Road Cycling
- Thread starter FrenchTart
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Nearly lost more than my keys this morning - some drizzle so possibly driver inattentive and dirty windscreen? Plainly didn't see me when pulling out, nor when they nearly hit me - check the road position, didn't even swerve.
**NSFW** sorry - bad language
Wearing a bright orange gabba and a flashing front light...
Definitely report that one. I've been getting a few people not looking around their A pillar this past week too. This was on Sunday.
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Reported it and within 9 minutes had a response saying they'll take action. Westmerica in 2025 have been superb through the 'Nextbase' reporting portal (covers all UK forces), took me longer to fill it in & crop my recording. I'm now at 5 for 6 in 2025 I think? 6 submissions and 5 resulting in further action. It'll just be a driving awareness course, not enough there for more unless the driver refuses the course and then down on Police I think to determine if it's worth going to court (probably not).
I think I'm lucky I 'overreacted' braking to kill my speed and create a gap. I fully expected the driver to see me late and then just tighten their turn rather than being close to a collision. Would've just been me tutting and shaking my head at inattention/impatience and probably wouldn't have reported if they'd swerved/reacted. Camera does shorten that gap, at the time didn't feel like it was less than 6 inches but I could just about have banged on the side by the rear wheel so might have been marginally within that. Better to keep control than stretch out, speed I was then going wouldn't have brought me down rubbing me unless they made firm contact. Maybe!
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Yeah, I tend to assume drivers are intentionally being ***** rather than being completely oblivious to me because thats overwhelmingly my experience. That being said, I don't bet on that and like you suggested, you compensate to make sure that no matter what, you aren't getting hit.
Have we discussed Cargo Bibs yet? I thought we had, but a search turned up nothing. I'm trying to fight the urge to replace all 'normal' bibs with cargo bibs... someone stop me please. I was just reading on Reddit how comfortable Q36.5 bibs are, and I see they have some with pockets... £220, but I just got an email that Sigma will give me £30 off an order over £200 this weekend. I feel like it's a sign telling me to buy them?
Is there a market for second-hand bibs? I'm guessing not, given the personal relationship my man berries have had with them?
Actually, a quick look at sold bibs on eBay and there are loads there... okay, so maybe I'll pull the trigger and list a few old bibs to keep my stock levels reasonable.
Is there a market for second-hand bibs? I'm guessing not, given the personal relationship my man berries have had with them?
Actually, a quick look at sold bibs on eBay and there are loads there... okay, so maybe I'll pull the trigger and list a few old bibs to keep my stock levels reasonable.
I have a couple of them. The pocket is really useful to have but the pad is only okay. Not bad not as good as my siroko bibs but I’m a sensitive flower.
Soldato
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Thanks for the advice aboe re tyres, I'll update when I get some 
Yeah, I tested the water with some Van Rysel's, slightly more expensive than those. Loved the pocket, so bought some Rapha Cargo's, now looking to get a third set so I have enough for trips away/long weekends. Also, the VR just aren't as good a fit, or as comfortable, which you might expect at that price I guess.
Another one not looking this morning.
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I have a gopro which is good quality but the battery life is crap. 1.5 hours per battery so on longer rides I have to swap it mid way.
Another one not looking this morning.
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I would say that comes under the umbrella of "saw you but you're a cyclist and I'm a **** in a van so..."
yup. I don't miss commuting, especially when I did it in london!
I do all I can these days to get of the busy roads and into quiet ones. Still get an odd stupid overtake for no reason but I'll honest, most drivers are very sensible around here.
That's just ignorance and selfishness isn't it... Pull up to the junction, stop and then seeing your speed and knowing they're going straight over can get away with pulling in front of you.Definitely report that one. I've been getting a few people not looking around their A pillar this past week too. This was on Sunday.
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Yes it's a sign, the right side of pay-day for you too!?
I can't justify prices like that, I mean I'm not badly paid but an item which is <£20 in materials, with maybe the same labour costs and distribution costs on top should only be £100. Ok so made in Bulgaria (Assos) even with import taxes (I bet they don't 'leave' the EU to Switzerland and then re-enter for distribution) so just maybe the import to UK makes it £120. Not £160-180-220. Just Assos price gouging - but they've always done it. Ok so other brands where they're made in places outside the EU (some Rapha are made in China) there's more import duties. But companies like Castelli/Sportful made in Italy, or Q.365 they're likely just paying to import materials, then the Brexit import to sell here (but we do pay equal or cheaper prices than many of the EU for the same gear)?
I've been buying the occasional Rapha Core when they're towards £90 new in deals (Sigma more so recently than Rapha themselves). Scouting around 'bay the last couple of years have snagged many other second hand pairs, paying £40-50 for them. Knowing what to look for (internal label colours/print & for any stretch marks) have learnt what is good and what to avoid. Only got caught out twice - one pair stitching around the pad went very quickly, another had damage on the leg I thought I could repair but couldn't (so just wear them indoors). So nearly all of my summer commuting (also used indoor) shorts are Rapha. No need for cheap shorts! Selling anything in Large?
Lots of ways to mount a camera. Helmet is the obvious one, or underslung your head unit mount. My SL7 has got the specific stem front combo mount for it. Got a Zwift clubmate with a KU TF1 TT bike which has far crazier bars and front than anything I've seen. He's figuring out some 'stem front' type mount for his camera, or a 'lollypop' to come out from the bottle mount.
Yeah as fez says that's just a 'FU cyclist' move. They could get away with saying they didn't see you due to bright & low sun behind, but again that's just a cop out and something we as the more vulnerable road users have to handle. Expect them to make that move, so we can lower our own risk and increase our own safety (as you did) as they clearly are doing the opposite through ignorance/selfishness. Report that one! Work vehicle, hopefully letter to the company from police to identify the driver for an awareness course and most companies would do an internal review - really that's your 'FU motorist' response/move and the only thing which will result in anything. Calling drivers out for fisticuffs on the road is about the only other thing and hardly any of them will stop for that.Another one not looking this morning.
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Had the same with my Osmo 4. Got the 'Extreme' battery, but even that isn't much over 3 hours burntime so I turn it off+on a lot when doing a 4-5 hour ride trying to only focus on the busier roads so have missed a few. I know GoPro battery life is even less than the standard DJI battery which for mine didn't last 2.5 hours and why I bought the Extreme battery. I will probably get a secondary battery to carry with me (or just charge the standard one it came with) for some of the longer events I do... But equally changing the battery is a ballache as I have the camera in the case to protect it should it fall from my bars. Can't take the battery out of it while it's in the case (also no external battery charger). I'm probably more likely plug an external battery pack into it to charge/power it while on the move as long days out I'm carrying one anyway.
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I don't ride on super busy roads and try to avoid peak times but I reckon the ratio of bad overtakes is about 20:1, perhaps worse if you compare built up and busy to quiet roads. Thats normalising for time spent on both. I know that many more cars might pass you on busy roads but I regularly have zero issues on the time I am in the lanes and as soon as I come back into the town, the idiots magically appear. Drivers are like sheep as well. Once one person has overtaken you poorly without hitting you, magically its OK for everyone else to do that too.
yup, I know exactly what you mean. The most frustrating I find is the ones that overtake way too close for no reason when the other side of the road is completely empty. Or the ones you can hear behind you trying to get past at all costs.
I'm used to it after years of cycling in london but last few weeks I've been trying to get my wife on the bike - she's done 4 rides now and her first outting an idiot in an audi top down blasting some crap music decided to blast past her at stupid speeds. Literally 3 minutes after leaving, I get don't often get angry but he nearly ended up with a bike shaped object in his car.. There's literally no need.
Sorry, I think all my bibs are XL...Selling anything in Large?
It doesn't make any sense but I am the same. I think its because I assume they intentionally did it to try and scare me. Its just as likely they are **** drivers and don't even think about it but its particularly galling when they could just turn their steering wheel another 5 degrees to make a safe overtake.
I would love to get my partner out with me but shes petrified on our roads on a bike. I just know that even if I managed it, it would take about 10 minutes before she would be either crying at the side of the road or simply refusing to go on and walking her bike home on the pavement. Its depressing but thats the reality of our roads for people who aren't confident or have a heightened sense of risk.
Pretty common issue as drivers may not pay attention that its a bike.Very lucky! I did similar many years ago, but my bundle of keys made such a noise I knew instantly what had happened! Since then always put them into my jersey pocket or a designated pocket in my commute bag. Group rides (no bag) they're in the bottom of my 'food pocket' so help hold that down when fishing things out and more likely to notice them if they've moved above things so can push them further down.
Nearly lost more than my keys this morning - some drizzle so possibly driver inattentive and dirty windscreen? Plainly didn't see me when pulling out, nor when they nearly hit me - check the road position, didn't even swerve.
**NSFW** sorry - bad language
Wearing a bright orange gabba and a flashing front light...
27-28kph so around 17/18mph. Good average without knowing the elevation/stops/turns/roads etc. Well done! Keep it up!
'Proper gear'? Bike maybe 1-2kph faster for the same effort and kit probably similar or a bit less... The faster you go the more efficient things like bikes & kit become, but the 'best' £10k race bikes not massively more at 30kph. But if you're doing 40-50kph the differences would be more noticeable.
My SL7 (fairly aero with deep 45mm rims) is noticeably better/easier at holding speed once doing 22-23-24mph than my Diverge (road setup but not an aero frame, heavier and alloy standard wheels). Slower 'social' speeds on flatter parts like your 17/18mph there doesn't feel much difference, certainly more difference on rolling/hilly routes - just carries speed so much easier while being stiffer and lighter to climb (3-4kg lighter), I don't really go much faster - just end up waiting longer for clubmates at tops of climbs! Even flat roads if I'm on the front and not paying enough attention I'll ride everyone off my wheel as the speed creeps up - aero bikes want to travel at 20mph+
drive like no one is seeing you and expect they will act dangerous for you