Lets get cycling

Not happy with cyclists either!
We live on a busy dual carriage way - some 50mph, some national speed limit. Alongside runs a very wide path, divided for cyclists and pedestrians. The only walkers (pre Covid) are heading to or from the nearly pub, then there’s miles and miles of empty cycle track. Do they use it?? NO! Instead they ride 2 abreast on the main road, forcing all traffic, including buses to move over to pass them.
Was waiting at traffic lights in York some years ago, when a cyclist pulled up alongside me and proceeded with that ‘backwards/forwards’ thing, to avoid putting a foot down. Next thing he landed on my bonnet and his bike scraped down by car wing - he quickly jumped on the bike and raced off, leaving me with the bill for the bodywork repair! I’d like to see them taxed and insured!! Grrrr

such a shame, yes there are thoughtless determined cyclists out there but many are very considerate, unfortunately not where you live. The reason we don`t ride on cycle paths is that they are generally full of rubbish, grids and people with prams. Tarmac is much better and safer

Cycling is a fantastic sport, very healthy. Most of us are indeed insured, we have to overcome dangers too, cars, dogs, people wandering into roads

Car tax depends on emissions, the higher the emissions, the more the tax. Cycling has no emissions, no tax and we don`t pollute the air that you breathe

georgesgran and 4allweknow

craftyone started this thread for cycling enthusiasts and to encourage others who might be thinking of taking it up.
If you want to have a moan about cyclists, perhaps you could start your own thread.

Disrupting this one with your complaints is like going onto a thread for people who are trying to lose weight and boasting about a large cake you’ve just eaten.

Sorry crossed posts crafty

I appreciate the support jane. Cyclist haters are often people who have not tried cycling and/or perhaps have no where lovely to cycle. We are the lucky ones

Just to say about cyclist on shared paths, in our defence we more than often come across two people walking side by side in the middle of the path, I ring and ring my bell but no movement from them. When I finally come up behind them and say excuse me can I pass I am given a load of abuse. So its works both ways, we need a change to attitude amongst people, both cyclist and anyone else using the path. Cycling has become more popular and more space is now being given to us cyclist and its lovely.
I have a lovely Cube Bike and its goes like a dream but I do live on top of a massive hill and no way can I cycle up it so I have to take the bike down the hill on the back of the car. So this week I have ordered a Cube electric bike for my local cycling and shopping.

Forgot to say that Sustrans have a map that shows all the cycle route in the country and shows the traffic free routes in green. Its a great map for cyclists.

100% Barmey, I get that too, infrequently fortunately, a couple and a dog straddled across a country lane. I will keep saying thank you to people and perhaps one day they will move to the side and smile, not glower

So I have 3 bikes and need all three, you summed up the need for an electric bike. I do want to travel further afield but am a bit unsure if I could manage all the hills. I have a heavy very comfortable kettler city comfort bike and that is the one I will lock to a cycle rack for local shopping or for mucky winter riding

I used to be a member of sustrans, the route I went on yesterday was a numbered route. Oh I do need a lighter electric bike, I want to go further afield, explore different areas. I am going to have a very good think about selling my kalkhoff. There is an electric bike that I am going to have my eye on, much lighter. Got to think about this, I could not lift the kalkhoff into my car

I'm so excited my Janis has arrived, cant wait to ride it.
Off to put it together with OH.

garnet25, tell me!!! Did you enjoy your first ride?

I have been using my kalkhoff to explore longer rides but have decided that a particular nice route is far too hilly for me without pedelec. I had to restrain myself to keep under 29 mph today on some downhills today. I hardly used any battery juice though, 4 out of 5 dots lit up on the charger after I got back. Those downhill gradients were identical to the uphills

Maintenance beckons, I cleaned the kalkhoff chain and tbh do need new tyres and inners, they no longer make the continental tyres so I am getting schwalbe marathon plus and the inners will have presto valves instead of schrader. I do love that bike. It also needs a teeny paint touch up in 2 places, matt enamel on the way, it won`t match but will protect

I also treated myself to some very special stands, gist stabilus. I need to make sure that one bike is not in danger of falling on another. One came today, I am mega pleased

craftyone, I have had two rides on the Janis, on Wednesday about 9 miles with short gentle hills then on Thursday a shorter big hill ride. I love the bike, so light, easy to
change gears and superb breaks, however its been quite a week. On Monday late afternoon as soon as it was ready I rode just up and down the road once, the rear tyre went down. OH removed it to find a small puncture on the inner tube, no discernable damage to the tyre. They had sent a replacement inner tube so on that went but on inflating it that burst with an almighty bang! Islabikes sending two new inner tubes. On Tuesday the small puncture was mended but no time for a ride. Wednesday a lovey ride all seemed well, Thursday hilly ride all well until decent when the rear tyre was really bumpy, stopped at bottom of hill OH declared "somthing wrong" . On getting home very close examination of wobbly tyre, lining, etc, consultation with cycling mates, video to Islabikes who were lovely resulted in a new wheel being sent out tomorrow. Still very happy with bike these things happen and Islabikes support is great.
You seem to be getting the miles in, don't you wish the weather would improve. I love the idea of proper bike stands but think we will have to get a bike shed first as the garage is full of what I call junk and OH does like to put his precious MX5 in at night.

omg, I am glad that wasn`t me. I bought a little bag to go under the saddle and put in a lazyne tyre repair kit with 2 x co2 cylinders. I so want to try putting the janis into my car, I know some beautiful flat very quiet lanes, near where I used to live. In the meantime I am still exploring routes here on my e bike and they are mostly far too hilly, too much upwards gradient.

I am ok about that, the janis weight is something I can manage to lift. I must see if I need to put that little disc brake spacer in if I take the front wheel off, not sure. Perhaps I can get the whole bike into the car, it is a yeti and I only have the smallest frame. I think I will measure carefully tomorrow

I bought an ebike just before the March lockdown and it has been a brilliant way to get exercise. I’ve gradually increased my distances and I’m now up to rides of nearly 40 miles including some serious hills. Planning Lands End to John o Groats in four stages with some friends starting in the autumn. I used to feel embarrassed to wear Lycra padded shorts but I’ve long since got over that. Cyclists are a very friendly bunch and everyone smiles and waves

I really got into cycling at the beginning of Lockdown, when the roads were so beautifully quiet. Unfortunately things seem to be back to normal but I still love it.
I've got the Viewranger app on my phone, which is a brilliant way of tracking what I do. And where I am.
I love it that pubs and cafes are now open as well.
I'm not fast, but can do 65 miles on a good day, and not many hills (I'm good at finding routes that avoid them).
I'm off tomorrow, can't wait

Bought my first bike since i was a teenager this year! It is an e-bike and i just love it. I have ridden to work at 3 days a week for the last 5 weeks, barring last week when we had rain every day.

I live in a very hilly town, and my ride to work is only 12 minutes, but would be seriously sweaty if i didn't have assistance with the hills. It allows me to decompress a bit after a stressful day at work.

It is lovely to see more cyclists appear on the thread

I have been changing tyres and inner tubes on my kalkhoff, it still had the original from 2008. I put schwalbe marathon plus on with presto valves. It took some effort but it is done and I have tested everything. They need higher pressure than the originals

Car for a service next week and then I will find some boot padding and see about lifting my road bike in, hoping to keep it whole so I don`t have to mess with the disc spacer or front wheel, should fit as the frame is xs. Two maps arrived, one with many good cycle routes, flatter ground near by but a car ride, the other is sustrans from amazon, sustrans has sold out

I got a letter from cycling uk to say that membership is going up on renewal. I only have membership because of 3rd party insurance and it is going up by a fair bit. I have been doing some research and british cycling ride membership seems much better value and also covers e bike. I think I will be taking the british cycling ride membership when cycling uk needs re newing. British cycling ride is £43 normal for seniors and £38.70 for direct debit. This will compare to £48 with cycling uk. 15 million cover with british cycling and 10 million with cycling uk. I expect quite a few seniors will be changing

Craftone, when looking for an electric bike I wanted one that was light and the lightest I could find was a Cannondale but it only did 30 miles. The Cube that I have ordered, German , is a bit heavier but if I take the battery off when I load it, it should be lighter. I had a tow bar fitted to the car and attached a platform type bike carrier for 2 bikes. It was well worth the money and much easier to get a bike on and off. At the moment I have a broken rib, painful doesn't describe it! and I can't cycle for 8 weeks so everyone who doesn't like cyclists will be safe from me speeding up behind them.
A young boy, about 3 or 4 I met cycling on the Taff Trail wasn't going to let me pass so I went up on the grass and around him, few minutes later their he was just behind me trying to overtake. Shows how slow I go.

I'm a member of Cycling UK and got that letter today. My husband is a member too so taking out household membership at £75 will actually be cheaper than individual membership. I've been a member for many years, they used to be called CTC and do a great job of campaigning on behalf of cyclists and organising local groups.

I did meet a British Cycling group out, a women's group organised under the name Breeze and am going out with them this Friday. I used to cycle regularly with a women's group about 15 years ago and it was very companionable and a bit more relaxed than being with men who are often competitive and somehow always in front! @

Bought some cycling shoes and OH fitted cleats on them. Today has been my first ride wearing them apart from just up and down the road. Went of a short easy ride with no big hills, all went very well until a junction about 2 mins from home when I had a slow tumble, nothing was hurt except my pride.
I can see that the cleats will be great when I am more experienced at clipping in and out and would ne very interested to here what others think of them.

oh my goodness, I could never wear cleats. My husband only ever had cleats and all my AC wear them, must be something people get used to. The new pedals on islabikes are lovely, they are grippy with my trainers. I think I will get some of those same pedals and put them on my e bike, which has normal slippy pedals

I gave that bike a good ride 2 days ago, the new tyres were fab and much more comforable. They are 60psi instead of 45, so when I got back I raised the back mudguard, it had been rubbing a bit. I love that bike, so solid and smooth and reliable

Today I went on the islabike and thankfully the saddle is conforming to me. It felt very twitchy after the e bike, there were crosswinds and a very busy section of road. No handsignals from me today. I still haven`t tried putting it in the car, I am sure it will fit with the front wheel turned up

I shall never wear cleats after reading about your tumble, as I said I had a tumble and I wasn't even moving, just sat on the bike chatting and I fell sideways and broke my rib so I will be taking extra care. I do, however, have pedals that have a grip and my feet don't keep slipping on them so I am quite happy. I am not sure when my electric bike will arrive, he said sometime before Christmas but at least its on order.

After a couple more tumbles I started to get a bit nervous as did OH who had heard from friends about oldies breaking bones etc. I said I wanted to keep trying so OH fitted some other pedals. These are wider and longer and most importantly are double sided, one side for cleats, the other side flat. What a difference! After a couple of rides using a mix of flat and cleated, I can now ride using cleats on both feet with confidence. I think that the width of these pedals helps, plus the knowledge that the flat side is available. Tomorrow we are off on holiday with DS, DIL, and DGD, we are all taking our bikes. Just hoping for dry weather.

Its almost a month since I was on here, I had such a lot to do in the house and my road bike saddle was off-putting. Anyway I decided to get cycling again and started last week, its hilly here so I started with my electric bike, mostly on low power. I just needed to be sure that I had puff and stamina. I would come back warm and sweaty so that was good

A couple of days I just did not fancy anything except a short ride but I went, on my heavy 26kg bike and again was hot and sweaty. Short and sweet but it made me work. So 3 days ago I got my light, twitchy road bike out again, also the traffic on the main roads was very offputting as it is busy again. Confidence is coming and I have evolved to proper signalling on this bike, the other 2 bikes are like wearing slippers

Reversed the route this morning and it is far hillier, I coped fine on the road bike, plenty of puffing but a good recovery rate. So tomorrow I am off to do the longer ride for the first time on the road bike. It is very hilly (for me) on the way back. I feel well and I feel fit for it and it would be awesome if I did not have to get off and walk

I also did a practice of getting my roadie into my car, it goes in but is awkward. I need to take the front wheel off and insert the wedge into the disc brake space, another practice session coming up. I want to go further afield, to go further and flatter along the beautiful levels and along the coast and away from horrid scary main roads

garnet, really fantastic, especially for not giving up and for finding a solution