Lightning and Bikes

[Shredhead]

The last three morning rides have been in thunderstorms. It was so dark, I had to turn on my dogs collar lights, to be able to see them if they were more than a few yards away.
Since your on rubber, are you protected at all? I was actually a little more worried a tree or a large branch would take me or my dogs out!

[Tuckerman]

The rubber will not help you. Its the steal cage of a car that protects you in a car not the tires.

[XtrPickels]

The rubber will not help you. Its the steal cage of a car that protects you in a car not the tires.

I learned that at the Boston Museum of Science as a wee little lad!

[bbense]

The last three morning rides have been in thunderstorms. It was so dark, I had to turn on my dogs collar lights, to be able to see them if they were more than a few yards away.
Since your on rubber, are you protected at all? I was actually a little more worried a tree or a large branch would take me or my dogs out!

Google "Faraday Cage". If lightning can travel through thousands of feet of air, a few cm's of rubber isn't going to affect in the least. At those voltages it's the shape of things that matters as much as what they are made of and a bike is exactly the wrong shape of thing you want to be near in a lightning strike.

[stuckathuntermtn]

I always figured it probably wasn't the safest thing in the world, but in a forest surrounded by trees, my chances of being hit haven't really increased much because of all the other conductors around me.
I could be wrong.

[bean]

Another reason to go with a carbon frame + rims?

[My Pet Powder Goat]

I learned that at the Boston Museum of Science as a wee little lad!

+1 pretty amazing, and crazy how misinformed most people are about this.

Stuck,you ever see a tree get hit by lightning? I've seen wood shrapnel tear clean through a chain-link fence, and 100lbs chunks fly 150yds

[systemoverblow'd]

You think you're that fucking lucky? Play the lottery.

[phatfreeheeler]

http://www.topgear.com/uk/videos/car-lightning

[stuckathuntermtn]

+1 pretty amazing, and crazy how misinformed most people are about this.

Stuck,you ever see a tree get hit by lightning? I've seen wood shrapnel tear clean through a chain-link fence, and 100lbs chunks fly 150yds

Yeah, but there are a LOT of trees, so it would have to not only hit one, but one that is right near and not surrounded by a bunch of other trees to block the shrapnel.

If I'm way off base here, let me know.

[My Pet Powder Goat]

Yeah, but there are a LOT of trees, so it would have to not only hit one, but one that is right near and not surrounded by a bunch of other trees to block the shrapnel.

If I'm way off base here, let me know.

No you're right on, but shit happens. my small town here in VT just lost a 16yr old kid to a lightning strike a couple weeks ago, he was trying to get out of the field on some farm equipment when a quick moving storm got him.

edit: look at where the majority of strikes are:http://www.lightningsafety.noaa.gov/fatalities.htm

[joetron]

Another reason to go with a carbon frame + rims?

I believe carbon is a rather good conductor.

[Incompetent Boob]

Actually, surprisingly enough carbon fibre is a poor conductor. That's why Boeing and Airbus had to go to so much trouble with their new composite aeroplanes to create additional means for conduction (copper mesh impregnated in the lay-up, additional aluminium conducting rods etc) to protect against lightning strike.

[jm2e]

I think your chances are about as good as....................getting struck by lightning.
According to Advres link, which was classically obnoxious, 73 people get the chop every year. Out of 350,000,000. Most of them are out golfing and boating or hiking above treeline; places without lots of trees.
Nat Geo seems to think you're better off at the mall. Here's the brilliant fucking insight from their piece:

lightning tends to strike people in places where there are people to strike

[birdman829]

I don't get that scared on my bike running from lightning. On a chairlift during some thundersnow though? Terrifying.

[Jethro]

It is recommended that you ditch metallic items when around lightning. I have heard stories of metallic items buzzing or even sparking when lightning strikes were imminent. I don't worry to much when I am in a forest, but I am phobic of lightning at or above timberline.

[jqualls]

I personally follow on your logic. Not that it's right or wrong but I believe shit happens you can't control. I don't typically intentionally put myself in these situations but there is probably a better chance of a catastrophic accident every time I drive my car yet we all still do it without thinking twice.

[rideit]

True story from a few years ago. Buddy of mine were on a ridge out here in the Big Holes. Afternoon quick n' fierce storm blew through. For some reason, I had one carbon Magura lever on my rear brake, and an aluminum hayes lever on my front. Hands were soaked. Lightning struck within a few hundred yards, buddy was basically blown off of his bike. My right hand felt nothing out of the ordinary, but my left lever starting vibrating, tingling, and then (very mildly) burned enough that I couldn't keep my fingers on the lever. It was super fucking scary. Right after that, we both had to crawl through a barbed wire fence to get off of the ridge.

As soon as we were under cover, bam...bluebird and super-hero dirt.
Crazy ass riding shit.

And then there are the speculative conversations we have had about riding on ridgelines during heat lightning episodes while running lights all over our bikes and helmets...

[joetron]

My wife was opening the cattle gate on the lower portion of the Targhee Super D yesterday and got a huge shock when she put both hands on either side of the gate. Crazy. There was a little bit of weather and rumble, but nothing really formed.