Bigbus

Learn something new everyday... My take-away from that is don't use cantilever brakes and steer clear of carbon fiber bikes unless you want to get burned.

indyfabz

I have a cat, but I like dogs. Never ridden a crabon fibre bike. Tour with cantilever brakes. Like listening to bird songs and insects when I ride.

Oneder

Unfortunately many people can't seem to manage this.

phughes

It's only an issue if you listen to music via headphones. If you don't do that, the cantilevers will be fine, and the carbon fiber won't burst into flames.

Bigbus

I prefer country, but sometimes classic rock. I'll have to download some bird and insects and try that....

Bigbus

Shucks, you had me worried there. Good thing I only use ear buds...

adlai

I do it all the time. Often that is really helpful for getting through a miserable ride.

Fact is that if a car is coming up behind you unsafely, there is nothing you can do. With headphones you still can see what is in front of you and that is safe enough.

Jim from Boston

Quote:

Originally Posted by adlai

I do it all the time. Often that is really helpful for getting through a miserable ride.

Fact is that if a car is coming up behind you unsafely, there is nothing you can do. With headphones you still can see what is in front of you and that is safe enough.

FWIW, see my preceding post (link) on this thread in reply to this question:

Quote:

Originally Posted by MattTheHat

Can someone...anyone...explain how knowing a car is behind you makes any difference whatsoever? Please?

I've asked this in other threads and never gotten a response. In other words, what do you do with the information? What do you do differently?

Are you pulling off the road or something? It seems to me that if you do anything differently based on whether or not a car is behind you is just a recipe for disaster, because you're going to eventually get it wrong,,.

indyfabz

During a 2016 tour in MT I hung out here for about 20 min. soaking it all in. During that time I did not hear one manmade sound. Not even an airplane. Just the sounds created by the wind and those created by birds and insects. I didn't want to leave.

GlennR

Nirvana

phughes

Okay, I will give a serious response to this. We are not dogs, our sense of hearing is not the same, we cannot discern location well from sound, as dogs, and most animals can. While I believe you should be able to hear sounds around you, such as horns and emergency vehicles, I also do not believe you can use sound to pinpoint a car coming up behind you too close to the edge of the road to be safe. Sure, you may hear a car coming up behind you, but so what? where I ride, that occurs almost every second, so what do you do, pull over and stop? The entire argument is ridiculous.

I also do not believe one should blast music loudly in earphones, for many reasons, one of which is to not shot yourself off from noises you do need to hear, like the above mentioned emergency vehicles, sirens, and horns. I have used earphones to listen to audiobooks on tour, but I could hear other noises easily.

If you want to know what is behind you, and whether or not it is a danger, use a mirror. Until you learn echo-location, or develop a dog's sense of hearing, relying on your ears is not an option.

To believe you can know a car is coming up too closely based on hearing is ridiculous. Ride in a town with heavy traffic, all you have a cars, and you will hear all of them. Which one is a danger? Based on hearing, you will not be able to know. You need to see. The only real issue is that many who wear earphones, are simply inattentive to the world around them, that is another issue entirely.

indyfabz

Yeah. I’ve ridden that 23 mile stretch 3 times. Maybe a total of 8 cars. Far more free range cattle. One year I got dogged by what I later discovered was a common snipe.

GlennR

This is my spot. not as secluded but it's a peaceful spot in the middle of the suburbs.




That is until someone passes with a radio playing.

indyfabz

In my big city you can stand a very good chance of getting a close pass if you can hear rap blasting from the vehicle approaching from behind and you’re riding a narrow street.

phughes

I know what you mean, but as long as their bass is loud enough, the sound waves will vibrate your bike enough to slightly levitate your bike so it will simply move to the side like a hockey puck if they hit you, so you won't get hurt.

MattTheHat 

They call it Big Sky Country for good reason. Look at that sky! Beautiful.

Bigbus

If they were wearing proper ear buds you wouldn't be disturbed... Just saying. I realize that there is at least one, possibly two people out there somewhere that don't like country music, and for their sake, I wear ear buds.

BobsPoprad

Used to. Not anymore. Most, if not all, of the reasons have been stated.

adlai

well also a lot of riders are jerks while riding, taking up the entire center lane.

sure, you have the right, but if some guy messes up you’re screwed.

I always ride as far to the right as I can. So that even if the car isn’t paying attention perfectly, he won’t hit me.

So it makes no difference if I detect a car behind me because I am always as far to the right as I can be. Any further and I’ll be in grass.

Jim from Boston

Well, "Take the Lane" vs "As Far Right as Possible" is another popcorn subject as divisive as Listening to Music via Headphones.

livedarklions

That's the point, though, they appear to be staying in a reliable line and then just dart out in front of you just as you close. This is not common, but I've had a couple of very close calls.

CAT7RDR

To the OP: Have you ever been hit by a vehicle? There is usually a couple of seconds once you hear the vehicle to move over closer to the roadside if one is available. I use those few seconds for that purpose. Some of us do not have good hearing to begin with. I count on those few seconds for my safety. So what is most important in your life - music, or the possibility of avoid getting hit?

Pugs2xLove

That's a sharp bike. I like the all black color with red letters.

GlennR

Thanks... I didn't plan it but glad it worked out looking like a uniform paint scheme.

Camilo

The "you" I'm writing about is not the above poster, just a general you. I happen to agree with what is quoted.

To me, if you're on a MUP that has pedestrians on it, you should only be traveling at a speed similar to other pedestrians, the fastest of which are runners. In other words, same speed as the other users.

I don't bother hailing people I'm passing. For one thing, the MUPs I generally ride on are alongside pretty busy roads, so the road noise covers my voice, unless I yell at the top of my lungs. I don't like doing that. Even then, they can't hear if listening to their ear buds (which they have every right to do btw - for chrissakes, they're out for a walk, why shouldn't they?) Not to mention, pets on leashes and kids who are, well, kids. All have every right to be on the trail and all have the right to expect you to be safe.

Like the poster above, I've had people dart in front of me whether I call out or not. The safe thing is just pass at a speed that you can stop or swerve, just as if you were a runner on the path passing walkers.

That is very slow, by the way. Sometimes you actually have to slow to their speed and follow until you can get by safely (at that point you can probably talk to them in a conversational manner to get their attention if need-be).

So I just behave as if I'm just another user at the same speed - I SLOW THE F DOWN to a safe speed, and just pass safely at the speed to make the pass reasonably quickly, but as safe as need be. No need to call your pass in those circumstances, just be safe. If someone yells at you for not calling out, you could stop and explain why you didn't or just give a friendly wave and continue on.

MUPs are MULTI USE. Live with it. Be safe. If you don't like it, get on the street.

If I have a good sight line and see no other users, I go as fast as I want until I do, or until I lose the sight line.