A Request: Please be careful scraping hard parts when in fire country

[2WheelBear]

Hey BARFERS,

I have a request. If you are going to be riding so hard on the street that you are scraping parts and throwing up sparks, DON'T DO THIS where those sparks get thrown up into dry grass!! We on Cobb Mountain don't want to have yet another fire up here.

This morning I was following a group up the hill, they were dragging knee so hard that several folks had hard bits scraping and showering sparks everywhere. I actually turned around and stopped where those sparks landed to make sure nothing ignited. There is currently a fire burning north of us and we really don't want another Valley fire. It is only June and it is dry as a bone, with a red flag warning as well.

Thank you so much. As a Valley Fire survivor, I appreciate it.

Denise Lindquist

 

[antidote]

Is this even remotely possible as a fire concern? I'm not a scientist, though.

I'd think cigarettes and PGE are still the real dangers.

 

[Abacinator]

Yes. IIRC there was a fire in the Sierras that was started by a mountain bikers magnesium pedal sparking on a rock.

 

[fubar929]

Is this even remotely possible as a fire concern? I'm not a scientist, though.

Yes, it is a concern. My buddy is the reason "sparky" knee pucks have been banned at Thunderhill for the last 15 years...

During an instructor demo he was wearing titanium-infused knee pucks, which threw off enough sparks to ignite the infield of T2. Luckily a student noticed, because before we knew it we had a dozen small fires smoldering. Thankfully, we were able to keep things under control until the track could scramble their water truck to wet down the area.

 

[SFSV650]

Yes. IIRC there was a fire in the Sierras that was started by a mountain bikers magnesium pedal sparking on a rock.

How are they able to determine that with such accuracy?

 

[KrustyKruser]

https://www.adventure-journal.com/2016/08/mountain-bike-pedal-strike-caused-wildfire-near-mammoth/

Seems like the investigators found a rock strike and burn patterns to lead them to believe a bike pedal caused the fire in Inyo county.

 

[gixxerjeff]

So my magnesium knee pucks are parked for another year???

 

[dravnx]

Many fires alongside roads are started by dragging hitch safety chains.

 

[bergmen]

Yes. IIRC there was a fire in the Sierras that was started by a mountain bikers magnesium pedal sparking on a rock.

I didn't realize magnesium would spark when it hit a rock. I know steel will, but never heard of magnesium doing the same.

Dan

 

[Abacinator]

how are they able to determine that with such accuracy?

top. Men.

 

[thedub]

Is this even remotely possible as a fire concern? I'm not a scientist, though.

I'd think cigarettes and PGE are still the real dangers.

Literally any source of ignition is a legitimate fire concern.

It may seem unlikely you dragging a foot peg could start a fire, but all it needs is a gust of wind and some dry roadside vegetation.

Here, watch this informative video from The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

94% of California wild fires are caused by people, and often they aren't even aware.

[youtube]6vIluhMMdJ4[/youtube]

 

[planegray]

Is this even remotely possible as a fire concern? I'm not a scientist, though.

I'd think cigarettes and PGE are still the real dangers.

uhh..... she said SPARKS !! what part of sparks would not be a fire danger ?

 

[cjymiller]

What about the big fireball that spits out my side exhaust on downshifts? Hahaha, thought about that this weekend as I was ripping by the tall grass on Mines road. It Kept me a little farther away from the bushes.

 

[Junkie]

I didn't realize magnesium would spark when it hit a rock. I know steel will, but never heard of magnesium doing the same.

Dan

titanium seems far more likely

 

[jaybocc2]

Many fires alongside roads are started by dragging hitch safety chains.

Delete Safety Chains its for the environment!

 

[ilikefood]

I didn't realize magnesium would spark when it hit a rock. I know steel will, but never heard of magnesium doing the same.

Dan

Magnesium generates a lot of sparks, a lot more than steel. That's why camping/survival fire starter sticks are made of magnesium.

 

[bergmen]

Magnesium generates a lot of sparks, a lot more than steel. That's why camping/survival fire starter sticks are made of magnesium.

The ones I've seen have you shave chips of magnesium (especially onto dry grass) and use a flint and steel to generate sparks. The magnesium is not used to generate sparks.

Dan

 

[HadesOmega]

man that would be cool to drag knee near a line of gasoline and set it off, of course in a controlled environment =P

 

[Kestrel]

The ones I've seen have you shave chips of magnesium (especially onto dry grass) and use a flint and steel to generate sparks. The magnesium is not used to generate sparks.

Dan

Magnesium still burns like crazy.

A high friction event is all that is necessary for anything to burn.

 

[Blankpage]

Magnesium generates a lot of sparks, a lot more than steel. That's why camping/survival fire starter sticks are made of magnesium.

Isn't it iron oxidising that causes the sparks for campfire strikers.