Video: Bear charges at mountain biker

1wrangler wrote:

I was once briefly chased by a small-ish black bear while mountain biking in New Jersey; He scurried down a tree as I rode past, then chased me up a singletrack rise, as I slowed through a muddy section just past the bear's tree. I pedaled for my life, and when I turned back again at the top of the hill, (s)he was gone.

Another time I nearly rode right into a huge Kodiak grizzly in Alaska. That time I stopped short. We stared at each other until my blood started running again, then I very slowly walked the bike back about five yards, turned it slowly around, and again rode for dear life. That big bear could probably have caught and eaten me if it wanted, but it may have been stuffed on trash from a nearby dump.

Road cycling is nice.

a squirrel nearly ran straight into my front wheel once, a farm dog once barked at me and chased me for 20 metres, and I'm sure I once swallowed a large moth - apologies for the lameness of uk wildlife

ped wrote:

If I were to test this theory though, I think I'd want ~200mm of travel front and rear too. 

I think that I would want to be faster than my mate and he can be carrying the bacon sandwiches.

Butty wrote:

ped wrote:

If I were to test this theory though, I think I'd want ~200mm of travel front and rear too. 

I think that I would want to be faster than my mate and he can be carrying the bacon sandwiches.

Marmalade sandwiches, surely ?

ped wrote:

One of those may-come-in-handy bits of advice I learned was that if you're being chased by a bear, try and run downhill: Their short front legs means that they're slower when running down a slope.

If I were to test this theory though, I think I'd want ~200mm of travel front and rear too. 

When I was in Spitsbergen some years back I received a safety briefing before heading out of the main town of Longyearben.  A lot of this focussed on what to do if chased by a polar bear. Basically, a bear can outprint a horse over a 400m distance. And a fully grown male polar bear, the world's largest on land predator, can weigh close to 1 tonne. If you're unlucky enough to be chased by one, you can't outrun it. You can either play dead or hope that the old rifle you have with you (leaving the town without a rifle is not advisable) actually works.

OldRidgeback]<p>[quote=ped wrote:

Basically, a bear can outprint a horse over a 400m distance.

Inkjet or laser... or are we talking offset litho?

ped wrote:

One of those may-come-in-handy bits of advice I learned was that if you're being chased by a bear, try and run downhill: Their short front legs means that they're slower when running down a slope.

If I were to test this theory though, I think I'd want ~200mm of travel front and rear too. 

it's because they evolved from cows. Cows can't walk downstairs.

ConcordeCX wrote:

ped wrote:

One of those may-come-in-handy bits of advice I learned was that if you're being chased by a bear, try and run downhill: Their short front legs means that they're slower when running down a slope.

If I were to test this theory though, I think I'd want ~200mm of travel front and rear too. 

it's because they evolved from cows. Cows can't walk downstairs.

Conversely, if chased by wolves, climb a tree.  Dogs can't look up, as Big Al tells us.

rjfrussell wrote:

ConcordeCX wrote:

ped wrote:

One of those may-come-in-handy bits of advice I learned was that if you're being chased by a bear, try and run downhill: Their short front legs means that they're slower when running down a slope.

If I were to test this theory though, I think I'd want ~200mm of travel front and rear too. 

it's because they evolved from cows. Cows can't walk downstairs.

 

Conversely, if chased by wolves, climb a tree.  Dogs can't look up, as Big Al tells us.

ever since I read that Dervla Murphy had been attacked by wolves while cycling (she was the one cycling, not the wolves), and had shot them, I have always carried a small puncture repair kit, a pump and a pair of loaded [1] "Cyclist's Friends".

They're also handy in case of attack by tramps, although the advertisement doesn't make clear whether they mean itinerants, or loose women, so I just shoot them all if they get too close.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/carltonreid/11328882013/

[1] I believe this is why it's called "fully-loaded touring".

Butty wrote:

Why did they stop near it!

Wait mate, stop. There's a bear here, was chasing you a moment ago. Hang here for a sec!