Truths about cycling
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Truths about cycling
T-1: Going over the 'bars is not fun.
I confirmed this truth empirically this morning on a commuting ride. It was the first time I tried it in probably 20 years. It turns out that it's no more fun at 63 10/12ths years old than at 43.
Corollary to the above: Don't ride on any ground cover (like, ummm, grass) if it might hide obstructions (like, let's see. Oh. Like holes.)
(Bike and rider seem to be o.k..)
I confirmed this truth empirically this morning on a commuting ride. It was the first time I tried it in probably 20 years. It turns out that it's no more fun at 63 10/12ths years old than at 43.
Corollary to the above: Don't ride on any ground cover (like, ummm, grass) if it might hide obstructions (like, let's see. Oh. Like holes.)
(Bike and rider seem to be o.k..)
Likes For phughes:
#3
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 39,243
Mentioned: 211 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 18419 Post(s)
Liked 15,560 Times
in
7,332 Posts
Yeah. I was touring last year. It was the third straight day of constant rain, and it was still dark. Approached a sizeable puddle on the shoulder. Couldn't go around it because there was a car approaching from behind. I should have stopped, but I didn't. Dumb. I knew better. Turned out to be hiding a giant pot hole. I went right in. Bike came to a complete stop. My ass went off the seat. My left hand came off the brake hood. I started to fall in front of the closing car. Don't ask me how, but I was able gain control of my body and not fall. Looked at the driver as she passed me. Her eyes were as large as grapefruits.
Abandoned the tour at the end of that day. An old friend drove 4.5 hrs. to pick me up the next afternoon. We then drove 3 hrs. back to his country place.
Abandoned the tour at the end of that day. An old friend drove 4.5 hrs. to pick me up the next afternoon. We then drove 3 hrs. back to his country place.
#4
Pennylane Splitter
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Orange County, California
Posts: 1,879
Bikes: Yes
Mentioned: 14 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1804 Post(s)
Liked 1,440 Times
in
990 Posts
T-2: Always assume a wet road surface is slippery. I was turning on a wet concrete surface I'd been on many times before and my bicycle slid out from under me. Luckly it was at slow speed and the worst injury was a bruised ego. I took a close look at the surface after I got up and it had been worn down to almost as smooth as polished concrete. And my bicycle had tires with some treads.
#5
Sophomore Member
Join Date: Jan 2019
Posts: 2,531
Mentioned: 12 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1628 Post(s)
Liked 1,057 Times
in
631 Posts
T-3: If you are JRA, and if there is one car approaching from ahead and another car approaching from behind, there is a 90% chance they will pass each other right alongside you.
Likes For Lemond1985:
#6
On Your Left
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Long Island, New York, USA
Posts: 8,373
Bikes: Trek Emonda SLR, Sram eTap, Zipp 303
Mentioned: 34 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3004 Post(s)
Liked 2,433 Times
in
1,187 Posts
This time of year I ride the old croton aqueduct trail with my son. It's a unpaved, mostly single track path. This time of year it's leaf covered which hides rocks, roots and holes, so we take out cyclocross bikes and know to expect the unseen. There are many times I have the "grip of death" on the bars, but it's a fun trip.
#7
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Questions for my education:
1. What's a JRA?
2. What is it about a cyclocross bike that helps with the unseen pitfalls?
1. What's a JRA?
2. What is it about a cyclocross bike that helps with the unseen pitfalls?
#8
Senior Member
I have the same problem with joggers on the bike path. Nearly every time I am about to pass one, here comes another one (or a bike) coming towards me. All three of us meet simultaneously. Then I won't see another one for five miles and of course it's another three-way meet.
#9
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: St Peters, Missouri
Posts: 30,225
Bikes: Catrike 559 I own some others but they don't get ridden very much.
Mentioned: 16 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1572 Post(s)
Liked 643 Times
in
364 Posts
Reminds me of my mountain biking days. All through the summer I carefully sought out the smoothest path on the trail. In the fall, after the leaves had fallen, I counldn't see the roots and the rocks anymore. I discovered that most of the time I could just let the brakes go and I'd still be all right. I've got to tell you though, I do have a few of those over-the-bars events in my history and my last real mountain bike adventure ended with me riding out of the woods with a broken collarbone and driving myself to the doctor.
__________________
My greatest fear is all of my kids standing around my coffin and talking about "how sensible" dad was.
My greatest fear is all of my kids standing around my coffin and talking about "how sensible" dad was.
#10
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Truths about cycling: T-2
T-2: Stop!
I ended up ass-over-teakettle today because in front of me my path lead into a high curb. I could have stopped, stepped over the curb, then continued riding. It would have taken me what, 10 seconds? Instead, I saw some grass I could ride onto to ride around the curb then back to my path without stopping. Ha ha! Joke's on me. I ended up stopped and stopping. And will carry the reminder in a wrenched knee and aching back for a few weeks.
Since I've been riding again over the last 7 months, every single time I've almost been killed it was because I should have stopped and didn't. Should have stopped until I knew a car at a stop sign had seen me. Should have stopped before I rode across a street without stopping to look carefully. Should have stopped to examine the road or path ahead. Etc. Ad nauseum.
****************************************************************************
Any other rules and correllaries out there?
I ended up ass-over-teakettle today because in front of me my path lead into a high curb. I could have stopped, stepped over the curb, then continued riding. It would have taken me what, 10 seconds? Instead, I saw some grass I could ride onto to ride around the curb then back to my path without stopping. Ha ha! Joke's on me. I ended up stopped and stopping. And will carry the reminder in a wrenched knee and aching back for a few weeks.
Since I've been riding again over the last 7 months, every single time I've almost been killed it was because I should have stopped and didn't. Should have stopped until I knew a car at a stop sign had seen me. Should have stopped before I rode across a street without stopping to look carefully. Should have stopped to examine the road or path ahead. Etc. Ad nauseum.
****************************************************************************
Any other rules and correllaries out there?
#11
On Your Left
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Long Island, New York, USA
Posts: 8,373
Bikes: Trek Emonda SLR, Sram eTap, Zipp 303
Mentioned: 34 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3004 Post(s)
Liked 2,433 Times
in
1,187 Posts
Also knowing you're not on paved roads raises toy level of preparation to deal with the unseen.
A mountain bike is maybe even better it the surface is really bad.
#12
Senior Member
JRA = Just Riding Along
#14
Grupetto Bob
Join Date: Sep 2020
Location: Seattle-ish
Posts: 6,222
Bikes: Bikey McBike Face
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2584 Post(s)
Liked 5,642 Times
in
2,922 Posts
T4. If the temps are freezing or below, and you are riding and see thousands of sparkling flecks in the asphalt; you are riding on a sheet of black ice and are flirting with your bike coming out from under you.
__________________
Road 🚴🏾♂️ & Mountain 🚵🏾♂️
Road 🚴🏾♂️ & Mountain 🚵🏾♂️
Likes For rsbob:
#15
Not a newbie to cycling
Join Date: Oct 2020
Posts: 911
Bikes: Omnium Cargo Ti with Rohloff, Bullitt Milk Plus, Dahon Smooth Hound
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 356 Post(s)
Liked 323 Times
in
199 Posts
T5:
If a car overtakes you on an otherwise traffic-less road, there will always be at least one other vehicle close behind the first.
If a car overtakes you on an otherwise traffic-less road, there will always be at least one other vehicle close behind the first.
Likes For CargoDane:
#16
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Mich
Posts: 7,391
Bikes: RSO E-tire dropper fixie brifter
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 6 Post(s)
Liked 2,974 Times
in
1,919 Posts
Likes For Troul:
#17
Grupetto Bob
Join Date: Sep 2020
Location: Seattle-ish
Posts: 6,222
Bikes: Bikey McBike Face
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2584 Post(s)
Liked 5,642 Times
in
2,922 Posts
Likes For rsbob:
Likes For frogman:
#19
Not a newbie to cycling
Join Date: Oct 2020
Posts: 911
Bikes: Omnium Cargo Ti with Rohloff, Bullitt Milk Plus, Dahon Smooth Hound
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 356 Post(s)
Liked 323 Times
in
199 Posts
T7: When you ride that bike into a headwind you wish it would stop. But when you are home again, you wish to be out there instead.
Likes For CargoDane:
#21
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Colorado Springs, CO
Posts: 5,974
Bikes: 2015 Charge Plug, 2007 Dahon Boardwalk, 1997 Nishiki Blazer, 1984 Nishiki International, 2006 Felt F65, 1989 Dahon Getaway V
Mentioned: 54 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1364 Post(s)
Liked 1,678 Times
in
827 Posts
T-8 Mud is always slicker than it appears.
#22
Grupetto Bob
Join Date: Sep 2020
Location: Seattle-ish
Posts: 6,222
Bikes: Bikey McBike Face
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2584 Post(s)
Liked 5,642 Times
in
2,922 Posts
T-9 if you see cracks in your tires sidewalls, both your days maybe numbered.
__________________
Road 🚴🏾♂️ & Mountain 🚵🏾♂️
Road 🚴🏾♂️ & Mountain 🚵🏾♂️
Likes For rsbob:
#23
On Your Left
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Long Island, New York, USA
Posts: 8,373
Bikes: Trek Emonda SLR, Sram eTap, Zipp 303
Mentioned: 34 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3004 Post(s)
Liked 2,433 Times
in
1,187 Posts
T-10, it never gets easier, you just go faster/farther.
Likes For GlennR:
#24
Grupetto Bob
Join Date: Sep 2020
Location: Seattle-ish
Posts: 6,222
Bikes: Bikey McBike Face
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2584 Post(s)
Liked 5,642 Times
in
2,922 Posts
T-11 Going with Glenn’s theme... Dedicated cyclists have a masochistic bend, since they learn to live with discomfort and pain to reach their goal (time, distance, speed, destination). Exception: If you avoid pain, you may not only be dedicated, but smarter!
__________________
Road 🚴🏾♂️ & Mountain 🚵🏾♂️
Road 🚴🏾♂️ & Mountain 🚵🏾♂️
#25
Veteran, Pacifist
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Seattle area
Posts: 13,328
Bikes: Bikes??? Thought this was social media?!?
Mentioned: 284 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3898 Post(s)
Liked 4,836 Times
in
2,229 Posts
Leaf covered roads/paths always remind me to Slow Down and never remove hands from the bars.
It has been a long, long time since I went over the handlebars, but not long enough!
It has been a long, long time since I went over the handlebars, but not long enough!
__________________
Vintage, modern, e-road. It is a big cycling universe.
Vintage, modern, e-road. It is a big cycling universe.