Your riding enemies-by the numbers
#26
Method to My Madness
Join Date: Nov 2020
Location: Orange County, California
Posts: 4,144
Bikes: Trek FX 2, Cannondale Synapse x2, Cannondale CAAD4, Santa Cruz Stigmata 3
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Teenagers racing one another on Super 73 e-bikes.
#27
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2018
Location: London, UK
Posts: 818
Bikes: Yes, probably too many but still have a roving eye...
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City living so......
1. Deliveroo/just eat nobbers on shoddy bikes with illegal ali express motors attached, most have terrible road manners and an aversion to signals and signalling and give the rest of us cyclists a bad name. They usually have no.lights, even if its been dark for hours.
2. As above, they're so numerous and consistently bad they need mentioning twice.
3. Drivers driving while.on the phone.
5. Hire/rent a bike users, piss poor road craft, no knowledge or flagrant disregsrd for the laws of the road, wobbling about like Bambi on ice they look an accident waiting to happen so i give as wide a berth as possible.
4. Terrible quality road surfaces. Craters and potholes everywhere, utilities constantly digging up roads, councils deciding to cut budgets and not maintain roads properly. I've snapped at least 3 saddle rails, buckled wheels and snapped spokes.
5. Punctures, related to the above but also the cities streets are not paved with gold, but with broken glass.
1. Deliveroo/just eat nobbers on shoddy bikes with illegal ali express motors attached, most have terrible road manners and an aversion to signals and signalling and give the rest of us cyclists a bad name. They usually have no.lights, even if its been dark for hours.
2. As above, they're so numerous and consistently bad they need mentioning twice.
3. Drivers driving while.on the phone.
5. Hire/rent a bike users, piss poor road craft, no knowledge or flagrant disregsrd for the laws of the road, wobbling about like Bambi on ice they look an accident waiting to happen so i give as wide a berth as possible.
4. Terrible quality road surfaces. Craters and potholes everywhere, utilities constantly digging up roads, councils deciding to cut budgets and not maintain roads properly. I've snapped at least 3 saddle rails, buckled wheels and snapped spokes.
5. Punctures, related to the above but also the cities streets are not paved with gold, but with broken glass.
#28
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Bastrop Texas
Posts: 4,771
Bikes: Univega, Peu P6, Peu PR-10, Ted Williams, Peu UO-8, Peu UO-18 Mixte, Peu Dolomites
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The biggest enemies of my current rides is simply my abilities. I am not the same person I was. It has been a lesson hard learned but I am dealing with it. So I Adapt, Overcome, and Improvise.
Still... Its quite humbling on a climb when I see guys older then me charging on when I am doing the Walk Of Shame...
Still... Its quite humbling on a climb when I see guys older then me charging on when I am doing the Walk Of Shame...
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No matter where you're at... There you are... Δf:=f(1/2)-f(-1/2)
No matter where you're at... There you are... Δf:=f(1/2)-f(-1/2)
#29
Senior Member
As someone mentioned above, the biggest enemy to the Road bike cyclist is cars and trucks. The rest will not likely result in death.
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#31
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Orange County, California
Posts: 1,977
Bikes: Yes
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1. Sloth
2. Procrastination
3. Indifference
All three of those seem to become the 'norm' when you retire.
2. Procrastination
3. Indifference
All three of those seem to become the 'norm' when you retire.
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#32
Senior Member
These are the top car brands with the worst drivers while on a bike:
1. BMW
2. Tesla
3. Hyundai
4. KIA
5. Any overlander vehicle that has worn down off-road tires from too much "mall" crawling. The overlanders with bike racks are the good ones.
1. BMW
2. Tesla
3. Hyundai
4. KIA
5. Any overlander vehicle that has worn down off-road tires from too much "mall" crawling. The overlanders with bike racks are the good ones.
#33
Newbie
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: Boston Metro
Posts: 10
Bikes: too many and not enough
Likes: 0
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Ill play
Id say most of them are typcialy fine for me. Esp if I have the right bike for the job. Though since moving and selling off some of my beaters, I ride less in the rain and snow. So I guess that would be one of them. Another being roads/traffic. I live in a less cycling friendly area than I have in the past, more cars and more highways and no real country to ride out to unless its a long long ride. I never have time for those anymore.
I think the other one a few folks have already mentioned. Life moves on, things change and boy have I lost a good amount of my fitness. That I think would be my biggest with the others as deterrents
But I still can dream!
Id say most of them are typcialy fine for me. Esp if I have the right bike for the job. Though since moving and selling off some of my beaters, I ride less in the rain and snow. So I guess that would be one of them. Another being roads/traffic. I live in a less cycling friendly area than I have in the past, more cars and more highways and no real country to ride out to unless its a long long ride. I never have time for those anymore.
I think the other one a few folks have already mentioned. Life moves on, things change and boy have I lost a good amount of my fitness. That I think would be my biggest with the others as deterrents
But I still can dream!
#34
Must be symmetrical
From this list, what are your top 3 worst enemies while riding? Some of these will depend on what type of riding you do so feel free to add your own.
1. Rain
2. Cold temperatures
3. Excessive heat
4. Snow/ice
5. Wind
6. Dogs
7. Hills
8. Darkness
9. Car traffic
10. Poor riding surfaces
For me personally, it would be wind, dogs, and car traffic. Everything else I can tolerate.
Mike
1. Rain
2. Cold temperatures
3. Excessive heat
4. Snow/ice
5. Wind
6. Dogs
7. Hills
8. Darkness
9. Car traffic
10. Poor riding surfaces
For me personally, it would be wind, dogs, and car traffic. Everything else I can tolerate.
Mike
#35
Junior Member
Hills
under fueling
rest
as a 200# i am slow going up. But will diesel up anything. Or try to.
as a commuter 6 days/week for 188 miles total rest n fueling are my 2 biggest enemies
under fueling
rest
as a 200# i am slow going up. But will diesel up anything. Or try to.
as a commuter 6 days/week for 188 miles total rest n fueling are my 2 biggest enemies
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#36
Happy With My Bikes
Join Date: Sep 2020
Location: Oklahoma
Posts: 2,487
Bikes: Hi-Ten bike boomers, a Trek Domane and some projects
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I don't actually get a high number of flats. But a flat will at least delay me.
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"It is the unknown around the corner that turns my wheels." -- Heinz Stücke
"It is the unknown around the corner that turns my wheels." -- Heinz Stücke
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#37
IKR. I’ve had several of those in one day while touring.
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#39
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: South shore, L.I., NY
Posts: 7,336
Bikes: Flyxii FR322, Cannondale Topstone, Miyata City Liner, Specialized Chisel, Specialized Epic Evo
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- Rain. Will not ride if it’s raining and don’t like it if it starts when I’m out
- Wind. Today as example, forecast said W at 17. Except it was windier then that, then they said 20, then 20 gusting to 30. I was just getting blasted so turned around and called it a day. When they say “20” it’s really more like 25 with gusts.
- Rush hour. Will try to be home and not road riding after 2:30 or so as that’s when rush hour gets going with parents picking up their lazy children who don’t know how to walk home from school,
- Cold, Not happy below 35 on a road bike, below 20 on the mt bike.
- Heat, not liking over 86 or so.
- Wind. Today as example, forecast said W at 17. Except it was windier then that, then they said 20, then 20 gusting to 30. I was just getting blasted so turned around and called it a day. When they say “20” it’s really more like 25 with gusts.
- Rush hour. Will try to be home and not road riding after 2:30 or so as that’s when rush hour gets going with parents picking up their lazy children who don’t know how to walk home from school,
- Cold, Not happy below 35 on a road bike, below 20 on the mt bike.
- Heat, not liking over 86 or so.
#40
Grupetto Bob
Join Date: Sep 2020
Location: Seattle-ish
Posts: 6,964
Bikes: Bikey McBike Face
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Nuclear blast or cell phones
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Road 🚴🏾♂️ & Mountain 🚵🏾♂️
Road 🚴🏾♂️ & Mountain 🚵🏾♂️
#41
1. Expansion freeze/thaw cracks, hundreds of 'em in our neighborhood. Catch your skinny road tires for sure! Why can't they fix 'em?
2. Expansion cracks after they 'fix' them, heaping a ridge of smoking asphalt along the crack.
3. Chevy cargo vans....and physical therapy...'nuff said.
2. Expansion cracks after they 'fix' them, heaping a ridge of smoking asphalt along the crack.
3. Chevy cargo vans....and physical therapy...'nuff said.
#42
I have a reputation here as a flat magnet. After much cajoling, I finally took the tubeless plunge a couple months ago. Went out today for only the 3rd or 4th time since converting my tri bike to tubeless. The plan was a 60 mile training ride, preparing for IMAZ in November. Made it 48 miles. I was 8 miles past my 2nd turn-around point when I could tell the front tire didn't feel right. Pulled over and sure enough, saw lots of orangy-white goo bubbling out of the tire right on the side wall. I did have a plug kit but no bueno. Had to make the "damsel in distress" call.
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#43
Senior Member
The biggest enemies of my current rides is simply my abilities. I am not the same person I was. It has been a lesson hard learned but I am dealing with it. So I Adapt, Overcome, and Improvise.
Still... Its quite humbling on a climb when I see guys older then me charging on when I am doing the Walk Of Shame...
Still... Its quite humbling on a climb when I see guys older then me charging on when I am doing the Walk Of Shame...
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#45
Senior Member
For me, it's inattentive drivers, salmon (especially at night in the rain), and poorly synchronized traffic lights (especially if said traffic lights have really long cycle times). I can deal with pretty much everything else
#46
Senior Member
Krispy Kreme, Mission BBQ, Nathan's franks, Wendy's Baconator....
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#47
I hear you ! Last August I broke my hip and had to have 3 screws installed. I have been back on my bike since December , riding short rides . Recently I am increasing the length of my rides but , honestly at this point , not sure if I will ever be what I was before . Plus , I will be 70 this year . I am still pushing , did a couple of 40 milers and a canyon climb. I didn’t have to walk but it hurt like heck afterwards. Joe
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#48
Senior Member
The best thing about this list of enemies is that they can't all get you at the same time!
#49
Senior Member
That's great! Gives me hope , thank you!
#50
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2018
Location: Fargo ND
Posts: 962
Bikes: Time Scylon, Lynskey R350, Ritchey Breakaway, Ritchey Double Switchback, Lynskey Ridgeline, ICAN Fatbike
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I fell on ice and went down hard. Really hard. That was in November 2022. Broke my femur in a couple of places. I got a titanium ball and rod down my femur.
Followed the PT to the letter. At one month I was on a stationary bike. At 2 months I was on a real bike. By June I was riding sixties. Did a century ride by the end of the summer.
I still have a fair amount of pain. Back in physical therapy and working on it. But I can ride five hours a day without too much trouble.
I was 66 when this happened. So, good luck and get cracking.
Followed the PT to the letter. At one month I was on a stationary bike. At 2 months I was on a real bike. By June I was riding sixties. Did a century ride by the end of the summer.
I still have a fair amount of pain. Back in physical therapy and working on it. But I can ride five hours a day without too much trouble.
I was 66 when this happened. So, good luck and get cracking.
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