How many of you carry a gun as part of your cycling equipment?

[dhk2]

Bob, agree the cyclist seemed to be using a lot of the lane. Around here, state law says the cyclist must ride "as close to the right side of the road as practicable". Riding two-abreast is permitted, but it's expected that cyclists will single-file when needed to facilitate passing. Most of the roads we pick for group rides have very light traffic, so it's easy for cars to just pull over and pass without even slowing down. Of course, almost no one signals here in the US, and some wait far to late to pull over and go around.

Call me paranoid, but after losing a good friend on a group ride to the front of a pickup truck, I'm concerned about being hit from behind. I always ride with a DiNotte flashing taillight now, which can be seen from at least 1/4 back on a sunny day. Also I use a helmet mirror, thinking that I'll be able to pull off the road in time to avoid being hit by the driver "who didn't see the cyclist". For the threat around here, figure the mirror is a lot more useful than the Keltec (et al)....but it's probably a false sense of security to think that I'll be able to react in time if that day ever comes when I have to bail off the road. The reality of road cycling of course is that's it's impossible to level the playing field.....the driver has the overwhelming advantage of weight and speed in an encounter. We can work for better laws, but not change physics.

 

[CAMPYBOB]

Bob, agree the cyclist seemed to be using a lot of the lane. Around here, state law says the cyclist must ride "as close to the right side of the road as practicable". Riding two-abreast is permitted, but it's expected that cyclists will single-file when needed to facilitate passing.

Exactly the same here. Our revised codes states "as far to the right as safely possible" and 2-abreast is allowed provided the traffic flow is not impeded.

Most of the roads we pick for group rides have very light traffic, so it's easy for cars to just pull over and pass without even slowing down.

Likewise. It's the sane choices that keep us alive! Hopefully! I try to avoid unsafe areas and live in an area that is low-crime, but the ghetto goblins can and do drive. Drunkards can and do take the low-travelled roads home from the bars.

Of course, almost no one signals here in the US, and some wait far to late to pull over and go around.

It's often heard, "Turn signals are a sign of weakness!".

Call me paranoid,

No way! That's reserved for the long-running firearm threads only! /img/vbsmilies/smilies/biggrin.gif

but after losing a good friend on a group ride to the front of a pickup truck, I'm concerned about being hit from behind.

I've had it happen. Broken L1 and L2...lucky to be alive and walking after a 1983 Camaro took me and a Pinarello to the base of his windshield...and then on a short 40' airplane ride...without the airplane.

I always ride with a DiNotte flashing taillight now, which can be seen from at least 1/4 back on a sunny day. Also I use a helmet mirror, thinking that I'll be able to pull off the road in time to avoid being hit by the driver "who didn't see the cyclist".

Helmet mirrors are smart and I should start wearing one. 40 years of cycling for me, this coming spring. You'ld think I'ld have adopted one years ago.

For the threat around here, figure the mirror is a lot more useful than the Keltec (et al)....but it's probably a false sense of security to think that I'll be able to react in time if that day ever comes when I have to bail off the road.

In my case I had 157' of skid marks to react. Not enough time in what I was caught up in. Other circumstances would have yielded different results. I do have a couple of friends that claim mirrors have saved them. Their claims and I would guess them to be true.

The reality of road cycling of course is that's it's impossible to level the playing field.....the driver has the overwhelming advantage of weight and speed in an encounter. We can work for better laws, but not change physics.

Luck plays a role in survival. Being prepared plays a greater role. Your mirror, like the Keltec, is a useful tool to at least try to stay a step ahead of disaster. We avoid it when we can and deal with it when we can't.

 

[dhk2]

Thanks for the detailed response. I've been at this sport about 40 years too, but not sure I'd continue riding after being hit like you were.

 

[CAMPYBOB]

dhk2,

I'm too stupid to quit! Damned fool kid admitted to the highway patrol trooper he was sailing 65 MPH when he jumped on the brakes. I figure he was still travelling 40 or so when he drilled me. The flight had enough air time I reviewed my life TWO times.

The judge from Vulgaria gave me a 9.5. The only reason I didn't stick the landing was because the Pinarello Treviso was wound around my legs so badly. I dragged myself off the road with the bike still...uh...attached to me. That was in 1993 IIRC.

Other than being sentenced to a life with chronic back pain...I'll live. I have lots to be thankful for.

Safe cycling to you! May we both go many thousands more uneventful miles.

 

[cbjesseeNH]

Riding while heavily armed http://forum.slowtwitch.com/gforum.cgi?do=post_view_flat;post=3808486;page=1;mh=-1;sb=post_latest_reply;so=ASC

Anyway, that's the title. But a 223 is pretty light - a 308 would be a better choice.

 

[CAMPYBOB]

Caption for the above pic: Pinarello & Armalite! Teaming up to win the tour since 1961!

I used to host a machinegun shoot (hit youtube for "Bulletfest" videos) and a fellow showed up on a road bike with a K98 Mauser slung over one shoulder and a bandolier of 8 MM in pouches slung across the other! Hardcore!

I wonder who has the larger testicles...Tony...or these young girls? My money is on the young ladies.




Imagine the size of ol' Orange Joolius' eyes if the cyclist over in Pennsylvania returned the thug's aggression with a magazine of 5.56.

The ladies are carrying their country's selesct-fire (that's right, kiddies...they are toting legally issued MACHINEGUNS! Full-auto. Capable of wiping out a school bus full of orphans and nuns in a single pull of the trigger!!!) assault rifle, the SIG STG-90. On public roads! <gasp!>

I have to agree, 7.62x51 allows one the opportunity to engage a gang of thieves from sufficient range that one need not soil his white oh-so-pro jersey in an unnecessary spill on the cycling path! The only question at that point is, does one prefer the FAL or the SCAR 17H?

 

[CAMPYBOB]

Here's a bike that is properly equipped for the modern urban cycling path.

Note the MP-44, perfect for engaging multiple targets...such as urban yutes ghetto gangs, roving bands of drug addicts or libtard wealth redistributionists.

That's an anti-personnel/anti-light armored vehicle mine suspended in the main triange. Perfect for those time when that pearl white Escalade with double-dueces and spinnerz is chasing you up the rails-to-trails path on a Friday afternoon before the welfare checks hit the mailbox.

 

[AceBruceGary]

That has to be uncomfortable. I can just imagine the bolt catch digging into my back.
A 308? My 308 weighs more than my entire bike.

It looks like this guy was doing some sort of biathlon?
He's got no spare magazines.
He's also got a very interesting handguard going on.

Regardless this is a pretty awesome picture.

Originally Posted by cbjesseeNH .

Riding while heavily armed http://forum.slowtwitch.com/gforum.cgi?do=post_view_flat;post=3808486;page=1;mh=-1;sb=post_latest_reply;so=ASC

Anyway, that's the title. But a 223 is pretty light - a 308 would be a better choice.

 

[CAMPYBOB]

My 308 weighs more than my entire bike.

Whatcha got, AceBruceGary? Scoped FAL? Scoped M1A?

My gunshow find from two weekends ago...34 ounces (unloaded) of training weight.

Beretta 92 FS police trade-in. (America! Hell yes! Where the military and the police arm honest citizens!) 2003 production. I dropped the Hogue wrap-around and replaced it with factory grip scales. With two Beretta/Mecgar magazines for three bones.

 

[CAMPYBOB]

This fellow carries while cycling...and has a custom rifle rack for his AR-15.

 

[AceBruceGary]

The 308 I'm referring to is my LR-308 (The AR10 variant).
With a 24" heavy stainless barrel, 6-24x front focal plane scope, bipod and magpul PRS stock it's quite the lead weight.

Nice 92FS. I had considered competing with one of those. The reciprocating mass on the slide is so low = less felt recoil with custom ammo.

Originally Posted by CAMPYBOB .

My 308 weighs more than my entire bike.

Whatcha got, AceBruceGary? Scoped FAL? Scoped M1A?

My gunshow find from two weekends ago...34 ounces (unloaded) of training weight.

Beretta 92 FS police trade-in. (America! Hell yes! Where the military and the police arm honest citizens!) 2003 production. I dropped the Hogue wrap-around and replaced it with factory grip scales. With two Beretta/Mecgar magazines for three bones.

 

[CAMPYBOB]

AR-10...always a good choice! Accurate out of the box. Yeah, that 24" heavy contour and bi-pod do bring the weight up a good bit! Nice rifle though! It may even out-weigh my Argentine FAL with the L2A2 S.U.I.T. sight and bi-pod. Definitely more accurate than a FAL.

The 92 FS is the typical low mile police trade-in. Carried a lot...shot for qualifying only. I've only run a couple of magazines thru it so far, but it shoots nicely. 9 MM thru a heavy pistol, it's a pussycat with Winchester white box plinking ammo. That little LCP on the other hand, is very snappy with the much less powerful .380 FMJs I was breaking it in with.

The 92 with target ammunition and perhaps a custom barrel might make a very nice competition pistol. For paper work, I use an old FN Hi-Power target model with a long barrel, weight and extended front sight. For steel plate shoots, either a SIG 226 9 MM or one of the 1911's.

 

[jpr95]

This thread has taken a most amusing turn. I love the hardware pics.

 

[CAMPYBOB]

I love the hardware pics.

For my cycling brother from across the Ohio-Indiana border...

How about a home built Sten Mk III gun? Why, it's practically perfect for those of you riding a 1953 Hetchins or perhaps a class Rene Herse! Still 'in the white', we built three of them at the office. Riding in historically correct wool clothing is, of course, optional.



Lately, I've decided a support vehicle would be da bomb. I was going to track down a crappy Rain-Nooo and do up a Mavic replica wheel wagon, but fortunately came to my senses a found a post-war Jeep with a nice Ma Duce mounted up top...much more eye popping than a roof rack of cheap, flimsy French wheels, I dare say. Hot gunner is optional, but you will need to furnish your own driver and cooler full of post-ride beers (save the wine for the Renault crowd or the 'Wheels for a heavy rider' thread). A man's got to have his priorities straight!



When it comes to Swiss gals, do you prefer blondes or brunettes? No matter. I've got you covered should you decide to come shooting with me in Ohio! These classics look best when slung over the shoulder like the Swiss bicycle infantry did when deterring Herr ****** from attempting an invasion. A bandoleer of 7.5 MM and some brandy will get you farther on your bike than Jens Voight climbing the alps during the Tour of Switzerland!



BTW, we just changed our state slogan to: Ohio! Gateway to Indiana!

 

[Akadat]

Aaah, firepower! Nice, but...

No good riding around with a couple of miniguns or rockets. It 's all about the handgun. See it as a knife with good reach and accuracy provided the training is done.

A sword is more practical if a handgun is not available, and then a knife, and the all-encompassing mindset. We are talking about carrying while riding; not riding with an arsenal.

 

[CAMPYBOB]

The best thing that can be said about a pistol is...you can use it to fight your way to a rifle.

Sadly, when cycling the size and weight issues of long guns are significant limiting factors.

Still, Rifles...AND those sabers you mentioned!...have been successfully carried for almost 140 years! Maybe at the next North American Handmade Bicycle Show we'll see some carbon fiber rifle mounts and fillet brazed sword/scabbard holders? Nah...nothing more spectacular than 'green' bamboo tandems, townies with waxed canves covered trailers for hipsters, generator hubs wired up to Iphone chargers and 472 styles of custom, integrated bike racks on single-speed 'roadsters'.

 

[CAMPYBOB]

...and the all-encompassing mindset.

Mindset.

Skillset.

Toolset.

In that order. I could not agree with you more on that point.

Add to that a defining attribute of mindset...situational awareness.

We are talking about carrying while riding; not riding with an arsenal.

Where's the fun in that, Captain Buzzkill? Why...for the last two centuries great minds have been hard at work devising clever devices to keep our crime-ridden cycling paths free of thugs and criminals that would prey upon the innocent and the helpless. /img/vbsmilies/smilies/smile.gif

 

[ambal]

Originally Posted by CAMPYBOB .

Caption for the above pic: Pinarello & Armalite! Teaming up to win the tour since 1961!

I used to host a machinegun shoot (hit youtube for "Bulletfest" videos) and a fellow showed up on a road bike with a K98 Mauser slung over one shoulder and a bandolier of 8 MM in pouches slung across the other! Hardcore!

I wonder who has the larger testicles...Tony...or these young girls? My money is on the young ladies.




Imagine the size of ol' Orange Joolius' eyes if the cyclist over in Pennsylvania returned the thug's aggression with a magazine of 5.56.

The ladies are carrying their country's selesct-fire (that's right, kiddies...they are toting legally issued MACHINEGUNS! Full-auto. Capable of wiping out a school bus full of orphans and nuns in a single pull of the trigger!!!) assault rifle, the SIG STG-90. On public roads! <gasp!>

I have to agree, 7.62x51 allows one the opportunity to engage a gang of thieves from sufficient range that one need not soil his white oh-so-pro jersey in an unnecessary spill on the cycling path! The only question at that point is, does one prefer the FAL or the SCAR 17H?

Haha thats unreal, I'm guessing cagers wont be road raging them.

 

[CAMPYBOB]

ambal, no clue where you are located, but in capitalist Amerika, you can haz the SIG 550 Classic slung over your shoulder too! They are very accurate rifles! The Swiss build marvelous firearms!

The amazing part is that those girls live in a land where the men still have a pair of testicles. They won't get a second look from folks as they cycle their way to the shooting match with machineguns on their backs.

More amazing? The Swiss often drink beer and wine before shooting! <gasp!>

I've seen some of ther gun ranges and they shoot right over highways that are carrying vehicular traffic.

Here in the good ol' U.S. of A. we find and ever increasing number of feminized men. Sadly, a hellova lot of them are drawn to cycling. Why in the name of blue blazes they can't stick to olympic figure skating, I'll never know.

When I was a youngster, we used to sling up our rifles, put a couple boxes of ammunition in our saddle bags and cycle thru town and out into the countryside to go hunting. During high school it was common practice during hunting season to come out of the fields and back to classes about third period...handing our shotguns and shells to the principle. We picked up the guns at the end of the school day and walked back thru town with them over our shoulders.

Indeed, one can easily sling a rifle for bicycle transport and using one of the modern slings available still have it quickly accessible for action.

 

[ambal]

Originally Posted by cbjesseeNH .

Riding while heavily armed http://forum.slowtwitch.com/gforum.cgi?do=post_view_flat;post=3808486;page=1;mh=-1;sb=post_latest_reply;so=ASC

Anyway, that's the title. But a 223 is pretty light - a 308 would be a better choice.

Ha can't go past a lightweight gun, love this photo!