The wimp list ...

Weepsie

Phoenix park was fine this afternoon. Some ice over near mount Sackville end.

Roads were very mucky though but it was relatively quiet and everyone made space for one another.

Some ****e parking at wellington monument. On the pavement and double yellows

Mercian Pro

Weepsie wrote: »

Roads were very mucky though but it was relatively quiet and everyone made space for one another.

I was just thinking yesterday how clean they were compared to the backroads of NCD. First time since the last level 5 that I didn't need to wash down my bike after getting home.

Heat_Wave

Do cyclists generally avoid going out in the month of January?

Fairly new to it so would like to get an understanding. I’d be very shook if I were to have a fall.

CramCycle

Heat_Wave wrote: »

Do cyclists generally avoid going out in the month of January?

Fairly new to it so would like to get an understanding. I’d be very shook if I were to have a fall.

Most of my cycling is commuting so it doesn't stop in January, some do, some take 3 months off, some take the cold days off and some make more of an effort on the bad days, there is no one size fits all. Certainly the majority will turn back if there is any sign of ice on the roads, having fallen myself loads of times, its not put me off but I would understand if it did.
If you are going out, lower your tire pressure to increase grip and get used to slowing earlier, as in ease off coming to turns and junctions rather than hitting the brakes at the turn.

rolling boh

Seems a lot of the cyclists who usually go at a good pace stay home more and use their trainers for me the road conditions at this time call for a more cautious cycle on my old bike just really to keep ticking over and use trainer during the week .I found i have to avoid the back roads more so just stick to main ones during the middle of the day and cycle at a slower pace than other times .

bazermc

I’m wimping out now in advance of tomorrow

07Lapierre

Well it looks like I'll be working from home for the next few weeks, so their goes my daily commute!

Not all bad though, as I often have to make a judgement call at 7am, when it's dark. It can be difficult to tell if a road is just wet, or covered in ice at that time of the morning. Also I find the driveway can be lethal, yet the road (which is gritted) can be ok.

In short, Cycling at this time of year is a decision each cyclist must make for themselves.

magicbastarder

magicbastarder wrote: »

https://twitter.com/METclimate/status/1345109847432433665

apparently (i had to ask and look this up) the mention of warming is a red herring to those who don't speak meteorologese, this is the sort of conditions which led to the beast from the east.

Blocking high diverting in winds from the east and holding the usually south westerly airflow from the Atlantic at bay, but the origin of the winds is not as cold as it usually would be this year due to another giant blocking high stuck over Siberia. Very unusual set-up but there won't be any beast from the East any time soon. Looks fairly benign, with frosty nights and coldish days. That being said, I won't be going out on the bike until after midday any time soon.

magicbastarder

yeah, my understanding was that these conditions were a necessary precursor to the beast from the east scenario, but not enough on their own.

magicbastarder

magicbastarder wrote: »

yeah, my understanding was that these conditions were a necessary precursor to the beast from the east scenario, but not enough on their own.

Indeed, that giant high over Siberia needs to shift and we need Central Europe to cool down a lot more for a real blast of polar air.

Heat_Wave

Heat_Wave wrote: »

Do cyclists generally avoid going out in the month of January?

Fairly new to it so would like to get an understanding. I’d be very shook if I were to have a fall.

I was a novice last year (still am!) and came off on ice just after Christmas. I was a bit shook for a few weeks after but the skin comes back, the bike can be fixed and you'll get your bottle back if you do come off.

Remember that if you are heading into the countryside or up to the hills that conditions are likely to be colder. Try and cycle after midday, be very careful in shaded areas and as per the post above lower tyre pressure and take it easy on descents and going into corners.

Enjoy!

C3PO

Heat_Wave wrote: »

Do cyclists generally avoid going out in the month of January?

Fairly new to it so would like to get an understanding. I’d be very shook if I were to have a fall.

I cycle every day no matter what the conditions but will sometimes take the mountain bike if it’s really hairy!

tnegun

Can I ask the guys the cycle year round are you urban or rural based and what distance are you covering? PreCovid I would of cycled in most weather conditions but there's certain times I won't e.g. if its wet the night before a heavy frost or the high end of the yellow wind warnings I just won't as its too risky and I've come off a few times and that's no fun 15k from home!! I've a 22k each way Maynooth to Park West commute though what are you guys doing?

C3PO

I’m based in Dublin - commute a 30k roundtrip and typically will cycle approx 60km on Saturday and Sunday. I never feel that there is a day that I can’t cycle.

Richard Hillman

I worked out that 8 degrees is my threshold. Also 20kph of wind. See you all in March :pac:

tnegun

I don't mind the cold but I know once the wind hits 20kph its going to make it tough!

Seth Brundle

tnegun wrote: »

I don't mind the cold but I know once the wind hits 20kph its going to make it tough!

Unless the wind is on your back

dahat

Cold is one thing but cycling in icy conditions is just plain reckless unless you’ve got a bike to match the conditions.

tnegun

Seth Brundle wrote: »

Unless the wind is on your back

I find with my commute it can be in my face in the morning and then 8 hours later in the face for the way home!! Those few precious days were you have it at your back both directions though!!

rolling boh

Icy roads and strong winds blowing across dragging me towards road or side are the two factors I consider before I go out on the bike .I don't commute so at least I can make a choice based on safety no desire to be the hero .Everyone has to make their own choice of course which is fair enough but going out in icy conditions will result in a fall at some stage so anyone should factor that in before they start .

G1032

tnegun wrote: »

Can I ask the guys the cycle year round are you urban or rural based and what distance are you covering? PreCovid I would of cycled in most weather conditions but there's certain times I won't e.g. if its wet the night before a heavy frost or the high end of the yellow wind warnings I just won't as its too risky and I've come off a few times and that's no fun 15k from home!! I've a 22k each way Maynooth to Park West commute though what are you guys doing?

Unless it's icy I'd cycle in pretty much any weather. Cold and wet is usually obviously a bad combination but doable with the right gear on if the spin isn't too long.

Sunday last was very cold. Just checked TP file a few minutes ago. 4hrs out with an average temperature of 0 degrees and a low of minus 2. But it was dry so the cold was bearable.

Was out a day in the last week, forget which one, and it was very windy. Had one stretch across a very open road with the wind coming across me. It was a fight at times to keep steady and in hindsight it was stupid to go that road. Windy on sheltered roads I don't mind so much

Seth Brundle

tnegun wrote: »

I find with my commute it can be in my face in the morning and then 8 hours later in the face for the way home!! Those few precious days were you have it at your back both directions though!!

I've found that even on regular spins. Headwind on my way out and headwind all the way back

tomasrojo

tnegun wrote: »

Can I ask the guys the cycle year round are you urban or rural based and what distance are you covering? PreCovid I would of cycled in most weather conditions but there's certain times I won't e.g. if its wet the night before a heavy frost or the high end of the yellow wind warnings I just won't as its too risky and I've come off a few times and that's no fun 15k from home!! I've a 22k each way Maynooth to Park West commute though what are you guys doing?

Just Dublin: suburbs and city centre. All utility cycling. I use a cargo bike to drop the kids off to school and don't have a realistic Plan B, so I just have to keep going. The only schooldays I've missed I can remember were days when the weather was so bad school was cancelled anyway, so I didn't actually miss them (Storm Ophelia, snow deep on the ground, that sort of thing).

I don't go very fast. That's about the most important thing, I guess. I've a fairly good idea where the ice forms when it's the sort of weather that forms ice.

Do about 30km a day on schooldays at the moment (home->school->home->school->home). If I didn't have to go back home to work for covid reasons and instead could proceed to the office it would be a bit over 20km a day, I think.

tnegun

Dunno if its in my head but I find as soon as I get to Lucan on my commute the worst has passed road wise I think its the heat island effect as it becomes more built up, also its more trafficked and more likely to to gritted! I got caught in snow once cycling home, it was very dodgy and I've to walk in a few spots once the wheel didn't cut through to the road there was just no grip!

tomasrojo

tnegun wrote: »

Dunno if its in my head but I find as soon as I get to Lucan on my commute the worst has passed road wise I think its the heat island effect as it becomes more built up, also its more trafficked and more likely to to gritted! I got caught in snow once cycling home, it was very dodgy and I've to walk in a few spots once the wheel didn't cut through to the road there was just no grip!

The chances of meeting ice seem to decrease a lot the nearer you get to the inner suburbs, which I guess is down to,as you say, heat island effect, extent of traffic and gritting, plus lower altitude.

CramCycle

34km round trip, most days of the year, only laziness has prevented it and that hits me in Summer as much as winter. Never a day I went out I think I made the wrong call on the bike but almost every time I got the bus or drove it was nearly always the wrong call.

Seth Brundle

tnegun wrote: »

Dunno if its in my head but I find as soon as I get to Lucan on my commute the worst has passed road wise I think its the heat island effect as it becomes more built up, also its more trafficked and more likely to to gritted! I got caught in snow once cycling home, it was very dodgy and I've to walk in a few spots once the wheel didn't cut through to the road there was just no grip!

I assume from Carton to Intel you use the hard shoulder which is prone to frost & ice.
Along the N4 you probably are like me (when I wasn't working from home) and use the bus lane which would be gritted.

magicbastarder

bleedin' baltic and very frosty in north dublin right now. and no, i didn't go out on the bike.

cletus

I have temporarily wimped out, due to a combination of icy roads, and last night's feed of Guinness.

I shall reassess the situation in few hours

rolling boh

Roads only seem to thaw out in patches around Dunboyne area so stuck to the trainer today just to be on the safe side .