Cyclists, thousands of them!

Bozman
Bozman Posts: 2,518
edited April 2013 in Road general
I managed twenty odd miles today before I had to turn around and go home, there just isn't enough room on the roads anymore, the country has gone bike mad.
Where have they all come from?

Comments

  • elderone
    elderone Posts: 1,410
    Oh dear,how dare people get on bikes and deprive you of your god given right to own all the roads.Shame on them.
    Dulce et decorum est Pro patria mori
  • Bozman
    Bozman Posts: 2,518
    elderone wrote:
    Oh dear,how dare people get on bikes and deprive you of your god given right to own all the roads.Shame on them.

    Too right, I'm glad that you agree.
  • Davdandy
    Davdandy Posts: 571
    Its a mixture of the Wiggins effect and poverty.We cant afford to put fuel in the cars anymore.
    Cannondale CAAD 8 105
    Rockrider 8.1
  • pride4ever
    pride4ever Posts: 510
    Im surprised anyone went out in these gales.
    the deeper the section the deeper the pleasure.
  • canny_lad
    canny_lad Posts: 329
    Guilty. It was a mare! Good training though.......
  • goonz
    goonz Posts: 3,106
    Shock horror, good weather brings masses out onto the roads in a bid to keep fit and stay happy. What on earth are we all going to do! Bring back the rain and snow so only the serious cyclists are allowed out!
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  • elderone
    elderone Posts: 1,410
    pride4ever wrote:
    Im surprised anyone went out in these gales.
    Says the bloke after ripping the piss out of people posting on here and not out riding..tut tut.
    Dulce et decorum est Pro patria mori
  • Bozman
    Bozman Posts: 2,518
    This place is full of negative vibes, it was purely an observation that the roads have never been so busy with cyclists, make what you want of the comment but there's no need for handbags.
  • pride4ever
    pride4ever Posts: 510
    elderone wrote:
    pride4ever wrote:
    Im surprised anyone went out in these gales.
    Says the bloke after ripping the wee-wee out of people posting on here and not out riding..tut tut.

    Well if you wanna get swept under a truck be my guest numbnuts, personally when my fence panels get blown down thats enough evidence for me that the wind speed = dangerous ride. I havent got 35 years of cycling under my belt by mis- reading such obvious things. Oh and please relent the stalking ffs.
    the deeper the section the deeper the pleasure.
  • lotus49
    lotus49 Posts: 763
    Bozman wrote:
    This place is full of negative vibes, it was purely an observation that the roads have never been so busy with cyclists, make what you want of the comment but there's no need for handbags.
    There are indeed some people here who are always looking for reasons to do people down and misinterpret their innocuous comments (although I wouldn't have included elderone in that group - perhaps he's having a bad day). Ignore them, there are also lots of friendly and helpful people as well.

    I noticed vast numbers of cyclists out yesterday when I went on my ride. I'm not sure whether there really are more cyclists or whether I just notice them more but I'm pleased. The more often car drivers see cyclists on the narrow roads round my way, the more prepared they will be when they come round a corner and find me in their way.
  • pride4ever
    pride4ever Posts: 510
    lotus49 wrote:
    Bozman wrote:
    This place is full of negative vibes, it was purely an observation that the roads have never been so busy with cyclists, make what you want of the comment but there's no need for handbags.
    There are indeed some people here who are always looking for reasons to do people down and misinterpret their innocuous comments (although I wouldn't have included elderone in that group - perhaps he's having a bad day). Ignore them, there are also lots of friendly and helpful people as well.

    I noticed vast numbers of cyclists out yesterday when I went on my ride. I'm not sure whether there really are more cyclists or whether I just notice them more but I'm pleased. The more often car drivers see cyclists on the narrow roads round my way, the more prepared they will be when they come round a corner and find me in their way.

    Its brilliant that there are loads more cyclists because that equals less cars. Where I cycle its a bit hilly so I dont see big numbers of riders most of the time but If I want to ride in an area with tons of cyclists I go to Castleton, its like the Grand Depart every bloody day there.
    the deeper the section the deeper the pleasure.
  • Rob85_
    Rob85_ Posts: 29
    I went into Richmond Park today, its impossible. Cars get stuck behind slower cyclists, I get stuck behind Cars. I overtook a few but it ends up being quite dangerous and not fun at all. My selfish side wishes they would ban cars from all but the car park by the Rugby Pitches on a Sunday. :P

    But its my mistake I should have got up earlier. Managed 30 miles, wanted to do 60+. Still home now enjoying the Amstel Gold Race on Eurosport. :)

    Has anyone been over Leith Hill / Box Hill today? I assume thats really busy too?

    I need to find some quieter but challenging routes in Surrey.
  • marcusjb
    marcusjb Posts: 2,412
    Yep, Richmond park at weekends is a bit too much these days. You need to be in and out of the park before 9am really, otherwise it is a bit crazy. Not too bad in the evenings though.
    Stuff about riding a bike a long way
  • AchillesLeftKnee
    AchillesLeftKnee Posts: 713
    Rob85_ wrote:
    Has anyone been over Leith Hill / Box Hill today? I assume thats really busy too?

    I need to find some quieter but challenging routes in Surrey.
    The hills and surrounding area was downright busy today, that's for sure. Thoroughly annoying, albeit only because I wasn't among them thanks to me having Done Something Painful to myself on the bloody spin bike yesterday, thereby ending up limited to hobbling into town to get shopping, glowing green with envy.

    If you want the hills in a quieter moment, summer weeknights are pretty quiet regardless of weather, and almost completely devoid of cars after about 7pm. Just avoid the smaller north - south roads during the rush as that can all get rather fraught.
    Mangeur
  • WarlKicken
    WarlKicken Posts: 224
    goonz wrote:
    Shock horror, good weather brings masses out onto the roads in a bid to keep fit and stay happy. What on earth are we all going to do! Bring back the rain and snow so only the serious cyclists are allowed out!


    'Serious cyclists' haha. What a pr!ck
  • WarlKicken
    WarlKicken Posts: 224
    I was riding. It was fun
  • elderone
    elderone Posts: 1,410
    pride4ever wrote:
    elderone wrote:
    pride4ever wrote:
    Im surprised anyone went out in these gales.
    Says the bloke after ripping the wee-wee out of people posting on here and not out riding..tut tut.

    Well if you wanna get swept under a truck be my guest numbnuts, personally when my fence panels get blown down thats enough evidence for me that the wind speed = dangerous ride. I havent got 35 years of cycling under my belt by mis- reading such obvious things. Oh and please relent the stalking ffs.
    You may have 35 years of cycling under your belt but your still a tosser.One would think with that much experience you would be more helpful to people instead of being a gobsh1te.Pride before a fall numbnuts.
    Dulce et decorum est Pro patria mori
  • rolf_f
    rolf_f Posts: 16,015
    Can't quite imagine why anyone would have been put off by the winds today. At least up in the frozen North it has been warm and sunny as well as windy and there's been little enough of the first two lately and enough of the last to get used to it. Our club run did 92 miles. Probably 10 straight into the headwind, 10 with glorious tailwind and the remaining 70 annoying crosswinds. A good ride though.

    Do feel sorry for prideforever for missing out due to cowardice!
    Faster than a tent.......
  • Bustacapp
    Bustacapp Posts: 971
    Bozman wrote:
    I managed twenty odd miles today before I had to turn around and go home, there just isn't enough room on the roads anymore, the country has gone bike mad.
    Where have they all come from?

    Are you seriously trying to say that the roads were impassable because of the sheer amount of cyclists? I'm trying to picture it in my head and sorry but it would take hundreds of cyclists to completely block a road to the degree where you'd have no option but to turn back. May I suggest you are talking sh1te op?
  • jgsi
    jgsi Posts: 5,062
    pride4ever wrote:
    elderone wrote:
    pride4ever wrote:
    Im surprised anyone went out in these gales.
    Says the bloke after ripping the wee-wee out of people posting on here and not out riding..tut tut.

    Well if you wanna get swept under a truck be my guest numbnuts, personally when my fence panels get blown down thats enough evidence for me that the wind speed = dangerous ride. I havent got 35 years of cycling under my belt by mis- reading such obvious things. Oh and please relent the stalking ffs.

    The day was perfectly rideable, just not with deep section wheels that's all.
    Having said that, I have had better days on the bike.
  • Mikey23
    Mikey23 Posts: 5,306
    I didn't see enough in the OP to justify a flame war. A smiley might not have gone amiss though...

    Still pretty quiet around here, do tend to see a few more roadies but not noticeable with a small population. The weather was quite horrible yesterday but the wind has dropped a little and the rain has stopped so managed to get 3 hours in this afternoon
  • Bozman
    Bozman Posts: 2,518
    Bustacapp wrote:
    Bozman wrote:
    I managed twenty odd miles today before I had to turn around and go home, there just isn't enough room on the roads anymore, the country has gone bike mad.
    Where have they all come from?

    Are you seriously trying to say that the roads were impassable because of the sheer amount of cyclists? I'm trying to picture it in my head and sorry but it would take hundreds of cyclists to completely block a road to the degree where you'd have no option but to turn back. May I suggest you are talking sh1te op?

    Just a bit of a laugh. I've been on the bike for the last few days so I just went out for 20 odd miles to stretch the legs, on this short journey I've never seen so many cyclists on the roads, a few large club runs, plenty of individual riders but there were loads of smaller groups of so called mamils, I have no issue with this and it's good to see folk on the road instead of the course.
    In twenty years of cycling I've never seen so many folk out there, I can imagine places like Richmond can get a bit hectic but I never thought I'd see the roads of Derbyshire so busy.
  • Rob85_
    Rob85_ Posts: 29
    AchillesLeftKnee wrote:
    Rob85_ wrote:
    Has anyone been over Leith Hill / Box Hill today? I assume thats really busy too?

    I need to find some quieter but challenging routes in Surrey.
    The hills and surrounding area was downright busy today, that's for sure. Thoroughly annoying, albeit only because I wasn't among them thanks to me having Done Something Painful to myself on the bloody spin bike yesterday, thereby ending up limited to hobbling into town to get shopping, glowing green with envy.

    If you want the hills in a quieter moment, summer weeknights are pretty quiet regardless of weather, and almost completely devoid of cars after about 7pm. Just avoid the smaller north - south roads during the rush as that can all get rather fraught.

    Thanks. I've been taking a few days off work in the week when I can to get out in Surrey. Now the evenings are lighter will head over that way a bit more. :)
  • diy
    diy Posts: 6,473
    I didn't find it that busy to be honest, but there were a few silly billies not wanting to be passed - clearly this being their first ride out and them not having the minerals to go at a decent pace.

    I managed most of the tour of Britain stage 8 and met relatively few other cyclists - everyone seemed to be in the cafe/pub or going the other way.

    Richmond park is better on a Saturday.
    Boxhill - members only weeknights.
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  • Slo Mo Jones
    Slo Mo Jones Posts: 272
    Rob85_ wrote:
    Has anyone been over Leith Hill / Box Hill today? I assume thats really busy too?

    I need to find some quieter but challenging routes in Surrey.

    I went up Box Hill a few times on Saturday morning and it wasn't too bad at all.

    There was what looked like some mini food festival at the top as well. Anyone get some grub there, with all the tents? It smelled lovely.
  • DavidJB
    DavidJB Posts: 2,019
    Must suck to live in London and Surrey. Ho ho.
  • teisetrotter
    teisetrotter Posts: 342
    I did the Peterborough100 ........... not as many as I thought were out. However cycling out over on the fens side of the ride was pretty tough work into the wind. But still not a bad day with the sun out and nice chat all the way. Must admit took it easy and in the end we had to nurse a rather plump rider home, he had some rather large charity donations based on him getting to the end. Four of us in a tight diamond formation sheltering him from a 25mph head wind ........... !
  • junglist_matty
    junglist_matty Posts: 1,731
    I love this time of year.... It's the time of year when you finally get rewarded for all those grim winter training miles and fly past all the fair weather cyclists mimicking a pro cyclist because there's no other time of the year when you get to overtake as many slow cyclists as if they're not even moving so I find it brilliant fun, especially when the few who think they're fit try to stick you're wheel; give them a false sense of achievement by slowing and let them sit there, recover and put down some power riding off into the distance....

    Anyone who thinks this is not fun is not a true road rider ;)
  • peddlingmadness
    peddlingmadness Posts: 151
    Love it, the more people who take up cycling the better and safer the roads will be. Maybe there's new cyclists out there that once back in their cars will give a little more room and consideration to others. I for one think the more the merrier and welcome anyone on 2 wheels to this non-exclusive club.
  • phreak
    phreak Posts: 2,953
    Sure were a lot of riders out in Kent yesterday. It was like there was a sportive on, except there wasn't. Lovely to see so many enjoying the nice weather.

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