Originally Posted by
rpenmanparker
Yep, the above advice about stopping the only sure cure for the problem. When you see the dogs, stop, dismount, and walk past with the bike between you and the dog. I know this is an unattractive proposition, but it is the only safe way to handle the situation. You can try pepper spray, spraying them with a water bottle, beating them with a frame mounted pump, amazing acceleration, or shooting them with your trusty 9 mm, but none of those are sure to work. And concentrating on anything but riding is not such a good idea. If you don't have a good head start, and will be passing in close proximity, the walk by is the only sure cure. You have to assume the dog is not truly vicious, only stupidly protective of its territory. Else it wouldn't be off leash.
Some great advice. In here the NC mountains in the deep woods when mtn biking we can encounter black bear and if they have cubs you better be ready for an all out battle! But if alone they tell you to dismount and pick up your bike as a shield and yell and act like a nut to get the bear to go along. But like I said if you get between a mother bear and cubs you better be ready for injury! I carry a 12" K-Bar when mtn biking in case I have to pull a Rambo. I rather yell and run them off but if push comes to shove something is getting 9" of cold steel in their gut!
But that advice above is about the best you can do because on the bike you are like a deer or similar animal to them and instinct takes over.