The Tyne and Wear Commuter Thread

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  • xbnm
    xbnm Posts: 116
    Ive only ever taken a bike on the later trains to Carlisle to get Whitehaven and not for a year. On most those occassions there have been between 3 and 6 bikes on the train and this was at about 5pm. I suspect this is down to the conductor and one was a little arsey but by the end of the Jounrey was showing us footage from his mobile of the fighting on the train the previous saturday night. I think the train from Newcastle-Carlisle-Glasgow has hangers for more than 2 bikes i think 3 or 6.
  • Initialised
    Initialised Posts: 3,047
    Thanks, I had the only bike on the train. If the coach had hangars instead of ground level wheel slots 4-6 bikes could fit easily.

    The ride back was OK, apart from being the only day this year that the wind was blowing the wrong way: https://www.strava.com/activities/517671094
    I used to just ride my bike to work but now I find myself going out looking for bigger and bigger hills.
  • y33stu
    y33stu Posts: 376
    It seems the light nights and mild weather have brought back the fair weather commuters - and blatant red light jumpers.

    My commute is now a lot more interesting, albeit slower if I get stuck behind a few wobblers on the only cycle path I use in Gosforth.

    Anyone else noticed this?
    Cycling prints
    Band of Climbers
  • oodboo
    oodboo Posts: 2,171
    The better weather means there's more people clogging up the quayside.
    I love horses, best of all the animals. I love horses, they're my friends.

    Strava
  • xbnm
    xbnm Posts: 116
    Ive been commuting for 6 years by bike and even though i have a quiet route its definitely getting busier every year even had someone 6 inches from my back wheel taking an unannounced draft this week.Happily i noticed them before the sharp left turn i need to brake for so they got a verbal warning as well as the usual hand signal.
  • Initialised
    Initialised Posts: 3,047
    https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/neca_tra ... nsultation

    Fill this out if you care about cycling in and around Newcastle upon Tyne
    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
    Packed in this commuting malarkey just over a year ago when my job moved to Longbenton. Just didn't fancy schlepping through Birtley, Low Fell and the toon. Grim doesn't come close to describing that route.
    Anyroad, as a result I've put on about three stone so something has to be done.
    I've tried that route out and back three times recently and it is truly horrible, particularly with the road works in Low Fell.
    Anyone got any recommendations for a better route? Not too long though as carrying all that extra weight and general unfitness means I'm really slow these days.
    TIA
  • markhewitt1978
    markhewitt1978 Posts: 7,614
    jongooligan wrote:
    Packed in this commuting malarkey just over a year ago when my job moved to Longbenton. Just didn't fancy schlepping through Birtley, Low Fell and the toon. Grim doesn't come close to describing that route.
    Anyroad, as a result I've put on about three stone so something has to be done.
    I've tried that route out and back three times recently and it is truly horrible, particularly with the road works in Low Fell.
    Anyone got any recommendations for a better route? Not too long though as carrying all that extra weight and general unfitness means I'm really slow these days.
    TIA

    As routes go, going through Birtley and Low Fell isn't actually too bad! Rush hour will be a nightmare, I expect.

    To give a proper route it would help to know where you're starting from? Around CLS I guess?
  • jongooligan
    jongooligan Posts: 223
    Ah yeah, ClS it is. Sorry, thought it was displayed.
    Tried Jesmond Dene, Quayside, Teams, Team Valley, Birtley on the way back today. Lots of stop/start and getting lost around Sandyford.
  • markhewitt1978
    markhewitt1978 Posts: 7,614
    https://www.strava.com/activities/537282286 lad in our club commutes this way, i.e. Team Valley and back up, but there's no ideal quiet routes really, busy traffic everywhere.
  • jongooligan
    jongooligan Posts: 223
    Thanks for the answers. Birtley/Low Fell/Tyne Bridge at the crack of dawn isn't too bad. Tweaked the Jesmond Dene/Quayside route for the way back. The bit in the dene and along the river is quite pleasant but the roundabout at the bottom of Team Valley is a bit hairy at 4pm.
  • Initialised
    Initialised Posts: 3,047
    jongooligan wrote:
    Thanks for the answers. Birtley/Low Fell/Tyne Bridge at the crack of dawn isn't too bad. Tweaked the Jesmond Dene/Quayside route for the way back. The bit in the dene and along the river is quite pleasant but the roundabout at the bottom of Team Valley is a bit hairy at 4pm.

    You can mostly avoid the Team Valley if you take the Lady Park/Coach Road rat run.
    https://www.strava.com/activities/49722 ... 1934727666
    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
    Yeah, good one Initialised. Forgotten all about the coach road. It helps to bypass that dodgy roundabout too.
  • anthdci
    anthdci Posts: 543
    Been away for awhile. Barely used my bike last year and sold it in Janurary. I've picked up my nice new bike to to give me a kick up the backside to start cycling to and from work again. Along with that I want to mix up my route to and from work a bit as it has got monotonous. My start point is roughly the Blue Bell pub in Fulwell Sunderland, and my end point is Newcastle University medical school. I have been going up and down north hylton road, suffering all the extra traffic lights they have put in then onto Follingsby Lane which isn't far from off roading with all it's pot holes. I'm quite happy with the felling bypass then over the Tyne Bridge when the traffic lights start again past the cinema and along percy street, I'm then past the RVI and up to work.

    Has anyone got any ideas? I don't mind an extra mile or so if it avoids traffic lights, I am on a road bike so it has to be roads. I know there is the option to go to the tyne tunnel, but thats about 4 miles extra and I'm not sure the current state of the pedestrian tunnel. Going along the A184 is out of the question being 70mph.

    Basically I want to enjoy my ride to and from work, and being stop start and constant red lights destroys your rhythm quickly saps the joy out of you.
  • xbnm
    xbnm Posts: 116
    Pedestraian tunnels are a no go until next summer.

    We continue to progress off-site works, including the manufacture of the new inclined elevators. Due to the delay, the tunnels are now unlikely to re-open before the summer of 2017.

    http://www.tynepedestrianandcyclisttunnels.co.uk/
  • markhewitt1978
    markhewitt1978 Posts: 7,614
    Is the Ferry out of the question? Ride up to South Shields, Ferry to North Shields, then along Hadrains Way (off road but tarmac) into NCL?
  • anthdci
    anthdci Posts: 543
    markhewitt1978 wrote:
    Is the Ferry out of the question? Ride up to South Shields, Ferry to North Shields, then along Hadrains Way (off road but tarmac) into NCL?

    thanks, it's not out of the question, but it is adding 3-4 miles extra on, plus timing the ferry right and paying for it doesn't make it an attractive option.
  • anthdci
    anthdci Posts: 543
    Doing a bit of a look around on google maps I am quite surprised.

    I am looking between the Blue Bell and Heworth. Three options.
    North Hylton Road -> Follingsby Lane ->Wardley is 9.1Miles with 15! set of traffic lights
    East Boldon -> Follingsby Lane ->Wardley is 9.2Miles with 11 set of traffic lights
    East Boldon -> Fellgate -> Jarrow is 9.4Miles with 10 set of traffic lights

    I am gobsmacked at how close they each are in distance. I thought going through Fellgate would have added at least another mile on, so only 0.3 of a mile will make it easily faster just to avoid those extra 5 sets of lights. it will be a nice change too. Now just to work out how to get round Newcastle.
  • andy9964
    andy9964 Posts: 930
    How about turning off the Felling bypass at Gateshead Stadium, and taking the back toads towards The Sage and cross over to the Quayside
  • anthdci
    anthdci Posts: 543
    Andy9964 wrote:
    How about turning off the Felling bypass at Gateshead Stadium, and taking the back toads towards The Sage and cross over to the Quayside

    Yea I was thinking that, but it a big hill to climb back up to the university. Might be something to alternate between routes to mix it up a bit. Not sure how I'd get upto the RVI from the quayside though?
  • oodboo
    oodboo Posts: 2,171
    When heading to the civic I go up sandhill, on to side, then up Dean street and Grey street round and up John Dobson street. You could then cut across by the church, cross over and go up claremont road.
    I love horses, best of all the animals. I love horses, they're my friends.

    Strava
  • anthdci
    anthdci Posts: 543
    oodboo wrote:
    When heading to the civic I go up sandhill, on to side, then up Dean street and Grey street round and up John Dobson street. You could then cut across by the church, cross over and go up claremont road.

    yea sound quite do able. Done some working out and going over the Millennium Bridge is actually 0.4 of a mile shorter than the way I was going which I am surprised about. It is also 2 less sets of traffic lights.

    So the next ride in I'm going to do is along the lines of

    East Boldon
    Fellgate
    Jarrow
    Heworth
    Gateshead Stadium
    Millennium Bridge
    Pilgrim Street
    Percy Street
    RVI
    Total 14 miles and 17 lights, vs what i used to do which was 13.1 miles and 35(!!!) lights, thats a set of lights every 1/3 of a mile on average.

    I can mix it up and go via east boldon then onto follingsby lane, that is 0.2 of a mile shorted but has an extra set of lights. I still need to figure out a good way to go back home as I'm going up the section of leazes park road that is one way. I could go via John Dobson Street once the new cycling infrastructure is in place or go pretty much the same way I came but go down St Thomas Street onto Percy Street.

    Im really looking forward to getting on my bike now, I'm going on holiday for 3 weeks from monday though, it's my honeymoon, so the bike it nicely tucked up in my parents garage.
  • markhewitt1978
    markhewitt1978 Posts: 7,614
    anthdci wrote:
    I'm going on holiday for 3 weeks from monday though, it's my honeymoon,

    Ha! Congrats dude! Have a good one!
  • byke68
    byke68 Posts: 1,070
    Blizzard conditions on the way home yesterday with me in shorts and fingerless mitts! Well, it was ok in the morning!
    Cannondale Trail 6 - crap brakes!
    Cannondale CAAD8
  • oodboo
    oodboo Posts: 2,171
    I arranged a lift home last night, weather wasn't too bad by the time I left though. Nice and sunny this morning. Hopefully were getting back in to spring now. One more week on the bike then I have to suffer the car for a couple of weeks.
    I love horses, best of all the animals. I love horses, they're my friends.

    Strava
  • xbnm
    xbnm Posts: 116
    Had to stop to put the waterproofs on last night. Anyone seen the interesting path bypass Northern Gas Networks have installed in the cycle lane between Chester le street and Birtley. Just near the coast to coast bridge. Seem to think they can leave with the bypass being for cyclists and pedestrians
  • Initialised
    Initialised Posts: 3,047
    Hi,

    I need some advice from the Hive mind.

    I Live in Newcastle but am looking at a job in Middlesbrough.

    The obvious options for Bike-Train-Bike is Metrocentre-Middlesbrough with a couple of miles at each end.

    But...

    I was thinking that an East Coast Newcastle-Darlington train then bike from Darlo would be about as quick and I'd get loads of miles in.

    I know getting a bike on the Metro-MBro train isn't a problem but how is it on the East Coast line, would I have to book every day or can you block book with a season pass or similar?

    Anyone have experience of this route with bikes?
    I used to just ride my bike to work but now I find myself going out looking for bigger and bigger hills.
  • anthdci
    anthdci Posts: 543
    I used to work around darlington, and had some clients in middlebrough and eaglescliffe the A66 and A67 are not roads I would like to cycle along.
  • andy9964
    andy9964 Posts: 930
    East coast is Virgin ism't it?
    I'll ask my sister, she works on the Virgin EC trains, she might know - or know who to ask
  • andy9964
    andy9964 Posts: 930
    And, her reply so far
    I don't know that for definite.... you have to have a reservation for the bike though, if he has a season ticket then he'd just need to pop in the travel centre for it. Don't know if you can block book, and I've just finished work so I can't ask the travel centre. I will text one of the guards and see if they know

    She's on holiday for a month now, so might not get any further info in the near future if her text plan doesn't pan out

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