I've had too many riders nearly bump me as I pass after a coutesy,"onyerleft!". They all say sear it's safe but doesn't seem that way when they drift into me after I do whatever I can to make the passs safe. Last guy just about bumped me but received a very firm stiffarm. All he could do was apologize.

One jogger decided to cut infront of my wife on an underpass. Rocks and river on one side and a steel rail on the other. I had just told her to slow. We both yelled on her left and I rang the bell I had at the time. Sure enough as she started to pass, he made a sharp left cut into her. He bumped her, she swerved and nearly hit the rail with a loud scream. I stopped to give that jerkwad a piece of my mind. He said I had an anger problem. I said ," I sure do when some idiot just about kills my wife"!

But that's ok, it's safe! Especially when you flat, your tire hisses and you miss the warning and slide out of control.:thumb:

There is something we agree on. I think the world is going to end. ;)

I brought a "faux-pod" on tour filled with classical selections, but that was only for use at the campsite or hotel, never when riding. Why would I want to separate myself from the environment? If I wanted that, I'd have driven a car.

Nope, don't carry the phone on the bike, NEVER! You can verify this, just ask the forum riders. If another rider gets lost or goes down, I have no phone to offer for assistance!:D..Last incident arider went down in the mtns. One guy had a phone but no reception way up there. I don't talk on the phone while driving. My wife answers the phone while I'm driving,but ot me.

I was really shocked the other day when i saw a drive pull over to the side of the road to whip out his phone. Amazing!:D...I don't even spit into the wind!:p

I ride with music. I am not going to spur any arguing besides saying that I ride with music.

Usually on the list is:
Pennywise
Silverstein
The Rapture
The Knife


Really, just a ton of different stuff.

Nope, don't carry the phone on the bike, NEVER! You can verify this, just ask the forum riders. If another rider gets lost or goes down, I have no phone to offer for assistance!:D..Last incident arider went down in the mtns. One guy had a phone but no reception way up there. I don't talk on the phone while driving. My wife answers the phone while I'm driving,but ot me.

I was really shocked the other day when i saw a drive pull over to the side of the road to whip out his phone. Amazing!:D...I don't even spit into the wind!:p

I do carry a phone, if only because I commute, and if there's a problem, I need to let my employer know I'm going to be late. On tour last week a cell phone was just about useless outside a major city such as Cumberland, MD.

There is something we agree on. I think the world is going to end. ;)


No, two things! Second being, "Dude, you do some serious cycling"! Love the pictures of the trail rides. :thumb:I'm more the Martha Stewart that doesn't like getting my bikes dirty!:p

I brought a "faux-pod" on tour filled with classical selections, but that was only for use at the campsite or hotel, never when riding. Why would I want to separate myself from the environment? If I wanted that, I'd have driven a car.

Speaking of which, I have to rip this for the next tour:

"Fagottissima Terzia" (MDG) - Gurzenich-Fagottquintett - Bassoon bonbons, including music by Leroy Anderson (Bugler's Holiday), Henry Mancini, Bizet, Grieg, and others. Alto Heike Wagner sings "Loverly" and "I could have danced all night" from My Fair Lady, and some 30's pop tunes, in German with bassoon quartet and percussion. The whole disc is played with Teutonic seriousness. This CD has to be heard to be disbelieved.

No, two things! Second being, "Dude, you do some serious cycling"! Love the pictures of the trail rides. :thumb:I'm more the Martha Stewart that doesn't like getting my bikes dirty!:p

Did you approve of the 90 miles on the cracked rib? :lol:

Did you approve of the 90 miles on the cracked rib? :lol:


Yeah, that's why I won't carry a phone while riding. If I get a splinter in my finger, I'll call for a ride!:D..The Martha thread has great pics of the other NeilDude too!:thumb:...I beginning to think I'm a sissy!:D

Yeah, that's why I won't carry a phone while riding. If I get a splinter in my finger, I'll call for a ride!:D..The Martha thread has great pics of the other NeilDude too!:thumb:...I beginning to think I'm a sissy!:D

Well, Neil F. did have two folks running SAG for him, so don't start to feel inferior. If you had someone bringing you a milkshake......:)

Dude, the warning say 'don't ride with earphones'. Usually it's the idiot that can't follow directions that ends up hurting someone else or themselves. I could care less about the idiot but when he risks my safety, he's an even bigger idiot. Doesn't matter if you're in a group or riding alone. I guess you don't understand that part of the debate. "Nobody on the trail or around?", read that part again then maybe youi'll realize I was speaking of both sutuations, not just group rides. Matter of fact, read the warning that is provided with your bike,"do not ride with earphones" Maybe you'll understand it next time. And you talk about idiots!

Well dayum I must be an idiot. I've seen the light...one MUST NOT have their sense of hearing impaired while riding a bike. We need to add the following warnings IMMEDIATELY - lives may depend on it!

WARNING: THIS HELMET MAY CAUSE WIND NOISE AND SHOULD NOT BE WORN WHILE RIDING A BICYCLE

WARNING: THOU SHALT NOT TALK AND RIDE A BIKE

WARNING: DO NOT RIDE IN TRAFFIC, AS THE NOISE MAY IMPAIR YOUR ABILITY TO HEAR A FLAT TIRE HISSING.

WARNING, IF YOU DO NOT HAVE PERFECT HEARING, YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED TO RIDE A BICYCLE IN THE VICINITY OF THE GODS OF THE PATH.

Pleeze...I thought you had more common sense than this. Pity.

Edit; Hey I remember this same line of logic used by folks opposing motorcycle helmets: "I need to hear mechanical problems with my bike the the other noises in my environment and a helmet makes that more difficult. Wearing a helmet therefore makes me unsafe" You should hook up with ABATE! :D

I listen to music about 90% of the time on rides around home, and 60% on tour. I never listen to music when I ride with people, but I ride alone 95% of the time. I find music enjoyable and it helps pass the time. I like good sound so I use Sony Fontopia earbuds with silicon earpieces that block out wind noise and are comfortable. Plus they sound really good! (And they're only around $30, so I don't have a heart attack if I need to replace them.)

I use a mirror. I find that cars passing from behind can surprise me, even when I'm not listening to music. I simply don't always hear them. The mirror makes more sense to me than relying on hearing, although I don't remember to check it all the time. When I'm on a really wide shoulder I relax. When I'm on a narrow or non-existent shoulder I check the mirror constantly.

I tend to ride on the right side of the bike lane, so on the rare occasions when passing cyclists surprise me because I haven't seen them coming in my mirror, I don't block them anyway.

If you think riding while listen to music is idiotic, fine. You won't change my opinion and I probably won't change yours.

If you like listening to music like I do, isn't modern technology great? I went from a Walkman that played cassette tapes, to a discman (I could bring enough CD's for a day's ride but didn't even bother bringing it on tour because I didn't want to take enough CD's and I didn't want to listen to the same 4 or 5 over and over), to a mini-disc player, to an MP3 player. I use a Sandisk that has 8 gb of internal flash memory, and takes micro SD cards, so I can carry virtually unlimited amounts of music. (I wanted to avoid possible problems associated with hard drives.) The only inconveniences are having to change micro SD cards occassionally (oh no!) and finding places to charge the battery. Usually I charge it in restaurants while eating, but I've charged at a library while surfing the internet. I've even charged it by going to a vacant campsite with full hookups and plugging my charger into the electrical outlet on the wooden post.

Hey Bigblue, the term idiot was brought up by Chipcom while describing riders that can't chew gum and ride at the sametime. I only used the term in my response to his comments. "Idiot" is not directed towards any rider that sensibly debates the issue.

But like he states above, he has seen the light and I'll agree! But the agreement has nothing to do with the earbud issue!:thumb:

No headphones for me. Too dangerous. I went with radio on the handlebars for my commute. I keep it loud enough to hear, but any car will drown it out. A good Kansas wind or a fast downhill will drown it out too. I can also hear the people I ride with complaining they can't hear it.

damn thats a pretty cool setup

Music makes me pedal off cadence (since the beats per minute is either too fast or slow). I just can't stand pedaling out of beat with the song, so I don't use it. Drives me nuts otherwise.

Ride with music every day. Don't be an idiot w/ it....this argument seems to come up once a month around here, no??

Music yes, helmet no. Unfortunately I'm apparently too old to recognize any of the songs listed so far, so can't comment on the selections. Guess I'll go back to 50+ forum. But thanks for the March of the Cambreadth. Never heard of it but sounds good. Now if I can just find some good 6 inch speakers to mount on bike....

I use mine when I'm riding alone and if I come near anyone I usually pull an ear bud out just in case they have something to say. Personally, I would not use or condone the use of an i-pod on a group ride, the group rides in/around Atlanta are flat out races at times. I'd know if I had a flat since I'm very sensitive on how my bike(s) feel at all times. Most of my weekday rides are done on a somewhat controlled course so I have no trouble wearing my i-pod but if I'm doing a high traffic type ride I normally stay away from the Hendrix stuff.. :D

-Scott