David A Posted March 25, 2014 Posted March 25, 2014 I had a dragster exactly like that one when I was about 10 or 12yo. I loved that bike. Now they're retro cool..
alittlewino Posted March 25, 2014 Posted March 25, 2014 classic tonight walking to Central Station in the drizzle and dark in brissie CBD just started crossing on the green walk, smart arse cyclist weaves through the stopped-at-red traffic, runs the red light, turns right-angles right to line up with the green ped walk, just brushes past me head-on as I am crossing on the green walk, traverses the crossing, onto the footpath, veers over the gutter back onto the road and hey presto one pesky red light and RH turn swiftly dispensed with as a cyclist I wanted to punch him - that's the danger he faced no wonder the general public are sick and tired of pr**** like this and we cyclists all carry the label
Phantom Posted March 25, 2014 Posted March 25, 2014 (edited) Sorry for a slight diversion to the thread, but can someone advise whether the "Nutcase " helmets are any good. My partner has just taken up riding ( as have I ) and is keen on one of their designs. Since she has one of the nicest looking heads in the world, I thought I would ask the experts. I bought a Bell helmet for myself, which suits me fine. All opinions welcome Edited March 25, 2014 by Phantom
betty boop Posted March 25, 2014 Author Posted March 25, 2014 are helmets any good...well actually they all have to be to australian standard...with the standards sticker...so just comes down to style and fit..pick what ever takes fancy
davidsss Posted March 25, 2014 Posted March 25, 2014 Cop with radar gun caught a bike speeding, good on 'em, bike should not have been speeding. But, let's face facts, the cop wasn't there because there was a spate of speeding cyclists, the cop was there because of the cars speeding through the school zone. One cyclist booked makes news, the cars getting booked (and there would have been more than one) doesn't make news. And people think cyclists are law breakers. You don't see blitzes on cyclists, you see blitzes on cars because despite their rego plates, despite the fact they are licenced, there's a hell of a lot of law breaking car drivers are guilty of. It's just so common for drivers to break laws no-one notices it any more. DS 2
shaky Posted March 25, 2014 Posted March 25, 2014 As I have alluded to with some of my posts here, lane sharing shouldn't be allowed with any two vehicles. I know this is not at all relevant to the bicycle component of the thread but I thought I'd share anyway. I watched a great example of lane sharing and bad motorcycle behaviour on the eastern fwy in Melbourne on the way home from work this afternoon. Two motorbikes riding next to each other in a lane came up upon a silver Commodore sedan in the right hand lane just ahead of me, one went to the right into the emergency stopping lane (!) to overtake the car and then it was obvious by his sudden slowing and pulling in behind the car that the rider realised this Commodore wasn't just any old ordinary Commodore but one of those special ones with uniformed officers in it and red and blue flashing lights inside. The other motorcyclist continued around to the left of the unmarked police car, between it and the car in front of me, and continued on his merry way. Illegal to lane share? Apparently not in that instance.
oldrose Posted March 25, 2014 Posted March 25, 2014 I had a dragster exactly like that one when I was about 10 or 12yo. I loved that bike. Now they're retro cool.. It's missing the flag, headlight powered by a dynamo and most importantly the footy card and peg! Brings back memories though.
blybo Posted March 25, 2014 Posted March 25, 2014 Sorry for a slight diversion to the thread, but can someone advise whether the "Nutcase " helmets are any good. My partner has just taken up riding ( as have I ) and is keen on one of their designs. Since she has one of the nicest looking heads in the world, I thought I would ask the experts. I bought a Bell helmet for myself, which suits me fine. All opinions welcome These helmets will be fine as long as she doesn't mind sweaty hair. They are really designed for the street/skate park tricks market. Your general road helmet style will be lighter and cooler on the head. The more you pay, the more weight you save and the more air venting you get. They all have to meet the same safety standards.
nofixedaddress Posted March 25, 2014 Posted March 25, 2014 Cop with radar gun caught a bike speeding, good on 'em, bike should not have been speeding. But, let's face facts, the cop wasn't there because there was a spate of speeding cyclists, the cop was there because of the cars speeding through the school zone. One cyclist booked makes news, the cars getting booked (and there would have been more than one) doesn't make news. And people think cyclists are law breakers. You don't see blitzes on cyclists, you see blitzes on cars because despite their rego plates, despite the fact they are licenced, there's a hell of a lot of law breaking car drivers are guilty of. It's just so common for drivers to break laws no-one notices it any more. DS As I see it, media do cover car drivers being blitz regularly - speeding in school zones, speeding in general, hoons, using mobile phones, running red lights, drink driving, sleeping at the wheel. In fact there are even multiple television programs about it. Bicycles have developed to such a high state that they are capable of speeding. This rider was going fast enough to be defined as speeding in any urban street in WA as the limit is 50kph. Bike riders do also have blitzes especially around the CBD and that is also publicized in the media The news item was interesting because it was so unusual - that makes it news. I don't see that as in anyway an attack on bike riders. It was one individual. The rider caught didn't think he needed to obey the road rules which shows this individual has been riding with complete disregard to the rules that make the road safer for everyone. I bet plenty of drivers share a similar view. NFA
nofixedaddress Posted March 26, 2014 Posted March 26, 2014 (edited) Another way of looking at it....... All the above competitors are banned from using the public roads for practice and training especially en-mass. So then why is this considered OK? Logically, if you think about it, using the roads for bike racing training should also be banned....should it not? Obviously that won't happen but it does make you wonder........... OK I'll stop thinking about over all bike safety on our roads now - promise NFA Edited March 26, 2014 by nofixedaddress 1
proftournesol Posted March 26, 2014 Posted March 26, 2014 There are car rallys that take place on public roads as well as triathlons and fun runs, no different from bike races
nofixedaddress Posted March 26, 2014 Posted March 26, 2014 (edited) Not talking racing - I'm talking about using the public roads to train and practice for them. Racing is done on officially closed roads. NFA Edited March 26, 2014 by nofixedaddress
blybo Posted March 26, 2014 Posted March 26, 2014 (edited) Not talking racing - I'm talking about using the public roads to train and practice for them. Racing is done on officially closed roads. NFA How can you differentiate training or just going for a ride with mates on or in vehicles allowed on the roads, exactly as I used to in the WRX club or as motorbike clubs do? WAs I training for track days? No And many cycling races at club level are held on public roads but in remote areas free of traffic lights and much traffic. They do have to apply for permits for these events and have lead and follow cars, marshals on corners to stop traffic etc Edited March 26, 2014 by blybo
nofixedaddress Posted March 26, 2014 Posted March 26, 2014 (edited) Once again - I'm not bringing up the subject of using the public roads to race. Don't know why people insist on bringing that up? I guess my post wasn't that clear. OK for the car club analogy. Were the WRX's in or close to race trim? Were you using the roads to practice or train for a race? were you wearing helmets, race suits, gloves and race boots while conducting the club run? Do you at any time attain near race speeds in the WRXs? Wouldn't wave thought so, so then you were not practicing nor training to race your cars/ motorbikes or whatever. You gained no benefit to your racing exploits during that run. Cyclists who race can and do use the roads for training. No one else that races can do for a multitude of safety reasons. Racing cyclist using the roads to train are being maimed and killed on the roads. So............................. NFA Edited March 26, 2014 by nofixedaddress
proftournesol Posted March 26, 2014 Posted March 26, 2014 Sure, cyclists have to follow the same road rules as would a WRX driver. If you don't see V8 Supercars training on the roads it's because they aren't roadworthy and so don't comply with the road rules, and because it gives them no competitive advantage. I did have a friend who was a workshop manager for a major Touring car team. They were running in their race engine driving up and down the Eastern Freeway when they attracted the attention of the Police. He was able to outpace the Police and return to the workshop and do an engine change to a normal road car engine before the Police arrived to check the car, so it does happen
blybo Posted March 26, 2014 Posted March 26, 2014 (edited) You call it training, I call it using roads for recreation. We have to wear helmets by law, gloves etc are just sensible protective clothing and what you refer to as race suits is just sports specific clothing for more comfort, it really doesn't make us any faster. You will not see cyclist wearing real "race suits" for non race use, they are uber aero suits which ain't that comfortable or convenient when just going for a ride with your mates. Edited March 26, 2014 by blybo
Jake Posted March 26, 2014 Posted March 26, 2014 Once again - I'm not bringing up the subject of using the public roads to race. Don't know why people insist on bringing that up? I guess my post wasn't that clear. OK for the car club analogy. Were the WRX's in or close to race trim? Were you using the roads to practice or train for a race? were you wearing helmets, race suits, gloves and race boots while conducting the club run? Do you at any time attain near race speeds in the WRXs? Wouldn't wave thought so, so then you were not practicing nor training to race your cars/ motorbikes or whatever. You gained no benefit to your racing exploits during that run. Cyclists who race can and do use the roads for training. No one else that races can do for a multitude of safety reasons. Racing cyclist using the roads to train are being maimed and killed on the roads. So............................. NFA FFS. Massive straw man. 2
Monty Posted March 26, 2014 Posted March 26, 2014 An important difference is that a WRX training at near race speeds would be massively exceeding the speed limit. Road cyclists would be unlikely to do so. It does seem that some riders in some bunch groups are arrogant, aggressive and disregard road rules (there've been a few references to Beach Road in this thread). But that's a different issue to the safety of training on public roads.
Jake Posted March 26, 2014 Posted March 26, 2014 A good case against MHL. Alberta's helmet law – children's cycling halved, injuries increased per cyclist http://www.cyclehelmets.org/1250.html The table paints a shocking picture. With only 44% as many children cycling, there should have been only 44% as many injuries – i.e. 44% of 1676 = 744. The observed post-law number of injuries – 1676 per year – is 2.37 times higher than would have been expected for the amount of cycling. In contrast, the safety of adult cyclists (who were not affected by the law) improved.Thus, far from improving safety for children and teenagers, the risk of injury seems to have increased after Alberta introduced its helmet law. Similar calculations (Tables 2 & 3), show increases in the risk of head and non-head injuries requiring ER treatment for both children and teenagers, as well as increased risk of head injuries for children, and non-head injuries for children and teenagers admitted to hospital. In contrast, risks for adults generally decreased. 1
Jake Posted March 26, 2014 Posted March 26, 2014 I'm pretty sure this bloke has trained on the road, and in full lycra too. Self-righteous bastard.
nofixedaddress Posted March 26, 2014 Posted March 26, 2014 (edited) It is only mean't to be thought provoking. I notice all the bike riders have zeroed in on the more dangerous forms of racing ignoring the runners and roller skaters and soapbox racers. For the record there are motorsport vehicles that are licensed for the road. FFS Jake? The roads are there for primarily for transport. Maybe it is a perception thing - as a comedian pointed out "why do all cyclists look like they are competing in the Tour De France?" If a group was on general purpose bikes in normal recreation clothes then it wouldn't look so much like they were training. BTW as far as I know that cycle group in the image I posted were on a training camp.......on public roads. In regard to the helmets Jake - how would those airbag neck things be received if they got them reduced them to a smaller size? NFA Edited March 26, 2014 by nofixedaddress
blybo Posted March 26, 2014 Posted March 26, 2014 An important difference is that a WRX training at near race speeds would be massively exceeding the speed limit. Road cyclists would be unlikely to do so. It does seem that some riders in some bunch groups are arrogant, aggressive and disregard road rules (there've been a few references to Beach Road in this thread). But that's a different issue to the safety of training on public roads. Also that cyclists training is usually not about bike handling or dangerous speeds, it's about building a better "engine" which often doesn't mean riding at anywhere near peak output.
blybo Posted March 26, 2014 Posted March 26, 2014 (edited) FFS Jake? The roads are there for primarily for transport. This is rubbish. Ever been for a drive just for the hell of it? I used to regularly, still do when I have time but prefer to use that time riding my bike for hell of it. If you want to be technical my bike transports me to the cafe or bakery of choice and then home again. Edited March 26, 2014 by blybo
blybo Posted March 26, 2014 Posted March 26, 2014 They are called ROAD bikes for a reason you know!!!!
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