bikes

[Huell Howser]

went for a ride later in the evening yesterday along a bike/pedestrian trail on top of a river bed(pretty standard bike path, one lane going each way). On my way back I was hitting a great stride catchin some great tailwind when I came up on about 6 people walking in a group together. About 5 of them were walking on the left side and one lady was walking towards the middle but also a bit in the right lane(with about 4 feet of clearance to her right before the riverbed embankment). I yelled out a classic 'on your right'(i know its usually on your left) but she decided to jump to the right instead of the left. long story short i tried to brake but ended up crashing straight into her and front flipping over the handle bars into the riverbed bank lmao. Luckily I got out with just scrapes on my arms, legs, and hands are cut up(no broken bones etc) but I was so pissed. what a dummy

the lady seemed fine. she just asked if I was okay and then went on her way. my derailer seems a bit bent and my chain came off somehow during the impact

this was also a huge eye opener that I need to start wearing my helmet even if I am riding in a car-less area

[Frank]

went for a ride later in the evening yesterday along a bike/pedestrian trail on top of a river bed(pretty standard bike path, one lane going each way). On my way back I was hitting a great stride catchin some great tailwind when I came up on about 6 people walking in a group together. About 5 of them were walking on the left side and one lady was walking towards the middle but also a bit in the right lane(with about 4 feet of clearance to her right before the riverbed embankment). I yelled out a classic 'on your right'(i know its usually on your left) but she decided to jump to the right instead of the left. long story short i tried to brake but ended up crashing straight into her and front flipping over the handle bars into the riverbed bank lmao. Luckily I got out with just scrapes on my arms, legs, and hands are cut up(no broken bones etc) but I was so pissed. what a dummy

the lady seemed fine. she just asked if I was okay and then went on her way. my derailer seems a bit bent and my chain came off somehow during the impact

this was also a huge eye opener that I need to start wearing my helmet even if I am riding in a car-less area

glad you remained mostly unscathed!

[apport]

i was like 50/50 for wearing a helmet, only when i had to bike far or do errands, and even then sometimes not, but now i’m full on 100% helmet all the time when i bike. i slammed SO fucking hard and smacked my head doing something incredibly stupid/dangerous, thankfully i was wearing my helmet but it just made me realize how much worse it could have been if i wasn’t. 

[Beeda Weeda]

helmet all of the time. I am almost 40, have a kid, and don't want to die.
Most of my scariest situations are when riding trails or paths and coming up on walkers with headphones in, with dogs on long leashes, retractable leashes or off leash. Or groups of walkers that walk 3-4 wide and don't consider anyone else using the path.

You gotta yell early, loud and often. I find they often jump into the direction you say you are coming past.
Last fall I was riding on a single track trail, and I came up on an old man with earphones in, and he was was not hearing me call out, and he was bending a small tree (I have no idea why) and I went to go around him, startled him, he let go of the tree and it hit me in the face (that is when I realized he had been bending the tree) causing my glasses to smash and me to fall off the bike. He started to laugh at me. It took every ounce of my soul not to murder him. I got back on my bike and continued on.

[Huell Howser]

@frank thanks!

@apport yeah, not trying to have that same realization over again. glad you're all good!

@Beeda Weeda wow, you're a better person than me. I probably would've blown up on the old fella in the heat of the moment

[Beeda Weeda]

I have the gift of feeling rage but also knowing that acting out on that is a terrible idea. I got in 1  fight back in 2005 and I got jumped by the guy and his friends a few months later. It was a terrible moment but it  makes me second guess violence or irrational actions.

[SaySo]

went for a ride later in the evening yesterday along a bike/pedestrian trail on top of a river bed(pretty standard bike path, one lane going each way). On my way back I was hitting a great stride catchin some great tailwind when I came up on about 6 people walking in a group together. About 5 of them were walking on the left side and one lady was walking towards the middle but also a bit in the right lane(with about 4 feet of clearance to her right before the riverbed embankment). I yelled out a classic 'on your right'(i know its usually on your left) but she decided to jump to the right instead of the left. long story short i tried to brake but ended up crashing straight into her and front flipping over the handle bars into the riverbed bank lmao. Luckily I got out with just scrapes on my arms, legs, and hands are cut up(no broken bones etc) but I was so pissed. what a dummy

the lady seemed fine. she just asked if I was okay and then went on her way. my derailer seems a bit bent and my chain came off somehow during the impact

this was also a huge eye opener that I need to start wearing my helmet even if I am riding in a car-less area

Also glad to hear you were able to walk away from the accident. Sounds like it could have been far worse.

I used to not always wear a helmet but I think age/wisdom/fear/realism have convinced me to wear a helmet at all times (when I'm riding my bike).

It felt weird at first, but now it feels weird to ride without one.

[apport]

can anyone rationalize skating without a helmet?
after my pretty heavy bike slam i can’t even imagine riding without a helmet, but still skate without a helmet, even though i’ve had slams where i hit my head. i remember mike v’s rationalization for skating in a helmet was that he had a child/children, and i have kids now so that’s in my head literally every time i go skate. i guess what i tell myself now is i’m no longer skating in traffic at night while drunk and the chances of me getting a head injury from my current day ultra low impact skating are low, but i still get sketched out.

[SaySo]

can anyone rationalize skating without a helmet?
after my pretty heavy bike slam i can’t even imagine riding without a helmet, but still skate without a helmet, even though i’ve had slams where i hit my head. i remember mike v’s rationalization for skating in a helmet was that he had a child/children, and i have kids now so that’s in my head literally every time i go skate. i guess what i tell myself now is i’m no longer skating in traffic at night while drunk and the chances of me getting a head injury from my current day ultra low impact skating are low, but i still get sketched out.

Rationalizing it? Logically? No, I can't.

I think I emotionally justify it for some of the same reasons you mentioned.

I currently don't do anything remotely high impact, in high traffic areas like a skate park filled with people (I skate alone 99 percent of the time...although that might justify wearing a helmet), or during periods of high activity (I always skate at night).

I only bike on the roads now and I wear a helmet primarily because I worry about the carelessness/lack of situational awareness that other people have.

I find that most of us skaters (and bikers, for that matter) have better than average situation awareness (knock on wood) due to the nature of skating that most "regular people" don't have.

EDIT: When I still mountain biked (my mountain bike is in a different country and I live in a huge city where a mountain bike isn't necessary) I always wore a helmet.

[manysnakes]

went for a ride later in the evening yesterday along a bike/pedestrian trail on top of a river bed(pretty standard bike path, one lane going each way). On my way back I was hitting a great stride catchin some great tailwind when I came up on about 6 people walking in a group together. About 5 of them were walking on the left side and one lady was walking towards the middle but also a bit in the right lane(with about 4 feet of clearance to her right before the riverbed embankment). I yelled out a classic 'on your right'(i know its usually on your left) but she decided to jump to the right instead of the left. long story short i tried to brake but ended up crashing straight into her and front flipping over the handle bars into the riverbed bank lmao. Luckily I got out with just scrapes on my arms, legs, and hands are cut up(no broken bones etc) but I was so pissed. what a dummy

the lady seemed fine. she just asked if I was okay and then went on her way. my derailer seems a bit bent and my chain came off somehow during the impact

this was also a huge eye opener that I need to start wearing my helmet even if I am riding in a car-less area

I long ago gave up calling out to pedestrians or other cyclists, since about 10% of people will react to "on your [direction]" by moving *in* that direction. Better to just get a bell and continue to ring it until people get out of the way. You don't even have to use a dorky bell, there are "cool" ones for roadies now, but I use one of these on my commuter (flat bar) bike.

[Huell Howser]

^this is a great idea. I am definitely getting a bell of some kind

[manysnakes]

^this is a great idea. I am definitely getting a bell of some kind

If you've got a road bike, look at Spurcycle bells and the inexpensive knock-off from the hilariously named Rockbros.

https://www.amazon.com/ROCKBROS-Classic-Bicycle-Mountain-Handlebars/dp/B08NX77NLT/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=3VUG83X7P5F7K&keywords=road+bike+bell&qid=1658782989&s=sporting-goods&sprefix=road+bike+bell,sporting,165&sr=1-1-spons&psc=1

[IUTSM]

got a brand new Brooks flyer for 60 bux on craigslist =) interesting to see how it rides compared to my b17

[BartHarleyJarvis]

https://ridepdw.com/collections/bicycle-bells/products/alexander-graham

I had an acquaintance who worked at PDW and I put this Alexander Graham Bell on one of my bikes, doubles as a headset spacer and works really nice.

[Landmine]

Far from finished as I still wanna upgrade some things down the line (seatpost and saddle, maybe a different bar setup), but it is rollin. Love this thing, been fuckin around learning wheelies and just generally can't stay off the bike.

Goddamn that's a looker!

[ungzilla]

anyone ride those brooks rubber saddles? i'm pondering taking the plunge on a c15

[BartHarleyJarvis]

anyone ride those brooks rubber saddles? i'm pondering taking the plunge on a c15

Definitely get one, the Cambiums are great. I have the C15 carved and I have a ton of miles on it. There's no break in time like there is with the leather brooks and they're super durable, weather resistant. I have to test a lot of bikes for my job and I put it on basically everything I ride.

[manysnakes]

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anyone ride those brooks rubber saddles? i'm pondering taking the plunge on a c15

[close]

Definitely get one, the Cambiums are great. I have the C15 carved and I have a ton of miles on it. There's no break in time like there is with the leather brooks and they're super durable, weather resistant. I have to test a lot of bikes for my job and I put it on basically everything I ride.

I had the opposite experience and found it to be an asshatchet. Eventually I went back to my Flites or a WTB and haven’t looked back. The durability used to be pretty poor - I warrantied a lot of them (broken rails and broken rubber) - but I haven’t heard that complaint lately so maybe they improved the materials.

Of course, as with any saddle, everyone’s tastes are going to be different so OP should definitely seek out a test ride saddle from their local bike shop and see if it works for them.

[Frank]

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anyone ride those brooks rubber saddles? i'm pondering taking the plunge on a c15

[close]

Definitely get one, the Cambiums are great. I have the C15 carved and I have a ton of miles on it. There's no break in time like there is with the leather brooks and they're super durable, weather resistant. I have to test a lot of bikes for my job and I put it on basically everything I ride.

[close]

I had the opposite experience and found it to be an asshatchet. Eventually I went back to my Flites or a WTB and haven’t looked back. The durability used to be pretty poor - I warrantied a lot of them (broken rails and broken rubber) - but I haven’t heard that complaint lately so maybe they improved the materials.

Of course, as with any saddle, everyone’s tastes are going to be different so OP should definitely seek out a test ride saddle from their local bike shop and see if it works for them.

my boss has one on his bike and i asked him how he liked it and he said it's pretty hard overall. thought that was good since i like firm saddles. he didn't seem stoked on it tho and maybe i'll try to talk him into selling it to me lol.

[Yushin Okami]

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anyone ride those brooks rubber saddles? i'm pondering taking the plunge on a c15

[close]

Definitely get one, the Cambiums are great. I have the C15 carved and I have a ton of miles on it. There's no break in time like there is with the leather brooks and they're super durable, weather resistant. I have to test a lot of bikes for my job and I put it on basically everything I ride.

[close]

I had the opposite experience and found it to be an asshatchet. Eventually I went back to my Flites or a WTB and haven’t looked back. The durability used to be pretty poor - I warrantied a lot of them (broken rails and broken rubber) - but I haven’t heard that complaint lately so maybe they improved the materials.

Of course, as with any saddle, everyone’s tastes are going to be different so OP should definitely seek out a test ride saddle from their local bike shop and see if it works for them.

[close]

my boss has one on his bike and i asked him how he liked it and he said it's pretty hard overall. thought that was good since i like firm saddles. he didn't seem stoked on it tho and maybe i'll try to talk him into selling it to me lol.

I've been running a Brooks c15 carved for years and love it.

[BartHarleyJarvis]

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anyone ride those brooks rubber saddles? i'm pondering taking the plunge on a c15

[close]

Definitely get one, the Cambiums are great. I have the C15 carved and I have a ton of miles on it. There's no break in time like there is with the leather brooks and they're super durable, weather resistant. I have to test a lot of bikes for my job and I put it on basically everything I ride.

[close]

I had the opposite experience and found it to be an asshatchet. Eventually I went back to my Flites or a WTB and haven’t looked back. The durability used to be pretty poor - I warrantied a lot of them (broken rails and broken rubber) - but I haven’t heard that complaint lately so maybe they improved the materials.

Of course, as with any saddle, everyone’s tastes are going to be different so OP should definitely seek out a test ride saddle from their local bike shop and see if it works for them.

WTBs got some great ones. Didn't know about the warranty issues but Brooks is pretty quality and I imagine they stand behind their shit? Definitely a hassle though.

The cambium definitely is firm but has just enough give for me to settle into it. OP may also be better off with a C17 or C13 based on his position.

[ungzilla]

i think i measured my sit bones at 14 cm once. anyways, sounds like a bimodal distribution of reviews, i'll try and get one from somewhere that is easy returns. thanks amigos

[Frank]

i think i measured my sit bones at 14 cm once. anyways, sounds like a bimodal distribution of reviews, i'll try and get one from somewhere that is easy returns. thanks amigos

ok so about the sitbone width thing, and this is just my anecdotal madness report: i've tried a bunch of different sized saddles and after doing some research(aka watching vids from a few bike fitting channels on youtube) i've decided for me that width alone is not reliable. and not everyone sits the same on every saddle, bla bla bla. the saddle i use now that gives me no problems at all since it's at the correct height would probably be too narrow for me by width alone. the other one i really like would be too big. but due to their shape i can move my legs the same and pedal just fine. the saddle that fitted my sitbone width rubbed on my legs when i pedaled because it was more clunky. those were all random ass middle of the road saddles tho, except  for the specialized i run now. i have no idea what model it is, but it doesn't look expensive, probably one that came stock with a complete. my second favorite saddle is actually a no name saddle i bought in a pinch. it's just a bit too padded for my taste.

what i'm basically trying to say is, even if a saddle seems 1 or 2cm too wide or skinny, just maybe try em. they might still work for the way you move your hips and legs and sit on it. it's like with shoes i guess, if your tts don't fit, try smaller or bigger. all asses are built a bit different.

[BartHarleyJarvis]

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i think i measured my sit bones at 14 cm once. anyways, sounds like a bimodal distribution of reviews, i'll try and get one from somewhere that is easy returns. thanks amigos

[close]

ok so about the sitbone width thing, and this is just my anecdotal madness report: i've tried a bunch of different sized saddles and after doing some research(aka watching vids from a few bike fitting channels on youtube) i've decided for me that width alone is not reliable. and not everyone sits the same on every saddle, bla bla bla. the saddle i use now that gives me no problems at all since it's at the correct height would probably be too narrow for me by width alone. the other one i really like would be too big. but due to their shape i can move my legs the same and pedal just fine. the saddle that fitted my sitbone width rubbed on my legs when i pedaled because it was more clunky. those were all random ass middle of the road saddles tho, except  for the specialized i run now. i have no idea what model it is, but it doesn't look expensive, probably one that came stock with a complete. my second favorite saddle is actually a no name saddle i bought in a pinch. it's just a bit too padded for my taste.

what i'm basically trying to say is, even if a saddle seems 1 or 2cm too wide or skinny, just maybe try em. they might still work for the way you move your hips and legs and sit on it. it's like with shoes i guess, if your tts don't fit, try smaller or bigger. all asses are built a bit different.

Yeah, and to add to the madness, your sit bones narrow as your position changes, so they're going to measure differently on a city/commuter bike vs a road bike. If you get easy returns though, you should be fine!

[manysnakes]

Also sometimes you just gotta keep riding it until it feels normal. I’m only a fan of Flites because that’s what came on my first road bike and I just eventually got used to it and now it’s my everyday go-to.

[SaySo]

anyone ride those brooks rubber saddles? i'm pondering taking the plunge on a c15

I've got a C13. It's fine for me, but YMMV.

One thing I don't like about it is the textured finish on the seat. It is literally like griptape to fabric/textiles. I've worn through a few pairs of pants whereas with other seats I haven't had this problem.

It's seriously like a Wyzenbeek abrasion test machine.

[apport]

just finished up a restoration (like 99%, i need a new link wire for the front brake) on this bike we've had hanging in our garage forever. mix of new parts, existing parts and stuff i had sitting around. also new paint, which i regretted having to do immediately after i sanded it. a lot of work and i already have scratches going down to the primer, even with that super toxic clear coat made for cars. it's a very comfy ride though and i guess that's all that matters.


also found this trash bike today, second time this summer i've had to walk home several miles with two bikes. kind of tempted to make this my next project.

[Jewel Runner]

just finished up a restoration (like 99%, i need a new link wire for the front brake) on this bike we've had hanging in our garage forever. mix of new parts, existing parts and stuff i had sitting around. also new paint, which i regretted having to do immediately after i sanded it. a lot of work and i already have scratches going down to the primer, even with that super toxic clear coat made for cars. it's a very comfy ride though and i guess that's all that matters.


also found this trash bike today, second time this summer i've had to walk home several miles with two bikes. kind of tempted to make this my next project.

Man that restore look so beautiful I love it!

Is that going to be your go to skate spots bike?

[apport]

Man that restore look so beautiful I love it!

Is that going to be your go to skate spots bike?

thanks! and yeah literally the whole idea behind it was to build up something i could stick the skate rack on

[Balzac]

Any roader who hates disk brakes here?