Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - ITT: we discuss MUPs

Hate them. The Valley Forge path (20ish miles) is fine because it's all cyclists and occasionally people walking between close distanced suburbs. But the Kelly Drive MUP is a nightmare. I swear I had to yell "HEY-O" five times. Ugh. Rollerbladers with their annoying V-shaped patterns and tucking their hands behind the back, dog-walkers, clueless peds. I think what pisses me off most is city bike/hybrid bikers going two abreast.

ITT we discuss

whoa, a few too many acronyms in here

OR city/hyrbrid bikers picknicking in the middle of the path yesterday.

there's also the good things. like seeing razor scooter accidents!

I relegated MUP use to when I ride my cruiser. They're not made for fast riding, and when I'm on my SS, I can't not ride fast. Too many close calls with kids, dogs, and Europeans riding Segways.

there's also the good things. like seeing razor scooter accidents!

Pics next time.

veerers are the best.

No one uses the main MUP here. I see like 1 person for every 2 miles that i ride so I use it for one of my commutes to avoid all of the stops and lights.

I'm probably in the minority here, but I *like* riding fixed on crowded MUPs. It definitely improves one's handling skills, and there's almost a zen-like flow between rider and traffic as one swerves, speeds up, and slows down to avoid nasty wrecks.

It's fun.

:)

OP, do you hate that they exist at all, or do you prefer to not ride on them?

I love that multi-use paths exist, but the fact that you'll be competing for space with rollerbladers, people swerving hybrids, families with running children... well, that's a given. You don't get to be a bike stud on the paths - you're going to go slower, calmer, and share the path.

If I take Manhattan's west side greenway, it's usually because I'm feeling a casual crawl uptown rather than dashing through traffic like always. Since the frustrations come with the territory, it's best not to expect conditions more suited to your own personal awesomeness.

Hate them. The Valley Forge path (20ish miles) is fine because it's all cyclists and occasionally people walking between close distanced suburbs. But the Kelly Drive MUP is a nightmare. I swear I had to yell "HEY-O" five times. Ugh. Rollerbladers with their annoying V-shaped patterns and tucking their hands behind the back, dog-walkers, clueless peds. I think what pisses me off most is city bike/hybrid bikers going two abreast.

ITT we discuss

You sound like you have the same sense of entitlement that pisses us all off about cars when we hear them rant about cyclists on the road getting in the way of their drive...

If MUP stood for "high speed bicycle expressway" I'd be right with you in being pissed about all the non high speed experienced cyclists on it. It doesn't though, and those people have as much right as you to be on it.

I just don't take them for the same reasons you list, I don't mind that though.

That's a MUP. Expect it. Kids running around in cirlces, dogs on 10,0000 mile leashes, strollers, walkers walking 5 wide, old people, fixie-kids pushing their bikes up hills, and anything else you can think of.

OP, do you hate that they exist at all, or do you prefer to not ride on them?

I love that multi-use paths exist, but the fact that you'll be competing for space with rollerbladers, people swerving hybrids, families with running children... well, that's a given. You don't get to be a bike stud on the paths - you're going to go slower, calmer, and share the path.

If I take Manhattan's west side greenway, it's usually because I'm feeling a casual crawl uptown rather than dashing through traffic like always. Since the frustrations come with the territory, it's best not to expect conditions more suited to your own personal awesomeness.

I wanna be your friend.