Hovis London Freewheel

"Nildram news" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

http://www.londonfreewheel.com/news/groups.asp

Which eventually leads you to the one of the "decoupage" pages such as;
http://www.londonfreewheel.com/pdf/Central_Chaingang_Set_BW.pdf

"Nildram news" <[email hidden]> wrote in
news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

"Nildram news" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

http://www.londonfreewheel.com/news/groups.asp

Which eventually leads you to the one of the "decoupage" pages such as;
http://www.londonfreewheel.com/pdf/Central_Chaingang_Set_BW.pdf

I think I'm rapidly going off the Freewheel - it turning out more Keith
Chegwin or one of those enthusiastic puppies that keeps on wanting to lick
you. Why do they have to be so patronising?

--
Tony

" I would never die for my beliefs because I might be wrong."
Bertrand Russell

"Nildram news" <[email hidden]> wrote in
news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

"Nildram news" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

http://www.londonfreewheel.com/news/groups.asp

Which eventually leads you to the one of the "decoupage" pages such as;
http://www.londonfreewheel.com/pdf/Central_Chaingang_Set_BW.pdf

I think I'm rapidly going off the Freewheel - it turning out more Keith
Chegwin or one of those enthusiastic puppies that keeps on wanting to lick
you. Why do they have to be so patronising?

--
Tony

" I would never die for my beliefs because I might be wrong."
Bertrand Russell

Tony Raven said:

"Nildram news" <[email hidden]> wrote in
news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

"Nildram news" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

http://www.londonfreewheel.com/news/groups.asp

Which eventually leads you to the one of the "decoupage" pages such as;
http://www.londonfreewheel.com/pdf/Central_Chaingang_Set_BW.pdf

I think I'm rapidly going off the Freewheel - it turning out more Keith
Chegwin or one of those enthusiastic puppies that keeps on wanting to lick
you. Why do they have to be so patronising?

I am now thankful that I live too far away. A terrible cross of
immaturity and Americanism. Some would say they are the same.

--
Don Whybrow

Sequi Bonum Non Time

Discordianism: Where reality is a figment of your imagination

Nildram news said:

Which eventually leads you to the one of the "decoupage" pages such as;
http://www.londonfreewheel.com/pdf/Central_Chaingang_Set_BW.pdf

Because the last thing we want is London's cyclists actually agreeing
with each other about anything! Much better to split them into
artificial factions and make them compete with each other.

Paranoid Roger

--
It never gets easier, you just go faster.
-- Greg LeMond

Roger Burton West said:

Nildram news said:

Which eventually leads you to the one of the "decoupage" pages such as;
http://www.londonfreewheel.com/pdf/Central_Chaingang_Set_BW.pdf

Because the last thing we want is London's cyclists actually agreeing
with each other about anything! Much better to split them into
artificial factions and make them compete with each other.

I was at an LCC strategy meeting today. One of the complaints was
that LCC mebership doesn't reflect the diverse nature of London
cyclists!

Positive news about the Freewheel:

1. You do not have to register to join the event.
2. You can join the Freewheel at any point on the traffic free route,
however, there will be barriers across the road at all entry points
apart from the hub entry points, so access may be easier at hub entry
points, especially for large groups.

Negative news about the Freewheel:

1. If you register now you won't receive a free bell as they have run
out.

Tom Crispin <[email hidden]> wrote in
news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

Negative news about the Freewheel:

1. If you register now you won't receive a free bell as they have run
out.

It would be nice to receive anything. I signed up months ago and sent a
couple of emails but have received nothing in return, not even an
acknowledgment. Yesterday they did email with a note buried in a whole
load of childish stuff to say the Freewheel pack should arrive in the next
couple of weeks. Well with the event only a couple of weeks away I won't
hold my breath.

--
Tony

" I would never die for my beliefs because I might be wrong."
Bertrand Russell

Tony Raven said:

Tom Crispin <[email hidden]> wrote in
news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

Negative news about the Freewheel:

1. If you register now you won't receive a free bell as they have run
out.

It would be nice to receive anything. I signed up months ago and sent a
couple of emails but have received nothing in return, not even an
acknowledgment. Yesterday they did email with a note buried in a whole
load of childish stuff to say the Freewheel pack should arrive in the next
couple of weeks. Well with the event only a couple of weeks away I won't
hold my breath.

I expect the most cost effective way to get the packs out to those who
have registered is in one mass mailing.

If it make you feel any happier, none of the LCC team have received
packs either.

Tom Crispin said:

1. You do not have to register to join the event.

I wish they'd said that on the web site. At least I used a disposable
email address.

Quoted message said:

2. You can join the Freewheel at any point on the traffic free route,
however, there will be barriers across the road at all entry points
apart from the hub entry points, so access may be easier at hub entry
points, especially for large groups.

Excellent news! Thank you.

R

--
Ever bike? Now that's something that makes life worth living!
-- Jack London

Tom Crispin said:

1. You do not have to register to join the event.

I wish they'd said that on the web site. At least I used a disposable
email address.

Quoted message said:

2. You can join the Freewheel at any point on the traffic free route,
however, there will be barriers across the road at all entry points
apart from the hub entry points, so access may be easier at hub entry
points, especially for large groups.

Excellent news! Thank you.

R

--
Ever bike? Now that's something that makes life worth living!
-- Jack London

"Tom Crispin" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Positive news about the Freewheel:

1. You do not have to register to join the event.
2. You can join the Freewheel at any point on the traffic free route,
however, there will be barriers across the road at all entry points
apart from the hub entry points, so access may be easier at hub entry
points, especially for large groups.

Negative news about the Freewheel:

1. If you register now you won't receive a free bell as they have run
out.

Thanks for some useful info ! It's just a shame that what could be a great
way to promote cycling in London now seems to be firmly targeted to 12 years
old. Don't get me wrong, I don't mind a light hearted approach, but this is
now bordering on the childish. To me, it just shows that the kind commitment
made to make traveling in/through London by bicycle safe and easy is not
terribly encouraging. I'll still hopefully enjoy the day out with a couple
of mates but am under no illusion that this is anything other than a PR
exercise and that in practice, very little still get's done.

Roger Burton West said:

Tom Crispin said:

1. You do not have to register to join the event.

I wish they'd said that on the web site. At least I used a disposable
email address.

Quoted message said:

2. You can join the Freewheel at any point on the traffic free route,
however, there will be barriers across the road at all entry points
apart from the hub entry points, so access may be easier at hub entry
points, especially for large groups.

Excellent news! Thank you.

One thing that was not clear was how the left turn from Upper Thames
Street onto London Bridge will work without cyclists either having to
cross the path of oncoming cyclists, or the route being to cycle on
the right across London Bridge.

www.johnballcycling.org.uk/misc/lb

This might go some way to explain why Tooley Street was cut from the
route. I.e. the organisers may be happy with cyclists going across
London Bridge on the wrong side, but not along Tooley Street.

Nildram news said:

"Tom Crispin" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Positive news about the Freewheel:

1. You do not have to register to join the event.
2. You can join the Freewheel at any point on the traffic free route,
however, there will be barriers across the road at all entry points
apart from the hub entry points, so access may be easier at hub entry
points, especially for large groups.

Negative news about the Freewheel:

1. If you register now you won't receive a free bell as they have run
out.

Thanks for some useful info ! It's just a shame that what could be a great
way to promote cycling in London now seems to be firmly targeted to 12 years
old. Don't get me wrong, I don't mind a light hearted approach, but this is
now bordering on the childish. To me, it just shows that the kind commitment
made to make traveling in/through London by bicycle safe and easy is not
terribly encouraging. I'll still hopefully enjoy the day out with a couple
of mates but am under no illusion that this is anything other than a PR
exercise and that in practice, very little still get's done.

I think that there are several points you need to bear in mind about
the event.

1. It's a first of this type in London. Next year's may be better.
2. The target for the Freewheel is "new and returning cyclists".
3. The marketing may be low budget.

Nildram news said:

It's just a shame that what could be a great
way to promote cycling in London now seems to be firmly targeted to 12 years
old.

They /are/ the future, after all. Getting them switched on probably
makes more sense than pandering to commited cyclists like most of urc,
or the uphill struggle to convert Clarksonites.

Quoted message said:

Don't get me wrong, I don't mind a light hearted approach, but this is
now bordering on the childish. To me, it just shows that the kind commitment
made to make traveling in/through London by bicycle safe and easy is not
terribly encouraging. I'll still hopefully enjoy the day out with a couple
of mates but am under no illusion that this is anything other than a PR
exercise and that in practice, very little still get's done.

Lots of do-gooder events accomplish little except put the issue on the
map. It's a party, on bikes, and it's free. Enjoy it.

Marc Brett <[email hidden]> wrote in
news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

Nildram news said:

It's just a shame that what could be a great
way to promote cycling in London now seems to be firmly targeted to 12
years old.

They /are/ the future, after all. Getting them switched on probably
makes more sense than pandering to commited cyclists like most of urc,
or the uphill struggle to convert Clarksonites.

But I suspect most 12 year olds have enough intelligence to know they are
being patronised too.

--
Tony

" I would never die for my beliefs because I might be wrong."
Bertrand Russell

Tony Raven said:

Marc Brett <[email hidden]> wrote in
news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

Nildram news said:

It's just a shame that what could be a great
way to promote cycling in London now seems to be firmly targeted to 12
years old.

They /are/ the future, after all. Getting them switched on probably
makes more sense than pandering to commited cyclists like most of urc,
or the uphill struggle to convert Clarksonites.

But I suspect most 12 year olds have enough intelligence to know they are
being patronised too.

One of the groups most under represented on London's roads are teenage
girls and young women. They seem to get turned off cycling as soon as
they leave primary school. A few will remain cyclists, and some will
return to cycling later. How can London replecate the situation in
Amsterdam where cycling is seen as something for everyone?

Tom Crispin <[email hidden]> wrote in
news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

But I suspect most 12 year olds have enough intelligence to know they
are being patronised too.

One of the groups most under represented on London's roads are teenage
girls and young women. They seem to get turned off cycling as soon as
they leave primary school. A few will remain cyclists, and some will
return to cycling later. How can London replecate the situation in
Amsterdam where cycling is seen as something for everyone?

Are you implying teenage girls and young women are more susceptible to
being patronised? I doubt that making it a circus event with frilly
handlebar ends to make and mock regional rivalries is going to do much
more than make it seem like an annual carnival. What's wrong with an
informative casual straight bike ride round the streets to show how easy
and pleasant cycling can be with street cafes and other street stalls and
Covent Garden stylee fare for entertainment? That's far more likely IMO
to lodge the seed that cycling can be a way of transport round London or
a nice way to pop out for a coffee and not the equivalent of a carnival
parade.

As for replicating the situation I think we do have to work harder, as
you are doing, with the kids. I cycled everywhere as a kid - it was my
freedom - and although I drifted away after university through
circumstances it stayed with me and I came back to it. Curiously when I
did come back to it traffic was never one of my concerns about
restarting....

YMMV

--
Tony

" I would never die for my beliefs because I might be wrong."
Bertrand Russell

Tom Crispin said:

One thing that was not clear was how the left turn from Upper
Thames Street onto London Bridge will work without cyclists either
having to cross the path of oncoming cyclists, or the route being
to cycle on the right across London Bridge.

www.johnballcycling.org.uk/misc/lb

I don't understand why you've shown that map - it's different from
that shown on the event website. Why are you assuming the route you
show rather than that on the published maps (which have everyone
cycling on the left at all times)?

What's wrong with cyclists crossing paths? So far as I am aware, it's
not an event advertised as being suitable for cycling with your eyes
shut and/or brain disconnected,

regards, Ian SMith
--
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Has anyone come across any artwork/posters that can be displayed to
promote London Freewheel ?

I'd like to stick an A3 something up in our shiny new school bikeshed.

Requests to Freewheel have received no reply and TfL produced the
automated response:

"Thank you for your recent e-mail, which I received on 04 September
2007 . One of my team will look into the points you raised, and get
back to you as soon as possible.

My team will aim to give you a full answer within 15 days. However,
we are currently receiving higher than normal volumes of
correspondence which means that it may take up to 20 working days. I
apologise in advance for any delay caused by this and thank you for
your understanding."