Spokes’ Annual General Meeting (AGM)

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In accordance with our constitution, the annual general meeting (AGM) of West Berkshire Spokes will take place at 3pm on Sunday, 9th June 2024 at Newbury Canoe Club, The Wharf, Newbury, RG14 5DF.

All members are invited to attend the AGM. Below are links to the AGM papers:

If you have any items you wish to add to the agenda, then please get in touch by emailing info@westberkshirespokes.org. All committee posts are up for re-election. There are several outstanding vacancies, including vice chair, highways officer and publicity officer.  If you are interested in any of the posts, then please notify the Committee by emailing info@westberkshirespokes.org .

If you would like an informal chat in advance of the AGM, then feel free to get in touch with any of the committee (via the contact page).

Cycling Provision at New Developments

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New developments usually present an opportunity to provide better cycling facilities within the site or contribute funding towards improvements for cycling provision in their vicinity. Since the introduction of LTN 1/20 there is now government issued guidance for minimum standards to be adhered to in new cycling infrastructure. Therefore, developers have no excuse not to comply.

Unfortunately, this is not always the case as they are not always held to account.

For example, in the new housing development next to the council offices, billed as a ‘gateway to the town centre’, there is no cycling access through the site. Cyclists are directed to dismount and walk their bicycle to/from the train station, a major transport hub and trip generator for the area, or go the long way round via Cheap Street. The planning permission supposedly secured a walking and cycling path through the development, but this has not come to be realised.

Another example of a recent development falling short is the poor cycle parking provision at the former Sterling Cables site, on Kings Road. Anyone visiting the site by bicycle is obliged to use the appalling ‘wheel-grabber’ style cycle racks, which offer no security for locking a bicycle other than through the front wheel.

LTN1/20 explains why these are not fit for purpose:

“Concrete ‘slots’ or metal hoops that support only the front wheel and do not enable the frame to be secured should not be used for public cycle parking. Many cycles are fitted with quick release wheels, and this type of support increases the risk of theft.” (LTN1/20 11.4.2 pg.134)

Not only this, but the wheel-grabber racks are mounted high up on the walls so that users have to up-end their bike to secure the front wheel, which is difficult for some bicycle users who have heavier bikes, baskets, wider tyres or mudguards.

Spokes will be writing to West Berkshire Council’s Planning Department to push for these issues to be addressed.

New article on the Spokes’ cycle tour to Spain

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The latest instalment, part four in the series, follows the tyre tracks of Ed, Will, Kevin and Koen as they crossed the Pyrenees in their self-supported trip to catch the Grand Depart stage of Le Tour de France, which started in Spain last summer. Click here to read more about the trip.

Days 9 to 12 from France into Spain

2024 Rides

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Rides Survey

Firstly big thanks to all those who provided feedback on the 2023 rides. We had 27 responses and that’s up by 250%.

In general, Saturday remains the most preferred day for a ride. The ride length we have of around 30miles is definitely the preferred distance, with some preferring shorter rides and a few longer. (Note: We do have one extra-long ride in June, and we are looking at a plan for people riding shorter distances. More on that in a later article.)

Over one third were not able to ride last year due to various circumstances, and that probably explains why numbers were down in 2023.

Finally, some people are not interested in group rides (so obviously they didn’t attend), and a few didn’t attend last year as not sure what to expect.

For those who are not sure what to expect, please check out the description of the 2024 rides below, please reach out to me at events@westberkshirespokes.org if you want to know more or join in on a ride.

2024 Rides

Spokes 2024 Social rides have not been uploaded to www.letsride.co.uk . They run from March to October, and are on the first and third Saturdays of each month. Each ride is around 30 miles, although the first is 24 miles, and the longest is 32 miles. They are graded from green to black (green being the easiest). A longer ride doesn’t always mean harder as the shorter route might have more ascending (in other words hillier). We ride at a pace of 10-12 mph. There is a café stop about halfway round (although the Saddleback Farm café closing may cause some adjustment). It’s a social ride, and people are able to converse as we wind ourselves round some lovely lanes and views.

Whilst we do try to make good use of quieter roads, sometimes we do need to go along short sections of more major roads, but it’s a small percentage of any ride. And, we occasionally go across Greenham common on the first part (rarely the last part) of a ride.

Our rides are probably not suitable if you haven’t ridden for a long while, only cycle short distances or are completely new to cycling. If you are in this group, then we may have a different option for you, or if you are not sure please email events@westberkshirespokes.org, as we would like to hear from you.

We set off at 09.30 promptly, and start gathering about 10-15 minutes before. Happy to meet up early if you want to go through more details, or would like us to give your bicycle a check over, particularly if you are experiencing any annoying little issues.

We hope to see you on a ride soon, and hope for good weather and pot-hole free roads 😊