Merle Nelson
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Hydra as a commuter?
- Thread starter coldriderwi
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You deal with it the same way you deal with Semis while driving a car. You sacrifice your right of way for your life. I would probably add one bit of motorcycle in big city advice: Always assume everyone is trying to kill you.
It doesn't seem to apply to your question, but being visible is vital when you're the smallest thing on the road.
Fast n' Furious
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Ursus Jumbo. Compare Tiawan model w/ installed Jumbo in pic. Even with massive shopping load in pannier, on grass, or cement. Totally stable.I've been looking for kick stands as well. Since I didn't want to put a kick stand on the rear triangle of the bike I found this Taiwanese company that puts a kickstand on the pedal. Not many reviews so I decidedly to foolishly give it a try. I'll give my thoughts once I get it.
Also, if anyone got the 4.8 wide tires and knows of a good fender please let me know. Found one company cyclepathpdx but don't like the fact that the rear fenders requires you to purchase two separate fenders and combine it together. Looks very cluttered.
I tried others, all junk then went with the best and Love it.
https://ursuscycling.com/products/jumbo-kickstand
Unfortunately, I doubt they fit the Hydra (you need the standard 'plate w/ hole', next to the bottom bracket to mount) and no way they fit 4.8" tires - w/ 4.1" gap when closed.
My only complaints are: when coming down from being airborne and on some bumps, it rattles a bit (I run a tight ship) and It weighs a lot (1180gm) - actually light for the massive, motorcycle grade, cast construction. No spindly tubes here, this baby never fails.
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Fast n' Furious
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"Always assume everyone is trying to kill you"? An existentialist reading the gospel out loud.
That you are visible is nada help with drunks, or civilized drivers used to bicycles holding them up, violating red lights and screwing up '4 way stops' when they're rushing home.
There's a bit of built in animosity there - some justifiable and it gets worse in the Big City. You must also dodge 'homeless people'.
Case study: I was going 28ish on a 30mph four lane one way street. There's a multi-lane fwy entrance about 5 blocks up, so it's the fastest way out of Downtown. It's 3:30pm. Traffic.
Why? I'm mental, I guess (actually a wrong turn).
Rather than be a target, I was boogieing with the flow, 29ish on a 30mph four lane one way street.
I am not overlooked. I can't really go much faster. There are delivery vans and large vehicles parked on both sides.
Out of nowhere, 25' - 35' ahead a shopping cart starts pulling out in front of me, loaded up with a huge (8' high) contractor's garbage bag - like the size of a Fiat.
Flash. Flash. Robo-mode. Head swivel. Mirror check: Car pulling up next to me, one right behind me. Okaaaay ('aggressive evasion at any cost' mode triggered).
Hit both Disks and slide in behind passing car.
Next car hasn't seen big-a$$ bag yet (lol) Honk, Honk! Whatever. I can only act. You hit it.
Mr. Terminally Homeless, now peeking around the van sees me and jerks the cart back completely out of harms way - Yaaay!
And the damn bag falls off right in front of me bursting everywhere - SH%%%%%T!!!
I'm confident I can swerve around this bag - now broken open, a treasure of aluminum cans clatteringly revealed - so I slide all the way over, crowding the car in the next lane. I'm pumped. I'm prepared. I'm in control and no fear here; no trash-bag of cans gonna stop me' - With a car behind me on my tail and me sliding right up against the car in the next lane, I'm still full of 'stupid' and way to much testosterone pumping through me.
I knew I had it as I stormed through 2 feet of cans flying everywhere (a 'can-storm'?), in a totally Zen state ('can't touch this' lyrics in my head), living in microsecond slo-motion, hard on the discs, modulating and barely in control, my rear sliding over the line as I swerve back hard so's to not hit the - mortified lady - driver next to me (look on her face was priceless) who was slowing down instead of getting out of the way.
One of those 'Oh, he's gonna hit me. I'll just pace him and make sure' drivers that panics, but still can't get over the urge to herd.
Anyhow, stuck in that lane - now like 'The Blob', rolling forward that plastic bag hooked my left grip, spun me around and I ended up with the bike on top of me, cans underneath and raining down everywhere, really glad the car behind didn't run me over.
As I got up and made sure I wasn't broken, the poor homeless guy was in tears asking if he could help. All I could say was no - thinking 'shopping carts aren't insured, are they? Can I sue Walmart?'
Fn'F
Everyone is out to kill you, just like I said.
Fast n' Furious
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Even the homeless.Everyone is out to kill you, just like I said.
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Fast n' Furious
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So you order, they send it, you wait 3 - 5 weeks then get your package.
Nothing crazy about it.
I ordered carbon fiber seat rails, company that makes them is located right in my home town, they took longer than that to arrive and no real tracking was even available.
My experience is the packages that get lost are domestic and the people that are losing them are UPS and FedEx, not USPO or DHL.
I stick to government run postal services. Even DHL, who never let me down tried to charge me - 6 months later - some crazy tariff that was not in place when my stuff was shipped.
Domestic is no better or worse that International.
Those look great. Go for it !
My first thought, then I saw Pushkar's comment, and now you. Crush damage. Clamping carbon?
Q: Why no kickstand? (I asked my bud that gave me a 250cc Maico, Brock Glover built).
A: What for?
Q: For when you stop.
A: You're not supposed to stop.
Fast n' Furious
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The ad says: It is not recommended to mount on Carbon frames.
I wonder if raising your un-sprung weight that much has handling consequences ? I know it's huge with cars.
Fast n' Furious
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You left out the maintenance aspect, but why quibble. You are correct. I'd say the biggest reason to buy a Hydra is you can get in NOW on something this fabulous. The price. The quality. The power. The tech. The material and the Terms make it doable.
......................................................
Utility wise, the Hydra cannot carry much. It's not made for a rack. By design it's an Ultra high performance, streetable off-road machine.
In no way, no how is Carbon as strong as Titanium, which in turn is heavier.
The Cross Tour is WW's heavy lifter. Notably, the frame build page shows the UC and the CT in wide size.
Same frames. Both made by design for carrying some weight.
Must a "Commuter" bike be able to carry panniers? For me, yes, absolutely. Since I often shop on my commute, I don't want a machine that chips easily either, and a kickstand is a must.
Fast n' Furious
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I found a detachable, FRONT nylon basket with an aluminum rim that unclips in a flash. It complements my 96liters of rear panniers for real shopping, but it works fine for light work.
Similar to below. I lock my fork when carrying a 12 pack or more. It holds a lot (about the same as large grocery bag) and well made
I set it up to rest on my front rack when full.
They're $25 or so here: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/400...xp_id=6a328e2d-ea30-4539-a52f-5a2451d855f0-11
I was almost killed twice today.
The first time I'm cruising in the bike lane at about 25 and some woman in a SUV decides I'm not going fast enough to accommodate her right turn so she accelerates and cuts me off as she pulls into the wrong side (exit side) of a double driveway. I'm new to disc brakes on bikes and have both tires sliding for a moment...adjust and barely avoid her. I couldn't swerve left into the street because of traffic, which is allowed to go at 45 at that location. Note to self: I need to have at least a left side rear mirror for driving on streets.
The 2nd time was similar (minus the turning into the wrong side of a driveway) but having already nearly died, I was a bit more prepared for it.
Bluzrif
Active Member
I'm told a similar thing happened to me last Thursday... When I woke up in the ambulance, I was told that a witness said the driver (despite all my blinking lights) never even acknowledged me or the incident . .. Get a good MIPs helmet .. mine saved me,, and never believe drivers see you... EVER! ..
Oh ! And of course the important thing...I have no memory how but I saved the brand new CT .. Yay
Saved the bike is great but how about your body? Bikes can be replaced. And yes, I always ride with a good helmet.
Bluzrif
Active Member
Oh.. a little concussed and some road rash but I really lucked out … just pissed that I can’t remember it at all
rcm_rx7
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Glad you're okay. I commute every day on a bike and this really makes me consider a decent camera setup, front and back.
Fast n' Furious
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Distressing, but you came through on autopilot that protects the things you love, so to speak.
I appreciate that instinct, over self-preservation panic.
It sound's like they clipped you and didn't stop. This reminds me of my unshakable conviction that 'lights' are cold comfort and a 50,000 candle power strobe won't phase a 'texter' looking down w/ the music on.
My left mirror and a neurotic hyper awareness help, but as a daily commuter in the City, I feel ya.
You sharing this made me vow I'll wear my - butt ugly - Giro helmet (that pulls my friggen hair out).
I'd rather be bald[er] than suffer [any more] brain damage.
Best wishes, stay strong, recover well and soon,
Fn'F
PS. Wish there was a forum on helmets.
Tending towards khakis, I look like [more of] an idiot [than usual] in Reich-Buckets or Alien-Head Styrofoam hats.
GQ has $1000 Pith hats (And I can pick one up 'used' on poshmark for $100. YES!) that look a lot snazzier.
I could aerodynamically trim the sides and they have straps - that 'pith hat' Brit, 'Stiff upper chin-strap' thing - made to stay on in a Hurricane.
Lacking any knowledge to the contrary, I can't help but wonder if that'd work ?
(No. I didn't go to Sturgis).
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I never wore helmets until I started E-biking (motorcycles aside). I bought a POC helmet. I like it. I don't feel it when I'm riding. The air goes right through it.
Merle Nelson
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If a helmet were pulling my hair out I think I would try wearing a thin cloth head covering under it for prevention.
Also a good idea if prone to sunburn
Merle Nelson
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Putting this up as an example but in my industry, arborist, they are given out free as promo advertising clothing etc. I wear it like pictured for a light duty dust mask while chipping, pull it all the way up above my eyebrow and under my climbing helmet to catch perspiration on hot days before dripping into my eyes, and for the last year and a half on my neck any time out for covid duty.
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