Fantastic cycling ashley. You come across as a very kind, thoughtful and professional rider, don't listen to the snobbery from all the anti-motorists. By keeping calm, thinking ahead and not creating problems out of nothing, you make cycling look like the positive relaxed experience its meant to be. Unlike all the toxic social media cyclists who make it look like a tense competition against other road users!
The Liverpool Loop Line (National Cycle Route 62) used to be the North Liverpool Extension railway line. The railway line closed to passengers and freight in different stages at different times beginning in 1960. The last part of the line open to freight closed in 1979 when all of the track was finally lifted. The line was part of the original 1970s Merseyrail network plan and was meant to be linked to the present-day Merseyrail Northern Line at both Aintree and Hunts Cross. Such that a double track loop was meant to run from Hunts Cross through the city centre to Aintree and then back east of the city to Hunts Cross in both directions. Due to cost-cutting, the eastern section of the loop was postponed and then later cancelled, and so only the western section of the proposed loop, today's Merseyrail Northern Line from Hunts Cross to Aintree, was created, with the unrealised proposed eastern section of the loop eventually becoming the cycle route it is today. There were plans for the eastern section of the loop to have 2 interchange stations with the City Line network to the north and south to allow commuters on the City Line to access Liverpool's suburbs by train without having to go into Lime Street Station in the city centre. The plan for the southern Interchange station was later partially enacted and opened as Liverpool South Parkway railway station in 2006. The cycle route has special preservation status, ensuring it is kept in a condition whereby it can still be restored as a double-track railway line if desired. There have been sporadic calls over the years for that to happen and for the route to be made part of the Merseyrail Northern Line as the original 1970s plans intended. Personally, I would like for that to happen because although it is a very nice cycle route, it would be far more widely beneficial as a passenger railway line providing people in the east of Liverpool with much quicker, easier and more convenient access to the Merseyrail network and City Line network. However, I'm not holding my breath.
They should bring the railway back. Some people say rail, some say cycle... *I say both!* The line was built with double-arch bridges and dual-portal tunnels to futureproof for track quadrupling (having 4 tracks instead of just 2, allowing for fast and slow services to use their own respective reserved lanes in each direction). For the vast majority of the line, the bike path can use one side and the railway the other. It's that easy! Connect the loop at Hunts Cross in the south and Rice Lane in the north. There's only a short section where some rich arsehoIe has built over the right of way, and a Sainsbury's that has clearly broken the law by building on reserved land. Frankly, both should be cut back! You can't break the law just because you're rich (you can, actually...)
Loving the cycling videos , as for a video regarding secondary and primary position I'd like it aimed at motorists explaining why we take up these positions as I get beeped at especially when I take up primary at pedestrian refuges .Keep the videos coming
In Canada, it's quite common for cyclists to call out "Passing on your left" when about to overtake a pedestrian that's keeping to their right. I also notice in North America there is a very strong convention for folks (including pedestrians) to keep to the right on a path, as per the right hand traffic over there. Of course, this will vary if they are marked segregated paths.
I do that while riding my recumbent trike on shared paths and the likes quite often, especially with joggers and runners, who barely ever respond to a bell. I like to call out just in case they haven't heard me, as quite a few of them will suddenly lurch to one side, oddly. "Ooooonnnn your right!" 😛
While not as common, "passing on your xxx" is known over as well. Similarly the walking on the left, the "regulars" and "professionals" usually do it, but you also have to contend with the "amateurs" and "Weekend walkers" (not to forget the dog walkers, who often let their dogs guide them)
My preference as a pedestrian is to walk on the right on any unsegregated path with cyclists, i.e., towards potentially faster moving path users. It's consistent with what we're advised to do on roads in the UK and it feels safer to walk where you can more easily see and see whether you've been seen.
My experience of doing that is that about half of the people will only hear "left", and will move left ! I go with "GOOD MORNING" from some distance away.
A tip with he bell is to carry one in your pocket. I usually have one in my jersey pocket so if i travel on a bridleway or shared path i can whip it out anytime. It helps me keep the cockpit uncluttered which i like.
Disused railway lines do make very good cycle tracks - if surfaced properly. They tend to have very gentle gradients and sweeping bends. It's a great shame that many of these routes were abandoned and sold off after the Beeching cuts. There's a disused line near me, that would connect to two major towns, but it's all overgrown, sections have been built on and some of the bridges over rivers demolished. Instead of spending billions on HS2, the government could have used that money to resurrect these forgotten routes and put them back to good use as green transport corridors.
@@caramelldansen2204 this is often the case with cycle tracks that are away from the road infrastructure. I'm sure they don't put down very deep foundations, doing it on the cheap, which makes them prone to subsidence and tree roots breaking up the surface. To make matters worse, I've often seen council flatbed transit vans driving along them when they're doing hedge cutting and maintenance. The surface is just not designed to cope with the weight of such a vehicle and it causes undulations and cracking. They ought to use cargo bikes for such work, or at the very least a light ATV like a Polaris.
@@shm5547 I mean, that _and_ cyclists don't "contribute to the economy" (get ripped off by car, oil and insurance syndicates, and their criminal extortion schemes) as much as car drivers do, so why should they get even the bare minimum from a society run by said syndicates?
It was mentioned that this is NCN route 62. I rode the Trans Pennine Trail (Southport to Hornsea) in 2019. The loop around Liverpool (north to south) was a disused railway line. From memory most of it was unsurfaced. If this is the same track it is now a major improvement. I enjoy your videos Ashley, some of your comments and terminology remind me of my uncle (long since passed) who was a professional driver all his adult life: Army, trolley buses, driving instructor and finally examiner.
"Liverpool Loop Line" (LLL). A rather nice catchy name for this route. It reminds me that in Seattle USA there's an annual winter ride called "Chilly Hilly".
Regarding road positioning: It seems to me that for cycling, there's always reference to Primary and Secondary whereas for motorbikes its road position 1, 2 or 3.
We are quite lucky with railway paths, etc. in the south of Edinburgh and into Midlothian. They are reasonably well maintained and really well used. People are kind and seem to talk a bit more than in normal circumstances. I tend to thank people when I pass them, and increasingly, people respond in kind. It doesn't take much to be respectful without flying through focused on a Strava goal. Also, I'm glad I'm not the only one to point out squirrels whenever I see them 😂 although doing so when cycling alone can lead to funny looks 😉
I love "you're welcome". Good sign we are doing well. Got a great thanks the other day in Tatton Park by a couple who thanked me for waiting so as not to splash them with a puddle. In my experience we do have to be careful of assuming those facing us have all seen us. Maybe one of them has, but not all have. Have to be extra careful there. I recently got a cheap ali express elec horn. It works pretty well with most noticing it much more than my usual loud bell. Although some people once who missed it said they thought it was a bird lol. I laughed with them which was good. Always use voices though for horses. Gently at first. It gives the horse a heads up a person is coming.
Looks like a nice place to ride. Regarding bells, I encountered someone in front on a canal towpath who was wearing earbuds and he couldn't hear me ringing the bell. I tried 5 times before he heard me. I did actually do a video of it and sent you an email link but I suppose you're super busy these days with two channels on the go!
Two videos in a row from you this evening Ash. A driving video and this cycling one. Watched and commented on the driving video and will view this one on cycling infrastructure with interest. I like to compare with North American cycling infrastructure.
We have some lovely routes like this in Stoke on Trent. Several canals and a few off-road shared paths. They make wonderful safe commuting routes and are sadly under-used. It's pointless smashing out PBs on Strava segments on these routes as even when riding at a sedate 17-18kmh it's still quicker to get places than by car! Bonus is that all interactions are very human - being outside of a vehicle means having to deal with people as people, not inconveniences, and they can talk to you. I particularly like slowing for dogs because you get to say hi to them. The only downside is the lack of infrastructure joining up these wonderful routes.
Once you have a road bike it's addictive I find. A good ride would be asking the East Lancs to Crank. Mostly a cycle track but the section by Electric Avenue heading to Kirkby is busy and being in primary position at those big junctions is crucial. I ride that route a lot for training on the hills around Crank and Parbold.
Ashley, what's your opinion regarding cyclists being illuminated with a front headlight and red rear light in the daytime? Particularly in poor daytime visibility as per this video? As well as a matter of routine aka as "Daytime Running Lights".
@@ibs5080 I won't ride any conditions without lights. In the summer when it's nice and bright and then you may as driver being going into a shaded arra of trees that can hide a cyclist but if they have flashing lights they have given you the best chance of seeing them as you can see the lights . Every car has daylights they would not use if it didn't help with safety
The only thing about saying to people out loud your passing is you will say it in a loud tone because you have the wind rushing past your ears, And a walker will get spooked a little. It happens all the time to me when walking on the shared path. I prefer a bell ring x3
Generally once abandoned railway lines have been made into a bypass, a track or both with pedestrians and cyclists on a segregated track. Cycling infrastructure being added as it became better used or minority groups abusing the tracks, pedestrians etc. I live on an old colliery and have the shared pathways connecting us to an industrial estate and the next town along. In addition to the colliery there’s the East Lancs. There is also Sankey Valley canal running through to Warrington which I’ve always thought of doing but never got round to actually doing it.
It was originally built to carry 4 railway lines, to be fair! I still think they should bring it back, the east suburbs of the city are woefully underserved by transit, especially trains.
I got the Waddesdon Greenway linking Aylesbury with Waddesdon Manor and the phoenix trail linking Princess Risborough with Thame. there is also the Grand Union canal with the Aylesbury and Wendover arms but the tow paths are not very good for cycling, I look forward to your 10mph video, I think you should also make a point of doing it in rush hour.
@@grahambonner508 My Mum and I enjoyed the lights of Waddeston Manor in Christmas 2023 and the next day, Blenheim Palace lights, staying overnight in Bicester. Lovely part of the country and we've been in Summer to Blenheim too. Sadly as you may know, my Mum passed away in July due to a stair fall at home. But I intend to return to those two areas in the future. Just won't be the same without her..
@ibs5080 I think once you get away from the main roads and noise the UK is still a beautiful place. I too have lost family members and friends I care about and it can be very sad, but for me I find it helps to remember the happy moments, sometimes stupid things that just made us laugh and in some way become a part of who we are now. I wish you happiness in 2025 and beyond.
@@grahambonner508 Indeed I find there are so many lovely places in the UK and so much history to explore. And so many events to attend. I'm sorry for your losses in the past Graham. My belated condolences to you. I have so many very happy memories with my dear Mum and we went to so many places and events together. My profile photo is of the two of us at the lavender fields here in Kent about 2 years ago. I've taken ownership of my dear Mum's 1978 Mini Clubman which she owned from new and I would never part with it. Thank You for your well wishes Graham. Likewise to you. I recognise your name as a regular on this channel and I read your comments with interest. Best Wishes, Ibrahim in Canterbury
If the bike didnt come with a bell, id recommend the spurcycle original. That thing gets pretty loud and has a nice after ring to it, always gets peoples attention.
In the old-fashioned parlance you'd be a knight of the road (whether on 2 wheels or 4); for the younger generation a quality road user. Either way, if only more people would follow the example you set: consideration for others being the key to it all. Of course, that's simply the measure of the man you are in general and not just as a road user. May your journeys be pothole-and-rain- free sir. And Happy New Year from south Liverpool.
Slightly confused by those No Entry signs at 5:46 and the way they are positioned. Did that used to be a dropped kerb at one point for access off the main road only? Just seems to be randomly placed with an odd rotation
Thank you Ashley and I managed to locate them on a well known street view app. They are in the correct position by looks of it, or at least have been that way for many years. Perhaps emergency vehicle access only? 🤷🏻♂️ Who knows with our road planners these days
Nice ride and good examples of when to get in with it and when to take it easy, something some others out there can (maybe) learn from. It would be good to see the difference in attitude from a minority of drivers by going slower and changing the position on the bike. Again, that could be a useful lesson for all and perhaps one for the main channel as well to change the attitude of drivers We don’t have much in terms of infrastructure around here. Many cycle lanes that have been unmaintained for years or a new, multi millon pound lane that goes from the station to somewhere close to town Away from here there are some nice trails that I would cycle along if I could. The shared paths are mostly shared but as with all users, there are some pedestrians that don’t wish to share and some cyclists that don’t know how to share. But that is the person not the group
Hello Ashley. I know you often talk about the importance of rear observation on a bike. I feel like I want to constantly be checking over my shoulder to make sure I’m not getting run down from behind. How do you decide when to look and how often? I honestly think I sometimes pay too much attention to vehicles behind.
Ashley, have you had a bike fit? It's def worth it. I noticed that your left knee comes our a little it more than the right, and maybe your arms seem a little locked out? Could be wrong, but a bike fit is always a great idea!
"Spreading that good message as a cyclist".... Words that mean nothing when sharing paths with pedestrians and you don't have, or use a bell. The first pedestrian with their back to you, you passed with no notification at all, and they had a dog. No point in flippantly saying naughty me, no bell,..... it gives the rest of us a bad name. I get thanked all the time for using my bell, it's incredibly important, and way to important to forget to put it back on,
I hope Sylvia won't be offended being called a muppet and a plantpot. At least she now knows, as we all do, how dedicated and serious you are in bike riding, for exercise and pleasure, and it's not just for our benefit.
Regarding the videos on the topic of road placement, I'd be very interested in seeing the comparisons. I'm not sure if you've seen my comments before, so in case you don't know, I ride a recumbent tadpole trike, which puts me quite low down to the ground. It was very unnerving at first, but I've grown used to it, and seeing as it's my main mode of transport besides my car (I have physical issues, so even walking is very hard), seeing road traffic at adult standing height has begun to get weird, lol! I must admit, the first time I looked to my right and saw an HGV wheel hub just about in-line with my face, it induced quite the laxative effect, lol! Anyway, I use my road position extremely carefully, and plan ahead an awful lot more than I otherwise would, given my low position. I almost always find other road users are extremely accommodating, even going so far as to seem to treat me as equine, passing very wide, very slowly, and leaving loads of room before pulling across again, which is wonderful, but quite ironic, as I don't need that as much as those on uprights! I mean, I'm not just going to fall off, so I could be close-passed without too much risk, really. Anyway, my offer stands, Ash, if you'd like to give it a ride. I can assure you, it'll give you an entirely new perspective, quite literally! I've recently upgraded it to have a full fairing, so it keeps the chill and most of the weather off of me. I've also upgraded it to automatic transmission, so I can keep a nigh-on constant cadence throughout the range, and I'm in the process of hand-making some extra light mounts for the extra 'ditch' lights I have for it, which will be mounted over the front fenders, and angled in such a way that they illuminate the route in the direction of steer, something the up-front headlight won't do, as it's mounted to the fixed boom, leaving me unable to see in extreme darkness, when I'm negotiating bends. Anyway, it's a constant project, and one I've already blown far more money than I'd like to admit on, lol! All my best, Ash.
Awesome commentary. awesome insight too and lesson. Total respect. Learn a lot from you always. However! you need a bike fit.. handlebars are too wide. Facing you, right knee tracks out slightly. It would be a great video to do. Comfort on the bike, I'm getting older so it matters more. I'd appreciate more cycling video's, be it teaching points or better experience riding etc. Maybe a though that others would be inspired by you:)
@@AshleyNeal-JustCycling Stick to safe routes at first. The key I found when first learning is to not forget to unclip. I kept reminding myself of it constantly. As it was so easy to just forget this once when stop. After a while it becomes automatic. I even use them now for MTB in tricky stuff like over wet roots in Delamere and always unclip on time. Also practice pulling up as peddle with each foot when using them - it improves the power without any more effort!
While you are well behaved and considerate unfortunately I see far too many cyclists who should learn from you. As a daily walker on a shared path (canal towpath) I have far too many nasty encounters with inconsiderate cyclists: * Passing me at considerate speed literally inches away from my elbows is a regular occurrence. Now a collision is unlikely to kill me, but it could still easily mean a nasty injury which might make me unable to work for a long time. Cyclists keep banging on about passing cars having to keep 1.5m distance, shouldn't cyclists allow something similar (maybe not 1.5m, but at least 1m?) to walkers? * When I take "primary position" (yes, walkers can do that just as well on a narrow path) I'm fairly regularly abused by cyclists, "get out of my way" and "what's your problem?" is on the milder side. What would your reaction be if a car was blaring their horn on a narrow country lane when you take up primary position? (And I do move to the side when the path widens and I deem it safe enough for the cyclist to pass me. Which is my decision, same as it is for the cyclist on a narrow country lane) Maybe something for the cyclists not as considerate as Ashley to think about?
I cycle canals a lot and I have to agree with you. Rude cyclists are a bane. I come across very few of them but the tiny minority do seem to stick in the mind. Good manners cost nothing - no reason for towpath cyclists to be jerks.
What happens if you have an oncoming cyclist coming towards you on such a narrow path? Do you stop, start beeping and slowly reverse? 🤣 There's no such thing as taking primary position as a pedestrian. A cyclist is not going to crush you under their wheels! What would you do if a boater was coming the other way with a wheelbarrow, a mum with a push chair etc.? I also do a lot of walking on canal towpaths and will always step aside for a moment to let a cyclist or jogger past. I'm not surprised you get abused by cyclists behaving like this - they could 'do an Ashley' and fall into the canal if put off balance. The slower they go, the harder it is to stay upright. I refer you to rule 13 of the highway code... "Cyclists should respect your safety, but you should also take care not to obstruct or endanger them. Always remain aware of your environment and avoid unnecessary distractions."
@shm5547 I occasionally come across walkers on the path who stay in the middle. It's very rare, though that they are obstinate (I just have to be patient in these cases). Vast majority are lovely and move aside. The trick is to slow, smile and talk to them: "excuse me" or "sorry, mind if I come past" is enough.
@@shm5547 If I an oncoming cyclist comes towards me on a narrow path it's the cyclists responsibility to slow down and if necessary stop to let me safely pass. Simple as that. Oh, and that's also what the guidance from the Canal Trust outlines. If a boater with a wheelbarrow comes the other way they will usually stop and let me pass, as most of them know towpath etiquette. It's actually very similar to what a cyclist would expect from a car approaching on a narrow country lane, the car stops and lets the cyclist pass. Same applies to the mum. If a cyclist can't stay upright when going slow they need to stop to let the walker past, simple as that. Problem of falling over solved. I also encounter many cyclists who do just that, so why can't the inconsiderate ones do that? Oh, and I'm pretty sure rule 13 applies to wide enough paths, not paths just wider than shoulder width. I'm pretty sure rule 13 doesn't expect me to jump into the bushes to let an impatient cyclist pass. Same as you wouldn't expect a cyclist to jump into the bushes to let an impatient driver pass.
Seing you ride with dark clothes and helmet, no front light and no mirrors makes me cringe. Well okay , you have a little bit of high viz on your jacket but not much. You mentioned that you have a varia radar, but you can't rely on it.
Fantastic cycling ashley. You come across as a very kind, thoughtful and professional rider, don't listen to the snobbery from all the anti-motorists. By keeping calm, thinking ahead and not creating problems out of nothing, you make cycling look like the positive relaxed experience its meant to be. Unlike all the toxic social media cyclists who make it look like a tense competition against other road users!
The Liverpool Loop Line (National Cycle Route 62) used to be the North Liverpool Extension railway line. The railway line closed to passengers and freight in different stages at different times beginning in 1960. The last part of the line open to freight closed in 1979 when all of the track was finally lifted.
The line was part of the original 1970s Merseyrail network plan and was meant to be linked to the present-day Merseyrail Northern Line at both Aintree and Hunts Cross. Such that a double track loop was meant to run from Hunts Cross through the city centre to Aintree and then back east of the city to Hunts Cross in both directions.
Due to cost-cutting, the eastern section of the loop was postponed and then later cancelled, and so only the western section of the proposed loop, today's Merseyrail Northern Line from Hunts Cross to Aintree, was created, with the unrealised proposed eastern section of the loop eventually becoming the cycle route it is today.
There were plans for the eastern section of the loop to have 2 interchange stations with the City Line network to the north and south to allow commuters on the City Line to access Liverpool's suburbs by train without having to go into Lime Street Station in the city centre. The plan for the southern Interchange station was later partially enacted and opened as Liverpool South Parkway railway station in 2006.
The cycle route has special preservation status, ensuring it is kept in a condition whereby it can still be restored as a double-track railway line if desired. There have been sporadic calls over the years for that to happen and for the route to be made part of the Merseyrail Northern Line as the original 1970s plans intended.
Personally, I would like for that to happen because although it is a very nice cycle route, it would be far more widely beneficial as a passenger railway line providing people in the east of Liverpool with much quicker, easier and more convenient access to the Merseyrail network and City Line network. However, I'm not holding my breath.
I learned a fair bit from your comment. Thank you 🙏
@@AshleyNeal-JustCyclingyou’re not the only one who’s learnt a bit, what a cracking read!
They should bring the railway back.
Some people say rail, some say cycle... *I say both!*
The line was built with double-arch bridges and dual-portal tunnels to futureproof for track quadrupling (having 4 tracks instead of just 2, allowing for fast and slow services to use their own respective reserved lanes in each direction). For the vast majority of the line, the bike path can use one side and the railway the other. It's that easy! Connect the loop at Hunts Cross in the south and Rice Lane in the north.
There's only a short section where some rich arsehoIe has built over the right of way, and a Sainsbury's that has clearly broken the law by building on reserved land. Frankly, both should be cut back! You can't break the law just because you're rich (you can, actually...)
I enjoy these videos where you showcase a particular traffic free cycling path and I know you've done this before.
Loving the cycling videos , as for a video regarding secondary and primary position I'd like it aimed at motorists explaining why we take up these positions as I get beeped at especially when I take up primary at pedestrian refuges .Keep the videos coming
In Canada, it's quite common for cyclists to call out "Passing on your left" when about to overtake a pedestrian that's keeping to their right. I also notice in North America there is a very strong convention for folks (including pedestrians) to keep to the right on a path, as per the right hand traffic over there. Of course, this will vary if they are marked segregated paths.
I do that while riding my recumbent trike on shared paths and the likes quite often, especially with joggers and runners, who barely ever respond to a bell. I like to call out just in case they haven't heard me, as quite a few of them will suddenly lurch to one side, oddly. "Ooooonnnn your right!" 😛
While not as common, "passing on your xxx" is known over as well. Similarly the walking on the left, the "regulars" and "professionals" usually do it, but you also have to contend with the "amateurs" and "Weekend walkers" (not to forget the dog walkers, who often let their dogs guide them)
My preference as a pedestrian is to walk on the right on any unsegregated path with cyclists, i.e., towards potentially faster moving path users. It's consistent with what we're advised to do on roads in the UK and it feels safer to walk where you can more easily see and see whether you've been seen.
My experience of doing that is that about half of the people will only hear "left", and will move left !
I go with "GOOD MORNING" from some distance away.
A tip with he bell is to carry one in your pocket. I usually have one in my jersey pocket so if i travel on a bridleway or shared path i can whip it out anytime. It helps me keep the cockpit uncluttered which i like.
Disused railway lines do make very good cycle tracks - if surfaced properly. They tend to have very gentle gradients and sweeping bends.
It's a great shame that many of these routes were abandoned and sold off after the Beeching cuts. There's a disused line near me, that would connect to two major towns, but it's all overgrown, sections have been built on and some of the bridges over rivers demolished. Instead of spending billions on HS2, the government could have used that money to resurrect these forgotten routes and put them back to good use as green transport corridors.
Politicians are not your friends. Except at ❎ voting times !.
This cycle track was recently repaved, to be fair. It was in a sorry state a year or two ago!
@@caramelldansen2204 this is often the case with cycle tracks that are away from the road infrastructure. I'm sure they don't put down very deep foundations, doing it on the cheap, which makes them prone to subsidence and tree roots breaking up the surface.
To make matters worse, I've often seen council flatbed transit vans driving along them when they're doing hedge cutting and maintenance. The surface is just not designed to cope with the weight of such a vehicle and it causes undulations and cracking. They ought to use cargo bikes for such work, or at the very least a light ATV like a Polaris.
@@shm5547 I mean, that _and_ cyclists don't "contribute to the economy" (get ripped off by car, oil and insurance syndicates, and their criminal extortion schemes) as much as car drivers do, so why should they get even the bare minimum from a society run by said syndicates?
It was mentioned that this is NCN route 62. I rode the Trans Pennine Trail (Southport to Hornsea) in 2019. The loop around Liverpool (north to south) was a disused railway line. From memory most of it was unsurfaced. If this is the same track it is now a major improvement.
I enjoy your videos Ashley, some of your comments and terminology remind me of my uncle (long since passed) who was a professional driver all his adult life: Army, trolley buses, driving instructor and finally examiner.
No... I think you probably rode the 'Cheshire lines' path - which is still largely gravel...
"Liverpool Loop Line" (LLL). A rather nice catchy name for this route. It reminds me that in Seattle USA there's an annual winter ride called "Chilly Hilly".
Regarding road positioning: It seems to me that for cycling, there's always reference to Primary and Secondary whereas for motorbikes its road position 1, 2 or 3.
We are quite lucky with railway paths, etc. in the south of Edinburgh and into Midlothian. They are reasonably well maintained and really well used. People are kind and seem to talk a bit more than in normal circumstances. I tend to thank people when I pass them, and increasingly, people respond in kind. It doesn't take much to be respectful without flying through focused on a Strava goal. Also, I'm glad I'm not the only one to point out squirrels whenever I see them 😂 although doing so when cycling alone can lead to funny looks 😉
I love "you're welcome". Good sign we are doing well. Got a great thanks the other day in Tatton Park by a couple who thanked me for waiting so as not to splash them with a puddle. In my experience we do have to be careful of assuming those facing us have all seen us. Maybe one of them has, but not all have. Have to be extra careful there. I recently got a cheap ali express elec horn. It works pretty well with most noticing it much more than my usual loud bell. Although some people once who missed it said they thought it was a bird lol. I laughed with them which was good. Always use voices though for horses. Gently at first. It gives the horse a heads up a person is coming.
You can link up the Cheshire Lines/Leeds-Liverpool canal towpath with the Loop line and ride to Halewood - and then beyond.....
Looks like a nice place to ride. Regarding bells, I encountered someone in front on a canal towpath who was wearing earbuds and he couldn't hear me ringing the bell. I tried 5 times before he heard me. I did actually do a video of it and sent you an email link but I suppose you're super busy these days with two channels on the go!
Two videos in a row from you this evening Ash. A driving video and this cycling one. Watched and commented on the driving video and will view this one on cycling infrastructure with interest. I like to compare with North American cycling infrastructure.
We have some lovely routes like this in Stoke on Trent. Several canals and a few off-road shared paths. They make wonderful safe commuting routes and are sadly under-used. It's pointless smashing out PBs on Strava segments on these routes as even when riding at a sedate 17-18kmh it's still quicker to get places than by car! Bonus is that all interactions are very human - being outside of a vehicle means having to deal with people as people, not inconveniences, and they can talk to you. I particularly like slowing for dogs because you get to say hi to them. The only downside is the lack of infrastructure joining up these wonderful routes.
Once you have a road bike it's addictive I find. A good ride would be asking the East Lancs to Crank. Mostly a cycle track but the section by Electric Avenue heading to Kirkby is busy and being in primary position at those big junctions is crucial. I ride that route a lot for training on the hills around Crank and Parbold.
Do youse call it the Ralla in the north ends?
Ashley, what's your opinion regarding cyclists being illuminated with a front headlight and red rear light in the daytime? Particularly in poor daytime visibility as per this video? As well as a matter of routine aka as "Daytime Running Lights".
I always ride with lights on just as I did here.
@@ibs5080 I won't ride any conditions without lights. In the summer when it's nice and bright and then you may as driver being going into a shaded arra of trees that can hide a cyclist but if they have flashing lights they have given you the best chance of seeing them as you can see the lights . Every car has daylights they would not use if it didn't help with safety
@wrightwoodwork Totally agree with you. As a car driver, I drive on dipped headlights at all times
The only thing about saying to people out loud your passing is you will say it in a loud tone because you have the wind rushing past your ears,
And a walker will get spooked a little. It happens all the time to me when walking on the shared path.
I prefer a bell ring x3
Generally once abandoned railway lines have been made into a bypass, a track or both with pedestrians and cyclists on a segregated track. Cycling infrastructure being added as it became better used or minority groups abusing the tracks, pedestrians etc.
I live on an old colliery and have the shared pathways connecting us to an industrial estate and the next town along. In addition to the colliery there’s the East Lancs. There is also Sankey Valley canal running through to Warrington which I’ve always thought of doing but never got round to actually doing it.
Let's see it as it really is: part of an extended project to eliminate railways to enforce cars' dominion over society.
Parts of that shared cycling / pedestrian path are wider than some NSL country lanes
It was originally built to carry 4 railway lines, to be fair! I still think they should bring it back, the east suburbs of the city are woefully underserved by transit, especially trains.
I look forward to seeing the video where you show the difference between drivers where you ride secondary/primary.
I got the Waddesdon Greenway linking Aylesbury with Waddesdon Manor and the phoenix trail linking Princess Risborough with Thame. there is also the Grand Union canal with the Aylesbury and Wendover arms but the tow paths are not very good for cycling,
I look forward to your 10mph video, I think you should also make a point of doing it in rush hour.
@@grahambonner508 My Mum and I enjoyed the lights of Waddeston Manor in Christmas 2023 and the next day, Blenheim Palace lights, staying overnight in Bicester. Lovely part of the country and we've been in Summer to Blenheim too. Sadly as you may know, my Mum passed away in July due to a stair fall at home. But I intend to return to those two areas in the future. Just won't be the same without her..
@ibs5080 I think once you get away from the main roads and noise the UK is still a beautiful place. I too have lost family members and friends I care about and it can be very sad, but for me I find it helps to remember the happy moments, sometimes stupid things that just made us laugh and in some way become a part of who we are now.
I wish you happiness in 2025 and beyond.
@@grahambonner508 Indeed I find there are so many lovely places in the UK and so much history to explore. And so many events to attend.
I'm sorry for your losses in the past Graham. My belated condolences to you. I have so many very happy memories with my dear Mum and we went to so many places and events together. My profile photo is of the two of us at the lavender fields here in Kent about 2 years ago.
I've taken ownership of my dear Mum's 1978 Mini Clubman which she owned from new and I would never part with it.
Thank You for your well wishes Graham. Likewise to you. I recognise your name as a regular on this channel and I read your comments with interest.
Best Wishes,
Ibrahim in Canterbury
I often use the Ralla i get on it were you got off ,like to go early before the North Face lads are up and about !
If the bike didnt come with a bell, id recommend the spurcycle original. That thing gets pretty loud and has a nice after ring to it, always gets peoples attention.
In the old-fashioned parlance you'd be a knight of the road (whether on 2 wheels or 4); for the younger generation a quality road user. Either way, if only more people would follow the example you set: consideration for others being the key to it all. Of course, that's simply the measure of the man you are in general and not just as a road user. May your journeys be pothole-and-rain- free sir. And Happy New Year from south Liverpool.
Slightly confused by those No Entry signs at 5:46 and the way they are positioned. Did that used to be a dropped kerb at one point for access off the main road only? Just seems to be randomly placed with an odd rotation
There to try and stop vehicles coming out of the road I was entering and joining the main road
I do think they've been clipped be vehicles in their time
Thank you Ashley and I managed to locate them on a well known street view app.
They are in the correct position by looks of it, or at least have been that way for many years. Perhaps emergency vehicle access only? 🤷🏻♂️
Who knows with our road planners these days
Nice ride and good examples of when to get in with it and when to take it easy, something some others out there can (maybe) learn from. It would be good to see the difference in attitude from a minority of drivers by going slower and changing the position on the bike. Again, that could be a useful lesson for all and perhaps one for the main channel as well to change the attitude of drivers
We don’t have much in terms of infrastructure around here. Many cycle lanes that have been unmaintained for years or a new, multi millon pound lane that goes from the station to somewhere close to town
Away from here there are some nice trails that I would cycle along if I could. The shared paths are mostly shared but as with all users, there are some pedestrians that don’t wish to share and some cyclists that don’t know how to share. But that is the person not the group
Personally I prefer the voice as it's a bit more friendly than a bell
Hello Ashley. I know you often talk about the importance of rear observation on a bike. I feel like I want to constantly be checking over my shoulder to make sure I’m not getting run down from behind. How do you decide when to look and how often? I honestly think I sometimes pay too much attention to vehicles behind.
It depends but I will cover this on my next ride out 👍
Ashley, have you had a bike fit? It's def worth it. I noticed that your left knee comes our a little it more than the right, and maybe your arms seem a little locked out? Could be wrong, but a bike fit is always a great idea!
"Spreading that good message as a cyclist"....
Words that mean nothing when sharing paths with pedestrians and you don't have, or use a bell.
The first pedestrian with their back to you, you passed with no notification at all, and they had a dog.
No point in flippantly saying naughty me, no bell,..... it gives the rest of us a bad name.
I get thanked all the time for using my bell, it's incredibly important, and way to important to forget to put it back on,
"The importance of a reflective jacket"
Drivers - ITS A G-G-GHOST
What bike are you riding fella
I hope Sylvia won't be offended being called a muppet and a plantpot. At least she now knows, as we all do, how dedicated and serious you are in bike riding, for exercise and pleasure, and it's not just for our benefit.
Regarding the videos on the topic of road placement, I'd be very interested in seeing the comparisons. I'm not sure if you've seen my comments before, so in case you don't know, I ride a recumbent tadpole trike, which puts me quite low down to the ground. It was very unnerving at first, but I've grown used to it, and seeing as it's my main mode of transport besides my car (I have physical issues, so even walking is very hard), seeing road traffic at adult standing height has begun to get weird, lol! I must admit, the first time I looked to my right and saw an HGV wheel hub just about in-line with my face, it induced quite the laxative effect, lol!
Anyway, I use my road position extremely carefully, and plan ahead an awful lot more than I otherwise would, given my low position. I almost always find other road users are extremely accommodating, even going so far as to seem to treat me as equine, passing very wide, very slowly, and leaving loads of room before pulling across again, which is wonderful, but quite ironic, as I don't need that as much as those on uprights! I mean, I'm not just going to fall off, so I could be close-passed without too much risk, really.
Anyway, my offer stands, Ash, if you'd like to give it a ride. I can assure you, it'll give you an entirely new perspective, quite literally!
I've recently upgraded it to have a full fairing, so it keeps the chill and most of the weather off of me. I've also upgraded it to automatic transmission, so I can keep a nigh-on constant cadence throughout the range, and I'm in the process of hand-making some extra light mounts for the extra 'ditch' lights I have for it, which will be mounted over the front fenders, and angled in such a way that they illuminate the route in the direction of steer, something the up-front headlight won't do, as it's mounted to the fixed boom, leaving me unable to see in extreme darkness, when I'm negotiating bends.
Anyway, it's a constant project, and one I've already blown far more money than I'd like to admit on, lol!
All my best, Ash.
You do a lot more to encourage cycling than Mr. J. Vine, but get a bell and avoid roundabouts.
Awesome commentary. awesome insight too and lesson. Total respect. Learn a lot from you always.
However! you need a bike fit.. handlebars are too wide. Facing you, right knee tracks out slightly. It would be a great video to do. Comfort on the bike, I'm getting older so it matters more.
I'd appreciate more cycling video's, be it teaching points or better experience riding etc. Maybe a though that others would be inspired by you:)
The offset 360 camera has a strange perspective that doesn’t equate to reality 👍
Are you enjoying the road bike? matey
I am, more than I thought to be fair 👍
@AshleyNeal-JustCycling I know you don't like strava ,but it's good training dairy, and you can see routes others do that you may not have thought of
It looks like you’ve become more fitter since the last video of you cycling.
Get some SPDs Ashley. I’d not be without mine on my gravel and eMTB.
That's exactly what I thought after this ride out. They're on the bike and please keep tuned in to see how I get on with them!
@@AshleyNeal-JustCycling Stick to safe routes at first. The key I found when first learning is to not forget to unclip. I kept reminding myself of it constantly. As it was so easy to just forget this once when stop. After a while it becomes automatic. I even use them now for MTB in tricky stuff like over wet roots in Delamere and always unclip on time. Also practice pulling up as peddle with each foot when using them - it improves the power without any more effort!
@ excellent.
While you are well behaved and considerate unfortunately I see far too many cyclists who should learn from you. As a daily walker on a shared path (canal towpath) I have far too many nasty encounters with inconsiderate cyclists:
* Passing me at considerate speed literally inches away from my elbows is a regular occurrence. Now a collision is unlikely to kill me, but it could still easily mean a nasty injury which might make me unable to work for a long time. Cyclists keep banging on about passing cars having to keep 1.5m distance, shouldn't cyclists allow something similar (maybe not 1.5m, but at least 1m?) to walkers?
* When I take "primary position" (yes, walkers can do that just as well on a narrow path) I'm fairly regularly abused by cyclists, "get out of my way" and "what's your problem?" is on the milder side. What would your reaction be if a car was blaring their horn on a narrow country lane when you take up primary position? (And I do move to the side when the path widens and I deem it safe enough for the cyclist to pass me. Which is my decision, same as it is for the cyclist on a narrow country lane)
Maybe something for the cyclists not as considerate as Ashley to think about?
I cycle canals a lot and I have to agree with you. Rude cyclists are a bane. I come across very few of them but the tiny minority do seem to stick in the mind. Good manners cost nothing - no reason for towpath cyclists to be jerks.
What happens if you have an oncoming cyclist coming towards you on such a narrow path? Do you stop, start beeping and slowly reverse? 🤣
There's no such thing as taking primary position as a pedestrian. A cyclist is not going to crush you under their wheels! What would you do if a boater was coming the other way with a wheelbarrow, a mum with a push chair etc.? I also do a lot of walking on canal towpaths and will always step aside for a moment to let a cyclist or jogger past. I'm not surprised you get abused by cyclists behaving like this - they could 'do an Ashley' and fall into the canal if put off balance. The slower they go, the harder it is to stay upright.
I refer you to rule 13 of the highway code... "Cyclists should respect your safety, but you should also take care not to obstruct or endanger them. Always remain aware of your environment and avoid unnecessary distractions."
@shm5547 I occasionally come across walkers on the path who stay in the middle. It's very rare, though that they are obstinate (I just have to be patient in these cases). Vast majority are lovely and move aside. The trick is to slow, smile and talk to them: "excuse me" or "sorry, mind if I come past" is enough.
@@shm5547 If I an oncoming cyclist comes towards me on a narrow path it's the cyclists responsibility to slow down and if necessary stop to let me safely pass. Simple as that. Oh, and that's also what the guidance from the Canal Trust outlines.
If a boater with a wheelbarrow comes the other way they will usually stop and let me pass, as most of them know towpath etiquette. It's actually very similar to what a cyclist would expect from a car approaching on a narrow country lane, the car stops and lets the cyclist pass. Same applies to the mum.
If a cyclist can't stay upright when going slow they need to stop to let the walker past, simple as that. Problem of falling over solved. I also encounter many cyclists who do just that, so why can't the inconsiderate ones do that?
Oh, and I'm pretty sure rule 13 applies to wide enough paths, not paths just wider than shoulder width. I'm pretty sure rule 13 doesn't expect me to jump into the bushes to let an impatient cyclist pass. Same as you wouldn't expect a cyclist to jump into the bushes to let an impatient driver pass.
Seing you ride with dark clothes and helmet, no front light and no mirrors makes me cringe. Well okay , you have a little bit of high viz on your jacket but not much.
You mentioned that you have a varia radar, but you can't rely on it.
No front light! Really
What is that strange glowing thing on your handlebars at the very start of the video Ashley?
The majority of his jacket is literally reflective, and he did have a front light, but fair enough, go on, have another beer, lol!
You keep going on about mirrors, he's tested them and didn't find them useful , just because you like them , it's doesn't mean will all do
@@darrenthomas9928 So why does he have them on his motorbike?