Meet Emily Chappell, a hero of mine. A reformed London cycle courier, she’s cycled from Wales to Japan, from Anchorage to Seattle in the depth of winter and raced across Europe on the gruelling Transcontinental Race. On Thursday 3 March 2016 I took her for lunch - excuse the background noise - and we talked about the joys and perceived pitfalls of …

What is the secret of a bike jumble? The Manchester Velodrome Cycle Jumble is the largest indoor event of its kind in the world. I've attended as a shopper for a few years, and headed along this year as a stall holder. I thought it would be a good way to make some spends and clear out clutter. Turns out that wasn't the point. I talked to some old a…

“I got a bottle of fanta - I didn't drink it - I just rolled it over my head...”Around 30 years ago, my Dad’s best mate - Phil Collins* - decided to take his bicycle to Morocco. Based on his experiences, this is a short podcast about how not to go cycling in the Sahara. (Just a chap who happens to have the same name as *that* Phil Collins.)Backgrou…

A short podcast about failing at cycling. I had the idea that I would ride the 200-odd miles "home" for Christmas. But frankly wasn't up to it physically or mentally. Music from Manchester by Impulse Powers, you can buy the EP City Songs on Bandcamp: https://theimpulsepowers.bandcamp.com/album/city-songs…