Cycling Advice

MCFC1993 said:
Thinking of ditching the car into work and picking up a hybrid bike on the cycle-to-work scheme. With the rise in fuel and stress of traffic on the roads, cycling seems to be a great alternative. It would be a 32 mile ride (there and back) and I only go into the office twice a week.

Any recommendations?

I'm leaning towards the Trek FX-3 Disc (fully equipped) at the moment.

Do you think I should consider a road bike instead?

From what I gather he FX-3 is more like a road bike but without the road handlebars etc...
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I bought a Trek Hybrid a few years back (can’t remember the model) and whilst it is a good bike on the roads, I didn’t rate it much on gravel trails, I wasn’t convinced the Bontrager hard case tyres would last very long and it didn’t half make my forearms ache with the terrain. Ended up just riding it on the road so would have been better buying a road bike.

Used to love commuting by bike but the place I worked at had really good facilities (secure underground parking, showers and lockers), so it made it a no-brainer. Took me a few weeks but eventually the 9 miles each way was a doddle and could have done 16 easy.
 
MCFC1993 said:
I'm actually hoping to get out on it most days, the commuting bit is just the most important part for me, so I am expecting the fitness to come.
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Welcome to the cycle commuting world! You’ll be regretting not having started doing it twenty years ago!
Watched Chris Boardman’s ten minute cameo on yesterday’s TdF highlights show where he was in Copenhagen. He was explaining how more than 50% of workers in the city commute by bike and how anybody who might be watching would not want something similar in the UK. He was bang on. The main reason given as to why they cycle was that it was the quickest and most convenient way into work! Cost, fitness, mental health and saving the planet etc were all secondary.
Basically the more people we can get onto bikes in the UK the better - for all road users. We need major investment and a change in attitude towards cycling/cyclists. The bicycle is one of humanities greatest inventions and I hope in my lifetime we see single lane highways in each direction with segregated bike lanes on all main thoroughfares. Build it and they will come.
 
JOGAMIGMOG said:
Welcome to the cycle commuting world! You’ll be regretting not having started doing it twenty years ago!
Watched Chris Boardman’s ten minute cameo on yesterday’s TdF highlights show where he was in Copenhagen. He was explaining how more than 50% of workers in the city commute by bike and how anybody who might be watching would not want something similar in the UK. He was bang on. The main reason given as to why they cycle was that it was the quickest and most convenient way into work! Cost, fitness, mental health and saving the planet etc were all secondary.
Basically the more people we can get onto bikes in the UK the better - for all road users. We need major investment and a change in attitude towards cycling/cyclists. The bicycle is one of humanities greatest inventions and I hope in my lifetime we see single lane highways in each direction with segregated bike lanes on all main thoroughfares. Build it and they will come.
Click to expand...
Most UK cycling 'infrastructure' is next to f*cking useless, and painted cycle lanes are downright dangerous in most cases.

We need to convince town planners to stop pandering to the hoards of lazy motorist (who think it's perfectly fine to take a 1 mile trip across town in their cars and then complain about the amount of traffic) and start thinking about better cycling infrastructure including proper bike parking.
 
Trevor Morley's Tache said:
Most UK cycling 'infrastructure' is next to f*cking useless, and painted cycle lanes are downright dangerous in most cases.

We need to convince town planners to stop pandering to the hoards of lazy motorist (who think it's perfectly fine to take a 1 mile trip across town in their cars and then complain about the amount of traffic) and start thinking about better cycling infrastructure including proper bike parking.
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I wouldnt disagree but cyclist also need to use the cycle lanes.

Along my route to work on duel carriageways. There is a well kept 10 foot plus cycle path on both sides. For over a mile. Another 10 foot plus on the other duel carriageway and the old unused road on the other duel carriageway which is in good nick.

All in all these cycle paths are in great condition but you see every morning and evening the pretend tour de France cycles using the duel carriageways. This means the inside lane cant bee used by cars etc because you have to give cyclist 6 foot passing room. It seems to raise tempers.

I am an ex cyclist and I would have lived to use these cycle paths back in the day.

20220712_083245.jpg
 
JOGAMIGMOG said:
Welcome to the cycle commuting world! You’ll be regretting not having started doing it twenty years ago!
Watched Chris Boardman’s ten minute cameo on yesterday’s TdF highlights show where he was in Copenhagen. He was explaining how more than 50% of workers in the city commute by bike and how anybody who might be watching would not want something similar in the UK. He was bang on. The main reason given as to why they cycle was that it was the quickest and most convenient way into work! Cost, fitness, mental health and saving the planet etc were all secondary.
Basically the more people we can get onto bikes in the UK the better - for all road users. We need major investment and a change in attitude towards cycling/cyclists. The bicycle is one of humanities greatest inventions and I hope in my lifetime we see single lane highways in each direction with segregated bike lanes on all main thoroughfares. Build it and they will come.
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I'm in my late 20's, so hopefully I've realised early enough.

I agree that the attitude towards cyclists needs to change. They need to look at building a proper cycle network in this country to begin with.
 
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JOGAMIGMOG said:
Welcome to the cycle commuting world! You’ll be regretting not having started doing it twenty years ago!
Watched Chris Boardman’s ten minute cameo on yesterday’s TdF highlights show where he was in Copenhagen. He was explaining how more than 50% of workers in the city commute by bike and how anybody who might be watching would not want something similar in the UK. He was bang on. The main reason given as to why they cycle was that it was the quickest and most convenient way into work! Cost, fitness, mental health and saving the planet etc were all secondary.
Basically the more people we can get onto bikes in the UK the better - for all road users. We need major investment and a change in attitude towards cycling/cyclists. The bicycle is one of humanities greatest inventions and I hope in my lifetime we see single lane highways in each direction with segregated bike lanes on all main thoroughfares. Build it and they will come.
Click to expand...
Back in the 1930s they built just the thing you described but the separated highways have since been changed into things like residential car parking or just buried under grass verges.

www.theguardian.com

How 80 forgotten 1930s cycleways could transform UK cycling

Between 1934 and 1940 the UK built 280 miles of cycle paths with Dutch guidance. A Kickstarter campaign to rescue these lost cycle paths needs support
www.theguardian.com www.theguardian.com
 
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