Sheffield Cycling on the increase

[CELCAD 10]

I've been biking for years but until now only had a mountain bike so not really used the roads much. Ive bought a decent hybrid bike with no suspension with the intention of getting fitter.

 

I've just come back from my 3rd ride and am beginning to regret buying it. I am appalled at how bad the condition of the roads are. They are literally peppered with thousands of pot holes, patches on patches, uneven surfaces and piles of gravel that have come out of the potholes. Have I only just realised that I hear you say. Well no, of course not, but going from a full suspension mountain bike to a rigid hybrid bike and using roads only is a complete nightmare.

 

I literally was struggling to hold on going round the corners at the top end of Totley Brook Road. I recall asking the guy in the bike shop just how strong these commuter bikes were and could I use it on say canal tow paths. He said it's not suitable because there are less spokes on the wheels to keep the weight down. Makes sense, but seriously, canal tow paths are FAR smoother than our roads. I'm amazed that my wheels are still straight after that bone shaking experience!

 

I suspect I'm not alone with my comments and it's probably been aired before many times, but I felt I had have a moan!

[Guest]

I've been biking for years but until now only had a mountain bike so not really used the roads much. Ive bought a decent hybrid bike with no suspension with the intention of getting fitter.

 

I've just come back from my 3rd ride and am beginning to regret buying it. I am appalled at how bad the condition of the roads are. They are literally peppered with thousands of pot holes, patches on patches, uneven surfaces and piles of gravel that have come out of the potholes. Have I only just realised that I hear you say. Well no, of course not, but going from a full suspension mountain bike to a rigid hybrid bike and using roads only is a complete nightmare.

 

I literally was struggling to hold on going round the corners at the top end of Totley Brook Road. I recall asking the guy in the bike shop just how strong these commuter bikes were and could I use it on say canal tow paths. He said it's not suitable because there are less spokes on the wheels to keep the weight down. Makes sense, but seriously, canal tow paths are FAR smoother than our roads. I'm amazed that my wheels are still straight after that bone shaking experience!

 

I suspect I'm not alone with my comments and it's probably been aired before many times, but I felt I had have a moan!

 

Amey are working on the roads; I live in the Stannington area and riding round here feels like gliding on air. Your area will be the same eventually.

 

I don't regret getting my hybrid bike, I used to commute on a chunky tyred mountain bike with full suspension and the difference is unbelievable.

[WalkleyIan 10]

Amey are working on the roads; I live in the Stannington area and riding round here feels like gliding on air. Your area will be the same eventually.

 

I don't regret getting my hybrid bike, I used to commute on a chunky tyred mountain bike with full suspension and the difference is unbelievable.

 

Favourite Ride at the moment is Walkley, Loxley Road, then the back way into Low Bradfield, (Trouble wood) . Mug of tea at the Post Office then up Blindside Lane toward Moscar, back via Our Cow Molly, Stannington, Rails Road.

 

Those little lanes are a delight now they’ve been done, and there are very few cars up there

 

Makes a huge difference, rode back from Ringinglow via Mayfield Valley yesterday and the bike nearly shook to bits.

[Cyclone 10]

Most experienced cyclists would recommend it- purely cos each time you cross those tracks there's a chance you can come off, especially in the wet, but, even in the dry, they're tram tracks crossed by trams and thousands of cars daily, so engine oil is a possibility as well.

 

If you do come off, broken arms/wrists are fairly likely- if the following car runs over you as you come off, death is a possibility.

 

I do try to be pleasant to drivers- prior to my own accident while crossing the tramlines on my cycle, I also crossed the lines to the left to allow cars to pass.

 

But now, if it comes to an impatient driver getting annoyed, or me risking death/maiming, I'll go for the former every time.

 

And of course, any decent driver will be aware of this issue and not have any problems with the fact that a cyclist is in primary where there are tramlines.

 

If it was just a little bit annoyed I'd agree with you. But I think that it will actually increase the danger.

I've never seen anyone cycle down langsett or infirmary road in the primary position.

I did it once, because I happened to have a tail wind and I was doing 30, I got beeped at and had to have words with the woman at the traffic lights.

For much of the road I'll be slower than that, I don't want angry idiots overtaking even more dangerously.

 

As for impatient, ignorant drivers dangerously overtaking, the whole point of adopting a central primary position is that it makes overtaking impossible.

It doesn't though, the road is wide and parts of it have a central chevroned area, they will overtake anyway.

That's the key, it's not about moving a bit to the right- you need to be bang in the middle, that way the driver either waits till you leave primary, or, they go into the back of you- our justice system may be dire when it comes to drivers killing cyclists, but, if they literally run into the back of you, chances are they do time.

 

That doesn't help me does it!

[onewheeldave 22]

I've been biking for years but until now only had a mountain bike so not really used the roads much. Ive bought a decent hybrid bike with no suspension with the intention of getting fitter.

 

I've just come back from my 3rd ride and am beginning to regret buying it. I am appalled at how bad the condition of the roads are. They are literally peppered with thousands of pot holes, patches on patches, uneven surfaces and piles of gravel that have come out of the potholes. Have I only just realised that I hear you say. Well no, of course not, but going from a full suspension mountain bike to a rigid hybrid bike and using roads only is a complete nightmare.

 

I literally was struggling to hold on going round the corners at the top end of Totley Brook Road. I recall asking the guy in the bike shop just how strong these commuter bikes were and could I use it on say canal tow paths. He said it's not suitable because there are less spokes on the wheels to keep the weight down. Makes sense, but seriously, canal tow paths are FAR smoother than our roads. I'm amazed that my wheels are still straight after that bone shaking experience!

 

I suspect I'm not alone with my comments and it's probably been aired before many times, but I felt I had have a moan!

 

You need to ride it in a different way to a full suspension i.e. look at the road and avoid potholes, and, learn to relax your arms when going over smaller obstacles.

 

I ride a decathlon rockrider- a £100 (new) bike that, for the price, is actually decent quality, because it has zero suspension.

 

I recently had a go on my mates far more expensive full suspension mtb, and it felt like a clown bike loads of rocking, so much wastage of energy and a bike so heavy he has to get off and push up steep hills that I ride up easily.

 

Of course, full suspension is necessary on the mtb downhill bike tracks, but, for roads, total overkill.

[tzijlstra 11]

You need to ride it in a different way to a full suspension i.e. look at the road and avoid potholes, and, learn to relax your arms when going over smaller obstacles.

 

I ride a decathlon rockrider- a £100 (new) bike that, for the price, is actually decent quality, because it has zero suspension.

 

I recently had a go on my mates far more expensive full suspension mtb, and it felt like a clown bike loads of rocking, so much wastage of energy and a bike so heavy he has to get off and push up steep hills that I ride up easily.

 

Of course, full suspension is necessary on the mtb downhill bike tracks, but, for roads, total overkill.

 

Biggest difference aside from the suspension is the width of the tyres. for off-roading you need lots of extra grip, thus wide tyres, for roads you need narrow tyres for less friction. I once fitted regular bike wheels on a BMX (don't ask) and the difference was amazing in terms of speeds achieved.

 

Of course, when I did my tricks it was a complete disaster, I still have a scar about an inch long to prove that one

[Cyclone 10]

And you can fit narrower tyres to a MTB in order to commute.

 

I've just bought a second hand Barracuda 29er, I'm planning to fit some 700 44c tyres (1.75" or thereabouts) to replace the 2.25" that are on it at the moment.

 

It's a hard tail which I think is ideal for the roads I commute on, the rigid frame was giving me vibration white body, even with relaxed arms, it's like cycling over a washboard at points.

 

Interestingly enough, you can apparently fit a 29" wheel with narrow 700 tyres to a regular 26" MTB fork in a lot of cases. Giving you lower rolling resistance. (Only if you have disc brakes).

[Squiggs 11]

Interestingly enough, you can apparently fit a 29" wheel with narrow 700 tyres to a regular 26" MTB fork in a lot of cases. Giving you lower rolling resistance. (Only if you have disc brakes).

 

 

Not recommended really, but shows possibilities - 700x35 touring wheels & tyres on a hardtail MTB frameset

 

Drops on a frunt-susser isn't really ideal - this was a case of necessity being the mother of invention as a temporary measure whilst I awaited the interim insurance payment for a replacement bike.

 

Using parts from my touring bike after the frame was written off, but not wishing to ride everywhere on a mountain bike

[JFKvsNixon 11]

Before I got my road bike I put some Conti slicks on my mountain bike and the difference with the commute was unbelievable, the downside was that the tires fitted nicely into the tram tracks.

[Bargepole23 337]

I've been biking for years but until now only had a mountain bike so not really used the roads much. Ive bought a decent hybrid bike with no suspension with the intention of getting fitter.

 

I've just come back from my 3rd ride and am beginning to regret buying it. I am appalled at how bad the condition of the roads are. They are literally peppered with thousands of pot holes, patches on patches, uneven surfaces and piles of gravel that have come out of the potholes. Have I only just realised that I hear you say. Well no, of course not, but going from a full suspension mountain bike to a rigid hybrid bike and using roads only is a complete nightmare.

 

I literally was struggling to hold on going round the corners at the top end of Totley Brook Road. I recall asking the guy in the bike shop just how strong these commuter bikes were and could I use it on say canal tow paths. He said it's not suitable because there are less spokes on the wheels to keep the weight down. Makes sense, but seriously, canal tow paths are FAR smoother than our roads. I'm amazed that my wheels are still straight after that bone shaking experience!

 

I suspect I'm not alone with my comments and it's probably been aired before many times, but I felt I had have a moan!

 

Your wheels will fall apart because they are poor quality and poorly built, not because "there are less spokes".

 

I've ridden many thousands of miles on Sheffields roads on my road bike, never felt the need for any suspension or tread or fat tires. Its just a few potholes and patches.

[Cyclone 10]

 

Not recommended really, but shows possibilities - 700x35 touring wheels & tyres on a hardtail MTB frameset

 

Drops on a frunt-susser isn't really ideal - this was a case of necessity being the mother of invention as a temporary measure whilst I awaited the interim insurance payment for a replacement bike.

 

Using parts from my touring bike after the frame was written off, but not wishing to ride everywhere on a mountain bike

 

Drop bars as well :-)

 

The wheels only just clear the frame!

 

I think a 44C should be wide enough to NOT fit nicely into the tram track.

[stifflersmom 11]

. I recall asking the guy in the bike shop just how strong these commuter bikes were and could I use it on say canal tow paths. He said it's not suitable because there are less spokes on the wheels to keep the weight down. Makes sense, but seriously, canal tow paths are FAR smoother than our roads. I'm amazed that my wheels are still straight after that bone shaking experience!

 

I'd go to a different bike shop if I were you. Spokes are not the major factor in reducing wheel weight. In fact, a higher spoke count can mean you can use a lighter rim. Fewer spokes mean you need a stronger (and usually heavier) rim.

A well built wheel will be more than capable of surviving commuter duties, but like if you were driving, you would avoid the potholes where possible.