Bicycling

This store just opened up a few months back, and they had zero bike parking.

I emailed their head office, saying that I was planning to shop there, but not until they added a bike rack.

Went to check last night, and boom! Bike rack!

Anyone who has journeyed deep into the mountain ranges of Europe to take on some of the legendary climbs of the Grand Tours understands what it is like to stand on top of a mountain, breathing in the cold, thin air while surveying landscapes that roll away far below.

But British adventurer and all-round action man Neil Laughton, 60, took that achievement several levels higher when he journeyed to Nepal to set a new Guinness World Record for the highest ever bike ride.

Teaming up with Nepali Sirdar Nima Kanchha Sherpa, the pair rode and carried their bikes to the top of the 7,246-metre high Putha Huinchuli mountain over a period of several days, were Laughton rode 20 metres at the highest point, before turning tail and journeying back down again.

Laughton's machine of choice was a Brompton, while Nima used a Cube mountain bike for the ride.

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cross-posted from: https://lemmy.blahaj.zone/post/16756563

Source: Imperial War Museums

Image Description:

a battle scene set in a British village street, featuring a dismounted Territorial Army cyclist, in uniform and chin-strapped forage cap, loading his rifle. Behind him stand two more members of the battalion, one firing his rifle, the other placed his bicycle against a wall. In the background, the remainder of the battalion come to join them.

in 1986, mountain bikes were making their mark in Canada, as cyclists swapped out their 10-speeds for more rugged rides. This CBC news segment from The National explores the early days of the mountain biking craze, featuring enthusiasts like Ian K., who traded his Volkswagen-like commuter for an $800 mountain bike, likening it to driving a Porsche. While the trend was just beginning, the piece questions whether mountain biking would remain a luxury niche or become a mainstream activity as prices dropped and mass availability rose. Originally aired on May 26, 1986.

I was always wondering this. Imagine a steep descent. What is better for brake wear - braking constantly or more powerful just at the end? Anybody knows? Goes for both rim and disc brakes

I have a wonderful GT Transeo which I have been using for commuting and joy rides.

I'm thinking about upgrading since I did a couple of charity rides and even a race this year as well.

I have been riding road primarily but I'm thinking about gravel or all-road bikes since drivers in my area seem to be getting more... dangerous? If I get gravel then I can either go on bike trails or drive somewhere where there is less car traffic. There's also quite a few gravel events in my area.

I've been eyeing either the Trek Domane, Canyon endurance, or the Giant Revolt. Any other bikes to look into?

Budget - Preferably $1k-$2k USD. I'm okay with going up to $3k if it's worth it. I am not looking to be a pro, just something with a little more arrow and competitive than a hybrid bike 😅. Not afraid of buying used, but the market in my area is terribly non-existent. If I look for used bikes I probably would buy through BuyCycle.com or something.

In the evening twilight hours of September 11, 2024, Lael Wilcox became the unofficial new world record holder for the Fastest Circumnavigation of the World by Bicycle (female).

Wilcox left Chicago's Grant Park at 7:06 a.m. on May 26, 2024, and returned to the Buckingham Fountain 108 days, 12 hours, and 12 minutes later, having completed 18,125 miles (29,169 km) across four continents and 22 countries.

With her time, the 38-year-old Alaskan has unseated Scot Jenny Graham who held the record since 2018 after completing her unsupported journey in 124 days, 10 hours and 50 minutes.

"I had so much fun — felt like I could’ve just kept riding forever," Wilcox commented at the finish, where she was welcomed by family, friends and the Chicago cycling community.

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"She said she didn’t see us. Didn’t see us. She was very, very upset."

The driver did stop and is not expected to be charged.

This makes me furious, but it's completely expected.

Cars are the only weapon where you can kill someone without consequence, even if it was pure negligence or entirely on purpose.

This was one of two for me. I was visiting near Winter Park, CO (USA) and got to explore the dirt roads. Not many people or cars. Peaceful and great scenery. Very fun and wonderful weather. Got to try out using my new SP Connect phone mount + OSMAnd for navigation. Can recommend for sure.

Let's see pics or hear stories from your rides, folks. Where did you ride? What amazing things did you see?

NHL player Johnny Gaudreau and his younger brother were killed Thursday night when they were hit by a suspected drunken driver while riding bicycles in their home state of New Jersey, police said.

Gaudreau, 31, and brother, Matthew, 29, are Carneys Point, New Jersey, natives and were in the area for their sister Katie’s wedding scheduled for Friday in Philadelphia, at which they were to be groomsmen.

New Jersey State police said Friday the Gaudreau brothers were cycling on a road when a man driving in the same direction attempted to pass two other vehicles and struck them from behind, causing fatal injuries.

Police said the driver, Sean M. Higgins, was suspected of being under the influence of alcohol and charged with two counts of death by auto and jailed at the Salem County Correctional Facility.

Johnny Gaudreau, known as “Johnny Hockey,” played 11 professional seasons in the league and was set to enter his third with the Columbus Blue Jackets. He played his first nine with the Calgary Flames, a tenure that included becoming one of the sport’s top players and a fan favorite across North America.

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I bought an Elemnt Bolt recently and now I'd like to get heart rate sensor to go with it. The Wahoo ones seem to be sold out everywhere, though. Are there any other sensors I can use? Is it compatible with Ant+? Does anybody have experience with using third party sensors?

I found a Specialized Allez Sport (2014) that a bike shop is pricing at $425. It has rim brakes and downtube shifters.

Is this a decent deal?

Hi all, I just got a new bike and I want to find a good solid way to attach my mobile phone somewhere near the stem. I want to be able to track some of my rides and use the phone for navigation sometimes too so it has to be visible & touchable wherever I mount it.

My bike (Cannondale Topstone 2 gravel) has mounts for a top tube bag, or I think I've seen some sort of secure mounts in use by folks I ride with.

What's your fave solution for this these days?

Cheers!

Anthony Williams stepped off his bicycle late Saturday morning and let out a soft groan as he sank into a red folding camp chair on the side of a gravel road. A fine layer of brown dust covered him, from his pink helmet all the way down to his patched, black leggings.

Someone handed him a paper plate with two tortillas filled with peanut butter and honey. He slowly took several bites then paused, too exhausted to notice the honey dripping onto his lap.

“I’m having a really hard time staying awake,” he said.

The 25-year-old St. Paul man had just bicycled 124 miles in roughly nine hours — but he was only halfway to the finish of The Day Across Minnesota, a 242-mile ultra-endurance cycling race known as “The DAMn.”

The goal is pretty straightforward: Push off at midnight from Gary, S.D., a hamlet on Minnesota’s western border, and pedal to Hager City, Wis., just across the Mississippi River from Red Wing, Minn., before midnight strikes again.

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I recently found that the OsmAnd app lets you adjust the safety of your bike routes, so you can prefer safety over distance.

When navigating, click the "Ride Style" button and choose "prefer unpaved roads." That name made me think it would find gravel/off-road trails, but it actually selects safer roads. In my experience this setting chooses the optimal routes--it's finding the same general path that I would pick based on local knowledge, and it found improvements where I could take a slightly different street for a few blocks to avoid cars!

Also, OsmAnd~ is available via Fdroid with all the paywalls removed.

TL;DR - It was fine, though I know my limits. Test in safe place if you want to try. Biggest issues are condensation making the mask slip down and finding a way to cleanly pack it away.

Although I'm lucky to have a rail trail in my city, I have to ride beside vehicles for most of the trip to get there. This includes getting over some fairly substantial hills which obviously makes me breath quite heavily. Usually I would run out of breath on the second hill and have to take a break, but recently I've also been having coughing fits. This might be psychosomatic as I've learned about how bad exhaust fumes are for your health (thanks NJB). Regardless, I started wearing a cheap respirator from the Orange Box store.

Certainly it makes it more difficult to breath, but for me it's a net gain. No more coughing fits, I can make it over that second hill and the dummy in the massive cope-wagon doesn't bother me as much.

The only trouble I have is packing it away once I get to the trail and the moisture from my breath builds up in the mask so it starts slipping down my face and blocks my nose. I think I'll have to get a more expensive mask to solve that issue.

As a disclaimer, I've been in the cadets and have years of martial arts training, so I know my limits. I suspect some people that try to wear a respirator while cycling might pass out, which is not a good thing to do when the people beside you are putting their convenience over your health and safety.

Stay safe (and healthy) out there.

Hey y'all! Wondering if people will share their opinions please on these two new Gravel bikes I am looking at.

First, I ride casually, on the weekends. I want to spend equal time on- and off-road; there are lots of compacted gravel and dirt roads near me I want to ride. I have a road bike now, but its 25mm wheels and its slicks don't do dirt and gravel like I want.

First, the Salsa Warbird C GRX 600 1x:
https://www.salsacycles.com/bikes/2024-warbird-c-grx-600-1x

$3300 USD MSRP but a LBS has one for $2800.

Warbird C GRX 600 is a carbon gravel bike with a few tricks you won’t find anywhere else. The frameset features our gravel race geometry, a perfect blend of stability and comfort that only comes from decades of gravel riding experience. Our Class 5™ VRS (vibration reduction system) cuts chatter — and fatigue — from rugged roads that would otherwise beat you up.

OTOH, the Canyon CF SL 7:
https://www.canyon.com/en-us/outlet-bikes/gravel-bikes/grail-cf-sl-7/3095.html

Actually a mix of GRX 600 and 800 parts and an FSA Crank.

If you need to shake up your riding routine, then gravel is the answer. The lightweight Grail CF SL 7 is a hugely versatile bike ready for all your year-round off-road adventures, and comes complete with Shimano’s GRX810 gravel groupset.

I'm leaning toward the Canyon, but would appreciate any feedback / other ideas you all have for a gravel bike in the same price range, available new in the US. Cheers!

Edited for clarity.

Saturday evening casual rides, as it cools down after a hot day, are the best.

I'm considering Fiido Titan as e-bike for shopping and short distance commuting. It's hilly where I need it. Any thoughts on bike quality or anything else? From a review on YouTube it seems decent enough. TIA