Peaceful Road cycling in the Midlands?

[iWaller]

Hello peoples, After visiting the cycle show at the NEC I have been inspired to start road cycling. I will probably get a spec allez or similar. But one problem, is the lack of peaceful roads in the midlands and staffordshire. If anyone knows of any routes in these areas, would be lovely if you can tell me! They must exist, because Evans is holding a sportive in cannock. Sadly this is too soon for me, will probably have to wait till next time

[Big T]

Depends on which bit of the west mids and staffs you are in. There's plenty of quiet roads to the east of Birmingham, going up towards Nuneaton. Also, plenty of lanes between lichfield and Burton on Trent. Further north, the roads to the east of Stoke and north of the A50 are fairly quiet too.

[Vantage]

If you use http://bikeroutetoaster.com/Course.aspx or http://www.bikehike.co.uk/mapview.php you can "usually" find a quiet-ish road in the yellow B-roads or white backroads. The white ones are sometimes unpaved in places so using the satelite view can give a good indication of their surface...usually.

[Richard D]

Joining my local CTC for group rides I've discovered hundreds of miles of quiet roads to the north and east of Birmingham that I had no idea existed when I travelled everywhere by car.

[hexhome]

I have been inspired to start road cycling. I will probably get a spec allez or similar.

There is a growing trend for manufacturers to fill their showrooms with 'sporty' bicycles. The problem is that most of us soon find that the discomfort of a 'pro riders' copy, is very off putting. To quote 531Colin a regular forum contributor with years of industry experience;

'Customer feedback is fairly easy to find......it doesn't even matter whose customers they are......
....If you just skim this forum, you will find many, many people wanting their handlebars higher and their gears lower.....never the other way round.
You will also find plenty of people trying to fit mudguards to bikes with inadequate clearance, and luggage to bikes with no fitments for a carrier.

Oddly enough, I don't remember reading any posts along the lines of........."I am a vain and foolish person, I allowed myself to be seduced by the greyhound good looks of bike X when I really needed bike Y which is comfortable and practical, and looks a right mongrel."

The fact is that glamour sells, practical is boring. Its been a lousy "summer" which is very bad for bike sales. The T de F and women's Olympic roadrace successes will give bike sales a bit of a boost, I expect a few shiny overgeared uncomfortable bikes will be sold (by shiny bike shops) to wannabee racers. Most will be ridden twice before being consigned to the back of the garage when the purchaser realises it isn't as easy as it looks on the telly. A tiny number of such bikes will be transported by car to the local proper bike shop, where the customer will be dismayed how expensive it is to get them somewhere near practical.

AND too many bikes have steering so fierce that people can't hold a straight line when they get a bit tired, or distracted by changing gear, etc.'

Specialized is one of the manufacturers to have addressed this issue with their Secteur models.

[eileithyia]

As said depends which part of Brum, is it a few years since I cycled in the area regularly, but there are lots of lovely lanes ... if you gave OS landranger maps look for 'yellow' roads, 'brown' b roads and try to avoid the red.... oh the blue ones are either motorways or water ... best avoided

Lots of lanes south and west avoiding Cov and down toward Warwick. Get in touch with the local CT and e-think the bike... get something you can fit mudguards on... this is not the time of year to take your shiney bike out without them.... you will not make friends of fellow cyclists, cafe owners/ other users/ your nice new cycling clothes will have a permanent dirty marks up the back.

[essexian]

You mention Cannock so it might be that you live close to there? If so, there are loads of quiet roads and lanes to the north and west of the town centre. I would suggest using the Old Penkridge Road to leave the town and then turn left down Sandy Lane. This takes you into some great cycling lands (mostly "flat"... no climbs more than 200 feet) with no major roads from there to Snifnal or north to past Eccleshall.

If you can get to Penkridge, just about every road (apart from the A449) is quiet and a pleasure to cycle upon. From Stafford, there are two off road routes out of town which take you either out towards Stone where you will find hills or towards Gnosall and Newport (the first part of this route is not suitable for road bikes.... unless you are well padded, ). The roads in Stafford are fine (apart from the Newport Road which can be a nightmare) unless the M6 is blocked in which case, forget it.

There are a couple of cycling clubs in the Stafford area: Stafford Road Club, Stone Wheelers and Newport (I think there are two clubs in Newport). Its worth containing them to see if they have a ride for you (there are two in Stafford on a Saturday which may interest you: the first is a ride on Saturday mornings for newbies while in the afternoon, there is a family ride).

[tykeboy2003]

I live in Swadlincote (South Derbyshire but only 5 miles from Burton on Trent) and there are loads of quiet country roads round here and East Staffordshire. Its particularly good round Abbots Bromley also further north towards Ashbourne and east into Leicestershire towards Loughbrough (Charnwood Forest).

Basically have a look at Google Maps and avoid the green roads where possible.

[tykeboy2003]

I've just bought a new bike (only the second brand-new bike I've ever had and I'm 56, the first was an awful ToysRus mountain bike when the kids were small), its an Edinburgh Bicycle Cooperative "Revolution Country Explorer". It's a lovely looking bike with disk brakes, drop-bars, great gearing and a luggage rack. Ok its a bit on the heavy side at 14kg, but as I'm 76kg the odd 4kg in 90kg is hardly worth bothering about. I did a lot of research on the web and took my time choosing and the bike lives up to my expectations. I think it was this review of the 2011 model which clinched it for me. http://road.cc/content/review/19389-revolution-country-explorer

I would echo comments in the above replies about being taken in by sexy road bikes in flashy glass and chrome shops.

[Ayesha]

http://www.northbirminghamctc.co.uk/

[Kevbcbga]

I live in Tamworth - there are loads of quiet lanes and roads around here. If you are anywhere near and fancy a ride sometime let me know - not too quick though, I'm more of a 12 - 14mph average speed rider.

[QUIST]

There are quiet roads out near Wythall nr B'ham and also out towards Meriden but as ever a quiet road ain't a safe road if some idiot is racing down the road -ie around Nuneaton

[Ayesha]

There are quiet roads out near Wythall nr B'ham and also out towards Meriden but as ever a quiet road ain't a safe road if some idiot is racing down the road -ie around Nuneaton

http://www.ctc-heartofengland.org.uk/

How about Rutland Water?

[QUIST]

I've cycled around Rutland Water never through it!- youre right there are some nice roads out that way and also around Uttoxeter

[Ayesha]

On any weekday,
Take the Greenway from Stratford upon Avon to Long Marston.
Ride the short distance to Shakespeare County Raceway.
Ride up and down the drag strip all on your lonesome for as long and as fast as you like.
Ride back to the Long Marston end of the Greenway, and then ride the Greenway back to Stratford.