Author Topic: A random thread for ... you know the rest. (Read 17499 times)

Mr Larrington · « **Reply #50 on:** 02 October, 2016, 06:01:40 pm »

The fastest upright bike I ever owned was The Hedgehog, a Sonic MTB with 1.3" Conti Avenue slicks and lots of Shiny, but it was really a bit too small and I ended up selling it back to its original owner.

Cudzoziemiec · « **Reply #51 on:** 03 October, 2016, 10:25:58 pm »

There's actually very little cycling in this video about a "bicycle rally for He for She movement" but here it is anyway: http://www.crowdh.com/cycling-in-rural-india-for-gender-equality/

Cudzoziemiec · « **Reply #52 on:** 04 October, 2016, 01:09:17 pm »

New traffic laws are being consulted in Poland. As well as bringing the speed limit at night in built-up areas down into line with the daytime limit and changes to vehicle inspections, they're intending to make it compulsory for scooterists (foot-powered not mopeds) and roller skaters to use cycle paths, where present. I'm not sure whether the present law says they should be on the road or the pavement or says nothing at all, nor how much, if at all, it is obeyed.

Kim · « **Reply #53 on:** 04 October, 2016, 02:19:23 pm »

Quote from: Cudzoziemiec on 04 October, 2016, 01:09:17 pm

New traffic laws are being consulted in Poland. As well as bringing the speed limit at night in built-up areas down into line with the daytime limit and changes to vehicle inspections, they're intending to make it compulsory for scooterists (foot-powered not mopeds) and roller skaters to use cycle paths, where present. I'm not sure whether the present law says they should be on the road or the pavement or says nothing at all, nor how much, if at all, it is obeyed.

Is cycle path use already compulsory for cyclists? If so, that would make sense.

Cudzoziemiec · « **Reply #54 on:** 04 October, 2016, 03:16:28 pm »

Yes, compulsory where they exist, but in practice there aren't that many. So the new (proposed) law is to classify scooterists and roller skaters as honorary cyclists. All unpowered wheeled road users, so makes sense from that point of view. I expect, but am not sure, there's some exemption for kids under a certain age allowing them to use pavements. There's also a rule allowing cyclists to use pavements if they want where the road alongside has a speed limit over, I think, 50km/h – so basically out of town.

Cudzoziemiec · « **Reply #55 on:** 07 October, 2016, 04:23:03 pm »

(There might be somewhere better to put this, but I'm not sure where right now.)
I've just chanced on a handy graphic illustrating different tyre sizes and the same-but-differentness of eg 700C and 29er. It ignores the existence of 650B on road bikes, but that's a minor point.

http://www.cyclingabout.com/700c-vs-26-inch-wheel-size-for-touring/

Eccentrica Gallumbits · « **Reply #56 on:** 20 October, 2016, 04:30:14 pm »

Today I saw a man cycling on the pavement carrying a Staffie under one arm.

Basil · « **Reply #57 on:** 20 October, 2016, 05:08:09 pm »

Helmet on the Staffie?

Eccentrica Gallumbits · « **Reply #58 on:** 20 October, 2016, 05:34:36 pm »

Sadly not. No hi-viz either.

Cudzoziemiec · « **Reply #59 on:** 24 October, 2016, 07:21:15 pm »

I'm not sure where the thread about West Midlands Police and their close-passing campaign is (I'm sure there was a thread) but they've now prosecuted 78 drivers on the basis of third-party video. The amazing thing in that, to me, is that they're making these prosecutions on the basis of random people's GoPro etc.

TheLurker · « **Reply #60 on:** 24 October, 2016, 07:33:32 pm »

Quote from: Cudzoziemiec on 24 October, 2016, 07:21:15 pm

I'm not sure where the thread about West Midlands Police and their close-passing campaign is (I'm sure there was a thread) but they've now prosecuted 78 drivers on the basis of third-party video. The amazing thing in that, to me, is that they're making these prosecutions on the basis of random people's GoPro etc.

Over on road.cc and Police Scotland are taking an interest as are the forces in North Wales, Camden and somewhere else that I can't remember.

Wowbagger · « **Reply #61 on:** 30 October, 2016, 11:20:18 pm »

I must get Dez's old Go-pro on my bike. I reckon I'd have a field day round here.

In other news, yesterday I passed 2500 miles for the year, and today I passed 57000 since the start of the common RA (rheumatoid arthritis). That's in less than 11 years. 2016 has already been more productive than 2014, although that was rudely interrupted by a torn gastrocnemius and 3 months off the bike, and another 283 miles will see me pass 2015's total. My average speed has gone up as well, and that is not only due to our recent acquisition of electron-aid. It is, in part, due to rather less cycle camping - only one week this year - and that is not a good thing. I am hoping that next year I can get a few more camping tours in. Sadly, I think they will be without Mrs. Wow. She hasn't slept in a small tent or quite a while now.

Cudzoziemiec · « **Reply #62 on:** 31 October, 2016, 02:28:35 pm »

http://singletrackworld.com/2016/10/omg-we-want-this-ebay-wtf/
Um err zoinks!

Basil · « **Reply #63 on:** 31 October, 2016, 05:12:21 pm »

Vince · « **Reply #64 on:** 31 October, 2016, 06:31:41 pm »

Watching the video, googleads comes up with "Search death records"!

Ruthie · « **Reply #65 on:** 09 November, 2016, 07:52:30 pm »

They're making me traipse over to Bishop Auckland for work tomorrow (Can't say why, but it's vintage NHS comedy

) so I whined a bit and I'm allowed to start at 9.00am, which means catching the 0752 instead of the 0652. Which, given the weather, is much better. Unfortunately it means 90 minutes at the other end waiting for a train. So I'm taking my bike on the train tomorrow and doing my first cycle commute home in over three years.

Blimey.

Cudzoziemiec · « **Reply #66 on:** 09 November, 2016, 08:12:03 pm »

Hey!

So you'll be riding back from Bishop Auckland? How far is that?

Ruthie · « **Reply #67 on:** 10 November, 2016, 02:35:07 pm »

The cycle route? About 13 miles.

Someone offered me a lift so I didn't have to!

Cudzoziemiec · « **Reply #68 on:** 20 December, 2016, 10:54:15 am »

This looks way cool. Crazy mad cool. Also terrifying. But way crazy fun cool.
http://road.cc/content/news/214437-video-drift-triking-mad-skills-downhills

even the comments are pretty funny

http://www.drifttriking.co.uk/content/6-drift-triking-team
Mostly built (or cut up) out of old BMXs!

Kim · « **Reply #69 on:** 22 December, 2016, 05:16:52 pm »

Spotted the other day: A sort of Brummie version of Trafficdroid, except using a full-face helmet and with extra blinkenlights where the cameras would usually be. The overall effect was that he (I assume it was a he) would have looked less out of place piloting a Viper in the original Battlestar Galactica, as opposed to trundling up the pavement on the Pershore Road.

Cudzoziemiec · « **Reply #70 on:** 22 December, 2016, 08:50:03 pm »

Browsing Polish news the other day, I came across a video of a mock cemetery ("It even smells like a cemetery," said a passer by) with gravestones in memory of various rights the protesters claimed the government had extinguished or tried to. One of them was "freely riding a bike", so I googled, expecting to find that compulsory helmets or ID or hi-viz (already compulsory for pedestrians*) or something had been introduced. And I found significant changes to the Highway Code in 2016, many affecting cycling; but they were all AFAICT beneficial. Many of them were legalising things which had been widely practised but technically illegal for years, eg riding side by side on quiet roads or using child trailers (cargo trailers were always legal; I'm not sure how dogs would be considered!) So I'm not sure what that was about. In fact they used the word swobodna which is more like "carefree" than "free of regulation" so... I've still no idea what that was about! (I bet you're really glad you read this, aren't you?

)

*At night outside urban areas; but there are no penalties for not complying, beyond, presumably, a talking to from police (they still have traffic police, unlike the UK) and drivers using it as a get-out clause if they crash into you.

Pickled Onion · « **Reply #71 on:** 31 December, 2016, 11:41:31 pm »

Something to do with drink-drive laws being applied to cyclists?

MikeFromLFE · « **Reply #72 on:** 02 February, 2017, 12:23:23 pm »

Inside a German bike shop on G Street-View http://www.instantstreetview.com/@51.483134,11.932868,52.91h,-18.42p,1z,-hAGLv09fukAAAQvO0MmmA
In Halle-Neustadt near Leipzig

TheLurker · « **Reply #73 on:** 04 February, 2017, 10:21:06 am »

My trusty old Dribble is 10 years old this weekend. Well, significant bits of it are. Like most bikes it's a bit of a Ship of Theseus.

Has a think... hmm... frame, forks, handlebars, seatpost, mudguards, brake/gear levers, pedal cranks and brake calipers are original. Not bad at all.

Si S · « **Reply #74 on:** 10 February, 2017, 09:20:27 am »

Is there some sort of stupidity award that cycling organisations compete for? CTC had this one nailed for a number of years but BC have really decided to go for it over he last 12 months.