Cycling Thread

[reevesr1]

And if someone wants a "things that piss me off about cyclists", please start another thread.

[trailhead]

I have been riding to work in Calgary since 1978 and it's way better now than back then, drivers are generally more courteous. However there are the exceptions, had one guy actually chase me through a residential neighborhood for about 8 blocks, he kept trying to cut me off into the curb. I finally got to a busy street and stopped at a bus stop with a lot of witnesses, where I confronted him and said if he wanted an assault charge to go ahead and hit me as I had his license plate number. I learned a good lesson though, don't give the one finger salute. Now I just smile and wave when someone in a car gets aggressive.

[birchy]

I have absolutely no problem riding on a sidewalk when a path closure forces me to either ride on the sidewalk for a km or two, or ride on an unsafe road. If people don't like it, I actually couldn't give one drop of care. I'd rather people be mad at me than ride on a road not safe for bikes, have some moron run me into the gravel on the side of the road (which has happened), I go down and the last thing I see in life are a pair of bull balls on the back of an F350.

 

Of course there are always exceptions.. I'm referring to the blatant disregard for the law because "it's not convenient for me", versus "it's not SAFE for me". Two completely different things.

[birchy]

Now I just smile and wave when someone in a car gets aggressive.

 

This. Haven't had anything happen in quite awhile, but I've kind of decided that I'd just smile, wave, and say "thank you" next time I get yelled at.

[Guest NamasteMushroom]

I have absolutely no problem riding on a sidewalk when a path closure forces me to either ride on the sidewalk for a km or two, or ride on an unsafe road. If people don't like it, I actually couldn't give one drop of care. I'd rather people be mad at me than ride on a road not safe for bikes, have some moron run me into the gravel on the side of the road (which has happened), I go down and the last thing I see in life are a pair of bull balls on the back of an F350.

 

 

I ride on the side walk for two blocks for just that reason; rush hour morning traffic and safety (I only need to do it on the way to work, going the other direction is fine).

 

I did get a ticket this year at the construction zone at 10th Street and Memorial Drive It was complete BS - and there was so much backlash from it that the city/by-law services changed the sign from "Cyclists Dismount" to "Cyclists Dismount when Pedestrians Present"; the city nonetheless still got $50 out of me and forty or fifty other people.

 

My experience with cars has generally been ok, but I am still always watching them as they approach - primarily because of texting etc. You see people texting and driving so often and they always seem to stray slightly out of the lane (I'm paranoid of getting clipped.) And last year when I was riding on 26 Street SW, I watched a driver veer right into the opposing lane. When I caught up with the car at the 17th Avenue lights I noticed she was doing a crossword puzzle on her steering wheel- unreal.

[SteveM]

Why not combine the two? A couple of weeks back I had my wife give me a headscarf from my parents place in the Hat and then meet me at Reesor for a day on Battle. Much fun!!

 

Autocorrect strikes again???

This post really had me scratching my head, until I figured out that "headscarf" is supposed to be "head start"; too funny...

 

[bigalcal]

on a side note what is the rule about people on bikes,i always thought that if your on the bike your a car if your off then your a pedestrian.

 

i often see people stop for a guy crossing the road and hes on the bike.i hate that.

 

As a cyclist I hate that too. I wave them along and point at my stop sign!

[bigalcal]

I have absolutely no problem riding on a sidewalk when a path closure forces me to either ride on the sidewalk for a km or two, or ride on an unsafe road. If people don't like it, I actually couldn't give one drop of care. I'd rather people be mad at me than ride on a road not safe for bikes, have some moron run me into the gravel on the side of the road (which has happened), I go down and the last thing I see in life are a pair of bull balls on the back of an F350.

 

Ha! Ha! Love the reference to the bull balls...LMAO!!

[snuffy]

Yes, head start. I went out past Bullshead then across on the Maple Creek road to 40. It was a nice day, but I wasn't moving very fast by the end.

 

Autocorrect strikes again???

This post really had me scratching my head, until I figured out that "headscarf" is supposed to be "head start"; too funny...

 

[birchy]

Great ride in today! Sun was shining.. wasn't too cold.. excellent start to the day!

[birchy]

PITA day today. I had a really slow leak in my rear tire yesterday afternoon. Made it to the truck Ok, changed out the tube, then spent way way too long trying to reinstall the tire with disc brakes. Totally kicked my ass. Anyway, got that figured out (trial and error with lots of error), and started to ride in this morning in the monsoon. Got about 3-4 KM in and had a flat. Turns out there was a rock shard thru my tread on my tire which caused both flats (but did not learn that until I took the tire to MEC at lunch). So had to make the long walk back to the car, bring the bike home and ride the train in.

 

So you'd think I would've learned from reading this... but oh no! Flat tire last week.. replaced the tube.. flat tire again this morning when I went to leave.. I'm assuming it's a similar problem.. something still stuck through the tire that's poking the tube. Will have a look tonight.

 

[reevesr1]

Currently, I have 3 spare tubes in my pack! Pump, compressed air cartridges, and repair kit. Overkill, but I'll never have to walk because of a flat again.

[snuffy]

You might be just paranoid enough! Good call on the CO2s as well. They aren't just faster, but easier to use with cold/wet hands. Come to think of it, I've had a whole bunch of minipumps over the years and I'm pretty sure none of them were in any way capable of filling a tire.

 

Currently, I have 3 spare tubes in my pack! Pump, compressed air cartridges, and repair kit. Overkill, but I'll never have to walk because of a flat again.

 

[ÜberFly]

Rick,

 

You can also get the liners (I forget what they are called) that go in between the outside of the tube and inside of the tire to prevent thorns/rocks, etc. from puncturing your tube... They add a little weight to the over all of the tire, but you won't get a flat by that means ever again!!

 

P

 

P.S. Here is one particular brand, but I suspect there are several others...

 

http://mrtuffy.com/

 

Currently, I have 3 spare tubes in my pack! Pump, compressed air cartridges, and repair kit. Overkill, but I'll never have to walk because of a flat again.

[Castuserraticus]

Got up one morning to find a flat tire so changed it and headed out. Not 100 ft later I hit some glass and got another flat. I took that as a divine sign and went golfing for the day.

 

After commuting on a mtn bike for ~25 years I bought a road bike this spring. I used to pass just about everyone on the paths but the proliferation of road bikes in recent years had me feeling old and slow.

 

What's the best way to get full pressure with presta valves? I bought a pump with the clever head from MEC but it lets out a good blast when removing it. Is there something better?

[reevesr1]

Got up one morning to find a flat tire so changed it and headed out. Not 100 ft later I hit some glass and got another flat. I took that as a divine sign and went golfing for the day.

 

After commuting on a mtn bike for ~25 years I bought a road bike this spring. I used to pass just about everyone on the paths but the proliferation of road bikes in recent years had me feeling old and slow.

 

What's the best way to get full pressure with presta valves? I bought a pump with the clever head from MEC but it lets out a good blast when removing it. Is there something better?

 

I bought the little compressed gas cylinders and fill assembly from MEC. They cost a little, but are fill your tire in about a second. I just use my pump as a backup.

 

 

[trailhead]

That is just the pressure coming out of the line from the pump to the tire. IF you have the lever on the pump flipped to the correct position. Does your pump have the pressure gauge built in?

[Guest NamasteMushroom]

Got up one morning to find a flat tire so changed it and headed out. Not 100 ft later I hit some glass and got another flat. I took that as a divine sign and went golfing for the day.

 

After commuting on a mtn bike for ~25 years I bought a road bike this spring. I used to pass just about everyone on the paths but the proliferation of road bikes in recent years had me feeling old and slow.

 

What's the best way to get full pressure with presta valves? I bought a pump with the clever head from MEC but it lets out a good blast when removing it. Is there something better?

 

Not sure what type of tires you have, but if you're buying another set try anything by Bontrager.

 

[snuffy]

If you guys are running MTBs, the new tubeless setups are virtually impossible to flat when run with a bit of sealant.

[reevesr1]

Did a bit of riding over the weekend. Fish creek trails close just upstream of burmsmead on the west side, and are closed just upstream of the 22x bridge on the west. Tons of closures all along the river paths. Douglasdale, diamond cove hill, train bridge, etc, etc. Doesn't look like any commuting for me this week!

[Castuserraticus]

That is just the pressure coming out of the line from the pump to the tire. IF you have the lever on the pump flipped to the correct position. Does your pump have the pressure gauge built in?

 

Hadn't thought about the pressure in the pump.

Yup

[Guest NamasteMushroom]

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/stor...nforcement.html

 

 

[WesG]

If you guys are running MTBs, the new tubeless setups are virtually impossible to flat when run with a bit of sealant.

Not really true... for commuting I would say you would be safe, but out ont he trails I have seperated my tire from the rim twice now with my tubeless set up which ended up with a long walk home once and the second time the girfriend had a tube and pump for me to use. I am no longer worried about pinch flats though!

[snuffy]

Not really true... for commuting I would say you would be safe, but out ont he trails I have seperated my tire from the rim twice now with my tubeless set up which ended up with a long walk home once and the second time the girfriend had a tube and pump for me to use. I am no longer worried about pinch flats though!

 

Really??? Were you using a UST rim and tire or a conversion kit? The later can be very sketchy, but I've ridden and raced UST rims and tires for years and, while I still carry a tube and CO2 on principle, never had a single flat. Mind you, I always used 32-35 psi.

 

[reevesr1]

I've been biking in quite a bit lately, riding from Chaparral to downtown. Shooting for 200 miles (or 330 some odd k's!) this week. Currently at 123 miles with 2.5 days to go. Commute in is 15 miles, with the more scenic route going home of 18 miles. Legs are sore!