Have you been out today?

[TimC]

Went out for 50-odd km (a bit longer than I intended). Very remote roads on the whole, and not very many other cyclists (6, according to Strava FlyBy), runners or cars around, compared to most days last week. But one village seemed to be treating the day as bit of a carnival, with lots of people out and about, mostly ignoring any kind of nod to social distancing. It almost had the feel of a kids' 'chicken-pox' party from my youth!

[jimmea]

Nice loop down to Largs on deserted roads this morning, a little windy and cold but fine when moving. No cafe's open so Co op for supplies.

https://ridewithgps.com/trips/46630854

Off to check on your holiday home Doon the Watter no doubt.  Its all the rage in Scotland.

 

[zigzag]

i should have probably stayed quiet about my 240k this weekend..

[LittleWheelsandBig]

A decent loop with HK through West London suburbia and into the Green Belt, all in sunshine for a change. Lots of cyclists out; obvious family groups, (mostly newbie) wobbly couples and solo lycra folk. Plenty of room to keep distance because of few motor vehicles. Quite pleasant to have bare legs after a long winter.

[Solocle]

87 km / 1000 m. I did a lap of the local Blackmore Vale, so was pretty constantly dealing with rolling hills

As I left the door I got a notification that a KOM in the village had been taken from me, so first order of business was retaking that, and I did so rather emphatically (32s vs 36s).

Then it was 80 kms of A roads, including 20 km on the A303. The single carriageway bit still isn't ideal, because overtaking is often in risky places. But once it went dual, I was extremely comfortable.

3h 15m, no stopping except for photos. Yeah, maybe a bit long, but there were rumours that exercise was going to be banned... so I naturally wanted to make the most of potentially the last gasp of freedom, especially given the sunshine!

[Chris S]

This thread makes me despair.

No wonder the Chinese military ended up welding people into their homes. It doesn't matter what risk you think or don't think you are - spending hours outside being indulgent right now is simply off-message, selfish, and likely to lead to "me too" actions of others.

I've no doubt there will be a mandatory lockdown; brought on in part by folks who think this is some kind of fucking holiday.

[Deano]

Ah Chris, just fuck off (in the nicest possible way). Trying to shame people indoors isn't a good look, and this sort of crap is starting to annoy me more than people who do push the boundaries (not that I see any of it on this thread). 

And I had a lovely spin out to Longnewton and back - the cyclepath along the A66 is a bit narrow, and I was surprised to see pedestrians coming the other way as it's the first time I've ever seen someone walking along it. I was considering my options, and bunnyhopping into the carriageway looked the way to go, there being hardly any traffic, but they ducked into the bushes while I passed. I gave them a wave and thanks, from a suitable distance.

[toontra]

Ah Chris, just fuck off (in the nicest possible way). Trying to shame people indoors isn't a good look, and this sort of crap is starting to annoy me more than people who do push the boundaries (not that I see any of it on this thread). 

It's not trying to shame people into staying indoors - quite the opposite.  It's a temporary limitation on time/distance so there isn't a total ban.  What part of that don't you understand?

As far as I'm concerned those with bludger's attitude are selfish, arrogant, self-entitled and basically anti-social. He can't even justify his actions (other than nitpicking over vocabulary) - apparently it's all "bollocks".

As Chris says, it's not actually a holiday, despite the nice weather.  It's a national fucking crisis unlike anything in the last 90 years.  If that isn't worth sacrificing your hobby for a few weeks and limiting your daily ride then god help us.

[Deano]

That is where it's going. I copied this link somewhere else, it's also relevant here: https://unherd.com/2020/01/cast-out-how-knitting-fell-into-a-purity-spiral/

I'm just not into the holier-than-thou attitude where it's ok to start policing others' actions. Apart from owt else, you can't control what they'll do, and group-shaming is a shit place for a community to go.

And an aside on Gove's throwaway comment - the week before he was asked the same question about how much exercise is reasonable, and he replied "whatever people would normally do". I didn't take that as carte blanche to go off and do 3-400 km, or to go touring the Dales, which is what I'd normally be doing this time of year.

[toontra]

That is where it's going. I copied this link somewhere else, it's also relevant here: https://unherd.com/2020/01/cast-out-how-knitting-fell-into-a-purity-spiral/

I'm just not into the holier-than-thou attitude where it's ok to start policing others' actions. Apart from owt else, you can't control what they'll do, and group-shaming is a shit place for a community to go.

And an aside on Gove's throwaway comment - the week before he was asked the same question about how much exercise is reasonable, and he replied "whatever people would normally do". I didn't take that as carte blanche to go off and do 3-400 km, or to go touring the Dales, which is what I'd normally be doing this time of year.

It's not really public shaming, Deano.  That's not my intention anyway.  I know many on here and have ridden with them at some time or another.  Most of us like long-distance cycling so we have a common bond, sometimes friendship

The issue for me is that if I'm more than a certain distance from home (I've settled on a loop of around 5k) and I was to be involved in any kind of accident or have a serious mechanical, I would be needing help, and I personally would be uncomfortable in asking for that help at this moment in time.  It's as simple as that.

Isn't an hour or so of outdoor riding better than risking the possibility of none at all?

[salar55]

Deano  Think what life would be be like if they banned all sports,  some cyclists would not know what to do. I imagine every motorist that's had all their sporting interests screwed up see cyclists as lowlife to be driven off the roads. It will be the mtb for me once things get backto normal

[Solocle]

That is where it's going. I copied this link somewhere else, it's also relevant here: https://unherd.com/2020/01/cast-out-how-knitting-fell-into-a-purity-spiral/

I'm just not into the holier-than-thou attitude where it's ok to start policing others' actions. Apart from owt else, you can't control what they'll do, and group-shaming is a shit place for a community to go.

And an aside on Gove's throwaway comment - the week before he was asked the same question about how much exercise is reasonable, and he replied "whatever people would normally do". I didn't take that as carte blanche to go off and do 3-400 km, or to go touring the Dales, which is what I'd normally be doing this time of year.

It's not really public shaming, Deano.  That's not my intention anyway.  I know many on here and have ridden with them at some time or another.  Most of us like long-distance cycling so we have a common bond, sometimes friendship

The issue for me is that if I'm more than a certain distance from home (I've settled on a loop of around 5k) and I was to be involved in any kind of accident or have a serious mechanical, I would be needing help, and I personally would be uncomfortable in asking for that help at this moment in time.  It's as simple as that.

Isn't an hour or so of outdoor riding better than risking the possibility of none at all?

Well, my 80 km was in a wide loop. Never more than a ~20 minute drive from home if I had a catastrophic mechanical. And, if that mechanical did happen, my parents would be driving out to get me, so no inter-household contact. Not that something like that was going to happen, and I had the basic tools & tube with me. Same goes for a crash - minor crash means I either get myself home, or get collected. Only a serious crash would necessitate something that might spread the virus - and the risk of that is vanishingly small.

But no, although I have done audaxes before, I'm not about to go out for 200 or 300 kms. I've generally been keeping to roughly an hour, maybe a few minutes more or less. But, on a nice day, with the threat of tighter restrictions, my blowout was 80 kms. Not even a metric century...

It's all about applying some common sense really.

[Kim]

The issue for me is that if I'm more than a certain distance from home (I've settled on a loop of around 5k) and I was to be involved in any kind of accident or have a serious mechanical, I would be needing help, and I personally would be uncomfortable in asking for that help at this moment in time.  It's as simple as that.

That's the most reasonable logic I've seen so far for restricting your distance.  Unfortunately, I think it restricts it to a distance that isn't worth getting a bike out for (and in my case, would put me on relatively risky roads, both in a traffic sense and a contact with other people sense).

[Chris S]

Having given this some more thought (being told to "fuck off" by a mate is sure to focus one's attention!) I don't think it's the cycling per-se that's the problem. I don't actually care that much what folks are doing. I care more about the public message they're putting out there. My Facebook feed is stuffed full of people out for social bike rides in the sun, posting pictures of cake and coffee outside, like everything is completely normal in their world. This is not a helpful message when we're being told by Government to stay at home; and I'd rather these folks just enjoy their thing and keep quiet about it. Not because I envy them - hell, I hardly ever go out on a bike OUTSIDE these days - but it's about public perception, and how that might affect me as an at-risk person, down the line.

There - I said it - it's about me. I want the curve flattened long enough that a vaccine can be found so I can get vaccinated it before it kills me. Broadcasting how much fun we're all having in the sun when we can't work, doesn't help ME.

[Wowbagger]

I think I've detected a fair bit of cabin fever displaying itself on YACF today.

Wishing you all the best, people, and try and keep smiling if you possibly can.*

*

(click to show/hide)

Rigor mortis excepted

[TimC]

Having given this some more thought (being told to "fuck off" by a mate is sure to focus one's attention!) I don't think it's the cycling per-se that's the problem. I don't actually care that much what folks are doing. I care more about the public message they're putting out there. My Facebook feed is stuffed full of people out for social bike rides in the sun, posting pictures of cake and coffee outside, like everything is completely normal in their world. This is not a helpful message when we're being told by Government to stay at home; and I'd rather these folks just enjoy their thing and keep quiet about it. Not because I envy them - hell, I hardly ever go out on a bike OUTSIDE these days - but it's about public perception, and how that might affect me as an at-risk person, down the line.

There - I said it - it's about me. I want the curve flattened long enough that a vaccine can be found so I can get vaccinated it before it kills me. Broadcasting how much fun we're all having in the sun when we can't work, doesn't help ME.

I’ve put Facebook to sleep for the duration, Chris. The ridiculous holiday-style trivia put on by some people, coupled with the public shaming by others, and the general call to arms against all sorts of things, people and organisations which/who haven’t actually done anything that heinous is thoroughly depressing. I don’t expect to totally avoid that here, but I can at least ignore the threads that might lead that way!

I’ll ride my bike a reasonable distance (25-35km) every few days. I live in the middle of nowhere, so I can do that on lanes that are unused even in normal times, and never need to be further from home than a good walk. I’ll save the hard efforts for the turbo, and leave any long-distance stuff until this has eased up a bit (or - dog help me - do them on Zwift!). I’m lucky in that I have a garden I can use my energies on the rest of the time, a fate it probably wasn’t expecting and doesn’t deserve, but we all have to make sacrifices.

[rob]

I’m still riding outdoors on and off.  I’m staying largely away from social media as this is really dividing people.  I’m restarting coached work this week and I’ve told him to just schedule turbo work and I will ride road on and off.  It’s all still going on Strava but not many people follow me and I can always switch the feed off.

[S2L]

I’m still riding outdoors on and off.  I’m staying largely away from social media as this is really dividing people.  I’m restarting coached work this week and I’ve told him to just schedule turbo work and I will ride road on and off.  It’s all still going on Strava but not many people follow me and I can always switch the feed off.

I can't stand those who think this is some kind of beauty contest or moral standards competition, to show how resolute one can be in avoiding the roads. We are allowed to go cycling once a day and that's all there is to it.
I have quickly de-friended and unfollowed all the moral arxeholes who preach to cycle indoors from the mighty of their two grand smart Zwift turbo setups in their 200 sqf dedicated man caves.

[Flite]

I'm still riding outside, but I am lucky in two ways.
We live near the top of the sparsely populated Durham Dales, and near a cross-roads.
So now, instead of doing a two hour circuit, I can ride West to the top of the hill and down, then South to the top of the hill and down, then North to the top of the hill and down.  About 16 miles, 1800ft up, 1800ft down, no flat bits. Never more than 4.5 downhill miles from home, where husband was listening out for the phone. 
On Sunday I waved to 5 solo cyclists, two neighbouring farmers and was passed by one small car.
I do consider myself very fortunate.

Meantime, over the hill in Alston, the residents are furious about the hundreds of motorcyclists still out and about, and using local facilities. 

[bludger]

As far as I'm concerned those with bludger's attitude are selfish, arrogant, self-entitled and basically anti-social. He can't even justify his actions (other than nitpicking over vocabulary) - apparently it's all "bollocks".

Yeah because I don't need to. I cycle alone. Once a day. Which is the rule. Indeed I deliberately avoided going to the nearest loop to me in regents park because the royal parks asked people not to at the weekend.

Cry about it. Don't try and uphold me to these fabricated rules you came up with in a fever dream.

If they *do* crack down it will be in a scapegoating exercise to stick the fault on cyclists etc as being to blame for our morgues overflowing with victims of government ineptitude. Nothing to do with solo spins to Windsor and back.

[rob]

I do wonder why roadies still go to ride laps of the parks.  Even if you live pretty central you can’t be more than 10 miles from the countryside.

The lanes have made for incredible riding this last couple of weeks.

[bludger]

Ah but once you've gone 10 miles from the front door that's your "hour" as good as used up isn't it

I've been going to regents for after work rides, it's ok. Getting out of town is a bit of a job for me whereas the route to regents is about 35 mins and is pretty enjoyable both there and back. I generally go clockwise now to thin out the congestion.

[zigzag]

london is quiet these days, interesting to experience it from a different perspective. it feels like a personal playground.

[rob]

Ah but once you've gone 10 miles from the front door that's your "hour" as good as used up isn't it

I've been going to regents for after work rides, it's ok. Getting out of town is a bit of a job for me whereas the route to regents is about 35 mins and is pretty enjoyable both there and back. I generally go clockwise now to thin out the congestion.

There’s a bloke that lives near me who rides in at 5am to do laps and then rides back out.   If he went the other way he’d be on the lanes in 20 minutes. 

I can see why you would do it if you worked in town and had a pre-work workout.

I’ve not ridden in for 3 weeks so must get up early one day to go take a look.

[Wowbagger]

london is quiet these days, interesting to experience it from a different perspective. it feels like a personal playground.

...

If I lived in London I would be all over that. Looks wonderful.