Bike versus Car

[fossyant]

OK, more light hearted than the 'other' thread....

Totally scalped my colleagues in a car travelling between two sites this morning...... we'd all been in the same meeting, one had hoped for a lift back, but then saw my bike helmet..."sorry saddle not big enough for two"......so the other colleague took them back.

Colleagues walked to car as I was unlocking and packing my stuff in the rucksack. Probably jumped on the bike at the same time they started the car....

It's about a 4 mile ride, main roads, fairly traffic clear (at 11am), 1.5 miles single carriageway, and 2.5 mile 40 mph dual carriageway.

It took them about 2.5 miles to catch me, and they passed me on the 40 stretch (we waved).....

Kept it spinning at 23mph (into a headwind) and caught them up as they were turning right off the dual carriageway, shot past them, and out sprinted the traffic for the last 400 yards before turning into work....

Bike 1, Car 0...

My colleague popped upstairs shortly after - well impressed....

Get in...bikes are faster, even out of rush hour....

 

[very-near]

Well done

Did he need a shower afterwards though ?

 

[fossyant]

Nah just babywipes for me.............

 

[Ian Johnson]

They must have got stuck in traffic at some point. Or they nipped into Asda for a few odds and sods haha,

 

[colinr]

Is that 23mph on the fixie? Not sure I'd be up to holding that pace on mine... I'd wager that a mere mortal on the bike would have come second

 

[hackbike 666]

Take it easy and chill out man.

Cars don't matter.

 

[summerdays]

Well done - shows that bikes aren't a second rate form of transport...

 

[hackbike 666]

I knew that many years ago.

 

[fossyant]

Is that 23mph on the fixie? Not sure I'd be up to holding that pace on mine... I'd wager that a mere mortal on the bike would have come second

It was. Can do about 26 max on the flat realistically (for a short period ), before the rpm get's too high and my ass starts burning....... About 33 mph is the current max down hill...160 rpm

The guy even said we'd be racing down 'Kingsway'...

Just goes to prove a bike can be quicker.

 

[Ian Johnson]

We know that cycling is faster on urban roads in heavy traffic,but it still can be just as fast or faster if the traffic is fairly free flowing. I remember a few months back cyling from Hindley to Wigan which is about 3 miles,there are four sets of lights between this particular route,As I was approaching the first set a guy in a Audi A5 shot past me very close at about 37 mph. The lights turned red and I drew alongside him ,he the raced off but e got caught by the next lights about 400m away, I pulled infront of him and put a sprint on as he was stuck behind a slower driver in a micra..he eventually passed me about 500m along the road,I was cruising a steady 23-26 mph by now. A few minutes later and another mile along guess who is stuck at the lights in a queue of about nine cars....yes mr impatiant Audi A5 tapping the steeriing wheel with his fingers.I filtered to the front of the queue,it was a good few hundred metres before he passed again with engine reving.The next lights was even more fun ,there where four cars including mr audi A5 again and a van at the front. I filtered to the front of the cars but behind the van,which was to my benefit as I drafted the van for the rest of the way. getting to town well ahead of mr Audi A5....so a £800 bike v £15000 car over 3 miles in light traffic. Bike wins again ,and I am no means a super fast rider unlike some on here. Timing of the lights helped and a little draft assistance

 

[fossyant]

Many moons ago, when I was in my early 20's, I worked in Knutsford, 19 miles from home.

I rode there usually 3-4 days a week (and racing at weekends). I could do the 19 miles in about 53 minutes. The car, would take a 23 mile route (motorway) but traffic at either end (the first and last 2 miles) meant that still took a good 45 minutes.....

The disadvantage there though was the extra 45 mins I needed to get up earlier if riding though. Blooming good training though !

 

[HJ]

Bike is alway faster across town...

 

[HLaB]

Bike is alway faster across town...

Not if you live in the Redrow houses in Dunfermline apparently their brochure said it was 15 minutes to Edinburgh

 

[fossyant]

It's good to rub it into folk's faces, especially when it's not a 'cross town run'.......

It's got out at work though....