Another commute video
BentMikey
Posts: 4,895
Apologies if you've seen this on other forums already:
Part of my commute along the A21:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=phXSTENW4jk
Nice bus driver:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-n5uYcwq4Y
Part of my commute along the A21:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=phXSTENW4jk
Nice bus driver:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-n5uYcwq4Y
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Very nice.
How fast do you think you are going, if you do not mind me asking (I am just curious how fast recumbents are, maybe will get one at some stage 8) ).
EDIT: speed on a flat road, not downhill!0 -
On the fast bit I was doing 57km/hour or 35mph according to my cycle computer, which seems reasonably accurate. The rest of the time somewhere between 22mph and that. I'm not particularly fast by any means, mind. Wait till I finish editing the BHPC race video, and you'll see some much faster people including Mike Burrows. I'm just an ordinary commuter cyclist really.
Couple of naughty overtakes in my video really. :oops: :oops:0 -
>>The rest of the time somewhere between 22mph and that
That's really decent! Is this the recumbent in the photo in "My bikes"?
I noticed you overtake rather that undertake stationary/slow moving traffic, something that I am strongly in favour, even if it means going onto the opposite lane a bit.
And the mirrors must be really helful as well.
5-stars from me.0 -
Cool stuff...
How hard is it to balance on one of those ? Are you fitted clipped on ?0 -
Yes, they're not quite as easy as a normal bike, but pretty much anyone can learn to ride one with a bit of help and practice. Think of it more like learning to ride again. Yes, I use Look pedals on that bike.
Ps. cntl, my average for the whole ride wasn't 22mph, far from it. That was just over this fast stretch.0 -
I'm curious as to why you find it acceptable to ride on the wrong side of the road...0
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NaeDanger wrote:I'm curious as to why you find it acceptable to ride on the wrong side of the road...
I can't see the vid at work but presumably the same reason any road user would move to the opposite carriageway during an overtaking manoeuvre<a>road</a>0 -
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What do you mean by riding on the wrong side of the road?0
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As you say yourself:
"Couple of naughty overtakes in my video really "
For example, at 01:57 in your video you cut out onto the other lane to pass the stationary traffic. The Megane coming the other way has to move to the left slightly to avoid you.
This continues until about 02:09, when you appear to decide it might be time to get back in the lane, and cut in front of a VW golf. Luckily for you, he appears to be stopped letting a parked car out.
From 02:19 until 02:40, you decide that one lane just is not enough for you and so, despite oncoming traffic, you will enjoy both lanes.0 -
Ah, so what you really mean is not riding on the wrong side of the road, but overtaking in the face of oncoming traffic.
* At 1:57, there is no Megane and no moving to the left forced on the Mercedes. I suspect you mean the moment I passed the large lorry at around ~2:07, in which case fair comment. I would suggest the rest of that manouevre was quite fine.
* There was no lucky for me on passing the golf at around 2:09 - if you understand how to filter properly, it's always easy to get back in the queue in this sort of situation. I also left plenty of space and didn't "cut in front of him".
* The rest of the overtaking was also fine, IMO, with the exception of the first bit at ~2:21 where there is an oncoming dark VW indicating right.
Apart from the two overly pushy moments from me at 2:07 and 2:21, I don't see anything wrong here. This sort of filtering is both legal and quite normal.0 -
NaeDanger wrote:As you say yourself:
"Couple of naughty overtakes in my video really "
For example, at 01:57 in your video you cut out onto the other lane to pass the stationary traffic. The Megane coming the other way has to move to the left slightly to avoid you.
This continues until about 02:09, when you appear to decide it might be time to get back in the lane, and cut in front of a VW golf. Luckily for you, he appears to be stopped letting a parked car out.
From 02:19 until 02:40, you decide that one lane just is not enough for you and so, despite oncoming traffic, you will enjoy both lanes.
01:57 The first long overtake would be the one I would be least likely to do myself but wasnt inherently dangerous and seems to me to be quite legal. Didnt like the position of that lorry one bit, Personally I prefer to have a bit more left hand lane space.
2:09 The golf was stopped there was plenty of space it was a nice clean slotting back into lane I dont see a problem with that one myself, I personally have to slot into smaller gaps than that whilst cycling and with moving vehicles as well. Nothing to complain about there perfectly legitimate manouvre
2:19 to 2:40 nothing illegal or dangerous going on here,
Cyclists are as entitled to over take like this as motorcyclists are, or cars where space permits. This is why we have different types of centre road markings (those pretty lines down the centre of the road - they dont take on different patterns on a whim of the road painters you know)
Personally I DO overtake on the right, more often than not im overtaking moving traffic rather than stationary traffic as in this video. I find it feels safer than undertaking even with a cycle lane.0 -
...hmmm, imagine if I'd been the driver coming the other way at 2.09 I'd have said some words, tut tut
Surely you were breaking the speed limit down that hill?!?!?!?!?!?! Tut tut again!!!!!
(Removes halo and puts back in bag :twisted: )
It's just a hill. Get over it.0 -
P.S. - what sort of cameras do people use for these things?? (I'm a total technophobe, BTW)
It's just a hill. Get over it.0 -
SecretSam wrote:...hmmm, imagine if I'd been the driver coming the other way at 2.09 I'd have said some words, tut tut
Surely you were breaking the speed limit down that hill?!?!?!?!?!?! Tut tut again!!!!!
(Removes halo and puts back in bag :twisted: )
Speed limits dont apply to bicycles, mechanically propelled vehicles only as far as I can see.0 -
SecretSam wrote:...hmmm, imagine if I'd been the driver coming the other way at 2.09 I'd have said some words, tut tut
Surely you were breaking the speed limit down that hill?!?!?!?!?!?! Tut tut again!!!!!
(Removes halo and puts back in bag :twisted: )
Yes, you're right, that was a pushy overtake and I probably shouldn't have done it.
I think I was doing 35mph down the hill, 57.5kph max on the computer. It's not breaking the speed limit, as there isn't one for bikes, but perhaps it's not morally right to be doing more than the cages are allowed to.0 -
Down the outside, white line - or over... the way to go !!!! I do it !!!0
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Hey mikey, Where would you recommend getting a bent from?. I am pretty sure about getting a bent for my next bike and am looking at a
Challenge Hurricane Sport/Tour
Optima Stinger
HV Streetmachine
any views on these?
Also over steering or under steering?0 -
I guess you have to ride them to find out what you like, there's more variation in 'bents than there is in uprights. The stinger and hurricane are more sporty, as is over seat steering.
If you google DTek (Near Ely), Future Cycles, BikeFix, and London Recumbents, those are the usual places to go try bikes out.0 -
You could use that video for the DSA Hazard Perception test.
FCN 100 -
Thanks, I 'll go and have a look at those sites. The only problem seems to be that I live up'north and all thos shops look like they are in London. Oh well may have to take a trip0
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There's Kinetics up north, but *spit*.0
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Woah, thats a bit too north. I am in West Yorkshire.0
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BM what sort of times are you doing this as your route joins mine at the junction of homebase near the end of the vid
How far north do you go on the A21? Lombard vale roundabout in lewisham?
I saw a recumbent the other day and thought it might be you and made the effort and caught up... I decided not to charge up and say hello when I could see the dude had massive dreadlocks.Purveyor of sonic doom
Very Hairy Roadie - FCN 4
Fixed Pista- FCN 5
Beared Bromptonite - FCN 140 -
Variable times really as I have no fixed working hours. I go from Bromley all the way up to Hyde Park, but next week it'll start in Biggin Hill.
What are your ride times and what bike do you ride?0 -
ooo Tube is blocked at my work site, so didn't get to see this till last night.
I always thought that recumbents would be a bit unwieldy in traffic, but you were certainly "Threading the Needle". I thought the overtake with the Renault coming the other way was a bit adventurous.
The view does look very low level, about on the same level as a car driver, whereas on a traditional bike you are much higher, and have a better view, I guess it's what you get used to.
Ever tripped any speed cameras?0 -
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