Commute home

Studoc

Sunshine, wind at my back, downhill, empty cycling lanes. Looks of envy (or pity) from motorists. Took the long way home. Did'nt want it to end. Is this as good as it gets!??

Caroline_ie

... and you get home, your wife has prepared your favourite meal: Shepherd's pie and there's an apple pie for desert. You open the mail and find a cheque from the tax office saying they owed you 5000quid from over payment of taxes over the past few years ...

Ghost Rider

... and you learn "The Sopranos" is to return for one more season. (Oh - and something great to do with cycling!)

Bicyclegadabout

Thing about these sunny days, because I'm the sort who'll complain about anything, is that I can't see cars indicators. The sun in my eyes is the same colour as the indicator light, and I've nearly come a cropper because of that twice this month. Scary stuff.

Vélo

Then your wife says she bought her lotto ticket in Clondalkin last weekend!!!

clickerquicklic

Hell yeah man just started cycling into work again after a break of about a year and im loving it:D just looking at people stressed out in their cars and laughing to myself:D:D:D

Although , i had a bit of an incident that ruined my cycle home some old guy passed me on a racer and i couldn't just sit there and enjoy the sun i chased after him like a looper and he had me dead after about ten minutes of chasing , he knew it too ah well fair play to him:) crazy man!!

What do people think about listenning to an ipod while cycling , recommend it or not i was thinking about starting to bring an ipod with me.

Vélo

clickerquicklic wrote: »

Hell yeah man just started cycling into work again after a break of about a year and im loving it:D just looking at people stressed out in their cars and laughing to myself:D:D:D

Although , i had a bit of an incident that ruined my cycle home some old guy passed me on a racer and i couldn't just sit there and enjoy the sun i chased after him like a looper and he had me dead after about ten minutes of chasing , he knew it too ah well fair play to him:) crazy man!!

What do people think about listenning to an ipod while cycling , recommend it or not i was thinking about starting to bring an ipod with me.

I was thinking that myself.

I'd say it's ok on the open road but not in built up areas.

I wouldn't have it up too loud though.

clickerquicklic

How far to people on here cycle , i wonder who has the furthest commute, i come from swords to city centre myself its 15.5 km and i have to say i wouldn't fancy any further can be a bit of a slog somedays especially against the wind. My fastest time when i was doing it last year alot was 25 mins nowadays its more like 38mins. It helps to have someone to race and my mate that used to cycle stopped so i've no motivation.

I'm only getting my confidence on the bike back very slowly now , i was hit by a truck last year on gardiner street and find im very nervous since then i used to go flat out through the city centre now im soo cautious . I'd feel more comfortable on a mountain bike i just feel like im so vulnerable on the racer. Anyone any similar experiences ???

markpb

Studoc wrote: »

Sunshine, wind at my back, downhill, empty cycling lanes. Looks of envy (or pity) from motorists. Took the long way home. Did'nt want it to end. Is this as good as it gets!??

That was me this morning and I loved it!

Me this evening, on the other hand, was uphill into an awful headwind the entire way

Raam

clickerquicklic wrote: »

What do people think about listenning to an ipod while cycling , recommend it or not i was thinking about starting to bring an ipod with me.

I used to do it years ago. I wouldn't recommend it now. I like to be able to know everything that is going on around me when in traffic. Your ears play an important part in that. I can understand the motivation factor that music brings, as I did a 140km solo cycle in Scotland recently and I would have been bored to tears if I didn't have my ipod with me. Maybe it's because I'm starting to get old, but years ago I would have had both buds in, but that time I left one out as I wasn't comfortable not being able to hear everything I am used to hearing.

Hungrycol

clickerquicklic wrote: »

i come from swords to city centre myself its 15.5 km ... My fastest time when i was doing it last year alot was 25 mins ...

Holy guacamole, that's averaging over 37kph from Swords into the city centre! AVERAGING! Taking into account slowing down for traffic lights and busy junctions. Your first name isn't Lance by any chance?

beans

I love my commute in the morning and evenings, just the thing after a long day in an office-chair! It's only a short one, around 6 or 7km, but if I'm feeling full of beans I can take in a lap of the Phoenix Park before heading home.

As for music, I always have my path-side ear tuned into Newstalk. I can't notice any reduced awareness but I'm sure it's a factor. One interesting thing - I tend to shave a few minutes off the commute when not sporting my radio, today for example.

clickerquicklic

Hungrycol wrote: »

Holy guacamole, that's averaging over 37kph from Swords into the city centre! AVERAGING! Taking into account slowing down for traffic lights and busy junctions. Your first name isn't Lance by any chance?

:D That was last year when i was care free , it was actually coming home from work after working late roads were quite strong tailwind racing a mate, we just kept pushing each other, we timed it from baggot street to airside retail park , going down towards airside we were hitting 67km/hr max speed, i'd love to know what kinda max speeds people get on here?? I'm sure a few of the seasoned cyclists get some amazing speeds up , that is the fastest i've ever done .

Does anyone else get dizzy when they get off the bike , i do feel like im going to faint maybe im pushing it too hard

markpb

clickerquicklic wrote: »

How far to people on here cycle , i wonder who has the furthest commute, i come from swords to city centre myself its 15.5 km and i have to say i wouldn't fancy any further can be a bit of a slog somedays especially against the wind. My fastest time when i was doing it last year alot was 25 mins nowadays its more like 38mins. It helps to have someone to race and my mate that used to cycle stopped so i've no motivation.

That's impressive speed! I've been commuting from Clonshaugh to Stephens Green (8km) for a year now and it always takes me 30 minutes. Doesn't matter if I have a traffic free cycle or get stuck behind every bus and at every red light, always 30 minutes. From Parnell Sq to Nassau St can be really slow.

Have to admit, if I was in an accident with a truck (or anything else for that matter), I don't think I'd have the confidence to get back on my bike - fair play to you!

Hermy

clickerquicklic wrote: »

Anyone any similar experiences ???

Yes. I have become a nervous wreck on any downhill section since my last bad crash. I ran out of road on Balglass Hill in Howth, hit the armco barrier at the s-bend and landed flat on my back.

Caroline_ie

clickerquicklic wrote: »

How far to people on here cycle , i wonder who has the furthest commute, i come from swords to city centre myself its 15.5 km and i have to say i wouldn't fancy any further can be a bit of a slog somedays especially against the wind. My fastest time when i was doing it last year alot was 25 mins nowadays its more like 38mins. It helps to have someone to race and my mate that used to cycle stopped so i've no motivation.

... Sometimes I do Stepiside to Blanchardstown, it takes 1 hours and 5 minutes in the morning and a little longer on the way back because of traffic and uphill ... I do this commute when I stay at the BF's. It's faster than driving...

clickerquicklic

Hermy wrote: »

Yes. I have become a nervous wreck on any downhill section since my last bad crash. I ran out of road on Balglass Hill in Howth, hit the armco barrier at the s-bend and landed flat on my back.

OOUCCHHH !! i'd say that was a nasty crash, its just so hard to get the crash out of the system like this morning i was kinda racing a guy coming into work but when we got into the city centre i just slowed up big time , i'm constantly thinking a truck or car is going to pull out in front of me.

Hermy

A word of warning. Don't fall on your back if you store your tool kit in your jersey pocket.:(