Cycling in different cities

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winjim

Smash the cistern
I've recently been commuting to Manchester from Sheffield, and while I've not been cycling there myself, I've noticed some interesting differences between cycling in the two cities. Manchester seems to have:
  • More cyclists
  • More diverse range of people cycling
  • More 'normal dress', less cycle specific clothing
  • More high vis*
  • Fewer helmets*
  • More RLJing*
This seemed interesting to me. Bear in mind that I've only been around the university area of Manchester, so basically just Oxford Rd. I put some of the differences down to:
  • Manchester being flat compared to Sheffield so you don't need to be super fit to get up the hills
  • Sheffield being the 'outdoor city' so encouraging 'serious' cyclists, climbers, walkers etc, more likely to have all the gear and no idea (all the kit, don't know shoot
  • Segregated cycle lanes, on Oxford Rd
  • Wider roads and less traffic, certainly on Oxford Rd. Traffic seems less aggressive.
  • More students cycling, the university is absolutely full of bikes, Sheffield stands everywhere (ironically)
  • Just a different sort of vibe around the university area compared to Sheffield. Can't explain it but it feels different
  • Obvious small sampling area and time, and massive amounts of bias in my observations
So has anybody else noticed different cycling styles in different UK cities? How does the layout of the city and the population affect it? And how much of this is my own prejudice and bias and just noticing stuff because I'm in a new place?


*I'm not passing judgement on any of this, it's just stuff I've noticed, or think I have.
 

sleuthey

Legendary Member
Never analysed the cyclists but you get a much better class of big issue seller in Bath compared to Bristol.
 

Pat "5mph"

A kilogrammicaly challenged woman
Moderator
Location
Glasgow
I can see similar differences to the ones you observed just by going to Glasgow's west end (Uni city) from where I live (east end suburb).
There is only a 6 mile distance, but even the taxi drivers seem to be more patient!
 
I used to commute in Edinburgh, then I moved to Peterborough and I'm now commuting to Cambridge. Generally its similar to what the OP says but the levels of 'normal' dress only seems to vary with regard to the distance from a city, commuters travelling greater distances tend to wear more 'cycling specific' clothes.
 

rivers

How far can I go?
Location
Bristol
The only thing I noticed was in the Highlands people were locking up their £3500+ bikes with a measly cable lock. The wife and I were getting strange looks for our heavy duty d-locks.
 

Slick

Guru
The only thing I noticed was in the Highlands people were locking up their £3500+ bikes with a measly cable lock. The wife and I were getting strange looks for our heavy duty d-locks.
I'm surprised that you saw anyone in the Highlands with a 3.5k bike. :laugh:
 

Slick

Guru
Obviously tourists. :okay:
 
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