What I am learning from cycling in Denmark

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

Norway is great to cycle in (motorist-to-cyclist-wise). It's just the standard of the roads that is pi$$ poor.

They are not that bad. Even the summer roads were OK except for the very last one we did which runs along the Russian/Norwegain border to the Barent's sea. (we were in Norway touring for 3-4 months in 2011)
It was the German motorhome drivers you had to be exceptionally careful with. they were by far the worst drivers on the roads, and even other german cyclists agreed with us.

 

[Dayvo]

They are not that bad.

I live in Norway and I have to say, IMO, I'm afraid they are.

They are at their worst after the winters when the cold weather fractures the roads about 2 feet in from the kerb, and added to the constant traffic pounding along them they become huge pot holes with actual pot holers inside make cycling difficult, to say the least.

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

I live in Norway and I have to say, IMO, I'm afraid they are.

They are at their worst after the winters when the cold weather fractures the roads about 2 feet in from the kerb, and added to the constant traffic pounding along them they become huge pot holes with actual pot holers inside make cycling difficult, to say the least.

I didn't go to Oslo - I'm not a city person.... but around here, the local hardcore disused railway lines are currently better, smoother and have less holes in them than most of the local roads. Until it next rains, I can use them on the road bike (- they are that much better), then I am back to dodging potholes/missing tarmac or just plain missing sections of road I had today - now reported - the embankment is caving in.

 

[HLaB]

On the other hand becuase of the fast/slow cyclist issues in the Netherlands, it is the one and only country I have come across that has speed bumps specifically aimed at cyclists and they are not nice to cycle over.

OT, the start of the (Union or Grand ) canal in Edinburgh, a shared use off road path had cycle speed bumps.

 

[slowmotion]

I enjoy my commutes in the UK

Am I deluded?

If you are, so am I. I love heavy traffic. I found that riding with the segregated cyclists of Amsterdam to be far more hairy than London rush hours.

 

[Davidc]

I've cycled in NL (mainly The Hague and Amsterdam) and in Brussels. In that order they are good, safe but a pain, and not much better than Basingstoke*.

I like the absence of helmets in all three, and the cycle roads and lanes are good in NL. Unlike the UK ones the surfaces support speeds over 5mph, and the broken glass is less than 10mm deep.

The general attitude to cycling is different. No-one thinks you're mad or cranky for cycling, few view cycling as dangerous. it's normal and mainstream. Drivers are just as aggressive as in the UK but cyclist specific aggression isn't as common.

That said I enjoy cycling in the UK and don't find the problems some here do. When in London I now find it a most enjoyable place to ride. Some of the arterial roads in and out of central London aren't cycle friendly. I don't use the A3 from Hook to Richmond for example. The same applies anywhere else including The Netherlands. 3 lane dual carriageways aren't nice places to ride. There are always other roads.

*I rode a bike in Basingstoke last week. Can I reconsider the A3 (as above). I'm nominating Basingstoke as the least cycle friendly place in the known universe.

 

[theclaud]

*I rode a bike in Basingstoke last week.

My commiserations.

 

[Crankarm]

I enjoy my commutes in the UK

Am I deluded?

Yes.

 

[Crankarm]

that is brave - i've often considered doing a stretch of dual carriageway when finishing a late shift @ 2am...but just the thought of riding a few miles down the a14 instead of 'going the long way round' cambridge, just fills me with dread and i've not got up the courage to do it yet

Just make sure you have life insurance before you try and your Will is up to date.

 

[theclaud]

Yes.

I like cycling in traffic too. And I reckon I am less weird than you.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

Well where I live (Surrey) the roads are also crap. There are about 15 potholes in the 200 yards between my house and the local post office, which is 15 more than I saw in a whole week of cycling around Copenhagen.

what caused the potholes? Your bike or the motor vehicles?

 

[GrumpyGregry]

I like cycling in traffic too. And I reckon I am less weird than you.

It depends for me on the traffic. And its speed and volume.

I like riding in traffic in towns
I dislike riding in traffic on NSL A class single carriageways
I loath riding in traffic on NSL A class dual carriageways

 

[Crankarm]

I like cycling in traffic too. And I reckon I am less weird than you.

Don't count on it. You must still be pretty weird even if you are less weird than me.

 

[Flying_Monkey]

I like cycling in traffic too. And I reckon I am less weird than you.

I used to think I did when I lived in Britain, I even used to get a rush from it - but, as I said, it's only when you aren't having to put up with that any more that you realise that the rush is strongly connected to stress. I'll see what it's like when I get back to Tokyo in the summer - I always say Tokyo as having the excitement of road cycling in London but without the aggression from drivers...

 

[GrasB]

I used to think I did when I lived in Britain, I even used to get a rush from it - but, as I said, it's only when you aren't having to put up with that any more that you realise that the rush is strongly connected to stress. I'll see what it's like when I get back to Tokyo in the summer - I always say Tokyo as having the excitement of road cycling in London but without the aggression from drivers...

For me the stress comes from having to deal with cyclists dawdling about... when I'm mixing it with traffic it's actually more laid back & I can concentrate on the dangers around me + producing power.