[Travel] Ten reasons now is a great time to start cycling

[Gwylan]

Through a combination of a dodgy knee and illness, I haven't been on my bike for a few months. Just taken it in for a service and will be ready to hit the road next week - looking forward to it

 

[neilbard]

I'm doing it..

 

[Garage_Doors]

Are there any figures produced showing the difference in pedal bikes sold between conventional and powered?

 

[Stat Brother]

Are there any figures produced showing the difference in pedal bikes sold between conventional and powered?

I'm sure there are some figures readily available.

I'd wager as much as 17p a 10 year gragh of sales would look fairly stagnant for the first 7 years but the last 3 would be close to a vertical line.


I'd also be prepared to wage, 6p, that in 10 years time ebikes will be indistinguishable from conventional ones and their power/battery life will be 3, 4 even 5 times the output of now.

 

[Garage_Doors]

I'm sure there are some figures readily available.

I'd wager as much as 17p a 10 year gragh of sales would look fairly stagnant for the first 7 years but the last 3 would be close to a vertical line.


I'd also be prepared to wage, 6p, that in 10 years time ebikes will be indistinguishable from conventional ones and their power/battery life will be 3, 4 even 5 times the output of now.

I guess they are called ebikes? the one he bought has a range of 50 miles (so he says), how much further do you need?

 

[Stat Brother]

I guess they are called ebikes? the one he bought has a range of 50 miles (so he says), how much further do you need?

Plenty further but probably more importantly the size and weight of the motor, charge time, run time will all improve.

I doubt your friend would dare to go much further than 15 miles from home for fear of being left with no power assist and a comparatively heavy bike.

The point being, e-bikes are where the market is at right now.
That's where all the big manufacturers are spending their R & D money which can be easily seen through their ranges over the last 5 years.

As said with all that money coming through in X years time e-bikes, as good as they are now, will be considerably better.

 

[Weststander]

https://www.theguardian.com/environ...cycling-lockdown-eases?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other


I know this isn't the place for 'on second thoughts' or god forbid 'I was wrong'.

I'm wondering if any of the very vocal car lobby here have pulled their old 'sit up and beg' from the back of the garage and thought 'this isn't so bad after all'?

The government agree with you, a long shopping list and big budget just being announced. Mandatory requirements of councils.

I’ll guess you’ll probably criticise them, but finally this country might be taking cycling seriously.

Stage 2 will be changing the mindset of bullying neanderthals in their tin cans and lorries.

 

[Pretty pink fairy]

https://www.theguardian.com/environ...cycling-lockdown-eases?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other


I know this isn't the place for 'on second thoughts' or god forbid 'I was wrong'.

I'm wondering if any of the very vocal car lobby here have pulled their old 'sit up and beg' from the back of the garage and thought 'this isn't so bad after all'?

S
How about they bring in a road tax for cyclists and a mandatory cycling proficiency test
Regards
DF

 

[Stat Brother]

The government agree with you, a long shopping list and big budget just being announced. Mandatory requirements of councils.

I’ll guess you’ll probably criticise them, but finally this country might be taking cycling seriously.

Stage 2 will be changing the mindset of bullying neanderthals in their tin cans and lorries.

It's all there for the taking and going to be so frustrating if this opportunity isn't taken then double downed on.

We went for an hour this afternoon.
Granted we were away from 'main' roads, but saw next to no cars and nearly 100 bikes, (I wish I'd counted).
The best part was only about 5 were lycra louts most were young families.

 

[Stat Brother]

Perhaps the thread title should be changed to:-

2 billion reasons why now is a great time to start cycling.

[tweet]1259147692237864962[/tweet]

 

[1066familyman]

Really positive noises coming from the Transport Secretary regarding 'Active Travel' on the radio news earlier.

Looks like needs must has finally woken our Government up on this.

 

[Weststander]

It's all there for the taking and going to be so frustrating if this opportunity isn't taken then double downed on.

We went for an hour this afternoon.
Granted we were away from 'main' roads, but saw next to no cars and nearly 100 bikes, (I wish I'd counted).
The best part was only about 5 were lycra louts most were young families.

So many joggers, runners and cyclists round our way over the last 6 weeks or so. Near neighbours to us (in their twenties) who are heavily overweight and normally drive everywhere including a 300m school run are really making a fitness effort too.

If half the newbies to physical activities maintain this post-covid, that’ll he a huge leap forward.

 

[1066familyman]

So many joggers, runners and cyclists round our way over the last 6 weeks or so. Near neighbours to us (in their twenties) who are heavily overweight and normally drive everywhere including a 300m school run are really making a fitness effort too.

If half the newbies to physical activities maintain this post-covid, that’ll he a huge leap forward.

Amen to that!

 

[Garage_Doors]

I feel this sudden increase in cycle use is to do with people have so much more time now with being furloughed and the weather is so good.
Once the cold and rain come along and people need to get to work ( distances prohibited by cycle) they will be put them back in the garages.

This is in an interesting piece from the BBC web site but not too surprising, as people will want to keep there distance.

There are signs people will turn to their cars in greater numbers than pre-lockdown: 56% of drivers currently without a car plan to buy one post-lockdown, according to car sales company AutoTrader.

In Wuhan, China, private car usage nearly doubled when lockdown ended, rising from 34% before the outbreak to 66% after lockdown.

 

[Stat Brother]

I feel this sudden increase in cycle use is to do with people have so much more time now with being furloughed and the weather is so good.
Once the cold and rain come along and people need to get to work ( distances prohibited by cycle) they will be put them back in the garages.

This is in an interesting piece from the BBC web site but not too surprising, as people will want to keep there distance.

There are signs people will turn to their cars in greater numbers than pre-lockdown: 56% of drivers currently without a car plan to buy one post-lockdown, according to car sales company AutoTrader.

In Wuhan, China, private car usage nearly doubled when lockdown ended, rising from 34% before the outbreak to 66% after lockdown.

The average journey distance in the UK is less than 5 miles.


TBH I agree with you I think this opportunity will be wasted.
But, one aspect I hadn't taken into account is number limits on public transport.

That is likely to force people back into their cars, but, we just don't have the road network or space of China to cope with that.

Hopefully once forced back into cars we'll have enough collective memory to think 'feck this' and get out of our cars again.

We've got hopefully 6 months of decent weather to really nail home the point.

 

[Frankworthington]

S
How about they bring in a road tax for cyclists and a mandatory cycling proficiency test
Regards
DF

Sounds like a plan!l

 

[1066familyman]

I feel this sudden increase in cycle use is to do with people have so much more time now with being furloughed and the weather is so good.
Once the cold and rain come along and people need to get to work ( distances prohibited by cycle) they will be put them back in the garages.

This is in an interesting piece from the BBC web site but not too surprising, as people will want to keep there distance.

There are signs people will turn to their cars in greater numbers than pre-lockdown: 56% of drivers currently without a car plan to buy one post-lockdown, according to car sales company AutoTrader.

In Wuhan, China, private car usage nearly doubled when lockdown ended, rising from 34% before the outbreak to 66% after lockdown.

That's interesting. Will be a great shame if that does happen. But I can see how many people will be looking for an alternative to public transport after this, for fear of not being able to social distance. And walking and cycling is not feasible for all commutes, certainly long distance ones. Large amounts of car journeys currently are very much within walking and cycling distance though, and if we can get those car journeys reduced then it's progress.

 

[Palacefinder General]

I feel this sudden increase in cycle use is to do with people have so much more time now with being furloughed and the weather is so good.
Once the cold and rain come along and people need to get to work ( distances prohibited by cycle) they will be put them back in the garages.

Indeed. Not having nor wanting a car I road cycle commute to work year round (20 mile round trip) and the only time the bike racks at work are ever busy is on sunny Spring/Summer days. It would be great to think that what’s happening now could stretch into the long term but guaranteed it will quietly fade away once this is all over.

 

[Stat Brother]

I’ve been trying to buy a new bike for several weeks and supplies are virtually non-existent, both online and in bike shops. Most are quoting delivery dates in September and October. Also, second hand bikes are becoming rarer and pricier. I’d need to compromise massively on my requirements in order to buy now.

Coronavirus cycling boom makes a good bike hard to find

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeand...good-bike-hard-to-find?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

 

[East Staffs Gull]

S
How about they bring in a road tax for cyclists and a mandatory cycling proficiency test
Regards
DF

The road tax suggestion seems quite sensible,



for those cyclists who don’t own cars.