@szpon #BikeNite A8 follow-up: Regarding downhill cycling and trains: One of the MTB trails on city grounds would be very easily reachable by a train which goes nearly to the top of the highest mountain on city grounds: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uetliberg_railway_line

But they explicitly forbid taking cycles with you on the train to the last station. So if you want to ride that trail, you have to cycle up there on your own power. Definitely limits the usage of that trail.

Cc @meganL @ascentale @MartyCormack @bikenite

@ascentale @MartyCormack @bikenite #BikeNite A8, p. 2: My dislike for road bike or sport cycling is also partially caused by the UCI forbidding innovative cycling forms like recumbent bicycles, non-classic seat positions, etc.

Another point is that with chronic asthma, getting to my muscles' limits will likely cause an exercise induced asthma attack. So I can cycle for quite a while like up to 140 km on a recumbent, I just shouldn't overdo it with speed or hill climbing and make enough breaks.

@ascentale @MartyCormack @bikenite #BikeNite A8: I'm mostly a commuter, recreation and utilitarian bicyclist, but recently got into bike packing (although it might be more bike touring as I don't use the typical frame or seat packs, the latter are called "Arschrakete" in German, i.e. "ass rocket").

I might try MTBs at some point as I rode BMX and trial in my teenager years and am tempted by some MTB trails, but I don't like road bikes or sport/speed cycling. I also don't mind e-bikes (anymore).

@ascentale @bobjonkman @bikenite #BikeNite A7: I never reset my bicycle odometer. Actually so far that thought never occurred to me. Initially those mechanical bicycle odometers weren't really easy to reset, later ones resetted themselves when the battery were empty and my current Garmin seems to only recognize the last 100 or so tours.

I'd like to know my overall distances maybe even per bike, but for quite a while I had no odometer in use at all. So far I assume about 3000km per year.

@ascentale @PamelaSchure @bikenite
A2

Not the whole bike...
Touring in the Netherlands, I was about 5 miles into the day's ride when a pedal came off. I was clipped in so the pedal was still attached to my foot. It was a Sunday, so there was a lack of open bike shops. I rode about 20 miles mainly on one leg, but able to get the pedal reattached for a few miles at a time.

I eventually reached a town where a bike shop sign suggested that it might open in half an hour (if i understood it). So I found a garage open, bought a sandwich and sat down in front of the shop to wait. They *did* open, quickly installed new pedals and filled my bottles. Pic attached.

I rode on across a 20 mile causeway and ended up having a great day.

@xtaran @MartyCormack @ascentale @pete @bikenite

A6. Natural Adventures do a self-guided tour around Lake Constance that looks very interesting. Avoids the stress of finding somewhere to stay each evening and they carry your luggage. I've never used them, just interested, and that is one I have had my eye on.

@ai6yr #BikeNite A6: Except for the possibility of headwind that sounds a lot like the Netherlands.

Cc @ascentale @pete @bikenite

@etp @MartyCormack #BikeNite A6: Let me know, too, in case your Rhine Valley cycling plans may become reality.

For the Lake Constance and High Rhine sections (my parents live near the High Rhine) as well as the part of the Upper Rhine between Worms and Mainz I can also provide guidance as I already cycled in these regions. Actually that concrete slab pavement bicycle breakage story in my Q1 answer is from the latter area.

(Danube is also nice! )

Cc @ascentale @pete @bikenite

@ascentale @pete @bikenite #BikeNite A6: Hehe, sure I'd like to be on holidays with the bicycle nearly anytime.

My big plan for next year's summer is to ride along the Rhône river from its start at the Rhône Glacier (or what's left of it ) inmidst the Alps to its delta in the Camargue at the Mediterranean Sea and then maybe alongside the coast of the Gulf of Genova until Genova or so.

Another idea is to cycle around the Black Forest, especially along the Upper Rhine and the Neckar valley.