Cycling from Bangor to Belfast

Greentea

With the price of petrol as it it, im considering cycling to work - maybe once or twice a week.

Just wondering if anyone cycles this route and is there a cycle route somwhere?

How long does it take?

Am I mad for even considering this (havent been on a bike for years)?

belfastgirl23

There is definitely a good route from Bangor to Holywood that runs along the water if I'm correct. I think from Holywood on in is a bit patchier - this might help you http://www.travelwiseni.co.uk/index/commuters/cyclingtowork.htm - see the Belfast map for more info.

You'd think there'd be a proper website for this wouldn't you? Was v disappointed by Sustrans map

Why not try cycling it on a Sunday and see how it goes? Personally I think go for it but then it's easy for me to say

Francophile

sleepymy wrote: »

I've no idea about the route but you should definitely start off with shorter routes at the weekends and build it up. You don't want to have to phone your boss from the lobby and ask to be carried up the steps cos your legs aren't working lol

:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

Agree try shorter routes first and build up to it. Also consider the exhaust fumes you will be inhaling and if you decide to go for it get yourself a breathing mask.

woofwoofwoof

If you do decide to cycle could you use the actual cycle lanes on the main Belfast to Bangor road please - I see cyclists every day on the road with those specifically painted cycle lanes empty - is there a reason for this??? Surely it is much safer to be within the cycle lanes than to be on the road with the cars whizzing past at 60mph or maybe I'm missing something.

trcooke

belfastgirl23 wrote: »

There is definitely a good route from Bangor to Holywood that runs along the water if I'm correct.

There is a path here but there's lots of "No Cycling" signs along it. Not that anyone seems to take notice of them as I've seen many cyclists on it.

To ease yourself in gently why don't you take your bike on the train from Bangor and then get off and cycle from one of the stops before Belfast, say Bridge End to start with, and then build it up from there, Sydenham then Holywood for example. There's a couple of regulars on the train in the morning that do this.

If you do it all in a one-er then you'll definitely feel the pain the day after... especially if you've not done any cycling for a while.

Best of luck.

jarrod1

if your cycling round the coast from bangor to holywood in the morning i hope you like spiders, in the morning parts of that path are covered with spiders webs lol not for me

have you looked into car sharing ?
usually people have an ad in the spectator looking for people to car share with...

Milko

jarrod1 wrote: »

have you looked into car sharing ?

^^^ Exactly, as it ain't gonna be that nice cycling in mid November, where as a car share could be a more permanent solution.

Why don't the mods look at setting up a "local" car sharing section? It is money saving afterall!

Greentea

thanks for all the suggestions .... but i dont think i have the motivation anymore, if there was a cycle lane it would be fine, but it all feels like too much work. Ill just have to keep paying for the petrol!

marcais

Milko wrote: »

Why don't the mods look at setting up a "local" car sharing section? It is money saving afterall!

There's one out there.

http://www.carshareni.com/

hiann

woofwoofwoof wrote: »

If you do decide to cycle could you use the actual cycle lanes on the main Belfast to Bangor road please - I see cyclists every day on the road with those specifically painted cycle lanes empty - is there a reason for this??? Surely it is much safer to be within the cycle lanes than to be on the road with the cars whizzing past at 60mph or maybe I'm missing something.

Exactly what I thought at the start of this posta nd then I read your comments! Hear hear!

And just to mention, whats the point of the very wide cycle path on the Balloo Road? No one uses it either! They should just make the road wider!