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For what it's worth, this is my first Instructable. This project neither accurately represents my DIY abilities, nor is close to my favorite project I've finished, and was completely inspired by my own angry keyboard-slappings that produced this gem. I assumed I would find something that I could use by asking Instructables for a bike lock holder, and this website totally produced. To preface, I want to share why this was created, as well as justify why I accepted such a shoddy configuration. I live in Tuscaloosa, Alabama and attend the University of Alabama. Unlike the majority of the students here, I have been relying on bicycle transportation since I moved here last year. I live about a mile and a half off of campus and have to ride through some pretty sketchy neighborhoods on the way to and from class, and what's more, I ride through at night Monday through Thursday. last night, while coming through the final leg of my trip and through the sketchiest of streets, one of the people who live there leaned over and unchained a pit bull kept lovingly under their porch. It started chasing me and they started laughing. It got within 6 inches of my ankle before I turned into it and drove it into a curb. I'm not cool with mean dogs, but especially not if they belong to mean people. I have a lot of bike parts from past builds laying around and when I got home, I took a longer-than-necessary seat post I exchanged from my BMX bike and put it in my backpack. Today, I rode around all day with it hanging haphazardly out by my shoulder, falling onto the ground every time I leaned over. Here's what, hopefully, will become the solution to my problem.
P.S. Don't hit pitbulls in the face with steel seat posts, no matter how vicious they are and how awesome it would feel. Make one of these and whack your frame or something to scare it away, yeah? This is a noise making tool. No more. No less. Here goes.
P.S. Don't hit pitbulls in the face with steel seat posts, no matter how vicious they are and how awesome it would feel. Make one of these and whack your frame or something to scare it away, yeah? This is a noise making tool. No more. No less. Here goes.
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So, this is, like stated previously, a ridiculously easy system, but one that I couldn't be more of an advocate for. Cyclists, as a culture (especially in the south), need to start taking steps to level the playing field with cars, rabid animals, and other subtle life threatening obstacles we face daily. I don't, of course, think violence is a necessary first solution to any situation, but I do think that we severely misrepresent our ability to, and our need to defend ourselves. Bear mace is sold at many northern outdoor supply stores and shoots a stream of foamy, peppery hell at whatever may be attacking you. The cans are also usually pretty fay and can fit snugly in a water bottle cage. Careful though, cause if you drop your bike, you may puncture it and make your wreck a thousand times worse. You can also get this really cool horn, or any foghorn that will seriously keep a car from performing any dangerously illegal passes, and probably scare away any angry, spiteful wildlife in a quarter mile area. This is the materials section, though, so let me hop off this soapbox.
Your best bet is to go to home depot with your "noise stick" and test different diameters of PVC. Mine happened to fit snugly in a 1 inch piece. I definitely haven't perfected this system, but this bike is notably the junkiest ride on the road. I don't care about scratching the frame, nor do I care about the whole thing coming apart. I build free bikes out of scrap parts. So, i attached the pipe onto the top tube and the down tube with pipe clamps. The better way to do this would be to use three pipe clamps; one on each of the bike's tubes and two on the PVC. Once again, though, what I have is stout, and bloodlust makes aesthetics irrelevant. for those of us who like scanning for bulleted lists,
1- correctly sized PVC pipe
2 (4)- Pipe clamps (size dependent on top/bottom tube and PVC diameters)
1- roll of electrical tape because it's one of my favorite materials for DIY projects.
Your best bet is to go to home depot with your "noise stick" and test different diameters of PVC. Mine happened to fit snugly in a 1 inch piece. I definitely haven't perfected this system, but this bike is notably the junkiest ride on the road. I don't care about scratching the frame, nor do I care about the whole thing coming apart. I build free bikes out of scrap parts. So, i attached the pipe onto the top tube and the down tube with pipe clamps. The better way to do this would be to use three pipe clamps; one on each of the bike's tubes and two on the PVC. Once again, though, what I have is stout, and bloodlust makes aesthetics irrelevant. for those of us who like scanning for bulleted lists,
1- correctly sized PVC pipe
2 (4)- Pipe clamps (size dependent on top/bottom tube and PVC diameters)
1- roll of electrical tape because it's one of my favorite materials for DIY projects.
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I currently have a large PVC pipe zip tied to the rear wheel rack, as a holding tube. Inside I keep a 1 inch diameter section of dowel (about 2 feet long) with a lanyard inside it. This means I have to reach back and draw it out, but this isn't a big problem for me.
The best defense I have against attacking dogs is my mini fox 40 whistle. It's very shrill and loud enough to be painful from a distance. The other day a loose dog attacked one of my dogs and all I had to do was get close and give a loud whistle. The dog immediately got out of attack mode. The owner was close by and was able to call him back, so no need for a gentle tap on the head from my dowel. I plan on posting an instructable once I have my panniers finished.
Honestly, note the house, the color of the dog and who released it. Call the police. It'll put an end to it. It's a felony to release an animal with intent to harm someone. It will also force the owner to relinquish control. And these guys most likely are under parole and do not want extra trouble. Your some college dork riding around. It's not worth the trouble.
I didn't mean it to be disparaging. You could just of have readily substituted "college guy" or something else about someone from University.
Again, sorry.
C
I'm a roadie, and have learned some tricks in dealing with dogs. Keep a water bottle full of water in your water cage. Don't worry about drinking it. Whenever a dog begins the chase they will usually head into you and then begin the merge. That is, even if it is a head on pass, they will make an arc around you and then look to bite something. It is at that moment, when they drop out of doggie warp that you blast them with some water. It has worked well for me for some time.
I've heard of people telling the dog "good boy." Sounds weird, never tried it.
I have a deep, resonating voice that booms when needed. I whomp out a "NO!" BAD DOG!" and that usually does it.
I feel for you. I've biked around crack houses, etc. Small dogs are the worse. They can tangle up under your wheels.
The best revenge I had was when I went by a rock house and they decided to "sick" some medium sized dog. I could easily outrun it. Instead I kept barely ahead. The dog couldn't catch me, but couldn't break the chase. I pretended I couldn't hear it or them yelling. It was lead some ways from home before I jumped to speed.
I saw the dog later at the house, but the owners did not release it again. It had chased me for 1/4 mile and it took some time for them to figure out where their dog was.