The Tyne and Wear Commuter Thread

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  • Captain Slackbladder
    Captain Slackbladder Posts: 175
    Bump

    Mudguards off again today :D
  • xbnm
    xbnm Posts: 116
    My rear mudguard only came loose and fell off last night pleased i got round to fettling it back in to place with nice big screws to stop it slipping from the mountings (so not my fault its rained) !!
  • Initialised
    Initialised Posts: 3,047
    Captain Slackbladder wrote:
    Bump

    Mudguards off again today :D

    They've been off for a while now, But, I'm not taking credit for yesterday's downpour, I'll put that down to being the first day of the rainy season a.k.a August.

    I haven't ridden since Tuesday, I felt a bit ropey on the way back. I knew something wasn't right when I went light headed every time I got my heart over 140BPM. So I decided to rest up for the Bobby tomorrow rather than make myself ill.
    I used to just ride my bike to work but now I find myself going out looking for bigger and bigger hills.
  • markhewitt1978
    markhewitt1978 Posts: 7,614
    Initialised wrote:
    Mark: Are you going to do the C2C in a day?

    I'd still like to but the logistics look pretty impossible. :(

    I had planned to do that or something like it (100+ ride) last weekend, but instead I was laid out with a penicillin reaction!
  • anthdci
    anthdci Posts: 543
    I'm sick of my gp4000s, the hardskins are going back on tonight. Got ready to cycle into work today, all ready to go then noticed my front tyre totally flat, and a soft rear tyre :x
  • mdjo
    mdjo Posts: 1
    Hello

    I'd thought I'd join and say hello and wondered if I could pick your brains please on possible routes.

    I'm relatively new to cycling, having not rode a bike since I was a teenager. I've bought an electric bike to get back into cycling as I'm not very fit.

    I've been working in the City Centre for last 12 months and I'm sick of the traffic, sick of parking fees, hate the metro and just can't do the bus - any which way it costs a fortune and takes ages.

    So I bought my ebike to do my commute which is Seghill to Newcastle City Centre.

    Had the bike a few weeks now and been practising various parts of the route, plus did a full practice run last week during the day when it was quieter.

    I had originally planned to go down the A190 to annitsford roundabout, down past Peter Barratts, cross Sandy Lane, down to Findus roundabout, down Salters lane, nip down garden village, cross metro line, south gosforth, down ilford road, last bit of great north road through to the Uni Library which is near where I need to be.
    That was until I did the test run and realised crossing Sandy Lane at the Peter Barratts roundabout is nay impossible and crossing over the metro line at South Gosforth is actually a bridge and despite having a metal ramp for bikes, the ebike is far to heavy for me (had to get my OH to push it up lol)

    An alternative I looked at was Dudley-> across Weetslade park -> Wideopen -> down Great north road all the way, but the GNR passing Asda would terrify me.. Feel OK about the top part and the city part, its the bit in the middle.

    If anyone has any suggestions as to a decent route with minimal stopping and starting I'd be really grateful. Stopping and starting is a pain on ebike. Obviously I'd prefer quieter routes but am reasonably confident on all but the busiest of roads.
    (I do have a small van so can put the bike in the back and drive part way as an interim solution but would prefer to do the whole lot by bike)

    Thanks if you can help
  • y33stu
    y33stu Posts: 376
    I'd probably go this way http://www.strava.com/routes/820106

    You probably don't want to go over four lane ends at rush hour if you're new to commuting. I do it heading to the coast occasionally and don't much like it. This route does go over the double mini roundabout at South Gosforth. Again, I ride on this but it's not pretty. There are pedestrian crossings so I'd suggest using these to escape this roundabout, then carrying on via the road once you're over.

    It's always going to be scary at first, but you'll soon get used to it and really enjoy it. My commute goes through Gosforth, over the tyne bridge, and all the way along the felling bypass which were terrifying at first, now I love it.
    Cycling prints
    Band of Climbers
  • jongooligan
    jongooligan Posts: 223
    Another route advice question folks. My job is moving to Longbenton. Don't know if I'm going to follow it but one of the considerations will be the bike commute. I live at the top end of Chester le Street; what's my best route? I've already asked Google maps but wasn't too pleased with the result.

    TIA.
  • Initialised
    Initialised Posts: 3,047
    jongooligan wrote:
    Another route advice question folks. My job is moving to Longbenton. Don't know if I'm going to follow it but one of the considerations will be the bike commute. I live at the top end of Chester le Street; what's my best route? I've already asked Google maps but wasn't too pleased with the result.

    TIA.

    It depends what you don't like about the routes, if it's traffic try crossing the river on the High level Bridge (20mph and no cars and less crosswind). If you want to avoid climbing avoid crossing at the Millenium or Swing Bridge.

    I'd go pretty much straight up the A167, maybe bypass the City Centre via Team Valley, up Bensham Bank, over Redheugh, up St James Boulevard, Richardson Road or Leazes Park, Across exhibition park, Jesmond Dene Road to South Gosforth then right up Benton Bank.
    I used to just ride my bike to work but now I find myself going out looking for bigger and bigger hills.
  • jongooligan
    jongooligan Posts: 223
    Initialised wrote:
    It depends what you don't like about the routes, if it's traffic try crossing the river on the High level Bridge (20mph and no cars and less crosswind). If you want to avoid climbing avoid crossing at the Millenium or Swing Bridge.

    I'd go pretty much straight up the A167, maybe bypass the City Centre via Team Valley, up Bensham Bank, over Redheugh, up St James Boulevard, Richardson Road or Leazes Park, Across exhibition park, Jesmond Dene Road to South Gosforth then right up Benton Bank.

    Cheers Initialised. I compared my current route, which is half A167 and half C2C, to the routes through to the Toon and I suppose that's why I'm not pleased at the prospect of moving jobs. I really enjoy my current commute but all roads to the Toon look grim in comparison.
  • Allez Mark
    Allez Mark Posts: 364
    I'm going for a record time home tonight with this supposed easterly
  • Allez Mark
    Allez Mark Posts: 364
    The BBC lied
  • andy9964
    andy9964 Posts: 930
    Talk about perfect timing :)
    Got in the house this morning, after an extended route home through Jarra and Hebburn. Gear off, shoes and coat on and hook up the dogs.
    Get to the front door, and it's lashing down. If I'd opted for the 17 mile instead of 14, I'd have got soaked

    Having said that, I got very wet anyway walking the hairy hombres for half an hour. Maybe it was inevitable :?

    Better news, Endomondo reckons my best 10 mile stretch is now 34:19 (couldn't have nothing to do with the wind - honest )
  • jongooligan
    jongooligan Posts: 223
    Lights on this morning for the first time since March. Skeins of geese heading NW (why are they going that way?) and the hedges are full of blackberries. Autumn is here for def.
  • anthdci
    anthdci Posts: 543
    jongooligan wrote:
    Lights on this morning for the first time since March. Skeins of geese heading NW (why are they going that way?) and the hedges are full of blackberries. Autumn is here for def.

    I'm seeing more and more brown leaves on the floor so I tend to agree. Sun rise is 6.13 am so I've still got quite a bit to go before I'm going to put the lights back on.
  • markhewitt1978
    markhewitt1978 Posts: 7,614
    jongooligan wrote:
    Another route advice question folks. My job is moving to Longbenton. Don't know if I'm going to follow it but one of the considerations will be the bike commute. I live at the top end of Chester le Street; what's my best route? I've already asked Google maps but wasn't too pleased with the result.

    What did Google maps say? Ultimately there isn't really much decent alternative to straight through Birtley, and through Low Fell, at least there is cycle path for some of the way, and cross the Tyne Bridge, no idea how you'd get to Longbenton from there, mind.

    Top end of Chester-le-Street eh? Blind Lane roundabout must be pissing you off like crazy? That's if the gas leak hasn't gotten to you already. Those of us near the station are more fortunate ;)
  • xbnm
    xbnm Posts: 116
    Its not been too bad with the works on the roundabout until last Monday when the Chester le street turnoff moved one to the left with no signage.

    This morning was complete gridlock and as the cycle lanes round the roundabout have not yet been reinstated (properly!!!) a fair bit of filtering was required to negotiate from the roundabout to Chester le street. There were a few white van men who thought they needed the cycle lane for their obviously extra wide van. And the odd person turning left who thought it would speed things up if they blocked the cycle lane before they could turn off.

    Wasnt quite want i needed after a trip to seahouse and back Sunday/Monday not really looking forward to the trip home uphill.
  • jongooligan
    jongooligan Posts: 223
    ^^^^^^
    As above. It's bloody chaotic round here at the mo. Led to an incident packed commute with one driver ranting at me for I know not what, a couple of drivers deliberately blocking the cycle lane at my approach and a pisshead ranting at me on the C2C at 10 past six this morning. OK, the last one has nothing to do with the traffic chaos but who gets pissed at 6 in the morning?
  • jongooligan
    jongooligan Posts: 223
    markhewitt1978 wrote:
    What did Google maps say? Ultimately there isn't really much decent alternative to straight through Birtley, and through Low Fell, at least there is cycle path for some of the way, and cross the Tyne Bridge, no idea how you'd get to Longbenton from there, mind.

    That's pretty much what Google maps said.
    Think it's going to be by motorbike, cycling through doesn't look appealing at all.
    markhewitt1978 wrote:
    Top end of Chester-le-Street eh? Blind Lane roundabout must be pissing you off like crazy? That's if the gas leak hasn't gotten to you already. Those of us near the station are more fortunate ;)

    By top end of C-l-S I mean up near Waldridge. Still have to go through Blind Lane roundabout twice a day though.
  • markhewitt1978
    markhewitt1978 Posts: 7,614
    Ah righto, Waldridge fell is my favourite climb, always seem to be the start of my ride!
  • anthdci
    anthdci Posts: 543
    In case anyone wasn't aware, the Tyne Bridge & Swing Bridge are closed 20:30-22:30 & Millennium Bridge is closed 18:30-22:30, I believe due to the great north run preparations.
  • andy9964
    andy9964 Posts: 930
    Also, the coast road stretch in South Shields is closed from 6:00am to 6:00pm on Sunday.
    So if you fancy an early run out along that way, best make it really, really early
  • anthdci
    anthdci Posts: 543
    anthdci wrote:
    In case anyone wasn't aware, the Tyne Bridge & Swing Bridge are closed 20:30-22:30 & Millennium Bridge is closed 18:30-22:30, I believe due to the great north run preparations.

    Just to top up on this, I am normally on the southbound side path on my way home and this was already closed last night, so I had to drop down onto the road and go slow with the traffic.
  • Captain Slackbladder
    Captain Slackbladder Posts: 175
    anthdci wrote:
    anthdci wrote:
    In case anyone wasn't aware, the Tyne Bridge & Swing Bridge are closed 20:30-22:30 & Millennium Bridge is closed 18:30-22:30, I believe due to the great north run preparations.

    Just to top up on this, I am normally on the southbound side path on my way home and this was already closed last night, so I had to drop down onto the road and go slow with the traffic.

    I made it through the north side heading back to the coast...was very busy though.
  • anthdci
    anthdci Posts: 543
    Captain Slackbladder wrote:
    I made it through the north side heading back to the coast...was very busy though.

    yea that side looked open, but I need to go along the felling bypass on my way home so going on that side means it is a nightmare to get across the carriageway. I normally come down the bus lane off the metro radio roundabout then join the path at the junction.
  • pessimal
    pessimal Posts: 58
    Just a quickie to you guys, i'm a very infrequent commuter on my bike, basically i ride home one in a blue moon, however i'm riding from the centre of newcastle back to sunderland.

    Could anyone suggest the best route to take, i generally go over the tyne bridge and along the felling bypass, using pavements or the cycle paths, i dont think i'm fast enough or fit enough to cycle on the road in rush hour traffic yet!

    I keep finding myself on the wrong side of the road for the various paths, end up going the long way around round abouts, and trying to cycle through boldon is a nightmare on the road or the pavements, i dont know if there is a better route into sunderland

    if anyone knows of an easier route, or just some hints on how to get out of newcastle and through gateshead i'd appreciate it

    thanks
  • anthdci
    anthdci Posts: 543
    yes, I do sunderland - newcastle most days.
    this is my route home on strava
    http://www.strava.com/activities/105055401

    I stay on the road for the felling bypass for two reasons. One its much faster. Two it is fine going to work, on that side of the road there is a half decent cycle path. On the way home however you need to be on the other side and that is a rubbish surface littered with curbs.
  • jongooligan
    jongooligan Posts: 223
    More road closures. The road between Plawsworth and Cocken Lodge is closed from tomorrow for two weeks. Guess they'll be fettling Cocken Bridge. Probably not on anyone's commuter route but thought I'd post it anyway.
  • Initialised
    Initialised Posts: 3,047
    pessimal wrote:
    I keep finding myself on the wrong side of the road for the various paths, end up going the long way around round abouts, and trying to cycle through boldon is a nightmare on the road or the pavements, i dont know if there is a better route into sunderland

    Once you've got a route you're largely happy with, gradually add in more bits of road to smooth out the route, you and the traffic will soon get used to each other and become one.
    I used to just ride my bike to work but now I find myself going out looking for bigger and bigger hills.
  • Captain Slackbladder
    Captain Slackbladder Posts: 175
    Bit of a chill in the air this morning...just about got away without the lights at 06-45. Dont recall a day last year when the conditions prevented a commute? More of the same this autum/winter please.

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