Aug 4 - 11
UK Velo-Solex Cornwall Tour 2009
(Photos courtesy Ian and Sue Andrew)
Ian and Sue Andrew, Teignmouth, Devon
‘LA SOLEXINE XI ‘2009 du 4 au 11 AOUT
a report by Ian and Sue Andrew, Teignmouth, Devon.
The members of the Crash Box and Classic Car Club of Devon have been involved with the Association Bretagne des Vehicules Anciennes (ABVA) for a number of years and reciprocal visits have taken place.
The Solexine is in its 11th year, and the second time that England has been chosen as the venue. Members of the CBCCC were co-opted into organising this year’s tour in Cornwall.
The Solexine is a tour of an area using Velosolex bicycle/mopeds.
The Velosolex, a motorised bicycle, was first produced in 1946 as cheap transport after the war and 7 million were sold until the company ceased in 1988.
The Velosolex has been subsequently produced in China and Hungary since then. There was a selection of models on this tour, the most popular being the 3800.
In France the Solexists like to camp at the municipal campsites found in most towns, so in Cornwall rugby clubs were the designated stopping places.
The riders arrived at Plymouth along with the bikes on a trailer and two back up vans, one a Citroen H van sporting a Michelin man and a Solex bike above the drivers cabin.
After a coach ride to Truro Rugby Club for the first nights’ camping, they tucked into the excellent two course evening meal provided by the club.
The tour took them to Helston RFC for two nights, then on to St Just RFC for three nights, followed by one night at Redruth RFC, a night at Saltash then the ferry home. Most of the route was on minor roads to make the most of seeing the beauty of Cornwall.
There’s a very laid back approach to daily events and within a short while of leaving camp the first ‘arret pot’ takes place. Somewhere around 11.00am the convoy stops, admires the scenery, opens up the H van, and sets up tables bedecked with pate, cheese and bread, and of course wine.
Early on in the tour, they ate the oysters they brought with them from France. Lunch was guaranteed to be at least an hour long affair followed by another arret pot in the afternoon.
Something miraculous happens overnight when the petrol fairy descends on the campsite and fills all the Velosolex tanks so they are ready for the off the next morning. Of an evening there was always a BBQ set up and large communal tent, about 36’ x 24’, where everybody eats… after aperitifs, of course!
There were many memorable rides, one being from Penzance. After showing them the real St Michaels Mount (!) at Marazion, an enormous hill between Newlyn and Mousehole sorted the men from the boys and likewise the femmes from the filles. The stamina of these riders is quite phenomenal and they are willing to have a go at anything.
Fabulous weather made the ride from St Just to St Ives as perfect as it could be and the cream tea at Tregenna Castle was fabulous.
There were times when the chatter around you made you think you were in France and remembering to ride on the left was sometimes a challenge! Back in St Just, the mayor laid on a civic reception and, having just returned from France, knew that wine rather than tea was the order of the day!
The bikes parked outside the Town Hall looked very impressive in the sunshine.
It is the tradition that a ‘Concours d’Elegance’ takes place one evening. Concourse to most of us means immaculate condition. Not in this case!
The camaraderie and generosity of the French riders amazed me yet again and anyone with a Velosolex or any cyclemotor/moped should grab the opportunity to go on a tour with them in England or France to get the maximum buzz out of riding their bikes.
The riders dress up in a weird selection of costumes and perform short acts with the bike as the centrepiece. Many of the ‘acts’ were pertinent to France, and the English amongst us still have no idea what was going on. But that didn’t stop us joining in!
A total of about 390 km (about 245 miles) were covered during the tour, which is quite amazing as it seemed that most of the time was spent eating and talking.
There appeared to be very few breakdowns but ‘Dr Solex’ was always to hand to solve any problems. I broke three spokes in the rear wheel and the front mudguard bracket. Not discovered until I returned home, this shows the durability of the Velosolex
(Photos courtesy Ian and Sue Andrew)
Ian and Sue Andrew, Teignmouth, Devon
a report by Ian and Sue Andrew, Teignmouth, Devon.
The members of the Crash Box and Classic Car Club of Devon have been involved with the Association Bretagne des Vehicules Anciennes (ABVA) for a number of years and reciprocal visits have taken place.
The Solexine is in its 11th year, and the second time that England has been chosen as the venue. Members of the CBCCC were co-opted into organising this year’s tour in Cornwall.
The Solexine is a tour of an area using Velosolex bicycle/mopeds.
The Velosolex, a motorised bicycle, was first produced in 1946 as cheap transport after the war and 7 million were sold until the company ceased in 1988.
The Velosolex has been subsequently produced in China and Hungary since then. There was a selection of models on this tour, the most popular being the 3800.
In France the Solexists like to camp at the municipal campsites found in most towns, so in Cornwall rugby clubs were the designated stopping places.
The riders arrived at Plymouth along with the bikes on a trailer and two back up vans, one a Citroen H van sporting a Michelin man and a Solex bike above the drivers cabin.
After a coach ride to Truro Rugby Club for the first nights’ camping, they tucked into the excellent two course evening meal provided by the club.
The tour took them to Helston RFC for two nights, then on to St Just RFC for three nights, followed by one night at Redruth RFC, a night at Saltash then the ferry home. Most of the route was on minor roads to make the most of seeing the beauty of Cornwall.
There’s a very laid back approach to daily events and within a short while of leaving camp the first ‘arret pot’ takes place. Somewhere around 11.00am the convoy stops, admires the scenery, opens up the H van, and sets up tables bedecked with pate, cheese and bread, and of course wine.
Early on in the tour, they ate the oysters they brought with them from France. Lunch was guaranteed to be at least an hour long affair followed by another arret pot in the afternoon.
Something miraculous happens overnight when the petrol fairy descends on the campsite and fills all the Velosolex tanks so they are ready for the off the next morning. Of an evening there was always a BBQ set up and large communal tent, about 36’ x 24’, where everybody eats… after aperitifs, of course!
There were many memorable rides, one being from Penzance. After showing them the real St Michaels Mount (!) at Marazion, an enormous hill between Newlyn and Mousehole sorted the men from the boys and likewise the femmes from the filles. The stamina of these riders is quite phenomenal and they are willing to have a go at anything.
Fabulous weather made the ride from St Just to St Ives as perfect as it could be and the cream tea at Tregenna Castle was fabulous.
There were times when the chatter around you made you think you were in France and remembering to ride on the left was sometimes a challenge! Back in St Just, the mayor laid on a civic reception and, having just returned from France, knew that wine rather than tea was the order of the day!
The bikes parked outside the Town Hall looked very impressive in the sunshine.
It is the tradition that a ‘Concours d’Elegance’ takes place one evening. Concourse to most of us means immaculate condition. Not in this case!
The camaraderie and generosity of the French riders amazed me yet again and anyone with a Velosolex or any cyclemotor/moped should grab the opportunity to go on a tour with them in England or France to get the maximum buzz out of riding their bikes.
The riders dress up in a weird selection of costumes and perform short acts with the bike as the centrepiece. Many of the ‘acts’ were pertinent to France, and the English amongst us still have no idea what was going on. But that didn’t stop us joining in!
A total of about 390 km (about 245 miles) were covered during the tour, which is quite amazing as it seemed that most of the time was spent eating and talking.
There appeared to be very few breakdowns but ‘Dr Solex’ was always to hand to solve any problems. I broke three spokes in the rear wheel and the front mudguard bracket. Not discovered until I returned home, this shows the durability of the Velosolex
(Photos courtesy Ian and Sue Andrew)
Ian and Sue Andrew, Teignmouth, Devon
