What are your cycling best and worst recomendations?

You can't really assume that every driver can't see you. Life doesn't work that way. If we assume we are invisible we would stop at every intersection when there is oncoming traffic that might decide to turn. We wouldn't ride slower than traffic because someone might right hook us. We would never take the lane. We have to ride defensively and be as visible as we can be, but nevertheless we do make some assumptions about being seen. As a practical matter, we have to.

I never go out anymore without high visibility clothing and flashing lights but I know it doesn't make me safe. Maybe it makes me safer though.

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Originally Posted by goldfinch

You can't really assume that every driver can't see you. Life doesn't work that way. If we assume we are invisible we would stop at every intersection when there is oncoming traffic that might decide to turn. We wouldn't ride slower than traffic because someone might right hook us. We would never take the lane. We have to ride defensively and be as visible as we can be, but nevertheless we do make some assumptions about being seen. As a practical matter, we have to.

I never go out anymore without high visibility clothing and flashing lights but I know it doesn't make me safe. Maybe it makes me safer though.

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No, I disagree.

Riding as if you're invisible (except to that 10% of motorists who do see you and are trying to kill you on purpose) doesn't mean stopping indefinitely until there's no traffic whatsoever on the road.

It means being prepared to swerve or brake hard if I need to, and having the skills to do so.

It means having complete situational awareness at all times, looking far up the road and using my peripheral vision and my mirror to identify potential hazards, what I call "seeing with my whole eyes." Not being distracted by music, phone calls, my training computer, or even deep conversations with other riders.

It means choosing a lane position based not only on motorists' *ability* to see me if they're so inclined, but also for the availability of escape routes if I need one; the ability to ride predictably i.e. not having to swerve to avoid grates, holes or debris; and the availability of traction (absence of traction-robbing paint, oil, sand, gravel or water) in case I do have to use those swerving/braking skills.

I'm all about hi-viz clothing too, but I'm realistic about what it does. It gives a heads up to the ones who would've seen me and done the right thing anyway - does them the courtesy of helping them see me earlier.

But mostly, I call it "exhibit A." I don't want my family to have to go through what I see in the news all the time, that a dead or injured cyclist is excoriated by news media, the public, and even the prosecutors and cops who should be enforcing the law against the motorist, because they were wearing the wrong clothes. They will find a way to make it my fault regardless, that's what they do, but that's one less thing they'll be able to use.

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Originally Posted by TigerMom

both my husband and I have trouble downloading and seeing bike routes and getting turn-by-turn directions.

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Where are you downloading the routes from? There's a problem with MapMyRide, has been for a few years now, and their lack of interest in fixing it makes me think they want everyone to subscribe and use their phone app, which makes sense - being able to download for free from there sucked revenue out of their stream.

Try RideWithGPS.com (subscription options also available, but their free maps work). I don't have the 800, I have the older 705, but I know plenty of people with 800s who don't have the trouble you're describing.


(Or - maybe I misunderstood your post - did you install some free maps? That might be your problem. I know there are free options available, but I bought Garmin's maps for ease of use as well as respecting the license.)

I also use the 800 with ridewithgps. No problems here either. I use free maps found online which don't violate the license :-)

And I'm one of those odd ones who is anti gloves. I can't find a pair that doesn't give me a problem in one way or another.

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Originally Posted by thekarens

I also use the 800 with ridewithgps. No problems here either. I use free maps found online which don't violate the license :-)

And I'm one of those odd ones who is anti gloves. I can't find a pair that doesn't give me a problem in one way or another.

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You are not alone, my second son never wears gloves, and he rides road,trail,downhill and dirt jumps......and yes he has lost palm skin a few times! I guess some folks just don't find them comfortable....

[QUOTE=goldfinch;673171]http://www.velofred.com/klickfix-con...aul-p-453.html

This bag fits on the seatpost of my very, very small framed bike. Finally I can go for long rides and have a place to put all my stuff, from food to discarded warm clothing.

http://www.velofred.com/images/bags/...s/0217sf01.png

My bad buy was the mini seat post bag, which would fit on the same klickfix adapter. The bag hangs too low and rubs my rear tire. Otherwise, it is a really nice bag. Unfortunately, I tossed the receipt and tags and can't return it. Maybe I can find a different bike to put it on.

That's an awesome bike rack!, I have been looking for something like that. Thanks for the post, I'm going to get me one:)
I liked the helmet too. I tend to pick clothing that practically glow there so bright, just incase I encounter the odd dolt out there behind the wheel.

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Originally Posted by tealtreak

You are not alone, my second son never wears gloves, and he rides road,trail,downhill and dirt jumps......and yes he has lost palm skin a few times! I guess some folks just don't find them comfortable....

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Well to be candid, I wear full fingered gloves when I mtb. I guess it's the difference in position. I just haven't found a pair that doesn't bother me in one way or another when I road ride.

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Originally Posted by OakLeaf

No, I disagree.

Riding as if you're invisible (except to that 10% of motorists who do see you and are trying to kill you on purpose) doesn't mean stopping indefinitely until there's no traffic whatsoever on the road.

It means being prepared to swerve or brake hard if I need to, and having the skills to do so.

It means having complete situational awareness at all times, looking far up the road and using my peripheral vision and my mirror to identify potential hazards, what I call "seeing with my whole eyes." Not being distracted by music, phone calls, my training computer, or even deep conversations with other riders.

It means choosing a lane position based not only on motorists' *ability* to see me if they're so inclined, but also for the availability of escape routes if I need one; the ability to ride predictably i.e. not having to swerve to avoid grates, holes or debris; and the availability of traction (absence of traction-robbing paint, oil, sand, gravel or water) in case I do have to use those swerving/braking skills.

I'm all about hi-viz clothing too, but I'm realistic about what it does. It gives a heads up to the ones who would've seen me and done the right thing anyway - does them the courtesy of helping them see me earlier.

But mostly, I call it "exhibit A." I don't want my family to have to go through what I see in the news all the time, that a dead or injured cyclist is excoriated by news media, the public, and even the prosecutors and cops who should be enforcing the law against the motorist, because they were wearing the wrong clothes. They will find a way to make it my fault regardless, that's what they do, but that's one less thing they'll be able to use.

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As a practical matter we don't disagree on the importance of defensive riding skills.

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Originally Posted by thekarens

Well to be candid, I wear full fingered gloves when I mtb. I guess it's the difference in position. I just haven't found a pair that doesn't bother me in one way or another when I road ride.

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Is it the padding or thickness? I wear weight lifting gloves for the road, they are thinner/lighter but just enough (:

I can't stand ANY padding in gloves. I wear one style now, made by Botranger. They are 40.00, never go on sale, but worth it. You also can't buy them at any discount sites.
Padding puts my hands in spasms of pain.

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Originally Posted by tealtreak

Is it the padding or thickness? I wear weight lifting gloves for the road, they are thinner/lighter but just enough (:

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Padding. My mtb gloves have zero padding and I love them, but I don't like full fingered gloves for road riding. I tried the performance ones, but they still have a little padding and don't fit right. I need to find those Bontrager ones to try :-)

PS I have weight lifting gloves and have tried those as well.

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Originally Posted by thekarens

I also use the 800 with ridewithgps. No problems here either. I use free maps found online which don't violate the license :-)

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I will try to use the ridewithgps.com instead of mapmyride. Unfortunately, most of the routes that we are interested in is on mapmyride. We have problems downloading routes already done by other people on to our Garmin's. You would think that you could just export the GPX files on to the Garmin and then, voila, it's there. But nope, it's a hit a miss situation (although it does seem to work a little more often through Garmin's free Basecamp software).

Also, supposedly, the Garmin 800 gives turn-by-turn directions as you bike/drive once the route has been downloaded to the Garmin, but nope. The Garmin 800 does give turn-by-turn directions if you plug in an address.

Usually when I rave about "best", it has to do with a particular piece of equipment that saved my butt under particular conditions. For instance, tubular CX tires are friggen' magical when you're taking a sharp fast turn on gravel. It's seriously like velcro, not a single hint of slipping or wobbling. However, I cannot recommend putting tubulars on, say, a commute bike, unless you're good at gluing quickly under duress on the shoulder of a busy street. :)

I've found OMG IT'S COLD redemption from Rapha's merino neck gator, Specialized's Deflect gloves (especially when I was skiing and that was all I had, heh), and Defeet's Wool-E-Ator socks.

Now that it's finally getting warm, my "bests" are a little more generic: the new Specialized Purist bottles, Sidi Dominator 5 shoes, and the giant green tin of Bag Balm.

If there's been one thing that rubbed me the wrong way, literally, it was Castelli's super-short bike shorts that went under their magical riding dress. The shorts were the perfect length to complement the dress (and I have stories of my husband finally riding behind me on the singletrack), but a few hours of pedaling rendered the inside of my thighs raw like hamburger. Ouchie.

-- gnat!

Best:
Continental 4 season tires

Worst:
Sunscreen that runs into your eyes. Ouch.