Hi all, Im a marathon runner here looking to get into triathlons and Ironmans. I have a hybrid bike but am looking at beginner road bikes. My problem is, whenever I see road bikers biking on roads near me, it always seems so unsafe. I always drive slow and am careful around them but other cars do not seem to follow these same rules.

Are there certain parts of PGH where it is safer to bike on roads? Do you get used to the dangerousness? Or are there ways to manage this? Would appreciate any advice.

We're excited to announce that we'll be hosting the Scrap Cat Alleycat on June 13th! Sign up is $15 and we'll have a host of prizes to give out at the end.

Starts/ends at 3 Rivers Outdoor Co. Sign ups are here.

If you'd like to contribute a prize for the end, let us know by DM or email info@freeridepgh.org

We'd love to see you all there!

https://preview.redd.it/bytteiww362h1.png?width=1080&format=png&auto=webp&s=6b90b438ab008f72beaa426d473d15b4c4c9fb9c

Would like to take the kids biking from Dormont, but the hard part is getting to the trails or getting into the city (I think seeing dad die of a heart attack 100 ft into a ride over Mt Washington would be bad).

has anybody put a cargo bike on the bus? I’m thinking a non-electric yuba kombi because it looks like normal bike wheelbase and tire size (24”).

i hate standing with my bike on the T is why I’m asking about buses. also like option of not doing a loop that transit gives you over cars.

Edit: PRT says smallest wheel size is 16” for the buses. So I may be able to do one of the small wheel bikes.

Hi everyone! I rode the Gap today from McKeesport to PGH and didn't know it was paved. Does anyone know how much further it is paved past McKeesport headed toward Connellsville?

Recently thrifted a used bike that seemed in decent overall shape but definitely a fixer upper. Have wanted to get into riding for a while, and seemed like a good way to do so, plus needing to get it into workable shape means I'll "be forced" to learn how to maintain it.

Is the first bike I've had as an adult, and first that has obviously needed any TLC. Am mostly asking for advice/suggestions on where might be a good place to look to get guidance on this sorta thing. I can google and search various subs all I want, but without knowing specifically what problem I'm trying to solve, I'll just end up in the weeds repeatedly. Am in the south portion of the city, but regularly end up right near freeride, would they offer something fitting here? I love to learn, but guidance and some level of instruction would be fantastic.

From what I can work out, is a 2010s(2016?) Schwinn Fairhaven with 7-speed shimano.

• Front brakes seem fine, sans slight rubbing which am not sure if is from sliightly out of true wheel or very poorly adjusted centering.

• Rear brakes non-functional. Cable pulls from the lever and seems very stuck/difficult to slide. I assume replacing the cable would solve this? Have tried redoing the cable attachment at the brake end to no avail.

• Less guaranteed issue and more so curiosity: Is shifting to higher gears supposed to be very easy, and down to 1 supposed to require quite sizable force? When I'd picked it up, was resting at 7. and was worried I was going to break something originally. Have since managed to get it back to 1 (largest) but want to make sure I don't have something under horrid tension that it shouldn't be.

• Any recommended "cheap" tool kit it start out? Have been able to scavenge one or two tools to start with (hex keys mainly) but would a $20 walmart or amazon special be acceptable to grab just to start? Buy once cry once is the ideal, but so is "can work up to".

• Aaany other suggestions/tips/things to buy? Helmet n such sure, but no ideas on what to look for there or locks either. That and oil/grease pointers

tl;dr New (used/fixer upper) bike owner, hoping for some direction/guidance.

If this sorta thread isn't allowed, I do apologize.

On my Friday ride, I passed what appeared to be a band of assorted musical horns on the trail behind the jail. I can only assume they were playing for one or more inmates. I wish I had my camera rolling.

Did anyone else see this?Trying to determine if it was real or if I'm spending too much time on the streets following weedmobiles.

No judgement. Just bewilderment and amusement.

I'll be dog sitting for few weeks. I'm staying half a mile west of Hulton Bridge 🌉 Does it have bike lanes or wide sidewalks? I'm thinking of bringing my Aventon 350 ebike because it looks hilly! Are there good places to bike in that area? Thanks!

It is a shame that PedalPGH is only doing two courses (not counting the 10mi kid route) and no 62mi. Also the 25mi and 53mi are the same old routes. Why non expand the routes a little past the city limits? I have done this every year for the past 10 years but it is getting old doing the same route. Hell, Erie does a weekend of bike rides with their Cyclefest event and changes it up.

Over the past two years I’ve watched a growing number of E-bikes, e-motorcycles, and e-scooters operated both dangerously and to my knowledge illegally in our area. From neighborhoods to parks and trails, it’s a similar story.

I’m most concerned with a growing number of kids riding these bikes without knowledge of (or at least not following) the rules of the road. I’ve seen kids as young as 7/8 operating an electric motorbike without parent supervision. Most teens are not wearing helmets and I’d estimate are exceeding 20-25 mph, often with others as passengers.

I don’t want to be the guy who calls them out and has my whole community up in arms, but I also don’t want to see someone get severely hurt. In particular I’ve seen many instances of kids riding on the wrong side of the road and then blowing through one way stop signs. It feels like just a matter of time…

Any suggestions for constructive dialogue with parents and perhaps the kids to encourage safer bike use?

Hey everyone, I know the Millvale Music Festival is happening this weekend. I was planning on doing some biking around and then hopefully stop and see some of the festivities, but does anyone know if the Millvale Riverfront Park will be open to park and then bike from there? I tried looking at the maps posted by the MMF and it says “possible road closure” to the tracks/under 28 to River Front Dr, but I didn’t know if anyone else had inside info/past experience biking to the festivities.

TIA

(As a side note I wish the TRHT went all the way up to the Aspinwall trail already so this could be avoided entirely)

Where did you ride in the past two weeks? Did you have any positive or negative interactions with people on the road or trail? What rides are you going to this upcoming week? This thread is also for any posts/comments/quick questions/rants you think don't warrant a full thread.

The driver passed me within a foot going down a hill and then proceeded to slow down and roll down the window. I said you're wrong. He said f you you're wrong. Then speeds away and called me a f*g. Can we film these people and report them? I don't want to shrink but last summer I let people like this win. I was too intimidated to bike. I started biking two days ago and two people have done two unnecessarily dangerous passes as, one person called me an a hole, and another just did that. Is it this city or what's going on with these rabid drivers?

Looking for a new helmet, I checked thick bikes earlier, but wasn't impressed with any of the ones they had available. Any one have any suggestions for places with larger helmet selections?

As the title says, I’m reaching out to see if there was any riders who had an older bike laying around that they weren’t using or they could part with?

I posted some months ago about my bike being stolen from outside of my apartment, and sadly I couldn’t track it down. Typically I would not post something like this, and would try to afford a new one, but right now that’s a little rough for me to do so, and it’s not something I’m comfortable getting into.

Or if anyone knows where I can get a bike for cheaper than retail prices right now? I don’t use Facebook, so I don’t check the marketplaces and the impression this subreddit left on me about cyclists really stuck with me, so figured I’d at least ask here.

Edit:
Thank you everyone for your feedback, suggestions, and offers. I am in the process of now reaching out to those that offered, and wanted to say 'Thank you' genuinely. I apologize I didnt respond sooner to these, as I sent that right as I was going into work and had a long night after and just couldnt properly respond.

I'm going to close the post, but again, thank you all so very much!

I knew it was gonna happen eventually, but I am still disappointed.

Let me know if anyone knows where to find someone trying to sell it. (checking facebook and craigslist now)