Does Anyone Else get Disillusioned At Times?

[Doc333]

I have now been cycling for 6-months and more often than not I'm loving it. Late 50's geezer recovering from a heart attack April 2013, a bit overweight and obviously unfit. I've now got my average speed up to 14 mph from a lowly 8 mph 6-months ago, but to be fair I was averaging 11 mph within a few small rides.

I hate climbing, but due to where i live there are no alternatives, but I do get get really jarred off at times with certain aspects of the sport:

1) The state of the roads in this area is an absolute disgrace. Car drivers complain of pot holed roads, which being a driver I fully endorse, however trying to cycle on these roads is a killer. I have wrecked 2 wheels due to crashing into deep potholes. I have nearly broken my wrist countless times due to the severe jarring, vibrating handlebars on roads where the tarmac has vanished in areas close to the kerb. This can cause cyclists to stray into the path of vehicles behind. I'm sick to death of people like Chris Boardman who is trying to take the fight to the government, it will never happen.

2) From my house I have to negotiate some of the busiest roads in the county, where cyclists either need to hide their brains and common sense, or try and detour onto some less busy lanes. These lanes are always well away from where you want to get to, but I admit to taking these long detours to get anywhere. I would love to leave my front door and go out for a day long run somewhere nice, and have a drink and bite to eat. Sadly I'm not brave enough to sit on the road with trucks and cars speeding past me constantly.

3) So-called cycle lanes are a joke and are never kept debris free (2 punctures) and many of them just end right into a busy highway, and most of them are on busy highway's.

So although I commend people like Chris Boardman, I find it all a bit silly because this country will never be Holland. There's no room for the number of cars and the amount of buildings mean more traffic in once quiet communities within the greenbelt. Cameron and the DfT just blow smoke up our arses.

I love cycling and will carry on cycling, but I may need to relocate somewhere where I can just upen my front gate and get out and about, without hoping I'll get back.

 

[matth411]

YEP! I find that where the council have relaid the road, they make it worse. My commute to work takes me along the front of docks so the road is terrible, with wagons and cars speeding past me. There are days when I just do not want to go out because of the traffic and roads. I only use about 3 cycle paths around here because; 1) there are hardly any around 2) those ones are poorly maintained 3) some were just painted on to an uneven pavement that just happened to be wide enough. I used one cycle path yesterday that brilliant though, I think it was the Welsh Road (actual name) although I cannot be sure as I was lost at the time. Near Capenhurst I think. I had a conversation with a driver the other day after riding in primary to avoid a series of potholes and eventually he agreed that it was for my safety that I did ride in primary. Regarding punctures... I was getting 2 a week with puncture resistant tyres on the roads I use to get to work. I went in the direction of slime inner tubes, they are a bit weighty but unless I am racing (highly unlikely on my hybrid and lack of experience) they are just a practical compromise. Cities and towns have large traffic volumes, but the countryside has country lanes with speeding cars. Hope you don't stay too disillusioned too long Doc

 

[Pro Tour Punditry]

Move somewhere else then.

 

[Nigelnaturist]

Move somewhere else then.

Where would you suggest the roads all over are in disgusting state, there is a cycle lane on and off from here (Pontefract) to Wakefield, and its unnecessary, in fact it endorses the believe in car drivers, that cyclists have to use these lanes.
@Doc333 just keep riding, it took me over a year to achieve 15+mph on most rides, I don't ride an expensive road bike but after awhile you do get use to the condition of the roads, best tyres I have had are gatorskins, I have only had 3 punctures since Aug (6,000+ miles) one a failed patch and the other two from hitting stones pretty hard, never had one from pot holes and hit some of them pretty hard.

 

[Pro Tour Punditry]

Where would you suggest the roads all over are in disgusting state.

Scottish Borders is nice, the roads I cycle on are mostly in good enough repair as are the roads I have cycled on over the Border in Northumberland and Cumbria.

 

[shouldbeinbed]

all salient points doc333, if a bit 'glass half empty & someone has dropped a cigarette butt in it'

Holland was like UK until 40 odd years ago, there was a well orchestrated campaign to highlight especially child mortality on Dutch roads that tipped the balance and had the politicians see the light. Agree we probably wont ever get to that level of bike friendly policy & practice but people like Chris Boardman are speaking a lot of sense and with the profile to be listened to, but give hum a break, he doesn't have a magic wand or naked pictures of Cameron & Osborne in compromising positions to force through changes at a fast rate.

Join in with your local cycling groups, engage with your local council or get in with one of the national orgs and help push for the changes you want to see, the more voices, the more chance of something happening.

Above all though, look to find the good and take the pleasures not the pains out of every ride.

one thing to work on yourself tho, save those wheels from hitting the potholes, speed is nothing without control & anticipation, if you're hitting that many & that hard maybe it isn't the potholes that need addressing most urgently.

 

[numbnuts]

When you go out on your rides log all the pot holes you see and report it to your council or to “fill that hole”, you may end up with a patch work road, but no holes.

http://www.fillthathole.org.uk/

 

[Doc333]

all salient points doc333, if a bit 'glass half empty & someone has dropped a cigarette butt in it'

Holland was like UK until 40 odd years ago, there was a well orchestrated campaign to highlight especially child mortality on Dutch roads that tipped the balance and had the politicians see the light. Agree we probably wont ever get to that level of bike friendly policy & practice but people like Chris Boardman are speaking a lot of sense and with the profile to be listened to, but give hum a break, he doesn't have a magic wand or naked pictures of Cameron & Osborne in compromising positions to force through changes at a fast rate.

Join in with your local cycling groups, engage with your local council or get in with one of the national orgs and help push for the changes you want to see, the more voices, the more chance of something happening.

Above all though, look to find the good and take the pleasures not the pains out of every ride.

one thing to work on yourself tho, save those wheels from hitting the potholes, speed is nothing without control & anticipation, if you're hitting that many & that hard maybe it isn't the potholes that need addressing most urgently.

Fully agree with everything, and sorry it came over so negative, but sometimes the body takes a battering just from increasing the distances covered, but aches, sprains and pains because of the state of the roads ...... Chris Boardman is a legend in my eyes, but just think that we have no chance of doing anything simply because the politicians are selfish, useless, self serving, sycophantic, me, me. me and sod the rest of you but I'll smile for the camera's whilst I'm stabbing you in the back ...

I'm loving the cycling but would love it more if I didn't have to tangle with speeding metal and so-called cycle lanes (Another political expedience)

Oh whilst I'm moaning how long before I drop a couple of inches from my waist

 

[vickster]

Perhaps get a bike with suspension, pop some decent tyres on it and enjoy poor long around. Add swimming into the mix for more exercise

The roads are awful in all countries it seems !! The USA is worse in my experience

That said, I rode up box hill today for the first time today, lovely and smooth. Unlike every other road. The really poor stuff tends to be kerbside, so ride a bit further out

 

[doog]

2) From my house I have to negotiate some of the busiest roads in the county, where cyclists either need to hide their brains and common sense, or try and detour onto some less busy lanes. These lanes are always well away from where you want to get to, but I admit to taking these long detours to get anywhere. I would love to leave my front door and go out for a day long run somewhere nice, and have a drink and bite to eat. Sadly I'm not brave enough to sit on the road with trucks and cars speeding past me constantly.

Is it possible to stick the bike in / on the car and drive a few miles and cycle from there ? Plenty do it and probably cheaper than moving house. Just a thought.

 

[Shut Up Legs]

I can understand your disillusionment, @Doc333 . All those problems you mentioned we have in Australia also, except I get the impression that our roads may be in slightly better condition than those in the UK. The motorists' attitude over here is appalling, which occasionally gets me down. Anyway, I hope you sort out your cycling problems , because there are so many benefits to cycling that I still think it's worth continuing after all my years of doing it.

 

[galaxy]

Hi there.
I am in a simmilar situation, busy roads, heavy traffic and bad pottholes.I have only returned to cycling in the last few weeks after long lay off and to improve my health.
Having encountered a few punctures and finding the roads in a terrable state i have taken to ridding my MTB on the road. Having susspension on the front helps, along with being upright a little more to feel comfortable on the bike. Also still needing to loose approx 2 stone i feel this why i am getting more punctures.
Obvious the MTB is harder to ride, i feel it is helping me to get fitter, although i am not pushing myself more than a raised heartbeat.
Maybe worth a try.

 

[albion]

Ask yourself why you hate climbing?

If you have adapted for your age/fitness/health and fitted a granny chainweel of say 22,32,44 the skys the limit when it comes to climbing.

 

[Joshua Plumtree]

Ask yourself why you hate climbing?

If you have adapted for your age/fitness/health and fitted a granny chainweel of say 22,32,44 the skys the limit when it comes to climbing.

Because it's uphill!

Live in rural North Norfolk with hundreds of miles of country lanes on my door-step. Find riding in built up areas with loads of traffic a real turn off, and I'm not sure if I'd have the tenacity to carry on cycling if I lived in a large town or city Seen those commuters bombing through central London - not for me! But huge respect to those who do.

 

[shouldbeinbed]

Fully agree with everything, and sorry it came over so negative, but sometimes the body takes a battering just from increasing the distances covered, but aches, sprains and pains because of the state of the roads ...... Chris Boardman is a legend in my eyes, but just think that we have no chance of doing anything simply because the politicians are selfish, useless, self serving, sycophantic, me, me. me and sod the rest of you but I'll smile for the camera's whilst I'm stabbing you in the back ...

I'm loving the cycling but would love it more if I didn't have to tangle with speeding metal and so-called cycle lanes (Another political expedience)

Oh whilst I'm moaning how long before I drop a couple of inches from my waist

yes, the politicians are out of our control and an isolated privileged elite & car / freight lobby p**ses all over bike lobby at the mo, but it is slowly, ever so slowly, beginning to feel like we're getting a foothold, certainly at a local level.

cycle lanes are invariably crap & nowhere near the good thing councils & drivers think they are, they are a v good reason to get into your councils ribs and put a bike perspective that they may well not possess.

drivers: 100 cyclists = 100 different opinions. I live, work, ride mainly within Greater Manchester connurbation. I take an assertive line, signal clearly & in good time, recognise decent driving with a wave or thumbs up (particularly when commuting & getting a rapport going with the regulars on the same route as me), use a mirror & have 30+ years of biking spidey senses to call on & if I think they're driving asleep or are just a tw*t, I'm pragmatic enough to relinquish my right of way on that rare occasion, I don't seem to get much grief. 99% of people are spot on. 0.8% need to pay more attention, 0.1% are overly courteous & 0.1% should be put through a car crusher in their car for their irredeemably aggressive and ignorant attitude.

Can't help with the inches I'm afraid I drink beer & eat pizza, the bike keeps me at 13 stone & enjoying my food without ballooning,