Thoughts on Bicycles

our quaint little town has been trying to make a bike path and walking path on the waterfront for many years. About two miles of waterfront for the path but after a mile they have quit and run out of money after buying and demolishing 5 homes. They still have yet to remove the foundation poles so now they have created a hazard to navigation AND INCREASED the walking hazard. Most of the mile they demolished had a 4 ft wide walkway and was used quite a bit but since the demolition they installed Jersey barriers where the houses were and taken the sidewalk to do it. Swell, now people have to walk in the street, including a disabled veteran that comes from the State Veterans Home of Retsil to downtown Port Orchard in his electric wheelchair. Really brave guy to do that considering cars regularly go 50+ mph in the 25 mph zone. Many residents are just waiting for another death on the road since there already has been two in the many years we have lived here. And you are correct, the bicycles ride two or three abreast at times adding to the chaos. I suppose it could be worse but not sure how.
 
I have two vintage trek mountain bikes with front shocks. Both work well and have been over a lot of miles of trails. If you're staying on the blacktop and hills mostly I'd second the Electra Townie someone previously mentioned. My wife has one and it's a very relaxed 3 speed bike that's easy on the knees etc. Also a decent seat. It's so comfortable she can run our border collie with one hand.
 
Jeepnik said:
I'm a former rider. For almost two decades I rode to work (through some pretty sketchy areas too boot). I continued until my knees said no more.
Still I have some complaints about today's riders. First they think they have the right to ride two or three abreast. In addition the local cities have decided to make the streets more bike friendly. Their favorite trick is to take a street that already has a bike lane, and is two lanes on each side, and wipe out one of the traffic lanes, by making the right hand lane a bike lane. Want to mess up traffic flow? This is the ideal way to do it.
Click to expand...
Todays riders? Same 55 years ago. Just more. And some are lawyers.
 
protoolman said:
I have two vintage trek mountain bikes with front shocks. Both work well and have been over a lot of miles of trails. If you're staying on the blacktop and hills mostly I'd second the Electra Townie someone previously mentioned. My wife has one and it's a very relaxed 3 speed bike that's easy on the knees etc. Also a decent seat. It's so comfortable she can run our border collie with one hand.
Click to expand...
The electra has the crank farther ahead of the post than the classic schwinn cruiser, they claim it is easier to crank sitting, but harder to stand on. Both factors can be accentuated or exacerbated by choice of bars and goozeneck.
 
I think it's good that folks feel the need to exercise & get in better shape.

But reading several comments here about bad knees, backs etc point to the fact that quite often,, some forms of exercise can actually harm the body instead of helping over the long term.

Riding bicycles also has it's hazards,, in the places many want to ride. ESPECIALLY when riding on the highways. Some of the comments above point to collisions between bikes & cars.

Around here,, we have mountains,, and very curvy roads. Sadly,,, to many bicycle riders feel the need to get on these roads and ride. And we have collisions where the bike riders ALWAYS lose.
Apparently they feel that just because the law allows them to ride on the roads,, that they are superior to vehicles AND immune from accidents.
They ride 2, 3, abreast,, SLOWLY uphill, in these curves,, and get upset when a vehicle doing the speed limit (or yes,, even above it,) suddenly comes around a steep curve,, and finds them in the road. If there is oncoming traffic,, then there will be either a head on collision or a bike rider will get run over. If no traffic,, then the horn blowing,, the one finger salute,, lots of cursing, etc happens.

I personally feel that anybody who rides a bicycle on steep, mountain, curvy roads,, where the speed limit is 35, 45 or 55 mph,, who can NOT do the normal speeds is being stupid,, and playing with death.
They apparently do not care for their family, or themselves. And they do not care that the affects a bicycle/car collision will have on the driver of the vehicle.

Pure stupidity in my opinion.

If you want to ride a bicycle,, then do so on bike trails,, or be capable of doing the posted speed limit if on the road.

But lets go back to exercise.

One exercise that has a proven track record of actually helping the body,, and not putting stresses upon various muscles or joints,,, and doesn't require expensive equipment.

Swimming.
Go swimming. Your body will thank you.
 
contender said:
I think it's good that folks feel the need to exercise & get in better shape.

But reading several comments here about bad knees, backs etc point to the fact that quite often,, some forms of exercise can actually harm the body instead of helping over the long term.

Riding bicycles also has it's hazards,, in the places many want to ride. ESPECIALLY when riding on the highways. Some of the comments above point to collisions between bikes & cars.

Around here,, we have mountains,, and very curvy roads. Sadly,,, to many bicycle riders feel the need to get on these roads and ride. And we have collisions where the bike riders ALWAYS lose.
Apparently they feel that just because the law allows them to ride on the roads,, that they are superior to vehicles AND immune from accidents.
They ride 2, 3, abreast,, SLOWLY uphill, in these curves,, and get upset when a vehicle doing the speed limit (or yes,, even above it,) suddenly comes around a steep curve,, and finds them in the road. If there is oncoming traffic,, then there will be either a head on collision or a bike rider will get run over. If no traffic,, then the horn blowing,, the one finger salute,, lots of cursing, etc happens.

I personally feel that anybody who rides a bicycle on steep, mountain, curvy roads,, where the speed limit is 35, 45 or 55 mph,, who can NOT do the normal speeds is being stupid,, and playing with death.
They apparently do not care for their family, or themselves. And they do not care that the affects a bicycle/car collision will have on the driver of the vehicle.

Pure stupidity in my opinion.

If you want to ride a bicycle,, then do so on bike trails,, or be capable of doing the posted speed limit if on the road.

But lets go back to exercise.

One exercise that has a proven track record of actually helping the body,, and not putting stresses upon various muscles or joints,,, and doesn't require expensive equipment.

Swimming.
Go swimming. Your body will thank you.
Click to expand...
On mountain roads, them bicyclists is worse'n them deer; deer can move a LOT faster. If its out if the way, so much the better. Best total workout, ever; bike till ya cant barely walk, then swim til ya can just climb out.
 
My knees are totally shot from years of training. But I still like to ride. It’s great way to get aerobic exercise, but doctors will say not so much for weight bearing. Still, costs of better quality carbon bikes can get eye watering. $13 to S20 thousan

I recommend it, far better than jogging and much more fun then walking and you get to see the country.

Me in my best year 2018.

IMG_0101.jpeg
 
contender said:
I think it's good that folks feel the need to exercise & get in better shape.

But reading several comments here about bad knees, backs etc point to the fact that quite often,, some forms of exercise can actually harm the body instead of helping over the long term.

Riding bicycles also has it's hazards,, in the places many want to ride. ESPECIALLY when riding on the highways. Some of the comments above point to collisions between bikes & cars.

Around here,, we have mountains,, and very curvy roads. Sadly,,, to many bicycle riders feel the need to get on these roads and ride. And we have collisions where the bike riders ALWAYS lose.
Apparently they feel that just because the law allows them to ride on the roads,, that they are superior to vehicles AND immune from accidents.
They ride 2, 3, abreast,, SLOWLY uphill, in these curves,, and get upset when a vehicle doing the speed limit (or yes,, even above it,) suddenly comes around a steep curve,, and finds them in the road. If there is oncoming traffic,, then there will be either a head on collision or a bike rider will get run over. If no traffic,, then the horn blowing,, the one finger salute,, lots of cursing, etc happens.

I personally feel that anybody who rides a bicycle on steep, mountain, curvy roads,, where the speed limit is 35, 45 or 55 mph,, who can NOT do the normal speeds is being stupid,, and playing with death.
They apparently do not care for their family, or themselves. And they do not care that the affects a bicycle/car collision will have on the driver of the vehicle.

Pure stupidity in my opinion.

If you want to ride a bicycle,, then do so on bike trails,, or be capable of doing the posted speed limit if on the road.

But lets go back to exercise.

One exercise that has a proven track record of actually helping the body,, and not putting stresses upon various muscles or joints,,, and doesn't require expensive equipment.

Swimming.
Go swimming. Your body will thank you.
Click to expand...
Talk about expensive equipment! Have you looked into the cost of installing and maintaining a pool?
But seriously… I agree with you on swimming being a great, low-stress exercise. Unless you can’t crawl very well, in which case, it quickly becomes high stress (although still low impact, I suppose).

I used to bike a lot. Not so much anymore. I’ll ride down to the end of my country road in the summer. Out and back is a little over 4 miles. I’ve summer I was going back and forth until I’d get 16 miles in. It got boring… but it was good exercise.
 
We have 2 Electra Townies. They call them forward crank. They allow you to put both feet down on ground without fighting the pedals. Easier for us to stop and go.
0526161215a.jpg
 
I bicycle a lot, at least I think of it as a lot. It is a 16 mile ride from home to the stop light in town and back. For years I had the dream I could make it in an hour before the summer was over. If I only worked harder.

Closest I ever came was doing it in 65 minutes a few times.

Then I got old, started one medicine and then another. Every single one seemed to sap my speed/strength. Now just getting there and back feels like an accomplishment. Too hot, to cold, wind is blowing... I'll just ride my indoor bike. Schwinn Airdyne and an hour on that thing is like two on the outside bike.
 
Last edited:
Mobuck said:
The 'ragged bra' bike ride across Iowa is going on this week. Great weather for something like that. :whistle:
Gotta wonder at the motivation to abuse oneself at that level.
Click to expand...
I always wanted to do that when we lived in Illinois.

We have friends in Des Moines and I took my bike over once. Lots and lots of bike trails. It’s a pretty big bike town actually.

I do have to agree with the people (mostly guys) who ride bikes in traffic. Around DFW they have the legal right to use the full lane if they want. I really don’t like those guys at all.

I will take a bike path with zero cars anytime over riding in traffic.
 
Track14 said:
My urologist advised against bicycling because of prostate abuse. By then it was too late I eventually ended up with prostate cancer. Believes me when I say this is a cancer you don’t want!
Click to expand...

Bike riding can cause prostatitis, BTDT. Rode a 21 speed bike 14 miles every day for exercise. PSA went to 14 and Urologist had a fit. Biopsy was done (Not Fun!) and came back normal. Was told to get rid of the racing seat and if I had to ride get a big comfortable seat. Quit riding and PSA went to 1.7, that was 15 or so years ago. PSA is 2.45 now.
 
Many years ago I was doing some remodeling and had some trash to take to the dump. There was a huge pile of bike there. I asked and the guy let me have three to fix up. Real nice fuji 10 speed with a extra tall frame and then a couple mountain bikes I used on trails in AZ. Still have two of the three in my shed. When my kids were little we would ride downtown to the library and usually stopped and burger king for a ice cream cone as a treat.

My point is maybe you should check around at the garbage dump, police impound etc for a nice bike to save. Of course if it needs tires then it is almost too expensive to fix.

Good luck and have fun.
 
roylt said:
Many years ago I was doing some remodeling and had some trash to take to the dump. There was a huge pile of bike there. I asked and the guy let me have three to fix up. Real nice fuji 10 speed with a extra tall frame and then a couple mountain bikes I used on trails in AZ. Still have two of the three in my shed. When my kids were little we would ride downtown to the library and usually stopped and burger king for a ice cream cone as a treat.

My point is maybe you should check around at the garbage dump, police impound etc for a nice bike to save. Of course if it needs tires then it is almost too expensive to fix.

Good luck and have fun.
Click to expand...
And as a kid, often our bikes were pieced together from whatever bike parts we could find.
 
WAYNO said:
And as a kid, often our bikes were pieced together from whatever bike parts we could find.
Click to expand...
I remember my sister had one of the purple banana seat type bikes with the ape hanger handle bars. Dad modified, or maybe it was her as she was 6 years older than me, another front fork to lock into where the original tire would mount. Then the original tire was put on that second fork. Made for one bad azz chopper bike thing.
Just mentioning the pieced together reminded me.
Seems another kid in the neighborhood had a big wheel on a smaller frame or vs versa. can't remember clearly.

Those were the days though. tinkering in the garage and goofing off. Dad built me a ramp once too. Looking back it was pretty sketch but we never wore helmets and all turned out fine. HAHA
 
Also... Bike theft was big time in the sixties.
I bought a Schwinn American with my paper route money in 1965. It was gorgeous. But this bike was stolen.
It was recovered a week later, completely stripped. My Dad resourced a bunch of junk parts for me to get my bike back on the road, but it was just never the same bike. But that's what we did to keep riding.



.
 
Last edited:
If you have never used disc brakes before, be careful. When properly adjusted, they will work. Make sure you use the rear brake more than the front especially if going down hill when applying the brakes. If you crank down on the front brake only, you may find yourself flying over the handle bars.
 
This turned into a nice thread. I guess almost everyone has a connection to a bicycle. Either when they were little or teaching someone to ride.

My wife and I taught our daughter to ride. During Covid we got her a pretty nice mountain bike.

I remember buying it. Ordered online, then drove to the store. Waited out in the parking lot and they wheeled the bike out. No contact. Sort of weird.

I’ve had bikes stolen. One time when I did commute by bike, someone stole my seat. It was pretty hard to ride home that night.
 
I even got two tickets on bicycles. Turning rt on a red light without stopping and the one I am proud of, speeding, 42 in a 25. I was in good shaped commuting 15 miles each way to and from work over a group of hills. Every evening the last leg of the return was a several miles long straightaway through traffic. A guy in a car tried to catch me but I could weave and he could not but the cops did get me. Damn…. That was in 1963 on an Italian hand made racing bicycle. With sew up tires and no kickstand, a Bianchi Specialissima.
 
Now... Can we talk about e-bikes?
Quite the rage here. I wouldn't mind trying one.
But since bicycles are not required to obey traffic lights and such here, the e-bike riders are taking dangerous and severe liberties. Some of these are very fast, and they are all very quiet. They fly up our street and even on our sidewalks, not stopping at intersections at way over the speed limit. I fear a person will step out from next to their car and get clipped by one of these riders.
The other thing is children riding these in traffic. Apparently it's legal to do so, but many of these kids, not yet old enough for a license, are in and out of traffic without a clue.
 
Cotton McKnight said:
If you have never used disc brakes before, be careful. When properly adjusted, they will work. Make sure you use the rear brake more than the front especially if going down hill when applying the brakes. If you crank down on the front brake only, you may find yourself flying over the handle bars.
Click to expand...
On a similar note, i always swapped my bicycle's front brake to match modern motorcycle practice; on the right since the 70s. My motobecane was briefly stolen, but he grabbed the right brake which on bicycles is the rear brake, and flipped his silly ass before he got far.
 
Track14 said:
I even got two tickets on bicycles. Turning rt on a red light without stopping and the one I am proud of, speeding, 42 in a 25. I was in good shaped commuting 15 miles each way to and from work over a group of hills. Every evening the last leg of the return was a several miles long straightaway through traffic. A guy in a car tried to catch me but I could weave and he could not but the cops did get me. Damn…. That was in 1963 on an Italian hand made racing bicycle. With sew up tires and no kickstand, a Bianchi Specialissima.
Click to expand...
One guy i knew got 2 tickets at the same time; 35 in a 25 and passsing a schoolbus on the right. He so loved his motobecane, i got one, too.
 
I figured out what I wanted in a MTB and shopped Craigslist until one popped up.
That was about 6 years ago. Hard tail, hydraulic disc brakes, AL frame, 3 front chainrings, 29 x 2.2" tires, etc. Still on that bike but the list has changed enough where I'm about due for an upgrade.
That Trek Marlin7 has been an awesome bike. Bought it barely used for about 1/2 of new cost.
Haven't been on the roads since getting the MTB.
Decent MTB trails and parks provide an awesome HIITworkout and are a blast to ride. Good times can also be had on two tracks and gravel roads on public lands.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

BULL'S-EYE
Soccer...Your thoughts? ⚽️
3 4 5
Replies
136
Views
2K
willk
W
J
Thoughts
Replies
10
Views
397
jav
J
M
Random Thoughts
2 3
Replies
75
Views
2K
Richbaker
Richbaker
4
Anyone have any thoughts on tiny homes?
2 3
Replies
81
Views
2K
mirglip
M
thinckley
Bedtime Thoughts.... What distance to zero a pistol?
2
Replies
53
Views
1K
t-reg
T

Latest posts

Back
Top