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Cyclists causing traffic delays
Got held up behind a long line of traffic yesterday. After a few minutes,
it became apparent what was holding up the traffic. Two cyclists kitted out like they were taking part in the Tour de France riding two-abreast and occupying the whole lane. This was making it more difficult for traffic to pass them with adequate clearance. Having had a look at the Highway Code, it says the following: Section 66. You should: "never ride more than two abreast, and ride in single file on narrow or busy roads and when riding round bends" (http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/TravelAn...code/DG_069837) There is nothing wrong in riding two abreast on quiet roads but on busy roads, the Highway Code says cyclists should ride single-file. The road I was on yesterday was very busy. Why do cyclists do these things? Is a deliberate ploy to wind up drivers? |
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#2
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BBB Digiboard BCP-51WH Cycling Computer £129.95
QUOTE:
The Digiboard sits at the top of BBB's cycle computer range, and features wireless transmission along with a wealth of functions. The model tested - the catchy named BCP-51 WH - integrates all the speed and distance functions you'd normally expect, with the addition of heart rate and cadence capability. This latter requires the purchase of an additional cadence kit (£27.95) which we also tested. Installation Out of the box, the Digiboard is super-easy to install because the instructions are simple and clear. Zip ties are provided to attach the various pieces to your bike and they're all long enough to accommodate any oversize components or frame tubes. Batteries for the head unit and the sensors are already installed so setup is about as pain-free as can be expected. Once all the bits are attached, it's simply a matter of letting the head unit pair up with the various sensors. This process takes under a minute if you've followed the instructions and set everything up properly. Of the sensors, I found that the head unit had most difficulty finding the cadence unit which is to be expected given that's it's the furthest away. A quick tweak of the unit to bring it closer to the magnet (zip tied to the non-driveside crank) usually solved this problem. Included in the instructions is a useful table for calculating rollout for every conceivable wheel/tyre size combination so there's no need to whip out the tape measure. A special mention has to go to the included heat rate (HR) strap which is very soft and supple. The difference in comfort compared to the plastic straps of old is like night to day and I had no issues with wearing it for long rides. The suppleness also ensures that you can comfortably get the strap nice and tight which improves the contact between skin and electrodes and, consequently, the accuracy of the readings. Despite heading out on some cold, dry rides, I never experienced any dropouts or anomalous HR readings. Features The whole Digiboard range uses the now ubiquitous Ant+ protocol which promises fast data transfer and minimal interference. What this means is that the Digiboard head unit can be used in conjunction with any Ant+ peripherals from any other brand, significantly widening its appeal. Already got an Ant+ cadence sensor? You can use it with the head unit. Having said this, the Digiboard is limited to speed, HR and cadence functions so you'll have to look elsewhere for a head unit that records and/or displays power. The speed and odometer functions are extensive but pretty much standard for a high-end bicycle computer. These can be found at the bottom of the review so I'll skip over these and focus on the HR functions which are what differentiate the BCP-51WH from the cheaper and smaller Microboard range. These are, in a word, disappointing. The whole principle of training with heart rate revolves around setting up a series of heart rate zones based off either maximum or lactate threshold heart rate. This allows you to train at the right intensities for the correct amount of time to maximise the performance gains. The Digiboard is limited to simply setting a maximum and minimum heart rate outside of which the HR display flashes. You could set these limits before each ride depending on your training goals for that particular ride, but that requires you to go through the whole setup process from start to finish. Even then, you'd only be left with a single training zone. BBB even recommends setting up the maximum heart rate according to the old (and completely false) 220-age formula - a cardinal sin in my opinion. Another limitation is the Digiboard's lack of a 'lap' function whereby a ride can be split into smaller segments based on either distance or time. The ability to split a ride in this way is particularly useful when doing intervals. For an interval workout, your average heart rate over the whole ride is pretty meaningless; it's the heart rate during each interval that is important. The unit is also held back by the lack of computer connectivity. In this day and age, everyone and their grannies are uploading their rides to the multitude of online ride trackers. Having to input manually things such as average heart rate isn't too much of a chore, but when the time comes for more in-depth analysis, you're left high and dry without a dedicated data file to upload. Menu structure On the bike, the Digiboard permanently displays four instantaneous metrics (time of day, HR, cadence and speed) and then a choice of menus which you can scroll through. These menus consist of HR (average and maximum), distance (current ride, total bike 1, total bike 2), time (current ride, total bike 1, total bike 2), speed (average and maximum) and cadence (average and maximum). Scrolling between these menu options is simply a matter of a single button press while scrolling within the chosen menu is done via a separate button. These provide enough positive feedback to be operated with thick gloves on. While this menu structure is easy to learn and soon becomes intuitive, it does mean that you can't display ride distance and time on the same screen, which is annoying. Additionally, the displays for instantaneous cadence and hear rate, two of the most useful ride metrics in my opinion, are rather small and easy to miss. This further reinforces the impression that this device isn't suited to those interested in using the Digiboard for serious training. With a RRP of £129.95, the Digiboard sits in a difficult area in terms of bike computers. For users wanting a simple odometer to keep track of ride time and mileage, there are plenty of cheaper options out there. For someone keen to take their training to the next level, it's worth spending a bit more and getting something that is specifically designed with this in mind. Verdict The inclusion of heart rate and cadence seem to suggest that this device is targeted at riders interested in serious training, but the lack of useful heart rate functions and computer connectivity mean that it's limited in this area. No matter how reliable and well constructed it is, there's just no getting away from the fact that, basic heart rate functions aside, there are much cheaper computers on the market (even within BBBs own range) which deliver the same features. http://road.cc/content/review/53309-...cling-computer -- Simon Mason |
#3
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Cyclists causing traffic delays
In article , says...
Why do cyclists do these things? Is a deliberate ploy to wind up drivers? If you want the honest, short answer then that answer is yes. I always found that when I drove a battered out company Ford Transit diesel van with 180000 miles on the clock that the best response was always to give them a wide berth whilst overtaking and then once forty feet or so in front of them to depress the clutch and simultaneously floor the accelerator for three or four seconds. It never failed to provoke gesticulations with their arms for some reason........I think, to be honest I couldn't fully be sure because they were surrounded in carcinogenic black fumes. |
#4
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BBB Digiboard BCP-51WH Cycling Computer £129.95
"Simon Mason" wrote in message ... QUOTE: The Digiboard sits at the top of BBB's cycle computer range, and features wireless transmission along with a wealth of functions. The model tested - the catchy named BCP-51 WH - integrates all the speed and distance functions you'd normally expect, with the addition of heart rate and cadence capability. This latter requires the purchase of an additional cadence kit (£27.95) which we also tested. Not a patch on the GPS Edge 800 though. -- Simon Mason |
#5
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Cyclists causing traffic delays
Nathan Pinhead wrote:
In article , says... Why do cyclists do these things? Is a deliberate ploy to wind up drivers? If you want the honest, short answer then that answer is yes. I always found that when I drove a battered out company Ford Transit diesel van with 180000 miles on the clock that the best response was always to give them a wide berth whilst overtaking and then once forty feet or so in front of them to depress the clutch and simultaneously floor the accelerator for three or four seconds. It never failed to provoke gesticulations with their arms for some reason........I think, to be honest I couldn't fully be sure because they were surrounded in carcinogenic black fumes. this is actually a common sport in the USA, just do a youtube search for some examples, such as: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5JkvGS6sdKQ |
#6
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Cyclists causing traffic delays
"Mr. Benn" wrote in message ... Got held up behind a long line of traffic yesterday. After a few minutes, it became apparent what was holding up the traffic. Two cyclists kitted out like they were taking part in the Tour de France riding two-abreast and occupying the whole lane. This was making it more difficult for traffic to pass them with adequate clearance. Having had a look at the Highway Code, it says the following: Section 66. You should: "never ride more than two abreast, and ride in single file on narrow or busy roads and when riding round bends" (http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/TravelAn...code/DG_069837) There is nothing wrong in riding two abreast on quiet roads but on busy roads, the Highway Code says cyclists should ride single-file. The road I was on yesterday was very busy. Why do cyclists do these things? Is a deliberate ploy to wind up drivers? Round here the width of most of the roads is such that it doesn't matter if they ride one or two abreast; if you're going to overtake safely you have to wait until nothing is coming the other way. In many ways, I'd rather catch a tightly packed "Peloton" than the same number of people strung out. The string takes up much more road length and is more difficult to overtake safely especially if there are small breaks in the line that aren't big enough to drop a car into. I do understand what the HC says but I'm not sure I agree with them in this case. |
#7
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Cyclists causing traffic delays
On Sun, 26 Feb 2012 17:50:31 -0000, "Mr. Benn" wrote:
Got held up behind a long line of traffic yesterday. After a few minutes, it became apparent what was holding up the traffic. Two cyclists kitted out like they were taking part in the Tour de France riding two-abreast and occupying the whole lane. This was making it more difficult for traffic to pass them with adequate clearance. Having had a look at the Highway Code, it says the following: Section 66. You should: "never ride more than two abreast, and ride in single file on narrow or busy roads and when riding round bends" (http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/TravelAn...code/DG_069837) There is nothing wrong in riding two abreast on quiet roads but on busy roads, the Highway Code says cyclists should ride single-file. The road I was on yesterday was very busy. Why do cyclists do these things? Is a deliberate ploy to wind up drivers? We don't need to do anything to wind drivers up, the mere fact that we are obviously enjoying our journey is usually enough to reduce them to incoherent rage. Guy -- Guy Chapman, http://www.chapmancentral.co.uk The usenet price promise: all opinions are guaranteed to be worth at least what you paid for them. |
#8
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Cyclists causing traffic delays
On 26/02/2012 19:41, Just zis Guy, you know? wrote:
On Sun, 26 Feb 2012 17:50:31 -0000, "Mr. wrote: Got held up behind a long line of traffic yesterday. After a few minutes, it became apparent what was holding up the traffic. Two cyclists kitted out like they were taking part in the Tour de France riding two-abreast and occupying the whole lane. This was making it more difficult for traffic to pass them with adequate clearance. Having had a look at the Highway Code, it says the following: Section 66. You should: "never ride more than two abreast, and ride in single file on narrow or busy roads and when riding round bends" (http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/TravelAn...code/DG_069837) There is nothing wrong in riding two abreast on quiet roads but on busy roads, the Highway Code says cyclists should ride single-file. The road I was on yesterday was very busy. Why do cyclists do these things? Is a deliberate ploy to wind up drivers? We don't need to do anything to wind drivers up, the mere fact that we are obviously enjoying our journey is usually enough to reduce them to incoherent rage. The fact that cyclists exist is enough. -- Dave - Cyclists VOR. "Many people barely recognise the bicycle as a legitimate mode of transport; it is either a toy for children or a vehicle fit only for the poor and/or strange," Dave Horton - Lancaster University |
#9
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Cyclists causing traffic delays
Dave - Cyclists VOR" wrote in message
... On 26/02/2012 19:41, Just zis Guy, you know? wrote: On Sun, 26 Feb 2012 17:50:31 -0000, "Mr. wrote: Got held up behind a long line of traffic yesterday. After a few minutes, it became apparent what was holding up the traffic. Two cyclists kitted out like they were taking part in the Tour de France riding two-abreast and occupying the whole lane. This was making it more difficult for traffic to pass them with adequate clearance. Having had a look at the Highway Code, it says the following: Section 66. You should: "never ride more than two abreast, and ride in single file on narrow or busy roads and when riding round bends" (http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/TravelAn...code/DG_069837) There is nothing wrong in riding two abreast on quiet roads but on busy roads, the Highway Code says cyclists should ride single-file. The road I was on yesterday was very busy. Why do cyclists do these things? Is a deliberate ploy to wind up drivers? We don't need to do anything to wind drivers up, the mere fact that we are obviously enjoying our journey is usually enough to reduce them to incoherent rage. The fact that cyclists exist is enough. ==================================== No it's not. I'm an occasional cyclist and I don't enrage myself. |
#10
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Cyclists causing traffic delays
On Sun, 26 Feb 2012 20:52:46 +0000, Mr. Benn wrote:
Dave - Cyclists VOR" wrote in message ... On 26/02/2012 19:41, Just zis Guy, you know? wrote: On Sun, 26 Feb 2012 17:50:31 -0000, "Mr. wrote: Got held up behind a long line of traffic yesterday. After a few minutes, it became apparent what was holding up the traffic. Two cyclists kitted out like they were taking part in the Tour de France riding two-abreast and occupying the whole lane. This was making it more difficult for traffic to pass them with adequate clearance. Having had a look at the Highway Code, it says the following: Section 66. You should: "never ride more than two abreast, and ride in single file on narrow or busy roads and when riding round bends" (http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/TravelAn...code/DG_069837) There is nothing wrong in riding two abreast on quiet roads but on busy roads, the Highway Code says cyclists should ride single-file. The road I was on yesterday was very busy. Why do cyclists do these things? Is a deliberate ploy to wind up drivers? We don't need to do anything to wind drivers up, the mere fact that we are obviously enjoying our journey is usually enough to reduce them to incoherent rage. The fact that cyclists exist is enough. ==================================== No it's not. I'm an occasional cyclist and I don't enrage myself. I am more than occasional. And it is difficult to be enraged while doing something very enjoyable. -- An oft-repeated lie is still a lie. |
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