Cycling anyone?

[kennyt]

Originally Posted by rolexdaytona

Then on my way home a dumbass B*&tch had the nerve to slow her car down to the point were she was going as fast as me just to tell me and I quote " Get the F**K of the road AS*****E!" and sped off. I wasn't even in her way?! I was almost hugging the curb. What I like the most is when a jackass yells out " F**ing Fa**ot" when I'm riding, at a stop sign or at a light cause I have on my cycling tights. Then speeds off. If he(it's always been guys)had any balls he would say it when I was off my bike and stretching after a ride.

Well, good to see I suffer the same thing! Dude, you NEED to take a bike trip to Europe to really open your eyes. My wife and I try to do one a year, we did Tuscany, Italy south of Sienna with Backroads and it was one of the best trips of our lives! You are climbing STEEP grades on road bikes with grannie gears and can hear the cars flying up behind you, you start to cringe, but alas, the car slows to your speed until they can see ahead to SAFELY pass, then they give you a polite toot of the horn and WAVE as they pass!!!!! Just don't challenge the little old men riding practically antique road bikes, as they'll climb 18% grades with 42/21 gearing!!

In Florida we have many large groups of cyclists, and recently a guy ran his car through the entire group, while people were trying to pick up the pieces of bikes and people (two died) the guy stood up and said it served them right for riding on the road!!!!

I think most people are just so completely ignorant of cycling in this country they think you go out for a block or two, we go for from 20-70+ miles, you can't do that on sidewalks!!!

[rolexdaytona]

I think most people are just so completely ignorant of cycling in this country they think you go out for a block or two, we go for from 20-70+ miles, you can't do that on sidewalks!!!
I agree, I don't like to ride for less than 15 miles. My cousin has it made, he live in Southern MD and has a butt load of back roads to ride. He tells me he can go for miles without seeing a single car somedays. What envy! I cant go the damn corner stop sign without seeing a car zoom by.
How did you get your bike to Europe? Did you rent one there? Did you go as part of a tour package? I have to see if my cousin would like to do that. I'm going to PR in August and I'm trying to get something going there also.

[i30krab]

I used to do long distance cycling until July 1993 when a dump truck pulling a backhoe on a trailer passed me (I was on the right side where I belonged) and the jerk pulled in front of me and hit me with the trailer. I received a left rotator tear and a left knee medial meniscus tear. I managed to get $50,000.00 from his insurance and wound up with a net 35 thousand after lawyer and medical expenses. I never went back on a bicycle.

The funny thing was the idiotic insurance adjuster for the jerk who hit me. He calls and wants to know what I paid for the bike and from the little you guys on the forum know about me you shouldn't be surprised it was a custom bike I practically built myself.
So I told the insurance guy the bike was $2500.00 which it really was after I tallied up all my saved receipts. Then this butt head said that this is insurance fraud and you can get in trouble lying to us, no bicycle costs that kind of money I just bought my kid one for less than a hundred bucks. I laughed and told him I don't have time for his BS and I will mail him copies of my receipts and gave him the phone # of the 2 bike shops I patronized.

A week later they sent me a check for $2500.00 with no more crap.

What a world, the top 5% run the other 95%!

[kennyt]

Originally Posted by rolexdaytona

I think most people are just so completely ignorant of cycling in this country. How did you get your bike to Europe? Did you rent one there? Did you go as part of a tour package? I have to see if my cousin would like to do that.

We did Italy with Backroads, a US based tour group, they aren't cheap, but they totally accommodate you all the way and after going with some other groups, we'll try to always use them as they just have the deal down so well. They do give you bikes with your trip, and they aren't bad. they were Specialized aluminum frames, compact geometry with Shimano XT derailleurs and triple cranks (you needed them in Italy!) and all in all the bikes were in good repair. I might never have let my chain get so dirty, but mechanically they were sound.

You should make a trip of it with your relatives, even simple recreational cyclists would enjoy the trip as the routes for each day frequently vary from less than 20 miles to over 60 depending on your desires......

Needless to say with my wife the triathlete, we ALWAYS did the long rides! Ironically we also ate and drank heavily every day and I came home almost 10 pounds lighter than when I left, and forget about the ride the next day after getting home!!! I was passing CAT 3 racers on the ride!

[kennyt]

Originally Posted by i30krab

I used to do long distance cycling until July 1993 when a dump truck pulling a backhoe on a trailer passed me (I was on the right side where I belonged) and the jerk pulled in front of me and hit me with the trailer. I received a left rotator tear and a left knee medial meniscus tear. I managed to get $50,000.00 from his insurance and wound up with a net 35 thousand after lawyer and medical expenses. I never went back on a bicycle.

The funny thing was the idiotic insurance adjuster for the jerk who hit me. He calls and wants to know what I paid for the bike and from the little you guys on the forum know about me you shouldn't be surprised it was a custom bike I practically built myself.
So I told the insurance guy the bike was $2500.00 which it really was after I tallied up all my saved receipts. Then this butt head said that this is insurance fraud and you can get in trouble lying to us, no bicycle costs that kind of money I just bought my kid one for less than a hundred bucks. I laughed and told him I don't have time for his BS and I will mail him copies of my receipts and gave him the phone # of the 2 bike shops I patronized.

A week later they sent me a check for $2500.00 with no more crap.

What a world, the top 5% run the other 95%!

WOW! Sorry to hear that! I have been close to getting seriously hurt several times, always a car/trucks fault, but fortunately haven't gotten the 'hit' yet.

I know what you mean about bikes. My Seven retails out @ ~$6,000, while my wife's is ~$7,000, and her new Cervelo P3C is ~$5,000. To some of you this might seem extreme, but in my area, $15,000 bikes are not uncommon, and some go more than that.......

[deacongreg]

i30krab,

At least you came away with your life.