Going out for a bike ride under whatever lockdown is imposed
Discussion
Now that I am unemployed due to the current world shutdown, I have more time to ride my bike, and it occurred to me whilst out for a ride in the Chilterns area last Sunday that I leave my house on my own, only touch my bike and nothing else, don't meet or interact with anyone apart from a nod to other cyclists and then arrive back home again having passed whatever germs I have onto nobody.
Given that France and some other countries are very much insisting you stay in or risk a fine, where do you think the UK may stand on the above?
I hope that I can use the quieter roads and the extra time I have to do this, or it may even become a mental health issue being cooped up and not exercising, I think it's sensible and practises good distancing from others. Do other countries allow some outings for exercise? I think I read that somewhere.
Given that France and some other countries are very much insisting you stay in or risk a fine, where do you think the UK may stand on the above?
I hope that I can use the quieter roads and the extra time I have to do this, or it may even become a mental health issue being cooped up and not exercising, I think it's sensible and practises good distancing from others. Do other countries allow some outings for exercise? I think I read that somewhere.
The difference in France, Italy and Spain is that the health systems are overwhelmed, so if you go out and have a spill and need help, you might not be able to get it. So it's not the fact that you're unlikely to transmit the virus, it's what you might do to the health service.
They are having to be draconian as any blurring of the lines in the rules makes it harder to police, it's very much the same with this whole situation, it's about a much bigger picture, not the rights of the individual.
At the moment we are fortunate that we can still ride, and it's still encouraged. If this changes we have to respect this as a community.
They are having to be draconian as any blurring of the lines in the rules makes it harder to police, it's very much the same with this whole situation, it's about a much bigger picture, not the rights of the individual.
At the moment we are fortunate that we can still ride, and it's still encouraged. If this changes we have to respect this as a community.
I think I’m going to limit my rides to off road around the copse at the back of my house. However careful you are, you can’t mitigate against drivers knocking you off, and nobody wants to be a burden on, or go near a hospital at the moment, if they can help it.
I’ve definitely noticed an increase in aggressive and unpredictable driving, despite the lower traffic, and this has barely started. People are stressed out and distracted and their attention and care whilst driving suffers.
With a minimum of 5 months of schools being out, mental health for parents home schooling is going to be an issue that starts to rival that of the virus. So all the time there’s no lockdown I’m going to take the kids around the park on their bikes as the risk of transmission is very low. And get out on my own where I can, but I don’t think the road bike is going to be seeing much action for a while.
I’m actually considering a turbo trainer, something I thought I’d never do. It will go in the garden though, I get too hot cycling as it is!
What’s everyone else thinking?
I’ve definitely noticed an increase in aggressive and unpredictable driving, despite the lower traffic, and this has barely started. People are stressed out and distracted and their attention and care whilst driving suffers.
With a minimum of 5 months of schools being out, mental health for parents home schooling is going to be an issue that starts to rival that of the virus. So all the time there’s no lockdown I’m going to take the kids around the park on their bikes as the risk of transmission is very low. And get out on my own where I can, but I don’t think the road bike is going to be seeing much action for a while.
I’m actually considering a turbo trainer, something I thought I’d never do. It will go in the garden though, I get too hot cycling as it is!
What’s everyone else thinking?
boyse7en said:
I thought France had completely banned cycling for the duration of the lockdown? Walking and running is permitted, but only up to a maximum of 2km (which is hardly a warm up)
I think I saw rules about cycling we’re changing (now banning) somewhere in Italy or France on a cycling website feed today,Can you run 2k loops?
prand said:
smn159 said:
Tacx Neo
Disclaimer - I have not tried any others
Ha ha, I know this is PH but that is 3x the value of my bike! Disclaimer - I have not tried any others
I was thinking more in the £150 bracket. Probably use it outside mostly, so not too worried about excessive noise.
Edited by prand on Saturday 21st March 08:38
Otherwise a set of rollers
smn159 said:
In that case (and assuming you want a smart trainer) I'd go for a used Tacx Flow T2240. I did have one of those for a while and it was fine.
Otherwise a set of rollers
Rollers look far too hard and damgerous to me!Otherwise a set of rollers
Funnily enough I've just ordered a second hand Tacz Flow from eBay for £145 which seems to do what I need, plus some interesting connectivity to Training and fitness tracking software etc. I'm determined to get fit and lose weight during the next few weeks of confinement!
I'm self-isolating at the moment, had some symptoms on Thursday. I was freezing all afternoon but when I got home I went to bed and my temp got up to 39.1, my eyes feel like they are burning and I have a sore throat. My temp went the other way yesterday, down to 35.4, today it is 36.1.
I don't feel like going out yet, even though I can't stop thinking about the months and months of s
t weather we have had and the sun is actually shining. Once my symptoms have gone, I will probably go out on the MTB, on the South Downs you don't see many people and it is easy to avoid them.
I don't feel like going out yet, even though I can't stop thinking about the months and months of s
t weather we have had and the sun is actually shining. Once my symptoms have gone, I will probably go out on the MTB, on the South Downs you don't see many people and it is easy to avoid them. Daveyraveygravey said:
Once my symptoms have gone, I will probably go out on the MTB, on the South Downs you don't see many people and it is easy to avoid them.
I think this is what people are saying is the problem. You take a tumble (symptom free but still infectious maybe?), and you may need all sorts of assistance to get rescued or fixed up, overloading already stretched emergency services?Of course it's still a free country, at the moment anuway, and you can make a call as your rides are likely to be low risk to yourself and others, but I'd imagine in a full lockdown situation you'd need to have a very good reason to be out on your bike, and simply exercising will not be good enough.
prand said:
Daveyraveygravey said:
Once my symptoms have gone, I will probably go out on the MTB, on the South Downs you don't see many people and it is easy to avoid them.
I think this is what people are saying is the problem. You take a tumble (symptom free but still infectious maybe?), and you may need all sorts of assistance to get rescued or fixed up, overloading already stretched emergency services?Of course it's still a free country, at the moment anuway, and you can make a call as your rides are likely to be low risk to yourself and others, but I'd imagine in a full lockdown situation you'd need to have a very good reason to be out on your bike, and simply exercising will not be good enough.
paulrockliffe said:
All true, but I doubt we'll get to the point where it's not acceptable for me to jump the garden fence onto the C2C route and go pedaling. Perhaps on the understanding that the emergency services aren't coming for me if a completely freak accident occurs, but I think it'll remain OK.
Given that you would already gave a hefty fine for this in France or Spain, why are you do convinced it won't happen here?ETA - If there is a ban and you decide to risk it, don't record your ride on Strava! The police have been finding and fining people that way in France!
Daveyraveygravey said:
I'm self-isolating at the moment, had some symptoms on Thursday. I was freezing all afternoon but when I got home I went to bed and my temp got up to 39.1, my eyes feel like they are burning and I have a sore throat. My temp went the other way yesterday, down to 35.4, today it is 36.1.
I don't feel like going out yet, even though I can't stop thinking about the months and months of st weather we have had and the sun is actually shining. Once my symptoms have gone, I will probably go out on the MTB, on the South Downs you don't see many people and it is easy to avoid them.
Sounds pretty much like the symptoms of 22yo Californian who tested positive. She staying in until confirmed clear.I don't feel like going out yet, even though I can't stop thinking about the months and months of s
t weather we have had and the sun is actually shining. Once my symptoms have gone, I will probably go out on the MTB, on the South Downs you don't see many people and it is easy to avoid them. Please use this
https://111.nhs.uk/covid-19
Please read this
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19...
Gassing Station | Pedal Powered | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff