"Bike Porn"-your rides and how/where you use them

[TwoDogs]

I love this whole 27.5/29er mullet thing. Literally nobody could tell the difference if they didn’t know what they were riding!!

I'd agree to an extent if you're going from 26 to 27.5....the difference isn't enough to be worth it, and it was a marketing thing by the bike industry, but from 26 to 29 is a huge difference. And particularly in newer 29 designs, it's a change for the better

 

[pjm-84]

Not sure on DH. I sold my Ironhorse as it hurt a lot and you dont seem to bounce that well with age. XC racing is fine.

 

[GrumpyGranddad]

If anybody wants really accurate (and i mean REALLY accurate) tracking of walking/jogging/cycling/driving routes, then have a look at FocalPoint. My son has just done a project for them. Awesome technology.

 

[John Slater]

Sun was shining, calendar was blank and nothing that wouldn't wait until tomorrow! So I had the afternoon off and took Cervé for a ride down to Wasdale.

 

[sidepod]

Not sure on DH. I sold my Ironhorse as it hurt a lot and you dont seem to bounce that well with age. XC racing is fine.

Ha ha quite. I’m pretty sure there is a “nearer-to-60-than-50” class in Red Bull Rampage?

 

[sidepod]

Nice bit of lunchtime play.....deffo traction limited.

 

[sapto]

Early rider 10": He loves it and truck in the background

 

[Amarillo]

50 Km cycle ride for a six year old

Somewhat grim A13 cycle lane

Next to one of Europe’s largest landfill sites

Below containers being unloaded

Above the Dartford Tunnels and below the QEII Bridge

Crash!

Rats!

Tilbury to Gravesend Ferry

 

[Amarillo]

Islabikes Beinn 20 and Luath 24

 

[sidepod]

The new DH weapon.
#megavalanche
#bernardkerr

 

[Virgil van Bike]

Islabikes Beinn 20 and Luath 24

Nice and visible, but I cringe when I see cyclists without helmets. I’ve known 2 occasions where helmets have potentially saved lives. My son’s friend head butted the floor, at low speed after slipping on a mossy cycling path. Spent a night in hospital with concussion despite wearing a helmet.

 

[Amarillo]

Nice and visible, but I cringe when I see cyclists without helmets. I’ve known 2 occasions where helmets have potentially saved lives. My son’s friend head butted the floor, at low speed after slipping on a mossy cycling path. Spent a night in hospital with concussion despite wearing a helmet.

The best way to protect a head from injury is not to hit it or have it hit in the first instance. A helmet cannot prevent a fall or a collision, so a cyclist’s first line of defence is to reduce a likelihood of a fall or collision: (A) Air in tyres - correctly inflated (B) Brakes working correctly (C) Chain running freely (D) Danglers such as laces or trouser legs tucked away. Communicating effectively with other road users such as by arm signals, eye contact and road positioning all reduce the likelihood of a collision.

Only when you have done all you can to reduce the likelihood of a fall or a collision should you consider secondary measures to reduce the consequences of a fall or collision.

Unfortunately there is evidence that wearing a helmet encourages risky behaviour by cyclists, especially young cyclists, for example by trying out tricks: pulling wheelies or riding without holding the handlebars.

It also seems that drivers take more risks around helmeted cyclists, by passing closer or faster. This is partly evidenced by your post which in essence says, “unhelmeted cyclists! How vulnerable!” (I must take care in passing them.)

A recent Dutch study found that 13% of Dutch cyclists admitted to hospital for head injuries were wearing helmets. Helmet use in the Netherlands is 1%.

If pushing the limits, by for example, racing, off-roading, BMXing wearing a helmet makes good sense. For utility cycling or leisure cycling it is purely a matter of personal choice.

 

[Virgil van Bike]

The best way to protect a head from injury is not to hit it or have it hit in the first instance. A helmet cannot prevent a fall or a collision, so a cyclist’s first line of defence is to reduce a likelihood of a fall or collision: (A) Air in tyres - correctly inflated (B) Brakes working correctly (C) Chain running freely (D) Danglers such as laces or trouser legs tucked away. Communicating effectively with other road users such as by arm signals, eye contact and road positioning all reduce the likelihood of a collision.

Only when you have done all you can to reduce the likelihood of a fall or a collision should you consider secondary measures to reduce the consequences of a fall or collision.

Unfortunately there is evidence that wearing a helmet encourages risky behaviour by cyclists, especially young cyclists, for example by trying out tricks: pulling wheelies or riding without holding the handlebars.

It also seems that drivers take more risks around helmeted cyclists, by passing closer or faster. This is partly evidenced by your post which in essence says, “unhelmeted cyclists! How vulnerable!” (I must take care in passing them.)

A recent Dutch study found that 13% of Dutch cyclists admitted to hospital for head injuries were wearing helmets. Helmet use in the Netherlands is 1%.

If pushing the limits, by for example, racing, off-roading, BMXing wearing a helmet makes good sense. For utility cycling or leisure cycling it is purely a matter of personal choice.

A study from 2016 collected data from over 64,000 cyclists around the world, and found compelling evidence that wearing a cycle helmet reduces risk of serious head injury by almost 70% and fatal head injury by 65%. It is the largest review on cycling and helmets to date. The study also found that the risk of sustaining a general head injury is reduced by 51% and facial injury by 33%, when a helmet is used (Olivier, Creighton, 2016).

I think kids are more likely to remember a helmet than check their shoelaces.
Each to their own, but personally, I don't consider a helmet a secondary safety measure and I would prefer to reduce any risk of injury!

 

[Amarillo]

A study from 2016 collected data from over 64,000 cyclists around the world, and found compelling evidence that wearing a cycle helmet reduces risk of serious head injury by almost 70% and fatal head injury by 65%. It is the largest review on cycling and helmets to date. The study also found that the risk of sustaining a general head injury is reduced by 51% and facial injury by 33%, when a helmet is used (Olivier, Creighton, 2016).

I think kids are more likely to remember a helmet than check their shoelaces.
Each to their own, but personally, I don't consider a helmet a secondary safety measure and I would prefer to reduce any risk of injury!

I think that you will find that the studies you quote only compare the consequences to helmeted and unhelmeted cyclists once an accident occurs. They do nothing to examine the likelihood of an accident between the two groups.

Mile for mile cycling is safer than walking. Perhaps we should all be wearing helmets when taking the dog around the park?

 

[Virgil van Bike]

I think that you will find that the studies you quote only compare the consequences to helmeted and unhelmeted cyclists once an accident occurs. They do nothing to examine the likelihood of an accident between the two groups.

Mile for mile cycling is safer than walking. Perhaps we should all be wearing helmets when taking the dog around the park?

Yes, and 89% of statistics are made up, I know...
I'm not sure of the dog walking relevance! However it's personal choice for adults, parents choice for children.
Regardless, if there was an accident that involved a head injury I'd have the comfort of knowing my children had a helmet on!

 

[Amarillo]

Yes, and 89% of statistics are made up, I know...

Maybe - but mine are from the other 11%.
Cycling safer than walking:

Matt Seaton: Why cycling's safer than walking

Matt Seaton: Just how dangerous is cycling? It is not a simple question to answer.

www.theguardian.com

Dutch cyclists more likely to be injured if wearing a helmet:

Why are Dutch cyclists more likely to be injured if they wear helmets?

The Netherlands is the safest country in which to cycling and very few people wear helmets. But 13% of cyclists admitted to hospital are helmeted. Why?

www.cyclehelmets.org

I'm not sure of the dog walking relevance!

If cycling is safer than walking, and wearing a helmet is recommended for cycling, why should wearing a helmet not be recommended for walking the dog?

 

[Virgil van Bike]

Maybe - but mine are from the other 11%.
Cycling safer than walking:

Matt Seaton: Why cycling's safer than walking

Matt Seaton: Just how dangerous is cycling? It is not a simple question to answer.

www.theguardian.com

Dutch cyclists more likely to be injured if wearing a helmet:

Why are Dutch cyclists more likely to be injured if they wear helmets?

The Netherlands is the safest country in which to cycling and very few people wear helmets. But 13% of cyclists admitted to hospital are helmeted. Why?

www.cyclehelmets.org

If cycling is safer than walking, and wearing a helmet is recommended for cycling, why should wearing a helmet not be recommended for walking the dog?

You can pick and choose the details in both of those articles to suit the narrative
I truly hope neither of us end up spending time in A&E with a child who has a head injury!

 

[haydnw2]

Dutch cyclists more likely to be injured if wearing a helmet:

In fairness, that's not quite what they say. That page does almost immediately say (my emphasis):

The answer is probably related to another statistic. Of the injured cyclists wearing helmets, 50 percent were riding mountain bikes and 46 percent were riding racing bikes (Rijkswaterstaat, 2008). In other words, most helmeted cyclists in the Netherlands are engaged in a competitive activity, with very few making utility trips on the traditional style of Dutch bicycle.

So "Dutch cyclists more likely to be injured if taking part in competitive sport" is what that page suggests the paper's conclusions are. However, I note that the research paper doesn't actually seem to be available anywhere, so we can't really form an opinion the validity of the page's claim anyway.

 

[sapto]

The new DH weapon.
#megavalanche
#bernardkerr



View attachment 69979

Wow! Absolut! I really like transition bikes!

 

[pjm-84]

I use to be 50/50 on helmets and then I had my first snapped chain. That day I was wearing an helmet as I landed on my head and the back of the helmet took the impact.

The second and third times were MTBing, typically front end damage OTB or front end wipeouts. Cracked shell / broken polystrene

Never crashed in a road race, plenty times in XC races but oddly never causing significant damage requiring the helmet to be thrown

Crashed DH in the Alps and landed on my head suffice to leave me with whiplash for a few months. Full face helmet no damage. Promised to buy myself a neck brace afterwards.

Hit an wrought iron fence post burried in the under growth at speed in the dark racing along a riverside trail. Struggled to ride straight afterward. Cant recall but I took a fair whack so put me down for another helmet. I think my head landed on protruding tree roots but at least I missed the water.

Crashed on an off road sportive after hitting a patch of wet chalk at speed on my cross bike. Helmet took a massive impact and shattered. A fair whack was transferred to me. No blood but a big lump.

Probably a few more, less memorable ones. So now I'm an 100/0.

 

[sapto]

Fullspeed always helmet on

 

[Moose]

Got this last week, first bike i have owned with Di2’s

 

[soulstyledevon]

Unfortunately there is evidence that wearing a helmet encourages risky behaviour by cyclists, especially young cyclists, for example by trying out tricks: pulling wheelies or riding without holding the handlebars.

Probably true Amarillo.
I was late to skiing. First trip early thirties.
Turns out I’m not half bad, probably 15+ years of surfing helped.
Decided on my third ski trip I was gonna throw myself at the slope and really test myself. The only sensible way of doing this was wearing a helmet...
On one trip to Chamonix, the helmet split almost in two and I had a bad head for a couple of days with a bloody nose to go with it...

I’ve always sat on the fence when it comes to bicycles and helmets.
But this summer, a friend and I were out on a casual ride and he misjudged a bend and flew off head first into the tarmac. He was fully out and the helmet was split in two
Apart from a bit of memory loss and some concussion, he was fine. But dread to think what would of happened had he not wore the lid...

 

[clarinetbcn]

I wear a helmet when biking in town to protect me from...pedestrians! They have a red light I have green, they check for cars and then step right in front of you in the bike lane while looking at their phones. I've been on the ground twice, the helmet did it's job, and both times the pedestrian was cited. Interestingly in Barcelona jay walking is a traffic violation. Both times the pedestrians' ID was cross checked by the police and they lost points off their driver's licenses. No one was seriously injured, but there have been deaths, one of them a well known local politician, who walked right out in front of a cyclist to cross on a red light.

Así fue el accidente de Muriel Casals

Muriel Casals, la diputada de Junts pel Sí y expresidenta de Òmnium, recibió un impacto que la lanzó al suelo cuando cruzaba un carril bici

www.lavanguardia.com

 

[Azteccamper]

Always wear a helmet myself, but an incident with my son confirmed it.
We were walking along the pavement when a mate spotted us and slowly pulled along side on his bike. As he stopped he misjudged the kerb and missed it with his foot. He fell catching his head on a wall with the result that he basically ‘scalped‘ his head and needed 30+ stitches to repair a huge flap of hair to his head. A simple accident.
Horrible. Helmet every ride since.