***General Cycling Thread***

[BoxsterCy]

Well, that sucked. Windy again, 20 mph with gusts to 28. Man, screw this summer. Only half way to my "floor" mileage goal of 1000 for the season.

Canada Goose hissed at me at Mile 18, I hissed back. They were pretty much blocking the path. Damn feathered park rats.

 

[BoxsterCy]

Since I almost hit a goose today, ever hit anything like that? I won't want to hit a 10 pound goose.

I've hit on squirrel (double tapped, both tires) a few years back and have narrowly missed a dozen others. You don't want one caught up in your spokes. I don't care if I hit one, just keep out of the spokes and chain. I've seen pictures, not pretty, and one where it broke carbon forks and resulted in serious injury. Came close to a deer one evening, at speed coming down a hill, would have been bad for me.

 

[Yaz]

I have two friends that have hit deers on their bikes at different times. One was at high speed bombing a hill on pavement. The other was riding gravel at night and it came out of the field during rut and charge him. Its referred to as the "Whitetail Club". You dont want to be in that club.

 

[simply1]

Since I almost hit a goose today, ever hit anything like that? I won't want to hit a 10 pound goose.

I've hit on squirrel (double tapped, both tires) a few years back and have narrowly missed a dozen others. You don't want one caught up in your spokes. I don't care if I hit one, just keep out of the spokes and chain. I've seen pictures, not pretty, and one where it broke carbon forks and resulted in serious injury. Came close to a deer one evening, at speed coming down a hill, would have been bad for me.

Came face to face with a couple of moose once, lot of squirrel misses.

 

[NWICY]

Came face to face with a couple of moose once, lot of squirrel misses.

That moose deal could have been bad.

 

[ICCYFAN]

Since I almost hit a goose today, ever hit anything like that? I won't want to hit a 10 pound goose.

I've hit on squirrel (double tapped, both tires) a few years back and have narrowly missed a dozen others. You don't want one caught up in your spokes. I don't care if I hit one, just keep out of the spokes and chain. I've seen pictures, not pretty, and one where it broke carbon forks and resulted in serious injury. Came close to a deer one evening, at speed coming down a hill, would have been bad for me.

One of my coworkers hit a cat recently and took a nasty spill, ending up with a couple broken ribs and a jammed shoulder. He tried to avoid it and struck a glancing blow - thinks he’d have been better off riding thru it!

 

[simply1]

That moose deal could have been bad.

Yeah, was at the top of a canyon climb, and come around the corner to see them. Quickly turned around and went back down. Could have easily charged me and caught me before I got turned.

 

[BoxsterCy]

I hope the forecast is right and I get rained out Saturday and Sunday. Would like a longer ride Sunday but we REALLY need rain. I am sitting in a D2 - Severe Drought zone.


Edit: totally worth getting rained out Saturday as we got a good 1/2 inch of much needed rain.

 

[BoxsterCy]

Got a ride in just before dusk. 100% overcast and 73, actually felt cold after all of the hot/humid days. Actually sitting here and a bit chilled.

Got yelled at for biking in the street. First time this year. Some jackass yelling "SIDEWALK!" at me. Yeah, about that, was on side street just two blocks off Lake of the Isles and on the designated detour posted for the LRT construction that closed the Cedar Trail. Well, that and it being 100% legal and was yelled at after a 100% complete stop at a 4-way.......not me being a jackass and running the sign or something.

 

[madguy30]

Got a ride in just before dusk. 100% overcast and 73, actually felt cold after all of the hot/humid days. Actually sitting here and a bit chilled.

Got yelled at for biking in the street. First time this year. Some jackass yelling "SIDEWALK!" at me. Yeah, about that, was on side street just two blocks off Lake of the Isles and on the designated detour posted for the LRT construction that closed the Cedar Trail. Well, that and it being 100% legal and was yelled at after a 100% complete stop at a 4-way.......not me being a jackass and running the sign or something.

Are there sidewalk rules there?

In Madison bikes are allowed on sidewalks but not ones that connect to a building directly.
I've always found riding or even running on the sidewalk less safe than side street for visibility of drivers and vice versa.

In WI drivers are to be as far right as practicable, i.e. use the bike lane just prior to a right turn and I got yelled at by a biker in Mayish for doing just that. I was well in front of him so did not make him slow down. As he was yelling at me he ran a red light.

 

[cyclonesurveyor]

Are there sidewalk rules there?

In Madison bikes are allowed on sidewalks but not ones that connect to a building directly.
I've always found riding or even running on the sidewalk less safe than side street for visibility of drivers and vice versa.

In WI drivers are to be as far right as practicable, i.e. use the bike lane just prior to a right turn and I got yelled at by a biker in Mayish for doing just that. I was well in front of him so did not make him slow down. As he was yelling at me he ran a red light.

When living in IA and started riding - I quickly started figured out the trails get boring after awhile (prior to all the connections in the DSM area) and just used the trails to get me to less busy roads. I hate riding sidewalks - even trail designated ones since you still have the drops for driveways etc. And then you still have to stop at crossings..... Single track for the win LOL until you run into someone (hasn't happened yet.)

 

[BoxsterCy]

Are there sidewalk rules there?

In Madison bikes are allowed on sidewalks but not ones that connect to a building directly.
I've always found riding or even running on the sidewalk less safe than side street for visibility of drivers and vice versa.

In WI drivers are to be as far right as practicable, i.e. use the bike lane just prior to a right turn and I got yelled at by a biker in Mayish for doing just that. I was well in front of him so did not make him slow down. As he was yelling at me he ran a red light.

Too long to read rambling response:

Minnesota law does not prohibit riding on sidewalks but not many bike organizations recommend it and unless you are a child under 10 you shouldn't be on a sidewalk with a bike. Some cities restrict in dwtn areas for good reason. Sidewalks are designed for pedestrians, not bike speed traffic. Sidewalks are nothing like actual trails. Sharing a Mpls side street should not be a big deal to the autophiles since Mpls now has a 20 mph speed on all residential streets unless posted otherwise. I'd prefer to be on a trial or a designated bike lane on the street but that is not always possible/ Where this dude barked at me would be the last spot I'd have expected it, not a pinch point or anything and the jackass was not even driving on my street, was crossing at an intersection.

For me, no way I am biking 8-10 mph on a sidewalk, too slow for me and still not safe for pedestrians. Except for an occasional wide sidewalk shared walk I avoid them entirely. I bike 15-16-17 mph on uninterrupted straight runs, not fast but not super slow for a senior. My average speed always slows to 13/14 mph because I bike urban/suburban and have a million pace killing stops or slow downs per ride. I'd have to car trip the bike outside metro to get to uninterrupted runs, not worth it for me generally when I can just bike from home.

TRAIL DESIGN SIDEBAR ALERT: In a previous life I designed miles of bike/pedestrian trails. While there are no set codes, like for buildings, the generally recognized guideline design manual was published by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO). Minnesota's own trail guidelines are pretty much in line with that. Riding the busier lake trails I can spot dozens of things around the Chain of Lakes that do not meet guidelines, mostly trees and posts too close to trail edge leaving no shy or clear distance. I get not removing mature trees, but the trail/street light posts are sometimes stupid close and those are all location choices. Distracting for the old designer that still resides in me. Even as a separate trails around the Chain of Lakes is not some place where road bikers should be biking at speed, too many park users, casual bikers on rentals, families, skaters, and inattentive park users just wandering onto the path. Peeps that bike fast around these lakes annoy me more than the careless casual users. The casual users mistakes I get (it's a park after all) but the reckless bikers should know better.

/end stream of consciousness

 

[Urbandale2013]

When living in IA and started riding - I quickly started figured out the trails get boring after awhile (prior to all the connections in the DSM area) and just used the trails to get me to less busy roads. I hate riding sidewalks - even trail designated ones since you still have the drops for driveways etc. And then you still have to stop at crossings..... Single track for the win LOL until you run into someone (hasn't happened yet.)

I hate people that refuse to ride trails. I’m not against people riding on the street when trying to get somewhere or anything but I hate when there is a perfectly good trail they refuse to use.

We have a great trail system in Urbandale and I still see people riding down Meredith when there is a great trail right there. I love riding the trails in Urbandale and do have to ride the street by my house as there isn’t an exit from the trail by my street but I think it’s important to minimize it. There’s a reason they built the trails and that is to keep people safe and not cause conflict points. People still need to treat bikes with care but I’m a lot less sympathetic for those that avoid the trails.

 

[cyclonesurveyor]

I hate people that refuse to ride trails. I’m not against people riding on the street when trying to get somewhere or anything but I hate when there is a perfectly good trail they refuse to use.

We have a great trail system in Urbandale and I still see people riding down Meredith when there is a great trail right there. I love riding the trails in Urbandale and do have to ride the street by my house as there isn’t an exit from the trail by my street but I think it’s important to minimize it. There’s a reason they built the trails and that is to keep people safe and not cause conflict points. People still need to treat bikes with care but I’m a lot less sympathetic for those that avoid the trails.

I get it and agree. But the bike trails have plenty of their own dangers like runners/walkers with headphones in that cannot hear, families with big strollers, people who turn into you when you say "on your left" and usually a speed limit of 15 MPH. I only have to ride a small section now to get out to a main road with a big lane to get out to the gravel roads.
We are also pretty lucky in Fort Collins that we have really wide streets that most can accommodate a bike lane and we have a bike parkway system on the non arterial streets that essentially connect all the big trails and schools together.

 

[Urbandale2013]

I get it and agree. But the bike trails have plenty of their own dangers like runners/walkers with headphones in that cannot hear, families with big strollers, people who turn into you when you say "on your left" and usually a speed limit of 15 MPH. I only have to ride a small section now to get out to a main road with a big lane to get out to the gravel roads.
We are also pretty lucky in Fort Collins that we have really wide streets that most can accommodate a bike lane and we have a bike parkway system on the non arterial streets that essentially connect all the big trails and schools together.

There is no speed limit around here. Not sure how they can really enforce it when most people have no way to tell speed.

I also don’t understand how people go so fast for so long. My max for a ride is about 13. There are spots where I will go faster but those are limited.

Most of the time there is plenty of open space that you aren’t having issues with people walking.

 

[cyclonesurveyor]

There is no speed limit around here. Not sure how they can really enforce it when most people have no way to tell speed.

I also don’t understand how people go so fast for so long. My max for a ride is about 13. There are spots where I will go faster but those are limited.

Most of the time there is plenty of open space that you aren’t having issues with people walking.

I mountain bike with a few guys that cross train with a few road group rides during the week and its crazy that I see they are averaging 24+ on most rides (mostly flat back roads)

 

[cyclonesurveyor]

Fall highlight for me will be coaching my daughter and having a son racing this year in the CO HS race league. Practice started this week and now have a good reason have big ride days. This weekend we are going up to American Lakes which should be pretty good for views and flowers.

 

[simply1]

There is no speed limit around here. Not sure how they can really enforce it when most people have no way to tell speed.

I also don’t understand how people go so fast for so long. My max for a ride is about 13. There are spots where I will go faster but those are limited.

Most of the time there is plenty of open space that you aren’t having issues with people walking.

You get a few guys you can hit mid 20s easy. I had a tri athlete friend crash a few years ago riding a trail when a kid darted in front of him as the family wasn’t really paying attention. Broke his collarbone to miss him.

 

[BigBake]

You get a few guys you can hit mid 20s easy. I had a tri athlete friend crash a few years ago riding a trail when a kid darted in front of him as the family wasn’t really paying attention. Broke his collarbone to miss him.

and I still shake my head every time I see someone in their aerobars trying to grab a KOM on an urban trail.

 

[Yaz]

Tri cyclist are the most dangerous in any environment....paths, group ride on the road..... whatever, I dont ride with them or near them. If I have to ride with them i let them get way out front and let them stay there. Lastly, their bike handling skills are even worse unless they come from cyclocross or mountain bike background. Theyre dangerous and most have road rash scars to prove my point.