Fast dual carriageways.

[marinyork]

Yes. There are a few that I wouldn't cycle on often but a lot aren't as bad as people think. I cycle on a 40mph speed limit dual carriageway all the time, it isn't too bad as cars tend to drive 40-60mph in one direction and in the other direction don't often go above about 50mph. Some 60-70mph dual carriageways aren't too bad either. There is one near here that I don't go on very often as it is routine for people do to a ton on it. It tends to be A roads that have slip roads and no roundabouts for many miles where people tend to put their foot down and drive very poorly.

 

[RedBike]

Yes, there's a lot of time trials that use duel carriageways.

Try to avoid them if at all possivle though.

 

[bigjim]

Ride the A56 towards Manchester regularly and find it pretty safe. Will not touch the A58 East Lanc's as I think it is a death trap. Rode back into Carlisle last year on I think, A74 and it was terrible. Read somewhere it has since been upgraded to M/way status. Had to stop and put earplugs in as the noise was driving me crazy and got a lot of abuse. Rode out of Carlisle to Workington on A road and it was fine for traffic but had that crap rough road surface that shakes you to bits.

 

[jimboalee]

Yup,

A45 Coventry Rd, East Birmingham past B'ham Airport.
Birmingham Queensway.
A38 Sutton Coldfield by-pass.
A435 Wythall by-pass to Redditch.

Did Land's End to Oakhampton on first day of LEJOG on A30.

 

[palinurus]

For TTs and training for same: sometimes (most of the local courses I use are single carriageway), tends to be at the weekend early in the morning tho'.

If it snows I sometimes commute on A roads because they tend to be clear, although I didn't bother last winter, just used the 'cross bike with hardly any pressure in the tyres and took the usual route.

If I'm going somewhere and the most direct route involves a bit DC then I'll sometimes take it.

 

[Lisa21]

use alot of them around me, all 60mph dual carriageways, and yes they are fast (70 to 80mph is usual), but safer than the 60mph country road alternatives when I have no or little visibility.

+1 I have a shortish 60 one on my commute... I just keep my head down, pedal like a loon and pray to the god of donuts that ill make it

 

[zimzum42]

I used to ride on the A10 quite a bit, 70mph. Not too bad, some trucks would pass a bit close, but in the main they can see you from a long way off and don't pass too close...

 

[Joe24]

Spend alot of time just looking behind.
You will often find that just by looking behind for alot of time people wont do anything stupid.
You can also see if you think someone will try and sneek past, and if you think this you can either move over(if they arent going so fast) or do a little weave and they will normally move over.

 

[Plax]

Yes, I cycle on the A55, which is a 70 mph dual carriageway. I find it perfectly safe, as if you think about it cars doing 70mph on a 60mph windy B road that try and overtake you with oncoming traffic is a hell of a lot scarier!

I try and avoid it during peak commuting time, or if I know a ferry has come in though. There are an awful lot of lorries that come in on the ferry and if they pass too close at speed you can feel the turbulance try and suck you in. The car drivers also seem more intent on driving like a loony trying to get home from their hols (or to their hols for the Irish platers).

 

[Bodhbh]

I used duel carriageways a fair bit last year, inadvertently really due to not route planning. They aren't too bad - there's often a hard shoulder, drivers give you loads of space, the gradients are gradual and you can make really good time (especially being sucked along by traffic). Just sometimes you can get all manner of tyre shredding vehicle debris in the hard shoulder. Narrow A-roads seem a nightmare although, I'd take a duel carriageway over some A-roads anyday.

 

[TheDoctor]

I'be done the A55 near Plax, and also the A505 in Herts. They're OK, but more as a means of getting somewhere rather than a pleasant ride. If there was a usable alternative I'd use it.

 

[suthers]

The A40 which is a mix of dual and single carriageway between High Wycombe and Denham is a good stretch, though there is a landfill site on a hill so often you have to contend with being overtaken whilst powering uphill by garbage lorries which can be quite unnerving ...but the road surface is nice. Best stretch is the A413, nice strecth, resurfaced this year, its so nice, no potholes to worry about and fast as. Personally I always feel safer on dual carriageways as cars have another lane to use to overtake you.

 

[HJ]

If I have to, but I don't like doing it. I really hate going across sliproad entrances and exits.

That is the most dangerous bit of riding on dual carriageways, there is some good advice on how to deal with them on pages 145-148 of Cyclecraft, but it is easiest to understand with the diagrams...

 

[gbb]

That is the most dangerous bit of riding on dual carriageways, there is some good advice on how to deal with them on pages 145-148 of Cyclecraft, but it is easiest to understand with the diagrams...

+1.
I used to ride dual carriageways regularly round Peterborough. A nice 25 miles circuit all the way round in the evening....but there were 2 fatalities and the son of an ex colleague was crippled for life at slip roads in the last 20 years.
70mph exits....i can, and occasionally do still do it...but choose not to generally nowadays. If there's an alternative, why not use it.

Interestingly....i very very rarely ever see anyone cycling on our dual carriage ring road anymore.

 

[addictfreak]

I actually rode on two today, one was planned the other not. Although both passed without drama ( thankfully) I felt very exposed.