[Talk-GB] difference between bicycle and MTB cycle routes

John Aldridge jpsa at cantab.net
Wed Jun 16 16:11:28 UTC 2021


To complicate matters a bit more, it's not just the surface that 
matters, but how many dog walkers you're likely to encounter. There's 
section of the NCN round here on which, if clear, I could do 15mph on my 
25x700c tires, but I avoid it because I'd frequently have to slow to a 
standstill to avoid running into dog leads!

John


On 16/06/2021 16:36, Chris Hodges wrote:
> "Surface=" is good, as it "tracktype=", when displayed on maps (clearly 
> enough for users) or used sensibly by routers.  But of course it's a 
> snapshot from when one mapper passed that way, and interpreting it 
> becomes a matter of not just outdoor knowledge but local knowledge as to 
> things like how quickly it drains after heavy summer rains/ 
> Example:byway "surface=unpaved, tracktype=grade3" near me.  In dry 
> weather I can go faster on the tourer with slicks than the MTB, limited 
> more by visibility of other users than anything else.  In winter, even 
> after a dry week, it's barely passable without knobblies, you'll need to 
> change clothes and shoes afterwards.  In summer it drains quite quickly 
> after rain, unlike a local bridleway that was still up to mid calf in 
> places on Sunday despite no recent rain.



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