Note to cyclists on the River Path

[daddys little squirt]

quote:Originally posted by tulsacyclist

There are so many people out there you are always going to have some idiots and/or noobs who have no idea about proper trail etiquette. One time there was two cyclists on their WalMart MTBs coming at my on the trail, they held their position and did not budge a bit as we were approaching each other. It was almost like a game of chicken. I went ahead and veered off the trail into the grass risking a flat tire as they 'owned' the trail.

That happens with peds too. I run on the right and pass on the left but occassionally I come across a pig headed runner,(more often a group) who decide that they will use English driving rules and refuse to budge. Some are angry at the world, others are just so into their workout the world doesn't exist. I usually take them to the last second before veering off. Some good signs would help.

[Ed W]

quote:Originally posted by sauerkraut


It does sound like the bikes are planning a big event. I don't know if that bike-rider's distance and time is good or not since I'm not into cycling, but it sounds fast.

There are organized tours almost every weekend somewhere nearby.  But the biggest regional events are the Tulsa Tough, Freewheel, and the Hotter n' Hell Hundred.  The racers generally don't train on the trails because you simply can't go fast enough and pack riding is impossible.  (If you want to see FAST cyclists, visit the Tuesday evening criteriums at the TPD driving training facility just off Admiral east of US169!)  

We warn cyclists in Road1 that mixing with pedestrians almost requires dropping to pedestrian speeds.  Someone on foot can change direction in a single step, making passing them at speed an iffy deal.  Kids and dogs make it more dicey.  And don't let me get started about those 25 foot leashes stretched clear across the trail!

A word about speed, and then I'm done.  With a good tailwind, a reasonably fit cyclist can do 20-25 mph comfortably.  A racer would be at 30 or more.  But on the other hand, when riding into a stiff headwind, even a strong, fit cyclist has to work hard to get much above 15mph.

Oklahoma is the only place I've had to pedal downhill into a headwind, otherwise I would have stopped!

[sauerkraut]

quote:Originally posted by Ed W

quote:Originally posted by sauerkraut


It does sound like the bikes are planning a big event. I don't know if that bike-rider's distance and time is good or not since I'm not into cycling, but it sounds fast.

There are organized tours almost every weekend somewhere nearby.  But the biggest regional events are the Tulsa Tough, Freewheel, and the Hotter n' Hell Hundred.  The racers generally don't train on the trails because you simply can't go fast enough and pack riding is impossible.  (If you want to see FAST cyclists, visit the Tuesday evening criteriums at the TPD driving training facility just off Admiral east of US169!)  

We warn cyclists in Road1 that mixing with pedestrians almost requires dropping to pedestrian speeds.  Someone on foot can change direction in a single step, making passing them at speed an iffy deal.  Kids and dogs make it more dicey.  And don't let me get started about those 25 foot leashes stretched clear across the trail!

A word about speed, and then I'm done.  With a good tailwind, a reasonably fit cyclist can do 20-25 mph comfortably.  A racer would be at 30 or more.  But on the other hand, when riding into a stiff headwind, even a strong, fit cyclist has to work hard to get much above 15mph.

Oklahoma is the only place I've had to pedal downhill into a headwind, otherwise I would have stopped!

A jogging trail where a bike rider can go rather fast is the Trinity trail in Fort Worth, Texas, with a tail wind you can hold 30 mph, offten times the far SW part of the trail is not crowded and makes it good for bike riding- but this was in the 1980's. I used to ride a bike after a long run to wind down and cool off. Today the trail may be much more busy. I have not ran on that trail since 1990, so no doubt everything changed, I now live in Ohio.