Parked next to this bike recently that had a pair of garden hand shears fixed to the down tube. What practical reason could there be to carry these around?
by arithmetic
Parked next to this bike recently that had a pair of garden hand shears fixed to the down tube. What practical reason could there be to carry these around?
by arithmetic
46 Comments
Pruning on the trails? I know if I was going to commute on a tree-lined route and there was a little branch hanging down every day, it’d be handy to snip it.
Cutting (h)edge technology.
I’m not going to be able to sleep tonight thinking up a good pun 🤔
Afraid of branching out?
Lads near me do this when they’re cutting small branches off the trees that hang over into trails. Good way to maintain old trails and build some new ones
I regularly carry secateurs and a pruning saw in my stem bag.
The council doesn’t do shit to keep the trails clear, so I do what I can.
Trail steward, cleaning up a nearby trail perhaps?
I’ll have a faith in humanity and say maybe while mountain biking they need to cut plants of stuff stuck in the bike
Got an Allen key in your pocket as well? Snip snip – new set of handlebars.
Guerrilla gardening – or more specifically, pruning.
In my area the council only does pathside pruning/weed-clearance a couple of times per year.
At this time of year (UK), over a just a few weeks, big 5-6ft (1.5 metre) branches of super-prickly brambles grow out from the side of the paths and hang horizontally in the bike path, typically somewhere between waist and head/eye height. They’re dangerous and annoying.
Reminds me I need to do some pruning on my commute.
I used to breed a bunch of insects that needed different types of plants. Always had a pair of scissors in my pouch to go on my collecting route twice a week.
To cut nails from chasing dogs
Clipping brake hoses on cars parked in the bike lane?!
Impromptu bike upgrade
Cutting other people’s brake lines of course!
i keep meaning to do similar on mine, as theres loads of thorny plants that grow across the trail
That’s for trimming the front derailleur.
I’ve done it. I have cut branches that were at eye level on a fairly urban bike path. I have trimmed back the corner of some scrub that made it difficult to see traffic at a crossing, and i have cut low growth that forced you to go wide and veer into traffic on a corner.
The thing is, it takes you about six instances of being annoyed with these dangerous irritations before you take a pruning saw or shears out on the road with you.
Yes i know you’re supposed to write an angry letter to the local authorities, but screw that.
It’s better than ripping overgrown plants out of someone’s yard
To cut flowers for someone special
Lots of the bike routes in my town are over grown with blackberry bushes. If you can you go around. If you go through them you will have a bunch of cuts that will all get infected and be uncomfortable. The city just put in curbs to separate the bike lane from the road so now there is no “going around”. This is a recurring theme with the bike lanes here. The city makes an effort to protect you from cars but the lane that they give you is not maintained and is filled with broken glass, trash, and over grown with blackberries and other fast growing plants. I appreciate that they are trying to save me from getting run over. However, not having the option to move out of the bike lane where your being whipped my thorns and getting flats constantly is not a great compromise.
Are you in NYC we have a thing called “citizen pruners” here. It’s just like the name implies…
Bikecrossing?
Judging by the dirt on the bike, this is almost certainly for cutting back plants and branches on trails.
Those shears are for cutting back overgrowth on dirt trails and back alleys. And I myself definitely need to keep a pair of shears on my bike like this.
Guerrilla gardener.
If you are.in a race and want to be faster just cut your brakes that are holding you back /s
I manage a trail on my property and carry clippers. May have to steal this idea
i routinely cut ppl bush/tree branches that hang or protrude into the sidewalk public walk ways, making passing a project in deflecting the branches or ducking or veering into the road to avoid. i’m not a horticulturalist or a landscape architect, so say it’s better the owner or business do it themselves as i’m just a disgruntled butcher, will try my best, but can only do so much with the tools i got. and won’t make it pretty, just the parts that protrude into the walk way. Carry mine in my pack, wrapped in an old hand towel.
I sometimes trim the bushes that encroach onto the bike lane on the edge of one of my favorite roads. This is a great idea. Much better than the nasty setup i use involving a bungee cord and my luggage rack.
Many times need to prune on trails
I have taken various garden tools on my regular daily loop of 8km.
1. Secateurs, for thorny brambles hanging down.
2. Dustpan and brush for broken glass in the cycle gutter.
3. I even took a small hand axe to a tree branch that had partially broken and fallen ’till it was at EYE LEVEL and *END ON* to the direction of travel… (shudder).
Note: I am riding on shared-use pedestrian walkways.. not some trails through the woods!
Bloody brambles, they’re everywhere this time of year 🤬
Cutting valve stems off bike out of jealous spite?
Most likely and wholesome reason: they ride through forests and trim low branches because they’re good people.
Same reason I (trail)run with a pair.
Clean your path so you don’t get cut. 10/10
Garden shears, and one of the recently available small battery operated cordless pruning saws (like a chainsaw, but with a 6”-8” blade), are invaluable on poorly maintained trails. I have a saddle bag they both fit in, and it’s often on my bike.
A trail angel pruning back low hanging branches and spiky things.
Trail maintenance. Try it some time.
I have one with me from time to time when I walk the dog to cut off those super annoying brambles that grow out to the left and right of the path
Berry vines are fucking murder and they grow like weeds. I prefer to come back with a battery operated hedge trimmer.
I’d say for blackberries on the trail
Taking thorns to the face at 10 mph is not fun. That person is doing God’s work lol
Clip out branches that may be overgrown on the pathways
I’ll semi-regularly bring pruning shears and a brush saw on my (mountain bike) rides to do some guerilla trail maintenance. Can take down a fallen tree in 5 minutes.