New European Cycling Website

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smith4188
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New European Cycling Website

Post by smith4188 »

Between 2011 and 2013, I cycled 22,000 miles (35,500 km) around 53 countries of Europe. I've put together a site (www.UniCycle50.com) about what I learnt in the hope that it is useful for others in future. But, more importantly, I could do with your input. If you have an opinion about a particular country or route, good or bad, or a blog that contains that information, please let me know about it and I will try to absorb your information into what I have written (even, or especially, if it says the opposite of what I've written) so that the site is not just limited to what I think. That'd be wonderful.

Cheers,
Steven
http://www.EuropeByBicycle.com - Country-by-country touring info for 54 European nations and disputed regions
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smith4188
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Re: New European Cycling Website

Post by smith4188 »

Thanks to the person who anonymously corrected me about Portuguese campsites.
http://www.EuropeByBicycle.com - Country-by-country touring info for 54 European nations and disputed regions
theDaveB
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Re: New European Cycling Website

Post by theDaveB »

Love the site, few suggestions -

First thing I would suggest is a link to your book on Amazon, just started reading the site and you mention it on the first page but no way of buying it.

I presume the image on the right is of the book, again it's not clickable.

I would also make it a affiliate link.

Any links to external sites should open a new window I think, if not all defo the Amazon link on the book page. Amazon has got a habit of sucking you in, before you know it you have forgot while you visited in the first place and your site is not still open on another tab/window.

If your getting a lot of spam on your email, change the contact me to a form.

Dave
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mjr
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Re: New European Cycling Website

Post by mjr »

theDaveB wrote:Any links to external sites should open a new window I think, if not all defo the Amazon link on the book page.

That is a pet hate of mine. Using the target attribute to open a new window will fail on some kiosks and tablets (because they can only display one browser window) and anyone who wants a new window can right-click/long-click and pick "open in new window" or similar anyway.

Other than that, the suggestions seemed good.

I'd set a background colour (black doesn't look good on some background colours) and I wouldn't bother with the splash front page (I like not to wait for a second page load), but that's not a big problem.
MJR, mostly pedalling 3-speed roadsters. KL+West Norfolk BUG incl social easy rides http://www.klwnbug.co.uk
All the above is CC-By-SA and no other implied copyright license to Cycle magazine.
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smith4188
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Re: New European Cycling Website

Post by smith4188 »

theDaveB wrote:First thing I would suggest is a link to your book on Amazon, just started reading the site and you mention it on the first page but no way of buying it. I presume the image on the right is of the book, again it's not clickable.

I would also make it a affiliate link.

Any links to external sites should open a new window I think, if not all defo the Amazon link on the book page. Amazon has got a habit of sucking you in, before you know it you have forgot while you visited in the first place and your site is not still open on another tab/window.
Dave


Thanks. There is a link directly beneath the book cover that takes you to Amazon but I've now made the book cover clickable too. But I'm with mjr when it comes to opening additional windows, for the same reasons given. And I'll have a look at the affiliate thing. Cheers.
http://www.EuropeByBicycle.com - Country-by-country touring info for 54 European nations and disputed regions
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smith4188
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Re: New European Cycling Website

Post by smith4188 »

mjr wrote:I'd set a background colour (black doesn't look good on some background colours) and I wouldn't bother with the splash front page (I like not to wait for a second page load), but that's not a big problem.


I hadn't realised I hadn't set a background colour. I thought browsers defaulted to white if not told otherwise. I've fixed that now. And the splash page will go soon. It just requires some rejigging. Thanks for your help.
http://www.EuropeByBicycle.com - Country-by-country touring info for 54 European nations and disputed regions
patpalloon
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Re: New European Cycling Website

Post by patpalloon »

Btw, Steven's book on his bike travels round Europe - No Place Like Home Thank God! Is brilliant. The link is on the website.
I feel sure that the genius that did this, didn't even feel a thud as he drove by.
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smith4188
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Re: New European Cycling Website

Post by smith4188 »

patpalloon wrote:Btw, Steven's book on his bike travels round Europe - No Place Like Home Thank God! Is brilliant. The link is on the website.


Thanks for that. I'm glad you liked it. I enjoyed writing it too.
http://www.EuropeByBicycle.com - Country-by-country touring info for 54 European nations and disputed regions
johnonhisbike
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Re: New European Cycling Website

Post by johnonhisbike »

Hi Steven,
I noticed on your site that you were not too enamoured about Poland.
I tried to reply on your website but I'm not sure if it actually posted. In a nutshell though ...
Me and my wife toured in Poland (NE from Lithuania to SW into Czech Rep) in 2012. We've toured pretty extensively in Europe and would put Poland 'right up there' with Hungary, Serbia and Turkey, for a variety of reasons. We stuck to back roads in the main (using Michelin 1:300,000 maps) without any real problems; the scenery (especially in Biebrza National Park) was lovely, the terrain generally flat and easy to make good progress, Poland has a rich history, culture and a simple, but very tasty cuisine; but the most memorable aspect of Poland was it's people. We were welcomed with genuine warmth, and shown wonderful hospitality. If we couldn't find a campsite (often), I would ask (we can't speak a word of Polish) at a house or village shop if there was 'somewhere nearby to put our tent for one night' ... and always we were shown somewhere. On several occasions this was an invitation to camp in the person's garden, share a meal, or even to stay in their house. Language barriers apart, we had some wonderful evenings!
Personally I think this is the entire basis of touring.
Cheers John
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smith4188
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Re: New European Cycling Website

Post by smith4188 »

Hi John,

I've got your comments, thanks. I prefer to add them manually (it guards against spam) and I had family staying for the last few days. Sorry for the delay.

It wasn't that I didn't like Poland. After all, I didn't see that much of it. I think it just felt a bit tame after Moldova, Ukraine and Belarus. And I loved the food too. One of my best meals of 2013 was in Poland. One thing I didn't like was that the roads reminded me of the worst aspects of the UK. But maybe we like different things. I found Hungary a bit tedious. I prefer hills (and their views) to flats. That said, the north east of Poland was pretty. But this is the reason I wanted to open the comments up to everyone and absorb them into each country page. It's not much use if it's just my opinion. So thanks for taking the time to add them.

Cheers,
Steven
http://www.EuropeByBicycle.com - Country-by-country touring info for 54 European nations and disputed regions
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Sweep
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Re: New European Cycling Website

Post by Sweep »

Checked out your book sample from Amazon (I would encourage others to do the same) and it looks very good - will very probably buy the full book.

It reveals that you are from Blackburn - I'm from round those parts* and know it well - I must admit that it's not the prettiest of places and last time I was there they appear to have knocked the heart out of it again - demolishing a load of stuff that was probably only built in the 60s- god knows what folk older than me must still recognise about the place. The council should be shot.

But re your web site and its country guide I fear that your feelings about your home town may have coloured your judgement - maybe I read too quickly but you seem to have condemned most of the North West as poor for cycling. I would beg to differ - there's some beautiful places not too far from admittedly not too beautiful Blackburn.

You also seem to damn most of south east England, I've led many a ride in those parts and much of it is wonderful. And as a northerner I'm hardly biased in its favour.

Book looks great though and the web site is interesting - will follow it with interest.

all the best

(PS - is the Vulcan still going? I was never a metalhead but I kind of liked it) Oh, and if you want a handle on my age, the first group I ever saw was I think Slade - at King George's Hall. Later saw the Buzzcocks at the same place.
Sweep
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smith4188
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Re: New European Cycling Website

Post by smith4188 »

Sweep wrote:I fear that your feelings about your home town may have coloured your judgement - maybe I read too quickly but you seem to have condemned most of the North West as poor for cycling. I would beg to differ - there's some beautiful places not too far from admittedly not too beautiful Blackburn.

You also seem to damn most of south east England, I've led many a ride in those parts and much of it is wonderful. And as a northerner I'm hardly biased in its favour.


There are pockets of loveliness everywhere, but in the south-east the pockets seem smaller than elsewhere (at least where I cycled). And yes, the north-west has the Lakes and the Trough of Bowland and they are both amazing. But the rest of it (smaller pockets aside) isn't up to much when you compare it to countries that seem to have gorgeous scenery in every direction. But you're probably right. My bias probably also coloured my judgement. But not about the state of British roads, which - traffic-wise at least - are awful.

Sweep wrote:(PS - is the Vulcan still going? I was never a metalhead but I kind of liked it) Oh, and if you want a handle on my age, the first group I ever saw was I think Slade - at King George's Hall. Later saw the Buzzcocks at the same place.


I guess that puts you between 5 and 10 years older than me (unless you were a rocking toddler). I'm not sure I ever went in the Vulcan more than a couple of times. I had a Blackburn mate who loved to drag me into the dodgier pubs where eye contact was a no-no. When I lived there (which was a long while ago now) I preferred the sappier places where you'd only get beaten up by the bouncers.

Sweep wrote:Book looks great though and the web site is interesting - will follow it with interest.


Great. I hope you enjoy them both.
http://www.EuropeByBicycle.com - Country-by-country touring info for 54 European nations and disputed regions
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Sweep
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Re: New European Cycling Website

Post by Sweep »

Yes, I forgot to say that I pretty much agree with your take on British drivers though they are not all bad by any means.

You forgot to mention the Ribble Valley as a pocket of loveliness :) - no distance from Blackburn and pretty much adjacent to Bowland so all in all rather more than a pocket.

I bought the book in the end and can thoroughly recommend it - interesting and also very often funny without straining for effect.

Such wit, wisdom and soulfulness must of course be entirely due to your northern/Blackburn roots.

It's a long time since I've been but I should also say that we think exactly alike about Vienna - yes it's grand, you feel you should be impressed but there's something cold about it you can't quite put your finger on. And I can't remember thinking this about anywhere else I've been. My only theory is that it's some sort of high/petit bourgeois influence from a coterie of folks who don't want to yet accept that, a century later, the Austro Hungarian empire is gone. But they keep going through the sophisticated motions. But in truth I don't really know.
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smith4188
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Re: New European Cycling Website

Post by smith4188 »

Sweep wrote:I bought the book in the end and can thoroughly recommend it - interesting and also very often funny without straining for effect.


Thanks for the kind words.

Sweep wrote:Such wit, wisdom and soulfulness must of course be entirely due to your northern/Blackburn roots.


:D
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Ambler
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Re: New European Cycling Website

Post by Ambler »

I met my wife in the Vulcan.
she was (and still is) a good catholic girl.

Vulcan is no more, it is now a car park.
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