This weekend in Bristol for a visitor

Hi all...

I'll be visiting the Bristol area from Manchester for a long weekend this weekend to catch up with family & friends and want to get the lo-down on a few things bike & fixed related....

I'll be around for the Friday night which is in theory a Critical Mass ride night so i wondered if any of you lot did the ride in Bristol or even if it took place at all?

Secondly, my brother has promised to buy me a belated birthday present while i'm in the area so i wanted your opinion of the best bike shops in bristol/bath for fixed related bits?

and Thirdly, where are the alcohol related hangouts for fixed riders? somebody mentioned the Old Duke, but thats all i know, any good hangouts you can fill me in on....?

Oh and i'll be the guy on a stealth looking unbranded Charcoal Bob Jackson with battleship grey Brooks saddle.... i'm afraid i don't rock tight jeans but i do have a Chrome bag so i guess i have some hipster in me...!! if you see me holler....!

thanks in advance to anyone who takes the time to give me any pointers....

i've not heard anything about the critical mass rides, but then i'm not very "scene". anyone got any more info?

as for bike shops, your best bet is probably john's bikes in bath (http://www.johnsbikes.co.uk/) although i haven't been over there for a while. they're more fixed-friendly than a lot of the shops in bristol... although i may be entirely wrong.

Not sure about critical mass - I haven't been since a bunch of crusty anarchists got involved and just wanted to fight the police. One ride in the pissing rain ended with the group split, a rider being punched by a BMW driver then a group turning on a police van. Less than ideal

For updates check here: http://bristol.indymedia.org/

As for shops, bike workshop are helpful if you are after something specific they order through BLB amongst many others but not much cop if you are just window shopping! It's just down the road from 50-50 http://www.5050store.com/enter.asp

As for beers, The old duke and the Apple are pretty good in the centre but myadvice would be stay out of the centre friday and saturday it's gutsville - There are heaps of great pubs The Duke of York, Miners Arms and Farm in St Werbergs. The Bell -Jamaica St, Hillgrove -Kingsdown, and ultimately the Star & Garter in St Pauls-these are real bristol pubs if you want pine, chrome aftershave and twats follow the nylon shirts to Oceana...

yeah, good shout on the pubs. although the apple's not so bad at the weekend, but can get a little busy.

ditto on the pub choices - if you're willing to go a mile up the Gloucester Road you'll hit the Prince of Wales, which is usually packed with good 20-30 somethings...

If you're looking for some hi-spec stuff fixed-wise, I'd recommend Strada cycles in Bedminster (www.stradacycles.co.uk)

prince of wales is also highly recommended.

i haven't been to that bike shop for years, was never that impressed with it. but it looks pretty promising on the website, think i'll have to pay them a visit

the next critical mass in bristol is 28th october, college green @5pm.

i have to work fridayy evening if im in bristol but depending on what time you are around maybe a few of us can organise a buzz around in the traffic?

the next critical mass in bristol is 28th october, college green @5pm.

i have to work fridayy evening if im in bristol but depending on what time you are around maybe a few of us can organise a buzz around in the traffic?

That's great Whatfriends, I'll spread the word i know lots of people who want to get out and ride but weren't comfortable with some of the motivation behind the previous rides. This has always had the potential to be a huge event in Bristol so with the right attitiude hopefully some of the 100's of cyclists here will feel like getting involved..

Hi All... thanks for all the info....

the next critical mass in bristol is 28th october, college green @5pm

Whatfriends... Isn't the next ride due to be this Friday? 26th Sept?

I've never been too into the whole Critical Mass thing either, for some of reasons people have touched on here already, but as i was going to be in the area i thought it might be a sociable thing to take part in.... if i'm in Brizzle Fri eve i'll take a cruise around to see what's going on.... and if anyone else here is doing the same might see you around....

oh and while i'm around i'm gonna give Park St a go but with gearing of 48-19 i'm not sure how far i'll get......

48-19 is easy... i did it on sunday, 48-17 and i smoke far too much and haven't ridden a bike properly for months

48-19 is easy... i did it on sunday, 48-17 and i smoke far too much and haven't ridden a bike properly for months

Magnus that sounds like a challenge....!! i can't quite remember how steep it is, i remember it always seemed super steep but i was going down it on a skate board as a kid, so maybe its like me and it's mellowed with age......!!

i was with a mate on a geared bike (not a proper biker) and he reckoned i'm well out of shape and he could easily beat me. i used to ride up it every night... it's really not that difficult.

fortunately i had a couple of minutes waiting for him at the top while i sneakily coughed up a lung

Whatfriends... Isn't the next ride due to be this Friday? 26th Sept?

nope. not as far as i have heard. i searched a while back thinking that the whole last friday of the month thing was nation wide but what i came up with was that it doesnt work like that round here.

48-19 should be super easy. thats like 68inches. maybe even too easy.
on my winter bike i do it albeit slowly on a 81 GI so you'll be just fine fella.

prince of wales is also highly recommended.

i haven't been to that bike shop for years, was never that impressed with it. but it looks pretty promising on the website, think i'll have to pay them a visit

The shop seems to have been bought out by a guy who used to work at the Bedminster Zero G bike shop. Young guy, seemed to know his stuff, and seemed to be in decent contact with suppliers - his comment to me was "If you want it, I'll get it for you".

Did Park St. on my 42-15 the other day. Almost ran out of steam at the top, but luckily was saved from public humiliation...

right then dangeruss, randomly as i walked home tonight i saw a sticker on a lamppost about critical mass. the first i have seen in a long long time. they used to be on every sheffield stand some time back. anyway, the sticker said last friday of the month... meet at 17:30 under the sails in the centre (opposite the hippodrome).. the sticker had a website, this one http://critical-mass.info/europe.html as you can see, the bristol bit is blank. so take your chance i guess. im gonna try and roll up at that time so if anyone else fancies it. even if cm isnt on im up for a short spin around but i have to work at 8 so cant be out too late.

anyone here live near the airpoint apartments, or in them?!!! (bedminster)

t's really not that difficult.

+1

I'd not ridden in Bristol for a bit and remembered Park St being pretty tough on a BMX.

I took a wrong turn last weekend and ended up riding up it. i was geared 47-17 and it was fine, still going quicker than the traffic.

peahead - I live just down the road from Airpoint - although am yet to get round to building up my fixed - still need to pester my mate to give me his old bike to convert....

Normally riding around on a Planet-X carbon thing or my singlespeed DMR 24" wheeled mountainbike.

Yeah - Park street really aint too bad - if you fancy a challenge try Constitution Hill (off Jacobs Wells) or Clifton Vale for something a bit less crazy steep.
There are also a few roads round Totterdown that get pretty crazy steep.