Why cycling ain't so green

RE: Why cycling ain't so green

Martin Atkinson — Mon, 13 Jun 2016 18:35:26 GMT

[quote user="Gillian Mostyn"]Stop being awkward![/quote]Awkward moi? I'm too old worry anymore. I know I'm getting slower so I'll be looking for PW's rather than PB's. I once ran a 1/2 marathon in 1hr 18 mins and a full one in 2.48. I don't feel I'm that much slower now but with my new-fangled TomTom GPS watch its timing me as doing 9 minute miles over just 4 miles. That would put me back with the people dressed up as dinosaurs or cereal boxes or whatever - a scary thought. Fortunately my cycling doesn't seem to have declined as much.

RE: Why cycling ain't so green

Gillian Mostyn — Mon, 13 Jun 2016 18:23:42 GMT

[quote user="Martin Atkinson"]Or just erm....enter a race. [/quote]

Stop being awkward! Youust know what I mean! You can see any improvements (or not) really easily as strava gives you lots of stats about how your ride/run/swim compares to other times you have done it. You also get to see how all your training mates are doing. It can be a way to race other people. But it doesn't have to be!

RE: Why cycling ain't so green

Clive Ansell — Mon, 13 Jun 2016 18:06:29 GMT

[quote user="J G Wray"]Advice from police is leave it to the Council[/quote]

What will the council do? if your council are similar to mine it will be the square root of sweet FA.

[quote user="J G Wray"]It's not mine to sell.[/quote]

Fair enough. Presumably, if it is not collected or claimed within a reasonable time frame you could do as you want with it - if only to recoup the cost of storage? just a thought.

RE: Why cycling ain't so green

J G Wray — Mon, 13 Jun 2016 16:21:54 GMT

[quote user="Clive Ansell"]Maybe take it to your local municipal tip, which would be free if you're going anyway?[/quote]

Advice from police is leave it to the Council

[quote user="Clive Ansell"]Alternatively, put it on ebay for spares or repair - might be surprised what you get for it.[/quote]

It's not mine to sell.

[quote user="Clive Ansell"]What sort of bike is it? [/quote]

Eh? It's a black one

My Nana once asked what sort of car I had bought, I replied

"Well it's light blue.." she cut me short with "I know the sort."

RE: Why cycling ain't so green

Clive Ansell — Mon, 13 Jun 2016 16:05:44 GMT

[quote user="J G Wray"]

An update from th police is that this bike is not reported stolen so speak to Council. Council are treating this as fly tipping, but I've complicated matters by taking the bike off the pavement/driveway on to our land. I suggested putting it back on the pavement but the Council advised against because I might be reported for fly-tipping

So there's the answer for those with broken bikes. Drop 'em off on someone's driveway, avoiding fly tipping, taking care to remove any identifying marks and let someone else pay.

[/quote]

Maybe take it to your local municipal tip, which would be free if you're going anyway? Alternatively, put it on ebay for spares or repair - might be surprised what you get for it.

What sort of bike is it?

RE: Why cycling ain't so green

Hannah Wynne Richards — Mon, 13 Jun 2016 15:57:40 GMT

If you have a fireplace, can't you use a carbon bike instead of coal?

Wynne

RE: Why cycling ain't so green

Martin Atkinson — Mon, 13 Jun 2016 15:49:29 GMT

[quote user="Gillian Mostyn"]Or just 'race' against yourself! [/quote]Or just erm....enter a race.

RE: Why cycling ain't so green

Gillian Mostyn — Mon, 13 Jun 2016 15:21:31 GMT

[quote user="Neil Wheadon"]Strava is an internet based speed network where you race yourself against cyclists doing the same route.[/quote]

Or just 'race' against yourself!

RE: Why cycling ain't so green

J G Wray — Mon, 13 Jun 2016 15:16:39 GMT

So there's the answer for those with broken bikes. Drop 'em off on someone's driveway, avoiding fly tipping, taking care to remove any identifying marks and let someone else pay.

RE: Why cycling ain't so green

Martin Atkinson — Mon, 13 Jun 2016 15:06:29 GMT

[quote user="Virginia Campbell"]That's what I try to remind myself when I get stuck behind a MAMIL for miles, head down, arse up, oblivious to the queue of cars forming behind as they sail past gateways, laybys and side roads that they could have tucked into.[/quote] Funny, I have a feeling of deja vu coming on. What makes a cyclist such an inferior road user that he/she has to pull over for you to continue on your majestic way? Do you think horses should have to get out your way or even slow moving farm traffic? Get a life Virginia. Most people who 'get stuck' behind me are drivers using the lane as a rat run and are slowed to the disgracefully slow speed of 20mph for a minute at most. And in reality on most occasions they are not stuck at all they're just such poor drivers that they don't know the width of their own vehicle and could easily pass anyway. That irritates me more than if I'm driving and get stuck behind one of the afore mentioned classes of traffic. If I want to get a move on I don't drive on narrow lanes.

RE: Why cycling ain't so green

Neil Wheadon — Mon, 13 Jun 2016 14:45:42 GMT

Which I agree with, the idea of having an impatient motorist sitting behind you for miles isn't great and all it takes is a quick swing in and a wave, I blame Strava

Neil

PS Strava is an internet based speed network where you race yourself against cyclists doing the same route.

RE: Why cycling ain't so green

Virginia Campbell — Mon, 13 Jun 2016 14:40:13 GMT

[quote user="Martin Atkinson"] It annoys me I have to slow down but live and let live I say[/quote]

That's what I try to remind myself when I get stuck behind a MAMIL for miles, head down, arse up, oblivious to the queue of cars forming behind as they sail past gateways, laybys and side roads that they could have tucked into.

RE: Why cycling ain't so green

Virginia Campbell — Mon, 13 Jun 2016 14:23:19 GMT

www.youtube.com/watch

RE: Why cycling ain't so green

J G Wray — Mon, 13 Jun 2016 14:10:39 GMT

What do you do with your carbon bike when it breaks?

RE: Why cycling ain't so green

Martin Atkinson — Mon, 13 Jun 2016 12:40:36 GMT

[quote user="J G Wray"]On a lighter note, last week I was walking on a track in the forest with the best dog in the world when a cyclist actually stopped to let me by!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!![/quote]If he was on a footpath then he shouldn't have been there anyway but as you can imagine if red lights don't stop me a 'no cycling' sign won't, however I would at least stop for walkers.

Slightly more seriously, this weekend I went for a cycling tour in the Cotswolds via the Chilterns so lots of quiet country lanes (and hills). I met several dog walkers who were spread out all across the road and seemed oblivious to the danger to themselves let alone me (I've been taken down several times by dogs their idiotic owners hadn't got under control and let them run in front of me, one was even on a lead which got tangled in my bike). And that's even before we come to the horse riders going two abreast down narrow lanes. It annoys me I have to slow down but live and let live I say, we're all enjoying the countryside but I could have been an idiot driver speeding round a blind bend. I do sometimes think horse riders and dog walkers are looking for a Darwin award (before you say it cyclists are as well but taking risks is part of the thrill I don't think dog walking is an adrenaline pastime). One girl was leading a horse down a lane coming towards me so they both had plenty of time to react but as I went past the horse reared up and nearly took me out. She was on the inside - is it not convention (common sense) when leading a horse on a road that you walk on the outside?

PS I've given myself one star to save self-righteous dog owners and horse riders the trouble.

RE: Why cycling ain't so green

Bob Russell — Mon, 13 Jun 2016 11:36:27 GMT

I have been driving across the Forest twice or more each day, past an 'abandoned' quite smart motor bike. Expected it to be stripped of bits but seems to have survived for days! Gone now!

The cyclist clearly is not Russian. When they holiday in Thailand they neither give way, smile or thank you! Poor chap probably had hurt something delicate when he stopped!