Sometimes I wish there was more police brutality

[apeman]

fair point, but

I use a bike for transportation, not just exercise or fun.

I would like to get into swimming, although I would probably need a waterproof mp3 player or whatever due to the monotony.

[The Conservative]

Cycling is nice

I enjoy cycling as well, and really don't understand the hate...

Where I live, there aren't any bike lanes, so I usually use the sidewalk and the shoulder when I can, but there are plenty of roads without either, and I'll use the lane...

Idiots on bikes are as bad as idiots in cars, as long as everyone obeys the rules of the road (actual law, not your made up rules), there's no problem.

If you get pissed off about bikes in the road, and the law says they can't use the sidewalk, go complain to your legislators to change the laws, or make bike lanes...

I like cycling too, but I hate cyclists... they think when there isn't a road for them, they own the one I'm on when I'm driving, and when coming from another direction, they can just blow through red lights and whatnot because they aren't in a motor vehicle, and that the road laws don't refer to them...

Of course, in Mass, you are dealign with liberal twats all the time, so...take it with a grain of salt I guess.

[adwinistrator]

I love cycling, esp. practical applications, I have a steel touring bike, I rock the panniers and got all the super-bright lights. I also really fucking hate driving, esp. for chores, but if I have to do chores, doing 'em by bike can actually be fun.

Riding on the sidewalk is illegal here, I always ride in the road. Every now and then I encounter a disgruntled driver, but rarely.

Anyway... how common is using a bicycle as daily mode of transportion in the US, particularly cities? In US TV series, when someone's a bicyclist they usually wear... spandex gear and ride Tour-de-Francey bikes, or generally wear special "cycling gear". Does this mean that those few who do ride a bicycle, don't use it to get to work... or that they actually show up for work in form-fitting spandex shorts?

Good observation.

99% of Americans have no idea how to actually use a bike, what kind of bike to buy/ride, how to make a bike functional, etc. It is just a rich man's hobby, mostly, where you dress up in the super gay spandex and ride your 3K racing bike 5x per year.

Due to the nature of the roads/sidewalks where I live, I opted for a hybrid. Best of both worlds, lightweight frame, slim tires with tread, and a bit of front suspension for the sidewalks and pot holes. Picked it up extra cheap from Nashbar. Going from a mountain bike to the hybrid gave me a 50% increase in avg. speed.

Something for drivers who hate cyclists, but aren't in a place where it's extreme. I've been almost hit by cars at least 10 times, while I am following every rule. Cars pulling up to a red light, and making a right, not stopping at the crosswalk, just pulling past to go right on red. Cars pulling up to the exit of a parking lot. The strategy for not getting hit is, always be defensive, always make sure you're seen, and actually be part of the normal traffic (not just an invisible speedster going between/around traffic).

[apeman]

I gotta say: try a steel bike sometime, if you haven't.

When you hit a giant pothole at top speed with cars everywhere, the steel bike actually flexes underneath you and absorbs the hit, at first it is unsettling, but riding on aluminum now feels so rough and janky after getting used to smooth, smooth steel.

[Speaker to Animals]

I hate my bike, to be honest. It's not a bad bike. I just feel like the gears are all too low. I hate how it forces me to lean forward all the time, unlike a proper mountain bike.

And I hate that there really are no places to ride it without getting in the way of traffic. So it's there for emergency purposes only. For cardio I run, or swing kettlebells, hike, or just whip out the jump rope. No reason to take the bike out into traffic. That's just dumb.

I do miss the mountain bike I had decades ago. That was actually fun, unlike riding around in the street dodging automobiles. I can't think of a more boring concept than the road bike.

[pettertb]

They hold up traffic in the worst hours as people have to slow down to 10 mph or worse in order to wait for an opening to pass the cyclists.

I have seen them deliberately ride out in the middle of the street to block traffic. They can well see a long line of cars behind them and they don't care at all.

You are not entitled to drive at the speed limit. On most roads that is only a happy coincidence we get to enjoy most of the time

There are many good reasons to ride centrally in the lane, not all of which are immediately obvious to a motorist. I like the take of this comic on the issue.

[pettertb]

Where I live, there aren't any bike lanes, so I usually use the sidewalk and the shoulder when I can, but there are plenty of roads without either, and I'll use the lane...

Idiots on bikes are as bad as idiots in cars, as long as everyone obeys the rules of the road (actual law, not your made up rules), there's no problem.

If you get pissed off about bikes in the road, and the law says they can't use the sidewalk, go complain to your legislators to change the laws, or make bike lanes...

Here in Norway, you are allowed to ride on the sidewalks. It is an unholy mess of "sidewalk - pedestrian/biking road (wide sidewalk), bike path, bike road, bike lanes, the normal lane and the bus lane". Choosing optimally is hard. At the end of the day the choice is mine, and mine only, and respect for it is to be respected. Moan all you wish, but behave with your actions.

I disagree on the bad bikers and drivers are equally bad thing. It usually only serves to excuse bad driving practice. When I am behind the wheel (lugging a ton of steel at high speed) I have way more responsibility than on my bike (some pounds of metal and myself, at way lower speed). Around pedestrians I am the "big one" on my bike and thus have more responsibility.

Agreed on the infrastructure. Much can be improved with more clear infrastructure. But it costs money, and the damn biker is still going to be around

[pettertb]

I love cycling, esp. practical applications, I have a steel touring bike, I rock the panniers and got all the super-bright lights. I also really fucking hate driving, esp. for chores, but if I have to do chores, doing 'em by bike can actually be fun.

Riding on the sidewalk is illegal here, I always ride in the road. Every now and then I encounter a disgruntled driver, but rarely.

I have two bikes, a carbon fibre road bike and a hybrid. Both are fairly cheap, but work to their roles. The road bike is for excercise, shorter trips with focus on biking and commuting on the nicest summer days. The hybrid is the workhorse commuter with panniers, lights and all. Neither will be missed when they are used up.

I am drooling over a touring bike, or a more expensive cyclocross bike. It might lead to the other ones being pretty much forgotten (perhaps except for the hybrid, something has got to suffer the road salt after all).

Riding on the sidewalk is legal here, but is technically very restricted if you follow the rules. I see it as a laziness thing where it allows for less thinking in road development Occasionally useful, tho.

[Ex-California]

I love cycling, esp. practical applications, I have a steel touring bike, I rock the panniers and got all the super-bright lights. I also really fucking hate driving, esp. for chores, but if I have to do chores, doing 'em by bike can actually be fun.

Riding on the sidewalk is illegal here, I always ride in the road. Every now and then I encounter a disgruntled driver, but rarely.

Anyway... how common is using a bicycle as daily mode of transportion in the US, particularly cities? In US TV series, when someone's a bicyclist they usually wear... spandex gear and ride Tour-de-Francey bikes, or generally wear special "cycling gear". Does this mean that those few who do ride a bicycle, don't use it to get to work... or that they actually show up for work in form-fitting spandex shorts?

Good observation.

99% of Americans have no idea how to actually use a bike, what kind of bike to buy/ride, how to make a bike functional, etc. It is just a rich man's hobby, mostly, where you dress up in the super gay spandex and ride your 3K racing bike 5x per year.

Exactly, and we call them Lancers

[Ex-California]

fair point, but

I use a bike for transportation, not just exercise or fun.

I would like to get into swimming, although I would probably need a waterproof mp3 player or whatever due to the monotony.

If you swim by sets and use build/negative split strategies on your distance events the monotony is broken

Or not, I've just been doing this my whole life so maybe my mind is already broken to it