[Other Sport] Cycling geeks

[Stat Brother]

Hello Geeks,

You may have noticed I've not been around these parts much lately, my computer went 'pop', well more bang actually, about a month ago. So I am now limited to internet access at work or when the Mrs leaves her laptop at my place.

So some clarification on some issues:
[MENTION=20804]zfleas[/MENTION] please don't go fixed, once upon a time it may have been acceptable but unfortunately our skinny jeaned, stupid haired brethren have made the fixie a no go area for any self respecting cycling geek.

On wheels, get them built, they will be so much stronger and more personal to you. Or even better build them yourself, not easy but extremely rewarding (and cheap, if you 'borrow' the spokes from the bike shop you work in).

Finally on Lemond, it would be fantastic but I do wonder if he is perhaps a little too highly strung to be in such a high profile position.

There's me thinking we'd been snubbed by our overlord.

Although I knew full well we'd only have a problem if a fixie didn't get your attention.

 

[Stat Brother]

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=246749368786229

I see your great bit of footage, and raise you this classic:-

(for the newbies keep and eye out for the dog)

 

[Stat Brother]

I was going to highlight this, as just a regular point of interest, but there's a little more to it, than that:-

[video=vimeo;54315347]http://vimeo.com/54315347[/video]

 

[Sussax]

I was going to highlight this, as just a regular point of interest, but there's a little more to it, than that:-

[video=vimeo;54315347]http://vimeo.com/54315347[/video]

Doesn't look like there on sale yet, although would be interested in getting one.
Blaze Components

 

[1066familyman]

Blimey those downhill videos are mental!

 

[Stat Brother]

Blimey those downhill videos are mental!

The one I posted is an old NSC faithful, from the days before we got our home.
I've watched it so many times, amazing stuff.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

Blimey those downhill videos are mental!

Yeah, there's an annual race in the Mountain Bike World Cup that takes place in Lisbon - it's brilliant, I would love to go and see it in the flesh sometime. Our very own Steve Peat won it 8 times on the trot.

Here he is winning in 2006: YouTube

And here he is crashing in 2010 to bring his winning streak to an end: YouTube

Though mostly a roadie, I do like to get out on the Downs on my mountain bike from time to time. Great fun. Not quite at this level though...

 

[1066familyman]

Interesting video on that 'Blaze' concept and I can see some merit in it. Having a 'footprint outside of the bikes normal presence' is certainly worthwhile. For me though if you're riding up the inside of traffic, especially lorries and buses, then you're almost asking for trouble. Surely it's the golden rule never to get yourself in the blind spot of big vehicles and many lorries now even have signs on them warning cyclists of this. That said, side on visibility is clearly something that needs working on for cyclists as this is certainly where we're most vulnerable. I tend to be very cautious and always go for eye contact with drivers waiting at junctions, but in the dark this isn't really possible.

 

[Motogull]

Blimey those downhill videos are mental!

Never tire from watching them.

 

[Sussax]

Interesting video on that 'Blaze' concept and I can see some merit in it. Having a 'footprint outside of the bikes normal presence' is certainly worthwhile. For me though if you're riding up the inside of traffic, especially lorries and buses, then you're almost asking for trouble. Surely it's the golden rule never to get yourself in the blind spot of big vehicles and many lorries now even have signs on them warning cyclists of this. That said, side on visibility is clearly something that needs working on for cyclists as this is certainly where we're most vulnerable. I tend to be very cautious and always go for eye contact with drivers waiting at junctions, but in the dark this isn't really possible.

And then there's the bigger problem of daytime, as we will see on Wednesday.

 

[Indurain's Lungs]

Interesting video on that 'Blaze' concept and I can see some merit in it. Having a 'footprint outside of the bikes normal presence' is certainly worthwhile. For me though if you're riding up the inside of traffic, especially lorries and buses, then you're almost asking for trouble. Surely it's the golden rule never to get yourself in the blind spot of big vehicles and many lorries now even have signs on them warning cyclists of this. That said, side on visibility is clearly something that needs working on for cyclists as this is certainly where we're most vulnerable. I tend to be very cautious and always go for eye contact with drivers waiting at junctions, but in the dark this isn't really possible.

A lot of the deaths (particularly in London) are less experienced cyclists; a number get 'turned left on' and a few put themselves in a less obstructive road position and drivers try manoeuvres they otherwise wouldn't.

Never, ever be on the inside of someone at a junction, especially anything big - it just invites trouble. I always glance to look at the indicators of anything overtaking me near a left turn.

The only times I've been knocked off on the roads (only 3 times) its oncoming cars turning right in front of me. I think people underestimate how fast someone on a road bike is moving. Sometimes you can get a sense they're going to do something stupid (the eye contact thing mentioned above) but sometimes people are just plain crap at driving their car!

 

[teaboy]

Interesting video on that 'Blaze' concept and I can see some merit in it. Having a 'footprint outside of the bikes normal presence' is certainly worthwhile. For me though if you're riding up the inside of traffic, especially lorries and buses, then you're almost asking for trouble. Surely it's the golden rule never to get yourself in the blind spot of big vehicles and many lorries now even have signs on them warning cyclists of this. That said, side on visibility is clearly something that needs working on for cyclists as this is certainly where we're most vulnerable. I tend to be very cautious and always go for eye contact with drivers waiting at junctions, but in the dark this isn't really possible.

I think her last sentance sums up the main probem with the product - "change the way we ride and blaze a trail". You're less likely to be left-hooked if you don't go up the inside of vehicles at junctions. This product seems to want to make that a safe thing to do. This is very wrong. I imagine the first death report including a quote from a bereaved family member saying "but they were safe - they used a Blaze". It's the same problem as bike lanes...

 

[1066familyman]

A lot of the deaths (particularly in London) are less experienced cyclists; a number get 'turned left on' and a few put themselves in a less obstructive road position and drivers try manoeuvres they otherwise wouldn't.

Never, ever be on the inside of someone at a junction, especially anything big - it just invites trouble. I always glance to look at the indicators of anything overtaking me near a left turn.

The only times I've been knocked off on the roads (only 3 times) its oncoming cars turning right in front of me. I think people underestimate how fast someone on a road bike is moving. Sometimes you can get a sense they're going to do something stupid (the eye contact thing mentioned above) but sometimes people are just plain crap at driving their car!

Interesting point about drivers underestimating a cyclists speed. Today on the way home a car overtook me having waited a while because I'd taken the lane and so it had to go wide to get round, and no sooner had it overtook than it turned left in front of me. It was actually no big deal as I wasn't exactly cut up as such so didn't have to brake hard by I did have to slow down a fair bit and lost some rhythm. I'm not really complaining as it were but I couldn't help thinking that had the driver just waited another 10 seconds or so I would have been past the junction myself and they could have turned safely without ever needing to overtake me in the first place Whilst I'm still no speedy gonzales, I'm finding this is happening more and more to me on a road bike as I'm now travelling quite a bit quicker than I used to on the old mountain bike.

 

[Woodchip]

I was going to highlight this, as just a regular point of interest, but there's a little more to it, than that:-

[video=vimeo;54315347]http://vimeo.com/54315347[/video]

And a local company too.

 

[Stat Brother]

And a local company too.

Finally!, not to mention The Amex in the vid.

 

[Woodchip]

And then there's the bigger problem of daytime, as we will see on Wednesday.

Apocalypse? Solar eclipse?

 

[1066familyman]

Finally!, not to mention The Amex in the vid.

I knew it was filmed in Brighton but didn't see the Amex the first time around. Having just watched it back I now know why!... I was too busy wincing at that numpty riding up the inside of a bus in the process of turning

 

[Sussax]

Apocalypse? Solar eclipse?

Don't get BBC in NZ then?
BBC One - War on Britain's Roads
Cyclists hit out at depiction of the war on Britain’s roads in BBC documentary - Home News - UK - The Independent

 

[1066familyman]

Don't get BBC in NZ then?
BBC One - War on Britain's Roads
Cyclists hit out at depiction of the war on Britain’s roads in BBC documentary - Home News - UK - The Independent

Well remembered, I'd forgotten about this I'll be giving it a watch, although I've got a sinking feeling that it could just be a glorified youtube type compilation of cyclist v motorist nonsense. Hopefully it will offer something more.

 

[Woodchip]

Bugger it. Road in this morning and was at the almost perfect halfway point between work and home and got a puncture. Unexpected walk to work. Got a lift home and investigated said puncture and it looks like it has come about by the brake pad rubbing the sidewall, sticking a hole in the sidewall and popping the innertube. Sod it!!!!!