towpath cyclists

[jenlyn]

A slow cruise from Watford to Hemel Hempstead over the past 10 days brought my attention to the state of the towpath in places.

Groups of cyclists seem to be using the towpath for sports cycling. Its leaving some softer stretches in a right mess. A combination of the weather and growing popularity of this sport could cost CRT a lot of money. These groups can be quite large, anyone else noticed?

[Higgs]

These groups can be quite large, anyone else noticed?

 

General - yes, it gets churned up in the winter. I'm a cyclist and don't even like using the towpath. It definitely causes alot of wrecking. My boater head is stronger than the cycling. Don't know what CRT could do, bar gravel and packing.

[Ex- Member]

It was annoying years ago let alone now, still I'll be using the tow path to cycle myself, well that's the plan But what is annoying is the speed some of these cyclists go. I might just manage just over walking pace

Edited April 1, 2013 by Julynian

[jenlyn]

General - yes, it gets churned up in the winter. I'm a cyclist and don't even like using the towpath. It definitely causes alot of wrecking. My boater head is stronger than the cycling. Don't know what CRT could do, bar gravel and packing.

I cycle too, and the only time I am really bothered is by some of the cyclists in london. What I have seen over the past few days though, is dedicated sports cycling. Half a dozen or more to a group. I have never seen some of these towpaths in such a state. It seems with these particular groups, the muddier, the better.

[Higgs]

I cycle too, and the only time I am really bothered is by some of the cyclists in london. What I have seen over the past few days though, is dedicated sports cycling. Half a dozen or more to a group. I have never seen some of these towpaths in such a state. It seems with these particular groups, the muddier, the better.

 

It must have been quite a mess when horses used it. Better it's boggy than dressed with tarmac or something.

[jenlyn]

It must have been quite a mess when horses used it. Better it's boggy than dressed with tarmac or something.

Good point on the horses. Ruddy big poo bags needed too!

[Nyx]

A slow cruise from Watford to Hemel Hempstead over the past 10 days brought my attention to the state of the towpath in places.

Groups of cyclists seem to be using the towpath for sports cycling. Its leaving some softer stretches in a right mess. A combination of the weather and growing popularity of this sport could cost CRT a lot of money. These groups can be quite large, anyone else noticed?

 

Never had any problem with cyclists, but there is an idiot on a quad bike tearing up and down the tow path. CaRT are so keen on catching out boaters, yet they don't want to know about any one not only damaging the tow path, but causing a public danger.

[Graham Davis]

Illegal quad bikers should be reported to the Police, stating that it is causing a Sect 59 concern.

[Guest]

A slow cruise from Watford to Hemel Hempstead over the past 10 days brought my attention to the state of the towpath in places.

Groups of cyclists seem to be using the towpath for sports cycling. Its leaving some softer stretches in a right mess. A combination of the weather and growing popularity of this sport could cost CRT a lot of money. These groups can be quite large, anyone else noticed?

 

this is another thing we don't seem to have a problem with on and around our home mooring area. We see at places like Rodley on the L&L or near some of the other conurbations but on the A&CN, the Selby, S&K, New Junction and the S&SYN a cyclist is a rare sight and I can't recall the last time I saw a large group, maybe an occasional family.

 

I forget how lucky we are sometimes as so many of the problems that seem to blight other parts of the system are totally alien to our neck of the woods.

[Lady Muck]

it's not unusual for us to see a hundred, two hundred cyclists, even, because ours is the main towpath route out of London, only takes about an hour from here to be right in the middle of Lee Valley Parks.

But the Lee towpath is wide - the path is 2 metres wide - tractors used to pull the barges here. The bit of towpath in my photo - that's been relaid by Sustrans. The local council has just spent even more money relaying the towpath in the pound below. I use the towpath for cycling myself so I do appreciate it.

 

 

[Djuwenda]

I have noticed these large groups, cycling, often at nights with very powerful led lights.

 

Personnaly i'd hate to be in a group like that and really dont see the point, however, I am happy to see people being healthy and enjoying the outdoors.

 

The state of the towpath does not really bother me... thats what wellies are for.

[carlt]

 

The state of the towpath does not really bother me... thats what wellies are for.

Yes I agree!

 

Wellies bother me enormously and I would rather have wet feet than wear them (though stout leather boots are preferable to wet feet).

[mrsmelly]

A slow cruise from Watford to Hemel Hempstead over the past 10 days brought my attention to the state of the towpath in places.

Groups of cyclists seem to be using the towpath for sports cycling. Its leaving some softer stretches in a right mess. A combination of the weather and growing popularity of this sport could cost CRT a lot of money. These groups can be quite large, anyone else noticed?

 

Its gone on for years. We noticed them tearing up the K and A when we lived on it over twenty years ago. Still the same and getting worse.

Its best I have noticed when the hedges have just been cut cos the peeps never clean up after themselves and quite a few bike tyres get punctured which is always good to see. The down side can be that dogs which are far more important than cyclists sometimes get injured by the thorns.

 

Tim

[Alfie & Smartie]

encroachment of the towpath (as i have seen by most hire boaters & weekender marina gangs) with Bbq's gas bottles table & chairs umbrellas & chavy kids. works a treat plus small dogs.

[Aunty_Rinum]

It was annoying years ago let alone now, still I'll be using the tow path to cycle myself, well that's the plan But what is annoying is the speed some of these cyclists go. I might just manage just over walking pace

Is it illegal to poke a stick into their spokes if they're going too fast?

[Guest]

Is it illegal to poke a stick into their spokes if they're going too fast?

 

Indeed and stupid too.

 

As a bit of a 'born again cyclist' it's interesting that you start to see some of the idiotic behaviour of others from a different perspective....

 

I rarely cycle on the tow path but 'jeeze' some so called 'drivers'...

 

(There that should it it for a good few pages)

[luctor et emergo]

I think Jenlyn is specificaly talking about groups on MTBs, wearing shin and elbow paths, covered often in mud, obviously making a cirquit where they can use their bikes to full effect. They do tend to go at great speed over the towpath, indeed with high capacity LED lights, that will blind anything in their way.

[ChimneyChain]

I don't know why cart don't reintroduce the steel gates on the tow path, would slow push bikes down and stop the ever increasing number of motor bikes now a common occurrence around Uxbridge.

 

Darren

[jenlyn]

I don't know why cart don't reintroduce the steel gates on the tow path, would slow push bikes down and stop the ever increasing number of motor bikes now a common occurrence around Uxbridge.

Darren

Evidently CRT were told they had to remove the gates for disability users. Which is fine, till some pratt on a motorbike runs into a disabled person.

[ChimneyChain]

You can't win can you.

 

Darren

[luctor et emergo]

Yes you can. But it would be liable to send you to jail...

[ChimneyChain]

About 10 years ago a boat owner who used to have a boat on moorings around here dug a small channel in the towpath, he then inserted a 6 ft piece of wood with nails just protruding through it, he then covered it over with soil sat back in his deck chair with a drink and smiled.

 

Darren

[David Mack]

About 10 years ago a boat owner who used to have a boat on moorings around here dug a small channel in the towpath, he then inserted a 6 ft piece of wood with nails just protruding through it, he then covered it over with soil sat back in his deck chair with a drink and smiled.

 

Darren

Perhaps you could just throw a bike-size stinger across the towpath in front of the lycra louts.

[chazzy]

Evidently CRT were told they had to remove the gates for disability users. Which is fine, till some pratt on a motorbike runs into a disabled person.

I think it would have been best to leave the gates in place and have them so they could be opened with the same key that gives disabled people access to toilets

[jenlyn]

I think it would have been best to leave the gates in place and have them so they could be opened with the same key that gives disabled people access to toilets

They weren't that sort of gate. You could not get a chair or buggy through.