Reviews of bikes, accessories, books and cycling accommodation

Julia Stagg pops The Cyclist's Bucket List into her pannier as she heads off into the hills of the Pyrenees. • Aug 12, 2016

Our electric bikes expert Richard Peace reviews the Wallerang electric bike, an ebike option with automatic gear changing. • Aug 12, 2016

Charlotte Chapman road-tested the Luggage Mule bike shipping service when she visited us here in France recently. • Aug 09, 2016

While cycling the Nantes-Brest Canal, Gerry and Janet Wells stayed at the Landeillau B&B. Here's what they found. • Aug 01, 2016

So your maps get wet and soggy? Richard Peace road-tested a new range of wearable, washable maps for cycling. • Jul 29, 2016

I headed to Confolens to check out the bike-friendly Astrofarm B&B, which has budget cycling accommodation plus telescopes for stargazing. • Jul 28, 2016

Andy Hodges stayed at Alpine Velo's Montalbert chalet in the Tarentaise Valley on a recent trip through the French Alps. • Jul 27, 2016

Andy Hodges parked his bike at the White Eden chalet, just south-east of Bourg-Saint-Maurice in the Tarentaise Valley. • Jul 11, 2016

After a cold descent of Col de Joux Plane, Andy Hodges checked into The Nest at Les Gets. • Jul 08, 2016

Need cycling accommodation in the Alps? Andy Hodges checked out Chalet Giettaz on Col des Aravis. • Jul 08, 2016

Guest reivewer Julia Stagg checks out Le Tour: Race Log by Claire Beaumont and Neil Stevens. • Jun 30, 2016

Jacqui Brown checked out the accueil vélo Les Amandiers Hotel in Tournon-sur-Rhône on the Via Rhona bike route. • Jun 28, 2016

Jacqui Brown stayed at Hotel Les Voyageurs in Le Cheylard when she rode the Dolce Via bike route for us. Here's her review of the hotel. • Jun 27, 2016

Jacqui Brown road-tested hotel Le Cèdre de Soyons on the Via Rhôna. Here is what she thought of the hotel. • Jun 27, 2016

Richard Peace reviews some cycling accessories to help give your bike some extra carrying capacity. • Jun 17, 2016

Andy Hodges checked out the specialist cycling and triathlon chalet, Brown Bear Lodge, on a recent cycling holiday in Morzine. Here's his review. • Jun 17, 2016

Jacqui Brown stayed at Domaine de la Courbe in Le Lude when she cycled La Sarthe a Vélo. Here’s what she liked about it. • Jun 02, 2016

Champagne for breakfast? On a ride to La Rochelle, Jacqui Brown stayed at the Best Western Masqhotel – here's her review. • Jun 02, 2016

Guest reviewer Peter Stickland wanders down memory lane with the new edition of Geoffrey Nicholson's The Great Bike Race. • May 18, 2016

Need bike tools? Richard Peace road-tests a high-quality hex key set from Silca. • May 12, 2016

Jacqui Brown stayed at Hotel La Barque in Beaumont-sur-Sarthe when she rode La Sarthe à vélo. Here's her critique. • May 09, 2016

Jacqui Brown stayed at Les Cabanes de Do in Le Mans when she rode La Sarthe à vélo. Here's her review. • May 09, 2016

I stayed at Chambre d’hôtes Aubert’Cail when I rode from Saint-Lô to Cherbourg in the Manche department of Normandy. Here's my review. • May 08, 2016

I stayed at Hotel Le Louvre in Cherbourg when I was cycling in Normandy. Here's more about it. • May 08, 2016

Passing through Paris with your bike? The Hotel Gavarni is a bike-friendly hotel option close to the Seine and the Eiffel Tower. • May 03, 2016

With memories of visiting Herne Hill in the post-war years still fresh in his mind, Peter Stickland reviews Ride! Ride! Ride! by Mark Wellings. • May 03, 2016

I stayed at this rural B&B while cycling Stage 1 of the 2016 Tour de France from Mont St-Michel to Utah Beach. • May 02, 2016

I stayed at Chambres d'hôtes les Clematites-en-Cotentin in Montebourg when I cycled in the Manche department of Normandy. Here's my review. • May 01, 2016

Road-testing the Ortlieb panniers in France, we find they live up to their reputation as the best bike panniers on the market. • May 01, 2016

I stayed at Le Grand Hard, a hotel a few kilometres from Utah Beach, when I was cycling in the Manche department of Normandy. Here's what I thought of it. • May 01, 2016

Orderly chaos has descended on my back jersey pocket after Santa brought a Rapha Liberty Essentials Case (or a posh cycling wallet) for Christmas. • Apr 27, 2016

I stayed at Chambre d’hôtes Les Epinettes when I cycled Mont St-Michel to the D-Day Beaches - here's what I thought of it. • Apr 27, 2016

Richard Peace chews on some Clif bars and throws back some energy shots in the name of research. • Apr 21, 2016

If your bike can't take normal pannier racks, then this review is for you. We review a Topeak RX Beamrack and trunk bag. • Apr 18, 2016

Gerry and Janet Wells stayed at the bike-friendly Manoir du Coatudual near both EuroVelo 1 and EuroVelo 4 on recent weekend in Brittany. Here's what they thought of it. • Apr 17, 2016

Richard Peace looks at puncture-proof tyre options following the recent launch of Gecko's cellular rubber tyres. • Apr 11, 2016

Richard Peace road-tests Quad Lock's universal kit for mounting smartphones on bikes. • Apr 11, 2016

I checked out the Campanile Bordeaux Centre Gare Saint-Jean (yes, that's a mouthful). Here's what I found. • Feb 24, 2016

I stayed at the Première Classe Le Mans Centre Palais des Congrès after riding the Le Mans 24-Hour Sportive. Here's what I thought of it. • Feb 16, 2016

Richard Peace finds the Topeak Combo Aero LED lights perform well out in the real world. • Feb 04, 2016

Hilde Morris stayed at the Hotel Le Donjon in Carcassonne at the start of her Canal du Midi bike ride. Here's what she thought of it. • Jan 26, 2016

Avoid the hassle of bike boxes and shipping charges by bringing a folding bike to France on the Eurostar. Richard Peace looks at some options. • Jan 26, 2016

Hilde Morris stayed at Le Jardin d'Homps in the village of Homps when she cycled the Canal du Midi. Here's her review. • Jan 25, 2016

Hilde Morris stayed at Hotel la Residence in Narbonne when she cycled the Canal du Midi. Here's her review. • Jan 25, 2016

Brittany's Green Ways by GH Randall is the definitive guidebook for cycling Brittany's voies vertes and veloroutes. Richard Peace has this review of the updated edition • Jan 17, 2016

Richard Peace goes in search of dirt trails on the new Raleigh Mustang Elite gravel bike. • Oct 28, 2015

A long overdue review of The Lost Cyclist, one of the most fascinating books you'll ever read about bicycle touring. • Oct 22, 2015

Tracy Melass stayed at Camping Aux Pommiers in Beauvoir at the end of her Veloscenic Paris to Mont St-Michel bike ride. Here's what she thought of it. • Oct 02, 2015

Jacqueline Brown checks out Grange 87, a self-catering apartment that may be an ideal base for your French cycling adventures. • Sep 22, 2015

Tracy Melass stayed at Manoir Michelet in Nogent-le-Rotrou when she rode the Veloscenic Paris to Mont St-Michel bike route. Here's what she thought of it. • Sep 16, 2015