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Struensee posted:I got hit by a car on my way to work last week, my bike is totaled. Still waiting on the insurance assessor to put a value om my bike. It's 3 months old. I rather liked that the bike I had came with a dynamo, rain guards and a rack for saddle bags. I'm thinking about trying to salvage what I can from the bike and putting it on a new, cheap bike. Is there any functional difference between aluminium racing frames? Glad you made it out ok. Two weeks ago I got hit by a dude riding an electric scooter, we were fine but I was so angry at him for riding right into me. I was surprised how quickly I recovered after him ramming into my thigh.
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Nov 27, 2020 18:18
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People frequently leave those scooters in the bike lane and I always give them a vigorous hurl out of the way.
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Nov 28, 2020 03:35
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I had the wheels on the bench for winter tires anyways so I went hog wild with reflective tape. Not as effective as proper hard plastic reflectors but I haven't found any that fit my weirdly patterned short and thick spokes. Quantity has a quality all on its own is my reasoning
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Nov 28, 2020 14:52
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Sauer posted:I haven't fallen yet but its pretty much a full body workout keeping myself upright as the bike is dancing around under me; steering more with my thighs than the bars. Is there anything I can do to make this less miserable or is it kind of like riding a horse and you get use to it and relax into the random shifting over time? I'm not sure I can handle a few more months of this if its going to be hell every time. My commute is only 8km and only the first kilometer is all crapped up like this but 10% of the route is taking 90% of the effort. I'd really like to not get back on the bus and I really like riding in the winter when its just snow and ice (and the looks of horror from drivers strokes my ego). Mauser posted:People frequently leave those scooters in the bike lane and I always give them a vigorous hurl out of the way.
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Nov 28, 2020 16:44
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evil_bunnY posted:Heck yeah. Always fun to use your own speed to yeet them onto the lane. I am not sure what you're picturing, but I always come to a stop in front of the abandoned scooter and then lift it up and shotput them onto the sidewalk (they're very heavy). You get a nice solid impact and the alarm always goes off.
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Nov 29, 2020 00:53
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You'd be a lot cooler if you tossed them the other direction.
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Nov 29, 2020 11:46
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CopperHound posted:You'd be a lot cooler if you tossed them the other direction. Don't put stroller/wheelchair obstacles on the sidewalk.
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Nov 29, 2020 14:50
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Nah, we got large sidewalks here or they end up in the grass. Lots of people use their wheel chairs or scooters in the bike lane anyway because it's actually flat, unlike the sidewalks
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Nov 29, 2020 15:50
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Does anyone have suggestions for budget winter gear? I have the tops I need. The missing gear is the bottoms. Amazon is a miasma of garbage. Any inexpensive recommendations out there?
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Nov 30, 2020 22:42
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Cannon_Fodder posted:Does anyone have suggestions for budget winter gear? Are we talking winter temps + precipitation, or just winter temperatures? Like desert winter or northeastern winter? I am a filthy street clothes rider so I do something like this: 40-60: light techy pants like prana brion 25-40: jeans, or perhaps long undies + light techy pants below 25: jeans + long undies Thicker or thinner socks as needed, with rainproof boots. Prana pants aren't exactly cheap but I have them anyway so it's budget in the sense that it doubles as regular clothes. The only specific piece of gear I use is rain pants, which will also make you want to subtract a pant layer if possible. I use showers pass pants, they've treated me better for years than the cheaper REI brand ones. Ideally the rain pants can cinch over some rainproof shoes/boots, but if they don't quite overlap completely, I've recently gotten into using small gaiters to cover the gap.
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Nov 30, 2020 22:57
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alnilam posted:Are we talking winter temps + precipitation, or just winter temperatures? Like desert winter or northeastern winter? It would be 20-30 mile rides in 20-30*F weather. Hopefully without precipitation. I need something to keep my rear end from getting too mangled on the longer rides.
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Nov 30, 2020 22:59
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Cannon_Fodder posted:Does anyone have suggestions for budget winter gear? PREVIEW: Probably doesn't apply to you then since it's for temps over 32 F and shorter distances but I'll leave it up. How cold is it for you? I'm riding at between 0-10 degrees Celsius on average, I doubt it'll get below freezing, today was at 2 degrees, and I'm just wearing football or basketball shorts with a pair of boxers that I change when I get to work and it's fine. I do 20 km round-trip daily, though I genuinely don't think that it would make much of a difference were the distance further. Were it colder, maybe I'd look into pants. It took me longer today to get to a good riding temperature, like just half-way through my trip as opposed to a quarter of the way like before. I like wearing shorts, it allows for more movement and I don't sweat too much, which is my usual problem. Also I owned a lot shorts from when I was running, and this way I don't need to buy new gear. Since I'm pedaling my legs really aren't what gets cold. I'm Team Shorts all the way.
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Nov 30, 2020 23:00
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100YrsofAttitude posted:How cold is it for you? I could just stop being a little bitch, but I expect to do a bit further. Most of the winter riding will end up being below freezing, by a small margin.
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Nov 30, 2020 23:01
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Cannon_Fodder posted:I could just stop being a little bitch, but I expect to do a bit further. Most of the winter riding will end up being below freezing, by a small margin. It's also a longer trip. I don't think you'd need anything special though. Why not just regular sweat pants? They won't help much in the rain, another benefit to shorts (did you know your skin dries surprisingly quickly?). Though I haven't yet hit rain this winter... though I really hate my rain pants. They over-heat me and feel cumbersome so I think I'll see how it goes with just shorts first and if it's really too cold then I'll put them on.
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Nov 30, 2020 23:04
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Cannon_Fodder posted:It would be 20-30 mile rides in 20-30*F weather. Hopefully without precipitation. My pre covid commute was 16 miles per day, often bumping up to 20 with errands, and even with jeans my rear end was always intact  If you want cycling clothing recommendations that's fine I'm just chiming in to say that if you are on a budget, you don't really need specific cycling clothing (though I'm sure it's nice)
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Nov 30, 2020 23:05
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100YrsofAttitude posted:PREVIEW: Probably doesn't apply to you then since it's for temps over 32 F and shorter distances but I'll leave it up. So above 10C you pare it down to a banana hammock or what?
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Nov 30, 2020 23:06
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marshalljim posted:So above 10C you pare it down to a banana hammock or what? Haha no. I've always gone shorts, but in the fall I was just wearing a loose running shirt with them. I added light gloves once it dipped to under 15 C. I then added a regular buff to that at about 10+, and around 8C I was wearing thick gloves over the light gloves and the buff. I've since added a light windbreaker since the wind got colder and temperatures dropped further, and will probably stay there. I've got a light rain-coat for the water which I'm not fond of wearing because it doesn't breath well and the pants are worse. I've got a heavy denim jacket with no padding in it in case it really gets cold and some running pants that cut off at my ankles that'll do in a pinch too I think. What's crazy to me is that I still look forward to taking off that jacket when I arrive and just letting the air cool me off while I get out my change of clothes and work stuff. I just get warm super easily. Rain isn't too bad, but it's true I haven't go caught in a true winter storm yet. It happened once or twice last year during the strikes, but I think I'm better prepared for it this year, both mentally and physically.
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Nov 30, 2020 23:13
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Cannon_Fodder posted:Does anyone have suggestions for budget winter gear? I have a pair of shimano bib tights (size L) that I'd be happy to sell for the cost of shipping. Got 'em on clearance from Amazon a couple weeks ago but they don't fit me right. Would rather pass em along than deal with returns (not even sure if I can since clearance).
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Nov 30, 2020 23:52
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bicievino posted:I have a pair of shimano bib tights (size L) that I'd be happy to sell for the cost of shipping. Got 'em on clearance from Amazon a couple weeks ago but they don't fit me right. Would rather pass em along than deal with returns (not even sure if I can since clearance). Pm sent. Thanks for the feedback, gents. I'm not commuting, just trying to get less fat and know that I'll do it more often if I'm comfortable. I do appreciate it.
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Dec 1, 2020 03:36
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First proper snow of the year in Toronto and it was mostly puddles by the time I got out to get to work. Looking forward to all the slush and ice and brown pack bullshit that is going to all but ensure I slide off into the road at some point. Still though, riding in the winter is Cool and Good, and I forgot how much I can enjoy it when the roads are clear. Got a $6 mudflap for my front fender which has been going through the paces this week, and it did a pretty good job of keeping the worst of it off my boots and ankles. Currently lit up like a Christmas tree because drivers here are idiots at the best of times - working on making this beaut even flashier: 
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Dec 2, 2020 00:30
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What kind of wheel lights are those? I have the MonkeyLetric which are beautiful and obnoxious, but also too expensive to put on the bike that I park on the street.
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Dec 2, 2020 02:45
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Retroreflectors all over is nice, also legal and dirt cheap. Active lights are great for being seen when they work and are bright and blinky enough but there's something to be said for things that are passive, always on and not a temptation for theives or something an rear end in a top hat cop could potentially give you grief about if he feels like it. It also doesn't have to be either or, obviously.
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Dec 2, 2020 10:10
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Is a blinking light better than a steady one? Why? I tend to keep my lights steady because blinking ones will eventually give me a headache, but I guess blinkers catch my eye better? What’s more efficient on the power source?
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Dec 2, 2020 14:33
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Steady front, pulsating or steady rear. Flashing leads to target fixation and may make you more prone to being hit. https://www.renehersecycles.com/when-more-visible-%E2%89%A0-safer-target-fixation/
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Dec 2, 2020 14:49
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That's interesting, and makes sense. As a driver my attention is probably caught better by blinking light but it's harder to judge speed and distance if it's intermittent, even without considering target fixation. Rotating lights in the wheels are real attention getters without the problems with blinking IMHO.
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Dec 2, 2020 15:21
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Blinking rear lights are also annoying as hell for other cyclists behind you.
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Dec 2, 2020 16:00
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EvilJoven posted:Steady front, pulsating or steady rear. Flashing leads to target fixation and may make you more prone to being hit. Ideally two rears if you can. Or something like the Varia where it can be solid until a car gets close enough then starts flashing.
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Dec 2, 2020 16:00
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Giant Metal Robot posted:What kind of wheel lights are those?  Invalido posted:Retroreflectors all over is nice, also legal and dirt cheap. Active lights are great for being seen when they work and are bright and blinky enough but there's something to be said for things that are passive, always on and not a temptation for theives or something an rear end in a top hat cop could potentially give you grief about if he feels like it. It also doesn't have to be either or, obviously. 
dieselfruit fucked around with this message at 17:51 on Dec 2, 2020 |
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Dec 2, 2020 17:46
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Front should be white; back should be red.
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Dec 2, 2020 18:01
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They do make them in yellow as well. But at €15 a set there must be better options.
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Dec 2, 2020 18:22
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EvilJoven posted:Steady front, pulsating or steady rear. Flashing leads to target fixation and may make you more prone to being hit. Cool thanks. Glad to know I was doing it well enough. I just two pairs of lights, LEDs I think, nothing special, since the way is rather well lit (Paris isn't the "City of Lights" for nothing!). The front light is is white and illuminates the path well if in real darkness, the back one is less bright but red and yeah. Easily charged and good for 2-3 full rides before need a charge. I also do keep a smaller red-lit badge I wear on my person, that I used to use when running.
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Dec 2, 2020 19:16
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EvilJoven posted:Steady front, pulsating or steady rear. Flashing leads to target fixation and may make you more prone to being hit. This is an interesting thought but some random person's blog post is not really an expert source, and it mostly reads as someone working backward trying to justify their decision to not ride with lights. In fact if you actually click the link they have at the bottom to a seemingly expert source, the author there (Marc Green) doesn't really back up what the blog post is saying! The takeaway from Marc Green's writeup is that it's complicated and while people do tend to veer where they're looking, the presence of lights does not likely have much to do with it. There's even a big box at the very top of the expert link that says quote:Note. Updated 4 July 2013. This article should not be interpreted to mean that having flashing or any other lights is bad. If I'm a bicyclist, for example, I want as many lights as possible, preferably flashing. Lack of visibility and conspicuity constitutes a far greater danger than the moth-effect. I personally use cygolite's steady-with-attention-grabbing-pulse mode in the front and blinking in the back. I would consider steady rear though if there's solid evidence it's better.
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Dec 2, 2020 19:36
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alnilam posted:This is an interesting thought but some random person's blog post is not really an expert source, and it mostly reads as someone working backward trying to justify their decision to not ride with lights. I do tend to veer towards people using super bright flashing front lights on cyclepaths, whilst shielding my eyes. It's annoying as gently caress. There's 'being seen' and then there's blinding others with your stupid lights.
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Dec 2, 2020 19:46
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I've just ordered a Lupine SL SF precisely so I can blast back all the assholes blinding me on my errands.
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Dec 2, 2020 19:58
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alnilam posted:This is an interesting thought but some random person's blog post is not really an expert source, and it mostly reads as someone working backward trying to justify their decision to not ride with lights. E: I am dumb and didn't even read the title of the rene herse article CopperHound fucked around with this message at 20:11 on Dec 2, 2020 |
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Dec 2, 2020 20:05
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CopperHound posted:If you want actual peer reviewed studies that may or may not involve bikes look up "target fixation". Yeah the link at the bottom of the blog post is a review of peer-reviewed literature on the topic, which does not really support what the blog post's author or the person who posted the link is saying. Sorry I hate it when people link an expert source that doesn't actually back them up.
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Dec 2, 2020 20:13
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evil_bunnY posted:I've just ordered a Lupine SL SF precisely so I can blast back all the assholes blinding me on my errands. loving hate the superbright lights aimed directly at my eyeballs on the MUP. Makes it impossible to know if I'm about to plow in to a pedestrian at night because I can't see anything but the huge ball of light coming at me.
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Dec 2, 2020 20:15
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I have a crazy bright helmet mounted light for night snowboarding and I considered using that to counter blind those guys, but it would be too much effort make an easy to use switch.
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Dec 2, 2020 20:24
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bicievino posted:loving hate the superbright lights aimed directly at my eyeballs on the MUP. The brightest light in the world isn't super helpful if it has hotspot that ruins your night vision.
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Dec 2, 2020 20:24
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CopperHound posted:I wish more lights advertised how evenly they light up the road instead of the retina searing power. I wish cutoff lenses were mandated (although yes, obviously, I know that would never, ever be enforced).
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Dec 2, 2020 20:32
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