Thread started by bentstrider at 11.8.07 - 3:31 am

We see entire masses of persons on saddles at the Ridazz events.
They number anywhere from 50-1000+ depending on what's going down.
Anywho, if anyone commutes and/or uses the shit out of their bike on a daily basis, how many others do y'all encounter aside from yourselves?
Do you ever wonder where the rest of that midnight crowd you rode with last night, disappear to?
Why there are more cars around in the daylight hours, yet two-wheels are far and few between at times?

For myself, I'll count 2 other bicycles on the street, every couple of days.
I'm not even going to count neighborhood kids on BMX, they tend to stay within a control boundary.

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Is it fair to count the hoards of undergraduate douche nozzles who try to run me down while talking on their cell phones and weaving through pedestrian traffic on their beach cruisers? How about guys riding their Muffys on the sidewalk and carrying garbage bags full of plastic bottles? Kids on BMX bikes?

I see lots of bike shaped objects daily, but I'm not sure what qualifies as a Real Cyclist (TM).

Somehow I think that it's in everybody's interest to embrace them all as fellow cyclists, though I'm not sure that they see themselves as cyclists.




laoxue
11.8.07 - 5:54 am

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I suppose you could count those types, as temporary cyclists.
You would assume most undergrads(I'm trying to get focused on school again myself) are only riding to be either trendy, or save money.
The Muffy-drivers hauling the garbage bags of recyclables are probably doing it because they can't afford a car, or fuel.
The BMX kids are usually too young to have a drivers license, and probably see the BMX bike as a cool thing.

The real test for all of these groups comes when income and status levels/situations change.
College kid finally gets degree and lands job.
Muffy rider also gets job.
BMX kid reaches age and is pressured to get a license and a job.
Will they stick to the cycling routine and advance to Road Warrior stage?
Or will they too fall prey to the millions already under the addiction of the I.C.E.?
Find out on next week's, "Kick the can, or Drink from it!!"



bentstrider
11.8.07 - 6:21 am

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Here in Rome almost no one rides, I see quite a few bikes but noone riding them.



franz
11.8.07 - 7:59 am

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If I'm out for a few hours in mi barrio I see at least a dozen.



alicestrong
11.8.07 - 8:05 am

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When I ride Wilshire Blvd to work, I see a few, mostly at Wilshire/Vermont and Wilshire/Western. Lots of BMX, a few commuter bikes, the occasional road bike.

If I take Sunset Blvd to work, riding the bike lane through Silverlake, I see quite a few riders of all shapes, sizes, genders, and bike types. In the evening, I'll see between 5 and 15 riders on my way home.



markedge
11.8.07 - 10:31 am

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I commute 4 days a week in Anaheim, 10 miles each way.
I see 4 to 8 riders each time. Some Lycra kited commuters, some kids going to school, some day laborers.
I make it a point to greet everyone with a friendly gesture.
On the public streets, we are all brothers and sisters.
The friendliest riders are the hispanic laborers on Kmart bikes.
I have never seen another bike with a spoke card on these trips.




Creative Thing
11.8.07 - 10:59 am

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I live along a good bike route.
I see two or three everyday between my house and the shop.



Ratt_Bones
11.8.07 - 11:06 am

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In East LA I come across 3 or 4 bikers b4 I get to the LA river bike path. On the path I come across 5 more, including this regular who actually I kinda look foward seeing (8-8:30am). He is an older gentleman and from his legs seems he has been riding all his life, anyways we always greet eachother.... just a wave or good morning greet.



DeKadenzy
11.8.07 - 11:14 am

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on my street alone, i see almost 20 riders a day



richtotheie
11.8.07 - 11:18 am

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and that's only when i'm standing out side for about 15 minutes



richtotheie
11.8.07 - 11:23 am

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the logic is flawed...you see 1000 riders gathered all for one event at a set time and meeting place...

but if you spread that out over our 470 square miles that Los Angeles comprises of (not counting all the suburbs)...and the fact that these same people do not all work at the same time, or are on their bikes at the same time...then the chances of you bumping into even ONE of them is pretty slim...

but, everyone seeing some people cycling most of the time they go out cycling is very hopeful!



adrian
11.8.07 - 4:13 pm

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i see about 5-15 on my daily roll. some sport lycra and a fancy ride, some sport work clothes and fat tires. everybody gets a little wave from yours truly.



lackflag
11.8.07 - 7:26 pm

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most of the folks i see on bikes around here are yoga bunnies, but that's santa monica/venice for you. then there's a few commuters (including me), and i usually see a lot of racers on carbon, lots of random mustached dudes with no lights at night, bums, tourists. lotsa bikes here. also lots of recreational cyclists.



ephemerae
11.8.07 - 7:44 pm

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I see about 120 different bikes all day long maybe more on a regular basis in DTLA most of them mounted with their rider.



iggycortes
11.8.07 - 7:45 pm

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@adrian
-You got a good point there.
Most of those ridazz probably are quite dedicated, but like myself, have to travel a distance to get said meeting location.
The entire LA Basin is pretty, damned well spread out and usually blends in with other areas of "down-the-hill"(as most people in the Victor Valley refer to areas south of the Cajon Pass).
So, down there, I could at least envision that as a justification for a lack of daily bicycle convoys.
Up here though, the entire, tri-community areas of Victorville, Apple Valley, and Hesperia seem to encompass a radius of 15-20 miles.
For me, that's not really short, but not dramatically far apart either.
You figure you would be seeing at least 5-10 other cyclists riding about everyday.
But, then again, most of the populous up here seems to consist of mainly old-people, and couples with lots of children.
All claiming they don't have enough time, it's too unsafe, they're too fat, or some other lame excuse not to get out and ride every few days.




bentstrider
11.8.07 - 8:10 pm

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I see lots of bicyclers on the streets. I don't like to count because numbers are scary.
Today, on my way to work, a complete stranger was drafting behind me. That was pretty rad. He totally rocked his bike. I was out of breath while he didn't even break a sweat.
I try to say hi to the riders that I pass but sometimes I don't notice them until they zip by me.
Sorry in advance! I don't mean to be a turd.

Rich



NEWB310
11.8.07 - 9:17 pm

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