Playing on bicycles for Xmas

Over the Christmas and New Year period, there are one or two seasonal cycle rides from local groups. Not Cycle Malvern this year, but maybe next time?

Worcester CTC, New Year’s Day ride to the Three Kings pub, Hanley Castle. Start Malvern (presumably usual start of Link railway station) 10.00 Contact Keith Edwards, 01684 564077.

VC Sevale has its traditional Free Wheel Competition and Festive Ride to the Farmers Arms, Sunday 30th December. The competition is quite simple - roll as far as you can in the direction of Ledbury without pedalling. Meet at British Camp car park at 9.45am and the freewheeling begins at 10am from the layby about half a mile down the A449 towards Ledbury. Contact Eric on 01684 568015.

Also a Mud ride to the pub on 23rd December - see Malvern Gazette news item.

And playing about on bikes for Christmas in a different way - Specialized produced this Holiday Greetings last year, making all the sounds for the Nutcracker Suite using cycle parts.

Musical tyres

Sssh, don’t mention this to Sustrans or they’ll want even more Lottery money to spend. The Guardian reports that “engineers in Japan [have] developed a musical road surface” by cutting carefully spaced grooves into it. It is designed to be heard at a specific speed, 28mph in this case, and apparently “driving around 12mph has a slow-motion effect, making you almost car sick”.

So, assuming the concept can be applied to cycling, how about different tunes for different speeds in multi-user cycle lanes? Now that’s something to get the rock nerds out on their bikes. But how often would the surface have to be ripped up and remade to keep hip?!