Grant Fondo
Guru
- Location
- Cheshire
Main thing is it breaks up the monotony of routes you have ridden dozens of times. Bit of a faff but worth it imo 
Driving to the start of a bike ride?
- Thread starter Dolorous Edd
- Start date
Page may contain affiliate links. Please see terms for details.
winjim
Straddle the line, discord and rhyme
I drive places to go for a nice walk, especially with the kids so I don't see any conflict in doing the same to go for a ride. As it happens I probably wouldn't, mainly because I can't be bothered with the faff of loading up the car, but I'm fortunate enough to live on the edge of a national park so there's plenty of lovely scenery and good rides right on my doorstep.
I've driven to the start of events and driven out to go camping/cycling with friends before but not for a regular day riding.
I've driven to the start of events and driven out to go camping/cycling with friends before but not for a regular day riding.
Ming the Merciless
There is no mercy
- Location
- Inside my skull
This is where train and bus bike provision is such backward thinking. The only reason I and I’m sure many others still keep a car. Is that I cannot reliably and consistently use public transport with my bike.
Rusty Nails
We remember
- Location
- Living in the slow lane
I can understand when young children and nervous cyclists are involved so you they can get somewhere quieter.
In one of the local small towns most Sunday mornings there's a group of about 6 cyclists that meet up in a car park and go for a ride , from speaking to one of them they all live in the same small town but still insist on driving to the car park that is no more than 3 miles away , that is what I can't understand.
A fellow cyclist I know who only does off road won't ride the 8 miles to Brixworth country park as he claims it will wear his knobbly tyre's out quicker
I am not sure the op is talking about riding just a few miles to start a ride, but much longer distances to take him into different territory.
I am not sure it is about nervous cyclists or riding somewhere quieter, but more about variety and enjoyment. To me a 50 mile ride is about the maximum I find enjoyable and I do most of the rides from my city quite regularly. Going to the much better scenery, which sometimes is quieter but that is not the point, would turn my rides into 100+ miles, and from experience I no longer enjoy or am up to those in hilly areas.
Last edited:
Back in the olden days, when I used to commute to work by train every day, I had a season ticket between here (on the Ayrshire coast) and Glasgow. So extra train trips didn't cost anything. Never any issues taking bikes on those Scotrail services, at least 4 trains an hour each way, and around a dozen possible stops between here and Glasgow. Gave me lots of options for routes that would be "just a. few miles longer than I'd like to do today".
ColinJ
Puzzle game procrastinator!
- Location
- Todmorden - Yorks/Lancs border
That sounds like a great idea. I wondered why I never did that so I just checked... Open return tickets are not available for most (any?) of the journeys that I would like to make.
Off-peak day returns round here literally cost pence more than singles so even if I am catching a train out to do a loop elsewhere and intend to ride back, I would buy a return ticket in case there were to be a later change of plan.
Landsurfer
Veteran
Is that the same Scotrail that is converting more and more Class 153 single carriage trains into cycle carriers. The same Scotrail that is buying up Class 153 units from all UK operators to convert to cycle carrying trains ... ... Yes that Scotrail ...
Peugeotrider
Senior Member
- Location
- Northern Ireland
Yes. I have a bike rack and I drive to nearby Portadown. There is a canal here and great tow path through the countryside that is 18 miles long,car free ,so I will do the return of 36 miles total.
One of my favourite routes
One of my favourite routes
It's only the West Highland Line that has them right now.
Dolorous Edd
Senior Member
Thanks all, food for thought - will give it a go
Rusty Nails
We remember
- Location
- Living in the slow lane
That's nice. The op was talking about going further by car than just 10 miles, to ride in places he normally couldn't because of the distance. More than just a pre-ride warm up.I have cycled 10miles to the start of the club run, done 70miles then ridden home. Trundle into town, nice and easy, warm up thoroughly
Tail End Charlie
Well, write it down boy ......
- Location
- In green and pleasant hills.
I suspect it's all about which operator is running the train. I've done it to both Chester and Shrewsbury (from either Altrincham or Wilmslow) several times. Thinking about it, is there such a thing as an off peak open return, because I don't travel at peak times?
Your buying a return in case of change of plan is wise in any case.
That's nice. The op was talking about going further by car than just 10 miles, to ride in places he normally couldn't because of the distance. More than just a pre-ride warm up.
Apologies, I've done that too, normally for off road riding
An alternative for those using bib shorts (or an bib equivalent) is a pair of football shirts otherwise stuffed in the back pocket.
