Fresh tarmac

geoffgomez

Out yesterday and suddenly noticed I was zipping along in blissful silence; council had put a fresh road surface on a couple of miles of one of my favourite loops. Anyway my Mrs really didn't understand when I was trying to explain why this was such a great thing so I had to post here. Love riding on fresh tarmac

rozzer32

It is a nice feeling.

Just be careful when it gets really sunny and hot as no doubt some of the oil will seep to the surface, which won't be grippy.

CambsNewbie

Wow! I've heard rumours of such a thing but thought it was one of those myths.. :P

wishitwasallflat

The stuff of dreams!

alihisgreat

Was driving in Warwickshire... the roads near Lemington Spa going over to towards the M45 and M1 are incredible.

Then as soon as you cross back into Cambridgeshire/Bedfordshire your car is filled road noise, and you're shaken to bits by potholes..

The local high way maintenance seem to have made the method there they just dump a load of tar over the current surface, and cover it in chips their favourite resurfacing method :x


I envy anyone that gets to ride on 1/2 decent tarmac... let alone a full new smooth surface!

jonsi

I know exactly what you mean!

Where I live there is about a mile and a half of an uphill slog to get home which up until recently had the most horrendous surface to ride on and you would get shaken about and couldn't build up any momentum. The council then resurfaced the last mile or so and it is almost a pleasure to ride it now - even carrying my excess weight!!

markyboy2005

This is one of the things that we really get spoiled with here in Dubai.

There are not that many safe places to ride, but when we do ride, the roads are perfect - really smooth and well constructed.

There are downsides, with crazy drivers, sand storms and the incredible heat in summer......but the roads....lovely.

Kieran_Burns

Yup - this was filmed last week....

http://youtu.be/aGo7PFk_vUQ?hd=1

(wasn't going to post it, but now someone else has mentioned the joy of a new smooth stretch of tarmac)

brand new stretch between East Leake and Bunny: 3/4 mile of buttery smooth surface. It takes WAY less effort to cycle on this stretch and Endomondo does show the lower time along there.

evil_breakfast

Kieran_Burns wrote:

Yup - this was filmed last week....

http://youtu.be/aGo7PFk_vUQ?hd=1

(wasn't going to post it, but now someone else has mentioned the joy of a new smooth stretch of tarmac)

brand new stretch between East Leake and Bunny: 3/4 mile of buttery smooth surface. It takes WAY less effort to cycle on this stretch and Endomondo does show the lower time along there.

*Wonders if Vesterberg 'll click on http://youtu.be/aGo7PFk_vUQ?hd=1*

Frank the tank

Smooth fresh tarmac, a male cyclists dream. OTOH rough as f**k tarmac (as in Jacksdale/ironville) is a female cyclists orgasm.

desweller

They've recently done some long bits on the A466 down to Chepstow. I thought I had a puncture; not used to getting no feedback from the tyres!

ilm_zero7

fresh tarmac - my friend work for EDF - let me know where it is and we can get it dug up in a matter of weeks

rick_chasey

They did a section on Victoria embankment a few weeks ago. Turned it into a skating rink.

Two or 3 of the commuter lot fell off there, and witnessed many more.

geoffgomez

Frank the tank wrote:

Smooth fresh tarmac, a male cyclists dream. OTOH rough as f**k tarmac (as in Jacksdale/ironville) is a female cyclists orgasm.

Still love the old joke; two nuns cycling home take a shortcut down a cobbled street, one says to the other "I've never come this way before".

2Phat4Rapha

Top dressing on the A332 into Windsor Sunday. Loose gravel and the speeding Clarkson-brains was like riding through shrapnel. Freezing headwind too (both directions! wtf?) :evil:

pottssteve

What you need is a ProTour race. They just did the Bemelerberg a couple of weeks before the Amstel Gold Race. It's lovely now.