Squirrels are scaring me
09-24-22, 10:34 AM
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Squirrels are scaring me
Lately on the rides I do there have been a lot of squirrels doing the last minute dash of death across my front wheel. In every case I’ve just kept my line and hoped for the best.
After a recent unrelated crash I am paranoid of breaking my collarbone again as I’m still healing.
Are crashes with squirrels getting caught in the wheels common or is this just the post crash jitters?
wtf is with these squirrels making them dash across? Is it the freehub noise?
After a recent unrelated crash I am paranoid of breaking my collarbone again as I’m still healing.
Are crashes with squirrels getting caught in the wheels common or is this just the post crash jitters?
wtf is with these squirrels making them dash across? Is it the freehub noise?
09-24-22, 11:07 AM
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It's their instinct to dart back and forth hoping that gives them a chance to escape. They just don't realize that you aren't a predator that is after them.
I had and still have the same issues with squirrels. While my previous bikes all had very quiet free hubs my new bike has a noisy free hub. Squirrel problem still the same.
However if you wouldn't coast, your free hub wouldn't be making noise!
I had and still have the same issues with squirrels. While my previous bikes all had very quiet free hubs my new bike has a noisy free hub. Squirrel problem still the same.
However if you wouldn't coast, your free hub wouldn't be making noise!
09-24-22, 11:32 AM
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Originally Posted by Symox
Lately on the rides I do there have been a lot of squirrels doing the last minute dash of death across my front wheel. In every case I’ve just kept my line and hoped for the best.
After a recent unrelated crash I am paranoid of breaking my collarbone again as I’m still healing.
Are crashes with squirrels getting caught in the wheels common or is this just the post crash jitters?
wtf is with these squirrels making them dash across? Is it the freehub noise?
After a recent unrelated crash I am paranoid of breaking my collarbone again as I’m still healing.
Are crashes with squirrels getting caught in the wheels common or is this just the post crash jitters?
wtf is with these squirrels making them dash across? Is it the freehub noise?
2. I think this is just post crash jitters. I think the chances of a dashing squirrel caught in the spokes are pretty low. But if you are still worried, buy a wheel with 32 spokes.
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09-24-22, 11:34 AM
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It's just the post crash thing. Bring injured really sucks and now you're more keenly aware of things that have the potential to do it again.
If you're really worried bring a cat with you.
If you're really worried bring a cat with you.
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09-24-22, 11:40 AM
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Ride 40 spoke wheels with CXray spokes. Most squirrels won't fit, and those that do will get sliced and diced into easily digested cross-sections.
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09-24-22, 11:53 AM
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Originally Posted by Polaris OBark
Ride 40 spoke wheels with CXray spokes. Most squirrels won't fit, and those that do will get sliced and diced into easily digested cross-sections.
09-24-22, 12:06 PM
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Touring bikes sometimes have such wheels.
But what I have noticed is that a lot of these squirrel-in-the-wheel injuries have photos of the bike that show they have those weird Campy spoke patterns with big gaps.
Having said that, my wife has a work colleague who had normal wheels and a suicide squirrel put her in the hospital with a head injury (and destroyed the bike wheel and fork).
But what I have noticed is that a lot of these squirrel-in-the-wheel injuries have photos of the bike that show they have those weird Campy spoke patterns with big gaps.
Having said that, my wife has a work colleague who had normal wheels and a suicide squirrel put her in the hospital with a head injury (and destroyed the bike wheel and fork).
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09-24-22, 12:12 PM
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One of the best pieces of advice I've come across on Bikeforums is (if there's enough time to do so) to aim at the squirrel. That's what they expect predators to do. They'll stop darting back and forth and sprint off the road and away from you.
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09-24-22, 12:21 PM
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Ran over one once, with no negative effects for me.
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09-24-22, 12:24 PM
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It should be your job to scare the squirrels-not the other way around.
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09-24-22, 12:25 PM
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Originally Posted by MoAlpha
Ran over one once, with no negative effects for me.
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09-24-22, 12:29 PM
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Originally Posted by datlas
What about the squirrel??
09-24-22, 12:32 PM
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Originally Posted by datlas
What about the squirrel??
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09-24-22, 12:35 PM
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Sail rabbit. Lol.
09-24-22, 01:02 PM
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Squirrels don't scare me.
Now clowns -- they're scary.
Now clowns -- they're scary.
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09-24-22, 01:59 PM
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Originally Posted by Koyote
Squirrels don't scare me.
Now clowns -- they're scary.
Now clowns -- they're scary.
That said, I have only seen one clown when riding. He was waving one of those signs indicating that the Irvine Co. has a new community that is now open for down payments.
09-24-22, 02:03 PM
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Wait until you experience domesticated rabbits...
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09-24-22, 02:05 PM
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Originally Posted by Troul
Wait until you experience domesticated rabbits...
09-24-22, 02:22 PM
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Originally Posted by SoSmellyAir
Unlike squirrels, the bunnies in Irvine mostly veer away as I approach.
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09-24-22, 03:02 PM
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This time of year, deer are a serious concern around here. I had a very near miss on a very dark path many years ago. Collide with one of those things and you might stay collided for a while.
09-24-22, 03:17 PM
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Originally Posted by SoSmellyAir
Heh, I did not even know spoke count can > 32!
And yes, higher spoke count wheels can mitigate squirrel pass through, but YMMV.
09-24-22, 03:43 PM
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Originally Posted by MoAlpha
Ran over one once, with no negative effects for me.
09-24-22, 03:58 PM
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Squirrels are just rats with bushy tails. Jonathan Winters would definitely sail one given the chance.
09-24-22, 04:07 PM
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Originally Posted by Ghazmh
Not even a slight negative emotional effect?
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