Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - "Neophyte fixed gear riders shouldn't venture into city traffic!"

Rofl.

I was reading through this:
http://www.amazon.com/Bicycling-Magazines-Training-Techniques-Cyclists/dp/1579541682

and came upon this great bit:

"Mastering a fixed gear bike is particularly difficult, but neophyte fixed gear riders should not venture into city traffic, or caranage will almost certainly ensue."


:roflmao2::roflmao2:

:roflmao2: I find it easier to ride in downtown traffic than most places

:roflmao2: I find it easier to ride in downtown traffic than most places

yup it is. but some people find cars daunting at first.

How new are we talking here? Barely able to stay upright, or new to city riding?

"Mastering a fixed gear bike is particularly difficult, but neophyte fixed gear riders should not venture into city traffic, or caranage will almost certainly ensue."

I hope the errors are yours and not from the book. Persumably it actually read:

"Mastering a fixed gear bike isn't particularly difficult, but neophyte fixed gear riders should not venture into city traffic, or carnage will almost certainly ensue." Did he say "is" or "isn't"? Without "isn't" the "but" is redundant.

Anyway, wise words I'd have thought. In Tokyo there have been quite a few crashes caused by people getting on fgs and thinking they can ride around Shibuya without practising first.

Actually "but" is merely a conjunction so whether it is "is" or "isn't" it is not redundant. It might have a false implication but that is a different story.

Grice In The Houuuuuuuuse

"Mastering a fixed gear bike is particularly difficult, but neophyte fixed gear riders should not venture into city traffic, or caranage will almost certainly ensue."

I hope the errors are yours and not from the book.


I have a newer version of that book. I actually just read that statement last night and it says "is" and "but;" it does sound off. I remember reading a lot of typos though.

In this kind of use, "but" introduces something that is true even though it seems unlikely given what has already been asserted. That's why it sounds odd; if we hear that mastering a fg is particularly difficult then it would seem likely to us that neophytes should beware of city traffic.