How come Irish cyclists act like they’re in the Tour de France?

completedit

Was in Amsterdam and people just casually cycle from A to B, happy faces on them in normal everyday clothes. In Ireland, cyclists look like they’re always ascending Mont Vendoux in the Tour de France. I’m guessing Irish cyclists in general do longer commutes than those in Amsterdam with more difficult conditions(much more hillier) but still

Once the lycra is on some become superheroes in their own heads. And common sense on the road becomes superfluous.

Sugarlumps

Fingerless gloves, why?

Ray Palmer

I have been cycling most days for the last 20 years and have never worn lycra once. The vast majority of cyclists during commuting times do not wear lycra either.

BuboBubo

Sugarlumps wrote: »

Fingerless gloves, why?

Because the handlebars are too rough for their delicate little paws

jim o doom

I do a fair bit of cycling if I'm not on the motorcycle.. I have those padded shorts on.. under my trackie bottoms.. that's about it though!

There are a fair few full kit TDF heads floating around, which confuses me as I regularly am cycling a fair bit faster than they are.

In terms of Amsterdam: their cycling infrastructure (IE cycling lanes and the like) are far better and far more numerous than they are in Dublin.

Also - crossing the road in Amsterdam is pretty scary, a lot of Dutch cyclists will just mow you down on one of those big heavy Dutch bikes, even if they fall off themselves. They are not chill about idiot tourists (like myself) who are not aware of where the cycling lanes are.

Stevieluvsye

completedit wrote: »

Was in Amsterdam and people just casually cycle from A to B, happy faces on them in normal everyday clothes. In Ireland, cyclists look like they’re always ascending Mont Vendoux in the Tour de France. I’m guessing Irish cyclists in general do longer commutes than those in Amsterdam with more difficult conditions(much more hillier) but still

Go to Copenhagen for a few days. You'll soon realise that Irish cyclists are a jovial bunch

EmmetSpiceland

Ray Palmer wrote: »

I have been cycling most days for the last 20 years and have never worn lycra once. The vast majority of cyclists during commuting times do not wear lycra either.

Can you call walking around sporting a handlebar moustache “cycling”?

whisky_galore

Non lycra cyclist here.

Don't understand why some head down-arse up speed merchants use greenways what with all the slow coaches (me), walkers, kids and dogs on them.

Hector Savage

Filthy kernts too ... ****eing themselves in their lycra pants ...

KevRossi

Maybe because a lot of drivers here think they're in Silverstone, Le Mans or the Dakar Rally?

A lot of pent up aggression and frustration on both sides here; I cycle about 1500 Km abroad every year and it's a big cultural shock to come back here to the aggressive cycling and driving.

andekwarhola

Everything I do on a bicycle has a direct correlation with what people do as motorists so waaaaaaa.

Am I doing this right?

EmmetSpiceland

andekwarhola wrote: »

Everything I do on a bicycle has a direct correlation with what people do as motorists so waaaaaaa.

Am I doing this right?

You didn’t say how you were dressed.

andekwarhola

EmmetSpiceland wrote: »

You didn’t say how you were dressed.

Superhero outfit when cycling.

It combines the dual themes of lycra and heroic self-righteousness.

Agricola

I dipped my toe into cycling this year after many years of scoffing at them in their lycra outfits. Im in the sticks so its purely for exercise and fresh air rather than commuting.

Personally I don't know how I could go out for an hour or more run on the bike without the gear. For one thing, I sweat like Prince Andrew in the Falklands, so I need the breathable fabrics. I need layers of it to regulate heat/cold. The lycra shorts counteract chaffing/rashes and dont flap about or snag in the bike frame like a tracksuit would. I need a helmet to protect against injury and glasses for things hitting me in the face, like bugs in the summer. I wear padded fingerless gloves to absorb the vibration up into the arms from the very harsh ride of a roadbike. So all this crap has a purpose and without it, you are just making a fairly arduous activity needlessly more uncomfortable and arduous. I still havent graduated to the special shoes though. Maybe next year.

positron

Anything more than a short commute is way more comfortable wearing padded shorts. Snug fitting lycra might not be necessary, but padded, breathabale, quick drying and comfortably stretchy shorts are a must.. Lycra does all that.

Obvious Desperate Breakfasts

People wear exercise clothes for different kinds of exercise, don’t they? Why would cyclists differ?

RobbieTheRobber

Obvious Desperate Breakfasts wrote: »

People wear exercise clothes for different kinds of exercise, don’t they? Why would cyclists differ?

People wear exercise clothes doing everything these days. The whole Athleisure wear is everywhere but no the OP is right Cyclists cycling and wearing cycling clothes is the real problem with society.

suicide_circus

the lack of housing density means that people can be cycling large distances, on roads shared with large vehicles. People cycling in Dutch cities are generally doing a couple of KMs on paths totally seperate from the rest of the traffic - a much more chilled out situation.

railer201

There's no harm (literally) in cyclists dreaming they are in the Tour de France.

I'd be more concerned in why some motorists act like Formula 1 racing drivers when they're on the M50 where real harm may be done ?

greenspurs

completedit wrote: »

Was in Amsterdam and people just casually cycle from A to B, happy faces on them in normal everyday clothes. In Ireland, cyclists look like they’re always ascending Mont Vendoux Ventoux in the Tour de France. I’m guessing Irish cyclists in general do longer commutes than those in Amsterdam with more difficult conditions(much more hillier) but still

I fixed your post.....

In Ireland motorists look like they're always qualifying for the Monaco G.P ……..

I’m guessing Irish motorists in general do longer commutes than those in Grand prix's and with more difficult conditions(much more hillier) but still ……..

You know.... :rolleyes:

Ray Palmer

Ray Palmer wrote: »

I have been cycling most days for the last 20 years and have never worn lycra once.

Lies. You were caught out on film.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZlGetFM59dY

donvito99

The infrastructure for cyclists (built after the Oil crisis) in the Netherlands is phenomenal. No hassle from motorists means no helmets, no hi viz, no lycra.

Do that in Ireland and the lycra brigade will be crowded out of it by people who can get to where they're going safely without the enormous expense of a car.

BDI

I do be fairly scared at times cycling. I usually wear snickers trousers or rain gear. People still think it’s ok the overtake you then fast turn left, a fire brigade Jeep/pickup thing did it to me last week nearly killed me. Couldn’t wait five seconds for me to cycle on.

Or people who sneak up on you and beep loudly, probably because I’m not in the cycling lane. The cycling lane is usually built for leisure cyclists and more than likely only building it was budgeted for. Maintenance not so much. I legally don’t need to cycle in the cycle lane.

I am a father of many on a slow moving vehicle, I have a license and car at home I just don’t want to sit in traffic and pay for parking. It’s very stressful.

Anyway I must toddle off the wife has the dinner ready, I do stuff like eat dinner when I’m not blocking up the road on a two wheeled vehicle that’s no wider than my shoulders.

Pinch Flat

donvito99 wrote: »

The infrastructure for cyclists (built after the Oil crisis) in the Netherlands is phenomenal. No hassle from motorists means no helmets, no hi viz, no lycra.

The Netherlands also decided the killing children had to stop, and the "Stop de Kindermoord" movement was instrumental from changing Dutch attitudes. That was in thye early 1970's. Wer' re just anbout at that point in ireland now.

https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2015/may/05/amsterdam-bicycle-capital-world-transport-cycling-kindermoord

We also allocate a pitiful amount of our capital expenditure (about 1%) to cycling infrastructure, whereas the minimum level to achieve passable cycling infrastructure is about 10%. We'll spend billions on a motorway widening that just beings more traffic and more gridlock but little on livable communities. All our planning has been planned around car commuting and all that it brings.

In saying that, I'm partial to a bit of lycra myself. I find it comfortable, particularly on a 100km spin. Try that in a pair of gym shorts and see how the undercarriage fairs out....

"Pinch

"Pinch wrote:

In saying that, I'm partial to a bit of lycra myself.

He admitted it. Get him fellas!

freshpopcorn

Mod NoteClosed for review. Mainly because we had a cycling thread a few weeks ago.