mjr wrote: I'm sure Leicester's lovely and it seems much better than nearby towns, but what I've seen on my visits is nowhere near as nice as Norwich...
When I worked in Leicester I noticed that not many of my work colleagues lived in the city itself, or even the immediate suburbs. They all commuted in by car or train from places such as Nuneaton, Hinckley, Field Head (near J22), Derby or Nottingham. I commuted in from South Notts (by bike - 21 miles each way). I think I lived the 2nd furthest away but I was the only one who cycled in.
I used to ride in from the north, down the Melton Road and along the Golden Mile. There was no cycle infrastructure, apart from a ropey old concrete cycle way with uneven slabs along part of Melton Road.
The Golden Mile has been the recent subject of a big consultation - it will be reworked to be less horrid! Out towards Thurmaston (around the old Thorn Lighting now Sainsbury) there is a patchy 30s style cycle path subject to a low key restoration campaign.
You can easlily remove the Tapatalk spam using settings on YOUR phone
Leicester; Riding my Hetchins since 1971; Day rides on my Dawes; Going to the shops on a Decathlon Hoprider
I know Leicester fairly well having lived there for a couple of years in the 80s and as a regular visitor since. My experience of Norwich is less, though I've been there a couple of dozen times over the years, about half of them with bike. they're such completely different places I can't imagine why anyone would choose between them on the basis of the cycling provision. Possibly if one was world class and the other dire, but they're probably both somewhere in the middle and the differences minimal. I'd rather live in Leicester, I like the cultural mix, the surrounding area and the transport links. Someone else might be just as likely to choose Norwich on the same criteria, or even more likely on a criteria of their own. IMO if you choose on the basis of opinion on the cycling provision you may as well toss a coin.
I love the fact this is being discussed 7 years after the question and when AnzacGal is probably now cycling in Dunedin or Brisbane...., would she ever think that she planted something that someone would dig up again after so long....
Mattievrs wrote:2010 called and asked for it’s thread back.......
The greengrocer called and asked for his apostrophe back
MJR, mostly pedalling 3-speed roadsters. KL+West Norfolk BUG incl social easy rides http://www.klwnbug.co.uk All the above is CC-By-SA and no other implied copyright license to Cycle magazine.
Despite living only half an hour away by car, I rarely visit the centre of Leicester. I’ve noticed that Melton Road (Golden Mile) no longer carries the amount of traffic that it did, as they encourage it to go up to Loughborough Road and around the Ring Road instead, so it should be more pleasant to ride. They’ve also demolished the ghastly Belgrave Flyover.
I’ve still never been to Norwich. I can’t comment further than that.
I lived and worked in Norwich for about 4 years, cycled to work and outside of that so much that I ended up selling my car.
Now, it's not London so other than run ins with the odd bus driver/taxi driver that has the belief they rule the road it's not too bad.
Norwich as a city is fairly bike friendly, but the benefit here is that within 10 minutes cycling you're in the countryside and can have some really decent rides on quiet roads. There are clubs but to be honest I was too slow to keep up so didn't really get involved there that much.
Good bike shops, good coffee shops but then it's a city so I guess those two are a given.
I've never lived in Leicester so can't comment but I certainly enjoyed Norwich whilst I was there - I think if you liked Cambridge you'll like Norwich. It's not quite as good of course but a very viable sideways step.
I've lived in Leicester's suburbs for around 35 years, and can't remember the last time I went to Norwich. The centre of Leicester is very good for utility cycling, and cycling is permitted in the pedestrian areas which cover most of the city centre. Unfortunately, as you get further out the quality of the cycling infrastructure deteriorates to the national average! The reason is that the City Mayor is very pro-cycling (& walking) but the District Councils are very pro-drivers. There are some nice destinations linked by Sustrans routes 6 & 63, and the canal /river towpath is nice.
Leicester; Riding my Hetchins since 1971; Day rides on my Dawes; Going to the shops on a Decathlon Hoprider
Whenever I've visited Norwich I've thought how lovely it is . There is some lovely cycling around it.
Lived in Leicester 10 years or so - it's not as bad as some paint it! I actually lived in a predominantly Asian area - Spinney Hills/Crown Hills - I can't say that was an attraction or a negative for me but if you were from an Indian or Pakistani background those cultural needs are well catered for. The population tend to be proud of their city - I think they consider it a bit unfairly in the shadow of Nottm but the football success has put them on the map. I actually prefer it to nottm certainly from a cycling point if view
For cycling it does depend where you live - there are some good routes into the city and some places where your commute would be less good. Leicestershire itself is well above average for cycling - lots of lovely rolling countryside and in some directions relatively little traffic.
