There are places I definitely wouldn't even try! It would be good for the pasty run though, and nipping between relatives.
Tiny rides of 2023
- Thread starter Hebe
- Start date
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There are places I definitely wouldn't even try! It would be good for the pasty run though, and nipping between relatives.
All uphill
Still rolling along
- Location
- Somerset
Great idea for a thread.
I love my rides to the post office (1 mile return journey), library (1.2m), cafe (1 m), and garden centre (1.2m).
Fresh air, exercise and a couple of hellos goes a long way.
I love my rides to the post office (1 mile return journey), library (1.2m), cafe (1 m), and garden centre (1.2m).
Fresh air, exercise and a couple of hellos goes a long way.
annedonnelly
Girl from the North Country
- Location
- Blyth, Northumberland
When I was getting into cycling for utility rides that was what I did except...
The car was in the garage with the bike behind it so to get the car out I had to open garage door, get bike out, get car out, park car, put bike in garage, shut garage door, get back in car. On returning home repeat the process in reverse. In that situation the bike's a lot less hassle :-)
annedonnelly
Girl from the North Country
- Location
- Blyth, Northumberland
A Brompton is great fun. If you've the slightest reason to get one go for it!
It’s a mix isn’t it, of rides that are replacing driven journeys with much greener choices that also get us fit, and rides that are just for the fun of it that get us fit without replacing a school run/shopping trip/commute. Our local supermarket is close enough that I can be half way there on foot in the time it would take the bike out of the garage and the garage locked behind me, so I normally walk that one with a couple of big shopping bags and call it a weights workout.
It’s the other way around for me, the bikes are in the garage and the cars are on the drive. One of my aims for this year is to open that garage door more often, especially for more tiny rides.
I am so tempted. I think I might hire one from Bristol station to try it out. I would have to sell some stuff to fund one though. One of my poorly hidden motivations for more short rides is to demonstrate to Mr Hebe that yes, I am riding all three of my bikes, all year round, and that therefore a teeny tiny 4th bike would not be unreasonable. Otherwise I’d have to work out if I wanted to sell one of the others
a.twiddler
Veteran
Beware of Bromptons! That test ride could be the thin end of the wedge! I was highly sceptical about all the Brompton hype but having managed to buy a used one at what I now realise was a very good price the year before last I find that once you have got used to its quirks, they are very addictive. And that is from someone who has been well bitten by the recumbent bug, who didn't think that another upright bike would ever find a place in the garage. They are so useable and versatile. And not just for tiny rides.
a.twiddler
Veteran
January 9th 2023. My tiny ride today.
It might be just a tiny ride, but I’ll treat it with the respect it deserves.
My intention was to nip out for some shopping and back before the youthful hordes were unleashed from school. I haven’t done enough miles on the Sinner recumbent Delta trike since I got it so I felt under pressure to make it the cycle that I used for my first ride of 2023. I pumped up the tyres wondering about the integrity of the tubes as they had Woods valves which suggested that they might be a bit long in the tooth. I had intended to put new(er) tubes in last year so I could sort-of standardise on Schrader or Presta without having to worry about another type of valve. They had held up in the garage since I last pumped them up so this was just a top up.
I set off with the gearing in high range. The first thing that happened was that a pack of mints fell out of my jacket pocket on to the road, a reminder that this seat is much more reclined than the one on my recumbent bike. Must-keep-pockets-zipped. I retrieved them and while walking back to the trike noted that it really doesn’t have a lot of road presence from behind, with the low seat making the headrest the highest point. An earlier picture giving an idea of the height.
I found myself slowing at even the tiniest incline but going very well at any downhill or on the flat. Along Swanlow lane, right at the A54 roundabout then zooming downhill to the town centre, right at the lights then along the pavement cyclepath and to my most frequently used supermarket. I locked up alongside a pedestrian barrier then went in to do my shopping.
Heartened by finding the trike still there and unmolested I went in search of some Greggs sausage rolls for my tea. Came back in good time, unlocked the beast and rolled out of the car park and into Dingle Lane. Negotiated the speed humps then hopped over the pavement en route to Townfields Road. Anticipating the steady but normally undramatic climb I stopped to put the chain on the smaller chainring (Pretty old school, no front derailleur or post fitted). Once rolling I found even this insignificant incline an unexpected effort and was soon in bottom gear, about 26”.
Were the brakes binding? Was this really bottom gear? Had the gluttony and sloth of the Christmas period turned me into a flaccid blob? Compared with two wheels, this seemed like hard work. I recall getting up the steep climb from the sports fields on a short ride last year with no trouble. What had changed? I came to a halt halfway up, like some wheezy old tank engine stopping to raise steam. I sucked a mint while getting my mojo back. Visions of how I would word the ebay listing when I put it up for sale floated before my eyes. I was determined not to let my tiny ride become a tiny walk, so I got rolling again.
I ground my way up to where the road levelled out and found myself behind a row of cars waiting for the traffic lights, which gave me an excuse to stop, enjoying the novelty of keeping feet on the pedals, and to get my breath back.
On turning left there were road works, with a large truck stopped for loading, blocking the road except for a narrow space where cars were gingerly squeezing through. This seems to be part of the local programme to install total fibre broadband ready for the withdrawal of copper landlines in 2025. The contractors use purple barriers with the Zoom logo, which makes them quite distinctive.
It was school run time so there was plenty of traffic, and I had a good break until a gap appeared before setting off downhill. Eventually I came to my turn off which confronted me with another short sharp hill and I was soon in bottom gear again. On levelling out then going downhill the trike was really sluggish and on arriving at my back gate I found one of my back tyres was completely flat.
I have never been so pleased to find that I had a flat tyre, as it gave the explanation for my lack of go. Curiously it had no effect on the handling, maybe due to the double freewheel drive. Obviously, once it’s fixed, I will need to go back and re try the route with a full set of inflated tyres.
Meanwhile I unloaded the shopping from the useful rear box and put the trike away under cover until I could get round to investigating the cause of the flat tyre. Will also look into the possibilities of lowering the gearing, maybe a smaller small chainring, though as the ratio between the ring and the sprocket is already 42T to 21T or 2:1 I’m a bit concerned about exploding my Nexus 7 hub gear if I reduce it by much.
Distance according to my Garmin was a tiny 3.55 miles though it felt like much more. Max speed 23.0 mph. Moving average 5.9 mph though I forgot to turn it off before putting it in my pocket so it includes my wanderings on foot in the town centre which must have reduced it somewhat.
According to Bikehike:-
About 65 ft/mile
It might be just a tiny ride, but I’ll treat it with the respect it deserves.
My intention was to nip out for some shopping and back before the youthful hordes were unleashed from school. I haven’t done enough miles on the Sinner recumbent Delta trike since I got it so I felt under pressure to make it the cycle that I used for my first ride of 2023. I pumped up the tyres wondering about the integrity of the tubes as they had Woods valves which suggested that they might be a bit long in the tooth. I had intended to put new(er) tubes in last year so I could sort-of standardise on Schrader or Presta without having to worry about another type of valve. They had held up in the garage since I last pumped them up so this was just a top up.
I set off with the gearing in high range. The first thing that happened was that a pack of mints fell out of my jacket pocket on to the road, a reminder that this seat is much more reclined than the one on my recumbent bike. Must-keep-pockets-zipped. I retrieved them and while walking back to the trike noted that it really doesn’t have a lot of road presence from behind, with the low seat making the headrest the highest point. An earlier picture giving an idea of the height.
I found myself slowing at even the tiniest incline but going very well at any downhill or on the flat. Along Swanlow lane, right at the A54 roundabout then zooming downhill to the town centre, right at the lights then along the pavement cyclepath and to my most frequently used supermarket. I locked up alongside a pedestrian barrier then went in to do my shopping.
Heartened by finding the trike still there and unmolested I went in search of some Greggs sausage rolls for my tea. Came back in good time, unlocked the beast and rolled out of the car park and into Dingle Lane. Negotiated the speed humps then hopped over the pavement en route to Townfields Road. Anticipating the steady but normally undramatic climb I stopped to put the chain on the smaller chainring (Pretty old school, no front derailleur or post fitted). Once rolling I found even this insignificant incline an unexpected effort and was soon in bottom gear, about 26”.
Were the brakes binding? Was this really bottom gear? Had the gluttony and sloth of the Christmas period turned me into a flaccid blob? Compared with two wheels, this seemed like hard work. I recall getting up the steep climb from the sports fields on a short ride last year with no trouble. What had changed? I came to a halt halfway up, like some wheezy old tank engine stopping to raise steam. I sucked a mint while getting my mojo back. Visions of how I would word the ebay listing when I put it up for sale floated before my eyes. I was determined not to let my tiny ride become a tiny walk, so I got rolling again.
I ground my way up to where the road levelled out and found myself behind a row of cars waiting for the traffic lights, which gave me an excuse to stop, enjoying the novelty of keeping feet on the pedals, and to get my breath back.
On turning left there were road works, with a large truck stopped for loading, blocking the road except for a narrow space where cars were gingerly squeezing through. This seems to be part of the local programme to install total fibre broadband ready for the withdrawal of copper landlines in 2025. The contractors use purple barriers with the Zoom logo, which makes them quite distinctive.
It was school run time so there was plenty of traffic, and I had a good break until a gap appeared before setting off downhill. Eventually I came to my turn off which confronted me with another short sharp hill and I was soon in bottom gear again. On levelling out then going downhill the trike was really sluggish and on arriving at my back gate I found one of my back tyres was completely flat.
I have never been so pleased to find that I had a flat tyre, as it gave the explanation for my lack of go. Curiously it had no effect on the handling, maybe due to the double freewheel drive. Obviously, once it’s fixed, I will need to go back and re try the route with a full set of inflated tyres.
Meanwhile I unloaded the shopping from the useful rear box and put the trike away under cover until I could get round to investigating the cause of the flat tyre. Will also look into the possibilities of lowering the gearing, maybe a smaller small chainring, though as the ratio between the ring and the sprocket is already 42T to 21T or 2:1 I’m a bit concerned about exploding my Nexus 7 hub gear if I reduce it by much.
Distance according to my Garmin was a tiny 3.55 miles though it felt like much more. Max speed 23.0 mph. Moving average 5.9 mph though I forgot to turn it off before putting it in my pocket so it includes my wanderings on foot in the town centre which must have reduced it somewhat.
According to Bikehike:-
Total Ascent: | 116 | ft | |
| Total Descent: | 117 | ft | |
| Start Elevation: | 192 | ft | |
| End Elevation: | 192 | ft | |
| Min Elevation: | 125 | ft | |
| Max Elevation: | 221 | ft |
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CharleyFarley
Senior Member
- Location
- Japan
I do a tiny ride every morning and every evening. Four miles each time. The fat bike is my morning and longer distance ride, and my cruiser is for the evening rides. I ride for exercise so seeing the same four miles each morning and evening doesn't bother me; I enjoy riding.
Then occasionally, during the Florida winter months, I'll do some longer rides. I just did a 21-miles ride two days ago. Summertime is too hot and humid for long rides, so the short ones take place just before sunrise and around sunset.
annedonnelly
Girl from the North Country
- Location
- Blyth, Northumberland
Don't forget you also had the additional weight of those Greggs sausage rolls!
What are the quirks? I will bear your warning in mind, thank you.
This made me laugh! I had the same thoughts on my tiny ride, when a headwind made a gentle uphill far harder work than it needed to be 😂 I hope your next tiny ride has no flat tyres and may you never lose your mints.
Four miles at sunrise and sunset sounds perfect 😀
biggs682
Touch it up and ride it
- Location
- Northamptonshire
Certainly does
- Location
- Somewhere wet & hilly in NW England.
Justinitus
Warning: May Contain Pie
- Location
- Wiltshire
Almost all of my tiny rides are on a Brompton - post office, grocery shopping etc. anything from 2 to 7 miles round trip. Had various Bromptons for a few years now and love them - a real multi purpose bike. I do use It on longer rides too - taking it on the train and exploring somewhere new.
I drive my wife to work and collect her as she doesn’t drive so have started driving her 3 miles to work, leaving the car there and riding home on the Brompton (sometimes via the town for grocery bits) and then ride back in the evening to pick her and the car up. Last week I rode 38 miles in total and did all our errands and shopping on the bike. Saved a few quid in fuel and parking too!
Biggest game changer for me was the purchase of a lightweight, breathable waterproof jacket (a non cycling specific one) and now I don’t mind a bit of rain. Oh, that and an electric Brompton
I drive my wife to work and collect her as she doesn’t drive so have started driving her 3 miles to work, leaving the car there and riding home on the Brompton (sometimes via the town for grocery bits) and then ride back in the evening to pick her and the car up. Last week I rode 38 miles in total and did all our errands and shopping on the bike. Saved a few quid in fuel and parking too!
Biggest game changer for me was the purchase of a lightweight, breathable waterproof jacket (a non cycling specific one) and now I don’t mind a bit of rain. Oh, that and an electric Brompton
I find that the thing that puts me off using the bike for short utility rides is bike security - as well as the worries of getting back to the parking spot and finding the bike gone or damaged, there's the palaver of taking the locks, locking the bike up, unlocking it and packing away the locks. If I'm leaving the bike unattended in high risk areas, I tend to take a heavy chain and a shackle lock, sometimes a lighter chain and/or cable too. The full complement weighs 6kg iirc. So because of this, I will often walk to the supermarkets (one is about a mile away, another about two miles), taking a rucksack as well as my bags-for-life if necessary.
On the other hand, if bike security isn't a worry, if it's quicker to get the bike out and ride instead of walking, I'll get the bike out. If I'm dropping a repeat prescription form into letterbox of the doctors' surgery, which is about a quarter of a mile away, I almost always go on the bike. Likewise, if I'm dropping something off for the father-in-law, about a mile away, I always take the bike but I do detest the outward journey - two busy single carriageway roads, a secondary school and two busy junctions, just out of town and straddling the end of the 30mph speed limit; it's uphill and I always get knackered trying to go fast to feel safer in the traffic. Coming back is not so bad cos it's all downhill
.
On the other hand, if bike security isn't a worry, if it's quicker to get the bike out and ride instead of walking, I'll get the bike out. If I'm dropping a repeat prescription form into letterbox of the doctors' surgery, which is about a quarter of a mile away, I almost always go on the bike. Likewise, if I'm dropping something off for the father-in-law, about a mile away, I always take the bike but I do detest the outward journey - two busy single carriageway roads, a secondary school and two busy junctions, just out of town and straddling the end of the 30mph speed limit; it's uphill and I always get knackered trying to go fast to feel safer in the traffic. Coming back is not so bad cos it's all downhill
.
Fredo76
Über Member
- Location
- Española, NM
Any ride that starts from my house goes up my street for .3 miles, then on a two-lane highway for .7 miles, so I don't have the option of puttering around residential streets without a care. But, once that highway stretch is past, I can turn left into a typical semi-rural New Mexican neighborhood. Lower San Pedro, Middle San Pedro, and Upper San Pedro form a triangle of one-and-a-half-lane roads, with no centerlines, fairly scenic at times, and recently, re-paved and smooth as can be. They did a really good job, putting down a thick layer of new asphalt over the crumbling old stuff, and turning it into a joy to ride, almost as if they had re-paved it just for me! One loop around and then back home is my default ride, only 6.2 miles, but a day-changer every time.
