My thoughts at 28:29… It doesn’t matter the mode of transport, we need to be accommodating towards each other. I do the same when driving tomorrow accommodate our two wheeled friends, if the road opens up I will maintain speed or slow slightly but move left to signal I am happy for them to pass if they wish. It is either accepted or the rider will acknowledge but remain behind. Communication all round and that makes things easier It was good to see this happen in this section. Everyone understood what was going on and there was no resentment, aggression or unsavoury behaviour and that is what is needed on the roads
14:23 sometimes you don't need to signal left, nor actually have to stop to allow pedestrians to cross a side road if you're riding a narrow vehicle. Defo would have stopped in the car there though. A good example of where 'steer to avoid' vs. 'brake to avoid' can vary between cycling and driving.
If you have stopped at a light/junction and in too high a gear, you can put the front brake on and rock the bike forward a little to lift the back wheel off the ground a touch, and then spin the pedals to make the change down.
45:23 you could try shoving the saddle forward a bit on the rails and tilting the bars up slightly to reduce the reach. If the stem has got a drop on it, you might be able to flip it to raise the heigh of the bars.
If you want an idea for a video, start your ride at 14:45 on a weekday. My only advice is not to have one hand on the hoods and on the drops. It naturally puts you off balance and affects handerling
Fair play Ashley, good on you for giving it a go. Do you accept you’ve got a lot to learn? If so, great - there’s a bunch of us here willing, able, and super happy to teach you the ropes. I hope you enjoy your road bike journey, it’s a rabbit hole if you get into it and there’s a whole new world to discover. Safe and happy trails big man 🤘
Tip for changing between chain rings When changing up on the chain ring, also change down on the cassette. Opposite for changing down, go up on the cassette. The levers will do the work for you. This will mean that you are not in too high a gear going up to the big ring and not spinning like mad as you drop into the granny ring.
Unless you are a racing, needing to optimise cadence with small jumps between gears, I would recommend doing away with the front derailleur. In fact. a 1 x 12 set up will give you the same number of unique gears as 2 x 9. There is less to think about and therefore arguably safer.
@@2rocship I use a 3x8 setup, which gives a wider range than any 1x12 gearset can. There's no cognitive load problem; in any situation where I would need to be making rapid decisions based on a traffic situation, I would be in the middle range, in which 6 gears are readily available with a 2:1 range between sprockets 2 and 7. In general, I pick the front setting based on the general situation I'm in, and the rear setting is very quick and easy to adjust according to the detailed situation. The only reason to remove the front derailleur would be if you ARE racing, and know in advance that the road you'll be on only requires the gears you have available in one cassette. Or if you're flat-out lazy and can't be arsed working out how to coordinate a double gear change.
I’m the latter 😂. I think a triple makes more sense than a double. As you say, run the middle chain ring most of the time. The chain line will be optimised for the middle of the cassette. If you need to go faster, change to the big ring. If you hit a steep hill, drop to the small ring. With a double, which chainring should you be in when in the middle of the cassette? The chain line won’t be optimised as well. I used to have 3 x 8 set up on my mtb. Great range of gears but the front mech soon got full of mud. I have a gravel bike now with 36t chainring and 10 - 51 cassette - low enough for bike packing fully loaded in the North York Moors 👍
@@2rocship Looking at the specs of the Triban, its double chainring corresponds roughly to the large and middle of a triple chainring (50/34 versus my 48/36/26). The cassette is comparable as well: 11-32T versus my 11-34T. I think if you ride it accordingly, it'll work well; the bottom gear available is close to 1:1, and I rarely need lower than that myself (eg. towing a loaded trailer uphill). Low range on urban streets and uphills, high range when you have an open road and no obstructions. A feature of modern 2x shifters is that there are two derailleur positions for each chainring, optimised for different parts of the rear cassette. Use the more extreme position to move the chain over, then click it back the half-step if you will use the upper half of the cassette with the small chainring or vice versa.
Looking forward to watching this 48 min video. Just recently got home from an outpatient treatment. Already saw your latest driving video re the ambulance and police car and commented.
For tyres, Continental GP5000 are the gold standards, there are similar ones from Vittoria, Pirelli, Schwalbe etc. But my recommendation for a cheaper alternative is the Michelin Powercup. They are about half the price of the GP5000 and there isn't much difference with performance. Me personally, I prefer tyres without specific puncture protection as these tend to be harder to change when there is a puncture, especially in the cold and wet. And I've not (touch wood) had many punctures with my GP5000/Powercups. I've gotten through some years between punctures and then had some where they've happened multiple times on a ride. Sometimes it's just bad luck. But being aware of the road surface and debris is important as well and not just blasting through everything and anything.
Must say my personal experience has been that tyres that are tubeless ready are hardest to get on. Even those with minimal puncture protection. I have tyres with excellent protection that are super easy to get on and off a variety of rims. Off easy with one lever! It's always been the tubeless ready ones I find super hard to get on and off! Puncture protection can be useful if someone rides a lot on cycle paths or in the countryside at the times the hedges are being cut. They do tend to roll less well though and are heavier. Weight right on the end of the wheel makes the bike feel slower to accelerate as well. Often punctures occur when a tyre gets too worn so keep an eye out for that.
@andrewnorris5415 horses for courses as they say. Not saying my recommendation works for everyone, but with my experience and where I ride this is what works for me. and I run with inner tubes and try not to get tubeless tyres where possible
Nice one. I think Ashley enjoyed that. I find the rear radar more useful out of town or when it's quieter, they're not much use in heavy traffic. At 10.33 I would of held back as there wasn't enough room for the bike by the side of the van. Some cyclists would have gone just in front of the van but they'd be breaking the law by going over the white stop line and possibly encourage a close pass.
Yeah he enjoyed it! Some people like the buzz of exercise. I am one of them too. I don't rule out getting an ebike as an addition - for days when want to take it easy but still get about on the bike. It's just more options. Having built up a lot of bikes I know what to look out for, so may get one second hand and do it up. I will need to read up on the battery and motor issues to look for. Older batteries limit range a bit, but is that so bad. Can replace them too.
Excellent mate. Just a few observations if you don't mind. Modern road bikes are very comfortable as long as you've got your position set up nicely. If you feel like you're reaching for the brake levers when you're on the hoods, just raise the levers a fair bit up the bars until you've got a solid grip on the levers with almost a full hand. A bit of a pain if the bars are already taped. And maybe rotate the bars a little so that they're just off the horizontal with the ends pointing slightly towards the ground. Personally I wouldn't make a habit of filtering on the right (or checking out potholes!!) and just wait on the left if there's not much room. As you say, how much time are you going to lose? And yes, you'll be even more comfortable with a set of clipless pedals (which don't have to be expensive btw) and some nice shoes. Northwave make some excellent brightly coloured shoes which personally I think are a great visibility aid. Enjoy fella 👍
Re: Your comment on "comfortable geometry bike", Ashley, bike fit is very individual and a bike (or saddle, or handlebars) that suits one 5'10" rider might not work for another 5'10" rider. TBH, bike manufacturers still produce bikes as if they were used by seriously fit riders, whereas most riders are just out riding for fun. There are some things you can do that might alleviate your shoulder/neck discomfort, as below - but they may not be a cure-all. Possible causes: bike frame too large; stem too long; bars not suited to more leisurely/comfortable riders; bars/stem set too low; road vibrations causing wrist discomfort. Possible solutions: Get a shorter stem Get a stem with more rise (points more upwards - some stems can be reversed so if yours is pointing downwards, try flipping it over the other way before you spend money on a new stem) Get a set of bars that are more suited to comfort riding. Redshift kitchen sink bars (without "the loop") are very popular for improving comfort. They have a slight sweep-back (so the bars are closer to you), and a slight rise (making them slightly higher/closer), and the drops are less aggressive, so riding in the drops is more comfortable than with a typical road riding set of bars. Get a suspension stem - again, Redshift produce one that takes the effect of road "buzz" - but not cheap. Get a wider set of tyres - again, your wrist discomfort may be due to road vibrations and wider tyres absorb some of the "buzz". Good luck sorting it out. Over many decades of riding, I've had some uncomfortable bikes that made riding an absolute misery - but unless your bike frame is way too big (particularly long top tube), there will be a solution for the discomfort.
If you can, I would advise getting a bike fit. Your hands are not forward enough to reach the hoods, it looks like you're resting your palms on the "corners" of the handlebar. They can adjust some bits like the height and position of the saddle can make a difference in your position. But some component changes maybe necessary, a shorter stem and possibly a narrower and shorter reach handlebar. These are relatively cheap changes you make to improve your comfort on a bike. You can pick up a Deda or Specialized short reach handlebar for £20-30.
Yeah. Totally agree. Even if you don’t have to get a stem etc. The micro adjustments will hugely benefit riding style and comfort. Your body really does appreciate it.
I'm really, really glad you mentioned the height of that kerb! So West Sussex County Council, please sort the blooming narrow shared path with a HUGE kerb. It's on the left of the Curly Whirly Bridge, (parallel with Ifield Ave/A23 in Crawley. West Sussex. The whole thing is dangerous, and that Junction re Ifield Rd/Ifield Avenue is not fit for pedestrians or cyclists! Phew! Sorry, ranting head was on!!!🤣
21:40 don't write-off the radar yet - you're not riding on the roads where it is useful. Around town I don't bother with the radar. On 30mph streets that are busy, there's no need for it really. Even the odd stretch on a 60mph road I won't bother. But if I'm out mainly on 60mph country roads, with sporadic traffic, then it's invaluable. It really does pick up some vehicles before I notice them, particularly if it's windy. The 'red' fast approach warning is valuable too, as it's often not easy to determine approach speed at distance.
I remember the same kind of bike when I used to use on a cycling track. Those bikes are really designed for racing as the handlebar grips are a lot lower. Not easy to look behind when you’re hunched over the handlebars.
I’m not sure I follow the point about the brake levers? I would have said that when riding on the hoods your fingers are closer to the levers than they are on flat bars. As for mechanical disadvantage, I can easily lock either wheel with a couple of fingers off the hoods. Having ridden drop bar bikes regularly for well over 50 years I’ve never had any braking problems.
Looks like you had a good ride. Most of the time i find it's just comuncate your intentions be positive when needed and aid flow so people can get past when safe. The only thing I would say is to do some group rides would be useful to tell people who drive why the group works in a certain manner. Like not going single file immediately. For me riding a bike is about the experiences of the trips the climbs and descents and events over into Europe
You should have got a gravel bike the geometry is more relaxed / upright ... Certain ones have room upto 50mm tires.. that way you can go narrower in summer but have the protection of almost MTB width with the potholes in winter
Great video Ashley. Glad you're enjoying the road bike and it's good to see proper use in some of the busier areas of traffic there. If you wanna really start enjoying it, head on down to the lanes around Clieves Hills, just west of Ormskirk. A couple of good beginner climbs and some great open country lanes to enjoy. As i'm sure you discovered there, the Varia comes into it's own when you aren't expecting as much traffic. On Long lane and around those areas you're expecting constant cars. But as you get out more rural, there's less cars less often and that's where the Varia helps you plan your positioning. Or in some cases on country lanes, lets you dive into a bush just in time to get out of the way of an amateur rally driver! 🤣 Regarding positioning, you may find a different helmet would suit you better. Road-bike helmets have less of an overhang above the eyes, allowing you to lean your head forwards more while still being able to see ahead of you - you'll find you have less strain in your neck and shoulders that way!
I think your motorcycling will help a lot - a road bike feels and responds a lot different to a flat bar. My advice is to drop into the small ring every time you are about to stop as it's so much better for pulling away again at the lights The different positions will help a lot with comfort, riding on the hoods is the most comfortable usually. I'm changing gears all the time on my road bike to keep my cadence steady and it helps with fatigue
Hoods are designed for comfortable riding. I doubt find must difference in applied pressure. Infact there's less reach/reaction time on the hoods as some of your fingers tend to on the levers already.
I try to go on the drops a few times on each ride. Mostly it's only for 30 seconds to a minute in as high a gear as I can manage. But only when I have a clear road / cycle track as I find I can't easily look behind in the lower position. But downhill I often have my left hand on the drop to allow heavier braking if I need to slow for bends on a descent. I bottle it a lot. Nice to see you wearing gloves 😜......even if it was only for the cold. Very good video. Enjoyed it a lot.
Nice pace. There is the assumption people who use e-bikes must be slow. But you clearly have natural fitness. I found similar reach issues when I went to my first drop bar (a gravel bike). I solved it by using a shorter stem and slid the seat a bit forwards on the rails. It's the sort of adjustment bike fitters do and no bike fits us exactly unless we are lucky. A shorter stem will affect the steering by making a touch faster. But as you said that bike was plenty stable I think you will handle it no problem. Also it's a long default stem so a cm or so off will no affect the steering speed that much.
May well no longer be the case but be careful of road markings with a road bike, they are so slippy in wet conditions, I ended up needing x-rays after flying face first into the pavement at nearly 30mph due to road markings after the bridge on the dock road by the tobacco warehouse. Luckily nothing broken.
Road bike ashley. The amount of saved energy from those tires. You would get the same from my rat hybrid i used to peddle. 700x25. 26" frame. Proper good for me at 6'5". But as for peddles. Iv never liked clips, i used either "bear traps" (now, very rarely sold, dangerous) or free style peddles, ie with studs. A hybrid would give you 90% of the same road "performance", but with it just being either an over weight road bike or a big skinny ATB.
Did you feel safer or less so at a slightly higher speed? Good bike, nice and nimble and you should get used to the position quite quickly as it's not too extreme.
Good to see you out on the road bike. Couple of things. I think you'll get used to using the brakes from the drops, especially as they bed in. But anticipation is key, I find I rarely use my brakes because I'm looking further ahead for issues. I'm also not the fastest rider, so I don't have to slow down much. You find adjustingthe bar position, and brake lever position (if possible), may help. I have the same issues with camera's working loose, as well as lack of space on drop bars. The lightness and ease of manoeuvrability of the bike compared to your electric one is why you're not out of breath. Great video though.
keeping it cool, 4:30 usually gets me much more worried lol. Though they did do well not blindly following flashing car and waiting till the road opened up a little to overtake. Writing as I go so didn't see the full incident till after I wrote this.. 10:31 Hate to generalise but would usually avoid that for the sake of the distance... White van man is paid by the job not per hour they typically ain't very patient. 42:35 yeah those the ones that get me, can move over but choose not to either laziness or maliciousness, That said the amount I hear from my older relatives about "people going onto the other side of the road to overtake a cyclist" and I keep having to tell them yes that's how it should be done. Have been tempted with the radar before.. I spend too much on gadgets etc, but came to the conclusion I likely wouldn't use even though its fairly accurate don't think I could or for that matter should ever really trust it. Its like the people that manoeuvre based of NOT hearing cars... insanity imo. Any rate looks like you enjoyed yourself great cycling and lots of good advice for everyone .
Cycling on the road should be part of the 'learning to drive a car' journey, so all car drivers will understand and remember their cycling experience when they move on to car driving.
There was a lot of positive from that. Very good tips to keep safe and enjoy the ride. bit of a shame the 1 close pass but it only takes one. Quiet roads can be higher risk as drivers see you latter and react slower. Would you consider a ride out in beautiful south Wales to show different driving styles and attitudes to cycling in rura lanes andl villages. That's if it ever stops raining. Loved the vid, keep safe.
Two future requests. Ride a national speed limit that has plenty on solid white lines. Ride on roads with adjacent, very obvious cycle lanes and put up ignorant horn usage. As you say not all infrastructure is suited or aimed at all modes of cycling.
Great video, hope enough watch it to the end and don't take it as questioning either their competence as a licenced driver or their virility! It would be good for more drivers to see the perspective of someone trying to ride on the road and the challenges that provides. Three small things though as feedback: Either reverse your view on the camera that's facing you or write R and L on your forehead (would have to be backwards for some!) It looked like you were talking to someone on the pavement when you were actually trying to set the van driver straight! Use a rear camera as well as a lot happens behind you on a bike and that would be more interesting than 2 front views. The close pass from the private hire may be more obvious with that view too. When the brakes are bedded in you'll have no problem braking from the hoods. If you are still struggling, try a bike with hydraulic discs. Decent ones are a one finger job like on a good MTB
My first time on a road bike (didnt own it) the brakes were very weird to use, always felt like you had to hold the handles in a certain way to get anything but srill didnt bite as hard as a hybrid or mountain bike.
Maybe look at shifting the seat forward a little if you're having trouble reaching the tops, but not if it makes it feel uncomfortable to pedal. Personally, I'm riding a medium RC520, I'm 6" tall and it feels just about okay to reach the tops for me.
Interesting your comment regarding the work required to cycle Electric vs manual, I suspect a steep hill or two might give you a different impression. Everyone I know who's switched from manual to electric assist say how much easier the hills are now. In my book anything that enables more people to ride more and drive less is great.
I think he only bought the road bike to 'prove' the naysayers wrong; so no surprises regarding the e-bike comment for me. He did look to be feeling it by the end though - a whole 45mins! 🤣 Maybe I should have been a professional sportsman 🤔!
@@shm5547 Thinking about my original comment, most of the people I know who have transitioned from manual to electric assist do not regularly go faster than 15mph. If you exceed the assist cut off speed then sure, an electric bike will generally require a lot more effort to ride. I'm not going to criticise his fitness as I can't tell from the video his speed or the steepness of the gradients.
@@grahambonner508there are e-bikes that are quite easy to pedal above the cut-off; but not the heavy fat-tyre type. It does depend on the model. However, if you are very fit, then an e-bike doesn't offer much advantage over a road bike. Cameron Jeffers did a good video where he compared the two. edit: it's "can you REALLY get fit riding an Electric Bicycle?!" basically, on a on a one hour ride the e-bike was a couple of minutes quicker (19.5mph average speed vs. 18.5mph) mainly due to being quicker up the hills. So it really depends.
@@shm5547 A final thought from my side (my experience from a leisure group rider): For the elderly, infirm or disabled electrical assist can be the difference between being able to enjoy and ride in groups or not, and many of these people will have ridden road bikes for many decades and love the freedom and health benefits that cycling brings. Please don't get me wrong, I'm not criticising or accusing you but we do need to loose the snobbery that does still exist amongst some some cyclists.
@@grahambonner508 I don't think there's snobbery at all. Just the fact Ashley was riding everywhere on an e-bike gave the impression he wasn't experiencing cycling as those who don't use an e-bike do. Particularly when it comes to preserving momentum. When I tried to explain this, Ashley's response was 'get an e-bike', they're easier to start/stop - not particularly helpful!
Riding on the roads round here feels more predictable than if you try and use whatever cycle lanes are available. You might annoy a few motorists by going too slow, but at least they know where you are going. At the points where cycle lanes cross a road it often ends up with both the cyclists and cars stopping for longer and neither really knows who is going to go first. Would be interesting to see how you find riding on the country roads between the fields. A lot less traffic, but at higher speeds and on bendy sometimes narrow roads. I think those are the kind of roads that most cyclists who do it for fun end up riding on.
On the matter of the ride and 1st the narrow lane. A less confident cyclist could have easily ridden path sensible and not cause offence. Nice to see the hand off, yank head round wasnt to difficult and wobbly on road bike. I would not have stopped before pedestrian crossing, id have used the drop path from the crossing, and careful on skinnys doing that, particularly in wet of in near by historical cities or older areas of liverpool (the shiney ones). Good luck as always x
@@DemiGod.. I personally think working on confidently being able to look over or under your shoulder as a roadie is a very important. It helps an awful lot with bike handling skills as well which improves safety. Once you're used to it there's no need for mirrors, which can hinder a rider sometimes I think
Have never had a car appear on the varia I hadn't already seen in the mirrors, but have had cars I see in my mirrors not appear on the varia, you can't trust it.
I had a life changing experience where I lost toes on both feet due to poor blood circulation and after 3 years, been in a very slow recovery, I want to get back on a bike, just so I could build strength back in my feet but unfortunately can’t afford it. The bikes are so expensive and I’m only living off PIP. I wondered whether you knew if there’s a disability grant to help me get a bike. Would be very grateful for your advice. Thanks
34:46 now I strongly disagree here: cyclists have priority to cross this side road. There are no 'give way' markings for cyclists on the cycle track - so rule H3 is fully in force and drivers should yield.
@@AshleyNeal-JustCycling if there are no give way markings on the cycle track, then the cyclist has priority to cross the junction and vehicles coming in/out of the junction should give way. I agree it's a bit weird some side roads have an additional give way for emerging traffic, but the priority is in the cyclists favour on all those junction crossings. (agree it's a rubbish cycle track though!)
The infrastructure looks terrible there and while it could be argued to cycle track continues it isn’t immediately obvious to _all_ road users due to the lack of an obvious cycle track across the road. Given the other junctions have dedicated give ways, then yes I agree the cycle track does continue across those but not the other…for now. No doubt within the next 10 years that might be fixed Until then, I wouldn’t ever want to assume priority over anyone but instead treat that as a give way or even an unmarked junction. In fact, I wouldn’t ever want never assume priority over anyone at a junction using any mode of transport as it is usually difficult to tell who actually has the give way and I don’t trust anyone to adhere to it. If I was cycling across those other junctions I wouldn’t trust a driver turning into the road to see the give way and I wouldn’t trust anyone to see me
Spot on Ashley I use the rainforest by pass cycle path regularly it has a number of side roads to cross I never just ride across you are putting yourself in danger of you do
@@smilerbob well you do have to be careful, as not many drivers know the rules, but even that junction that doesn't have the additional give way markings for emerging traffic should give way to cyclists. Rule H3 is clear, if there are no give way markings on the cycle track, then the cyclist has priority. No matter what Ashley might say to the contrary, the Highway Code is quite specific about this: Rule 76 Going straight ahead. If you are going straight ahead at a junction, *you have priority* over traffic waiting to turn into or out of the side road, unless road signs or markings indicate otherwise (see Rule H3).
38:20 I don't get it. It's just as illegal to overtake a cyclist going faster than 10mph on double white lines as it is to go through a red light. Now, if it's done safely, then I don't have a problem with it either. I also don't have a problem with cyclists going through a red - if it's done safely. Yet it seems to cause so much anger when drivers see it happening, but passing on double whites, or going a few mph over the speed limit, no issues?!
@@AshleyNeal-JustCycling no irony - the key is the question: "is it safe?" This is more a general observation that drivers who are quite happy to speed and overtake on white lines, will absolutely stop for a red light. Heck, I've even had drivers dangerously close pass me, yet then diligently stop for a red light. The same red light I will cycle through because it's safer for me to do so and puts nobody at risk. 🤷🏻♂
You still don't get the irony. Doesn't it work both ways with cyclists complaining about passes which are just within 1.5 m and they'll report it to the police yet they'll jump a red light without question. To be honest, that sounds like you.
@@AshleyNeal-JustCycling no, because a close pass puts the cyclist at risk and is very unpleasant. Riding through a red light, when safe, puts nobody at risk and is often much safer for the cyclist. I put a video up on my channel called 'Reading' a while ago. At the end I anticipate a green light, safely. Quite frankly, it would have been more dangerous to hang around in the queuing traffic.
So my family member who unfortunately killed a cyclist that jumped to red light, and who has had to live the last 30 years after losing their job, their home, their marriage and has had multiple attempts at taking their life has had it all pleasant?
@Ashley The bikeys are really going to hate you now. For a start that hi-viz/reflective jacket has got to go.... 2.54 nonsense, it is up to other road users to see you. 3.36 I was told by one silly woman that bikes have poor brakes, so it is up to the cars to stop. So your bike brakes should be fine. 5.57 Unbelievable that you would stop behind that car, plenty of time to take him on the inside and even if there wasn't, it would be the car's fault, they should have seen you. 10,07 That was silvio standard swerving & weaving #trollingashley :o)
With the people at the lights giving you a face. I would bet it was because you are on a bike. In their head, how would a cyclist know anything about traffic lights!
35:58 prime example of useless cycling infrastructure. What's the point of a fully segregated cycle lane if it dumps you out on a busy roundabout with traffic joining a motorway! That left turn looks like it's the M57 and motorway restrictions apply; so no cycling allowed. Would you be happy letting your 12 year old kid cycle to school on that? (the answer should be no)
42:34 I don't think I'd bother reporting that. It wasn't that close really and looked to be done with care. Anyway, you were in secondary position and clearly inviting a close pass.
@@AshleyNeal-JustCycling ok, fair enough - but you don't need to spend so long giving a thumbs up, just a quick raise of the hand is enough. You've got less control of the bike with one hand on the bars and you really don't want any control issues at the point you're being passed.
As someone who doesn't follow any twitter soap operas - I'm wondering if 'feeding the trolls' as it were and trying to rebuke what people on twitter are moaning about detracts from the otherwise good message of the video. You have to remember that people who sit on twitter all day aren't representative of people who actually use the roads a lot (as drivers, cyclists, peds), as they're too busy sat inside complaining on the internet! I think it's not worth giving them the time of day really. Better to focus on how fun, more convenient and healthier cycling is as a way to promote it, rather than trying to prove pointless people online wrong! Your videos hold themselves up on their own merit. That is just my opinion though!
Even when the cyclist does everything correctly you still get some tw*t complaining. Those sensors are probably why some cyclists just ignore the red light and go through it.
It's a shame it seems necessary to thank people for not overtaking dangerously. Honestly it should be a basic expectation and just normal driving but unfortunately it's not.
Just good manners, really, and makes the world a nicer place. It's the same when acknowledging someone who has given way through a narrow space, like parked cars. Even though you already have "right of way", it does no harm to say/signal "thanks".
I am always being criticised for pulling over, to let larger vehicles pass me, or if I see a queue behind me. It doesn't take more than two minutes to let a queue overtake me. I've been driven back to a cycle because of the excessive cost of running a car. I'm not anti-car, and I'm no left wing eco warrior. I keep myself fit on my bike, and I can go to the pub and not worry about losing my licence. One day, I might buy another car, but not under a communist government.
My thoughts at 28:29…
It doesn’t matter the mode of transport, we need to be accommodating towards each other. I do the same when driving tomorrow accommodate our two wheeled friends, if the road opens up I will maintain speed or slow slightly but move left to signal I am happy for them to pass if they wish. It is either accepted or the rider will acknowledge but remain behind. Communication all round and that makes things easier
It was good to see this happen in this section. Everyone understood what was going on and there was no resentment, aggression or unsavoury behaviour and that is what is needed on the roads
14:23 sometimes you don't need to signal left, nor actually have to stop to allow pedestrians to cross a side road if you're riding a narrow vehicle. Defo would have stopped in the car there though. A good example of where 'steer to avoid' vs. 'brake to avoid' can vary between cycling and driving.
If you have stopped at a light/junction and in too high a gear, you can put the front brake on and rock the bike forward a little to lift the back wheel off the ground a touch, and then spin the pedals to make the change down.
45:23 you could try shoving the saddle forward a bit on the rails and tilting the bars up slightly to reduce the reach. If the stem has got a drop on it, you might be able to flip it to raise the heigh of the bars.
If you want an idea for a video, start your ride at 14:45 on a weekday.
My only advice is not to have one hand on the hoods and on the drops. It naturally puts you off balance and affects handerling
Fair play Ashley, good on you for giving it a go. Do you accept you’ve got a lot to learn?
If so, great - there’s a bunch of us here willing, able, and super happy to teach you the ropes. I hope you enjoy your road bike journey, it’s a rabbit hole if you get into it and there’s a whole new world to discover. Safe and happy trails big man 🤘
I had a similar issue when I got my bike. Shorter stem was a game changer for me. Went from 100mm to 60mm and it makes the world of difference
Tip for changing between chain rings
When changing up on the chain ring, also change down on the cassette.
Opposite for changing down, go up on the cassette. The levers will do the work for you.
This will mean that you are not in too high a gear going up to the big ring and not spinning like mad as you drop into the granny ring.
Unless you are a racing, needing to optimise cadence with small jumps between gears, I would recommend doing away with the front derailleur. In fact. a 1 x 12 set up will give you the same number of unique gears as 2 x 9. There is less to think about and therefore arguably safer.
@@2rocship I use a 3x8 setup, which gives a wider range than any 1x12 gearset can. There's no cognitive load problem; in any situation where I would need to be making rapid decisions based on a traffic situation, I would be in the middle range, in which 6 gears are readily available with a 2:1 range between sprockets 2 and 7. In general, I pick the front setting based on the general situation I'm in, and the rear setting is very quick and easy to adjust according to the detailed situation.
The only reason to remove the front derailleur would be if you ARE racing, and know in advance that the road you'll be on only requires the gears you have available in one cassette. Or if you're flat-out lazy and can't be arsed working out how to coordinate a double gear change.
I’m the latter 😂. I think a triple makes more sense than a double. As you say, run the middle chain ring most of the time. The chain line will be optimised for the middle of the cassette. If you need to go faster, change to the big ring. If you hit a steep hill, drop to the small ring. With a double, which chainring should you be in when in the middle of the cassette? The chain line won’t be optimised as well. I used to have 3 x 8 set up on my mtb. Great range of gears but the front mech soon got full of mud. I have a gravel bike now with 36t chainring and 10 - 51 cassette - low enough for bike packing fully loaded in the North York Moors 👍
Also ease off power to make change easier.
@@2rocship Looking at the specs of the Triban, its double chainring corresponds roughly to the large and middle of a triple chainring (50/34 versus my 48/36/26). The cassette is comparable as well: 11-32T versus my 11-34T. I think if you ride it accordingly, it'll work well; the bottom gear available is close to 1:1, and I rarely need lower than that myself (eg. towing a loaded trailer uphill). Low range on urban streets and uphills, high range when you have an open road and no obstructions.
A feature of modern 2x shifters is that there are two derailleur positions for each chainring, optimised for different parts of the rear cassette. Use the more extreme position to move the chain over, then click it back the half-step if you will use the upper half of the cassette with the small chainring or vice versa.
Looking forward to watching this 48 min video. Just recently got home from an outpatient treatment. Already saw your latest driving video re the ambulance and police car and commented.
Are you able to do a little gentle exercise on your stationary bike ?
43:00 amen Ash 👍
For tyres, Continental GP5000 are the gold standards, there are similar ones from Vittoria, Pirelli, Schwalbe etc.
But my recommendation for a cheaper alternative is the Michelin Powercup. They are about half the price of the GP5000 and there isn't much difference with performance.
Me personally, I prefer tyres without specific puncture protection as these tend to be harder to change when there is a puncture, especially in the cold and wet. And I've not (touch wood) had many punctures with my GP5000/Powercups. I've gotten through some years between punctures and then had some where they've happened multiple times on a ride. Sometimes it's just bad luck. But being aware of the road surface and debris is important as well and not just blasting through everything and anything.
Must say my personal experience has been that tyres that are tubeless ready are hardest to get on. Even those with minimal puncture protection. I have tyres with excellent protection that are super easy to get on and off a variety of rims. Off easy with one lever! It's always been the tubeless ready ones I find super hard to get on and off! Puncture protection can be useful if someone rides a lot on cycle paths or in the countryside at the times the hedges are being cut. They do tend to roll less well though and are heavier. Weight right on the end of the wheel makes the bike feel slower to accelerate as well. Often punctures occur when a tyre gets too worn so keep an eye out for that.
@andrewnorris5415 horses for courses as they say. Not saying my recommendation works for everyone, but with my experience and where I ride this is what works for me. and I run with inner tubes and try not to get tubeless tyres where possible
Nice one. I think Ashley enjoyed that. I find the rear radar more useful out of town or when it's quieter, they're not much use in heavy traffic. At 10.33 I would of held back as there wasn't enough room for the bike by the side of the van. Some cyclists would have gone just in front of the van but they'd be breaking the law by going over the white stop line and possibly encourage a close pass.
Yeah he enjoyed it! Some people like the buzz of exercise. I am one of them too. I don't rule out getting an ebike as an addition - for days when want to take it easy but still get about on the bike. It's just more options. Having built up a lot of bikes I know what to look out for, so may get one second hand and do it up. I will need to read up on the battery and motor issues to look for. Older batteries limit range a bit, but is that so bad. Can replace them too.
Excellent mate. Just a few observations if you don't mind. Modern road bikes are very comfortable as long as you've got your position set up nicely. If you feel like you're reaching for the brake levers when you're on the hoods, just raise the levers a fair bit up the bars until you've got a solid grip on the levers with almost a full hand. A bit of a pain if the bars are already taped. And maybe rotate the bars a little so that they're just off the horizontal with the ends pointing slightly towards the ground. Personally I wouldn't make a habit of filtering on the right (or checking out potholes!!) and just wait on the left if there's not much room. As you say, how much time are you going to lose?
And yes, you'll be even more comfortable with a set of clipless pedals (which don't have to be expensive btw) and some nice shoes. Northwave make some excellent brightly coloured shoes which personally I think are a great visibility aid. Enjoy fella 👍
Re: Your comment on "comfortable geometry bike", Ashley, bike fit is very individual and a bike (or saddle, or handlebars) that suits one 5'10" rider might not work for another 5'10" rider. TBH, bike manufacturers still produce bikes as if they were used by seriously fit riders, whereas most riders are just out riding for fun. There are some things you can do that might alleviate your shoulder/neck discomfort, as below - but they may not be a cure-all.
Possible causes: bike frame too large; stem too long; bars not suited to more leisurely/comfortable riders; bars/stem set too low; road vibrations causing wrist discomfort.
Possible solutions:
Get a shorter stem
Get a stem with more rise (points more upwards - some stems can be reversed so if yours is pointing downwards, try flipping it over the other way before you spend money on a new stem)
Get a set of bars that are more suited to comfort riding. Redshift kitchen sink bars (without "the loop") are very popular for improving comfort. They have a slight sweep-back (so the bars are closer to you), and a slight rise (making them slightly higher/closer), and the drops are less aggressive, so riding in the drops is more comfortable than with a typical road riding set of bars.
Get a suspension stem - again, Redshift produce one that takes the effect of road "buzz" - but not cheap.
Get a wider set of tyres - again, your wrist discomfort may be due to road vibrations and wider tyres absorb some of the "buzz".
Good luck sorting it out. Over many decades of riding, I've had some uncomfortable bikes that made riding an absolute misery - but unless your bike frame is way too big (particularly long top tube), there will be a solution for the discomfort.
If you can, I would advise getting a bike fit. Your hands are not forward enough to reach the hoods, it looks like you're resting your palms on the "corners" of the handlebar. They can adjust some bits like the height and position of the saddle can make a difference in your position. But some component changes maybe necessary, a shorter stem and possibly a narrower and shorter reach handlebar. These are relatively cheap changes you make to improve your comfort on a bike. You can pick up a Deda or Specialized short reach handlebar for £20-30.
Yeah. Totally agree. Even if you don’t have to get a stem etc. The micro adjustments will hugely benefit riding style and comfort. Your body really does appreciate it.
I'm really, really glad you mentioned the height of that kerb! So West Sussex County Council, please sort the blooming narrow shared path with a HUGE kerb. It's on the left of the Curly Whirly Bridge, (parallel with Ifield Ave/A23 in Crawley. West Sussex. The whole thing is dangerous, and that Junction re Ifield Rd/Ifield Avenue is not fit for pedestrians or cyclists! Phew! Sorry, ranting head was on!!!🤣
Well done that driver at 9:20, waiting until you passed before moving off 👍
21:40 don't write-off the radar yet - you're not riding on the roads where it is useful. Around town I don't bother with the radar. On 30mph streets that are busy, there's no need for it really. Even the odd stretch on a 60mph road I won't bother. But if I'm out mainly on 60mph country roads, with sporadic traffic, then it's invaluable. It really does pick up some vehicles before I notice them, particularly if it's windy. The 'red' fast approach warning is valuable too, as it's often not easy to determine approach speed at distance.
I remember the same kind of bike when I used to use on a cycling track. Those bikes are really designed for racing as the handlebar grips are a lot lower. Not easy to look behind when you’re hunched over the handlebars.
Nice ride. Fatigue has a massive impact on decision making. Most times we/I don't realise.
I’m not sure I follow the point about the brake levers? I would have said that when riding on the hoods your fingers are closer to the levers than they are on flat bars. As for mechanical disadvantage, I can easily lock either wheel with a couple of fingers off the hoods. Having ridden drop bar bikes regularly for well over 50 years I’ve never had any braking problems.
Looks like you had a good ride. Most of the time i find it's just comuncate your intentions be positive when needed and aid flow so people can get past when safe. The only thing I would say is to do some group rides would be useful to tell people who drive why the group works in a certain manner. Like not going single file immediately. For me riding a bike is about the experiences of the trips the climbs and descents and events over into Europe
You should have got a gravel bike the geometry is more relaxed / upright ... Certain ones have room upto 50mm tires.. that way you can go narrower in summer but have the protection of almost MTB width with the potholes in winter
Great video Ashley. Glad you're enjoying the road bike and it's good to see proper use in some of the busier areas of traffic there. If you wanna really start enjoying it, head on down to the lanes around Clieves Hills, just west of Ormskirk. A couple of good beginner climbs and some great open country lanes to enjoy.
As i'm sure you discovered there, the Varia comes into it's own when you aren't expecting as much traffic. On Long lane and around those areas you're expecting constant cars. But as you get out more rural, there's less cars less often and that's where the Varia helps you plan your positioning. Or in some cases on country lanes, lets you dive into a bush just in time to get out of the way of an amateur rally driver! 🤣
Regarding positioning, you may find a different helmet would suit you better. Road-bike helmets have less of an overhang above the eyes, allowing you to lean your head forwards more while still being able to see ahead of you - you'll find you have less strain in your neck and shoulders that way!
I think your motorcycling will help a lot - a road bike feels and responds a lot different to a flat bar. My advice is to drop into the small ring every time you are about to stop as it's so much better for pulling away again at the lights
The different positions will help a lot with comfort, riding on the hoods is the most comfortable usually. I'm changing gears all the time on my road bike to keep my cadence steady and it helps with fatigue
Hoods are designed for comfortable riding. I doubt find must difference in applied pressure. Infact there's less reach/reaction time on the hoods as some of your fingers tend to on the levers already.
I try to go on the drops a few times on each ride. Mostly it's only for 30 seconds to a minute in as high a gear as I can manage. But only when I have a clear road / cycle track as I find I can't easily look behind in the lower position. But downhill I often have my left hand on the drop to allow heavier braking if I need to slow for bends on a descent. I bottle it a lot.
Nice to see you wearing gloves 😜......even if it was only for the cold.
Very good video. Enjoyed it a lot.
I was going to comment about the comfort but glad you found it ok
Nice pace. There is the assumption people who use e-bikes must be slow. But you clearly have natural fitness. I found similar reach issues when I went to my first drop bar (a gravel bike). I solved it by using a shorter stem and slid the seat a bit forwards on the rails. It's the sort of adjustment bike fitters do and no bike fits us exactly unless we are lucky. A shorter stem will affect the steering by making a touch faster. But as you said that bike was plenty stable I think you will handle it no problem. Also it's a long default stem so a cm or so off will no affect the steering speed that much.
May well no longer be the case but be careful of road markings with a road bike, they are so slippy in wet conditions, I ended up needing x-rays after flying face first into the pavement at nearly 30mph due to road markings after the bridge on the dock road by the tobacco warehouse. Luckily nothing broken.
Road bike ashley. The amount of saved energy from those tires. You would get the same from my rat hybrid i used to peddle. 700x25. 26" frame. Proper good for me at 6'5". But as for peddles. Iv never liked clips, i used either "bear traps" (now, very rarely sold, dangerous) or free style peddles, ie with studs. A hybrid would give you 90% of the same road "performance", but with it just being either an over weight road bike or a big skinny ATB.
Only tend to use small chain ring on hills. I did increase my rear cassette range for hill climbing. What I call my old man cassette 😅
I knew exactly what you meant!
Did you feel safer or less so at a slightly higher speed? Good bike, nice and nimble and you should get used to the position quite quickly as it's not too extreme.
Good to see you out on the road bike. Couple of things. I think you'll get used to using the brakes from the drops, especially as they bed in. But anticipation is key, I find I rarely use my brakes because I'm looking further ahead for issues. I'm also not the fastest rider, so I don't have to slow down much. You find adjustingthe bar position, and brake lever position (if possible), may help. I have the same issues with camera's working loose, as well as lack of space on drop bars. The lightness and ease of manoeuvrability of the bike compared to your electric one is why you're not out of breath. Great video though.
keeping it cool, 4:30 usually gets me much more worried lol. Though they did do well not blindly following flashing car and waiting till the road opened up a little to overtake.
Writing as I go so didn't see the full incident till after I wrote this.. 10:31 Hate to generalise but would usually avoid that for the sake of the distance... White van man is paid by the job not per hour they typically ain't very patient.
42:35 yeah those the ones that get me, can move over but choose not to either laziness or maliciousness, That said the amount I hear from my older relatives about "people going onto the other side of the road to overtake a cyclist" and I keep having to tell them yes that's how it should be done.
Have been tempted with the radar before.. I spend too much on gadgets etc, but came to the conclusion I likely wouldn't use even though its fairly accurate don't think I could or for that matter should ever really trust it. Its like the people that manoeuvre based of NOT hearing cars... insanity imo.
Any rate looks like you enjoyed yourself great cycling and lots of good advice for everyone .
Cycling on the road should be part of the 'learning to drive a car' journey, so all car drivers will understand and remember their cycling experience when they move on to car driving.
There was a lot of positive from that. Very good tips to keep safe and enjoy the ride. bit of a shame the 1 close pass but it only takes one. Quiet roads can be higher risk as drivers see you latter and react slower. Would you consider a ride out in beautiful south Wales to show different driving styles and attitudes to cycling in rura lanes andl villages. That's if it ever stops raining. Loved the vid, keep safe.
Two future requests. Ride a national speed limit that has plenty on solid white lines.
Ride on roads with adjacent, very obvious cycle lanes and put up ignorant horn usage. As you say not all infrastructure is suited or aimed at all modes of cycling.
Great video, hope enough watch it to the end and don't take it as questioning either their competence as a licenced driver or their virility! It would be good for more drivers to see the perspective of someone trying to ride on the road and the challenges that provides.
Three small things though as feedback:
Either reverse your view on the camera that's facing you or write R and L on your forehead (would have to be backwards for some!) It looked like you were talking to someone on the pavement when you were actually trying to set the van driver straight!
Use a rear camera as well as a lot happens behind you on a bike and that would be more interesting than 2 front views. The close pass from the private hire may be more obvious with that view too.
When the brakes are bedded in you'll have no problem braking from the hoods. If you are still struggling, try a bike with hydraulic discs. Decent ones are a one finger job like on a good MTB
The second video has already been filmed with these things addressed! Brakes are better now also!
@@AshleyNeal-JustCycling Ooh, looking forward to that one!
Highly recommend getting a bike fit before buying a bike. Makes sure you’re riding a bike that’s you’re size
My first time on a road bike (didnt own it) the brakes were very weird to use, always felt like you had to hold the handles in a certain way to get anything but srill didnt bite as hard as a hybrid or mountain bike.
Maybe look at shifting the seat forward a little if you're having trouble reaching the tops, but not if it makes it feel uncomfortable to pedal. Personally, I'm riding a medium RC520, I'm 6" tall and it feels just about okay to reach the tops for me.
Interesting your comment regarding the work required to cycle Electric vs manual, I suspect a steep hill or two might give you a different impression.
Everyone I know who's switched from manual to electric assist say how much easier the hills are now.
In my book anything that enables more people to ride more and drive less is great.
I think he only bought the road bike to 'prove' the naysayers wrong; so no surprises regarding the e-bike comment for me.
He did look to be feeling it by the end though - a whole 45mins! 🤣 Maybe I should have been a professional sportsman 🤔!
@@shm5547 Thinking about my original comment, most of the people I know who have transitioned from manual to electric assist do not regularly go faster than 15mph. If you exceed the assist cut off speed then sure, an electric bike will generally require a lot more effort to ride.
I'm not going to criticise his fitness as I can't tell from the video his speed or the steepness of the gradients.
@@grahambonner508there are e-bikes that are quite easy to pedal above the cut-off; but not the heavy fat-tyre type. It does depend on the model. However, if you are very fit, then an e-bike doesn't offer much advantage over a road bike. Cameron Jeffers did a good video where he compared the two.
edit: it's "can you REALLY get fit riding an Electric Bicycle?!" basically, on a on a one hour ride the e-bike was a couple of minutes quicker (19.5mph average speed vs. 18.5mph) mainly due to being quicker up the hills. So it really depends.
@@shm5547 A final thought from my side (my experience from a leisure group rider): For the elderly, infirm or disabled electrical assist can be the difference between being able to enjoy and ride in groups or not, and many of these people will have ridden road bikes for many decades and love the freedom and health benefits that cycling brings.
Please don't get me wrong, I'm not criticising or accusing you but we do need to loose the snobbery that does still exist amongst some some cyclists.
@@grahambonner508 I don't think there's snobbery at all. Just the fact Ashley was riding everywhere on an e-bike gave the impression he wasn't experiencing cycling as those who don't use an e-bike do. Particularly when it comes to preserving momentum. When I tried to explain this, Ashley's response was 'get an e-bike', they're easier to start/stop - not particularly helpful!
Riding on the roads round here feels more predictable than if you try and use whatever cycle lanes are available. You might annoy a few motorists by going too slow, but at least they know where you are going. At the points where cycle lanes cross a road it often ends up with both the cyclists and cars stopping for longer and neither really knows who is going to go first.
Would be interesting to see how you find riding on the country roads between the fields. A lot less traffic, but at higher speeds and on bendy sometimes narrow roads. I think those are the kind of roads that most cyclists who do it for fun end up riding on.
I haven't got time to watch it all at the mo . The tyres i like are the continental gp5000
+1 for those. If the frame is the same as my BT540 it'll take 32mm with guards and that's a game changer on all levels
On the matter of the ride and 1st the narrow lane. A less confident cyclist could have easily ridden path sensible and not cause offence. Nice to see the hand off, yank head round wasnt to difficult and wobbly on road bike. I would not have stopped before pedestrian crossing, id have used the drop path from the crossing, and careful on skinnys doing that, particularly in wet of in near by historical cities or older areas of liverpool (the shiney ones). Good luck as always x
I'd get a pair of dropbar barend mirrors for safety
Na
A lot of people use them and they do work well with drop bars.
@@DemiGod.. I personally think working on confidently being able to look over or under your shoulder as a roadie is a very important. It helps an awful lot with bike handling skills as well which improves safety. Once you're used to it there's no need for mirrors, which can hinder a rider sometimes I think
Have never had a car appear on the varia I hadn't already seen in the mirrors, but have had cars I see in my mirrors not appear on the varia, you can't trust it.
@@DemiGod.. still not needed
I had a life changing experience where I lost toes on both feet due to poor blood circulation and after 3 years, been in a very slow recovery, I want to get back on a bike, just so I could build strength back in my feet but unfortunately can’t afford it. The bikes are so expensive and I’m only living off PIP. I wondered whether you knew if there’s a disability grant to help me get a bike. Would be very grateful for your advice. Thanks
What do you think, Ashley ? Shave you Christmas ? 😊
the bell shit ting ting lol mine stored away in the junk box
But you do have a bell mounted?
I have no bell
I use to have a road bike and it was a neck killer with me i now have a mountain bike where my neck pain isn't as bad really
you need a rear camera
34:46 now I strongly disagree here: cyclists have priority to cross this side road. There are no 'give way' markings for cyclists on the cycle track - so rule H3 is fully in force and drivers should yield.
Another time where you are utterly wrong. Cyclist should be given priority. Your mindset is totally skewed.
@@AshleyNeal-JustCycling if there are no give way markings on the cycle track, then the cyclist has priority to cross the junction and vehicles coming in/out of the junction should give way.
I agree it's a bit weird some side roads have an additional give way for emerging traffic, but the priority is in the cyclists favour on all those junction crossings.
(agree it's a rubbish cycle track though!)
The infrastructure looks terrible there and while it could be argued to cycle track continues it isn’t immediately obvious to _all_ road users due to the lack of an obvious cycle track across the road. Given the other junctions have dedicated give ways, then yes I agree the cycle track does continue across those but not the other…for now. No doubt within the next 10 years that might be fixed
Until then, I wouldn’t ever want to assume priority over anyone but instead treat that as a give way or even an unmarked junction. In fact, I wouldn’t ever want never assume priority over anyone at a junction using any mode of transport as it is usually difficult to tell who actually has the give way and I don’t trust anyone to adhere to it. If I was cycling across those other junctions I wouldn’t trust a driver turning into the road to see the give way and I wouldn’t trust anyone to see me
Spot on Ashley I use the rainforest by pass cycle path regularly it has a number of side roads to cross I never just ride across you are putting yourself in danger of you do
@@smilerbob well you do have to be careful, as not many drivers know the rules, but even that junction that doesn't have the additional give way markings for emerging traffic should give way to cyclists. Rule H3 is clear, if there are no give way markings on the cycle track, then the cyclist has priority. No matter what Ashley might say to the contrary, the Highway Code is quite specific about this:
Rule 76
Going straight ahead. If you are going straight ahead at a junction, *you have priority* over traffic waiting to turn into or out of the side road, unless road signs or markings indicate otherwise (see Rule H3).
No mirror on the van at 10:34…never going to be seen down the nearside unless you go in front
Probably lost the lens on a cyclist!
yup, spotted that immediately! Probably had the mirror knocked off by an irate cyclist!
38:20 I don't get it. It's just as illegal to overtake a cyclist going faster than 10mph on double white lines as it is to go through a red light. Now, if it's done safely, then I don't have a problem with it either. I also don't have a problem with cyclists going through a red - if it's done safely. Yet it seems to cause so much anger when drivers see it happening, but passing on double whites, or going a few mph over the speed limit, no issues?!
At last, you get the irony that can be applied to both sides, but again you only see it from your blinkered view.
@@AshleyNeal-JustCycling no irony - the key is the question: "is it safe?"
This is more a general observation that drivers who are quite happy to speed and overtake on white lines, will absolutely stop for a red light. Heck, I've even had drivers dangerously close pass me, yet then diligently stop for a red light. The same red light I will cycle through because it's safer for me to do so and puts nobody at risk. 🤷🏻♂
You still don't get the irony. Doesn't it work both ways with cyclists complaining about passes which are just within 1.5 m and they'll report it to the police yet they'll jump a red light without question. To be honest, that sounds like you.
@@AshleyNeal-JustCycling no, because a close pass puts the cyclist at risk and is very unpleasant. Riding through a red light, when safe, puts nobody at risk and is often much safer for the cyclist.
I put a video up on my channel called 'Reading' a while ago. At the end I anticipate a green light, safely. Quite frankly, it would have been more dangerous to hang around in the queuing traffic.
So my family member who unfortunately killed a cyclist that jumped to red light, and who has had to live the last 30 years after losing their job, their home, their marriage and has had multiple attempts at taking their life has had it all pleasant?
To be brutally honest, as soon as you said you got a large in the un boxing video, I thought, that's too big for you.
@Ashley The bikeys are really going to hate you now. For a start that hi-viz/reflective jacket has got to go....
2.54 nonsense, it is up to other road users to see you.
3.36 I was told by one silly woman that bikes have poor brakes, so it is up to the cars to stop. So your bike brakes should be fine.
5.57 Unbelievable that you would stop behind that car, plenty of time to take him on the inside and even if there wasn't, it would be the car's fault, they should have seen you.
10,07 That was silvio standard swerving & weaving
#trollingashley :o)
With the people at the lights giving you a face. I would bet it was because you are on a bike. In their head, how would a cyclist know anything about traffic lights!
I was waiting for one of them to say something about the lights not working as there is a cyclists blocking the radar / camera to see the cars 🤦♂️
what size tyres?
700 x 28
35:58 prime example of useless cycling infrastructure. What's the point of a fully segregated cycle lane if it dumps you out on a busy roundabout with traffic joining a motorway! That left turn looks like it's the M57 and motorway restrictions apply; so no cycling allowed. Would you be happy letting your 12 year old kid cycle to school on that? (the answer should be no)
42:34 I don't think I'd bother reporting that. It wasn't that close really and looked to be done with care. Anyway, you were in secondary position and clearly inviting a close pass.
27:10 oh dear no, don't signal drivers to overtake, just keep rolling. Let them make the decision.
How unperceptive are you? They were already on their way past and I stuck a thumb up.
@@AshleyNeal-JustCycling ok, fair enough - but you don't need to spend so long giving a thumbs up, just a quick raise of the hand is enough.
You've got less control of the bike with one hand on the bars and you really don't want any control issues at the point you're being passed.
You're just trying to comment to get a one up, and however hard you try, you still can't.
@@AshleyNeal-JustCycling nope. Believe it or not, although I log every ride to Strava, I’m actually not competitive!
As someone who doesn't follow any twitter soap operas - I'm wondering if 'feeding the trolls' as it were and trying to rebuke what people on twitter are moaning about detracts from the otherwise good message of the video. You have to remember that people who sit on twitter all day aren't representative of people who actually use the roads a lot (as drivers, cyclists, peds), as they're too busy sat inside complaining on the internet! I think it's not worth giving them the time of day really. Better to focus on how fun, more convenient and healthier cycling is as a way to promote it, rather than trying to prove pointless people online wrong! Your videos hold themselves up on their own merit. That is just my opinion though!
Even when the cyclist does everything correctly you still get some tw*t complaining.
Those sensors are probably why some cyclists just ignore the red light and go through it.
42:35 more speed, more space - FAIL 👎
It's a shame it seems necessary to thank people for not overtaking dangerously. Honestly it should be a basic expectation and just normal driving but unfortunately it's not.
Just good manners, really, and makes the world a nicer place. It's the same when acknowledging someone who has given way through a narrow space, like parked cars. Even though you already have "right of way", it does no harm to say/signal "thanks".
@ I agree, though I never expect to be thanked when I wait till it’s safe to overtake cyclists
I am always being criticised for pulling over, to let larger vehicles pass me, or if I see a queue behind me. It doesn't take more than two minutes to let a queue overtake me. I've been driven back to a cycle because of the excessive cost of running a car. I'm not anti-car, and I'm no left wing eco warrior. I keep myself fit on my bike, and I can go to the pub and not worry about losing my licence. One day, I might buy another car, but not under a communist government.