Cycling down dual carriageways/motorways

[Kominic]

Now, I don't expect anyone here to be masochistic enough to cycle on motorways but there certainly are people left of centre enough to ride dirty up dual carriageways. Strava segments all up and down the A38 prove it.

So do you do it? And what are your experiences of doing it?

 

[vickster]

It's illegal to cycle on motorways because it's stupid

Dual carriageways yes, would prefer to use a path if a 60 or 70 limit. Did once find myself on the a404...might as well have been a motorway but without the hard shoulder!! Luckily was a smooth surface and not too busy, was v glad to get off it

 

[summerdays]

Not all dual carriageways are equal. There are some I would and some I'd avoid.

 

[Gert Lush]

I haven't and probably wouldn't either.

 

[Saluki]

I have ridden on city duel carriageways with 30mph limits and that's OK. There are a couple of country duel carriageways in Suffolk but they are not A roads. I wouldn't ride on the A30 or anything, like the half a dozen chaps we saw on it the other day.

 

[StuAff]

Not all dual carriageways are created equal. A303? A34? A3? All very nasty, been there, done that. But other roads, at the right time of day, no problem. How and why cyclists end up on motorways beggars belief though.

 

[Cuchilo]

A lot of TT's are on duel carriage ways so yes , i've ridden on quite a few .

 

[Smokin Joe]

Once upon a time I wouldn't think twice about it and used to do it regularly. Indeed the first club run I went on as a young shaver started off along the A12 and A127 till we turned off at Basildon, two abreast all the way and little traffic. There are none for miles down here, but if there were I would try to avoid and the two previously mentioned roads in Essex would be a no-no.

 

[ozboz]

Has anyone peddaled the A3 Tolworth going west toward Guilford ?

 

[Mrs M]

We went a wee run once and had to cross a dual carriageway, then cycle along a short distance to get onto a slip road to get home. Not an enjoyable experience, main Aberdeen to Dundee road

 

[Kominic]

A38 from Exeter to just beyond Saltash is 60 with no real hard shoulder, yet there have been multiple maniacs attempting each and every segment in this stretch.

That said, there's a tasty descent I have my eye on when the winds head west/north west.

 

[vickster]

Has anyone peddaled the A3 Tolworth going west toward Guilford ?

Nope there are much nicer back routes. Seen plenty of cyclists on the A3 though

 

[sight-pin]

A12 and A127 till we turned off at Basildon, two abreast all the way and little traffic. There are none for miles down here, but if there were I would try to avoid and the two previously mentioned roads in Essex would be a no-no.

Have to agree on the A12 / A127, Very busy, although their is a kerb come cycle path westbound along the A127. I drive Basildon to Romford etc now and then so it's definitely a no no

 

[mjr]

There are a couple of country duel carriageways in Suffolk but they are not A roads.

I rode the old London Road near Copdock recently on the way to Holland. It was a very strange experience, a rural dual carriageway that isn't even a B road and has almost no traffic. It could be a lovely cycling entrance to Ipswich from the south/west, but Suffolk County Council would rather you guess that you squeeze through a small gap next to a locked gate.

 

[Venod]

I sometimes do about 500mtrs of the A1 on the hard shoulder.