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47
votes
12answers
1k views

Is pollution a problem in urban cycling?

I usually ride a bicycle in Barcelona. I'm concerned about pollution and I take an anti-pollution mask. Of course, some people scream because they confuse me with Hannibal Lecter but currently that's ...
15
votes
8answers
686 views

Techniques for minimising injury when falling or crashing?

I've been riding bikes since I was a child but my partner only started when she was in her 20's. She's had one fall where she lost teeth and is keen to avoid future injuries. I've broken bones twice ...
11
votes
2answers
2k views

Are anti-pollution masks effective?

In Toronto when the temperature goes above 30 degrees Celcius (90 degrees Farenheit), for a few days and without wind, there is smog. I find the smog irritates and makes it difficult to breathe in ...
10
votes
5answers
385 views

Lock for extremely frequent use

Are there lock products out there specifically designed for easy handling when locked unlocked dozens of times a day? I'm using a normal, chain-based lock at the moment and I'm annoyed because I'm ...
10
votes
5answers
432 views

Secure Storage for Running Errands

I use my bike to run errands on the weekends - stopping for soap and shampoo at the drug-store, a loaf a bread at the grocery store, stopping for lunch, etc. The issue is I have to haul my previous ...
8
votes
4answers
5k views

Front brake only on a fixed-gear bike

Is it considered safe-enough to only have a front-brake on a fixie in a urban area that has many hills? I've been considering buying one, but I want to get some opinions before I move forward.
8
votes
4answers
213 views

Night Riding With Heavy Traffic

I live in a fairly urban setting and there are plenty of cars around when it gets past dark. The main point of having a bicycle light/backlight (I contend) is not for you to see, its for others to see ...
7
votes
8answers
344 views

How to cope with being rattled by the wake of a fast car?

There's one long road that I bike on that has a decent bike lane, but the speed limit for cars is 50 mph. Needless to say, they drive 60+. Often I find myself being shaken or rattled by the turbulent ...
7
votes
5answers
644 views

Will it be a problem to bike uphill with a rear pannier with books (~2lbs)

I've been biking to work ~11 mi and my back hurts from carrying books. I was thinking of buying a pannier and putting my books in it. But I'm not sure if it'll be harder to bike, as I live in San ...
6
votes
2answers
512 views

What should I consider when buying a respirator?

I'm using my bicycle to ride from home to work and back. Now I face a problem that the air is not so clean: dust, car exhaust etc. So I'm thinking of buying a respirator (i.e., an anti-pollution ...
5
votes
7answers
568 views

Fixie Vs Urban bike for small-distance commuting

My daily commute is a 1.7km long, almost straight line with minimal slope. Since I have no other method of private transportation, I am thinking of getting a bike and have come up with two interesting ...
5
votes
4answers
482 views

Cycling traffic signs and rules in Germany

I'm over 30 and have just started cycling in real traffic, my first experience, as I have only ever ridden as a child in parks and such. I live in a university town in the state of Baden-Württemberg ...
4
votes
4answers
603 views

How can I get started riding without spending a fortune (too much)?

I've just recently moved to a city (Seattle) where owning a car seems less appropriate than it has to me in the past. Before, I lived in a far more suburban environment where biking was more-or-less ...
4
votes
5answers
400 views

Is there anything I can do to prevent snakebites (pinch flats)?

Riding in an urban setting, I've lost two tubes in the last week to snakebites, and it's easily the most common way for me to get a flat. I've got Gatorskin treads, which help prevent standard ...
3
votes
8answers
2k views

Unconventional, pretty bicycle helmets

My wife and do a lot of urban riding - mostly on bike lanes - and usually we don't wear a helmet for these rides. But I'd like us to start, and I'd like to get her a nice helmet, one that doesn't look ...
3
votes
2answers
595 views

purchasing a bike

I live in Queens, NYC. I am thinking of buying a bike for casual ride probably during weekends and sometime for commuting to the city. Can anyone recommend which and what type of bike should I buy ...
3
votes
1answer
3k views

What is the best Anti-Pollution Mask?

I bike everyday in Paris and I am looking for a mask with a particulates filter.
3
votes
1answer
99 views

Can a chain-lock be better against cutting than a U-lock?

I'm looking for a bike lock and, in 2013, Kryptonite have a new lock, the Evolution Series 4 Mini Chain: The chain is quoted as being only 55 cm long, and 10 mm thick. Is the blue mark below a ...
2
votes
1answer
249 views

I want an cool urban/track bike with 3speeds. Could you recommend me one?

Good afternoon, I would like to buy a cool urban bike based on track design: sort like a tuned fuji feather and so forth. I would like it to be light and instead of a single speed, have 3 speeds. I ...
1
vote
4answers
420 views

What is different about cycling in London?

Prolog I cycle in Toronto, Canada: which has wide straight roads, bike lanes, bike paths, no traffic on residential roads etc. My brother lives near Brixton: he doesn't cycle himself, and says that ...
1
vote
2answers
348 views

Am I better off buying a new bike, or upgrading my old bike?

Half a year ago I started to use again my old Schwinn Woodlands MTB for commuting. I didn't want to spend a fortune on a new bike, I wasn't certain that I would like to bike commute daily. Bike has ...