Murphy's Laws of Cycling

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Here's mine:
The quietest, most scenic routes will also have the very worst roads (potholes and/or chip-sealed surface). :rolleyes:

[artifactos]

The repairs you can't manage yourself will always be needed during the one week your favorite bike mechanic/LBS owner is out of town.

The smallest rideable roads with the least traffic will also have the largest number of loose animals in your path or chasing your bike.

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The smallest rideable roads with the least traffic will also have the largest number of loose animals in your path or chasing your bike.

Ooh, yep, I think this is true, too.

Also, related to this:
The dogs that don't look at you twice while running turn into Cujo when they see you on a bike.

Seriously, routes that I have run for years and "know" the dogs on have really shocked me...these same placid dogs are INSANE at the sight of a bicycle. I want to yell, "dudes, it's just me...remember?" Maybe I need to stop and let them get a sniff so they might put 2 and 2 together...

[OakLeaf]

The smallest rideable roads with the least traffic will also have the largest number of loose animals in your path or chasing your bike.

Also the steepest hills. :eek:

[MartianDestiny]

It doesn't matter if it's sunny, 70*, the road is straight, flat, and well paved, and visibility is literally miles in either direction. Someone WILL pull out in front of you or try to run you over and use "I didn't see you" as an excuse.

[Blueberry]

Also the steepest hills. :eek:

And the most roadkill:eek::eek:

[TsPoet]

I'm afraid of geese (I was bitten by one when I was too young to consciously remember it) -
the most beautiful MUT will always have geese on it.

(and there are about 5 people in the US who know that it's Finagle's law, not Murphy's law:
Finagles Law = "what can go wrong, will"
Murphy's Corollary to Finagle's Law = "if there is a way to engineer something that will end in disaster, someone will engineer it that way"
Thus my dog's names - Murphy and Finagle)

Edit - I just googled Finagle's Law and got a slightly difference answer than I said above - according to Wiki and others they are corollaries of each other, but not in the way I defined them above - so Murphy's Law it is!

[Desert Tortoise]

Road kill is bad enough, but when it is off to the side of the road unseen and you get that awful whiff - whew! Dead coyotes are bad but the javelinas are the worst!! Oh, and the smell last days and days and days....

[Owlie]

If it is nice enough to ride, work/school will be extra busy.

The road will be at its grimiest on your first ride after spending a few hours cleaning your bike.

[marni]

in texas ( at least) no matter which direction you are going,, the wind will always be against you.

The smaller and quieter the road, the more longhorn cattle will be loose and choosing not to move.

marni

[Adventure Girl]

I = TPD/2

TPD = Total Planned Distance
I = most likely place you will have an incident

Example:
Total planned distance = 58 miles.
Most likely place for an incidnet = Mile 29

At mile "I" you will get that emergency phone call that says, "We need you right away". Or your derailleur will gag and you have ride in one gear the rest of the way. Or you will have a minor crash that is just bad enough that you can still ride, but it isn't fun anymore.... Happens every time!:mad:

[Melalvai]

The best roads to ride never go through a town that has water & food.

[artifactos]

The biggest hills on your back-road route will never have a shoulder to use if you have to get off and walk.

On the prettiest days, the light wind will bring the stench of the water treatment plant across the road you are riding, and keep it there. For the most trafficked stretch of the ride, too, where you can't just speed your butt up to get fresh air faster.

[zoom-zoom]

in texas ( at least) no matter which direction you are going,, the wind will always be against you.

We get this in Michigan, too. Glad to know it's not just a "lake effect" issue. :p

[Cataboo]

We get this in Michigan, too. Glad to know it's not just a "lake effect" issue. :p

The wind gods hate me, one day I'm gonna sacrifice a goat to them and see if it helps. If I'm trying to fly a kite, kite-surf or kite buggy, there will be absolutely no wind or intermittent wind that makes sure to try to slam me against the ground or something.

If I am kayaking or biking, there will be a headwind in all directions.

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If I am kayaking or biking, there will be a headwind in all directions.

I hate when I run a square route or out-and-back and the wind follows me, switching to whatever direction I am facing. I think I'm jinxed! :p

[Ana]

I was out yesterday on my "usual" route and the roads were terrible! The cracks and potholes I remember were even more gaping :p The winter is extremely harsh on roads that are not in ideal conditions in the summer/fall :(

[Tater]

When pedaling hard enough that it requires one to breathe with one's mouth hanging open, the amount of gnats, no-seeums, or other little flying protein sources multiplies exponentially. Then one spends the remainder of the ride swishing water around trying to un-stick them from the front teeth, or wiping them from sweaty arms and face!

[kermit]

It's 95 degrees in the shade and you flat two miles into your "long" ride. You sweat so much you can't see what your doing to change the tube. Oh then there's the unexpected visit from "Aunt Flo". Mother nature is sometimes so cruel.

[PinkBike]

it is be-yoooo-tiful all week long, til your scheduled saturday and sunday rides.

[roadie gal]

I hate when I run a square route or out-and-back and the wind follows me, switching to whatever direction I am facing. I think I'm jinxed! :p

My friends have taken a vote and I've been elected "The Goddess of the Headwind". No matter in which direction I ride, I have a headwind - out and back.

[zoom-zoom]

it is be-yoooo-tiful all week long, til your scheduled saturday and sunday rides.

Too true! I was planning on a 2 hour ride this Sunday...but high temp is supposed to be about 40 with a mix of rain/snow/wind. I don't mind a run in that weather, but not a bike ride...brrr.... The whole weekend is supposed to be gross after a gorgeous week. *sigh*

[lo123]

My Murphy's law:

The tougher the hill, the faster the dog that's chasing you.




in texas ( at least) no matter which direction you are going,, the wind will always be against you.

The smaller and quieter the road, the more longhorn cattle will be loose and choosing not to move.

marni

God is that true. Was visiting my parents in the Houston 'burbs (where I grew up) a few weeks back. Thought I was going to die with the stinking headwinds! But the weather was SO nice (about 20 degrees warmer than here. All the locals gave us funny looks for wearing short sleeves and shorts in 60 degree weather)

Luckily no steer were loose when I was riding. Though in H.S. I almost wrecked into a solid black steer standing in the middle of a country road just past a sharp corner with no lights around. Ever since, I've been super cautious when driving/riding out in the sticks :D

[malkin]

I = TPD/2




Brilliant!

[Crankin]

When there is an unusual stretch of warm, dry, beautiful weather (as in right now), you are sick enough to stay home from work and miss some unbelievably nice riding days.

[malkin]

When there is an unusual stretch of warm, dry, beautiful weather (as in right now), you are sick enough to stay home from work and miss some unbelievably nice riding days.


That too.
That's how I spent the fall of 2009.

I hope you feel better soon and have beautiful weather then too!

[marni]

the one time in five years of riding that you forget your cell phone you will be in an accident.

marni ;)

[Bike Chick]

or have a flat and realize you forgot to replace your co2 cartridge from the last flat (and you are 30 miles from home):mad:

[Miranda]

+1 on loose dogs on the nicest routes... oh my, just when I think I can put that thought of the dog-crash outta my head, and am on a good dog free road... out pops a new chaser. Oy.

[evangundy]

There are too many days when DH wants to ride one direction but I don't, so I go the other ........ and I get rained on but he doesn't. Happens on a regular basis.

[tzvia]

The horses know the best lines on the MTB trail and leave their mark right there...
and you don't notice till you've chosen the best line and...

[Bike Chick]

Ewwwwww:eek:

[marni]

When pedaling hard enough that it requires one to breathe with one's mouth hanging open, the amount of gnats, no-seeums, or other little flying protein sources multiplies exponentially. Then one spends the remainder of the ride swishing water around trying to un-stick them from the front teeth, or wiping them from sweaty arms and face!

On a recent cross country we named that the human fly paper syndrome (hfps). The warmer and hotter the day and the more applications of sun screen required, the more gnats, no see um's and various other small insects will coat every surface of your body and require scraping off before you can apply more sun screen, and the less likely you are to have anything other than bare hands or a bent stick to scrape them off with.

marni lol

[marni]

I hate when I run a square route or out-and-back and the wind follows me, switching to whatever direction I am facing. I think I'm jinxed! :p

and sorry, no it's not just the wind of your passing- btdthmt (been there done that have memorial t shirt)

marni