Letter in the Herald - People may want to comment

[Sal Atticum]

http://www.grandforksherald.com/event/article/id/130717/

GRAND FORKS — Recently, a driver called the police on me while I was legally bike riding with someone on University Avenue. The driver had to “swerve into the other lane” to pass us, according to the complaint.

The police came and explained to the driver that we have the right to be on the road, even if a driver in a car has to go into other lane to pass us. Bicycles have the right to take up a traffic lane. It is up to the drivers whether they would like to pass us or stay behind us.

The driver did not apologize to us. For their part, the police officers suggested to us that we need to move over more to the right in order to let more cars pass by.

Honestly, this is not a good idea. I put myself at risk and danger if I am biking in the gutter or in and out of parked vehicles. I ride whatever is safest to me.

Cars are far larger than a person on a bicycle and can easily injure or kill someone.

This summer, there have been many confrontations, including motorists passing me by inches while driving really fast, yelling awful things, driving extremely close behind me and honking.

Read up on the rules of the road, drivers! Bicycles have a right to be on the street.

The same day that police were called, the same bike rider and I were crossing South Washington Street at 13th Avenue South, legally. Two cars with several passengers started yelling out, “You can’t go 25 miles per hour!” and “Get on the sidewalk.”

One car passed us going extremely fast on a 25 mph road. Another car got really close and threw a cup of liquid at me. This easily could have injured me by burning me or making me slip.

This is ridiculous abuse the cyclists deal with on a daily basis.

Cars do not own the road. The road is meant for bicyclists, motorcyclists and car commuters. The sidewalk is meant for pedestrians. Please be aware of this so everyone can stay safe.

Heather Jackson

[Casey]

These examples are exactly why I stay inside on the trainer. I've experienced almost everything on this list. Other issues include car exhaust, and people on the bike paths who are to be considered slow moving traffic.

[Sal Atticum]

Seriously?  If you're going to ride on the trainer, why ride at all?

[Casey]

Consistent effective training from a convenient consistent environment. I do prefer riding outside. 

[Sal Atticum]

But if you're training inside, doesn't that mean you're training to ride inside?

[Casey]

Yes, between using rollers and a stationary am i losing out on any benefits of riding outside? Besides heat issues! it's hot when your not actually moving, but is this a benefit to indoor riding? does training your body to adapt to these non-cooled conditions work? I find myself sweating 10 times more than i would on the hottest summer days and workouts seems harder.

[Hollywood]

Well, in all honesty, between riding on rollers and a trainer, all you are training your body to do is ride on trainers and rollers. There is no trainer or roller on the market today that can accurately simulate riding on the road, or accurately simulate the intensities felt during a race.  

I know you said "workouts seems harder" but that's probably because 1) riding on rollers and trainers is boring as shit and 2) you dehydrate MUCH faster when not moving and, as we all know, dehydration = loss in performance.  And yes, your body will adapt to the hot, humid conditions of cycling indoors.  That's not to say you won't sweat less.  In fact, you will probably end up sweating more (increase likelihood of cramping), but the sweat produced will be more dilute. But even when it comes to the conditions you're racing in, you would IDEALLY want your body to adapt to what it's actually like outside, not in your living room.  We're not racing in Florida.  

And while rollers CAN help improve your bike handling skills, they come nowhere close to the bike handling skills you would need in a peleton of 50+ people.

Now, I'm not totally sure why you ride bike (fitness or performance or whatever), but the bottom line is this; if your goal is performance, the road is the best place to train (preferably in large groups).

[Plantains]

Ease up guys... everyone is diff. I like riding with casey jones. (not that you all don't)

The point is... critical mass sucks and people have a right to hate cyclists. But they should also know our rights on the roads.

[Toaster]

DC has it right. Although I think that a properly executed critical mass could be a good thing, the reality is that it is usually meant to be antagonistic towards motorists (especially the one in GF). Two wrongs don't make a right, and I seriously wish that these critical mass riders would stop damaging the reputation of cyclists everywhere and giving us all a bad reputation.

That being said, we can't shy away from riding where we have the right to just because of the abusive behavior of a few motorists. Doing so will further the idea that we do not belong on the road. Memorize license plate numbers and call the cops when you are put in danger or assaulted by drivers.

[Plantains]

Critical mass is directly related to the hipster/fixed gear movement. They accomplish only 2 things. Making real cyclists hate them. And making cars hate cyclists.

[Sal Atticum]

Casey, everyone does their own thing, which is cool.  If you want to ride on the trainer, go for it.  Hollywood and I aren't trying to knock your style, we're just saying that if you're interested in competing, you're going to get a million times more benefit by riding in conditions that most closely resemble the conditions in which you'll be competing.  Only half the game is physical prowess; the other half is being able to understand what everyone else in the peloton is thinking.

[Plantains]

its really more like 80/20. 80% strategy/understanding and 20% physical. Or better yet, you can be in decent shape and win races all day long if you know what you're looking at. To win on physical ability... you need to be able to time trial faster than a peloton... an ATTACKING peloton.

[Toaster]

Critical Mass has been around longer than the beginnings of the explosion of fixed gear/hipster cyclists. However, since the movement towards and expansion of the fixed gear culture, Critical Mass has more and more failed to achieve its intended purpose. Whether or not it ever achieved any of that purpose I can't say because Critical Mass was around before I became more than mildly interested in cycling.

[Plantains]

Yes. Its not that it never worked or had poor intentions in mind from the getgo. But lately, people have misinterpreted what exactly the goal of this is. IMHO@least

[Sal Atticum]

Moresies.  Comments are interesting, I'm not allowed to respond because I'm a writer.