Covid-19 & Cycling - Living with it - Wide Discussion

[Woz]

Decided to start a a very general thread. Think it would be good to share thoughts on how cycling is
affected in the short and long-term - both on a individual, industry wide, discipline wide and economic wide.

No constraints on the discussion as far as road, CX, gravel, MTB, commuting, cargo deliveries on bike, for fun
or competitive cycling.

No constraints on the geography. Personally I would like to hear things pan-Europe and over the pond in the USA.

Variations on lockdown easing strategy will be interesting and how in turn this affects natives and international cycling. I know many of us here have cycled abroad in one form or another and we would hate that to be something of a
bygone era.

Personally I'm somewhat of a skeptic optimist and it looks like a new order is coming into play. The new order
is meaning some old routines and businesses will fall away, while others will prosper and come to the forefront.

Vent and let of steam, state facts or splurge the first thing that come in your head.

 

[Woz]

Some interesting reporting: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-52483684 - mainly for the city dweller.

 

[shedobits]

Re:

As requested here are my disconnected thoughts / experiences.
The lock down here in Spain prohibited any form of exercise that meant leaving the house, so there's been no riding for me for a couple of months.
There's been some easing locally which means that I can now ride between 10:00 & 12:00 and 20:00 & 23:00 Hrs each day. All of the allotted times are age group related BTW.
I have to ride alone or keep at least 20 Mtrs distance from other riders.
Upon returning home I should wash my bike, clothes and shoes. No mention of what to do re Camelbacks so I have been taking a bike with two bottle cages. It strikes me that the mouthpieces of bottles or bladders would be a great place for a virus to land and wait for it's next host, (I'm going to continue to ride "in the middle of nowhere" anyway).
I occasionally help out with my friends MTB guiding and MIAS training business which of coarse has come to a full stop. Apart from the UK he has clients from Canada, USA, Russia, Ireland, Belgium, Holland and Eastern Europe. It just emphasises the global nature of the problem that we all share.
The LBS has re opened this week but Fox haven't repaired my forks since January
On a lighter note they say that Covid - 20 will be better.

 

[Woz]

Excellent report Shedobits. I myself just returned from Spain - only me can arrive just before lockdown, then leave when it eases a little :facepalm: (more here: viewtopic.php?f=23&t=407551). I was not aware of the recent news. Good for lone MTBers though if you are close to decent trails.

The area I was in Spain has several bike cafes and is a hotspot of road training camps and some good MTB tours - both amateur and pros, and so these were directly impacted. As you state, the age of the peloton is over for the time being.

 

[shedobits]

Re:

Enjoyed you report Woz especially the rides link. Mrs Shedobits and I would have been stranded in the UK but EazyJet cancelled our outbound flight just before we left.
Photobucket have ransomed most of my ride pics but your report has inspired me to post some up here.
Any way glad you made it back home safely.

 

[26er]

Aluminum bikes should get really cheap considering how many planes they will have to scrap now. And the price on titanium should drop probably too...

https://tmstitanium.com/titanium-and-th ... -industry/

:xmas-big-grin: :xmas-cool: :xmas-wink:

 

[Woz]

Aluminum bikes should get really cheap considering how many planes they will have to scrap now. And the price on titanium should drop probably too...

https://tmstitanium.com/titanium-and-th ... -industry/

:xmas-big-grin: :xmas-cool: :xmas-wink:

Interesting idea. Surprised you haven't had a rant about the novice E-bikes riders on the Stockholm bike lanes

 

[legrandefromage]

I normally do these posts in the morning after a caffeine belt.

For now you can have this; have been off work since sometime in March. Days feel like months. Have done more cycling now than ever before.

My current job is very reliant on the automotive sector. However, I am the first to cheer when the same industry goes tits up - we dont need so many cars and we dont need to be so reliant on what is pretty much a bunch of finance companys that lean on governments to further their own ends.

The media screams for lockdown then screams we need to be out of lockdown whilst still screaming that we were in lockdown too late/ soon/ not locked down enough.

Joe public just carries on as best it can

ITS BEEN GREAT!!!

sorry, less traffic, peace and quiet. etc

A little part of me would love for this to be the new normal, less focus on the stupidly expensive and more on the process of just living in a peaceful way.

 

[Woz]

Looks like a spare FPP2 may need to be packed with the spare inner-tube and tyre levers.

 

[Captain Stupido]

I normally do these posts in the morning after a caffeine belt.

For now you can have this; have been off work since sometime in March. Days feel like months. Have done more cycling now than ever before.

My current job is very reliant on the automotive sector. However, I am the first to cheer when the same industry goes tits up - we dont need so many cars and we dont need to be so reliant on what is pretty much a bunch of finance companys that lean on governments to further their own ends.

The media screams for lockdown then screams we need to be out of lockdown whilst still screaming that we were in lockdown too late/ soon/ not locked down enough.

Joe public just carries on as best it can

ITS BEEN GREAT!!!

sorry, less traffic, peace and quiet. etc

A little part of me would love for this to be the new normal, less focus on the stupidly expensive and more on the process of just living in a peaceful way.

Word.