I'm less and less eager to drive 2 hours to the Lakes cos it costs me a fortune and I'm tending to grab the road bike instead.
Is it just me?
It's why I bought a road bike! Sick of having to drive 1.5+ hours for a decent ride so thought I'd just ride what we have locally. Also considered trying bmx again as we have a few alright skateparks.
Hopefully, as the price of fuel keeps rising, the roads will get quieter. So, it'll take me less time to drive anywhere and when I'm there, there'll be fewer cars.
Double win!!!
I'm just surprised that were ever people who'd regularly drive for 2 hour to go riding.
I'm just surprised that were ever people who'd regularly drive for 2 hour to go riding.
You are easily surprised then.
i must be too 😉
aP - Member
I'm just surprised that were ever people who'd regularly drive for 2 hour to go riding.
Really?
😐
In answer to the OP, no, not just you... But while work finances all my fuel & car, then no, I won't stop driving 2hrs to ride..
I do ride on the road straight from my Door, but as I only have Delamere to ride locally on the MTB, I'll gladly drive.
luckily my singlespeed only works at low revs and freewheels downhills with my brain in neutral thus increasing my MPG (miles per giggles) and reducing carbon emissions at the same time.
*it wasn't actually a serious question was it?*
Life's too short to spend 4 hours a day in a car. But then I don't work in IT.
When I had a road bike, I rarely rode from home. Too bloomin' dangerous! Living in a high density area and sandwiched between two motorways doesn't bode well. 🙁
More or less given up riding regularly offroad.....nearly always pick up the road bike now.
From 25 years of road and off road riding experience high density roads actually tend to be less disturbing than open roads full of cockjockeys ragging their company s-lines in between database meetings.
The last couple of Sundays I've wondered if there really were less cars out or if it was just wishful thinking.
[i]More or less given up riding regularly offroad.....nearly always pick up the road bike now. [/i]
Same here.
Road riding is easier, quicker, cheaper and given that my local riding (North Peaks) tends to spend about 9 months of the year as a drivetrain and brake pad destroying gritty paste, it also means I spend less time cleaning the bike.
Just in the process of selling one of my MTBs, down to 1 MTB when that goes.
From 25 years of road and off road riding experience high density roads actually tend to be less disturbing than open roads full of cockjockeys ragging their company s-lines in between database meetings.
LOL, that sounds like a lot of people I know!
Druidh - any decent road loops starting out your way? Any distance.
SBZ - there's a couple here: http://www.thebikechain.co.uk/Road-Bike-Routes/
Easily extended or even joined to make bigger loops. The roads are pretty good - fast, but open and good sight-lines for motorists. Some of the back-roads are pretty rough mind!
Life's too short to spend 4 hours a day in a car. But then I don't work in IT.
That is just nonsensical.
im only about 45 mins ride from ashton court but sometimes its nice just to get out and sprint around the streets like your 12 again bouncing off damadged curbs,tree stumps or trying to get across a boggy field whithout stoping 😆
other than that the slicks get used for the commutes thats it
I still want a road bike. 🙁
So - buy one!
How about a Medium sized Focus Cayo?
The escalating price of Meths has forced me to resort to drinking supermarket vodka. 🙁
I don't drive much, and I'm always a light-foot driver, but it does seem that motorway driving is generally closer to the 70mph theoretical speed limit these days, and that local roads are a little quieter.
Also, I'm seeing a lot more cycle commuters, but that may be the warmer weather.
I've been getting more road room from car drivers recently too.
CG there're plenty of quiet roads round here, just need to know where to look and put up with the occasional busy bit.
2 hours to ride? Fek me, I feel like driving the 10 miles to the far side of Swinley to ride tunnel hill, proidgepot etc is too far!
2 hours? I'd rather go visit my parents if I'm driving that far, my bikes good but it wont cook me a roast dinner!
Time's the issue for me - very limited, so don't waste it behind a wheel if it can be helped (which, living in the Lakes, is easier 🙂 )
One of my motivations for buying a road bike is I'm done with driving in excess of an hour to ride offroad. Cotswolds have plenty of roads but not so great for mtb.
So - buy one!How about a Medium sized Focus Cayo?
Stop it! In less than a year I've bought and sold frames/forks twice!
MrSpoon - I find that after around 5 miles it gets better but ... those 5 miles. 😯 I've done bits of the waymarked circular Berkshire route.
Jamie - Member
Life's too short to spend 4 hours a day in a car. But then I don't work in IT.
That is just nonsensical.
Why?
Road?
Ride?
[i] Jamie - Member
Life's too short to spend 4 hours a day in a car. But then I don't work in IT.
That is just nonsensical.
Why? [/i]
Because you're trying to make some sort of link between spending 4 hours in a car and working in IT. It makes no sense.
aP:Why?
samuri:Because you're trying to make some sort of link between spending 4 hours in a car and working in IT. It makes no sense.
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I think the point ap was making.. Is that he would consider sitting in a driving seat for four hours per day a senseless waste of life.. whereas an IT manager would have vastly different standards regarding the issue due to the nature of their work..
the comment makes perfect sense to me.. and is [i]almost[/i] mildly humourous
but then I'm not trying to be deliberately obtuse..
Fair enough. I work in IT and I would hate sitting in a car for 4 hours no matter where I was going. I certainly very, very rarely drive anywhere to go riding. But lets not let any truths get in the way of a good troll shall we.
I use the road bike instead of the car where possible. And drive to less places to ride mtb. I either need to be sharing lifts with a couple of people who will contribute to petrol, being going somewhere thats just far enough that having to ride there and back means I won't be able to have fun whilst there in case I don't make it back or it has to be somewhere ace!
That said, since I've been back at uni I've ridden mtb once and my road bike for at least 1 proper ride a week, often more!
I guess i 'm lucky then.
We got great mtb trails 10minute ride from the door.
And great rides for the road bike that can include the Bwlch & Rhigos within a 70mile loop.
No driving needed for any bike.
whereas an IT manager would have vastly different standards regarding the issue due to the nature of their work..
I'm an IT manager and find it odd that people will drive two hours regularly for a ride. HTH
It's why I bought a road bike! Sick of having to drive 1.5+ hours for a decent ride so thought I'd just ride what we have locally.
Similar thing. To get to any decent riding is at least 45 minutes each way in a car for me, I do have stuff nearer but I find it boring truth be told! I'll always gladly go out on the more local stuff in a group ride, but that's not all that often, these days it's mainly just me and my GF going off riding together...
Bought a road bike mainly to keep up the fitness, ride it perhaps once or twice a week, from my door, for a couple of hours, as I only ride MTB on Sundays really at the moment (though might change a bit as summers coming). And like many here, have downsized the MTB collection slightly too...
If you live somewhere 2 hrs away from where you meet people to go riding, why wouldn't you drive there. It's worth it! And it has F-all to do with what job you do. Nonsensical is damn right.
I'd rather drive 2 hrs to go MTBing than road ride from home any day. Well, apart from the days I commute to work by road bike, of course.
We won't just take a day trip to Wales these days, although thats partly due to coming from a company car to own funded & fueled car/van. If we do, we would try & make a long weekend of it and go to a few different places.
Still have to drive a bit to ride DH from where we are though. We seem to be doing a lot more lift sharing when it comes to racing now as well. This weekend there is 5 of us going in the van to the first national. That was going to be a £120 in fuel alone, now it's under £25 each, much more sensible.
Road bike will be getting a lot more use this summer too!
Fair enough. I work in IT
Nonsensical is damn right
am I detecting a hint of the monday morning sense of humour by-pass..?
I'll ride for 2 hours to get to a ride. Does that count?
MrSpoon - I find that after around 5 miles it gets better but ... those 5 miles. I've done bits of the waymarked circular Berkshire route.
Just ride further, do a 100mile loop and those 5miles only account for 5% of it 🙂
I often ride straight into Reading and out the other side to get to the Chilterns, it's a PITA but at least I used to ride to work that way so know the roads like the back of my hand, just have to seal with Saturday morning traffic.
Being honest would have to say yes, the increased cost of getting any where will inevitably affect peoples desire to travel for “Leisure activities”… and has limited my movements…
I’ve been riding more locally, and while I’m not lucky enough to live in the peaks I don’t live in the worst place on earth to ride an MTB, My road bike is for commuting so it gets some use but just because I’m not driving to Wales every weekend, it doesn’t mean I’m going to stop riding My MTB, I can’t believe people’s default is to ride their road bike over a local explore on the MTB...
It’s all been positive in my experience, more local miles, more finding new trails, more digging less sitting in a car on the M4…
When I do get to go for a riding trip now, myself and the small group of mates I go with seem to appreciate it a little bit more, it’s a proper treat rather than “just another trip”…
From skimming this thread it seems a major source of income for trail centres these days is people using up their personal mileage allowances, be interesting to see how long it is before employers start culling that…
I can’t believe people’s default is to ride their road bike over a local explore on the MTB...
Each time I have a local off-road explore I end up wishing I was on the road bike - our local stuff is that shit!
Do you live in Norfolk/Suffolk/Cambs?
Those are the only area's where it can be excused I reckon?
*(I've lived in both Suffolk and Cambs)