Anzac Highway?
It seems Anzac highway is popular with cyclists.
What is the appeal?
with the Mike Turtor bikeway or the western bikeway as alternatives why would people ride one of the largest roads in Adelaide?
Or are these bike paths so poorly designed that people would sooner ride on a three lane highway?
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Dahondude on -
Some real bad vibes for the Mike Turtur bikeway out there! I use it to get to work (from South Rd to the City) and I also use it to get from Glenelg to home on a weekday morning when I go out on the road bike. From home I can get to the corner of Pulteney Rd/South Terrace and go through one pedestrian crossing (Goodwood Rd) and one traffic light (Greenhill Rd). Using Anzac Hwy I'd have to ride on South Rd (at peak hour), run the gauntlet of traffic and buses on the bike lane on Anzac Hwy, cross Anzac Hwy to turn into South Terrace and pass through 8 sets of traffic lights. No comparison really. From Glenelg to home on the MTB I have to go through 1 traffic light and 3 pedestrian lights, and I dont have to deal with buses pulling in/out, parked cars in the bike lane and cars coming out of side roads. On Anzac Hwy I'd have to go through 4 sets of traffics lights as well as cross Anzac Hwy to get into the right turn lane to get onto Cross Rd. Personally I think riding the MTB is just as quick as Anzac Hwy (except maybe the bit through Goodwood train station), the surface is as good (or better) than Anzac Hwy, you have almost no chance of getting hit by a car and its much more peaceful (ie you don't have cars, buses and trucks whizzing past).
I think one of the main reasons why roadies choose main roads over bike paths is simple bike snobbery - the perception is that its totally uncool to be seen on a road bike on a bike path. The shame of overtaking a kiddie on a Kmart bike while riding a Pinarello Dogma!
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Permalink Reply by easytiger on
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Are there any Strava segments on the Mike Turtur Bikeway? If not, that's one good reason to ride Anzac Highway!
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Permalink Reply by Dahondude on
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YES!!! http://app.strava.com/segments/856479 http://app.strava.com/segments/951899 Mostly at > 40km/h! Even Jeffrey Schultz has bagged a few....
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Permalink Reply by Alasdair McLellan on -
Er, no. That last paragraph is as true as an extremely untrue thing. I'm glad that the bike path works for you but to tell me that I'm only not using it because I'm a snob when in reality it serves my needs much better in a variety of ways is just ridiculous. Don't be an ass.
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Permalink Reply by Dahondude on
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You missed the first four words of my last para...
I think one of the main reasons why roadies (but not Alasdair McLellan) choose main roads over bike paths is simple bike snobbery - the perception is that its totally uncool to be seen on a road bike on a bike path. The shame of overtaking a kiddie on a Kmart bike while riding a Pinarello Dogma!
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Permalink Reply by Frank on
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Yes, that must be right! Bike snobbery!
That must be the funniest most ridiculas quote of the year so far!
Lucky its only June I say!
A bike path in my experience and understanding is a safe alternative, it is however a somewhat slower and cumbersome one and often clogged with folk trying to ride, kids(no issues there) and people walking in all sorts of directions!
It just doesn't work for cycling per say, it's for toddling along!
Totally uncool to be riding fully kitted out on a bike path, well that does ring true as that is what the bike lanes and roads are for!
I am with Alasdair cause it makes sense and that is how it is!
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Permalink Reply by Clive Palfrey on -
There you go Dahondude, you get up in the predawn hours to ride Mt Lofty several times a week, you can ride the French Alps, you can do the Three Peaks but if you ride a bike path you're "uncool".
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Permalink Reply by Sam Young on -
Or the shame of being overtaken by a kiddie on a kmart bike while riding a dogma?
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Permalink Reply by Don (Who's lost?) Nairn on -
While some seem to want to read all sorts or things into my motivation for the original post.
Clearly money and effort has gone into making the Mike Turtor bikeway and the western bikeway.
It seems that these bike paths don't meet the needs of some cyclists.
It may be some cyclists are unaware if the details of bike paths.
It may be that people are creatures of habit and they have just always done things a certain way.
I know a person who lives within 2 streets of a bike path and had been cycling for several years and it was only became aware of the bike path after studying the various maps.
Also while there is lots of talk about encouraging cycling and improving infrastructure if the infrastructure provided is unsuitable it seems unlikely to provide good value.
It may be that some cyclists actually prefer to ride on roads because the can do things like draft buses.
If this is the case then whatever separate paths are provided this style of cyclist may not use them to make better infrastructure for these cyclists a different approach may be needed than just build more bike paths.
I am not pretending to know the answer but presently I am not even certain what the question is.
Certainly it is something that people are passionate about.
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Permalink Reply by heather on -
If anyone is yet find the Westside Bikeway and would like to check it out. Currie Street into Glover Avenue. Before Henley Beach Road, turn left into James Congdon Drive with on-road bicycle lane and cycle path on the right / western side. Cross over South Road (cycle crossing with lights) near Deacon Avenue and enter the Westside Bikeway. For more info, download DPTI maps at http://143.216.32.82/subject/Transport%2C+travel+and+motoring/Cycling/Cycling+maps
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Permalink Reply by Brian Jenkins (BJ) on -
Most of the cyclists I see when I cross or occasionally ride along Anzac Hwy are roadies. It's a road, and well-suited for such, including groups in low-traffic times. The Mike Turtur bikeway is a commuter route with recreation use as well, including pedestrians in parts. It is part low motor vehicle traffic, and part no motor vehicle traffic. It is particularly well-suited to riding at under 25 kms/hr. It has some sections (mainly on-road) that have good visibility that safely allow a faster pace for a short while. I've seen road bikes on it moving along at a gentle pace.
I don't like to read of higher speeds being encouraged on the MT Bikeway, as I see it's role as being there for people taking up commuting cycling. As it gains more users, the more orderly we need to be. Dahondude has described it's virtues well. On the South Rd overpass I've checked out the weather over the coast and in the Hills (depending on the day's destination), admired sunsets, watched pelicans gliding in thermals ...
The Westside Path is a slower route again, with road crossings that require looking over your shoulder and in both directions. It's on a Reserve, and goes by playgrounds. It's well-suited to a slow scenic relaxing ride. Another non-main road alternative to the Bay is a mixture of the Westside path, bike lane along Galway Ave, right at the lights on Marion Rd and then immediate left into Watson Ave., and onto over 3 kms of uninterrupted bike path around the eastern and southern sides of the Airport (occasional dog-walker excepted).
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Permalink Reply by David Southern on -
Also, for much (but not all) of the Westside Bikeway, one can use the parallel streets for higher speeds. Still low traffic, and one can mix and match shared path and quiet roads as required.
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