Cycling - a chat about all things bike.

[DapperButch]

Originally Posted by Incubus

Yup I admit I was being rather naughty and was riding in the dark, in the (by then rather light) rain, with one hand. I did a risk assessment, was aware of any hazzards and of what could go wrong (I know this route and ride it often). As you can see, only one car overtook me. It was 9.30pm and no traffic was going my way. I wouldn't dream of doing what I did on that road under day-time, or even early evening conditions.

Do you use reflective clothing/lights/other things to make you visible at night?

[Dominique]

I wear high density colored tops for day time riding...you know the ultra bright yellow, reds, and oranges in the wicking material.....

At night I wear a total reflectived vest that is also high desity yellow but filled with these dots that reflect light. The department of transportation workers wear these, and a friend of mine works for the Penna. D.O.T., so he bought me one......it works really well.....

here is a link to Biycle pittsburghs 10 day *everything bicycles*

http://ow.ly/5Wrj9

Originally Posted by DapperButch

Do you use reflective clothing/lights/other things to make you visible at night?

I do indeed Dapper. My regular cycling jackets and rain jacket all have reflective details. I also have a high vis vest, which, to be honest, I tend not to wear in the summer. I have a flouro flashing led strip for my leg or arm. I also have bike lights (and a spare one clipped to my person quite often) which are set to flash, which I think makes them more visible than a static light.

To be fair, I did know I was taking a rather naughty risk but decided to go for it due to my knowledge of the route, the lack of traffic going my direction and also that there were tram tracks and no junctions on my left. (We drive on the left of course).

I had forgotten how much I like riding urban (well lit) roads at night. I wouldn't ride the unlit country roads, that are not too far from here, at night.

[Dominique]

Bike Pittsburgh, which I belong too, but I am more involved the the ghost
bike project than any other specific part.....and we are more pro active than just showing up at the scence of a bicycle/ vehical death scene and chaining a ghost bicycle.....we like to think we are more pro active.

---

moving forward. Thru an aggressive letter writing campaign, we were able to get city council to pass an ordinace stating, it's unlawful to bicicle in darkness, without a solid white light on the front of your bicycle and minimum one red flashing light on the back. Our relationship is very co operative.

City council, by the way, like most cities....we have budget troubles, passed an ordinance to install 2000 bicycle racks in the business districts over two years. All parking garages must have 10% of the total amount of spaces be made bicycle acceptable and all new construction must include bicycle parking racks/sheds! Bicyles have come along way in this city. Don't forget, Pittsburgh is mountainous terrain. It's not beach, resort area. And bicycles are popular here. Appalacian Mountains.

Originally Posted by Yellow band

Bike Pittsburgh, which I belong too, but I am more involved the the ghost
bike project than any other specific part.....and we are more pro active than just showing up at the scence of a bicycle/ vehical death scene and chaining a ghost bicycle.....we like to think we are more pro active.

---

moving forward. Thru an aggressive letter writing campaign, we were able to get city council to pass an ordinace stating, it's unlawful to bicicle in darkness, without a solid white light on the front of your bicycle and minimum one red flashing light on the back. Our relationship is very co operative.

City council, by the way, like most cities....we have budget troubles, passed an ordinance to install 2000 bicycle racks in the business districts over two years. All parking garages must have 10% of the total amount of spaces be made bicycle acceptable and all new construction must include bicycle parking racks/sheds! Bicyles have come along way in this city. Don't forget, Pittsburgh is mountainous terrain. It's not beach, resort area. And bicycles are popular here. Appalacian Mountains.

Do you have a high percentage of deaths on bicycles in your state? How about the whole of the U.S?

How fantastic that you have 'secure' parking in garages. I'm waging a one-genderqueer-battle for the same here in my town. Our council has provided miles of new cycle tracks on the town centre roads (many of us believe some of them to be dangerous though) and lots of new bike parking stands but our thieves are devious and too many bikes go missing from town centre. I want to be able to park my bike in town, somewhere that is CCTVd and patrolled. I am quite happy to pay a sum commensurate with the service provided.

To be fair our town is much more cycle friendly than it ever has been which can only be a good thing. There are lots of folks, like British Cycling and Sky Rides who are doing much to promote cycling around the area.

What is it about cyclists and mountainous areas? My serious cycling back in the day was in hilly and mountainous areas.

[Dominique]

Originally Posted by Incubus

Do you have a high percentage of deaths on bicycles in your state? How about the whole of the U.S? I have no data to support this, but NO, not many.....one is too many. It's just another effort to encourage vehical operators to learn to share the road. Those stripped down, spray painted white bicycles DO make you (anyone seeing it) think.

How fantastic that you have 'secure' parking in garages.Yes! and no charge.... I'm waging a one-genderqueer-battle for the same here in my town. Our council has provided miles of new cycle tracks on the town centre roads (many of us believe some of them to be dangerous though)That is Next....4 are being layed this summer, in very busy bicycle areas, college towns and main routes into the city and lots of new bike parking stands but our thieves are devious and too many bikes go missing from town centre. I want to be able to park my bike in town, somewhere that is CCTVd and patrolled. I am quite happy to pay a sum commensurate with the service provided. Someplaces are charging a dollar....but council is capping that. I'm fine with paying a dollar for indoor, cctv and an over all piece of mind about my bicycle. Sure beats a few years ago, chaining it to any tree I could find.

To be fair our town is much more cycle friendly than it ever has been which can only be a good thing. There are lots of folks, like British Cycling and Sky Rides who are doing much to promote cycling around the area. Finally, it's progress in the making. It's good that we can see it, and can celebrate it.

What is it about cyclists and mountainous areas? My serious cycling back in the day was in hilly and mountainous areas.

Ha Ha, My S/O certainly wonders about this.......I think it's the chanllenge. After all these years, I no longer see these hills.

Originally Posted by Yellow band

Ha Ha, My S/O certainly wonders about this.......I think it's the chanllenge. After all these years, I no longer see these hills.

I wish. My legs like hills but are far, far stronger than my poor old lungs. So hills, even just inclines, are my bête noire nowadays.

In consultations with your council about the proposed bike lanes I would suggest that they think carefully about making them contraflow at any junctions. If I want to use the cycle lane that by-passes the one way system into town I have to cross two busy junctions in contraflow to the traffic and even me, as a really confident, road aware cyclist, finds it a tad disconcerting. It's going to take the motor traffic a long time to get used to the contraflow.

Apropos chaining bikes up. As we don't have any really safe cycle parking I utilize the centre-of-town-busy-pub ruse. I lock my bike to the railings outside the main windows at one of the Irish pubs in town if I'm to be leaving it for any length of time. It appears to be a pub customers bike and presumably watched over.

[pajama]

I discovered today, I do not like hills. Neither my lungs nor my legs. LOL Actually wasn't to bad I say now that I'm on the couch in the a/c. Hadn't ridden much all week 'cause I wasn't sure what the hand would do. But rode 13.5 miles today with Shadows Papa, my ex and her g/f. The weater was really nice this morning and the back country rodes had few cars, we actually passed more cyclist than cars. Hand did fine, thighs a little tired now, but not hurting too bad.

Happy cycling everybody.
A

[lettertodaddy]

I just got my fat butt on a road bike for the first time ever today (I don't count the yellow Sears ten-speed I had when I was a kid). Man, is it ever different from my 45 pound steel Dutch bike that I ride everywhere.

As I get older, I'm looking for ways to get fit that are kinder to the joints, and I think road cycling and weight training will be what I use to get me more fit as I get older.

I never ever thought I'd be on a road bike, and I'm a little stiff right now to tell you the truth, but I'm going to have the bike professionally fitted at a sports medicine clinic, and start with shorter rides to build up my endurance. I'm excited.

[Dominique]

I have not, until I read this

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/06/sc...dent.html?_r=1