BikerÂ’s lung: Should you be concerned?

[krebs303]

Biker’s lung: Should you be concerned?

Biker’s lung: Should you be concerned?
Biker’s lung has been popping up in health news headlines all over the web as a new cycling danger. According to a new study by the London School of Medicine, some cyclists have 2.3-times more black carbon in their lungs when compared with pedestrians. Does this mean city cyclists should start wearing surgical masks, or maybe even ditch their bikes?

 

[ElChingon]

Where I ride I have to worry about possibly testing positive for recreational drugs

At select paths on the big group ride you definitely pass pockets of 420 run off

 

[BroDeal]

Biker’s lung: Should you be concerned?

The guidos in New Jersey are scarier than the carbon particles.

 

[More Strides than Rides]

There weren't many details about the study, but only 5 bikers and 5 pedestrians were sampled. It would also be helpful to know what levels of black carbon are normal/healthy/dangerous. .00000001 units is 2x .00000002 units, but may be absolutely negligible in real terms. Or not.

 

[ElChingon]

Cyclist get a better mix of air than someone sitting in a traffic jam on the freeway where the car in front is jamming all their exhaust into their air intake. Unless the cyclist were always tail gaiting cars we're fine or better off than people sitting in cars under traffic jam conditions. Yes we still get pockets of pollution from cars but they're just pockets as long as its not one continual breathing of it, it shouldn't be so bad.

What are our options? If you do ride out in the great outdoors where there are farms you must know that there are pesticides being sprayed their which have their own health hazards. We all know what happened to Johaan Museauw (sp?) when he crashed at Roubaix and ended up gettting gangrene so much for the great countryside.

In conclusion, roll the dice but don't roll dice with all one's on its sides.

 

[RedheadDane]

I don't know if I should be but I'm not. Having to walk everywhere would simply be too slow. Taking the bus costs too much money. And the car just isn't an option for me.
I also like to think that the air around here is fairly clean.

 

[Archibald]

Biker’s lung: Should you be concerned?
Biker’s lung has been popping up in health news headlines all over the web as a new cycling danger. According to a new study by the London School of Medicine, some cyclists have 2.3-times more black carbon in their lungs when compared with pedestrians. Does this mean city cyclists should start wearing surgical masks, or maybe even ditch their bikes?

I used the Respro masks while riding in London and it was amazing just how filthy the filters became in a few weeks of daily commuting.

 

[Parrulo]

i ride on a rural area so i shouldn't be too worried about this tho my lungs are worse then most of you guys as i am a smoker

 

[ksmith]

Something else for me to worry about. Thats number 3,234 , next week should be up to 4,000.

 

[Aeeeek]

When stopped in traffic, I position myself where the exhaust ahead isn't.