I just came back from a two week visit with family in the U.K. I had expected a period of bike deprivation but to my delight, one of the highlights of my trip was a family bike ride along Cornwalls Camel Trail.
For anyone visiting the England, this is a great place to go riding. Located in the southwest corner of Great Britain, Cornwall juts into the Celtic Sea and is known for its spectacular landscape and scenery.
Constructed on a disused railway line, the Camel Trail winds along the Camel Estuary and then inland along the Camel River, passing by abandoned stations (including the wonderfully named Grogley Halt), classic English tea gardens, and even one of Britains most well-known vineyards.
The trail is smooth, wide and flat, making it suitable for riders of all abilities. The countryside is classic England: soft, rolling hills, stands of ancient oak trees, and gentle chattering streams. For me, it was also wonderful to share something that has become such a huge part of my life in Canada with my family back in the U.K.
We also had the interesting experience of renting bikes for a large and disparate group of riders. This gave us the opportunity to learn and share these tips.
First of all, ride your rental bike around the block a few times to identify any issues. I carefully picked a bike with a front shock to cushion a rotator cuff injury Ive been nursing since my tumble a few weeks back but failed to notice that it had less than half a centimetre of travel until my shoulder started buzzing only a few kilometres in.
My brother-in-laws bike had a seat that was tilted way too far back and it started to make itself felt not too long after we set out. If youre not used to tweaking things like shocks and seats, then get the rental store to dial it in. These adjustments can make a big difference to your comfort during a ride.
Second, check your tools. The rental store equipped us with a pump, puncture repair kit and Allen keys for making on-the-fly adjustments. This should have been useful when we tried to fix the tilted sea, but Allen key was stripped and was no use at all. Fortunately a friendly bike store in Wadebridge helped out with tools that worked.
Thirdly, pick a bike that looks as much as possible like the one you normally ride. This was where switching regularly between three very different bikes paid off for me; while I noticed that my rental bike didnt fit me quite like any of my own, I had no significant discomfort once I adjusted the shock.
My older sister, who is also a regular bike commuter, was on a very different bike than her normal one and felt the discomfort in her shoulders and neck at the end of the five-hour ride. For my mum, who isnt a regular rider, we picked a hybrid with a nice upright riding position to avoid putting undue strain on any joints.
And of course if youre going to the U.K., be prepared to ride on the wrong side of the road. Even though I learned to ride and drive in England, after eight years in Canada it felt like quite an adjustment especially the roundabouts!
Kay Cahill is a cyclist and librarian who believes bikes are for life, not just for commuting. You can contact or send a comment to [email protected].
