rh100
Well-Known Member
Arch said:Don't worry about being slow, you'll get faster.
If you want to build up confidence on the road though (and if you mostly ride on the road this maybe doesn't quite apply), the pavement isn't the place to get it. It's like stabilisers, once they come off, you still have to learn to ride without them. If you are new to cycling, may I sugest a look at the book Cyclecraft? Most poeple on here would say it's a good whay to learn cycling roadcraft.
The problem with people riding on the pavement, even carefully*, is that other people get het up about it (it is after all, illegal) and use it to prop up their arguments about all us 'lycra louts' who apparently never stop at red light,s and are constantly mowing down old ladies on the pavement and murdering puppies. Much better to get off the pavement and onto the road and take your rightful place in the jungle....
*of course most of us, if we wanted to, could ride perfectly safely on the pavement, because we know to moderate our speed for the conditions - but we'd rather get on on the road. The trouble is, everyone sees the pricks who weave about at top speed, and we all get branded.
Welcome back Dom!
Thanks Arch
Cyclecraft is on the shopping list already, having heard about it here.
My (short) route to work could be done on about 90% ish cycle path, some of it shared paths and some of it a slip road alongside the main road. However, I take the slightly longer route on the way in as it's ever so slightly flatter (same height to climb but a bit more stretched out), and I'm on road except for going over the dual carriageway (tried it monday morning and the b@stards nearly run me off the road) and that bit of hill I mentioned, and then I rejoin the shared cycle path/pavement for a very short run, but I'm going to stick on the road tomorrow for that part as I'm fed up with the kids at the bus stop filling the pavement. So I'm making progress and I'll get there in the end. had a trip in the country side the other day and that was obviously all on road anyway, which was great practice for me and Mrs RH.
I get what you mean about the pavement not being the place to learn, as it's stop start all the time and you struggle to get into the ride, also the road is much smoother compared to the bumps of the paving slabs slowing you down.
thanks again
Rich
