Very, very cheery here - I've made it down to Wales after a fairly straightforward journey, despite it still being a bit grey the forecast for the weekend is stunning, and I have a long bike ride to do!
Beer before then though

Where are you tonight Phil?

My wife gave me a lift to the top of a big hill, then I ran home through a number of woods and parks. Was rather nice.

Aleppo Inn in Carno as per last year - a bit pricy but the Wynstay was full unfortunately.

Bearlegged wrote: ↑Fri Oct 06, 2023 5:06 pm My wife gave me a lift to the top of a big hill, then I ran home through a number of woods and parks.

Did she expect you to come back, or was her intention just to dump you there?

Presumably you now deserve a small(ish) libation?

I've just returned from the corner shop with a selection of beverages.

Bearlegged wrote: ↑Fri Oct 06, 2023 5:37 pm I've just returned from the corner shop with a selection of beverages.

Ooh, whatcha got? I'm just about to investigate the fridge too. See you over in the drinking thread

https://road.cc/content/news/20mph- ... 304085

https://road.cc/content/news/cycling ... 304367

"This is the reality of the 20mph speed limit in Wales..... I can't overtake these cyclists because they're doing the speed limit.."

Hmm. I've attended a few seminars by agilysis run by Richard Owen and like most consultants they are very good a painting a rosy picture.
So there is a 1.6m speed reduction? from what? 30, 35??
If it's a successful 20mph limit or zone, the 85th percentile speed should be lower than 24, otherwise they are a waste of time. Sadly, many will perceive improved safety and therefore pay less attention. You also need to make them self enforcing as there will never be enough Police enforcement to make them work. The best method of self enforcement is speed bumps, but if you use them on A roads, the road surface falls apart....

Having driven through Wales at the weekend, I'd say it's a stupid way of doing 20's. So any 30 becomes a 20 and as it's the default limit, there aren't repeaters. In England and Scotland, 20's need repeaters which serve as useful reminders. I was in a few places where there was no speed limit signage, it was an A class road and there was not much in the way of habitation (and therefore pedestrians) so you end up doubting what the speed limit is. Or take Carno as an example, which is a sizeable village but the A road has a 40 limit. And it still does. Where as Caersws, which had a 30, is now a 20. Both on the same road. Typically , when I was travelling at 20, I had a car up my chuff with some aggression being felt...

So despite the hot air, it's a typical politician tries to make engineering decision scenario. Whilst having everyone doing 20 in a built up area sounds all very nice, in the pragmatic world we live in, siply sticking some signs up will have little or no impact on actual speeds and so on roadsafety. But it allows them to tick a box.

My own adage (hard won) was that making a road a 20 doesn't automatically make it safe for peds and cyclists. Likewise just because a road has a 30, it doesn't mean it's not safe for peds and cyclists.

Sorry, I've done a lot of work on 20 zones and I know what works and what doesn't.... here endeth the rant

Always good to get extra insider views. I think I was just mainly amused by the lady's somewhat illogical, or nonsequitur maybe, interpretation of what she was experiencing...

I'm with you Phil and my experience so far is that it's all just bollox

It was quite interesting (in a QI sort of way ) at the weekend. Heading down the Oswestry - Welshpool - Newtown - Caersws - Llanbrynmair route on Friday I came to Pant, a 30mph limit, just past the village up to 40mph then on a bend down to 20mph as the road entered Llanymynych. All a bit weird until I realised that I'd just entered Wales and despite having a Welsh name, Pant is actually in England but only just.

Went for some chips into the centre of Welshpool which was all 20mph and it seemed to be observed. Caersws was 20mph on the main road as Phil notes, but the next four villages including Carno and Llanbrynmair were all 40mph.

On the way home I headed into Newtown as I needed fuel. The old main road was either 40mph or 30mph, there were 20mph signs on all the side roads though.

So it does seem a bit inconsistent at the moment, maybe the 30 & 40 limits in Newtown hadn't been replaced, dunno.

Having a blanket 20mph limit in residential areas plus those other roads that are too narrow to justify a 30mph limit would (in my view but without any data to back it up) have been a better start. Then see how that goes.

So it does seem a bit inconsistent at the moment, maybe the 30 & 40 limits in Newtown hadn't been replaced, dunno.

You missed the signs Bob, from the fire station to Morrisons is all 20

I drive through a load of 20 zones in Scotland over the past few days. I slowed down to about 24 probs maybe a bit less. So worked in my case as I’d maybe have not killed a child in front of my car. Without the sign I’d have done 34. TBH the speed felt painfully slow but then I’m in a gurt big metal box full of unleashed power. I wish I could condition myself to be comfortable driving at feck all speed near houses. When I was. 7 a school mate was killed crossing the road from my school bus. I think Kim would still be here if the driver was doing less than 30.

Not yet Friday admittedly, but a cheery evening... I got in from work and went straight out to deliver something someone fairly local to me had bought from me on eBay, as an excuse for a ride more than to save a few quid postage. Since my other bikes are waiting on minor fixes, I went on my commuter. You may remember it, this one:


It's been a grey windy old day up here and turned a bit chilly. It was dark by the time I got back. But the sky cleared a bit around sunset and there was some lovely light and a great sky, and the wind had dropped a lot. I had a happy hour and a half riding mainly tracks, which are becoming a bit muddy but not too bad, and congratulating myself on what will probably be my finest achievement in life.

This bike is practical, yet beautiful, but also fun. Admittedly at least two of them are subjective, but this shouldn't be possible. It weighs the best part of 18kg, but it just glides along silently. My dynamo light had me covered coming through woods in the dark and I got home spotless despite the puddles and mini-swamps. I'd take it over my gravel bike any day of the week.

That is a very nice looking bike - going from the fact that there's 3 cables, is that an igh on the back?

Thanks! It is indeed: Alfine 11. There's a thread somewhere, I'll dig it out...

I remember seeing a pic of that bike before, and it's a very lovely looking bike. Nothing beats a really good, smooth, practical bike. Fat tyres and racks and 'guards and mtb frames are super practical. I feel much the same about my town/utility bike. It rides well and is super practical and i'm building up a new (from an old frame) one, and building up a utility bike fills me with more joy than building a regular 'fun' bike. Great work!

13th. A good omen for this weekend methinks. Bon voyage folks.

Yes good luck to all BB200/300 'ers - you'll be fine
Cheery here, helping my Dad in his garden and watching large rodents nick the bird seed.

Cheery due to the fact it's the last Friday before a holiday next Wed. Only 2 working days to go. Also, cheery as I am now in the market for a new bike after living with my hardtail for a few years. Expect advice in another thread.

Ooh, whatcha got? I'm just about to investigate the fridge too. See you over in the drinking thread

Kirkby Lonsdale brewery are now doing a beetroot stout - good excuse for a longer pedal on that commuter bike
https://untappd.com/b/kirkby-lonsdale-b ... le/2926642

boxelder wrote: ↑Fri Oct 13, 2023 5:42 pm

Ooh, whatcha got? I'm just about to investigate the fridge too. See you over in the drinking thread

Kirkby Lonsdale brewery are now doing a beetroot stout - good excuse for a longer pedal on that commuter bike
https://untappd.com/b/kirkby-lonsdale-b ... le/2926642

I like beetroot.
I like stout.
Together? I mean, I'd give it a try.
Last check-in was 2019 - have they brewed it again?

thenorthwind wrote: ↑Thu Oct 12, 2023 11:10 am There's a thread somewhere, I'll dig it out...

https://bearbonesbikepacking.co.uk/phpB ... p?p=307060

faustus wrote: ↑Thu Oct 12, 2023 11:21 am I remember seeing a pic of that bike before, and it's a very lovely looking bike. Nothing beats a really good, smooth, practical bike. Fat tyres and racks and 'guards and mtb frames are super practical. I feel much the same about my town/utility bike. It rides well and is super practical and i'm building up a new (from an old frame) one, and building up a utility bike fills me with more joy than building a regular 'fun' bike. Great work!

Amen to all that. Show us your new build when it's done!

fatbikephil wrote: ↑Fri Oct 13, 2023 3:50 pm Yes good luck to all BB200/300 'ers - you'll be fine

I hope so... Kaking it.

Currently sat in the lounge side of the Wynnstay, I think everyone else is in the public bar...

Last check-in was 2019 - have they brewed it again?

Yeah - I'd spotted it on their FB page recently. Wasn't aware that they'd brewed it before.

Just back from the cinema at Rheged, having seen the 'Reel Rock' climbing films. There was one about the climbing community in Palestine (West Bank). Really interesting to see, especially in light of recent events.
Resistance Climbing
https://youtu.be/be--EeFSGmI?si=u-BdFvvsQ45f0gX6