UKC

I am not a keen cyclist, but I do a bit of mtn biking and am fairly fit at the moment.

My commute costs me about 40 quid a week and robs me of the time I need to exercise and spend with my OH (rule of 2 out of 3)

I am toying with the idea of cycling to or from work alternating with driving to cut fuel costs and work in a bit of free exercise.

The route would be out of Sheffield thru broom hill, A57 and over the snake pass 24-25mi. I'd do it one way and leave car/bike at work.

Is this sustainable for a punter like me (I'd get a decent bike)or a bit heroic. I'd train up to it a bit and have a couple of dry runs, but would like to get soundings if this is a silly idea and will probably take me 5hrs and i'll certainly bin it after the first go?

In reply to andic:

snake pass is a horrible road to ride on traffic wise

In reply to the power:


That was my first thought. Regardless of the actual bike ride, it's really not a nice place to be on a bike - lots of frustrated drivers driving faster than might be ideal, and lots of opportunities for things to go wrong.

In reply to tony:

There really ought to be a cycle route there, well separated from the road. Maybe something to campaign on?

In reply to Tim Chappell:

Oddly enough I was looking at this doc this morning

https://www.derbyshire.gov.uk/images/Pedal%20Peak%20Phase%20II%20-%20DfT%20...

Their is an aim to improve Sheff to Manc, but it involves Woodhead rather than Snake. Much of it is already there, so might be an option for the OP, but it would be a long way round

In reply to andic:
What about taking the train to Bamford and starting the bike ride from there? I used to bike into work in Manchester from New Mills (about the same distance) but it only worked because I could leave my bike and get a shower at work one day then ride it back the next. However wimpishness aside Mike Cudahay used to run to and from Buxton every day to his job as a proffesor at Man University.
I've just had a thought, you could alternatively train to New Mills and cycle to Glossop over Chunel from there.

In reply to andic:

It's doable (although mildly heroics), but as has been said, it isn't a particularly fun road to ride, especially not on any kind of regular basis (I'd imagine). The Woodhead isn't a better alternative, since it takes a lot more HGV traffic.

In reply to Al Evans:
You mean Chinley don't you Al? I know you could do it from new mills but you'd be getting off earlier at Chinley and a better more direct ride. With a mountain bike you could get off in deals and ride over to glossop!

Almost never see cyclists on the Snake, with good reason, and it's a vicious circle as drivers aren't expecting bikes.

That sort of distance is doable though definitely. In the summer I ride from Macc to Marple over cat and fiddle which is similar.

In reply to Stig:

Your'e right, after I posted I thought why not get off in Chinley, I was just thinking New Mills because that's where I lived when I used to ride to Glossop.

In reply to andic:

As others have mentioned, I'd recommend catching the train to Chinley, getting off and cycling from there. You could do it both ways then relatively pain free I'd imagine.

HTH

In reply to victim of mathematics:

Though an advantage of Woodhead is that you can drop down onto the Longdendale Trail (old Woodhead line) as soon as you're over the top.

Neil

In reply to andic:

thanks all.

Ill look at the alternatives, having thought about it as a cyclist on the way in this morning, I think it could be a bit terrifying. But coming down into Glossop from the top of the hill would surely be glorious.

In reply to andic:

I used to ride back from Sheffield to Glossop quite often. About 90 minutes on a slow mountain bike with a full rucksack. Its not bad if the weather is with you. Reversing the route means a sole destroying climb out of Glossop. How would you get your car back, or would you have to do two days consecutive.

I tried this going to Warrington once in February with a head wind all the way. I might have saved £2.50 on petrol but still had to buy a train ticket >£5 and did not get much work done as I was ruined...

Best bet would be a car share... or campaign to reopen the railway.

In reply to andic:


I am a keen amateur, amateur being the operative word. I am reasonably fit and pretty motivated to cycle to work. That said we have just moved and my daily commute has gone from just under 8 miles each way to just over 10 miles each way. I simply do not have the energy to do it every day and so far have managed to do 5 journeys in one week as an all-time record.

I would try doing it one weekend and see how you feel. Cycling when you are motivated and doing it for fun is one thing. Cycling, knowing you have a full day ahead, or have just had a hard day is another. And for me, there is the added joy of sleepless nights for young-uns.

In reply to andic:

This site suggests some slower but more pleasant alternatives:

http://www.cyclestreets.net/journey/39490666/

In reply to andic:

One of our staff members used to do the Sheffield to Manchester commute for the two days a week he worked from the office. He got round the traffic from hell hideousness by leaving the house at 5am and leaving work late evening. Still terrified me, we had to send a vehicle out to collect him a couple of times after some adventures from hell which seemed to involve borrowed tea spoons in place of tyre levers and knotting inner tubes to hold air. The visibility up there when the cloud is low is enough to put me off.

In reply to tlm:

Another option is to get off in new mills and take the canal to Marple bridge and then Marple road to glossop. Would be more pleasant in reverse though as it's a shorter climb out of glossop.

In reply to andic:

I do this commute every day. I wouldn't ride my bike over the pass (snake) as I think it would be too dangerous. Be interested to know if you find a better way that isnt epically longer.