If you could cycle exclusively on cycle tracks, would you?

[presta]

If I'm passing through a new town on a cycle tour I want to go where everyone else is, and see the town centre(*), not get diverted down the back of the sewage works and along between a housing estate and a car park.

The nearest I come to using cycle paths voluntarily is canal towpaths and disused railways, I quite like those. I've been known to go out of my way for the Tissington Trail, High Peak Trail, Manifold Way, Monsal Trail, etc, and the Rochdale canal makes a quite a picturesque alternative to some of the Manchester traffic if you're trying to get from the Peak to the Dales. The Kennet & Avon between Bath & Trowbridge (or Devizes) is very good, too.

* I once decided to avoid Swindon town centre because I wasn't in the mood, and opted for a nice quiet B road that skirts the northern edge of town. That 'nice quiet B road' turned out to be a six lane dual carriageway past miles and miles of newly developed housing estates, retail parks, and industrial estates.

 

[lazybloke]

no, restricts the many choices of cafes and pubs you can cycle to if you avoid all roads.

Surely transport links stimulate demand for busniesses like cafes and pubs?

Currently, most of them are by roads. Eg Drive-through Starbucks (wind down your window, suck in a lungful of fumes and particulates, and order your coffee, all surrounded by acres of parked cars and tarmac on the edge of a motorway).

The nicer option is to find the equivalent on a cycle track, eg the Atlantic Coast Express on the Camel Trail; coffee in a proper mug, with a delightful view of a river, hills and countryside, and some fascinating abandoned quarry workings. Clean fresh air, peaceful, perfect.

 

[cougie uk]

I am a washed up 54 year old riding my hybrid around the Swansea and Gower coast, Doing between 15 and 30 mile trips at the weekend.
Around here, I am pretty much able to stay on cycle tracks for my entire rides.
If that was possible for you, even for longer 'roadie' distance sides, would you ditch the road if the cycle lanes were wide enough and well maintained?

If the bike lanes went everywhere I wanted to - then yes. But it's a bit unlikely.


And none of these paths that bump up and down across driveways and road junctions. They're a pain.

 

[Alex321]

Surely transport links stimulate demand for busniesses like cafes and pubs?

Currently, most of them are by roads. Eg Drive-through Starbucks (wind down your window, suck in a lungful of fumes and particulates, and order your coffee, all surrounded by acres of parked cars and tarmac on the edge of a motorway).

The nicer option is to find the equivalent on a cycle track, eg the Atlantic Coast Express on the Camel Trail; coffee in a proper mug, with a delightful view of a river, hills and countryside, and some fascinating abandoned quarry workings. Clean fresh air, peaceful, perfect.

That isn't "an equivalent" on the cycle track. There are plenty of cafes similar to your cycle track one - but mostly on roads. Your café is the equivalent of one of those, not of a drive-through anything.

And they always will be mostly on roads, because no cycle track is ever likely to get as much traffic as even a fairly minor road. There are quite a few I believe in places where cycle tracks and roads intersect.

But it is very hard to run a café without road access, because delivery of supplies is harder. It can be done, with cargo bikes, or things like cable cars to mountain locations, but it is much less convenient, and tends to need rather more traffic than an average cycle trail will provide, to make it economic.

 

[Saluki]

I might if they were decent, gritted at this time of year, and vaguely maintained. Lots around here are separate but shared.

 

[KnittyNorah]

I am a washed up 54 year old riding my hybrid around the Swansea and Gower coast, Doing between 15 and 30 mile trips at the weekend.
Around here, I am pretty much able to stay on cycle tracks for my entire rides.
If that was possible for you, even for longer 'roadie' distance sides, would you ditch the road if the cycle lanes were wide enough and well maintained?

If they were indeed appropriately wide and well-maintained - and in addition enabled me to travel as 'continuously' to my destination as the road the track replaces or runs alongside of - then indeed I would use them all the time.
But they aren't, and they won't, and many places have far less cycle provision than round here ...
Also, I am old and slow and don't really mind too much the 'wandering pedestrians' on cycle paths or shared foot/cycle tracks - and they don't mind me, as I pass them at little more than brisk walking pace. Many will mind being passed at a faster pace, I'm sure, and I cannot see there ever being a realistic possibility of anything 'better' than shared ped/cyclist usage along many thousands of miles of roads even in the best scenario.

 

[Neilka]

Here in Germany I can ride the 27Km to work and 27 back completely on cycle paths. Some could be better maintained, but in the whole it's cracking!

 

[KnittyNorah]

Here in Germany I can ride the 27Km to work and 27 back completely on cycle paths. Some could be better maintained, but in the whole it's cracking!

Where's the green with envy emoji when I want it ...?

 

[Dogtrousers]

I am a washed up 54 year old riding my hybrid around the Swansea and Gower coast, Doing between 15 and 30 mile trips at the weekend.
Around here, I am pretty much able to stay on cycle tracks for my entire rides.
If that was possible for you, even for longer 'roadie' distance sides, would you ditch the road if the cycle lanes were wide enough and well maintained?

No

It's not just about the distance, it's about being able to go pretty much wherever I want.

Cycle paths can be OK in some urban circumstances, to avoid dual carriageways and other high speed roads and the like but that's about it.

 

[Tigerbiten]

Yes.
I've done it for months on end when touring on the continent.
In this country your lucky if you can do more than an a couple of hours on a decent path.

Luck ...........

 

[slowmotion]

I'm no great risk-taker but I actually quite like being out in the traffic. It's quite stimulating.

 

[steveindenmark]

I doubt if there is anywhere in europe where you can cycle exclusively on cycle tracks or paths. Not even in Holland certainly not in Denmark.

I cycle a lot on cycle paths. They know how to make them and route them in Denmark. They are in great condition and are looked after. They have all been cleared and gritted by mini snow ploughs this week.

We have right of way on most cycle paths, dedicated traffic lights and railway signals, even benches and free tools to use. It would be stupid not to use them in this situation.

I use them whenever I can.

 

[rogerzilla]

If they are smooth tarmac, swept, salted in winter, are rideable at a steady 18mph, have good sight lines, are free of walkers and dogs, don't lose priority at side roads and are not hangouts for muggers and bike thieves, yes I would.

The above applies to 0% of UK cycle paths.

 

[biggs682]

Yes I think I would , when I commuted to work I did

 

[the_mikey]

Yes, clearly if my personal cycling fantasy were to come true, the whole of the United Kingdom would be transformed into a cycle touring dreamworld with welcoming hotels and restaurants aiding the traveller along perfect smooth cycling super highways,

As it stand, a few extra cycle lanes here or there won't make much difference in how, where or why I cycle, there's a "shared path" near my home that carries a signpost telling me it's only 4 miles to the railway station, but if I follow that route it will take you down the most convoluted route imaginable, down many paths that are of varying quality and width. If I want to actually get somewhere in a timely manner then there's no way I'll be using the provided cycling route.