Tell us about your new improved government regulations compliant cycle part II

silverharp

got home fine last night but definite shift in wind to the East, plenty of wind resistance. On the wimp list today, let the train take the strain.....

Alanstrainor

Alek wrote: »

Absolutely the worst morning commute in a long time. 45kph sidewind from the east, channelling between the buildings into a headwind but NEVER tailwind, rain and hail that disappears every single time you decide to stop and put the jacket on, and that fecking ironic rainbow at the very end.

I'd rather cycle in a downpour, hurricane, snowstorm, you name it, there is at least that smugness of surviving hardship in it, but this undecided moody shoite is beyond my mental capabilities.


Ugh.

And mine was the opposite. Blasted into work down from Portmarnock to Dublin city centre. That easterly was more north easterly I'd bet, which gave me a massive boost. The gusts weren't pretty when they caught you side on, but overall it wasn't too bad.

God help me on my return journey!

Taxuser1

I was commuting home last night and ahead of me saw a rider with a fantastic rear light, probably the best I've seen on a nighttime spin. I caught up with him and complimented him on his attention to safety but in particular the magnificent rear light which could be seen for miles. I rode off regretting that I hadn't asked where he got it. I came to a stop a few hundred metres later at the red lights at the always busy Terenure X and the rider I passed came up alongside and told me that they were Aldi lights, that he got them 3 years ago. He ruefully noted that their brightness might never matter as there were so many lunatics on the road anyway. He wished me good luck as he headed off through the red lights.

devonp

on the commute home from cc to leixlip..was flying along with the tailwind..thought the bike seemed extra comfy..after the bridge in Chapo checked the tyre..softish ..kept going...it started to bucket down through Palmerstown..kept going..lots of fishtailing..made it as far as the Salmon Leap on the last lb of air! walked thru Leixlip and up leixlip hill to home, good job i use MTB cleats with the commuter...i'll check the tyre in the morning!!

Wishbone Ash

I was on my way home from a group ride this afternoon when I had a spectacular blowout just as an articulated truck was passing me outside Naul village. Scared the crap out of me for a second as I thought it was one of the truck's tyres.

I assessed the damage and immediately thought I'd call Mrs WA. Thinking she'd take the head off me I said I'd try to do a repair job and see how far I'd get. Managed to get a boot in but it wasn't big enough to cover the hole so the tube was visible. I put a very small amount of air in - probably 10-15psi and just enough to prevent road damage to the wheel. The wind, rain and hailstones didn't help working at the side of the road.

I hobbled along being very pessimistic and regularly looking down at the visible tube. Because of the very low pressure, the bike kept wallowing over and back on the tyre giving some hairy moments. I was expecting it to go at any moment but incredibly I managed to cover the 15k home and didn't have to do any walking.

It looks like damage from a mis-alligned brake pad but that wasn't the case. The tyre has 14,000kms on it so I'm assuming it just got weaker recently.

site_owner

Aren't durano rated for about 3000km?!

Wishbone Ash

site_owner wrote: »

Aren't durano rated for about 3000km?!

3,000kms? First I've heard of it. Pretty pointless having to change tyres every month!

LollipopJimmy

Cycled up Chapelizod hill tonight in hailstones and with a full gear bag and turns out I did my PB. Definitely getting fitter, gym regime is not for the front hearted though.

Wishbone Ash

LollipopJimmy wrote: »

...., gym regime is not for the front hearted though.

I now have visions of you with a massive heart growing out of your back!

LollipopJimmy

Ah fer feck sake... I no do engrish good today

magicbastarder

site_owner wrote: »

Aren't durano rated for about 3000km?!

out of curiosity, i went looking to find out:

It is difficult to answer this question, as mileage is influenced greatly by tire pressure, load, road surface, temperature and the rider. For example, when used in hot weather with a heavy load and on rough asphalt, a tire wears much faster.

As a general guide, you can expect a tire mileage of 2000 to 5000 km from Schwalbe standard tires. The tires of the Marathon family usually last between 6000 and 12000 km. With the light Marathon Racer and Marathon Supreme, the performance is a little lower (approx. 5000 to 9000 km). The Marathon Plus is outstanding with its extremely high mileage of often much more than 10000 km.

No useful mileage data is possible for MTB tires, because the influence of riding style is too dominant. Our racing bike tire Schwalbe One lasts from 3000 to 7000 km.

https://www.schwalbetires.com/tech_info/tire_wear

Wishbone Ash

magicbastarder wrote: »

out of curiosity, i went looking to find out:

https://www.schwalbetires.com/tech_info/tire_wear

I've a pair of Marathon Plus hanging up in the garage with 22,000kms on them with zero punctures and plenty of life in them yet. I used to use them for commuting.

Alek

I've just retired a pair of (kind of "standard") Schwalbe Kojaks after more than 23000km due to sidewall bulge. There was plenty of rubber left...

LollipopJimmy

Dublin Bike this morning from James' to St.Stephens Green, soaked to the skin :eek:

Mickiemcfist

Most cars pretty courteous this morning except for the one taxi in Donnybrook who seemed to take great pleasure in driving as fast as possible through a flooded patch beside me, the 4 foot wave definitely helped wake me up!

Alanstrainor

Had a touch time of it yesterday evening heading north along the Clontarf - Sutton track. It maybe wasn't as bad as I was expecting and managed to tip along at a good pace all considered. Had a fella tuck in behind me the whole way up the track from Clontarf to Baldoyle and he got off with me at the same spot. Not a word of thanks! Ended up drowned with a downpour in the last 10 minutes. This morning was fairly bad too, I suppose I have to remind myself what time of year it is! We were spoiled over the summer!

mr spuckler

Alanstrainor wrote: »

Had a fella tuck in behind me the whole way up the track from Clontarf to Baldoyle and he got off with me at the same spot. Not a word of thanks!

I get this a good bit too - rightly p1sses me off! I tend to give them a few mins to see if they plan to share the load, then keep turning around staring at them until they eventually either back off or move up. I'm very friendly as you can tell :pac:

neris

mr spuckler wrote: »

I get this a good bit too - rightly p1sses me off! I tend to give them a few mins to see if they plan to share the load, then keep turning around staring at them until they eventually either back off or move up. I'm very friendly as you can tell :pac:

speed i go at i dont have this problem. to slow to draft behind and to slow to be able to keep up to draft

smacl

neris wrote: »

speed i go at i dont have this problem. to slow to draft behind and to slow to be able to keep up to draft

Same. Entertaining spin yesterday lunch around Massey's wood, where I found going up the muddy slopes after heavy rain added a whole new degree of hardship. Fantastic for all that, with a couple of red squirrels crossing my path and the river in full spate adding some drama. Didn't hear the results of the Save the Hellfire submission on Tuesday's hearing but fingers crossed the SDCC submission got kicked into touch. For a European capital city, we're so lucky to have this on or doorstep and it would be a tragedy to wreck it.

mr spuckler

smacl wrote: »

Same. Entertaining spin yesterday lunch around Massey's wood, where I found going up the muddy slopes after heavy rain added a whole new degree of hardship. Fantastic for all that, with a couple of red squirrels crossing my path and the river in full spate adding some drama. Didn't hear the results of the Save the Hellfire submission on Tuesday's hearing but fingers crossed the SDCC submission got kicked into touch. For a European capital city, we're so lucky to have this on or doorstep and it would be a tragedy to wreck it.

it's a beautiful amenity, made all the moreso for being relatively unspoiled.

silverharp

cycling version of this today on the grand canal route, why????

smacl

silverharp wrote: »

cycling version of this today on the grand canal route, why????

If you're going to be regularly cycling reasonable distances in the wind and rain having gear designed for cycling in the wind and rain helps. Nothing wrong with a splash of colour either and a damn sight easier on the eye than much of the high-viz you see while offering the same or better benefit.

Embrace the lycra

AndrewJRenko

silverharp wrote: »

cycling version of this today on the grand canal route, why????

Beats the alternative along the grand canal route;


https://streamable.com/bgor5

There is just no unseeing that!!!!!! :eek:

Type 17

That’s why bib shorts/tights were invented.

Felexicon

AndrewJRenko wrote: »

Beats the alternative along the grand canal route;


https://streamable.com/bgor5

Take that down and have a bit of class.

LollipopJimmy

ED E

What happened to the whole winter thing? That was class. More of that please.

pjmn

Very cold this morning, just went out the main road and back to avoid the frosty back roads...

https://www.strava.com/activities/1984107552

neris

ED E wrote: »

What happened to the whole winter thing? That was class. More of that please.

Not making it easy to pick what to wear out. I got passed by a lad in shorts today who's mate with him must have been expecting a Siberian blast before he got home