Solo riding an emtb - nervous?

[Gary]

Is that not just a little blow torch lighter? An anxious cyclist is more likely to get laughed at or worse still. it slapped out their hand and their head kicked in pulling it out on a group of grown men sat around drinking beer and smoking.

far too much stupid hard man talk on this thread.

 

[RedTed]

I get people glaring at me too when I ride, but it's usually road cyclists shouting cheat as I blast past them on the big hills surrounding SY and the Peak District.

I mostly ride single and the biggest threat i've ever come across are cars and long horned cattle getting protective of their young. I have notice more groups of lads out but can't say i'd give them much notice. Early morning rides instead if it that much of a bother?

 

[maynard]

Get it de restricted . And they will never catch you .
I have heard some parts of England are worse than the Bronx. If your really worried get insurance . Then they can have your bike and you get a new bike . The problem with weapons is you gotta use em. I had a crazy guy come at me once late at night like a rabid dog . In a very dodgy area . I was walking home after work I had a knife in arms reach ( I'm a chef ) I didn't even think about using it. I just showed I wasn't a threat and he scurried of into the night like Gollum on ice . Yep a bit scary . But if i had of pulled a knife id probably be dead now. Anyways I keep my knifes for cooking now .

 

[R120]

When growing up in London Town it was very much, and still is a reality that gangs of kids on bikes or scooters will try and have your bike off you, so you have to be aware. Quite often though they where not the ones you would have thought - for example I know a lot of people get freaked out by the "bike life" wheelie crews of kids that seem to be a feature of urban living these days, but whilst they are quick to front up if you have a go at them for riding like twats, the reality is most are just kids who are bored and its a great release for them from being cooped up in bad estates, and most of them are alright.

Where I live now in Surrey, its easy to do a 1 hour off road loop, that's basically pure bridleways where you pass the odd person usually on a bike or horse, but wide enough to maintain 2m, and not near enough any urban sprawl to see toe rags.

We have seen the kids build a den to smoke weed in on the local common though - not very subtle as they are blasting out hip hop and wafting weed all over the place, and its only just off the main road in the trees

Also seen an increase in kids using pit bikes up in the hills, as no one to police em right now

 

[Gary]

I know the area well

Yeah. I don't really anymore but In the 70s and 80s I used to spend (part of) each summer in Barnsley. Living with a very poor family. My step brother n sisters'.

Our less well off are rarely snowflakes IME.

 

[Simoto123]

Tell me more.....via pm if you like

Not much to tell really. Blazer are a good brand and sealey tools do a good un too. About 20 or so dabs for a good reliable one.
Not illegal or dodgy to have about you. Not lethal under any circumstances but.......Nothing, but nothing, will take more than a micro second of 1300 degrees.

 

[Simoto123]

Not much to tell really. Blazer are a good brand and sealey tools do a good un too. About

Is that not just a little blow torch lighter? An anxious cyclist is more likely to get laughed at or worse still. it slapped out their hand and their head kicked in pulling it out on a group of grown men sat around drinking beer and smoking.

far too much stupid hard man talk on this thread.

As I say it's a last line to save the life of my dog.

 

[Gary]

I don't even remember any talk of dog killers.

 

[ImSundee]

Can completely agree with the OP on this, I have felt the same alot and generally hate riding from home due to this and also for people following me home and robbing us over night.

And this comes from having this happen in the past I've been chased home, punched and kicked before for my bike when I was younger, most of these types that will do this, generally arn't coming at you with just themselves and their body now adays, most have weapons.

 

[Pyr0]

If you're worried the bike could be stolen, get some insurance.

 

[Supratad]

Get it de restricted . And they will never catch you .
I have heard some parts of England are worse than the Bronx...

There are a few, very few, big housing estates in the UK where certain parts “belong” to gangs and a non-resident would be very foolish to wander into, especially on a pricey e-bike. However those are very specific places and not anywhere you’re going to accidentally cross while out biking.
Leeds bike park is not a million miles from some rough areas by UK standards yet the place is not rife with muggers.

Eston Hills, just south of Middlesbrough used to host a round of the national DH series (and by recent, I mean 25 years ago). There were reports of muggings up there but during one race, a rider fell off and in the time it took them to gather themselves together, they stood up to find their bike had disappeared.

 

[Darren]

We're only supposed to do an hour a day so just do it before 8am - nobody who smokes weed and drinks beer in gangs is around at that time of the morning.

 

[Gary]

How do we know the OP isn't up most of the night tokin on his bong and drinking special brew Tetleys?
Might explain his paranoia/anxiety

 

[Paul Mac]

I've worried about being attacked, that's why I've watched every Bruce Lee movie a couple of times.
I'm pretty sure I've remembered enough to take down a few bad guys.
I got off my bike in front of a young family that were walking towards me and did one of my attack poses, I can tell you they just turned around and walked the other way pretty sharpish.

 

[maynard]

We're only supposed to do an hour a day so just do it before 8am - nobody who smokes weed and drinks beer in gangs is around at that time of the morning.

If they where smoking crack all night . Weed and beer is breakfast .

 

[Peter Hill]

Obviously since lockdown most/all of us will be riding solo and while I do love getting out on my own I'm feeling super nervous riding my e-bike out solo past the kind of people I'm seeing out on the trails. I'm in South Yorkshire and the trails I can ride close to home are full of people, some normal dog walkers etc but there's also a lot of groups of lads on shitty shopping bikes out drinking and smoking on the Trans Pennine Trail. It's making me nervous riding past as they all take a double look at the bike and nudge their mates. I usually ride with a buddy and knowing I've got someone else there has never felt me feeling insecure about riding.

I guess I'm just afraid I'm going to get mugged or something so I'm always looking over my shoulder for something dodgy. I did look into wether you can carry pepper spray or similar but it turns out it's classed as a firearm in the uk. So you can't.

Anyone else feel this way? I know it's 'just a bike' and my health is more important but it's also £6k of hard earned cash....

I do know what you mean, you can feel a little bit vulnerable and there is an increase in the number of teenagers in groups out on bikes. For the most part they are fine but they do sometimes show an unhealthy interest in what your riding. I just say hi and ride on pretty swiftly. I am more worried about having an accident during the current crisis so am being very careful anyway. My advise is to stay away from single tracks and canal towpaths where you cant turn around quickly, but lets keep everything in perspective and enjoy our 'keeping fit and healthy' local bike rides.

 

[FloridaDan]

I don't have to worry about people, but I do think about these guys sometimes out there in the preserve by myself:

They SAY there has never been a Florida Panther attack on a human. But still, there was a guy killed in 2004 in California by a cougar (basically the same thing) when he was working on his bike beside a trail...

For you guys who can't carry weapons, here's a thought: a small can of Wasp spray has a 15-20 foot range. Just sayin'...

 

[Billy1mate]

Find different trails where there’s likely to be more bikers. I think you’re over reacting a bit.

I ride solo in some very harsh environments a long way from home, my main concerns are crashing and not being able to get home.

I broke my collarbone two weeks ago on a 35km ride, luckily my crash was only about 2ks from home and not 20 so I was able to ride home and then get myself to A&E

But that’s exactly why it'd be sensible to not ride off road at the moment because the NHS have other more pressing issues to deal with.

 

[BigLee]

I suppose it depends on how bling your bike looks with those fancy fox forks and bright paint job? Why not apply a bit of camouflage to tone it down? Not mud and twigs but a bit of self amalgamating tape wrapped round the bling. I've got it round my rear triangle to minimise chips when I fall off and tbh looks rough when it's dirty! Get some round the fox and other bits and cycle safely ?????

 

[Cheekychops1111]

Obviously since lockdown most/all of us will be riding solo and while I do love getting out on my own I'm feeling super nervous riding my e-bike out solo past the kind of people I'm seeing out on the trails. I'm in South Yorkshire and the trails I can ride close to home are full of people, some normal dog walkers etc but there's also a lot of groups of lads on shitty shopping bikes out drinking and smoking on the Trans Pennine Trail. It's making me nervous riding past as they all take a double look at the bike and nudge their mates. I usually ride with a buddy and knowing I've got someone else there has never felt me feeling insecure about riding.

I guess I'm just afraid I'm going to get mugged or something so I'm always looking over my shoulder for something dodgy. I did look into wether you can carry pepper spray or similar but it turns out it's classed as a firearm in the uk. So you can't.

Anyone else feel this way? I know it's 'just a bike' and my health is more important but it's also £6k of hard earned cash....

If they are on shitty shopping bikes and drinking the chances of them catching you on the ebike are nil, I wouldn't be worrying about it, just continue riding ?

 

[HORSPWR]

Find different trails where there’s likely to be more bikers. I think you’re over reacting a bit.

I ride solo in some very harsh environments a long way from home, my main concerns are crashing and not being able to get home.

I broke my collarbone two weeks ago on a 35km ride, luckily my crash was only about 2ks from home and not 20 so I was able to ride home and then get myself to A&E

But that’s exactly why it'd be sensible to not ride off road at the moment because the NHS have other more pressing issues to deal with.

Depends on where you live, there are only 28 cases of Covid in my massive State/Territory and none in my town. I got looked after like a King in A&E because they were looking for something do.

 

[#lazy]

You should trust your instincts. Wish I had more input, makes me glad that I am able to carry a pistol in my backpack if I so desire. Also makes me realize how far ahead other countries are at taking away the freedoms of their people. You can't even carry pepperspray, that's ridiculous. So you are not aloud to defend yourself, basically. And criminals have more rights. Always to save us from,,, (insert scary stuff of the month here)

Me “I’m just leaving for the ride now love” , Mrs “have you remembered your phone and your UZI” . Most of these hoodlum scratts are just harmless teens doing what we all did as teens , I wouldn’t worry to much , there’re probably just nudging there mates and saying how cool your bike is and will get one one day !

 

[Webby1805]

If they are on shitty shopping bikes and drinking the chances of them catching you on the ebike are nil, I wouldn't be worrying about it, just continue riding ?

I’m loving it going out on the roads and seeing so many shitty bikes being peddled about in fact almost pi$$ myself looking at some of the relics,picking hills with shopping baskets on the front.

 

[EebStrider]

I’m going to enjoy it here!