@Greenroofer
Most excellent.
CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Debate!
Today's rubbish cycling
(4503 posts)-
Posted 9 years ago #
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@Greenroofer
I wish I was that carefree! Definitely excellent though.
Posted 9 years ago # -
I'm ashamed to admit that today's most rubbish cycling comes from me. I gave a speedy buzz pass to a slow unsteady cyclist on Easter Road this morning which must have given them a fright. If a car had done this to me I would have been annoyed so its poor form from me.
Posted 9 years ago # -
This morning someone wheelsucked me along West Preston Street, then tried to overtake me around the outside on the left turn onto Summerhall, despite my intention to subsequently turn my outside in and go left down Melville Terrace. Fortunately I usually stay quite central through there to stop cars assuming I'm going into the cycle gutter and trying to overtake around the bend, so there was some room for the chump.
Posted 9 years ago # -
A guy on a bike this morning blasted past me on the Corstorphine Road with about 2 inches to spare, causing me to literally jump in my seat as I plodded along on the MTB with spiky tyres. He was going at one hell of a rate in a fairly uncontrolled way, to the point where I figured he was trying to get a good Strava time. And indeed, Strava flyby helped me confirm that he did indeed set a PR.
Posted 9 years ago # -
Last night, slogging up Comiston Road, I noticed that one of the shadows cast by streetlights was wearing a helmet, and on shoulderchecking discovered I had a young man on a Revolution singlespeed on my rear wheel. He stayed there pointlessly long(no headwind to speak of, and at my uusual ~11.5mph pace up that hill, no aero advantage to be had either) and then overtook at a pretty sprightly pace.
A hundred or two metres up he was hanging on the back wheel of a cyclist on a chunky hybrid, who was in the granny and spinning happily away at a fast jogger's pace. He hung there for aaaages. There was a bus stopping in front of both of them a wee while later, but sparse traffic behind, so I had no problem overtaking.
Predictably, I was overtaken at ostentatious speed by the lad some seconds later, this time with him drafting the bus, which is really safe if you have psychic powers and know that it's not going to brake any time soon.
It didn't, so victory was his, I guess.
Posted 9 years ago # -
I am sometimes guilty of drafting buses (Sorry). I do think it can be done relatively safely if you know where all the bus stops are and where the junctions are (and anywhere else a bus is likely to slow or stop). the key is listening to the engine of the bus and keeping an occasional eye on the "Bus Stopping" light inside the bus (if it can be seen).
Also every few seconds I'll pop out and have a look up ahead.
Its a risk I am sometimes prepared to take.
Oh....it wasn't me on Comiston Road by the way.
Posted 9 years ago # -
@Uberuce You describe my experiences on the NEPN last to a tee. Had a suspicion there was someone hovering just behind but the noise of my spiky tyres drowns out all else. Shoulder check at five ways didn't reveal my secretive follower but I discovered him again when I turned off onto the smoother tarmac and he raced ahead: single speed, decent acceleration, no lights, dark clothing.
Posted 9 years ago # -
Have to admit, I draft buses too. Isn't there a video of Dave headbutting a bus he was following (slowly) that stopped suddenly?
Posted 9 years ago # -
I draft the new TfL hop on hop off buses in london - their curved rear roof creates a wonderful vortex that just sucks you along. It's brilliant. But yes, very naughty.
Posted 9 years ago # -
I've been known to draft buses in summer along Ferry Road from Great Junction Street in the morning. Traffic is usually very light, and I know where the stops are. I know it's naughty, but it's fun to do every now and again :-)
Posted 9 years ago # -
From the top deck of the 22 this morning I was able to observe the chap with no lights, no reflectives, decent-looking helmet, hi-viz, shorts and trainers RLJ his way up Leith Walk and along Princes Street.
I hope the worst that happens to you is that you freeze your kneecaps off....
Posted 9 years ago # -
threefromleith, what time was this? Lights are already starting to feel unnecessary at 7:45am, I think.
(I also was wearing neither reflectives nor a helmet, and a skirt (admittedly with tights) this morning. I do stop at red lights, though...)
Posted 9 years ago # -
@fimm - around 6.45am, when it was still definitely still very dark.
Posted 9 years ago # -
ARobComp
If you're not going faster than a London bus you're not trying hard enough.
Posted 9 years ago # -
Drafting buses is something I rarely get a chance to do or try, but I did it on Tuesday on the way home and was amazed to discover how easy it was to accelerate up to close to 30mph. I might have to try it a bit more often...
Posted 9 years ago # -
@Kenny Where are you that buses get up to 30mph? ;-)
Posted 9 years ago # -
I used to draft buses along the shore road through Joppa. If you have the stupidity to get within a couple of feet you barely have to pedal.
Posted 9 years ago # -
@Kenny Where are you that buses get up to 30mph? ;-)
The 40mph bit of the Glasgow Road :)
Posted 9 years ago # -
Between my reaction times, which I know to be very slow, and the unknown variables of bus drivers' reaction time and their need to brake unexpectedly, I'll leave the drafting to you gents.
Posted 9 years ago # -
Always fun when, on a rare occasion when you call someone on their appearing-unexpectedly-and-very-quickly-close-by-on-your-inside-when-turning-right-out-of-an-ASL-on-a-right-turn-filter-light, it turns out to be someone you're vaguely acquainted with.
Posted 9 years ago # -
I have tried to draft a bus a couple of times heading west just past Western Corner in hope that it pulls me up the wee hill to the pedestrian crossing at Balgreen Road. I've never managed to stay with the bus for more than 5 seconds but this is definitely a good thing as my face would not look great on the 'please let me out' sticker
Posted 9 years ago # -
If mag wheels are still called mag wheels, there was a turnip on a tracky-looking bike with two of them (white spokes) taking a shortcut past the traffic queued on York Place westbound by going through the tram stop. Underlining his turnipitude, he then pulled up at the ASL by the North St David St junction only to set off through the red, cycling, when the pedestrian green light went on.
Posted 9 years ago # -
Re drafting buses: it's really quite useful to know where all the potholes on your chosen route are. There are a few out there (up the Bridges, frinstance) that could swallow a front wheel whole as they sweep out from under the busbumper.
Posted 9 years ago # -
@PS Agreed, I have been in heavy traffic in the centre of Glasgow, crawling behind a bus, when the Mariana Trench opened before me.
Posted 9 years ago # -
Buy a Milan SL or the InterCityBike DF, then steal Kid Karacho's legs, and you won't need to draft anything.
Posted 9 years ago # -
Strobing front light-cannon on the pitch-black towpath section near Wester Hailes this eve. Seriously. Sort yourself out.
Posted 9 years ago # -
The cyclist in this video from this morning makes a pretty deadly move.
He should probably use a bit more caution when cycling around traffic.
[+] Embed the video | Video Download Get the Flash Video Posted 9 years ago # -
@CJC - that is the lane I take when going to Broughton street - it's a left or straight only lane. If the cyclist filtered past the bus to get there then I'd agree that is stupid, however I can't tell from the video whether he got to the front first and has gone a bit too far right in trying to take that lane or whether the bus got there first….
Posted 9 years ago #
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