How many bicycle riders/fans here ? I love my Trek 5000 which has carried me on 3 Ironman triatlons over the years....... I guess I just love bicycle riding period.
Anyone else, or am I an odd sub-category of mac user ?
I love bikeriding. But am no where near professional competition. Just use it to get everywhere. I would love to ride in a marathon or one of those huge treks they have here in NYC that are range from 20-100 miles.
When I lived in Queens I used to ride my bike a lot just to get places when I didn't wanna walk and I didn't want my parents to drive me. I really enjoyed it but I need a new bike so I haven't rode a bike in a while.
Seriously, out here there are WIDE designated bike lanes EVERYWHERE. And for some reason (don't know why) bike riders (both the casual cruisers and the spandex-adorned "serious" ones) ALWAYS ride on the white line or just outside it, leaving this huge 5-6ft. lane completely empty.
In the eight years I've been here in SoCal, I've nearly hit 3 or 4 bikers (accidentally, of course) and have had to get on the horn to countless others.
I'm like "YOU HAVE A WHOLE LANE...USE IT!"
Anyone else notice this phenomenon? I see it every single day.
Among cyclists, is it seen as uncool and reactionary to actually ride INSIDE THE LANE? I'm just asking...someone let me know, okay?
One day, back in the summer, this one asshole was - I'm not kidding - IN THE STREET, about 2 feet.
I had to swerve around him and nearly sideswipe a car to the left of me. I went up the road about 5 blocks, pulled in to a 7-11 and waited for the cyclist to arrive and I yelled motioned him over and actually asked "man, why are you out in the road and not in the lane? Did you see me almost hit that other car to avoid plowing into you?"
He looked at me like "don't question me..." (total yuppie type to begin with) and smirked and started pedaling away.
I called him an "inconsiderate cocksucker..." and wished him luck and safety (sarcastically) and he flung me the bird and we left and went our separate ways.
He's probably dead by now, if that's his usual method of riding.
While Im here in tokyo i too have branched out from just road to getting a mountain baike - but that is for getting up and down on the footpath - a necessary evil for bike riding here.
When riding here in Chicago I wind up yelling things like "OPEN YOUR ****ING EYES" to most of the bad drivers. After all the only reason so many people could be such bad divers is if their eyes were close. Or mindlessly chating on the cell phone. Or in such a hurry they need not look for other traffic. Or drunk.
<strong>After all the only reason so many people could be such bad divers is if their eyes were close. Or mindlessly chating on the cell phone. Or in such a hurry they need not look for other traffic. Or drunk.</strong><hr></blockquote>
I have/am/do none of the above. I'm just cruising along in my lane like a regular, normal driver...only to have to pull a bit further to the left (oftentimes crossing a bit into the lane beside me) because a bicyclist is riding the stupid white line of his lane, even though he has a generous 5' or so of open lane.
I've just never understood this...that's why I posted the above "rant" because to me it is rude and shitheaded behavior...not to mention DANGEROUS!
Believe me, I'm not out to hit anyone and I've nearly been into sideswiping accidents with cars to my left in my efforts to safely clear some of these chucklehead cyclists who, for whatever reason, don't want to ride in the center portion of THEIR lane.
It would be like me driving down the freeway with my left tires on (or beyond) the lane divider and making those on the left of me nervous and, in turn, scooting more to THEIR left.
Yes, there are plenty of bad car drivers out there...for all the reasons you mentioned.
I have/am/do none of the above.</strong><hr></blockquote>
I didn't say you were. I can rant on my fellow cyclist too. But we're not the ones driving two tons down the street at 40MPH while chatting on the cell phone drunk in a hurry.
I was thinking of selling my Yeti ARC for a road set-up, but I couldn't bring myself to do it. I put together that bike from scratch just the way I wanted, and lots of the components are now ancient anyway. Most of the stuff is 1997 model year.
Eugene, I have had a number of road Treks, and love their carbon frames... If you have never tride the Shimano STI set up I think you would be impressed. Nothing like going for a 100k ride out of the city to blow away the cobwebs..... Only thing is that you will probably need new shoes as the clipless pedels are prbably quite different for your Mountain Bike.
Like you, I love the building part too.... you can have the worlds best components on your own bike (feel like the pros even if you are a scrubber like me).
I prefer Mountainbiking to road biking. It gets you closer to nature, there is more adrenaline, and its just plain more exciting to be speeding at 20mph down a singletrack about 3 feet wide where anye misstep will slam you into a tree, a stump, or off a cliff (happened to a freind of mine)
<strong>Only thing is that you will probably need new shoes as the clipless pedels are prbably quite different for your Mountain Bike.</strong><hr></blockquote>
Naw. You can get SPD pedals for a road bike. Worse comes to worse you slap some ATB pedals on the road bike. Who cares? It's not like your Lance Armstrong.
I hate the multiple personalities many bikers get. Sometimes they want to be treated them like cars, other times they want to be treated like a pedestrian.
I've had close calls with bikes a few times as a pedestrian.
If there's no bike lane and you're riding in the middle of the street. . . SPEED THE HELL UP!
<strong>I hate the multiple personalities many bikers get. Sometimes they want to be treated them like cars, other times they want to be treated like a pedestrian.
I've had close calls with bikes a few times as a pedestrian.</strong><hr></blockquote>
That's why I only ride in the street. IMO the most dangerous thing for a cyclist to do is "transition" from "pedestrian" flow to "street" flow. The main problem being you pop off the sidewalk, for example, faster than any pedestrian would. So drivers look at the corner and see no one there and then the look the other way for traffic and when the look back there's a bike there.
I could write volumes on this stuff.
[quote]Originally posted by groverat:
<strong>If there's no bike lane and you're riding in the middle of the street. . . SPEED THE HELL UP!</strong><hr></blockquote>
Yea like me going 15 and not 5 is going to make a difference when the cars are going 45? Might I suggest the cars slow down. Seems to me most cars are going twice the speed limit all the time anyway.
IMO there are two problems that wont get fixed.
1) The roads are built with bikes in mind.
2) There?s no real enforcement of the traffic laws on anyone at all. Bikes or cars.
Most drivers don't seem to know how to overtake cyclists. It is only the occasional one will slow down and give me a lot of space (if they are able to do so). Others will just ignore me and fly past without giving me any additional space, even if there is a whole lane with no oncoming traffic at their disposal. Others will honk their horn before passing, which scares the **** out of me. Others will yell out the window and throw things at me, but that's fodder for another topic.
Riding a bike in town is bad... there are maybe three bike lanes that I've seen.
I never bike on the sidewalk. It's more dangerous than biking on the street. When I bike in Berkeley streets, I can keep up with traffic.
Bikes aren't supposed to be on sidewalks. They are subject to vehicle laws.
Anyway, I hate biking down University Ave. here. People go 45 MPH. They don't give you room on the shoulder of the road. The air they displace at that speed is enough to knock some cyclists over.
Comments
Seriously, out here there are WIDE designated bike lanes EVERYWHERE. And for some reason (don't know why) bike riders (both the casual cruisers and the spandex-adorned "serious" ones) ALWAYS ride on the white line or just outside it, leaving this huge 5-6ft. lane completely empty.
In the eight years I've been here in SoCal, I've nearly hit 3 or 4 bikers (accidentally, of course) and have had to get on the horn to countless others.
I'm like "YOU HAVE A WHOLE LANE...USE IT!"
Anyone else notice this phenomenon? I see it every single day.
Among cyclists, is it seen as uncool and reactionary to actually ride INSIDE THE LANE? I'm just asking...someone let me know, okay?
One day, back in the summer, this one asshole was - I'm not kidding - IN THE STREET, about 2 feet.
I had to swerve around him and nearly sideswipe a car to the left of me. I went up the road about 5 blocks, pulled in to a 7-11 and waited for the cyclist to arrive and I yelled motioned him over and actually asked "man, why are you out in the road and not in the lane? Did you see me almost hit that other car to avoid plowing into you?"
He looked at me like "don't question me..." (total yuppie type to begin with) and smirked and started pedaling away.
I called him an "inconsiderate cocksucker..." and wished him luck and safety (sarcastically) and he flung me the bird and we left and went our separate ways.
He's probably dead by now, if that's his usual method of riding.
Cheers
adam
Hah, not in Halifax.
<strong>Stay in your ****ing lane then, people.
When riding here in Chicago I wind up yelling things like "OPEN YOUR ****ING EYES" to most of the bad drivers. After all the only reason so many people could be such bad divers is if their eyes were close. Or mindlessly chating on the cell phone. Or in such a hurry they need not look for other traffic. Or drunk.
<strong>After all the only reason so many people could be such bad divers is if their eyes were close. Or mindlessly chating on the cell phone. Or in such a hurry they need not look for other traffic. Or drunk.</strong><hr></blockquote>
I have/am/do none of the above. I'm just cruising along in my lane like a regular, normal driver...only to have to pull a bit further to the left (oftentimes crossing a bit into the lane beside me) because a bicyclist is riding the stupid white line of his lane, even though he has a generous 5' or so of open lane.
I've just never understood this...that's why I posted the above "rant" because to me it is rude and shitheaded behavior...not to mention DANGEROUS!
Believe me, I'm not out to hit anyone and I've nearly been into sideswiping accidents with cars to my left in my efforts to safely clear some of these chucklehead cyclists who, for whatever reason, don't want to ride in the center portion of THEIR lane.
It would be like me driving down the freeway with my left tires on (or beyond) the lane divider and making those on the left of me nervous and, in turn, scooting more to THEIR left.
Yes, there are plenty of bad car drivers out there...for all the reasons you mentioned.
But I ain't one of 'em.
<strong>
I have/am/do none of the above.</strong><hr></blockquote>
I didn't say you were. I can rant on my fellow cyclist too. But we're not the ones driving two tons down the street at 40MPH while chatting on the cell phone drunk in a hurry.
I would love a SyCip custom roadie though.
Like you, I love the building part too.... you can have the worlds best components on your own bike (feel like the pros even if you are a scrubber like me).
Adam
<strong>Only thing is that you will probably need new shoes as the clipless pedels are prbably quite different for your Mountain Bike.</strong><hr></blockquote>
Naw. You can get SPD pedals for a road bike. Worse comes to worse you slap some ATB pedals on the road bike. Who cares? It's not like your Lance Armstrong.
[ 12-02-2001: Message edited by: Scott H. ]</p>
I've had close calls with bikes a few times as a pedestrian.
If there's no bike lane and you're riding in the middle of the street. . . SPEED THE HELL UP!
<strong>I hate the multiple personalities many bikers get. Sometimes they want to be treated them like cars, other times they want to be treated like a pedestrian.
I've had close calls with bikes a few times as a pedestrian.</strong><hr></blockquote>
That's why I only ride in the street. IMO the most dangerous thing for a cyclist to do is "transition" from "pedestrian" flow to "street" flow. The main problem being you pop off the sidewalk, for example, faster than any pedestrian would. So drivers look at the corner and see no one there and then the look the other way for traffic and when the look back there's a bike there.
I could write volumes on this stuff.
[quote]Originally posted by groverat:
<strong>If there's no bike lane and you're riding in the middle of the street. . . SPEED THE HELL UP!</strong><hr></blockquote>
Yea like me going 15 and not 5 is going to make a difference when the cars are going 45? Might I suggest the cars slow down. Seems to me most cars are going twice the speed limit all the time anyway.
IMO there are two problems that wont get fixed.
1) The roads are built with bikes in mind.
2) There?s no real enforcement of the traffic laws on anyone at all. Bikes or cars.
Riding a bike in town is bad... there are maybe three bike lanes that I've seen.
Bikes aren't supposed to be on sidewalks. They are subject to vehicle laws.
Anyway, I hate biking down University Ave. here. People go 45 MPH. They don't give you room on the shoulder of the road. The air they displace at that speed is enough to knock some cyclists over.