Sent to Coventry FGSS

Ok, so in the last few months I've seen a handful of FGSS riders out on the roads in Cov, spoken to a few, but not all, might aswell see how many (if any) dwell on here...

List so far:

Me
Mate of mine who told me about this site
Guy on Red Fixed (moved away now i think as he said he was final year student)
Guy who bought the Tiffosi Pista CX & sweet wheel upgrade from Cov Cycle Centre
Guy who works at Albany bikes
Guy on Bianchi Pista (White Front / Orange Rear) Earlsdon way.
Guy on Sky Blue Pompino occasionaly spotted on Gosford St.
Finally, Kev @ the cycle centre has a nice "No Name" SS conversion.

Sign in if you're in or about Cov. Social group made too just incase anyone wants to click on it:

http://www.londonfgss.com/group45.html

And me working in Binley. I occasionally bring my bike to Cov if I am staying over in town.

Cool. watcha got?

Saw a Black frame with Pink Wheels and stuff on locked outside ikea last week, so there's another one for the list.

I'll post it to the cov social group.

Sweet, should do the same I guess.

I'm starting at Warwick university in a few weeks! That's basically Coventry... ;)

any cov fans on here, i am one living in essex!

Guy on Red Fixed (moved away now i think as he said he was final year student)

you're struggling if you're counting people who have moved away... :)

I'm starting at Warwick university in a few weeks! That's basically Coventry... ;)

Erm.. it is Coventry, no basically about it! Enjoy :)

any cov fans on here, i am one living in essex!

Oh dear. ;)

you're struggling if you're counting people who have moved away... :)

I only think they've moved away... surely that still counts?

It's on the edge... I hope! ;p Nah, it's cool, right!?

Went up to visit round that area today, saw one fixie on the whole trip - university and Coventry centre! Was silver and tiny frame near Ikea....... ONE!

Welcome to Coventry Joseph. Glad to see you took in Coventry's world famous City Centre Ikea!

Joseph - wasn't riding mine today, plus it'd have been secretly stashed away. Ikea seems to attract more Fixed bikes than anywhere else, and you're right there aren't many. Ghost town n'all that.

To add to the list... Dude on canal path Sunday, riding a black fixed. I thought it was a Claud Butler frame and commented as he passed, but on reflection I don't think it actually was.

Ha, I think it's because of the nice minimalistic layout round that area...

You'll probably be seeing my bike around a bit when I start university (3rd October) when I'm up getting supplies from Holland & Barratt's and Lush :p

Nice one. Check out Drop in the Ocean (City Arcade - nr Ikea) and Down to Earth (Earlsdon)... both much better than H&B for nice food and stuff, unless you want some of that powdered weight gain shit they sell in H&B, or something.

I will do, just had a look at their websites. Earlsdon is a little bit closer to the campus too which is good. Thank god there's some more places to get food, there's like no vegan options at the campus food outlets apart from maybe chips.. yum!

Wouldn't bet against campus chips being cooked in beef dripping ;)

For good vegan eating out - Browns is amazing, then once a week if you've the time to seek it out the green garden cafe runs a vegan co-op cafe called open hands at St Peters centre in Hillfields, Tues 12-3pm I think.

http://www.brownsindependentbar.com/

and "Open Hands operates every Tuesday from 11-3pm at St Peter's Centre, Charles Street, Hillfields, Coventry. Hot food is served from 12pm onwards and there is a take away service available." from http://www.greengardencafe.co.uk/

Enjoy!

Dude who works at (runs even) strings 'n things music shop rides a lovely Rotrax fixed conversion.Saw him with it this evening and stopped to chat. He says the frame is from 1952, it's in very good nick.

So, RHB, what are the good routes for riding in Cov?

I might be stuck in a B&B in town soon for a couple of weeks, whilst my house sale goes through, and it leaves me a lot of time to get some riding in during the evenings.

How far / long d'ya wanna ride? Do you want to get out of town, or just ride around? Mix it up with traffic or nice 'n quiet? Got lights?

Lights, yep.

I know Binley Road, London Road and all the routes towards Rugby but that's about it really. Just wondering if there any prefered routes in town or specific areas that are nicer for cycling.

Specific areas - out of Coventry!

Any of the roads like Binley Rd are worth exploring up - you've got the Ansty Rd, Foleshill Rd, Radford Rd, Allesley Old Rd. Best of them is to head down the Kenilworth Road towards Kenilworth - some nice riding out that way if you're prepared to wander & explore... also further around past the Warwick Uni towards Meriden & Balsall Common area on one side (can get you all the way to Brum pretty easily via Hampton in Arden, Solihull & Kings Heath), or out towards Leamington / Warwick the other way.

It's a ball ache to get out of town to but once you're at Baginton Village there's nice riding in the lanes there out past the airport. From Binley Rd, you'd be best to head through Willenhall (don't stop much) and cross using the pedestrian crossings at the A46/A45 island - then ride alongside the airport and hang a left at mini island the end.

Around town there's nice posing around by Ikea, Belgrade Plaza, outside Browns etc or down near the transport museum. Earlsdon would be the hipsters choice of suburb for sure.

The canal path when it's light is ok. In the dark I hate to think what goes on down there...

If you want the councils view on the preferred routes for riding around PM me an address for you and I'll get one of their maps out to you - you can work out some circular routes from it quite easily.

Places to avoid? Hillfields, Stoke Aldermoor, Wood End. That said, if you're riding fast enough you'll be ok, just wouldn't park bike there.

All that said - cycling in the city here for fun isn't anything like buzzing around London, Birmingham or Manchester. It's pretty crap TBH - mostly as it's only 40 mins from one side to the other, but you've gotta make do - just get out and ride...

Thanks for the info! It definitely gives me some places to explore and some routes to check out. I am relatively familiar with all the places you mention but I hadn't considered out by the airport and it's been a while since I went down that way.

I'll pm you for the council map. Cheers!