[Archived] Anyone A Cyclist?

[JC4LAB]

Any CTC members,Audax riders,Cycle tourers here?

[Flopsy]

I cycled to Oxford from Solihull for charity. Does that count?

Paul's your man

[Roaming Rover]

Not part of a group or anything but have been doing a fair bit of cycling round the ribble valley and north Yorkshire. In September i'm cycling between Ben nevis and snowdon via lakes and dales. As flopsy has said Paul is the man for cycling info on here. He's been very helpful for me.

[RIML]

I'm a keen mountain biker

[Paul]

CTC member, occassional tourer, keen leisure cyclist currently looking for a new, more local, club - if you know of one?

[Claytons Left Boot]

Used to have a racing bike and do anything up to 70 miles per trip but usually somewhere between 30 and 50. No great shakes to a club member but I used to go out on my own. Cycled to and from work as well in all weathers, ie. another 10 miles daily. 'Retired' a few years ago but have since started sessions on the racing type bikes at JJB/DW, Guide, along with running and swimming. A great hobby and a proper sport.

[Perth_Rover]

We do a lot of cycling as cross training for rowing. Would usually go about 100km+ every saturday and about 4 lots of 30-50km during the week.

[JC4LAB]

CTC member, occassional tourer, keen leisure cyclist currently looking for a new, more local, club - if you know of one?

Garstang Cycling club but runs are Saturday ..Have a website

http://www.bikeradar.com/ is a good forum for bike stuff.....

[only2garners]

I'm very much a leisure cyclist. Have been on a number of holidays across Europe but they are very easy rides between nice hotels rather than serious rides.

Paul - have you looked at Preston Wheelers or Ribble Valley Cycling Club?

[ABBEY]

Whats the cycle race in blackburn on wed ?

[tcj_jones]

I used to do a lot of cycling - mostly jumps, mind - but had to stop because of my bad joints - in this case, my wrists. Now I've got far worse injuries, they're the least of my worries! Haha. I do miss it though, it's a great feeling, especially when you're on some nice picturesque trails. It was always a bit of a dream to go to the Peak District and spend the week cycling around there. Hopefully one day I'll be able to.

[JC4LAB]

http://www.blackburn.gov.uk/server.php?show=ConWebDoc.41909

After le Tour de France we now have le Tour de Blackburn

.Theres a brochure link for full details

http://www.blackburn.gov.uk/upload/pdf/Bla...ixLeafletV6.pdf

[colin]

I'm a commuting cyclist. Five miles into the centre of Manchester every day, plus strapping the bikes onto the back of the car for holidays, plus monthly expeditions out with "The Chorlton Wanderers."

Currently incapacitated due to a brick on "The Fallowfield Loop" after a couple of pints in Chorlton.

[RIML]

I hope everyone wears a helmet.

When I'm in the car either as a passenger or driver I get infuriated when I see a cyclist riding on the road, not wearing a helmet.

I must admit when I was younger it wasn't cool to wear one but now I wouldn't go out without one.

I can't stress enough to those who don't wear one - WEAR A F***** HELMET

Anyways what bikes do people ride, I ride a Cannondale Prophet.

[Paul]

I ride a Monoc TC2 Concept which was a pre-production frame and basically looks like this, though someone with more knowledge than me will point out the differences:

Always wear a helmet though I'm not 100% convinced as to how much difference it would make in a big spill!!

[Flopsy]

in a collision with a truck, you're screwed what ever you're wearing.

However, in day to day cycling, a helmet will protect your bonce if you come off.

Plus i find the visor on mine, very useful to keep rain off my face.

I have a Dawes 401 commuting Hybrid and a Giant Boulder (2007) and i ride 4 - 5 miles into Birmingham City Centre to and from work

[RIML]

That's my mountain bike That's not me on it though.

Ye in the event of a collision with a lorry you're screwed. I try not to ride on the roads with it being a mountain bike, I don't mean I ride on the pavements, I just try to go through dirt-track roads so I'm not on the roads much but I have this thing for wearing a helmet, it's just gota be done.

I did in fact have a bad fall on the road not so long ago. Where I happened to be in the middle of the road ready to turn right, this left hand drive car coming towards me mustn't have seen me, didn't brake causing me to slam on my brakes. With the road being so narrow someone had to stop. It was the day after I had my bike serviced which didn't help because I went flying over the handlebars landing in the middle of the road. The driver slammed on at the last minute, I heard the screeching of the brakes, the driver narrowly avoiding my head. If the driver happened to hit me and I wasn't wearing a helmet I would have most probably been dead or brain dead. It was one of them moments where everything stopped, my hearing went completely, until I looked up and saw he was about a yard away from hitting me, I realised how lucky I was.

[Paul]

I had one of those late last summer. I was going down a 30mph hill with a mini roundabout at the bottom and was suddenly overtaken by two cars driving very badly. I then saw a car approach the mini roundabout from the left (out of a pub car park). The two cars slowed so I braked as I thought they might stop but they didn't and went straight through the roundabout, having right of way. I eased off the brakes and picked up speed to about 15mph. As I entered the roundabout the driver coming from the left turned right across my path. Seeing what was happening I braked hard, turned hard right and broadsided into him, hitting the drivers door pillar. Put my knee into his door, ripped off the wing mirror and dented the bonnet when I landed on it before sliding gracefully to the ground!!! It was an Alfa so won't have been cheap to repair.

Broke my hand, dislocated my thumb, tore the tendon which holds the thumb in place............but the bike was OK!

[Flopsy]

which is the important thing.

[Rover down South]

I have a Marin Bear Valley & its a brilliant bike. I cycle the disused railway cycle routes along the Sussex North Downs to South Downs link, don't very often go out on the roads to be honest, don't trust the drivers, the young seventeen/eighteen year olds that think they are Schumacher are normally not paying attention as they are texting, or lighting a cigarette etc, so just stick to cycle routes.

[RIML]

Broke my hand, dislocated my thumb, tore the tendon which holds the thumb in place............but the bike was OK!

I was more bothered about my reflector which had snapped off I didn't even think of taking the driver's details. I work in insurance and I was told by a man who works for Zurich that 99% of incidents involving a cyclist and a car go in favour of the cyclist. I was also in a state of shock too you just don't think at the time. My knees were badly bruised, nothing like the injuries you sustained.

What annoyed me the most was all the driver said was, "I didn't hit you did I" He probably didn't know what day of the week it was, what sort of question is that, he should have known he was driving the car surely he would have felt some impact if there was any. He insisted I was on his side of the road which obviously must imply to an old fart, who clearly thought he owned the road, that he didn't need to slow down, he didn't even ask if I was ok either, some people

[Shevchenko]

Always wear a helmet though I'm not 100% convinced as to how much difference it would make in a big spill!!

The difference is life or death.

Simple as that.

Also, I have through my work been in contact with some severe traumatic brain injury cases (not from bike accidents but still, the end game is the same whatever) and it is not a pretty picture at all.

ALWAYS wear a helmet. I see a lot of people riding bikes without them on and it does make me angry. One small careless move and you can be severely disabled for life.

[incy wincy little spider]

Iv'e just spent a chunk of my first pay check on a Merida Matts bike. Bought it from a shop owned by Thomas Ziegler in Hannover! He's a bit busy this week so wasn't him that sold it me.

I love it so far and cycle 6+miles a day to and from work. I agree you should wear a helmet....but i don't here because there are cycle lanes on the pavement. Always wore one at home - mum wouldn't let me leave without one!

[Shevchenko]

Iv'e just spent a chunk of my first pay check on a Merida Matts bike. Bought it from a shop owned by Thomas Ziegler in Hannover! He's a bit busy this week so wasn't him that sold it me.

I love it so far and cycle 6+miles a day to and from work. I agree you should wear a helmet....but i don't here because there are cycle lanes on the pavement. Always wore one at home - mum wouldn't let me leave without one!

And that makes a difference how?

If you go over will the pavement be softer? Speed doesn´t matter, a fall is a fall.

Even mild brain trauma can have severe consequences to your daily life. Concentration issues and memory impairments can occur as well as other not very nice things.

[Flopsy]

I did the brum to Oxford bike ride for the downs association if you fancy giving me some cash (I wore a helmet as did everyone else to keep Shev happy )

http://www.justgiving.com/andybradshawbrumtooxford/