Athlete Vaporists?

[CANtalk]

Lots of interesting bike clip-in talk . I mentioned early on here I was clipped in, and more specifically I went for it ~10 years ago when I invested in a far higher spec/quality MTB. Before that, was ~15 years of riding medium quality MTBs with standard pedals and, for a while, toe straps. I've experienced both sides of the fence here, and personally am a big enthusiast of being clipped in . Excellent in all ways (e.g., the shoes are much stiffer, also helping to make pedaling much more efficient). And I acclimated quickly. I have the clips set up on the MTB so that clipping out is not much effort... as well as being permissive of angular movement releases (while still maintaining good binding strength with the vertical plane). There are different clip designs and approaches, something for most everyone.

That being said, the choice of flat pedals vs clipped in also about personal risk level preferences (and to each their own). I agree there is some more risk when you crash while being clipped in. Still, fwiw, I've crashed lots while clipped in , serious . And so far, I'm injury free . Thus, I find clipped in a great way to ride .

3 runs this weekend: 5 km Friday, 8 km Sunday, and 10 km yesterday. Beauty weather: sunny but not too hot, and with a cool wind.

Sweet! Really awesome!

@vapirtoo and @VapeEscapist, and regularly check tire air pressures. I'm tubeless with the MTB, and lately I'm down to checking the tire pressure every 4 days or so, which then usually needs front topped off with a pound or two. The rear is better holding air well enough for ~8 days. My old tube setup held air significantly better than going tubeless, fwiw. Cheers.

I've always wanted to try clip-in shoes/pedals. The closest I've gotten to that is toe straps, but I see why clip-in would be so much better.

One of these days...

One's never too old either!

Beautiful picture @kel and thx for sharing! Sweet.




It's been inspiring to follow the posts here. TGIF! I'm feeling pretty great I recently rode >55 miles on the MTB, in two consecutive days w/ excellent weather. On the ~40 mile day, I included the two most challenging trails in the area as well . I feel tired like I haven't a while... like to the bones. And it comes with a big body high (aka runners high). So comfy , but also euphoric... a great combo. I recently had to replace the chain again, after putting a brand new one coming into spring riding season... and the first new on on the bike. It's been a pretty epic year of MTB riding here, and very rewarding .

Everyone's personal pictures made me get off my butt and contribute. Here's a recent picture of a trail ride. Cheers.



It's great to read all the stories and history here. Please share. Have a great weekend.

 

[Nina]

Here's a recent picture of a trail ride.

How I long for such trails
I love biking but I'm too chicken for clips

 

[VapeEscapist]

I got caught waiting for the Pulaski Drawbridge to lower both ways to and from Brooklyn today. Was able to track stand the entire time the first time but coming back I did touch down for a moment.

Had Super Rock In The Highest Voltage blasting off the back of my back pack at the hipsters and other randos waiting.

/open vent - When I got back into Astoria, I was riding in a bike lane and came to a light as it was changing to green, guy at the light was both hands on his phone texting, sitting at the green light with a half dozen cars behind him. I said out loud, "you're on your phone at a green light". He took this as a reason to then follow me, trying to tell me it's legal to be your phone at the light which it's not. Then got out of his car at the next light threatening me. He was probably at least 6'4" (I'm 5'10", 250lbs). He's foaming at the mouth spitting. Saying idiotic stuff, calling my bike stupid(?), calling my speaker playing music stupid(?) and that I should mind my own business and that I don't know who I'm talking to. Kept assuring me that he should kick my ass.

I kept my cool, told him he probably thinks he can just go around threatening people because he's big and that he had "no heart". He even went so far as to get out of his car a second time at the next light and tried to start shit again. The whole time, I refused to back down but did not escalate. I had a voice in my head insisting that I not back down or show fear to the bully. I think the fact that I was wearing a helmet and gloves and that I look pretty beefy eventually made him think twice.

But this is why I should probably carry pepper spray (legal in NYC).

My brother, a very well trained martial artist, gave me a lot of praise for handling the situation in a way that didn't result in violence. Part of me wished he tried something though. I was calm and lucid and unless he's a trained fighter, my reflexes are faster, and God help the next person I kick. My legs are so impossibly strong, where I kick you won't matter.

/close vent

 

[kel]

That's a horrendous experience to have to endure, I hope you are okay?

I hear your vent and empathise having experienced similar myself, I can't stand bullies!

I look pretty beefy eventually made him think twice.

Haha, keeping yourself fit really does have some awesome advantages ... Isn't it funny how true strength in the face of bullies, confidently expressed, can reduce them to a puddle of empty words, all you have to do is look them in the eye, make them doubt and the ones who are not genuine people, the actual bullies always crumble!

 

[VapeEscapist]

That's a horrendous experience to have to endure, I hope you are okay?

I hear your vent and empathise having experienced similar myself, I can't stand bullies!



Haha, keeping yourself fit really does have some awesome advantages ... Isn't it funny how true strength in the face of bullies, confidently expressed, can reduce them to a puddle of empty words, all you have to do is look them in the eye, make them doubt and the ones who are not genuine people, the actual bullies always crumble!

Thanks, man.

Honestly, I was more shock up when I had to spook a little girl who almost ran into the street the day before!

I she came out from between 2 cars and didn't look to see if traffic was coming. I didn't know if she was going to a passenger door of the car parked (safe) or was about to try to cross the street (deadly) so I called out a quick "Hey!", which definitely scared her but made her stop and I honestly felt really bad about that and wish I had stopped to try to humanize the encounter and calm her and her parent but I was too frazzled to think of it at the moment.

"I'm so sorry I scared you but I didn't know if you were about to try to cross and I was too close to stop."

 

[kel]

I don't think you should worry about that, that encounter might have given her a shock, but it might be a life lesson that stops her from doing something dangerous for. well, the rest of her life; she might tell her friends, they might be more careful too.. who the fuck knows, maybe you just saved a thousand lives?

 

[VapeEscapist]

I don't think you should worry about that, that encounter might have given her a shock, but it might be a life lesson that stops her from doing something dangerous for. well, the rest of her life; she might tell her friends, they might be more careful too.. who the fuck knows, maybe you just saved a thousand lives?

Man, I wish this were true.

Her mom who was behind her probably told her I was at fault and demonized all cyclists making her daughter possibly even more of a hazard in the future and instilling lifelong disdain for cyclists. Then they both go off and tell everyone how a super dangerous cyclist almost hit the girl so they can all commiserate over their completely unfounded hate of cyclists (who free up traffic, keep the air cleaner, and are far far less dangerous in every way conceivable). Unfortunately, this is more likely the case in NYC.

 

[CANtalk]

Moar excellent MTB. It's about getting out there! Inspiring... enjoy.

Here's some next level risk tolerance. Great song for the exercise rhythm/pace thing too.

 

[GetLeft]

Yeah people is why I quit roads.

One take of today's ride (6.5 mi.). I heart mtb.

 

[kel]

Oh to be young again!

 

[vapirtoo]

VapeEscapist
You are a NYER thru and thru!
That steeely eyed, silent, I will fuck you up
in ways you never dreamed of, stance is classic
anti- bully.
Thank God he did not use his car to hit you1
He was probably thinking,
"YO, I'm on the fuckin phone here
and you scared the shit out of me! WTF!"

 

[VapeEscapist]

VapeEscapist
You are a NYER thru and thru!
That steeely eyed, silent, I will fuck you up
in ways you never dreamed of, stance is classic
anti- bully.
Thank God he did not use his car to hit you1
He was probably thinking,
"YO, I'm on the fuckin phone here
and you scared the shit out of me! WTF!"

Nah, it was, "You can't tell me anything! I'm big, and rage filled, and I can bully anyone, so I'm going to teach this guy a lesson.". A hearty NY Fuck You, sir. You're a potentially deadly hazard and an example of a really toxic individual.

This is also why I really need to make my next athletic pursuit Muay Thai kickboxing.

If I can learn to kick like Petchmorakot, I'll certainly feel more confident I can protect myself better.

MMA and kickboxing are the only sports I follow these days. I unintentionally inspired my brother to take up martial arts after showing him movies like the 36 Chambers of the Shaolin. He chose me to be the person to hand him his first black belt.

 

[kel]

I stopped engaging in any kind of violence a quarter of a century ago... it was always in self-defence at the end of a childhood of being bullied but the reality was that I smashed people to pieces and put them in hospital. often with one punch.

Fighting is not like it is in the movies or even in a boxing ring, it's extremely distressing and damaging for everyone. I am not proud, but I would do it again in the same situations. Thankfully as I have grown older and calmer these things never happen any more.

By all means stand your ground, but I strongly recommend that violence is avoided wherever possible and only ever taken as a last resort.

 

[VapeEscapist]

-snip- often with one punch.

-snip-

Saitama?!?

ONE PUNCH!!!!

Sorry, couldn't resist...

 

[His_Highness]

/open vent - When I got back into Astoria, I was riding in a bike lane and came to a light as it was changing to green, guy at the light was both hands on his phone texting, sitting at the green light with a half dozen cars behind him. I said out loud, "you're on your phone at a green light". He took this as a reason to then follow me, trying to tell me it's legal to be your phone at the light which it's not. Then got out of his car at the next light threatening me. He was probably at least 6'4" (I'm 5'10", 250lbs). He's foaming at the mouth spitting. Saying idiotic stuff, calling my bike stupid(?), calling my speaker playing music stupid(?) and that I should mind my own business and that I don't know who I'm talking to. Kept assuring me that he should kick my ass.

I kept my cool, told him he probably thinks he can just go around threatening people because he's big and that he had "no heart". He even went so far as to get out of his car a second time at the next light and tried to start shit again. The whole time, I refused to back down but did not escalate. I had a voice in my head insisting that I not back down or show fear to the bully. I think the fact that I was wearing a helmet and gloves and that I look pretty beefy eventually made him think twice.

But this is why I should probably carry pepper spray (legal in NYC).

My brother, a very well trained martial artist, gave me a lot of praise for handling the situation in a way that didn't result in violence. Part of me wished he tried something though. I was calm and lucid and unless he's a trained fighter, my reflexes are faster, and God help the next person I kick. My legs are so impossibly strong, where I kick you won't matter.

/close vent

The whole "light changes to green and someone in front of you doesn't move because they're on their phone and not paying attention" thing.....

My expected reaction to waking the offender up from their cell phone hypnosis is a middle finger even when I merely tap on the horn after waiting a few seconds, instead of laying on the horn immediately when the light changes. I don't get it......you're taking offense because YOU'RE THE ASSHOLE?!?!

Every place I ever trained stressed that the best way to win a fight is not to get into one. The mental side of training stressed "Mind like water" so each ripple is felt/reacted to calmly, naturally and without thought so the muscle memory/repetition is allowed to do its thing .... and last but not least....if you do have to protect yourself you do so with the 100% intention of doing whatever it takes to stop the attack permanently. The best way to get seriously hurt is to think "I'll just break their arm".....

If I saw a confrontation heating up and one person is calmly looking at the other person/surroundings, their breathing is controlled and maybe they have a foot planted slightly behind them so their power is forward facing....I would seriously suggest not getting physical with that person.

The hardest concepts ... If someone wants your wallet, give it to them, you can always make more money. If you can run away, do it. Then there's the line from Roadhouse ... "But what if they call my mother a whore"? Is she?

Those hardest concepts....I don't know if I could actually do any of that because it requires setting aside ego, I have a temper and a severe case of little man's disease. Grateful I haven't had a potential physical confrontation in decades.

I'm not surprised @VapeEscapist that you being calm and holding your ground was enough to convince a bigger opponent to keep their hands to themselves. Congrats!

 

[kel]

Saitama?!?

ONE PUNCH!!!!

Sorry, couldn't resist...

Haha yep!!

Someone told me when I was upset with all the bullying one time, that all you have to do is aim about a foot back from where you want to hit and put your weight into it... things changed very rapidly for me once I started hitting the bullies in the face. hard. breaking their bones. making *them* cry for a change. and like all bullies, they really did cry... all the way to hospital for facial reconstruction/ it felt good for a while, but i was still a kid really and didn't really appreciate just how brutal that was. did they deserve it.... probably... did it work.... absolutely... would I do it again... yep... but only if I was in the same position and had no choice! all things being equal I would rather just not have been bullied in the first place! but that\s what made me who I am today, I will stand up to anyone, no one scares me, I have never met a single person I haven't been able to stand up to since, thankfully using wit and words rather than my 'viking' strength!

 

[VapeEscapist]

Haha yep!!

Someone told me when I was upset with all the bullying one time, that all you have to do is aim about a foot back from where you want to hit and put your weight into it... things changed very rapidly for me once I started hitting the bullies in the face. hard. breaking their bones. making *them* cry for a change. and like all bullies, they really did cry... all the way to hospital for facial reconstruction/ it felt good for a while, but i was still a kid really and didn't really appreciate just how brutal that was. did they deserve it.... probably... did it work.... absolutely... would I do it again... yep... but only if I was in the same position and had no choice! all things being equal I would rather just not have been bullied in the first place! but that\s what made me who I am today, I will stand up to anyone, no one scares me, i has never met a single person i haven't been able to stand up to since, thankfully using wit and words rather than my 'viking' strength!

Yup, most of the time I can diffuse the moment with humor and quick wit.

One night, pre-pandemic, a driver was swerving slowly (-15 mph) down the road eating a sandwich with their interior light on close to my home. I was trying to pass, so I called out to them (a couple), and maybe in this case in not so nice terms. They proceeded to yell at me and try to assault me with their vehicle. After I got to my building entrance, I saw that they parked a couple blocks up but they hadn't seen me. I took a shower and decided to go to the local supermarket. As I'm coming out, I happen to see them leaving with shopping bags in their hands, so I actually followed them like in a spy movie, one block back, just enough to not lose track. Pretty soon it's obvious they were going to the same store.

I stalked them around the store while still grabbing my staples I came for but staying mostly out of sight. When I saw them going to the check out, I made sure to follow them and get in front of them on line. When they saw me, it took a moment, but they realized who I was and immediately looked scared. I was still livid, breathing hard, mind racing with things to say/do. I just kept staring them down, death stare, no words; and boy did they squirm and look sheepish. Maybe I said something off-hand at some point but essentially left without confronting them. I really just wanted to see if I could track them as a novelty and to maybe make them think twice about who they attempt vehicular assault upon in the future.

 

[Nina]

oh my goodness the number of people who are soooo lucky I'm not the martial arts expert that I undoubtedly would be if only I could find the time!!
Maybe this is a defeatist attitude but I feel that the needs of cyclists are incompatible with those of motorists and those of pedestrians, I think pitting us against each other is too likely to lead to conflict.
I LOVE cycling, LOVE bikes, such an efficient enjoyable and healthy way to get about, but we need and deserve better provision!!

 

[vapirtoo]

Nina, do your self a favor and find the time. Tai chi whatever.
There are more systems of healthy defense than vaporizers. Try to find one just for
giggles and check it out; MOVING MEDITATION! if nothing else.

You people (along with the weather), motivated me to ride 27 miles today
mid-afternoon on a weekend. No details- VapeEscapist- but the bike path had more surprises
than the road!
Thanks my peeps for getting me out of my grave........ uh basement!

 

[Nina]

Vapirtoo, thank you for the encouragement you're right I should!
I did do a bit of karate back in the day but I can't say I particularly took to it, i've always wondered about to judo though since grappling seems more appealing
Well done on the 27 miles
I also went biking today (apropos of running errands) don't know the distance cos I couldn't get the GPS on my watch to connect, I reckon I covered about 15 miles...
Oh alright then maybe it was more like 12

 

[kel]

I used to live in the same house of bedsits as a really insanely talented Tai Chi expert, I mean seriously good!

He said, it doesn't matter what time of day or night, if I am drunk of not, if I see you or of you totally surprise me, it would really help me with my practice if you would randomly attack me... yep!

My first few attempts were pretty feeble, like I didn't want to hurt the guy - y'know!

But he insisted "No... hit me!! Really go for it, if you hurt me that's on me, no problem!".

In the 2 years or so I tried I never made contact and ended up against the wall with my arm up my back more times than I care to remember... and believe me, once I got into it, I tried. Everything.

All I mean to say here is that even though tai chi looks super calm and not like a martial art at all, it can be an extremely powerful form of self defence; not to be underestimated

 

[Nina]

a really insanely talented Tai Chi expert, I mean seriously good!

Sounds like he had supernatural powers
I wants to get me some too

 

[kel]

Sounds like he had supernatural powers
I wants to get me some too

It really did seem that way at times, he would just move to the side and somehow end up behind me and with really seemingly very little effort use my energy against me. Amazing really.

 

[Nina]

Do you remember Kel if his performance dropped when he was drunk?
And, as a follow-up question, what do you think we can conclude from this?

 

[Ramahs]

Haha yep!!

Someone told me when I was upset with all the bullying one time, that all you have to do is aim about a foot back from where you want to hit and put your weight into it... things changed very rapidly for me once I started hitting the bullies in the face. hard. breaking their bones. making *them* cry for a change. and like all bullies, they really did cry... all the way to hospital for facial reconstruction/ it felt good for a while, but i was still a kid really and didn't really appreciate just how brutal that was. did they deserve it.... probably... did it work.... absolutely... would I do it again... yep... but only if I was in the same position and had no choice! all things being equal I would rather just not have been bullied in the first place! but that\s what made me who I am today, I will stand up to anyone, no one scares me, I have never met a single person I haven't been able to stand up to since, thankfully using wit and words rather than my 'viking' strength!

One thing I learned about bullies when I was young is that fighting fair is stupid with bullies. Grab a brick, a rock, a stick, a bat, or whatever is available...and hit them still they stop fighting. I found that to be effective. Weapons are your friend when you are not the one starting the fight. I don't want to fight. So, If I didn't start the fight, I can damn-well finish it in the fastest possible way.

I remember my mother telling me when I came home beat up, that I just need to wait till we are off school property, then to beat the shit out of them when the school can't do anything about it. After that, it's fair game. After a couple times of that, I stopped having a bully problem.