Forget the car

Ger the man

Well, Ive finally decided to start cycling to work because Ive had it with being stuck in traffic and paying the M50 toll every morning. I go from Blanch to Rathfarnham every morning and it takes me the best part of 2 hours. No more queuing, burning up petrol, getting stressed.

Ghost Rider

The logic is inescapable.

Ger the man wrote: »

Well, Ive finally decided to start cycling to work because Ive had it with being stuck in traffic and paying the M50 toll every morning. I go from Blanch to Rathfarnham every morning and it takes me the best part of 2 hours. No more queuing, burning up petrol, getting stressed.

Raam

Enjoy the ride mate, best move you'll ever make.

Ger the man

Cheers
Only problem now is dealing with stressed motorists!

Raam

Ger the man wrote: »

Cheers
Only problem now is dealing with stressed motorists!

The best way to deal with that is to be thankful that you aren't one!

Ghost Rider

Truth. Just don't let them get wind of your gratitude or you could feel a tonne of resentment pointing in your direction.

King Raam wrote: »

The best way to deal with that is to be thankful that you aren't one!

Danbo!

Ger the man wrote: »

Cheers
Only problem now is dealing with stressed motorists!

you wont even notice them. And remember, take a look at the M50 everyday as you cycle over it, maybe even wave to the poor suckers, haha....

Spades

what kind of distance are we talking about here, in miles please

Raam

Spades wrote: »

...in miles please

fussy!

Spades

King Raam wrote: »

fussy!

Jesus wept

Raam

Spades wrote: »

Jesus wept

He sure did.

kenmc

good man yourself, best of luck with it.

Pete4779

Well done and I hope you enjoy it, after a few weeks you'll feel really confined and quite ridiculous if you ever do take the car!

Make sure you get proper gear for winter though. The more enjoyable the spin on the bike is more you look forward to it.

DublinWriter

Ger the man wrote: »

Well, Ive finally decided to start cycling to work because Ive had it with being stuck in traffic and paying the M50 toll every morning. I go from Blanch to Rathfarnham every morning and it takes me the best part of 2 hours. No more queuing, burning up petrol, getting stressed.

Good move, but the prospect of peeling sweat-drenched spandex from my bum-cheeks on arrival at 8.00 am never appealed.

I was tempted to go down the scooter-route, but ever since I got myself a 50-mpg diesel BMW, I can sit happily in a leather seat in traffic jams listening to an audio-book.

Raam

DublinWriter wrote: »

Good move, but the prospect of peeling sweat-drenched spandex from my bum-cheeks on arrival at 8.00 am never appealed.

You only sweat if you are cycling very hard.

Ger the man

King Raam wrote: »

You only sweat if you are cycling very hard.

True - Im not interested in getting to work in 5 mins, anytime before 9am will do.

Alkers

Make sure you get a half decent bike and get it fitted to you also. The amount of poor suckers I whiz past who are cycling crappy-ass full suspension "mountain" bikes is unreal. They bounce up and down with every pedal stroke, have their saddles way too low and hardly any air in their tyres. How people like this stick cycling I don't know.

Ghost Rider

Sounds like an unprofitable superstition to me...

DublinWriter wrote: »

... ever since I got myself a 50-mpg diesel BMW, I can sit happily in a leather seat in traffic jams listening to an audio-book.

Raam

Simona1986 wrote: »

The amount of poor suckers I whiz past who are cycling crappy-ass full suspension "mountain" bikes is unreal. They bounce up and down with every pedal stroke, have their saddles way too low and hardly any air in their tyres. How people like this stick cycling I don't know.

It never ceases to amaze me. I guess they just don't care.

kenmc

King Raam wrote: »

It never ceases to amaze me. I guess they just don't care.

I guess it depends on how far you're going, how quickly you want to get there and your motivation for cycling - if you can't drive and don't have the money to spend on a bus/luas etc, then cycling a heap of junk a mile or 2 down the road is a lot faster than walking, not much more energy expended and a €75 "bike" quickly saves money over the bus fare.
Wouldn't be for me though - I hate going slowly.

Raam

kenmc wrote: »

I guess it depends on how far you're going, how quickly you want to get there and your motivation for cycling - if you can't drive and don't have the money to spend on a bus/luas etc, then cycling a heap of junk a mile or 2 down the road is a lot faster than walking, not much more energy expended and a €75 "bike" quickly saves money over the bus fare.
Wouldn't be for me though - I hate going slowly.

I try to go slowly every morning, then I see someone up ahead who I HAVE to overtake. It's a compulsion. Maybe a little sad too :rolleyes:

Ger the man

Well, I did it and loved it, the amount of cars I went by with one person in each car was unreal.

kodute

The worst thing about the cycle commute... pulling up to a red light behind a bus then have the thing spew a cloud of black smoke in you face. :mad: Hurry up electric vehicles!
That and the rain...

zorkmundsson

kodute wrote: »

The worst thing about the cycle commute... pulling up to a red light behind a bus then have the thing spew a cloud of black smoke in you face. :mad: Hurry up electric vehicles!

face mask
http://www.cycleways.com/store/product/10612/Respro-City-Msk-L-Blk/
never looked back. terrifies pedestrians, too.

Bicyclegadabout

I really don’t mind the rain, it’s the wind that get’s me. Feels like cycling through jelly, its tough. But with the rain, you’d be no dryer or warmer waiting at a bus stop.

macinalli

Ger the man wrote: »

Well, I did it and loved it, the amount of cars I went by with one person in each car was unreal.

I abandoned the car for a bike about 6 months ago and still think it was a great move. Problem now is once a week I need the car for football, those days I hate my commute...

unionman

kodute wrote: »

The worst thing about the cycle commute... pulling up to a red light behind a bus then have the thing spew a cloud of black smoke in you face.

I hear that - pulled up behind a Bus Eireann coach on Bachelors Walk this morning and caught a lungful of the most acrid black smoke. Disgusting. The only downer on anotherwise exhilerating ride.

unionman

DublinWriter wrote: »

... but ever since I got myself a 50-mpg diesel BMW, I can sit happily in a leather seat in traffic jams listening to an audio-book.

You're not getting that kind of mileage in traffic jams, no matter what the brochure says:rolleyes:

kenmc

Ger the man wrote: »

Well, I did it and loved it, the amount of cars I went by with one person in each car was unreal.

How long did it take you?

macinalli wrote: »

I abandoned the car for a bike about 6 months ago and still think it was a great move. Problem now is once a week I need the car for football, those days I hate my commute...

I gave up too - I've to go to Leopardstown, and the traffic in the area is simply nuts. I've had a bit of a chest infection last 2 days and took the luas rather than facing the traffic, despite the car sitting outside the house. There was one day a month or so ago that I got a lift in after doing some bits n pieces, and I felt CRAP all day, cos I had breakfast without 'earning' it. Decided to walk the 5 kms home instead of taking the luas. It's wierd how you very quickly become used to the exercise, and need it.

Ger the man

Just under 1hr with a moderate pace. I must have counted about 100 sreaming car horns on the way!

TheThing!

Well done, good decision

kenmc

DublinWriter wrote: »

but ever since I got myself a 50-mpg diesel BMW, I can sit happily in a leather seat in traffic jams listening to an audio-book.

just thinking back over this post - I get 20miles to the litre (energy drink and water ) = 90MPG, have a leather seat too, and can also listen to audio-books on the way. Only difference is a) I don't have to sit in traffic and b) I didn't waste a fortune on a BMW to sit in the traffic

unionman

kenmc wrote: »

just thinking back over this post - I get 20miles to the litre (energy drink and water ) = 90MPG, have a leather seat too, and can also listen to audio-books on the way. Only difference is a) I don't have to sit in traffic and b) I didn't waste a fortune on a BMW to sit in the traffic

Winner!:D

Danbo!

kenmc wrote: »

just thinking back over this post - I get 20miles to the litre (energy drink and water ) = 90MPG, have a leather seat too, and can also listen to audio-books on the way. Only difference is a) I don't have to sit in traffic and b) I didn't waste a fortune on a BMW to sit in the traffic

YES!

kodute wrote: »

The worst thing about the cycle commute... pulling up to a red light behind a bus then have the thing spew a cloud of black smoke in you face. :mad: Hurry up electric vehicles!
That and the rain...

[mini-rant] Or when you overtake those slow cyclists (that doesnt bother me) only for them to overtake you at a red-light and wait in front of you, thus having to squeeze by them again. GRRRRR. [/rant]

flippythewarvet

Ger the man wrote: »

Well, I did it and loved it, the amount of cars I went by with one person in each car was unreal.

Good move, now you can join us cyclists as we look down on motorists hauling their lazy flabby carcasses around the m50 at 5 miles an hour. Its amazing how quickly you get used to cycling, soon youll be looking forward to your cycle home from work. Just dont let the winter wind and rain put you off, the rest of the year more than makes up for it. Try to get a good breathable rainjacket (try your local bike shop) it should help a lot. Happy biking!!

rp

kenmc wrote: »

I get 20miles to the litre (energy drink and water ) = 90MPG

(I was trying to calculate this all the way home last night...)
You should be getting about 1500mpg (one gallon of fuel ~= 35 kebab + chips), so all you need now is a Brooks B17 leather saddle and a season ticket to Iskander's

kenmc

rp wrote: »

(I was trying to calculate this all the way home last night...)
You should be getting about 1500mpg (one gallon of fuel ~= 35 kebab + chips), so all you need now is a Brooks B17 leather saddle and a season ticket to Iskander's

Yeah but the increased weight of the re-inforced bike would reduce the economy due to the increased energy expended moving the beast. I'll stick to energy drinks and a banana

mmalaka

What is ur route??