Stucky

Just as in normal-people's world, where the last 40 years of dietary recommendations have been debunked and their propagators have done a 180....

And just like much cycling protocol has recently been debunked ("Pulling up on the pedals/going clipless makes you faster"; "Shaving a few grams off the bike will enable you to win the TDF", etc., ad-infinitum)

So now yet another long-accepted mantra of cycling has been thoroughly debunked.

Hold onto your [STRIKE]hats[/STRIKE]cycling beanies! This is going to be controversial, and upset a lot of people; and no-doubt spawn a long debate amongst those who refuse to accept it- complete with people whipping out their slide-rules, element tables, and references to obscure studies conducted in hermetically-sealed wind tunnels in Mr. Speciarello's very own basement....

But.....the truth must be told.

Are you ready for it? Are you sitting down?

Here it is [drum-roll please]:

The latest studies have shown that red bikes are not faster.

Oh...I seem to have lost the link. Oh well, you can take my word for it- I read it on the internet, so you know it's true.

Machka 

Red ones have never been faster.

Blue bicycles are faster.

Pirkaus

True, blue bikes are faster than red ones, but nothing is faster than a black bike.

Homebrew01

Clipless are "faster" up steep hills and sprinting.

Btw, the leader of the TdF often rides a yellow bike.

RoderWrench

Paint slows you down, it has no business on a race bike. Everybody knows that.

mcours2006

I think the findings are based on anecdotal evidence alone, so I don't accept it.

silversx80

I guarantee I can make each bike slower than the last, regardless of paint.

BadBurrito

So yesterday, I'm driving on the freeway (in a car as usually) and coming down the entrance ramp is a dude on a BLACK bike. street clothes, no helmet. Total bonehead move IMHO. anyway, I doubt he was at the 40mph minium speed for the freeway, but he was booking along pretty fast, sort of wanted to slow down and see what happened next but didn't.

BillyD

Steel is real, regardless of the color.

SempreCycling

What a letdown of a thread.

PepeM

I'll have you know that anecdotal evidence is far more valuable than science, which is all biased, corrupt, or flat out wrong.

RJM

People please!...Orange...Orange is the fastest color.

bakes1

I am pretty sure you should not even call something a bicycle if does not have a steel frame

TimothyH

This thread was 45 seconds of my life I'll never get back.

indyfabz

Not sure I understand the issue based on the information provided. I have ridden on Interstate Highways in five states, most recently in SD.

BadBurrito

well perhaps I'm uninformed/misinformed about bikes on the freeway, as I thought anything on the freeway needed to at least maintain the min speed. the posted min speed is 40mph, although possible for a short distance, I doubt this dude, who was "taking the lane" was going to maintain that speed. This was in West Des Moines, Iowa - the in town freeway, east bound, near 22nd street entrance around 4:30PM (about the time the rush hour traffic gets going).

also, you may want to check out this link Topic: Laws for bikes on interstate? |
of course this seems to contradict that: https://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/?doc_id=2616

digger

That orange is just rust on your steel bike.

series1811

Back when I was a patrolman I stopped a lady for speeding in a red Honda civic. Her license plate read "RRRRRED". I pulled another red car over for speeding that read "SPEEDY". Yet another read "2FAST4U". I surmise that there is a correlation between red and a person's proclivity to go fast, but everyone knows that black bikes are the fastest.

indyfabz

I know every inch of Interstate in MT is open to bikes. That fact is made clear on the official state highway map. I believe the same is true for SD. Portions of I-84 in OR through the Columbia Gorge are also bike legal. ACA's Trans Am route (legally) uses about 13 miles of I-80 east of Rawlins, WY because there is no other paved option. The 10 or so mile section of I-84 that I rode in ND was east of Steele. No other paved option. Portions of I-10 in AZ and NM are also bike legal as is at least one portion of I-5 in CA. I have never heard of any Interstates east of the Mississippi being open to bikes, but I can think of at least one NJ, limited-access, divided highway (SR 55) that is open to bikes. The generic signs at the on ramps that advise that horses, pedestrians and bicycles are prohibited have the word "bicycle" covered over.

In some cases, the highway can be safer than alternatives. When I rode in SD in June I could have taken a parallel road. That road had no shoulder, some ups and downs, and traffic. The Interstate was lightly travelled, flatter and had a wide shoulder. It was only on it for maybe 5 miles. One issue with riding on an Interstate is on and off ramps. You need to make sure no one is trying to exit or enter as you cross them. The alternative is to take the exit ramp and get back on using the on ramp so you avoid crossing the ramps to stay on the highway.

Taking the lane is a whole different issue. It's dumb unless you are occupying a turn lane of an off ramp.

RPK79

From personal experience I can tell you that my previous all red bike was not faster than my current bike which has an expert mixture of silver / red / black to maximize the speed potential.


Something that can really only be done properly with a steel frame.

RJM

LOL

Nice one.


shut up!

Stucky

Mine isn't! (Maybe I'm wearing the wrong color shorts?)

2manybikes

Red disc brake calipers are faster. It works on cars! https://www.ecstuning.com/ES2851854/