Official P&b Cycling Thread

[paisleysaints]

Can't actually complain about the cycle paths around paisley to the port and to kilbirnie

[Bold Rover]

Can't actually complain about the cycle paths around paisley to the port and to kilbirnie

Yes, I agree. Did those on Sunday and they are a good example of how it should be. Quite a bit of broken glass at Port Glasgow means you had to keep your eyes down all the time - no chance of enjoying the view as you cycle.

[flyingscot]

Weather for Sunday is looking promising (you'll need to click "Further ahead" on each).

http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/2648579

http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/2657613

http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/2644444

http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/2650225

Looks OK. Been out in worse!

Can't actually complain about the cycle paths around paisley to the port and to kilbirnie

They are ex-railway which is normally good. The actual urban stuff following roads in Paisley and Glasgow is awful.

Yes, I agree. Did those on Sunday and they are a good example of how it should be. Quite a bit of broken glass at Port Glasgow means you had to keep your eyes down all the time - no chance of enjoying the view as you cycle.

Glass is awful in the Port. Once you get there it disappears in Greenock- try following the cycle track- it is a nightmare!

[paisleysaints]

I generally leave the track as soon as you hit the port for that reason. But the majority of it is pretty good

[Drooper]

The dedicated cycle track from Balloch over to Helensburgh looks pretty decent, to be honest. You can also take the alternative route up to Luss.

They are fine on a hybrid or MTB, but due to the proximity to the road (ie - running parallel for most of the way), all the shitey gravel stuff blown off the road by the passing traffic ends up on the path. I don't use them as I gave up on the MTB a while back (though intend to strip it down and rebuild it for the winter - and the experience of doing it).

You can also cycle from Glasgow all the way to Balloch. Sections of the path aren't great, but other areas have been resurfaced (eg: Dumbarton to Bowling) and are good for the road bike and a hell of a lot safer than the A82 at that stretch - a road I cycled once and probably won't again if I can avoid it.

I enjoyed the commute today. Enough of a wind to keep cool on the tough sections without it being a drag trying to ride through it. I've decided I need a goal for next year, so will be having a think about a few routes (quite fancy the Arran Fo8 and a few up North). Will be researching this to keep me interested over the next few weeks.

[Silvio Tattiescone]

Club run of 70 miles today including quite a few tough climbs ( Including Dukes pass)

Averaged 22.6 mph, first home with the sprint finish

Flying just now

Just remembered this. Considering you only took up cycling what, three years ago? this is pretty impressive.

[The Master]

My usual commute route home has gained something interesting.

From StreetView, you can see what it used to be like: http://goo.gl/maps/J8bIc a badly thought-out ASL with no filter lane, leading to two lanes of traffic when you turn right (go up the road a bit).

Now, it looks like this:

Approach

Onto the strange, raised lane

At the stop line

As you can see, beyond the stop line there's a give way. But what exactly am I giving way to, since the lights are in my favour if I've reached this far? Traffic in the lane to my right, that's inevitably going to be cutting across into the nearside lane (buses etc.)? In which case, why is this an improvement on what was there, since previously I was in the lane and can keep the lane?

I was able to get away quick and beat the bus to the lane, but I wouldn't fancy my chances against a determined car driver.

Strikes me that this was thought up by someone who has never cycled but thinks it looks "safer".

[fanny paddery]

My usual commute route home has gained something interesting.

From StreetView, you can see what it used to be like: http://goo.gl/maps/J8bIc a badly thought-out ASL with no filter lane, leading to two lanes of traffic when you turn right (go up the road a bit).

Now, it looks like this:

Approach

vlcsnap-2013-09-07-00h24m21s192.png

Onto the strange, raised lane

vlcsnap-2013-09-07-00h24m32s53.png

At the stop line

vlcsnap-2013-09-07-00h25m00s68.png

As you can see, beyond the stop line there's a give way. But what exactly am I giving way to, since the lights are in my favour if I've reached this far? Traffic in the lane to my right, that's inevitably going to be cutting across into the nearside lane (buses etc.)? In which case, why is this an improvement on what was there, since previously I was in the lane and can keep the lane?

I was able to get away quick and beat the bus to the lane, but I wouldn't fancy my chances against a determined car driver.

Strikes me that this was thought up by someone who has never cycled but thinks it looks "safer".

talking about buses, I got under taken by one in the middle of a small single lane roundabout yesterday which was nice of the driver

[The Master]

Not long finished the PFS challenge ride. MapMyRide says 3h42 riding time but the watch on my wrist I was stopping and starting says 3h28. So I'll call it 3h30 for neatness!

[Silvio Tattiescone]

Close to my time of 3hr 35. Great day for it only spoiled by the mutant retards of Airdrie. Saw 3 close calls with cars there, one of which looked deliberate.

[flyingscot]

Not long finished the PFS challenge ride. MapMyRide says 3h42 riding time but the watch on my wrist I was stopping and starting says 3h28. So I'll call it 3h30 for neatness!

Good going. No doubt breezed past me- I was 4h24 in total, but looking at the time I spent stuffing my face resting it was around 15mins at Kirkliston and 20mins at Linlithgow so say 3hrs 50mins of pedalling.

Much, much better organisation today than last year at the start and getting out of Glasgow. Still a too many fuds out there- nearly saw someone totalled by a bus for jumping a red light too.

[The Master]

Still a too many fuds out there- nearly saw someone totalled by a bus for jumping a red light too.

There was a lot of "Wiggo Wannabes" trying to make a race out of it as well.

But overall it was great to see such a diverse range of cyclists - there were kids and teenagers on mountain bikes, as though off to school, the people on hybrids who probably commute most days and the uber-serious lyrca-clad (in a good way!) road bikers.

Also a sense of community. A woman came off about mid-way between Avonbridge and Kirkilston and immediately two young lads near her helped her up, while me and a couple of others (slightly behind) directed traffic.

[ICTChris]

My brother finished the 110-miler today, he was shattered.

My bike is off the road at the moment but am considering entering something like this in the next year, a shorter route though.

Oh and in other cycling news - http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2013/07/05/masturbating-man-banned-from-leeds-shopping-mall_n_3549523.html?utm_hp_ref=tw

[flyingscot]

I enjoyed it this year much more than previous years even if my face is red from the wind and I wasn't that fast.

Didn't think the Wiggo Wannabes were that bad this year. Was a team which were going a bit fast through the pack but nothing outrageous. The vast majority of people were sensible and it was far better organised.

There was actually 2 guys that ran red lights that I saw. One at Linlithgow where he got in the way of a bus at the narrow railway bridge. The other was on my way there and the guy just clear on ran a red, sauntered through and a number 9 had to avoid him. I don't think he was even that concerned. Madness.

[Bold Rover]

I enjoyed it thoroughly too but it took me an hour longer than last year! Used all the stops and probably gained half a stone at the feed stations. It seemed less crowded than last year, perhaps because of the timed starts. Not a spit of rain until our return to Glasgow.

[paisleysaints]

Well done to everyone who took part in the ride today. Need to do this next year

[flyingscot]

I enjoyed it thoroughly too but it took me an hour longer than last year! Used all the stops and probably gained half a stone at the feed stations. It seemed less crowded than last year, perhaps because of the timed starts. Not a spit of rain until our return to Glasgow.

The food is brilliant, I had a pasta salad (although took that home as it didn't have a fork in it!), soups, muffins, chocolate bars! At least I've earned it! Timed starts and the fact the traffic lights were mostly off I think helped stop bunching as much. A few people queue jumped the timed starts, but the stewards did their best to get it going and it was a million times better organised than last year. Full credit to whoever sorted that out.

My times were 3.35 first year, 3.37 last year and about 3.50 this year (haven't downloaded the data from my cycle stopwatch which ignores stationary time). I'm getting slower year on year! I think this was the first year without a westerly wind and I think as more people take part there you need to watch your speed passing them. I remember the first year I did it past Caldercruix you could go a couple of minutes without being passed or passing people- today it was 3 a breast up there.

I need to start earlier next year. 09:00 was too late for me.

[The Master]

I need to start earlier next year. 09:00 was too late for me.

I was in the 9.00-9.30 group mostly because it was awkward to get from Dundee for any earlier - no trains arrive before 10.55 and I already felt bad asking a friend to drive me at 7am!

I wonder if more could be done to provide transport from other parts of Scotland not well-served by early-morning train services. Say, a bus and van leaving Aberdeen at 5am, stopping off at Montrose, Arbroath, Dundee, Perth and Stirling, getting to Glasgow by 8.30-ish.

Moving on to thinking about different events, I'm in two minds about whether or not to do the (relatively short, all things considered) 26-mile Dundee cyclathon next Sunday. While riding yesterday, my enthusiasm level for it ranged from "where do I sign up?" to "you must be joking"...funnily enough, it seemed to be inversely proportional to the uphill gradient being experienced at the time

But in all seriousness, the Dundee route is there all the time and is 99% off-road anyway; but no roads are closed, because they don't need to be, since they're very quiet. So I can do it any time without having to pay an entry fee and can decide whether or not to bother depending on the weather etc.

[Bold Rover]

By way of a warm down from yesterday, I did a wee 38 mile job today. Starting at Carsphairn, I went to Moniaive, then St John' s Town of Dalry, and back to Carsphairn. Decent quiet roads and some testing hills though nothing of great difficulty. Splendid scenery. Recommend!

[dorlomin]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-24015622

Former world champion racing cyclist Graeme Obree is attempting this week to set a new human-powered land speed record with Beastie - a very unconventional bike.

He will travel head first and face down, his chin 2cm (0.8in) from the front wheel, his eyes peering out of a small peephole.

The 47-year-old from Ayrshire in Scotland has up to four attempts to beat the current record of 83mph (133km/h) at an event being held at Battle Mountain, Nevada.

Yet, despite the potential scale of the achievement, much of the cycling world appears unmoved because of its traditional attitude that muscle-power should take precedence over mechanical innovation.

Revolutionary design

Mr Obree's life has already been immortalised in the film, The Flying Scotsman, but his torpedo-shaped bike may mean his name soars to fresh heights.

Beastie was initially tested using a transparent shell known as a fairing

With its smooth shell of Kevlar and fibreglass, Beastie looks as though it has been made by Nasa. Yet it was constructed, says Mr Obree, "entirely by myself in my kitchen and a pal's workshop".