Official P&b Cycling Thread

[welshbairn]

1 hour ago, bennett said:

Two abreast means that they pass groups quicker tho.

Do these angry drivers also get angry with tractors, road sweepers and other slower vehicles?

 

Two abreast means they can't pass in oncoming traffic. Tractors etc. are considerate enough to pull over occasionally to let traffic through.

[bennett]

8 hours ago, welshbairn said:

Two abreast means they can't pass in oncoming traffic. Tractors etc. are considerate enough to pull over occasionally to let traffic through.

I've passed plenty of cyclists riding two abreast Welshy and never had any problems doing so.

[Benjamin_Nevis]

8 hours ago, welshbairn said:

Two abreast means they can't pass in oncoming traffic. Tractors etc. are considerate enough to pull over occasionally to let traffic through.

Most well organised groups know how to behave around traffic. Grant you get the occasional muppets who refuse to let anything past, but in my experience on both sides of the coin this is pretty rare. The group I occasionally go out with will ride two abreast, but slot into single file to let cars past on the narrower roads when's it's safe to do so. I've encountered far more arsehole, inconsiderate drivers when in the car than cyclists, even allowing for the respective numbers. 

 

[Gnash]

Unless the road is wide, cars can't (or shouldn't attempt to) pass even single file cyclists with traffic coming the opposite direction.  

Yesterday at one point I had 7 or 8 cars behind me on a twisty section.  When they got past at a straight section, none of them showed any sign of frustration.  If I'd been in a group I'm sure there would have been beeping, revving and abuse galore. 

I think a lot of drivers just don't realise cyclists are allowed to ride 2 abreast or in a group.

[welshbairn]

19 minutes ago, Gnash said:

Unless the road is wide, cars can't (or shouldn't attempt to) pass even single file cyclists with traffic coming the opposite direction.  

Yesterday at one point I had 7 or 8 cars behind me on a twisty section.  When they got past at a straight section, none of them showed any sign of frustration.  If I'd been in a group I'm sure there would have been beeping, revving and abuse galore. 

I think a lot of drivers just don't realise cyclists are allowed to ride 2 abreast or in a group.

Quote

never ride more than two abreast, and ride in single file on narrow or busy roads and when riding round bends

http://www.highwaycodeuk.co.uk/rules-for-cyclists.html

[statts1976uk]

I wonder how many drivers tend to give horse riders as hard a time after all these are larger and generally slower objects on the road. Thankfully I haven’t had any issues recently on the road, I try to be courteous to other road users as it’s just easier for everyone to get along and go to wherever they need to be.

[statts1976uk]

Two weeks to Etape Loch Ness, is everyone’s preparations going to plan?

[Benjamin_Nevis]

25 minutes ago, statts1976uk said:

Two weeks to Etape Loch Ness, is everyone’s preparations going to plan?

My response: 

I had intended to try to knock 30 mins off last years time, but i'll be lucky to even equal it. 

Done a 43, 49 and 39 mile ride over the previous three weekends and planned on going out this morning, but was absolutely smashed after a hillwalk yesterday and could barely get out of bed. 

I'm heading up Saturday morning and staying near Beauly. Hoping to do some hills the day after the Etape, depending on how crumpled I am after it. 

Edited April 15, 2018 by jupe1407

[welshbairn]

 

[welshbairn]

17 minutes ago, jupe1407 said:

My response: 

I had intended to try to knock 30 mins off last years time, but i'll be lucky to even equal it. 

Done a 43, 49 and 39 mile ride over the previous three weekends and planned on going out this morning, but was absolutely smashed after a hillwalk yesterday and could barely get out of bed. 

I'm heading up Saturday morning and staying near Beauly. Hoping to do some hills the day after the Etape, depending on how crumpled I am after it. 

A friend's doing it this year and I was wondering if there's anyway of monitoring their location online? A cousin ran the Budapest marathon last year and we could check where she was through the race. 

[Benjamin_Nevis]

A friend's doing it this year and I was wondering if there's anyway of monitoring their location online? A cousin ran the Budapest marathon last year and we could check where she was through the race. 

Not sure if there's anything official, but if he/she usually Strava it has a Buddy Beacon which does something similar I believe, although I've never bothered setting it up tbf.

 

ETA: it's under Settings in the Strava App.

 

 

[welshbairn]

4 minutes ago, jupe1407 said:

7 minutes ago, welshbairn said:

A friend's doing it this year and I was wondering if there's anyway of monitoring their location online? A cousin ran the Budapest marathon last year and we could check where she was through the race. 

Not sure if there's anything official, but if he/she usually Strava it has a Buddy Beacon which does something similar I believe, although I've never bothered setting it up tbf.

Thought the timing chips the riders get might do something. Was hoping to clap her at the finish without hanging about too long. Nothing on the website though so it's probably not happening.

[Benjamin_Nevis]

Thought the timing chips the riders get might do something. Was hoping to clap her at the finish without hanging about too long. Nothing on the website though so it's probably not happening.

Doubt it. They just give you the total time for the route plus a split for the KOM stage.

[statts1976uk]

1 hour ago, jupe1407 said:

My response: 

I had intended to try to knock 30 mins off last years time, but i'll be lucky to even equal it. 

Done a 43, 49 and 39 mile ride over the previous three weekends and planned on going out this morning, but was absolutely smashed after a hillwalk yesterday and could barely get out of bed. 

I'm heading up Saturday morning and staying near Beauly. Hoping to do some hills the day after the Etape, depending on how crumpled I am after it. 

Got a 45 miler done yesterday and felt ok considering I’ve not had as much saddle time as I’ve wanted this year but the gym strength work has helped with the hills. I’ve got a few days off next week so hoping to get out and about with maybe the Friday before the events doing more hill work before heading north.

[Benjamin_Nevis]

6 minutes ago, statts1976uk said:

Got a 45 miler done yesterday and felt ok considering I’ve not had as much saddle time as I’ve wanted this year but the gym strength work has helped with the hills. I’ve got a few days off next week so hoping to get out and about with maybe the Friday before the events doing more hill work before heading north.

What kind of strength work have you been doing? I've been fannying about the 14mph average for fucking ages now. It'd be useful to build something else into my routine than might help. 

[Gnash]

1 hour ago, welshbairn said:

 

Excellent advice in that video.  I note that it didn't mention the totally impractical bit in the highway code about not riding 2 abreast on bends.

[statts1976uk]

2 hours ago, jupe1407 said:

What kind of strength work have you been doing? I've been fannying about the 14mph average for fucking ages now. It'd be useful to build something else into my routine than might help. 

Been working squats, leg presses etc. There was a really good article in cycling weekly a couple of weeks ago but I started in January. I had never really bought into the protein shakes, supplements etc and maybe it’s had an effect maybe it’s the placebo effect but that with a change in diet seems to have helped.

[Benjamin_Nevis]

Been working squats, leg presses etc. There was a really good article in cycling weekly a couple of weeks ago but I started in January. I had never really bought into the protein shakes, supplements etc and maybe it’s had an effect maybe it’s the placebo effect but that with a change in diet seems to have helped.

Nice one, cheers [emoji106]

[statts1976uk]

7 minutes ago, jupe1407 said:

Nice one, cheers

When I first started I thought I was doing quite well with the leg presses until I read that Laura Kenny did more and she’s tiny!!

[Dindeleux]

Out for 38 miles today. First 25 or so was fantastic but the remainder home was one of those into the wind efforts where you question the sanity behind owning a bike.