Pile up in the TdF

Quoted message said:

I just saw this awful pile up! Must have been like 15 or 20 riders. It
was in a wet corner. Lance managed to avoid getting caught in it.

That's why you don't apply your brakes *in* a wet corner.

Quoted message said:

But something else I have noticed, they have REALLY nice streets to
ride in over there! Now I am sure it is because they are in the
spotlight. But still! They look far nicer than the streets I get to
ride on!

Ken

Streets and roads chosen for the TDF are either already in very good shape
or resurfaced prior to the. The exception would be for sections chosen
deliberately for their... character? Such as that nasty cobblestone stage
last year. But in general it's rare that they ride on bad road surfaces.
Narrow & twisty add enough to the danger.

--Mike Jacoubowsky
Chain Reaction Bicycles
www.ChainReaction.com
Redwood City & Los Altos, CA USA

Nice streets?? Ever try riding on wet cobblestones with 3/4-inch
tires?

Steve McDonald

Yes. Don't.

"Steve McDonald" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Nice streets?? Ever try riding on wet cobblestones with 3/4-inch
tires?

Steve McDonald

"Ken M" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I just saw this awful pile up! Must have been like 15 or 20 riders. It
was in a wet corner. Lance managed to avoid getting caught in it.

But something else I have noticed, they have REALLY nice streets to
ride in over there! Now I am sure it is because they are in the
spotlight. But still! They look far nicer than the streets I get to
ride on!

The French can maintain their roads due to the fact they aren't
spending billions of dollars a month dropping bombs on
bad people out in the desert.

Mike Jacoubowsky said:

Quoted message said:

I just saw this awful pile up! Must have been like 15 or 20 riders. It
was in a wet corner. Lance managed to avoid getting caught in it.

That's why you don't apply your brakes *in* a wet corner.

Probably dumb question of the day, but I didn't understand this when I
heard it on OLN. How does applying your brakes cause you to skid?

No the french like terrorists! They even do business with them!

Ken

At 8 Jul 2005 03:46:55 -0700, message
<[email hidden]> was posted by
"Ken M" <[email hidden]>, including some, all or none of the
following:

Quoted message said:

No the french like terrorists! They even do business with them!

Hey, you see? US values are rubbing off after all :-D

Guy
--
May contain traces of irony. Contents liable to settle after posting.
http://www.chapmancentral.co.uk

85% of helmet statistics are made up, 69% of them at CHS, Puget Sound

?huh? If you are refering to the U.S. and it's past relations with
terrorists, I will give you that much. But this president will never
make deals with them. He just bombs the heck out of them!

Ken

At 8 Jul 2005 03:57:04 -0700, message
<[email hidden]> was posted by
"Ken M" <[email hidden]>, including some, all or none of the
following:

Quoted message said:

?huh? If you are refering to the U.S. and it's past relations with
terrorists, I will give you that much. But this president will never
make deals with them. He just bombs the heck out of them!

I think you'll find that depends on your definition of terrorist - as
it always did...

Guy
--
May contain traces of irony. Contents liable to settle after posting.
http://www.chapmancentral.co.uk

85% of helmet statistics are made up, 69% of them at CHS, Puget Sound

<[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Mike Jacoubowsky said:

Quoted message said:

I just saw this awful pile up! Must have been like 15 or 20 riders. It
was in a wet corner. Lance managed to avoid getting caught in it.

That's why you don't apply your brakes *in* a wet corner.

Probably dumb question of the day, but I didn't understand this when I
heard it on OLN. How does applying your brakes cause you to skid?

This may not be the best explanation, but here goes:

There is only so much traction available at any given moment. Less when the
road is wet. If 90% of the traction is being used to negotiate the turn,
then you only have 10% remaining for braking. Asking the brakes to give you
any more than that will result in the tire slipping. Once it slips, it's
very hard to recover. Even if you have the reflexes to respond, a tire
that's skidding has even less traction than it did a moment before.

-Don

D DEMAIR said:

<[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Mike Jacoubowsky said:

> I just saw this awful pile up! Must have been like 15 or 20
> riders. It was in a wet corner. Lance managed to avoid getting
> caught in it.

That's why you don't apply your brakes *in* a wet corner.

Probably dumb question of the day, but I didn't understand this when
I heard it on OLN. How does applying your brakes cause you to skid?

This may not be the best explanation, but here goes:

There is only so much traction available at any given moment. Less
when the road is wet. If 90% of the traction is being used to
negotiate the turn, then you only have 10% remaining for braking. Asking
the brakes to give you any more than that will result in the
tire slipping. Once it slips, it's very hard to recover. Even if
you have the reflexes to respond, a tire that's skidding has even
less traction than it did a moment before.

Inertia. The bike/body is tracking around a corner. Hit the brakes (esp.
front), and the wheels slow /much/ faster than the frame and rider. Do
nothing and fall to outside; try to correct and tire(s) slide out.

Unlike most things, it's worse when wet (no idea what that means)... BS

C.J.Patten said:

Yes. Don't.

"Steve McDonald" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Nice streets?? Ever try riding on wet cobblestones with 3/4-inch
tires?

Steve McDonald

And you guys wonder why I prefer mountain bikes with 1.75" tires.
Bill Baka

Just zis Guy said:

At 8 Jul 2005 03:57:04 -0700, message
<[email hidden]> was posted by
"Ken M" <[email hidden]>, including some, all or none of the
following:

Quoted message said:

?huh? If you are refering to the U.S. and it's past relations with
terrorists, I will give you that much. But this president will never
make deals with them. He just bombs the heck out of them!

I think you'll find that depends on your definition of terrorist - as
it always did...

Guy

Way off topic, but do you know how much even one bomb costs these days? More
than some of us make in a year. A cruise missile is about a million and
those smart bombs have almost as much electronics as TNT. Dimwits, err,
excuse me, Bush's war is way past the 86 Billion dollar point he told
congress. Now my grandkids will be paying the bill and we still have crappy
streets with no bike lanes.
Bill Baka

Bill said:

Way off topic, but do you know how much even one bomb costs these days? More
than some of us make in a year. A cruise missile is about a million and
those smart bombs have almost as much electronics as TNT. Dimwits, err,
excuse me, Bush's war is way past the 86 Billion dollar point he told
congress. Now my grandkids will be paying the bill and we still have crappy
streets with no bike lanes.
Bill Baka

I didn't think you could stay away. Heh.

Of course, you're still on the wrong side of the (political) street.
;-)

BTW, those bombs you're complaining about saved tens of thousands of
civilian lives (go back to newsreels of London in WWII if you'd like
to see the alternative). Money well spent, IMHO.

Mark Hickey
Habanero Cycles
http://www.habcycles.com
Home of the $695 ti frame

Bill <[email hidden]> wrote in
news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

C.J.Patten said:

Yes. Don't.

"Steve McDonald" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Nice streets?? Ever try riding on wet cobblestones with
3/4-inch
tires?

Steve McDonald

And you guys wonder why I prefer mountain bikes with 1.75" tires.
Bill Baka

Hey Bill you are backa

Ken M said:

I just saw this awful pile up! Must have been like 15 or 20 riders. It
was in a wet corner. Lance managed to avoid getting caught in it.

But something else I have noticed, they have REALLY nice streets to
ride in over there! Now I am sure it is because they are in the
spotlight. But still! They look far nicer than the streets I get to
ride on!

Ken

Feel about the same as our streets when you hit them though.

At Fri, 08 Jul 2005 18:09:01 -0700, message
<[email hidden]> was posted by Bill
<[email hidden]>, including some, all or none of the following:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

?huh? If you are refering to the U.S. and it's past relations with
terrorists, I will give you that much. But this president will never
make deals with them. He just bombs the heck out of them!

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I think you'll find that depends on your definition of terrorist - as
it always did...

Quoted message said:

Way off topic, but do you know how much even one bomb costs these days?

Yes, about $5. A bag of fertiliser and a gallon of diesel.

Guy
--
May contain traces of irony. Contents liable to settle after posting.
http://www.chapmancentral.co.uk

85% of helmet statistics are made up, 69% of them at CHS, Puget Sound

At Fri, 08 Jul 2005 19:58:17 -0700, message
<[email hidden]> was posted by Mark Hickey
<[email hidden]>, including some, all or none of the following:

Quoted message said:

those bombs you're complaining about saved tens of thousands of
civilian lives

Up to a point, Lord Copper. They also took rather a lot, and your
statement assumes that the Wa was necessary and right (which is itself
contentious, given that every reason advanced beforehand turned out to
be bogus).

Guy
--
May contain traces of irony. Contents liable to settle after posting.
http://www.chapmancentral.co.uk

85% of helmet statistics are made up, 69% of them at CHS, Puget Sound

you know? said:

At Fri, 08 Jul 2005 19:58:17 -0700, message
<[email hidden]> was posted by Mark Hickey
<[email hidden]>, including some, all or none of the following:

Quoted message said:

those bombs you're complaining about saved tens of thousands of
civilian lives

Up to a point, Lord Copper. They also took rather a lot, and your
statement assumes that the Wa was necessary and right (which is itself
contentious, given that every reason advanced beforehand turned out to
be bogus).

Any war is wrong unless the politcians are the first to die.

Quoted message said:

Guy