Two newbie questions

[winjim]

Hm, I sort of disagree about the constant checking behind you. I always do if I'm about to make any kind of manoeuvre, but not for just cycling along in a straight line every 500 yards or whatever, what exactly would I be looking for? There's a car or truck a couple of hundred yards back? It's not as if there is anything I can do about it anyway.
All I'm likely to do is up my "will I get whacked up the a*se?" fear factor and I want to stay on my bike, not at home terrified to go out.

It's not a flick of the eyes as in a car, and I'm not about to put mirrors on my bike. I can hear cars, but not ninja cyclists.
Maybe I'm overstating it and I'm also perfectly willing to be shown the error of my ways if such be the case.

I guess like a lot of things it depends on the rider, the type of road and the traffic. Certainly when commuting I like to keep an eye on what's going on behind me. I disagree that there's nothing I can do if I see a large truck, for example. I like to ride far enough into the lane that I have room to make an evasive manoeuvre towards the kerb if needs be so it's useful to know what's coming up behind me.

I'm also looking out for approaching cyclists.

 

[EnPassant]

I guess like a lot of things it depends on the rider, the type of road and the traffic. Certainly when commuting I like to keep an eye on what's going on behind me. I disagree that there's nothing I can do if I see a large truck, for example. I like to ride far enough into the lane that I have room to make an evasive manoeuvre towards the kerb if needs be so it's useful to know what's coming up behind me.

I'm also looking out for approaching cyclists.

Oh I completely agree about the far enough out, for various reasons, escape space being one of them, in fact since reading hereabouts, if anything I've got even further from the kerb . But I'm at least a metre out all the time, not only if there's something behind me, so I wouldn't move further out for a truck, I'm already there.

Personally I'll take the odd surprise of a cyclist overtaking me over the surprise of a pothole I didn't see whilst peering over my shoulder, I'm still often caught out by how much ground I can cover even at the mediocre speeds I manage (compared to some here). So yes, depends on the rider and if one day you pass me, it won't be entirely feigned surprise.

However I'm still learning in all respects, roadcraft included, maybe I should fit a rear facing camera and one of those new fangled eyepiece viewers apple keep trying to flog us? Then again, on reflection (pun intentional) maybe not .

 

[tommaguzzi]

Maintenance. The bike will dry so just lube the chain now and then

Passing ? Nobody is happy riding in the rain anyway but if your faster and want to get home quick then just pass them. On another day may be do a good morning or bitch about the wind,weather , temperature. Maybe even hang around and have a chat I always think the "on your right thing " makes you sound like a right knobber especially when used at pedestrians on shared paths.

 

[winjim]

if one day you pass me, it won't be entirely feigned surprise.

I thought you'd be expecting it, and possibly even ready to counter, given your user name.

 

[Pat "5mph"]

Hi all,

Two newbie questions for you.

1. Maintenance. Got caught in a downpour today, so as soon as I got back the bike went in the garage and I jumped in the shower. Do I need to dry the bike off or apply any lubricants?
2. Etiquette. Whilst getting saturated I decided to push it a bit to get back quicker, I came up behind two fellow cyclists not going very fast. After following them for a bit and making sure there was nothing up ahead that would cause them to swerve I pulled out to overtake. About two bike lengths away I called out "on your right" to alert them to my maneuver, the look I received from the pair of them was complete disgust. Have I broken some Road cycling rule I didn't know about?

Hi!
I'd say it's good practice to dry your bike a bit, then give chain and chainrings a quick wipe with an oily cloth.
I am rarely fast enough to overtake, the only ones slower than me are new, wobbly cyclists: in that case I would very gently say something like "I'm passing you, on your right, is that ok?"
On looking behind, I think this is essential, I do it in traffic to make them aware that I know they are there and I'm not going to change direction suddenly.
Essential also on traffic free paths, because other cyclists see "woman, hybrid, panniers, must attack" ... the other day there was two wannabe racers in the park, one passed me on my left, one passed me on my right, both at speed.
If I wasn't aware, I would have gotten a fright, maybe rode into a pothole and fallen off.

 

[tommaguzzi]

I'm passing you, on your right, is that ok

And if they then say no that's not ok what should you do?

 

[Pat "5mph"]

And if they then say no that's not ok what should you do?

Stop, of course, and wait until they get their bearings.
Not everybody on the cycle path is quite confident of riding their bike - yet!

 

[tommaguzzi]

Mmmmm I can see that working