today’s quality models have become. The Catrike review overturned my ideas on trike direct steering and amazed me with the performance on offer for under £1000. Riding Andrew Walters’ 36"-wheeled bike showed that semi-recumbents need not be slow. And Bike Friday’s Tikit, seen at the SPEZI, promises to be an extremely exciting development in folding bikes. On a smaller scale, the Weber mLite is one of those simple inventions so useful I’m still amazed it hasn’t been done before.

There’s more, too, as you’ll read in this issue of Velo Vision. It’s a reminder to keep an open mind, to revisit assumptions. Improvements in materials and technology, or just clever design, can make practical transport solutions out of ideas which just a few years ago seemed nonstarters. It’s an exciting time to ride your bike!

Peter Eland

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