Maybe your government should cancel the purchase of those good for nothing F 35 planes,and actually invest to the local infrastructure 😅 Greetings from Croatia from Kris 😎
Living in central Texas, I am only about 10 minutes away from well-maintained farm-to-market roads with decent shoulders and light traffic. However, as more people move to the countryside and nearby towns, traffic can get busy at certain times. When I need to, I am flexible and adjust my rides accordingly. The roads though, are generally very nice and you really can't beat Texas weather, especially during the winter when Northerners are all buddled up, dealing with freezing weather and I am out on my bike wearing the same bibs I do during the summer. Other times, I am out and about, driving those same roads on my highly modified (i.e., stiff suspension) 2012 MINI Cooper JCW, enjoying the drive. Life is good!
Hey Dan,with the roads in Britain being so bad,it’s surprising that there aren’t more British cyclists winning the Belgian classics. Great video. Looking forward to seeing your next video. All the best!
Earlier this year I spent a week riding a 12 year old Carbon Granfondo race bike around Cesenatico Italy (Pantani's favourite routes), the potholes there were almost every 2 or 3 meters the whole time, long rides out were just a constant exercise in pothole avoidance. Next year I will visit the UK, your roads there look SO much nicer :-) Thanks.
Exactly a month ago from today I hit a multiple pot hole sequence on a major road which not only completely collapsed my rear wheel but broke my carbon bicycle chain stay. Thankfully I was not injured but gobsmacked at the lack of no reply from my local council. Needless to say my bicycle is a right off 😢
@@paulcurotto3884 Great stuff - My experiene of councils is that they will stonewall you for as long as possible - be nice to be proved wrong - keep us posted, Dan
My wife & I both have 60.1's 2012 Olympics colours one of the nicest paint schemes ever (like the sparkle in the silver). Great lightweight bikes 7.4kg & 7.7kg respectively and ride very well. Just managed to get 25mm tyres in the frame. PS chap from our club recently came off on pot hole & broke his collar bone. The roads are in the worst shape in 40 years of riding something needs to be done. Thanks for the videos, love all the bikes.
I came off my bike a couple of months ago thanks to a pothole (50cm x 70cm with a depth of 7cm) - I didn't spot it in the shadows, it ripped my handlebars to the right and I was thrown off the bike. The result was a lot of road rash, all the skin taken off one elbow, hand and wrist injuries, a damaged helmet, torn jersey, and various bits of damage to my bike - I claimed on my bike insurance, the total bill for the helmet/jersey/bike was over £2500. I could have claimed against the council and gone further with my personal injuries, to be honest I was just happy that they carried out a repair and then a resurface of the section of road.
@@vintagevelos9517 I’m still on 23mm tyres and my tip for today is Oscar Onley to win stage one. He’s a local boy at odds of 80 /1 He did really well in the Tour de France this year and the tour down under. Remco Evenepoel to win the Tour. Good luck.
Having driven on UK roads on holidays in 2006, 2008, 2017, 2022 and 2023, I have noticed the deterioration. However, your roads are generally better than Australian roads where I live.
It's getting to the stage where you can't ride a road bike on UK roads in some areas. In the winter especially I put the road bikes away - definitely needs something sturdier with chunky tyres! Unless you want a potentially dangerous peril-avoidance challenge it's just not safe. Maybe local councils have become a money laundering operation...not sure where the money we pay actually gets spent.
I'm glad you got that off your chest, Dan. You're not alone The state of roads and pavements in the UK are pretty depressing. A pain & a danger for everyone cars, cyclists & pedestrians. Dont know what the answer is. I would like accountability of where our money goes and to who.. but I fear that's another debate entirely. Keep smiling and cycling roll on the next bike video.
Totally agree on bringing road maintenance in-house - more control and more efficient profits aren't required. However the thought "there is no money to repair roads" is simply not true. It's a choice. The government cannot run out of money (it effectively has an unlimited overdraft which never needs paying back). The truism of the economy being like a household budget isn't true at all. If government spends less, there is a direct reduction in tax take and income drops. In face the best way make the economy work is to spend on capital projects, so repairing roads actually helps! (this quantative easing but with the money going to councils instead of private banks). Of course good cycling infrastructure is even better and won't wear out
I think Councils are scared of the going back to the old days of direct employment, but with trackers and digital uploading its so much easier to keep track of workers, Dan
@@vintagevelos9517 private contractors aren't any better imho. The pavement was redone outside our house a few months back and itwas left unfinished for days. As you say, modern technology is be able to address the "old" failings. If nothing else, maintain a last inspected/cleared log for drains, like the toilets in shops!
@@vintagevelos9517 kiwis do tend to think of it as Godzone Country.We still have the same debates over who should pay for the roads,how taxes are paid and who should get them etc.We have just elected a right wing government who are obsessed with spending billions on new motorways,and nothing on cycling infrastructure
These are not recently built roads. I cannot understand how it is that the removal of the army barracks, and the enormous mental hospital in this area, both of which released acres of land for new housing, which must have meant a huge increase in rates income, failed to result in any expenditure on roads at all.
Yep, the busy roads leads to heavier traffic weight damage arguement kind of falls down when you point out that more traffic leads to more tax which is more money - some of which could go back into the infrastructure that generate it - bring roads back in house I think, Dan
Simply put potholes are a result of putting infrastructure down that a government cannot maintain because it costs MORE than the economy can bring that those roads are built around. Want to fix them: 1) have more businesses around the area these roads are 2) slow traffic down 3) increase infrastructure spending All of this needs political action. Best of luck
They are not potholes,come to. Melbourne,we have had potholes2-3 ft deep,damaging many cars before fixed When they are fixed,not done properly and often recur after first heavy rain
I feel your pain, Were Riddled.
Sunken Drains, Pot Holes, Poor Road Surfaces are worse than ever, takes the fun out of cycling.
It really does, Dan
Maybe your government should cancel the purchase of those good for nothing F 35 planes,and actually invest to the local infrastructure 😅
Greetings from Croatia from Kris 😎
Ah, we never spend public money properly, thats one thing we are good at - wasting it! Dan
Living in central Texas, I am only about 10 minutes away from well-maintained farm-to-market roads with decent shoulders and light traffic. However, as more people move to the countryside and nearby towns, traffic can get busy at certain times. When I need to, I am flexible and adjust my rides accordingly. The roads though, are generally very nice and you really can't beat Texas weather, especially during the winter when Northerners are all buddled up, dealing with freezing weather and I am out on my bike wearing the same bibs I do during the summer. Other times, I am out and about, driving those same roads on my highly modified (i.e., stiff suspension) 2012 MINI Cooper JCW, enjoying the drive. Life is good!
Hey Dan,with the roads in Britain being so bad,it’s surprising that there aren’t more British cyclists winning the Belgian classics.
Great video.
Looking forward to seeing your next video.
All the best!
For sure - I`ve got a video in mind for a special bike that ties in with Paris-Roubaix - will hold that until the classics season, Dan
Earlier this year I spent a week riding a 12 year old Carbon Granfondo race bike around Cesenatico Italy (Pantani's favourite routes), the potholes there were almost every 2 or 3 meters the whole time, long rides out were just a constant exercise in pothole avoidance. Next year I will visit the UK, your roads there look SO much nicer :-) Thanks.
I forgive Italy anything... Dan
@@vintagevelos9517 I can agree with that, culture, history, food, music, scenery, language.. there's a lot to like 👍😃. Matt
Honestly, for good cyclist friendly roads you need France. The U.K. is good for lots of things but the roads? Hmmmm……..
@@berenicebaker7191 Think your correct there, Dan
Exactly a month ago from today I hit a multiple pot hole sequence on a major road which not only completely collapsed my rear wheel but broke my carbon bicycle chain stay. Thankfully I was not injured but gobsmacked at the lack of no reply from my local council. Needless to say my bicycle is a right off 😢
Darn - not being injured is the main thing - guessing you took pics at the time? Can you challenge the council? Dan
@@vintagevelos9517 Hi Dan, yes got photos and also written to the local MP too.
Kind regards,
Paul.
@@paulcurotto3884 Great stuff - My experiene of councils is that they will stonewall you for as long as possible - be nice to be proved wrong - keep us posted, Dan
Keep pushing at the council.
My wife & I both have 60.1's 2012 Olympics colours one of the nicest paint schemes ever (like the sparkle in the silver). Great lightweight bikes 7.4kg & 7.7kg respectively and ride very well. Just managed to get 25mm tyres in the frame. PS chap from our club recently came off on pot hole & broke his collar bone. The roads are in the worst shape in 40 years of riding something needs to be done. Thanks for the videos, love all the bikes.
They are great bikes and the colourway is one of the best - 25`s must be a tight fit... Dan
I came off my bike a couple of months ago thanks to a pothole (50cm x 70cm with a depth of 7cm) - I didn't spot it in the shadows, it ripped my handlebars to the right and I was thrown off the bike. The result was a lot of road rash, all the skin taken off one elbow, hand and wrist injuries, a damaged helmet, torn jersey, and various bits of damage to my bike - I claimed on my bike insurance, the total bill for the helmet/jersey/bike was over £2500. I could have claimed against the council and gone further with my personal injuries, to be honest I was just happy that they carried out a repair and then a resurface of the section of road.
At least no broken bones - amazed the council paid out - they are super tight on payouts, Dan
Congratulations on pursuing a claim and getting at least one pothole fixed. Hope you are ok now.
And don’t forget to mention the Tour of Britain starts today.
As they prepare 32mm tyres for it, then hope it doesn`t rain so they hit hidden potholes... Dan
@@vintagevelos9517 I’m still on 23mm tyres and my tip for today is Oscar Onley to win stage one. He’s a local boy at odds of 80 /1
He did really well in the Tour de France this year and the tour down under. Remco Evenepoel to win the Tour. Good luck.
Lol..." Tour de Pothole"😃
Thankyou, Dan
Yep, definitely West Kent, East Sussex, Surrey borders, Not sure which is the worst, all just as shockingly bad from my experience!
Those hills around the Kent/Surrey Downs are also really bad - you just don`t have to go far... Dan
Having driven on UK roads on holidays in 2006, 2008, 2017, 2022 and 2023, I have noticed the deterioration. However, your roads are generally better than Australian roads where I live.
Yep, Australia does love a pot hole, Dan
It's getting to the stage where you can't ride a road bike on UK roads in some areas. In the winter especially I put the road bikes away - definitely needs something sturdier with chunky tyres! Unless you want a potentially dangerous peril-avoidance challenge it's just not safe. Maybe local councils have become a money laundering operation...not sure where the money we pay actually gets spent.
I do feel beaten by winter in the UK - I`m spending more and more time on the turbo over the dark months, Dan
I'm glad you got that off your chest, Dan. You're not alone
The state of roads and pavements in the UK are pretty depressing. A pain & a danger for everyone cars, cyclists & pedestrians.
Dont know what the answer is. I would like accountability of where our money goes and to who.. but I fear that's another debate entirely.
Keep smiling and cycling roll on the next bike video.
Until authorities are held to account the nonsense will carry on... cheers, Dan
Me thinks you stumbled onto some old Roman roads. Actually, the Romans would be outraged to see the state of these roads, LOL.
Teehee, Dan
Totally agree on bringing road maintenance in-house - more control and more efficient profits aren't required.
However the thought "there is no money to repair roads" is simply not true. It's a choice. The government cannot run out of money (it effectively has an unlimited overdraft which never needs paying back). The truism of the economy being like a household budget isn't true at all. If government spends less, there is a direct reduction in tax take and income drops. In face the best way make the economy work is to spend on capital projects, so repairing roads actually helps! (this quantative easing but with the money going to councils instead of private banks). Of course good cycling infrastructure is even better and won't wear out
I think Councils are scared of the going back to the old days of direct employment, but with trackers and digital uploading its so much easier to keep track of workers, Dan
@@vintagevelos9517 private contractors aren't any better imho. The pavement was redone outside our house a few months back and itwas left unfinished for days. As you say, modern technology is be able to address the "old" failings. If nothing else, maintain a last inspected/cleared log for drains, like the toilets in shops!
We have the same problems here in NZ.The main culprit here are the many logging trucks we have here
Nooooooo.... we all have an image of NZ as the promised land! Dan
@@vintagevelos9517 kiwis do tend to think of it as Godzone Country.We still have the same debates over who should pay for the roads,how taxes are paid and who should get them etc.We have just elected a right wing government who are obsessed with spending billions on new motorways,and nothing on cycling infrastructure
@@andypettitt1344 Darn, Dan
you pay your rates to avoid the violence that will be met upon you by your relevant government agency!
The Man always wants his money - death and taxes... Dan
These are not recently built roads. I cannot understand how it is that the removal of the army barracks, and the enormous mental hospital in this area, both of which released acres of land for new housing, which must have meant a huge increase in rates income, failed to result in any expenditure on roads at all.
Yep, the busy roads leads to heavier traffic weight damage arguement kind of falls down when you point out that more traffic leads to more tax which is more money - some of which could go back into the infrastructure that generate it - bring roads back in house I think, Dan
Simply put potholes are a result of putting infrastructure down that a government cannot maintain because it costs MORE than the economy can bring that those roads are built around.
Want to fix them:
1) have more businesses around the area these roads are
2) slow traffic down
3) increase infrastructure spending
All of this needs political action. Best of luck
You got a great soundbite there. You sure you didn’t pay her?
And I cut most of her out - she was really angry by the end, Dan
East Sussex council Dan ?
West.... though East is just as helpfull, Dan
its simple Dan if they fix the drains and theres no flooding they cant blame it on climate change....
Ah, but I thought it was only weather... Dan
They are not potholes,come to. Melbourne,we have had potholes2-3 ft deep,damaging many cars before fixed
When they are fixed,not done properly and often recur after first heavy rain
Ah, I`ve heard tales of Australian roads... Dan
Local councils the world over, depending on their political stripes will only do any repair if its of advantage to garner votes for them.
Just shouldn`t be a political thing - though I recognise it is... Dan
Basically the same thing here i Denmark. Many of our roads are maintained to third world standards.
Yep, why do our polititians think its ok? Dan
Better off in France
For sure... Dan
Get a gravel bike, 19 mm tyres don't cut it on modern British roads!
Darn it, but I like 19`s.... Dan
@@vintagevelos9517 😀Yes Michelin 19mm tyres blown up to 120 pressure did feel really fast !
@@rickbowker Ah, 19`s at 120 - electric! Dan