When will bike boom end?

[ColinJ]

If only that were true.

We have a pedestrianised town centre but cyclists are allowed to ride through it. I slowly made my way through crowds of tourists a couple of weekends ago and one woman turned to another as I passed, and said "What's going on - there seem to be bloody cyclists everywhere these days"!

 

[Gravity Aided]

We have a pedestrianised town centre but cyclists are allowed to ride through it. I slowly made my way through crowds of tourists a couple of weekends ago and one woman turned to another as I passed, and said "What's going on - there seem to be bloody cyclists everywhere these days"!

Right on, @ColinJ . Right on.

 

[TheJDog]

Strava should be a pretty good way of determining peaks/booms/whatever. I know not everyone uses it, but their data must be a good indicator of total numbers (and type of riding).

 

[Globalti]

We cyclists represent a very small culture and we chat and mix mostly with others of the same ilk. We are actually quite smug and self-righteous and it's difficult for us to appreciate that:

People who live in big cities inhabit a different world; they don't travel often out to the big countryside and when they do, they experience a sense of unease at the emptiness. I get this culture shock even when I travel from uncrowded Lancashire up to Scotland but I soon settle down and enjoy the solitude. The city becomes your life, everything and everyone you need is there and outside the city is only for visiting parents or friends' weddings. London is the greatest city in the world and the level of brainpower and expertise, wealth and culture and the centuries-old social systems make the rest of Britain look like a separate country and quite a scary, unpredictable one at that.

People who don't ride bikes or undertake any regular exercise inhabit a different world as well; for them exercise is something that makes them out of breath and sweaty and is to be avoided. Cyclists are frightening, anarchic, sometimes aggressive, a little unhinged (why ride a bike when you can drive?) and generally in a different astral plane to most of the population. The fact that cyclist are visibly un-interested in motorised transport makes them all the more different and threatening.

Last weekend we camped on a golf course that the club had reluctantly agreed to open to TDF fans, once members had realised they wouldn't be able to drive there to play golf. When we arrived on the Friday evening there was a distinct atmosphere of tension at having their hallowed territory invaded by a hundred or so scary anarchists. We all got on fine and I hope our visit was a mind-opening experience for the golfers.

 

[Bad Company]

I don't see why the 'bike boom' should not continue. Even non enthusiasts like the economy of cheap transport. There are still some difficulties though, my gym/tennis club has bike racks but just the ones you can push the front wheel into so difficult to secure the bike. Hopefully this will be rectified.

I also hope the boom continues as I am a Halfords share holder.

 

[glenn forger]

http://www.theguardian.com/business/2014/jul/10/tour-de-france-halfords-cycling-sales

 

[Gravity Aided]

I think we are seeing a more permanent biike boom, because a concentration has been reached. I live in an area that has Route 66 and Lincoln Sites, and it provides, through its touristiness, a good example. Some people are here because they live here, and were born here, like lifetime cyclists who have been cycling all their born days. Some come on business, and need the area to supply their agricultural materials, or steel, or heavy equipment, like commuters and utility cyclists. Others are just visiting, because of tourist attractions, relatives, or a wish to be in the country, like casual cyclists and Tour-de-France enthusiasts who are just into cycling because it's "in" But every year, the latter two classifications feed the former, and make more serious cyclists who make this a part of their life and culture, and encourage others to do so. We, as cyclists, are great evangelists for our cause, and the Internet has been a boon to cycling, IMHBLO.

 

[raleighnut]

I think we are seeing a more permanent biike boom, because a concentration has been reached. I live in an area that has Route 66 and Lincoln Sites, and it provides, through its touristiness, a good example. Some people are here because they live here, and were born here, like lifetime cyclists who have been cycling all their born days. Some come on business, and need the area to supply their agricultural materials, or steel, or heavy equipment, like commuters and utility cyclists. Others are just visiting, because of tourist attractions, relatives, or a wish to be in the country, like casual cyclists and Tour-de-France enthusiasts who are just into cycling because it's "in" But every year, the latter two classifications feed the former, and make more serious cyclists who make this a part of their life and culture, and encourage others to do so. We, as cyclists, are great evangelists for our cause, and the Internet has been a boon to cycling, IMHBLO.

And its all cos of London.

 

[Gravity Aided]

En-ge-land swing like a pendulum do.


View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VZokQbA5ljs

 

[Kestevan]

I commute almost every day, in a very hilly area, on crap roads with little cycle provision.
5 years ago I was lucky if I saw another commuter on a bike.
3 years ago, there was the odd one in winter, and a couple more on sunny days in summer.
Last year I could pretty much guarantee seeing at least 2 or 3 others no matter what the weather.
This year there's dozens about - rain or shine.

Oh, and I'm very much NOT in London or the SE.
<<<<<<<

 

[w00hoo_kent]

Oh, and I'm very much NOT in London or the SE.
<<<<<<<

We feel your pain.

:-D

And in a general response to the thread - "Oh my thing has got popular and people who aren't good at it are doing it now" can be heard in every hobby/passtime everywhere I'm afraid. People aren't going to stop doing new things, and band wagons are there to be jumped on. Best bet is to keep out of their way, or educate them in to being better as you feel.

 

[srw]

Strava should be a pretty good way of determining peaks/booms/whatever. I know not everyone uses it, but their data must be a good indicator of total numbers (and type of riding).

To use Strava you must (a) have a GPS-enabled device; (b) use it on a bike; (c) care about monitoring your speed and distance; (d) not have some other way of doing so.

Strava is very heavily weighted towards people with a speed fetish, which is a small minority of all cyclists.

 

[srw]

We cyclists represent a very small culture.

http://www.ctc.org.uk/resources/ctc-cycling-statistics
"43% of the population owns or has access to a bicycle."

That's a very large minority.

 

[Kestevan]

http://www.ctc.org.uk/resources/ctc-cycling-statistics
"43% of the population owns or has access to a bicycle."

That's a very large minority.

Yeah, but 42% of statistics are made up... everyone knows that.


In reality there are only 7 people in the UK with a bike...... they just ride about a lot.

 

[ColinJ]

http://www.ctc.org.uk/resources/ctc-cycling-statistics
"43% of the population owns or has access to a bicycle."

But only 10% of them actually ride their bikes ...