Does Anyone Cycle Along the A23 in the Morning?

Barrel of Fun · Nov 11, 2014

Do you feel safe or is it fraught with danger?

Toying with the idea of cycling to work in BH and thinking of avoiding the Pyecombe bit/diversion to avoid snarling up traffic.

Hillian1 · Nov 11, 2014

Just don't do it.

severnside gull · Nov 11, 2014

Brave man

GoldWithFalmer · Nov 11, 2014

Where do you travel to and from and at what times?

I used to see a bloke in a faded yellow jersey riding up from Brighton to at least hickstead at about 6am,sometimes on the road and where the cycle lanes are,on those..

Personally i would never ride a bike,i drive 7.5 tonne multidrop all day long and see far to many idiots to risk my life..

Make sure you have decent lights and be visible.

Barrel of Fun · Nov 11, 2014

I would travel from Withdean Stadium to Burgess Hill station area. A money saving/fitness idea.

Need to be in work by 0815 to allow me to shower before I start getting paid.

Sensible cyclist, but worried about idiots trying to squash me.

Hillian1 · Nov 11, 2014

Barrel of Fun said:
I would travel from Withdean Stadium to Burgess Hill station area. A money saving/fitness idea.

Need to be in work by 0815 to allow me to shower before I start getting paid.

Sensible cyclist, but worried about idiots trying to squash me.

Make a will, update your Life Insurance.

Don't fvck around with the A23 BOF.

WATFORD zero · Nov 11, 2014

It is a dual carriageway with a speed limit of 70 mph. If you can keep to at least 60 mph, you should be safe.

I don't think that driving any type of vehicle at 30 mph on a 70 mph road is a very wise thing to do.

GoldWithFalmer · Nov 11, 2014

Barrel of Fun said:
I would travel from Withdean Stadium to Burgess Hill station area. A money saving/fitness idea.

Need to be in work by 0815 to allow me to shower before I start getting paid.

Sensible cyclist, but worried about idiots trying to squash me.

Come work with me and get paid to keep fit,failing that how about a trial run,say do half the journey or wait until the spring,you could park at Bolney Hickstead lane and use the old road into Burgess hill that is now disused,be a good shortcut..

Stairbridge lane & Jobs Lane/Gatehouse lane.. btw BOF...sorry about that :dunce:

Pogue Mahone · Nov 11, 2014

Cycling up the A23 is absolutely fine. At NO point do you need to be on the road once you have passed Patcham. There is a signed National Cycle Route, most of which is behind hedges or walls, all of it on Tarmac.

For some stretches it is on the dual use pavement (which nobody ever cycles on), but never do you need to go on the road.

It's a bit soul-less, though, and when you feel ready I'd recommend going up the Dichling Road, descending the Beacon, and going up into Burgess Hill through Ditchling.

A good start though. Don't be put off, it's safer than cycling through Brighton.

dazzer6666 · Nov 11, 2014

You're either on the cycle track or quiet roads from Waterhall to Burgess Hill, assume all the real danger then is getting as far as Waterhall from Withdean ?

£1.99 · Nov 11, 2014

Really admire you for even thinking about cycle along that road. I have been cycling every day to work for a while now, most of it on the seafront cycle path.
But getting from my house to the cycle path i have come across so many ****ing outright idiot drivers i feel like i am losing my confidence now to carry on.

Pogue Mahone · Nov 11, 2014

£1.99 said:
Really admire you for even thinking about cycle along that road. I have been cycling every day to work for a while now, most of it on the seafront cycle path.
But getting from my house to the cycle path i have come across so many ****ing outright idiot drivers i feel like i am losing my confidence now to carry on.

No, don't give in to them. The more cyclists there are, the safer for everyone. Keep fighting the good fight, £1.99.

Barrel of Fun · Nov 11, 2014

Interesting stuff. The quick route is via Pyecombe and didn't want to do that stretch under the trees and holding up traffic. Thanks to everyone for their replies.

I'm willing to mess about with the traffic at the top roundabout. Is there really a path that will leave me car free?

thedonkeycentrehalf · Nov 11, 2014

Just don't cycle on the A273 from Pyecombe to Clayton. I drive that route most mornings and the summer it is a nightmare with lycra clad cyclists struggling up the hill holding up the traffic as they weave slowly up the hill.

Joking apart, I think that the road is dodgy for cyclists (and motorcyclists) as there are numerous raised drain covers that need to be dodged if you are on two wheels and there are plenty of large vehicles going up there that always seem to get very close to the poor cyclists.

Pogue Mahone · Nov 11, 2014

Barrel of Fun said:
Interesting stuff. The quick route is via Pyecombe and didn't want to do that stretch under the trees and holding up traffic. Thanks to everyone for their replies.

I'm willing to mess about with the traffic at the top roundabout. Is there really a path that will leave me car free?

Yes, there really is! I have cycled to Crawley, Horsham and London using that route, when I have wanted to avoid the hills.

dazzer6666 · Nov 11, 2014

National Cycle Route 20.......mostly non-road cycle track as far as Hickstead, then opposite the Shell garage take Jobs Lane alongside the A2300 (almost no traffic), cross the A2300 onto Gatehouse Lane (almost disused), follow this and you'll be within a couple of miles of BH station.

£1.99 · Nov 11, 2014

Pogue Mahone said:
No, don't give in to them. The more cyclists there are, the safer for everyone. Keep fighting the good fight, £1.99.

Yes your probably right, but when will we see better cycle paths? For instants From Portslade to Brighton theres only the seafront route. The Old Shoreham Road path goes nowhere and doesn't look like it will be extended west in the foreseeable future. I feel the future for cycling is not good.

Miximate · Nov 11, 2014

Cycle to and from Burgess Hill to Hollingbury quite frequently during the week. Going north, stick on the cycle path that takes you past Tates garage, go up the old A23 and then turn right towards Washbrooks Farm and Hurstpierpoint. Turn right at the mini roundabout and cycle to Stonepound cross roads where you turn left onto the A273. There is a cycle path opposite Hassocks Golf club that takes you into BH.
I cycle up Clayton Hill going southbound as the road is wider. I tun right just past Pyecombe Golf Club, up into the village and down the path past the Church. You pick up the cycle oath again by Brendan stables

Pogue Mahone · Nov 11, 2014

£1.99 said:
Yes your probably right, but when will we see better cycle paths? For instants From Portslade to Brighton theres only the seafront route. The Old Shoreham Road path goes nowhere and doesn't look like it will be extended west in the foreseeable future. I feel the future for cycling is not good.

Yep, some areas are pretty badly served, but things ARE improving for cyclists - Lewes Road being one example. And with the profile of cyclists rising (BBC Breakfast featured aspects of cycling every day last week, The Times campaigns tirelessly, and cycling groups are getting more confident, developing louder voices) I think that the future is quite rosy.

Especially as more people realise the health benefits and financial savings.

Pogue Mahone · Nov 11, 2014

Miximate said:
Cycle to and from Burgess Hill to Hollingbury quite frequently during the week. Going north, stick on the cycle path that takes you past Tates garage, go up the old A23 and then turn right towards Washbrooks Farm and Hurstpierpoint. Turn right at the mini roundabout and cycle to Stonepound cross roads where you turn left onto the A273. There is a cycle path opposite Hassocks Golf club that takes you into BH.
I cycle up Clayton Hill going southbound as the road is wider. I tun right just past Pyecombe Golf Club, up into the village and down the path past the Church. You pick up the cycle oath again by Brendan stables

Yeah, that would be my choice of route. Safe all the way.

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