The Lounge of Terrestrial Wheelmen

[G'day Mate]

Not as good a sleeper as the Big Friendly Giant, and it looks like its staying. Only going to cost $200 to repair :)

[Cam]

Once during one of my Irvine commutes, I kept up with traffic for about five miles, thanks to the timing of stop lights in my favour. The street I rode on has a 50 mph speed limit and wide bike lanes.

[George]

I chose cargo shorts (on top of cycling shorts) this morning instead of the handlebar bag to carry wallet, keys, access badge for work, phone, glasses, etc. and rode the Allez to work. I have clothing and showering gear at work and I figured I just won't take anything home with me but rather make a run in the car over the weekend and swap out my stuff for next week.

Wow. This was fun. And, scary, too, briefly.

This was one of just two short off-road shortcuts I took and they were both mighty gnarly. :rawk:

I missed bombing down my usual long downhill gravel run, which is more direct than the route I rode to get to this point today, but the Allez more than made up for it with effortless climbing when I got to the uphill half of my ride.

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a284/craigslistuser/DSC03816_zps8130a05b.jpg

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a284/craigslistuser/DSC03820_zps252776ae.jpg

Locked up in the cage at work, 7:30 AM. Apparently I was so stoked from riding this speed demon that my hands were shaking.

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a284/craigslistuser/DSC03823_zps3780f854.jpg

Speaking of shaking, I had a long and steep descent via road that I normally don't take on the MTB. I happened to hit it just between traffic light cycles, so I had no one behind and I moved out into the street, spun out in top gear, or close to it. Quickly I thought, "uh-oh, this is really fast and I got in the drops and really tucked down to fly down this hill. The pavement was as smooth as one could ask for but I got this really bad shake/wiggle as I neared what I'd think of a maximum speed based on gravity and aerodynamics at that point. Trying to slow down made it MUCH worse, and then I practically panic-stopped and got off the bike and carried it over the grass. It was so bad that I thought I'd lost a nut on the front axle and the wheel was wildly flailing and only connected to the fork on one side.

All that probably only took a second or two but it was damn scary. Everything on the bike seemed tight as can be and I rode on without incident. What advice would you road cyclists have for me? I'm thinking this isn't a bicycle problem but an inexperienced rider problem. I'm thinking I should have just held on and ridden it out at whatever speed and instead of trying to slow down gradually. Could my braking have caused the wobbling in the first place?

I'm thinking about how, when pulling a trailer in a car/truck, if the trailer starts wobbling, slowing down makes it worse. Is it the same for bikes, or should I just stick to less daredevildry on the way to the office? Or maybe use the rear brake only when trying to slow down on fast downhill? I don't mean when needing to stop but just when realizing death is imminent if I hit a pebble or something at that speed. :eek:

*looks at clock to see if it's quitting (and riding!) time yet*

[G'day Mate]

As you suspect (and experienced), speed wobbles are only exasperated by trying to slow down. Of course, every bone n your body is telling you to hit the brakes so I'm glad you're ok! How fast were you going? I start to get uncomfortable around 65 (40mph) these days but I also get blown around a lot more than other guys because I'm so tall and thin.

Also, with work stuff I find it easiest to leave shoes and pants (and socks ... shhh) at work and transport the rest on a daily basis. The pants I swap out weekly, but I always bring the new ones in before taking old ones home or I forget. My shirts don't crinkle that badly and it saves a weekly car-go (geddit?) trip. I take everything in a backpack though.

[George]

How fast were you going?

*checks speedometer*

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a284/craigslistuser/DSC03822_zpsc14451e4.jpg

*shrugs*

Really, really fast! :lol:

I have a similar system to yours, as most bike commuters must develop sooner or later. I don't ride every single day so on car days I swap out clothes, shoes, etc. with a gym bag. On bike days, I use the gym bag to carry stuff back and forth from the showers, and when I have the MTB with the big rack trunk bag, I bring my lunch in the morning in a small collaspible cooler and then bring home any dirty laundry - like sweaty socks! - and whatever from my stash of clothes here at work in the afternoon.

That avoids this:


Argh, it stinks like rotten croc breath in here!


Nah, it's worse than that, mate. It smells like someone put some shrimp on the barbie and left the peeled shells out in the sun to fester.


FEET!!!

:lol:

[G'day Mate]

My socks do get a little off at times ... not good. Ill happily wear the same ones for days.

[SportWagon]

"Real cyclists don't wear socks."

(But I do)


Oh. And as to speed wobbles. Handlebar bags can cause or aggravate them. I would recommend finding something other than handlebar bags for carrying stuff. Even before you reported a wobble. (Sometimes known as a "shimmy").

Seems like time to search Sheldon Brown's site....
http://sheldonbrown.com/brandt/shimmy.html

(Not one of Jobst's best articles, though)

[overpowered]

Most of the pros I see are wearing socks.

I agree that that wasn't a great article and some of it is not exactly in line with my experience. Jobst is not infallible.

[FaultyMario]

Old School Pros wear knitted tubes half the calf up.

[Cam]

*checks speedometer*

-image-

*shrugs*

Really, really fast! :lol:

:lol: :up:

[FaultyMario]

Only in the last fifteen years have the standards been lowered and now it’s a total confusion of bad taste. Again I implore the jury, have we no pride in our guns? A tanned, shaved, well-honed gun can only be properly punctuated by a white sock. Granted the sock pool has become so fouled it’s nearly impossible to even find all-white socks so I won’t be an absolutists (cognoscenti?) but please, mostly white. I won’t even argue length, I find tall socks (Wiggo tall) an abomination but I guess that shows how damn old I am.


Source: The Rules (http://www.velominati.com/the-rules/)

It seems to me George, that yours was a case study for #23.

[SportWagon]

Actually I saw somewhere a statement that not wearing socks was a triathlete thing, which makes sense. I use ankle socks, barely visible above my shoes once it's reliably above 17C at the start of rides. Using those for commuting would lighten the load of take-home laundry. Quality socks (Wrightsock even makes coloured double-layer tube socks now) kept at work ought to last a week of office-only use. Hmm. But really it's not clear the low socks couldn't just go to work and home the same day. A spare pair at work in case of an unexpected muddy rainstorm might be a good idea.

And if you use strava you can determine your speed after the ride. But it suffers from inaccuracy due to general GPS inaccuracy. (You can get two successive GPS readings with opposite errors, thereby inaccurately stretching the distance you travelled in the (1 second) interval). Hmm. I'd guess the problem might be exacerbated by having time recorded with accuracy not more than a second, also.

Oh yeah. Tightening that kit bag under your seat might stop shimmies? You probably thought of that already. And, contrary to what I said about handlebar bags, distributing some weight to a secure handlebar bag might help. Jobst's statement that weight distribution does not affect shimmy is contrary to my experience.

I wrap my underseat bag to the seat with a nylon webbing strap. And, oh yeah, on top of that an elastic thing with a snap quick-release which was part of an armband for carrying an iPod while running or something.

[overpowered]

I just wear clean socks every day.

[FaultyMario]

Party pooper.

[SportWagon]

Regarding the shimmy.
(Jobst might tell us that it's not really a shimmy but a load-induced oscilation or something; but, whatever it is, it would be nice if you didn't get the vibration you describe downhill).

The more I look at the bag under your seat, the more I see the potential for it to swing around and for that swinging to be picked up by the steering. If you could arrange that you had another bottle cage in addition to the pump, someone used to make bottle-shaped toolkits to go there. Or you could fake the same idea with something home-made. (E.g. perhaps use an actual old water bottle).

http://www.bikerumor.com/2010/05/17/sks-cage-box-stores-mini-pump-tools-in-water-bottle-look-a-like/
http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-ELITE-x-Bianchi-BIKE-TOOL-BOX-for-water-bottle-cage-/121280762556
http://www.bikehacks.com/bikehacks/2013/07/diy-water-bottle-tool-holder.html

You can get things to allow the pump to be beside/behind the water bottle cage. On my road bicycle I use an ancient top-tube-sized frame-fit Silca pump which gets held surprisingly securely between the braze-on peg (purposely installed stock on the frame) and the seat cluster. But I don't actually use a bottle-cage toolkit. But I might consider it for commuting.

[George]

Thanks SW, but the seat bag is pretty tight. It's crammed full with a tube, patch kit, tire irons, and garage door opener, so nothing is sloshing around in there and the straps are tight and symmetrical.

After some reading about the causes of shimmy (thanks for the link!), I think it was because I was too far back on the bike, as if trying to keep my chin off the pavement. Looking back, I bet if I'd have leaned forward over the bars and stayed in the drops instead of getting "behind" the seat as I do when decending on loose dirt and on rutty trails on the rigid MTB, the weight over the front tire would have prevented the shimmy. You can be sure I'll try again.

Mario's link to The Rules (http://www.velominati.com/the-rules/) is one I think I've seen before. I rememeber the part about putting tire labels next to the stem and I do that.

I think I broke all these rules in just one short ride today.

1
23
24
30
31
33
35
36
37
44
45
47
52, maybe. I don’t know how much “500 ml” is. How about a measurement we can all understand, like quarts?
60
85
90
92
93
95

But I obeyed the rule about black tires, black seat, and black tape, so that's gotta count for something, right?

[Cam]

500 ml = 500 millilitres = half a litre = about one pint.

[George]

I wouldn't advise speakin' too much Canadian like that in South Carolina.

[FaultyMario]

Speakin' too much Canadian in South Carolina.

635

[Cam]

I know better than to talk Canukistanian in the south.

[SportWagon]

Friday morning I'd slept in, feeling tired when I went to work. Saturday I often like to go for a shot 40km ride before we go grocery shopping, and my wife had moved shopping, so I'd tentatively planned doing a 67km ride both days. But Saturday came, and I just wimped out, sleeping instead. Just couldn't motivate myself. I even got as far as getting the bicycle into my garage, and filling and installing my water bottles. But I just felt too tired to actually go out. Oh yes, that's right. It seemed much more important to cut the back lawn. So eventually I decided I might do one 80km (84 actually) ride on Sunday.

The morning was coolish, but just about warm enough for shorts. Rain was prediced for 2pm, but already visible on the map near Detroit/Windsor. I ate a reasonable breakfast, a nearly ruined banana, All-Bran Buds, and a little milk, and a lightly-spread peanut butter sandwich made with whole wheat toast. As often happens, my departure was delayed somewhat putting on sunscreen. Which turned out to be probably not necessary that day anyway. I eventually left shortly before 8:30am.

I ride right past the Grey Silo Golf Course where the LPGA was being held. Even though the road was mostly closed, security let me ride the half mile or so I usually do past there, avoiding a minor detour.

As I approached Winterbourne, I saw a horse-drawn wagon waiting to come out from a side street. As I often do with cars, I moved a little left to put me more in their field of view. But just before I got to the intersection, the horse began moving out. I swerved further, onto the wrong side of the road, and an approaching car may have slowed in anticipation of the mess. Anyway I somewhat gracefully slipped by, but am still not sure what I should have done differently. This was a two horsepower wagon rather than the more usual one horsepower buggies, so perhaps they are harder to control.

As I approached the covered bridge in West Montrose I heard the clattering of a horse as I approached, so of course waited for it to pass. Luckily it was not followed by any more, so getting through the bridge was as easy as normal.

Just after the stop sign at Highway 86, there were three buggies coming towards me on the other side of the road, one seemingly tailgating the one in front of it. At the black car church, there were only a few, perhaps only one, car.

There was consistent, but thin, cloud cover all the time, and clouds were moving in from the west, but there was no visible rain in the distance, so I decided for sure to add the extra 17km to Fergus and back. On the way up I saw a youngish woman cycling on the other side, and after waving and saying hello, I realized she had an extra wheel kiddie extension on her bicycle and then a trailer after that! Sort of a little bicycle train.

So I got to the Fergus turn-around in a rather slow time, but the mild headwind on the way out remained a mild tailwind for the trip home. At the south end of Fergus I remembered an old severely rough section of asphalt, but when I got there it had been graded to nice hard-packed gravel. On my 23c tires, the gravel was actually easier to ride than the old asphalt; the gravel hadn't developed any deep sandy parts yet.

The clouds remained, but still there was no obvious rain in the distance. As I went by the church north of Elora, there was no special car in the spot where sometimes there is; once a Model A Ford, and another time a Roadrunner.

While there was no visible rain, the clouds were thickening, and I decided that, with the extra sleep and a little breakfast, I could keep going without a snack stop. The tailwind probably also helped.

The black car church was full as I passed this time, and yet I'd not seen a stream of cars heading towards it on my way up, so I'd successfully avoided the traffic.

As I climbed the S-bend from the Conestogo River, I realized a little black-and-white sheep dog was smiling at me (would that be an Australian sheep dog?). He never barked, and I said "hello there!", and I think he remained intent on stalking something (but luckily not me).

Cars were really pouring into the parking lot for the LPGA, as I took my usual home route which didn't go through the closed road.

It began very very lightly spitting with rain about four blocks from home, and that continued for about an hour or less before real rain came. My time had not been great historically, but I was pleased with how good I felt after a continuous effort with no food. And my knees weren't even severely tired or sore.

And Strava on my Galaxy S4 worked for the seventh time straight, suggesting strongly that my other problems were due to the Kit Kat upgrade, and had been fixed by the Kit Kat patch.

I started to watch the Canadian Grand Prix, but eventually crawled off to bed and left it recording. After the race had finished, but before the broadcast had finished, we went to an all-you-can-eat Chinese buffet.

[G'day Mate]

Horses? Model A Ford? ... have you got some kind of time-bike?

[George]

^ I liked the story.

My time-bike:

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a284/craigslistuser/DSC03665_zps6f67516c.jpg

[overpowered]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GnYOn1bG50M

[Yw-slayer]

What I have noticed was that, by and large, the drivers weren't behaving too badly, and that only 1 was being a major dickhead.

[overpowered]

It only takes one.

[Yw-slayer]

I was referencing your hysterical response in Post #268 to my observations of driving standards in the UK, which were of course based on having lived in the UK for several years, learnt to drive there, and regularly visiting the country (admittedly mainly the South thereof), as opposed to having watched a bunch of internet videos posted by (no doubt righteously) outraged commuters on a bike commuting website.

[Tom Servo]

Here's our latest one - metro bus driver passes a cyclist without fully changing lanes, then cuts in front of cyclist and brake checks. It's very likely that a year ago, this is what the back of that bus looked like:

http://www.cyclelicio.us/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/bus-metro-500x495.jpg

Oh, and a side note - I've had very good luck with Metro drivers. Given my personal experiences out on the roads in Los Angeles, I'd rather have a Metro driver behind me than almost anybody else. There are definitely some shitheads though, and it's frustrating that Metro won't share with anyone what, if any, action is taken against drivers as they say it's a confidential personnel matter.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s_gzdfAG5s8

[Yw-slayer]

What a tosser. He needs to have his pay cut, and/or any bonus denied, with a formal warning. At the very least, he should be forced to take no-pay leave to be re-educated.

[Cam]

People tell me that biking in Columbia is terrible, but that is not what I have experienced. I may be jinxing myself, but I've experienced no negative cycling experiences yet. I'd like to keep it that way. However, it does not surprise me that people get into trouble on bikes because many cyclists here are salmons. Good example is the young woman that was killed here recently was riding against traffic.

Then again, I avoid riding in places that put me in conflict with automobiles.

[Cam]

Lori and I off-roading in Harbison State Forest. :popcorn:


http://youtu.be/OJJ2Hi4vpf8

[George]

Cool! That looks like some really fun riding and mostly in the shade, too.

I must say I expected more crashes based on previous posts. :lol:

[overpowered]

http://www.wsbtv.com/news/news/local/police-driver-intentionally-hit-bicyclist-dragged-/ngHnq/


Residents of Atlanta's Morningside neighborhood said the driver of a red SUV intentionally ran down a man on a bicycle on Flagler Avenue, dragging him around 50 feet before he ended up wedged under a parked vehicle.

http://clatl.com/freshloaf/archives/2014/06/10/witnesses-motorist-intentionally-hit-bicyclist-in-morningside-left-scene

[overpowered]

PeopleforBikes promotes a new study (http://john-s-allen.com/blog/?p=6240)

http://john-s-allen.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/bs.jpg

[neanderthal]

I had hoped to do a 50 miler today, in anticipation of doing several longer rides as I work up towards the century, but I pulled/ tore my calf muscle or achilles while running at rugby. Gotta get an MRI.

[Yw-slayer]

Damn, that's rough.

[Cam]

Boo. :(

[TheBenior]

I've begun toying with the notion of buying a folding bicycle.

Provided nothing goes horribly wrong in the next couple weeks, I'll be a homeowner. However, instead of being 4 miles away from work like I am now in my current neighborhood, I'll be 15 miles away from work (my current neighborhood has reasonable rents on small apartments, but tear-down single family homes sell for what I'm paying for the house I'm buying). Since traffic will be pretty horrible in the mornings when I leave work, bicycling or doing a mix of bicycling and public transportation wouldn't be take much longer than driving. Since I head to work in the evenings after rush hour, driving to work would be hands-down faster. It would cost me around $8-9 per day to drive at current gas prices, as gas is fairly pricey here, and my Mazdaspeed3 gets mediocre fuel economy and needs premium gas.

I'm definitely not in good enough shape to do a 30 mile round trip at the moment, especially with the last leg coming at the end of overnight shifts, nor am I sure that my hamstring that I tore last year would let me (I might need surgery, or it might just be something that periodically bothers me for the rest of my life). Even if I do work up to that, I can't see myself riding for that long in the winter, as I don't deal well with cold. My low body mass doesn't help there, and my sensitive skin means that my fingers crack and bleed with prolonged exposure to below-freezing weather, even with gloves on. Because of all that, folding bikes are starting to make a lot of sense to me. My work is about 1 mile from a CTA train station, and the house I'm buying is 1.7-2.5 miles from a station depending upon the route. Full-sized bicycles are banned from CTA trains during rush hour periods, but folding bikes are permitted at all times. One perk of work that would reduce costs even further is that I get to take CTA public transportation for free instead of $2.50 each way with a transfer.

I haven't done too much research into different brands, but I do like the look of the Montague Paratrooper line. We get a fair bit of precipitation here, so disc brakes would be nice, and having a front suspension is nice for dealing with Chicago's horrendous potholes, which are currently the worst they've been in my lifetime (I imagine that bigger wheels also probably help with that).

[FaultyMario]

I'd say do it.

Probably get a folding bike off CL to minimize potential loses in case you can't get used to that commute. But it sounds sweet. 2 miles of urban riding shouldn't need a shower and you probably already have a stack of clothes at work that you move home periodically.

[TheBenior]

Good idea, provided I find one that doesn't need a ton of work and isn't obviously stolen.

I would probably drive my car or ride my motorcycle into work when I work weekends, because it would be a whole lot faster than bicycling/public transportation when traffic's lighter. When I do that, I'd bring in uniforms to stock my locker.

[Yw-slayer]

http://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/1526663/british-cyclist-dies-after-colliding-van-tung-chung

I really feel for him, since I also have a young child who I'm trying to get into cycling. Some of my friends also had him as a client, apparently he was a top guy.

Memorial was last night (I didn't know till afterward and wouldn't have gone anyway as I didn't really know him), and a ghost bike with plaque is going up soon.

----

On a more positive note - the folder sounds like a decent idea. The Montague bikes sound good given the poor condition of the roads over there, as long as they would still get you on the train and size when folded isn't a major issue. Bigger wheels are always better. My Dahon Mu (20" wheels) was OK for dealing with bumps etc., but my Tern Eclipse (24" wheels) is just so much better.

[George]

A sad story from Atlanta: Cyclist intentionally hit by SUV remains in intensive care (http://www.wsbtv.com/news/news/local/cyclist-intentionally-hit-suv-remains-intensive-ca/ngJ7C/)

Don't read if you're easily angered. I read the text only. There's a video too, but I have a hard time watching (a) stories like this, bicycle-related or not, and (b) overly sensational local news interviews with slack-jawed yokels who seem to love being on TV.

[overpowered]

That article suggests that they might find video from a home owner's security camera. I hope that they do. In any case, the driver probably does have front end damage and if he goes to a body shop he's toast. He might even get turned in by anyone who sees his vehicle who has seen the reports on the news.

I don't think it's being sensationalized. It's pretty clear from the witness accounts that the driver intentionally ran the guy down.

In other news, the L.A. Metro bus driver caught on video cutting off a bicyclist forcing a dangerous close call and then being belligerent about it is getting news coverage, which is unusual when nobody actually got hurt.

http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2014/06/10/cyclist-demands-answers-from-la-metro-after-altercation-with-bus-driver-over-lane-share/

[George]

I don't think it's being sensationalized.

I was generalizing about how awful local news is, as in how they'll show a cat in a tree in East Timor if there's footage of a crying child available, and it doesn't matter in the slightest to them if it's local or not. They just want to show crime and/or suffering.

I simply loathe local news broadcasts in the USA and that's a big reason why I didn't watch the video. I scrolled through it and saw the usual "ooh, can I be on TV?" locals with a mic stuck in their face and figured I didn't need to hear some plasticy anchor babe or on-the-scene bimbo in a tight dress practically in tears over this poor man's suffering and then a bunch of rednecks jawin' about what they "seen".

My best wishes go out to the victim here, of course.

[overpowered]

They did get video of the vehicle from multiple cameras. No front plate. I'm not sure if the shot of the rear is good enough for a plate.

http://www.decaturish.com/2014/06/apd-releases-video-vehicle-hit-cyclist/

Even if it isn't, they can deduce the model and year of the vehicle and look through registration records for that model/year/color owned by people in the area.

[overpowered]

And another intentional run down in New Mexico.

http://www.kob.com/article/stories/S3472888.shtml

[overpowered]

Cyclist spat on while riding on Northbourne Avenue (http://www.canberratimes.com.au/act-news/cyclist-spat-on-while-riding-on-northbourne-avenue-20140612-zs5d4.html)

[G'day Mate]

Well I gave my new 34:32 ratio its first real test today by going up three 15-20% slopes. Did quite well with it and felt really good afterwards :) I got a 2nd best effort on the third climb, which was bloody good considering where it sat in my ride. After that I set a time only 30 seconds slower than my best (10:51) on a 10km @10% climb and then following that I got a 3rd overall on a short, steep segment :D

Yay for 34:32!!

[Yw-slayer]

Will there ever be a voluntary "I had a good time cycling" post today by OP? Answers on a postcard to...

[George]

Cool rack! I'd love to have one of these so I could haul more when commuting on my road bike, but at $99, it's not going to happen anytime soon. Still, a cool piece of gear, IMO.

http://www.arkel-od.com/us/arkel-randonneur-rack.html


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KHwzeQNrQlo&feature=player_embedded

[G'day Mate]

Why "Share the Road" is gone in Delaware

http://www.bikede.org/2014/04/07/why-share-the-road-is-gone/


Despite its ubiquity and apparent iconic status, it turned out that “Share The Road” is actually an example of common ground between traffic engineers and cycling advocates. We both hated it and for the same reason: its unresolvable ambiguity.

For traffic engineers, with our many years of experience with traffic control devices, “Share The Road” is yet another example of “feel good” signage that placates an interest group but has no safety benefit and adds useless and distracting clutter to the visual landscape.

For cyclists in Delaware (and elsewhere), “Share The Road” had long been interpreted as a sign primarily directed at motorists. Cyclists thought it meant something like “Motorists: be cool.” But for many motorists, “Share The Road” is often interpreted as a sign primarily directed at cyclists and meant something more like “Bicyclists: don’t slow me down.” But we finally realized (after years of pointless yelling back and forth between cyclists and motorists, both yelling “Share The Road” at each other!), that “Share The Road” not only doesn’t help, it actually contributes to conflict and confusion.

[overpowered]

Yep. I have many times been riding in the middle of narrow lanes and had people passing in the next lane yell at me to share the road. I was sharing the road. I just wasn't sharing the lane side by side with cars, which would have been dangerous.

The BMUFL signs are meant to be deployed in the same places for the same reasons but they are much harder to misinterpret, though still easy to ignore, unfortunately.

[overpowered]

Drunk driver stops and gets out to assault bicyclist. Gets TKO'd.

http://tablet.olivesoftware.com/Olive/Tablet/AtlantaJournalConstitution/SharedArticle.aspx?href=AJC%2F2014%2F06%2F15&id=Ar02105

[Tom Servo]

I have yet to meet a driver who believes that the Share the Road sign is meant for cyclists that also believes an absence of that sign means that cyclists *don't* need to share the road.

FWIW, long before I took cycling up again and drove everywhere, not once did I think that sign was meant for cyclists, and I can't imagine how anyone with a half a brain would interpret it that way. It always struck me as being similar to the "Bike Route" signs - ultimately meaningless, but meant to signify that there will be cyclists.

[overpowered]

FWIW, long before I took cycling up again and drove everywhere, not once did I think that sign was meant for cyclists, and I can't imagine how anyone with a half a brain would interpret it that way.Prejudice is blinding.

[George]

Drunk driver stops and gets out to assault bicyclist. Gets TKO'd.

http://tablet.olivesoftware.com/Olive/Tablet/AtlantaJournalConstitution/SharedArticle.aspx?href=AJC%2F2014%2F06%2F15&id=Ar02105

Hey, good for him. But, what kind of jouralism is this? The victim gets his name, age, and picture published, and I assume that's his house in the background, too. But the agressor gets this treatment:


The 33-year-old Atlanta driver, who had a bad enough day without his name being printed here, was arrested and charged with simple battery and DUI. We can hope that he will cultivate a better attitude henceforth.

Print the accused's name! It's a matter of public record if he was charged with a crime. That's shitty journalism.

In other news, I had an enjoyable commute to work this morning. And I'm on the last hole of my belt today - if this keeps up, I'll have to git me some skinnier britches!

[Kchrpm]

Anything you can do I can do better...

http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--eViBASlq--/c_fit,fl_progressive,q_80,w_636/772040564854647330.gif

I can do anything better than you!


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oQtudJ3cxvg

[overpowered]

In the first one, splitting lanes is generally bad, both for bicycles and for scooter riders. It looks like the scooter rider decided that there wasn't enough space for the scooter and stopped and the idiot behind was surprised by that. Stupid. If you've just got to split lanes in grid lock, you have to pick your way through slowly or shit like that can and sometimes does happen.

In the second, WTF was an SUV doing on a ped/bike path? This actually has happened to me with both maintenance and police vehicles and I stopped. Not smart to try to thread the needle at speed.

Meanwhile, in Ireland, another road raging motorist threatens bicyclists only to find out that they are both off duty cops:

http://www.stickybottle.com/latest-news/driver-who-abused-and-threatened-to-run-over-cyclists-did-not-know-riders-were-off-duty-gardai/

[overpowered]

Hey, good for him. But, what kind of jouralism is this? The victim gets his name, age, and picture published, and I assume that's his house in the background, too. But the agressor gets this treatment:

Print the accused's name! It's a matter of public record if he was charged with a crime. That's shitty journalism.Yep. It's an extremely biased article, in spite of the fact that the accused was driving drunk, passed close, stopped and got out of his pickup to assault a bicyclist.

[Cam]

I was wearing a Canada jersey while riding to school today. A truck passed and one of the occupants cheered, "USA! USA! USA!" :lol:

[George]

http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--eViBASlq--/c_fit,fl_progressive,q_80,w_636/772040564854647330.gif

What this video needs is to have a 300-pound muscle-dude unfold himself from that little car and start giving that cyclist a pro-wrestling-style beatdown for crashing into his sweet whip. :lol:

[G'day Mate]

It'd make a good "fus ro dah"

[Freude am Fahren]

I saw that vid. I do wonder if the scooter pulled in front of him without looking. But still, don't just ride away, asshat.


I haven't ridden my bike in at least 5 months :(

[George]

If you could arrange that you had another bottle cage in addition to the pump, someone used to make bottle-shaped toolkits to go there. Or you could fake the same idea with something home-made. (E.g. perhaps use an actual old water bottle).

Advice taken. I found a bottle-shaped stash box designed to fit in a bottle cage at R.E.I. (big-box retail sporting goods store). I had thought about using an opaque bottle to carry things but an eyeglass case won't fit in most bottle openings and that's a must-bring for me if I'm riding to work. On weekend fun rides I get by with presription sunglasses only but not at work.

The black door flips open wide and allows me to stuff in an eyeglasses case, garage door opener, ID badge for work, and keys. The underseat bag has a slot for drivers licence, credit card, folded cash, etc., so this should let me carry everything I need for weekend fun rides and commuting on days when I can travel light.

I brought it along for the ride yesterday and today. It's empty but hasn't moved at all and I jump curbs and take fast bumpy gravel paths on this bike. I noticed the indentation in the back would be more useful with an old-school metal cage than the more modern/deviant design I had on there. It clips in really well with this style of cage.

It was $12 at R.E.I. I hope it will last.

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a284/craigslistuser/DSC03828_zps6f6d4cca.jpg

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a284/craigslistuser/DSC03829_zps507c070d.jpg

[overpowered]

Remember this guy:


Piedmont man charged after viral video threatening cyclists (http://www.annistonstar.com/news/article_752b90ae-e203-11e3-beed-001a4bcf887a.html)

He got a plea deal:

http://www.myfoxal.com/story/25800088/man-who-posted-anti-cyclist-videos-pleads-guilty-to-reckless-endangerment

[George]

Well, I knew things were too good to last with my bike situation and the relatively small amounts of money I've spent on the cycling hobby in the last year or so.

Riding home last night and not doing anything out of the ordinary, I felt a wobble and looked down to see my rear tire was really flat - so flat that it was wobbling all around the wheel, it looked like.

I was amazingly near a bench under a shade tree at the time and prepared to patch or change the tube. I was very surprised to find the tire was as full of air as possible but my rear wheel is what I believe the hip and cool bikers call "tacoed", or is that "taco'd"? It got me home, slowly, but its bent like, well, maybe not a taco shell, but more like a potato chip, perhaps?

Here's the strange thing - none of the spokes seemed loose or bent or missing. I slowly "strummed" them with my fingers on both sides of the wheel and they all sounded pretty much "in tune" to me. I have no idea how a wheel can go so very out-of-round without warning but I do remember the LBS tech telling me "that rear wheel is as good as it's going to get" after he tried to true it last fall after changing my chain and cassette.

Looks like I'll be wheel shopping and I guess I'll learn how to swap cassettes, too, since this one is still fairly new. I need a small job like this to get started working on bikes and gain some confidence with bike tools in hand.

[FaultyMario]

can be fixed. hammer, new spokes and a crafty dude.

[overpowered]

Comparative energy efficiency of different transport modes:

http://wisconsinbikefed.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/efficeincy.gif

http://wisconsinbikefed.org/2014/06/11/the-bicycle-is-the-most-efficient-machine-on-earth/

[Kchrpm]

What about those big multiperson bikes?

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_uYEzNTkzfYc/TI_9kvtHIoI/AAAAAAAAAMY/Fb0AOYjCQUE/s1600/pedaltavern-4.jpg

[George]

^ I've never seen one of those. They must be fast with all those people pedaling.

Comparative efficiency was really obvious to me today, riding the road bike to work while Ol' Wobbly Wheel hangs in shame from the garage ceiling.

That thing rolls so smoothly and quickly that it seems like it almost coasts up hills.

[George]

can be fixed. hammer, new spokes and a crafty dude.

Maybe. But what about these, or similar, rather than buying new or trying to get a guy to salvage what I assume is a 20+ year-old wheel?

LX , WTB Speed Master Rim Wheelset w/Tires. Mint Condition - $100 (http://denver.craigslist.org/bik/4526748557.html)

http://images.craigslist.org/00h0h_8ACYHnDW8Ty_600x450.jpg

Buying a used pair would also let me have one front wheel with a street tire and one with a dirt tire, so I'd only have to change one tire instead of two if I feel the need for knobbies now and then.

I'm not doing (buying) anything just yet , but I'm reading and learning about wheels.

[G'day Mate]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QE97iUvSHk0

[overpowered]

Truck driver does ‘rollin’ coal’ on riders, and one of them is a bike cop (http://bikeportland.org/2014/06/20/truck-driver-rollin-coal-riders-one-bike-cop-107657)

[FaultyMario]

Just the LX hubs ought to be like 50 bucks. 50 for the rest seems more than ok. try to see if seller will let go for less. WTB stuff are teh ace. And tires seem to have some life on them.

If you can pay less than $100 it'd be stellar. If not, it wouldn't be at all bad. Just make sure you keep your wheels trued. If it was the stock wheel that got taco'd... not a big loss. These, well, keep an eye on their maintenance, make sure you keep them true and the bearings well greased. I think your taco was a combination of your large frame (I'm under the impression you're near 100 kg), the heavier load (cheapo bike and stuff you carry) and neglect.

[Cam]

I did a rollin' coal on a cop once too. :o Way back, I had a '83 VW Rabbit Diesel. It only had 52 hp, so it slowed down going up hills on the highway and would blow black smoke if I put my foot to the floor. I was cruising on the highway at night and a car starts tailgating me. I'm going up a hill, so I gear down, tromp on it and give 'em some smoke, hoping they would either pass or back off. Turns out it was a police car. He turns on his lights and pulls me over. I got a warning for going 100 in an 80 zone. He didn't mention the smoke screen I gave him. Heh.

[overpowered]

In 1983, almost any diesel would do that. These days, I think you have to mod things to make it do that, but it seems to be a popular mod with stupid rednecks.

[overpowered]

An Americanized Dutch intersection (http://john-s-allen.com/blog/?p=6268)

[SportWagon]

op: Monday Wednesday Friday Sunday ? = 200 miles

[George]

Apparently it's Bike To Work day in Denver. I realized that as I passed a crowded breakfast and bike tuning station on a busy intersection of bike trails this morning at about 6:45 AM. They had a tent set up and a bike repair stand and someone was working on a bike. There were several people with bikes hanging out and talking.

Had I known, I could have wobbled up on my MTB and see if the dude could true my wheel!

Being on the road bike today (fourth day in a row getting to work FAST on it), I of course stuck up my nose and rode past and gave them a glare, as if to say, "what are all you once-a-year wannabees doing on my trail?! :D

There are a lot of stations around town. Maybe I'll stop by one and chat this afternoon. Some are listed as "bike parties" - I can only imagine what those folks are doing on the way to/from work... in Colorado. :lol:

http://biketowork2014.org/stations


When does Colorado celebrate Bike to Work Day? And why is it different than the national day?

Most of the country celebrates Bike to Work Day in May, but due to Colorado’s mountain communities and unpredictable weather, the state legislature declared June as Colorado Bike Month, with the fourth Wednesday of the month being Bike to Work Day.

[SportWagon]

How steep is this climb which I measured yesterday using GPS in my phone in my car?

A sign just before the preceding corner says 14%.

I've now added two others from the older GPS which finds fewer satellites. It confirms the sign overall, but also confirms the perception that there is one short very steep section to be tackled within it. The long taper to the very top matches the feel of the ride, too. "Wow, I've finished the steep part, and now just need to pedal uphill slightly".

[G'day Mate]

Is this it?

http://www.strava.com/segments/749391

Looks like 15% is accurate. That's bloody steep, so good thing it's only 150m!

Incidentally, the way your hill tapers from 15% down to 5% kinda reminds me of how one of my favourites goes from 10-12% down to 7% in one 300m section, and it just about feels flat! Well, not quite, but it's certainly a much needed relief about two thirds of the way up a 2.5 km, 10% average climb.

And then there's Sheoak road ... http://www.strava.com/segments/830092

[SportWagon]

Good strava searching. I just made these strava screen shots too.

Note how they say 6% overall, which I guess might be correct but feels like a meaningless statistic. And their new inline profile is even more ludicrous. I think that, until recently, the profile shown on the segment page was similar, too. I think the climb is also momentarily steeper than 15% for a very few meters. Perhaps as much as 20% for about 5 meters. They used to grade hills strangely back in those days.

[G'day Mate]

You could make a segment from just the steepest bit since you've ridden it before

[overpowered]

https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xpf1/t1.0-9/10432482_679563475457937_6924194128446981822_n.jpg

[SportWagon]

G'day has only a couple of days left to complete his strava challenge to cycle a 130km day. strava says the route should be new for you ("an adventure"). I wonder if they actually check that you have a large percentage of first-time segments?

The hill segment is about right. People from around here know what it's like even if strava presentations sometimes mislead. And when segments are too short, GPS error can become significant.

[G'day Mate]

Yeah, and it's going to be pouring with rain so I've basically got no chance of completing that one :( I didn't quite complete the March gran fondo either, but for some reason that one was 160kms while the others have been 130 and I did do a 130+km ride that month.

Check it out though ...

http://i375.photobucket.com/albums/oo193/insaneogram81/weather.jpg

:(

It doesn't often rain here - especially not for a full day - but in the last few weeks I've had no chance to do any more than a quick blast up a few hills.

[Cam]

You going to let some rain stop you, poofter? :P

[G'day Mate]

:p

[G'day Mate]

Is anyone interested in a TDF fantasy league?

http://www.velogames.com/tour-de-france/2014/

[G'day Mate]

Grrr, I can't believe this ad is back on TV:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J8lZT-L1ARo

Time to write a letter ...


Dear nice motor accident commission representative who has nothing to do with my actual complaint but must deal with all everything that comes through - please forward the following to those involved in the relevant parts of your "Lose Your License and You're Screwed" campaign ...

I just saw an ad on YouTube depicting two young men on a bicycle who had presumably lost their licenses to drive and had no other means of transport. I am a cyclist and motorist myself and consider my bike my primary means of transport, and while ordinarily I have a very good sense of humor I think that this ad helps perpetuate negative attitudes towards cycling. Of all the activities in which I partake - absolutely everything you can think of in day-to-day life - cycling is the only one for I get abused for simply for doing it. I am shown very little respect, regularly get shouted at, have things thrown at me and have to deal with impatience beyond belief by people who seem to think that their precious few seconds are worth more than the entire rest of my life. Your ad does nothing but reinforce the negative stereotype that cyclists are second class citizens, are lucky to be allowed on the roads and that we should be rightly looked down upon. I could use all sorts of colourful language to describe how I feel at this point, but I'll just leave it at "shame on you". You are supposed to be an organisation which aims to reduce road trauma.

If needed I can be contacted on my mobile phone - xxxx xxx xxx.

Incidentally, I really like your ad directed towards motorcyclist, teaching them to treat all intersections as black spots. I'm sure you are aware of CASR's fairly recent report on cycling accidents - it would be great if you had a similar sort of "don't take things for granted" campaign aimed at both motorists (who may not have looked well enough for a bicycle) and cyclists (who may be not be aware of dangerous situations).

Kind regards,
David

[FaultyMario]

Nailed it.

[overpowered]

One of the things that comes up a lot when people argue that bicyclists must ride far right all the time is that it's just "common sense".

Here's an interesting take on that from Gary Cziko of Cycling Savvy:


COMMON SENSE

1. Objects move only as long as they are pushed (but see Galileo and Newton).
2. Heavier objects fall faster than lighter ones (but see Galileo, Newton and Einstein).
3. The earth is the center of the universe (but see Copernicus and Galileo).
4. Maggots can spontaneous generate out of dead flesh (but see Pasteur).
5. All of earth's living organisms were created by God in the form in which they currently exist (but see Darwin and Wallace).
6. The observed length of an object is independent of its velocity (but see Einstein).
7. The passage of time is independent of an observer's velocity (but see Einstein).
8. Earth's land masses are stationary (but see Wegener).
9. Animal and human behavior is controlled by stimuli (but see W. T. Powers).
10. Cyclists are safer riding on the edge of roadways or on highway shoulders or sidepaths (but see Cyclists Are Drivers!, I Am Traffic and CyclingSavvy).

[overpowered]

Cycling Savvy in Santa Ana, CA in July.

I think KillerB is still near there. Tom Servo's in driving distance, assuming he's back by then.

https://register.cyclingsavvy.org/coursebystate?state=CA

It's a good class. I took it with Gary Cziko who is also teaching this one as well as Keri Caffrey, who co-founded Cycling Savvy. There are three parts. The first is classroom. The second is bike handling skills and the third is demonstrating/practicing the techniques on the road. They do a weird thing with the fees. They charge 30 "credits" for each of the three parts. You can buy 90 credits to use for all three parts for $75 or you can buy 30 credits at a time at $30 for 30 credits. Very weird. Not sure why they do it like that.

[G'day Mate]

What do they call "bike handling skills"? How to start, stop and steer obviously ... anything else?

[Random]

Backflips! Massive airs!

[overpowered]

Things like stopping at a stop sign without putting your foot down, looking back to check traffic while maintaining your line, emergency turns, quick shifting etc.

The class is largely oriented towards beginners and people who are afraid to ride in traffic, but even experienced riders will find that they learn some good stuff.

It is vehicular cycling but most people who know both seem to think it's better than the League of American Bicyclists' class.

[Yw-slayer]

SICK LINES, BRO

[G'day Mate]

Things like stopping at a stop sign without putting your foot down

Over here that doesn't actually count as stopping. We are required to put our foot on the ground, although I don't think anyone actually knows that rule

[SportWagon]

This week, your mission, should you decide to accept it, is to determine where I doubled back to pick up my dropped water bottle on my Sunday June 29 ride. Bonus points for spotting where I got lost on my destruction diversion through suburbs early in the ride.

Hmm. Bridge crossing protocol on a bridge which is less than two lanes wide. Cam may recall that Lori got a gesture of appreciation from a buggy driver for waiting completely until the buggy crossed although Cam and I had snuck past across the covered bridge, in the opposite direction to the buggy, possibly frightening the horses slightly.

Oh well. Last Sunday I waited because I heard a buggy coming towards me. After it had exited the bridge, I gingerly rode up to see what was following. Visible about 6 full buggy lengths from the opposite side of the bridge was a two-horsepower wagon with cart-horses, as opposed to the usual retired sulky racers which pull most of the buggies. It wasn't on the bridge yet, so I rode onto the bridge, clearly down the middle, and was about two-thirds across when the wagon reached the bridge and just proceeded onto it. Oh well, the horses seemed calm and really there was plenty of room, although the bridge is really only as wide as one car lane. And I really was mostly across when they entered. And bringing two large horses to a stop and restarting them cleanly must be difficult. Though they seem to manage it for most stop signs.

The previous weekend a motorcycle had actually waited for me at the point the wagon entered the bridge. I had been aware he was coming, and made a deliberate wide turn on entry to make sure I was visible. So perhaps he wondered whether I could hold myself to the side. More likely he was just enjoying the scenery and ambiance. He didn't appear to be disgruntled. Waiting like that is rare though, especially for motorcycles. And cars will even start towards me onto the bridge sometimes while I'm on it. There's just about room.

There's another one-lane bridge, with 20km/hr marked speed limit, where cars only very occasionally wait if I'm on the bridge. Which of course has the unfortunate effect that I don't tend to wait for cars to fully exit either. It's actually marked both ends "yield to oncoming traffic". I drove down onto it the other week in my car, and had another car keep coming towards me. I'm sure I was on first. But after I backed up to give way, and then was allowed to cross by the next car, I realized there was a bit of a build-up of cars trying to cross. At least two more waiting, maybe three.

Bah. Cars and driveways. Towards the end of a quick mid-morning ride on Monday I turned downhill into a quiet suburban neighbourhood. The wind then removed a lot of my momentum, but I began pushing against it, and with mirror and stuff I determined a car I had seen waiting had made its left turn and was following me. Almost two lanes each side unmarked, so I rode smoothly near the right, intending to build up some speed. But the car went by on my left and turned across me into a driveway about three houses or less in front of me. Close enough that it startled me and made me slow briefly, although not really close enough that an emergency procedure had been needed. Close enough that if I had have been driving the car I would have waited behind to avoid the possible collision. Looked like a couple slightly older than I am, with the man driving.

Oh well, at least this is the exception rather than the rule around here. But something that bike lanes can make worse.

Officially need a foot down here for a stop, too. On bicycles or motorcycles. So it's good to keep an eye out for police cars (or bicycles) parked near 4-way stop-signs.

Oh yes. My Monday ride did not upload properly from the strava app. So I'd recorded another version with GPSLogger, and uploaded that. Sometime later, in the background, the strava version finally got successfully uploaded. So, before I corrected it, strava showed that I'd been on a group ride with myself! And listed double my correct mileage. Interesting thing was some of the segment times differed by a second too! I chose to keep the strava version, since it claimed slightly less moving time, and significantly more elevation change. (Where "significant" is only relative to very small). Also, strava showed only 1 second difference between my two faster laps (separated by a resting lap). GPSLogger showed 2 seconds difference. Sigh. I am getting old, though.

[George]

Just spent a great long weekend in Steamboat Springs, Colorado with my family. What an awesome cycling town! Bikes were EVERYWHERE. Mountain bikes made up at least 90% of the bikes I saw, as there are great trails right next to town. Helmets were few, as were locks.

A few bicycle-related (and some not) pictures are below.



Fit mountain bike babes on the sidewalk! Somebody call da PO-lice to apprehend these scofflaws!

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a284/craigslistuser/DSC03898_zps211978a2.jpg

One of a few local bike stores we passed. This looks like the kind of bike shop pl8ster would own. :)

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a284/craigslistuser/DSC03899_zpsb906967b.jpg

Bikes make sense in a small town where the parking lots are always full, like the one below. Note trails leading up the mountain behind the corrals. You can also see a little bit of the ski mountain in the background. There's a whole lot more of it higher up that you can't see from here.

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a284/craigslistuser/DSC03883_zpsff2f5599.jpg

This LBS advertises being open year-round, which is impressive considering Steamboat averages 347 inches of snowfall annually. (source (http://www.steamboat.com/the-mountain/mountain-stats.aspx))

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a284/craigslistuser/DSC03900_zpsfb3af2ce.jpg
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a284/craigslistuser/DSC03901_zpsc9897d74.jpg

On the way home yesterday, I passed a guy on a bike heading up to the Berthoud Pass on US Route 40. The back of his green and white jersey read "Try Harder".

Later, as I was taking a picture of my family, guess who rode up? He was riding what looked like a lugged steel frame bike with metal fenders, a Brooks or similar saddle, and a Carradice or similar handlebar bag.

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a284/craigslistuser/DSC03927_zpsf22f3219.jpg

The town of Winter Park below is about 9000' above sea level, and there's nothing between there and here, so he had just pedaled up over 2000' of windy mountain road that looks like this - and maybe more if he came from farther away or the other direction initially.

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a284/craigslistuser/DSC03916_zps6ea875b4.jpg


And, yes, that is snow behind the sign, and good snow, too, if little dirty. My kids and I had fun throwing snowballs in June.

And then this guy showed up, explaining that he skis in every month of the year, no matter how badly in the summer months, and just realized it was the last day of June and he'd better do a little skiing to keep his monthly record alive.

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a284/craigslistuser/DSC03938_zpsa5508b67.jpg

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a284/craigslistuser/DSC03939_zpsd4325409.jpg

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a284/craigslistuser/DSC03940_zps0fa1b999.jpg

And then he took off his skis and boots, put on his sandals, and drove away. :)

And the sign said "WARNING - Back Country Skiers - Avalanche Blasting At Any Time Using Long Range Weaponry" :rawk:

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a284/craigslistuser/DSC03942_zps18b1b90f.jpg

[overpowered]

(League of American Bicyclists) Joining the Chorus of Ignorance (http://iamtraffic.org/news-views/joining-the-chorus-of-ignorance/)

[overpowered]

American Bicycling Education Association

http://abea.bike/

[overpowered]

I was trying to think of other bike riders on this board from SoCal and remembered Villiage Idiot was in L.A. He doesn't seem to be registered on this board, at least under that handle. Did he change to another name or did he leave us?

[Cam]

I thought neanderthal = village idiot.

[overpowered]

I guess that would explain that.

[Dicknose]

Over here that doesn't actually count as stopping. We are required to put our foot on the ground, although I don't think anyone actually knows that rule

I haven't seen that rule.
Just tried searching the road rules and couldn't find it.
Got a reference? (NSW rules are modified from the Australian rules that was suppose to bring us all into line)

[SportWagon]

Who is the latest strava club member? (And now there are nine!)

[George]

I just logged into Strava for the first time in ages. Without a smart phone and a "modern" browser, it's not only useless but also apparently impossible for me to play along. I can't even find the button I used to click on for manual entries. But that's okay - I rode my bike to work today instead of sitting on my fat behind in a car, and that's what counts.


It looks like you're using a version of Internet Explorer that Strava no longer supports. Please upgrade your web browser.

I like the newest member's avatar. :):up:

http://dgalywyr863hv.cloudfront.net/pictures/athletes/6812/490473/1/large.jpg

[Yw-slayer]

Mekon, I think. Haven't logged in to check.

[Dicknose]

Watched a doc on Lance Armstrong - damn its not a pretty story.
It especially emphasised how he tried to crush those who accused him, including people people who definitely knew (and of cause he knew they knew!)
Friends, team mates, people on the crew - he ruined careers.

[overpowered]

I haven't seen that rule.
Just tried searching the road rules and couldn't find it.
Got a reference? (NSW rules are modified from the Australian rules that was suppose to bring us all into line)A lot of people think that's the rule here. It isn't.

[G'day Mate]

Hmmm, perhaps I'm wrong on this stopping one. I don't think I've ever seen it written myself, but I thought there was something about the way you ride which implied that you must be stable when you stop ... or something. Perhaps I believed someone else's misconception this time - usually I read it all myself.

[Yw-slayer]

It's hard for me to think of a rule more stupid than one requiring that you put your foot on the ground in order to come to "a stop".

[Cam]

Just sold the Batavus.

[Tom Servo]

Just came back a few days ago from a two week trip to Norway and Sweden. Was lucky enough to stay with a cousin who had a couple of Trek road bikes in Norway, then take advantage of the bike share in Stockholm.

It's amazing how different drivers are there. Not everyone is perfect, but the overall experience was so much better than what I'm used to. My cousin lives in this little town in Norway that sits on the main highway between Bergen and Trondheim. There's a route that he takes that I rode a few times around a lake near their house, and part of it is on a main highway through there, and the only route through that part of the country. It's somewhat narrow most of the time, two oncoming cars only have a foot or two of extra space when passing. Not only did drivers generally a) slow down and b) give us tons of room when passing, we had a guy in a Chevy Silverado (which is pretty unusual itself in Norway), and he actually slowed up behind us to wait until we were around a corner with low visibility before passing. Saw lots of touring cyclists throughout the country, looked like a great place to go ride.

In Stockholm, we managed to get around the city the entire time using either trains, bikes, or walking, and it worked just fine. We got a 3-day pass for the City Bikes bike share and used it a ton, it was a great way to get around the city. Lots of infrastructure, though you could tell how it was adapted from the current street design - bike lanes would be on the street, then suddenly hop up onto the sidewalk where part of the sidewalk was designated as a bike lane, then hop right back down onto the street again (shockingly, pedestrians pretty much kept to the non-bike lane part of the sidewalk and cyclists kept to the bike lane part, unlike here). Sometimes there were protected bike lanes that would just end, then suddenly appear again. On the plus side, when there was construction they almost never just got rid of the bike lanes, instead they'd take away normal lanes and set up concrete barriers to keep a protected bike lane there.

I didn't see a single stop sign in the city, a few roundabouts, and a fair bit of traffic lights compared to other cities I'd been in on the trip. Many intersections were uncontrolled, just very conspicuous crosswalk markings. What was interesting is that with all that and the way the streets rarely flowed with just straight lanes for a while is that nobody every really got going very fast. Traffic flowed, but at probably about 20-30mph, and never at a single speed for very long. Drivers never seemed to mind having to slow up for a cyclist or pedestrians, it was just part of driving there. Also, basically no pedestrians or cyclists pay attention to traffic lights beyond treating them as yield signs. If no cars were coming, absolutely nobody bothered to wait for the green. Drivers did, but nobody else. It worked just fine.

Now that I'm back, went for a ride on the Roubaix down to Santa Monica where, surprise surprise, it's making another weird noise. Sounds like something's wrong with the rear wheel. I love that bike, but goddamn, it's like every month it finds some new obnoxious sound to make that I have to go diagnose, and this one it developed while just sitting in the garage, not even while being ridden.

[G'day Mate]

I saw one of your Strava activities from Norway and dropped Map-man in a few places to see what you were looking at. Very nice indeed! Having been wet here lately I haven't been for a decent ride in a while, so I was extra jealous.

[Tom Servo]

I'll post some pictures maybe today or tomorrow that I took from the rides...I'm just still all jet lagged and tired, so I haven't bothered to actually transfer the pics onto the computer.

[SportWagon]

Well, I think other people have mentioned it. But I found the strave "Export to GPX" option for one of my activities. If you're viewing one of your own activities, it's on a menu brought up by clicking the little "wrench". (I actually used Google to tell me that).

You see, when I first recorded and uploaded
http://www.strava.com/activities/161470720
it showed a couple of "GPS zingers"; flying saucer rides a few kilometers off my actual track. It upped the distance from 48.1km to 72km, giving me a moving average of almost 30km/hr, for an evening of a ride out to an event, pre-event diddling, the 14km event, then post-event diddling, and riding home.

So I quickly set the event to "private" until I could deal with it. I used the option to download the GPX, and used
http://sourceforge.net/projects/prune-gps/ ( https://apps.ubuntu.com/cat/applications/gpsprune/ ) to view and examine it.

Using gpsprune to view the invalid points, and "vi" to remove them, I gradually got a cleaned up version. At some point I verified that it would upload back to strava, and stay in my activity list along with the private version. Mildly surprising, but it reassured me that I could fix things properly. Quite likely I could use gpsprune alone to produce a clean version, but then I think the XML header would say it was produced by gpsprune, which strava might view with suspicion?

So first I uploaded a completely cleaned-up version, then deleted the private version. A problem with that was my PR didn't show up as such, because strava somehow remembered that the private event time had been there.

So...
I deleted the clean version as well, and then re-uploaded it. And then my PR showed up correctly.

In addition to the zingers, there seems to be a little bit of GPS drop-out towards the extreme end of the route; that might be because you ride through some woods at that time? The GPS problems seemed to perhaps be the result of standing still? Or can several GPSes near one another interfere with each other? If that's the case, groups rides should often have problems.

The GPS Logger version on my main phone was slightly even more noisy than the Strava version, and what I did turned out to be easy. Strangely, GPS Logger almost totally malfunctioned on my secondary phone; recording a GPX file of only two points!

The clean version gives an average of 20.5km/hr. My computer said 45.7km at 22.9km/hr, but I had disconnected it for some of the more extremely slow puttering around.

P.S. The Time Trial itself went badly but was a useful diagnostic tool. Well, actually it went all right, but my results were bad.

[overpowered]

Surrey road race hit by drawing pin attack (http://road.cc/content/news/122717-surrey-road-race-hit-drawing-pin-attack)

[SportWagon]

I like the newest member's avatar. :):up:

http://dgalywyr863hv.cloudfront.net/pictures/athletes/6812/490473/1/large.jpg

Reminds me of a T-shirt my wife got me with a picture similar to one of those on...

http://urkaicommunity.wordpress.com/tag/eric-jewell/

(needs a sidecar...)


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oUbMXiGrCcQ

[overpowered]

I think Cav was primarily (though maybe not solely) at fault for that crash. Still I was sad to see that. It would have been nice to see him get yellow for a stage.

Nice to see Jens in polka-dots. Great effort. Trek doesn't have a decent contender for the major prizes so it's all about getting stage wins or other odd things like getting polka dots for a while for them. I wonder if Jens has enough left to get into the breakaway again tomorrow. If yes, then maybe he can hang on to the polka dots for a while.

[Tom Servo]

Cav has basically admitted that he was at fault, from what I gather.

Some pics from the ride:

681682683684685686687688689690

[Tom Servo]

Oh, also of great fun was that my cousin's husband's bike was a 52cm Trek. I normally ride a 58. Then, when my wife tried to ride my cousin's, it was too aggressive for her (my wife has some rods fused to her spine, so bending over that far can be tough). So, she rode the 52cm and I rode a 50cm. Felt like Cavendish.

[Yw-slayer]

Nice, cycling abroad is always a real eye opener.

[G'day Mate]

I thought it was Cavendish's fault, but I'm biased in favour of Gerrans of course. To me it looked like Cavendish was leaning very, very hard on his fellow competitor.

Did you guys have a look at that video I posted earlier from Giant Shimano? Here's another ...


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5btlMxCpfSY

[Tom Servo]

Well, looks like I found the source of the new noise on the Roubaix. I took the rear wheel off and threw my wife's on, no noise. Took a closer look at the wheel and realized there are hairline cracks forming around a couple of the spoke nipples. Looking online, this actually appears to be a somewhat common problem with rear Ksyrium rims. Guess I'll be buying some new wheels coming up here...

[Cam]

Bummer, but hey, new wheels! :)

[Tom Servo]

Anybody have any recommendations? I basically just spent tons of money going to scandinavia, so I'd prefer something a bit on the cheaper side.

[overpowered]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FPA-ZcYGT94

[SportWagon]

Anybody have any recommendations? I basically just spent tons of money going to scandinavia, so I'd prefer something a bit on the cheaper side.Well, it might work out cheaper with the cheapest reasonable rims and new spokes, depending on what they'll charge for an actual wheel-build where you are. Obviously the rims are defective (or possibly sensitive to something in the build process, which would awkwardly mean it was the builder's fault). Broken that way, they can't be fixed. Is there an applicable warranty or recall plan?

[Tom Servo]

Pretty sure a new rear Ksyrium Equipe S wheel to replace it would run around $280, Mavic wants $250 to put a new rim on the existing hubs and spokes, I'd be surprised if I could find someone to essentially build a new wheel except for the hub for much less than that.

As mentioned, it looks like this is not exactly an uncommon issue with the Ksyrium rims, a quick google search turned up tons of people complaining about the same issue. Wish I'd seen that before I bought 'em...

There is a warranty, but it was a one-year warranty. The rims are about 1 1/2 years old.

[Cam]

Boooo. :(

[George]

This is the rear wheel my LBS installed on the Allez. They charged me $75 for it. So far, so good...but I figure I've ridden less than 200 miles so it's probably too soon to tell.

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a284/craigslistuser/Picture1472_zpse86976df.jpg

P.S. That's an $11 tire from Performance Bike. AWESOME VALUE!

[Tom Servo]

That's definitely an option. I'm also considering seeing if I can find out what hub I should put on my old Specialized wheels that came with the bike, that's the only thing that really went wrong with it, the hub was shot. Then again, I should look to see if it's the hub or the freehub - the freehub is a hell of a lot easier to replace.

I'm debating the Fulcrum Racing 5's, they're comparable in price to the Ksyriums (actually a bit cheaper), but no idea if they're any good.

[Tom Servo]

Oh, speaking of, now that it's a good five or so weeks later and my LBS still hasn't gotten ahold of a chainring for the Surly, I'm thinking it's time to just cancel the order and get it online. I want to support my LBS, I really do, but goddamn do they suck.

[George]

Five weeks for a standard part? Good grief - did they order it from a catalog via a letter in a mail sack in a stagecoach headed east?

I've been looking on CL for a new rear wheel for my MTB. I probably should have bought that set that included tires for $100 when I saw it because it seems like rear 26" wheels aren't exactly common on CL, unlike all the 700/29er wheels I see.

Surely something I can use, like this minus the disc, will show up soon. Looks like I'll be learning how to change a cassette and buying whatever tools that requires.

26inch rear disc only wheel. like new - $25 (http://denver.craigslist.org/bik/4556051600.html)

http://images.craigslist.org/00f0f_4NTBlQkPLfb_600x450.jpg

[Tom Servo]

In the interest of keeping costs reasonable, I ended up going for the Fulcrum Racing 5s. $280 shipped for the set, which is just barely what it would have cost to replace the single Ksyrium. I also only found a couple of threads of people complaining about cracks in them vs. the many threads about the Ksyriums. They won't be as nice, but they will be functional until I feel a little more comfortable spending more money.

[George]

Congrats.

Do wheels arrive true or do you have a truing stand and do your own work? Anyone? Is wheel truing as easy as tuning a guitar, or is it more on par with tuning a piano (time consuming, frustrating, etc.)?

I just discovered this while looking for a 26" rear wheel - there are probably tons of sites like this but I've yet to see such a wide range of wheels in one place online:

http://www.niagaracycle.com/categories/wheels/wheels/26/26-x-1-5

I'm thinking 26" x 1.5" is what I need but I'll measure to be sure.


Did you guys have a look at that video I posted earlier from Giant Shimano? Here's another ...

Yes, I did, and was surprised at how much pushing and shoving goes on during races. I suppose I've never really thought about it but I guess I'm surprised that shoving is apparently allowed. Some of it did seem more safety-related than pushing off someone to gain an advantage.

[overpowered]

Tomorrow's stage will be interesting. It will be a day for the Paris-Roubaix type of riders.

[George]

Spotted on craigslist...

Ventana Full Suspension Tandem - $3900 (http://denver.craigslist.org/bik/4558550555.html)

http://images.craigslist.org/01212_idiyCh3jHix_600x450.jpg

[overpowered]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rt6Mro4vjBs

http://road.cc/content/news/123160-video-whats-it-be-hit-head-car-its

[Yw-slayer]

I've decided not to watch any such videos or read such articles first thing in the morning. It ruins the rest of my day.

[Tom Servo]

Congrats.

Do wheels arrive true or do you have a truing stand and do your own work? Anyone? Is wheel truing as easy as tuning a guitar, or is it more on par with tuning a piano (time consuming, frustrating, etc.)?

My wheels have arrived true so far, but they've both been Mavic Ksyriums. I think they generally are true when they show up. Truing isn't super hard if you have the right tools, but it is a little bit of a dark art. It's tougher than tuning a guitar, but it's easier than doing the whole intonation/action/tuning magic act.

[Yw-slayer]

It's one thing I definitely leave to the bike shop.

[G'day Mate]

No Froome. I guess the winner of Froome vs. Wiggins is Porte?

[overpowered]

Yeah, but I don't think he's quite got it to take yellow in Paris. It was stupid to leave Wiggins at home for this exact reason. If he was there they would still have a very serious contender.

[SportWagon]

I must be fairly severely addicted to coffee/caffeine or something.

Oh boy. Last Sunday, I done all the preps for a ride; pumped up tires, packed cycling wallet and put it in jersey pocket, and reset cell phones. I didn't get to bed early, but reasonably on-time. I woke myself up after about eight hours sleep, some time after 6:00am, and wanted to check DVR, and at that time I did more preps. Moved bicycle to garage, and filled and fitted both water bottles. I even changed out of my pyjamas into house shorts, plus my under-jersey T-shirt.

But I had real problem deciding what to eat. And I felt tired. So I went for a couple more hours sleep, and actually slept. Watched a little Tour de France, and actually still felt tired and slept a couple hours more. Got up, and pretty much same thing; more sleep. That got me to noon and I just felt too depressed to go out in the hot windy weather. The day before, Saturday, I'd not found the energy to do even a quick pre-shopping bicycle ride either. On Friday I'd cur the back lawn, which meant that wasn't a concern. Thursday had been my somewhat depressing Time Trial ride.

I just felt too depressed to go out bicycling. So it became a zero mileage weekend with no real excuse. Did, however, catch up a bit on cleaning up my DVR, producing a couple of old TdF DVDs. Oh, and one with video games too. :)

One problem was I was finally returning full-time to work the next day, after a month of mostly vacation. (One day work weeks can be reasonably great).

So, in the back of my mind I needed to make sure I got out for some early morning rides in the coming week, if only to review the routine.

Monday morning very rainy. Rain predicted for Tuesday, but didn't really materialize, so I walked to work for the fist time in a month or so. And then discovered sprinklers at work on the floor above had caused flooding in my office, severely disrupting things. Though my main workstation still worked, but has yet to be completely redeployed. So that afternoon I treat myself to a second coffee because of the stress, and assume I probably won't get out for cycling Wednesday morning either. So Tuesday evening I stay up a little late, well after 11pm, with more DVD production. I didn't do any preps for a ride on Wednesday morning. Earlier in the week they'd predicted rain Wednesday morning, anyway.

So, it's around 5am Wednesday morning, perhaps even earlier, and I have slept well, and think I'll get up and set up my laptop for DVD copy, plus my usual pre-work checkin. As I'm doing all this, I realize I actually do have the energy to go out for a short ride. I set 6:30am as a target, and finish the DVD copy, and set up my login to work, although it's too early to do all that I usually do.

Need to do evening prep as well as morning prep. Luckily no sunscreen needed. Tires need topping up, wallet needs packing. I move the bicycle into garage with one full water bottle.

And I get out on time pretty much. I do just a quick 19km ride, up to my private race track where I come within 4 seconds of my PB. No flying saucer rides on strava this time, and both primary and backup phone recorded properly.

It's strange the afternoon coffee didn't cause insomnia, and I seemed to have more energy than any recent ride. I think that not thinking I would get up helped me sleep. I have actually tried before to trick myself into not quite believing I will go riding, because sometimes I lay awake trying to get to sleep in eager anticipation, but I don't think I've ever gone as far as skipping evening prep.

So the six days rest didn't seem to have done me a lot of harm, and the residual effect of the coffee might have helped a little? (Hmm. Maybe I would have had insomnia if I had have stayed in bed...) The weather was 14C, which is officially a little too cool for the shorts and short-sleeve jersey I wore, but it was close to the rapid warming-up time of day, and a morning 14C in summer is actually warmer than in spring or fall. (No, really!)

True, once I got into the bath tub I was just a little sleepy.

[overpowered]

Wow. Nibali took serious time out of all other contenders today. That's very rare on a flat stage. Also rare in the first week of the tour. Wet muddy cobbles tend to change everything.

Right now, Porte is actually the second best among the remaining contenders. Maybe he does have a chance. He can probably beat Nibali in the ITT but there's only one this year and that works against him. I'm not sure if he can beat Nibali in the mountains. I suspect not. If Nibali beats him in the mountains, it's game over.

Contador lost more than the other contenders. He clearly doesn't like the cobbles but he's probably the lightest of the contenders so that kind of makes sense. Cobbles tend to favor the larger riders.

They say that you can't win the tour in the first week but you can lose it. Nibali apparently didn't get that memo.

[FaultyMario]

I hate to rub salt on the wound George, but I told ya! WTB is teh shizzle and that wheelset was a good deal.

Disc Wheels have no brake track, that is, rims have no surface for the pad rub against. So, be careful if you're running rim brakes on the rear.

[G'day Mate]

Right now, Porte is actually the second best among the remaining contenders. Maybe he does have a chance. He can probably beat Nibali in the ITT but there's only one this year and that works against him. I'm not sure if he can beat Nibali in the mountains. I suspect not. If Nibali beats him in the mountains, it's game over.

I don't really think Porte's a chance, I was more just shaking my head at Sky in general.

Nibali though - what a jump he's got on the other GC contenders! I still think Contador will win it, but he's got work to do!

[overpowered]

London BMW 4X4 driver faces jail for assault on cyclist (http://road.cc/content/news/123345-london-bmw-4x4-driver-faces-jail-assault-cyclist)

[George]

I hate to rub salt on the wound George, but I told ya! WTB is teh shizzle and that wheelset was a good deal.

Yeah, I'm sure it was. Please continue telling me when something is a good deal as I'm trying to learn what's what in the bike world.

Reasons I didn't buy those:

1. Didn't have a spare $100 cash at the time

2. Irrational fear of buying "the first" of anything that comes along. I always want to watch the market (craigslist) a little longer to get an idea of price and availability. I've been buying guitar gear on CL for many years and bike stuff seems just about the same in that the ads that look like good deals don't stay up long and other stuff stays on CL for months because it's junk or overpriced. I don't know bike stuff yet but I'm learning.

3. Wondering about an ongoing commitment to 26" wheels. I don't mind buying quality parts like a good wheelset with the knowledge that they can go on just about any '80s/'90s $100 MTB from craigslist that I'm likely to own in the future, but them I see newer 29er "adventure bikes" with drop bars and cyclocross bikes and I think it might be easier to just own one bike that can go anywhere, and I keep hearing that I should ride a 29er due to my height.

4. Growing up as an only child, I always heard from other kids, teachers, etc. that because I was an only child, I was supposed to be selfish. I always tried not to be but realized after having kids that I am. I love to throw myself into hobbies and buy the gear, but I must remember that my wife no longer works and we have two kids. That $100 needs to go toward a larger bike for my son, and not to fixing my second bike when his is too small for him. I'd kind of like to do both at once though, since as soon as he gets a different bike I will want to go MTB riding with him/

I'm torn between a single-speed BMX bike for him or one with a six-speed derailluer in back. Part of me says keep in simple and get him a SS but I'd love to ride trails with him and think he will benefit from gears everywhere except just pedaling around on our street with his friends.

And kids bikes are more expensive than I'd first thought they'd be, although it makes sense when I start adding up component costs and whatnot - I mean, a tire costs what a tire costs, pretty much, whether it's 20" or 26". I've been watching CL for kids bikes - currently the one below is my CL fave, if it's not sold yet, and yesterday I went by a bike shop to look at new boys bikes to get an idea of what's available. The shop I went to only had two six-speed boys bikes with 20" wheels. One was $259 and one was $279 and both felt heavier than my own MTB! I couldn't believe the weight of thse things! He's around 45 pounds now, I think, and it seems unfair to saddle him with a bike that weighs more than half of what he does...or, is this how it's always been and I just never noticed or cared what a bike weighed when I was a kid?

Gary Fisher 6 Speed Boy's Mt Bike - $75 (http://denver.craigslist.org/bik/4552525656.html)

http://images.craigslist.org/00x0x_ltGEOdQMpTs_600x450.jpg

I do have a hand-me-down bike stashed in the basement that will probably fit him. Our former next-door neighbors gave it to us when they moved. It looks okay but when they lived here their boy was always pushing it home with the chain fallen off. My son's current too-small bike does that too, and it's a pain to get the rear wheel back far enough. I've flipped the bike over and used a broom handle as a lever while tighening up the wheel bolts but it never seems to help. I just don't want to constantly be putting on his chain and I'm thinking a derailluer might actually make things less complicated instead of more so, but what do I know?

Oh well, sorry for the novel-length post here. Road the Allez to work again today and have been thinking of telling and showing you guys what's going on in the bike cage at work. My theory is someone is stashing bikes there long-term for some reason. Maybe I'll get into that another day if anyone wants to play amateur detective with me.

[George]

Just for grins: Bicyclist bullies try to rule the road in D.C. (http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/bicyclist-bullies-try-to-rule-the-road-in-dc/2014/07/08/f7843560-06e3-11e4-bbf1-cc51275e7f8f_story.html)




(quotes selected and arragned for maximum trollage)

Bikers routinely worm their way to the front of a line of cars waiting at a red light. When the light turns green, they’ll poke along at a snail’s pace, holding up traffic while motorists wait for a chance to pass. Then they do the same thing at the next stop light...

They’re lucky that someone hasn’t put a broomstick through the spokes of their wheels...

It’s a $500 fine for a motorist to hit a bicyclist in the District, but some behaviors are so egregious that some drivers might think it’s worth paying the fine.

[overpowered]

He seems to be unclear on what the word "bully" means.

[G'day Mate]

A bike escalator to get up this: http://www.strava.com/segments/658242 ? Pfft. That's just a speed bump!

[overpowered]

I would guess that it's for commuters trying not to sweat on their way to work and people on bike share bikes which are heavy. Not everyone is looking to do high performance riding.

[G'day Mate]

Sarcasm mate :p

[Cam]

Cycling: SERIOUS BUSINESS!

[George]

*finally catches up and shoals to front of thread*

[Cam]

:lol:

[Yw-slayer]

STTTRRRAAAVVAAAAA?!

[TheBenior]

and people on bike share bikes which are heavy.

Truth! I looked at the Divvy bikes in Chicago when they were, and judging by the construction, they are definitely built to take some weight.

[G'day Mate]

Truth! I looked at the Divvy bikes in Chicago when they were, and judging by the construction, they are definitely built to take some weight.

Again, pfft!!


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HUWCeAzkc2Q

[Tom Servo]

We went up one hill on the Stockholm bike share bikes that really wasn't particularly steep or long, but I damn near had to get off and walk the thing.

[SportWagon]

Well, those bikeshare bikes need to be theft-proof. So is the latest gtxf strava club member actually a gtxf member?

Oh. And I found my Eric Jewell T-shirt. It's from before the wheel-trailer was added, when the daughter was just a toddler in the sidecar, I think. I can't find the particular picture online. I might try to upload a picture, but the picture on the T-shirt is black-and-white and fuzzy.

[KillerB]

Just for grins: Bicyclist bullies try to rule the road in D.C. (http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/bicyclist-bullies-try-to-rule-the-road-in-dc/2014/07/08/f7843560-06e3-11e4-bbf1-cc51275e7f8f_story.html)

Cyclists (or pedestrians, for that matter) that kick people's cars don't deserve to be run over, but they do deserve a vandalism charge, or at least a punch in the nose.

[overpowered]

Is bicyclists kicking cars really that common?

When it happens, what leads up to it? When I've read stories of it, it always seems to involve the motorist first endangering or at least harassing the bicyclist. That doesn't make it OK but it does make it understandable. When you get confrontational with people and make them feel threatened, you shouldn't be surprised when they respond in kind.

[KillerB]

I have no idea, but it was mentioned in the article.

I know that when another driver endangers me on the road, they get a honk, they might even get a middle finger, but I'm not going to damage their car.

[overpowered]

When a motorist endangers another motorist, it is usually inadvertent.

When a motorist endangers a bicyclist, it is very often intentional. That tends to create a lot more anger.

A car also presents a lot more danger to a bicyclist than to another motorist, leading to a much greater sense of being threatened, which tends to create a lot more anger.

[KillerB]

Ah, op, the king of unverifiable assertions. I knew better than to engage you, but I did it anyway. Shame on me.

[Cam]

:lol:

[G'day Mate]

When a motorist endangers a bicyclist, it is very often intentional. That tends to create a lot more anger.

I'd say that far more often it's carelessness or impatience than intentional, and by a long way. I do react more angrily on my bike though, and that's because of fear.

[Yw-slayer]

Ah, op, the king of unverifiable assertions. I knew better than to engage you, but I did it anyway. Shame on me.

In fairness, the bit below is true.


A car also presents a lot more danger to a bicyclist than to another motorist, leading to a much greater sense of being threatened...

[overpowered]

I'd say that far more often it's carelessness or impatience than intentional, and by a long way. I do react more angrily on my bike though, and that's because of fear.I agree. Carelessness is far more common but intentional happens a lot more than some people are willing to admit.

[KillerB]

I'm with G'D, too. That was my complaint with op's assertion. I think most of what happens that goes badly on the roads is due to carelessness.

I agree with feeling more threatened. It's why I really avoid riding on the streets. But I've not really felt like anyone's been intentionally after me. Just people not paying attention.

[overpowered]

I make people pay attention. I can't remember the last time I had an unintentional close call.

[SportWagon]

Tour de France news.

Contador crashed on Stage 10, and was forced to abandon with an injured knee.

[overpowered]

Broken tibia and he got back on a replacement bike and tried to keep riding.

[George]

I suspected when I bought a pair of tires for $11 each for my road bike that they might not last. This pic is from one of the first times I rode the Allez to work. I was riding along and started hearing a clicking sound. Turns out I had picked up this piece of metal and it was hitting the frame as it rotated.

I pulled it out and was amazed it didn't come with a big "whoosh" sound as the tire deflated. This tire is still holding air just fine after several subsequent commutes.

And I've had this 8.1 megapixel camera-phone for a couple years now. One might think I would have learned to use this differently than a regular camera and stay back but I keep getting too close so things are out of focus.

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a284/craigslistuser/DSC03824_zps801c6ee5.jpg

Some might remember I mentioned our former next door neighbors gave us a boy's bike with 20" wheels a while back but it was in the habit of dropping the chain. No pics yet, but I got it out this weekend and was surprised to notice very little wear on the bike, so I don't think the chain is worn out. Instead, the wheel doesn't seem to sit straight in the frame. The ends of the frame where the wheel is inserted appear to be bent, but not from an accident - it looks more like typically cheap Chinese manufacturing with little quality control. I'm thinking if I can somehow secure the bike, I could use a vice or maybe a couple large Channel-Lock pliers to straighten the frame "tabs" so the wheels are in alignment and the chain will stay on because it will have a straighter "grip" on the gears. I'll snap a pic before I start bending stuff so you guys can set me straight if I'm wrong about the problem. Perhaps I should take it to the LBS before I do anything really stupid.

Other than that, the bike seems fine. It's much lighter than a couple of other boy's bikes of similar size I've lifted lately. The size is right for his legs but the BMX handlebars look like "ape-hangers" as his arms are pretty much straight out from his shoulders when riding. Looks like a flat bar would be better right now but from what I've read online, 20" bikes don't last very long because kids grow out of them so quickly.

Yesterday I had to brave a Wal-Mart store and while there I wandered throught the bike department to see what they had for kids. I was surprised to see a fat-bike with 20" wheels and a rear derailleur and disk brakes for about $200. It weighed a ton but seemed really cool. I was glad my son wasn't with me because I KNOW he would have wanted it. I have no intention of buying this but thought you guys might like to see it.

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a284/craigslistuser/DSC03966_zpsdcabac25.jpg

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a284/craigslistuser/DSC03967_zpsbf5185ea.jpg

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a284/craigslistuser/DSC03968_zpsf2874373.jpg

[Random]

Lou's little 16" bike had a similar frame alignment issue that I discovered when I took the rear wheel out to replace a tube. THe coaster brake and the frame were attemnpting to occupy the same real estate when re-assumbled. Took some muscle to get everything back together.

Naturally, we replaced that bike with a 20-inch bike without him riding it again. :mad: :lol:

Took him out on the 20 for his first gears/hand-brakes experience. Only had one high-speed accident...

edit: on bike weight--I think my antique (almost--bought in 1992) Specialized mountain bike is lighter than Lou's new 20" bike. Good grief.

[overpowered]

Unless he has a bad crash, I have a hard time imagining anyone taking it away from Nibali now. He's got more than enough buffer to protect his GC lead in the time trial from anyone and I don't think anyone that matters is going to beat him in the mountains.

[George]

I'm still looking for a new 26" rear wheel for an 8-speed and rim brakes. Any comments on these on craigslist? Good deal or not? How hard is it to repack wheel bearings?

Tandem bike wheelset or Bombproof MTB wheels - $50 (http://denver.craigslist.org/bik/4566055533.html)

"Selling a set of Alex Rims TA19 wheels. These were designed for a tandem bike, they have some miles on them but the tires are excellent.Tires are Bontrager H2 with triple flat protection, 26" x 2.0. They are true and spokes are tight and straight. They have a high spoke count to counter the additional weight of a tandem so they could also be used for mountain biking and they would be extremely strong for that. The rear bearings will need some work, just being honest. It spins freely but there is a rough spot in them. Quick release hubs but no skewers included. Asking price basically covers the tires and tubes (new rear tube just installed)."

http://images.craigslist.org/00i0i_bI7hJuEmFxL_600x450.jpg

[Random]

Hub servicing depends on 1) whether the hubs are intended to be serviced and 2) whether the actual hub races are damaged.

If it's possible to work on them, and the races aren't toast, it's not difficult--get a set of hub wrenches, though.

[George]

Thanks. Hmmm...maybe that's why these are only $50 when others cost much more. I don't need the tires either - sure, I could always use them eventually or give them to my buddy at work who MTBs all over town - in town - on knobbies but won't replace them until the threads are showing. I keep telling him how great street tires are, and he rides and old rigid MTB like me...except he's way more of a penny-pincher than I am.

I'm curious why there are so many FRONT wheels on CL but almost no solitary rears. Perhaps folks bend their rear wheel like I did and then get rid of the old front wheel and buy a shiny new pair to replace them both. Funny - I was talking to a neighbor this weekend who I know well but have never ridden with. He has a road bike and a MTB hanging from his garage ceiling and we got to talking bikes. Turns out his rear wheel is tacoed too. Maybe it's a common problem.

Next up for your approval if anyone still wants to play:

Problem - these are an hour's drive away, one way, which means I couldn't go until this weekend, and the ad was posted six days ago. Probably already sold at this price - I know because I've been shopping for wheels every day for what, two weeks now? Three? I've been searching for "wheel*" in the title but this one just showed up today when I typed "26" wheel*".

Deore XT 737/8 Parallax/Bontrager Mustang 26 Rim Wheelset - $60 (http://boulder.craigslist.org/bik/4559409737.html)

"Classic wheel set for anyone interested in restoring an old school ride or a day to day commuter bike. Front wheel is a Shimano Deore XT FH-737 Parallax laced to a Bontrager Mustang rim and the rear is a Shimano Deore XT BH-738 Parallax laced to a Bontrager Mustang rim. I'm also including two Forte 26x2.0 commuter style tires with Forte Presta tubes and two place holder skewers. They work just fine, but I can't include the original set.

The free hub will accept 8 or 9 speed cassettes and the spacing is 100/135(standard mountain bike spacing). The hubs were repacked about 6 months ago and they've seen maybe 150 miles. A little dirt here and there, but these ride and sound like new. The braking surface is still flat and clean. $60 or trade for a Thudbuster post in 27.2 or smaller."

http://images.craigslist.org/00C0C_6e3uJwqZml5_600x450.jpg

Does anyone know what a "place holder skewer" is? I googled but didn't see anything related to bicycles.

This looks interesting. From what I've read, hubs with internal gears and drum brakes are good for winter cycling because all the moving parts stay clean and dry.

Shimano Nuxus 7 hub and Electra 26 inch wheels - $250 (http://cosprings.craigslist.org/bik/4476884748.html)

"Nexus 7 speed hub with drum brake on 26x1.75 Electra aluminum wheel. 36 spokes. 72 inch cables for mounting on cruiser or apehanger handlebars. Put a modern gear hub on your classic bike. Ready to mount. Matching front wheel included."

http://images.craigslist.org/00e0e_e720bG00Trw_600x450.jpg
http://images.craigslist.org/00z0z_eBYYyDvYxD6_600x450.jpg

[George]

Weinmann 26" Rear Wheel Tandem or Touring - $30 (http://fortcollins.craigslist.org/bik/4505607547.html)

"I have had this wheel for a year or so. I was going to dish it for a touring bike, but decided to go with 700c. Anyhow, it is built for a tandem, but would be useful for touring if the axle was res-paced and possibly the wheel slightly dished. This wheel has 40 holes, a Shimano cassette hub, and has never been used. $30 obo"

http://images.craigslist.org/00d0d_7UsXxybgPmo_600x450.jpg

I'm guessing "res-paced" was supposed to be "re-spaced". I didn't find what that means in relation to bikes via google, and I read what Sheldon Brown had to say about dishing wheels, but I don't understand what tandem or touring have to do with anything. Do wheels have to be dished to fit certain frames? If so, is there a possibility I might come home with a 26" wheel that won't fit my bike because of dishing? Gosh, this is getting complicated.

Oh well, the ad is a month old, as I'm expanding my search into surrounding areas. It probably sold a long time ago.

I just thought of something - I could buy a whole bike, swap wheels (and any other parts that are better on a donor bike than on mine), and then sell the bike with a tacoed rear wheel for $50 or so on CL to recoup most of my costs...or maybe all my costs if I bought this.

Hard Rock Specialized - $50 (http://cosprings.craigslist.org/bik/4561044268.html)

http://images.craigslist.org/01717_idP3qkesH8C_600x450.jpg

Or, I could spin the wheels to see if they're true, hand the man $50 cash if they are, and then remove the wheels and drive away, leaving the rest of the bike there. :lol:

[G'day Mate]

Tour de France news.

Contador crashed on Stage 10, and was forced to abandon with an injured knee

Does TDF news need to go in spoilers? Is anyone here precious about it?

[G'day Mate]

On Media Watch last night: "Is bicycle bashing in the media putting cyclists at risk?"

Link to the site (http://www.abc.net.au/mediawatch/transcripts/s4045873.htm) - not sure if you'll be able to watch it from outside of Australia so the transcript is in the spoiler below ...

But now to a favourite pastime of certain sections of the media.

Bike bashing.

Here’s the ABC’s former Word Watch host Kel Richards filling in for Steve Price on Sydney’s 2GB, and getting into shock jock gear:



KEL RICHARDS: Don’t get me started on bicycle riders ...

KEITH: It’s just stupidity. They need to be run over to teach ‘em a lesson but you can’t.

KEL RICHARDS: I wouldn’t encourage you to do that, Keith. Don’t get into trouble, Keith. Thanks for your call.

— 2GB, Nights, 1st July, 2014


And here’s another more famous broadcaster peddling one of his favourite lines:



ALEX CULLEN: What is your attitude to cyclists on our roads?

DERRYN HINCH: Cockroaches on wheels.

— Channel Seven, Sunday Night, 18th August, 2013


But it’s not just ageing radio hosts who have a problem with bike riders.

The tabloids loathe them too.

As The Sunday Telegraph’s Claire Harvey wrote recently



... a lot of cyclists are, basically, ungrateful dickheads.

— The Sunday Telegraph, 18th May, 2014


Or as the ABC’s Peter Goers railed in Adelaide’s Sunday Mail ...



Cyclists are very annoying. They get in the way. They are erratic, fickle, don’t use hand signals, flagrantly abuse road rules and can’t see behind them. They have no respect. Motorists are expected to let them do what they want.

— Sunday Mail, 25th May, 2014


And we need hardly remind you of The Daily Telegraph’s relentless campaign against Sydney’s bike-loving Mayor Clover Moore.



On your bike, Clover

— The Daily Telegraph, 20th June, 2011




WE’RE OVER YOUR BIKES

— The Daily Telegraph, 18th September, 2013


So why do the tabloids and shockjocks hate cyclists so much?

Partly, no doubt, because it goes down well with their audience.

But listening to Kel Richards it certainly sounds as if the bile is genuine:



KEL RICHARDS: My personal view is cyclists should be banned from the public roadways. They should not be allowed to ride their, their bikes on the road ...

KEL RICHARDS: They are deliberately putting themselves in harm’s way, and we, the motorists, we are told we are responsible to avoid them.

— 2GB, Nights, 1st July, 2014


Kel Richards assured Media Watch he does not hate cyclists.

But two 2GB listeners told him his rants encouraged others to do so.

Earlier this year, after seven Sydney cyclists were badly hurt when a car ploughed into them, former cycling Olympian Kevin Nichols also wondered if those tabloid and shock jock tirades encourage drivers to behave badly:



“ ... I was twice targeted by trucks, driving right up behind me to within a metre or two of my back wheel, blowing their horns and revving their motors. It was incredibly dangerous and I can only assume they’d been listening to those dickheads on the radio, winding them up.”

— The Weekend Australian Magazine, 19-20th April, 2014


Safe Cycling Australia’s Dave Sharp also blames the media for making cyclists fair game. And he’s so concerned he’s written an open letter to the Australian press :



What you print has an impact on how your readership behave towards us out there on the tarmac, and out there four cyclists have been seriously injured or killed in Sydney alone in the last week.

— Safe Cycling Australia, 20th June, 2014


So just to give you an idea of how rage against bike riders can turn out, have a look at this old but very graphic clip from Queensland that was published on YouTube for the first time this month.

Fortunately that rider survived.

But last year 50 cyclists were killed on Australia’s roads .

That’s up from 33 in 2012.

And in most cases, it seems, negligent drivers were to blame.

One South Australian investigation in 2013 found that in 8 out of 10 crashes with cars where cyclists were injured, the driver was at fault.

So in the hope that motorists might be persuaded to take more care not less, maybe the media should take a lead from the Gold Coast Bulletin which recently pronounced :



ANTAGONISM between motorists and cyclists has reached ridiculous and dangerous levels, if reports of drivers targeting bikes are correct ...

The hostility cannot continue. Whether motorists and truckies like it or not, cyclists are here to stay and have as much right to the road as anyone else.

— Gold Coast Bulletin, 2nd April, 2014


And I should tell you, I drive a car and I also ride a bike.

And I believe all road users need to obey the rules and show respect.

[overpowered]

Video worked for me.

Don't you know that discrimination and attacks on cyclists are a myth?

That video showing a motorist intentionally hitting a bicyclist at 2:49 must be CGI.

[Yw-slayer]

I must remind myself not to open this thread in the morning.

[SportWagon]

I spoilered the TdF news because I posted it only a few minutes after stage completion.

"Placeholder skewers" is not a technical term. They are skewers which, as he says, not the originals, but he claims they work. He could have said "replacement skewers", but perhaps he considers most people would want to upgrade to something else.

[George]

So there are varying levels of skewer quality? Cheap Chinese pot metal vs. Ultra-Unobtanium or something? Dang. I thought they were just part of the wheel. I've never paid any attention to them other than making sure they were tight. So many tiny details with bicycles!

I arrived home from work last night at dusk to find a gang of kids playing tag and whatnot around our house after dinner but before dark. It stays light pretty late this time of year here. As the kids were called home by their parents, my son hopped on his "new" bike to take a few hot laps around our street before coming inside for the night. I whipped out my camera phone and shot as many pictures as I could, although unlike my wife's iPhone camera which goes CLICK CLICK CLICK CLICK CLICK CLICK CLICK CLICK CLICK CLICK CLICK as fast as you can pull the trigger, my old phone takes a second or two to warm up between shots, which makes it less-than-ideal for sporting events.

This is the only photo that isn't really blurry. The chain stayed on, too!

Yes, he's wearing sandals. Theose were certainly not my choice for bicycle footwear but he was already on the bike before I could start my usual "socks and shoes if you're going outside" rant. Hey, it's summer vacation and he's a healthy, normal boy who wants to be outside playing. Once his feet get scraped up a couple times as I'm sure all of ours were around his age, he'll start to understand the need for shoes. In the mean time, I try not to be Drill Sergeant Dad every minute of every day.

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a284/craigslistuser/DSC03973_zpsf576a54f.jpg

I think the bike is perfect for him - perhaps a little large at the moment, because he has to stand up to get enough leverage on the coaster brake (which is adorable, by the way, even if not the safest thing), but I bet it won't be long before he's riding it like a pro and taking it off some sweet jumps.

Back to your reguarly scheduled Tour Of France discussion.

[overpowered]

Cancellara's out now too, saying that he wants to concentrate on the world championships in late September. AFAIK, he didn't have a crash. I guess he's just tired after all that climbing. I would have thought he would have wanted to do the ITT later in the tour.

[SportWagon]

The best quality skewers have artisticly knurled levers, with "Campagnolo" embossed on them.

[G'day Mate]

Geeze Adam Hansen is a funny bugger! Here he is having fun with a spectator on Monte Zoncolan during the Giro:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zserELNMph0

And who can forget his effort last year on Alp d'Huez:

http://fcdn.roadbikereview.com/attachments/general-cycling-discussion/294875d1398774679-would-you-find-annoying-found-cycling-tips-blog-750050-adam-hansen-has-beer.jpg

Also, this:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=096_X21fk3g

[overpowered]

https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xpf1/t1.0-9/10514482_524156731043484_2227773753238944361_n.png

https://scontent-b-lax.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xfp1/t31.0-8/10459062_526154707510353_4611496937997273054_o.jpg

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Drivers-for-registration-of-cyclists/505284529597371

[G'day Mate]

Strange As It Seems, Cycling Haters Are a Sign of Cycling Success (http://www.citylab.com/commute/2014/07/strange-as-it-seems-cycling-haters-are-a-sign-of-cycling-success/374275/)

[George]

I think I sprained a kidney this morning. Well, maybe not a kidney, but that's where it hurts, on my left side.

I'm really sore right now at my desk, and not quite sure I'll be able to get out of this chair if I sit still for a couple hours. I've been out of the shower for about a half-hour and can feel my body stiffening up as I sit here.

I recently found a great cut-through that goes from the back of a shopping center (where the dumpsters are, where trucks unload, etc.) through a hole in a fence and into the neighborhood that I used to ride around the shopping center to enter. I had started riding behind the shopping center instead of in front to avoid all that goes along with pedestrians and automobiles in front of a grocery store. I noticed a "sidewalk to nowhere" one day that seemed to dead-end into a high privacy fence that separates the neighborhood from the shopping center. It turns out there's an overlapping gap in the fence that isn't noticeable from afar but there's a path - with lights, at that! - that goes right through.

There's a pretty sharp 180-degree turn to the left to get through the fence, and it can only taken at almost walking speed. This morning, leaned over to the left (but not too much, as the Allez is so low that the pedals scrape the ground if I don't keep the inside one raised) as I made the sharp corner, I pressed down on the left pedal and it was as if a guitar string snapped inside my lower back on the left side. *TWANG!!!!!*

Instant pain. Not exteme pain, or call-an-ambulance pain, but I could tell this is going to hurt for a while. I didn't stop but rode pretty timidly the rest of the way...which was uphill...and practically crawled up the eight flights of stairs in my building. Washing my feet in the shower was hard to do without groaning, but I didn't want to be the weirdo moaning in a shower stall with three other guys in there too.

Thank goodness I had slip-on shoes in the gym bag this morning instead of lace-ups. I don't think I could tie a pair of shoes right now.

I'm guessing it's a pulled muscle and will be sore for a couple days. Anyone else ever had a sudden pain/soreness happen like this? I could see it if I was riding all-out but I was simply navigating a windy path at very slow speed.

Oh, well...suck it up and ride on, right? It's what separates the bikers from the soccer players, I've heard.

The ride home this afternoon should be interesting.

[SportWagon]

Glutes?

I got out for an early morning ride on Wednesday, but I was overly conscious of my fear of accident.

The night before I had had a premonition-like dream in which I'd been riding a motorcycle (which I've never actually done in real life), when somehow something, it's not clear whether it was a car, or one of the two or three friends on motrorcycles I think I was riding with caused me to come off and somersault forwards several times. I was sort of conscious of having had the accident, but didn't keep the dream running until any sort of resolution. (Actually, I suppose the accident could have been a self-caused high-side?)

The trajectory might have been inspired by the way I'd tipped over a TV table during the day; it seemed I hit it only lightly, but it turned over completely, ending up upside-down. There were several remote controls on it, but luckily none of them got damaged.

Oh well, ride went without incident, but, unlike other more general feelings of fear I have, e.g. getting back after the off-season, I did literally remember the dream and the fear several times when I was followed by cars. Especially through the suburban streets I'm using to detour around some construction.

[overpowered]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fvy43QrIW5I

[G'day Mate]

:lol: I was hoping for some actual nutrition tips, but that was funny

[George]

Those videos are funny - that one reminds me of the one about What Cyclists Say from a while back. G'Day, I watch yours too. That beer-drinking guy looks like a funny fellow. Since you guys convinced me that not wearing gloves was just asking for trouble, I haven't gotten on a bike without them and now I can't help notice other riders who go barehanded, like this guy!

http://fcdn.roadbikereview.com/attachments/general-cycling-discussion/294875d1398774679-would-you-find-annoying-found-cycling-tips-blog-750050-adam-hansen-has-beer.jpg

I guess my injury yesterday was just a pulled or strained muscle, as it still is sore but much less so after a good night's sleep. I took it slow going home yesterday afternoon and drove my car today, which I do not enjoy at all these days. I can see why people go "car free". Cars suck...or at least mine does, and sitting in traffic today reminded me how much I love sneaking around all the traffic on a bike and getting excercise while doing so. I've lost 15 pounds so far this season between biking and stair climbing and watching my beer intake.

I stopped to rest my back yesterday afternoon and snapped a couple pictures of my new shortcut so you guys can chastise me for being a sidewalk rider for a couple dozen yards. I prefer to think of it as a creative and efficient suburban guerilla cycling technique.

Those black tubes coming up from the ground are lights. My bike is on the very start of the short path, just a couple feet from the neighborhood street. Note headlight and handlebar bag. I run a blinky red light in back as well. Seeing these handlebars here, and in the shot above where Hansen is holding a hood makes me think of how amazingly comfortable riding on the hoods is. I don't think I'll enjoy getting back on the MTB with straight bars and trigger shifters if I ever get the rear wheel situation figured out.

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a284/craigslistuser/DSC03985_zps9ca4bb07.jpg

This is the view from the other side of the fence that I kept seeing as I rode along behind the shopping center. I had to find out where this sidewalk went.

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a284/craigslistuser/DSC03990_zps31853bf7.jpg

[overpowered]

I didn't necessarily think that Nibali would beat everyone up the mountain -- just everyone who mattered but he went ahead and beat everyone. I kind of though Rodriguez would make a big move on KoM today but he cracked instead. Porte tumbled outside of any hope of contention today.

This would be a very different race without all of the crashes of major players.

[Tom Servo]

I took it slow going home yesterday afternoon and drove my car today, which I do not enjoy at all these days. I can see why people go "car free". Cars suck...or at least mine does, and sitting in traffic today reminded me how much I love sneaking around all the traffic on a bike and getting excercise while doing so.

*chants* One of us, one of us, one of us *chants*

[G'day Mate]

I didn't necessarily think that Nibali would beat everyone up the mountain -- just everyone who mattered but he went ahead and beat everyone. I kind of though Rodriguez would make a big move on KoM today but he cracked instead. Porte tumbled outside of any hope of contention today.

This would be a very different race without all of the crashes of major players.
It certainly looks like Nibali's tour to lose at this stage. Barring a crash the only thing that will stop him is if he's gone too hard and hits a wall, but the way he rode away from Porte and Valverde yesterday it looks like the opposite is true.

[Tom Servo]

So, normally, you'd just think "Christ, what a dumb fucking cunt"


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e9H4xfya-OE&feature=youtu.be

Only, turns out she's a Santa Paula Police Department Reserve Officer. And her police chief basically dismissed any criticism saying that it was just a "cute, satirical video" (paraphrased).

So...anyone up for a Santa Paula critical mass ride?

[Tom Servo]

Well, that was fast. The official PD statement makes it sound like the chief's social media account is actually run by a volunteer, both that person and the woman who made the video have been placed on administrative leave.

http://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/Santa-Paula-Police-Reserve-Officer-on-Administrative-Leave-After-Video-Posted-Online-Mocks-Bicyclists-267793431.html?_osource=SocialFlowTwt_LABrand

[overpowered]

Another article on that:

http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2014/07/19/santa-paula-police-police-not-laughing-about-video-that-suggested-reserve-officer-wanted-to-run-cyclists-over/#.U8tO9I9aMhM.twitter

Santa Paula is way too far and I don't really like CM anyway.

[Tom Servo]

I'm not really into CM either, but at the time it looked like the police chief there was on board with harassing cyclists, so seemed like one of the more deserving targets. Not so much now, and glad to see the chief taking it seriously.

[G'day Mate]

Man, this Rapha Rising challenge (http://www.strava.com/challenges/rapha-rising-three-ranges) is killing me :|

Not having done any rides longer than 40km for two over months isn't helping either.

[overpowered]

Conditioning is very much a use it or lose it type of thing.

[G'day Mate]

Indeed, I just hoped it'd take longer than two months to lose.

Still, I've climbed 4,600m (15,000ft) in the last three days - I'm bound to feel something. On this morning's ride I thought the guy I went with (and who I would normally leave for dead) was going to drop me! Fortunately enough he was going out too hard too soon so I was able to get back into a comfort zone (of sorts - nothing is all comfortable right now :lol:)

[Yw-slayer]

This is nice. Won't scratch the paintwork.

http://www.bikeradar.com/road/news/article/team-sky-jaguar-f-type-unveiled-for-tour-de-france-41803/

I wouldn't go Pinarello though.

[G'day Mate]

Hah that's cool

[SportWagon]

In that ad, "Jaguar" claim they need a superior performance car to keep up with their riders on the Time Trial stage.

That got me to thinking of where bicycles, in skilled hands, can outperform cars, and I thought of a couple of places; switchback hairpins on descents, and around small roundabouts. Difficult to think of others. Well, I guess around tight bends where the bicycle can make a much larger inside radius for the corner than the car can. And I guess a downhill switchback is just a special case of that. As are roundabouts, really.

And, indeed the time trial stage http://www.letour.com/le-tour/2014/us/stage-20.html is both hilly and a little twiddly in places. So perhaps they're serious about the need for a car with exceptional cornering capability.

Hmm. So Cancellara withdrew voluntarily at the first rest day.

[Tom Servo]

Interesting to see where this goes.

http://pvcycling.wordpress.com/2014/07/22/an-eye-for-an-eye/

[George]

I was astonished at her video, although not so much for her rants against cyclists but for her incredible stupidity in thinking that was something to share with the world. I was more embarassed for her than anything else when I saw the video.

She seemed drunk to me. I guess that's not a crime if you're not driving but it explains to me why she thought it was a good idea to post that.

[Tom Servo]

Yeah...I mean, it's not a great idea to post it, but it's an especially poor idea if you're also involved with the local constabulary. Also, given her penchant for making fun of how people look when they're out exercising, I'd be really hesitant to take advantage of her fitness training. I don't want someone who's supposed to be helping me get into shape constantly talking shit about how I look behind my back.

On another note, saddles. I have been really happy with the comfort of the Specialized Avatar Pro, but frankly, the build quality sucks. I haven't had a single one that wasn't without some sort of problem, so I'm looking to switch brands. Any recommendations? I keep hearing good things about Fizik, though when I look at their website's "dealer locator", it thinks that the United States is located in the Atlantic Ocean just off the western coast of Africa...

[George]

My Specialized Riva was about $30, and I got to sit on their Ass-O-Meter to find the perfect size. It's quite comfy for my (admittedly short) rides.

I'm trying to do five days in a row on the bike his week to work - I've never ridden five days in a row before. Hope it will work out. My back still hurts but it's getting better.

I also becoming more and more concerned about our bike cage at work. More bikes continue to pile in but none leave, other than the same few like me who ride fairly regularly.

The latest is a nice-looking newer Schwinn Paramount with internal cabling and some kind of fancy computer with what I assume is a power supply attached under the top tube. It has been in exactly the same place for over a week now.

There's also an '80s/'90s Nishiki MTB or hybrid that looks like my size, completely unlocked. It has been there all summer along with a few others that are locked in various ways - some well and some rather flimsily. Mine is sort of in between - I have a thick cable and a padlock but not a D-Lock like I should probably buy and leave there.

Another bike that makes me wonder is a GT Agressor MTB. The owner of that one removed the front wheel and locked it up with the frame and rear wheel, sort of like you see in very public bike racks where theft is more likely than in underground cages that need an access control badge to enter. No one else takes off the front wheel in there. Why would the wheel be off and the bike then be left there for a couple months?

And why is there a '70s Murray or Free Spirit locked up in there? It's a ratty old bike and there's a big wad of fresh duct tape wrapped around the front part of the seat, and the tape isn't worn as it would be if someone's thighs were rubbing on it. It is obviously not being ridden. It looks like the kind of bike you'd see in a dumpster and not bother to pull out.

I have thought long and hard on this and can only come up with five possibilities for this long-term bike storage:

1. A bike thief has an access card/ID badge and is using the cage as a holding place for stolen bikes to "cool off" and on neutral territory so the thief technically isn't in possession of stolen goods if they are discovered. I have looked around but can't see any cameras anywhere in the parking garage or near the bike cage. Maybe there aren't any.

2. Employees are leaving bikes here in order to ride them to lunch. That's why there's always there when I arrive at work and leave work. Problem though - these bikes don't move at all. There's dust on the cables and locks and all over the bikes. And I usually go walking at lunch and I see few cyclists at that time of day.

3. People are stashing bikes at work so they won't take up so much room at home, in their garages, etc. yeah, I know - weak theory, and several people would need to be doing this to account for all the bikes.

4. People rode bikes to work and called their wife or someone for a ride home - or took public transportation, which is nearby, both train and bus - for some reason because they didn't want to ride home - pouring rain, had to work until midnight, etc. But again, this would have to be several people, and why haven't they come back for them yet?

5. The company I work for or the landlord benefits somehow from having bikes in the cage, as if perhaps to show passers-by that we are a "green" company...but this is the lamest guess of the four. Nobody is walking by and taking notes. The cage is in the basement of the parking lot and it's not a through street.

I just can't come up with anything that seems more plausible than #1. What say you, oh armchair detectives?

Strangely, I'm not worried about my bike getting stolen from the cage. It could happen but I'm not losing sleep over it. Seems to me if I were a bike thief stashing hot bikes, I'd leave the honest folks' bikes alone so no one starting asking any questions about what goes on down there.

[SportWagon]

The Weintraub video could be interpreted as a satire of automobile-centric drivers and car occupants. I mean, when she doesn't have anything to really complain about, she complains about not having things to complain about.

Oh yes, I kept forgetting to post a note for any Canadians here watching the sporadic TdF coverage on Rogers Sportsnet.

From time-to-time Garneau has run ads clearly depicting the http://www.cafedomestique.com/ which I mentioned before. I need to possibly work out a strategy of days off if I decide to go with having the guy above them create a new Marinoni for me. If he's still there. As it is, I visited once during Christmas holidays, and never followed up.

The ads show groups of enthusiastic spring riders gathering and setting off on rural rides.

Apparently Garneau sells bicycles with its brand name now, although for years it was good for reliable middle-of-the-road serious cycling clothing. ("Louis Garneau")

More edit...
Er, one of these days I'll get used to the Youtube age web...

This video approved for viewing by Y-W early in the morning.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rgANyfhUCSE

Actually, there's a newer ad which doesn't show the interior, but more clearly shows the exterior of the cafe. I can't actually find that one.

Edit... found that video too! (or at least a similar one)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8hiwhYiNG10&list=UUppEYAiz7SnFdFWfCLEwJGg

[G'day Mate]

That got me to thinking of where bicycles, in skilled hands, can outperform cars, and I thought of a couple of places; switchback hairpins on descents, and around small roundabouts. Difficult to think of others. Well, I guess around tight bends where the bicycle can make a much larger inside radius for the corner than the car can. And I guess a downhill switchback is just a special case of that. As are roundabouts, really.

Short, tight turns I agree with, but I dunno about switch-backs - it's pretty hard to do a 180 degree turn on skinny little bike tyres, and a bike doesn't have much "racing line advantage" around a hairpin either.

Then again, that could just be my perception. I'm not much of a daredevil on the descents. While I'm usually in the top 10% climbs I'm often in the bottom half for the trip back down. I'm not even comfortable in the drops going down hills, and then you watch TDF and see guys doing this ...

http://37.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lxhc3w5EAL1qacyk6o1_r1_1280.jpg

... and this ...


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6zOY9ozfwCE

!!!

[FaultyMario]

km/h


Goddamnit!

[Tom Servo]

Went to go look at some Fizik saddles at a local Trek shop. I've not had good luck with any Bontrager saddles, but the salesdroid convinced me that a) she'd heard good things about the Bontrager Paradigm and b) it was on sale for about half the price of the cheapest Fizik they had in stock. I told her again that I liked the idea, but I'd never ridden on a Bontrager I liked, so they sold it to me with what's supposed to be a 30-day no-questioned-asked return policy. Rode it home from work - it's a lot firmer than my Specialized was and was bothering me for the first mile or so, but by the end of the ride I wasn't noticing it. So, figure I'll give it at least a week and see how it is. If not, then I'll be upgrading to the Fizik.

[George]

I saw some Fizik saddles at the LBS that cost more than either of my bikes cost me. :p

Meanwhile, I'm sweating over a couple twenties.

These wheels are still on CL but now asking $40 instead of $50 when I posted them here on Monday July 14.

I'm really tempted. I haven't seen anything even close to this cheap and they would seem to be appropriate for a guy my size (currently down to 205 lbs.) who likes to jump off curbs at full speed as part of a daily commute and who wants to get back to the single-track with my son and/or my neighbor who just got a $600-ish Diamondback 29er.

Tandem bike wheelset or Bombproof MTB wheels - $40 (http://denver.craigslist.org/bik/4580943916.html)

"Selling a set of Alex Rims TA19 wheels. These were designed for a tandem bike, they have some miles on them but the tires are excellent.Tires are Bontrager H2 with triple flat protection, 26" x 2.0. They are true and spokes are tight and straight. They have a high spoke count to counter the additional weight of a tandem so they could also be used for mountain biking and they would be extremely strong for that. The rear bearings will need some work, just being honest. It spins freely but there is a rough spot in them. Quick release hubs but no skewers included. Asking price basically covers the tires and tubes (new rear tube just installed)."

http://images.craigslist.org/00i0i_bI7hJuEmFxL_600x450.jpg

Questions if anyone feels like helping the resident bike n00b once again:

The seller says the tires are 26" x 2", which is in between the two sizes I currently have: my street tires are 1.75" and my knobbies are 2.1" with tons of frame clearance - I bet I could go fatter - but I don't know the width of my current wheels. I'll pull the front tire off and measure when I get home tonight. Is there one standard for 26" MTB wheels width or many?

Assuming these are the right size, do I need to worry about dishing? That other ad I posted where the guy suggested the dishing would need to be changed for touring or MTBing has me wondering if all wheels need to be dished to fit a specific bike.

Are these going to be ridiculously heavy? This is the least of my concerns but as long as I'm making a list...

And a question probably only the seller can answer: will these take a Shimano 8-speed cassette? Is that the standard or am I just as likely to be out of luck?

Thanks for any advice (again).

[overpowered]

Letter: Cyclists are not a menace on the roads (http://www.montrealgazette.com/travel/Letter+Cyclists+menace+roads/10046747/story.html)


On the one hand Dmytriw complains that cyclists use the sidewalks, and then on the other hand he complains that cyclists use the road. Why not just say you don’t like cyclists at all? His attitude fits perfectly with the selfish mentality that says “I’m stuck in traffic” rather than “I am traffic.”

He suggests that bicycles be treated like any other vehicle on the road, then says cyclists should be limited to bike paths and be required to stay off roads. How exactly does he envision that working? The number of bike paths in the city is extremely limited; getting from one to another requires the use of either a sidewalk or a road.

[G'day Mate]

Jeebus - Form Guide to Conquer the Three Peaks (https://www.bicyclenetwork.com.au/media/vanilla_content/files/Form%20Guide%20-%20SCODY%20Peaks%20Challenge%20Falls%20Creek%20201 5%284%29.pdf)


An important gauge of form before doing the SCODY Peaks Challenge Falls Creek is to be able to comfortably ride a 200+km long or 10 hours relatively flat ride at least 12 weeks before the SCODY Peaks Challenge Falls Creek. If 12 weeks out from the event you are struggling to comfortably complete this type of ride then you might want to seriously consider another major cycling goal to build towards, and plan your SCODY Peaks Challenge Falls Creek campaign for the following year.

So by mid December 200kms in 8 hours should be water off a duck's back for me ... eep.

[SportWagon]

Letter: Cyclists are not a menace on the roads (http://www.montrealgazette.com/travel/Letter+Cyclists+menace+roads/10046747/story.html)
Not sure why you didn't include the original letter, although I guess most people would find it.

Letter: Cyclists in Montreal are a plague (http://www.montrealgazette.com/opinion/Letter+Cyclists+Montreal+plague/10038003/story.html)

[Tom Servo]

Wow, that first letter was pretty astronomically stupid.

[SportWagon]

Jeebus - Form Guide to Conquer the Three Peaks (https://www.bicyclenetwork.com.au/media/vanilla_content/files/Form%20Guide%20-%20SCODY%20Peaks%20Challenge%20Falls%20Creek%20201 5%284%29.pdf)



So by mid December 200kms in 8 hours should be water off a duck's back for me ... eep.

Our audaxiuous interloper http://www.strava.com/athletes/6812 on http://www.strava.com/clubs/gtxforums might be able to give some tips.

His longest ride shows as 1409.2km, which sounds like the PBP. Though it gives no link. His byline says Audaxer - doing AAASR series this year..

I find
http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/audaxaltitudeaward/index.html
http://www.aukweb.net/home/

By AAASR I (after searching) presume he means "AAA Super Randonneurs"...
http://www.aukweb.net/results/detail/this/srs/
He's not listed there; perhaps he's not finished yet? Since joining the GTXF strava club, he's not strava'd any really long rides. Although the moderately long, moderately hilly ones he has done have been at an impressive pace.

AAA is actually "Audax Altitude Awards". Which do seem somehow affiliated with Audax UK, or AUK.

[Yw-slayer]

It's Mekon you speak of.

[overpowered]

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xaf1/t1.0-9/10557357_873763849319831_3193427610824760752_n.png

https://www.facebook.com/LookSaveALifeArizona/photos/a.477444898951730.118354.475698272459726/873763849319831/?type=1

[SportWagon]

It's Mekon you speak of.
He doesn't seem to be registered here by that handle. Too busy cycling?

Nor at the refuge either, as far as I can tell.

[overpowered]

A guy in a CRV feels justified in tailgating a bicyclist and says so to the cop that pulls him over for it.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ap9_jxEr_JA

[Phil_SS]

I think he should give the bicyclist a ticket for speeding. :p

[Yw-slayer]

I think he is registered here as Dr. K or similar.

[Random]

Not currently, no. He was over at the Refuge.

[G'day Mate]

Came up against an interesting obstacle today - my mind. Hmmm ...

[overpowered]

I didn't think Nibali could ITT like that. I knew he wasn't bad at the ITT but not as good as that. He took time out of everyone in the top 35. He didn't need to push that hard but I guess he just wanted to show that he really deserves to win.

Number 36, beating Nibali on the day, was Tom Dumoulin, who was 1:50:32 behind before today's stage and managed to move up to 33rd today.

The U.S. didn't get much this year. Tejay managed to make it back to 5th in the G.C., by 2 seconds. I guess that's something. I really would have liked to have seen what Talansky could have done if he hadn't crashed.

The french get 2 riders on the GC podium. They haven't had one since 1997.

[George]

^ the 35-hour workweek might explain that. :lol:

Updates about things no one cares about except me:

1. Son's bike chain hasn't fallen off yet, despite the wheel being visibly misaligned a little bit.

2. My back still hurts from what I assume is a pulled muscle. It has been consistently sore for days but usually only bothers me at work where I sit for hours at a time. Strangely, it doesn't hurt at all when I'm on the bike - that's where it feels the best.

3. I sent the seller of those "bombproof MTB" a coherent email on Wednesday with my phone number and my clear intention to come buy those wheels for his asking price of $40 cash. It's now Sunday morning. The ad is still up but no reply from the seller. Sigh...

[overpowered]

A lot of multiple stage winners this year: Kittel: 4, Nibali: 4, Martin: 2, Majka: 2, Kristoff: 2

[overpowered]

http://www.bikebiz.com/news/read/cyclist-hatred-is-almost-like-racial-discrimination-says-aa-prez/013935

[overpowered]

How and why bicycle deaths happen in the US (http://www.vox.com/2014/5/22/5738626/how-and-why-bicycle-deaths-happen-in-the-us)

[George]

*chants* One of us, one of us, one of us *chants*

You might be right. Tonight after we got the kids to bed I drove my car to work and dropped off five days of work clothes so I can ride every day this week.

I realized the waste of burning gasoline to drive there and home, but I'm more concerned with the exercise and mental health benefits I obtain from cycling than saving mother nature.

Go ahead and ban me now.

[G'day Mate]

What sort of gear do you need for work?

I basically leave my shoes and pants at the office (I change the pants weekly) and take in a new shirt and socks every day. It all goes happily into my backpack with my laptop, spare tubes, tyre levers, lunch, spare underpants (you'll know when it happens) and various other bits and pieces. My shirts mostly don't wrinkle, but for the few that do there's an ironing board and iron here so I just fix them up at the office.

Easy peasy!

PS got yourself a GPS-wangle yet?

[George]

*big rant that I thought was funny yesterday deleted because it didn't seem that way today*

G'day, how's the weather this time of year where you are?

[SportWagon]

A late-model smart phone, without a SIM card, can work as a GPS (receiving and recording) device. No fees necessary. Upload to strava via WiFi. Gotta get a model with reasonably reliable GPS, however.

In Canada 7-11 sells SIM cards for unlocked phones, and their prepaid voice plans have a 365-day expiry period, and completely optional data plans. Which can turn your SIM-less unlocked phone into one you can use to call non-911 numbers in emergencies, and leave idle otherwise.

[G'day Mate]

G'day, how's the weather this time of year where you are?

I want to say "cold" but I'm afraid you'll laugh at me. I was able to go for a nice 75km ride on Sunday and the only think I needed for warmth was a singlet (under my regular short-sleeved jersey and riding shorts) and my long-fingered gloves. The day before, however, was foggy in the hills and I actually got covered in ice on the way down because the moisture that gathered on the sleeves of my under-shirt froze into little snow-flake-esque ice blobs. Gave up on that ride, but that's about as bad as it gets.

For commuting I'm wearing a tshirt with a long-sleeve high-vis polo over the top, shorts, and on really cold days my long-fingered gloves and a thin beanie-like thing to protect my ears. I've got really, really wet only a couple of times so far this winter.

[George]

...that's about as bad as it gets.

That doesn't sound too bad. I hope I can keep riding as the weather cools down this fall. I've ridden nine out of the last ten days to work, including six in a row as of today, and want to keep going. I hope I won't wimp out when it's dark early and freezing cold.

Changing the subject, this is from Sunday's Denver Post, which I just read last night:

http://www.denverpost.com/News/ci_26222617/Woman-who-struck-killed-crosscountry-Jesuit-cyclist-gets-10-years

[overpowered]

Another bicyclist betrayed by paint, and a bad bus driver.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=puOXHOlBZqg

[SportWagon]

I've just added Adelaide to my locations on my phone weather.

High of 17C, I'd probably wear tights. I don't bother with long gloves until about 7C. Although the other morning my hands felt "warmed up" by circulation after an early morning ride with tights. I think they claimed about 11C.

7:23am. I guess G'day should be getting up and out soon? Hey you're in a Newfie-type time zone.

[G'day Mate]

Just got to work. 12 outside. Wore all my cold-weather gear (ie. two thin layers and shorts) and I'm way too hot!