Cyclists and pedestrians in Newcastle and Gateshead, in Northern England, now have their own bridge over the River Tyne. The spectacular design of the Millennium Bridge has won many plaudits, and the way the whole bridge tilts over to let ships through is believed to be unique. The £22 million project was opened on September 17th, 2001.

Photographs by Jason Patient. Velo Vision is published quarterly by Peter Eland (trading as Velo Vision), Daily news and updates can be found on www.velovision.co.uk

ISSN 1475-4312

Velo Vision, The Environmental Community Centre, St Nicholas Fields, York, YO10 3EN, UK

Tel +44 1904 438 224 (from UK, 01904 438 224) Fax +44 1904 438 236 (from UK, 01904 438 236) Email peter@velovision.co.uk Website www.velovision.co.uk

EDITOR AND PUBLISHER: Peter Eland DESIGN: Brian Holt WEBMASTER: Simon Ward PRINTER: Stephens & George Magazines Ltd, Merthyr Tidfil, Wales, UK. Tel 01685 388 888 CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER: Jason Patient 01890 883408 ADDITIONAL HELP AND SUPPORT: Kriss Fearon, Mark Marsh and many more.

PUBLISHING SCHEDULE: Issue 5: 5 March 2002 Issue 6: 4 June 2002 Issue 7: 5 September 2002 Issue 8: 4 December 2002

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 Köörten, near Bergisch-Gladbach, Germany, who also make their own recumbents. Velo Vision magazine is working in friendly harmony with Velo-Vision in Germany. Contact them on www.velo-vision.de

Cover illustration: Snow-crusted Alps frame a Madras rickshaw pedalled fromLeeds to Genoa by a determined band of ‘Drop the Debt’ campaigners. At over 100kg and with just a three-speed hub, crossing the mountains was no mean achievement. Read the full story on page 18.

[ contents ] DECEMBER 2001

4 News VeloCity report, HPV speed records, a new handcycle tandem, and much more.

10Displacement activity York’s couriers replace 150 van journeys a day with

pedal power: we hear how they’ve done it, check out

their fleet and hear about some of their daftest

deliveries.

16Adbikes A new, moving, medium.

18By rickshaw to Genoa Over the Alps on three speeds.

22Boda-Boda

Claude Marthaler finds hard times on the

Kenya/Uganda border.

24Mud, sweat and gears Testing the da Vinci tandem and its unique drivetrain on a Rockies adventure.

28Bevo biking A practical recumbent from Germany gets a

thorough review.

32Cables that glitter NOKON cables – are they worth it?

33Books HPV aerodynamics, and the trikes CD

34Projekt Lääufer

A most impressive project underway in Germany to

develop perhaps the ultimate touring tandem

37Letters

40IFMA 2001

Six pages of the latest technology from Europe’s

largest bike show

47How to subscribe

46Advertising Please support these companies, who support this magazine

ONEYEARON

Issue Four marks a year of Velo Vision. I’d like to thank the subscribers, advertisers, contributors and colleagues who have helped to make it possible. We’re proud of what has been achieved so far, and will try to make next year’s output even better. As a company, Velo Vision has survived the dreaded first year without too many traumas. Subscription and advertising revenues are at a level which will sustain the magazine indefinitely. We could always use more subscribers, of course, and increased numbers will allow us to increase page numbers and colour content. Readership continues to grow in many countries, but word-of-mouth assistance from you, the readers, is always much appreciated. The longer the magazine continues, the more I am convinced that it satisfies a definite need. One gap it fills is that of a showcase for all of the cool, interesting, sometimes esoteric, cycle technology which never really gets a chance in the mainstream press. For example, it’s astonishing that I’ve never read an article about the impressive Projekt Lääufer, even in German cycling magazines. Velo Vision’s other function is to act as an information exchange, bringing together cycling ideas and experiences from around the world. With the bike still seen in many countries as very much marginal to the transport debate, articles about practical, successful bike projects can be of real value. Such articles are also, I hope, enjoyable and inspiring for any cyclist to read. I hope it’s also interesting and informative for our predominately Western readership to read eye-opening pieces such as this issue’s article about the Boda-Boda riders on the KenyaUganda border. Not far from there, in Jinja, Uganda, the Pan-African Bicycle Conference (see Issue 2, page 5) is taking place as this issue goes to press. Delegates from across the continent will be trying to work out how to persuade African decision-makers that the bicycle is an effective, modern transport alternative rather than a backward, obsolete contraption. I hope we’ve given them some ammunition in Velo Vision. Peter Eland

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