Today's Bike Ride

[Hanneke]

Yes they are! And I agree with Fell Donkey too... what is it with some clubs? Clubruns are what they are, clubruns, not races... you don't ride people off your wheel on a clubrun, nor do you leave anyone behind or, what the dynamo does, intimidate other users of Richmond Park out of the park on a Saturday morning by riding dangerously and intimidatingly!!!

I have also raced with some of them, and in the bunch, they aren't much better... I stick with my experience of them: tossers!

Hann its not that they are tossers. Lots of clubmen have this mentality in cycling. I found it as a teenager trying my luck. One Team Director in the eighties told me to forget it cos I was a fat b./////rd. I was 13 at the time and riding a junior criterium in a local race. That guy was a top team director. Elitism was and still is a big part of being a top rider. Sorry but it is.

[daz h]

Yes they are! And I agree with Fell Donkey too... what is it with some clubs? Clubruns are what they are, clubruns, not races... you don't ride people off your wheel on a clubrun, nor do you leave anyone behind or, what the dynamo does, intimidate other users of Richmond Park out of the park on a Saturday morning by riding dangerously and intimidatingly!!!

I have also raced with some of them, and in the bunch, they aren't much better... I stick with my experience of them: tossers!

Oh eck you have had a bad experience.
Calm down a bit though hann. Do you want a dairy milk .

[Hanneke]

Ohhh chocolate Success

[maddaddy]

Never understand why road cyclist think it is a safe option to ride two abreast on busy roads and not go into single file when a car wants to overtake! Justasking for problems, riding in peolotons is even more bonkers

[Dynamo Dan]

Never understand why road cyclist think it is a safe option to ride two abreast on busy roads and not go into single file when a car wants to overtake! Justasking for problems, riding in peolotons is even more bonkers

Believe it or not it's actually safer if the road's wide enough. It forces car drivers to slow down and overtake cyclist properly rather than speed past with millimetres to spare. A single line of 20/30 cyclists creates a longer obstacle so it's six of one half dozen of the other, but two abreast is definitely safer for the cyclist even if it is less convenient for impatient drivers.

A good metre out from the side of the road is the way to go and I'm pretty sure that's what recommended by the CTC et al.

As for bunch riding that should only happens during races on the open road, which is very tightly controlled, with lead and rear cars with riders being penalised for going over the white line.

With regards to bunch riding I'm not sure what you expect road racers in the UK to do stop racing? By that logic there shouldn't be any road runners racing on roads either, something which causes far more disruption.

[daz h]

Never understand why road cyclist think it is a safe option to ride two abreast on busy roads and not go into single file when a car wants to overtake! Justasking for problems, riding in peolotons is even more bonkers

How would you want us to ride
6" from the gutter

[Hanneke]

Hear hear Donkey!

Believe it or not it's actually safer if the road's wide enough. It forces car drivers to slow down and overtake cyclist properly rather than speed past with millimetres to spare. A single line of 20/30 cyclists creates a longer obstacle so it's six of one half dozen of the other, but two abreast is definitely safer for the cyclist even if it is less convenient for impatient drivers.

A good metre out from the side of the road is the way to go and I'm pretty sure that's what recommended by the CTC et al.

As for bunch riding that should only happens during races on the open road, which is very tightly controlled, with lead and rear cars with riders being penalised for going over the white line.

With regards to bunch riding I'm not sure what you expect road racers in the UK to do stop racing? By that logic there shouldn't be any road runners racing on roads either, something which causes far more disruption.

[Hanneke]

May I remind you that cyclists have as much right to be on the roads as cars and they are entitled to be there safely, without being forced off the roads by cars??? I have never been able to understand why the majority of drivers in this country seem to think otherwise... In Holland it doesn't seem to be a problem at all for cars and cyclists to share the roads.

Never understand why road cyclist think it is a safe option to ride two abreast on busy roads and not go into single file when a car wants to overtake! Justasking for problems, riding in peolotons is even more bonkers

[maddaddy]

I understand that cyclist have a right to be on the road and that they shouldn’t have to cycle in the gutter BUT if you are talking about safety with car drivers all it does riding two abreast or in a peloton is make car drivers even more impatient and aggressive – ERGO more likely to get knocked off cut up etc etc.
Don’t get me started on horses on roads ..…………

[Dynamo Dan]

I understand that cyclist have a right to be on the road and that they shouldn’t have to cycle in the gutter BUT if you are talking about safety with car drivers all it does riding two abreast or in a peloton is make car drivers even more impatient and aggressive – ERGO more likely to get knocked off cut up etc etc.
Don’t get me started on horses on roads ..…………

In my experience they usually beep for a while and then pass whilst shouting a torrent of abuse at us. Often if the roads narrow someone will shout "car up" and we all go single file and let them pass. Thankfully they're aren't many who willingly try to cut us up or knock us off.

No matter how impatient they get they're rarely psychopaths willing to kill or injure 30 people in one go.