Glasgow's Cycling Heritage

[conn75]

[conn75]

http://sport.guardian.co.uk/cycling/sto ... 52,00.html

[Dugald]

Conn, thanks for posting this information about MacIntyre. What a shame! I read the article in the Guardian you sent and I noted that his coach said:

"MacIntyre had arguably his best season in 2007, beating the national 10-mile record and winning the British 25-mile title. "

I cannot recall another Scottish rider who managed to win the British 25-mile title. Probably O'Bree was capable of it although i don't recall that he ever did it. Yes, this tragic end to the life of a great racing man is sad. Such are the perils of racing on the open road.

[Nanny Ogg]

Very sad. Only met Jason a couple of times and enjoyed following his career. My thoughts are with his family.

[Cyclo2000]

There was an MTB manufacturer in Milngavie...but I can't remember the name of the bikes. Sad cos I worked in the shop for about a week before I got fed up with the owners antics. Anyone remember?

[Dugald]

Dugald, I think it's different for kids, but I have problems with helmets for adults and especially with making them compulsory. Some serious studies have suggested they increase risks, partly through a false sense of security for riders and the drivers around them, though I acknowledge the jury's still out. It might sound glib, but I believe I ride more carefully when it's a fair assumption that if I make a bad mistake it'll be the end of me. Also, the real problem lies in the relationship between bikes and motor traffic; enforcing helmet use is like tackling knife crime by making everybody wear stab-proof vests. Like I say, I might change my mind some day and get one, but I honestly think it should be my choice.


I understand what you are saying here Lucky Post, and I have read lots of the "serious studies" that have suggested they [helmets] increase risks. I believe the wearing of a helmet may well give one a false feeling of security, and I believe I myself may well have felt like this. Wearing a helmet at first is a pain in the neck, I know, but after a while one becomes used to it and today I'd no more forget my helmet than I would forget to buckle-up when going into the car. Where I live there is a law that helmets must be worn, but it applies only to cyclists under 18 years of age, and I have never heard of anyone being fined. I have seen a lot of helmets saving crushed heads. In North America, I don't think one will ever see an organised cycling event where one is allowed to ride without a helmet. In many cities, it is also against the law to ride without a bell... they really are useful!

Worthwhile noting what Alan says about helmets on the other thread.

[Lucky Poet]

Noted, Dugald. I shall ponder the idea again for a bit (it's moot just now cos I'm skint). We'll see. In all honesty I'm being a tad inconsistent, since I wouldn't go near my bike without track mitts (when it's warm enough to not wear full gloves), partly for fear of having to pick bits of road out of my hands if I take a spill. I don't think recreational meets here are bothered about helmets, but certainly you're not allowed to race without one - though that doesn't affect me as I fear my speed demon days are behind me

[Cyclo2000]

Most clubs insist on helmets on club runs. I think it's got more to do with possible insurance liabilty than owt else though.
I think it should be left up to the individual. the only reason i ever bought one was to look more Pro!

My favourite Pro blog
http://www.belgiumkneewarmers.com/

[Dugald]

Cyclo, I checked out your blog and it looks very interesting. i read all of the "cold knees" article ... the "embrocation idea " is very interesting, but hardly a new idea, and one that we used in the west of Scotland many years ago. i couldn't get onto any of the ather articles as i seem to be having a bit of trouble with my computer ( probably this damn snow that's falling!). i might mention that i sure like the new-look hoods on the brake levers.

[Lucky Poet]

I tried it myself a few times, Dugald, before I became all soft and bought some longs . Thanks for the link, C2000. Belgium knee warmers - classic! I of course bow to your knowledge about club runs, it's been quite a few years now since I was on one of those. I read on that blog that Sheldon Brown's died . I had no idea. Any new or would be cyclists should have a look at his site if they haven't already - http://www.sheldonbrown.com/home.html

[Dugald]

I tried it myself a few times, Dugald, before I became all soft and bought some longs . Thanks for the link, C2000. Belgium knee warmers - classic! I of course bow to your knowledge about club runs, it's been quite a few years now since I was on one of those. I read on that blog that Sheldon Brown's died . I had no idea. Any new or would be cyclists should have a look at his site if they haven't already - http://www.sheldonbrown.com/home.html

Oh, like you Lucky, I too, became all soft and bought some longs, needed them for the cold winters out here, but most of my cycling in Scotland was wearing shorts. I'd never heard about this fellow Sheldon Brown, his blog makes him look like an interesting bloke... he was sure into a lot of things as well as cycling.

The "Belgian knee warmers" thing actually came from Cyclo, not me. Cyclo wrote a very comprehensive article about getting started in cycling in Glasgow on the other thread (yes, you have already read it), and it's certainly worth a lot of attention. I'm sure his knowledge of Glasgow's cycling world today ,is of a great deal of value to would-be cyclists.

[Mori]

Herald

Scotland can get more people cycling by following Holland’s example

Dr Roger Hughes described aims to increase cycling as a transport mode in Scotland to levels in Holland as quixotic (Letters, February 27).

His argument was that Holland is flatter and dryer than Scotland. Bicycles are built with lighter frames and an abundance of gears as compared, perhaps, to the bikes that Dr Hughes recalls hiring on holiday. Although if he had no gears on his bike in Yosemite, I take my hat off to him. I checked some rainfall stats. Amsterdam has 33 inches of annual rainfall compared with Edinburgh's 26.

The Scottish Government has the dual objectives of increasing cycling and walking and increasing usage of public transport. Dr Hughes supports the latter but not the former. Well-planned multi-modal hubs, linking different forms of transport, can help create near seamless journeys to work. Including cycling and walking early in the planning is an essential component of this.

[Dugald]

Herald

Scotland can get more people cycling by following Holland’s example

Dr Roger Hughes described aims to increase cycling as a transport mode in Scotland to levels in Holland as quixotic (Letters, February 27).

His argument was that Holland is flatter and dryer than Scotland. Bicycles are built with lighter frames and an abundance of gears as compared, perhaps, to the bikes that Dr Hughes recalls hiring on holiday. Although if he had no gears on his bike in Yosemite, I take my hat off to him. I checked some rainfall stats. Amsterdam has 33 inches of annual rainfall compared with Edinburgh's 26.

The Scottish Government has the dual objectives of increasing cycling and walking and increasing usage of public transport. Dr Hughes supports the latter but not the former. Well-planned multi-modal hubs, linking different forms of transport, can help create near seamless journeys to work. Including cycling and walking early in the planning is an essential component of this.

Mori, it's a very difficult task to get people to ride bicycles. They are having a fair measure of success in this regard in North America, but they have already had about 50 years of automobile usage, which Glasgow has yet to experience. I have thought for a long time that the bicycle, to most Glsgow people, was simply a toy; even in my Glaswegian days, when i rode my bike to work the whole year round, and the streets were bereft of traffic, there were not as many people riding bicycles as for example, who ride bicycles in Ottawa, or New York today... despite their terrible winters.

Holland? I have cycled quite a lot in Holland, but I'd much sooner cycle in Scotland. I think Holland enjoys a much greater use of bicycles because they have a much higher density of population than we do in Scotland, and there is no place to park their bloody automobiles! Not that i'm saying Scotland does, it's just that i think Scotland's problem so far is not as bad as Hollands... oh, yes, it will be just as bad in Scotland very shortly. Having a variety of gears on the bike has nothing to do with it at all... gears are cheap and as readily available in Scotland as they are in Holland.
Yep, riding bikes is also good for the health. Do Glaswegians see it that way? Hey, how for example can you get Sam who lives next door to Josef, to ride a bike to work? No way! My goodness we had an offer on our net here of a bicycle for nothing and it went for hours with no one accepting the offer! Ach, what's it matter, in Glasgow we'll soon have lots of parking spots in the west end.

[Cyclo2000]

You're always gonna have trouble getting people onto the bike whilst the goverment pours so much of it's transport resource into the car.

Employers need to encourage workers to ride to work. this menas shopwers, bikesheds and general facilities for those who choose to ride. There are schemems in place but by god they're convoluted. They seem to be there to fullfill the need for a solution rather than to be of any practical use to the average small business. The Tax based scheme we have just now compares very poorly to the massive investment (both direct and oblique) that is made in and on behalf of automobile drivers.

I believe we DO need to go down the "positive discrimination" route for city cyclists too. Cyclists should get priority in city enviroments and it should be in the bailliewick of drivers to defer rather than intimidate those who choose two engineless wheels.

Cycle proficiancy testing in schools has been all but done away with (completely actually - someone pull me up if that's wrong) and that's another area where we could take cars off the roads. Bring it back1 Get the kids cycling to school.

As for the business of the rain and bad weather well...yes, you'll get wet sometimes but nowhere near as often as you think. One ride out of 10 is the accepted average according to the CtC.

in short,there has to be a concerted effort on behalf of the powers that be (councils as well as goverment) to get people back on the bike. Preferment on the road alone would be a great first step.

[Dexter St. Clair]

Cycle proficiancy testing in schools has been all but done away with (completely actually - someone pull me up if that's wrong) and that's another area where we could take cars off the roads.

it's being done by volunteers in some schools but try becoming a volunteer that's another thread.