Bragging Rights Up for Grab

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wombatK
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Bragging Rights Up for Grab

Postby wombatK » Mon Dec 16, 2013 2:08 pm

Image The new staircase connecting Blaxland Dr Rhodes is now open, and has provided a bicycle track. Who's going to claim bragging rights for first descent and ascent ? Photo or video proof, of course.

It was a bit wet today so I passed on it. Construction shed is a wee bit in the way of a good runup for an ascent.

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moya
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Re: Bragging Rights Up for Grab

Postby moya » Mon Dec 16, 2013 10:58 pm

That thing is just ridiculous. With such a long climb, it is inevitable that there will be cyclists ascending and descending simultaneously - who will blink first and pull their bike off the rail to give way? This of course must happen in the middle of a steep narrow staircase with pedestrians trying to pass too. I just can't fathom the thinking behind it.

As much as people complain about the SHB staircase, at least the staircase is wide, the ramp is wide, and the ramp is logically located in the middle of the stairs to enable simultaneous ascent and descent.

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wombatK
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Re: Bragging Rights Up for Grab

Postby wombatK » Tue Dec 17, 2013 11:46 am

Bicycle traffic is way way way thinner than SHB - don't think there'll be contention for use of the track, especially when there is a presently viable option to use the road exit about 150 to 200 m south on Blaxland Rd. The yet to be commissioned traffic lights may increase it's appeal.

Hard to figure why the ramp is so close to the southern side of the stairway - you wouldn't want to have wide MTB bars or mirrors protruding over the bar ends. Not like you're going to hold the rail while cycling up or down it !

Narrow width seems like its designed if for the Martyn Ashton skill level...
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trailgumby
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Re: Bragging Rights Up for Grab

Postby trailgumby » Tue Dec 17, 2013 9:21 pm

Easy peasy. Descenders ride down the stairs. Ascenders use the ramp.

The faster you go down the smoother the ride

;)

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queequeg
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Bragging Rights Up for Grab

Postby queequeg » Tue Dec 17, 2013 11:52 pm

I checked this out today and was just shaking my head. It is not like they were constrained for space. The rail looks like an afterthought, and the alignment is pretty bad. I always push my bike with my right side, so going up that ramp would feel clumsy. I am not sure why they couldn't have just done a ramp down the middle, or ditched the stairs completely and made it a ramp only.
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Re: Bragging Rights Up for Grab

Postby Anthony1234 » Wed Dec 18, 2013 7:36 am

wombatK wrote:Bicycle traffic is way way way thinner than SHB - don't think there'll be contention for use of the track, especially when there is a presently viable option to use the road exit about 150 to 200 m south on Blaxland Rd.
Agreed.

I ride over the bridge multiple times a week and most of the time don't pass another cyclist.

I will be sticking to the road though, much better than slowing down for the stairs.

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wombatK
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Re: Bragging Rights Up for Grab

Postby wombatK » Wed Dec 18, 2013 8:27 pm

Had another look at it this afternoon, and at least for now there is a nice gap in the fence at the top of the stairs,
and it would be a pretty easy to form a nice "single track" type ride down the hill to the south. It would have
a much gentler grade than the stair track. And if you could kick enough of the slippery bark aside (e.g. by
sliding, skidding MTB tyres), it could even be negotiable on a road bike :)

Perhaps constructing an official narrow track like that would have been much cheaper than the
rail-on-stairs provision. Just needs a little more lateral thinking than councils would usually put into it.
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g-boaf
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Re: Bragging Rights Up for Grab

Postby g-boaf » Wed Dec 18, 2013 10:25 pm

Is that for real? :shock: Personally, I think it is shocking - but I'm sure many people will say it is the worlds best cycling infrastructure.

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Re: Bragging Rights Up for Grab

Postby Nobody » Wed Dec 18, 2013 10:52 pm

I just thought it was a staircase as I rode by and wondered if the track was ever going to be built. I think I'll continue to use the road too.

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Re: Bragging Rights Up for Grab

Postby ldrcycles » Thu Dec 19, 2013 10:42 am

This is why I don't like focussing on "cycling infrastructure", because you can end up with nonsense like that.
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Re: Bragging Rights Up for Grab

Postby Nobody » Thu Dec 19, 2013 11:34 am

Had a closer look this morning and I think it's an accident waiting to happen. Looks like it was only designed for pushing your bike up and down. If you get off balance there is not enough room to correct easily and then the sides are too high to easily get out. Someone else can try it and see how it doesn't work.

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leximack
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Re: Bragging Rights Up for Grab

Postby leximack » Thu Dec 19, 2013 4:56 pm

how wide is it? looks pretty narrow on the photo.
You would have to be a pretty decent rider to ride up or down it without dieing I would think.

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Re: Bragging Rights Up for Grab

Postby Chuck » Fri Dec 20, 2013 10:19 am

leximack wrote:how wide is it? looks pretty narrow on the photo.
You would have to be a pretty decent rider to ride up or down it without dieing I would think.
I'd be no chance :oops:
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sogood
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Re: Bragging Rights Up for Grab

Postby sogood » Fri Dec 20, 2013 10:36 am

Another reason to ride a lightish bike. Just shoulder it down or up. Never liked pushing a bike up or down a stairs. More likely to slip on my cleated shoes.
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wombatK
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Re: Bragging Rights Up for Grab

Postby wombatK » Fri Dec 20, 2013 11:41 pm

leximack wrote:how wide is it? looks pretty narrow on the photo.
You would have to be a pretty decent rider to ride up or down it without dieing I would think.
Checked it today - it's about 75 mm. Any rider attempting it would need nerves of steel.

Making an impromptu single track is a way more appealing option.
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Re: Bragging Rights Up for Grab

Postby recumbenteer » Sun Dec 22, 2013 9:15 am

Image

Crikey, I can't even get DOWN the HB steps/ramp without assistance LOL :shock:
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Re: Bragging Rights Up for Grab

Postby Anthony1234 » Wed Jan 29, 2014 7:49 am

Sort of related topic, work has now commenced on the path widening between the end of the bridge cycle path and Rhodes Station.

I will still ride on the road for this section, however this will mean that the foreshore paths will all link up properly with the station, great work again by the council.

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Re: Bragging Rights Up for Grab

Postby burgesyd » Wed Jan 29, 2014 8:33 am

I'm trying to understand why the rail is even there. I'm guessing its to allow people to avoid having to cross the road by the bridge can be my only guess. Probably good for kids to get access to the foreshore around Rhodes.

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Re: Bragging Rights Up for Grab

Postby toolonglegs » Wed Jan 29, 2014 8:39 am

wombatK wrote:Narrow width seems like its designed if for the Martyn Ashton skill level...
Slightly off topic... but I didn't see anything mentioned on here about Martyn Ashton being permanently paralyzed in an accident during the time he was making this film :cry: . Only realized while listening to an interview on the BBC.

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Re: Bragging Rights Up for Grab

Postby Nobody » Wed Jan 29, 2014 1:56 pm

toolonglegs wrote:Slightly off topic... but I didn't see anything mentioned on here about Martyn Ashton being permanently paralyzed in an accident during the time he was making this film :cry: . Only realized while listening to an interview on the BBC.
http://road.cc/content/news/93511-trial ... ing-spinal" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://www.bikeradar.com/mtb/news/artic ... ury-38408/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://road.cc/content/news/109094-para ... k-handbike" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

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Re: Bragging Rights Up for Grab

Postby Cossie Phil » Wed Jan 29, 2014 3:10 pm

Whats wrong with carrying your bike up or down steps?
Image

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Re: Bragging Rights Up for Grab

Postby bigfriendlyvegan » Wed Jan 29, 2014 3:19 pm

Cossie Phil wrote:Whats wrong with carrying your bike up or down steps?
Nothing, particularly, but this particular bike path continues on to a road which takes you past the bottom of the stairs. They are the most useless set of stairs for bikes to use, since you can avoid the stairs with a 100 m ride. I do it daily.

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Re: Bragging Rights Up for Grab

Postby Nobody » Wed Jan 29, 2014 3:28 pm

Cossie Phil wrote:Whats wrong with carrying your bike up or down steps?
One reason is you can trip and get an injury. I did this when I tripped running up stairs. The bike went forward, bounced off the above steps and the handlebar came back and fractured my nose.

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Re: Bragging Rights Up for Grab

Postby rdp_au » Tue Feb 04, 2014 4:48 pm

Agree, the steps really are useless for cycling. They are clearly intended to give pedestrians access from the Rhodes foreshore to the shared pathway across the bridge, without the need to cross the road.

It would have just as simple, and maybe less costly, to build a shared path across the hill and down to the foreshore at a more gentle angle. This would give a continuous cyclepath all the way from the foreshore all the way to Meadowbank.

That would be useful.

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