Cycling speed in traffic?

Trojan

I was wondering how fast folks go in traffic.

I generally go as fast as possible. I usually sprint from the lights as much as possible and use the next lights to rest. I've found it difficult to slow it down and take it easy on the way into town (though usually I'm late for something!).

Pros: doesn't annoy other traffic for a couple of reasons (decent speed, actually stopping at lights).
Cons: sweaty.

How do y'all do it?

Lumen

Same.

kenmc

same

ROK ON

I have taken my computer off of my commuting bike for this reason. I became obsessed with trying to go faster and faster. Finally realised that this was to the detriment of my awareness of traffic/peds.

Now I take it easy on the quays (and then when I hit the park, try to hit a very hard pace on the way through the park. So I would say I go as fast as rushhour traffic on the quays, but in the park probably do consistently over 30km/h Maybe averaging 35k. Depends on ice however.
If there are any cyclists ahead of me in the park, I always try to catch up. (Dont always succeed).

TinyExplosions

As fast as possible really... depends on conditions and 'Greenness' of the lights

tunney

Trojan wrote: »

I was wondering how fast folks go in traffic.

I generally go as fast as possible. I usually sprint from the lights as much as possible and use the next lights to rest. I've found it difficult to slow it down and take it easy on the way into town (though usually I'm late for something!).

Pros: doesn't annoy other traffic for a couple of reasons (decent speed, actually stopping at lights).
Cons: sweaty.

How do y'all do it?

You stop?

Raam

I always try and keep the same speed as other traffic.

Chips Lovell

Depends on the traffic, but I'd usually keep pace with the other vehicles on the road. No point in hammering it in town lest some boneheaded pedestrian walk out in front of you.

kenmc

kenmc wrote: »

same

Generally as fast as I can (especially when someone passes me out when I stop at lights) although I slow down on the canal since there's lots of pedestrians about at all hours of the day.

niceonetom

fast - but i do my best to time the lights to avoid stopping. foot down = penalty.

like ROK ON, if i'm coming through the phoenix park and i see your little blinky light in the distance you can be damn sure that i intend to catch, pass and drop you as soon as possible. dogwalkers, joggers et al between us, be warned.

TinyExplosions

niceonetom wrote: »

dogwalkers, joggers et al between us, be warned.

Um, I think you'd find that I was ahead of the blinky light mate, there'd be no catching me

short circuit

Slow out of Sandyford industrial estate ... at pace with traffic down to Ranelagh which is fairly quick as its downhill all the way .. fairly slow through Ranelagh, through town ... at pace with traffic through stony batter .. huffing & puffing through navan road and N3 to Clonee ... slow last mile and a half into estate trying not to look too flustered as I enter home ..

short circuit

TinyExplosions wrote: »

Um, I think you'd find that I was ahead of the blinky light mate, there'd be no catching me

If he was quick enough to come close enough to see your blinky light .. chances are he is going to catch you.

I think what you really wanted to say that you are so quick that he won't even be able to catch sight of your blinky light ..

petethedrummer

It depends on the section of road for me. If its right in the city centre, d'olier st, dame st, quays etc... I tend to take my time. If there's a decent bit of room I'll put the hammer down (honk honk).

t0mm

For me it all depends on traffic. Coming from city centre to rathmines it can be hard to get speed without compromising safety, especially with all the eejits who think parking in the cycle lanes is ok, and then all the cars who will come up about a foot behind you, basically forcing you out of their way. I'll also always stop at lights if there is any traffic, but if the way is totally clear at a Pedestrian crossing then I'll slow down but not stop.

Efforts are slightly hampered by the 18t chain ring on my SS tricross, I can accelerate quicky but that about it:mad:

irishmotorist

Depends on traffic for me too. if I've got a bus lane or good stretch of road, then it's mostly hell for leather. If I don't and traffic is close by, then it's much more cautious.
From the Irish Times stats, I don't want to bring that 14% of car-door-opening-casualties up to 15%

BleedTheF!FtH

Well i recently fitted my pushbike with a busa turbo engine, so ido be flat out

DirkVoodoo

Well, seeing as 90% of my cycling is down the N11, the only limiting factor for me is the poor design of cycle lanes. Probably average 25km/hr based on the time it takes, but this includes time stopped at lights, etc.

There are two sections of downhill where you will see me try and pedal as fast as I can, I think it is in the 40s here until I can't spin my legs any faster to deliver power.

Irish_Army01

niceonetom wrote: »

fast - but i do my best to time the lights to avoid stopping. foot down = penalty.

like ROK ON, if i'm coming through the phoenix park and i see your little blinky light in the distance you can be damn sure that i intend to catch, pass and drop you as soon as possible. dogwalkers, joggers et al between us, be warned.

Same Same..Can't wait to get my FCR 1:D

concussion

niceonetom wrote: »

foot down = penalty.

Track stand

Caroline_ie

Depends on the time of day ... I usually try to keep a fast pace but at night time I usually slow down a bit, the reason being, my sight isn't the best in the dark.
Still trying to skid and track stand ... for maximum w*nker style

beans

Generally try to keep the cranks turning and my thighs burning when commuting, adjusting for conditions. When I come across heavy traffic the speed comes down, checking the way is clear of peds, watching for sudden maneuvers etc.

I find the fixed-gear far more pleasurable for negotiating traffic than my free-wheeling bikes; and while you look 'cool' doing track-stands, this is cancelled out by the 5 or 6 times you (me) keeled over at a red light to the amusement of that guy in the Almera...

DirkVoodoo

Yeah, I had an awkward stand there a while ago (I don't track stand, can't...but sometimes just try to balance to bike for a sec or two) and it leaned to the right. I only ever unclip from the left so I didn't think to put my foot out. I managed to jerk it back to the left and unclip, embarassment avoided.

NeilMcEoigheann

fast, but not too sweaty, coming down O'Connell st and a woman stepped out from behind a bus stopped at a stop, just used my fore arm to clear her away from my handlebars no way i was coming off. this makes me think about travelling at speed in town even with a clear road ahead so its the unfoeceable that catches you out, even if you try to expect the unexpected

t0mm

Ultimate style today in the wet. I was cycling beside two lanes of traffic heading in the same direction, and decided to move into the middle of two non-moving lanes. As I turn between two cars (a bit slightly just maybe to fast), my rear end skids out, so I lean over and whip the tail out the other way, and of course skid out in the other direction. When I have control I realise I have ended up where I intended to be, in the middle of the two lanes, give a little smile to the lady in the people carrier beside me and cycle on like it was all intentional...

Civilian_Target

Same speed as traffic, if that's a reasonable. In fast moving traffic, as fast as I can go.
In stationary traffic, I try to keep it below 30kmph

buffalo

NeilMcEoigheann wrote: »

fast, but not too sweaty, coming down O'Connell st and a woman stepped out from behind a bus stopped at a stop, just used my fore arm to clear her away from my handlebars no way i was coming off. this makes me think about travelling at speed in town even with a clear road ahead so its the unfoeceable that catches you out, even if you try to expect the unexpected

As much as the blame lies with the pedestrian for choosing a completely unsafe place to cross, any sort of speed on O'Connell street is irresponsible of the motorist/motorcyclist/cyclist imo. Despite the fact that there's about ten crossings, inevitably people will try cross whatever chance they get. So unless you can see that there are no pedestrians on the road, or right beside the road, be ready to brake.

That's my two cents anyway, I always try avoid any route that involves O'Connell Street - it's too full of buses, taxis and pedestrians to be anything other than stress.

Out of curiosity, how did the woman fare? Did your manoeuvre save her falling on her ass?

NeilMcEoigheann

buffalo wrote: »

As much as the blame lies with the pedestrian for choosing a completely unsafe place to cross, any sort of speed on O'Connell street is irresponsible of the motorist/motorcyclist/cyclist imo. Despite the fact that there's about ten crossings, inevitably people will try cross whatever chance they get. So unless you can see that there are no pedestrians on the road, or right beside the road, be ready to brake.

That's my two cents anyway, I always try avoid any route that involves O'Connell Street - it's too full of buses, taxis and pedestrians to be anything other than stress.

Out of curiosity, how did the woman fare? Did your manoeuvre save her falling on her ass?

i agree but it was a completely open road except for the parked bus, i was looking through the bus windows to try and see if a person was doing just that but she just stepped out so not much i could do in such a short time.
she was OK i didn't really stop, but i did ask if she was ok and she was still on her feet,
(a friend of mine stepped out from behind a bus and went through a merc front window so it could have been alot worse)