Road Cycling

[DaveL]

Bikeradar.com is very good

 

[philly169]

I started following GCN on youtube, they have some great videos.

 

[Slime]

Top tip:

Ride 2 abreast so that car drivers are forced to slow down and go round you.

It's in the highway code and you'll make lots of friends :thup:

I'm riding to work tomorrow, 70 mile round trip

Because if you were not side by side motorists wouldn't go round you?
Riding 2 abreast only serves to irritate motorists, so why do it?
Is it just to be awkward?


Slime.

 

[Deleted Member 1156]

Because if you were not side by side motorists wouldn't go round you?
Riding 2 abreast only serves to irritate motorists, so why do it?
Is it just to be awkward?


Slime.

No it's not, it's for our protection. It forces drivers to slow down, wait and then pass when the road is clear of oncoming traffic rather than then forcing past us and pushing cyclists into the hedge/gutter/whatever.

It's a natural reaction for a driver to swerve to the left and take out a cyclist rather than hit an oncoming car when he misjudges the width of the road.

 

[Slime]

No it's not, it's for our protection. It forces drivers to slow down, wait and then pass when the road is clear of oncoming traffic rather than then forcing past us and pushing cyclists into the hedge/gutter/whatever.

It's a natural reaction for a driver to swerve to the left and take out a cyclist rather than hit an oncoming car when he misjudges the width of the road.

I take your point, but made mine as a driver who takes NO chances when passing cyclists.
I'm an occasional cyclist who has suffered the anger of motorists when I'm cycling two abreast ...................... it just winds most of them up to the point where they pass as close as they can just to make a point.
I've also noticed that, when I hear a car coming from the rear,when I go to single file they wave a friendly thank you.
Just my observations.


Slime.

 

[AmandaJR]

Phil - out of interest we have a keen cyclist and bike mechanic at the club, Vin Lammiman. Dropped my Bianchi road bike off to him this week for a service and wow his "man cave" is just a sight to behold and a cyclists dream. His turbo and set up is state of the art, never mind the amount of bike tools and gadgets! Worth thinking of if you need any repairs or work doing in the future.

 

[Deleted Member 1156]

A friend of mine sent me this link, it might help to show the cyclists side of the argument

http://www.motoring.co.uk/car-news/cyclists-why-do-they-ride-in-the-middle-of-the-road-_62617

 

[philly169]

Phil - out of interest we have a keen cyclist and bike mechanic at the club, Vin Lammiman. Dropped my Bianchi road bike off to him this week for a service and wow his "man cave" is just a sight to behold and a cyclists dream. His turbo and set up is state of the art, never mind the amount of bike tools and gadgets! Worth thinking of if you need any repairs or work doing in the future.

Thanks Amanda, worth knowing!

 

[Deleted Member 1156]

I was taken out by a careless motorist last week coming the other way who turned right into a side road, right in front of me.

Damage to me.......cracked rib, bruising all down my left side and a huge bruise on my right leg.

Damage to her car.....approx £2k

Damage to my bike......£3200


Thanks very much you idiotic driver!

 

[cleanstrike]

I do a bit for the exercise although I don't risk it on the main roads. I take my racer out to Burrator reservoir on Dartmoor where there's a tarmac road all the way around with only light car and pedestrian traffic; just under 4 miles a lap. My bike is set up with a single cog (no gears) chosen to suit that specific circuit. Usually do four or five laps each outing with an ice cream at the end of it as a reward.

 

[USER1999]

I was taken out by a careless motorist last week coming the other way who turned right into a side road, right in front of me.

Damage to me.......cracked rib, bruising all down my left side and a huge bruise on my right leg.

Damage to her car.....approx £2k

Damage to my bike......£3200


Thanks very much you idiotic driver!

This is why I stopped riding my bike to work. 15 miles through North London traffic wasn't fun, or safe.

Get well soon, and get shopping for a new bike. Hope her insurance pays out new for old!