Cycling Advice

[idahoblues]

We could borrow ideas from the Danes and the Dutch as their towns layouts are similar to our own. Would costs lots of money though and the council is skint. With the world turning to electric cars, it should be time to rethink other aspects of how people get from place to place and start being inclusive of other modes of transport.

Weird how so many motorists look down on cyclists and think they're always the problem. Also a lot of people get their driving license and figure, well that's me done with biking, that's for kids. I had a cousin from England visit twenty odd years ago, she asked how she was supposed to get around town (less than a thousand people) I said either walk or pick a bicycle from the pile, her jaw almost hit the floor, she could not believe they were her only options

 

[Metal Biker]

Weird how so many motorists look down on cyclists and think they're always the problem. Also a lot of people get their driving license and figure, well that's me done with biking, that's for kids. I had a cousin from England visit twenty odd years ago, she asked how she was supposed to get around town (less than a thousand people) I said either walk or pick a bicycle from the pile, her jaw almost hit the floor, she could not believe they were her only options

What's more is that if all cyclists got off their bikes and got back into cars, traffic would get worse, not better. I know the cycle community has a bad rep due to RLJ's but i've seen the same behaviour in drivers. Some people just don't obey the traffic code, regardless what vehicle they're using.

It saves money, keeps you fit, and you feel more connected and aware than in a car. I made the step up to motorcycles as well. There's just something about two wheels that gives me joy.

 

[buckshot]

We're getting into cycling again. We picked out a couple hybrid/fitness bikes that are good for hard trails and roads. Both are made by Trek, I'm not sure if I'll upgrade to a carbon frame or if I'll stick with the FX Pro Sport 4, the wife is getting the woman's model of the FX Sport 3.

 

[I'm With Stupid]

It's more the excessive costs, carbon fibre frames, space age suspension that absorbs the bumps better, etc. They're made to a much, much higher quality, but i'd never pay more that £500 for any bike, personally, unless it was electric, which defeats the purpose for fitness and I see more as assisting those with injured or weak knees/legs.

Standard mountain bikes range from about £120 to £250 ($156-650). There are high end mountain bikes, ranging about £5,000, of course, but I find them outrageously priced (a bit like those who buy a £25,000 watch over one worth £250). Commuter bikes are roughly between £200 to £500 ($260-650). Mine cost £300 ($390) and have had it for 8 years. Practically saved my life when I was hit by a car and the frame absorbed the impact. Use it every week.

Road bikes are where it gets just as ridiculous. £600, £1200, £4400 ($5700) £12,000!!

Indeed. I paid £200 for a Chinese-build road bike and it did the length of Vietnam twice and was still in good enough condition at the end of it to get $100 for. I wouldn't necessarily recommend it, but the point is that any bike is going to be good enough for riding to work or riding around the park, and the cheaper it is, the less likely it is to be nicked.

Far more important, particularly if you're tall, is to get something that's the right size, because otherwise that'll do your back in.

 

[manchester blue]

One thing Manchester, and the UK really, lacks is a decent cycling infrastructure. The council just tacks on pathways on currently existing roads and it's just not meant for it. We've got a cycleway called the Fallowfield Loop, which was great, even takes you right to the Etihad and by the canals... now it's a target for thieves. The council were meant to be closing off one of the road routs into the city centre and making it bus/cycle only. Not seen anything become of that idea.

Mate of mine has a folding bike, treats it like a bmx though. Useful little things, especially if part of your journey involves public transport. Takes up about as much room as a large travel case. They're about £300 here as well.

Have you seen the work Chris Boardman's doing? He has £1.5bn of ring fenced money for cycling infrastructure to spend over ten years in Manchester.

OP; I fell off my bike two years ago and had serious injuries and have not been on it since. Shame as I love it, especially in hot weather and last summer would have been brilliant.

 

[TheRemainsOfTheDave]

I've heard there are some cycle to work schemes you have to be wary of. The one my work does is that even though you pay the bike off, the company still "owns" it until you pay them for it. Or it may just be my employer being dicks.

This is true. I had to pay a lump sum of about £120 to finally own the bike off my employer (think it was about the same as the original VAT) so in a way it cost me more because I wasn't allowed to buy a sale bike in the first place, had to be one at RRP.

That said, I'd saved so much in parking fees and tram fares that the money was well worth it.

 

[TheRemainsOfTheDave]

We're getting into cycling again. We picked out a couple hybrid/fitness bikes that are good for hard trails and roads. Both are made by Trek, I'm not sure if I'll upgrade to a carbon frame or if I'll stick with the FX Pro Sport 4, the wife is getting the woman's model of the FX Sport 3.

The Trek 7.4 hybrid I bought about 6 yrs ago, to do exactly the same, came with hard case Bontrager tyres, but on gravel trails they just seemed to shred badly so I ended up only cycling on roads anyway. Great bikes though.

 

[TheRemainsOfTheDave]

Have you seen the work Chris Boardman's doing? He has £1.5bn of ring fenced money for cycling infrastructure to spend over ten years in Manchester.

OP; I fell off my bike two years ago and had serious injuries and have not been on it since. Shame as I love it, especially in hot weather and last summer would have been brilliant.

The problem with these cycle schemes is they don't fix the commuter issue. They build a trail that meanders off into god knows where, making a ten mile commute into a 15 mile commute. The trail then becomes a target for scallies who take a liking to £1000 bikes or for scrambling practice. If they had proper cycle lanes on main roads (you know, ones where cars aren't allowed to park in them) there really shouldn't be an issue, but I would say that users should have insurance and either a full driving licence or training to know the highway code.

On the subject of bike insurance, use ETA or similar, £50 a year and includes a rescue service if you break down and can't fix it. No brainer, really.

 

[DrBlueBob]

I know that it has already been mentioned before but I can't stress highly enough the importance of high viz. Be seen be safe.

Also it doesn't really matter if you are "In the right" a face full of car really hurts as I can attest to. I am still have pain nearly three decades later.

 

[Tanzeylee]

Don't buy one get a car you fucking lycra wearing nazi