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Winter.. the ultimate take-the-lane season.

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Winter.. the ultimate take-the-lane season.

Old 12-05-05, 08:01 AM
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Winter.. the ultimate take-the-lane season.

We had like an inch of snow over the weekend and 2-4 more coming. No way in hell I'm staying to the side of the lane where the plowed snow is. Center of the lane all the way for me!
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Old 12-05-05, 08:15 AM
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Wanna borrow the "Death Star" ?
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Old 12-05-05, 08:51 AM
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That what sucks- the later in the season it gets, the further from the curb it gets... and cars don't even see you because what kind of lunatic is out biking in the winter. I hate it.
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Old 12-05-05, 09:09 AM
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yeah some of my shoulders and bike lanes were hard / icy snowpack. would probably slice my tires!

the lane is perfectly dry and safe
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Old 12-05-05, 09:15 AM
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Snow? Yea, I've heard of that stuff...
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Old 12-05-05, 09:17 AM
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yeah, i went for a ride yesterday. luckly traffic wasn't bad on a sunday, but i pretty much had to take the lane. then, in prospect park, i was sliding all over the place and my brakes didn't work at all.
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Old 12-05-05, 09:36 AM
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If there's no tire tracks there, or has been there long enough to be iced over, it's no longer part of the roadway anyway. When you take a lane, you demonstrate this.

'Cept as filtersweep says - you can't see what your brain doesn't comprehend as a possible reality, say, a person riding a bicycle in winter temperatures or conditions. if that's the case, you have to take a lane too, if those types will never see you anyway.
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Old 12-05-05, 10:25 AM
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Originally Posted by timmhaan
yeah, i went for a ride yesterday. luckly traffic wasn't bad on a sunday, but i pretty much had to take the lane. then, in prospect park, i was sliding all over the place and my brakes didn't work at all.
You riding that new road bike of yours?
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Old 12-05-05, 10:26 AM
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Originally Posted by 2manybikes
Wanna borrow the "Death Star" ?
You probably think its for visibility but it's actually to melt the snow as I go.
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Old 12-05-05, 10:35 AM
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Originally Posted by slvoid
You probably think its for visibility but it's actually to melt the snow as I go.
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Old 12-05-05, 10:39 AM
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I see cyclists all the time in snow. They're called, "delivery men". They ride bearing Chinese food & pizzas.
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Old 12-05-05, 10:43 AM
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Originally Posted by slvoid
You riding that new road bike of yours?
yeah, i was plowing through the snow in it. i'm shopping for some nice CX tires or road tires with a little traction on them for my other bike. then i'll switch over to that on these snowy\rainy days.
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Old 12-05-05, 01:29 PM
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I went out for a ride today (not working these days) taking the lane as is generally wise to do and was passed on the right by two very agressive drivers... in a single lane road (well, one lane each way, double-yellow). Sometimes taking the lane doesn't work.
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Old 12-05-05, 01:44 PM
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Today my wife drove me because I'm too afraid to take the lane in weather like this. I don't know what whackjob is fumbling his tim horton's coffee or driving with a frosted window. I rode on friday and rode the sidewalk, I felt guilty, more guilty than getting a lift to work actually.

We are supposed to be getting a chinook on wednesday so I'll probably remount the steed then.
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Old 12-05-05, 02:16 PM
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Yeah, it's dicey out there. My wife decided that she wanted to ride in, but she won't use a headlight. I explained to her that nobody is looking for her on the road, but she's all "no, no, it'll be fine". I took the lane quite a bit today, especially on the downhills. The cars were actually pretty good about it, and kept their distance. As Wulfheir said, it's supposed to get warmer on Wednesday, but then comes the slop of salt-infused dirty snow. I'm going to need a front fender...
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Old 12-05-05, 02:27 PM
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Originally Posted by pinkrobe
Yeah, it's dicey out there. My wife decided that she wanted to ride in, but she won't use a headlight....
Yikes! If visibility might be an issue, what possible reason is there for not using a headlight? Can I at least assume that she uses a tail light?

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Old 12-06-05, 09:39 PM
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I had second thoughts about going out until through the window I saw some kid plowing into snow and ice on a bike. I figured, yo, that's it. I'm definitely riding. My wife warned me a few times to avoid ice and whatnot. I said that you are putting a hex on me. Glad I rode. Lunchtime ride was excellent. Gotta get better gloves. My ski gloves made my hands sweat. Before that, they were frozen solid in a pair of Cannondales mountain bike full fingered gloves. Gotta find a happy medium.

Yes, I took the lane. Had to. The night before, I installed a mud flap to prevent crap from getting on my drive chain. After the first few gushers into the snow, it got old and I snapped out of it. Much safer where the snow is not. (Yoda says)
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Old 12-06-05, 10:07 PM
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Originally Posted by Wulfheir
Today my wife drove me because I'm too afraid to take the lane in weather like this. I don't know what whackjob is fumbling his tim horton's coffee or driving with a frosted window. I rode on friday and rode the sidewalk, I felt guilty, more guilty than getting a lift to work actually.
No worries, better to feel guilty than to feel 2000 lbs of cold steel ramming up your okole!
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Old 12-07-05, 07:11 AM
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Let's be honest. Even peds take the lane when there's reasonably heavy snow.
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