chefisaac

phyl: the fact is that you get faster when you push and ride with people who are faster.

phlydude

Huh?

chefisaac

city slick tires (not tired.. lol) for your mtn bike? Tires that are not nobby?

CraigB

At the risk of derailing the thread, I need to say that it all depends on the particular trail's rules. Our trail has posted rules that require everyone to stay to the right of the center line except when passing. The only other rule (besides hours of operation) is that bikes yield to rollerbladers, rollerbladers yield to pedestrians and everyone yields to motor vehicles at the crossings.

Given that, on our MUP if the peds are staying in their lane, they have no obligation to get out of cyclists' way. It's the cyclists' responsibility to slow as needed until there's a passing opportunity. As a cyclist on the trail, I have no expectation that a pedestrian will get out of my way and I ride accordingly, in a responsible manner. As a pedestrian on the trail, I stay where I am in my lane, even if it's near the center line, regardless of how many bells or horns I hear from overtaking cyclists, or how many shouts of "on your left!"

I see far, far many more rude and dangerous cyclists on our trail than rude and dangerous pedestrians. They're there, no question, but in far fewer numbers.

wfournier

+1

I've ridding the trail being discussed here many times and yes you will occasionally find someone who is not paying attention and makes things difficult, but by and large they are few and far between. Honestly the closest call I've had was with a cyclist riding on the left side of the trail talking to his buddy and not looking where he was going. Narrowly avoided a head on collision (I sort of assumed he would look up and move over, when it be came clear he wasn't going to I said something and rather than moving he stopped in a panic forcing me to test my emergency braking). Had a similar incident in the dark, I myself and another guy were riding with lights (small lights but enough to make us visible) and we almost get taken out by a cyclist going the other way with no lights and no verbal warning what so ever.

phlydude

The tires are not knobby - they have some tread but are road/light gravel tires. Not slicks by any means but not meant for off-road either!

phlydude

and as far as my experience with MUP - the one I ride frequently is not divided - the peds that cause problems are ones that walk on the improper side or decide that their group is immune to the rules and walk 3-4 wide and take up the WHOLE path width

Neil_B

And of course every ride should be like that.

Neil_B

The SRT is generally a pretty safe place as far as riding goes. I think Speedy Chef and his buddies were going too fast. Again, not a surprise.

Indyfabz, does the SRT have a posted speed limit? I've been on other trails that have posted limits of 15 MPH.

chefisaac

I didnt know 14 mph was fast for the SRT.

The SRT is a good trail but it does get much busier in philly. I am not sure if it is still called the SRT as it gets into philly or not but that area is busy.

craig: so you guys have dedicated lanes for people on the MUP?

chefisaac

neil: does ever ride haveto be like that? Nope and I didnt say it has to be. Each to their own. For me, I do enjoy it as a workout.

But if you do want to get faster and/or stronger, riding with people better then you or on challenging rides, it will help you and thats were I want to grow because it is something I can measure. I use it as a workout Neil. If a ride is a workout in some way, fun, interesting, pretty, and neat, its right for me. Might not be right for other people and thats ok.

Again, I am sorry you had a bad experiance on the ride.

Sayre Kulp 

+1

dhender02

Nice ride report!!! I haven't rode into Philly yet, but I plan on doing it one day... Great pictures, what type of camera did you use? Optical zoom?

chefisaac

dh: Camera phone! You are more then welcome to come with us. We do a lot of rides in PA and DE.

indyfabz

I have never seen a trail-side post, but there is a 15 mph speed limit:

https://trails.montcopa.org/trails/cw...ilsNav,%7C.asp

indyfabz

It is, but very little of it is actually within the city limits. Heading east, there is a sign indicating the city line. That's also where the trail narrows. It ends maybe a mile or so east of that. You bear right onto Port Royal Ave. and then onto Nixon St.

Sayre Kulp 

So is there a plan developing for this weekend? Right now, it seems like nature is trying to hold out for on more sweet weekend of riding.

chefisaac

I dont think I will be able to ride in Philly this weekend. Riding in DE on Saturday (Sayre: you are more then welcome to come) and then planning to find a route to and from work on Sunday by bike.

phlydude

Yes - there is a ride in DE on Saturday starting @ noon:

Meet at Noon at Crabby Dick's in Delaware City for lite snacks and a ride starting at one pm.

Over Reedy point bridge and south on flat route 9 to Smyrna and return by 4pm to Crabby Dick's.

Those WCBC bikers that are on the list for Bike Maintenance School will leave after dinner at Crabby Dick's.

You can do the ride alone if that works..... 30 miles 13.5 mph

wfournier

I think that may depend on what people want to do, I was considering doing the DE ride but if something longer and closer to home were to materialize I'd certainly be tempted to do that. Saturday is the better day for me but Sunday may be an option (although it's going to be harder). I've been wanting to get a longer ride in before it get's too much colder so riding to Philly would be my choice. Heck we could probably make it a metric century with some planning if people wanted to do that.

Neil_B

I'm out. Magic Chef wants to have a racing ride and I'm not capable of it. Besides I want to spend time celebrating Paterno's dismissal this weekend.

CraigB

Our MUP has a posted limit of 20, which is absolutely insane, IMO.

phlydude

Neil - I went on a ride with Jim and Isaac - while they did have speed that I didn't, they made sure they stopped and rested every 5 miles or so (and me riding around 12 MPH, I wasn't more than 15-30 seconds behind them at any point) - the main breaker was a overly protective dog that came off a property into the road...owning dogs myself, I know never to run (or pedal) away from a dog. Slow down, speak loudly and sharply and tell it to 'git away and go home. Worked well but Jim and Isaac were at speed and me being behind a little after a hill saw it and was able to slow down and try to predict the dog's actions.

Now I can't speak for your experience with this group but I will say that I never felt like I was being left behind and I never felt like they were rushing the rests. If it were up to me, I wouldn't have stopped as often and there was a time of two where they waited for me at the top of a steep climb and when I caught up to them, I told them to keep going, I'm good.

Having a positive attitude goes a LONG way in any group ride...I can say that from seeing some of your posts, I can see where someone might want to distance themselves from you during a ride if you are being negative and are talking poorly about the riders in the group. Sometimes all it takes is a little up front discussion and a bit of communication during the ride to let them know that you are struggling so they can slow the pace, take more frequent breaks or take longer breaks.

I think it would be safe to assume that you don't want to do any rides with Jim from Middletown...that's OK - don't blame Isaac - he is trying to build distance, climbing ability and speed (while losing weight) and if he wants to push himself and do that with a stronger rider, than that is his choice.

Neil_B

**********?

Pity your statement about me, on a ride you weren't on, isn't true.

phlydude

Hence the:
Now I can't speak for your experience with this group