Drove to The Lakes yesterday for a birthday treat and had an amazing day, riding empty trails in the sunshine. One of those days where you just think 'I love this shit'.
Went for a meal with my mates who couldn't get their heads around the fact I drove for 90 minutes to ride in a circle on my own 🙂
Weirdos
90 minutes each way or in total?
I did a 10 hour round trip to do 20 miles in Thetford.
My rule is that riding time must be greater than total driving time.
90 minutes each way. I guess it's a long way when I've got the Peak on my doorstep but I wanted somewhere new to ride and The Lakes District is pretty.
My rule is that riding time must be greater than total driving time.
It was about equal
I did a 10 hour round trip to do 20 miles in Thetford.
That's commitment.
I did a 10 hour round trip to do 20 miles in Thetford.
That's commitment.
He also stayed overnight and was riding a 20 year old bike too. 🙂
I'm so used to riding from my door that getting in a car and driving any where to ride 20 or so miles does appear very odd.
I do weekends away though or combine with family visits etc.
Have these mates said "you paid how much for your bike? You could get one with an engine for that" ?
Are these mates fat?
I drive for 8 hours all in today to buy a second hand road bike.
My rule is that riding time must be greater than total driving time.
If you live in London this is the stuff of dreams and fantasy. In fact tonight I'm going to drift off to sleep daring to imagine the splendour of it all
I still don't understand why people live in London. Why do it?
[quote=shermer75 ]
My rule is that riding time must be greater than total driving time.
If you live in London this is the stuff of dreams and fantasy. One of the reasons I chose not to live in London.
I moved back here for the same reason
scotroutes - MemberMy rule is that riding time must be greater than total driving time.
That's why you bike bivi so often then 😉
😆
Sleepy time doesn't count !!!
Why you ride so slowly then?
My rule is riding time must be grester than fixing time. Driving time doesn't matter.
My rule is that riding time must be greater than total driving time.
Mine is the riding should be fun and worth it.
rickon - Member
I still don't understand why people live in London. Why do it?
Because its one of the worlds great cities with fabulos culture, restaurants etc. It also has great riding an hours drive away and easy access to great airports. Plus there is the fact that there are a lot of very very good jobs
Stuff of dreams 🙂
I don't live in London, but I have to drive around the busiest part of it to get to Wales/Lakes/Scotland/Anywhere! Wales needs to be a three day weekend to justify it, Lakes or Scotland has to be 10 days or more...not made it up there in three years now 🙁
I'm away to do a 6 hour round trip to visit Laggan for the first time. Worth it in my opinion 😀
Where is this great riding an hour from London? Do you have to use the Chunnel?
Agree with riding time greater than driving time.
Especially if you are in a diesel. Great for road cyclists health diesels.
[i]Where is this great riding an hour from London? Do you have to use the Chunnel? [/i]
There is loads. Chilterns, North Downs, Swinley, Gorrick M3/M4 locations.
I'm 15 minutes from a city of great culture, 15 minutes from an airport, 20 minutes drive to some of the best riding in the UK and can ride to some awesome hills from the house.
Plus I have a great job.
Still don't see the pull of London. But then again I don't get why anyone would want to live in a city at all, it'd be boring if we were all the same.
Hell, we'd only have 650b wheels then 😉
I still don't understand why people live in London. Why do it?
If you are a wage slave with a tedious job you hate, a demanding family and you feel your life is being mapped out for you and your only salvation is the few stolen hours of 'me-time' on a bike then living in a big city hours away from good riding is obviously not ideal.
But 10 million people live in London so there must be some attraction, maybe they don't prioritise riding singletrack on their doorstep?
Tbh London rocks. If I could go back I would. Manchesters a quiet small town compared to the fun/speed/adventures you can get lost in in london.
OP - wouldn't bother today. Minging.
Manchesters a quiet small town
Well the bit in the middle bordered by the railway line and the road to the north (ancoats?) where all the shops/offices are will fit inside the boundary of Hyde Park so it's more of a large town.
Great riding within an hour of London? All depends on your definition of great I suppose.
If you are a wage slave with a tedious job you hate, a demanding family and you feel your life is being mapped out for you and your only salvation is the few stolen hours of 'me-time' on a bike then living in a big city hours away from good riding is obviously not ideal.
Not sure I understand.
I spend circa 20 hours or more a week out in the hills, or on a bike of some sort. I also work, and enjoy my work.
My missus loves riding, hill walking, running, swimming, and my family are two border collies who also love the same.
My life isn't mapped out, I have no idea where I'll end up, its all part of the journey. Living close to the hills, in the countryside, away from people is part of what I enjoy.
Are you saying that work is what your passion is, there for you don't feel the need to do anything else? If so, well done, that's a pretty good situation to be in.
I'm only happy to do 90 minutes or so each way to get to some decent riding. That puts me in the Dales, South Lakes, North Wales, Pennines, Peaks, North York Moors, Wolds, Dalby, Cannock, Lee/Cragg, Gisburn, Grizedale, all a bit limiting really. ........
You chopped off the 'everyone is different' 😕
Are you saying that work is what your passion is, there for you don't feel the need to do anything else? If so, well done, that's a pretty good situation to be in.
Just about sums it up, not nirvana but I look forward to 'work'
I just find the slagging off of London that get's randomly posted in threads quite odd. It is what it is, nobody is forcing you to live there, it's big and doesn't have a big MTB park right in the middle and not everybody tips their cap at you says 'mornin' I like the countryside and was brought up there, I like living in a big city too.
'Vive la difference' as the French say.
Edit: for me 30mins to dorking on the train for decent Surrey hills riding, South Wales is a few hours away but that's once in a blue moon, still not enough to make me move, I would be bored shitless after a couple of weeks.
I can see why some people choose to live in London. What I can't understand is those who love outdoor activities choosing to live in London.
Plus pretty much all the people I know who live in London go on about how great it is to live in a major world city with so much culture etc - but I probably take advantage of it more than they do. They do eat out a lot I suppose, but usually in the same neighborhood restaurants. Many people in London are effectively living in a medium sized town anyway.
I live in a fairly remote area and have a mostly off road commute and plenty of off road riding straight out of the door.
Cycling has always been like running to me; something you do from home.
The whole idea of putting the bike in the car and driving somewhere seems a bit odd to me.
But then, I suppose it's no different to what most surfers, rock climbers, kayakers and hang glider pilots do.
Mine is better than yours blah blah blah.
Please grow up people.
People have different priorities than yours blah blah blah.
Please understand people.
FTFY.
I don't really "get" London either. It's ok for a few days out but couldn't imagine living there. I don't think the "culture" stuff is worth the stupidly inflated costs of living and you can get nice restaurants, bars etc elsewhere. Though I have a horrible feeling my line of work will pull me into London eventually and I don't look forward to it..
I've just moved from a lovely city with great culture, food jobs etc, I also have a good job that I love. I'm now in a lively village in the Mendips with a load of riding on the doorstep, and I'd also happily drive to the quantocks, Wales etc.
I do however have a back problem that has stopped me riding off road (and mostly on road to be fair)since last June. Do I win or lose?
can see why some people choose to live in London. What I can't understand is those who love outdoor activities choosing to live in London.
That's a better summary of what I was trying to say, thanks Grum 🙂
I love outdoor activities too. Sorry do you ride from 5.30 7 days a week? You know there are social/interaction/other things in life.
When I lived in london I rode to work daily at weekends in the Surrey hills AND loved London.
Grum has it. When I lived in London I found the time required to get into some decent countryside limited my opportunities to do so. I'm sure that if I'd been even more into eating out, cinema, theatre etc. then I might have stayed longer.
The Lakes is a 90 minute drive from here too. If I drove, I imagine I'd happily pop over the A66 to ride in the Lakes.
Like the OP, I live in the Peak District but I'll occasionally drive 90 mins or so each way to ride in the Lakes, Yorkshire, North Wales etc.
I like the change of scene every once in a while.
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Flew 8 hours each way for today's 75k road ride
Where is this great riding an hour from London? Do you have to use the Chunnel?There is loads. Chilterns, North Downs, Swinley, Gorrick M3/M4 locations.
Great?? All these are on my door step and have ridden some good stuff but great is a bit of a stretch.