Texas Riding Blog
- Thread starter biknut
- Start date
Last night I rode over 40 miles. I ended up in Plano near Spring Creek, and Custer. That was the first time I've ridden in Plano. Plano was the only town I saw any police in. About 3 police cars. Could have been 4, but I think I saw one of them twice. Oh yeah, I did get a distant view of one in Addison. None of them payed any attention to me.
It was 1 am when I got up there. I cruised about 26 mph most of the way. I've learned that cruising under 30 drops the vibration so much that dependability goes way up. Gas mileage goes up a lot too. By the time I got home my headlight was pooped.
It was 1 am when I got up there. I cruised about 26 mph most of the way. I've learned that cruising under 30 drops the vibration so much that dependability goes way up. Gas mileage goes up a lot too. By the time I got home my headlight was pooped.
Have you been able to ride in TX on freeway frontage roads without getting a ticket? Commuting to my new workplace would involve about 10 miles of frontage/feeder road on I-10 near Houston. The frontage roads are multi-lane, one-way roads with a speed limit of 50mph. I routinely commute in TX on roads with speed limits of 35 and 40 mph without being pulled over.
I believe as far as freeway service roads are concerned there's no restrictions. I see bicycles riding on them all the time around Dallas.
As a matter of fact, today there was a 10 mile bicycle race in Richardson, and part of the course was on the service road of Central Expressway.
I ride on frontage roads all the time. There is no prohibition against bicycles on them. Bicyclists frequently use them, even with large clubs. Now, if a cager has to wait behind you to pass, long enough to whip out their cell phone, they'll make an idiot-call about an "unlicensed moped" or some crap, and you'll have to deal with cops. Just be cool and they should run your ID and go away.
I had a cop in Seagoville say MB was ok unless posted 45 mph or above then ya hafta pedal. (Dummy pedal)
I font like the frontage roads in Austin because most of them don't have a shoulder, nut I see bikes on them frequently.
I see them fairly often now in Austin. You can buy one at Walmart for like $500. I wouldn't want that one though. If I were someone who did not have any mechanical ability I would still worry about the 16 year old kid that Walmart has in the back assembling these bikes!
Any bike I buy, especially a Walmart or dept. store bike, I expect fully to have to tear down and grease everything, and probably put new cables on it.
Not all Walmarts are so careless. Sometimes the ones in more bike-oriented cities (like Aurora, Co, near Denver) or places where people buy them as real commuter bikes, will do more to assemble them straight and ride ready.
Not all Walmarts are so careless. Sometimes the ones in more bike-oriented cities (like Aurora, Co, near Denver) or places where people buy them as real commuter bikes, will do more to assemble them straight and ride ready.
Did a nice long ride to White Rock lake on Sunday. To get there I rode through town, but on the way home I motored up the White Rock Creek Trail about 10 miles. I kept my speed down to less than 20 mph so as not to upset the trail hounds, but I don't think it worked, judging by their looks. Either that or they all needed to go somewhere and take a really big dump lol.
Part of the trail was closed when I got near Forest Ln, but they've detoured the trail onto the Cottonwood Creek Trail. That's even better for me because it takes you under the high five, at LBJ and 75, and dumps you out on the Dallas side between Alpha, and Spring Valley.
I ran out of gas at Spring Valley, and the Dallas North Toll Road, and had to pedal the last 4 miles home. Still had a great time.
Part of the trail was closed when I got near Forest Ln, but they've detoured the trail onto the Cottonwood Creek Trail. That's even better for me because it takes you under the high five, at LBJ and 75, and dumps you out on the Dallas side between Alpha, and Spring Valley.
I ran out of gas at Spring Valley, and the Dallas North Toll Road, and had to pedal the last 4 miles home. Still had a great time.
Hahhaa. Yeah, you got some Dallas courtesy there, if they made the Fart Face to let you know that you're not fashionably acceptable. lol.
http://www.motifake.com/image/demot...ny-face-demotivational-posters-1320120852.jpg
A few times I rode the HT/beach bike around WRL, mostly pedaling, but sometimes using the motor to pull my kid trailer. I was just putting along, but d-bags would deliberately move in front of me as I tried to pass, so as to block my path or slow me down. A few held up their cell phones like they were threatening to "report" me. haha. Plenty of them made the fart face, but a few smiled and thought it was cool.
Be careful because there are a lot of people from foreign countries that frequent the park and don't understand the protocol of "passing on your left". They will directly move into your path as you move left to pass them!
http://www.motifake.com/image/demot...ny-face-demotivational-posters-1320120852.jpg
A few times I rode the HT/beach bike around WRL, mostly pedaling, but sometimes using the motor to pull my kid trailer. I was just putting along, but d-bags would deliberately move in front of me as I tried to pass, so as to block my path or slow me down. A few held up their cell phones like they were threatening to "report" me. haha. Plenty of them made the fart face, but a few smiled and thought it was cool.
Be careful because there are a lot of people from foreign countries that frequent the park and don't understand the protocol of "passing on your left". They will directly move into your path as you move left to pass them!
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Yeah, but the stupid ones still move left, turning to look around, with the fart face. With the motor on, usually people just stay right or step off the path, sometimes yelling "la migra" or something.
yea i think people are getting stupid and its not funny when they do things like that if they dont like my bike they need to get over themselves
Other than funny looks I really don't notice much of a problem. I think part of that might be because, on the trails I go as slow as most bicycles. When I pass, I ring my bell. I think most people don't even hear me coming till I'm right behind them, since my MB is pretty quiet. My MB's looks are deceptive, partly because my gas tank is concealed to look like water bottles behind my seat. From certain angles it's hard to even see the motor.
Last night I was motoring a nearby trail in Carrollton. As I was riding along, there was a couple of people walking along ahead of me. As I approached closer this guy waves me to stop. He starts telling me to be careful because up ahead there's a big tree branch across the trail, and that someone has over turned some trash cans on the trail, and there's some broken glass. I thanked him and rode on. Sure enough I came to a small tree branch laying across the trail, and over turned trash cans, which I rode past, and kept going. I saw a couple of teenagers running toward the street. As I got farther along the trail I saw a police cruiser driving along shining his search into the park. When he saw me coming down the trail he shined it on me momentarily, but kept on going. A couple of minutes later I passed him going the other on the street. He wasn't the least bit interested in me, like usual.