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The Cycling Thread


Geordieracer
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I do seriously think that the Dutch attitude and lifestyle is down to having a healthy lifestyle, unlike ours.

 

UK life expectancy is 79.4 years.

 

Holland is 79.8 years.

 

Considering we have area of horrific social deprivation, this healthy lifestyle attitude doesn't appear to be paying many dividends.

 

 

The Scandis have the happy healthy lifestyle sewn up. Probably helped by the fact that they have 2 months off every summer.

 

Think new mums in Norway can take about 2 years off. :D

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  • 1 year later...

Was at a bit of a loose end yesterday for a variety of reasons, and I need to do some serious fitness work, if am having a final season in 11 a side from August, and just as importantly got a good 2 stone to shift, so I thought fuck it. Had a look on the internet the other day and decided to see if I could ride from Newcastle to Carlisle. Yesterday morning was pissing it down but once I've decided to do something I don't change me mind.

 

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Was at Newburn by 925 was absolutely fuckin pissin it doon.

 

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Took a random picture of me leg which was all muddy and dirty by Corbridge.

 

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I set mesel 90 mins to get from Newburn to Hexham, and got there 1049, saving 6 mins

 

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This was the killer bit fuckin hell, took me over 2 and a half hours between Hexham and Haltwhistle, seriously fuckin hell I have no idea how they dee the tour de France, was up and doon mountains and hills every 5 minutes, I'd conquer one hill, "ah it'll be areet noo.....aww 4FS!..." Killed me that bit like.

 

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Next main place was Brampton, I was fucked by this stage as soon as I got in to the town I could smell tac, and you'd probably need it living there, you could tell you were in Cumbria by the faces on people, I was dead by this stage but just 10 mile left couldn't chuck it now.

 

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Half way there had to stop wouldn't care it probably the easiest part of the journey good road reasonably flat but I could hardly go any further, and the wind and rain were fuckin driving right at me.

 

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When I seen this I felt fucking elated thought the road would never end.

 

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...and 20 mins later I deserved this.

 

Am nee Greg Le Mond like, but 6 hours 36 minutes, the guide said about 6 hours, but that won't be for 6ft2 15 and a half stone doilums, it'll be for your skinny fitness freaks so I was quite proud, I said yesterday I wouldn't do that again, I think I probably would, it was so hard but I feel areet this morning like. Yous should get bike for the summer, not that it was summer weather yesterday like but narf tones ya legs n ya arse.

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:spit: True but its only 80 mins on the train back. I'll be wearing a safety helmet next time like for those main roads.

 

I tell you what it is like am not one to be patronising about people from other places and their towns but straight up, say you're a 19 year old lass in Haltwhistle, there's a social club and one pub and that's it, what a shit life it must be, literally nowt to do, not even a McDonalds. The 10 mins I had in their town, there was a sign "HALTWHISTLE THE CENTRE OF BRITAIN", middle of nee where more like.

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aye it is, theres a point in the middle of the the town that says it's the centre. Which it is. Still, dodgy place that like. sort of place you brake down never to be seen again as your car appears on Ebay...

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aye it is, theres a point in the middle of the the town that says it's the centre. Which it is. Still, dodgy place that like. sort of place you brake down never to be seen again as your car appears on Ebay...

Aye there's a picture of it above :spit: "Wallsend 37 miles".

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16 years ago Sustrans who are a charity that promotes cycling and builds cycle paths did a John O Groats to Lands End ride over the course of about 3 weeks to publicise the launch of their national cycle network.

 

I decided to join the ride for two days from Carlisle to Alston and Alston to Durham. To meet up with them I did what Stevie did (though a bit longer as gong from S. Shields instead of the town) and rode to Carlisle on my own. The days riding over the pennines were fantastic though probably the hardest part was riding home from Durham as it was almost an anti-climax after being part of something worthwhile.

 

Of course I was a lot fitter then though I hope to get somewhere approaching that level this year though allowing for age as well.

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16 years ago Sustrans who are a charity that promotes cycling and builds cycle paths did a John O Groats to Lands End ride over the course of about 3 weeks to publicise the launch of their national cycle network.

 

I decided to join the ride for two days from Carlisle to Alston and Alston to Durham. To meet up with them I did what Stevie did (though a bit longer as gong from S. Shields instead of the town) and rode to Carlisle on my own. The days riding over the pennines were fantastic though probably the hardest part was riding home from Durham as it was almost an anti-climax after being part of something worthwhile.

 

Of course I was a lot fitter then though I hope to get somewhere approaching that level this year though allowing for age as well.

It's a killer like and I feel so tired today, but I'd recommend it to anyone, was a class sense of accomplishment when I got there, but I was mentally and physically fucked. When I say mentally, ye just so fuckin tired. If I do it again, which I might, maybe a different course, I'll train for it rather than just do it cos it's nee course for novices, you don't need to be Britain's fittest man, but you need to be fit, and am not really, or not near where I should be. It's route 72 for anyone that wants to have a gan, if you put it in google, like I say 6 hours 36 minutes, sounds a long time, but the train takes 1hr30, and the 685 aboot 1hr50 so that shows ye.

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How many miles do you think you did? Must have been a fair wack.

The whole day well 19 miles to Hexham, then it's 23 to Haltwhistle (feels like 53 that bit), 14 to Brampton, then about 11 miles to Carlisle City Centre so that's 67 miles plus 5 miles back from Wylam off the train - so about 72 miles in total I'd guess - 80% of it is quite flat, it's the 20% that kills you.

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Should have got yourself in the Northern Cyclone on Satruday..you can chose 33 mile, 66 mile, or 106 mile circular from Kingston Park and back. My father in law persuaded (lied to) me to do the 66 mile one, basically up around Northumberland in a circle. Spoke to someone who did it last year who said there are a couple of leg sapping hills like. Done two 50 milers last two weekends and kind of enjoyed them.

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Should have got yourself in the Northern Cyclone on Satruday..you can chose 33 mile, 66 mile, or 106 mile circular from Kingston Park and back. My father in law persuaded (lied to) me to do the 66 mile one, basically up around Northumberland in a circle. Spoke to someone who did it last year who said there are a couple of leg sapping hills like. Done two 50 milers last two weekends and kind of enjoyed them.

How many people ride together? Am nee Steve Foy like I go at my own pace, slow on hills flat out on the flat. I'd be interested in that.

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Should have got yourself in the Northern Cyclone on Satruday..you can chose 33 mile, 66 mile, or 106 mile circular from Kingston Park and back. My father in law persuaded (lied to) me to do the 66 mile one, basically up around Northumberland in a circle. Spoke to someone who did it last year who said there are a couple of leg sapping hills like. Done two 50 milers last two weekends and kind of enjoyed them.

How many people ride together? Am nee Steve Foy like I go at my own pace, slow on hills flat out on the flat. I'd be interested in that.

 

I'm slow as shit and not really a cyclist like. There's 4,000 doing the ride but split between the 3 distances. You get a timing chip and clock in at 3 different parts where you can rest/eat then get back on the clock. We're planning to take our time like, spot of lunch and a pint and all that.

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  • 2 months later...
and they should pay road tax.

 

Ive just re-read this thread and cant beleive I missed this from Khay.

 

When drivers pay road tax, I shall start paying road tax on the bike.

.… that's when I'll stop aiming for you :lol:

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and they should pay road tax.

 

Ive just re-read this thread and cant beleive I missed this from Khay.

 

When drivers pay road tax, I shall start paying road tax on the bike.

There's a lot cyclistists on here mate sadly. PC doesn't cover us.

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and they should pay road tax.

 

Ive just re-read this thread and cant beleive I missed this from Khay.

 

When drivers pay road tax, I shall start paying road tax on the bike.

.… that's when I'll stop aiming for you :lol:

 

NOBODY in this country pays road tax though? I pay Vehicle Excise Duty on my car though. The money for the roads comes out on the national tax purse, which I also pay into.

 

Now, this is the ignorance with the majority of the drivers in this country. My bike has me on it and my bag, so for arguments say a combind weight of 70kg along with my bike. Now the load of that is tiny and only on two small wheels. So we contribute a hell of a lot less damage to the roads.

 

ANOTHER NOTE, one more person on a bike = less cars on the roads for the impatient lot of you.

 

Now MF, next time you get so close in your van, at least shout morning :nufc: Oh, and your van is filthy :razz:

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Road tax is just a common (and perfectly acceptable) name for VED though, you knew what he was on about. Don't agree cyclists should pay it though. Loads of them do behave like cunts on the roads and (even more annoyingly) on the paths though. A fair few seem to actively seek confrontation with other road users too. Actually, most people are twats when I think about it.

Edited by alex
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Road tax is just a common (and perfectly acceptable) name for VED though, you knew what he was on about. Don't agree cyclists should pay it though. Loads of them do behave like cunts on the roads and (even more annoyingly) on the paths though. A fair few seem to actively seek confrontation with other road users too. Actually, most people are twats when I think about it.

 

I did know yes, but a lot of people think they pay road tax for payment of the roads.

 

I cycle too and from work everyday and when the weather is nice, it brings the cunt cyclists out. Wankers who RLJ< jump onto pavements, weave in and out and generally not be courteous to other road users. I would like to think I let cars out etc.

 

What I have noticed more recently is the amount of drivers smoking weed!

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Road tax is just a common (and perfectly acceptable) name for VED though, you knew what he was on about. Don't agree cyclists should pay it though. Loads of them do behave like cunts on the roads and (even more annoyingly) on the paths though. A fair few seem to actively seek confrontation with other road users too. Actually, most people are twats when I think about it.

 

I did know yes, but a lot of people think they pay road tax for payment of the roads.

 

I cycle too and from work everyday and when the weather is nice, it brings the cunt cyclists out. Wankers who RLJ< jump onto pavements, weave in and out and generally not be courteous to other road users. I would like to think I let cars out etc.

 

What I have noticed more recently is the amount of drivers smoking weed!

You should ask them for a toke. You're wound tighter than a cheap watch :lol:

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Just seen this thread. You still training for a final season of 11-a-side, Stevie?

No mate :lol: I went to the hospital because me knee was killing me, nurse said I should just stop playing full stop. Played since and its so much pain afterwards. It's alright on me bike or cross trainer it's just playing football. It's a shame, I thought I'd go on forever, maybe I should rest it for a few months and see how it is then.

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