Cyclists - your experiences on the road

[Bald Rick]

That's a welcome development... a police car! and even better that they went after the Fiesta. Not sure it will be enough to get SWMBO back out on the road with me though...

sadly I didn’t get to see if the Fiesta was pulled over, as I turned off shortly afterwards.

But it is a particularly poor driver who decides to overtake on a bling righthander with the law behind*; there was a car coming the other way which had to stop.

* presumably the Fiesta driver either didn’t know the law were behind, which means they didn’t use their mirrors before overtaking, which would be driving without due care and attention… or they did know the law were behind in which case they are monumentally thick.

 

[dangie]

Keeping on the cycling theme, did anyone watch yesterday’s Tour of Flanders on television? One heck of a tough race. No point feigning injury when you come off. The race doesn’t stop. Maybe a lesson for professional footballers!

 

[Dr_Paul]

Around my way there have been quite a few new bike lanes installed. This is a good idea; however, there are some problems. A common problem is where the bike lane meets a bus stop, and people boarding or alighting from the bus have to walk across where the bikes go, and there can be quite a few bikes and quite a few people using the bus. Some people waiting for a bus stand where bikes go, as the bike lane markings stop a few yards either side of the bus stop. There are places where the lane markings for pedestrians and bikes suddenly disappear and both have to share the same pavement area. Another problem is where there is dual bike lane on (say) the eastbound side of the road, and, as happens in some places, westbound bikes have to cross both lines of traffic to reach it without there being a pedestrian crossing, which can be hairy when traffic is heavy. Hopefully, these problems will get cleared up at some point.

There have been some retrogressive moves. In some places, the new bike lanes have replaced a bus lane, which means that buses can no longer dodge traffic jams. This has also happened in central London, where the bus lanes on Waterloo bridge have become bike lanes and widened pavements, and buses can get horribly delayed as they are stuck in jammed traffic. The new wide bike lanes up to Blackfriars Bridge have reduced northbound traffic to one lane just south of the bridge, creating an horrendous bottleneck and delaying buses, and not just during the rush hour.

 

[telstarbox]

But are you counting the boxes that cross the bridge or the people that cross the bridge to make that statement?

 

[william.martin]

I hate it when I'm driving up the A5 in a residential area (which I live) and you get some plonker cycling up the huge 3/4 of a mile long hill slowing us all down when there is an empty cyle path spanning the entire length of the road (and beyond.)

 

[dangie]

I hate it when I'm driving up the A5 in a residential area (which I live) and you get some plonker cycling up the huge 3/4 of a mile long hill slowing us all down when there is an empty cyle path spanning the entire length of the road (and beyond.)

As a motorist and a cyclist I do agree, up to a point.
My town had a bypass built some years ago. Along the whole length is a footpath/cycle path. Wonderful. Unfortunately the planners decided to plant trees along one section of the bypass. I’m guessing no one told them that trees have roots. That cycle path section of the bypass is becoming unrideable. Tree roots and broken surface. Little thought or no thought is given to future maintenance.

 

[stuu]

I hate it when I'm driving up the A5 in a residential area (which I live) and you get some plonker cycling up the huge 3/4 of a mile long hill slowing us all down when there is an empty cyle path spanning the entire length of the road (and beyond.)

Where? Some cycle paths are far better than others

 

[JohnMcL7]

Where? Some cycle paths are far better than others

Yes, very much so. I was taking a cycle path home at night and didn't see a load of broken glass and went straight through it so a week later I made sure to avoid that section only to hit another patch of broken glass on the other side so someone has clearly been very busy here. The cycle path isn't maintained nor well lit hence making it difficult to see the glass and highlighting some of the problems with cycle paths.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Broken glass is an utter nuisance but... <insert advertisement for Schwalbe Marathon Plus tyres>

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It's mostly caused by people chucking bottles out of car windows, so does appear fairly randomly, sadly.

 

[dangie]

Broken glass is an utter nuisance but... <insert advertisement for Schwalbe Marathon Plus tyres>

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It's mostly caused by people chucking bottles out of car windows, so does appear fairly randomly, sadly.

Some years ago I was cycling along a foot/cycle path. There a been a bit of a car to car bump. There was the resultant broken glass. There was a policeman sweeping the glass off the road. He was sweeping it onto the foot/cycle path. I stopped and diplomatically pointed out that this was not very good. He said someone would be along later to clean it up. As expected, they didn’t.

Cycle path maintenance is very low down the Highways budget.

 

[Trainbike46]

Broken glass is an utter nuisance but... <insert advertisement for Schwalbe Marathon Plus tyres>

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It's mostly caused by people chucking bottles out of car windows, so does appear fairly randomly, sadly.

And this is one of the reasons why it is so stupid the government wants to exempt glass bottles from the deposit return system.

 

[Bletchleyite]

And this is one of the reasons why it is so stupid the government wants to exempt glass bottles from the deposit return system.

You think people who chuck glass bottles out of the window of cars despite the fact that it could actually kill someone or give them severe disfiguring injuries is going to give a monkey's about whether they get 20p back?

If you want to solve litter being thrown from cars, you need to do something pretty hefty in terms of enforcement, e.g. litter being thrown from the car is an automatic £100 and 3 points for the driver regardless of who did it. And print the registration number on bags from takeaway drive throughs. And make the registered keeper liable if they don't identify the driver.

 

[Trainbike46]

You think people who chuck glass bottles out of the window of cars despite the fact that it could actually kill someone or give them severe disfiguring injuries is going to give a monkey's about whether they get 20p back?

If you want to solve litter being thrown from cars, you need to do something pretty hefty in terms of enforcement, e.g. litter being thrown from the car is an automatic £100 and 3 points for the driver regardless of who did it. And print the registration number on bags from takeaway drive throughs. And make the registered keeper liable if they don't identify the driver.

The evidence in other countries is pretty clear that littering rates reduce when the type of packaging gets covered by a deposit return system (usually by something like 50-90%). So it's clearly not a silver bullet, but exempting one type of packaging, and arguably one of the more dangerous ones at that (glass bottles), when you're setting up the system anyway is stupid.

I do agree that more should be done, particularly surrounding littering that endangers other people.

And printing registration numbers on takeaway packaging, and more enforcement on littering in general (potentially including licence points) should probably be part of that. But we're going off-topic here I think, because takeaway packaging definitely isn't made of glass!

 

[william.martin]

As a motorist and a cyclist I do agree, up to a point.
My town had a bypass built some years ago. Along the whole length is a footpath/cycle path. Wonderful. Unfortunately the planners decided to plant trees along one section of the bypass. I’m guessing no one told them that trees have roots. That cycle path section of the bypass is becoming unrideable. Tree roots and broken surface. Little thought or no thought is given to future maintenance.

In this case, it is completely smooth however I appreciate that quite often it isn't.

Where? Some cycle paths are far better than others

In Telford just before it merges with the M54

 

[JohnMcL7]

Broken glass is an utter nuisance but... <insert advertisement for Schwalbe Marathon Plus tyres>

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It's mostly caused by people chucking bottles out of car windows, so does appear fairly randomly, sadly.

Those tyres are not going to fit on 80mm rims and with the tyres running at 2 and 4 psi, they're more vulnerable to punctures which is why this is irritating. The cycle path is nowhere near the main road so this is people I suspect deliberating sabotaging the cycle path, next time I will be going by road and no doubt prompting the question of why are cyclists not using the cycle path? Although the road bike is better protected against punctures it isn't so well placed to deal with the debris on the unmaintained cycle paths and its speed is certainly not safe for the shared cycle paths.

 

[Haywain]

its speed is certainly not safe for the shared cycle paths.

Every bike can be safely used on a shared use path - it is the rider that determines the speed, not the bike.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Those tyres are not going to fit on 80mm rims and with the tyres running at 2 and 4 psi, they're more vulnerable to punctures which is why this is irritating. The cycle path is nowhere near the main road so this is people I suspect deliberating sabotaging the cycle path, next time I will be going by road and no doubt prompting the question of why are cyclists not using the cycle path? Although the road bike is better protected against punctures it isn't so well placed to deal with the debris on the unmaintained cycle paths and its speed is certainly not safe for the shared cycle paths.

80mm rims?! What are you riding? One of those e-bikes that's more like a small motorcycle?

I'm sure a comparable Kevlar belted tyre will be available, though.

 

[JohnMcL7]

Every bike can be safely used on a shared use path - it is the rider that determines the speed, not the bike.

It isn't safe at the speed I want to ride the bike at, the shared cycle paths are fine for my slower bikes but on a faster bike I am going to use the road rather than crawl along a shared cycle path. Many of the cycle paths here are now shared as I guess it is an easy way to claim they're are doing more for bikes but they really are not at all useful for many cyclists.

 

[Bletchleyite]

It isn't safe at the speed I want to ride the bike at, the shared cycle paths are fine for my slower bikes but on a faster bike I am going to use the road rather than crawl along a shared cycle path. Many of the cycle paths here are now shared as I guess it is an easy way to claim they're are doing more for bikes but they really are not at all useful for many cyclists.

If you want to ride on the road you are of course allowed to do that. But puncture-proof tyres are the solution to not picking up crap on paths, not just glass but also thorns. Fit a set of Schwalbes or similar (make sure it's the Plus, not just the Marathon) or equivalent and you simply won't get punctures. I haven't had one for years now.

 

[Trainbike46]

If you want to ride on the road you are of course allowed to do that. But puncture-proof tyres are the solution to not picking up crap on paths, not just glass but also thorns. Fit a set of Schwalbes or similar (make sure it's the Plus, not just the Marathon) or equivalent and you simply won't get punctures. I haven't had one for years now.

They are amazing; when I switched to them I had way fewer punctures, not quite zero, but they are now rare even in Belfast, where there is more road and path with broken glass than without!

 

[Bletchleyite]

They are amazing; when I switched to them I had way fewer punctures, not quite zero, but they are now rare even in Belfast, where there is more road and path with broken glass than without!

Only time I've ever had a puncture running Marathon Plus was when I let one get bald. And MK's Redways are covered in glass and thorns.

 

[TheBigD]

On a different note, does anyone on here have local knowledge with regard to the closure of the Aldewark Bridge (north of York) on the Way of the Roses cycle route?

It's closed for maintenance and I'm looking for a suitable alternative route to cycle from Pately Bridge to Pocklington?

 

[JamesT]

Only time I've ever had a puncture running Marathon Plus was when I let one get bald. And MK's Redways are covered in glass and thorns.

I managed to puncture a set on my previous bike riding through some glass on the road. I don't they were in too poor condition. They are a complete pig to get on and off the rims, I had to get a friend to help me when I got my first set.
My current bike came with some Schwalbe Citizen tires. One puncture in three years, so doesn't seem worth pre-emptively replacing them.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I managed to puncture a set on my previous bike riding through some glass on the road. I don't they were in too poor condition. They are a complete pig to get on and off the rims, I had to get a friend to help me when I got my first set.

I've fought with them lots of times because the band is very tight. However there is a trick - get some electrical tape and tape the band tight to the rim on one side with the tyre seated. You can then far more easily seat the other side.

If you really don't like them Continental do a puncture-proof tyre too which is also fine. However being a bit hard to fit is in their nature - Kevlar and Dyneema (the two fabrics that are usually used in them, I seem to recall Schwalbe no longer use actual Kevlar but rather something else similar) do not stretch at all, unlike the usual nylon which does a bit.

However, I wouldn't go back to running non-puncture-proof tyres. I used to get punctures on the Redways as much as weekly. Now, hardly ever, I haven't had one while running them for more than 5 years that I recall, probably longer.

My current bike came with some Schwalbe Citizen tires. One puncture in three years, so doesn't seem worth pre-emptively replacing them.

Because I'm lazy I tend to leave on what the bike comes with until the first puncture or it wears out, then when the tyre comes off to repair it on go the Marathon Plus. Though how practical this is depends how far from home (or from the nearest station) you are when you get it.

 

[JohnMcL7]

80mm rims?! What are you riding? One of those e-bikes that's more like a small motorcycle?

I'm sure a comparable Kevlar belted tyre will be available, though.

No, I don't have any ebikes nor is it anything like a motorbike and 80mm is good bit smaller than the biggest you will see on a mountain bike. Wide rims means you can use wider tyres you can run at lower pressure for much more grip through slippery sections and more float over rough sections.

If you want to ride on the road you are of course allowed to do that. But puncture-proof tyres are the solution to not picking up crap on paths, not just glass but also thorns. Fit a set of Schwalbes or similar (make sure it's the Plus, not just the Marathon) or equivalent and you simply won't get punctures. I haven't had one for years now.

I can't tell if you're trying to be funny here, if such a tyre existed (and it doesn't) it would be hilariously useless on a mountain bike. Avoiding punctures on a bike with tyres like that is easy as they have a tiny contact patch and can run at high pressure, I haven't had a puncture on my road bikes in years despite many miles on the road. Try a bike running at a couple of PSI and a 4in contact patch and you'll find it's very different.

All of this is a complete distraction from the point I was making, the lack of maintenance is the problem not the bike just as pot holes are a lack of maintenance problem on roads not down to people driving the wrong cars.

 

[Bletchleyite]

No, I don't have any ebikes nor is it anything like a motorbike and 80mm is good bit smaller than the biggest you will see on a mountain bike. Wide rims means you can use wider tyres you can run at lower pressure for much more grip through slippery sections and more float over rough sections.

Are you talking about fat bikes? I can't see why anyone would ride one of those on the road, they must be huge amounts of effort.

I can't tell if you're trying to be funny here, if such a tyre existed (and it doesn't) it would be hilariously useless on a mountain bike. Avoiding punctures on a bike with tyres like that is easy as they have a tiny contact patch and can run at high pressure, I haven't had a puncture on my road bikes in years despite many miles on the road. Try a bike running at a couple of PSI and a 4in contact patch and you'll find it's very different.

Perfectly possible to do puncture resistant tyres for MTBs, e.g.:

Schwalbe Tough Tom MTB Tyre

Schwalbe Tough Tom

www.3peakscycles.com

It's not about directing stuff sideways, it's about the belts and band of the tyres being solid enough (e.g. of Kevlar or Dyneema) that the thorn or piece of glass cannot penetrate it, and it either gets squashed (like a thorn) or the bike harmlessly goes over the top like as if it was a stone (like glass shards).

Car tyres are 8-10in wide these days, but these have such protection (typically heavier steel belts and bands rather than Kevlar/Dyneema), else you'd be getting flats in the car by the minutes. It's possible with any type of tyre.

All of this is a complete distraction from the point I was making, the lack of maintenance is the problem not the bike just as pot holes are a lack of maintenance problem on roads not down to people driving the wrong cars.

You make your choices based on how things are, not how you'd like them to be.

 

[JohnMcL7]

Are you talking about fat bikes? I can't see why anyone would ride one of those on the road, they must be huge amounts of effort.



Perfectly possible to do puncture resistant tyres for MTBs, e.g.:

Schwalbe Tough Tom MTB Tyre

Schwalbe Tough Tom

www.3peakscycles.com

It's not about directing stuff sideways, it's about the belts and band of the tyres being solid enough (e.g. of Kevlar or Dyneema) that the thorn or piece of glass cannot penetrate it, and it either gets squashed (like a thorn) or the bike harmlessly goes over the top like as if it was a stone (like glass shards).

Car tyres are 8-10in wide these days, but these have such protection (typically heavier steel belts and bands rather than Kevlar/Dyneema), else you'd be getting flats in the car by the minutes. It's possible with any type of tyre.



You make your choices based on how things are, not how you'd like them to be.

I ride my bikes on the road because I need to ride on the road to get to the trails, it's quite simple.

It is not perfectly possible to get puncture proof tyres for MTBs, those tyres will not fit on a plus or fat rim. As I said already, my tyres are tougher than those but they're much more vulnerable to damage because of the way they're used, try running your tyres at 0-2 psi (which is I run mine at) and see how far you get without damage to them - I'll give you a hint, not far.

Because you seem to be so distracted by your tyres you're still completely missing the point, I'll be riding my bike on the road and avoiding the cycle path for that reason...no matter, how much you misunderstand the problem and the bikes.

 

[dazzler]

On a different note, does anyone on here have local knowledge with regard to the closure of the Aldewark Bridge (north of York) on the Way of the Roses cycle route?

It's closed for maintenance and I'm looking for a suitable alternative route to cycle from Pately Bridge to Pocklington?

I live on the west side of York and so ride around this side of York a lot. To avoid Aldwark bridge, you basically have two options: south, then east; or east, then south. I've knocked together a couple of ideas in Ride with GPS to get from Ripon to the east side of York using both of these options. Note that the Bridge is apparently closed from 17th April to 30th October 2023.

One version takes you south to Knaresborough on a part of the National Byway, then across country to pick up the main cycle route into York from the Southwest.

The other one takes you along the WotR to Boroughbridge, then diverts via a bridleway across the River Swale to Myton-on-Swale, then rejoins the WotR pretty much bang on the end of Aldwark Bridge. (Disclaimer: I haven't been this way for a while, although friends have been this way and didn't report any problems with bog-standard touring bikes.)

Hope this helps!

 

[Bletchleyite]

It is not perfectly possible to get puncture proof tyres for MTBs, those tyres will not fit on a plus or fat rim. As I said already, my tyres are tougher than those but they're much more vulnerable to damage because of the way they're used, try running your tyres at 0-2 psi (which is I run mine at) and see how far you get without damage to them - I'll give you a hint, not far.

Why would you be riding on the road with tyres that low? It must be a heck of an effort. Why wouldn't you increase the pressure for the journey to the trail and reduce it when there, and same for the return?

Because you seem to be so distracted by your tyres you're still completely missing the point, I'll be riding my bike on the road and avoiding the cycle path for that reason...no matter, how much you misunderstand the problem and the bikes.

Ride on the road then, it's allowed.

 

[TheBigD]

I live on the west side of York and so ride around this side of York a lot. To avoid Aldwark bridge, you basically have two options: south, then east; or east, then south. I've knocked together a couple of ideas in Ride with GPS to get from Ripon to the east side of York using both of these options. Note that the Bridge is apparently closed from 17th April to 30th October 2023.

One version takes you south to Knaresborough on a part of the National Byway, then across country to pick up the main cycle route into York from the Southwest.

The other one takes you along the WotR to Boroughbridge, then diverts via a bridleway across the River Swale to Myton-on-Swale, then rejoins the WotR pretty much bang on the end of Aldwark Bridge. (Disclaimer: I haven't been this way for a while, although friends have been this way and didn't report any problems with bog-standard touring bikes.)

Hope this helps!

Thanks for the quick reply, appreciated.

I will have a look into the 2 routes you've suggested over the weekend.