Cycling and the Coronavirus

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Mo1959

Legendary Member
Sod not cycling. They can get lost if they come out with that. I went out for a solo walk for some air thinking it would be quiet. It was totally surreal. Local park car park nearly full and I met over 30 people at least on the walk, most in groups all close together, many elderly plus others with kids running around. People seem to be treating it like an extra holiday! :wacko:
 

wafter

I like steel bikes and I cannot lie..
Location
Oxford
Re wafter post and exchange with hoopdriver above.

Prof whitty quoted on bbc

Posted at 20:10 18 Mar20:10 18 Mar
Whitty: Exercise is very important during the outbreak
Prof Whitty, the UK's chief medical adviser, adds it is "very important" that children and adults take exercise, and being outside in the park is a "very good thing to do".
Speaking to the BBC's special coronavirus programme, he said: "The thing we are trying to avoid is people meeting up unnecessarily or having unnecessary social contact."
He says going to the park is encouraged, but crowding together with large groups of friends for long periods of time is advised against.
Indeed; I'm not attempting to construct an argument against cycling and am the first to advocate for getting out on the bike to improve one's mental and physical wellbeing.. what I am trying to achieve is the best balance between continuing to function as "normally" as possible while protecting myself and others from transmission.

As such, while we all evidently view things differently I'd personally consider idle chat with anyone I didn't have to interact with for some other reason an un-necessary risk. I will be remaining inside and isolating myself from others except for necessary trips to the shops or solo rides and walks in the open countryside :smile:

It's not just low it's extremely low and equivalent to injuring yourself and requiring hospital treatment if you go for a walk or run. Also you'll know your own risk profile. How often have you come off the bike and how often you have required hospital treatment? There's also ways of mitigating the risks. Don't go so bloody fast downhill, be extra cautious, choose quiet roads and cycle ways etc.

We must also question whether exercise is considered non essential. I think it is essential more than ever where a good healthy immune system and ability to fight off infection is needed.

You don't see any call to ban people driving around despite the fact they injure themselves more and need hosiptial treatment than they injure cyclists and pedestrians.

Let's get risks in proportion rather than just have an emotional response to something.
As above I've not advocating one way or the other; merely pointing out that the (minimal) risk of injury carries with it a corresponding risk of stretching an already stressed healthcare system so the argument is valid in principal, even if the risk is extremely low.

Thankfully I've never required tertairy medical attention for a cycling issue and I'd be of a mind to continue to cycle despite being advised against doing so on the above grounds because I consider that an acceptable risk/reward ratio.. while others might disagree.

I agree about cars; although of course in our society all the important people use cars for their important tasks, while the idiosyncratic cyclists just get in the way with our pointless and self-indulgent journeys :rolleyes: We all know how our society generally views cycling so it's no surprise to see further devaluation of its worth in this latest governement advice; although actually I'd expect the cycling ban to come under a general blanket travel ban that would also include cars.. but I may be wrong.

Assumption is the mother of all fark ups, like the film says.

"Airborne spread has not been reported for COVID-19 and it is not believed to be a major driver of transmission" - source: WHO

Advice on Belgian TV (RTBF) yesterday was to cycle with your family (I think they mean household, really) or at most one friend and to keep your distance from the friend or anyone else: 1.5m lateral or 5m ahead/behind. This is an attempt to keep out of range of direct cough range. That is probably easier on Belgium's one-way roadside cycleways, wide two-way ones or filtered roads (similar to the Netherlands but with more painted lanes and fewer kerbed), than on the UK's substandardly narrow cycle tracks, especially a Cycleway Resembling A Pavement.

Curiously, picnics are now banned in Belgium, but the reason wasn't explained. I wonder if it's the risk of food falling back out of an infected mouth onto something others may touch.
Totally agree with the quote in principal, however in this instance I'd rather my incorrect assumption led to a reduction in the risk of transmission through being over-cautious than the opposite.

As above I'm not arguing against riding; just raising some concerns about some things that made me uneasy; rationally or otherwise. Interestingly the distances quoted above are not a million miles away from where I was finding myself comfortable yesterday. Apparently when Triathletes group-train they have to be separated by 5m to avoid and drafting benefits; which seems to corroborate the figures above.

Really want to go out for a ride now, but unfortunately circumstances (other than those discussed here) dictate that it'll be a few days until I next get the opportunity :sad:
 

mjr

Comfy armchair to one person & a plank to the next
Sod not cycling. They can get lost if they come out with that. I went out for a solo walk for some air thinking it would be quiet. It was totally surreal. Local park car park nearly full and I met over 30 people at least on the walk, most in groups all close together, many elderly plus others with kids running around. People seem to be treating it like an extra holiday! :wacko:
Do you think? Some parts of town had a distinct "last chance saloon" feel to it today, like it was elderly people taking their last chances for unfettered freedom before going into requested-may-become-forced quarantine at the weekend and parents enjoying the penultimate day before having to look after their school-age children. I'm guessing a bit from appearances and snippets overheard because I didn't think people would welcome being accosted today!
 

mjr

Comfy armchair to one person & a plank to the next
As above I've not advocating one way or the other; merely pointing out that the (minimal) risk of injury carries with it a corresponding risk of stretching an already stressed healthcare system so the argument is valid in principal, even if the risk is extremely low.
Thinking that you can see their flawed reasoning doesn't make the argument valid in principal. The minimal risk of cycling injury should be compared with the risk of what I'd do instead: driving? Drivers hurt more people than cyclists and not just through direct collisions, but also things like pollution; staying at home? I broke my foot going up stairs at home; going for a run? Broke my arm; total inactivity? That way lies loads of diseases in general and a particular known health problem for me personally.

Apparently when Triathletes group-train they have to be separated by 5m to avoid and drafting benefits; which seems to corroborate the figures above.
I've read that too but I'm sure someone did wind tunnel tests and thought there were still drafting benefits up to the 7-11m range... but I suspect the air exhaled from the rider in front might be safely well below your nose/mouth by that distance. Maybe recumbent riders should hang further back? ;)

Really want to go out for a ride now, but unfortunately circumstances (other than those discussed here) dictate that it'll be a few days until I next get the opportunity :sad:
I've ridden more than I want to the last few days but I've now got all Tuesday's shopping list so I might take tomorrow off! :rolleyes:
 

Milzy

Guru
If @Milzy club is affiliated to British Cycling there is a real possibility of insurance implications.

Affiliated clubs, mine is one and I'm club sec, are covered by BC insurance for many eventualities. I've had to read many documents in relation to this insurance cover and frequently find reference to "advice," "advisory," "guidelines," "best practice" etc. While these are not rules I wouldn't want to see my club having to argue our position if we had ignored, for example, "best practice."

I've read nothing from BC in relation to Covid-19 and insurance cover. BC have requested affiliated clubs cancel or suspend organised activities. Ignoring this request might make an insurance claim tricky.

My club hasn't considered the issue of kit though privately I have.
I think members will be doing unplanned routes off the radar. If you knock a ped over I'm pretty sure the claim would be fine.
 
Maybe recumbent riders should hang further back? ;)
I always do! For one thing I don’t like breathing other’s sweaty slipstream on any bike, for another, on the bent I get too intimate a view of people’s perished Lycra. Also, drafting seems unsporting because no one other than perhaps another bent rider can get much of a tow off me!

On the local cycle path today the weather seemed to have brought out every description of crazy (including me of course) but at least I was a solo, no contact, out and back carrying my own coffee stop. Lots of groups out tho, and not much social isolating apparent among them.

This is all going to get weirder before it gets better . . .
 

vickster

Legendary Member
I saw lots of couples and families out cycling on the paths but one group of 4 adults. Presumably relationship groups living together should be able to go out together? Keeping their distance from others for prolonged periods at least
 
Last edited:
Location
London
I saw lots of couples and families out cycling on the paths but one group of 4 adults. Presumably relationship groups living together should be able to go out together? Keeping their distance from others for prolonged periods at least
Sounds ok to me. Some folks have, rather jokingly, suggested that tandems are out, but i think it fair to assume that folks on tandems are already shacked up together.
(Unless there is some underground tandem swinging scene naive me is unaware of).
Lombardy in italy now banned even solo outdoor exercise. Truly desperate as things are there i don't understand that unless the authorities are worried about folk using it as a cover for meetups and want to relieve pressure on authorities checking up on folk.
Will be out on the bike today.
Been out most days this week swerving going into several food shops that seemed too crowded for sensible entry.
 

youngoldbloke

The older I get, the faster I used to be ...
Sounds ok to me. Some folks have, rather jokingly, suggested that tandems are out, but i think it fair to assume that folks on tandems are already shacked up together.
(Unless there is some underground tandem swinging scene naive me is unaware of).
Not necessarily so, I know a number of tandem-riding-only couples.
 

youngoldbloke

The older I get, the faster I used to be ...
don't understand your "not necessarily so.
apologies if brain gone through being inside too much.
not necessarily shacked up?
not necessarily swinging?
- not necessarily shacked up; in response to your
"but i think it fair to assume that folks on tandems are already shacked up together."
(that's why I italicized that part of your quote)
 
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I've just sent for a front wheel riser block for my new turbo trainer which I bought to maintain some semblance of fitness if I can't get out on the bike.

My wife is very unhappy. She has seen that the payment is to a Chinese account, even though the supplier is based in London and it is from stock already in the UK, and doesn't want it to come into the house. I have said I will not open it for three days and will disinfect it on opening, even though I think this is way over the top, but she is still not happy.:boxing::popcorn:
 

mjr

Comfy armchair to one person & a plank to the next
[...] doesn't want it to come into the house. I have said I will not open it for three days and will disinfect it on opening, even though I think this is way over the top, but she is still not happy.:boxing::popcorn:
Can you put it in a shed for the three days so it's not in the house? Bonus if you can put it in the sun, which is suspected to harm c19.

None of us really knows what's over the top with this yet, do we?
 

rogerzilla

Legendary Member
I've just sent for a front wheel riser block for my new turbo trainer which I bought to maintain some semblance of fitness if I can't get out on the bike.
I found a bit of wood in the garage that was the right height.

(Apols for duplicate images; the delete button does nothing on my browser)
 

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