Cycling 40 Years Ago
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Dogtrousers
Kilometre nibbler
So written in 1935, looking back to 1895, when there were "no motor vehicles on British roads" and between that time and the author's came "an entirely new technique in road construction" (presumably Tarmacadam). Huge change. And the first world war too.
It's worth pondering that 40 years ago now was 1983.
It's worth pondering that 40 years ago now was 1983.
Dogtrousers
Kilometre nibbler
Here's roughly the same view of Hutton le Hole as that picture. The Google camera is the other side of the Beck to where the photographer was
OP
OP
presta
Guru
rogerzilla
Legendary Member
40 years ago or even 30 years ago, Sunday club runs were nice as there was next to no traffic. Besides the almost doubling in car numbers since 1980, Sunday shopping ruined it.
Dogtrousers
Kilometre nibbler
40 years ago cycle commuting in London was ... er ... not much different to what it's like now.
Actually that's not entirely fair because there are cycle lanes and superhighways and stuff. However I'm not actually familiar with any of them as the routes I used when I commuted (pre covid - I don't any more) didn't coincide with much/any fancy cycling infra. It certainly doesn't feel any different to how it did then. The Elephant and Castle still gives me just as much of a nervous breakdown as it ever did.
Actually that's not entirely fair because there are cycle lanes and superhighways and stuff. However I'm not actually familiar with any of them as the routes I used when I commuted (pre covid - I don't any more) didn't coincide with much/any fancy cycling infra. It certainly doesn't feel any different to how it did then. The Elephant and Castle still gives me just as much of a nervous breakdown as it ever did.
rogerzilla
Legendary Member
I have used the cycling superhighways a bit. The main thing I noticed was how long they keep you sitting at lights. It can be nearly 5 minutes.
Ming the Merciless
There is no mercy
- Location
- Inside my skull
In 1983 (40 years ago), I was a year away from getting my first 10 speed racer. At the time I had a 24” single speed tracker bike, with cowhorns and knobbly tyres. I was also pretty decent at jumps, pulling long wheelies, and riding my bike whilst sitting on the bars. If I did any of that now, I’d probably do myself a mischief.
Dogtrousers
Kilometre nibbler
Some things haven't changed
OP
OP
presta
Guru
Most of the arguments were just the same when there were four times the road deaths, and bikes outnumbered cars by 4 to 1. It might be argued that motorways are the car network they were advocating, but they were never going to make any difference, because drivers still have to get from home to the motorway. I note that they point out that cycle paths just create the hazard of an additional junction at every side road.
Smokin Joe
Legendary Member
- Location
- Bare headed cyclist, Smoker
And car boot sales buggered it up for quite a few TT courses.
Sterlo
Early Retirement Planning
- Location
- East Riding of Yorkshire
I wouldn't want to cycle in Hutton-Le-Hole anyway, sheep wandering about everywhere, I think they've got the freedom to graze anywhere.
Windle
Über Member
- Location
- Burnthouses
1983 was the year I started riding seriously (seriously other than riding bikes as a kid). I had an old hand painted orange Carlton with Raleigh stickers
. Probably a ten speed with cotter pin cranks! One of the first decent (solo) rides I did was down to Seaton Carew and back, down a much different to now A689, a round trip of about twenty miles, with a bottle of Kia Ora squash. I seem to recall having sausage and chips on the seafront. No wonder I got into cycling properly after that 
. Happy times.
OP
OP
presta
Guru
Sheep roam free in most places where there's open fellside, they're not usually a problem as long as you don't get between the littluns and mum, otherwise they bolt across the road in front of you.
I've only owned 8 bikes in my life, and I bought the 7th one in 1981.
