It's MOstly Safe: Except for when it isn't
The MostlySafe philosophy is that bike riding is a mostly safe activity, but not totally without risk. That risk goes up when you start going off the beaten path.
We believe the science that men are idiots when it comes to risk taking. This doesn't imply women can't ride like idiots and also don't need a strategy to ride safely. We just don't have any science to back that up.
As we like to point out at Howie's 3D, only one known Exploro-related crash has involved a woman, whereas our single-day tally for crashes by men in a ride is 8.
We also have anecdotal proof that the mental age of men in a group setting drops to roughly 12. An interesting corollary to this is that spouses of middle-aged men have precisely zero empathy for men who hurt themselves whilst behaving like 12-year-olds.
Science aside, it's really important to make sure that you ride within your ability and take responsibility for your own safety. It's also important not to endanger others by riding recklessly on shared paths, or by tackling segments where pedestrians or dangerous obstacles may be present without scoping them out first.
We believe the science that men are idiots when it comes to risk taking. This doesn't imply women can't ride like idiots and also don't need a strategy to ride safely. We just don't have any science to back that up.
As we like to point out at Howie's 3D, only one known Exploro-related crash has involved a woman, whereas our single-day tally for crashes by men in a ride is 8.
We also have anecdotal proof that the mental age of men in a group setting drops to roughly 12. An interesting corollary to this is that spouses of middle-aged men have precisely zero empathy for men who hurt themselves whilst behaving like 12-year-olds.
Science aside, it's really important to make sure that you ride within your ability and take responsibility for your own safety. It's also important not to endanger others by riding recklessly on shared paths, or by tackling segments where pedestrians or dangerous obstacles may be present without scoping them out first.
Plan to ride safelyThis will sound obvious, but it's always worth repeating to yourself when you walk out the door:
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Photo credit Donny van der Beer
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what Could go Wrong?
Actual Exploro related injury from hitting a tree at 12kmph.
Note: this is Howie's arm, in case you were wondering.
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Above: did you know that you can get road-rash from sliding on wood chips?
No idea who this is, but they obviously crashed and look really hurt.
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Route Planning for Group Rides
When it comes to route planning, we apply the MostlySafe philosophy by test-riding everything immediately before we do a group ride to eliminate any glaringly unsafe elements. Things can change day-to-day and it's important to plan ahead and be adaptable. We recommend you do the same.
Group rides are generally ridden at an average pace of 20-22kmph and only the ride coordinator knows the full route in advance. This keeps the pace from exploding at the front- at least most of the time. This allows us to keep the pace on shared pathways in line with posted speed limits.
It's good to know that a lot of our routes are like actual cyclo-cross race courses- there are often lots of sharp turns, steep pitches and obstacles. Therefore, there are going to be some times when you just have to slow down, or even unclip and get off your bike in order to safely navigate the route. This is especially true because not all bikes handle the same way on off-road terrain. Also, be sure your bike is in good working order to safely tackle the terrain you are attempting.
We've linked to a couple videos of our favorite cyclocross races so you can see how often even the best riders in the world have to get off their bikes to tackle obstacles. It's also good to know that crashes can occur at any time no matter how great your bike handling skills are. It really highlights the need to always wear a decent helmet.
We hope that you enjoy the content here and get to experience some of our favorite places to ride in the real world. Stay safe and enjoy!
Group rides are generally ridden at an average pace of 20-22kmph and only the ride coordinator knows the full route in advance. This keeps the pace from exploding at the front- at least most of the time. This allows us to keep the pace on shared pathways in line with posted speed limits.
It's good to know that a lot of our routes are like actual cyclo-cross race courses- there are often lots of sharp turns, steep pitches and obstacles. Therefore, there are going to be some times when you just have to slow down, or even unclip and get off your bike in order to safely navigate the route. This is especially true because not all bikes handle the same way on off-road terrain. Also, be sure your bike is in good working order to safely tackle the terrain you are attempting.
We've linked to a couple videos of our favorite cyclocross races so you can see how often even the best riders in the world have to get off their bikes to tackle obstacles. It's also good to know that crashes can occur at any time no matter how great your bike handling skills are. It really highlights the need to always wear a decent helmet.
We hope that you enjoy the content here and get to experience some of our favorite places to ride in the real world. Stay safe and enjoy!
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Disclaimer regarding land use: We (Howie and any others that provide route-related content) don't claim to know that every single segment or route we highlight is 100% open to the public and therefore acceptable for use by cyclists, particularly at the time you may attempt it. We are attempting to only highlight places where others have ridden before as evidenced by well travelled paths, or previously recorded Strava activities. We request that riders obey posted speed-limits, no-trespassing signs and any other signage you may come across that provides specific direction. Reading something here should not be construed as permission to break the law or violate the rights of property owners. We will remove any related content if we become aware of such a case. So be cool and use common sense, please.