Ever wondered where you could get hold of a titanium spork for those sportive feed stops? New cycle touring website pannier.cc holds the answer, offering cyclotourists a slick new resource to help plan, prepare and share their two-wheeled adventures.
Cycling as a social activity in Britain started somewhere around the late 1800s, when it was a pastime of the aristocracy and well-to-do types. However, with the invention of the motorcar these wealthy individuals quickly lost interest in favour of the new-fangled internal combustion engine. Cycling was then adopted by the 'lower middle class' who utilised it to increase their own liberation and individualism. The Cyclist, an early foreunner of Sportive.com, noted: "The two sections of the community which form the majority of 'wheelmen' are the great clerk class and the great shop assistant class."
It was some 30 years later that cycling gained a more official 'outdoor movement' and increased in popularity as a self-sufficient holiday choice. Young and old cyclists could now plan a 'tour' and stay in affordable hotels and hostels, adding to the excitement and the feeling of freedom. The Cyclists' Touring Club (CTC) was established to help such individuals as it set out to identify suitable hostelries for its members which were subsequently entered into members' guidebooks and handbooks.
Far from limiting itself to expeditions, the CTC encouraged epic and monumental relays, which were usually used to convey messages to royalty, for example the 2052 mile relay ride to convey a birthday message to the Prince of Wales in 1928, or the 2215 mile relay to convey Silver Jubilee greetings to the King in 1935. These relays helped develop interest in the new discipline of the time trial, and in 1965 the 'Best All-Rounder' competition for CTC time-trialists began. However, this did not change the fact that the CTC was fundamentally all about cycle touring.
A new resource for cyclotourists
Skip forward to the present day, and amid the growth and resurgence of all things cycling in recent years touring has not been forgotten. In fact there is more and more interest in this most retro of pastimes. In this carbon neutral and health conscious time, what better way to spend a week than exploring on a bike.
Throwing his casquette into the ring is Stefan Amato, the founder of new website Pannier.cc, "a resource and community for the travelling cyclist."
Named after that essential piece of touring kit, the pannier - from the French, literally meaning 'bread basket' - Pannier.cc's philosophy is rooted in a passion for exploration on two wheels: "We love seeking adventure, however hard or easy, long or short. We want to source and provide the best touring equipment to serve travelling cyclists on their adventures."
An architect by trade, Amato has long been interested in bikes but his unsupported LEJOG (Land's End to John O'Groats) trip cemented his passion for all things touring. "There are little things you notice when travelling by bike, exposed to the Great Outdoors, and one of the many reasons why cycle-touring is such a rewarding, joyous escape," he explains.
Touring requires a dedicated bike and kit, as well as planning resources, and Amato has spotted a niche that he hopes Pannier.cc will fill to help meet the needs of cycling tourists.
When Amato decided that it would be in Pannier.cc's interest to be present at Eurobike 2014 in Friedrichshafen, Germany, there was no doubt he would ride the 570km to attend. He has documented his odyssey as 'A Cycle of Wanderlust' and has interspersed the prose with stunning photographs, personable graphics and one enormous zucchini. It all adds up to beautifully illustrate the enthusiasm and raison d'être behind Pannier.cc.
Pannier.cc is very easy on the eye, like flicking through a beautiful layouts of an Alfred Wainwright guidebook; it gives you the information needed in a style which is both personal and gratifying. It is unfussy with extraneous website nonsense kept to a minimum and everything appears to have its own place. A pet hate of yours truly is websites that bombard you with an enormousness of images, options and information leaving the user bamboozled and forgetting why they visited in the first place; Pannier exudes serene calmness, like a Zen garden. The little touches help to enhance the professional image of the website even if they are not immediately noticed by the user. The fact that the graphic used in the 'travelling cyclist' section are the contours of Hope Valley in the Peak District, where Pannier.cc was born and developed, is pleasingly slick and a nice nod to Amato's roots.
I could see Pannier.cc in print form, printed on heavy weight paper, mingling successfully with magazines like Rouleur, Cyclist or Simpson. The site offers a variety of journal articles written by contributors on issues ranging from a two-month tour of South America to the making of leather saddles. It has a good amount of both UK and European tour routes for you to try, and the 'Prepare' section sets out all things you need to pack and consider before undertaking a touring challenge.
If you realise you do not have all the required accoutrements then there is even a shop, where you can source everything from tents, rack and panniers to that essential titanium spork. To match the luxury feel of the website the stock listed also has a premium feel, with notable manufacturers being Brooks, Ortlieb and the excitingly named 'Hubba Hubba NX' tent from MSR; no need to ask what will keep you warm on those cold nights on the road!
There's also an 'Engage' section where cyclists are encouraged to upload photos and stories from their own experiences, making for a truly interactive experience.
Although I am not a cyclotourist as such, from reading and digesting the website I can see the appeal and that hooks people into exploring and discovering new places while on two wheels. My wife is more of a 5 star hotel kind of person rather than a 5 star tent kind of person, but who knows - Pannier.cc may persuade even her to give cycle touring a try.
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