Invisible Bike

[JohnCade]

http://www.haibike.de/produkte_detail_en,,18875,detail.html

This Halbike Xduro race is the sort of ebike I might wear lycra on. I don't know if it's imported here though. I do have a hankering for a road type e bike. Apart from anything else it's much more comfortable riding any distance with your hands on the top of the levers, and there are so many different positions for your hands on drop bars to give them a rest or for climbing.

With the cost of ergo levers it's not such a simple matter to just change the bars as it used to be back in the days of frame mounted levers and simple brake levers though. So a road bike ready fitted as one is better.

 

[john h]

Its amazing how cars and people take notice when they see this on the road

 

[JohnCade]

I'm not surprised Dave, I think more are gradually getting the message. My reading of the OP's incident was the same as yours, it was avoidable and I would not have suffered it since I would have slowed in such a situation. That's why I've never been in collision with anything else in a lifetime of cycling and motorcycling, or even been at serious risk of that. Spending most of my life in London and the Home Counties, I'd rather be late than injured or killed.

The UK roads injury and death rates are the envy of the world, but two sectors still need to greatly improve, motorcycling and cycling. Both can legitimately point to much of the trouble being caused by other road users, but since that trouble is avoidable by their own self-safeguarding actions, for commonsense reasons alone, that is what they should do.
.

I used to go quite fast on motorbikes in my youth, and there have been occasions when looking back I almost come out in a cold sweat at some of the things I did. But the things I see many sports motorcyclists do now makes me wonder how they stay alive.

In riding at high speed on crowded roads many of them put their lives totally in the hands of other road users who for the most part are no better drivers than they should be. Many seem to have no understanding of how a car driver or a truck driver experiences the road and sees, or rather doesn't see them.

 

[KTM Bike Industries UK]

its been proven time and time again that hi vis doesn't make you any safer.

If you want to get noticed riding a bike, a blond wig is the most effective method.

 

[pdarnett]

It doesn't matter if you wore a full cowboy outfit, Phill will probably agree that West Yorkshire especially the Bradford/Keighley area has a very special vintage of drivers.
No indication, no insurance, no patience, using mobiles, illegally u-turning and no visible policing of any offence just for starters.
So you have to ride with the expectation that the next junction you cross could potentially be your last, that's how you survive!

It's not just cyclists in danger when drivers think that they can take on a bus!

(excuse crap quality)

 

[Gubbins]

Not a point I would willingly raise without first looking over my shoulder ..... But it's true that many around here seem to be able to get away with......... Well alsorts

 

[Gubbins]

http://www.haibike.de/produkte_detail_en,,18875,detail.html

This Halbike Xduro race is the sort of ebike I might wear lycra on. I don't know if it's imported here though. I do have a hankering for a road type e bike. Apart from anything else it's much more comfortable riding any distance with your hands on the top of the levers, and there are so many different positions for your hands on drop bars to give them a rest or for climbing.

With the cost of ergo levers it's not such a simple matter to just change the bars as it used to be back in the days of frame mounted levers and simple brake levers though. So a road bike ready fitted as one is better.

Now that's a cool bike....

 

[Gubbins]

Its amazing how cars and people take notice when they see this on the roadView attachment 10637

Is this actually legal?

 

[john h]

yes phill, people get them for horse riding ,cycling, ect they say polite , but most car drivers dont see that, so slow down thinking police person on a bike , works great (even seen groups of up to no goods run) from a distance it hard to tell

 

[john h]

pdarnet, place i hate driving through is forfar, all of the above you mentioned apply + stopping on mini roundabouts getting out of cars to have a chat with someone, +parking on your side of road facing you with lights on( thus blinding you), I could go on the list is long. i am sure they get there driving licence free in there corn flake packets in the morn.

 

[jonathan75]

its been proven time and time again that hi vis doesn't make you any safer.

If you want to get noticed riding a bike, a blond wig is the most effective method.

I've heard this too. In theory if we were completely rational we'd go out and buy blonde wigs. And yet, and yet...

 

[Artstu]

A friend my mine rides a bike whilst wearing her normal clothes, some times in skirts. I ride the same route sometimes. She has noticed vehicles giving her loads of space whilst passing her, but then sees the same vehicles cutting up cyclists further up the road. They don't give me much space either.

So in this instance I believe being female and in normal clothes is the safest bet. They see them for what they are, fragile people on bikes, it could be them and therefore relate to the cyclist. What they don't relate well to are fit fast lycra cyclists, they just don't realise they're just fragile human beings too, instead viewing them as invincible athletes like the tour riders who just get up and ride on after a nasty crash.

 

[JohnCade]

So in this instance I believe being female and in normal clothes is the safest bet. They see them for what they are, fragile people on bikes, it could be them and therefore relate to the cyclist. What they don't relate well to are fit fast lycra cyclists, they just don't realise they're just fragile human beings too, instead viewing them as invincible athletes like the tour riders who just get up and ride on after a nasty crash.

Bit of a drastic step there though. I won't book the clinic in Thailand just yet.

 

[SteveRuss]

I've heard this too. In theory if we were completely rational we'd go out and buy blonde wigs. And yet, and yet...

Hehe.. I'm just on the way to a funeral and that's cheered me up no end!!

 

[stu0001]

http://www.haibike.de/produkte_detail_en,,18875,detail.html

This Halbike Xduro race is the sort of ebike I might wear lycra on. I don't know if it's imported here though. I do have a hankering for a road type e bike. Apart from anything else it's much more comfortable riding any distance with your hands on the top of the levers, and there are so many different positions for your hands on drop bars to give them a rest or for climbing.

With the cost of ergo levers it's not such a simple matter to just change the bars as it used to be back in the days of frame mounted levers and simple brake levers though. So a road bike ready fitted as one is better.

http://www.haibike.de/produkte_detail_en,,18875,detail.html

This Halbike Xduro race is the sort of ebike I might wear lycra on. I don't know if it's imported here though. I do have a hankering for a road type e bike. Apart from anything else it's much more comfortable riding any distance with your hands on the top of the levers, and there are so many different positions for your hands on drop bars to give them a rest or for climbing.

With the cost of ergo levers it's not such a simple matter to just change the bars as it used to be back in the days of frame mounted levers and simple brake levers though. So a road bike ready fitted as one is better.

Just took ownership of one this week, it's amazing. Will post some feedback here or create a new thread on how is going for my daily 30km commute into Cologne in the coming weeks.
http://www.pedelecs.co.uk/forum/threads/giant-road-e-1-anyone-know-of-it.22509/

 

[mike killay]

I find that a judicious wobble when I hear a car coming up from behind helps.

 

[Croxden]

I find that a judicious wobble when I hear a car coming up from behind helps.

I also do that, if fact I do it all the time.

 

[jdallan]

I also do that, if fact I do it all the time.

Nowadays I also do that even when I'm not on my bike

Jim