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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Dec 2008
    Location
    Bay Area
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    487

    Euro bikemags: School me on Scotland

    I have a group of 4 or 5 in Scotland for a few days in May. We are going to be flying into Glasgow and making our way west to Islay to drink scotch. I'm the only mtber, but the others are all athletes of one sort or another.

    I'm trying to finagle a morning to myself to go rent a bike in the Loch Lomond area and rip around. Easiest way for me to do this is if I can find a zone in which the noobs can peel off on the easy stuff and I can hit more interesting terrain solo.

    Any recommendations?

    Gracias.
    No gnar was harmed in the writing of this post...

  2. #2
    Join Date
    May 2012
    Location
    People's Republic of OB
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    4,407
    Springsproject is over there, send him a pm in case he doesn't see the thread

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Dec 2005
    Location
    Glasgow, UK
    Posts
    1,312
    Aberfoyle would probably be a good bet - some of the steepest, techiest riding in the country plus endless gravel options.

    Ardgarten/Arrochar is another option - lots of mellow xc/gravel as well as some very spicy off-piste stuff in Ardgarten.

    Those spots are both on TF. Something to consider about renting a bike is that the brakes are going to be set up opposite to what you're used to.

    Hit me up when if you have any other q's or if you want a tour guide, I'll be away for a big chunk of May but should be around for about half of the month

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jan 2005
    Location
    Keep Tacoma Feared
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    5,266
    Quote Originally Posted by springsproject View Post
    Something to consider about renting a bike is that the brakes are going to be set up opposite to what you're used to.
    What's the logic in that? Marching to their own beat driving and have to do the same on bikes?

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jan 2014
    Location
    Gaperville, CO
    Posts
    5,844
    Quote Originally Posted by altasnob View Post
    What's the logic in that? Marching to their own beat driving and have to do the same on bikes?
    Its the US brakes that are traditionally backwards because people can't be asked to learn to brake properly.

    Left is front in US under the theory that the weaker hand should access the front brake since it can lock up the front wheel causing rider to go over the bars. And that's a liability....

    A much more reasonable approach is that your stronger hand should operate the stronger brake: right == front.

    This all assume right hand dominance since switching it for lefties would just cause consumer chaos.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    BC to CO
    Posts
    4,864
    Back in the day in my Whistler bike shop, all the cool Euro Bros would come into the shop and say "My brakes are set up Moto style". All our techs in the shop had a funny saying, we would reply "I've ridden a lot of motorbikes, and they only have one hand brake, you know what has 2 hand brakes... you're bike is set up scooter style."

    But all jokes aside I use to ride Motorcycles for a living, and my brain couldn't handle, or I couldn't take the chance of a brain fart at 180km by grabbing the wrong lever, so all my bikes have always been set up Right Hand Front Brake.

    But the real reason is road safety and traffic regulations. Its meant so that if you ride on the right hand side of the road, you use your left arm to make traffic signals, and your right hand is still covering the rear brake.
    Australia has some of the strictest consumer material import laws, and a bicycle cant leave a shop without all the reflectors installed. When it comes to brake lever the safety requirement is:
    Australian Standard AS1927 – 1998 Pedal Bicycles – Safety Requirements, page 16 Section 2.14 Braking System 2.14.2.1 states the following: Handbrake lever location: The brake lever for a front brake shall be positioned on the right-hand side of the handlebar, and that for a rear brake on the left-hand side.

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