Comments for Cycling UK

Comment on Best Place to Buy a Bike by tejvan

tejvan — Wed, 23 May 2012 07:00:29 +0000

Yes, We used to have Oxford cycle repair workshop https://theocw.wordpress.com/ – which was excellent in recycling old bikes. I was sad when it closed down after 10 years. I hope a new venture can be started sometime because it’s an excellent way to recycle redundant bikes at low cost

Comment on Best Place to Buy a Bike by Guy

Guy — Wed, 23 May 2012 06:56:59 +0000

Great article but you missed out Bicycle Recycling centres…

Comment on Ammaco Dresden Review by tejvan

tejvan — Wed, 23 May 2012 06:54:01 +0000

Thanks for giving feedback. You obviously sound as if you cycle quite a bit. In retrospect do you wish you’d used the money for something else?

Comment on Ammaco Dresden Review by steve

steve — Wed, 23 May 2012 00:18:26 +0000

Since you linked here from a new article I thought I’d write an update, 1000 miles down the line. The following have been replaced, all through breakage or wear: Chainring, chain, tyres, saddle (destroyed!) pedals (disintegrated), stand, shifters, bottom bracket (rubbish from the start) and stem (broke in two). Also the wheel bearings are loose. Other than that, no problems at all! Total cost of replacements, £200ish. Last known price of bike at Cycle King, where I did indeed buy it, £135. The problem is however that £350 will still not buy a quality bike. The machine I’ve ended up with is now dependable, reliable and comfortable. I’m fairly sure that a OE equivalent would cost around £500. It would have better quality components and more importantly handle and ‘feel’ better. Probably. You pays your money …

Between the likes of Cycle King and online outfits I don’t know how proper bike shops survive. I hope they don’t go the way of record shops

Comment on Halfords Tour Series 2012 Oxford Photos by Doug

Doug — Tue, 22 May 2012 22:38:02 +0000

A Halfords sponsored race with an Evans Cycles advert popping up: made me smile!

Comment on Advice on Buying First Road Bike by James - Claud Butler

James - Claud Butler — Mon, 21 May 2012 15:22:44 +0000

Some great advice here. It’s important to get a quality bike for your money.

Comment on Red Lights and the Lemming Effect by steve

steve — Mon, 21 May 2012 11:01:57 +0000

Interesting essay there, though I’d disagree with the final proposal of making the cars stop more. If everything was allowed to flow as much as possible (instead of the normal 15sec green light) we would all sort ourselves out on the road quite happily. Personally I treat a red light as an indication of when I should stop. Whether I do or not depends entirely on my brain, an under-appreciated tool in these days of safety paranoia. Bear in mind that at some junctions there is a case for stopping on green if you know they’re about to change and you would be hurled into the path of oncoming traffic by continuing.

Comment on Red Lights and the Lemming Effect by Tim

Tim — Sun, 20 May 2012 18:58:01 +0000

At a couple of traffic-light-controlled-junctions I regularly ride through, I know the light-cycle goes “red for traffic (my direction)” then “green for pedestrians (in all four directions)”.

So if the lights are going red as I approach and I’m in a hurry I often slide off the saddle, walk/jog across the junction, and leap on again having reached the other side, without actually stopping at any point, or even slowing much.

Of course this is slightly awkward and probably looks a bit silly, but I assume it’s completely legal. I could stay on the bike, and ride across at walking/jogging pace, and arguably be in more control, but then I’d be breaking the law. It’s hard to do something like this with a car.

For me this just illustrates the fact that cyclists are neither pedestrians nor motor vehicles, but are probably something in-between for most purposes and should be treated as such.

Comment on Red Lights and the Lemming Effect by Danny A

Danny A — Sun, 20 May 2012 18:05:05 +0000

The lemming effect is an interesting one. However I maintain that the main reason a higher proportion of cyclists are seen not stopping at red lights compared to motorists (and pedestrians by the same token) is down to simple physics. Please have a look at this link:
http://www.cyclecraft.co.uk/digest/stop.pdf
In essence, for a cyclist going at 10-12mph to do a stop-start, they have to do extra work equivalent to continuing at cruising speed for 100m. And much further for higher speeds. Obviously cars are subject to the same laws of physics however their occupants do not have to physically exert themselves to overcome them!

N.B this is an explanation of red light jumping not a justification(!)

Comment on Red Lights and the Lemming Effect by Hortoris

Hortoris — Sun, 20 May 2012 06:48:50 +0000

Fascinating photos.
Why do cyclists always move away just as I am going to take their photograph?