Jan and Klodi's Party Bus - part II **off topic discussion**

OldBean

rollingscone wrote: »

Does anyone ever just stop and stare lovingly at their bikes?

....asking for a friend.

Every morning. But especially when the early light catches the rear mudguard and shiny bottle cages...

Unknown Soldier

Weepsie wrote: »

My continuing misadventures with SPD pedals continued today as when I unclipped the left and came to a stop, I for some reason leaned the other way and went right down. Another cyclist ahead of me did his best to not laugh, I'm sure a few drivers too and two pedestrians were very nice about too. Another mishap to cheer people up in the morning :pac:

https://www.facebook.com/Mpora/videos/10153016033962854/

Qualitymark

rollingscone wrote: »

Does anyone ever just stop and stare lovingly at their bikes?

....asking for a friend.

My first bike, a blue BSA, when I was seven, spent most nights in my and my sister's room so I could see it first thing when I opened my eyes. Things haven't changed much.

Unknown Soldier

rollingscone wrote: »

Does anyone ever just stop and stare lovingly at their bikes?

....asking for a friend.

There was a post here awhile back by some loolah about stopping to pet his bike every so often on the way to bed.

Total loolah tbh.

The Black Oil

Saw someone locking her bike today. Looked like a pretty decent Trek one, she didn't use anything to secure the front wheel.

roverrules

Qualitymark wrote: »

My first bike, a blue BSA, when I was seven, spent most nights in my and my sister's room so I could see it first thing when I opened my eyes. Things haven't changed much.

What you mean you still sleep in your sisters room or you sleep with the bike, either is just so weird!

Weepsie

Unknown Soldier wrote: »

https://www.facebook.com/Mpora/videos/10153016033962854/

IT was just like that, nice and slow. It was my lump of a touring bike, good heavy steel being the only problem. Need to adjust the tension I think on the pedals and maybe move cleats around as I'm struggling with clipping in and out with these.

On the plus side, 30 km of commuting today and no incidents!

LollipopJimmy

Weepsie wrote: »

IT was just like that, nice and slow. It was my lump of a touring bike, good heavy steel being the only problem. Need to adjust the tension I think on the pedals and maybe move cleats around as I'm struggling with clipping in and out with these.

On the plus side, 30 km of commuting today and no incidents!

I have nine set a little loose just to get used to them, only one near miss so far. Getting clipped in along the canal when the lights turn green I hard because it's just a melee of cyclists so I try make it to the front of the pack then when I arrive at the lights I'll stay clipped in and just lean on the traffic light.
Why do all the ****ers you've overtaken also always plonk in front of you at traffic lights?

eeeee

I pat my bikes, name them, talk to them and gaze lovingly at them. If love kept bikes mechanically sound I think mine'd be the healthiest bikes in the business! They all live in my room bar one (there's no other space in the flat, honest!), who lives in the hall/stairs, but he's a guard bike and likes it there.

It's nice when you're out and about and catch sight of a bike and think "ooh that's lovely" then realise it's your own. Aaahhh happy sigh

Beasty

I'll have some of whatever gadetra's on but fear an early morning visit from doping control....

tomasrojo

The Black Oil wrote: »

Saw someone locking her bike today. Looked like a pretty decent Trek one, she didn't use anything to secure the front wheel.

Might have a security skewer.

Wishbone Ash

gadetra wrote: »

.....It's nice when you're out and about and catch sight of a bike and think "ooh that's lovely" then realise it's your own....

Are you running some sort of mass rental scheme?

eeeee

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

Are you running some sort of mass rental scheme?

Ha ha no, just if Henri's locked up in town he catches my eye and I have a quick 'oh isn't that a lovely bike' moment before I realise its mine. Same with Rosa on the infield at track, or Jessica against a wall at a coffee stop on a road spin.

Pretty much whenever I look at them I think they're lovely. Then pat them



When I was young growing up, I used to get annoyed at my dad's attitude to stuff. Everything was ancient and on the verge of retirement (vans, machinery, tractors) yet if asked he always thought what he had was the best, not the shiney new ones, not in an arrogant way, he was just always happy with what he had, and didn't want newer/'better' and still is. I only understood it when I got older, and now I'm gone the same way. I think it might be genetic :pac:

DirkVoodoo

It's good to see that the new laws around cycling have not made a blind bit of difference. Still see the same clowns sailing through lights in the mornings.

Having said that, I still see cars going through the solid red for left turns at Merrion Gates. Sure why not?

As usual, the problem isn't more laws, it's more people out enforcing them.

tomasrojo

DirkVoodoo wrote: »

It's good to see that the new laws around cycling have not made a blind bit of difference. Still see the same clowns sailing through lights in the mornings.

Having said that, I still see cars going through the solid red for left turns at Merrion Gates. Sure why not?

As usual, the problem isn't more laws, it's more people out enforcing them.

Ah, but what about all the people who now have red spoke reflectors at the rear?

eeeee

Well the ads have decided I'm a single hipster:

OldBean

Is anyone else getting the Vintage Steel ads?

I'm blaming HarryBelafonte's morning post in the Images of Beauty thread.

lennymc

Everyone got their CI AGM motions in? They need to be in by 5 pm today.

Darkglasses

Free bike lockers opened in 3 locations in Limerick city centre apparently, have to like that.



Free tools too

OldBean

That's an amazing facility. Imagine that along the Dart line, Heuston and Connolly? And maybe even the Luas if they'd let bikes on.

Fair play to the powers that be for getting it in there.

/off topic; I'm heading down part of the N81 tomorrow, joining from Tallaght and on to about Blessington, and read on some forums (inc. here) and some blogs that it can be a bit nasty, but all posts are a bit old. Anyone have anything to chip in?

I'm also going to have a mate joining me for the first 20km who has never climbed anything on a bike before. The climb along Manor Kilbride/Mount Seskin compared to say, Howth on the village side? Longer but not as steep, according to Strava? I just want to be able reassure him the world isn't a terrible terrible place.

The tax man

Came across this on Facebook, only one person I know would wear it.



http://teespring.com/reynolds-666

Eamonnator

I know it's very wrong, but this just cracked me up:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XnPUe80oBZw

Fian

OldBean wrote: »

That's an amazing facility. Imagine that along the Dart line, Heuston and Connolly? And maybe even the Luas if they'd let bikes on.

Fair play to the powers that be for getting it in there.

/off topic; I'm heading down part of the N81 tomorrow, joining from Tallaght and on to about Blessington, and read on some forums (inc. here) and some blogs that it can be a bit nasty, but all posts are a bit old. Anyone have anything to chip in?

I'm also going to have a mate joining me for the first 20km who has never climbed anything on a bike before. The climb along Manor Kilbride/Mount Seskin compared to say, Howth on the village side? Longer but not as steep, according to Strava? I just want to be able reassure him the world isn't a terrible terrible place.

that road is generally fine. There is a stretch when you go out past jobstown which can be a bit hairy, there are barriers on each side of a narrow road and some pretty impatient drivers who like to overtake even though it is unsafe to do so. Blind bends there so there is the possibility that a car will come around and cause the car overtaking you to send you into the barrier to avoid a head on collision. Lots of young drivers in beat up cars around there.

That kind of sounds worse than it is, it is a stretch i feel uneasy on but not enough to deter me from cycling out there regularly. It is a short stretch and the rest of the road is pretty grand. To put it in context I don't really feel any more wary on that stretch than i do crossing the m50 roundabout between tallaght and templeogue.

You can avoid that stretch if you really want to by going our bohernabreena and then descending into Brittas village, but that involves a decent climb so if your friend would struggle with that you might prefer to just follow the n81.

Rest of the road is quite comfortable to cycle, there is a hard shoulder for alot of it and it is a decent wide road. Much more comfortable to cycle than e.g. the stillorgan dual carriageway.

edit: Oh and do yourself a favour, travel just beyond blessington and you will come to a nice view of a lake on your left hand side. Shortly after that you will see a left hand turn signposted the lake drive. Head out that for a while, it is a nice relaxed but scenic ride. After the second bridge you come into a village called valleymount with a pub you can stop in for a sandwich, though it tends to be unpredictable whether it will be open or not. If you are feeling energetic you can follow the road right around the lakes and back to blessington.

Beasty

Nigel Farage has told Sky News Jeremy Corbyn is a "gift" for UKIP, and joked that the Green Party is in "real trouble" after labour elected a "vegetarian teetotaller that rides a bicycle, has got a beard and comes from north London".

Thank Christ I'm not from North London. Also I do shave most mornings ....

wanderer 22

The tax man wrote: »

Came across this on Facebook, only one person I know would wear it.


http://teespring.com/reynolds-666

Beasty, you may be interested in this also ;-) https://twitter.com/MarshsLibrary/status/647370425828265985


Would make a pretty cool jersey...

Alanstrainor

I have a GoPro, the €125 one from last year, i've used it a lot and the other day the plastic for the mount broke randomly. It's 11 months old, mailed GoPro and they've taken it back (provided me with free UPS slip) and are shipping out a new one. Great service!

omri

https://www.facebook.com/EvenFunnier****/videos/750020415107833/?__mref=message_bubble

smacl

Fian wrote: »

If you are feeling energetic you can follow the road right around the lakes and back to blessington.

..or straight on for Wicklow Gap, Sally gap and back to town before you know what's happened :pac:

Personally, I'd tend to go Bohernabreena, Ballinascorney over the N81, even if there was a bit of puffing and panting or even taking a breather from your mate. Challenging and scenic beats flat and dull for a pleasant day out, and the ensuing pints feel better earned.

Weepsie

Having to move back home temporarily. When I moved out years ago, I had 0 bikes and not clothes for such activity. Now half my wardrobe and 4 bikes later and its going to be a bit cramped. Limiting the cycling too as I've a lot of packing

OldBean

Lol, my mate feigned a cramp at the start of the climb. Felt sorry for him, so ended up walking up a good bit of it with him. Let him go shortly after and on to Carlow.

Thought the N81 was going to be a bit worse. It's fast passing cars and trucks, but there's a good bit of room, and I'm comfortable sticking to the road.

Went on to that viewing point, was lovely. I hadn't seen the posts above so didn't stop into the pub. Starving at this stage.