I think I'm done with road...
Discussion
President Merkin said:
I love the mud, me. Getting covered in s
t is part of the appeal. I also get the speed & rhythmic zen thing in road biking but can't square it with the proliferation of aholes in cars. It just doesn't add up in my head, so I'm sticking to the trails. Sometimes literally.
You must be happy as a pig in muck atm!t is part of the appeal. I also get the speed & rhythmic zen thing in road biking but can't square it with the proliferation of aholes in cars. It just doesn't add up in my head, so I'm sticking to the trails. Sometimes literally.It's quite surreal the state of the ground where we are in places. I can't remember it being like this in April but perhaps a bit of recency bias on my part...
nickfrog said:
You must be happy as a pig in muck atm!
It's quite surreal the state of the ground where we are in places. I can't remember it being like this in April but perhaps a bit of recency bias on my part...
Yeah, it is rough out there. I'm finding that the main exposed drags e.g. the SDW itself are drying out well but then you'll come across a lake where the trail used to be but on the whole, it's not terrible. It's quite surreal the state of the ground where we are in places. I can't remember it being like this in April but perhaps a bit of recency bias on my part...
That said, anywhere shaded is a nightmare still, which rules out most of the woods & lots of the little cut through trails & more or less all of the high speed downhill stuff. Bit of a curse living in a perma wet chalk landscape
Lots of the routing now is looping the SDW round Chanctonbury & dropping into Steyning to pick up the gravel path along the Adur toward the airport & then back along the coast path, not the most exciting but at least there's grip!
trails said:
Your Dad said:
trails said:
hucking a 45lb ebike over ten stiles
If you're encountering stiles it might suggest that the footpath you're cycling on isn't permissive for bicycles.Sir, this is a Wendy's.
You might not get a straight answer in a cycling forum but from long experience of bombing around the woods & trails round here, they generally don't bother if a path involves jumping Dobbin over a stile or a gate.
Out in the sticks, there's always plenty of room for everyone to do their thing. I like the horsey people, they're normally ok & always stop for them, so as not to spook the horses, Likewise, it's good to have trails they can't really use as they churn them to death. Somehow, we all muddle along ok.
You might not get a straight answer in a cycling forum but from long experience of bombing around the woods & trails round here, they generally don't bother if a path involves jumping Dobbin over a stile or a gate.
Out in the sticks, there's always plenty of room for everyone to do their thing. I like the horsey people, they're normally ok & always stop for them, so as not to spook the horses, Likewise, it's good to have trails they can't really use as they churn them to death. Somehow, we all muddle along ok.
Yeah there seems to be an bit of unwritten rule around my way where horse riders largely stick to their kind of bridleways and us riders stick to ours.
"Don't ride that it's a horsey one".... kind of thing.
Whenever paths do cross though it's always slow down with a polite hello, thankyou and an enjoy your day (up North though so that's kind of the norm anyway).
"Don't ride that it's a horsey one".... kind of thing.
Whenever paths do cross though it's always slow down with a polite hello, thankyou and an enjoy your day (up North though so that's kind of the norm anyway).
Edited by bobbo89 on Friday 5th April 12:29
Your Dad said:
trails said:
Your Dad said:
trails said:
hucking a 45lb ebike over ten stiles
If you're encountering stiles it might suggest that the footpath you're cycling on isn't permissive for bicycles.
President Merkin said:
Sir, this is a Wendy's.
You might not get a straight answer in a cycling forum but from long experience of bombing around the woods & trails round here, they generally don't bother if a path involves jumping Dobbin over a stile or a gate.
Out in the sticks, there's always plenty of room for everyone to do their thing. I like the horsey people, they're normally ok & always stop for them, so as not to spook the horses, Likewise, it's good to have trails they can't really use as they churn them to death. Somehow, we all muddle along ok.
You might not get a straight answer in a cycling forum but from long experience of bombing around the woods & trails round here, they generally don't bother if a path involves jumping Dobbin over a stile or a gate.
Out in the sticks, there's always plenty of room for everyone to do their thing. I like the horsey people, they're normally ok & always stop for them, so as not to spook the horses, Likewise, it's good to have trails they can't really use as they churn them to death. Somehow, we all muddle along ok.
bobbo89 said:
Yeah there seems to be an bit of unwritten rule around my way where horse riders largely stick to their kind of bridleways and us riders stick to ours. Whenever paths do cross though it's always slow down with a polite hello, thankyou and an enjoy your day (up North though so that's kind of the norm anyway).
Same in the 'crowded' SE, no issues whatsoever if you follow the correct trail etiquette Tim Cognito said:
Castrol for a knave said:
Oddly enough, I get less hassle and fewer close passes when wearing an Army cycling top, than I do wearing my club one.
Not that it means I am hard. I think drivers suddenly link the rider to being an actual real, living breathing person.
Could be an overlap between the mouth breathers driving aggressively/incompetently and those with a fetishisation for the armed forces? I expect if you had a full union jack kit they would probably salute you on the way past and invite you back for tea and cake.Not that it means I am hard. I think drivers suddenly link the rider to being an actual real, living breathing person.
heebeegeetee said:
carlo996 said:
The roads are not safe, they never have been,
In which case, surely we can understand why authorities want to clamp right down and make roads much safer?I've driven in Europe on and off for over 40 years and I consider there has been a great transformation there, I believe I have seen this transformation with my own eyes, I have seen that it can be done.
I possibly don't agree with you re the degree to which UK roads are not safe, however I do think the problem is more down to antisocial drivers, and I do believe we have far too many of these for whatever reason.
As a motorist I am more than happy to comply with ever more restrictions in order to make road use available for all.
I have always, always said that the biggest threat to my freedom to motor is my fellow motorist.
trails said:
thepritch said:
TGCOTF-dewey said:
It's hard to grin and laugh when your bestubbled face is staring wistfully at the horizon in black and white.
I suspect it’s hard to see anything at all when you’re caked head to toe in mud and s**t. I guess the fun bit is taking three hours to clean yourself and the bike after every ride 
Being serious, I enjoy both. They both have their own appeal.
Usually takes me longer to get my winter kit off.
highway said:
I used to road ride for fun with some pals around Box Hill. We were mostly single file. Drivers could pass, never had bother with anyone. Latterly the roads in same area are full of cyclists on group rides. They typically ride two or three abreast. If single file, on those roads, drivers can filter past without being totally in the opposing carriageway.
Many drivers lack confidence and overtaking 9/12 bikes cycling at 20mph, 2/3 abreast, means positioning yourself entirely in the opposing carriageway, which clearly lots of drivers won’t do.
As said, cycling in this way is legal and legitimate. But it’s sad so many seem unable to recognise how enjoying a hobby can impact others.
In the summer some tailbacks in this area can be significant. Cue the abuse. Sigh.
Problem one might be cycling where there will be 1,000s of others (on two wheels and four) there? Bit like setting off mid-morning on a Bank holiday and complaining the roads are busy.Many drivers lack confidence and overtaking 9/12 bikes cycling at 20mph, 2/3 abreast, means positioning yourself entirely in the opposing carriageway, which clearly lots of drivers won’t do.
As said, cycling in this way is legal and legitimate. But it’s sad so many seem unable to recognise how enjoying a hobby can impact others.
In the summer some tailbacks in this area can be significant. Cue the abuse. Sigh.
I stick to roads I know will be quieter, never really have problems.
Tim Cognito said:
Julian Scott said:
So it's a hard right issue?
Hard throbber issue. It was tongue in cheek and getting political never ends well but I would be interested to see political leaning Vs attitudes to cyclists (which correlates with how you behave towards them).t driver/poor observation/on their phone issue. For every one nobhead who purposefully tries to run you off the road, there's 100 (1,000? 10,000?) who almost hit you and don't even realise.Julian Scott said:
trails said:
thepritch said:
TGCOTF-dewey said:
It's hard to grin and laugh when your bestubbled face is staring wistfully at the horizon in black and white.
I suspect it’s hard to see anything at all when you’re caked head to toe in mud and s**t. I guess the fun bit is taking three hours to clean yourself and the bike after every ride Being serious, I enjoy both. They both have their own appeal.
Usually takes me longer to get my winter kit off.
But, I hate mud. I don't do MTB in the UK at all, I've grown up on dry, sandy, rocky terrain in South Africa and more recently Portugal. Despise UK's muddy trails. So I stick to road and gravel there but even that in Winter, especially, is a grind for someone who has lived mostly in warm, Sunny climes with dry roads and trails.
GenX said:
Yep that works, I also use a Bosch cordless power washer in the UK, makes hosing the bike down quick and easy with no plugging anything in.
But, I hate mud. I don't do MTB in the UK at all, I've grown up on dry, sandy, rocky terrain in South Africa and more recently Portugal. Despise UK's muddy trails. So I stick to road and gravel there but even that in Winter, especially, is a grind for someone who has lived mostly in warm, Sunny climes with dry roads and trails.
But wet muddy roots are so much fun But, I hate mud. I don't do MTB in the UK at all, I've grown up on dry, sandy, rocky terrain in South Africa and more recently Portugal. Despise UK's muddy trails. So I stick to road and gravel there but even that in Winter, especially, is a grind for someone who has lived mostly in warm, Sunny climes with dry roads and trails.
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