The Cycling Chat Thread

[Edie]

Camping. We also have Mr W's bike packed the same way, a smallish rucksack (me) and a post bag/courier bag (him) with a 3-man tent in it. This is the luxury version of doing this for us (we have a much smaller lightweight tiny tent for wild camping which would just go in one of the bike bags) because it's the first time we've tried camping since he got ill and a bit of extra space/privacy for changing etc seems wise. And we're using an actual campsite with toilet/shower facilities.

Why this kind of bags? Because you can't fit normal pannier racks to these bikes (no frame eyelets/the geometry doesn't work - especially on my tiny bike).

Edit, no kids this time, they're at their dad's.

Holy moly. Hardcore! Hope the weather holds and you have a fantastic time xx

 

[Bahnhof Strasse]

Hope you have plenty of sunscreen weepiper

 

[Bahnhof Strasse]

I thought I was being very environmentally good due to not causing any emissions! Just goes to show you can never win at this stuff.

Those who don’t use ebikes huff and puff up the hills, belching out far more CO2 than those who came properly equipped for the task

 

[David Clapson]

I read a tweet by the Association of British Drivers that cyclists probably produce as much CO2 as a car when 'peddling hard'.

 

[beesonthewhatnow]

I read a tweet by the Association of British Drivers that cyclists probably produce as much CO2 as a car when 'peddling hard'.

The ABD are a bunch of utter lunatics.

 

[klang]

I read a tweet by the Association of British Drivers that cyclists probably produce as much CO2 as a car when 'peddling hard'.

bollox

 

[David Clapson]

They got such an unfavourable response that they deleted their twitter account.

 

[Bahnhof Strasse]

bollox

Tbf no car has ever peddled hard.

 

[Biddlybee]

Oh my god I’m enjoying this SO MUCH. The route is spectacular, it’s just turn after turn of stunning countryside, views, lanes thick with wild flowers, stone circles, mountain passes, and downhill stretches.

Its also very clearly signposted so navigation is a no brainer, the surfaces are wonderful, and almost entirely car free. Its not always that things exceed your expectations in this country but this is very well done. It’s an absolute joy.

Definitely being added to the list of 'stuff to do if I ever get enough time off work and away from the kids' got a fair few years to find someone to do it with then

 

[David Clapson]

Here's some good news about the carbon footprint of bikes and e-bikes: How green is cycling? Riding, walking, ebikes and driving ranked

 

[Cid]

Devilishly hilly today…

 

[beesonthewhatnow]

Seeing that has reminded me of something I meant to post at the weekend after my ride with the kids...

My little boy (6 years old) likes having the wahoo on his bike when we ride. Checked the stats when we got back, his max speed was 28mph (45kph) Kids have no fear

 

[Orang Utan]

Devilishly hilly today…

View attachment 279507

you’ll never get anywhere at that speed

 

[Cid]

you’ll never get anywhere at that speed

Shall I take the picture at 50km/h next time?

 

[Cid]

Seeing that has reminded me of something I meant to post at the weekend after my ride with the kids...

My little boy (6 years old) likes having the wahoo on his bike when we ride. Checked the stats when we got back, his max speed was 28mph (45kph) Kids have no fear

Yeah, that's nuts. I rarely top 54 kph myself... Just hairy on smaller country roads. To think the Champs-Elysees sprint was around 67kph... Give him 10 years...

 

[Orang Utan]

Shall I take the picture at 50km/h next time?

yes please, don’t be soft, but do it in mph, not kph

 

[beesonthewhatnow]

Yeah, that's nuts. I rarely top 54 kph myself... Just hairy on smaller country roads. To think the Champs-Elysees sprint was around 67kph... Give him 10 years...

It was down a steep hill, but still...

54mph (87kmh) is my current record.

 

[BigTom]

I thought I was being very environmentally good due to not causing any emissions! Just goes to show you can never win at this stuff.

In terms of climate change you are 100% being very good, and that's probably the most urgent environmental issue right now - at a global level anyway, at a local level protecting special habitats and things like that might be a more urgent issue.
But in terms of wider environmental / sustainability questions, there's always other issues no matter what you do. Swapping a bigger issue for a smaller one is always good and whilst battery stuff fucks up local habitats, climate change is going to fuck up everywhere. Battery tech is being improved at pace and as Bahnhof Strasse mentioned up stream, battery life is pretty long and getting longer. Hopefully we get a breakthrough to a different type of battery which is quite possible as lithium is expensive and there's cheaper things that could be used if they can work out how to improve the battery's size/weight or length of life or ability to charge quickly or hold that charge or whichever of these they can't do as well/better than lithium-ion batteries.

The ABD are a bunch of utter lunatics.

If the ABD is more than one person, I'll eat all my cycling caps. Definitely a lunatic though.

 

[weepiper]

We are on Mull. It is not shit.

 

[Artaxerxes]

Cycled around the woods at speed yesterday and for a brief moment thought I was in a horror film

 

[Dogsauce]

We just had a break down there, some really tough hills down that way.

I rode along that coast as a teenager with my dad on a cycling holiday, really hard work, every stream that meets the sea has carved out a steep-sided valley.

the brother in law actually started the ride down at 11:45 pm and rode it through the night to avoid the heat, they had an amazing time doing it, watching the sun come up etc. They must have pretty much decided to do it at that time on the day as I’d seen him the day before and he was on about going for a 5am start.

 

[BigTom]

Highway code update has happened: Walking and biking prioritised in new Highway Code

Now drivers can ignore the new rule about stopping for pedestrians waiting to cross at a side road, just like they ignored the old rule about pedestrians who are already crossing having priority, lol.

Puts the 1.5m @<30mph/2m @>30mph passing distance for cars into the highway code (always 2m for vehicles 7.5t+).

Should be a reworded rule about riding two+ abreast as well, and the clarification about a cyclist going straight on at a junction having priority over left turners.

 

[ChrisD]

I've already posted this on the Pro cycling thread but thought others may be interested... 2 days ago Christina Mack set off from Lands End to beat the LeJog record... She is nearly there. Totally bonkers endurance cycling...

 

[iamwithnail]

That’s a very confusing graph, I had to go backwards and forwards a few times to understand what’s happening there. But very cool, I just can’t comprehend that level of endurance!

 

[ChrisD]

She knocked 90 minutes off the record. 51hours on a bike - just occasionally getting off to have a crap and eat some porridge. I noticed her cycling down a dual carriageway near me and thought what a stupid route as there is a pleasant older road parallel. Then I realised she wasn't there for the scenery...

 

[a_chap]

I was watching the live tracker of Christina's LeJoG attempt. Fabulous stuff.

Am very tired now having had little sleep...


I usually make the effort to cheer the riders on as the LeJoG route passes through Worcester on the A38. But every time I have done that the attempt ends up failing.

This time I made the conscious decision to stay at home.

Result!

 

[David Clapson]

Do they always take the same route?

 

[nick]

On holiday last week - we hired E mountain bikes and tootled around Grizdale in the Lake District.

First time on an e-bike. Brilliant fun and very inclusive: All 4 of us could participate without the usual whinging from the teenagers when it came to hills etc.

But they are fucking heavy and it's easy to fall off the trail when stationary and you forget they weigh more than a normal bike

 

[Orang Utan]

Is cobblethumb a known cycling injury? My right thumb is killing me and the only different thing I've been doing recently is riding over some cobbles.

 

[Bahnhof Strasse]

On holiday last week - we hired E mountain bikes and tootled around Grizdale in the Lake District.

First time on an e-bike. Brilliant fun and very inclusive: All 4 of us could participate without the usual whinging from the teenagers when it came to hills etc.

But they are fucking heavy and it's easy to fall off the trail when stationary and you forget they weigh more than a normal bike

They are brilliant but yes, heavy. My upper body strength has grown massively since getting one, you really get a decent workout of that bit of you just handling it round trails. After a about 2 months of owning it I took my analogue bike out and was amazed that it felt as if I could lift it with my little finger when before it felt like normal bike weight!

But the joy from riding up the hills without the pain and then being able to enjoy the ride is just lovely. Best thing I have ever bought.