What to expect from the rides and how people perceive CDM
Critical Mass is like no other bike ride, for a short time we join a community of like minded utility cyclists to reclaim the road from car dominance. The ride had a great community feel with everyone chatting and the music makes it a real celebration of cycling. We came away feeling energised and can’t wait for the next one.
James & Eloise Thatcher, Derby residents
25th March 2023 was the launch of Derby Critical Mass. Over 20 people, women and men cyclists, set off from Corporation Street for a steady Critical Mass ride around the city of Derby and suburbs. Powered by a great soundtrack, the numbers of riders available allowed us to make the road safe to cycle on. Gave us all a great freewheeling feeling of cycling community and safety in numbers. I’ll be going along to as many of these as possible. Recommended to all cyclists.
Dr Bill Whitehead, Derby resident
I went along to the first of these rides today.
Paul on yacf.co.uk
We met at the council house at 2:45. The Iranian protesters had just left, making me think that there might be a rota for these things somewhere…
It was a very good ride. There were about 20 of us, plus a couple of rack-mounted sound systems. I haven’t been on a lot of CMs, possibly just one (the one in London when there was talk of the police stopping it, which had quite the opposite effect, causing people like me to travel 140 miles to join in!), but there was the same, good-natured feel.
We may have delayed some drivers a little (although not much more than other, motorised traffic would have done and much, much less than if we’d all been in cars), but for the 45 minutes that I stayed with the ride there was no evidence of frustration, not a beep, rev or close pass.
I’m hoping to make it again next time: 14:45 at the council house on the last Saturday of each month.