Let us explore the colourful landscapes of our neighbours – Saarschleife, Germany!

Photo from Saar Info

We will meet on Saturday, August 17th at 9:00 am in front of the Luxembourg Gare Centrale train station .
At 9:15 we will catch a train to Wasserbillig, where we will follow a nice cycling path along the river Saar to Mettlach, about 35km.

After having a light lunch in Mettlach, we will walk a hill up to discover the beauty of the Saar river loop from “Cloef Belvedere”.

1- return back to Wasserbillig and Luxembourg by train
2- cycle back to Luxembourg City, about 40km

Bring your sunglasses, water and camera!

 – See larger photo –

Mate’s bike story:

“My bike is a Flandria road bike from the 70’s that got converted into a singlespeed bike.

The bike was stripped down and the frame was repainted in a nice darker green. When reassembling the bike, only the most important parts were used. All the shifters and derailleurs were removed, as well as the rear brake. I took the brake lever from an old city bike to help the bike have an even cleaner look. New pedals and tires were mounted too, to make this bike ready for everyday use.

The bike has got some really beautiful details on the stem and the handlebars. For me though, the highlight is the old Brooks saddle that is over 40 years old and made from genuine leather (which rides as if it just came out of the factory). I added leather bar tape in dark brown to match the saddle perfectly.

I really love this bike because it represents both new and old. It is pretty amazing to ride a bike that was made long before I was born and I am really happy that a bike that would have ended up in a junkyard was refurbished and is now in use everyday.”

About Project Bike:
“My girlfriend and I opened our bike shop, Project Bike, on May 6th in Strassen. The aim of the shop is to create custom fixie, singlespeed and road race bikes. We try to offer some really special accessories that you won’t find anywhere else in Luxembourg. All our parts are either vintage/retro or modern/funky, so everything but ordinary…

Of course, we also offer great bike service for all other kinds of bicycles too. So if you are looking for that special bike, some vintage parts or just need some help with your beloved bicycle, feel free to visit us at 321, Route d’Arlon, Strassen!”

Last week we held our first bike maintenance workshop, focused on how to clean your bike (see photos below). This week Guillaume will show you how to do basic maintenance and tune-up of gears, brakes, etc.

After this workshop you will be able to maintain your chain and adjust your derailleurs and brakes, making you more independent!

We will meet at the syn2cat hackerspace in Strassen (very close to Les Thermes swimming pool), this Tuesday at 7 pm. Bring your bike!

Roads are dangerous by their very nature. Every day when you ride your bike, you accept the risk, at the same time hoping that nothing bad will happen. But what if an accident occurs? What should you do, where should you call, how can you help the injured people? I recently spoke with Protection Civile to learn more about accidents with cyclists. Here are some tips to follow:

To begin with, the number to call an ambulance in Luxembourg is 112. They speak English, French, German and Luxembourgish. Don’t panic, explain the situation: what happened, how many people are injured, what state they are in. After you call the ambulance, take care of the victims. If you see open wounds, try to stop the blood.

VERY IMPORTANT: if the person is unconscious, don’t touch him! Wait for the ambulance! The most that you can do is to place him in the recovery position:

There’s a difference between sleeping and being unconscious. Try to pinch the person: if he reacts to the pain and opens eyes, he was sleeping. If there’s no reaction – he’s unconscious, which is usually more serious.

If you see that the injured person is going to lose consciousness soon and the ambulance is still on its way, it’s better to ask some questions:

-His name, what happened, where does he feel pain?
-Does he take any medications?
-Does he suffer from heart problems or other kinds of diseases?

The victim can struggle answering these questions because of short-term amnesia. Usually people don’t remember the very moment of the accident and what was after it – they can only tell you what happened before.

After an accident the victim is transported to the nearest hospital. It can be, for instance, in Esch, Ettelbruck or Diekirch. In the city of Luxembourg there are 3 hospitals, but every day only one of them is on emergency duty.

NOTE: People in the ambulance don’t really speak English, only French, Luxembourgish and German!

A few statistics

Accidents are more likely occur outside the city, during rush hours, when people commute: 7-9am and 5-6pm. The main reasons are alcohol, excessive speed and tiredness. The top list of traumas typical for cyclists include: broken legs, insignificant traumas of extremities (gloves and jeans can protect you from them), traumas of the spine. In the absence of a helmet there is also the risk of basilar skull fracture.

More statistics here

Helmet

There is a lot of talk about whether we need to wear one or not. In my opinion, the answer is YES. A helmet can save you from traumas of the head, e.g. basilar skull fracture. If the injured person is unconscious (i.e. if there’s no reaction to pain), you can remove the helmet from his head. Otherwise – don’t touch it!

First aid course

In Luxembourg there is an opportunity to complete a first aid course organized by Protection Civile. It starts in September and consists of 14 lessons (2h each). At the end you can get a certificate. The course is available in French, Luxembourgish, German and English. If you’d like to register – visit this page!

To sum up

When you are on the road, your life is your responsibility. Be extremely attentive: indicate your actions, look around, reduce speed when approaching junctions. Remember, not every participant of traffic obeys the rules of the road. A driver can be tired, distracted by something or just not experienced. Be careful and good luck 😉

Special thanks goes to Christian Meyer (Protection Civile) for the interview!