Читать книгу Cycling in the Peak District - Chiz Dakin - Страница 8

PREFACE TO THE 2ND EDITION

A surprising number of changes have taken place since the first edition of this guidebook. In the light of this, several of the routes have undergone a number of changes. Often these are just tweaks – little bits of road or trail that just work better than the original – but some are more significant, due to changes in what is rideable or changes to rules and regulations.

For example, towpaths under the Canal and River Trust have become legally available for cyclists to use – without any need for that awkward permit you were supposed to get under British Waterways. This has opened up quite a few possibilities, altering the Tour de Peak District route for the better in the northwest and west. New linking sections have been built, but some future links that were expected in the first edition haven’t been… Sadly, the tightening-up of rules on non-rail users parking at railway car parks – particularly those in rural areas with no other nearby parking – has also forced a few unintended changes.

The other change I was hoping to make was to create a road-only version of the Tour de Peak District multi-day route (TdPD). Although I’ve included a tarmac plus rail trails route for those with skinny tyres, the reality is sadly that any TdPD road version requires significant experience, confidence and competence in riding on main/very urban roads – particularly on the west side (Day 3) – which isn’t ideal. So the main route remains best done on a gravel bike, with a few sections that are ‘proper’ but fairly short-lived MTB terrain.

When researching the first edition, I used a mountain bike with slick tyres. Slick tyres are faster on quiet country lanes, and as I wouldn’t ever class myself as awesome on the technical stuff, I didn’t feel there was any real need for knobblies as I’d bottle out first! Things change: I soon realised knobblies are useful – especially in mud!

As well as being reluctant to walk any distance with the bike over technical bits, I also have a strong aversion to riding on the A-roads so beloved of club road cyclists. Their tarmac may be smooth and the hills usually gentle, but they’re just not fun to ride, especially with heavy or fast traffic.

The ideal ride, in my opinion, has always been a mix of the best of the two. Quiet lanes, lovely downhills, and not overly technical off-road bridleways, trails and tracks. At the same time the guidebook market appeared to have a glaring hole for this type of riding – even though it seems to be what the average ‘non-club’ rider enjoys.

Recently, a new sort of bike has come onto the market, and is gaining market-share very rapidly. It’s called a gravel bike, and seems to combine the advantages of both road and mountain bikes – with a similar ability to lap up the miles on tarmac as a road bike, while still being very capable off-road. In re-riding the routes for this second edition with a gravel bike, I’ve come to realise that while a gravel bike isn’t essential to enjoy these routes, they are a perfect match for such a bike!

Cycling through the cutting near Parsley Hay on the Tissington Trail (Route 8)