The "Photos From Today's Ride" thread...
Discussion
tuffer said:
Dan Friel said:
tuffer said:
Early morning 30 miler across Salisbury Plain this morning, lots of Deer and Tanks about.
Was out across the northern edge of the Plain this evening, perfect cycling territory.. just avoid the deer, and most importantly, the tanks.
y2blade said:
To add: I got the MTB out as local roads are completely ruined by the flooding with massive potholes and sharp gravel everywhere.
You, sir, are spoiled. If that's what your local roads look like after the winter we've just had, take a look at this road, pictured in August last year...
...that's right, before the winter we've just endured
An unintentional dismount, just after taking that photo, caused this...
...which I believe is known in medical circles as a 'peeled knee'.
Rich_W said:
I'm probably alone in this. But I always wonder why parents who make their kids wear helmets when riding seem unwilling to wear one themselves. 
I'm assuming that was aimed at me? As I'm the only one who has posted pics with kids on this page, allow me to respond.Why are you assuming I'm unwilling?
I have 4/5 helmets. Road/XC/DH etc. including a fullface carbon one.
Today I chose not to wear one. It was my choice given the following conditions:
There were 4 of us riding, one of us is 3.
The 3 year old is still using stabilisers. Knowing this I thought high speeds would not be on the agenda.
We were riding on a path/cycle path the whole way.
We were riding no more than a mile there and back.
I probably wouldn't have made the kids wear a lid but they think it's cool to have one, and therefore want to.
Given all this, and being a grown man, I concluded that the wearing of a helmet for that particular ride was probably not necessary.
After checking Strava I see the ride data as follows:
Distance: 1.0 mi
Moving Time: 12:07
Elapsed Time: 28:29
Av. Speed: 4.8mi/h
Max Speed: 14.5mi/h
I stand by my decision
If I had been hitting A Line in Whislter I'd have worn the FF lid. Had I been going out for a 50 mile run into the Chilterns on the road bike I may have chosen to wear my Kask Vertigo. I may not have. That's the beauty of being a grown up and being able to make informed decisions based on various conditions.
The kids were also wearing gloves, I was not.
I always wear gloves. However as I'm still sporting a pretty pink cast on my right arm and, again given the factors outlined above, I didn't today. Wearing one glove just didn't seem right. I'm not Michael Jackson
Excellent reply, Johnny.
"None of your business" would have made as much sense
Both my boys were given no choice about wearing helmets, right up until they were 16. Then, the decision to wear or not to wear was left to them, in much the same way as I consider the need to wear a helmet before every ride. Mostly, I choose to wear one. Occasionally I do not. I also made sure that my sons' eyes and hands were protected, by supplying them glasses and gloves. I had them, so I saw no good reason why I should expect them to ride without.
Yesterday my youngest went out for the first time without a helmet. I remarked upon it on his return. His reply? "I wasn't going to be hammering it, so I didn't feel I needed to wear it. I'll probably wear it next time". Perfectly sound reasoning, and entirely his decision. My wife, on the other hand, cannot be persuaded to wear a lid, despite her disturbing habit of throwing herself onto the floor when riding. No-one wore helmets in the 70s, which is when she was forming her cycling habit. She won't wear any Lycra, or cycle specific clothing, either, as in her opinion "I didn't need a power ranger costume for my paper round. Why would I need one to ride to work?" And she's right. It's 'horses for courses' and all that good stuff. I feel the need for padded shorts and Lycra jerseys, she bikes in to work in jeans and Converse daps.
Back to riding with kids, though. I always wore a helmet when out with my boys, especially with the eldest, as he really did not want to wear one, and I couldn't justify my pro-helmet stance if I didn't play the part of role model. I wear a lid off road, and out on the 'proper' road bike. If I just nip 1/2 a mile down the road to the shop on my MTB, then I won't bother. A quick mental risk assessment and some common sense is all it needs to inform the decision. I would recommend wearing a helmet to anyone who'd listen, but I am very much opposed to any legislation which might require everyone to wear a helmet at all times.
"None of your business" would have made as much sense
Both my boys were given no choice about wearing helmets, right up until they were 16. Then, the decision to wear or not to wear was left to them, in much the same way as I consider the need to wear a helmet before every ride. Mostly, I choose to wear one. Occasionally I do not. I also made sure that my sons' eyes and hands were protected, by supplying them glasses and gloves. I had them, so I saw no good reason why I should expect them to ride without.
Yesterday my youngest went out for the first time without a helmet. I remarked upon it on his return. His reply? "I wasn't going to be hammering it, so I didn't feel I needed to wear it. I'll probably wear it next time". Perfectly sound reasoning, and entirely his decision. My wife, on the other hand, cannot be persuaded to wear a lid, despite her disturbing habit of throwing herself onto the floor when riding. No-one wore helmets in the 70s, which is when she was forming her cycling habit. She won't wear any Lycra, or cycle specific clothing, either, as in her opinion "I didn't need a power ranger costume for my paper round. Why would I need one to ride to work?" And she's right. It's 'horses for courses' and all that good stuff. I feel the need for padded shorts and Lycra jerseys, she bikes in to work in jeans and Converse daps.
Back to riding with kids, though. I always wore a helmet when out with my boys, especially with the eldest, as he really did not want to wear one, and I couldn't justify my pro-helmet stance if I didn't play the part of role model. I wear a lid off road, and out on the 'proper' road bike. If I just nip 1/2 a mile down the road to the shop on my MTB, then I won't bother. A quick mental risk assessment and some common sense is all it needs to inform the decision. I would recommend wearing a helmet to anyone who'd listen, but I am very much opposed to any legislation which might require everyone to wear a helmet at all times.
Whilst i agree it's a totally personal decision to wear a helmet or not, i would point out that using the "average speed" of a ride to decide if you should wear one is ridiculous!
To show that, try the following:
Fall over when standing still and smack your head onto the ground without a helmet.
If you are still alive, repeat with a helmet.
On any ride you can come a cropper, you don't have to be doing 50mph, and in fact, most of my injuries suggest that it is precisely when "just pootling along" that you are not concentrating perhaps, or are distracted (by small children about to pedal off the pavement maybe...) and fail to spot the approaching motorist, kerb, pot hole, stump, sign, other cyclist, or what ever.
But, like i said, it's your choice.
To show that, try the following:
Fall over when standing still and smack your head onto the ground without a helmet.
If you are still alive, repeat with a helmet.
On any ride you can come a cropper, you don't have to be doing 50mph, and in fact, most of my injuries suggest that it is precisely when "just pootling along" that you are not concentrating perhaps, or are distracted (by small children about to pedal off the pavement maybe...) and fail to spot the approaching motorist, kerb, pot hole, stump, sign, other cyclist, or what ever.
But, like i said, it's your choice.
Max_Torque said:
Whilst i agree it's a totally personal decision to wear a helmet or not, i would point out that using the "average speed" of a ride to decide if you should wear one is ridiculous!
In your opinion And I didn't use it to decide. I decided based on the facts I outlined.
I was merely pointing out that after the ride data showed I had averaged walking pace...
Like you said, personal choice. And it wasn't me questioning anyone else's.
Max_Torque said:
Whilst i agree it's a totally personal decision to wear a helmet or not, i would point out that using the "average speed" of a ride to decide if you should wear one is ridiculous!
To show that, try the following:
Fall over when standing still and smack your head onto the ground without a helmet.
If you are still alive, repeat with a helmet.
On any ride you can come a cropper, you don't have to be doing 50mph, and in fact, most of my injuries suggest that it is precisely when "just pootling along" that you are not concentrating perhaps, or are distracted (by small children about to pedal off the pavement maybe...) and fail to spot the approaching motorist, kerb, pot hole, stump, sign, other cyclist, or what ever.
But, like i said, it's your choice.
There is ALWAYS a risk but judging that level of risk is key. For such a slow ride on presumably quiet and easy terrain I'd probably not bother with a helmet either. Do you wear a helmet when walking around a supermarket? There IS a risk that a bottle of pasta sauce could fall off the shelf onto your head, but presumably you've deemed that unlikely.To show that, try the following:
Fall over when standing still and smack your head onto the ground without a helmet.
If you are still alive, repeat with a helmet.
On any ride you can come a cropper, you don't have to be doing 50mph, and in fact, most of my injuries suggest that it is precisely when "just pootling along" that you are not concentrating perhaps, or are distracted (by small children about to pedal off the pavement maybe...) and fail to spot the approaching motorist, kerb, pot hole, stump, sign, other cyclist, or what ever.
But, like i said, it's your choice.
Johnny said:
Rich_W said:
I'm probably alone in this. But I always wonder why parents who make their kids wear helmets when riding seem unwilling to wear one themselves.
I'm assuming that was aimed at me? As I'm the only one who has posted pics with kids on this page, allow me to respond.Why are you assuming I'm unwilling?
I have 4/5 helmets. Road/XC/DH etc. including a fullface carbon one.
Today I chose not to wear one. It was my choice given the following conditions:
There were 4 of us riding, one of us is 3.
The 3 year old is still using stabilisers. Knowing this I thought high speeds would not be on the agenda.
We were riding on a path/cycle path the whole way.
We were riding no more than a mile there and back.
I probably wouldn't have made the kids wear a lid but they think it's cool to have one, and therefore want to.
Given all this, and being a grown man, I concluded that the wearing of a helmet for that particular ride was probably not necessary.
After checking Strava I see the ride data as follows:
Distance: 1.0 mi
Moving Time: 12:07
Elapsed Time: 28:29
Av. Speed: 4.8mi/h
Max Speed: 14.5mi/h
I stand by my decision
If I had been hitting A Line in Whislter I'd have worn the FF lid. Had I been going out for a 50 mile run into the Chilterns on the road bike I may have chosen to wear my Kask Vertigo. I may not have. That's the beauty of being a grown up and being able to make informed decisions based on various conditions.
The kids were also wearing gloves, I was not.
I always wear gloves. However as I'm still sporting a pretty pink cast on my right arm and, again given the factors outlined above, I didn't today. Wearing one glove just didn't seem right. I'm not Michael Jackson
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