New ways to achieve higher performance

[Lovetospin]

My husband and I discovered a new way to achieve higher performance on your bike:
1. Find a nice narrow one lane road that has lots of small houses/single wide trailers on them (helps to be in a more rural area).
2. make sure the side of the road has lots of gravel and ditches.
3. Pedal merrily along until you hear a "woof, woof, grrrrr" sound.
4. Spot to the gnarling teeth of the canine protecting his/her turf
5. Accelerate like a bat out of hell while removing one foot to kick the critter in the head (should the need arise - of course you must distinguish between a brief sniff and an impending chomp)
6. Zoom around the next blind turn making sure the oncoming pickup sees you and only kicks up a small storm of gravel while you try to ditch safely.

Road ride in the West Virginia mountains. Seriously any advice on how to deal with the unleashed chasing dogs?

[raptor]

Out-sprint them of course! Only greyhounds typically exceed 40 mph.

Barring that, a squirt from your water bottle is where you start, followed by a spray of tear gas or pepper spray from a small, cheap self-defense can, or a thwack with your frame-mounted pump.

Good luck,
Lynn

[Legspeed]

I've found a blast from a whistle is remarkably effective.

[spinguru]

Both suggestions that have already been made work wonders (at least on city-suburban unleased dogs in the Philly burbs!)

[Lovetospin]

Great suggestions. I like to think I could out sprint those crazy dogs! I could feel my heart start to race even before I accelerated and knew that a plan B was required. Did not want to get the dog owners angry or on our way back we could be trying to out sprint bullets or pick up trucks.
Thank you. :D

[spinguru]

I hear you, Lynn, but I look at it this way: The dog owners, who should be responsible enough to have their loose dogs on a leash or other restraint system, should not be angry when you defend yourself from being chased and bitten! If the cycling shoe were on the other foot (or paw :)), what would they do? A little squirt from a water bottle won't hurt the animal at all, and pepper spray only burns long enough for you to get away! No permanent damage to the animal.

[EastSpin]

you don't have to out run the dog, just 1 other person to not get bit. :)

[JFK]

On dogs: If you really get in a bad situation with a dog, put the bike between you and Fido and let him chew on a chainring or two. Bikes are easier to repair than humans (usually less expensive, too).

This a.m. I was riding in the dark (head and tail lights and reflective clothing), but I was thinking about this thread and how the worst would be to hear/feel a dog coming out of the darkness....yikes!

[AC]

If you grab both legs of the dog and pull outward, the dog's ribs will break and instantly kill the offending beast.

Dogs are just rats with personality anyway.