Everyday Cycling

"wheelist" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Some news from BC......

*british cycling launches everyday cycling*

BRAND NEW LEISURE CYCLING INITIATIVE
Everyday Cycling is British Cycling's brand new initiative that aims to
appeal to the broad spectrum of leisure cyclists, from commuters and
family cyclists through to mountain bikers and sportive riders. The
initiative has been developed as part of British Cycling's Vision to
increase participation in cycling as a Sport, as Active Recreation and
as Active Living and has been made possible with the support of Tesco,
Sport England, Everyday Sport, and the newly launched National Sports
Foundation.

Direct competition to the CTC?

wafflycat said:

"wheelist" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Some news from BC......

*british cycling launches everyday cycling*

BRAND NEW LEISURE CYCLING INITIATIVE
Everyday Cycling is British Cycling's brand new initiative that aims to
appeal to the broad spectrum of leisure cyclists, from commuters and
family cyclists through to mountain bikers and sportive riders. The
initiative has been developed as part of British Cycling's Vision to
increase participation in cycling as a Sport, as Active Recreation and
as Active Living and has been made possible with the support of Tesco,
Sport England, Everyday Sport, and the newly launched National Sports
Foundation.

Direct competition to the CTC?

Seems like what the CTC should be doing too. Why the two do not
cooperate ..

...d

wafflycat said:

"wheelist" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Some news from BC......

*british cycling launches everyday cycling*

BRAND NEW LEISURE CYCLING INITIATIVE
Everyday Cycling is British Cycling's brand new initiative that aims to
appeal to the broad spectrum of leisure cyclists, from commuters and
family cyclists through to mountain bikers and sportive riders. The
initiative has been developed as part of British Cycling's Vision to
increase participation in cycling as a Sport, as Active Recreation and
as Active Living and has been made possible with the support of Tesco,
Sport England, Everyday Sport, and the newly launched National Sports
Foundation.

Direct competition to the CTC?

...

As far as I'm aware BC is concerned more with the 'sports side' of cycling. They're the folks who sponsor the British Cycling teams in the Olympics etc, and the folks behind the 'Go-Ride' schemes that local cycling clubs can get involved with.

More of an ally then. ;o)

Wheelist

David Martin said:

Seems like what the CTC should be doing too. Why the two do not cooperate

Wasn't there an effort a few years ago to get BCF and CTC to merge?

Although the claim is Everday Cycling, what is on the website seems to be
aimed strictly at leisure.

Mike

Competition is no bad thing IMO - perhaps it will encourage the CTC to
improve. I have not been all that impressed with them of late.

wheelist said:

Some news from BC......

*british cycling launches everyday cycling*

BRAND NEW LEISURE CYCLING INITIATIVE
Everyday Cycling is British Cycling's brand new initiative that aims to
appeal to the broad spectrum of leisure cyclists, from commuters and
family cyclists through to mountain bikers and sportive riders.

Interesting to see commuters included in leisure cyclists..

I have had a look around and it is a very pretty web site. A few routes
are up, and links to a few organised events.

My prediction is that it is a bright idea but poorly implemented. Why?
Well, to get any information (of which there is precious little of
substance) the site providers have to put it up. To get to talk to
others on teh site you have to be invited to join a 'buddy group'. So
someone coming in from scratch who knows nobody will find it very hard
to get anything out of the site.

There are some nice features that were obviously important to those who
developed the site, such as the list of challenges and the ride log.

Otherwise, I think they have missed a trick. Allowing people to put up
routes (subject to moderation) would be a great idea. Having open
forums would be a great idea. As it is, it seems like a prettily
packaged absence of content.

...d

"the broad spectrum of leisure cyclists, from commuters and family
cyclists through to mountain bikers and sportive riders. "

Are commuters classified as leisure?

Maybe Tesco could think about how to encourage more shopping by bike?

Quoted message said:

Maybe Tesco could think about how to encourage more shopping by bike?

You can fit more in a car than on a bike, so any effort is likely to be a
token one, unless.... more trips = more impulse purchases? Or getting
walk-in shoppers to come by bike with big panniers (or give 'em trailers)?

Mark Thompson said:

Quoted message said:

Maybe Tesco could think about how to encourage more shopping by bike?

You can fit more in a car than on a bike,

UTAPLC,
I could easily fit more on Worf than in the back of my Astra. I can now
fit more in the mondeo, but only just.
A trailer has a large capacity, more than adequate for the typical
shop.

Quoted message said:

so any effort is likely to be a
token one, unless.... more trips = more impulse purchases? Or getting
walk-in shoppers to come by bike with big panniers (or give 'em trailers)?

IIRC Waitrose have done that. A custom Bike Hod.

...d

On Wed, 28 Jun 2006 23:27:38 +1000 someone who may be wheelist
<[email hidden]> quoted this:-

Quoted message said:

BRAND NEW LEISURE CYCLING INITIATIVE
Everyday Cycling is British Cycling's brand new initiative that aims to
appeal to the broad spectrum of leisure cyclists, from commuters and
family cyclists through to mountain bikers and sportive riders.

So, commuters (and presumably those making other transport trips,
like going to the shops) are now leisure cyclists. An interesting
attitude.

Quoted message said:

the support of Tesco,
Sport England, Everyday Sport, and the newly launched National Sports
Foundation.

Well, at least they have made clear where they are coming from.

Quoted message said:

http://www.everydaycycling.com/

The usual ugly sort of site that does not fill the full width of the
screen and thus makes it more difficult to use.

The first photograph shows people in funny clothes cycling bikes
without mudguards across a field. Not what I would call everyday
cycling, though others might.

http://www.everydaycycling.com/latest-routes.aspx gives a map of a
route through a forest near Ludlow at the top. Does this go to the
shops, the library, schools, offices?

Quoted message said:

"We hope that Everyday Cycling will become the one stop shop for all
things leisure cycling.

There we have it. They are interested in leisure cycling, not
everyday cycling. While some people are lucky enough to make leisure
trips every day, most are not.

--
David Hansen, Edinburgh
I will *always* explain revoked encryption keys, unless RIP prevents me
http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts2000/00023--e.htm#54

Give 'em a chance David(s)! The official launch of the site isn't until next month - I think they're keen to get input and information from cyclists before it goes nationwide.

Re. the point about commuting not being leisure. I don't cycle directly to work but take a much longer, prettier route in order to get some miles in. Does this count as leisure? What about shopping (cycling to the shops)?

I was slightly concerned about the involvement of Tesco - I'm always wary of large non-related organisations getting involved like this - it does smell slightly of leeching for advertising purposes. Especially given that supermarkets have done so much to encourage a car-centric culture, what with out of town parking and such.

However, let's see if anything actually comes from it. See what they do to get people on their bikes to the stores. I'd be really keen to hear more about the scheme mentioned at Waitrose - trailers seem like an (almost) ideal solution.

Wheelist

wheelist said:

Re. the point about commuting not being leisure. I don't cycle
directly to work but take a much longer, prettier route in order to
get some miles in. Does this count as leisure?

/Leisurely/ commuting. We all do it.

Bob said:

"the broad spectrum of leisure cyclists, from commuters and family
cyclists through to mountain bikers and sportive riders. "

Are commuters classified as leisure?

believe you me riding through Hyde Park in the morning is a delight
compared to a bendy bus or the Victoria Line

Mark Thompson said:

You can fit more in a car than on a bike, so any effort is likely to be a
token one, unless.... more trips = more impulse purchases? Or getting
walk-in shoppers to come by bike with big panniers (or give 'em trailers)?

Depends on the bike. I've delivered a 2 seater sofa on my freight bike,
it was a damn site easier putting it on that than it would have been
carrying it in our Fiesta.

The point is, can a bike take /enough/? Enough is enough, you don't
need more... With a trailer of freight bike you can get a half
trolley-load, which is as much as I want to buy at a time.

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net [email hidden] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

Peter Clinch said:

Mark Thompson said:

You can fit more in a car than on a bike, so any effort is likely to be a
token one, unless.... more trips = more impulse purchases? Or getting
walk-in shoppers to come by bike with big panniers (or give 'em trailers)?

Depends on the bike. I've delivered a 2 seater sofa on my freight bike,
it was a damn site easier putting it on that than it would have been
carrying it in our Fiesta.

The point is, can a bike take /enough/? Enough is enough, you don't
need more... With a trailer of freight bike you can get a half
trolley-load, which is as much as I want to buy at a time.

With Worf I have never suffered lack of capacity. A full big trolley
load would go on there just fine (in crates).

...d

Simon Bennett said:

wheelist said:

Re. the point about commuting not being leisure. I don't cycle
directly to work but take a much longer, prettier route in order to
get some miles in. Does this count as leisure?

/Leisurely/ commuting. We all do it.

If we have a sufficiently functional alarm clock. 😉

A

wheelist said:

I was slightly concerned about the involvement of Tesco - I'm always
wary of large non-related organisations getting involved like this - it
does smell slightly of leeching for advertising purposes. Especially
given that supermarkets have done so much to encourage a car-centric
culture, what with out of town parking and such.

They could start by providing more cycle parking at their stores and
encouraging their delivery drivers to slow down a bit. However, I don't
think everyday cycling is what they mean by "everyday cycling". It
seems to be all about challenge rides.

I see GlaxoSmithKline are involved too. They were making a genuine
effort to encourage cycling when I worked there, although I was always
a little concerned that the cash they were giving to the LA to help
provide cycle facilities would be counter-productive. Their alternative
transport policy also appeared to mandate helmet use by cyclists. I
never challenged it because no-one else seemed to have noticed it,
there was no attempt to enforce it, and I didn't want to raise its
profile.

I see they have a nice ride from Twickenham that goes follows quite a
bit of my regular commute. They've misspelt Bushy Park in the ride
brochure too. Oops.

--
Dave...

On Thu, 29 Jun 2006 17:35:24 +1000 someone who may be wheelist
<[email hidden]> wrote this:-

Quoted message said:

I think they're keen to get input and information from
cyclists before it goes nationwide.

As someone somewhere else has commented, this Qango is now trying to
muscle in on transport and leisure cycling (which CTC has been
working on for decades) and school cycling (which Sustrans have been
working on for years). Those who favour the ideas of competition may
be delighted, but I just see it as a diversion of effort. Web sites
are not the way to get more people cycling again, but government
would rather spend money on Qangos than making it easier to cycle to
the library.

Quoted message said:

Re. the point about commuting not being leisure. I don't cycle directly
to work but take a much longer, prettier route in order to get some
miles in. Does this count as leisure?

I would count it as going to work. The leisure element is there, but
not big.

Quoted message said:

What about shopping (cycling to the shops)?

A transport trip. Again, the leisure element is minor.

Quoted message said:

I was slightly concerned about the involvement of Tesco - I'm always
wary of large non-related organisations getting involved like this - it
does smell slightly of leeching for advertising purposes. Especially
given that supermarkets have done so much to encourage a car-centric
culture, what with out of town parking and such.

And a few token bike trailers (ISTR Tesco where involved in a few
schemes down south) are not going to change this.

--
David Hansen, Edinburgh
I will *always* explain revoked encryption keys, unless RIP prevents me
http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts2000/00023--e.htm#54

David Hansen said:

And a few token bike trailers (ISTR Tesco where involved in a few
schemes down south) are not going to change this.

I would dispute that. I think that the impact of providing a bike
trailer for shopping is far more than spending the same amount
promoting a one off leisure ride.

The bike trailer will be used multiple times. Every time it is used it
raises peoples perceptions of what can be done. A leisure ride 'event'
is just another competitor for people to spend their leisure time,
rather than providing clear, practical evidence of how people can
change their lifestyles.

...d