Taking a bicycle to LM, good idea?

[Ravell]

Just wondering if it's a good idea or not to take a bicycle to the race or not as I've never really seen many there in the past (maybe I'm just not paying attention?) and I've always found the long walks in the scorching sun or rain to be exhausting and unpleasant unless there is something to look at.

Are you allowed to take bikes into the general admission area, is it a good idea at all in the first place?

[FredericRobinson]

If you've got the room definitely take one, makes life so much easier, especially for trips to Carrefour, Arnage, Mulsanne etc.

[MaestroDave]

I took one a few years back, just for getting from MB to the village and onto Tetra Rouge and back a bit quicker, wouldn't dare ride out to Arnage or Carrefour (whats the point, can't bring much back).

It was handy, but not handy enough to justify the effort... i haven't bothered since.

Dave

[FredericRobinson]

We make one trip in the car at the start of the week to buy all the heavy stuff, and then pop down on the bikes each day for bread & meat. Bikes also make it so easy to get to the external viewing area at Porche Curves, Arnage / Indianapolis and Mulsanne.

[rlw]

if it carries on raining like this, a bike will be more of a liability than an asset I suspect...

[fatboy18]

If you have room for Bikes, take them Last year some of the marshals would not let us into the curcit fairground area by Karting Nord, so we rode up to the front entrance of camping Houx got let straight in, rode through the campsite, and parked the bikes up outside the ACO Hospitatily area in the Village. Padlocked the bikes round a lamp post. One word of warning though! I found English bikes have trouble going round bends on French roads and tracks, kerbs and ditches seem to jump out in front of you after drinking those small bottles of beer

[sniff petrol]

I took a couple last year and will be doing the same this year. I don't take my best bike, just a couple of second hand ones I got for £20 each so it's not the end of the world if they got nicked.

Bear in mind that a 3 miles trip in heavy traffic will take the best part of an hour to drive, an hour to walk or just 10-15 mins on the bike.

PedalHeads - cycling matters.

[Davwlk]

Always take my folding bike to get from Bleu Nord to Arnage for provisions. Tend to walk down though when we plan to have lots of beer at the bar by the level crossing

[finals2land]

Take the bikes if you can, we were refused admission at the entrance near to the fun fair. We went in via houx and was told not to ride and we did not ......ha ha . You will overtake the cars by bike and its the best way to Arnage for mad friday.

[fatboy18]

;) ,

Edited by fatboy18 on Wednesday 4th June 23:20

[Mark-C]

Take them (preferably a cheapo don't mind damaging it sort) .... we're based at Houx every year and use them to go to Arnage Corner (quicker than the bus and free) and the Porsche curves. We also use them to go to Arnage village on Friday for beers during the madness but this has been known to end in road rash on the journey back.

I once used mine to go to the driver's parade in the town but that was just plain silliness .... scabbed a lift back () and never saw the bike again ....

[fatboy18]

I know where your comming from.

[absolutely]

I've never thought about taking a bike, it'd be too crowded, I reckon, from my experiences when I was a young lad!

[spdpug98]

We take a couple every year, we go down in a camper van and once its parked up we don't move it so the bikes are ideal.

I finished painting mine yesterday and will be sticking the Gulf stickers on today, going for the Gulf Aston look.

But don't take your good bikes, just take ones that you don't mind losing or getting nicked

[andyash]

we have taken gopeds for the last 5 years , and found them a great source of transport/fun....initaly the local police just smiled , but in 2004 we were stopped on Mulsanne at GUNPOINT !!. The "friendly policeman" then ripped out our HT leads...needless to say we had them fixed after they cops went away, and made it back to camp..the following years it has been a mix of smiles or "get off and push"..So this year we have decided to go for another option...push bikes with engines!!!....they are quicker than gopeds, easier to ride and if the plod take the huff, then we can just kill the motor and peddle them !!

[moffspeed]

We took a clutch of bikes a few years ago. Very convenient but not so good after a crate of shandies and a challenge of the first rider back to the M-B base from the Dunlop bridge.

Vague recollections of a touch of terminal oversteer, a boy scout ushering me into a tent, 8 stitches without local anaesthetic and a Sunday morning hangover that was devastating even by LM standards. To this day my left ear is a couple of inches higher than the right. Stick to walking...

[sniff petrol]

andyash said:

..So this year we have decided to go for another option...push bikes with engines!!!....they are quicker than gopeds, easier to ride and if the plod take the huff, then we can just kill the motor and peddle them !!

Where did you get your bikes from or did you adapt them yourselves?

[ccr32]

andyash said:

we have taken gopeds for the last 5 years , and found them a great source of transport/fun....initaly the local police just smiled , but in 2004 we were stopped on Mulsanne at GUNPOINT !!.

I know you!! Either that, or a bunch of people I know had the exact same thing happen to them.

Staying on MB per-chance??

[tmk2]

if you need a bike then get a new ticket sales company

[ccr32]

going back to the OP, i think bikes are definately a good idea. The circuit and the general area covers a fairly vast expanse, and without some sort of two-wheeled transport, you either have to have the paitence of a saint to sit and wait in the car/traffic, or the walking nonchalance of an army private.

Motorised transport is obviously preferred for the more indolent types... me included.