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1-mph crash and bruised ankle - injuries at any speed


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1 hour ago, Rehab1 said:

Your ankle injury @Marty Backe almost made me change my mind on this ACM modification. My new foot pedal spikes will keep my feet from slipping off the pedals in the snow but will tear the hell out of any body part that comes in contact with them. 

I’ll be posting the fabrication and hopfully riding details once everything in complete. 

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These are cool.

Self closing pedals would be a great safety addition to this mod. Some kind of mechanism that holds them down when first opened for easy mounting but the pressure of being stood on releases whatever catch was used so they will close when the foot is removed (intentionally or otherwise). 

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5 hours ago, WARPed1701D said:

These are cool.

Self closing pedals would be a great safety addition to this mod. Some kind of mechanism that holds them down when first opened for easy mounting but the pressure of being stood on releases whatever catch was used so they will close when the foot is removed (intentionally or otherwise). 

Thanks. I did have to add a velcro strap to hold up the pedals. The self closing method would be great. 

 

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9 hours ago, Rehab1 said:

Your ankle injury @Marty Backe almost made me change my mind on this ACM modification. My new foot pedal spikes will keep my feet from slipping off the pedals in the snow but will tear the hell out of any body part that comes in contact with them. 

I’ll be posting the fabrication and hopfully riding details once everything in complete. 

39038161054_6aea821b17_b.jpg

 

27968205139_549645cd58_b.jpg

 

You're just not thinking far enough outside of the box... You need to add a pressure sensor - As weight is applied, the spikes "rise up" to hold you in position, and as the weight is removed they disappear (keeping your delicate ankles safe).

It should be a simple hydraulics for you mad scientist types!

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1 hour ago, dmethvin said:

The design of those pedals seems excessively stabby. Skateboard grip tape would be good enough for me.

l used the same studs in my underwear - Oops... Wrong forum!

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On 1/15/2018 at 11:50 PM, Marty Backe said:

For something that may happen once-a-year, or less, I think I skip the ankle protectors. But I do wish that I had used these during the first few months of learned. Would have saved me a big ankle injury that took months to recover from.

I guess I figure better safe than sorry, and if you have them they might save you some bruising.  In a car, how often do we get into accidents?  Not very often, but I still wear my seat-belt for every trip.  It's always that one time you need it that you're thankful you used it.  Kinda like condoms and STDs.  :whistling:

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21 hours ago, The Fat Unicyclist said:

l used the same studs in my underwear - Oops... Wrong forum!

So that’s why your avitar is always gyrating. Damn those are pokey! :P

 

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6 hours ago, Hunka Hunka Burning Love said:

I guess I figure better safe than sorry, and if you have them they might save you some bruising.  In a car, how often do we get into accidents?  Not very often, but I still wear my seat-belt for every trip.  It's always that one time you need it that you're thankful you used it.  Kinda like condoms and STDs.  :whistling:

I'm getting tired of putting on elbow pads. Now I'm going to put on ankle pads? Nope. I can live with a bruised ankle every year or two, which is not the same as a broken head or wrist.

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On a rough trail or riding at high speeds I think lots of protective gear is good. I do most of my riding in the city at speeds under 20mph and for that a bike helmet, gloves, and coat has been enough protection. I always end up tempting fate during the summer when it's just too hot to keep your body covered with plastic and foam padding.

For city riding there is also the question of how it looks to people around you. If they see that you are in a fully armored suit and a full face helmet it gives them the impression that an EUC is a very dangerous thing. They will be worried about getting near it and wonder be upset when you ride near them. Now, if you're a relative beginner and don't have complete control over the wheel maybe it is dangerous to be near you. :) 

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6 hours ago, dmethvin said:

On a rough trail or riding at high speeds I think lots of protective gear is good. I do most of my riding in the city at speeds under 20mph and for that a bike helmet, gloves, and coat has been enough protection. I always end up tempting fate during the summer when it's just too hot to keep your body covered with plastic and foam padding.

For city riding there is also the question of how it looks to people around you. If they see that you are in a fully armored suit and a full face helmet it gives them the impression that an EUC is a very dangerous thing. They will be worried about getting near it and wonder be upset when you ride near them. Now, if you're a relative beginner and don't have complete control over the wheel maybe it is dangerous to be near you. :) 

I really don't get negative reactions to all of my riding gear. If anything, I get more positive reactions (people smiling, giving me the thumbs-up, etc.).

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On 20 January 2018 at 2:37 PM, dmethvin said:

For city riding there is also the question of how it looks to people around you. If they see that you are in a fully armored suit and a full face helmet it gives them the impression that an EUC is a very dangerous thing. They will be worried about getting near it and wonder be upset when you ride near them. Now, if you're a relative beginner and don't have complete control over the wheel maybe it is dangerous to be near you. :) 

I completely agree.  If you look like you're all dressed up for a moto Grand Prix, people are going too assume you are riding a serious machine, which is ok on country trails and bike paths, but a bit concerning for them when one is riding on the sidewalk.  Imagine if a motorcyclist came down the sidewalk towards you, you might get upset, I would. If you look more casual you.re just another pedestrian who's discovered a nifty way to get around.  There's a fine balance in protection levels,  between "American Gladiator" and "beach bum" 

And if your trip includes mixed routes (trails, roads, sidewalks) it's impossible to dress appropriately for all three.

if you're wondering why one should care what other people think, remember the police chief, mayor, congressman, and all their family members and friends are out there somewhere, plodding around on their feet.  Piss off the wrong one, and local ordinances start to change, or police officers no longer turn a blind eye.

in fact reading back what I just wrote, I'm going to assume that everyone I pass is a potential law changer for me, and step up my "ambassador " mentally  ( which lags occasionally  :whistling:)

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2 hours ago, Smoother said:

I completely agree.  If you look like you're all dressed up for a moto grand, people are going too assume you are riding a serious machine, which is ok on country trails and bike paths, but a bit concerning for them when one is riding on the sidewalk.  Imagine if a motorcyclist came down the sidewalk towards you, you might get upset, I would. If you look more casual you.re just another pedestrian who's discovered a nifty way to get around.  There's a fine balance in protection levels,  between "American Gladiator" and "beach bum" 

And if your trip includes mixed routes (trails, roads, sidewalks) it's impossible to dress appropriately for all three.

Impossible? No.

I probably ride with some of the highest levels of protective coverage of most people on this forum yet all you see as I pass by is a full face bike helmet and wrist guards (maybe the back protector if you look close enough at my back pack). I specifically chose gear that went under my clothes to reduce pedestrian concern and so I could reach my destination and simply keep my gear on without drawing attention. I commute to work on my wheel. I didn't want to walk in like Robocop. It draws to much attention in a professional environment. I've arrived at work and gone straight into meetings still wearing all but my helmet and wrist guards. Sometimes I've still had most of it on come lunch time. Of my visible items I think bike helmets are so ubiquitous now most don't find them threatening, even those with chin guards (but where your smiling face can still be seen). Wrist guards are quite discreet and don't draw much attention.

You can find and wear exceptional protective gear that is not visibly threatening,  but the trade off is that you need > 5 minutes to gear up come time to ride . 

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1 hour ago, WARPed1701D said:

I specifically chose gear that went under my clothes to reduce pedestrian concern and so I could reach my destination and simply keep my gear on without drawing attention.

This sounds great, have you written up what you use? On AliExpress I've seen some motorcycle riding jeans with pockets that can take pads, that seemed like a nice idea but they're kind of expensive and I'd really prefer to try things on before ordering them.

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8 minutes ago, dmethvin said:

This sounds great, have you written up what you use? On AliExpress I've seen some motorcycle riding jeans with pockets that can take pads, that seemed like a nice idea but they're kind of expensive and I'd really prefer to try things on before ordering them.

@WARPed1701D has written a lot in this section of the Forum, but I don't remember him writing (yet) a post that comprehensively describes his full riding gear.

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7 hours ago, Marty Backe said:

@WARPed1701D has written a lot in this section of the Forum, but I don't remember him writing (yet) a post that comprehensively describes his full riding gear.

Yes, I'd like to hear about the full ensemble...

@WARPed1701D... Your audience awaits!

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10 hours ago, WARPed1701D said:

is a full face bike helmet

It's precisely the full face helmet that is most recognisable as the " that doesn't belong on the side walk with me" item.  I have trouble distinguished difference between some full face bike helmet and a full face motorcycle helmet and I've studied both at length in the calm comfort of my living room.  For the average member of the public, not only can they not determine the difference as we speed towards them, often in low or no light, but 90% of them probably don't even know that such a thing as a full face bike helmet exists.  Like I said, on trails, roads, or bike paths, no problem, but on the crowded sidewalk of a busy urban environment, it doesn't send the right message. Knee pads and elbow pads make you no more threatening than an inline skater.  They've been wearing them for decades, but rarely with a full face helmet, of any type.

when a friend first saw me wheeling with a full face lid, she said I looked scary, and she's knows me ( and no I'm not scary, usually).

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9 minutes ago, Smoother said:

It's precisely the full face helmet that is most recognisable as the " that doesn't belong on the side walk with me" item.  I have trouble distinguished difference between some full face bike helmet and a full face motorcycle helmet and I've studied both at length in the calm comfort of my living room.  For the average member of the public, not only can they not determine the difference as we speed towards them, often in low or no light, but 90% of them probably don't even know that such a thing as a full face bike helmet exists.  Like I said, on trails, roads, or bike paths, no problem, but on the crowded sidewalk of a busy urban environment, it doesn't send the right message. Knee pads and elbow pads make you no more threatening than an inline skater.  They've been wearing them for decades, but rarely with a full face helmet, of any type.

when a friend first saw me wheeling with a full face lid, she said I looked scary, and she's knows me ( and no I'm not scary, usually).

After further consideration, I agree with you. In purely pedestrian settings a full face helmet is probably intimidating. Fortunately for me, in those situations I'm either not wearing a helmet or I'm wearing my skating helmet. So I'm @Smoother approved :clap3:

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10 hours ago, WARPed1701D said:

I commute to work on my wheel. I didn't want to walk in like Robocop.

My under-clothes protective gear is pretty non-threatening... but once I came to work wearing an armored jacket and a dark helmet and people were 'concerned'.

9 minutes ago, Smoother said:

when a friend first saw me wheeling with a full face lid, she said I looked scary, and she's knows me ( and no I'm not scary, usually).

My full face helmet is orange (bike helmet is neon-yellow), but neither looks as threatening as my black motorcycle helmet with dark shield. (It's only a half helmet, but nobody could tell if I had malice in my eyes... )

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36 minutes ago, RayRay said:

My full face helmet is orange (bike helmet is neon-yellow), but neither looks as threatening as my black motorcycle helmet with dark shield. (It's only a half helmet, but nobody could tell if I had malice in my eyes... )

Yes,  I see how color can make a difference, but plenty of motorcycle helmets are brightly and or multi coloured, so it still intimidating to pedestrians to see one on the sidewalk, especially if they have just glanced up form their dumb-ass phones and only clocked you for an instant.

we have several other contributory issues here in England, especially London.  Motorcycle and scooter riding criminals have, for years, been using bikes to rob jewellery stores, often riding on the side walk to block it off to pedestrians while they make their smash and grab robbery.

Plus, in the last year, scooter riders have been riding in packs, often on the side walk.  They ride up to people, throw acid in their faces and steal their phones, purses, or even scooters.  So someone in a full face helmet might  assumed to to committing a crime ( other than riding an EUC).

i don't ride in London, but it's on the news everywhere, so the knowledge is spread wider than just London.

and if you watch certain YouTube channels, helmet bike criminals are everywhere, especially South America and the far east

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4 minutes ago, Smoother said:

i don't ride in London, but it's on the news everywhere, so the knowledge is spread wider than just London.

That news made it to New Zealand... Which is literally as far away as you can get from Old Blighty!

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10 hours ago, Marty Backe said:

@WARPed1701D has written a lot in this section of the Forum, but I don't remember him writing (yet) a post that comprehensively describes his full riding gear.

Right you are. I've promised it a lot but not got round to it. Trying to move to the UK distracted me. I will get it done over the next week. Not sure if it will be a video or text with pictures. 

The G-Form gear I use is not cheap and as already mentioned requires over 5 minutes to gear up. Certainly not for everyone but if you have the inclination then I think it is a great highly protective and discrete solution. 

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31 minutes ago, Smoother said:

scooter riders have been riding in packs, often on the side walk.  They ride up to people, throw acid in their faces and steal their phones

Holy crap! I thought I looked less intimidating riding a scooter (as opposed to a motorcycle), but I guess I look terrifying to some...

Still, I usually wear a bright-yellow hi-viz vest and/or over-pants and I think this makes me look much less threatening.

(I don't have any pics, but here's the obligatory Marty Model.)

hi-viz-marty.jpg.3d4bd51513cad25bba8b73b7cacc9b8b.jpg

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