An Open Letter To Cyclists. The Traffic Laws: If I, A Fellow Cyclist, Can Follow Them, So Can You.

Photo by Province

When I ride my bicycle, I follow all of the applicable rules of the road, per the State Vehicle Code.  Really, I do.  And, since I am doing my part to be a sane user of our shared roads, I felt it was time to put forth some thoughts on why motorists have the disdain for us cyclists that they do.  In short, IT IS OUR OWN, DAMN FAULT.  So, where do I get such a notion some may ask?  Well, read the following regarding a ride I took the other day, which just compounded what I already suspected.       

Just how bad is the behavior of cyclists?  When I have a pedestrian tell me I am the first “Bike Rider” to stop for them while they are in a cross walk, that is sad.  Sadder still, that was the fourth pedestrian to tell me so within the past six months.  Soon thereafter, I saw a vehicle, which had the green light, stop and wait, and wait, and wait.  Turns out the driver had indeed seen me, and was actually waiting for me (a cyclist) to blow the red light.  This happened when I was descending Glendora Mountain Road, and the driver was a resident of the area.  She explained “Cyclists never stop for the light.”  I discovered this while I was stopped and asked her what she was doing and if she were OK.  You should have seen the driver's shock when I came to a complete stop at that light.  But wait, there’s more.  After that incident, two cyclists blew by me while I was slowing for a stop sign.  They both then ran it.  At least one of them called out “On your left” before they both broke the law.  Shortly thereafter, and just for good measure, another cyclist turned out right in front of me from a side street without even looking.  When I passed that bonehead, you should have seen the look on his face when he realized someone else was there.

And, that was during just one, short training ride.  Sadly, it is getting much worse.  

Truth be told, there will always be motorists that hate cyclists, and they will always be cyclists which hate motorists.  This is a constant of the universe which will not be undone by anyone, anytime soon.  We can have all of the Biking Coalitions and Awareness Programs under the sun, but there will always be assholes, on both two and four wheels (sometime more) that ruin it for everybody else.  Yet, time and again, there are news stories of motorist-on-cyclist violence, or worse yet, a fatal hit-and-run.  This wanton, vehicular behavior needs to stop.  And, additionally, cyclists also need to step up, be responsible citizens, and stop challenging death via irresponsible riding, and finally; JUST QUIT BREAKING THE DAMN LAW, PEOPLE! 

In a previous article (Cycling Dynamics, 04-22-2014) I pointed out that riding had become so much more than just me exercising and enjoying the great outdoors.  The bike has, for better or worse, also become a rolling laboratory of Human Nature - A kind of Human Behavioral Sciences Rolling Laboratory, so to speak.  After watching cyclist, after cyclist break the law, I began to seriously observe the passing scene, which, in turn, led me to the following observations about us cyclists.

• I don’t hog the lane and force others to swerve to avoid me.  Neither should you.

• I announce my intentions via hand signals, lane positioning, and call-outs.  So should you.

• I stop at stop signs, behind the limit line.  So should you.

• I understand how a traffic light works and what the three colors mean.  So should you. 
• I don’t talk on my phone or text while I am on the road.  Neither should you

• I understand what traffic signs and pavement markings mean.  So should you.

• I don’t antagonize motorists, other cyclists, and pedestrians.  I am aware of, and courteous to, others with whom I share the road.  So should you.

• I understand I am not the only human on the road at any given time.  So should you.

• I am always at the ready to offer assistance to anyone in need on the road.  So should you.

• I am fully capable of operating, and understand the bicycle I am riding.  So should you.

• I understand there are serious, severe consequences if I misbehave on the road.  So should you.

• And finally, a question for Law Enforcement: After viewing the Cycling Public for a significant amount of time, it is clear we deserve the scrutiny we are receiving.  And, we need your help.
  

In summation, we are indeed our own worst enemy.  While there will always be motorists that piss us off, the number of cyclist doing the same is growing significantly. 

The Vehicle Code is the law.  It is not a collection of suggestions.  I do my part.  YOU DO YOURS! 

Runners: When Will They Ever Learn?

Photo by Jarvis

Running is a healthy activity.  It can really improve one’s health, it is quite the social activity, you don’t need a special place to do it, and it is not expensive to engage in.  I used to be a runner myself until both of my knees cried out, “NO MAS!!!”  That was why I got into cycling.  However, one thing I never, ever did as a runner, and certainly do not do as a cyclist, was put myself, and others, into harm’s way by moving opposite traffic.  I have railed about this in previous articles, and spoken to runners themselves and law enforcement regarding, but it seems the Human Animal is a difficult one to reason with. 

Today was quite the show.  It was pure stupidity, near-tragedy, and then comedy on parade for one, young lady and some motorists (myself included).  Obviously feeling “Empowered,” she believed it was her absolute duty to run against traffic, on a four-lane highway, with a posted speed of 45 MPH, even though there were two (2) juicy, sidewalks on either side of the road available for her use.  Oh, and just for good measure – A brilliant set of headphones sat atop of her head, no doubt both feet swooshing along to her favorite tunes, oblivious to her plight.  She was the master of her own, little world.  And, why shouldn’t she be.  Her peers have instilled the notion it was perfectly safe and acceptable to go head-on with motor vehicles and cyclists.  Heck, it is even supported, and encouraged, in the running media both in print and on-line.  

Well, after viewing this particular woman while I was driving west on that particular road (she was running westbound, in the eastbound number two lane), I commented to my wife on the stupidity of the runner, and how dangerous her behavior was to herself and others.  Then, just as soon as I had finished my comments, a rapid succession of three cars almost hit her (the near-tragedy), and then Lil’ Runner Girl decided it was best to get out of the street and leapt onto the sidewalk.  That was the comedy part of the event.  And, it all transpired in less than seven seconds.  Yes, one can be killed that quickly, and don’t expect motorists this day and age to pull over and see how you are, post collision.

So, just what is the basis for my ire?  Well, there are enough problems on the road for everyone as it is without having arrogant runners thinking they can run anywhere they like, regardless of the consequences.  For a pedestrian, the street is a very dangerous place to be.  Running in the street opposing traffic, basically daring the inattentive motorists of the world to hit you, is completely beyond madness.

And, I thought cycling was dangerous.

An Open Letter To Motorists. Traffic Laws: If I, A Cyclist, Can Follow Them, So Can You.

Photo courtesy Nutsbike

When I ride my bicycle, I follow all of the applicable rules of the road, per the State Vehicle Code.  Really, I do.  And, since I am doing my part to be a sane user of our shared roads, I felt it was time to put forth some thoughts on why I have come to fear for my life while astride my bicycle.  

In short, if a motorist makes a mistake, they call their insurance agent.  If a cyclist makes a mistake, they die.  An 18-pound bike versus a 6000-pound vehicle will not end well for the cyclist.  Yet, time and again, there are news stories of motorist-on-cyclist violence, or worse yet, a fatal hit-and-run.  This wanton, vehicular behavior needs to stop.  And, additionally, cyclists also need to be responsible citizens and not place themselves in harm’s way, whether they have the right-of-way, or not.  It’s just common sense, people.

Cycling has more than just exercise for me.  It is my personal time.  It is my spiritual time.  And, it has become, for better or worse, learning time.  See, things have changed.  It is not just about my personal-time, anymore.  It has also become a time to take in the given scene before my eyes and view Human Nature in the raw.  And, trust me, Humanity does not disappoint.  Thus, my bicycle has also become a rolling Behavioral Laboratory.  After having my life flash before my eyes for the 10,000^th time by a law-breaking motorist, I began to seriously observe the passing scene and started to ask myself some serious questions.  This, in turn, led me to the following observations about you, our motorized friends of the road.  

• I don’t hog the lane and force others to swerve to avoid me.  Neither should you.

• I announce my intentions via hand signals and lane positioning.  So should you.

• Regarding the former, you have turn signals.  USE THEM!

• I stop at stop signs, behind the limit line.  So should you.

• I understand how a traffic light works and what the three colors mean.  So should you.

• I don’t talk on my phone or text while I am on the road.  Neither should you.

• I understand what traffic signs and pavement markings mean.  So should you.

• I am aware of, and courteous to, others with whom I share the road.  So should you.

• I understand I am not the only human on the road at any given time.  So should you.

• I am always at the ready to offer assistance to anyone in need on the road.  So should you.

• I am fully capable of operating, and understand the vehicle I am utilizing.  So should you.
• I understand there are serious, severe consequences if I misbehave on the road.  So should you.
• And finally, a question for Law Enforcement: If you are not going to monitor vehicular behavior and enforce the traffic laws, WHO WILL???

In summation, Motorists, you have roofs to keep you dry, heaters to keep you warm, air conditioner’s to keep you cool, radios to keep you entertained, full seats to cradle your lazy butts, cup holders to hold your Starbuck’s Latte, and the best part: An accelerator pedal to get you going again after a stop (for those whom actually, regularly stop).  The latter is also useful if you happen to have to yield to a cyclist (oh, the horror!).  With said accelerator pedal, you can easily get back up to speed again, thus regaining those lost seconds of your self-absorbed existence.  So, the reality is you really have not lost anything by sharing the road with others.   

Yes, it is that simple. The Vehicle Code is the law.  It is not a collection of suggestions.  I do my part.  YOU DO YOURS! 

It's Coming: The Garmin Edge 1000 Cycling GPS Unit.

Photo courtesy of Bikeradar.

Well, just when you thought it was safe to fall unconditionally in love with your current Garmin GPS, along comes another one.  And, like a smartphone, they just keep getting bigger.  And, also like a smartphone, they keep getting much more expensive.  This unit's asking price is slated to be $600.00 USD!

Read the details of this new electronic beast at Bikeradar.com

And, here's to hoping this will not become the next consumer nightmare of rapid updates and tweaks, all in in effort to keep us buying the latest contraption.

I still use the Edge 500, and it does everything I need it to do.  How much longer Garmin will support it?  We'll see.

Rumor Alert: A Ritchey C260 Alloy, Limited Edition Stem In Hi-Vis Yellow Coming This Summer.

Now, imagine it in Hi-Vis Yellow.

A Ritchey Hi-Vis Yellow, limited Edition C260 stem?  According to our informants on the ground, yes, this is indeed going to happen Summer 2014.  And, I am glad to see Ritchey is going with more colors, especially since it looks like the Gloss Red, which looked so awesome, seems to be getting scaled back, for some reason.

And remember, you read it here first.

“Quit Whining,” Said The Wrong-Way Cyclist.

Motor vehicles, potholes, road debris, the weather; Must we also add bone-headed cyclists to the list of dangers encountered by the everyday rider?  Wrong-Way Corrigan’s seem to be in vogue these days, and it has spread from runners to cyclists.  And, this is not a healthy trend, folks.

The Scene:

I was on one of my regular training rides, out enjoying the sun and the sky, this time circling Bonelli Park.  Yes, that same Bonelli Park recently used by SoCal Cycling’s San Dimas Road Race.  It is a nice seven-mile-and-change loop, with a bit of everything to challenge a rider.  Included is a run on Puddingstone Drive, just north of Brackett Airport.  It is a four-lane, divided road, with a posted speed-limit of 40 MPH, which automatically translates to drivers as 50 MPH, plus.  On this stretch, as long as a rider keeps to the right, it is generally not a problem for all to share the road.

Enter the Bonehead.

I was over to the right in the number two lane, fully decked out in a bright, red kit, white strobe to the front (plus a red one at the rear), when I spotted him and his florescent-yellow wind breaker.  He was also in the number two lane, only he was running the opposite direction of traffic, coming head-on with me.  Even though I was visually as conspicuous as an atom bomb at sunrise, he finally spotted me, and the vehicular traffic (also in the number two lane) closing in on him.  I sat up, applied the brakes (not knowing his intentions), and he began to visibly panic, weaving both left and right, realizing he had put himself (plus the driver and I) in a very bad position.  The vehicle moved into the number one lane, being he had entirely taken up the number two, on course for a head-on collision, and I come to a near stop against the curb.

Catastrophe was averted by the actions of both the driver and I, while Mr. Bonehead pedaled on as if nothing had happened.  As he was passing to my immediate left, he waved “Hello” to me and smiled, as I was shaking my head in obvious disgust.  Seeing I was less than enthused, he then uttered the immortal words of a clinical narcissist: “Quit Whining!” 

Quit whining?  First, I was not whining at all.  Second, he was being a complete, and dangerous tool, and tried to kiss the encounter off with a “No-Biggie” wave at me.  He endangered the lives of three people (including himself), and to him, it was apparently a non-issue.  Talk about nerve.  He put the driver and I in a position of extreme uncertainty, as both of us knew not what this jerk was going to do.  I could have just kept going, thus risking a head-on collision with him, or I could have swerved to my left, thus putting me in a position to be hit from behind, as the vehicles are not expecting a bike to jump into their path.  Or, I could have come to a stop, which was what I just about did.  And, this was not the first time I have encountered a wrong-way cyclist. 

So, I did some detective work (in addition to this article, Cycling Dynamics, 12-15-2012).  I have since spoken to both cyclists and runners alike, and I read a whole lot about this very dangerous behavior of “Seeing what is coming at me” on-line.  What I found was an alarming, and very dangerous, trend which is being justified in the name of, get this, “Safety.”  BUNK, I say!  What these people do not realize is in vain attempts at security they are actually putting themselves, and others, in severe danger.  Going against traffic of any kind, for any reason, is something people sharing the road are not expecting, and when closure speeds are factored in, this is an extremely fatal practice looking for a place to happen.  It needs to stop. 

What people of all recreational activities need to understand is that bicycles are required to follow the same rules motor vehicles do.  Additionally, runners, being considered pedestrians, need to follow all of the laws of good pedestrians.  And, that includes staying out of the street unless it is for the specific, expressed purpose of said streets being legally crossed.  I have seen too much of this activity disrupt two and four-wheeled traffic.

Look, vehicular traffic is difficult enough to deal with as it is, without riders and pedestrians adding to the mix.  Cyclists, please do not add to this dangerous, disruptive practice.

Want The Secret To A Comfortable Ride? It’s The Chamois AND The Saddle.

Where the rider REALLY meets the road: Saddle & Chamois.

Editor’s Note: The information contained in this article was based on the personal findings of the author.  Only bibs were tested, however, the same information would also apply to shorts. 

Do an online or print search.  There are virtual treasure troves of articles about selecting the best saddles and articles about discovering the best bib shorts.  What you will not see, however, but you will here, are articles discussing the importance of BOTH the saddle AND the chamois.  To quote Forrest Gump, “…They go together like Peas and Carrots.”  And, that relationship is not a myth, either.  Any saddle and bib manufacturer (and product evaluator’s) worth their salt should already understand the relationship, intimately.  They had better. 

And, truth be told, this was not a test I intentionally set out to do.  It was something I noticed quite by accident, over a period of time, while evaluating a lot of products.  The discovered comfort-and-pain opposites of the spectrum just could not be ignored.  So, I dug a little deeper, and I read up (a lot!) on the subject of saddle and chamois dynamics.  Then it all made sense.

So, what did I learn?  Follow along and see what I found out.

        The Chamois pad: They come in various shapes and thickness. Placement in the shorts is critical.

In addition to differing human body shapes, the type, thickness, and placement of your chamois all play a major role in saddle comfort, and thus, arriving at that perfect position “Sweet-Spot.”  This is something all of us should keep in mind, because it is far too important to ignore.  The upside of getting the combination right is pure, cycling, mile-eating bliss.  The downside is the great amount of time, pain, and expense, to find that sweet-spot, which is why most riders do not make the effort, if they were aware of the relationship at all.  Compounding the issue is that you can trade in an uncomfortable saddle, but once a chamois has touched your behind, return policies can vary from “Well maybe,” to “Are you kidding me?  Of, course not!”  Thus, like a marriage, a pair of bib shorts are yours for better of worse.  And, like a marriage, choose wisely (I also understand that one can sell a pre-owned pair of bibs on eBay, but you cannot do that with your spouse, so hold those comments, please).

When I was using my Ritchey Carbon Streem saddle, certain pairs of bibs were much more comfortable than others.  With my Fizik Arione, the situation was reversed – Bibs not so comfortable with the Ritchey saddle were comfortable with the Fizik, and those not so good with the Fizik, worked great with the Ritchey.  When I tried a Shimano PRO Turnix TU saddle, in that case, ALL of my bib shorts were comfortable!  Then, it got even more interesting; I discovered my Descente bibs worked well with every saddle in my evaluation stable.  So, in total, of all of the saddles and bibs evaluated in this study, only the Shimano Turnix TU worked well with all bibs, and only the Descente bibs worked well with all of my saddles (the other saddles and bibs listed below were the same mix of “Hit-R’-Miss,” as the Ritchey and Fizik offerings).

The results of this somewhat un-scientific, extremely seat-of-the-pants, experiment got me thinking of the immortal Arte Johnson from the Laugh-In television series: “Veeery interesting.”  As for the totality of equipment involved in this voyage of discovery, see the lists below.     

Overall, the saddles evaluated were:

• Ritchey Carbon Streem (carbon rail)
• Fizik Arione CX (alloy rail)
• WTB Silverado (alloy rail)
• Bontrager Affinity (alloy rail)
• Selle Italia SL Kit Carbonio Flow (carbon rail)
• Shimano PRO Turnix TU (alloy rail)
• Shimano PRO Turnix AF (alloy rail)

Bibs evaluated were:

• Pearl Izumi Pro In-R-Cool
• Castelli Free Aero Race
• Louis Garneau Equipe
• Descente Helios
• Descente Strata Endurance
• Voler Team Edition

As it currently stands, I am using the Shimano Turnix with great satisfaction.  I mean, it performs well, it looks good, and it likes all of the bib shorts in my collection, so I will work with it for awhile and see how it goes.  I reiterate this is what I discovered works for me (your butt may vary), and if you have already arrived at your own saddle/chamois combo, good work on your part.  If not, you owe it to yourself to begin the adventure, and yes, you will be richly rewarded for it.  Just remember to fear not and try everything you can get away with.

So, to sum it all up, some of my bibs work best with certain saddles.  Certain saddles work best with certain, other bibs.  My Shimano Turnix works best with all of my bibs.  And, my Descente bibs work best with all of my saddles.  In the immortal words of the character Daniel Bateman in the Football movie The Replacements: “This thing can get confusing, Man.” 

 

Thus, in conclusion, for complete riding nirvana, the elusive saddle/chamois combo must be arrived at, and yes, it will take time and money.  This, oddly, seems to be one of the axioms of cycling which has, thus far, escaped serious, in-depth discussion.  Unfortunately, there are no easy methods here.  It is all trial and error, and costs can quickly sore (pun intended) to astronomical.  However, the quest is well worth the effort.  There just has to be a better way.

2014 San Dimas Stage Race: A Fans Perspective.

The Start/Finish Line on Puddingstone Drive.

Being a resident of Southern California, it is hard to believe this was the first time I attended the San Dimas Stage Race.  How it got way from me for all of those other years, well, the list of reasons is long, but extremely distinguished.  However, sparing all the excuses, I am just glad I finally pedaled my behind out to Bonelli Park for the 15^th running of the event.  And, I was not disappointed, either.

While the event is a three-day affair, with a time-trail up Glendora Mountain Road, and a Criterium in downtown San Dimas, the road race around Bonelli Park was the only day I could attend.  The course was roughly seven-miles, and it had a bit of everything, from windy flats, to twists and turns, a hellacious up and down hill (known respectively as Cannon and Walnut Avenue’s), rollers through the park, and a trip over a dam.  The latter was an issue on Saturday morning, as California is what California does; A magnitude 5.1 earthquake the night before had authorities inspecting Puddingstone Dam before the racers were allowed to cross over it.

With the Engineers giving the “All Clear,” the races commenced, as did the overflowing enthusiasm for the event.  I had heard Racers were a rude, smug, self-inflated bunch of hooligans, and while some truly are, I found the bulk of the participants to be friendly, engaged, and just darn happy to be there on their bikes.  How can one argue with that?

You can get "Up and Close" at cycling races. Just don't get too close.

I basically spent most of my time near the Start/Finish line, and also cruised the “Pits” a few times marveling at the very expensive, light, and exotic race machines, along with some very colorful kits some of the teams wore.  Whether a professional team bus and support vehicle setup, to the small, independent participants in white, un-sponsored vans, all were there to race, and make sure they enjoyed doing it.  That included the one guy who rode his bike to the event, with only a backpack as his means of “Team” support.  Now that was a real enthusiast, racer!  And, on the subject of enthusiasm, the Cat 5 racers (beginners) were giving it their all at the event just as much as the Pro’s did.    

The upside of my day’s adventure was some really good, close racing, the awesome weather, the enthusiastic fans, and the announcer’s in the booth, whom were very informative and entertaining.  In addition, I have never seen so many beautiful, expensive bikes in one place being ridden by so many super-skinny people (I really have to ride more).  Also, I came home with fifteen, new, team water bottles! 

The only downside to the day was at the Finish Line of the Men’s Pro Race.  As the laps wound down, the crowd began to grow at the line, and that included photographers.  Lots of Photographers.  While I truly enjoy photography myself, the one thing I do know is to stay the heck out of the way of a rapidly approaching peleton.  Well, even after being honked out of the way by the Referee’s car, the photo-hounds crowded back into the finishing chute just as the winner was celebrating (about twenty-yards after the line), and while I did not see the accident, I certainly did hear it.  THUD!!!  When the proverbial dust cleared, I saw two riders down, one I recognized as a rider from Team Jet Fuel Coffee –Norco, which I believe was stage winner Anton Varabei!  The other was possibly third-place finisher Canyon Bicycles-Shimano’s Daniela Eaton.  Depending on whom you believe, either Varabei hit the photographer, or Eaton hit the photographer, or they collided attempting to avoid a photographer.  However it occurred, both riders went down after finishing 70-miles of hard racing, and the last thing they needed was a finishing chute full of people which should have been there. 

The Pro Men's finish. In two-seconds the winner would not be celebrating.

Overall, a good show was put on by SoCal Velo, but sadly, they lost control of the event three-seconds after the Pro Men’s finish. 

Apparently the issue with overzealous photographers is quite well-spread, as this article on "The Inner Ring" explains.