We can only dream! :love:

The trick isn't in out running the one on the bike....but rather outrunning his radioing ahead to have you boxed in and wrapped in taser wire. :lol: That said they are generally pretty good types, that DO understand the issues in cycling around the city..... having been pulled over for blowing/roasting/cooking two consecutive red lights. Seems I was radioed ahead and the two bike police blocked my path. Would have been dead simple to evade, but I would have been sooo busted. Then I was given the pass on the two moving violations. Good Times...I'd love to "escape" as a training exercise with them in an official capacity.

I would hate to ride those bikes the gearing seems so low! I would go insane after awhile

In car circles this is referred to as a "Ricer Fly-By."

Hi All-

I wonder why they're equipped with a triple crankset. One would think that a double would be more than sufficient for urban/suburban patrol and could simultaneously cut weight and maintenance.

~ Blue Jays ~

so, I'm curious about the take-down technique, like a cyclocross dismount side-tackle? From googling, sounds like some of them use the bike itself to take the legs out from perps.

Overland Park, KS used to use those. I haven't seen an OP PD bike in about 2 years, though.

I've seen Kansas City PD officers on bikes but it was always from a distance and I have no clue what they were.

To the OP:

Police bikes, as you can see, are usually just a mountain bike or hybrid with front suspension. If you were on a road bike, you probably would have better gearing, aerodynamics and rolling resistance compared to the cop, not to mention they still carry a lot of stuff. There'd a good chance that the cop didn't know you were racing and probably didn't make any attempt to chase you. Keep in mind that they probably spend as much time time on their bike in a day as you spend on yours in a week. There's no reason for them to tucker themselves out burning a lot of extra energy chasing someone that didn't do anything wrong. They have better things to do than race punks on road bikes.

ha! spot on!

FYI, the ones that look different may have been personal bikes. I believe some cities allow bike cops to use their own bike.

The guy I saw did a cyclocross-style running dismount. He just swung his leg over and kept running, letting the bike fall over, and did a flying tackle.

Saw one do that here too. Pretty impressive!

Here in Calgary, they ride the Treks. Most of the cops I see riding look to be in pretty good condition, but for some reason I always see them riding on the sidewalk.

donnamb posted an article a while back from a portland biking website written by a bike patrol Officer in the Portland area about why this is. The article is pretty good so I won't try to paraphrase here.

Normal cop bike setup around here is a police bike which is basically hardtail MTB with a rear rack, a rack bag, blinkie headlight and yellow blinkie taillight. (I don't know the brand, but those LED lights they have are really bright.) They ride slowly, and have very little reason to go fast when there's no emergency.

I used to work in the same building as a Capitol Hill Police HQ. They were mostly using full suspension Specialized police bikes - I think aluminum frames for those - and a few Trek OCLV hardtails. They looked fun to ride around on, I often wished I was riding with them instead of stuck in front of a computer while looking out my window.

Here it is:
http://bikeportland.org/2007/01/23/g...-on-sidewalks/

I've just been noticing that the Covington PD here is now covering the Big Soos Creek Trail. I'm not certain what bikes they are riding, as sometimes they are on foot, sometimes on bike. I'll have to take a closer look when I see one of them next. I did have a nice chat with the LEO this morning on my ride. I'm pretty happy to see them out on the trail, myself.

East Hill

I have one of those nexave silent hubs in my junk drawer. I also have a spare older, black, non suspension mtb frame (trek 800), that I have been considering building up into a cop bike setup (lights, rack, etc). But I'd probably never ride it.

i gotta say...I quite like the pig on his handlebars. nice to know some bike cops have a sense of humor!!

Hmm.. I wonder how bike cops train. Any insights DeputyJones/Chipcom? I'm sure they ride with the full 9 on. I'm not talking the .355cal here either. I'm talking the whole Batman belt, outfit, and assembley.

I was thinking cops should (if they don't already) ride with thier full gear for training or similar in that stock weigh class then add an extra 10-20lbs more then your usual duty gear. I'm sure after 2 weeks of riding you'll be uber strong then. When you're on duty take the training weights off and you'll feel lighter and faster and like that duty belt wasn't there.


Zero_Enigma

I'e run across a few (2) bike LEOs around the Dodge Park area here in Michigan. They ride XC bikes with 700x35-38mm tires, rear racks, and trunk bags. The one guy I have talked to from time to time is real enthusiast and showed me quite a few bandit trails in the area.

Older GT i-drives on campus

Back home they have some old decrepid Trek 820s that are just beat to hell (I used to work at the LBS, and these guys could destroy a bike faster than anyone I have ever seen)

I find police on bikes to be more friendlier (sp?) then those in police cars. At least they are on the the bike and it's something you can relate and identify with when you're biking as well. I find the Toronto downtown bike police friendly when I spoke with two of them last year. Heck they even let me lift up thier bike to check the weight of it and showed me thier BLT light beams. They're very cool. Now when it was enviromental days I was at the local event and saw a police bike inside the community ice rink during the summer which was made into a gaming den for the kids. I went up and checked out thier bike and spoke with the guy who owned the bike. I think the guys name was Officer Ross (first name). I could be wrong. He allowed me to take photos of his bike but he didn't seem too friendly like the downtown bike police. Anyways, I should have the police bike photos online sometime this week. The Toronto police from the few I've seen use I think old used bikes cause the bikes I've seen are not consistant in brand/color/make. It's like it's the officers personal bike that just got the reflective decals of "police", lights, and a trunk bag.

I have been told before that Silent Sports' "Thin Blue Line" line had a contract to build custom bikes for the police a while ago but now I don't see any more "Thin Blue Line" models sold on thier website.


Zero_Enigma

I don't really know for sure. Out here it isn't practical to have regular bike patrol in most areas because everything is so spread out so we only use them for special events or if a problem area perks up that needs special, silent attention ;)

For us any regular training would be done by the Officer in his spare time. Initial training is provided by the department through some organization that I forget now.

I say I don't know because other areas with regular bike patrols may have training routines, etc built in to the Officers duty time. Honestly, the whole concept of bicyclist/cop interaction and bicyclist traffic enforcement is pretty foreign out here due to the fact that there are very few bicyclists.

When I lived in Tucson,us Mtb/Commuter types would have fun with the Bike Officers all the time! they would challenge us to some pretty hi-tech riding!! we would run thru the washes playing bike tag,try to out track-stand them,try to out climb them on some of the wash sides ect. they are GOOD on those Treks!! they are fun to have around and it strikes me as a good way to use commuity policing skills,we knew them by their first names as they did us,they knew our bikes (made it nice when one came up missing,they could spot a Dirtbag on your bike in a NY min!) and understood the problems that we as riders indured (it was fun watchin them nail a dumb cager!) and the are quite physically fit Try to out run one...Not in this lifetime!!

If only more officers around the country were as Skilled at being Law Enforcement Officers,and this coming from a screaming Liberal/Deadhead is quite the Completment!! (Please,NO reflection on anyone on BF's,Cops are human too,some are cool some are not)