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

[Amarillo]

I hear many stories of “how a helmet saved my mate’s life”, but none of “how a lack of a helmet killed my mate.” However, stories of cyclists being crushed beneath an HGV’s wheels, or squeezed between roadside railings abound.

It’s not helmets cyclists need, it’s properly trained HGV drivers, and vehicle manufacturers taking giving as much thought to people outside their vehicles as inside.

OK so if taking part in extreme cycling perhaps a helmet is a good idea, but for returning a few books to the local library or heading off to the shop to buy a pint of milk!?

 

[clarinetbcn]

I hear many stories of “how a helmet saved my mate’s life”, but none of “how a lack of a helmet killed my mate.” However, stories of cyclists being crushed beneath an HGV’s wheels, or squeezed between roadside railings abound.

It’s not helmets cyclists need, it’s properly trained HGV drivers, and vehicle manufacturers taking giving as much thought to people outside their vehicles as inside.

OK so if taking part in extreme cycling perhaps a helmet is a good idea, but for returning a few books to the local library or heading off to the shop to buy a pint of milk!?

I don't do any extreme cycling in the city, I save that for the mountains. That said, a helmet has twice saved me from injury from stupid pedestrians on their phones. There is a parallel to motorcycle helmets: when I had a motorcycle I always used a helmet outside the city, but didn't in the city until the law changed. Fortunate for me, because I was knocked down by a drunk driver, flew through the air, and touched ground helmet first. When he got out of his car, he had to grab hold of the door to stand in his drunken stupor while he clumsily pulled out his wallet to offer me money not to call the police (I did).

Cycling is a basic part of my life. My criteria is that if the distance is less that 50km, I go by bike, unless the heavens have let loose. My students at a school 30km up the coast were used to greeting me when I arrived and waiting while I quickly showered. I have never had an accident, car, motorcycle, bike (city!) that was my fault. I ride defensively in the city assuming all around me in motorized vehicles are drug addled crazed psychopaths, and nevertheless have twice wound up bleeding on the ground (with helmet in place!) due to pedestrians on their phones. Now I include pedestrians in with the psychopaths. It's not what cyclists do, it's what crazy people do which has consequences for cyclists, no matter how defensively we ride.

I respect your choice for your boys, but I sincerely hope they never are affected by the poor decisions of a drunk driver or a stupid teen pedestrian uploading a tik-tok video while crossing on a red light. As cyclists we try to make good choices, but have to remember that we are vulnerable to suffering injury from others' stupid and sometimes criminal mistakes.

 

[haydnw2]

I found some interesting articles/papers while doing some related reading. The latest ROSPA report on accident stats is here. That led me to some fascinating reading about "non-collision cycling incidents" (i.e. those that involve a slip or a crash into a stationary object, rather than another road user such as a car, pedestrian or other cyclist), from NHS Bristol and the International Cycling Safety Conference. These include some incredible figures, although it should be borne in mind that the latter are international stats rather than UK-specific. The NHS Bristol presentation, though, points out that "Non-collision cycling incidents are the leading cause of serious transport and travel-related injury in England", which I would never have guessed. It's a few years old now, and one of their points is about the lack of standardisation in classifying bicycle-related injuries, but thought-provoking nonetheless. Stay safe, everyone!

In other news, I'm hoping Mr Drakeford starts allowing us ex-pats back to our homeland soon so that I can get out to Llandegla for some fun!

 

[pjm-84]

Dusted off my All Mountain Trigger 1 for my week up in the Lakes. I normally fast XC, Whinlatter or Gridedale so it will be interesting to run the descents a tad faster...... wish me luck.

 

[Amarillo]

An after school ride for five and six year old boys.

 

[Moakesy]

In Formula 1, Grosjean didn’t think the Halo device on cars was required up until last Sunday. He now thinks it’s a good idea.

So a guy in my bike club had this happen yesterday. He is meticulous about his bikes, maintains them weekly. He rides abound 100 miles a week and can handle a bike,

Basically, went for a gentle social ride with another club mate, doing a local off road circuit. There was no pressure, not ‘going for it’.....foot slipped off the pedal, into the front wheel. He went over the bars onto his head.




Yes, he broke his front forks, along with his helmet. Was rambling nonsense, so off to hospital and confirmed concussion, head bruising etc.

The point being, freak accidents happen, no one else involved, just a simple foot slip whilst pedalling.

If a person chooses not to then fine..free country and all that. But honestly, it’s not at all safer to do so.

 

[Amarillo]

In Formula 1, Grosjean didn’t think the Halo device on cars was required up until last Sunday. He now thinks it’s a good idea.

So a guy in my bike club had this happen yesterday. He is meticulous about his bikes, maintains them weekly. He rides abound 100 miles a week and can handle a bike,

Basically, went for a gentle social ride with another club mate, doing a local off road circuit. There was no pressure, not ‘going for it’.....foot slipped off the pedal, into the front wheel. He went over the bars onto his head.

View attachment 70294


Yes, he broke his front forks, along with his helmet. Was rambling nonsense, so off to hospital and confirmed concussion, head bruising etc.

The point being, freak accidents happen, no one else involved, just a simple foot slip whilst pedalling.

If a person chooses not to then fine..free country and all that. But honestly, it’s not at all safer to do so.

My sister-in-law suffered a freak head injury too, and is still suffering three years on, says her world is in a fog. She wished she wore a helmet too, but it is unusual for a pedestrian to wear one for the unlikely event of being hit by a tree.

 

[Moakesy]

My sister-in-law suffered a freak head injury too, and is still suffering three years on, says her world is in a fog. She wished she wore a helmet too, but it is unusual for a pedestrian to wear one for the unlikely event of being hit by a tree.

As I say, free country and all that. It's a balance of risk vs consequence and the decision made of an individuals free will.

However, I can think of not one person I know who's had a knock to the head whilst walking (I'm sure they exist, I just can't think of anyone I know). But as I type now, I can easily name seven cyclists who have had bad knocks to the head whilst riding. My girlfriend would almost certainly be dead if she wasn't wearing hers (the doctor's words not mine).

Due to the above, I can't not get concerned about cyclist without helmets, even though I can easily live with walkers without helmets.

To each their own, and I hope you never have the need to change your viewpoint.

 

[haydnw2]

That's an interesting coincidence - one of the papers I referenced above mentioned 'foot into the spokes' as a mechanism of accident, and I was dubious as to whether it was even possible. I hope your friend is OK.

 

[pjm-84]

Its a bit like a cyclist friend on mine. Got himself killed. Nipped across a railway crossing behind a train and missed the one in the other direction. Just caught the rear of the bike. Unmarked but the rotational forces killed him outright. Helmet was pretty poor in this instance (watch it , its trap as I know he didnt believe in helmets!)

 

[Moakesy]

That's an interesting coincidence - one of the papers I referenced above mentioned 'foot into the spokes' as a mechanism of accident, and I was dubious as to whether it was even possible. I hope your friend is OK.

I know the guy well and was amazed at how that happened. He is a very proficient cyclist with a high skill level, yet a simple foot slip resulted in concussion, a bruised face and black eye.

And although it was a largely off road 13 mile loop, of course he had to do it whilst on the 500 meters of concrete road!

Bad luck, but he's ok.

 

[California4x4]

Helmets! If you want to wear one, you should. If you don’t then that’s fine too. Now show us some shiny titanium or flowy carbon fibre or mountain bike up to the axles in mud.

 

[TwoDogs]

Exactly...why does every thread have to become an argument?!

 

[Amarillo]

Exactly...why does every thread have to become an argument?!

Discussion is a better way of putting it.

If what people say about helmets is true, I’d expect to see cyclocarnage on Dutch streets. Instead what I see is a safe cyclohaven.

Of course a key difference between the Netherlands and Britain is that in NL nearly all cycling is utility cycling or relaxed commuting, not so many clusters of mamil road cyclists or baggy MTBers, whippet-like couriers or Lycra clad office workers on a rapid commute.

 

[TwoDogs]

call it what you like, but you seem determined to start a "discussion" on just about every topic you comment on

 

[clarinetbcn]

call it what you like, but you seem determined to start a "discussion" on just about every topic you comment on

To be fair, if you read the thread you'll notice that this discussion was not started by @Amarillo .

 

[California4x4]

A friend of mine just got this. He’s running 650 with 2.1” tyres, drop handlebars, a mountain bike Di2 mech and cassette, dropped handlebars and a dropper seat post.


He thinks it’s the best bike he’s ever owned. To me it looks like he should have got a lightweight mountain bike. Any thoughts on this sort of hybrid machine?

 

[TwoDogs]

To be fair, if you read the thread you'll notice that this discussion was not started by @Amarillo .

Oh...my apologies

 

[TwoDogs]

A friend of mine just got this. He’s running 650 with 2.1” tyres, drop handlebars, a mountain bike Di2 mech and cassette, dropped handlebars and a dropper seat post.

View attachment 70315
He thinks it’s the best bike he’s ever owned. To me it looks like he should have got a lightweight mountain bike. Any thoughts on this sort of hybrid machine?

Gravel bikes are the emporer's new clothes. Not sure I see point (tho I've never ridden one)

 

[Moakesy]

A friend of mine just got this. He’s running 650 with 2.1” tyres, drop handlebars, a mountain bike Di2 mech and cassette, dropped handlebars and a dropper seat post.

He thinks it’s the best bike he’s ever owned. To me it looks like he should have got a lightweight mountain bike. Any thoughts on this sort of hybrid machine?

I'm trying to work out what frame that is on. Clearance for 2.1" tyres has gotta be FatBike territory hasn't it?

It's a big of everything / all of nothing machine....Di2, dropped handlebars, dropper post, dinner plate sprocket on the back. Probably great fun....would like to give it a go at least.

 

[TwoDogs]

I'm trying to work out what frame that is on. Clearance for 2.1" tyres has gotta be FatBike territory hasn't it?

It's a big of everything / all of nothing machine....Di2, dropped handlebars, dropper post, dinner plate sprocket on the back. Probably great fun....would like to give it a go at least.

2.1 is fairly standard for gravel bike frames as far as I know. I'd love a go on a decent one but can't see how one would fit into my riding - got too many bikes already. (Tho I do keep drooling over salsa cutthroats and kid myself I'll do the Tour Divide)

 

[Moakesy]

2.1 is fairly standard for gravel bike frames as far as I know. I'd love a go on a decent one but can't see how one would fit into my riding - got too many bikes already. (Tho I do keep drooling over salsa cutthroats and kid myself I'll do the Tour Divide)

I tend to work in new money (millimetres), so would think 38's or 40's being more gravel bike territory (I know that 40 width tyre doesn't exactly mean you get a tyre 40mm wide).

A 2.1" tyre is roughly 53mm wide, then you'd allow a bit more for clearance. What ever it is, it will be fun to have a go on. Not sure if you'd get the best of both worlds (MTB and Gravel) or the worst to be honest!

 

[California4x4]

2.1 is fairly standard for gravel bike frames as far as I know. I'd love a go on a decent one but can't see how one would fit into my riding - got too many bikes already. (Tho I do keep drooling over salsa cutthroats and kid myself I'll do the Tour Divide)

Yea I think he said he can put 38mm tyres on 700 wheels or up to 50mm on 650 wheels on that frame and forks. I’m pretty sure for what this lot cost, I’d rather have a light weight titanium hard tail mountain bike with suspension forks and large volume tubeless tyres on carbon rims. However he’s a triathlete, duathlete and CX rider, so I get this addition somewhat.

 

[TwoDogs]

W

I tend to work in new money (millimetres), so would think 38's or 40's being more gravel bike territory (I know that 40 width tyre doesn't exactly mean you get a tyre 40mm wide).

A 2.1" tyre is roughly 53mm wide, then you'd allow a bit more for clearance. What ever it is, it will be fun to have a go on. Not sure if you'd get the best of both worlds (MTB and Gravel) or the worst to be honest!

Well on a cutthroat for.example, which is very much designed as a long distance race bike, it takes up to 2.4" tyres on 29" rims...sorry I can't work in mm for tyres and wheels!

 

[sapto]

oh gravel bike oh gravel bike how much I'd love one
I think in general they look nice (CUBE) and could be a handy hybrid terrain although I would rather go like [mention]4x4 joker [/mention] and buy a lightweight mtb.

Kids stuff: Did anyone bought a early rider bigfoot 12" for his/her kids? Worth it?
https://www.bike-components.de/de/EARLY-RIDER/Big-Foot-12-Kinder-Laufrad-Modell-2020-p75490/