[Closed] Has there ever been a nicer time to ride a bicycle?

Road biking is amazing at the moment.  MTB less so as nowhere to ride from home.

Richmond Park being closed has encouraged me to find new loops from home which has been great given the nice weather and lack of traffic.

Any day is a good day to spin the legs!

We're having a bit of a "oh... summer's hanging on for a while?" and it's going to be high 35c today and expected 37c tomorrow. Bit too warm in the day but should be nice to get out this evening after work. Good Friday, y'all!

Yeah, I'm thinking of going out on the CX bike over the weekend. The worst bit about road biking from the centre of Edinburgh is getting out of town. Should be more pleasant now!

It is slightly worse where I live. I ride early in the morning and the numbers of cars on the road is pretty much the same as it has ever been. The number of people on the gravel roads has increased as people are now going out earlier to get a walk with their dog in so I am tending to ride gravel roads less than I have done for years.

Thinking of riding through nearest towns for a change of scenery and places where I would actually notice less traffic.

On the Mtb I’ve had to find new wider tracks and in the process found some new bits as well. These have added up to a whole new loop which includes going down a climb I really hate.

Payback after 14 years of going up it.

Tracks are bone dry and everyone is giving each other plenty of room.

Its just a shame that on following the whole no gnar not far thing that I buggered my knee from doing the local time trial roundabout boredom ride.

Then as I’d buggered my knee I went to the park with Mrs Zip for a gentle walk and twisted my ankle.

Now having to do nothing but sit in the garden.

In town (Brussels) the problem now is that with so few cars some of those left are noticeably speeding.  The police are starting to crack down on it though.  It is incredibly lovely outside though. Lockdown would have been even less fun if the weather was horrible

Yes*

Can’t stop off for coffee/bacon sarnie, ..... your snack choice goes here

On a lot of the xc tracks I use I’m seeing people for the first time in many, many years.

After several seasons of jacket wearing and blasting through brambles I forgot I was only in a light summer shirt, a now ripped light summer shirt, with a red stain.

But, yeah, it is fab, roads a lot quieter, nettles not established, tracks running brilliantly (unless overhorsed), colours and growth coming in, Ab Fab

Exactly as above, bicycles are social things, on the van at BPW or at the café with mates. Neither are possible.

I'd rather have a damp windy day at BPW with my 11 year old than what we have right now.

I went up a quiet lane near my house yesterday, its a regular escape route for me into the countryside, so quiet I have a top ten time on Strava. Ride it about once a week and have rarely seen anyone on it in years. Saw about 15 people walking it yesterday.

I had the best ride of the year so far yesterday.

Very few cars and pollution, blue skies and sun, lots of wildlife.

The wildlife was very different yesterday, really noisey and active which was great.

Quite a lot more cyclists out, even my GF has started to ride a bike. I dont think there has been a better time to ride.

The reduced traffic is great (other than the speeders), but the restrictions are putting a downer on it. No rides with mates is probably the biggest issue. Not being able to go far limits it quite a bit. No gnar I can live with. The weather is taking pee, perfect for a weekend away. So, yes, a great time to ride a bicycle other than not really being able to do the rides I want to 🙂

I'm very lucky to only be 100m of tarmac from a 'wide' bit of the South Downs. I worked out last week that there are 85 miles of bridleways in 'my backyard' without having to cross a road which has opened up the plan to ride the whole lot in one go...although not an appropriate ride at the moment.

I've been going out riding bits that a lodged in my memory as crap or that don't form part of a nice loop, rediscovered a couple that I normally avoid but aren't as bad as I remember.

And...a lot of the gates are being left open where there is no livestock, farmer or walkers I'm not sure but it's nice to be able to fly through uninterrupted and not worry about touching gate handles.

I don’t really ride on the road normally so have nothing to compare current conditions to. However, I have noticed that as the week progresses the driving I’m seeing has got worse with more close passes and speeding. I even got close passed on a quiet stretch of dual carriageway yesterday!

Every silver lining and all that eh?

It’s the best bit of lockdown but is it better than before, all things considered? No

I’m still riding a couple times a week on the road, re-visiting some of my local Singletrack on the MTB and doing the British Cycling Race & TT series on Zwift with my club mates so have been kept active. What has been really great is seeing all the other cyclists who probably would rarely ride. Little families with children in tow on trailer bikes, & a range of small bikes & parent with a teenager out with them - and everyone is so friendly. It would be good if this led to more people cycling and more consideration from car drivers. Although the press is still trying to demonise cyclists by those photographs that misrepresented how close they actually were.

Exactly as above, bicycles are social things,

Not for everyone they are not. I have ridden solo for the last 20 years as I don't like social interaction (aspergers). So as I said, a little bit worse now than normal as finding more people on the previously dead quiet gravel roads.

In a very out-of-character piece of exquisite timing, I took delivery of a road bike about 2 months ago.

I’ve been absolutely loving riding the quiet, traffic free roads.

Off out on the local trails on the mountain bike today though. There’s only so much tarmac I can tolerate 😃

I’m not half missing the Monday Night Pub Rides though. I went for a walk a couple of days ago and passed the beer garden of the Hare and Hounds in Holcombe. This is where our local night rides normally finish as it’s at the bottom of a great final descent

It was a lovely sunny day and the large beer garden was empty. It felt a little sad thinking that on a normal day like that, there would be ten bikes lent against the walls and us lot, covered in mud, having a pint and talking bollocks. I really miss that 🙁

Swings and roundabouts. I can live with the odd dick driver...its not as big a problem as made out on here, not where I live at least, in exchange for the freedom to do rides other than the road rides I do from my door. Missing the social pub rides with mates, the decent MTB trails are a bit too far for me so no MTB'ing. No decent off road tracks or trails. Road riding for me is more about training, which is fine as I do enjoy a training session, but the main purpose of the training was to get fitter to enjoy the MTB more or for a specific goal or event on the road bike like a big sportive or Alps trip with mates. So on balance yes, there has been better times to ride my bike and I look forward for normality to return, warts and all.

Good points:
Dry trails - unbelievably dry considering the atrocious winter we had.
Quiet roads, traffic < half what it usually is.
WFH so lots of opportunity to get out.

Bad points:
Far more people on the trails near to population centres, have to be careful about riding canal towpaths.
Some insane speeding from drivers.
The social policing from a small minority of dickheads who seem to have universally decided that their opinion of lockdown should be the one everyone obeys.
No cafes open!

Exactly as above, bicycles are social things

No - YOU are a social thing, I'm not. Works just fine for me 🙂

Missing speculative pint stops at new pubs I've never been to. Timber bell worked well for me dropping down one of the few bridleways round here early this morning.

In town (Brussels) the problem now is that with so few cars some of those left are noticeably speeding.

Same problem here. First outing/local streets- 30 min ride after lockdown was announced - was also the closest I’ve been to getting flattened (by yoots in a ****chback) for decades. They were supposed to give way from their junction but just cornered it instead, ie just pulled out on me without even looking up the hill. I pre-empted on brakes but but only just avoided a collision. They didn't even see me until I was a few feet from the driver’s window and he was still accelerating as his eyes widened. Then two days ago one managed to close-pass me coming the opposite direction on an empty residential lit road . He was going the kind of speed where you see the car losing traction over minor bumps in the road.

My glass is full, etc, but please all be careful out there and ride defensively even when it’s quiet.

I can live with the odd dick driver

Er...

Perfect on the road round here. Off road isn’t great as the number of walkers has, unsurprisingly, increased. I’m sticking to the road for the timebeing.

I’m with @binners.  The riding is brilliant right now. Our local woods are also at peak ‘trail-pixie’ so everything ruined over winter has been fixed and/or improved.

I’m riding them all ‘no pedals’ to keep the speed down but also to keep me concentrating. There’s more people in the woods now - although most on the fire roads, but everyone and I mean everyone has been keeping their distance and being lovely people to talk too.

But the not riding with your mates and going to the pub. That’s half of why I ride.  Still we’re luckier than most that our hobby is outside and accessible.

I’ve done a bit of road/gravel riding to explore some local options but the whole riding on your own thing doesn’t do it for me.

Yes its been better. Ive never wanted to stop for a post ride pint sat on a bench outside, more in my life!

It was going pretty well in terms of road and gravel riding and riding from the doorstep but today compared to even Wednesday there were a lot more cars out in Edinburgh - the bypass looked normal for 11am on a weekday. Everyone seemed to have a lot of supposedly essential stuff to do.

The mountain biking isn't as good but the Pentlands are unusually dry, and quiet, so it's nice to get out but I'd rather be up in the Highlands! Having said that, any mountain bike ride is a good one.

Yes its been better. Ive never wanted to stop for a post ride pint sat on a bench outside, more in my life!

Ha yes I'm with you on that. And I get the missing your mates thing. But then again escaping town on solo rides is my specialty in normal times.

A few dick drivers round my way but on balance there's less dick drivers in total. Been bimbling about some new local lanes I've never explored before.

Maybe biking is even sweeter now as it's the only time I get outdoors.......

Just back from <2hr road pootle around the Surrey Hills. Probably saw more cyclists than drivers/walkers/pedestrians combined, including what looked like a group ride congregating in Holmbury. They must’ve been a bloody big family as social distance was not being followed. Also spotted a wing commander type chap on an ancient steed wearing knee high socks, sandals and toe clips. A commendable look. And close to home caught sight of a wee lad who looked very much like A werewolf in the making. Odd.

I’m finding it worse than ever in rural Shropshire.

Farmers driving like idiots down small lanes, increase in horses on the road, idiots now thinking it’s safe to overtake on blind bends because probably no one will come the other way 🙄

I'm feeling quite envious, did the food run this morning, fantastic day saw 3 delivery drivers and 10 cyclists not the way into town and about the same coming out. It's about 10miles each way. All solo no large groups, not even that much club kit.

What is baffling me at the moment is why, if you are transgressing the rules, would you stop as a group in the middle of a village. Nothing about that is stealthy and it seems to happen most weekends.

got shouted at today by a driver "Stay at home" after she had to wait for an on coming car to pass before she could overtake. I can only assume she'd had an irony bypass.

Loving my mixed urban country park cycle lane road ride.Have to go in the morning as it gets busy in the afternoon. No cars on the road.i always cycle alone anyway.

Lovely couple of hours today. Roads were dead, a few people out but generally very quiet. And the weather was bang on too. Now sat in the garden with an ice cream and TMS on.
Perfect.

For me the smaller side roads are just as busy but the main A roads are very quiet, road surfaces are bad in places though.
Off road rides have to be timed carefully as the multiuser path to the forest is getting some use.

I've got trails within easy riding of where I live, but I've not been out on them. I'm in a FB group for the local trail users and everyone has been complaining that there is not enough space for the number of people. The single track is well under 6 ft so everyone is passing each other in quite close proximity. Shame because it's going to snow again this weekend and the weather this week has been great.

It's crap.

We've just had 6 months of pure slop with never ending rain. The MTB trails are now bone dry and are probably running the best they have been for ages.

And we can't ride them.

There's only so much busy towpath or road riding a mountain biker can handle...

It’s great but really I’m sure we’d all like it to be under different circumstances. What’s baffling me is it’s the first time I’ve ventured out this week (been turboing since work finished but it’s too nice now) and I’m genuinely pretty much the only person in summer kit. How are people riding in tights and coats in this weather?!! Otherwise it’s lovely, people are being nice, everyone’s saying hello cheerily and most are giving distance. I’m out in the sticks though, don’t think I’d like it as much if I still lived in the middle of Birmingham.

Unfortunately back to the turbo next week as I need to ramp up the brick training and I feel a bit of a dick going out twice for excersise.

One exercise a day.

How are people riding in tights and coats in this weather?!!

I spotted this too. I was in summer bibs and a jersey this afternoon, I’ve been in shorts and a vest for running all week. And yet I saw loads of people in tights and long sleeve tops.
Very odd, do they not cook?

It is slightly worse where I live. I ride early in the morning and the numbers of cars on the road is pretty much the same as it has ever been

Where the hell do you live then?

It's massively quieter round here, both in town and countryside.

Plenty of decent riding accessible from here and no shortage of safe, fun single-track.

I'm not complaining at all

I'm getting a fair bit of abuse on the commute. Go home, etc. Surreal.

Yes, I've seen a number of middle aged blokes in high vis jackets, usually looking awkward and wobbly on BSOs.

Then the same ride also passed lads with tops off, talking about stopping for a smoke and drink.

Gave them my best dirty look and head shake of disapproval, obvs.

I'm not as lucky as spooky_329 (he's one of my riding buddies, so know exactly how bloody lucky he is) but I have exactly 1 mile of quiet residential streets, and I'm on to quiet Sussex lanes that go on for miles. When I say quiet, I'm talking about normal conditions - right now, I almost expect to see tumbleweed.
I reckon I saw more cyclists than cars, on my 16 mile loop.
Not much wind, sunny blue skies, bluebells making an appearance, dry roads and, most importantly, my fitness seems to be coming back, after a somewhat lacklustre start to the year.

Shame it's under such awful circumstances, though.

I think it just goes to prove that most people who would cycle don’t due to fear of traffic*. I’ve seen pensioners, families, young kids, all riding around thanks to the empty roads. It’s nice til you get ‘stuck behind them’ on yer bike.. 😆

*Although it’d be a very different picture if the weather was shite.

Road is great around Cheltenham Gloucestershire off-road riding is to busy getting up to the top of the Cotswolds bridleways are to narrow once away from the back of Cheltenham is great nice and quiet so quiet today and so dry when you think how muddy its been.

Mountain biking for me involves a train down to the Surrey Hills so that’s right out. Fortunately I have a delightful road bike that I enjoy riding (although with friends would be better), and the closure of Richmond Park has forced me to find some new ‘reasonable length’ (whatever that is) loops which as been pretty fun actually. Especially with the now glorious weather and the super quiet roads.

I’ve seen pensioners, families, young kids, all riding around thanks to the empty roads

I think that’s partly it. But more likely because they can’t just drive/ferry around in cars and they are bored. Whichever is more responsible, it’s kind of sad to think that it takes forced lockdown to achieve a better (if temporary) environment 🙁

How are people riding in tights and coats in this weather?!!

I walked to the shop this morning and it was already quite warm, I was in t-shirt & jeans.
Saw several cyclists heading up the road - one in tights, a softshell style jacket and thick bright yellow gloves.

I was slightly too warm in armwarmers yesterday evening, how the hell he was managing in a softshell was beyond me!

Long false flat downhill road section on the way home. Could see a mile or so in both directions. No cars.

So, I started to slalom, like a piste cruising carver, across the whole road. Joyous!

Until I realised I had a slow puncture on the front wheel and it all went a little wobbly!

Stopped. Fixed it. Rode home in time for tea and medals.

And light enhancing lenses in their glasses, it’s too bright for me with black iridium polarised lenses

Prizm Road FTW, Houns!

Long false flat downhill road section on the way home. Could see a mile or so in both directions. No cars.

I've ridden Cat & Fiddle road a couple of times this week - it's got long sightlines right down the hill and there is absolutely nothing on it. Amazing. All around the air is just filled with the calls of curlew and lapwing, the air smells clean and fresh and you can use the whole road to carve the corners. Stunning.

Still night riding. Spending daylight hours with the family. But the tasks near me are busy in the daylight as they're mostly footpaths. But after dark they're deserted, and very fun

I live in London suburbs, Ben using my rigid MTB. Lovely and dry at the moment

I rode into work this morning, my usual commute of a shade over 20 miles from Northampton to Madison in Milton Keynes. OK I left at 6.30am so it was never going to be busy but I was passed by 6 cars on the whole ride. It was the most relaxed commute ever.

I've yet to step outside the front door today, even to feed the fish in the garage, but our flat has been sweltering once again (like yesterday) since ~1100... There's no way I'd want to be out in this "midday sun" for more than ~30mins if doing much above z2 power!

Best time by far is just after sunrise, but I somehow slept in until gone 0900 today, so I'm now deliberating whether to pop out now before take away chippy delivery at ~1830 or pop out at ~1915.

But compared to non-lockdown, even the local A roads are deserted around rush hours.

How are people riding in tights and coats in this weather?!!

Non regular cyclists have seen how "cyclists" look in their newspapers etc & come on they've spent £99 on the bike from Tesco so the budget for clothing is small so think a big wind catching high viz jacket, full length Ron hills, big gloves & an I'll fitting helmet that didn't look good in the 90s is the ideal thing to ride in.

I was out riding before 7am this morning in an effort to avoid as many people as possible but still encountered 3 separate dog walkers with multiple dogs off the lead, despite the grassy areas being festooned with these.

https://flic.kr/p/2iPaT38

Quite how you retrieve your dog when he won't come back from another owners dog without being inside 2m if the other person is a mystery. Apparently though it's ok because "I always let them off" 🙄

It might be a good time for roadies but for me it sucks since I tend to ride up and down the TPT which is constantly heaving like a bank holiday. Because I've been unemployed and/or in higher education the last few years I generally experience few people on the TPT during weekdays which is when I tend to ride.

Went for a ride today. Had to use the roads as the canal paths we’re having. Complete reversal to normality.

Two completely unnecessary close passes on my way out today; an X5 and some sort of Ferarri. Both the sort of cars you'd think would give a wide bearth to protect their paintwork. If the Fezza had been any closer I'd have hit his wing mirror with my knee!

Then I got called a cheat while overtaking an old giffer on a touring bike who had apparently "done 45 miles already and I'm going to be out all day". It was on the flat and I was doing 18mph, so it was all me at that point.

Where the hell do you live then?

New Forest. Still just as many cars as ever (at 08:00 in the morning) and more cars in the dog walking car parks than usual although a few now have their gates closed so the obvious thing for people to do is see that and then park on the verge nearby or better still directly in front of the gate!

This morning I went for a longer ride and went through 5 small towns and they were a lot quieter than normal. I am missing the gravel roads now though so may have to use them tomorrow morning and just put up with dogs getting in my way.

18mph on the flat? There must have been quite a headwind?

I've just had oe of the most surreal and eerie rides I've ever done. It's a stunning Easter Saturday, lovely weather. I rode through the Peak District honeypot areas of Tideswell, Hope and Castleton. There was NO-ONE around. No cars parked along the verges, nothing open, no traffic along the road. Castleton and up to the caverns is normally absolutely solid, in fact I'd never normally ride through there on an Easter weekend.

This was like some sort of post-apocalyptic scenario but with nicer scenery.

It's fairly quiet on the lanes and trails around my part of Hampshire. Probably more cyclists, runners and walkers than drivers, which is nice. I'm not sure what the deal is with all the families wobbling about without wearing helmets or Dad with a kid on the back wearing a too-large helmet half-cocked over one eye. Presumably they won't be hitting 40mph on the hills and are just taking their chances with drivers. Each to their own.

I’ve ridden every single day for about three weeks!! Never ever got anywhere near that before. Lucky I can ride from home, pretty much entirely off-road but not having the wash myself or my bike after every ride ride makes it miles easier to get out for that hour or two. Plus all the trails are dry, dusty and running great and there’s hardly anyone else around, I’m bloody loving it. Ive not missed riding with others too much yet, but that’s prob because it’s so much fun atm? the only negative part is not being able to finish at pub.

Made me realise how many people have bikes stashed away in garages that under normal circumstances never get any use.

Good time to buff-up and build, trails that is.

Made me realise how many people have bikes stashed away in garages that under normal circumstances never get any use.

The number of very unused looking, very expensive and not-seen-before on my local trails is high!

I’ve just had oe of the most surreal and eerie rides I’ve ever done. It’s a stunning Easter Saturday, lovely weather. I rode through the Peak District honeypot areas of Tideswell, Hope and Castleton.

Same here, road bike to Llangollen. Would normally be a nightmare on a bank holiday weekend, but there were more Police than other people. On the way back I rode on the A5 which is normally and incredibly busy major route.

The lack of traffic is great where I live, been taking my lad cycling the lanes of South Staffordshire a fair bit. Just trying to make Lemonade from the Lemons, gonna expand the time/distance tomorrow. Seeing some folk on bikes that have obviously dragged it kicking and screaming from the back of the shed. 🙂

Dunno, I think the speed limits have been removed locally. Also people risk blind overtakes approaching corners as there is a reduced chance of a car coming , but there is still a chance
Police patrolling beaches locally , usual amount of people driving their mutt to the beach for a walk. Then meeting their family there.
Guy popped into the shop with a flat tyre, I lent him a pump. He was out for an all day ride , around 80 miles Reading - Winchester - Andover - Reading , hardly in keeping with local exercise.
Police stopped my colleague on his commute , A272 on a Triumph speed triple so they are clamping down on Guy Martin wanabees out razzing on empty roads

I think this could start s fitness and cycling turning point in this country after lockdown. L ooks like so many are trying regular walking jogging and cycling for the first time

Been doing mostly road loops out north of Chichester into the downs and it's been absolutely glorious. I mean it's usually fairly quiet on the lane but there's a stillness now that's lovely. Definitely some shitty driving though. Not many cars out but the ones that are seem to be taking the piss.

Haven't had my mtb out as local trails aren't that good for it and prefer cx bike for them. But the local trails are busier than ever with walkers, runners and cyclists, which is really good to see.

The road riding is great at the moment.
Main roads and roads in the towns are the quietest I've ever seen them, but for me I would say that the country roads were quieter during foot and mouth crisis than they are now.

But I am not complaining at all. Enjoying the riding while it is like this.

quietest day of the lockdown by far today for cars, passed just twice today in 40 mins.

I've barely ridden in the past year for a number of reasons. This situation has allowed me to explore the local bridleways that go across the golf course. Now I know the route I don't feel bad about riding there when the golfers return. One stretch in particular is about 50% dusty single track, it's not very far to do an out and back in half hour or so and there are bits of it I currently can't ride up and bits I ride really slow down. Just being able to ride that over and over is great for me to get back in shape and learn to ride some of the more technical bits.

It’s sod’s law is what it is. Have never wanted so much to pack overnight kit in a saddlebag and go riding daily half-centuries for a weeks airbnb. By the time that is available again them there motor-vehicles will be back with a vengeance 🙄

But I am not complaining at all. Enjoying the riding while it is like this.

+1 this. Taken to 8-9pm spins around the block seems much safer away from walkers and the odd lone angsty car-warrior

I’ve yet to step outside the front door today, even to feed the fish in the garage,

Odd......, 😁

New Forest.

Why am I not surprised to hear that the residents of that uniquely mean-spirited part of England have decided they can still drive when they want?