The Bicycling Thread

[wildbears]

Yesterday's ride from N. Columbus to Yellow Springs OH. My youngest and I rode and my wife picked us up in Yellow Springs.

Got a High Five from Dave after we arrived. jk 8^)

[Pete_Tallahassee]

A different take on a bicycle built for two. Wheels Through Time museum in Maggie Valley, NC.

[wildbears]

They used to make a kit to do that with two separate bikes. It results in a quadcycle (quadricycle/quadracycle) though.

[wildbears]

Ride today thru Baltimore, Ohio. There are still some green soybean fields. Very poor corn crop this summer due to wet spring and dry summer.

[wildbears]

IMHO, Saddle Sore Prevention...

MIPS helmets have a "slip-plane" between the rider's head and the helmet. Impact induced rotation force is reduced.

A "slip-plane" can also exist between a rider's body and any surface. By wearing multiple layers of "slippery" clothing, "slip-planes" are created between each layer. This can lessen soft tissue contusion and fracture risk in a crash, either bicycle or motorcycle. It also reduces friction between the cyclist's body and the saddle when riding. Thus reducing the risk of saddle sores.

The clothing layers should be slippery such as Lycra against Lycra for cyclists and perhaps a synthetic-moisture-wicking-base layer under synthetic-fabric-lined motorcycle leathers. Cotton and some other fabrics, OTOH, tend to grab and prevent "slipping". An example of the latter, from motorcycling, is new jeans versus old jeans. The former have more grab against the pavement and the skin, and increased injury risk.

[wildbears]

Is it Weave or Wobble

Weave is different than wobble. The latter is what many refer to as head shake.

This link is about motorcycles, but weave also occurs with bicycles, as I recently discovered.

Article with video @ https://www.cycleworld.com/why-do-motorcycles-wobble-and-weave/#:~:text=Weave occurs in the range,controlled by a steering damper.

And included video @ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fvsDIq3WwVA

[wildbears]

Can Carbon Fiber be Recycled?

[955i]

Wildbears, I used to work in Los Angeles for an international law firm. I was in the large environmental law section. Our aerospace clients were very interested in your question, in part because they build and use large carbon fiber structures.

The short answer is "yes," carbon fiber CAN be recycled - barely. It depends on how badly you want to do it and how much money you are willing to spend. Grinding it up and using some of it again is probably the most common method, but getting it to be fully recycled or to disappear completely is a task for the future.

[wildbears]

Personal hygiene while touring (moto or self propelled): Ocean Potion After Sun Gel With Aloe.

You can pack and use this when a shower is not available. It contains alcohol so be careful, especially with your undercarriage and eyes. It will remove odor and dirt and can be applied and wiped off with disposable paper towels, tissues, etc..

[wildbears]

OPEN CARRY

Hate to see this development but one of the local riders has started carrying a handgun while riding on the local bicycle trail. Her reason is the number of vagrants about the trail and their aggressive behavior. I've encountered this issue not only locally but also on the trails in nearby Columbus, OH.

Part of the issue is due to mental illness. The competition for handouts also contributes as the vagrant density increases. There are permanent camps set up along the trails, trash that often includes what may be assumed to be the leftovers from shop lifting, and piles of shopping carts tossed from trail bridges and supposedly used for the latter.

Drug activity is open with users passed out on the trail pavement.

Personally, I'll find other places to ride rather than having to be armed.

[Capnrip]

Agree. If the trail is that bad ride somewhere else although it sucks that the trail has been essentially taken away.

[wildbears]

Tire Pressure and Rolling ResistanceCan wider tyres and lower pressures make you faster?

Is There A Perfect Bike Tire Pressure For Speed & Comfort?

Tire Pressure and Rolling Resistance

[Pete_Tallahassee]

"Go wide or go home"

[wildbears]

BITD, We used tubular tires (sew-ups) and went as narrow as 19C. Your patch kit was an extra tire.

[wildbears]

Gravel Bike Tire Pressure Question

To those that ride them, what tire pressures do you use on pavement?

Please reference tire size.

[Pete_Tallahassee]

40 mm 60 psi

[955i]

38mm Gravel Kings. 38psi on gravel. 55psi on the road. These tires are great rollers on pavement.

[wildbears]

Thanks for the feedback.

[wildbears]

Fireman's bicycle, 1905.

[wildbears]

Canadian Geese use an echelon pattern when there is a crosswind just as bicycle racers do.

The V on the windward side is shorter than on the leeward side.

So you can use this to determine crosswind direction.

Don't know about tailwinds and headwinds.

[wildbears]

I raced for years as a young man with the Queen City Wheelmen (now just Wheels). We did a century training ride every Sunday, weather permitting. It was not uncommon to "kiss" the tire in front of you. Everyone was licensed with the USCF and we had several II's and III's. I started as a Cat IV in my late twenties and retired as such. In the Cat IV's, I was racing against the 18-yo-and-up riders, and, needless to say, never had a podium finish in a USCF sanctioned race

Eric Heiden (7-Eleven Cycling Team @ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eric_H...bicycle_racing), was in one of the criterium races as a Cat I or II. The race was held on the entrance road up to Cincinnati's Union Terminal. Very tight racing even if you were towards the back.

WARNING!: If your front tire contacts the side of the wheel in front of you, your bike will crash. Note that you can get a "draft" effect at a safe distance of several feet or more.

[955i]

Wildbears, you raced at a higher level than I did. In South Texas in the late '70's and early '80's we had HEARD of USCF, but it might as well have been the Olympic Committee for all we knew. Lots of unsanctioned races around the Corpus Christi area in those days, and lots of training rides in pace lines. Fun stuff, especially since echelons were the rule of the day because it is always windy along that part of the coast. I moved to Oklahoma in the late '90's and fell in with some ex-racers for fun rides. Well, as you know, being an EX-racer is easier said than done. Lots of fun "throw downs" around here and this group usually rode in well organized pace lines that were close packed but that took the differing abilities into account. Unfortunately, this group has thinned lately due to health reasons (or marital issues LOL).

[wildbears]

I did some amateur races before getting licensed. If you won or placed, you got a trophy.

The USCF races only gave out money prizes in keeping with the European tradition. And it was not with uncirculated currency that you might have kept and framed. Still have my trophies. I guess I did place in one of USCF races, remembering the cash and being disappointed.

[wildbears]

Rode to Buckeye Lake today and met up with my wife for lunch. Nice warm weather and even a 15 mph tail wind! A lot of corn was still standing and rustling in the breeze.

[wildbears]

Did some single-track along a local stream today. It goes past an old quarry.