Cycling UK Forum

BrianFox wrote:Just voted to keep the rebrand and hope it contributes in a small way to CUK being a little more visible and higher impact, with more members.

Ditto above

Don't like it myself - and yes, it might be more of the fear rather than the reality...but the overall speed of motorbikes seems to have increased and I don't think it does much for encouraging more nervous cyclists onto their bikes.

Just come back from Holland and although they let mopeds onto the fietspads (cycle lanes separate from roads), this still doesn't compare to the fear factor on Holloway Road (v busy notoriously dangerous road for cyclists in north London) when you've a 1000cc whizzing past your ear..as you're edging out to avoid the nose of a car eager to turn into your path.

Hope the trial won't be extended after July next year, just a personal opinion tho...

pigman wrote:"Club run nearly ending in disaster"
... are you a tabloid headline writer?

Some guys out on bikes got a bit split up and some cars overtook them. Happens on every clubrun Ive ever been on and never thought of it as near disaster.

Exactly - what is the problem referred to in the OP?
There's nothing in the highway code that says you have to ride in a peloton, is there?

Got a B17 for Christmas, been comfortable as anything since I put it on my Galaxy - done a 40 miler and plenty of shorter trips.

Was expecting the notorious soreness at first but thankfully none. Proofiding it occasionally.

Definitely worth the money I reckon

A very merry Christmas to all you very knowledgeable and decent fellow cyclists, from an irregular poster but regular browser.

I've recently booked the CTC tour of S Holland and the North Wales MTB so hope to see you fellow/esses on the road somewhere...........

I remember a CTC Membershop Woes thread on here a while back so just thought I'd share a positive experience I had this week.

I emailed them with my new address details and requested a new card as I didn't get one when I renewed and this makes it difficult to get discounts.

Also cheekily asked for some mudguard stickers to put on my fixed wheel to confuse the hipsters in this fair city and....

Got a very nice email back promising all would be in the post ASAP - it is nice to know there are people at the end of the line looking after our interests

peter236uk wrote:Oh and I would quite happly let my terrier have a cat if he caught it in my garden !

No problem, I'll ring your terrier's neck if I find it in mine

I'm not sure how it compares to some of the killer ones listed, but Hartside on the Coast to Coast for its length and windy nature is one of the worst I've been on - also a couple of others on that day 2 from 3 on the C2C.

I wasn't heavily loaded - 2 panniers and bar bag, but I was sure pleased to get to the top and have a look at the view and have a snack

wallyone wrote:I had a 4 speed Elswick with army knapsacks as panniers, Optimus petrol stove and a hideously heavy sleeping bag. In 1977 I cycled to Stonehenge festival then carried on to tour around Wiltshire, Somerset and Dorset sleeping in a variety of fields, beaches and woods.
I've cycled all over Europe and the UK and that trip in 1977 was one of the best adventures I've had so far. That's the magic of the first tour and it doesn't matter where you go.
I've still got the stove but I'm too scared to fire it up.
Have fun.

Sounds great that one, would love to have been cycling around in those days.
My first one was last year, with the CTC on the camping trip to Holland. Was great fun, friendly group, very well led (Mark Waters) in a relaxing fashion. People could go off in groups in the day, or on their own and meet up at the campsite at night. Great array of bikes from my predictable Galaxy, through recumbents and bikes with shopping baskets on the front containing sleeping bags.
Great routes as you'd expect from Holland and out of the way campsites to have a few beers and eat round the tables.
Would recommend to all, great feelingriding off the ferry down the slope at the Hook

Took a trip to Edinburgh at the week end and was very impressed by two shops close to each other - Edinburgh Bike Co-Op and Velo Ecosse.

The first was extremely busy and the second only a little less so.

Didn't look at prices too closely but they looked competitive, with Velo Ecosse stocking more of the single speed / fast road bikes and the the Co-Op a broader range.

Very nice own branded track / SS frames in Velo Ecosse and good to see a Dawes Galaxy waiting to be collected in Co-Op

I've been out with the Central London CTC a few times and always found very diverse and welcoming groups. A range of rides, of which the 2* is my cup of tea - the 3* being a bit fast for me at the moment.

However, I've heard that, possibly because of a larger demographic / transient population etc the mix is atypical, compared with other groups around the country. I wouldn't know myself as I've not been out with others. To me there seems to be a good mix of people - those who've done it for years, newcomers, semi-regulars and the odd loony that has discovered the website somehow and had nothing else to do that day.

All the leaders have been supportive and I didn't feel intimidated when I got a puncture

centrallondonctc.org.uk

A proper adventure, no doubt - wild camping in some of those places would have worried me with the dogs etc around. Would have made sure I had a defence weapon nearby.
I guess the speed / intensity was the main point of the trip, but it did seem a shame from a cycle tourist point of view that he couldn't really stop to have a look about the places.
Thought he may have changed the panniers at one point as they looked surprisingly clean later on.

Biscuit wrote:Tony,

As for the bit up North Spider -I too would like to do that route...... between the Wadenzee and the Ijsslemeer? Or the N302 between Enkhuizen and Lelystad?

Both of those bits look great, think that's what I have heard about. Thinking about a tour early next year so will keep you posted.............

I think one of my implications from the original post was that it needs to be discussed as to whether we create a system similar to America or Europe (can't remember which) where car drivers can turn left on a red if it is clear, and apply it to bicycles, say going at less than xmph.

The problem is with this debate, as with similar others regarding modifying laws which a lot of people habitually and safely break, is that any whiff of change causes the Mail and Telegraph writers and readers to break out in hyperbole and see the status quo as something to be protected.

By the way if there is someone waiting to cross a zebra or a pedestrian crossing on green, I always stop like I did this morning - some cyclists don't and it annoys me.
If there is a junction that is on red but safe and clear, I'll cross it.

Agree with your happy sentiments entirely - I did the CTC Tour of Holland last September, and it was great, both the cycling and the tour. Can't wait to go back and use the maps I didn't use (followed someone with Sat Nav).

Great signage and routes as soon as you get off from Harwich - Hook of Holland. I want to go across the massive bit that traverses the sea up on the north west coast. Can't remember the name but a lot of cyclists talk about it I think. Love riding around the Vondelpark too.