Cycling / Running - Logs, Stories, & Pictures (any fellow cyclists or runners here?)

[Urwumpe]

And? it is motorized. Even current street legal super bikes are faster than 300 km/h already, so it is hardly impressive, just look at the Suzuki Hayabusa.



Also, this old one already beat the 400 km/h in 1970.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Red_(motorcycle)

 

[Soheil_Esy]

And? it is motorized. Even current street legal super bikes are faster than 300 km/h already, so it is hardly impressive, just look at the Suzuki Hayabusa.



Also, this old one already beat the 400 km/h in 1970.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Red_(motorcycle)

This thread is about cycling and not motorcycle: it must include a pair of bicycle pedal that the rider pushes with their foot to propel the bicycle. It provides the connection between the cyclist's foot or shoe and the crank allowing the leg to turn the bottom bracket spindle and propel the bicycle's wheels.

The above bicycle matches this definition, it is only upgraded with a rocket engines pack, which fits with orbiter-forum's rocket related topics, unlike the off-topic super bikes and "Suzuki Hayabusa". :facepalm:

 

[Urwumpe]

This thread is about cycling and not motorcycle: it must include a pair of bicycle pedal that the rider pushes with their foot to propel the bicycle. It provides the connection between the cyclist's foot or shoe and the crank allowing the leg to turn the bottom bracket spindle and propel the bicycle's wheels.

Look, according to your logic: when I put some fancy pedals into my car, so my co-pilot can provide some additional electricity while I am driving fast on gasoline, I am riding a bike. It does propel the car, since the additional electricity means that the engine has to provide less energy to the alternator.

And contrary to that rocket stunt, my copilot would actually contribute more to propulsion. I doubt that the pedals have any meaningful propulsive contribution on such a rocket bike, while my copilot could in theory provide maybe 1% to the propulsive energy.


Now to something more stupid. Really.

Today is the 25th anniversary of the (bureaucratic act of) the German reunification. I already planned to use the good weather for a small trip towards the former border, but because I had some symptoms of a flu, I decided to just do a small round-trip with a few extension points, should I feel better.

And I felt quickly much better as soon as I hit the road. In the end, I not only did a trip through the eastern and northern parts of Wolfsburg, but also extended the trip until the former border, through the beautiful natural reserve of the Drömling and past the castle of Neuhaus (GER).

In the end, the trip got extended to 54 km, which made me call it the "2x25" tour in resume. Which is a pretty suitable result for this special reunification day. It was a great fun tour on one of the last really warm days of the year here, sadly I had forgotten to take some more pictures while marking off kilometers.

The stupidity of it: Since I was not really used to cycle such distances, my legs had already been burning on the final third of the tour and feel right now like the next days I will have to face the mother of all sore muscles.

 

[Soheil_Esy]

Today is the 25th anniversary of the (bureaucratic act of) the German reunification.

Unable to see your picture:hmm:

More pictures:tiphat:

On April 21, 1945, the Soviet Army broke into Berlin and raised the Victory Banner over the Reichstag on May 1. On May 2 the remaining German troops in Berlin capitulated.

During the Yalta Conference the Allies decided to divide Germany and Berlin into four parts: British, Soviet, US and French. Initially the borders were open and Germans could freely move from one sector to another sector.

The first crisis emerged in 1948 when the Soviet administration introduced pass tickets, seeking to prevent an influx of depreciated Deutschemarks. In 1949 the Western countries declared the creation of the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG). The Soviet Union proclaimed the creation of the German Democratic Republic (GDR).

In April 1953, the GDR increased sugar prices and cut down wages. On June 16, some 10,000 workers took to the streets demanding the GDR to scrap this decision. They succeeded but demonstrations continued.

The protests finally ended on June 23 after the military interfered in the conflict.

In August 1961 the GDR erected a wall separating the western and the eastern parts of Berlin. The situation exploded on October 28 when US tanks sought to demolish the wall but encountered the Soviet troops. The sides spent the whole night holding each other at gunpoint but luckily the tensions eased and on October 29 the both groups returned to their positions.

On June 26, 1963, US President John Kennedy delivered his famous speech in Western Berlin saying that after 18 years Germans deserved a right to live in one state. He said in German: “Ich bin ein Berliner” meaning “I am a Berlin citizen”.

Germans sometimes devised very tricky methods of fleeing the GDR, for example they dug underground tunnels or feigned documents.

Finally, in November 1989, the GDR announced that its citizens were allowed to immediately receive visas for travel to the FRG.

An unidentified West Berliner swings a sledgehammer, trying to destroy the Berlin Wall near Potsdamer Platz, on November 12, 1989, where a new passage was opened nearby.

Germans started dismantling the wall.

A part of the wall remained as a historic monument to the separation of a single nation

The two parts of Germany finally reunified on October 3, 1990. Five GDR regions acceded to the FRG.

A monument dedicated to 1,065 people who died trying to cross the Berlin Wall was installed at Charlie Checkpoint in Berlin. The authorities ruled to remove it in 2005.

In 2015, Germany planned to hold almost 300 events in Frankfurt commemorating the anniversary.

Twenty-five years later specialists still observe differences between the former GDR and FRG. History is difficult to erase.

I personally first saw a piece of the Berlin wall in an Iranian museum (Museum of Science and Technology of the Islamic Republic of Iran -Tehran):lol:

Twenty-five years later, Yemen, Korea and China are still divided nations stuck in the cold war era mentality.:facepalm:

 

[Enjo]

Cycling / Running / Swimming?

 

[joannajhonson]

Cycling is my favorite hobby

Hey thank you for this topic . I am hobby biker . and cycling is one of my great hobby . From my childhood I am riding bicycle . But in present my I am learning mountain biking . I would Like to buy a brand New mountain bike . can you please suggest which mountain bikes will best for 500 dollars .I am looking for a best mountain bike under 500 dollars . I have personal choice , but still I am not sure which will be best . I am trying get more information on mountain bike . Thank you ...

 

[steph]

Anyone ever encountered trouble with cow herds while running? I think it's the breeding season or something. Most of my running routes take me through farmland (living in a village has its disadvantages) . For about almost a month now I've noticed bulls getting massively annoyed when I run past fields where cows graze. Maybe I have a weird running style or something. A few times I've seen bulls charge at me only to stop at the electric fencing at the edge of the field. Thing is , not all fields have that electric fence, and it would be only a nuisance anyway if one really decided to have a go at me.

 

[Urwumpe]

Anyone ever encountered trouble with cow herds while running? I think it's the breeding season or something. Most of my running routes take me through farmland (living in a village has its disadvantages) . For about almost a month now I've noticed bulls getting massively annoyed when I run past fields where cows graze. Maybe I have a weird running style or something. A few times I've seen bulls charge at me only to stop at the electric fencing at the edge of the field. Thing is , not all fields have that electric fence, and it would be only a nuisance anyway if one really decided to have a go at me.

The electric fence is not for protecting you from the bull, but from protecting the bull from you... seriously, if the bull does not want to stop, the fence alone won't convince him otherwise. Luckily, they usually prefer to threaten you, especially if they are not sure what you are. The modern fences are even regulated to only give one short painful impulse per second. For the biology students here: How many meters the bull will have moved in this case before noticing the impulse?

As long as the bull is not really attacking you, he will remember how painful the fence is and stop long before it.


Remember: cattle is unable to see red colors and a fluttering textile is annoying bulls regardless if its red or not. Maybe you should be more careful about your choice of clothes.

Also, while bulls are more aggressive, even cows are very violent if they have calves or will give birth in the next hours - so yes, its seasonal. There is a remarkable case in Austria about a herd of cows killing a women and her dog. And of course, the more classical breeds are way more aggressive than the more cultivated ones, especially the Spanish breeds are often optimized for aggressiveness.

I have rarely seen such behavior here. In the worst cases, I am just escorted by some bull on the other side of the fence, watching me carefully.

 

[Urwumpe]

Some necroposting

I fulfilled a promise from last month today: I took my bike for getting to a meeting at the local R&D center of "some small car manufacturer". Its at the edge of the city, at the western end of the plant. I had been faster than by car.

First, it took me downhill, so I rarely needed to do more than steering. Needed just about 14 minutes for the 5 km through the city. By car, its about 15 minutes in the morning plus 20 minutes to infinity for finding a spot to park there in the many multi-level parking lots around it. Last month, I got fined for parking a bit too creative because the visitor parking lot had been a construction site, that is when I decided to take the bike the next time... and between then and today the factory was "closed" due to holidays.

I needed about 20 minutes back home and uphill and noticed that I not only lost 14 kg in the past three months because of unknown causes, almost all of those 14 kg must had been the muscles in my legs. Still, I was much faster by bike including the time needed for changing clothes in the bath room for not looking like a jerk in the meeting with my customers.

Anyway, it was great to be back on two wheels, after being far too busy with family and work this year. Should do this more often.

 

[martins]

Preparing for a London to Amsterdam cycle trip next week. (London-Dover and then from Calais along the coast line). I hope to do it in three days, provided myself and the bicycle survive it (the latter is distinctly more questionable, given that it is currently not stictly roadworthy, and I need to locate and reattach the missing bits before setting off, including the handlebar, chain and chainrings). Gears are mostly not working either, but luckily the Netherlands are rumoured to be fairly flat, so I hope to get away with it.

 

[Marijn]

..given that it is currently not stictly roadworthy

Then you'll blend in nicely in Amsterdam..

Enjoy the trip. If there's anything I can assist with because I live in the area, let me know..

 

[Urwumpe]

Well, its a flat country, but also very aerodynamic. Luckily you plan to do this next week, we expect a storm warning for the German bight for Friday morning, the last simulations run predict 168 km/h gusts (offshore).

 

[martins]

Well, its a flat country, but also very aerodynamic. Luckily you plan to do this next week, we expect a storm warning for the German bight for Friday morning, the last simulations run predict 168 km/h gusts (offshore).

Setting out Tuesday morning. I hope the storm will be over by then, but if you don't hear from me again, I may have been blown out into the North Sea ...

 

[Zandy12]

You guys are making me want to join the next marathon down here xD. I mainly do jogging every other day. It's great to exercise because it helps keep your mind body and spirit happy. Exercising has changed my life. It's probably the only reason why I am able to stay busy. :yes:

 

[Urwumpe]

Setting out Tuesday morning. I hope the storm will be over by then, but if you don't hear from me again, I may have been blown out into the North Sea ...

Well, not sure if it works like that. :lol: I rather like to have a hill in front of me, than constant headwind. Or worse, gusts from the side.

 

[Marijn]

The forecast for wednesday is quite good. Sunny and winds from the SW, so that's a tailwind when traveling towards the NE.

Today the first data came in from the Aeolus mission. This satellite, launched on the 22nd of august, measures wind direction and speed in the lowest 30km of the atmosphere (or above a cloud deck if present). According to the national weather service (KNMI), the data is quite different than the best current models use at the moment. Forecasts of the ECMWF are expected to gain a huge improvement in accuracy.

 

[steph]

Well, not sure if it works like that. :lol: I rather like to have a hill in front of me, than constant headwind. Or worse, gusts from the side.

Absolutely. On the western coast of France, on a good ( or bad, actually) day you can get constant a 30-40 km/h breeze as you cycle from the bocage to the seside.. Measured with an anemometer :thumbup: . I can't go above 15-16 km/h , and even that takes an effort level similar to going uphill. Except for the urban seafronts and such, most of the littoral 'piste cyclable' is behind coastal forests. Which is bad since it goes up and down and left and right and they felt like taking it to every camping and 'salt marsh' on the route, which makes it way longer than the road route, but at least you're not battling constant wind.

Edit: I think the area a few km inland might get similar or worse wind than the areas exposed to the sea. Thing is, after the coastal dunes and forests, you get mostly plateaus with around 20m elevation which might actually take the laminar wind head on. Or at least that's how it feels like when it's blowing relentlessly across the landscape.

 

[Evil_Onyx]

So I did a short ride this morning to where I volunteer(6.5km cross city) did what i needed to in faster than expected (finished by 1030GMT) so I had an hour and a half spare.

So went to go on a much longer route home. via the Leicester city memorial , as i passed the A&E due to me not uncliping in time, a speeding lorry and inattentive pedestrian with child, I fell over. It is both reassuring and humiliating to get several paramedic crews rush over and drag me in to the A&E (not literally but they where insistent) to get a scraped elbow and a bruised shoulder looked at... It seemed to be a slow morning for them in majors.

After I did a 20km route home.

It was still a good enjoyable ride.

 

[steph]

It's always the elbow, shoulder and knee . Had a bad fall this summer, all by myself. My bike experiences chain slip at the rear derailleur when in high gear. At least I think that's what it is. Might also be the hub. It happens rarely, while under load and always on the high gears. So of course, while accelerating towards 30 km/h, it gave. It was enough to throw me off balance, followed by around two seconds of "crap, I can't right myself. Good thing there's no one ahead, I'm definitely going down " Elbow and knee scrapes can be bad, though. Or at least incredibly bloody, as in you look at yourself and see all that blood on the pavement and start checking if there isn't anything worse than the scrapes because there seems to be too much of it
And , of course, always wear the helmet, with straps on. When I fell, my head whiplashed on the pavement and it was the helmet that saved me. And by the trajectory of the fall, it would have flown off had it not been secured (the helmet :lol: )

 

[Evil_Onyx]

Helmets are a must in my view, a back pack and gloves too.
When I was at school I crashed my bike going down a hill, I was not paying attention and hit a pot hole. I went over to handle bars and slid down the road for 20-30m, when I sat up, I found I was sitting in a widening puddle, turns out the slide had worn thru the bag and a water bottle and the big D lock in the bag was ruined but my back was fine, wore 1-1.5cm out of the back the helmet too. I had to carry the bike 3km home as the rear wheel had buckled and stuck fast to the frame.