im doing a paper on cycling in ireland....

cassey

im doing a paper on cycling in ireland basically the decline particularly with people using cars to get to places of sports .... ie driving to football hurling practise instead of cycling.... most physio recommend cycling as a method of loosening up the leg muscles pre excerise and as it in totally low impact has no effect on back or any other injury prone part... but there has been a steady decline in children , teenagers and under 30s using bikes... why is this

1. road and street light faciilities
2. or poor facilities on a bike for holding gear, hurls etc...

opinions greatly appreciated

Lumen

Moved from Bike parts for trade

gaffmaster

Theft? One of the reasons why I don't cycle to football - nowhere safe to leave the bike.

Explosive_Cornflake

A lot of people are scared of the roads. They feel they're a lot busier now than they used to be. There's a hurling pitch up the road from me with a 1km illuminated walking track around it. Most people drive to it, and then go for a walk around the track.

DualFrontDiscs

Money. People have it, or have access to it, in a way that was unimaginable a generation ago. Two car families? Kids with cars? Not when I was growing up.

Cycling now suffers from a stigma whereby people assume you ride because you can't afford a car.

DFD*

*DisparagingFinancedDriving.

petethedrummer

I'd say laziness and perceived danger is why cycling declined in popularity.

Its on the way back up though.

irishmotorist

There's a combination of things. I think there are some elements of perception and others of fact. For example, I think there's a perception that it always rains, you always get punctures, that it's dangerous, that it's hard. Perhaps there's also a perception that we're a bit mad (or uncool?), but maybe that's not generally the case. Personally, I disagree with the first bunch of these and I don't care if I come across as mad or uncool.

On the factual side, if my job didn't have shower facilities, I wouldn't be able to cycle to work. If I didn't have anywhere safe to park my bike in work, I wouldn't cycle to work.

RacoonQueen

Laziness and attitudes towards cycling/cyclists.

Most people don't know the condition the roads are really in until they get on a bike. My commute is practically lethal for a road bike.

Toblerone1978

cassey wrote: »

im doing a paper on cycling in ireland basically the decline particularly with people using cars to get to places of sports .... ie driving to football hurling practise instead of cycling.... most physio recommend cycling as a method of loosening up the leg muscles pre excerise and as it in totally low impact has no effect on back or any other injury prone part... but there has been a steady decline in children , teenagers and under 30s using bikes... why is this

1. road and street light faciilities
2. or poor facilities on a bike for holding gear, hurls etc...

opinions greatly appreciated

I used to cycle to hurling training but the hurley is awkward but with the hurley, helment (I was way too cool to wear it while cycling) and the rest of the gear made it a very, very awkward trip.

In a word, it was the awkwardness. Also I never really minded cycling to training but it was the trip home that was a drag. So once I got the car, I didn't think twice about putting the bike aside.

I would image that for soccer, football, rugby, a decent backpack should do the job.

Junior

DualFrontDiscs wrote: »

Money. People have it, or have access to it, in a way that was unimaginable a generation ago. Two car families? Kids with cars? Not when I was growing up.

Cycling now suffers from a stigma whereby people assume you ride because you can't afford a car.

DFD*

*DisparagingFinancedDriving.

I'm not old, I'm in my very early 30's, and when I did my leaving in 93 one LC Student had a motorbike, the rest of us cycled, walked, got buses or arranged lifts, now in the same school there is a second car park for students.

godihatedehills

It'svery tricky to carry a hockey stick on a bike. I don't know about a hurley but I'd imagine it could be even trickier as I've never heard of a hurley bag. You also have to think about extra gear, lights and locking your bike. I used to find sometimes it was more hassle than it was worth.

Civilian_Target

I grew up in a town on the side of a hill. Unless you were happy to turn up sweaty, cycling wasn't a runner.

Now I cycle because I live in France where it's accepted, and there are lots of facilities.

Lumen

godihatedehills wrote: »

It'svery tricky to carry a hockey stick on a bike. I don't know about a hurley but I'd imagine it could be even trickier as I've never heard of a hurley bag. You also have to think about extra gear, lights and locking your bike. I used to find sometimes it was more hassle than it was worth.

From my new favourite internet stalking site, tallchicksondutchbikes.

dave2pvd

godihatedehills wrote: »

It'svery tricky to carry a hockey stick on a bike. I don't know about a hurley but I'd imagine it could be even trickier as I've never heard of a hurley bag. You also have to think about extra gear, lights and locking your bike. I used to find sometimes it was more hassle than it was worth.

I feel your pain.

I mean, it's even worse for me, as a double bassist. Can you imagine?

kavanagh_h

I am certainly no expert on the stats but yes its really noticeable that the cycling fraternity are mostly over 30 or i'd even say 35. This might be because young people play team sports.

Maybe its so noticeable because more people are cycling and since the youngsters are playing school/college and team sports the 'oul ones' are on the bikes!;) Am I wrong in your (boardsies) opinions?

H

ED E

There's a new surge in the number of under 20's cycling with this whole fixie trend.

michaelm

A few random thoughts:

1. I think we in Ireland associated the arrival of the car as an end to the bad old days of the bike and have failed to see the sense of its co-existence ever since.

2. Our teenagers are lazy! My day job is as a second level teacher - when I started teaching (25 yrs ago) there was space for 40 bikes on our bike racks - and often these were overflowing. Now there are no bikes outside our school, but we have a massive problem with parking space for our senior students. Progress?

2. Our teenagers are lazy (b) - in Belgium and Holland in particular many will cycle any kind of a bike as long as it is safe and works - here our kids have all manner of suspensions, springs, padded saddles etc - and rarely even cycle their bikes on the smooth surfaces of their housing estates!


3. We pay lip service to the contribution cycling can make to the environment - The Greens have failed to make any progress with, for example, having proper cycle lanes put in alongside all new road developments. It is still very difficult to take a bike on a train here. The biggest joke of all is Croke Park's "Cul Green" initiative - to make CP carbon neutral they want you to use carbon offests - but there is no secure place to leave a bike at the stadium. I have contacted them a number of times - they have placed a bike rack at the main entrance - but far from secure. There is acres of space under the stand, why not put in secure bike parks?

I could go on but I'm starting to get angry....will leave it there

DualFrontDiscs

michaelm wrote: »

1. I think we in Ireland associated the arrival of the car as an end to the bad old days of the bike and have failed to see the sense of its co-existence ever since.

+1

monument

Dublin City Council done a poll on the genral reasons why people don't cycle (don't have the link to hand), the results were similar to my copy-cat poll on the commuting in transport board, on this thread.

For some reason, I'm thinking weather was higher than danger in the DCC poll.

DualFrontDiscs wrote: »

Money. People have it, or have access to it, in a way that was unimaginable a generation ago. Two car families? Kids with cars? Not when I was growing up.

Cycling now suffers from a stigma whereby people assume you ride because you can't afford a car.

DFD*

*DisparagingFinancedDriving.

It could be more about keeping up appearances than money itself. Or a case of new money and feeling the need to show it. Ireland has very high car usage, higher than most wealth states elsewhere. While others will have high ownership, Ireland has high ownership and usage.

RacoonQueen wrote: »

Most people don't know the condition the roads are really in until they get on a bike. My commute is practically lethal for a road bike.

What's your commute?

Toblerone1978 wrote: »

I used to cycle to hurling training but the hurley is awkward but with the hurley, helment (I was way too cool to wear it while cycling) and the rest of the gear made it a very, very awkward trip.

Simple: Put it all in a sports bag and put it on to the carrier sideways.

But then again so many bikes sold in recent decades haven't had carriers.

godihatedehills wrote: »

It'svery tricky to carry a hockey stick on a bike. I don't know about a hurley but I'd imagine it could be even trickier as I've never heard of a hurley bag. You also have to think about extra gear, lights and locking your bike. I used to find sometimes it was more hassle than it was worth.

Is it? Do/did you have a carrier?

I've attached a large, long umbrella to my carrier quite often in the last few years.

godihatedehills

monument wrote: »

Is it? Do/did you have a carrier?

I've attached a large, long umbrella to my carrier quite often in the last few years.

A carrier, as in a trailer? No, I don't. And as the main category we're talking about here is young footballers and hurlers, I don't think many of them are going to either

monument

godihatedehills wrote: »

A carrier, as in a trailer? No, I don't. And as the main category we're talking about here is young footballers and hurlers, I don't think many of them are going to either

No, like one of these, also known as rear racks...



Nearly all bicycles have fitting for them. Sadly they haven't been included as standard on many bikes sold here, but I think they can be picked up for around €30 in your local bike shop. They can be put on fairly easily and quickly.

You buy elastic straps, usual two and they can carry a lot of different things.

Things I've used mine to carry include: panniers, bags, coats, umbrellas, boxes of cereals, drink, takeaways and friends

petethedrummer

michaelm wrote: »

3. We pay lip service to the contribution cycling can make to the environment - The Greens have failed to make any progress with, for example, having proper cycle lanes put in alongside all new road developments. It is still very difficult to take a bike on a train here. The biggest joke of all is Croke Park's "Cul Green" initiative - to make CP carbon neutral they want you to use carbon offests - but there is no secure place to leave a bike at the stadium. I have contacted them a number of times - they have placed a bike rack at the main entrance - but far from secure. There is acres of space under the stand, why not put in secure bike parks?

They have introcduced the cycle to work scheme, which although flawed, is a roaring success. Same with the dublin bike scheme. Most popular one in the world or something?

Caroline_ie

I cycle to my yoga classes with my yoga mat, it sticks out of my bag, but well secured. I have seen people looking at me funny...

I have cycled with guitars, wheels, furniture... duct take is your friend in that case, it's not dangerous as long as you fasten everything tight.

I often go to the grocery store on my bike, the bag can be rather heavy in the end and the cashiers always look at me funny ... but I can't be bothered driving sometimes.

I do own a relatively new car ('06)

I also cycle to cycling ...

Toblerone1978

monument wrote: »

Simple: Put it all in a sports bag and put it on to the carrier sideways.

Simple idea but not pratical. The helmet in the bag ensured that one side of the bag is bigger than the other and therefore bag was very prone to slipping out of the carrier. Trust me, I tried all methods over the years and it's just an awkward ride, simple as.

Toblerone1978

kavanagh_h wrote: »

I am certainly no expert on the stats but yes its really noticeable that the cycling fraternity are mostly over 30 or i'd even say 35. This might be because young people play team sports.

Maybe its so noticeable because more people are cycling and since the youngsters are playing school/college and team sports the 'oul ones' are on the bikes!;) Am I wrong in your (boardsies) opinions?

H

I think the above is a fair reflection. I've lived in Dublin, Waterford, Limerick and Kilkenny and I'd say this is very true in all four places.

michaelm

petethedrummer wrote: »

They have introcduced the cycle to work scheme, which although flawed, is a roaring success. Same with the dublin bike scheme. Most popular one in the world or something?

I accept that the bike to work scheme is agreat idea, while it lasts, but I didn't know what the Green Party were responsible for the Dublin City Bikes. I'm not being ironic - i actually wasn't aware, I thought it was a Dublin City Council initiative with JC Decaux - but I presume you mean it was driven my a Green Party councillor? - If so - my apologies.

I would like to see a nationwide policy on the provision of cycle lanes. At the very least any new roadworks should include the provision of an accompanying cycle lane. It breaks my heart to see so many places where the hard shoulder is way wider than necessary, sometimes wide grass margins (which will cost money to maintain) or in some cases just rough gravel that is never fully finished. Part funding bikes is fine but until it is safe to cycle to work many people will still opt for the cheaper option. I would love also to see a secure bike parks in our major towns and cities, Cambridge is a wonderful example of what can happen when you do this:

http://www.camcycle.org.uk/resources/cycleparking/parkstreet/

Have been there a few times and always hire a bike and make use of the extensive cycle lanes and the excellent bike park. Actually on one occasion I was there, there were signs at the railway station advertising that representatives of the local council and local police would be available at the staion on a particular evening for consultation on how to improve cycling facilities in the city!

blorg

michaelm wrote: »

I accept that the bike to work scheme is agreat idea, while it lasts, but I didn't know what the Green Party were responsible for the Dublin City Bikes. I'm not being ironic - i actually wasn't aware, I thought it was a Dublin City Council initiative with JC Decaux - but I presume you mean it was driven my a Green Party councillor? - If so - my apologies.

Dublinbikes was spearheaded by a Labour Party councillor, Andrew Montague.

However the Greens have been successful in pushing national initiaves such as the Bike to Work scheme and have had a lot of influence in the production of the National Cycle Policy Framework, if only that can get implemented. This document has I believe been endorsed by all parties with the exception of cyclist-bashers Fine Gael.

The Greens don't have any councillors in Dublin City Council but have been highly supportive of the predominantly Labour-led efforts to make Dublin a nicer city to cycle (and walk, and live) in.

robinph

godihatedehills wrote: »

It'svery tricky to carry a hockey stick on a bike.

Not if you've got the right equipment:

http://www.staghockey.nl/accessoires-equipment-extras.html

BostonB

I think people have forgotten or more correctly never seen or experienced how useful bicycles are.

dolliemix

blorg wrote: »

cyclist-bashers Fine Gael.

lol! In what way are Fine Gael cyclist bashers? I've never heard that before.

I think less people cycle simply because it's less convenient. I try and cycle to work a few times a week, but it means I have to get up an hour earlier, have a shower when I get to work, which means I have to have a change of clothes etc organised the night before.

I find the carrier on the back of my bike really unreliable. If I needed to stand on the bike to get up a hill, the bike would get all wobbly and it was hit or miss whether I was going to make it or not. So I got a basket a few months ago for the front which is the business.

I also think school kids nowadays have way more books to carry than I did back in the 80s/90s. I'm a secondary school teacher. Firstly the 1st to 3rd years sit 11 or 12 subjects at Junior Cert. When I did my inter cert I did 8 subjects. In kids have way more books now than we did. I've picked up some of the kids bags at times to move them out of the way and I nearly fell over with the weight of them. And thats just the school books! Some of them also have to bring in sports gear/ art stuff/ cooking stuff etc. If I was a parent I wouldn't want my child transporting all that stuff on a bike.

When they get to Leaving Cert, they have less to carry but they're not in the habit of cycling at that stage and possibly don't even own a bike.

I have to say there are people out there trying really hard to promote cycling to the younger kids. Some of our 1st Years won a competition, where some girls from the Body Shop came in and taught the girls how to 'look good on the bike'. It was called the Beauty and the Bike Scheme. The kids were delighted!

There is an area for leaving your bike in the car park on drury street. I haven't used it. My bike is nearly 20 years old and nobody would bother stealing it so I can leave it anywhere! But theft is an issue in Dublin so more of those spaces would help as well I think.

petethedrummer

blorg wrote: »

Dublinbikes was spearheaded by a Labour Party councillor, Andrew Montague.

woops, i knew that. apologies to AM.
Anyways don't want to get into a debate on the greens or whoever. A few things have been done. A minority party cant change evertything overnight.

godihatedehills

monument wrote: »

No, like one of these, also known as rear racks...

Ah yes of course, sorry, I had a long shift at work....

No, I don't have one of them either, I have a full carbon road bike. I'm not sure they'd get on really.

blorg

kavanagh_h wrote: »

I am certainly no expert on the stats but yes its really noticeable that the cycling fraternity are mostly over 30 or i'd even say 35. This might be because young people play team sports.

Not sure about that. Cycling is actually also a team sport although I will grant not really so much at the lower amateur levels. It is however highly social if you ride with a club or group and is growing massively if the numbers at sportives are an indication (the big ones are getting upwards of 3,500 riders which is phenomenal growth.) And a lot of the riders on these are under 35 I'd say, plenty of people in their twenties. Racing there seem to be a fair spread of younger riders including juniors.

Need to bear in mind as well that cycling is a very broad "sport", you have everything from competitive racing to non-competitive sportives (equivalent to marathon running for most) to long distance touring, to utility cycling, simply using your bike as a mode of transport. No reason younger people could not do this; indeed I started off as a utility cyclist, started touring, doing sportives to challenge myself and have only started actually racing last year.

I think it is more that due to the non-impact nature it is a sport that you can keep at pretty much indefinitely, which is not so much the case with team sports. So you have a fair number of older people still doing it; quite literally you have guys turning 70 still racing.

As to the carrying stuff on the bike it certainly can be done and I have seen guys with hurleys strapped to their top tube, didn't seem to get in the way at all.

blorg

dolliemix wrote: »

lol! In what way are Fine Gael cyclist bashers? I've never heard that before.

They tend to be less than supportive of cyclist interests. Refusing to support the National Cycle Policy Framework simply on a "not invented here" petty party political motive is just one example. That document is exemplary and has the full backing of every cycling group in the country. It is exactly what cyclists need.

This Irish Times article gives another example, FG speaking out against the idea of contra-flow cycle lanes for no good reason whatsoever other than cyclists are a minority and as such should not be catered for:

But Fine Gael councillor Edie Wynne said the move would have to be given some thought. She said at 3 per cent cyclists were not very representative of modal choice in Dublin. "Ninety-seven per cent are choosing another way", she said.

Fellow Fine Gael councillor Gerry Breen said he would urge caution, remarking that numbers of cyclists in the city were one third of those who chose to walk. He said councillors should remember the 34 per cent of people who made a modal choice to use their car, or those who used rail, bus "or the 9 per cent of people who chose to walk".

Rarely is ever something positive done for cyclists that you don't have a Fine Gael politician complaining about it.

blorg

dolliemix wrote: »

I think less people cycle simply because it's less convenient. I try and cycle to work a few times a week, but it means I have to get up an hour earlier, have a shower when I get to work, which means I have to have a change of clothes etc organised the night before.

How far is your commute? You could try cycling in your work clothes and just go a bit slower. If you go slow enough (you can cycle at a pace equivalent to walking effort but still actually go reasonably fast) you would not need to shower and change. I like my lycra but normal clothes are the norm in most of the world for cycle commuting.

I also think school kids nowadays have way more books to carry than I did back in the 80s/90s. I'm a secondary school teacher. ... If I was a parent I wouldn't want my child transporting all that stuff on a bike.

Weight isn't really a big deal in the scheme of things presuming they have the gears to cycle at a reasonable pace. As a parent why would you be so worried? Cycling tends to result in a fitter child which is surely a good thing?

I have to say there are people out there trying really hard to promote cycling to the younger kids. Some of our 1st Years won a competition, where some girls from the Body Shop came in and taught the girls how to 'look good on the bike'. It was called the Beauty and the Bike Scheme. The kids were delighted!

I think you are right there, cycling has to be promoted as more "normal" (as per my link above) if it is going to become a mainstream commuting option, not just people in skin-tight lycra. There has been a massive growth in this area in the last few years with clothes that are practical to cycle in while still looking good.

dolliemix

blorg wrote: »

How far is your commute? You could try cycling in your work clothes and just go a bit slower. If you go slow enough (you can cycle at a pace equivalent to walking effort but still actually go reasonably fast) you would not need to shower and change. I like my lycra but normal clothes are the norm in most of the world for cycle commuting.

Weight isn't really a big deal in the scheme of things presuming they have the gears to cycle at a reasonable pace. As a parent why would you be so worried? Cycling tends to result in a fitter child which is surely a good thing?

I think you are right there, cycling has to be promoted as more "normal" (as per my link above) if it is going to become a mainstream commuting option, not just people in skin-tight lycra. There has been a massive growth in this area in the last few years with clothes that are practical to cycle in while still looking good.

My cycle to work is a 6k uphill. I also carry a laptop, lunch, books on my back so I can't avoid sweating. (My change of clothes is in the basket at the front.) No way am I going around for the day knowing that I may smell of stale sweat!

Of course I'd love to see more kids cycling. But if you felt the weight of the kids bags you might agree with me. Some of these kids are tiny. They aren't good for their backs long term I would say. We need to work on a homework policy in schools really, whereby the students only bring a minimum amount of books home at night

Cycling can be easy as a commute for some people, but you need to accept that its not viable for everybody as a commute. I'd love if my cycle into work was downhill. I wouldn't care less about getting hot and sweaty on the way home!!! But thats not the case. So it makes for more organisation and time on my part and sometimes I just don't have that time.

I live near the Luas as well.....I would love if there was carraige just for bikes available. I think if our trains and trams accepted bikes way more people would cycle. In Berlin it works.

tomasrojo

michaelm wrote: »

I would like to see a nationwide policy on the provision of cycle lanes. At the very least any new roadworks should include the provision of an accompanying cycle lane. It breaks my heart to see so many places where the hard shoulder is way wider than necessary!

Be careful what you wish for. Most new suburban roads in Dublin do have cycle lanes and they're awful off-road affairs, which require you to give way at every driveway. Many are too narrow and also place you in very close proximity to pedestrians, meaning you have to cycle very slowly.

A hard shoulder, on the other hand, is an excellent feature for cyclists, and, unlike cycle lanes, their introduction can be statistically linked with lower cyclist mortality*. Wider kerb lanes (which for cyclists is what a hard shoulder means) have most of the advantages of cycle lanes and none of the disadvantages (mostly the increased likelihood of collisions at all junctions).


*The bicycle, a study of efficiency usage and safety., D.F. Moore, An Foras Forbatha, Dublin 1975

tomasrojo

However, I should point out, the legality of cyclists using the hard shoulder is rather grey. I think the cyclists groups are trying to get that clarified. Essentially, it's not for "driving on", and since using a bike is "driving" by the Road Traffic Act of 1961, it's arguably illegal for a cyclist to cycle on it. Not that anyone would ever stop you for it.

blorg

If you live near the Luas and your cycle is 6km uphill I can only imagine you are going out of the city centre towards Sandyford sort of direction? It is uphill but gentle enough, if you just gear down and go a bit slower you should be able to avoid sweating, honest. Just resist the temptation to go faster as faster=sweating.

dolliemix

blorg wrote: »

If you live near the Luas and your cycle is 6km uphill I can only imagine you are going out of the city centre towards Sandyford sort of direction? It is uphill but gentle enough, if you just gear down and go a bit slower you should be able to avoid sweating, honest. Just resist the temptation to go faster as faster=sweating.

Ha! I have tried that. It's the back pack on my back thats the problem I think. If I'd no back pack I might be ok. I'll try again after Easter. I've been running a bit in the last few weeks so I'd say the fact that I'm fitter will help as well.

When I go into town to meet friends I can wear whatever I want....and theres nothing better than that feeling when you're passing all the traffic jams at 1 o clock in the morning on George's/Camden Street!

To be honest I don't need to be convinced, I love using my bike as a mode of transport. The OP was looking for reasons as to why people might not cycle. I'm just giving my two cents worth....

tomasrojo

dolliemix wrote: »

lol! In what way are Fine Gael cyclist bashers? I've never heard that before.

In addition to what blorg said, see also the wisdom of FG councillors Gerry Breen and Bill Tormey, who have uncovered a shady network of cyclist extremists forcing through lunatic policies that make cities more pleasant for pedestrians and cyclists.

I have here a list of the names of 207 persons who are known by the Secretary of Defense as being members of Cyclist.ie

blorg

dolliemix wrote: »

Ha! I have tried that. It's the back pack on my back thats the problem I think. If I'd no back pack I might be ok. I'll try again after Easter. I've been running a bit in the last few weeks so I'd say the fact that I'm fitter will help as well.

Fitter definitely helps. A backpack majorly increases sweating all right; I would ditch that. I know you said you had a dodgy back carrier before but I would give that one another try, with panniers. There should be no reason you can't attach one solidly. I have a rack and panniers on many bikes and have done long distances touring over far rougher roads (and indeed off-road) than we have in Dublin and no problems.

To be honest I don't need to be convinced, I love using my bike as a mode of transport. The OP was looking for reasons as to why people might not cycle. I'm just giving my two cents worth....

Appreciate that.

dolliemix

lol! thanks for the advice!

I'm not too sure I want my expensive laptop anywhere but on my back. I'm trying to get them to provide me with one in work. The one I had in work was sent to get repaired and didn't come back up to standard and we've been dealing with this and insurance companies since November 12 months ago! The joys of working in the public service - where nothing gets replaced! So I've been bringing my own laptop into work.

How do other people carry their laptop?

BostonB

Unless you cycle to meetings where you need a laptop there's no good reason to carry your laptop. It nots designed to be shaken like that.

You should sync you data to an encrypted portable HD or flash drive and carry that. Or have secure remote or secure online access to the data.

Yor goal should be to cycle with as little as possible. Less to carry less to pack less to forget.

That's apart from any data protection concerns about using your own equipment for work.

blorg

dolliemix wrote: »

How do other people carry their laptop?

I now generally leave it in work but when I carried it indeed found a backpack safer; too much vibration strapped to the bike. I did go as far as to get a light (<1kg) laptop and very small bag so as to minimize how much I had to carry on my back.

dolliemix

Eh....there is a good reason....I need it for work!

Whats with people on this thread telling me that I don't need a laptop or a change of clothes or I shouldn't sweat....when I do?

There's plenty of people who need to carry laptops. I'm asking what is the best way to carry it when you're cycling. I'm sure there's plenty of people, like college students, who do it everyday.

Lumen

dolliemix wrote: »

Eh....there is a good reason....I need it for work!

Whats with people on this thread telling me that I don't need a laptop or a change of clothes or I shouldn't sweat....when I do?

There's plenty of people who need to carry laptops. I'm asking what is the best way to carry it when you're cycling. I'm sure there's plenty of people, like college students, who do it everyday.

If it's not your laptop, then just use a pannier or rack bag and keep it backed up regularly. If it fails, your work will hopefully buy you a nice new one. (or give you the crappiest one they can find)

In winter, when I need to carry lots of stuff anyway, I usually carry mine in a rack bag, on top of a piece of squishy foam or spare clothes.

In summer I just use a small satchel-style laptop bag. Sweatyness isn't too much of a problem if the bag is small and can move around a bit.

BostonB

It makes zero sense to me that you need a computer for work but work won't provide you with one. Or that you need to carry a latop around everyday.

Ignoring that. All you need to do is hit a pot hole and you could destroy your laptop. The shock is obviously reduced if it's in a padded rucksack. Obviously the lighter the laptop the better.

keenan110

Regarding kids not cycling to school i think it's a poor excuse when they say their bags are too heavy! I have cycled to school for the past 6 years and its been no problem.
You never have to carry home all your books each day! And the odd times when i would have loads of books to carry i'd just put the heavy ones in a pannier bag!

Lumen

BostonB wrote: »

It makes zero sense to me that you need a computer for work but work won't provide you with one. Or that you need to carry a latop around everyday.

It's quite normal for IT contractors to both supply their own laptops and carry them around every day.

blorg

Lumen wrote: »

It's quite normal for IT contractors to both supply their own laptops and carry them around every day.

But she is a secondary school teacher not an IT contractor. I suspect school funds are tight and she is using her own resources voluntarily; it happens.