2nd hand exhaust
#1
Felt Rider
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Tigard, OR
Posts: 28
Bikes: Felt Racing Road Bike & Schwinn Moab II al. MTN Bike
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
2nd hand exhaust
The last few days of riding, I've been pushing myself a little more. This results in harder breathing and sucking in more exhaust. Today I was passing a long line of traffic at the lunch hour and I could really tell the diff. in my lungs from breathing in exhaust. I can tell a big dif. between getting winded on the road w/ traffic vs. getting winded on the trails w/ the mtn bike.
I'm sure there are health consequences from breathing in vehicle exhaust but not sure how bad. I don't really have a point, just wondering what some of you think. I think I'll plan my road rides around the lunch hour & rush hour traffic from now on..
dv
I'm sure there are health consequences from breathing in vehicle exhaust but not sure how bad. I don't really have a point, just wondering what some of you think. I think I'll plan my road rides around the lunch hour & rush hour traffic from now on..
dv
#2
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 1,114
Bikes: 2006 Raleigh Cadent 2.0, 2016 Trek Emonda ALR 6, 2015 Propel Advanced SL 2, 2000 K2 Zed SE
Mentioned: 3 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 115 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
I would think that this is mostly a placebo effect, maybe the smell of the cars is bringing it along. Modern pollution control systems on cars are extremely efficient. I can't imagine riding past a line of cars would be a problem.
Then again, I'm so slow I could ride with a plastic bag over my head and not run out of oxygen, so, yeah.
Then again, I'm so slow I could ride with a plastic bag over my head and not run out of oxygen, so, yeah.
#3
Magnesium Dogmatic
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Long Beach, CA
Posts: 1,939
Bikes: Look 585 Ultra, Pinarello Dogma, Pegoretti Duende, Orbea, Cannondale Capo
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Unless someone inhaled and exhaled the exhaust before you did, it is not second hand.
#4
Beginner
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Tustin, CA
Posts: 46
Bikes: Trek 4300
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
i get what you're saying and i feel the difference too. and despite what kc0bbq said, even though there are stricter regulations on newer cars, there are still plenty of older cars on the road who contribute a good amount of bad polution. not to mention in ANY city: riding, walking, living... you are going to inhale tons of bad air and if you live/exercise in those conditions long enough it's possible to suffer some long term ill-effects. that's why i'm deciding to move to the country... not to mention it's much prettier.
if you want more information there's quite a bit on the internet... or if you were just talking then talk on... i agree with you
if you want more information there's quite a bit on the internet... or if you were just talking then talk on... i agree with you
#5
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 635
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
The thing in car exhaust that you should be concerned about it CO. When you breath in CO, it makes strong bonds with the hemoglobin in your red blood cells. These bonds take a long time to be released, and with fewer available hemoglobin bonds for oxygen to bond with, you have a reduced aerobic capacity.
#6
Live to ride ride to live
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Austin, Texas
Posts: 4,896
Bikes: Calfee Tetra Pro
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
I have wondered about car exhaust too, but the people in the cars would be breathing the same air as you.
#7
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Ky. and FL.
Posts: 3,944
Bikes: KHS steel SS
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
The only thing I can say is make sure to go to the front of the line at stop lights so that you don't get any more than needed. Other than that you are going to get some exhaust.
#8
Making a kilometer blurry
Yeah, CO2 is localized heavily at busy roadways. Not much you can do about it other than choose a different route. I've had asthma for years, but no changes in it's status after 17 years of HARD urban road riding.
#9
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: New York
Posts: 1,945
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Studies have shown that drivers and passengers in a car have more exposure to exhaust than cyclists and pedestrians. Think about it, at a light you are sitting right behind a car idling for a few minutes.
On the other hand, between the city buses, school buses, and trucks, I figure my commute is the equivalent of a pack a day habit.
On the other hand, between the city buses, school buses, and trucks, I figure my commute is the equivalent of a pack a day habit.
#11
Banned
I can tell many of you haven't spent all day riding in city traffic. You'd know it as soon as you took a shower, wiped your eyes, or picked your nose. You get covered in and inhale soot from car exhaust, and no it is not good for you. That black gunk in the corners of your eyes and in your nose is soot. That big black swirl going down the drain when you first get in the shower and especially on your legs, that's soot. That grit on your legs is little pieces of asphalt and who knows what else.
#12
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: In the foothills of Los Angeles County
Posts: 25,032
Mentioned: 8 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 8147 Post(s)
Liked 8,800 Times
in
4,368 Posts
CO2 does come out of cars but CO is the deadly stuff. CO is what kills people when they run the car in a closed garage. They also spew NOx, HC, and other lovely stuff. Diesels put out a lot more soot and solids than gas engines, although 2007 diesels are cleaner than older ones. Yes, if you ride in slow traffic you can feel it, but it's not a bad as tobacco smoke.
#13
Felt Rider
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Tigard, OR
Posts: 28
Bikes: Felt Racing Road Bike & Schwinn Moab II al. MTN Bike
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
As far as breathing the same or more exhaust while being in a car vs outside the car on bike.. When I'm in a car in traffic with the windows up, I don't smell it. I'm also not breathing hard either. When I'm passing a mile of stop-n-go traffic, large trucks included, I'm breathing hard and can definitely smell it. And like I said, seems like my lungs feel it too as opposed to not when I'm mt. biking where there's no traffic.
Thanks,
dv
Thanks,
dv
#14
3 - 2 Getting Better.
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Jacksonville, FL
Posts: 54
Bikes: 2008 Giant TCR C3
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
The thing in car exhaust that you should be concerned about it CO. When you breath in CO, it makes strong bonds with the hemoglobin in your red blood cells. These bonds take a long time to be released, and with fewer available hemoglobin bonds for oxygen to bond with, you have a reduced aerobic capacity.
#16
takin' it to the streets
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Denv-arrrgghhh
Posts: 1,093
Bikes: 1999 Kona Kapu; late 70's/early 80's Araya road bike/commuter bike.
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
I read a study a few years ago on the BBC's website that was talking about the dramatically increased damage to your lungs if you are working out in a polluted area. They studied cyclists and runners and found that when they are working out they are breathing far deeper and using more of their lungs than just pedestrians. As a result they are placing pollutants far deeper into their lungs, which is far harder for your lungs to remove with their self-cleaning methods.
Anyone see this too? I wish I could find it again.
Bottom line, it's not good for you. As far as degrees of not goodness, who knows. But I hate the feeling too. I can 'feel' it when I'm in the exhaust.
Anyone see this too? I wish I could find it again.
Bottom line, it's not good for you. As far as degrees of not goodness, who knows. But I hate the feeling too. I can 'feel' it when I'm in the exhaust.
#17
Despite all my rage, I am
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Posts: 2,613
Bikes: LeMond Zurich, Colnago C-50
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Just to clarify, CO is what cars spew out (Carbon Monoxide.) CO2 is Carbon Dioxide - that's what YOU breathe out.