Best pepper spray for bicycling?

[Lomshek]

Here's the situation.

I own a bicycle shop so know a lot of people who ride bikes. Outside of city limits there's no leash law and because we cyclists spend a lot of our time on low traffic roads we get a lot of dogs chasing. For the dogs that are looking for a bite we use pepper spray. Outrunning them isn't an option for most folks as a healthy country dog can hit 30 mph.

In the past I've sold Fox Labs (the 3 oz size is very popular) but it seems like sometime in the last 2-3 years they've reduced can pressure and their stream doesn't reach as far as it used to and the stream is less stream like. We use adhesive velcro to stick the can on top of the frame right behind the handlebars for quick access.

When we're riding it's not unusual to be doing 15 - 20 mph so a strong stream that is wind resistant is extremely important. Ideally you want to tag the dog while it's 10 feet or so away as the chances of them getting into your wheel (causing a wreck) go up exponentially as they get 5 feet and closer.

I'm not worried about the hottest but it needs to be something with some kick. The reaction to a face full of Fox Labs (dig a trench with the snout) is much preferred to the junk sprays (lick lips).

Is something like the Sabre Gel worth getting or does it lose effectiveness compared to the normal liquid? I'm open to any suggestions.

[Coyotesfan97]

I'd go with Sabre Red stream. It's pretty hot and I really liked the stream version when we were issued it.

[BehindBlueI's]

Air horn.

http://www.cabelas.com/product/Orion...B&gclsrc=aw.ds

Fits in the water bottle holder. Does not require aiming. Is unaffected by wind. Scares the shit out of dogs and they'll leave you be.

[jondoe297]

Sabre Red gel in the "Crossfire" canister would be my recommendation.

[pablo]

Gels and foams only work with direct contact. You don't hit your target in the eyes, nose or mouth and it's going to have little to no effect. It's good for jailers, not good for dogs.

You don't have to get a direct hit on a stream or cone to work. Dogs don't over react to OC like people do, but they are sensitive to it. The residual effects of OC are usually enough to deter a dog. I'd recommend a stream and writing a "T". Aim at the ground several feet in front of the dog, walk the stream back until you're at shoulder height and then spray vertical line back and forth, it's basically like your writing a "T" with the OC spray with a 2-3 second burst. Be mindful of the wind or if you're on a road with a lot of vehicular traffic. Even if the dog is far enough out that he doesn't take a direct hit, he's going to have to pass though a residual OC cloud to get to you, and usually there's enough of a deterrent to give you time to get out of the dog's territory.

[Clay]

If you want range, Sabre Crossfire or DPS X-Stream are your best bets. I lean towards DPS myself.

https://www.selfdefenseproducts.com/...-pepper-sprays

If you want fog, go with Fox 5.3. I prefer the cop top.

http://www.defensedevices.com/2ozpocketmodel.html

If you want massive volume, go with Frontiersman, which is made by Sabre.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B002BMOJXE/...ing=UTF8&psc=1

We just had a bicyclist get mauled by a pit bull. Several bikers around here are now rolling with a can of Frontiersman mounted on their bikes.

[1911Nut]

All fine and dandy.

But can anyone recommend a pepper spray for bicyclists?

[Coyotesfan97]

Sometime people above you get upset if you spray a fleeing bicyclist say from a car . Not that I know from personal experience....

[SkiDevil]

I ride a bicycle and carry the Sabre foam in the smaller can. I've used it twice and it worked well on a large breed dog. Still prefer a J-frame with +p .38 but prefer not to kill someone's pooch if not necessary. Used several cans and has been reliable.

Link:https://www.sabrered.com/pepper-spra...8-oz-foam-mk-3

P.S. I went through some training about a year ago and was sprayed with the new Sabre Red. That stuff is strong and once it's completely in your eyes extremely painful. It works being sprayed upside down too. Worth a look as well. Suntan lotion in the eyes doesn't bother me anymore, LOL.

https://www.sabrered.com/pepper-spra...oz-stream-mk-4

[Chuck Haggard]

Sabre Red gel in the "Crossfire" canister would be my recommendation.

Crossfire yes, gel no.