The Tyne and Wear Commuter Thread
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Rain was just starting when I got to work this afternoon, and had long since stopped when I finished at 11:20.
Tailwind all the way home
meant it took 23 minutes less to get home, than going to work. The "get off and push because of the slushy bits" didn't help though 
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Normal service has resumed finally!
Sticking to the cycle path this week and taking it slowly as my right quad isnt happy 0 -
huge headwind this morning. BBC weather has it at 22mph from the west. Should be nice and fast on the way home though!0
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lovely tailwind, one 5min stint in the middle i averaged about 26mph!0
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Just got a fresh layer of snow. Glad my slicks haven't turned up yet.I used to just ride my bike to work but now I find myself going out looking for bigger and bigger hills.0
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Anyone know if the ice has cleared from the C2C path in Washington yet?
Came off twice last Thursday and I don't want to risk it again.
Cheers
Jon0 -
back in the groove this week commuting......
Hope this snow keeps away over the next couple of days.0 -
i was back on the bike this morning after wimping out yesterday. Felt great, and there wasn't much wind so i did it in a brisk 46mins, about 5 mins faster than I've done since November.0
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nice easterly tailwind today, a rare event although I'm less enthusiastic about the way home... also made a mental note to avoid the multiple horse dung sized piles of dog sh*te that some filthy scumbag has let their animals deposit on the bike path through Walker.0
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jomoj wrote:nice easterly tailwind today, a rare event although I'm less enthusiastic about the way home... also made a mental note to avoid the multiple horse dung sized piles of dog sh*te that some filthy scumbag has let their animals deposit on the bike path through Walker.
I tend to cycle that way going home out of town, must admit the stretch from Walker to Wallsend isn't great.0 -
urg, snow is starting, its light at the moment but it is supposed to get heavier.0
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Captain Slackbladder wrote:jomoj wrote:nice easterly tailwind today, a rare event although I'm less enthusiastic about the way home... also made a mental note to avoid the multiple horse dung sized piles of dog sh*te that some filthy scumbag has let their animals deposit on the bike path through Walker.
I tend to cycle that way going home out of town, must admit the stretch from Walker to Wallsend isn't great.
yes, sh*t, glass and burnt out scooters most days along there, it's not a great advert for the area. There's a smashed up toilet at one point as well. I often take white st. / fisher st. to bypass it, especially in the dark when you can't always spot what you're riding over.0 -
yes, sh*t, glass and burnt out scooters most days along there, it's not a great advert for the area. There's a smashed up toilet at one point as well. I often take white st. / fisher st. to bypass it, especially in the dark when you can't always spot what you're riding over.
Was riding through Washington on the C2C in the dark one morning. I've got some pretty powerful lights on the bike but still failed to spot that someone had chopped down a tree overnight, which had completely blocked the cycle path. Managed to ride straight into it. I guess I just didn't believe what was in front of my eyes.
That section also has it's share of broken glass, dog muck and shopping trolleys. On the plus side I've seen all kinds of birds, a deer and one morning some fox cubs0 -
I had, possibly, the biggest stroke of luck EVER. Snow was lashing down when I left, everyone at work taking the pi$$, and me with an unconvincing brave face on, I had a tailwind all the way homeanthdci wrote:urg, snow is starting, its light at the moment but it is supposed to get heavier. cold toes, but that's about it
Felt sorry for the poor sods going the opposite way though0 -
Quite the opposite for me, headwind all the way home, snow and sleet in my face the whole way. Glad I was on half day otherwise the bike probably would have had to stay at work and get the metro back, because when I went back out the house again at 5 the roads near me would have been impossible on a bike.0
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Left work about 16-30 last night, town wasn't to bad....conditions got worse the closer to home i got...
Took one look outside at 06-45 this morning and that was that, far to dangerous imo...0 -
looked all clear when I set off this morning but as soon as I got off the road and onto the waggonways / tracks it was really icy so just stuck to the road. Seems unlikely it will all have thawed out by this evening as well.0
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Don't know how I've missed this thread up until now?
My daily commute is only a short one 3.5 miles each way within Gateshead, but I also occasionally need to commute across to Wallsend which is a 10 miler or into Gosforth (7 miles)
Depending on the weather i'm either using a Giant Hybrid (with rack) or for the snowy/icy days I've stuck studded tyres on a mountain bike (which are the absolute mutts nuts!) Although I've also just got myself a Giant Defy 1 roadie through the C2W scheme.
I can't wait for the better weather to get some use out of it. I've managed to get out on it once and did a circular route from Gateshead, down to the pedestrian tunnel at Jarrow then back around via Wallsend and the Hadrians cycleway (all dog sh*t, glass and mud) then along the Quayside and across the Millenium bridge a nice little 15 miler.
Next time I'm going to allow enough time to stop off at the cycling cafe near the Quayside, anyone use it? It looks canny.0 -
mtbcommuter wrote:Don't know how I've missed this thread up until now?
My daily commute is only a short one 3.5 miles each way within Gateshead, but I also occasionally need to commute across to Wallsend which is a 10 miler or into Gosforth (7 miles)
Depending on the weather i'm either using a Giant Hybrid (with rack) or for the snowy/icy days I've stuck studded tyres on a mountain bike (which are the absolute mutts nuts!) Although I've also just got myself a Giant Defy 1 roadie through the C2W scheme.
I can't wait for the better weather to get some use out of it. I've managed to get out on it once and did a circular route from Gateshead, down to the pedestrian tunnel at Jarrow then back around via Wallsend and the Hadrians cycleway (all dog sh*t, glass and mud) then along the Quayside and across the Millenium bridge a nice little 15 miler.
Next time I'm going to allow enough time to stop off at the cycling cafe near the Quayside, anyone use it? It looks canny.
I pass it most days on my commute and i'm in the same boat as you, been meaning to pop in for ages. I use my Giant Roam for riding in and out of work and my newly purchased Allez Ellite for roadie weekends.
Used the Allez twice now and love it, another ride planned for Sunday out in the sticks.....tour of the boarders sportive planned for April and CTC in a day for May...0 -
good luck with the c2c in a day - I've done it in 2 days twice but thought about having a crack at a 1 dayer this year. Get some miles in your legs mind, there's some stiff climbing in there.
sounds like there's quite a few people using the riverside route but I hardly ever see anyone! I ride a red framed Crosslight with black components & mudguards, grey giro helmet and whatever clothing fell out of the cupboard in the morning. Give us a shout if you see me.0 -
Hi, any suggestions how to get from Gateshead/Millenium Bridge to Heworth-ish, without using the Felling bypass?mtbcommuter wrote:I've managed to get out on it once and did a circular route from Gateshead, down to the pedestrian tunnel at Jarrow then back around via Wallsend and the Hadrians cycleway (all dog sh*t, glass and mud) then along the Quayside and across the Millenium bridge a nice little 15 miler.
Next time I'm going to allow enough time to stop off at the cycling cafe near the Quayside, anyone use it? It looks canny.
Been thinking about doing a similar loop from South Shields to the Quayside and back, via the tunnel or Shields Ferry0 -
any reason your not using the felling bypass? I use it daily and it's fine. there is a cycle path along side if your that way inclined but it's much slower.0
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Its always seemed a bit mad to me, though I suppose I've only really driven along it in busy traffic anyway. I know I can cut in behind the stadium and use the quieter roads to get down to the riverside and cross over, just didn't know if there was a similar option a little further up the road.
Might give it a go next Sunday, don't take the bike on Sunday nightshift0 -
theres the riverside route along the south of the tyne which goes to shields, or you can cut up to heworth easily at pelaw area rather than going parallel to the felling bypass. download the councils maps off their webpage.0
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Can anyone suggest a good route from Washington to Dunston, avoiding center of Gateshead. Been using Northumberalnd way and Sunderland Road to get to Gateshead then through Gateshead center to Bensham bank and turning off to the Teams. Must be a better route than this.0
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Get to Wrekenton then take Easedale Gardens, Harlow Green Lane then Hertford and take Saltwell Road all the way to the end.0
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Cheers, I'll have a look at their websitechrishumes wrote:theres the riverside route along the south of the tyne which goes to shields, or you can cut up to heworth easily at pelaw area rather than going parallel to the felling bypass. download the councils maps off their webpage.
Edit: found what I need, http://www.southtyneside.info/CHttpHand ... d=1282&p=00 -
bennett_346 wrote:Get to Wrekenton then take Easedale Gardens, Harlow Green Lane then Hertford and take Saltwell Road all the way to the end.
Thanks will try this today.0 -
Not sure of Washington to Birtley, maybe the Bowes-Tanfield path, if you're on that come off at Birtley or just after onto Lamesley Lane, follow this to the A1/Team Valley south and take the first exit to Lady Park, Banesley Lane, Coach Road (I'm thinking of setting up a Strava segment there as I ride it a fair bit) for quiet, little traffic or up Kings Way if you want direct, then its over the roundabout (A1/TeamValley North) and onto Norwood Road to Forge Road or the Teams Cycleway (if you go through the Valley) to Dunston.daveyroids wrote:Can anyone suggest a good route from Washington to Dunston, avoiding center of Gateshead. Been using Northumberalnd way and Sunderland Road to get to Gateshead then through Gateshead center to Bensham bank and turning off to the Teams. Must be a better route than this.I used to just ride my bike to work but now I find myself going out looking for bigger and bigger hills.0 -
Not sure about the Bowes-Tanfield path, the section around Birtley is still trashed beyond belief.Initialised wrote:
Not sure of Washington to Birtley, maybe the Bowes-Tanfield path, if you're on that come off at Birtley or just after onto Lamesley Lane, follow this to the A1/Team Valley south and take the first exit to Lady Park, Banesley Lane, Coach Road (I'm thinking of setting up a Strava segment there as I ride it a fair bit) for quiet, little traffic or up Kings Way if you want direct, then its over the roundabout (A1/TeamValley North) and onto Norwood Road or the Teams Cycleway (if you go through the Valley) to Dunston.daveyroids wrote:Can anyone suggest a good route from Washington to Dunston, avoiding center of Gateshead. Been using Northumberalnd way and Sunderland Road to get to Gateshead then through Gateshead center to Bensham bank and turning off to the Teams. Must be a better route than this.0
