Rider's Log: First Signs of Spring and A Quick Reminder About Sharing the Road

The road to Tresckow, leading out from Beaver Meadows.

Did you get out and ride, today? I know I sure did! It feels so good to be back on the road.

I really hope we're not jumping the gun, but it definitely feels like we've seen the worst of Winter, and Spring is on its way. Well, knock on wood... it's supposed to snow later this week.

I decided to take a somewhat familiar route, today, riding through Tresckow (via Beaver Meadows.) I had a filling breakfast, packed a few Clif Bars (Mmm... white chocolate macadamia nut!) and filled my bottle with Gatorade. I wanted to be sure I was ready for this ride.

I didn't go crazy with my route planning -- just a 15 mile out and back. I would have welcomed a longer trip, but I'd be lying if I didn't admit that I was a little worried about cramping up, again. That experience is something I'm still very conscious of and extremely eager to avoid going through ever again. Did I simply overdo it, or was it a sign of a deeper problem I should be aware of? I just really hate the idea of being stranded in the middle of nowhere and in too much pain to ride home. The good news is, I didn't cramp up, at all, on this ride. My hamstrings were a bit tight much later on in the day, but nothing like the crazy pain I had the other day.



There isn't much to report about this trip, aside from some jackass blowing his horn at me while I was in the lane. I'd be more annoyed if it didn't help prove the point that I was riding to be seen, and he definitely saw me.
Next time, (and for anyone in the same situation as this driver) slow down. I will cut to the right and let you pass as soon as it's safe for me to do so. There's a lot of gravel on the shoulders, and the edges of the road are usually very jagged or full of potholes. Once it's safe to pass, you have the right to cross the double-yellow lines to get around me. No need to shout or blow your horn. Remember: cyclists are entitled to 4 feet of space when being passed. If you think there's enough room to sneak between me and an oncoming car, there isn't. Again, slow down. Let's act like civilized adults and share the road, ok? It's not going to ruin your whole day to have to wait to pass me; I'm only inconveniencing you for a few moments.

Ride safe! And by all means, enjoy this wonderful weather we're having. Who knows how long it'll last until Spring officially gets here?

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The Orp: A "Smart" Bike Horn and Light in One - Kickstarter

"Can you hear me now?" This bike horn almost guarantees it.

What is it?

The Orp is a "smart" bike horn that allows cyclists to be seen as well as heard because it's also a bright headlight that straps to your handlebars. The so-called "smorn" (smart horn) produces a very audible, 96dB blast of sound when the operator activates it. It's sure to get attention, which is exactly the point.

The light normally puts out 87 lumens with 4 modes: Slow/Fast Strobe and Steady On. However, when activating the horn, the light goes into a Fast Strobe and brightens to 92 lumens. The whole thing operates on a battery that can be recharged through the micro USB port.

How loud is the Orp? At 96dB, this is where the Orp falls in comparison to other noisemakers.

This Kickstarter project is currently sitting at $100,269, well above the $90,000 goal, with 1,326 backers ready to make it a reality. The project will be funded on February 11, 2013, so you still have a little time to jump in and pledge money to get one for less than retail.

For $45, backers will get an Orp of their own, but if you go for the $55 package, you get a special "glow-in-the-dark" Orp. Of course, the more money you pledge, the more goodies that are included.

The Orp is expected to retail for $49.95.

Why I Think This is a Great Idea

You can buy a loud bike horn and still not have a good light. Or, you can buy a bright light, but it's not going to make a sound (unless you drop it, maybe.) The Orp, however, is both. And the best part is, because it's one unit, that means more room on your handlebars for... your hands.

Why I Think This is a Bad Idea

To be completely honest, I don't think this is a bad idea, at all. It's about on par with a motorbike/scooter horn, and the shrill tone should easily cut through the sound of noisy engines and loud music in headphones (a lot of cyclists ride with headphones on, making it difficult for them to hear a bell or a, "Hey! Passing on your left!") I really don't have anything to complain about.

Would I Buy One/Fund This?

I'm not reaching for my wallet just this minute, but I am very interested in buying an Orp.

As mentioned, I think it's a great idea. Although I already have a very bright light (several, in fact, that are much brighter than the Orp) I don't have a single bell/horn/whatever. I do have a loud mouth, though, and while I can usually get attention when I need it, why strain myself when a quick double-tap on the Orp's "wail tail" will do? Shut up and take my money!

Full Disclosure

I don't contribute money to every Kickstarter project that I feature. In fact, there are some I'd only write about as a warning to avoid. Some of these projects never see funding and fade into obscurity, while others look like great ideas, get funding and are things I might actually purchase. In any case, don't see these posts as a full-on endorsement. Unless otherwise specified, I have not received payment in any form to write about these products, they just happen to catch my eye and I think they warrant some attention.

Of course, if you are starting up a new project or have a product you'd like me to test and write about, contact me with details and we'll talk.

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Bikeyface wants us to get serious about this bicycle safety comic

I don't think there are too many bicycling web comics out there, but if there are, Bikeyface by Bekka Wright has to be the cream of the crop. Here's an excerpt from her latest comic on the topic of accident prevention, titled "Serious About Safety."

Excerpt of Bikeyface's Serious About Safety by Bekka Wright

This excerpt is my favorite part of the comic/infographic, but only because I like how Wright illustrates the outcome of a "what if...?" scenario by literally smashing a car into it. Very clever!

The intention of the drawing in the excerpt is to drive home (pun intended) the point that distracted, impatient drivers could lead to accidents with cyclists and that a helmet may not be enough to save you. As such, believing that a helmet is the only thing cyclists should focus on when it comes to safety isn't very smart, and that would be the central premise of this particular comic, that it's far safer to avoid an accident in the first place.

In the end, the burden of safety isn't solely on drivers or cyclists, but on all of us. If you're reading this, Bekka, great work!

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What is happening in this picture for ExplorePATrails.com?

If you haven't seen the Fall 2012 edition of Pennsylvania's newsletter for cyclists, check it out here: Fall 2012 edition of the Spokes-People newsletter.

If you have seen it, perhaps you noticed this image for ExplorePAtrails.com featured on page 5. And, if you also saw that, perhaps you can tell me what is happening in this picture?

Sir! That is not a proper cyclocross mount/dismount!

Is God sending this guy a new bicycle? Is he trying to teach his bike to fly? Is this guy about to be crushed by his bike as it leaps from the top rope in an insane wrestling match? Is Tron having trouble sending his memory disk to Alan1?

Your guess is as good as mine.

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Taking shortcuts can lead to hidden dangers

I came across an interesting article this morning via Bike-PGH on the topic of "paper streets" -- streets that were planned out on paper, but were never actually built, or fully realized. When is a street not a street? | PublicSource by Emily DeMarco.

An adult bike shows the size and scale of the sinkhole. Photo credit: Emily DeMarco

As DeMarco explains in the article, these abandoned roadways are often attractive as a shortcut -- especially when the surrounding streets can be very dangerous -- but they can also pose hazards of their own. From the article:

In Pittsburgh’s late summer, Charles Carthorn and his son, Chuckie, rode their bikes over a favorite shortcut, a path sandwiched between the former Reizenstein Middle School and The Ellis School.

“We commute here by bike every day to football practice,” said Charles Carthorn, 42. “And this is our little shortcut.” 

But he worried that 12-year-old Chuckie might be tempted to jump over a five-foot wide sinkhole on the path that looks as if it would gobble up about one-third of an adult bike.

Living in North-East Pennsylvania, you grow accustomed to hearing about sinkholes. Whether due to collapsed mining shafts or water runoff from the mountainous areas eroding the land and flowing through underground waterways, sinkholes can be a big problem. Fortunately, I haven't encountered too many on the various back roads I like to take, but it's still something to be aware of.

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