Official P&b Cycling Thread

[flyingscot]

I've got a flashing back light but my front light is solid and aimed to the road. As I cycle down past the airport and the road towards Houston if you know it. You'll know there is no light whatsoever.

I've used the turbo the last few nights. Even cycling to work has cut right down more a,weekend warrior at the min.

I,agree there,is many idiots on bikes I've lost count of the red light jumpers. Just no care

My back light has a setting where the LEDs are constantly lighting up and going out in a wave. One is always lit however which I think is good. But yeah I know the Georgetown Road, agree with you having a light aimed at the road. As the winter sets in I've started running a bit more and I'm down to less than weekend warrior status!

This is a picture taken from the BBC's Tom Edwards' twitter feed of the protest tonight at Bow Roundabout in London- 3rd death there in about as many years.

TfL have tried to improve it, the video below is the approach where the woman was killied this morning but mixed results from users it seems. Apparently some cyclists find it confusing, others think it is slow and don't like the fact they have to wait a cycle of the lights to get through and don't use it and the guy in the video misses the bus stop bypass and straight lines it. What do P&B folk think- I think it is actually fairly good.

[Newbornbairn]

Think that's pretty good tbh and I've zero sympathy for those who think it's too slow. Looks like a busy junction that's slow for everybody.

[dorlomin]

On the right you can see the Bow Flyover. I use that bit of road most days and always, always go over the fly over than down into that death trap.

Problem is it takes a bit of confidence and power to up it, the people most likely to get into trouble are the ones least likely to go up and over.

More than half the deaths in London are left turning HGVs and woman are massively more likely to die than men.

The national cyclists' organisation CTC said that 10 of the 13 people who died in cycling accidents in the capital last year were women and eight were killed by heavy goods vehicles. Yet there are around three times more male cyclists in London than women.

Some claim that female cyclists are more vulnerable than male riders because they tend to be less confident and aggressive on the road, and particularly around large vehicles.

http://www.theguardian.com/uk/2010/may/21/women-cyclists-most-accidents

At many junctions it is safer to filter between 2 lanes of cars, so you dont get tangled with the left turners and avoid the cycle lane. It is safer to be well ahead of the stop line or ASL, because that is where the cars can see you. You either make sure you are out front or sit behind next to a low sided vehicle like a car.

They have just spent millions making a segeragated cycle lane leading up to that bit of road that opened about a week or so ago. But the design still leaves cyclists in ackward positions trying to cross with lorries.

Edited November 13, 2013 by dorlomin

[Swarley]

I don't subscribe to the all cyclists are idiots as it's pish and you can't generalise groups based on the actions of a few.

For instance I know that the cyclist I've just passed who was busy texting on her fucking mobile phone is the exception not the rule. She's endangering herself and all other road users with her idiotic behaviour.

[flyingscot]

On the right you can see the Bow Flyover. I use that bit of road most days and always, always go over the fly over than down into that death trap.

Problem is it takes a bit of confidence and power to up it, the people most likely to get into trouble are the ones least likely to go up and over.

More than half the deaths in London are left turning HGVs and woman are massively more likely to die than men.

http://www.theguardian.com/uk/2010/may/21/women-cyclists-most-accidents

At many junctions it is safer to filter between 2 lanes of cars, so you dont get tangled with the left turners and avoid the cycle lane. It is safer to be well ahead of the stop line or ASL, because that is where the cars can see you. You either make sure you are out front or sit behind next to a low sided vehicle like a car.

They have just spent millions making a segeragated cycle lane leading up to that bit of road that opened about a week or so ago. But the design still leaves cyclists in ackward positions trying to cross with lorries.

I just can't quite follow from that video why folk would get hurt at the junction? The new lights and cycle lanes keep cyclists well ahead of the traffic turning left. There is no doubt the junction needs improving further, however.

[dorlomin]

I just can't quite follow from that video why folk would get hurt at the junction? The new lights and cycle lanes keep cyclists well ahead of the traffic turning left. There is no doubt the junction needs improving further, however.

3 sets of lights, 2 for motor vehicles and one for bicycles at one entrance to a round about, now the round about can be very very busy and backed up quite badly so it is very common for vehicles to be caught over the lights when they change.

After the first motor light goes from green to red, the bike light goes to green but a bike can go through and then get stuck at the second motor light as vehicles back up waiting to get on the A12 (the left hand turn off is to the A12), then be there as the HGVs arrive for the second motor light.

In my view, the second motor light is an unnecessary complication. The light sequence should be for the bike light to go green first, letting the bike through, then it goes red and the first (and only motor light) goes green, letting the motor vehicles through. Then when it goes red the other side gets its chance.

The road junction puts cycles on the left hand side of HGVs turning to the left where they have considerable blind spots.

If it were me in the video, I would have jumped in behind the black car at 17s (the one right after the big black and white truck) then followed them in the traffic where all the vehicles behind me could clearly see me and peel of right (straight on) as they turned left.

Safest way to use that intersection would be to get in between the two vehicle lanes as you approach it so you are not on the far left with left turning HGVs.

But as I say, I never go down there on a bike. There is a much safer route that takes a bit of peddling and the confidence to filter early to get in the right lane.

[Drooper]

Another London fatality, sadly:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-24936942

[dorlomin]

http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/public/cyclesafety/article3916039.ece

Cycle use and the distance travelled by bicycle are set to fall from 2015 despite hundreds of millions of pounds of investment and the increasing popularity of cycling in the main cities, according to official forecasts.

Campaigners and academics seized on the data, revealed in Parliament by the Transport Minister, to call into question the prediction models used by the Department for Transport (DfT). They said that the predictions appeared to ignore the rising use of bicycles and claimed that the data would be used as justification for cuts in funding.

Annual cycle trips are forecast to rise from 1.2 billion in 2010 to 1.4 billion in 2015 but fall back to 1.3 billion in 2020 and remain at that level until 2030. The annual total of miles pedalled is forecast to rise from 2.9 billion in 2010 to 3.4 billion in 2015 but fall to 3.2 billion in 2020 and 3.0 billion in 2025.

The predictions are made by the DfT’s National Transport Model, which predicts that the distance travelled by road vehicles will rise by 44 per cent by 2035.

Robert Goodwill, the Transport Minister, said in response to a parliamentary question that the department would have spent £277 million directly on cycling in the five years to 2015. It spent £140 million on cycling projects in the five years to 2010.

Phil Goodwin, emeritus professor of transport at University College London, questioned whether the Government’s model for future cycle use was fit for purpose. He said: “It is not just that they got the numbers wrong, they got the direction of change wrong, which seems to me to be a much bigger problem. If it says it is going down when it is going up, there is something seriously wrong with the model.”

The DfT said that its forecasts were based on rising incomes, falling motoring costs, higher congestion, an ageing and growing population and additional road infrastructure.

Rising incomes? Where? Higher congestion is going to make more people use cars?

In Almost Every European Country, Bikes Are Outselling New Cars

Shares in the bike retailer Halfords were pumped up to a two-year high yesterday on hopes in the City it is now on the right track. The analyst Georgina Johanan at JPMorgan said she thinks the bike and car accessories specialist is putting its "wheels back in motion" with better customer service, more products and a better online business.

Halfords, which sells a range of bikes designed by the Olympic cyclist Victoria Pendleton, had been viewed as a high-street dinosaur with a poor online presence and too many stores. But it has worked hard to improve its fortunes, and new boss Matt Davies, who joined from Pets at Home last year, has been well received.

The 467-store chain will update the market at a strategy review on 23 May.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/sharewatch/market-report-revived-halfords-is-pedalling-in-front-8608471.html

This is an article in the business section of a newspaper, not the cycling or environment or so on.

Here Halfords is referred to as a 'cycling retailer' with a positive 'buy' glow.

Among the highlights, the business produced same stores sales up 6.2 per cent, and a 26 per cent rise in more expensive premium bikes. The store is benefiting from a resurgence in cycling after British victories at the London Olympics and the Tour de France. The only black spot is its Autocentres business, run out of 285 outlets, which saw a 2.1 per cent slip in sales. Davies said: ‘We are in early stages so it is important that no one get carried away.’

The number of driving licence holders in Britain has fallen for the first time in decades, according to the National Travel Survey. The biggest changes, however, are in the different age groups. Fewer young people are obtaining licences, but the number of older people with licences is growing.

http://www.ctc.org.uk/blog/chris-peck/young-people-are-driving-less

I am posting this because I think there is going to be a massive backlash against cycling in the next couple of years. The past few years has seen lots of positive press about cycling and its a soft way for a government to burnish its environmental credentials with little cost. But now it is starting to become more of a problem across Europe. A generation is no longer seeing buying a XR3 and modding it up as a way to show off. Essentially an industry is losing its customers. This is not just the UK btw, the US and Australia are also seeing similar trends. Part of it is driven by what is called 're-urbanisation', decaying inner city areas have become the hot new place to live for the young, you need a car less. Part of it is smart phones and the internet.

But it means massive industries are seeing drops in sales. Halfords can cover for the drop in sales of spoilers and in car audio with 3K bikes. GM,not so much. The DfT is now claiming there will be less cycling in the next couple of years, cyclists are a dangerous menace stories starting to pop up in the press.

It just feels like the government now wants young people to go back to buying cars again for a while.

[kiddy]

Fellow P&B cyclists.

I bring you possibly one of the best bargains you will ever see.

There's a shop in Falkirk called James Leckie, based in Melville Street.

They specialise in buying bankrupt stock, or overstocks from retailers.

I've just had it confirmed by the owner, that on Thursday this week, he will take delivery of 600 Altura Varium soft shell cycling jackets, exactly the same as this, currently on sale at Wiggle

.http://www.wiggle.co.uk/altura-varium-jacket/?lang=en&curr=GBP&dest=1&utm_source=Google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=+altura%20+varium%20jacket%20broad&utm_campaign=RTC_altura&referid=googwig&utm_adgroup=P_Altura_Varium%20Jacket&gclid=CMXAwfTI3LoCFdPItAodJwYA2A

He will be getting M-XL sizes in red,black or blue.

The cheapest I can find this selling on the internet is £125, but most commonly £139

Leckies will be selling these for £39.00!

A brilliant bargain and all 100% perfect quality

Anyone manage to get along to Leckie's today? I was driving out the town when I remembered.

[Unleash The Nade]

Anyone manage to get along to Leckie's today? I was driving out the town when I remembered.

There's been a problem with these .

The company he's buying them from have fucked him about a bit.

Although the deal isn't dead, they're not overly optimistic this is going to come off now.

I think all of Falkirk Bike Club were going to get one of these today

[Fife Saint]

Eventually got round to collecting my new bike today, hoping to get out tomorrow for a wee bit of breaking in.

[Broccoli Dog]

i've seen more motorists using fucking ipads than cyclists texting.

[Unleash The Nade]

There's been a problem with these .

The company he's buying them from have fucked him about a bit.

Although the deal isn't dead, they're not overly optimistic this is going to come off now.

I think all of Falkirk Bike Club were going to get one of these today

.

Deal back on

He's getting them in later this week

[Unleash The Nade]

Out with the club today and did just over 62 miles over Strathblayne , Kippen area

Averaged 18.6 mph which wasn't too bad considering it was pretty cold and over rolling terrain.

[Newbornbairn]

Wife got me an early Xmas present of a Garmin Edge Touring so I was out playing with it today. Seems good, no more getting lost whilst out exploring.

[Swarley]

i've seen more motorists using fucking ipads than cyclists texting.

So have I, they are also idiots who are endangering themselves and every other road user.

[monkeyblair]

Due to a combination of work / ill health / operations I was out and about on the bike for the first time in months yesterday (other than relaxed cycles with my daughter).

Did 23 miles in 90 minutes averaging about 15mph which wasn't too bad.

A couple of 'granny cog' moments but quite pleased with the effort.

[Swarley]

My mate had her (very expensive) bike stolen last week. B'stards broke into her garage and pinched it. Not much hope of her seeing it again but it was insured. Anyways, for her replacement she is looking into getting something like this > Spylamp < has anyone else used anything like this? Are they any good, worth the money?

[paisleysaints]

Got out yesterday and got 40 miles under my belt enjoyed it

[fanny paddery]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-24989985

Another cyclist killed in London today