Who Cycled into Dublin today?

petethedrummer

I cycled.

Beasty

billyhead wrote: »

Hi Beasty,

I commute from Rush. How do you find the trip in and how long does it take you?

I work near Clare hall, just off Malahide Road. Last year the trip was taking me about 55-60 minutes - I now typically do it in 40-45 minutes (the rain and headwind slowed me down to 46 minutes this morning)

I tend to set off before the traffic gets bad. Although mostly unlit the road to Lusk is quite pleasant as there are few large vehicles. It's also quite straighforward between Lusk and Blakes Cross. The R132 up to the roundabout at Turvey is the worst bit, because of the ongoing roadworks and very poor road quality (probably the worst I have experienced in Ireland). Then its hard shoulder until I turn off towards Kinsealy - the traffic over to the Malahide Road is quite light. It gets busy again on the Malahide Road, and again there are some bad bits of road.

On the return journey I have started carrying on the R132 and heading up to the Man O' War to get a few extra miles and a bit more hill work in. Again road quality is poor, but the traffic does die down considerably after Blakes Cross.

km991148

yep, cycled in, not too bad,
the aldi gear I got the other week done the job, shame I didnt try the overshoes tho'..

Jip

blorg wrote: »

You could just try putting the end of the tights over the overshoes rather than under them.

Yeah, that's the plan for next time. Luckily we have some portable heaters in here so my shoes and socks are already dry again.

blorg wrote: »

I got medium which is what I get most of my cycling jerseys etc in. Have a few jackets/gilets in small but sometimes start having problems with length in that case (I am 6ft.)

I'm a short arsed 5'7 and according to the sizing chart I'd be an xtra small to small. But the sizing on my Giordana Body Clone Activia Jacket had me doubting that as that's a medium and quite tight, but then again that's the cut of it.

blorg wrote: »

Regarding overshoes, I swear by the BBB Waterflex myself- these are very thin while still being completely waterproof.

They're the ones I have, as I said the inside of them were completely dry, so too were the outside of the shoes, it was just my own lack of judgement that got me wet.

07Lapierre

Anyone have a pair of these(or equivalent):

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=33251

eightyfish

keith_d99 wrote: »

Was thinking of this Polaris cheapy option

Hmm... might go for that too. Is it waterproof (just says windproof)?

EDIT: Just noticed comment #2.

keith_d99

Or would The Eudura Gridlock Jacket be a better option? Anyone?

eightyfish wrote: »

Hmm... might go for that too. Is it waterproof (just says windproof)?

EDIT: Just noticed comment #2.

ROK ON

Wimps

I cycled in at 6.45am.
Soft day (thank God, as they say).

Having been a sceptic, I now fully endorse mudguards.
Overshoes kept the toes dry, and rainjaclet kept me dry.
My shorts are dryish, while my legwarmers are damp (but drying in work).

Lovely hot shower when I arrived.

eightyfish

keith_d99 wrote: »

Or would The Eudura Gridlock Jacket be a better option? Anyone?

That's just not fashionable enough. I think I need one of these.

Harrybelafonte

Cycled in, shorts and only my jacket was waterproof. Wasn't too bad, glad I had cut a load of my hair off at the weekend though or it'd still be wet. My legs are still a bit weird though cos I'm sitting down and not moving around. However, all the guys in wet gear were almost as wet as me, though I'd say they dried quicker

eightyfish

ROK ON wrote: »

Having been a sceptic, I now fully endorse mudguards.

Excuse my ignorance, but how could you be sceptical of mudguards? Dry is good.

07Lapierre

ROK ON wrote: »

Wimps

I cycled in at 6.45am.
Soft day (thank God, as they say).

Having been a sceptic, I now fully endorse mudguards.
Overshoes kept the toes dry, and rainjaclet kept me dry.
My shorts are dryish, while my legwarmers are damp (but drying in work).

Lovely hot shower when I arrived.

Thats an interesting point..how many people have shower facilities at work? I have and I wouldn't like to cycle 25k on a day like today and not have a shower afterwards. you lot must have very understanding work colleagues

elinehan

Waterproof socks from SealSkinz were worth their weight in gold today. The best purchase this year. However, not looking forward to getting back into the wet shoes for the cycle home

fletch

I bought a Cateye EL320 light from wiggle, arrived yesterday, used it this morning and now I notice because of the heavy rain, there was water in the battery compartment and in the lens. Should I send it back? - Very disappointed, expected much better from Cateye

ednwireland

well if up here is anything to go by you might have a dry cycle home
cleared to blue skies at the moment

petethedrummer

I'm tempted to get one of these for the office.

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?moduleno=286236

I can't imagine it would be any good though.

Jip

That poncho is perfect ! You would wonder what enters some peoples minds when they set out on a morning like this, apart from the guy with jeans I came behind a girl with her skirt, tights and nice coat on, with no mud guards on, her back was destroyed.

Karma

sure did, still a bit damp. cant get picked up in the broomwagon if i am the driver.

Captain Havoc

She'd be a lovely little country if only you could roof it

ray o

Cycled today, not to bad when armed with SKS mugards, overshoes, rain jacket and waterproof trousers. Looked like a frogman but it was worth it.

Beasty

petethedrummer wrote: »

I'm tempted to get one of these for the office.

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?moduleno=286236

I can't imagine it would be any good though.

The wife got one of them - they take forever, are noisy, and I hate to think what they will do to the electricity bill:)

Rob_l

Beasty wrote: »

The wife got one of them - they take forever, are noisy, and I hate to think what they will do to the electricity bill

so you reckon get one for the office!

Beasty

Rob_l wrote: »

so you reckon get one for the office!

Perfect environment - then it can fight with the air conditioning for supremacy, in terms of both temperature and noise:)

Me. Rain is all in the mind.

Just found out that my workplace has a 'drying room', sweet.

Beasty

Dónal wrote: »

Me. Rain is all in the mind.

Just found out that my workplace has a 'drying room', sweet.

Are you sure it's no a "drying-out room", reserved for those who drink a bit too much at lunchtime:)

Blowfish

When I left this morning (7.15) the ground was wet, but it wasn't raining so overshoes were the only wet gear I brought. The cycle itself was fine, only really started getting heavier rain towards the end. Bib-shorts and jersey are soaked, but thankfully I've spare ones here.

Must invest in race blades. Dirty water + white saddle isn't good.

elinehan

What we need is one of these: http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2009/10/bikesuit-turns-cyclists-into-waterproof-teletubbies/

You can guess from the URL what the product is.

Hungrycol

Didnt look out the window this morning when I got up and all curtains remained shut until I was ready to leave the house at 7.20. Was all geared up for a dry cycle but would have taken the motorbike if I had just looked out the bloody window when I got out of bed. Different routine you see and once I've committed to one mode of transport i can't start applying a different routine, I have mornings timeings to the minute...

Anyhows, got soaked but my Altura race cape jobby (c€40) kept my top half dry but its not very breathable.

Might get the bus home if my gear aint dry. Bus over hour and a half, cycle 30 minutes. Humm.

Oh and yes I have warm showers in work and hanging space in changing area.

(WOAH - Sorry about the size of the pikki)

Jawgap

Drove part of the way today and cycled the rest. Top half was dry as a bone but legs got damp - hopefully the leggings won't be damp when I go to put them on later.

billyhead wrote: »

Hi Beasty,

I commute from Rush. How do you find the trip in and how long does it take you?

Beasty wrote: »

.......The R132 up to the roundabout at Turvey is the worst bit, because of the ongoing roadworks and very poor road quality (probably the worst I have experienced in Ireland). .

+1. That stetch is a disaster area at the moment. Although further north near the Man O' War turn off they've finished the work and the surface there is quite good, so hopefully things will improve.

My main problem is at Blakes Cross and the speed with which cars come out at the junction to merge on to the main road - that part of the commute is a chastening experience.

keith_d99 wrote: »

Or would The Eudura Gridlock Jacket be a better option? Anyone?

Have one of these (in black) and it's lovely - warm, waterproof and windproof.

Caroline_ie

I cycled a quick 70km in 28 degres today. Stopped half way and had a croissant along the beach. Aahhh to be in the south of France during the 'indian summer'. ( yes I am enjoying writing that in that very thread )

Rob_l

Caroline_ie wrote: »

I cycled a quick 70km in 28 degres today. Stopped half way and had a croissant along the beach. Aahhh to be in the south of France during the 'indian summer'. ( yes I am enjoying writing that in that very thread )

You lucky lucky lucky ..........


Now wheres that thumbs down for posts

mmclo

Yep, mulled over it and then realised hadn't time for bus or train so bike it had to be...the rain exagurates the difference in commuting times it seems as most public transport and car journeys lengthen wit bike staying much the same (unless windy) Basic rain gear held up well but not the runners!! (all I had...long story)

Hungrycol

Caroline_ie wrote: »

I cycled a quick 70km in 28 degres today. Stopped half way and had a croissant along the beach. Aahhh to be in the south of France during the 'indian summer'. ( yes I am enjoying writing that in that very thread )

I'm sorry Caroline but I feel compelled to report this post to the Moderators. It breaches so many rules on so many levels the most important one being:

8.6.9 Gloating on a thread topic is forbiden.

Planet X

Took the bike today. It's only water! (.....and muck and slippy person hole covers etc etc)

Sarunas

Yes I cycled this morning. In short it was full of adentures, as I lost grip on a small corner on Kenda Kriterium 25mm tires on my Giant FCR3 just after leaving home.

Was wearing cheap over trausers and a nice waterproof Columbia jacket which kept me dry. Lower part of my jeans and shoes was completly soaked.

Spent the day in my wet socks in the office with newspapers in my shoes... first time I wished I had a spare shoes and socks in 6 months of cycling...

monument

Cycled, rain was light enough so I just went with my normal jacket, bit of a mistake as 5mins or so from DCU it got bloody heavy, and a bus shelter was a good haven.

Still got only a bit wet, jack took the 95 percent of it and my head took a few more percentages. Booths are brillent for keeping out the rain and, for the most part, the jacket and mudguards kept the rain away from my jeans. But should have packed rain gear!

ludermor

i kinda surprised myself by cycling in this morning, im only commuting a few months and keep trying to convince myself to do it over the winter. The amount of car i passed today will make that decision easy id say, the college green fiasco would kill me in the car as i have to get from inchicore to macken street.

BostonB

Currently injured, but got geared up, but then decided it was a good rest day. (wimped out basically - hangs head). In fairness, I'm only getting back into it after a few months off.

biomed32

went the opposite way to you all and cycled to college ie NUI Maynooth, i ended up hanging my gear in a mates house and catching the train home, despite the rain it was a lovely cycle...

Wheety

Can anyone recommend decent rain gear for cycling to work? It's only a short commute (and i did cycle today). I just want to have the gear in my bag in case it lashes like it did today and I'm not prepared.

Was looking at these trousers
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=9273

Does anyone know if this jacket is waterproof? (I'd prefer a waterproof hi vis as when it's raining it's usually dark too)
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=25105

Wheety

Oh, and this says waterproof but looks very flimsy.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Polaris-Aqualite-Waterproof-Cycling-Jacket/dp/B00105C7ZU/ref=pd_cp_sg_1

Húrin

07Lapierre wrote: »

Well? C'mon...own up everyone? How many of you woke up this morning..took one look out the window and said "stuff that! I'm taking the car!"

C'mon..you know you want to. Trust me you'll feel better getting it off your chest!

Worse. I live in Rathmines but am doing a job for a week in Baldonnell, 17km out of town. So I had to cycle all that way in the rain. It was bad but I don't have a car and detest rushing for infrequent bus services.

BostonB

From my limited experience, anything properly water proof is too warm and thus you'll sweat, getting wet on the inside anyway. What you want is windproof because cold is worse than wet. For me anyway.

hardCopy

I decided to brave it today, my first really wet day since I got back on the bike.

Got nicely soaked through, fell in the office car park and then opened my rucksack to find all my work clothes sopping wet.

I made up for it with some retail therapy though and bought myself some new rain gear

petethedrummer

I was at a junction with 14 other cyclists this morning, definitely the most cyclists I have seen. Only 1 jumped the lights and it wasn't me.

rflynnr

BostonB wrote: »

From my limited experience, anything properly water proof is too warm and thus you'll sweat, getting wet on the inside anyway. What you want is windproof because cold is worse than wet. For me anyway.

I'm currently wearing DHB's Event jacket (which I notice is currently available at 15% off) and thus far it's proved wind and waterproof (leastways I remained dry during yesterday's downpour). However, for really heavy days of sustained rain I wear a Carradice duxback rain cape. It's pretty old school in appearance but 110% waterproof, durable and - since it's a cape - suffers no breathability issues.

eldreamteam

Wheety wrote: »

Can anyone recommend decent rain gear for cycling to work? It's only a short commute (and i did cycle today). I just want to have the gear in my bag in case it lashes like it did today and I'm not prepared.

Was looking at these trousers
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=9273

Does anyone know if this jacket is waterproof? (I'd prefer a waterproof hi vis as when it's raining it's usually dark too)
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=25105

been lurking here for a few weeks - finally i can share my expertise bought those trousers about a month ago but i've only had to wear them once. very comfortable and kept me dry. as someone else mentioned they probably would make you sweat a bit over a longer distance but I'd say they'll be fine for a short commute like mine

blorg

I have just got the dhb eVENT jacket and confirm it stayed dry yesterday while being I guess reasonably breathable.

The dhb does have reflective details but if you are specifically looking for something that excels in that area the Altura Night Vision Waterproof Jacket is hard to beat, it is very very visable at night. Bit boil in the bag though. Fine if you are cycling at a non-sweating pace.

If you really want waterproof anything marked "windproof" is not going to be 100%.

ED E

Au pied myself, need a new derailleur.