Please encourage me to stop driving to work and start cycling...

[JohnB]

Matthew Nettle wrote:

> > Alternatively, I could get a folder (not too keen, they're not cheap
> > and look, well, a bit daft)
>
> Oh I dunno - riding my Brompton I overtook a medium sized boy cyclist the
> other day and he said to the adult he was cycling with
> "Wow! What a cool bike!"

I get a lot of that too - with one exception - the early/mid-teen
layabouts who will sneer and shout at *anything*.

I'm also convinced the yellow skatewheels in place of the original
Brommie roller wheels add a lot to the 'cool' factor.

John B

 

[Ross Hamilton]

On Tue, 22 Mar 2005 21:51:44 +0000, davek wrote in
<[email protected]>, seen in uk.rec.cycling:

[...]
> Yet do I ever hear anyone complaining about the space consumed by large
> baggage? Even when it is placed on seats? Do I hell.

What you need in those situations is a child of unmarried parents like
I used to be as the guard.

I'm infamous for charging a Cambridge-student-type-oik 130 quid in
excess baggage charges alone when he filled my train up with junk
after being sent down.

I'm no longer a guard (let alone the guard's instructor I was at the
time I became infamous) - apparently I'm not the type the new
"customer-oriented" don't-cause-us-any-trouble-or-else brigade who run
the railway today want dealing with the public. So nowadays I drive
the trains instead. ;-)

--
Ross, in Lincoln
Reply-to address will bounce; replace "junk-trap" with "me" for e-mail

 

[Tony W]

"Mark" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> > Alternatively, I could get a folder (not too keen, they're not cheap
> > and look, well, a bit daft) or leave a bike at either end.
>
> Might look a bit daft but I'd say - IMHO - that one would be ideal for
your
> commute.
>
> Mark
>

30 nicker fuel + 20 squid bridge every week = a top of the range folder
inside three months and a VERY top of the range inside six months.

No brainer?

Yep. Sure is.

 

[silangdon]

>
>Since it's only a few miles in Bristol, you could get a knackered old thing
>to leave locked up at Temple Meads.

And another one to lock up at Severn Tunnel... I'd be dead nervous
leaving a decent bike in a public place all day.

>
>And on gorgeous summer evenings you can ride home over the old bridge - a
>great ride!


can you give me some idea of a route? I only know Bristol from a
cager's perspective. I spose one could head out along the Gloucester
Road.

 

[Arthur Clune]

Ross Hamilton <[email protected]> wrote:

: I'm infamous for charging a Cambridge-student-type-oik 130 quid in
: excess baggage charges alone when he filled my train up with junk
: after being sent down.

I once helped my then girlfriend take all her worldy goods from York
to Dundee on the train. Shoved 5-6 big boxes in the guards van, away
we went. No trouble, no excess baggage.

Arthur

--
Arthur Clune PGP/GPG Key: http://www.clune.org/pubkey.txt
Don't get me wrong, perl is an OK operating system, but it lacks a
lightweight scripting language -- Walter Dnes

 

[wheeler]

silangdon wrote:
>> Since it's only a few miles in Bristol, you could get a knackered
>> old thing to leave locked up at Temple Meads.
>
> And another one to lock up at Severn Tunnel... I'd be dead nervous
> leaving a decent bike in a public place all day.

yeah, that's true I suppose - Severn Tunnel feels like there should be
tumbleweeds blowing through and scallies hiding behind every lamp-post.

>
>>
>> And on gorgeous summer evenings you can ride home over the old
>> bridge - a great ride!
>
>
> can you give me some idea of a route? I only know Bristol from a
> cager's perspective. I spose one could head out along the Gloucester
> Road.

I've only really done it that way, but once you get out past Horfield-ish,
it gets horrible, then Filton is dual carriageway and scary until you get to
the M5 (although this is pretty direct and quick). You could try looking at
www.sustrans.org.uk for maps or contact http://www.lifecycleuk.org.uk/ - I
think Life Cycle used to be Cycle West, and they probably still do
individual route planning for free. If you explain that you're trying to
give up driving and cycle commuting instead, I'm sure they'd be
enthusiastic!


--
Spam trap: Replace spamisdoomed with ben

 

[Peter Clinch]

JohnB wrote:

> I get a lot of that too - with one exception - the early/mid-teen
> layabouts who will sneer and shout at *anything*.

Was in the market for a new oven a few years ago, so I got on the Brom
to tour the local retailers and spy some out. Rode into the car park at
a Currys and was duly laughed at (hey, it has small wheels, it /must/ be
****, yeah?). But then I got off and folded it and suddenly it was
cooler than liquid helium! They even offered to carry round the shop
for me and asked if I'd "be their Dad" so they could play on the
consoles. Quite a transformation of attitude just from a fold!

Used to be the case that without the fold on view reaction from yoof was
almost all sneering, but over the last few months there seem to be some
"cool!" reactions which don't sound as if I should add a very large
pinch of salt.

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net [email protected] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

 

[dkahn400]

Peter Clinch wrote:

> Used to be the case that without the fold on view reaction from
> yoof was almost all sneering, but over the last few months there
> seem to be some "cool!" reactions which don't sound as if I
> should add a very large pinch of salt.

Maybe this has something to do with the fact that the yoof are now all
riding around on what look to me like their kid brothers' bikes. A few
years ago anyone riding a thing like that would have been laughed at
unmercifully.

--
Dave...

 

[Simon Brooke]

in message <[email protected]>, silangdon
('[email protected]') wrote:

> Unfortunately its 25 miles, from the wrong side of Chepstow to the
> wrong side of Bristol and involves three motorways (m48, m4, m32)
> takes me about 45 mins to an hour (more like the latter) costs me £30
> a week in fuel, £20 in crossing the severn bridge, wear and tear
> excluded. And I f^%gging hate traffic james.

If there's any decent cycleable route, 25 miles is not impossible as an
occasional cycle commute. I used to do a 21 mile commute about three
days a week. It would take an hour and a quarter in the morning and
usually about an hour and three quarters in the evening (because more
tired) but was very enjoyable and kept me fit.

> I've just priced up the train from Severn Tunnel junction to Temple
> Meads - it's £6-20 on Wessex trains (that's turn up and buy prices), a
> 10Km ride on the Welsh side and something like 7 on the English.
>
> (Is this seeming like a no-brainer?)

That's a no brainer. How crowded is the train? It's further than I would
want to cycle regularly on a Brompton, but there are more cycleable
folders and if the train isn't too crowded, it would be easy on a
standard bike.

--
[email protected] (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/
;; Sending your money to someone just because they've erected
;; a barrier of obscurity and secrets around the tools you
;; need to use your data does not help the economy or spur
;; innovation. - Waffle Iron Slashdot, June 16th, 2002

 

[Alan Braggins]

In article <[email protected]>, davek wrote:
>Alan Braggins wrote:
>> (Check the train policy on folders, if they have to fit in a specific space
>> you might need something that folds into a smaller package
>
>Or just put it in a suitcase/rucksack

Fitting the Chameleon into its suitcase means spending longer folding
it (5-12 minutes vs. 30 seconds, says their web site). They do do a bag
that takes it at the first stage fold (and yes sometimes you can get
away with a bike in a bag but not the same sized bike and no
that isn't fair).
http://www.airnimal.com/Accessories_folding.php

 

[Peter Clinch]

Dave Larrington wrote:

> Natch only the
> bicycle was forbidden to board the train, though the lad with the hippo had
> the last laugh as it had a bike inside it...

<Chortle>
Is this a niche in the bike bag market?

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net [email protected] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

 

[motorhommer]

Quote
Alternatively, I could get a folder (not too keen, they're not cheap
and look, well, a bit daft) or leave a bike at either end.
End Quote

You have the answer to the question here. Take your time to get used to the idea but essentially this is it. When you look at a folder you need two things, something which folds up simply and quickly and secondly and as important but what most people forget is the luggage carrying system.

A Brompton is your best bet. Marvellous machine, the daft bit will be gone in a week. Most people who have them love them - they even buy two of them. The luggage carrying using the touring bag up front is great. Any work items etc.

As for cost, they are a one time buy, they are very low maintenance and they have great resale value if you decide you are too daft on the thing.

I have one for 5 years now. It is unbelievable. I do use a Hybrid each day for a 20 mile round trip, I have used the Brompton extensively and t is a great machine. But if I am going to a meeting in town with suit etc. it is the Brompton every time, mudguards, mudflaps, etc. very civilised.

Forget about other options like Arnimals etc waste of time for what you want it for. Bromtpon folds in 15 seconds takes the abuse and works. Bikes either end etc. Why bother.

Just get your head around it, borrow from the credit union or bank and buy one. You will never look back. The money side of things is one side, I have only one car at home , no tyres etc. The Health and general well being is amazing. In the UK you should no longer look daft on a Brompton, loads of people have them. You will look just as daft in your civies on a beat up racer or mountain bike dragging your sad ass up the road with a big bag hanging around you when it is lashing rain.

Well thats my rant on it anyway ......

 

[Peter Clinch]

motorhommer wrote:

> A Brompton is your best bet. Marvellous machine, the daft bit will be
> gone in a week. Most people who have them love them

And I am one of these people, but they are not the only game in town and
not always the best solution. Less compact folding machines that ride
better are often a better solution, though it depends on the job to be done.

> Forget about other options like Arnimals etc waste of time for what you
> want it for.

Covering a moderate amount of distance, plus it's a sporty machine in
its own right and not limited to "folding jobs".

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net [email protected] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

 

[Jeremy Parker]

"silangdon" <[email protected]> wrote

[snip]

> >And on gorgeous summer evenings you can ride home over the old
bridge - a
> >great ride!
>
>
> can you give me some idea of a route? I only know Bristol from a
> cager's perspective. I spose one could head out along the
Gloucester
> Road.

Stay a bit further west, I would think. There are pavement bike
paths in the general vicinity of Cribbs Causeway to get you past the
most trafficy bits, or stay further west even than that. Get the OS
map, the Cycle City Bristol bike map, all the various bike route
leaflets, and do some exploring of different routes.

It sounds as if there's a lot of experimenting to do before you find
the absolute optimum, even on the train route, so maybe immediately
buying an annual season might not be the thing to do

 

[Ross Hamilton]

On 23 Mar 2005 10:07:34 GMT, Arthur Clune wrote in
<[email protected]>, seen in uk.rec.cycling:
> Ross Hamilton <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> : I'm infamous for charging a Cambridge-student-type-oik 130 quid in
> : excess baggage charges alone when he filled my train up with junk
> : after being sent down.
>
> I once helped my then girlfriend take all her worldy goods from York
> to Dundee on the train. Shoved 5-6 big boxes in the guards van, away
> we went. No trouble, no excess baggage.

I'd never have bothered about luggage in the van - it's out of the
way, after all - but we didn't have a van *and* he'd managed to spread
his junk over about 10 seats.

He was lucky: if he'd have had more than 200 quid on him, I'd have had
that as well. I could legitimately have taken at least 300 quid off
him, including the 70 quid I charged him for his ticket (hence "only"
130 quid in excess luggage).

ob.uk.r.c: amongst his junk he had what he called a bike, for which I
charged him 3 quid. He called it a bike; I called it a heap of rust
with what passed for spokes.

--
Ross, in Lincoln
Reply-to address will bounce; replace "junk-trap" with "me" for e-mail

 

[Tom Anderson]

On 23 Mar 2005, dkahn400 wrote:

> Peter Clinch wrote:
>
> > Used to be the case that without the fold on view reaction from yoof
> > was almost all sneering, but over the last few months there seem to be
> > some "cool!" reactions which don't sound as if I should add a very
> > large pinch of salt.
>
> Maybe this has something to do with the fact that the yoof are now all
> riding around on what look to me like their kid brothers' bikes.

From which the seat has been nicked, in many cases.

> A few years ago anyone riding a thing like that would have been laughed
> at unmercifully.

Still is today by anyone with two brain cells to rub together.

tom

--
Get a bicycle. You will not regret it. If you live. -- Mark Twain