Richmond Park yesterday

Sewinman

There was some kind of big event on in RP yesterday. I think it was a duathalon. Anyway, the park was closed and I turned up about 5ish to find half the roads closed. I cycled back and forth for a while until they opened the roads up to bikes but not to cars. Have to say it was absolute joy to cycle around there with no cars, taking the racing line etc. I even bumped into our very own DDD!

It would be a great idea if they closed the park every sunday to cars IMHO.

DonDaddyD

Sewinman wrote:

There was some kind of big event on in RP yesterday. I think it was a duathalon. Anyway, the park was closed and I turned up about 5ish to find half the roads closed. I cycled back and forth for a while until they opened the roads up to bikes but not to cars. Have to say it was absolute joy to cycle around there with no cars, taking the racing line etc. I even bumped into our very own DDD!

It would be a great idea if they closed the park every sunday to cars IMHO.

Good seeing you out on a bike. (Why not the Wilier?)

I got there about 1.30pm, looked like a great event to be honest.

+1, I think they should close the park on Sunday's as well.

cjcp

It was the London Duathlon.

As regards the ban on cars, there's an argument that cars keep certain peds, runners and the slower cyclists who would otherwise use the track off the road.

bigmat

Good point CJ, I would be happy with a ban on cars driving like complete nobs myself, save for that I am happy to co-exist with them. Best to get out very early or (when light allows) very late, as far fewer cars about then anyway. I'm thinking my midweek RP jaunts are over for this year sadly, and no weekends free until second half of October so my 3-lap time is unlikely to be bettered until next year, when I will be another year older

Sewinman

DonDaddyD wrote:

Sewinman wrote:

There was some kind of big event on in RP yesterday. I think it was a duathalon. Anyway, the park was closed and I turned up about 5ish to find half the roads closed. I cycled back and forth for a while until they opened the roads up to bikes but not to cars. Have to say it was absolute joy to cycle around there with no cars, taking the racing line etc. I even bumped into our very own DDD!

It would be a great idea if they closed the park every sunday to cars IMHO.

Good seeing you out on a bike. (Why not the Wilier?)

I got there about 1.30pm, looked like a great event to be honest.

+1, I think they should close the park on Sunday's as well.

The gears on my Wilier are not working properly. Not sure if you read but I went over the handle bars after a gear slip. I tried to adjust the gears but made things worse and now need to take it to De Ver ot be fixed. I don't trust it at the moment, so am back on the Trek.

@CJCP - there is plenty of space on the roads for everyone surely.

cjcp

Sewinman wrote:

@CJCP - there is plenty of space on the roads for everyone surely.

You'd be surprised. You should see the way some folk ride up Dark Hill as it is. It's not the speed, because you can generally overtake those going slower than you pretty easily; more the weaving over the road because they can't ride up in a straight line. People's senses and awareness seem to switch off when they have no cars to worry about and, as we know, many people don't think about bikes.

@Mat - me too. I may have the opportunity for a pop at it tomorrow if I work from home, but, if not, a new PB will now have to wait until next Spring.

Wenners

I can't believe some of the muppets trying to cross the road, oblivious to the stewards telling them to wait while the cyclists came steaming down the road towards Robin Hood Gate. :x
Part from that, it was good fun. Tried to pick out any Wilier bikes, no luck and so far only seen 1 of them in the park. Ahh well, it's nice to be different...

roger_merriman

cjcp wrote:

Sewinman wrote:

@CJCP - there is plenty of space on the roads for everyone surely.

You'd be surprised. You should see the way some folk ride up Dark Hill as it is. It's not the speed, because you can generally overtake those going slower than you pretty easily; more the weaving over the road because they can't ride up in a straight line. People's senses and awareness seem to switch off when they have no cars to worry about and, as we know, many people don't think about bikes.

@Mat - me too. I may have the opportunity for a pop at it tomorrow if I work from home, but, if not, a new PB will now have to wait until next Spring.

yup without cars people it would end up being a shared space at which point travelling fast would be not on.

and lots of folk come to the park by car, so you'd be banning them etc.

thats not to say I don't love rolling though after the cars are gone mind!

Specialized Needs

cjcp wrote:

Sewinman wrote:

@CJCP - there is plenty of space on the roads for everyone surely.

You'd be surprised. You should see the way some folk ride up Dark Hill as it is. It's not the speed, because you can generally overtake those going slower than you pretty easily; more the weaving over the road because they can't ride up in a straight line.

I suppose some of them may be skilled and are consciously attempting to reduce the gradient. No doubt many aren't. And some are probably just unaware of their impact, or don't care (or don't know how to use gears to make life easier).

Mind, I'm one to talk. I once drifted gently across the road in RP whilst looking back and waiting for my wife to ascend a hill. Oh, I was so much more accomplished than her getting up there. That rapidly turned to embarressed chastisement as I received a sharp 'heads up!' from an oncoming cyclist :oops:

Slow Liam

The Duathalon ruined my evening! I got there at about 5.30, saw there were no cars and thought "Great, time to try and break my PB for a lap" Set off from Roehampton gate on an anti-clockwise circuit, and was smashing my PB (a rather rubbish 19.45). I was on an avg speed of 22mph for the lap but when I got to the bottom of Dark Hill there was a bloke in Hi Viz who told me the road was closed for another 10 minutes

By the time the road was open again I had given up, and was getting too cold (my new gilet hasn't arrived yet).

Still it was great to blast around there without worrying about having to overtake cars.

cjcp

I'd suggest avoiding RP at the moment. See here:

http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtop ... &start=760