Author Topic: <gulp> new route tomorrow - A64 here I come (Read 2542 times)

mrcharly-YHT · « **on:** 23 November, 2009, 01:04:41 pm »

We've moved house, so tomorrow will the the first day of my new route to work. York - A64 - Leeds.
I'm in pretty poor condition, still post-viral, so will be pootling.

Wish me luck

clarion · « **Reply #1 on:** 23 November, 2009, 01:06:14 pm »

A64?

Adieu!

tiermat · « **Reply #2 on:** 23 November, 2009, 01:06:56 pm »

You are a very brave man, much braver than me....

clarion · « **Reply #3 on:** 23 November, 2009, 01:09:14 pm »

There are loads of ways to get from York to Leeds without the A64. Many of them very pretty.

pdm · « **Reply #4 on:** 23 November, 2009, 01:12:40 pm »

Good luck!
Although I would recommend using other roads/lanes parallel rather than the A64 itself...

mrcharly-YHT · « **Reply #5 on:** 23 November, 2009, 01:13:06 pm »

Unfortunately, the A64 is the most direct route now. It is actually 0.5 mile shorter than my old route, and 2.5miles shorter than the alternative (which is on a busy 50mph A road with narrow lanes).
So it's probably going to be an improvement $:-\$

Sergeant Pluck · « **Reply #6 on:** 23 November, 2009, 02:30:08 pm »

That's a hell of a commute for someone in "pretty poor condition". Take it easy.

mrcharly-YHT · « **Reply #7 on:** 23 November, 2009, 02:33:39 pm »

Two routes

http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/A64-york-to-leeds

Shorter, practically no hills.

Or

http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/Via-Braham-and-shadwell

The 2nd one avoids chunks of the A64, but will be a bit harder, nav-wise. Also still uses the busy and slow bits of roundhay road and easterly rd.

Or extension of current route:

http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/cntr-York-via-Wetherby

pcolbeck · « **Reply #8 on:** 23 November, 2009, 02:40:31 pm »

York - Tadcaster isnt bad, I see a lot of people doing it on the cycle path that is well separated from the dual carriageway but Tadcaster - Leeds well I wouldn't do that every day on the A64.

MSeries · « **Reply #9 on:** 23 November, 2009, 02:44:55 pm »

I'd use your second route. After Tadcaster, the A64/A1(M) intersection is horrible. You get cars going to the A1(M) filtering off at 60mph, the slip road is long and you'll have to cross it to go straight on. The A64 to Leeds from the A1(M) is horrid too. the Thorner route is nice, but I;d go through Thorner toward the A64 then take that right to the A58 (Skeltons Lane). It's pretty easy to navigate.

There is a route through Aberford, Barwick and Seacroft too.

clarion · « **Reply #10 on:** 23 November, 2009, 03:30:06 pm »

I was thinking Aberford, too. But my preferred route would be through Rufforth (might do summat different round wetherby, but it's close enough). I used to ride out of York on that road regularly, and it's fast & flat.

I admit, though, I know almost nothing of the state of bike paths near the A64 in recent times, but I do know it's a pretty smoky corridor.

mrcharly-YHT · « **Reply #11 on:** 23 November, 2009, 03:43:02 pm »

I'll try pure A64 tomorrow.

But on balance of things, I think it will be the Rufforth route. It's 1km longer than Martin's suggested route, but with less climbing.

I've just tried mapping out the Aberford route. mmh. Looks interesting. I think I'll have to try that one day as well.

This is going to be quite a change; having a choice of routes!

clarion · « **Reply #12 on:** 23 November, 2009, 03:57:50 pm »

Aberford takes a bit more mapreading, so might be slower till you know it.

MSeries · « **Reply #13 on:** 23 November, 2009, 04:26:49 pm »

Getting to Aberford form Taddy is interesting,there is a lane called Warren Lane IIRC that takes you to the A64/A1(M) intersection. You could go south from Bramham on the new road of course which is east of the A1(M) to the same roundabout. The link from Taddy is poor, it's a farm road with big puddles and almost certainly will not be gritted, nor will the A64 bike path for that matter.

Less climbing ? <smirk/>

MSeries · « **Reply #14 on:** 23 November, 2009, 04:29:04 pm »

Use the Bilborough, Catterton back roads to Taddy to avoid the A64

hulver · « **Reply #15 on:** 23 November, 2009, 04:37:28 pm »

There's a guy called Uncle Phil on CycleChat who rides from Tadcaster way to York. He might have some ideas about routes avoiding the nasty bits on the A64.

He was knocked off on there not too long ago. CycleChat

mrcharly-YHT · « **Reply #16 on:** 24 November, 2009, 09:17:40 am »

I survived!

Actually, it wasn't bad at all, safety-wise.

The city bits of the A64 that could be unpleasant either have bus lanes or humungous cycle lanes, separated by a meter of hashed lines from the main car lanes.

The only bad bit was from the A1 junction to the Leeds ring road. The road surface is absolutely horrible, broken and dimpled. My backside felt like Hummers had been at it with a root vegetable attached to a jackhammer.

Despite being appallingly unfit, and taking two wrong turns, it took only 5 min longer than my old route.

clarion · « **Reply #17 on:** 24 November, 2009, 11:01:56 am »

Well done. I still think you would enjoy a different route more, but, if you're happy, that's good enough for me.

Chris S · « **Reply #18 on:** 24 November, 2009, 12:01:14 pm »

Quote from: mrcharly on 24 November, 2009, 09:17:40 am

The only bad bit was from the A1 junction to the Leeds ring road. The road surface is absolutely horrible, broken and dimpled. My backside felt like Hummers had been at it with a root vegetable attached to a jackhammer.

Aaaarrrghhhh! Help... Quick...

(click to show/hide)

mrcharly-YHT · « **Reply #19 on:** 24 November, 2009, 12:02:57 pm »

I'm not happy with the rough surface. That was painful.

My old route home, which is a couple of miles longer if I extend it to the new house, is more scenic.

However, it is hillier and oddly slower. Also much more tiring. I guess it's the hills and number of junctions.

I have a feeling that the A64 might be safer. Very few sideroads. Loads of space on the road (unlike the A58, which is narrow and fast).

I was planning on riding home via Wetherby, but I think I might have a go on the A64 instead.

mrcharly-YHT · « **Reply #20 on:** 25 November, 2009, 09:17:15 am »

And going home . . . .

That was a blast.

Most of the A64 in Leeds either has a bus lane (saw one bus on it) or a 1m-wide cycle lane. No need to weave through traffic, felt very safe. A few cracks in the bus lane (had to do an emergency bunny hop over one). All well lit so very easy to ride, felt very safe compared to Roundhay rd.

Leaving the city, the traffic was light until after the A1 junction. About 4 miles of hurtling along the dual carriageway (but again, loads of room between me and cars). Then a nice wide cyclepath *all* the way back to York. 10 miles of it. I did have a tailwind for most of the journey, but it was still a fast ride for me (1hr 20).

I think this is a safer route than the Wetherby road. Almost no side roads, no traffic switching about and turning across my path. The cars are going fast, yes, but cars doing 60-70 on a dual carriage way leave more room (for me) than cars doing 50-60 on a B road.

Asterix, the former Gaul. · « **Reply #21 on:** 25 November, 2009, 09:20:59 am »

Chapeau!

clarion · « **Reply #22 on:** 25 November, 2009, 09:28:02 am »

Sounds like things have improved significantly since my day. It's a decent commute.

MSeries · « **Reply #23 on:** 25 November, 2009, 11:08:00 am »

One Swallow doesn't make a summer. I still think the route is bloody awful. IMO it's got worse in the last 15 years, particularly the A64/A1(M) intersection. It's when people realise just a little too late that they need to bear left to get to the A1(M) and not go to the roundabout. Except they don't believe it's too late and cut across anyway. CRASH! Perhaps it's the weekend drivers who don't know the route that do this. No, it happened when I used to commute on that road.

But I'm glad mr charly feels confident with it.

Author Topic: <gulp> new route tomorrow - A64 here I come (Read 2542 times)

Chris S