Is recreational cycling becoming less popular (excluding London commuting)

[presta]

I agree about Essex. Even though i live in South Essex which is quite urban i have only got to go 10-15 minutes and i'm cycling down quiet leafy lanes.

There's plenty of roads to ride on, but I don't see many cyclists.

 

[Dogtrousers]

I was an occasional cycling visitor to Essex by crossing the Thames on the late lamented Tilbury/Gravesend ferry. Sadly that route option is no more.

 

[presta]

The only occasions I've been south of a Brentwood-Billericay-Wickford-Crouch line is to get to and from Kent via the T/G ferry. Sahfend would have been on the agenda if there was a ferry at Fambridge, but crossing via the A130 at Battlesbridge was a bit less appealing

 

[The Central Scrutinizer]

There's plenty of roads to ride on, but I don't see many cyclists.

Not many midweek but more at the weekend especially clubs.
I think quite a few come from London.
Always makes me laugh when i ride through rural Bulphan and i come to the sign"Welcome To The London Borough Of Havering"

 

[derrick]

Essex is fine when you get out past Epping, but drivers in Essex are not to good, tend to go Hertford way these days.

 

[matticus]

Is that a lot for an Audax in Nov? It sounds like a lot to me. But I'm only a dabbler in Audax and haven't actually done one for a couple of years now.

We had 77 out on a *200*! So not that unusual these days. That was in Oxon - there was a similar event same day in Glos, probably similar numbers.
Both events have run for at least 10 years.

(same event had about half the entries last year - Oxon had been flooded all week, so lots of people played safe. )

 

[grldtnr]

The only occasions I've been south of a Brentwood-Billericay-Wickford-Crouch line is to get to and from Kent via the T/G ferry. Sahfend would have been on the agenda if there was a ferry at Fambridge, but crossing via the A130 at Battlesbridge was a bit less appealing

It's much easier to cross at the A130 junction now, there is a cycle path that takes you round this notorious junction, but even then ,it's sometimes best to go with the flow around the junction, depending non which way your going, it's a bit like Salmon leaping to round sometimes, but once across it a decent cycleway will take you to Chelmsford most of the way, then dumps you at Howes Green, the junction with the A130 & the A12, there isn't a way through it as far as I know, not much good anycase as it dumps you on another fast dual carriageway.
You can avoid it, by doing Baddow/ or Sandon, but not ideal , but cross the Crouch ,then Essex opens up once your clear of Chelmsford, i know my county pretty well, tho not done much that way since my incident.
Essex is a large county, and has many pleasant villages, perhaps why you don't see many cyclist.

 

[grldtnr]

There is a Ferry at Burnham on Crouch to Wallasey , the backside of Rochford , i'll rephrase that, hinterland of Rochford, it's a bit seasonal I think. Not used it much.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

The lanes can easily swallow many cyclists giving impression no one about. If you are all a couple of minutes or more apart and riding a similar pace, you won’t see each other.

 

[The Central Scrutinizer]

It's much easier to cross at the A130 junction now, there is a cycle path that takes you round this notorious junction, but even then ,it's sometimes best to go with the flow around the junction, depending non which way your going, it's a bit like Salmon leaping to round sometimes, but once across it a decent cycleway will take you to Chelmsford most of the way, then dumps you at Howes Green, the junction with the A130 & the A12, there isn't a way through it as far as I know, not much good anycase as it dumps you on another fast dual carriageway.
You can avoid it, by doing Baddow/ or Sandon, but not ideal , but cross the Crouch ,then Essex opens up once your clear of Chelmsford, i know my county pretty well, tho not done much that way since my incident.
Essex is a large county, and has many pleasant villages, perhaps why you don't see many cyclist.

Yes you can avoid the horrible A130/A12 junction by going through Butts Green and then up Hammond Road to Boreham.Nice route which i do often when i cycle over to my son's in cressing via Terling,Fairsted and Black Notley

 

[grldtnr]

Yes you can avoid the horrible A130/A12 junction by going through Butts Green and then up Hammond Road to Boreham.Nice route which i do often when i cycle over to my son's in cressing via Terling,Fairsted and Black Notley

Quintessential Essex is that , I also enjoy the Danbury 'alps' which lead onto the back lanes to Maldon, a lovely town, some wonderfull views to be had from there towards Colchester and beyond

 

[123456789]

@PaulSB - I'm only excluding London commuting as the numbers seem to be increasing. Maybe it's just an Essex thing - hoping when I retire I can move to somewhere more cycling friendly and with some hills.

 

[123456789]

Yes only one ride so may well have been a blip but must admit my area is not cyclist friendly at all. From my time before I could do 50 miles out in the deepest darkest parts of Essex with not many incidents at all but as soon as I cross back over the Turnpike idiots encountered per 100metres increases twenty fold.

Without giving away my exact location Rayleigh/Eastwood/Hockley and Wickford are my closest areas so I have Canewdon/Paglesham/Stambridge or across the Turnpike and out to Hanningfield etc.

 

[ianrauk]

Yes only one ride so may well have been a blip but must admit my area is not cyclist friendly at all. From my time before I could do 50 miles out in the deepest darkest parts of Essex with not many incidents at all but as soon as I cross back over the Turnpike idiots encountered per 100metres increases twenty fold.

Without giving away my exact location Rayleigh/Eastwood/Hockley and Wickford are my closest areas so I have Canewdon/Paglesham/Stambridge or across the Turnpike and out to Hanningfield etc.

Hanningfield and the surrounding area is usually quite busy with cyclists. Some lovely cycling around there. But as Ming quite rightly says. The lanes can easily swallow up people. YOU may not see many other whilst cycling, but stop at the Cafe at the reservoir and you'll see plenty pass by.

 

[grldtnr]

Hanningfield and the surrounding area is usually quite busy with cyclists. Some lovely cycling around there. But as Ming quite rightly says. The lanes can easily swallow up people. YOU may not see many other whilst cycling, but stop at the Cafe at the reservoir and you'll see plenty pass by.

Yes, it's a cyclist 'superhighway', from the conurbation commuter land, the only real way to get out to Chelmsford by and beyond, it's a long plod up Brock hill tho', not that it worried me years ago, whizz up there on the fixed, I'm not that man anymore, and it has got very busy, just far too many cars