Riding Clothes - In Praise of Clown Suits

J.R. said:
Like everywhere the Dutch have cyclists and bicyclists. You don't need to kit up to ride down the block.
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Exactly. I live in a small town, and see a lot of people riding at slow speeds in street clothes in town. They are running errands and probably only riding a mile or two. Head out of town into the rural gravel roads and most people will be wearing more typical cyclist apparel, because they are riding at a higher effort pace for a longer distance. Neither is wrong.

Ebike riders have the added variable that pedaling/effort can be disconnected from distance and ride time. Obviously, if you commute on a bike with a throttle or high assist, you may not be pedaling much nor expending a lot of effort, in which case theres no reason to worry about stuff like pedaling efficiency or chafing.
 
Mulezen said:
since the pandemic…
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Oh sure, that was the cause... and not a certain orange cheeto-fingered half-tweet empowering a certain group of deplorables to ooze out from under the rocks they'd hidden under since the late '60's and the civil rights movement.

Beer-swilling (if natty light can be called beer) flag-waving anthem-standing pledge-reciting mental-midget y'all-queda idolaters who wouldst enshrine the 2nd amendment as if it were a commandment, whilst simultaneously lining up to wipe their backside with the 1st amendment so they can create their Christian shariah utopia. The volcels who look at "Handmaidens Tale" not as a dystopia, but a blueprint.

Note I said volcel, there is nothing involuntary about their celibacy.

My disgust with a certain group of "my fellow Americans" screaming "America" and "Freedom" whilst being diametrically opposed to everything it's supposed to represent has been boiling over for a decade. Much like complaining about "rights" when most couldn't even define them, much less conceive that rights end where the rights and welfare of others begins.

Screaming about how the rest of us are all "living in fear" for wearing a piece of paper across the face to protect others, when they can't even leave their front porch without their penis extension... Joe forbid they have to go to Walmart they'll need their AR and a half dozen mags.

Sociopaths at best, outright psychopaths at worst. Welcome to America in the 21st century. Or 1920's Germany, I mean we did have a Beer Hall Putsch back in January 2021.

Which is why I've had my fair share of run-ins with the people who scream that cyclists are a bunch of pussies and pansies. Having an e-bike just making it worse since electric vehicles are an "evil virus of Satin powered by Jewish space lasers"

And usually they're so stupid they spell it "satin". You gotta watch out for those men of the cloth.
 
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Jason Knight said:
Oh sure, that was the cause... and not a certain orange cheeto-fingered half-tweet empowering a certain group of deplorables to ooze out from under the rocks they'd hidden under since the late '60's and the civil rights movement.

Beer-swilling (if natty light can be called beer) flag-waving anthem-standing pledge-reciting mental-midget y'all-queda idolaters who wouldst enshrine the 2nd amendment as if it were a commandment, whilst simultaneously lining up to wipe their backside with the 1st amendment so they can create their Christian shariah utopia. The volcels who look at "Handmaidens Tale" not as a dystopia, but a blueprint.

Note I said volcel, there is nothing involuntary about their celibacy.

My disgust with a certain group of "my fellow Americans" screaming "America" and "Freedom" whilst being diametrically opposed to everything it's supposed to represent has been boiling over for a decade. Much like complaining about "rights" when most couldn't even define them, much less conceive that rights end where the rights and welfare of others begins.

Screaming about how the rest of us are all "living in fear" for wearing a piece of paper across the face to protect others, when they can't even leave their front porch without their penis extension... Joe forbid they have to go to Walmart they'll need their AR and a half dozen mags.

Sociopaths at best, outright psychopaths at worst. Welcome to America in the 21st century. Or 1920's Germany, I mean we did have a Beer Hall Putsch back in January 2021.

Which is why I've had my fair share of run-ins with the people who scream that cyclists are a bunch of pussies and pansies. Having an e-bike just making it worse since electric vehicles are an "evil virus of Satin powered by Jewish space lasers"

And usually they're so stupid they spell it "satin". You gotta watch out for those men of the cloth.
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I get it. I also share some of your rant, but this is not the time or place.

This is supposed to be recreation. E-bikes mean different thing to different people, but for me and my wife, they are supposed to relieve stress, not increase it. I do enjoy the pictures, videos and stories, and the sharing of knowledge, but the e-bike politics, that’s not lowering my blood pressure. I joined the forum as a long time cyclist starting a new and more relaxed chapter. I wanted to learn about the new activity from those with experience and maybe share some knowledge as a cyclist from the “dark side”. Instead, I have learned that e-cyclists seem to be even more divided than the general population, (kind of sad). Peace to you. I do feel your pain, (that is not sarcasm).
 
Djangodog said:
I get it. I also share some of your rant, but this is not the time or place.
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I think I broke my soapbox. :D
Djangodog said:
This is supposed to be recreation. E-bikes mean different thing to different people, but for me and my wife, they are supposed to relieve stress, not increase it.
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I hear that. For me it's pain relief since every time I bike, I get 3-4 solid hours of pain relief in my ankles and knees. It's also become my primary means of transportation to do... well, everything, since due to certain disabilities I don't drive.

Mostly I was just venting about all the things that have sucked the enjoyment out of it, and some of that seems to be the "cycling" community itself. Which seems cultish, elitist, and determined to tell others what does or does not fit everyone. E-biking only worse in some cases given the number of people who want to make certain it stays a "rich man's sport".

Though that's nowhere near as bad as a society that looks on biking and bikers as an annoyance to be harassed, screamed at, and persecuted the same way they go after everyone who isn't their perfect idea of deranged sadistic maniac like cut-rate bargain basement versions of high school bullies.

But don't get me wrong! I've also had a lot of people say how much they love my bike, asking where they can get one. It's changing. It's just a very slow change as we weed out the dinosaurs with their craniums stuck up the 1950's rectum. I've gotten as much if not more acceptance and support, and complements. I think it's the only thing that's stopped me from saying 'Screw it" and just walking away.
 
J.R. said:
I have to be honest, I wouldn't wear a helmet for a 2 mile commute in a city with few cars. One of the annoying things about daily commuting is having to carry all your belongings around everywhere you go.
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I had several crashes with other riders on congested popular Warsaw bike paths. Probably Warsawers are immature compared to the Dutch.
 
J.R. said:
I have to be honest, I wouldn't wear a helmet for a 2 mile commute in a city with few cars.\
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Much less in a place where drivers have at least a modicum of respect for cyclists because they or people they care about are. Instead of treating them as an annoyance to be weeded out of the gene pool like the Karens and "let's go Brandon" morons do.

More so when dealing with the modern American sociopath screaming "Me, me, me, F*** everyone else"
 
Stefan Mikes said:
They do not wear the helmet either.
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although i would not dream of not wearing a helmet for a long ride, or on a road bike, or any sort of high speed riding no matter how short, i typically do not wear a helmet for my 2 mile commute if i do it on my upright e-bike. for that type of urban cycling, my main priority is for drivers (who are also moving relatively slowly) to see me and give me as much space as possible, and studies show that's when you're NOT wearing a helmet.

interesting food for thought https://psyarxiv.com/nxw2k

again, not smart if you're riding fast, on wide open roads, where cars are going fast, etc etc etc etc.

we also have a high density of cyclists and scooters for an american city, so every driver is completely aware that there are other users of the road... even if they're not happy about it!
 
Jason Knight said:
Much less in a place where drivers have at least a modicum of respect for cyclists because they or people they care about are. Instead of treating them as an annoyance to be weeded out of the gene pool like the Karens and "let's go Brandon" morons do.

More so when dealing with the modern American sociopath screaming "Me, me, me, F*** everyone else"
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You sure have a lot of anger, Fu Manchu dude.
 
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TForan52 said:
You sure have a lot of anger, Fu Manchu dude.
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Looking at the past six years, as I'm always responding to people who say that "why in the *** aren't you?" This lassies faire and "can't we all just be nice" toxic positivity never makes anything better. As the joke goes, "calls for civility are the tool of the oppressor."

Though to be fair I'm down with the sithness. Oooahahaha!

1661185001136.png
 
mschwett said:
although i would not dream of not wearing a helmet for a long ride, or on a road bike, or any sort of high speed riding no matter how short, i typically do not wear a helmet for my 2 mile commute if i do it on my upright e-bike. for that type of urban cycling, my main priority is for drivers (who are also moving relatively slowly) to see me and give me as much space as possible, and studies show that's when you're NOT wearing a helmet.

interesting food for thought https://psyarxiv.com/nxw2k

again, not smart if you're riding fast, on wide open roads, where cars are going fast, etc etc etc etc.

we also have a high density of cyclists and scooters for an american city, so every driver is completely aware that there are other users of the road... even if they're not happy about it!
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I can understand that & when living and commuting in London for many years I never wore a helmet. With a family now, the guilt gets me. Saw a horrific report last year of a cyclist in Dublin hitting his head on a bollard. Ended up with catastrophic brain damage, wife and kids left in terrible way. It made me feel sick, so yeah now I always chuck on the helmet. Though its annoying if it's a short trip.
 
mschwett said:
although i would not dream of not wearing a helmet for a long ride, or on a road bike, or any sort of high speed riding no matter how short, i typically do not wear a helmet for my 2 mile commute if i do it on my upright e-bike. for that type of urban cycling, my main priority is for drivers (who are also moving relatively slowly) to see me and give me as much space as possible, and studies show that's when you're NOT wearing a helmet.
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A dirty secret of mine: if I am riding a long uphill on a lightly traveled road or on a lightly traveled grade separated bike trail I usually take off the helmet -- especially if I am riding on an unpaved surface. My rationale is that at very low speeds (15mph or less) and in the absence of others my risk of serious head injury in a bicycle accident is essentially zero.
 
Jason Knight said:
Looking at the past six years, as I'm always responding to people who say that "why in the *** aren't you?" This lassies faire and "can't we all just be nice" toxic positivity never makes anything better. As the joke goes, "calls for civility are the tool of the oppressor."

Though to be fair I'm down with the sithness. Oooahahaha!
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Lassies faire ? British dog show ? How about

Laissez-faire​

Jason Knight said:
View attachment 132856
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Fourteen years ago, I was in a rush to get my wife’s motorcycle up to a dealer for some recall service. I left work, came home, grabbed my helmet, threw on my leather jacket and almost left without changing from trail runners to my motorcycle boots.

Five miles up the road, a car came out from behind a bus and crossed my lane. The result was a head on, (at a slight angle), with me going 50 mph and the car at a lesser speed.

The bike, a 1200 Harley Sportster, jackknifed and drove my leg into the car’s front end, resulting in multiple breaks of the left tibia and fibula including complex spiral fractures with fragmentation. I also had a severe concussion, temporary blindness, a fractured 12th vertebrae, internal bleeding, and fractures of my right tibia, fibula and talus, and many lesser injuries.

I had five surgeries on the left leg in the first ten days including a Fasciotomy, and more surgeries since.

The only reason for bringing this up is that being a relatively short ride, I nearly rode in my trail runners. I barely kept the leg as it was and the worst breaks were in the area that the boot helped to protect.

My helmet was a very good, full faced helmet which sacrificed itself and saved my life. My leather did a good job as I launched and came down 70 feet past the initial point of impact, (the second impact with the ground is what caused most of the injuries aside from the left leg.

The moral of this story is that it doesn’t matter how short the ride, accidents can happen and you may regret the decision to leave the helmet, or whatever else at home. It is of course a personal choice.
 
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Mr. Coffee said:
A dirty secret of mine: if I am riding a long uphill on a lightly traveled road or on a lightly traveled grade separated bike trail I usually take off the helmet -- especially if I am riding on an unpaved surface. My rationale is that at very low speeds (15mph or less) and in the absence of others my risk of serious head injury in a bicycle accident is essentially zero.
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Just please be safe!

I rode without a helmet, and - long story short - was going maybe 5-6mph when I came to a sudden, unplanned stop, sending me face-first into the pavement. Severe concussion, broken wrist, entire right side of my face was road-rashed away, and have a nice scar on my forehead from the stitches. I'll not ride my bike more than 200 ft from my house w/o a helmet now.

Not ponitificating, just - please be safe!
 
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