Severian

Ok, drop the BS condescending tone. Read your law; learn how this sort of legislation works and then you get the right to toss statements around like this. In fact, I'm going to follow my own advice and suggest a resource:

https://www.bicyclelaw.com/html/index.html

That's Bob Mionske's website. Read his book Bicycling and The Law: Your Rights as a Cyclist. Mionske covers subjects such as how bicycle legislation is created, harassment, accident reporting and advocacy.

On the subject of advocacy; in the case of forcing companies to put lights on all bicycles they manufacture. If there was a groundswell of public sentiment for such a legislation then it would probably happen. But, because we live in a car-centric culture people think "Oh, its night out.. I'll drive." rather than get on their bicycle. So we're left with people who don't want lights, and people who do.

And this couple, who probably thought they'd be home before it got dark and got caught outside. They should have been prepared. Instead they got "nagged" as some of us would like to state, and decided to beat up the person who "nagged" them.

Severian

+1 on the cheap lights, if the companies were forced to do so by law.

But, unsolicited or not it is ILLEGAL to physically assault someone.

uke

Be that as it may...you can't control what others do. You can control your own behavior. So why not stick to that?

DogBoy

You simply don't know what the heck you are talking about. Go in there and say you need a bike for brevets, in all weather and he'll sell you a bike with a hub generator, fender mounts etc.

If you go in there and say I need a commuter bike on the cheap he'll tell you to go somewhere else. He sells high end bikes.

You don't critcize the Ferrari dealership for not putting a tow receiver on their cars....His primary market is high end racing bikes for use in tris and competition racing. I think the cheapest bike the sell is the Cervelo Duel at like $1800 or so, and they won't sell ANY bike to you without first doing a biometric fitting. They do sell some customized frames for touring (seven/serrotta), etc. but those are all built to suit, so you won't see them on the showroom floor.

Also, most of the "bikes" they have on their showroom floor came only as a frameset from the manufacturer, so I doubt that they included a set with the frame.

Finally, no, he doesn't include pedals on his bikes, you buy your own, but if you give them to the shop, they will install them without additional charge. (or at least they did for me.)

apricissimus 

Actually, the speed record for a bicycle is 81 mph:

https://www.wired.com/culture/lifesty...ikerecord_0330

It was on a unique bike, with a trained rider and a closed course. So it's not like a fit dude on a nice 'bent will come anywhere close to 80 mph.

I do take exception with the term "fastest bike" though. There's no such thing as a fast bike, only a fast bike + rider. Put me on that TT bike and I'm sure I'll eke out a mph or two more than my normal speed, but still be blown away by many capable riders.

CB HI

At $3,000

DogBoy, lighten up (pun sort of intended), my original point is that the shop owner, that some BF members are blindly defending in this thread, is the type of guy they attack and ridicule in other threads for only selling high end custom bikes.

Both sides of the confrontation took it too far. That is clear, even from just hearing the biased one side.

uke

I know; I was specifically thinking of that rider and that record. You'll also notice I made a distinction between "any decent rider on a decent recumbent" and "the fastest riders in fully faired recumbents".

JRA

I totally agree, as I said in post #96:

"I don't care what the victim said, it doesn't justify following him home and assaulting him."

Severian

There's a vast difference between getting your butt kicked for threatening someone's kid and telling someone to get a light. Your suggestion is insulting in the extreme. This doesn't mean I'm going to come beat you up.

uke

You still can't answer the question: why can't you mind your own affairs instead of prescribing your values on others?

mackerel

I believe O'Brien actually said, "Get a life."
He was beaten for being arrogant.

cudak888 

Does it make it right for the other party to beat him for being arrogant? No.

-Kurt

Stoughton

Gosh, if it offends you so, perhaps you should just refuse to shop there. THAT'LL show him you mean business!

Stoughton

Man, you live in Madison - you know full well that the streets are full of riders w/o lights at all times of the night. While it's very possible they did get caught out, it's just as likely they didn't give a damn either

I-Like-To-Bike

Really? Who wudda thunk it? Gee thanks!

randya

OMG, that bike is fugly!



of course no reflectors or lights, that would be so Fred.

I'll also note that once again it's roadies who don't use reflectors and resist some kind of lighting equipment standard for bikes.

randya

congrats, now you're being a patronizing ass, with a healthy dose of good ol' A&S speculation thrown into the last paragraph for good measure.

cudak888 

Is a $9,000 tri machine with Zipp tubulars even intended for nighttime road use? No. Why should it be equipped as such?

You mean tri-geeks - runners and swimmers who get on bicycles only because the sport requires it.

-Kurt

uke

I've never run a triathlon, I don't wear lycra, and I removed the reflectors off my bikes. Lots of folks just aren't interested in them.

Allister

Unasked for advice often elicits a negative reaction, although these guys clearly went way over the top.

I'll offer as much advice to people as they want, if they ask me, but otherwise, I find it wiser to mind my own frakking business.

Severian

In the end BSNYC puts it all in perspective...



God, I wish this whole website were content moderated as well as conduct moderated.

City_Smasher

"Get a light", "Get a helmet", "Get Bent", it really doesn't matter what was said. The first amendment gives you the right to say what's on your mind.

Assulting someone for exercising their 1st amendment right......is wrong!

apricissimus 

So you'd like to delete posts and ban posters you disagree with. Gotcha.

unterhausen

This thread has really gone off the rails. Nicely done everybody.

I-Like-To-Bike

Hardly. It was very effective in outing the flaming hypocrisy of at least poster, who praises the practice of obnoxious yelling "advice" at strangers, while wishing for censorship of anyone who disagrees with his views on such "outreach" advocacy/safety efforts.