Threading through Headingley traffic

My Brompton is off the road with a split rim, so I'm on my HP Velotechnik Spirit recumbent. Recumbents are bad in traffic, everyone says so therefore it must be true. OK, I'm not as nimble as on the Brompton but I'm a right lot better than when I started riding it!

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• recumbent
• bike
• traffic
• spirit
• hp
• velotechnik
• leeds
• headingley

[blumpher]

so much better when there's a cycle lane...

[gadgetmind]

@blumpher There are grand plans for that stretch through Headingley. However, there were such grand plans when I moved to Leeds in 1980, and the last set of expensive artists impressions that I saw showed existing cycle lanes being removed. But it's OK, the bikes were sharing with the trolley buses. Oh, and it was only going to cost £750M - why not just buy everyone in Leeds a bicycle!

[gadgetmind]

@CyclingMikey  I know what you mean about being further back. Leaning forwards helps, but it's still not easy. Still, it's worth it when you hit the open road and you're tackling a century or so.

[CyclingMikey]

@gadgetmind Absolutely. I can't quite manoeuvre that tightly on the recumbent, but it's pretty close. The bigger problem is that my head is behind, so I can't see whether it's safe to emerge into the next gap. No different from a car with a long bonnet at a t-junction in essence. Again, it just means going a little more slowly and carefully.

[gadgetmind]

The recumbent isn't bad when it gets tight, but my Brompton can do a 90 degree turn, thread between two cars that are almost bumper to bumper, and then do another 90 degree turn to get me on my way.

At the end of the day, it's rider skill/stamina that makes the biggest difference rather than the bike.

[CyclingMikey]

@gaz545 LOL, I can't imagine a better and more suited bike for traffic riding. Better than the recumbent in tighter traffic too, although the bent will have the edge in faster flowing longer distance commutes.

[gaz545]

@CyclingMikey i remember someone saying race bikes weren't good in traffic, as your stooped over a lot. What a load of tosh!

[PauloRider1]

1:55 was scary!

[gadgetmind]

Yes, and "recumbents don't do hills". I recently climbed 2000 metres in one day during an 80km trip. That was quite hilly!

Ian

[gadgetmind]

It's taken a lot of work just to get to the same speed; reckon on 1000+ miles to start feeling really comfortable. My recumbent muscles are now pretty much there, so I'm now faster point to point, and on flat/downhill bits it goes like a rocket. I've taken it up to 50mph before squeezing the brakes.

However, do not underestimate the Brompton. I regularly exceed 20mph on the flat, see 30-35mph downhill, and pass a lot of people on skinny little bikes. Which is nice.

Ian