About

Lively Cycling Journal is for readers who enjoy cycling as a way to travel through the countryside and notice how a place changes along the way. We cover routes, riding habits, bicycles, cycling history and the seasons, with an eye for decisions a general reader can make without turning a ride into an expedition.

The countryside, at riding pace

A lane, a track and a broad road each ask something different of a ride. We explore how route shape, surface, scenery and the purpose of an outing affect the experience, without pretending there is one best way to go.

Bicycles and their character

We explain the forms and features that distinguish bicycles, and the ideas behind their design. Our aim is to help readers understand what they are looking at, not to prescribe a purchase or substitute for a mechanic's judgement.

A seasonal outlook

Cycling changes with daylight, weather and the turning year. We consider those changes as part of the pleasure of riding, keeping our suggestions general and leaving individual conditions to the reader's judgement.