Cycling Advice

[Stockton Heath Blue]

101 miles done today in 6 hours 18. Had a beach break in the middle for an hour as the girlfriend drove to meet me. Just under 3000 feet climbed and a moving average of 16.5 per hour. Good day for it, not too hot or windy.

Great going mate. You're going to piss this triathlon at this rate.

 

[Trevor Morley's Tache]

I've had similar experiences to you. I occasionally commute to work and 1 guy cut me up to take the left slip road at traffic lights and went straight through the red light - nothing I could have done.

There are dickheads from both motorists & cyclists. Like you, I just want to be afforded the same respect I give back but you're a better man than me for not getting angry - I just see the red mist sometimes.

I just see getting angry as a waste of energy. It rarely achieves anything, and plus I need all the energy I can get these days ;-)

 

[Stockton Heath Blue]

I just see getting angry as a waste of energy. It rarely achieves anything, and plus I need all the energy I can get these days ;-)

I'm not quite there yet energy wise so having a rant takes my mind off the hills to come.

 

[Deleted member 77198]

Blaze Hill can catch a few out as it's pretty steep at the bottom but levels out before kicking on at the end. I reckon the hill you are referring to is Lamaload, which is just after Blaze Hill. Not that long but it pretty much levels the field for all but the best. You can be riding along nicely by the reservoir then do a right turn to be faced by a dozen or so riders struggling to cope with the quick change of incline - if you're in the wrong gear at the bottom of this I'm afraid you're walking!

These sorts of things no good for single speed bikes then?

 

[Deleted member 77198]

I used to get this, fixed It by raising my handlebars with a riser thingy.

Might be worth trying

Ta mate, I’ll give it a go

 

[Deleted member 77198]

You need a more relaxed position mate so try a spacer or 2 and a decent pair of gloves with padding in the right places should do the trick.

Yeah I think me wearing my MMA gloves where the padding it all around the knuckles might be the problem!

 

[blueinsa]

Yeah I think me wearing my MMA gloves where the padding it all around the knuckles might be the problem!

I cant ride without gloves its that simple as the pain in my hands gets too much.

I did a 90 min session early this morning on the indoor trainer and still wore my gloves.

Full kit cycling wanker ;-)

 

[Dave Ewing's Back 'eader]

It's not normally too bad where I live, but I've had 2 genuine near death experiences in the last week (same ride, 2 minutes apart) by people with no regard for other road users. One where a motorbike (Yamaha R1) decided to undertake a car at a roundabout, saw me on the roundabout at the last second, slammed on, ever so slightly brushed my back wheel, and sped off without even looking to see if he'd cleaned me out. 1/10th of a second earlier and it would have been a different outcome. Second was an idiot in a RS Focus who lost the back end when he floored it turning out of a junction and nearly went sideways into me.

I just treat other road users with the respect I expect in return. I don't undertake at traffic lights, I keep to the left at all times (except when turning right), I won't jump the lights or ride on the pavement to avoid stopping at lights. If I do hold traffic up for any reason, I'll always thank the driver for being patient and giving me room as they go past. If anyone does cut me up, give me insufficient room or rides me into the gutter then I just shake my head at them. It's just not worth getting angry.

Basically I just following the Highway Code. If you on the road, expect to abide by the code, and if you don't, then you don't really have much comeback if you have of cause an accident.

Mrs Ewing and I can go on a simple ride - mixture of back streets, canal towpath and cycle path, with a hundred yards or so of the A58, and we know that nigh on one in, say, three rides, we will encounter a motorist who will raise the question in our heads "What were you trying to do then? We have got to the point where we expect motorists to do the oddest thing. But having said that the vast majority are very cycle aware and cycle friendly, to the point that where a motorist gives way and lets us cross the traffic, Mrs Ewing and I always say "He's a cyclist!'

 

[Trevor Morley's Tache]

Mrs Ewing and I can go on a simple ride - mixture of back streets, canal towpath and cycle path, with a hundred yards or so of the A58, and we know that nigh on one in, say, three rides, we will encounter a motorist who will raise the question in our heads "What were you trying to do then? We have got to the point where we expect motorists to do the oddest thing. But having said that the vast majority are very cycle aware and cycle friendly, to the point that where a motorist gives way and lets us cross the traffic, Mrs Ewing and I always say "He's a cyclist!'

You can always spot the drivers who are cyclists.

 

[blueinsa]

You can always spot the drivers who are cyclists.

Very much this!

Slow down and give plenty of room.

Its basic manners and its the safe thing to do and costs you fuck all.