fisher@banzai.DEC (Ed Fisher, DTN 381-2377) (09/04/84)
Newsgroup : net.bicycle
From : BANZAI::FISHER
Organization : Digital Equipment Corp.
I saw the National Championship Road Time Trials a few weeks ago.
The Levi Raliegh team took 1-2-3-4 in the individuals with Thurlow
Rogers burning up the road in Sunapee in 53:13.
Lots of advice can be provided for someone about to buy a bike.
My favorite advice is -- buy a helmet and use it. I only
recommend Bell helmets because of their proven crashworthyness
but there are as many opnions about that as there are opinions
about anything else.
As for what and where to buy a bike, when I decided to buy one a
few years ago -- I had already learned from photography that I
wanted to know something about what I was buying before I talked
to a salesman so I bought one or two books on bicycles and read
what they said about components. Then I knew which bike shops to
cross off my list by what they said and the way they respected
(rather, failed to respect) their equipment.
As for sizing, I get a good laugh out of hanging plumb bobs from
noses. I advise finding a good bike shop and getting fit-kitted.
There are enough anomalies in the shapes and sizes of human
beings that the fit kit will point out something that most people
really know about themselves but that many bike salesmen may not
consider important -- like extra short torso with long legs or
vice-versa. This really makes a difference when you start putting
hours into cycling -- it's not just for the racers. A
short-torsoed person who otherwise fits a bike will find that
he/she has severe arm and neck pains. The average female has a
proportionately shorter torso than the average male -- and the
average bike frame was built for the average male.
Comments on the RAAM:
It does go through the rockies. The high
point last year was Love Pass in Colorado at 12000 ft. I think
the route went through Love Pass again this year.
Though 9:13:13 is a new transcontinental record, I am sure there
will be many debates and asterisks because the USCF recognizes
only those crossings with Santa Monica and New York as their
terminal points. Otherwise someone could ride San Diego to
Jacksonville for, I am sure, a new record. But then what does
the USCF care about ultra marathon cycling.
Now, to describe a recent accident -- for those of you who like
to follow such things:
Well, I was rolling southward on Back River Road when this red
car driving Northward took a left turn in front of me. I jammed
on my brakes -- without going into a skid and attempted to stop
-- The operator then realized that an accident was imminent and
stopped. I had no choice but to hit the car which was now
blocking my way. I went up onto the hood and down to the ground
in front of the car. The accident was 1 block from her home so
she drove home and I went to her driveway to get name, address,
etc. At that time I knew that my fork was bent. Her husband (who
had not been in the car) said, "Well, this is New Hampshire.
Bicycles don't have a right of way."
I said, "Yes, they do." I then proceded to explain the
circumstances of the accident. Mr B then said, "Do you have a
witness?"
I then dialed the police department. They sent out a policeman.
The officer took a statement, name, address, etc., from Mrs. B.
She said that she had seen me but never figured that I would be
in the intersection. She had not deliberately tried to cut me
off.
The officer then asked for my name, etc. He then asked me how
fast I was going. I said, "Nineteen miles an hour. (I have a
bicycle computer on my bike.)"
Mr. B said, "Isn't that a little fast?"
The Officer said, "No, the spped limit on Back River Road is 35
miles per hour."
Mr. B said, "Well you'd better check his brakes they might not be
capable of stopping him at that speed. Isn't he required to slow
down for intersections?"
After I told the officer that I went up onto the hood of the
vehicle, Mr. B said, "There are no fingerprints on the car."
(I was braking all the way.)
The officer informed Mr and Mrs B that they had to file a form
with the state because there was personal injury involved.
The officer asked me whether he should issue a summons to Mrs B
for failure to yield (In other words, whether or not I would go
to court to testify) and I said, "Yes." If Mr B had not made so
many absurd statements, I probably would have said no because Mrs
B was really a sweet person who only made a mistake; her husband
was just so ignorant and objectionable that I was incensed.
Mrs. B's Insurance company bought my bike for $750 and sold it
back for $200 (for salvage, so I could get my parts back). It
was a TREK 720. My true satisfaction is in knowing that the B's
will remember me each year when they make their insurance
payments because, in NH, $500 is the threshhold for upping their
rates.
After riding another 1000 miles to check out the knee, etc., I
have also settled the personal injury claim.
Apparently Mrs. B pled guilty by mail.
Well, that's enough for long windedness.
(DEC E-NET) BANZAI::FISHER
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