Useful Links

Some useful cycling links for the Oxfordshire area:

• Culham cycling FAQs - collected information specific to cycling on the Culham site.

• Oxfordshire County Council cycling resources - maps, advice, local bicycle shops, safety,etc.

• CycleCraft - "Cyclecraft, published by The Stationery Office, is the definitive guide to safe and enjoyable cycling for both adults and children."

• CTC - the UK's national cycling organisation. They have a useful technical information page with a very handy What Bike? guide.

• Sustrans - Sustainable Transport - responsible for developing the National Cycle Network. Search their database for local routes such as the Hanson Way (Oxford to Didcot via Abingdon) or Didcot, Wantage and the Ridgeway.

• CCN - the Cycle Campaign Network. The local (Oxford) group is Cyclox.

• OpenCycleMaps - a Google Maps-style mapping of National Cycle Routes.

• Routiki - a utility for mapping and sharing routes using Google maps.

• MapMyRide - another handy page for mapping and sharing cycling routes using Google mapping. It calculates total mileage and elevations, and routes can be saved, edited, made public and searched by location. There's also MapMyRun for running routes (a search for Culham will reveal some lunchtime running routes).

• Wantage CTC - friendly local cycling club.

• Cycle To Work - the Department for Transport's Cycle To Work scheme. which allows an employee to buy a bike and accessories effectively tax-free - essentially your company buys it for you, and you pay them back from pre-tax income. This can result in savings of up to 40% - here's a calculator to check how much you could save. There is more information and links to facilitator companies here.

• Bikes on trains - a site summarising information on all trains companies in the UK and their policies on taking bikes on trains.

• BikeForAll - a comprehensive cycling information page.

• On-line cycling shops include Wiggle.co.uk, Evans Cycles, and Cyclestore, but there are many others. Unless you already know what you're getting, it's not entirely recommended that you buy a bike unseen as it may turn out to be the wrong shape for you.

• Culham has a lift sharing scheme for cutting down on car use at www.Culhamcarshare.com.

• GiveUpYourCar - a website to encourage reducing your car use.

• NuttyCyclist - more useful information, including basic maintenance (gears, chains, punctures).

• Bike Support - Mobile bicycle repair and servicing.

• Sheldon Brown - website dedicated to technical details of all things bicycle. Also, a superb beard.

• Cycleweb - another cycling information page which has a list of Oxfordshire bike shops. Google maps searches for bike shops in Oxford, Abingdon, Wantage, Wallingford and Didcot (although these miss some shops on the Cycleweb list).