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Author Topic: Bickering about bicycles, now with occasional tips about motorised vehicles  (Read 242295 times)

nekowafer

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It seems possible to me that some of these assholes were once good drivers. Patient, polite, but firm. And then other drivers ruined it for them over time. My boyfriend is generally a very good driver, but the people in this area are slowly wearing him down. I don't think he'll ever give up and be an ass about it but I can see how it could happen.
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Lines

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Opposing Jace's crosswalk comment, do not turn when the DO CROSS light is lit and people are crossing the road. I'm crossing. I have the legal right of way, that sign says so. Do not run me over with your car, please, it will make me very unhappy.

But those people like Jace are describing are just asking to be hit. It's telling you not to cross for a reason. That reason is you are going to be hit by a car if you do.
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Jace

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  • Dealing with it.

Even when I rode a bike I would wait for the light to tell me to cross as I usually would ride on the sidewalk (no one on sidewalks around here) or near the gutter just to be extra safe. Of course, then you end up with assholes who want to make right hand turns and don't think you have any right to get in their way at all.

Also, I consistently remind my girlfriend not to drive with her tires inside the bike lane and that "well there's not a biker" is not a good excuse.
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SirJuggles

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It seemed like the actual act of driving was turning people into assholes, because in other contexts they were perfectly normal and decent. Now I’m curious if this anecdotal observation is true, and if so why (if I had to guess, it’s because people drive so often that they end up with no tolerance for the inconveniences that come up.)

As I mentioned earlier, I actually currently work for Parking Services at my Uni, and most of my job revolves around directing people to where they need to go/explaining to them why they cannot go where they want to go. A lot of people do not like being told these things.

From what I can tell the general idea seems to be that driving is a right, or at least something they take for granted. Since we have to regulate things in order to try to make it smoother for everyone, in many cases people feel personally inconvenienced and see it as us making their lives more difficult. Also, a lot of people don't really see any good reason to have a Parking authority at all, and are under the impression that we are simply a revenue-generating agency that makes money for the University through tickets. While in some cases that is truer than it should be, the fact is without regulation and direction big events tend to turn into a clusterfuck of cars, and even on a day-to-day basis things go badly because reserved lots are generally reserved for a reason.

Also the very first rule anyone learns upon coming to work here: No one ever reads signs.
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edwinalink

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How many times have I been hit while riding my bike?

7.

3 of them were Tow Mirrors on Pick Up trucks. (great big bruises on my back and some minor road rashes)

twice while in a crosswalk (one bent a rim, the other just layed me out.)

Once I got clipped by a coworker... on purpose. (no damage to me or my bike. but it did scrape the hell out of the side of his car.)

and the last one was someone backing out of a parking space, I actually hit them. flew over the roof.

how the heck did I get through mostly undamaged that may times? the Mirrors hurt the worst.
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SirJuggles

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I imagine by about the 4th one you'd be in mid-air going "Sonofabitch not again".
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Quote from: Jimmy the Squid
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edwinalink

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I actually found one of the Rednecks with the tow Mirrors purely by chance.

I was 17 and immature, so...

his truck lost the ability to be road legal.

but yeah. when you ride everyday, and in 3 years you're hit that often.

you get a "Here we go again" attitude to it.

you also become a VERY Bike aware driver.
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nekowafer

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I'd imagine it's much like the bowl of petunias in Hitchhiker's Guide. And for imagining that, I am a giant dork.

I own a bike. It's a pretty awesome old.. uh, blue womens bike, with big shiny fenders which I love. I don't ride it much because I'm out of shape and have crazy long legs so I end up sitting super high which honestly sort of scares me. I just need to practice more.

The one time I got in an accident while riding a bike was when I was younger. I tried to ride over a speed bump with only one hand on the handlebars and fell and cracked my head open. And then a car ran over my bike!

But since then I've fallen several times because I have no balance. And one guy screamed at me that I was "bringing sexy back" as we rode past each other.

What kind of seat would a woman usually use for a bike? The seat that's on mine now is horribly painful to my lady parts, and that seems not-normal to me.
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The Seldom Killer

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I refer you to the LFGSS, Women: What's your favourite saddle? thread on another forum that I occasionally frequent.
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SirJuggles

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The only major bike crash I've ever been in was when I was like 10 and I thought it would be cool to see if I could ride down the big hill up the street from my house without brakes. The going-super-fast part was fun, but at the bottom I started wobbling, clipped a mailbox with my handlebar, and literally slid to a stop underneath a car parked in my neighbor's driveway. It was a little bit funny when I tried to get up and my helmet bumped on the underside of the car.
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edwinalink

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@The Seldom Killer: Fixies,  OWOWOWOWOW. Much respect to anyone who puts miles on a fixie bike... Okay riding it 2 blocks 2 days a week to a coffee shop doesn't count for Props. but everywhere else it is ridden... MAD PROPS.

@Sir Juggles: I did that! but hit the mailbox square against my chest, cracking my sternum. to this day if I move wrong my sternum clicks and I'm in a great deal of pain.

but yeah, I even slid under my neigbors car!

Flipping Coaster brakes... I wonder if this is when my love for Disc brakes was born...
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IronOxide

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I refer you to the LFGSS, Women: What's your favourite saddle? thread on another forum that I occasionally frequent.

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The Seldom Killer

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Not sure why the Scanners reference is about there.
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edwinalink

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I wish this thread had more bike porn to go with the amusing convo's/venting. I'd post mine... but my bike ain't that hot.
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Akima

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3 of them were Tow Mirrors on Pick Up trucks.
Yes, those things are a menace. Not so much here on pick-ups as on Luton vans (box truck in the USA?). I've been clipped a few times on my right shoulder (we drive on the left in Australia). Never badly enough actually to crash, but certainly to rip my clothes and cut my shoulder. Quite why cars have to have smooth folding mirrors, while trucks are allowed to have sharp metal brackets sticking out at cyclist-shoulder (and pedestrian-head), level, I do not understand.

Coaster brakes are awful. Not least because they condition little kids to the wholly false and dangerous idea that the primary braking force on a bicycle should be the rear brake/wheel. Then some of those kids grow up to ride brakeless fixies, and skid/wobble/weave/crash/slide through red lights, because they can't stop properly...

I don't ride it much because I'm out of shape and have crazy long legs so I end up sitting super high which honestly sort of scares me.
I wish I had crazy long legs... :-(  If there is a bike-shop in your area that can do a proper bike-fitting, you might want to have one done, and get your bike adjusted. I did that a few years ago, and a small adjustment (replacing the handlebars and stem) made a huge difference to my comfort and my ability to ride up hills. If you are comfortable on your bike you will feel (and actually be) much safer.

The conventional wisdom is that a woman needs a wider saddle with a shorter "nose". The "shorter nose" tradition arose from the theory that ladies would ride in skirts, so it is possibly less relevant today, and in general a longer nose gives better control to the rider. The "wider" thing is aimed at women's pelvic bones, and so depends a lot on your build. There are lots of "ladies" saddles out there (though some are just pink instead of black) and there is not much alternative to trying them out. Check out your vendor's returns policy. Research on cycling web-sites and forums is OK, but saddles are like shoes; they have to fit you. Some female riders swear by saddles with a cut-out in the middle, while others find the edges of the cut-out irritating. Personally, I ride a Brooks Flyer which is nominally a man's saddle. The ladies' version, the Flyer S, is 30-odd millimetres shorter, fractionally lighter, and a whole one millimetre wider (like that's going to make a difference).

Edit: Removed unwarranted slur on hipsters. You don't have to be a hipster to be an idiot on a fixie. :-D
« Last Edit: 18 Feb 2011, 17:01 by Akima »
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Jace

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Most of my major bike crashes in my youth were my foot sliding too far forward and down and catching on the ground causing me to pull myself down. One time my pedal came off right as I was putting pressure on it so I placed my foot firmly on the ground while going moderately fast.

The latest crash was into another cyclist. We were both crossing the street, she had just come around the corner and was on the inside of the intersection, so was I, we both swerved to avoid, went the same direction, swerved to avoid again, same direction again, and then it was too late. I took the brunt of it, landing on the bottom. She just got up and asked if I was okay, I said yes, then she rode off.
Turns out I was pretty deeply cut on my left elbow (nothing a bandage couldn't fix) and had managed to scrape both my palms, my left wrist, cut into both shins with the pedals, and a slight road rash on my ankle. Then a nice guy at the corner asked where I was headed and threw my bike in the back of his pickup and drove me to work (where I was headed). I proceeded to unload fairly heavy boxes for about 2 hours, then I was sent home because I "didn't look so well." Overall a fairly funny story, and I got to have a big ol bandage on my arm for like a week. I mean it was like, sterile pad, and then wrapped and taped. Almost passed out from my girlfriend and her mom (a nurse) talking about how deep it looked and if they could see the tendon.
Did not hit my head at all in that crash. Don't wear a helmet. Alpha as fuck
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KharBevNor

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I have never met anyone who rides a fixed-gear bike I wouldn't happily shoot in the face. Real talk. What the fuck, get some fucking gears you pricks. Get some fucking brakes. What are you even doing.

Also, whilst I was on the bus the other day, I noticed a dude riding along next to me on a bike wearing huuuuuge headphones. Practically cans. Who the hell listens to music whilst riding a bike on a road? I almost have to respect his balls/lack of concern for this sham we call life but seriously.
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[22:25] Dovey: i don't get sigquoted much
[22:26] Dovey: like, maybe, 4 or 5 times that i know of?
[22:26] Dovey: and at least one of those was a blatant ploy at getting sigquoted

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bicostp

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Apparently my car is invisible. There's a section of I-95 just south of Boston that splits into two, then merges into one lane (where it splits into 93 and 128). Idiots on their cell phones love to merge into the space I currently occupy. One time some idiot in a red minivan got close enough for me to knock on their passenger side window. (That was the only way to get their attention; apparently I'm the only one who can hear my horn.) Stopping to let them by usually isn't an option, because most of the time there's a pickup truck or a BMW Bro tailgating me. Either I need to start driving a fluorescent green Econoline or I need to install a set of these. :|

edwinalink

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Apparently my car is invisible. There's a section of I-95 just south of Boston that splits into two, then merges into one lane (where it splits into 93 and 128). Idiots on their cell phones love to merge into the space I currently occupy. One time some idiot in a red minivan got close enough for me to knock on their passenger side window. (That was the only way to get their attention; apparently I'm the only one who can hear my horn.) Stopping to let them by usually isn't an option, because most of the time there's a pickup truck or a BMW Bro tailgating me. Either I need to start driving a fluorescent green Econoline or I need to install a set of these. :|



TRUTH
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calenlass

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(edwinalink: Since no one else has mentioned it yet, I will. There is no need to quote the post immediately above yours. This forum does not move fast enough to merit that practice. Thanks for trying to be considerate, though.)
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edwinalink

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I generally don't. but seeing as it is not immediately evident that that image is Hotlinked in the above post. I found it may be wise to quote it for the sake of clarifying that it was in fact related.

CUDDLES. :mrgreen:
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The Seldom Killer

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I have never met anyone who rides a fixed-gear bike I wouldn't happily shoot in the face. Real talk. What the fuck, get some fucking gears you pricks. Get some fucking brakes. What are you even doing.

Why would you expect someone to have gears if they don't want to. What is it about running on a single gear that makes someone a prick? Would it make a difference if someone where running a single-speed bike? (single gear but with a freewheel). As for brakes. I run a front brake on my fixed wheel and this is very common practice. On top of that the rear wheel is a brake. Just because it doesn't involve rubbing pieces of rubber against the rim of a wheel, doesn't make it any less of a brake. It's still a force multiplier controlled by human muscles and, depending the gearing that the bike is set up with, can be a lot more effective than hand controlled brakes.

As a quasi-aside. On time-trials I regularly ride a lot faster on my fixed gear bike than I do on my geared bike. I'm not alone and time-trial riders often favour a fixed gear bike. Until recently, fixed gear bikes held the records in 10, 25 and 50 mile distances and still beat the majority of geared riders. Gears aren't always an advantage.
« Last Edit: 20 Feb 2011, 22:27 by The Seldom Killer »
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edwinalink

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^I guess several older members on this site seem to speak in a way that is clearly meant to be offensive, but when you're another older member I guess you can tell its ironic?

because they know each other IRL?

this forum is like a high school, with an elite inner circle that thinks you want in. that won't let you make the same types of jokes they make.

I learned to just assume everyone is always being facetious.  and that its just the internet, Not a great idea to get emotionally involved.

As for fixies I both hate riding them and fear the things. but I can respect anyone who ACTUALLY puts miles on one. I could not.

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Alex C

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Nah. That's just Kharbevnor. He's comfortable with hating some of the people he's met, that's all. There's this gaggle of old ladies who jump the queue at Dunkin' Donuts who I feel the same way about. It's not really morally justifiable or anything, but still, fuck them.
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The Seldom Killer

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pwd removed

Having just trawled up the M1 can I kindly suggest that people pay a bit more attention. Outright asshattery was at a minimum but there was a common policy of rolling right up behind a truck and then deciding to overtake and getting twitchy that a queue of cars weren't letting them into space that wasn't there. If you keep an eye on what's going on around you then you can usually move out much sooner and not be a dick to everyone else on the motorway.
« Last Edit: 20 Feb 2011, 22:29 by The Seldom Killer »
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edwinalink

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Now everybody put on some spandex shorts and hug!
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edwinalink

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thats actually pretty close to what i do.
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KharBevNor

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What is it about running on a single gear that makes someone a prick?

For a start, they tend to be the kind of people who have no sense of humour.
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[22:25] Dovey: i don't get sigquoted much
[22:26] Dovey: like, maybe, 4 or 5 times that i know of?
[22:26] Dovey: and at least one of those was a blatant ploy at getting sigquoted

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The Seldom Killer

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ill-thought drunk posting removed.
« Last Edit: 20 Feb 2011, 22:30 by The Seldom Killer »
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KharBevNor

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[22:25] Dovey: i don't get sigquoted much
[22:26] Dovey: like, maybe, 4 or 5 times that i know of?
[22:26] Dovey: and at least one of those was a blatant ploy at getting sigquoted

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Alex C

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At least I wasn't wrong about you being a cockwomble.

You might want to go back a page and figure out who started insulting who before we start parsing out who's being a cock or not.
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Um, can I bitch for a second about somebody who is not a member of this forum? Is that ok?

So in my area there are a lot of people who simply do not use the crosswalk, and I am not sure why. A habit developed from taking the bus and then being too lazy to walk 100 feet back to the intersection? Some kind of Central American cultural baggage that I am totally unaware of? A belief that they are just too special to follow the rules? I do not know, but it happens a lot. And that is one thing.

But when people do use the crosswalk, they usually do it properly. Except this douchebag we saw today. There is a road near my house that goes next to a big shopping center, and at the intersection in question there is a total of 9 lanes, 5 one way and 4 the other. The light was solidly green, right in the middle of the cycle, and this jogger standing on the median decided to cross the street anyway. With his dog. With 4 cars coming at him. WHO DOES THAT???

I swear, if you run your stupid ass out in the middle of the street when you do not have the right of way in any sense of the law, and I hit you, I will not feel bad, and I will not feel bad about not feeling bad. Get your ass back on the sidewalk, go to the corner, and wait for the light.
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Akima

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I have never met anyone who rides a fixed-gear bike I wouldn't happily shoot in the face.
I suspect Khar is irritated by the sort of fixie-fashion-victims who provide BikeSnobNYC with most of his material. I sympathise, though I would never favour violence, but I have a lot of respect for traditional fixed-gear enthusiasts like the late Sheldon Brown (and possibly The Seldom Killer). Cycling is as bad as music for cliquey snobbery, and I'm about to engage in some. I do not ride a fixed-gear myself, by the way.

Traditional fixed-gear riders are pretty hard-core, often with a background in competitive cycling, typically time-trialling or velodrome racing. Usually they know what they're doing, are fit and strong, and have good technique. They climb strongly, and descend quickly with a smooth, fast pedal-stroke. Being focussed on function rather than fashion, their bikes generally do not display the exaggerated features people tend to associate with "fixies", and may pass unnoticed by comparison. They understand that a frame intended for track racing is not always the best choice for riding on the road. If they do ride a track-bike, their good technique, and sensible choice of handlebars, allows them to corner smoothly rather than wobbling round like a hippo in high heels. They usually fit a front brake for road riding because they know that the front wheel does most of the work when braking hard. Generally speaking, none of these things is true of your fixie-fashion-victim.
« Last Edit: 21 Feb 2011, 03:12 by Akima »
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Jace

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The light was solidly green, right in the middle of the cycle, and this jogger standing on the median decided to cross the street anyway. With his dog. With 4 cars coming at him. WHO DOES THAT???

I work on a sort of busy street corner. There is Main street which is 4 lanes and a fairly consistent amount of traffic. The light doesn't take too long to change so you can cross the street, but I have seen people run across instead of waiting. Not too bad when its just one person, or a couple adults, but I saw a lady making 4 of her kids run across the street while she herself ran across with a baby in a stroller.
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Van donk III

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Fixies are the new hipster vehicle of choice, granted. They are fairly hardcore, yes; but as with most of you guys i too have witnessed victims of fashion  become victims of road rash. I was a bike messenger for a while and toyed with the idea of a fixie. In the end I realised that a free wheeling hub is far more practical and far safer than having your shins crushed under your own weight as your new terror pin flat pedals gouge yet more of your skin from your leg.

Also you can't really go into 'attack mode' with a fixed gear. having the pedals set level when zipping through traffic is far safer than not.

Brakeless? feckless more like.

I've had many a run in with cars and busses knocking me  off because i was in the way. They deserve punishment. Sticking to the law only seems to matter when everyone is behind you. If that's not the case fight back I say!  Some ignorant drivers need a lesson in control, If that lesson involves them learning to keep their distance in case a bearded hippy type  ruins the paint job on their shiny BMW, so be it.

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Also you can't really go into 'attack mode' with a fixed gear. having the pedals set level when zipping through traffic is far safer than not.

What's this "attack mode" of which you speak?
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Van donk III

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Kind of like this, only on a road bike. Pedals at 3 & 9 o'clock, knees and elbows bent, head down, back up.

When you've got a lot of speed up and dont want to lose it, this kind of racing position means that you're ready to swerve quickly when you need to  and will absorb for any bump in the road  you're flying down.
Cant really do this for any length of time on a fixie, as the constant movement of the chainring/pedals will eventually send you off balance. Not good when you've got cars/busses etc on both sides.

I suppose It's an aggressive style of cycling in a city, but it's usually the only way I manage to keep up with/ahead of traffic

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Oh yeah, I used to do that but found it quicker to just tuck down on the drops and keep the spin up. Smoothes out the bumps, on the road without losing as much momentum and a lot more control when you're weaving and switching lines. Works well on both fixed and gears and allows you to keep narrower, which is handy when you're rolling through traffic.

I found the above position didn't offer the tight control over the front end that I prefer.
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Van donk III

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Never was a fan of drop bars, still use an easton MTB bar with a 2 inch rise. I guess froom racing I've always had an 'elbows out' kind of stance. Only ever tuck in when I absolutely have to.

The Seldom Killer

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Also from going off road on an MTB I seem to remember that position not being good for long periods on cleats. Sure as hell not going to be guilty of riding fixed without some kind of foot retention. That is proper retarded fail. Might explain why my last stack on fixed didn't result in any shin/pedal related damage, my foot was still attached at the sole.

I also find drops put less strain on the wrists, useful when I'm doing long distance. Also better for descending, unless you're Sean Yates.
« Last Edit: 22 Feb 2011, 08:08 by The Seldom Killer »
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Van donk III

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Might explain why my last stack on fixed didn't result in any shin/pedal related damage, my foot was still attached at the sole.

lol, how was your knee?

The Seldom Killer

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Absolutely fine. Hip and shoulder hurt a bit but that was it really.
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edwinalink

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Yeah... every bike I have ever owned, and ever will own... gets a pair of BMX platform pedals.

they don't stand out too much on a mountain bike... I wonder If I will get comments when they're on my Cyclocross bike.

I tried Clipless for about 3 months. they don't make it worth carrying extra shoes at all times.
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Van donk III

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agreed. Also you cant escape onwanted drifts slides when you're clipped in. Also foot out shit spitting lairiness is good fun too. Flatties rule.

The Seldom Killer

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I just have a pair of MTB/touring shoes with SPD cleats in them and walk around in those when I'm not on the bike. I'll occaisionally take a pair of extra shoes with me, but it's a rarity, most of the time I can't be bothered. Occaisionally they're a bit awkward, such as on cobbles, but the payoff when riding is well worth it to me. I did try carrying extra shoes at the start but in the end I couldn't be bothered.

I couldn't recommend cyclocross on flats, you'll suffer for it.

VDIII - That's a myth, you can very easily escape unwanted drifts clipped in. Just set your pedals nice and loose and oiled. You'll hold in when climbing but as soon as you go to step off it'll pop out. I did this when I was riding in the snow and didn't suffer any stack's because of it, even on the fixed.
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öde

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I've never gone onto the drop bars in traffic, it seems terrifying!
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The Seldom Killer

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You could always do it Sean Yates style?

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