What is the worst road you've ever cycled on?

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Crazydave
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What is the worst road you've ever cycled on?

Post by Crazydave »

Just curious to know what the most night marish routes have been for you all. For me, the worst one was probably the A557. This was in my JOGLE. At 4-5pm, it wasn't even quite rush hour, but I could smell the chemical works, it wasexceptionally busy, traffic was ill mannered, it was grade seperated like a motorway, and had bits of cycle track, that suddenly ran out, dumping you somewhere else. The A46 from Bath to the M4 must be pretty close, narrow, twisty and full of trucks.
These days, I avoid "primary routes" unless I really have to use them.
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Mick F
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Re: What is the worst road you've ever cycled on?

Post by Mick F »

Depends on what you mean by "worst" or "nightmarish".

In Tasmania (I was there in 1988 with HMS Sirius) I rode out to Port Arthur. Part way there, they'd dug the road up, or was it laying a road! Either way it was 4 or 5 miles of hard-core and rubble!

Other than that, perhaps the Connel Bridge on my way to Oban. It's narrow and the road was very busy. I went onto the walkway, and found out is about two feet above the road with no barrier. I was pulling my trailer and had to make my way round the stanchions that jutted into the walkway. I had the drop to the river below through the girders to my left, and about 3 feet of walkway with a couple of feet drop to the traffic. I couldn't afford to wobble!
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groberts
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Re: What is the worst road you've ever cycled on?

Post by groberts »

The ones in Surrey where I live! I pay more and more council tax each year and the roads get worse and worse. OK there are really worse but what are we paying for here?
jochta
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Re: What is the worst road you've ever cycled on?

Post by jochta »

Mick F wrote:Depends on what you mean by "worst" or "nightmarish".

In Tasmania (I was there in 1988 with HMS Sirius) I rode out to Port Arthur. Part way there, they'd dug the road up, or was it laying a road! Either way it was 4 or 5 miles of hard-core and rubble!

Other than that, perhaps the Connel Bridge on my way to Oban. It's narrow and the road was very busy. I went onto the walkway, and found out is about two feet above the road with no barrier. I was pulling my trailer and had to make my way round the stanchions that jutted into the walkway. I had the drop to the river below through the girders to my left, and about 3 feet of walkway with a couple of feet drop to the traffic. I couldn't afford to wobble!


Hmm, didn't have a problem with the Connel Bridge. The Kessock Bridge however was the scariest road I've ever cycled on. A narrow cycle lane separated from the traffic by a normal motorway barrier and a lowish fence on the other side with the long drop into the water. Couple that with a fierce crosswind. The lorries whizzing past at 70mph just inches from your elbow plus the wind made it a total white knuckle ride but not of the nice thrilling kind. I was so glad when it was over.

John
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Mick F
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Re: What is the worst road you've ever cycled on?

Post by Mick F »

Agree about the Kessock Bridge!

I've warned about the bridge no end of times on here, but apart from you and me, no-one else seems to have backed me up.

I suppose it depends on what time and day you go over.
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Neil Fat Man On A Bike
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Re: What is the worst road you've ever cycled on?

Post by Neil Fat Man On A Bike »

My mate had the roof of his lorry blown off on the Kessock bridge, shortly followed by the two rear doors.
It can get hellish windy on there.
I think the worst roads are in Rossendale (strangely also the worst performing council in the country too) but the roads from Dumfries to Ayr were pretty rough on the Ayr side.
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Deckie
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Re: What is the worst road you've ever cycled on?

Post by Deckie »

The Praze an Beeble to Leedstown road down here in Cornwall. Only a minor road & fine in the other direction, but the surface is very badly worn & feels as though they stripped it for re-surfacing & then forgot! Its bad in a car too.
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Romeo Whisky
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Re: What is the worst road you've ever cycled on?

Post by Romeo Whisky »

I must be the only person who cycles on Leith Walk.
jochta
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Re: What is the worst road you've ever cycled on?

Post by jochta »

Neil Fat Man On A Bike wrote:My mate had the roof of his lorry blown off on the Kessock bridge, shortly followed by the two rear doors.
It can get hellish windy on there.
I think the worst roads are in Rossendale (strangely also the worst performing council in the country too) but the roads from Dumfries to Ayr were pretty rough on the Ayr side.


Oh yes, I forgot about those. All of the A-roads in Ayrshire were in an absolutely awful condition. The A713 down into Dalmellington was appalling. The A759 into Troon barely existed as a road in places.

John
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Mick F
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Re: What is the worst road you've ever cycled on?

Post by Mick F »

jochta wrote:The A713 down into Dalmellington was appalling.

Agree about that! I rode it last summer - awful surface, rough and pitted, though not pot-holed. Just ROUGH!

This has just reminded me, last week I turned off the A390 at St Ive and rode up to Pensilva. They've re-dressed the road with that awful sprayed tar and gravel.

The thing is, the gravel is graded with very fine stuff up to perhaps 10mm. I'm sure they did the job well, but we've had some torrential downpours recently, and the fine stuff has washed away to the gutters before it could get worn in. All that was left was the rough gravel. The road was smoother and better before they did anything!

Perhaps that's what happened to the Dalmellington road.
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Re: What is the worst road you've ever cycled on?

Post by bikepacker »

Worst road surface from Hujebergen to Essen in Belgium.

Most dangerous the autovia (you have to ride it there is no alternative) from Algeciras to Gibraltar.
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boink
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Re: What is the worst road you've ever cycled on?

Post by boink »

Paisley to Erskine bridge on my lejog last summer. Horrible potholes all over the shop and the only punctures we had on the whole trip.
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EdinburghFixed
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Re: What is the worst road you've ever cycled on?

Post by EdinburghFixed »

Romeo Whisky wrote:I must be the only person who cycles on Leith Walk.


I haven't since they started the tram works - wrong end of town.

I never found it too bad before but I shudder to think what it's like now...

I'm not sure it will be much of an improvement when finished either. Apparently they are going to have parking either side, trams in the middle and just one traffic lane each way. So on the long climb up from Leith I'd be holding up *everything*. And that is almost the definition of nightmarish... :shock:
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Re: What is the worst road you've ever cycled on?

Post by travelling »

the road between hunstatnton to wells on sea then onto cromer

it's mostly 2 small car wide roads and with bends thrown in it is a bit of a forward thinking road
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simonhill
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Re: What is the worst road you've ever cycled on?

Post by simonhill »

Strangely I seem to forget about the worst ones. I'm sure there have been plenty, but after getting stressed (to put it politely) and thinking this is hell on two wheels while riding them, I quickly forget about them.

I do remember one that could be the worst as it was a 25 km steep downhill on dirt due to road construction - the reason I remeber it though was because it was also one of the most stunning roads I have ever ridden.

Try to look on the bright side!
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