Cycling: issues/noticeboard

[Mick Mac]

You have no competition LM - I think he is in Dublin. And they dont have internet over there.

[Ladymuck]

Applespider Wrote:

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> And I'm going to have a killer

> bruise on my shin just down from the kneecap which

> obviously banged into part of the bike - it was

> slightly swollen by the time I got home and is v

> tender to the touch. Ah well... could have been

> worse - better to have to swerve and fall off

> avoiding a pedestrian while you're not that close

> to traffic!

Ooooh you have my sympathies...did you skid owing to the rain I wonder?

Keep an eye on your injuries...the last time I got knocked off my bike, although I was in pain, I assumed that any injury was minor - turned out that I had sustained a hairline fracture to my hip. So if the pain drags on - do get yourself checked out.

Well done for avoiding the pedestrian BTW. Here's to a speedy recovery.

[Ladymuck]

Mick Mac Wrote:

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> You have no competition LM - I think he is in

> Dublin. And they dont have internet over there.

And there was I thinking that I had "won" through sheer skill and cunning. How unkind of you to shatter my delusions in this way.

Come to think of it, I did rather think that the forum was a little quiet - LOL!

[Ladymuck]

Am I the only fool who has only just twigged as to why the new Cycle Superhighways are blue (as opposed to green as previously)?

Apparently, it's because (along with the Cycle Hire Scheme) they are being sponsored by Barclays Bank! Does this mean that, when the 5-year sponsorship deal ends and say, a company such as Santander pick up sponsorship, that they will be repainted red?

[karter]

keeping it blue would makes sense, changing it to red would be rather confusing me thinks.

[Ladymuck]

Yes but the old lanes are green - it's already confusing!

Edited to add: well, not confusing...but inconsistent (which some might find confusing).

[karter]

oh the incompetence...

*sounds just like Ladymuck*

[Sandperson]

They were always planned to be blue, it's just a 'happy' coincidence that it's Barclays blue. I saw the plans for them last year, before sponsorship was in place and blue was always the colour.

[Ladymuck]

Sandperson Wrote:

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> They were always planned to be blue, it's just a

> 'happy' coincidence that it's Barclays blue.

Well that's interesting...and what a coincidence. I mean, out of all the different hues of blue...it turned out to be "Barclays Blue". I am wondering now if this was a persuading factor so far as Barclays are concerned LOL!

I saw

> the plans for them last year, before sponsorship

> was in place and blue was always the colour.

I don't suppose you happen to know what the logic behind the new colour was? Was it by any chance because it is more visible than green at night (to me, it is)?

[Applespider]

Ladymuck Wrote:

>the last time I got

> knocked off my bike, although I was in pain, I

> assumed that any injury was minor - turned out

> that I had sustained a hairline fracture to my

> hip.

Yikes! My swelling is going down... the bruise is coming out, it's going to be a corker!

I've read one of the theories for making the cycle superhighways blue was that they should be considered the equivalent of a motorway for bikes - and that signage is blue.

Speaking of signage - green roadsigns for drivers indicate primary routes which you can have in the city. I wonder if this was one reason why the cycle superhighways weren't kept green like the other cycleroutes since two sets of green signs along the road might have been confusing. Since we don't have any motorways near the superhighways, drivers shouldn't get led astray by cycling blue signs?

I also heard that the original shade of blue chosen wasn't Barclays blue but once they came on board, they changed it. Someone on a cycling forum said that one of the early sections near Balham was repainted after the announcement in a different shade.

Not sure if they're easier to see at night but the particular shade makes it difficult to see flaws/ruts in the roadsurface - I've only cycled CS7 a couple of times but eesh, bits of it were bumpy and unexpectedly so since hadn't spotted them in advance.

[Ladymuck]

Applespider Wrote:

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> ... the bruise is

> coming out, it's going to be a corker!

You sound almost proud LOL! You can show it to all your friends down the pub! Cyclists generally delight in showing off their various scars!

As for the reasoning behind the new blue...it gets more and more mysterious...

[Applespider]

Well... I'd rather not have fallen off but since it is bloody sore, I'd rather it look the part down the pub! :)-D

[Ladymuck]

Absolutely! Lay it on thick and hopefully you won't have to buy any drinks.:)-D

[karter]

bikes have lights and reflectors, why don't they have indicators? :)

[Ladymuck]

Because we have perfectly good arms?

[karter]

Ladymuck Wrote:

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> Because we have perfectly good arms?

do your arms flash and glow in the dark?

[Ladymuck]

Very funny karter!

They do glow (I have glowing wrist bands)...

Flash? They don't, but could do if I really wanted them to. Just means I would look more of a Christmas tree than usual.

[DJKillaQueen]

It's a good question though but the answer probably lies in that fitting indicators requires wiring and relay switches etc which all have to be powered.

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

Think pedal power might be available DJKQ!

[Ladymuck]

Presumably you are talking about dynamos PGC? But then wouldn't some kind of switch system in order to start/stop the indicators still be required?

[karter]

looking like a christmas tree? Why not. and pedal power indeed. Could this be one for dragon's den?

[Applespider]

I'm sure indicators would just be one more thing to get nicked :'( but it would make sense. There are times (wet, windy, bad road surface) where I'd much rather keep both hands on the handlebars than take one off to signal... a little button/switch to just flick on the indicators would be much much easier.

A brake light would be handy too. I wonder how many motorists/cyclists actually know what the 'slowing down' signal is.

Edit - and who knew - they're already on the market

[Ladymuck]

Applespider Wrote:

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I wonder how

> many motorists/cyclists actually know what the

> 'slowing down' signal is.

It's the single-winged birdie about to take off impression isn't it? Well, that's what I've been doing all these years.

[Applespider]

Yes... me too. But since it rarely seems to get the preferred response, I wonder how well known it actually is.

I was told that in mainland Europe, it's different - that they have to put their hand straight up instead which sounds awkward.

I confess to rarely using it myself though - if I'm having to stop quickly enough to feel the need to warn the driver behind me, then I probably also want to be using the front brake which I can't do if my arm is 'indicating'

[woofmarkthedog]

Cycling TopTip?

Having trouble fitting new hand grips onto the Handlebars ?

http://www.evanscycles.com/product_image/image/421/6d7/73c/50514/product_page/odyssey-aaron-ross-signature-grip.jpg A little "hairspray" into the grip & onto the bar area; slips the grip on pronto

It dries & sticks the grips firmly to the bars

W**F