Cycling, why not ?

[J4CKO]

Ok, another cycling thread but from a different angle than cyclists are lawless idiots and drivers are out to kill them, put that aside, what I am interested in is, who cycles and why, who doesnt and why not ?

Would you if you could ?

Would you not be seen dead on a bike ?

Do you think the roads are too dangerous ?

Does the climate put you off ?

Did you buy a £79 mountain Bike and decide never again ?

Do you think cycling has a bigger part to play in our transport infrastructure ?

[PAULJ5555]

I cycle to work occasionaly and for plesure but stay off the roads as much as I can as its too dangerous, the same reason i'd never get a motorbike because theres too many idiot drivers out there.

[DrTre]

J4CKO said:

Do you think cycling has a bigger part to play in our transport infrastructure ?

Yep, if done properly; ie separate it out from road traffic (or at least make the roads wider)

Edited by DrTre on Friday 24th September 14:03

[Nimbus]

I dont.... because I work 30 miles away down a busy dangerous dual carriageway...
and theres no public transport either, unless you think a 3 hour, multiple change trip is suitable comapred ot my 25 minute commute..

I have been known to cycle for pleasure.

[ad551]

I cycle to work pretty much every day and enjoy long rides at the weekend, but I think the only way to encourage mass cycling in this country would be to provide high quality segregated facilities like they have in the Netherlands, sort of like this: http://www.hembrow.eu/cycling/photos.html

[Monsterlime]

I have a fairly decent Kona mountain bike, but haven't used it for quite sometime.

This is mainly due to an accident I had just over a year ago where I came off the bike and knocked my 2 front teeth out. I don't recommend it!

I have been meaning to get back on etc, but just haven't gotten round to it.

No car was involved in the accident, just to make that clear.

[Gluteus Maximus]

The weather - wind and rain, like today put me off. Call me ponce or what you will, but when I have the choice to get in a car instead, I will take it.

Nothing like riding into work through Richmond park on a sunny morning though.

I also like arriving in a car, fresh and ready, as opposed to sweaty and breathless from an 8 mile fast paced cycle.

[Jasandjules]

I used to cycle a lot when I was a kid but the traffic these days is awful, not to mention the weather....

[Garlick]

We do have a cycling forum chaps, that's three in GG now......no more please

[Steve_F]

I like speed. Whether it's in a car or on a bike.

To properly enjoy a fast car you need to take it to a track day, to take a bike to the limits of it's performace (or more accurate the limits of my performance) is not difficult, either on or off-road).

It's also a very easy way to improve fitness and enjoy the open country side.

[Comfortably Dumb]

Used to cycle to and from uni. Currently have a 15 mile commute and couldn't do that in a reasonable time without needing to shower, don't have the facilities for this at work. Planning on moving closer and either walking or cycling to work in the next few months.

[will_]

I cycle to work every day but not much for leisure.

It's faster than public transport
It's reliable and consistent and doesn't go on strike
It's cheap (I save about £1k a year)
I don't have to go to a gym
It's fun - I love racing myself/traffic/other bikes
It stops me getting fat
I don't have to make extra time in the day for exercise
I don't mind the rain or the cold

[Mars]

I would love to cycle to work but I live too far from my head office, and I'm only there irregularly anyway as I'm at customer sites (always further away still).


There is a PH cycling forum although I acknowledge you're targetting those those who might not be cyclists already.

I have a half decent bike from about 15 years ago. I'm about to buy a newer one.

[sjg]

Daily at the moment as a cycle + train + cycle commute is the most sensible way of doing it at the moment, keeps me fitter and gives over an hour of reading time a day on the train. Have a motorcycle and car too which get used depending on where I'm going.

Cycle for fun too.

I don't think the roads are too dangerous, just that most people have poor observation and I ride accordingly. London seems to scare a lot of people but the traffic is usually going so slowly and drivers resigned to averaging 10mph that it seems pretty safe to me. Our climate isn't bad either - someone doing 30 mins each way every day will only get properly rained on 16 times a year on average.

The number of short (sub 1-mile) journeys done by car is ridiculous - not from some kind of eco-warrior standpoint but the cars must suffer from not being warmed up, it often takes longer, and the drivers just get fatter and fatter as they can't be bothered to waddle the 10 mins up the road to the shop.

[Torquey]

I guess the problem is similar to the issue of public transport.

There is not enough money, thought or care put into it and therefore it is not a pleasure to use?

It could deffintely play a massive part in the future of town transport, as it does in Amsterdam. When we have 'continuous' cycle paths, security for bikes, places to shower (moreso at work) and preferably cycle paths without dogs on them then I will cycle more.


when the sun is out!

[DrTre]

Why is everyone focusing on "travel to work"?

[J4CKO]

Garlick said:

We do have a cycling forum chaps, that's three in GG now......no more please

Its part of our takeover of Pistonheads

I can see your point but none of the anti cycling brigade or the fence sitters will go in the cycling forum so its kind of preaching to the converted but I do concur that there has been a rash of cycling threads and vow not to post any more, for the time being.

[homerjay]

i have a couple of mountain bike, used to do novice comps but now ride for recreation.

i have ridden to work a couple of times (6 miles) and found it mind-numbingly boring.

i find cyclist on the roads a pain the the arse. espcially when doubled up. i dont care about their/our rights, its a pain in the fkin arse. the only reason they do it to be a fkin pain in the arse and so they can chat.

nearly as bad as s on scooters who scoot in and out of standing trafic to the front of the queue then sit in the middle of the road at 30mph. wkers! (i guess thats for another thread though)

[J4CKO]

DrTre said:

Why is everyone focusing on "travel to work"?

I suppose that is the most common journey most of us undertake but I do use my bike for other stuff, like Post Office runs and retrieving my car the day after dumping it somewhere in favour of alcohol and taxis

[mybrainhurts]

J4CKO said:

Do you think cycling has a bigger part to play in our transport infrastructure ?

Whoa, there...

You're starting to sound like one of these...