truck wind shadow

[h90]

Back a 100 years when I was young, we picked old slow trucks at the traffic light and keep in their wind shadow. You could only follow when it was an old one with a lot load. That means the truck couldn't brake fast as well+it has that slow pneumatic brakes.

Does that still exist and considered save? (I don't know of any accident back than, but with 20 you don't worry too much. And anyway I need to do xx.000 km till I am again in the shape for it).

We also went for slow motorbikes but some driver got aggressive.....(The truck drivers can't see you). We even changed our highest gears so we can keep up.

Nothing that I plan to do any time soon, but just as I am so enthusiastic to be on the bike again I recall it and there are sure more able people, so I would like to know if this "Sport" still exist.

[StreetCowboy]

For me, quite the opposite; I change up a gear and race like billy-o ahead of the trucks, then, as they pass, down a couple of gears, free-wheel and hold my breath until they are well clear and their exhaust fumes dispersed. I did think about slip-streaming a couple of buses in the last couple of weeks, but you have to maintain a certain distance as they are prone to stopping at bus stops...

To be honest, if you are cycling for fun and fitness, then why would you do it? If you are cycling to work, and want to get there with minimum effort and as quick as possible, OK.

Buses I have always found troublesome - they maintain about the same average speed as cyclists, but their speed profile is different, and they need a full lanes' width on the road, so they cannot easily pass a cyclist in the same lane, and similarly, when they are stopped, you have to go out into the next lane to pass them. The one thing I do practice is to try to maintain good will on both sides.

SC

[h90]

For me, quite the opposite; I change up a gear and race like billy-o ahead of the trucks, then, as they pass, down a couple of gears, free-wheel and hold my breath until they are well clear and their exhaust fumes dispersed. I did think about slip-streaming a couple of buses in the last couple of weeks, but you have to maintain a certain distance as they are prone to stopping at bus stops...

To be honest, if you are cycling for fun and fitness, then why would you do it? If you are cycling to work, and want to get there with minimum effort and as quick as possible, OK.

Buses I have always found troublesome - they maintain about the same average speed as cyclists, but their speed profile is different, and they need a full lanes' width on the road, so they cannot easily pass a cyclist in the same lane, and similarly, when they are stopped, you have to go out into the next lane to pass them. The one thing I do practice is to try to maintain good will on both sides.

SC

As for fitness: It is extreme challenging and at some point you fall out of it. You could call it a long sprint training. And back with 20 it was a lot fun (don't know if it is still fun if you are already half way to the grave), to go with 70 km/h (just a number I can't recall how much it really was). (The other popular thing at my time was sprints at the Radar Box with low speed limit, so the police get photos of some bicycles instead of car number plates, that made the local racing club very popular with car drivers).

We didn't had many buss and the stations far from each other so I never were in conflict with them.

[el jefe]

If you've got the handling skills, moto-pacing (or motor-pacing) is a great way to reduce the time and effort it takes to cover, long flat stretches of road. I've occasionally done it on the 50 kms from Chom Thong to Chiang Mai at the end of a long day. I prefer to do it behind pick-up or small trucks because they offer a good draft but still allow some vision up the road. But if I'm really tired on a hot day or there's a big headwind, almost any vehicle at the right speed will do. However, I prefer to let the driver know I'm sitting behind his vehicle. If they don't want you there, they'll speed up and you'll have to find another vehicle. If they don't mind having you back there, they'll usually find it entertaining and take extra care to keep a steady speed. I had one driver that did so well that when he pulled into a petrol station after 45 kms, I followed him in to thank him. He was happy to have helped and now had a good story to tell his buddies.

[h90]

If you've got the handling skills, moto-pacing (or motor-pacing) is a great way to reduce the time and effort it takes to cover, long flat stretches of road. I've occasionally done it on the 50 kms from Chom Thong to Chiang Mai at the end of a long day. I prefer to do it behind pick-up or small trucks because they offer a good draft but still allow some vision up the road. But if I'm really tired on a hot day or there's a big headwind, almost any vehicle at the right speed will do. However, I prefer to let the driver know I'm sitting behind his vehicle. If they don't want you there, they'll speed up and you'll have to find another vehicle. If they don't mind having you back there, they'll usually find it entertaining and take extra care to keep a steady speed. I had one driver that did so well that when he pulled into a petrol station after 45 kms, I followed him in to thank him. He was happy to have helped and now had a good story to tell his buddies.

45 km......that is crazy.....that is really motivating for getting into shape again....

[villagefarang]

It is interesting to read about different riding styles and environments. I do have to ride on small country lanes for 5 or 10 km to stitch together dirt sections but I have never really ridden in traffic. I can’t imagine it would be much fun.

I like the dirt farmer trails because you seldom encounter anything more than a slow moving piece of farm equipment or a herd of cows. Even the dogs seem friendly on the trail, though they can get noisy. I much prefer the smell of forest trails, cut grass or even cow dung to the smell of exhaust.

[h90]

It is interesting to read about different riding styles and environments. I do have to ride on small country lanes for 5 or 10 km to stitch together dirt sections but I have never really ridden in traffic. I can’t imagine it would be much fun.

I like the dirt farmer trails because you seldom encounter anything more than a slow moving piece of farm equipment or a herd of cows. Even the dogs seem friendly on the trail, though they can get noisy. I much prefer the smell of forest trails, cut grass or even cow dung to the smell of exhaust.

Before in Europe I preferred perfect streets and mountains.....Always speed was, what I loved. Down the mountain, overtaking cars (often they are very unhappy with that). or just speed on the flat smooth street.

I tried some mountain biking and never found out what's the point of it. While friends never touched their street bike after getting a MTB.

[el jefe]

It is interesting to read about different riding styles and environments. I do have to ride on small country lanes for 5 or 10 km to stitch together dirt sections but I have never really ridden in traffic. I can’t imagine it would be much fun.

I like the dirt farmer trails because you seldom encounter anything more than a slow moving piece of farm equipment or a herd of cows. Even the dogs seem friendly on the trail, though they can get noisy. I much prefer the smell of forest trails, cut grass or even cow dung to the smell of exhaust.

Different riding styles and environments is like choosing what to have for dinner. usually Thai, but sometimes I want pasta. Or hamburger.

I would never choose to spend a whole day in traffic but sometimes a route requires a long stretch on a busy road. The specific ride I was talking about that put me in Chom Thong on the way home to Chiang Mai is at the end of a 170 km day up the back side of Doi Inthanon on a beautiful, quiet, almost traffic-free roads. Unfortunately, at that point it's impossible to turn around and retrace my route. But you have given me an idea -- that it might be better to do this ride in reverse even if I lose the option to motorpace home at the end.

If you choose the restaurant carefully, you'll usually have a good meal. Enjoy the ride.