Commuting - Caution: bike bears are waking up

Ok, spring is here. The bike bears are coming out of hibernation and wobbling over the roads.

2 days ago: 10 riders, 8 bears
yesterday: 3 riders, 2 bears
today: 3 riders, 2 bears

It's kinda amusing to see them struggle as zip past them. See there is an advantage in trying to ride year round


What's your experience?

Nothing. I can barely see with all the pollen in the air and my eyes constantly watering.

http://images2.wikia.nocookie.net/uncyclopedia/images/1/18/Bear_bike.gif

Bike bears. That is hilarious. A perfectly apt description.

Being sanctimonious must be so satisfying.

http://images2.wikia.nocookie.net/uncyclopedia/images/1/18/Bear_bike.gif

I really was riding in good form that day....

This actually comes waaay too close to what I look like on the bike.:roflmao2:

Bike bear? Like this ad right next to the original post?

http://img512.imageshack.us/img512/3655/imgadk.jpg

Being sanctimonious must be so satisfying.

Oh, have a sense of humor.

Need a crosspost to the clydesdales forum:rolleyes:.

No bear problem here. As far as I can remember I've only heard of one (Black) bear signing since moving to Western NY back in 1985. More recently Cyotes have seen and in at least one instance a (thankfully non rabid) Cyote bit a person.

My most exiting animal encounters were the following:
1. A beautiful red fox. The fox was on the opposite of the road. I stopped the bike and we looked at each other for a minute or so before he ducked back into the woods. Clearly he had enough food as he was a looked healthy

2. A flock (is that the right word) or wild turkey was on the bike path next to the Erie Canal in Rochester. When I was riding down the path, I first throught they were Canadian Geese. Canadian Geese are all over the place here... nearly plentiful as pigions are to Trafalgar Square in London. As I got closer I noticed that the birds were in fact wild turkey. I only got to within about 20 yards before they walked off into the shrubs. Its amazing how quickly they blend into the background. They were completely out of sight by the time they got more than 4 feet into the shrubs.

I love seeing the wild life... but at least the wild life here isn't likely to kill you. I would NOT want a run-in with a large bear or mountain lion, or other such "fun" wildlife that you can find out West.

Happy riding,
André

Need a crosspost to the clydesdales forum:rolleyes:.

heh:p

Started at nearly 398 and now down to 350 lbs and ride year round, thx!

Don't assume that all of us bears are as out of shape as you think:
Just had my physical.
My vitals are RHR 60, BP 110/75, Cholesterol 140 (total)

What was it my Dad use to say about poking the bear.........?:D

Well I have to say I am quite proud of these "bears". I was a bear at one point. I came out of hibernation in January and remember struggling up over the bridge. Sure now I kill it, but every time I pass one of them I just hope they don't get discouraged and stick with it!

Coincidentally, I picked up a bear bell at Walmart today. $1.88
No bears around here.

Around here it's the opposite. For the first 3 or 4 weeks of nice commuting weather, I get attacked by roadies on thin-tired 15 pound bikes on the MUP. Some I can't reel in at all. Others I can barely keep up with. Some I can't shake. Then as fast as they came, they're gone. I have a theory that they leave the MUP as more people use it, or perhaps they switch to roads after the street cleaners do their thing.

And remember:
http://blogs.fayobserver.com/weather/files/2009/02/colbert-bears-threatdown.jpg

Oh, have a sense of humor.

You first. :thumb:

Bear doesn't always mean fat creature. I'm the other type of bear, i.e. very hairy man.

I didn't get the bear=fat guy thing at all.

I think the OP just means slightly sluggish, still slightly awkward cyclists coming out of hibernation for the winter (like a groggy bear waking up). There are plenty of them tottering and wobbling around, slowly getting their bike legs back after the long layoff! :thumb:

I love seeing the wild life... but at least the wild life here isn't likely to kill you. .

Happy riding,
André

Oh us bike bears wont kill you. well just knock you over and get the donuts out of you panniers;):D

Bear doesn't always mean fat creature. I'm the other type of bear, i.e. very hairy man.

It was my understanding that the other bear term referred to large hairy gay men.

It was my understanding that the other bear term referred to large hairy gay men.

I'm often mistaken for gay, but I'm not that large. ;)

We have an increasing number of light-leaving-wobblers. I applaud any new riders on the road to work. I am somewhat nervous as construction season approaches because the dump truck driving bears routinely kill half a dozen a year on the right hand side before they get their bearings back.

I'm often mistaken for gay, but I'm not that large. ;)

lol

I'm often mistaken for gay, but I'm not that large. ;)

In theater, you'd be classified as "Closet Straight". :roflmao2:

Nothing. I can barely see with all the pollen in the air and my eyes constantly watering.

I love and hate this time of year. When I'm biking i can actually breathe because my sinuses have to open up, but then my eyes start freaking out. I gave in and got some glasses, but it's still making me wonder where that allergy on/off switch is...

I'm seeing a lot of "bike bears" crawling out of their dens = tiny NYC apartments. I can tell who they are instantly. First and foremost I haven't seen their butts riding alongside me through the winter... Wimps. :lol:

The last line of this should probably say it has bear bells in it and smells like carbon fiber. :lol:

I think I may have ridden past a real bear today. I was up in bear country, and I heard something. Decided not to circle back and find out what it was.

be nice

be nice

Nothing wrong with a little sarcasm:twitchy:

Couldn't find the spandex thread? Ran into fellow travelers waiting on a draw bridge.
One guy was built like a bear, with twice the paunch to go with it, in spandex!
This body image thing seems to affect people differently I guess.:wtf:

I think I may have ridden past a real bear today. I was up in bear country, and I heard something. Decided not to circle back and find out what it was.



Did you see the headline about the hiker hit by a car while fleeing from a bear?

If she had been a cyclist, I'd say it was a pretty bad day on the bike...:D

Definately bear season on the DC area MUPs. It's not that they're slow and numerous that bothers me, I want more people on bikes. It's when they have no trail manners like weaving or riding on the whole path...But hey, it's not a bad thing to slow down and enjoy the weather a bit.

And yes, the allergy brutality is in full effect here too.

Must be Spring!

In Florida bike bears never sleep.