The wimp list ...

Oymyakon wrote: »

Cycled very slowly to and from work last two days. Swords - Grand Canal Dock. Actually went on my arse coming out of the driveway yesterday but no harm done apart from a tiny rip in my brand new castelli overshoes. The roads in general are decent on my route but still nervous as f.ck

What route do you take as a matter of interest.

Had to cycle from Glasnevin to Swords a while back; it was a bit of an eye opener for me in that I was there in 30 minutes. It really wouldnt have been much quicker in the car.

However, the eye opener being that the biggest impediment is the road you are cycling on, not the distance. I didnt enjoy it. If there was a decent cycle path from swords to the liffey - its a cycle that most people that are any way fit could do in under 40 minutes. This is quicker than commute time in rush hour.

Paddigol wrote: »

Have the bike with me in work for commute to Greystones via N11... had assumed that with +5 degrees and by the coast there shouldn't be a problem. Will see soon enough!

No issues on my route last night anyway...

magicbastarder wrote: »

did you go via ballymun or santry?

BTW - a propos conversation last week, there was another kid knocked off a bike in Glasnevin on Saturday, second in the space of 5 days & brought to hospital.

Oymyakon wrote: »

I go directly down the airport road similar to the 41 busses. Airside direct as far as Dorset street via Santry. The paths/roads are inconsistent, particularly once you reach Santry. I guess experience now has made me ok with the commute, but there are some sketchy parts I guess. Lots of mingling with huge queues of traffic and I encounter very few other cyclists en route. My commute is 15km and I think as you pointed out, with a bit more consistent infrastructure and maybe slightly less traffic I'd be doing it in 35-40 mins, a far better option than driving or spending 1500€/year on the Swords Express.

Check out BusConnect.ie. Corridor 2 will run from Swords to the City Centre and should result in real improvements for cyclists. I say "should" as I haven't looked at the cycling proposals as I'm more concerned with Corridor 3. Mind you, I do cycle out to Swords from Drumcondra twice a week for club spins so I should have a look. The current consultation period ends on 16 December.

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

Whatever about being too close but too loud?? Hardly the fault of the driver. I always appreciate the beautiful tune of a Scania V8 engine - can be clearly identified way before passing by.

I find that difficult to believe (unless you're commuting at 3am), It has to be one of the most popular cycling routes in the country in my experience,

Understand your point - loud in itself is c'est la vie, but when the traffic is close then 'loud' adds to the anxiety it causes.

Not obviously in everyone, obviously the uber experienced and relaxed cyclist will take these things in their stride and even begin to find pleasure in different engine tones the way a marine biologist might enjoy the differing sonar emitted by dolphins.

The few times I've been out that way, Ive seen one or two other cyclists. Maybe its very popular on a Sunday morning, but day time there are hardly any cyclists.

Having commuted on the R132 for years, I regularly saw many cyclists both northbound (~0830) and southbound (~1815). I met a few Boardsies on those commutes too.

It's been almost two years since I've commuted on that route as work has (unfortunately) moved southside and closer to home :mad:

I'm in today..wet is not the word for it.. even the birds have wimped today.

dahat wrote: »

Most folk hate the turbo but few hate cycling outdoors so choose wisely....

I personally think a lot of it comes down to set up as well. I've a permanent space, bike and turbo permanently set-up, two TV's for zwift/ spotify/ netflix/ prime/ chromecast (delete as applicable to the cognitive load I can handle), two air movers.

Also, for me it's a form of exercise that I can fit in around family and work much less disruptively than outdoor spins or training. I've come to the conclusion that I'm process driven, so like following a training plan. And I want to get faster, even if I'm still on the fence about giving racing another go.

I'd take turbo over being cold and wet outside all the time. First winter in a club cycling, I was out all weathers. When I wasn't sick from being out in all weathers.

eeeee wrote: »

I absolutely love rollers, but I can't roll in my place due to neighbours (can only roll outside in the public park next to me, and only then when it's not raining or too cold), so I got a turbo and it's teeth itchingly boring.
I do structured workouts on both, but I'd die of boredom doing more than an hour of very structured, relatively intense work on on a turbo. You don't need to handle the bike on them at all, just pedal. You can work to higher power on them, but everything you do on rollers directly transfers to the bike off rollers, it's not the same on the turbo cos you don't have to handle the bike. It's a necessary evil for me, I'm not a lover of a solo road spin.

Bit disappointed to find out after years of cycling how little I know about it.

I had never even hear of rollers.

They look unstable? Or specifically, and more to your point, you'd need to be fairly skilled to use them.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PEYHzdd74x8

eeeee wrote: »

You don't need to handle the bike on them at all, just pedal.

Well I was out with the club last week, and definitely noticed not being out for a while on some of the technical descents we went down. I know not the same as the handling from rollers, but took me a while to adjust. I have been out on a few solo spins, but I wasn't aware I was so obviously taking it handy down hill until I was out with others.

Endurance and tempo workouts I'll quite happily go through netflix seasons. Sweet spot I can just about get away with something without subtitles or watching racing or catch up on podcasts, at least for the first few intervals. Above that, I listen to music. I feel like I get the benefits of catching up on those things as well as the workout - again, stuff I don't really get the chance with work and family commitments (and conflicted watch/ listen lists!).

Sign me up, planned on a spin this am with a friend the first since the first week in December. Got up and checked the roads at 7 everything was white with frost there was no ice as it was dry but we decided we just wouldn't enjoy it so will try again for tomorrow but looks like more of the same for tomorrow

Cheers for keeping the wheels of public transport turning all year wheel01 - must be a fairly thankless job in Covid times.