So given the weather forecast and the fact that I'm supposed to be riding to Ladybower today, is it safe to ride a steel or carbon bike over the tops of hills in a thunderstorm? Do the rubber tyres provide any safety?
Make sure you Go Pro it for the gif thread.
😀
Do the rubber tyres provide any safety?
Given that you're exposed to the open air, no they don't. The lightning can arc through you then into other objects or the ground. If you're in a car, it's the body that protects you from a lightning strike by routing it away from you, not the tyres.
Edit: Is your name [url= http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roy_Sullivan ]Roy[/url]?
Yeah I know it's a daft question, but I don't claim to be a lightning expert. Also, wouldn't the lightning arc through the bike rather than the rider? Not that a couple of million volts and 20,000 amps going through something between my legs is any more appealing 😯
Think I'll spend the day building up the road bike that's been sat in a box in my cellar instead....
We'll find out at Ft. Bill tomorrow.
It could go through the frame and the rider. The air gap is nothing for a voltage that high.
Considering the lightning can jump from the sky to the ground, I think think 2 inches of wet rubber between you and the ground wont offer much protection.
OT slightly..
I like to use the term 'Visual Thunder' instead of lightning
Thunder and lightning are the same event so why give the visual and audible different names?
NOTE: Audible lightning doesn't sound as cool as Visual Thunder