"People are giving up on cycling".

[fossyant]

The car versus bike pollution thing is regularly trotted out. I'm not convinced. The car can be fitted with filters and the car driver could have just finished a run or swim before his journey. Thats without taking into account the physical dangers in the comparison. Once you are diagnosed it's only natural to research the cause. The Harvard thing is one of many. Cycling is an irritant to the Prostate which evidently swells the prostate which in turn can lead to cancer they say. We all have to make our own decisions and being aware is no bad thing.

I am at high risk with my meds of prostate cancer - I go for blood tests and have had the 'finger' once so far - wife was with me, so I suggested she had better go out as she doesn't need the image in her head. I've been researching stuff, and TBH cycling is a minimal issue, lots of it is down to genetics. - e.g. why I have a low dose statin as both my folks are on them, despite my lifestyle being far more active and little risk of heart issues. Both my folks haven't had any major issues and are both mid 70's.

Very different from my wife's folk. Dad massive smoker, Stage 4 C and gone at 79. MIL, no smoker, no drinker, but big passive smoker, and liked her sugar, a list of major health issues from mid 60's that we helped with care, only died mid 80's... tough old boot.

Ride/walk/run into old health - that's the way.

I think I'll be tipped into my coffin in bits, so hey ho. Seem to smash myself up beter on the road bike than the MTB - accident zone.

 

[RoadRider400]

I'm not sure bike prices are coming down yet - keep looking at Boardman CX bikes - would make a great commuter for me, but used ones that are 6 years old are still asking £500 - new they were £1k or less. Silly money.

Prices are weakening from my observations of Ebay sold prices. The ones that are listed at 'covid prices' hang around unsold for months.

 

[bigjim]

I am at high risk with my meds of prostate cancer - I go for blood tests and have had the 'finger' once so far - wife was with me, so I suggested she had better go out as she doesn't need the image in her head. I've been researching stuff, and TBH cycling is a minimal issue, lots of it is down to genetics. - e.g. why I have a low dose statin as both my folks are on them, despite my lifestyle being far more active and little risk of heart issues. Both my folks haven't had any major issues and are both mid 70's.

Very different from my wife's folk. Dad massive smoker, Stage 4 C and gone at 79. MIL, no smoker, no drinker, but big passive smoker, and liked her sugar, a list of major health issues from mid 60's that we helped with care, only died mid 80's... tough old boot.

Ride/walk/run into old health - that's the way.

I think I'll be tipped into my coffin in bits, so hey ho. Seem to smash myself up beter on the road bike than the MTB - accident zone.

Oncologist tells me genetics accounts for 5%.

 

[currystomper]

One thing I have seen is that running now seems to be the trendy sport rather than cycling. Maybe us older cyclists has put off the younger ones?

 

[Milzy]

One thing I have seen is that running now seems to be the trendy sport rather than cycling. Maybe us older cyclists has put off the younger ones?

Running has grown lots which is great. I don’t think it’s trendy as such though. I was in a running club for years. Raced up & down the country. Found out a lot of them to be weird & loads already had very bad B.O on the start lines. Many were very boring people. The cyclists are much more interesting people in general. Let’s hope more & more people keep active though.

 

[fossyant]

Commuting can be a nightmare TBH - I ride mainly off road on the commute now due to crazy driving. Roads are much better outside of rush hour.

Anyway, not seeing the price of Boardman CX bikes coming down yet - want one for my commute.

 

[Andy in Germany]

I'm not sure I'd be happy doing my commutes if I didn't have segregated cycle infrastructure most of the time and had to share busy roads with cars and HGV's.

Also, we can't fix bikes fast enough at the moment: I've had people ask to buy bikes when I take them out on a test ride.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

The records began 2015-16, so since records began shouldn’t be taken so dramatically

 

[Brandane]

No surprise.
Only this morning some walloper car driver, who saw me perfectly well, decided that I didn't matter too much so he pulled out of a junction to my right and turned right, effectively trying to force me to give way. It's war out there at times, and I can be an aggressive fecker when the mood takes me, as it did on this occasion. So I didn't give way, held my line and got in front of him and let my feelings be known. On this occasion it worked, the driver realised he was in the wrong and waited behind me until safe to pass, but on another day it could have been a Kenneth Noye at the wheel.

I will continue to cycle, and I will continue to face up to nobbers on the road. But I can fully understand why some newbies will ride home, put the bike on ebay, and revert back to the car. Sad, but that's how it is.

 

[bikingdad90]

Commuting can be a nightmare TBH - I ride mainly off road on the commute now due to crazy driving. Roads are much better outside of rush hour.

Anyway, not seeing the price of Boardman CX bikes coming down yet - want one for my commute.

Bloody good bikes but let down by the mavic wheels which have a habit of breaking at the freehub with the pawls giving up the ghost.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

The problem many new cycle commuters face is that the only route to work they know is the one they drive. Which is a recipe for giving up quickly. One of the aims of our bicycle user group at work was to highlight the best cycle routes between various locations and work, as well as pair up more novice cycle commuters with experienced cycle commuters who might live near enough to show their commutes and get the novice started.

 

[mjr]

No I don't.

It looks like they have amassed some individuals who may have had a negative experience and put them all together for no other reason than to formulate some kind of story.

I don't doubt large swathes of people have made changes since lockdown, and stopping cycling is a choice for some, but I really can't see it being in any great numbers. I would have thought maybe more people looking to cycle to work given the cost of fuel. I certainly seem to meet more than was normal the last couple of months, which is obviously definitive proof.

The public comments may be dodgy, but I wouldn't be so quick to dismiss the official survey percentage. It may not be exact but the change trend is likely correct. The more difficult questions are what it means and what should be done in response?

 

[oldwheels]

I can understand why new and inexperienced cyclists just give up.
Today on a narrow road I had several what could be termed close passes which did not bother me as the cars did slow down considerably when passing but I can see how that could unsettle some people.
I did cycle commute many years ago in Glasgow and did give up from lack of quieter alternative routes from Shettleston to University of Glasgow.

 

[ClichéGuevara]

Why do people give up, but never down or sideways?

 

[Brandane]

Why do people give up, but never down or sideways?

Because......