Urban/Rural riding

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Bicycle

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I ride often, both in London and the sticks. I've done so since childhood and am happy in both environments.

My elder son (15) also rides often, but just in the sticks (and in shire towns and cities.)

We were in London at the weekend and threw a roadified MTB and a fixie in the boot to get between locations.

He's ridden in London before, but usually with me 'shadowing' him. Not this time - and I was surprised what a shock he found it all.

We were around Highgate, Wood Green, Hornsey and Highbury Corner (game at the Emirates, so there was traffic and chaos).

My son was quite shocked at how casually close cars got and how they seemed blithely unaware of him.

This was a further demonstration to me that riding in big cities is one of those things that's entirely normal when you're used to it, but utterly perplexing (and slightly intimidating) when you're not.

I think I'd just failed to appreciate that 40 years of experience was offering me a safety net he lacked.

We'll do it again, but it was quite a stark lesson for him. He came back from the weekend wiser, but he might also have come back slightly flatter.

All good stuff, but a timely reminder that knowing how to ride safely and comfortably in the sticks is one thing....

I'll sit down with him over a DVD of Mad Max2 and explain the rudiments of positioning in an aggressive environment.

Anyone else have a stark reminder of the difference between cities and BIG CITIES?

(I was born and raised in London and love it dearly, so there's no regional sniffiness here).

Also, if not the chase scene at the end of Mad Max2, which film should I use for training.

Ronin is a little antiseptic, Bullitt too transatlantic and stilted.

The French Connection is good and maybe the Mini in Paris in the first Bourne film.
Any others? I want the message to go home. :rolleyes:
 
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