Tell us about your cycle Yesterday.

ThisRegard

Weepsie wrote: »

I sat on my bike yesterday. It's still in the office at work since hurting arm. Just tired of looking at it there going unused, so I sat on it. Would've looked unusual had a colleague walked in. It'll be cycled home triumphantly sometime next week!

Did you make any chain whirring or gear changey clicky noises, like you'd do if you sat on a motorbike?

P_1

Finally tackled Howth Head, cracking day for it but very very slow going up the hill. 34km in 1:39.

Yillan

I just want to rant about a taxi driver I encountered today in my commute (Dublin). Is this the place for it?

I'll start anyway. I was at the lights between Merchant's Quay and Ushers Quay. Two cyclists ahead of me. Lights go green and the cyclists ahead start moving at a snails pace. Really very very slowly. I go through that junction in the middle of the bus lane because the taxis often like to bully me off the road there. One time I ended up nearly cycling into the perpendicular path to avoid a taxi driver who was pushing me off the road and more towards the pedestrian crossing. That may make sense the way I have described it, and it may not.

Regardless I was maybe 1/3 of the way across the bus lane. Half way across the junction I decide I need to pass out these cyclists because they're going unbelievably slowly. So check behind me. A taxi, not passing out. So I pull into the middle of the bus lane and pass out the two cyclists. As I'm about to pull in in front of the cyclists, I see that the taxi driver's front bumper is about 6 inches from my back tyre. He beeps and I look at him through the windshield. He's absolutely livid. Ranting and raging to himself in the car. Still inches from my back tyre. I say to him that it's my lane too, and he's still going absolutely crazy in his car. I cycle on and he passes me out maybe 30 metres on.

Obviously what happened was the lights went green, the two in front are going at such a slow pace, he gets all hot and bothered. I go to pass them out. He thinks that cyclists passing each other out is an obscenity and he blows a fuse, drives up unbelievably close to my bike and starts losing the head entirely. One bad pothole while he was 6 inches from my back tyre like that and I could have ended up under his car. Arsehole

iamtony

Yillan wrote: »

I just want to rant about a taxi driver I encountered today in my commute (Dublin). Is this the place for it?

I'll start anyway. I was at the lights between Merchant's Quay and Ushers Quay. Two cyclists ahead of me. Lights go green and the cyclists ahead start moving at a snails pace. Really very very slowly. I go through that junction in the middle of the bus lane because the taxis often like to bully me off the road there. One time I ended up nearly cycling into the perpendicular path to avoid a taxi driver who was pushing me off the road and more towards the pedestrian crossing. That may make sense the way I have described it, and it may not.

Regardless I was maybe 1/3 of the way across the bus lane. Half way across the junction I decide I need to pass out these cyclists because they're going unbelievably slowly. So check behind me. A taxi, not passing out. So I pull into the middle of the bus lane and pass out the two cyclists. As I'm about to pull in in front of the cyclists, I see that the taxi driver's front bumper is about 6 inches from my back tyre. He beeps and I look at him through the windshield. He's absolutely livid. Ranting and raging to himself in the car. Still inches from my back tyre. I say to him that it's my lane too, and he's still going absolutely crazy in his car. I cycle on and he passes me out maybe 30 metres on.

Obviously what happened was the lights went green, the two in front are going at such a slow pace, he gets all hot and bothered. I go to pass them out. He thinks that cyclists passing each other out is an obscenity and he blows a fuse, drives up unbelievably close to my bike and starts losing the head entirely. One bad pothole while he was 6 inches from my back tyre like that and I could have ended up under his car. Arsehole

As a cyclist and a a Taxi Driver(for all my sins) I think you may have been possibly wrong. I treat every cyclist like an equal on the road, although I'm sure many don't, but I see cyclist making an overtake manoeuvre while I'm trying to safely overtake them all the time.
My point is if you are trying to overtake another cyclist, you should treat it like you are driving and make the same manoeuvre like you were driving, that is, look around you, make the appropriate hand signal, look again, then make your move once you are sure another faster vehicle isn't trying to overtake you. If you were doing driving lessons, its called, Mirror, Signal, Mirror, manoeuvre.
If you followed all this then I'm with you, the taxi driver was an ass hole but there's two sides to every story.
For a bit of balance for Taxi drivers, we have to deal with many bad cyclists on a daily basis and mistakes are made on both sides regularly, and it does bother me when I try to make an overtake when I get a chance to(I'm very patient as a cyclist) that a cyclist decides to overtake himself.
If you want to be treated like another vehicle then act like one yourself and follow the rules as if you are driving a car yourself.

P.S I would never sit on anyone bumper be it a cyclist or a car or any other vehicle, and I don't condone his reaction but I'm just pointing out its both ways.

Drunk rant over;-)

Yillan

iamtony wrote: »

My point is if you are trying to overtake another cyclist, you should treat it like you are driving and make the same manoeuvre like you were driving, that is, look around you, make the appropriate hand signal, look again, then make your move once you are sure another faster vehicle isn't trying to overtake you. If you were doing driving lessons, its called, Mirror, Signal, Mirror, manoeuvre.
If you followed all this then I'm with you, the taxi driver was an ass hole but there's two sides to every story.
For a bit of balance for Taxi drivers, we have to deal with many bad cyclists on a daily basis and mistakes are made on both sides regularly, and it does bother me when I try to make an overtake when I get a chance to(I'm very patient as a cyclist) that a cyclist decides to overtake himself.
If you want to be treated like another vehicle then act like one yourself and follow the rules as if you are driving a car yourself.

P.S I would never sit on anyone bumper be it a cyclist or a car or any other vehicle, and I don't condone his reaction but I'm just pointing out its both ways.

Drunk rant over;-)

I looked behind, signaled, and then made the move. No double mirror. But it wasn't that I'd pulled out in front of him that he was angry about. It was that once I'd gotten past the two cyclists, I wasn't flush with the kerb immediately. Once I went to pass out the cyclists, he followed my lead. Expecting me to pull in right in front of them immediately once I'd cleared them so he could continue in his passing out the cyclists manoeuvre.

Once I saw his bumper by my wheel I realised he was really looking to pass me out where there wasn't a lot of room, and I didn't want him to pass me out like that so I stood my ground. Then he beeped and I saw him flipping out behind the wheel. This is heavy rush hour traffic. I cycle defensively, but that also includes not allowing drivers to pass me out where there isn't enough room.

There are a lot of bad cyclists. I got passed out on the inside by a cyclist a couple of weeks ago. Even though I was in the cycle lane. It was incredible. I do think that drivers, and taxi drivers especially have a tendency to tar us all with the same brush, and rather than therefore doing their best not to kill the bad cyclists, they see red and drive with a vengeance.

iamtony

P_1 wrote: »

Finally tackled Howth Head, cracking day for it but very very slow going up the hill. 34km in 1:39.

Well done, Howth is never easy. I went around it for the first time in a few month the other day amd by the time I got to the top I was crawling. Keep at it! On the anticlockwise side I am now ranked 66th on strava on the very last section. The first time I did It a was about 3567th fastest.

P.S 34k in 1.39 isn't bad at all.

iamtony

Yillan wrote: »

I looked behind, signaled, and then made the move. No double mirror. But it wasn't that I'd pulled out in front of him that he was angry about. It was that once I'd gotten past the two cyclists, I wasn't flush with the kerb immediately. Once I went to pass out the cyclists, he followed my lead. Expecting me to pull in right in front of them immediately once I'd cleared them so he could continue in his passing out the cyclists manoeuvre.

Once I saw his bumper by my wheel I realised he was really looking to pass me out where there wasn't a lot of room, and I didn't want him to pass me out like that so I stood my ground. Then he beeped and I saw him flipping out behind the wheel. This is heavy rush hour traffic. I cycle defensively, but that also includes not allowing drivers to pass me out where there isn't enough room.

There are a lot of bad cyclists. I got passed out on the inside by a cyclist a couple of weeks ago. Even though I was in the cycle lane. It was incredible. I do think that drivers, and taxi drivers especially have a tendency to tar us all with the same brush, and rather than therefore doing their best not to kill the bad cyclists, they see red and drive with a vengeance.

Ok Fair enough If you say you did the proper procedure then I'm all with you, but to be honest I don't think Ive ever seen a cyclist signalling to overtake another cyclist in my life, that's why I questioned what you did.
Personally If I had someone that close to my rear wheel I would stop and go have a word with them.
I know there's a thing with taxi drivers and cyclists but to be fare we share the bus lane so cross paths a lot more than other motorists so its going to happen.

As I cyclist I find Most taxi drivers to be quite courteous, much more so than Bus drivers, that's for sure. Obviously there are guilty partys on both sides but I'm just saying we do share the Bus Lane so its going to Happen.

Id love to see statistics between Taxi and Cyclist accidents, versus Cyclist and Bus or Cyclist and Private cars to put this Taxi/Cyclist thing to bed as from my observations Taxi Drivers are generally quite good with Cyclists.

Mercian Pro

iamtony wrote: »

On the anticlockwise side I am now ranked 66th on strava on the very last section.

If that's the segment called "Howth, Village Side" from the Summit down to the village, I wouldn't be in any rush to improve on your ranking. As I learnt from bitter experience a few weeks ago, locals treat the village as just that and don't expect to have to contend with cyclists doing 40kph+.

I don't wish to be a spoilsport or heretic but there are some Strava segments that are not worth fighting for:(

iamtony

Mercian Pro wrote: »

If that's the segment called "Howth, Village Side" from the Summit down to the village, I wouldn't be in any rush to improve on your ranking. As I learnt from bitter experience a few weeks ago, locals treat the village as just that and don't expect to have to contend with cyclists doing 40kph+.

I don't wish to be a spoilsport or heretic but there are some Strava segments that are not worth fighting for:(

no the uphill one before that. I had a few hairy experiences in the decent myself and I now take it easy their.
Top carrig brack is the one in question.

Rogue-Trooper

Mercian Pro wrote: »

If that's the segment called "Howth, Village Side" from the Summit down to the village, I wouldn't be in any rush to improve on your ranking. As I learnt from bitter experience a few weeks ago, locals treat the village as just that and don't expect to have to contend with cyclists doing 40kph+.

I don't wish to be a spoilsport or heretic but there are some Strava segments that are not worth fighting for:(

I nearly always go clockwise now. There's too many left turns & driveways descending into the village and sitting on the brakes all the way down is no fun. What happened to you there is my biggest nightmare on that stretch.

That aside, it was glorious this morning up there - very enjoyable detour to the summit on my way to work!

jon1981

Short 24km on my lunch break up Howth head and back down (Up and down Sutton side). I was wondering why I didn't see any cyclists ahead or behind me but seen quite a few coming down, then I copped why, the damn wind. Going up from the village side probably would have been the wiser choice.

I also agree with the above, descending into the village is not fun at all.

Luxman

Ratoath into town and out to rathfarnham and up Cruagh. I don't get out this way much but found the climb much more enjoyable than last time. From viewing point then up to the featherbeds the temperature dropped a few degrees. Stopped into glencree for a coffee and just as I connected to their wifi on my phone my wife calls me on FaceTime from New York. So many explanations as to where exactly I was😜 Descent down stocking lane and gunny hill. Had a close encountered with a cable tie in oldbawn. 94k with 860m vertical.

Alanstrainor

Lovely and warm this morning on the commute in. I think this was my first morning not wearing my Gabba, just my boards jersey. Looking forward to the cycle home now!

neris

jon1981 wrote: »

.

I also agree with the above, descending into the village is not fun at all.

descending into the village when its dark and wet is even less fun especially at the junction around the credit union where youve 2 roads joininn into the main road and ****e surface with dodgy manhole covers

helimachoptor

was driving through sandyford earlier, a chap was cycling along ahead of me and another car, the other car was overtaking him as he came to the luas tracks, he wasnt perpendicular enough and the wheel caught the grove... bike ended up under the car, but he managed to get off unharmed but probably needed a new pair of pants :eek:

Wishbone Ash

Luxman wrote: »

...Stopped into glencree for a coffee and...

Perhaps it's me but that place seems to be getting worse year by year. Got a slice of cake there last Saturday that was about the size of a box of matches and I was given the impression that I was a nuisance for darkening their door.

Luxman

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

Perhaps it's me but that place seems to be getting worse year by year. Got a slice of cake there last Saturday that was about the size of a box of matches and I was given the impression that I was a nuisance for darkening their door.

Yep. I had to ask for my cup to actually be filled as the machine was making a fresh batch but I think They thought I would just accept the half cup I was initially given. And a water refill was met with a "tut". But there's not much else there ad I don't have time to go via enniskerry

P_1

50km down to Eniskerry and back via Killiney. Just under 3 hours but plenty of breaks taken and I forgot to turn Auto-Pause on my MapMyRide tracker so presumably it took a bit less. Pretty damn happy with that I have to say.

Boscoirl

Just under 70k for my first spin since the end of September was a bad idea, I am in bits

niallo32

100k @26 km/H with 800m of climbing.

Clondalkin-Rathcoole-Kill-Ardclough-Straffan-Celbridge-Clondalkin
Slade valley-Brittas-Blessington-Clondalkin

Beautiful weather.

Rob Thomas

Westport Gran Fondo. Good weather but a tough headwind in the first half. Glad to get over Sheffrey Pass handy enough and the run in from Drummin was lovely.

First right cycle of the year so happy out.

RainyDay

80 minutes out to Johnny Foxes and back, hitting 70 kmph coming down Ballyedmonduff Road according to Strava. Lovely day for it.

Hauki

117k around Wicklow. First "big" ride of the season due to sickness and general shenanigans. Weather was good and I felt better than ever.

https://www.strava.com/activities/514975208

pats22b

breaking in the new- to me anyway- bike- all going grand till after kippure- think to myself road doesn't look to hot after the winter and there's a lot of grit around and some fairly slack repairs - pass through the sally gap and 2km or so later hit a pothole and burst both tyres - first ever double puncture and of course i only had 1 tube with me with -10 in the post as i speak - so big thanks to the lad who stopped and gave me a tube -saved me bacon and meant i could cancel the rescue call - just turned for home then!

retalivity

First non-commute in about a month, had designs to go away up the mountains for a few hrs but a later than expected wake up and stuff to do in the afternoon meant I just did laps in Phoenix park. Doing an adventure race in May with 40kish cycling and wanting to build up my avg speed, decided to try and go balls out for as long as I could. 41.5k in 1:32, 27.1k avg, tbh I feel I could have gone faster, still feel great, PR's all over the shop, and slghtly raging that I had to come back home.

Might try and get stuff out of the way and head back out in the afternoon/evening...

https://www.strava.com/activities/515592396/overview

Bolloxology

pats22b wrote: »

breaking in the new- to me anyway- bike- all going grand till after kippure- think to myself road doesn't look to hot after the winter and there's a lot of grit around and some fairly slack repairs - pass through the sally gap and 2km or so later hit a pothole and burst both tyres - first ever double puncture and of course i only had 1 tube with me with -10 in the post as i speak - so big thanks to the lad who stopped and gave me a tube -saved me bacon and meant i could cancel the rescue call - just turned for home then!

Probably the same pothole I flagged 2 weeks ago.That section of the road is really deteriorating.

Bolloxology

Lunchtime spin yesterday up to Glencree.Something or somebody got absolutely creamed about a KM from the German cemetery..blood all over the road.
Passed a king sized matress&bed on the descent (Far side).
Garda crime scene tape at Crone woods.??
Took a slight detour off the road as I wanted to try the Full Wall.
All i'll say is im glad I did and would highly recommend it ðŸ˜

62.1 km Ride on Strava: https://www.strava.com/activities/515016932

dahat

Went out for a handy spin yesterday and somebiw ended up doing The Vee and Melleray again, an enjoyable spin and what i needed after Seskin did my confidence in.

The descent off Melleray is quite sharp and my new found love for descending put me in 4th place overall on Strava, 20secs off the KOM which I think is gettable as i nearly ditched the bike on a bend.

https://www.strava.com/activities/515044895

Wishbone Ash

dahat wrote: »

.. in 4th place overall on Strava, 20secs off the KOM ...

Any idea what the letters 'POD' are for in the title of that segment?

(The reason I ask is that several segments here in North County Dublin are also prefixed with 'POD' in the title. )

G1032

Was on the road at 06:35 this morning. Got in home again at 11 with 120km under my belt.
Last 20km or so was tough on the legs. It's been a little while since I was on a long spin.
Loads of cyclists out and about. It was a fab morning for it but a bit misty going up Lally's mountain. Dried off fairly quickly though. It'll soon be time to put the Gabba away.

https://www.strava.com/activities/515673747