Sometimes a Bike is too Quick

 Recently, I had cause to stroll around Aberdeen, Washington. Normally, I ride my bike or in a car when I visit Aberdeen. Walking, however, showed me many items I would miss when on my bike.

Old and Tired Aberdeen

Seen while walking in an Aberdeen Alley

Gray's Harbor County, and Aberdeen, are some of the poorer areas of Washington State. Aberdeen bills itself as "the Lumber Capital of the World," but that really means its heyday was a century ago. Less well known is that Aberdeen was also home, back in the day, to perhaps the worst serial killer in US history, Billy Gohl. Between about 1902 and 1910, Billy may have killed over 100 people. His memory is immortalized in Aberdeen only through a bar/grill named "Billy's." His name does not appear on the walk of fame, described below.

Aberdeen Walk of Fame

Doug Osheroff, Nobel Laureate born in Aberdeen

The first star presented for your consideration is that of Doug Osheroff, a Nobel Physics winner that was born and raised in Aberdeen. As with Kurt Cobain, he achieved his fame elsewhere.

John Madden played football for a year at the local community college

I was surprised to see John Madden (of NFL fame) on the Aberdeen walk. John wasn't born or commonly associated with Aberdeen. However, as one discovers from Wikipedia, he played football for Aberdeen's Gray's Harbor College in 1956

There were many other stars on the Aberdeen sidewalks, some names more familiar and some less.

Aberdeen even has a Major League Baseball Player

For any loyal reader not familiar with Vean Gregg, he is a member of the Pacific Coast League Hall of Fame. The PCL is a minor-league, but Gregg also played well in the Major Leagues. According to Wikipedia, "Gregg's major league career record is 92–63 with a lifetime 2.70 ERA in 1,393 innings pitched and 720 strikeouts. He was the only pitcher in the 20th century to win 20 games or more in his first three seasons." While Gregg was born in Chehalis, he lived in Aberdeen after he retired from baseball.

I'd have seen none of these items on my bike or from the seat of a car.

Round About the Roundabout

Google Maps Satellite View of Ocean Shores Roundabout
More About The Bike Lanes Later...

Not long ago, the Bike League instructor email list had a discussion about roundabouts. Roundabouts are an up and coming feature of roads that allow traffic flow without the disruption of four-way stop signs or traffic signals. They work quite well for motorized traffic, but cyclists and traffic engineers do not seem to understand how they can also work quite simply and well for cycling. The Ocean Shores roundabout is a case in point. The roundabout replaced the only traffic signal in town.

Uneventful Traffic Flow Through Ocean Shores Roundabout
The Wrong-Way Motorist Wasn't Using it Today!
If You Ride a Bike, The Bike Lane Striping Appears to Direct You into the Crosswalk

At the beginning of this post, you can see a “Google Maps” overhead view of the roundabout. Mostly, traffic flows through it without incidents of any kind, though I heard a motorist tried to go through it the wrong way a few days ago. Most motorists are competent enough to go around in the right direction and mostly they also pay attention to the signs. Ocean Shores is a tourist town, and so a lot of these motorists that do well have not encountered roundabouts prior to their visit.

I’ve ridden through this roundabout many times now and, up until a week or two ago, it’s been the height of simplicity to simply follow the signs that apply to the rest of traffic. Basically, if you plan to turn right or go straight, you stay in the RH traffic lane. If you plan to make a left or U turn, get in the LH traffic lane and exit into the street appropriate to your destination. As with most well-designed roundabouts, traffic entering the roundabout must yield to those already going around. This works well for motor vehicles OR for bikes, since bikes can go around in a circle at least as well as the typical motor vehicle. It is a simple case of elementary destination positioning. For those not recalling this principle, it states “stay in the rightmost lane that serves your destination.”

Simply Follow the Arrows and Get in the Lane that Goes Where You Want to Go

HOWEVER, recently, the city restriped the bike lanes, creating needless conflict. The approach reinforced my belief that traffic engineers are often clueless dweebs that are ignorant about how to keep all people safe. In short, remembering that Ocean Shores made it ILLEGAL foranybody to ride on city sidewalks (even little kids on bikes with trainingwheels), these traffic engineers striped their bike lanes to direct cyclists on to and off of sidewalks into their painted lanes. You might wonder how this puts anybody in danger, considering that there are few crossing driveways on these sidewalks. Well, once so directed, people on bikes then use the pedestrian crosswalks across the roundabout. This IS a problem, since pedestrians without wheels travel fairly slowly and have the equipment to stop without problems. On the OTHER hand, people on bikes are going much quicker and they cross the roundabout in a manner that is unexpected for motorists using the roundabout. Personally, I also have a problem with city-installed infrastructure that encourages behavior that the same city has made illegal.

Following the Striping "Suggestion" Leads a Cyclist onto the Illegal Sidewalk and to Cross the Road at Right Angles to Traffic

Once again, traffic engineering in action – creating danger and encouraging illegal behavior when doing NOTHING would have been far better AND safer. I look forward to their next folly, when they create problems on the street immediately north of the roundabout…

Odd Striping Strategy for a City that Made it ILLEGAL to Ride Bikes on Sidewalks. I Guess They Expect Everyone Will WALK Their Bikes for a Block?

Unintended Cycling Effects

Handicap Signs Make Nice Short-Term Bike Parking. Thanks, ADA!

One problem with the large, complex laws that seem to come out with ever-greater frequency from our Congress is that unexpected things happen. HERE, I noted that the very first effect I saw from the Health Care Reform Law came from a little item stuck back on page 1239. We lost the showers that were perfect for cycling commuters. Certainly that was unintended, though it was also very real.



Showers for Cyclists - Added by
ADA - Taken by Obamacare!

Actually, that was not really an unintended effect, strictly speaking. It was an unintended modification of an unintended effect. Which brings us to the story of this post. You see, our wonderful bike commuter showers were a very nice consequence of a previous attempt to solve a real problem with complex legislation. The legislation was, I was recently surprised to learn, an attempt to extend protection to the disabled similar to that afforded by the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The ADA was passed and signed into law by George W Bush's dad. An amendment was later passed in 2008 and signed into law by George HW Bush's son. Both events were an example, all too rare recently, of bipartisan cooperation since both bills were passed by a Democratic Congress and signed by a Republican President.

Well, to make a long story short, besides the bike commuter shower, the photos that accompany this post show two more unintended effects of the ADA that affect people on bikes. The one at top has little downside for cyclists. Those handicap parking signs provide supplemental short-term bike parking. I wouldn't trust most of these to stand up long to a determined thief, but they are great for a short coffee stop. The wheelchair ramp makes them even more convenient for a thirsty cyclist.

The second effect is more mixed. When I was a kid, men were men, women were women, and corners were corners. Nowadays, the first two are still true, but corners have virtually disappeared from our sidewalks. Now we have ramps. These are less clearly a good thing for cyclists. Clearly it can be nice to have added choices when you are getting off the road at the corner deli, and if you have a heavily loaded bike you are walking because you have a flat tire, they can be WONDERFUL, but such features not only encourage sidewalk riding, but they make it temptingly easy for sidewalk riders to simply SHOOT across the street compared to the corners of old. I see such behavior often. Whatever the drafters of the ADA had in mind, I don't expect that encouraging wrong-way sidewalk riding without slowing down for intersections was on the list? Anybody else know of unintended effects of major laws that affect cyclists. No fair citing laws where cyclists are specifically intended as targets or beneficiaries. We're talking accidental (no pun intended) effects.

Handicap Corners Help Get That Crippled Bike up Over the Corner. Thanks, ADA!

Handicap Ramps Encourage Sidewalk Cyclists NOT to "Stop, Look, and Listen." Hmm, ADA!

No Motorist at Fault

Harwood Road, a Bit East of the "Sidewalk Ride"

Today, I had somewhat of a close call on the way home from work. I was stopped at a stop sign, preparing to turn right onto Harwood Road in Bedford. As is my usual practice in such situations, I first scanned to the left, to see what oncoming traffic was on the arterial. I then scanned to the right, to see what might possibly be coming from the unexpected direction. Finally I scanned to the left once more and began my turn.

That is when it happened.

Down the sidewalk, from the wrong direction, a person on a bike shot off the sidewalk and directly into my path. Fortunately, my bike was a lot narrower than the typical SUV and so I was able to avoid the person without too much drama. I was, however, too startled to even yell out any inappropriate remarks in the direction of the sidewalk rider. In any event, I suspect that talking to such a person would NOT represent a "teachable moment."

Still, if you read this, and ride on sidewalks, PLEASE ride on the sidewalk where traffic is going in the same direction as you are. That at least gives people riding or driving on the road a fair shot at seeing you before a conflict situation arises.

Had I, instead have been driving an automobile and had we collided, it might well have been tagged as the motorist's fault, since I was beginning a right turn from a stop sign - "Motorist pullout." You might not care for your own life, but MY motorists deserve better. They ought not be tagged as scofflaws simply because of your ignorance. There are more than enough careless motorists to go around. Heck, even if you don't care a whit about MY motorists, show a little consideration for CYCLISTS that operate in a predictable and lawful fashion. Thanks, in advance. For those NOT reading this, well I've avoided inappropriate remarks so far and you aren't reading anyway.

PS: And PLEASE use lights in the dark, while you're at it! I'm running out of cheap lights to give to people who feel their life is worth less than the cost of one. Even riding WITH traffic down a sidewalk in the dark is a pretty questionable practice. Even a cyclist who is more careful on his commute than most will have trouble picking you up in the dark. Car-Free PVD has some good recommendations but even the ones NOT liked give me a shot at seeing you. Just sayin'.

PPS: Maybe I'll chill out a little next week when DST FINALLY ends. Right now, I'm feeling a little threatened by people on bikes...

Consequences

Over the last year, I've messed up and, as a result have acquired some extra poundage. It supports my theory that cycling is worthless as a means of avoiding obesity. It CAN, however, be a valuable aid in dealing with the consequences. For the moment, it means that when I ride to the gym on Saturday mornings, I have to actually do a light workout in addition to a leisurely visit to the dry sauna. It also means that I'll snag some extra cash by winning our "lose weight" challenge at work.

Anyway, I decided this morning's ride would be eventful, so I actually brought a camera along, ready to validate my "snapping shots while traveling" technique that I previously reported. Why should I be the only uncoordinated, non-multi-tasking cycling blogger in the world? The first photo, above, shows that it would be a different morning indeed. It would soon be filled with "ninja salmon sidewalk riding" and constant honking. My loyal reader may want to avert eyes now so as to not have the image of my godlike superior riding technique forever shattered. Real people, however, may read on with no warranty implied or offered.

Seeing the construction truck coming down the road and more stuff behind it, I decided to abandon the "assertive riding approach" and become a "ninja (no lights) salmon (riding against traffic) sidewalk rider," leading to the little boy dream construction shot below. Actually, at 10AM, I think the lack of lighting is probably not going to offend even my most militant reader, and it seemed churlish to actually ride on the road here. Mostly I walked, riding only for about 20 feet so I could say I was a salmon sidewalk rider and be telling the truth.

It is true what they tell you about sidewalk riding being dangerous. Had that equipment been parked a little closer to the curb, you can see that my helmet could have been needed as it swung around in the picture below.

Don't ya just LOVE yellow construction equipment in action? My wrong-way sidewalk is at left

Even though there was clearance, I waited until the operater was digging again before I walked past

Immediately after passing by all this interesting construction, I noticed a constant honking. Actually it sounded rather squeaky for a honk. Before long, I made the correlation that this honk occurred whenever I was not on smooth pavement. Might Rantwick have flown south to keep an eye on me?

Not seeing Rantwick, I made it to the gym where I noticed an unusual amount of bike parking congestion, necessitating my alternate secure locking technique, in which the U lock attaches the lock and through the rear wheel, with the cable looping around through itself to secure the front. This is not the MOST secure, but allows excellent security for all the expensive stuff and good security for the front wheel. The OTHER bike, you will note, has no locking at all for its front wheel. Kermit is smiling because he is happy with my secure locking technique.

When I trudged into the gym, the guy at the counter asked if I took a picture to prove I actually rode my bike to the gym. I replied that, no, I just took pictures of good and bad bike locking. He then told me that the other bike was HIS, and that he was able to keep an eye on it. I said that was good, but it only took a second to snag that really nice looking front wheel. I did, however, refrain from a demonstration when I left. Speaking of which, some motorists really DO need to drive to the gym more often, so that the paramedics do not have to come and revive them. It's cycling that's dangerous? At least I don't think this was a major emergency. The paramedics didn't appear to be in a big rush to get inside.

After some relaxing coffee, I zipped, home, accompanied by MORE HONKING! The offending honker was finally captured in pixels, and is affecting a smile below. Yes, it was Kermit who has suddenly adopted a policy of alerting me when smooth pavement is not present. Just another warm and pleasant Saturday morning in Northeast Tarrant County.

Kermit, looking all innocent at the end of the morning outing. Doesn't he look happy, though?

Rantwick and the “Line of Sweetness”

Rantwick made a very interesting post, here, complete with his best-ever graphic, in which he included a video of a close pass. My own comment supported Rantwick's observation that slipping left in a lane is best done slowly, so as to not surprise any following motorists. In comments, Skyers suggested that the “Line of Sourness” may have been what kept a close pass from becoming something worse. Skyers’s analysis contains an undeniable element of truth, but after careful consideration, I think it misses at a critical element. Here’s why.


IMPORTANT ELEMENTS OF THE INCIDENT
The video contains two important elements. First, Rantwick executes a left turn, then, about seven seconds later, he gets passed very closely by a car that is going quite fast. We’ll call the driver “Speedy.” The Line of Sweetness (EXCELLENT GRAPHIC HERE) is certainly one principle involved, but it is complicated by a left turn in front of oncoming traffic, bringing “the Land Rover Rule” into play. In this case, “the Land Rover Rule” says you do not turn into the immediate path of onrushing traffic regardless of whether you are going to ride the line of sweetness, sourness, or even if your intent is to jump the curb and onto the sidewalk. You wouldn’t do it if you were driving the Land Rover, you don’t do it on the bike. If I were an official type like Mighk, I’d call it the “first come, first served” principle (see, I DO know some of the official names of this stuff for when I have to take tests).

WAS THE TURN DANGEROUS?
Did Rantwick turn too close in front of the speed demon? Well, Rantwick certainly didn’t think so, and, while it is very easy to misjudge such things if one of the cars is going really fast (also true if you are driving), the video shows Rantwick went seven full seconds before Speedy passed him while passing through an intersection. If Speedy was going twice his speed, he may have been two full blocks back when Rantwick finished his turn. This is clearly not a case of Rantwick lunging in front of a responsible driver who has to desperately swerve to avoid killing him. I’m not surprised Rantwick doesn’t recall the car too clearly prior to the turn.

THE LINE AFTER THE TURN - LIKELY SCENARIO
I try to always let my motorists have lots of time to figure out and execute the proper maneuver without requiring thought on their part. In this case, Speedy SHOULD simply move into the left lane a block or two back. It’s what any rational motorist does, regardless of anywhere in the lane Rantwick might happen to be, because motorists all KNOW that cyclists are incorrigible reprobates, prone to doing crazy things without notice. If you think I exaggerate, read the comments section of almost any newspaper when a cycling article appears. Cautious motorists move over TWO lanes if it’s an option and traffic is light. While it is certainly possible that Speedy might have come on and squished a “Line of Sweetness” Rantwick, I’ll guess he saw Rantwick off to the right, saw the SUV to his left, and decided he could split the difference between them and wind up ahead of everyone. The temporary license plate suggests he was probably not driving his own daily car. The true danger of the Line of Sourness is that Speedy might have misjudged the space by ten or twenty centimeters. We read of such incidents daily in the news. Personally, I like reading Monday Rantwick posts and would not want to read of some “terrible accident,” unless the “terrible accident” involves some sort of giant fracas associated with his music career. In such an event, I eagerly look forward to Rantwick's spin on things. Perhaps it might even be as lively as the Rawhide scene in The Blues Brothers.

THE LINE AFTER THE TURN – ANGRY BOY RACER SCENARIO
On the other hand, let’s assume Speedy was just discharged from his anger management class, and decided he was not about to tap on the brakes for some dorky spandex mafioso by ducking behind the van, and then speeding back up after passing Rantwick, and he decided instead to do a drag race with the SUV, followed by a quick left lane change at the last second. In such a scenario, Rantwick may indeed have a better chance of survival in the Line of Sourness, but his chances would be better yet over on the sidewalk. In reality, even angry Speedy will attempt to slow down if it is clear he won’t win the drag race and it will become clear to him earlier the further left Rantwick is riding, because the risk/reward picture will appear bleaker to him. In the worst case, Speedy has to hit the brakes 3.5 Escalade lengths back of Rantwick’s rear wheel if he is going 75kph and Rantwick is going 15kph. I have practiced panic slowing for imaginary cyclists in our Land Rover, and I was surprised at how close I could come behind the imaginary cyclist without experiencing impact. DO NOT try this if there is a car close behind you! DO NOT try this using real cyclists. A convenient following distance table may be found here.

SWERVE RIGHT YOUNG MAN!
In case there is any doubt, I do NOT advocate EVER swerving to the left, unless you KNOW there is nothing anywhere behind that can be affected at all. If you have to swerve, swerve RIGHT! Unless, of course, you live somewhere that everyone drives on the left, in which case you've already transposed everything

CLOSING THE GAP
In my bottom line opinion, I’m with Rantwick. Two blocks/several seconds is long enough for even an impaired driver to execute a full lane change – IF he decides that is what he/she needs to do instead of shooting for a marginal gap. THAT is the true beauty of the Line of Sweetness. Just don’t apply it in isolation. You want lots of space behind you in the RH lane you’re turning into so any overtaking motorists in it get bored looking at you before they make their leisurely lane change. The traffic rules are a body and you want them all. In this case, I might have waited for a bigger traffic gap before I made my left turn, but maybe not. I wasn’t there. This is not a matter of a cyclist exercising rights, or of brazenness. It is rather a defensive matter of not unintentionally enticing a motorist into a dangerous maneuver by creating the impression of space where not enough exists. THAT is the critical element that I think Skyers is missing. When you ride on the street, every action and your very placement on the road communicates things to the motorists around you. On the other hand, had Rantwick been riding in the Line of Sweetness, the world would now be missing a GREAT GRAPHIC and we’d have to wait five days until his next post.

MAKE MIGHK MAD TOO!
Mighk, as a newly minted T101 graduate, I disagree with the notion that T101 has led me towards the Line of Sourness, even if the notion comes from one rarely given to hyperbole. I didn’t notice Chandra showing sudden enthusiasm for it either. I do not recall being encouraged to ride in the right track, though the brochure art was inferior to what Forester included in his book. Without follow-up rides with experienced traffic riders, I suspect it is relatively ineffective at affecting traffic behavior either way. This could easily be a whole ‘nother post on its own, and I’d like to see Mighk’s analysis, and what I think FBA has up their collective sleeves. Hint Hint!

WHILE I’M IRRITATING EVERYONE
Aptertome, the Line of Sweetness is not so cut and dried as I make it sound. It is not something that experience alone leads you to. Initially, I think it requires an act of faith to violate everything you’ve ever been told about how to operate your bike on the road without getting killed, even though the principles are very logical and simple. It may SEEM like brazenness, but in reality, you are helping guide your own motorists to making safe choices without conflict. Think of it another way. On my current commute, I encounter well in excess of 10000 motorist passes a year. And those are just the ones I become aware of. How much experience do you think each of those motorists have passing cyclists? In the final analysis, you are not being daring, you are stepping up to the mark of guiding your flock of motorists via yet one more way of communicating with them. While cyclists may seem to be vulnerable, in reality, they are the experts in the daily interchange between motorist and cyclist. Seems a little less brazen, to my mind at least.

BE VISIBLE
BE WHERE OTHER TRAFFIC EXPECTS TO SEE THINGS
BE PREDICTABLE
BE A FRIENDLY BIKE DRIVER

Almost Hit by a Car

My wife told me a couple of nights ago that she almost hit an older gentleman (nobody we know) on a bicycle. She was on Glade, shown here. I don’t like Glade since they “fixed” it. But none of the fixing made a difference in this case. You see, the gentleman was riding on the sidewalk toward the intersection. He was going too fast to stop or turn and so he flew out into the street in front of my wife. Fortunately, she was able to avoid running him over. My youngest daughter was in the car and I haven’t taught her how to pass people that just fly out into the middle of the traffic lane out of nowhere. I’m not sure I know how to pull off that maneuver myself if I’m in the Land Rover. Heck, I’m not sure I’d be able to avoid the guy if I were riding Buddy. He’s sure a lot bigger target than the squirrel.

If you ride on sidewalks, PLEASE be extra cautious when approaching intersections or driveways Sidewalks are (don’t tell anyone I said this) perfectly safe for someone to ride a bike on AS LONG AS the rider is following pedestrian rules and going pedestrian speeds. If you KNOW someone who rides on sidewalks, find a way to diplomatically let them know of the dangers they face. There’s a reason they don’t call them “siderides.”

Would I be required to discontinue this blog if a close relative hit someone on a bike? I hope not, and I hope I don't find out.

Safe Sidewalk Riding

Lest we forget, HORSES are vehicles too! Seen today, proceeding at a safe pace (other than a brief pose for the bike blog photographer), along Preston Lane one block north of Shady Grove Road.

You'll note they were proceeding in the same direction as vehicular traffic on the roadway! Looks to me as if that sidewalk is perfect for a slow afternoon mother-daughter walk. I've never seen this pair before.

The sun is back out in North Texas and that brings all sorts of interesting sights out. I'll bet the little yippy dogs (at least the smart ones) mind their manners when passing by those hooves. And no, this is not intended to ignite another helmet controversy either. Even in Keller, it's not every day you see horses stolling down a subdivision sidewalk.

Booby Bike Infrastructure

Colleyville has its heart in the right place when it comes to cyclists. Really it does. The problem is that anything having to do with bikes is designed by people that are clueless ABOUT bikes. That's why I've got my nemesis road. It's also the subject of today's post.

Around City Hall, are bike racks such as those at left. No need to have "bike rack" printed on these puppies as Fort Worth is compelled to do with its "Star" racks. That bike at the top of the pole leaves no doubt what the pole is for.

The Colleyville Library is in the same complex and I often ride there. However, I have never used these bike racks. I lock my bike to a convenient and solid rail instead .

You might wonder why - well, wonder no longer. Simply look at the base of these poles in the photo below. That nut is a bit larger than anything you could use a multitool on, but it'd be quicker to get a properly locked bike by undoing the nuts than to cut through my "just a minute" lock. Give me a welder and five minutes, and all these useless racks would be fixed by welding the nuts to the studs.

In another amusing, but almost certainly unintentional irony, near at least one or two of the "quick release racks," are signs prohibiting skateboards - and bicycles.

I'm surprised nobody's walked off with the racks...

Frankenbike Gets OFF a Lubbock Road

I took Frankenbike along to visit Texas Tech in Lubbock. Look at the photo and you tell ME why I did a little riding on the sidewalk. Fortunately these "B" items were very localized and did not extend onto campus. Speaking of which, they've got bike lanes all over campus, combined with "Share the Road" signs. What does THAT combo mean? On the other hand, motor traffic ran about 15mph so I just went with the flow, other than telling my daughter I spit on the TTU bike lanes (I think it's the ChipSeal influence).

And yes, I rode very slowly on the sidewalk. On the way back, I just rode north until I saw a road without bricks. I don't like riding on bricks. Come to think of it, they're not fun in a car, either.

Not Quite Perfect Yet - Thanks Keri!

Keri Caffrey's comment on this post got me thinking. While Bear Creek Parkway in Keller IS pretty darn nice, that hill going home isn't the funnest thing in the world on a hot, Tarrant County summer day. Might there be an alternate?

Sure enough, a careful satellite mode perusal of Google Maps revealed what looked like an alternate route that might just go around the hill with little to no increase in distance. Well, today I tried it and I have to say that this is a MUP I can really get to like. There's no pedestrian OR bike traffic since it's just a little local route, it's got good shade, and it avoids that hot hillclimb with the sun on my back. I may have to reconsider my opinion of the "Safe Routes to School" program.

Thanks, Keri, I owe you one! I'm amazed that I'm still discovering new commute route improvements nearly four months after starting my new commute on a regular basis. I also find it fascinating that the route home diverges just a little bit more each week from the route to work. I guess I'm just easily amused...

(old commute in blue arrows for ChipSeal's benefit. New "hot day" alternate in basic black arrows)

Caution on Armadillos

In my previous post, I forgot to mention one downside to Armadillo Tires. They have trouble staying on old rims that don't use a "hook bead" configuration - and their pressure advisory specifies "with hook bead rims." No other tires I have say anything about hook bead rims. Most any bike that Doohickie gets by dumpster diving will not have "hook bead" rims. An old Motobecane, such as discussed here will probably not have "hook bead" rims. Most any bike built in the last 20 years will have hook bead rims. Frankenbike, true to its nature, has one wheel with hook bead rims and one without. ChipSeal's bikes certainly have hook bead rims.

There's a good discussion on "hook bead" rims in Effective Cycling. I have never had a puncture with Armadillos due to road debris or anything involving riding. I have, however, had three blowouts with them on non hook bead rims. The most recent occurrence was with a tire that had been mounted for several months, and had over a thousand miles on the tire. This failure is distinctive, since it typically occurs when the bike is not being ridden and the bead winds up outside the rim when the failure occurs (which sounds somewhat like a small caliber gunshot). It usually occurs soon after mounting if the tire isn't fully seated. I am extra careful when mounting any tire on such rims because of this.

I'm building up a new front wheel for Frankenbike. I saw more of sidewalks this morning on my return from a visit to Dallas than I want to see for a long time to come. Frankenbike will no longer have any non hook bead rims, but it will have acquired a French front hub.