Cycling Photo Challenge - Entries and Chat

[Oldhippy]

This one has been a tough one.

 

[cyberknight]

I'll have you know that Des O'connor played for Northampton Town football club and Alan Carr was born here.. How about that for culture!!

 

[gtmet]

The result will be declared no later than 1800 tomorrow, 1 March.

 

[FrothNinja]

Urban cycling - in front of a bridge, water, ye olde pubbe, a micro pub, shops, houses, and an old mill - the very epitome of urbanity (Barrowford Park)

 

[gtmet]

Urban cycling - in front of a bridge, water, ye olde pubbe, a micro pub, shops, houses, and an old mill - the very epitome of urbanity (Barrowford Park)
View attachment 633305

@FrothNinja : 'Usual rule, the picture must contain at least part of a bicycle.'

 

[gtmet]

February 2022 Challenge Result: Theme: Urbanity


In short, the winner is @FrothNinja 's dystopian vision of urban badlands, cyclists dismounting in trepidation as the walls close in.

Suggested title:

"Steve,... ...I've got a feeling we're not in Ra'mell anymore."​

At length, elegance never really got into the running, my dreams of elegant carbon fibre frames posed in front of Georgian and Palladian architecture, perhaps some 'rus in urbe', lie trampled in the dust. Probably what you get by setting an urban theme for a rural people like the Anglo-Saxons, who plainly just do not like towns.

@Oldhippy led off with ambivalent views of attempts to soften urban life with painted facades on play areas. regimented holidays, and of course - cycling banned in quaint old shopping streets. @biggs682 picked up the same feeling of overcrowding, even in recreation, as did @PeteXXX with the close trimmed grass on the municipal rec standing in for countryside. The nightmare continued with @Dave 123 's Animal Farm analogy for human housing, and @yo vanilla was driven to disturbing visions.

@All uphill brings us modern urban utilitarianism and modern decay with just the fountain to hint at an elegant past.

A special mention to Mini T for smiling in Stevenage, perhaps it is the thought of the train out of Stevenage, and his father @Tribansman gets a special mention for effort for scouring the whole Great North Road in search of elegance. An elegant facade but no way in. @Dave 123 has certainly found a pretty seaside urb, but it seems a long way off. (And a bit of attention to the horizontal next time young man!)

Some very elegant buildings from @PeteXXX get closer to what I had in mind, obviously Northampton is worth including in a cultured cyclist's tour of England, but the bike does look as if it is awaiting covering fire before making a dash across the street. Must be the times we live in. Not so elegant but definitely urban is @FrothNinja 's final entry, but again a view from outside, and a slightly cynical one, 'Ye Olde Pubbe' where alcohol softens the life of workers in the fortress-like mill dominating the place. And it looks as though you leave your bicycle outside the town.

So in the final face off between elegance and dystopia it was Northampton Cultural Quarter vs. Liverpool Canal Badlands, and the dystopian majority view gives the win to @FrothNinja , for a well composed picture, radiating unease, with the bicycles an essential part and plenty to keep the eye moving.

OVER TO YOU @FrothNinja .​

 

[Oldhippy]

Well done Frothninja!

 

[Tribansman]

Yep, great photo. Tricky assignment that but enjoyed trying to cone up with appropriate pics

 

[PeteXXX]

So close, but happy for the 2nd place from @FrothNinja 🥇

Thanks for the (tricky) competition @gtmet and looking forward to the new challenge.

 

[biggs682]

Looking forward to the next challenge and congratulations @FrothNinja

 

[FrothNinja]

February 2022 Challenge Result: Theme: Urbanity


In short, the winner is @FrothNinja 's dystopian vision of urban badlands, cyclists dismounting in trepidation as the walls close in.

Suggested title:

"Steve,... ...I've got a feeling we're not in Ra'mell anymore."​

View attachment 633412


At length, elegance never really got into the running, my dreams of elegant carbon fibre frames posed in front of Georgian and Palladian architecture, perhaps some 'rus in urbe', lie trampled in the dust. Probably what you get by setting an urban theme for a rural people like the Anglo-Saxons, who plainly just do not like towns.

@Oldhippy led off with ambivalent views of attempts to soften urban life with painted facades on play areas. regimented holidays, and of course - cycling banned in quaint old shopping streets. @biggs682 picked up the same feeling of overcrowding, even in recreation, as did @PeteXXX with the close trimmed grass on the municipal rec standing in for countryside. The nightmare continued with @Dave 123 's Animal Farm analogy for human housing, and @yo vanilla was driven to disturbing visions.

@All uphill brings us modern urban utilitarianism and modern decay with just the fountain to hint at an elegant past.

A special mention to Mini T for smiling in Stevenage, perhaps it is the thought of the train out of Stevenage, and his father @Tribansman gets a special mention for effort for scouring the whole Great North Road in search of elegance. An elegant facade but no way in. @Dave 123 has certainly found a pretty seaside urb, but it seems a long way off. (And a bit of attention to the horizontal next time young man!)

Some very elegant buildings from @PeteXXX get closer to what I had in mind, obviously Northampton is worth including in a cultured cyclist's tour of England, but the bike does look as if it is awaiting covering fire before making a dash across the street. Must be the times we live in. Not so elegant but definitely urban is @FrothNinja 's final entry, but again a view from outside, and a slightly cynical one, 'Ye Olde Pubbe' where alcohol softens the life of workers in the fortress-like mill dominating the place. And it looks as though you leave your bicycle outside the town.

So in the final face off between elegance and dystopia it was Northampton Cultural Quarter vs. Liverpool Canal Badlands, and the dystopian majority view gives the win to @FrothNinja , for a well composed picture, radiating unease, with the bicycles an essential part and plenty to keep the eye moving.

OVER TO YOU @FrothNinja .​

View attachment 633413 View attachment 633414 View attachment 633415

Thank you @gtmet (and everyone else), I am genuinely pleased, and somewhat surprised - there were a lot of good pics out there.
I will have a think about a new theme and put it up ASAP.
ps I like the appointed title for the pic, wasn't far off what we were feeling

 

[Dave 123]

@gtmet that is horizontal. The iPhone extra wide angle has warped it somewhat. Honest guv.

 

[FrothNinja]

March's theme is:
HOPE

I've had a think and this what I thunk, and apologies to those who think my thunk is a bit cheesy (coz it is ).
Given that Lent is starting, the plague is lessening, and the world is getting a bit silly, the pics should represent Hope.
It doesn't have to be some great world hope, just something that helps you look forward to a new day or ride or whatever.
Give a little explanation to clarify the import of the image if it's not immediately apparent, an indication of the hope it holds mayhap.

ps - I hope I haven't posted an unworkable theme.​

 

[Dave 123]

I asked Lisa to marry me at this bench.
I hope she turns up!!!

 

[biggs682]

I hope once this broken axle is replaced drive to the rear wheel will be restored.