Alley Cats

[-Adam-]

well that is some crazy riding, Monty would certainly not approve!

Still, goes to show the A23 is not all that bad in the grand scheme of things!

Must admit, i went to new york in feb, just before the blizzards (nearly got snowed in there) and i have to say, i would definately never dream of riding a bike in that city. I noticed the film was dated 2004, wonder if the riders are still alive!?

Adam

[sylv]

Stupid, stupid, stupid. But wicked!

Once you've gone past that point where you don't care about pissing people off, there's no limit.

One question Marco - that very last bit, where he's "freewheeling" his fixed - how is he meant to stop the bike if he has to before it's flat enough to catch on the pedals again?

[Gavin]

maybe he had a front brake but essh you wouldn't catch me doing that down brixton hill....

[sylv]

And more of Brunelle's here


http://www.digave.com/videos/

[the other Steve Dennis]

Got to admit that the couriers are ofcourse a great bunch of people and contribute so much to cycling culture in the city. Infact they are the main eason for the rebirth of track cycling at Kissena Velodrome as they make up the majority of regular riders, they are also finding their way on to road teams in the city, which is making the training rides a little scarier by mixing in a fixed wheel or two.
Unfortunately they also have a negative contribution - namely their risk taking and disregad for the road rules which leads NYC Cops to ticket blitz all cyclists (but mainly those in lycra) and also gives drivers a bit more fuel to treat us like sh**.
But I love watching those videos.
Guess I just can't win.

Apparently there was a pro racing league in the US in the mid 80's. Similar to the Kellogs crit series in the UK (remember that). Except these teams of 4 could tag each other in and out of laps based on open city streets whilst wearing body armour and helmets and attempting to knock other teams off their machines!!!! Think Rollerball in the streets!! Be even more amazed when finding out that some of those riders are stilll racing at the top level of the US Road scene.

Yeah - cycling in NYC sucks. 15 miles either way to get out of the concrete jungle. Once outside though it can be beautiful.

Oh and side note - Disney just launched a new pop group - Devo 2.0!!!!! Yeah a bunch of 11 - 15 year olds pretending they are DEVO!!!!!

[Snoop Doug]

Disney Devo 2 eh - what is the world coming to?? They'll reform The Clash next with Donald Duck as frontman!!

I too watched the NYC video and it really riled me. I hope that if I had been one of those pedestrians crossing the road my instinctive reaction would've been to stick out a foot and kick one of the dumbass bicycling dudes over. If they were lucky it wouldn't kill 'em but it might knock a wee bit of sense into what is obviously a very thick head.

And have you seen the price of everton mints these days, I can remember when you could get a stocking full for 3d, kids today don't know they've been born.

Cheers - Grumpy Ole Snoop

[Tamar Collis]

I'm with you on this Snoop. Couldn't even finish watching the clip I was so angry at their complete disregard for other people. I am obviously grudgingly admiring of their bike handling, but there's a time and a place.

Disgusted of Upper Norwood.

[adrian]

Ah - was going to post something admonitory about the scant regard for pedestrians, but Snoop and Tamar have covered what I was going to say. You see enough of that sort of thing in our own metropolis - it really gets my goat.

These boys want to try doing that down Streatham High Road or Tooting Broadway on a Saturday!

[Snoop Doug]

Indeed it does (go on in London) - I see plenty of it!! What narked me about the US footage was the pedestrian hassling far more than the jerking around with cars.

As for red lights - I've never jumped one in my car or on my bike - both suck big time (the forum has been here before). From my perspective the likely loser in a jumping situation will be the cyclist, and we shouldnt forget the poor sod who has to wipe the blood'n'guts off their windscreen.

I've broken the speed limit on my bike (yeah I know it's hard to believe) and in my car. I'm not particularly proud of either feat but I do think it is also important to try and conduct oneself on the road in a manner appropriate to the surroundings. So - I crawl along in a built up urban environment as happily as I might speed on an uncrowded motorway in clear driving conditions.

All that said - Marco you are of course right about the fact that it is the car that causes so much mayhem on the road, I just don't feel that jumping red lights on my bike is any way to redress the balance.

Cheers - and let's be careful out there.....mildly inebriated Snoop