Bike School Student Again

MSF Course includes Reference Text Like LAB, but Unlike CS. Material is Also Available on Line

The Bike League requests that its instructors periodically take educational material related to bikes in order to keep "fresh" in bike ed. The principle is exactly correct and ought to be followed by all; ESPECIALLY by instructors. Recently, I took advantage of an opportunity to become a bike school student all over again through a Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF) course offered near my home in North Texas. There is an obvious (to me) synergy between how to safely ride and control a bicycle with how to do the same thing on a heavier and more powerful two-wheel vehicle. Indeed, I found MANY things that cross over directly, and it was fascinating to see the similarities and differences between the Bike League (LAB) and Cycling Savvy (CS) bicycling programs.

MSF Instructor Has a Pole to Help Cone Placement, With Marks on the Lot, Unlike Either LAB or CS
ALL Riding was Done in this Parking Lot

General Observations
The MSF course takes two FULL days, and there is at least one added follow-on course. Thus it is longer than either of the cycling programs. In addition, in many states, taking and passing the test obviates the requirement to take the state skills riding test in order to win a motorcycle endorsement to one's driving license. On both days, the course started with some classroom work that consisted of going through the MSF handbook and watching relevant videos. Late each morning, we'd go over to the parking lot for various drills. Unlike EITHER the CS or LAB programs, there was no on-street riding and, as you can see below, the school-provided motorcycles do not have licenses or turn signals installed on them, making them not street-legal. My own class was probably unusual because one of the three students already had his motorcycle endorsement, was a deputy sheriff, and was taking the class in preparation to become an instructor. The second student was taking the course to get his motorcycle endorsement and did not have much more motorcycle experience than myself. The third student was me. While my bike handling skills were probably better than most, I last rode a motorcycle more than 30 years ago. Fortunately, the course does NOT assume you know how to do things such as starting the motorcycle nor shutting it down.

Our Class Had Only Three Students, Like Many LAB and CS Classes. Instructors Only Double-Up With Larger Courses

Motorcyles ARE Different (in some ways)
The first, and obvious difference is that motorcycles are big, heavy, and fast compared to bikes. Our training motorcycles were Suzuki 250 models which are tiny by current motorcycle standards but even they seemed heavy and clumsy to me. The second difference is that rider compliance is NOT considered "optional" by the larger society and the education programs are specifically backed by major manufacturers. A corollary is that instruction recognizes that motorcycles are vulnerable road users, but also starts with the presumption that crashes are usually multi-cause events in which the motorcyclist is actively seeking a balance between risk and safety. That is a refreshing change from bicycles, where advocates often seem obsessed with distinguishing between which crashes are the fault of the motorist and which are the fault of the cyclist. The MSF course knows that if you crash, it will HURT. This being said, there is a LOT of crossover in principles with bikes, even though the motorcycle people use different terms for many of their principles. ONE OTHER THING - Motorcyles ALL "backwards brake."

For the rest of this post, I'll cover topics I found interesting that either differ from bicycle teaching, match bicycle teaching, or fill in blanks for me.

Ear Protection
One thing I found fascinating was the subject of earplugs, due to my past bike school experience. Gail, here, started this and I have made other posts on the subject, here and here. In the case of the MSF, hearing protection is STRONGLY advocated even for those with quiet motorcycles and full-face helmets. One reason why, which tracks with my own bike experience, is that outside noise is a problem. The MSF cites wind noise in particular. In addition, traffic noise adds to the fatigue aspects. The MSF instructor discounted engine noise as a reason for the earplugs and was unaware that some jurisdictions outlaw their use. I also found that some motorcycle helmets have built-in provisions for listening to things like music while riding. Myself, I think this is a situation where "it depends" is a guiding factor. If you are riding slowly, in a quiet locale, ear protection is probably extraneous. That's a major reason I do not wear earphones in Ocean Shores. OTOH, if you are going to be listening to loud and engaging music, earphones are probably NOT a good idea since the music itself, in addition to being distracting, can add to hearing loss.

Visibility
In the past, I've been somewhat dubious about the incremental benefits of wearing "high vis" since much cycling (and motorcycling) clothing is basic black and because the first line of defense is to have good lights and to ride where people WILL see you before it is too late. However, I have to admit the MSF makes good points that being visible adds incremental safety. As they note about motorcycles (and could equally be noted about bikes), "...are smaller and not as prevalent as cars and trucks, so they are more difficult to pick out in traffic and their speed may be difficult for others to judge." We should keep in mind that many emergency vehicles are rear-ended on roads, despite being covered with high vis and despite "move over" legislation. 'Nuf sed.

Lane Positions
The MSF teaching on this is simple, and virtually identical to what is taught as "best practice" in cycling. The "line of sweetness" rules! In an interesting difference of terminology, the MSF describes the "line of sweetness" as the "presentation position."

The "Line of Sweetness!" Also Endorsed by the MSF

Dogs
I don't recall much material from bike school about dealing with dogs, and DEFINITELY not about how to deal with larger animals such as the deer that abound in Ocean Shores. The MSF recommendation follows: "Once an approaching dog is spotted, a good rider response is to slow, including a downshift, then accelerate past the point of interception. Don't kick at the dog, because it will make controlling the motorcycle difficult."

Crash Chain
Two things that are talked about in bike ed, are "the danger is ahead" and ACE (which stands for Ability, Conditions, and Equipment). This is complemented by the "ABC Quick Check" which is more equivalent to something the MSF refers to as TCLOCS. The Crash Chain is an excellent way to view all the elements of ACE. With apologies to Preston Tyree, he ought to consider adapting the graphic view of the Crash Chain as it wraps together all the elements of ACE, though it separates "conditions" into "road and environment," and "other traffic."

Crash Chain Graphic PERFECTLY Illustrates the LAB "ACE" Concept
REMOVE Crash Causes to BREAK the Chain Between You and Crashes

Tests
As noted  here and other places, I feel the CS program does too little testing (this is only bad because it means less feedback to students) while the LAB program spends too high a portion of its course time in testing (better student feedback, but too much time spent on tests relative to the length of the course). I do not know to what degree the MSF course approach to testing is dictated by state licensing requirements, but I found that its written test wasn't much less of a PIA than the LAB test, and its riding test was "pass/fail" since a "pass" is required to eliminate the state riding skills test. Overall, I wasn't impressed with the MSF testing, since feedback was only offered upon request. In this way it was effectively somewhere in between the two cycling programs.

Turning and Braking
I think I've blathered on for almost too much here, so I'll end with turning and braking. The principles of turning on a motorcycle are the same as on a bicycle. I found it interesting that the instructor never used the term "countersteer," though he taught us the principles. The MSF Handbook mentions it once in the context of "Press" where you press forward on the motorcycle grip in the direction of the turn. Still, this is an area in which my past bike experience with "instant turns" and such allowed me to control the motorcycle more accurately than the other students.

Another difference in emphasis is braking. In bike school, we try quick stops with the rear, with the front, and with both brakes to illustrate things. In motorcycle school, we are simply taught to apply both brakes smoothly and there is less emphasis on letting up on one or the other brake should skidding begin. Principles are the same, but perhaps the difference is because it would be difficult to spot for someone on a heavy motorcycle.

All in all, it was a good learning experience and I recommend it to anyone who is interested in improving his/her cycling abilities. Since I've done it, I also guess I ought to go ahead and get a motorcycle endorsement. After all, "you never know..."

They Also Serve

Bob Chaplin and Mike Freiberger do the Helmet Fitting Duty

My plan all along had been to go ride in the HH100. I've ridden it a couple of times before and, this year, the full 100 mile route would include Sheppard AFB. But a few things cropped up. I waited too long to get a proper room. No problem - I'd either simply get up REAL early on Saturday morning or camp out the night before. Then, Warren called. You see, there was a Bike Rodeo in Allen on Saturday and Mike needed some help. Conflict had arisen.

I worked one bike rodeo in conjunction with Chandra, documented here. This would be a second opportunity to see the different ways that League Cycling Instructors (LCIs) handle such events. How could I resist? To make a long story short, I didn't, and I must say I'm glad I didn't. You see, as at each previous teaching event, I also learned.


"Indoor" Handle Bars

First off, this time it rained. Yes, it rained in August in North Texas. Had I been leading the session, I might well have stuck with the basic program and stayed outdoors. Mike, the lead instructor elected to move indoors to be able to work with those likely to intend. I think Mike made the right call. Even IF Allen hadn't been his home turf. Running a bike rodeo in the rain is a skill that I really NEED to learn. It isn't something I'll probably need to do in Texas, but not every place is this consistently dry.
Well, obviously, moving indoors mandated some changes in the rodeo course and in the bicycles. Somehow, these changes didn't really dampen the spirits (no pun intended) of the kids, nor of mothers that elected to run down our little road course.


Dorothy and I Split the Traffic Course


Dorothy Zarbo and I split duty on the road course. While our ability to teach bike handling skills was somewhat constrained by not having actual bikes, our students and their moms were able to grasp the fundamentals of signaling, stopping for stop signs, and staying on the right side of the road.

Dorothy doubled as an imaginary 18 wheeler or other dramatic traffic event for my own groups. I hate to think what she told HER students about me and my groups.

On occasion, I overheard snippets from those that were fitting helmets. My own sentiments on helmets vary somewhat from the fitting instructions I overheard (me being more of the "cycling is fun and safe" school), but I've never seen any hard info to suggest that helmets do harm, and they surely are designed to help in the kinds of "head-bumping fall off the bike" events any of the kids in attendance are likely to experience in the next several years. Come to think of it, my own helmets have been used in the same way several times one day a year ago last February. Heck, I may have deviated a bit from the program myself, explaining to the mothers of the LITTLE kids that while they were still too small to go out on the street, that even on the sidewalk they'd be safer if they were riding in the same direction as traffic simply because that would help anyone coming out of a driveway to see them early. Yup, drivers "LOOK LEFT." It didn't seem like enough, but sometimes you do what you can.

Church Volunteers During a Lull in the Action

Such events require many sorts of different help and all serve in the ways they can. Dorothy and I served to run the "road course." Bob and Mike served to fit helmets. The volunteers in blue from the church did everything else. They even brought us interlopers cold water on occasion. Cool! And I got to experience an indoor bike rodeo for the very first time.

Oh, and thanks to Richard. I'll tell you later...

Song in Multi-Part Harmony

Sometimes, Cones are NOT ENOUGH - Chandra Adds Arrows

Chandra and I worked the riding course at the Irving Bike Fest yesterday. I was a little conflicted doing so, knowing Torrance was hosting a TS 101 course a few miles to the Southwest, but it was unclear what help Chandra might be able to count on and I knew Torrance had some help. And this was for kids. Nowadays, kids really have few sources of good information on bike riding.

It turned out to be a good choice.

Events such as the Bike Fest enlist dozens of volunteers, from kids that watch the entrances, to city employees, to businesses that pitch in. Helping Chandra and myself set up and run the course were Arjun and Francis, amongst others. And I managed to catch a few of the many event helpers and volunteers in the photos. Next time, I'd like to take a bit more time to visit with those manning the tables. It wasn't until I looked at the photos that I noticed the very same NCTCOG "Wheel of Fortune" I saw on Friday in this post.

I found that running the "scan/signal" station to be plenty challenging, as the riders ranged from those with good skills to ones that were only vaguely familiar with concepts of left versus right or even "point the way you plan to go." Francis helped out very much when his own "turning" station permitted, becoming a "station demonstrator" showing signaling and scanning in action. My favorite rider of the day was one young man who felt I needed an "Irving Junior Police Officer" sticker. I think we all had a good time.

All in all, it was a fun day. Thanks, Francesca, for inviting us!

Boy that Wheel of Fortune Looks Familiar!

Getting Set Up at Bike Fest

Bicycle-Powered Smoothies

Volunteer Francis - Taking a Well-Earned Break. Note Creative Duct Tape Use for the Nametag

Arjun Awaits the Next Rider

Smoothie Power Came in All Sizes

Irving Bike Team Wraps Up for the Day

 

Student Advice

Student Objective - ALSO Student Advice!

One aspect I like about the LAB program, despite its other warts, is the organized feedback it offers. Case in point: last weekend, a student inadvertently offered me some advice without realizing it. You can see that advice above. Yes, campers, teachers have bad habits every bit as much as any student. And, if Gail Spann is reading this, it isn't what she thinks. Even Warren would admit I was VERY well behaved about avoiding cyclocross mounts and dismounts. My recent fixie purchase should help further, but I have to drag THAT story out a while. For reasons that will become gradually clear in future posts.

It all started with Quick Stops and Instant Turns. For those not practiced in the bike handling drills common to LAB and Cycling Savvy, Quick Stops are the theory and practice of stopping a bike as quickly as possible in an emergency. You will NOT do a Quick Stop or Instant Turn every day. In fact, I cannot say I have EVER had to do a life or death Quick Stop. With luck, I never will. Still, should that day come, I hope I will be around to tell y'all how the three or four feet quicker I stopped, or the three feet quicker I turned, made a real difference. That is why we practice. Similar motives lead me to practice emergency motoring maneuvers. As in SCCA Solo Racing. What can I say, I'm an engineer?

But, bike ed has its possible downside. Today, I had one incident in which I considered initiating a Quick Stop. I also had a second incident in which I considered how ineffective the "back brake only" version of the Quick Stop truly is - and where you want to be wearing helmets the very most. Was this coincidence? I hope so. I'd rather not think that practice creates the need for the actions we practice.

Bedford Road. Scofflaw Motorist Was Off to the Right. No Cones Today...

First off, I was going down a slight incline on Bedford Road - IN Bedford, on the way home; headed towards a major coffee chain that creates a "most days" major homebound delay, when I saw a motorist and her vehicle off to the right at a stop sign. Following my usual policy, I watched the car's wheels. When they moved forward prematurely, my hands applied pressure on the brake levers and I considered potential Quick Stop options. An Instant Turn also was momentarily considered, but at close to 30MPH, was considered only as an adjunct to a Quick Stop after speed got scrubbed off. Then, the motorist recognized - or registered me - and waited. Recollections of last weekend flooded through. Once again, I didn't have to actually put any of that bike ed stuff to REAL use. Whew. The cycling equivalent of a reduction in the "DEFCON" level. Still, it was nice to know the recent practice was ready if needed.

The Offending Parking Lot. On a Day a Little More Slipperier Than Today

Before long, I was pulling into the coffee chain parking lot and exposing a BAD habit. Namely, I took off my helmet as I pulled in, which I often do to let my head cool down a smidge before I go inside. I do NOT want to start any helmet wars here, but in my experience, parking lots are one of the four situations in which helmets are the most useful. The other ones are: regular walking around or riding on slick ice, and crowded bike paths. All three situations have a lot of potential conflict and the helmet wearer is going slow. Simply said, if you wear a helmet on the road, do not take it off until you stop. That parking lot is a hotbed of potential conflict. Rantwick's mom is right.

My Dear, Departed Helmet. Killed in a Texas Summer. Still, Illustrative of Today's BAD Habit. The Helmet in the Photo Got ZINGED in Texas Heat

To make the story move forward, I took off the helmet, and held it in my left hand, leaving me with only rear braking. A car pulled out. Good thing I wasn't going fast, or I'd have made a good dent in the motorist's fender and we'd have had to argue why it was OK for him to run that stop sign when I didn't have one. I'd really rather not argue. BOTH HANDS available for braking. That's good practice. The premature helmet removal is a bad habit, and doubly so when it compromises one's ability to use the strong (front) brake. Nuff sed.

Those students learn. They also teach.

Warren Casteel Illustrates a Point in Parking Lot Drills

Renee Jordan Explains Instant Turns to TS101 Students

FOCUS!

Captain Picard Contemplates Steve's Habits...

Help Wanted

Since the middle of 2009, I made 723 posts on this blog, not including this one. I made a number more on "Cycle*Dallas" before that. The majority of these posts had significant cycling educational information. Heck, a couple were actually from material I collected for LCI Seminar teaching. It was not, however, done in accordance with a plan to accumulate a comprehensive story. Mostly, it tended to apply this writer's experiences in a way that others in the same situation could see an apply useful elements to themselves. As I've noted many times, I am NOT a cycling advocate. Mostly, it was cycling education from the perspective of a commute transportation cyclist. I freely confess that group riding is not something I'm particularly expert about. Well, that's actually putting a positive spin on my group riding skills. I ride well enough in a group that I haven't gotten hurt doing it.

Lately, however, and prompted partly by some developments within the Bike League, it seems to me that this information, along with complementary information on like-minded blogs could be organized and structured an "a la carte" approach to bike education. We just have to figure out how. It probably means we also have to import bits, such as some existing LAB course elements.

And those thoughts have not gone away.

Here are a few of the notions:

• First, it is a lot more than just a blog. That makes me glad I used to keep a couple of pretty good car club web sites and do JavaScript. But that also taught me that websites work better with collaborators.
• Second, this will need expert help. As in current and former LCI people to help keep the focus on sound bike education principles and not digress into campaigns for or against facilities or government programs. Political Bike Ed is corrupt Bike Ed.
• What's more, expert help should not be limited only to those, such as myself, that have spent more time learning to ride their bikes well than most motorists ever do in learning how to drive well. Help from those sensing learning needs are, perhaps, most valuable of all. On thing I have criticized in the LAB courses is that their tests are not the best use of student or instructor time. Certainly, none of the written tests I took ever helped me in any tangible way. However, some self test can be very valuable, particularly in an a la carte program such as described. And people with uneven knowledge can help make this work. Unfortunately, ignorant test subjects quickly lose their values as "people that don't know any better." I guess there are worse problems.
• Part of this should include information for the aspiring cyclist about equipment and maintenance. But this is not a "how to overhaul that bottom bracket and replace cartridge bearings" site. My study on Simple Green would be mentioned no more than in passing.

Simple Green Does NOT Eat Aluminum

I am thinking that this would not tell people where to go for charity rides or races, or about rides across the country. It might, on the other hand, flag upcoming educational opportunities. I don't know. I haven't thought it through that far.

First off, I need to dig up a descriptive URL and a few initial team consultants. If you have gone to one of those URL domain name search sites and come up with one. Leave a comment below, or if it is a REAL gem that should not be revealed to the world before I can get it registered, email it to me. Pretty soon, we'll have to figure out how to resolve the different directions people will want to go.

I think, however, I need help and advice. I'm reminded of innumerable movies in which the recruiter says "I need people to go on a tough mission with no glory and no pay." The ones I'm looking for are the ones that respond to that pitch with "Sounds good, count me in!"

For those that don't realize it, my email is connected to my profile and is

 steve dot a dot dfwptp at gmail dot com

 

When the new site gets up and running, we'll have emails connected to that. Yours, for example might be routefinder@ourcoolsitename.org

 

If you doubt the need for this, think about it the next time you see a wrong-way cyclist headed directly towards you while you are in a bike lane on a busy road. While you are at it, think about how will we reach such people?

 

Well, that's enough for the moment. I've got a swap meet to go to and you can expect updates of this post over the coming week. To add a little element of humor I like to put in my posts, much as are those Mormons lining up at Rantwick's door, we shall be on a mission. White shirt and tie are not required for this mission, however.

 

Oh, and by the way, it probably is a good idea for those (well, I'm pretty sure it'll be plural) that want to help, to let me know up front if you want your contributions to remain hidden from the world for some reason. After all, even I recognize that advocates can be cyclists as well and, in fact, I actually know some.

 

 

ACE

After more than two years of bike school and bike ed "how to teach" school, I heard the term "ACE" for the first time last summer. Specifically, on or about July 20th. I'll not make you, my loyal reader wait for so long.

ACE stands for "Abilities, Conditions, Equipment." Unlike the image from Wikipedia at the left, it does not imply a "death card" or "the top ranking card."

Instead, it is a recognition that sometimes situations differ, not only from cyclist to cyclist, but sometimes even for the SAME cyclist. Let me present a few examples:

For the first example, I'll relay the example that led me to hear this acronym for the first time. It was prompted by a Bike League LCI discussion that innocently started as "Under what conditions, if any, do you tell students that it is unsafe to control the lane?"

Among other responses, my own was "I'd say blind corners near a bar at closing time qualify as pretty dicey places to control a lane." Actually, I was criticized for this, with an inquiry about whether I thought the cyclist would be any safer hugging the curb. Actually, in such situations, I'd probably simply find a way to get around the corner completely OFF the road. While I have a lot of faith in my motorists, it isn't BLIND faith. Just sayin'

After a whole lot of other discussion, Preston Tyree, until recently the Bike League Director of Education, dropped the "ACE" bomb. Wow, why didn't he mention this in our LCI Seminar?

Let's go through ACE

Ability - Anyone that is able to ride any kind of bike, whether with two wheels or four, has SOME level of ability. Some of us have been riding for many years, in various conditions. Some of us have less extensive variety in their experience base. ABSOLUTELY, ability should present one variable that each cyclist should consider in his/her riding, whether in traffic, or in some sort of "cycling facility." While I STRONGLY believe that we should all be looking for ways to improve our abilities, we will always represent a spectrum of cycling, from complete beginner, ranging up to "the best transportation cyclist in the entire world," whoever that might be. While I might claim to be in "the 1%" in this regard, that certainly leaves a lot of room for me to learn new tricks. It's part of why I write this blog. To share.

Conditions - I ride differently on different days. One positive aspect of watching weather and traffic reports before I leave home is to help me realize just how much more dangerous things are out there on the road when visibility drops and traction goes to heck. Even in such conditions, cycling remains safe compared to, say, motorcycling or regular motoring, but I'm a pretty risk averse guy. While I'm perfectly willing to ride in the dark wearing basic black, I'm really NOT inclined to ride my bike down the Alliance Gateway Freeway in the dark and fog. No, I don't have any data to show I'm at any real risk, but we all "draw the line" somewhere. In the fog, I take an alternate route. In the rain, I take an alternate route. I'm willing to pay the two minute penalty in the time it takes me to get to work. Peace of mind is worth two minutes to me. YOUR mileage might vary.

Equipment - This is one I have a the most difficulty with. Certainly, I have experienced situations where failed equipment has caused me to behave differently. When I broke my bike chain with no tools to fix it, I coasted along on the sidewalk "a la scooter" to get home. Ditto for when my headlight pooped out and I had no spare batteries. I admit it, I'm too "chicken" to ride on the road in the dark without lights. I'll leave that to people more daring than myself. People I sometimes refer to as "ninja." On some occasions, a sidewalk really IS the best way to go. But such occasions are, for me at least, pretty rare. IMO, there's a definite interplay here with the "Ability" and "Conditions" elements. Also, what sort of acronym would "AC" represent? We're not here to pitch defunct British car manufacturers! I'm doubly troubled by this one, because Preston cited a bike with a trailer as a situation in which one might not want to control a lane. I wondered, and inquired, how a trailer affected the safety of lane control. Never got an answer. All I can say is that I cannot see any way in which the presence or absence of a trailer should affect one's decision to control a lane. It is either safe, depending on ACE, or not. If not, and there's no alternative, one might be dragging that trailer through a drainage ditch. Certainly, there are improvements that can be made to our road system. No further comment...

Opinions Needed from my Loyal Reader

Actually, this involves TWO semi-related subjects. The first is the practical question of how much is a reasonable offer for a broken bicycle. The second is how to induce a "teachable moment" to people who've been hit by motorists recently, and on more than one occasion.

FIRST OPINIONS

Right (Drive Side) Crank Arm Looks OK. Left Looks Like "Toast"

The bicycle in question is a Specialized Roubaix. It's got a carbon frame that's too big for me, that was involved in a collision with an automobile (more on that later in the second subject) when the whole bike had about 100 miles on it. The crash broke the carbon frame seat tube. It also bent the left crank arm and the wheels are out of true. The condition of the carbon fork is unknown. Those with long memories, will remember that I've noted here how to verify the condition of a suspect carbon fork.

Road Rash on Rear Derailleur. Otherwise, Pretty Much What You'd Expect from a New Bike After a Week of Me Riding It

So, why would I consider paying ANYTHING for this? Well, the first item is that Buddy uses SRAM and the remnants of the bike in question use SRAM. What's more, last winter, I bought a ten speed SRAM Force set of shifters, for a future road bike upgrade and this bike has a ten speed rear cassette, along with a SRAM rear derailleur. It's also got a nearly new SRAM ten speed chain. The bottom line is that with a SRAM rear derailleur of any model, I'll have all the parts needed to convert the road bike from an 8 speed Shimano to a 10 speed SRAM system. That would leave the fleet Shimano-free with the exception of Frankenbike which is an entirely different subject. With the cassette, I'd be able to also have a full backup mud/snow set of wheels for cyclocross and snow weather. And chains are a wear item that one will certainly use as the miles pile up.
Stuff I could use almost right away include the rear derailleur, and the chain (Buddy's got nearly 4k miles on its current chain).

Stuff I MIGHT be able to use include the wheels if I can get back into true (by no means certain) - for my knobby tires when it snows around here, and the carbon seat post as an upgrade for the aluminum seat post on my road bike. Not that I'm really LOOKING for a carbon seat post or even for an extra road bike saddle. Also the tires, which look nearly new and those of us that use such up will eventually use any such items that come our way.

Stuff I think might be saleable would include the SRAM Apex shifters, front derailleur (it's a braze-on type which none of my bikes can use), handlebars, possibly the front fork, and the Apex brakes. I do not think the brakes would work on any of my older bikes due to the evolution of brake reach through the years. Still, some person would probably find late model brakes attractive, even if "low end." Of course, I'm really not thrilled with the idea of getting into the parts selling business.
Before I looked at the bike, I said I'd pay $100 sight unseen. That mostly gave value to the rear derailleur, and little for the wheels or drivetrain. Upon seeing the bike, the wheels look like they might be salvageable as a labor of love (they wobble, but there is no VISUAL damage to spokes or the rim), and the drivetrain without even love being needed. I'm not sure the rest of the crank system is even worth a serious dismantle, since the left arm hits the left chainstay. Even a visually good BB is suspect in such a situation. Or so my thoughts go.
Looking at the bike, I add some value for the shifters (almost new SRAM Apex), the handlebars, which are standard, the brake calipers, which are also new standard Roubaix items, and the seatpost, which I think I'm inclined to sell.
SO, y'all, what's the right amount to offer? This guy thinks a NEW, full Apex system is worth $500, and looking at eBay, I'm not sure I'd argue seriously about that. Still, I've already GOT better shifters and wheels, and am not really looking to get into the parts business, so I think the proper value is somewhere between $100 and $300. Over $150 and I think I start to lose a lot of interest and start simply looking for a good, used SRAM rear derailleur. HOWEVER, if I pass, one of y'all might want to sign up for all this? I haven't asked if the person in question wants to ship if you are not local to the DFW area.
SECOND OPINIONS
This bike comes available because the rider got hit in a "left cross situation." I didn't ask, but I suspect the rider was in the "zone of invisibility" at the far right edge of the lane as he was at the stop line. Simply moving left to be more visible might have converted a collision into a situation not even worthy of mention. Coincidentally, I had a pleasant "flat tire and quick release" experience this week. WHAT? You might ask. Well, it wasn't MY flat tire. A fellow bike commuter had a flat tire and I was fortunate enough to come along and help, without even getting cold and dirty. The RELEVANT aspect was that while he fixed his tire, he mentioned he's been hit TWICE by cars. I mentioned back I could help with that and was a bike league cycling instructor.

Joey Fixes His Tire. Buddy and Steve Offer Advice and a Tire Pump. A Tube was Ready if Needed

The question I put to my loyal reader is how do I turn these into "teachable moments?" Two people who ride bikes and three hits by cars is NOT something I can easily ignore, especially since my last real close call was back in the 70's. Motorists may not necessarily LIKE the way I ride, but they absolutely KNOW how to avoid an actual contact. HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Brompton at Cycle Savvy

Chandra Sets Up the Brompton

Sometimes you learn stuff in bike school that you weren't planning on learning. Like about some of the other bikes. Early in September, "Lovely Bicycle" did a piece on a bare, clear coated Brompton folding bike. Knowing that Chandra was likely to bring his own Brompton along, I decided to grill him a bit on the color and finish choices on that fine bike. Well, to my amazement, Chandra and Velouria seem to have similar tastes, since Chandra also went with "the natural look."

Without further comment, look at the photos. The look might not appeal to all, but the brazes visible to all that look appeal to me somehow. If it was not a basic truth that "all the best bikes are red," I might be smitten...

Brompton Rear Triangle. The Little Wheels are for Rolling the Bike When Folded

Close Look at the Brazes at the Head Tube

Brazes and the Mighty Brompton Drive Train

Car School Almost Gets Gumby

It is time to take a little break from bike school discussions. It may not be well known, but just as people that think they know how to ride a bike go to bike school, people that think they know how to motor go to car school. This morning, I made a pilgrimage to bring y'all secret spy shots of a motoring CAR SCHOOL in action. Since it seems that some people on bikes are sure motorists are out to get them, I focused on actions that might support their contention. Specially, I took a look at parking lot drills, and especially dooring practice, debris creation, and what, in less scrupulous hands, might look like a photo of Gumby about to be run down.

Without further ado, here is the story. I elected to write my story about the local Jaguar Club event. They call it a "Concours d'Elegance," but it really serves the multiple purposes of giving them practice opening their doors, arranging debris, and encouraging self loathing (it is an event where you PAY people to tell you how lousy your car is). Some say this fosters road rage, but I haven't ever seen a connection myself. Perhaps it is a motoring version of one of the cycling myths I occasionally talk about.

When the motorists arrive, they are checked out to ensure the cars meet minimal standards. This is called a "mechanical check." In the photo below, you can see a Jaguar XJS being checked out. Its motorist is asked by the mechanical judge to put her cell phone aside and do things like prove her horn and lights work properly. Contrary to what some believe, the motorist is NOT encouraged to yell at the judge to "get off the road," though I have read the rules very carefully and there is not any actual deduction established for yelling at a judge or even for running one over. As when dealing with a real judge, it seems most motorists err on the side of being nice to the judge. You might wonder about the ambulance in the background. It is possible the driver was merely interested in watching the car show. However, my own theory was that it was there in case any of the Jaguars with a V12 engine suddenly burst into flames. None actually did so while I was there, or I'd have included it with these pictures.

I did Not See Any Motorists Yell at the Pedestrian Judge. Lots of Smiling.

As you can see, some of the motorists don't have the dooring concept down properly. This Jaguar Mark 9 owner only had his door open on the curb side. Chatting with the owner, he got that Jaguar on the roof at a garage sale for $2. It keeps watch in case any show judges are lurking around nearby. The cone is near the boundary of the street side door zone if he'd wanted to open the door on that side. For those that have never seen one of these cars, they are very much like the Mark 8 car that is featured in the old Hitchcock film; "Vertigo," which starred Jimmy Stewart.

Big Cat Keeps Watch on Top of Another Big Cat

Other motorists elected to try all ways to get those doors out in the breeze. The blue car is a Mark 2. The Mark 2 was a more compact model than the Mark 9. In the UK, they were much favored by getaway drivers.

This Door Opening Strategy Would Catch a Cyclist on EITHER Side.

Some of the motorists adopted an entirely different approach. The owner of this XK140 didn't have any doors open at all. Instead, the debris, cleverly disguised as trunk contents and cleaning supplies, would be SURE to entrap any cyclist venturing too close to the left hand side of the car.

1955 Jaguar XK140

Now, some people on bikes like to ride closer to cars than would be prudent if a door actually opened. Perhaps they imagine all cars have tiny doors like the 1968 Jaguar E type Open Two Seater in the photo below. My own E type is a coupe version of the same car, though mine, being a year earlier has covered headlights, more power, and a tiny ding in the bonnet where a bike crashed into it. THAT will be a story saved for another day. Not that I pay any attention to such things, but I'd say that Jaguar looks an awful lot like it is painted Silver Opalescent Blue.

Notice How Visible The Spectator in Green is, Even Though She is Not in the Foreground

Some motorists decided to team up and have a whole ROW of open doors. Somehow, I think this tactic would not be very effective at snaring even a dumb person on a bike. I also think these guys lowered their chances by parking on the left side of the street. Even in North Texas, the majority of people on bikes ride on the RIGHT side of the road. Perhaps they were trying to remind the cars they originally came from the UK. It didn't occur to me to do an in depth interview on this phenomenon until after I got home.

Unlike Toyotas, Jaguars Seem to Hang Around FOREVER. The Ones on This Row, On Average, Would Be Old Enough to Vote if They Were People

However, completely unexpectedly, I saw a little green man on the pavement. My initial reaction was that, somehow, John Romeo Alpha's Gumby had migrated to Texas. Closer examination revealed that it was nothing more than an action figure that looked somewhat "Gumby like" from a distance. I named it "Almost Gumby."

"Almost Gumby." Smooshed a Little But Unbroken!

Careful perspective and zoom choice created an impression that "Almost Gumby" was about to get creamed by a powerful, late model Jaguar. No doubt, someone trying to sell cycling by scaring people (is that a real good marketing technique?), would claim this car was driven by a raging maniac. In truth, the driver was a very nice lady who was getting coffee before she got down to seriously preparing her car for the judges to tell her how she failed to measure up.

And such is one form of CAR SCHOOL. I have to say, those that tell you all vehicles are the same are NOT telling the truth! Cars really ARE different, and some cars are different than the rest.