Jaysus cycling! (6 Viewers)

haha sleeveles jersies equal under arm shaving or at least cropping too.


Sarah-you mean a women specific geometry frame or an actual ladies bike?


yes, this is an important point indeed. Can one de-hair the legs without de-hairing the arms? Its as if it isn't enough to work out the specifics of your frame size, optimal gear ratios, etc, without having to worry about body hair too!!!

I haven't yet gone down the road of de-hairing (only started road biking 2 years back, and have only really taken it up seriously this past winter (though not racing)). I went to the Canaries for a week cycling last february and felt like a right tit with big hairy pins on me though, so I reckon it has to go. The ladies swear by Veet though. Would it not be the same (albeit far more painful) for us lads?
 
I guess so. I'm the same height as inspector Horse, maybe a little bigger. I don't want to buy any custom built bike frames just yet!

It's probably fine, I've just seen people with bikes that are obviously too small for them.

Is your back hurting much as it is? Mine used to hurt too much to cycle at all but it's been sorted now. I find having the seat at the right height is actually better for my back even with the bars lower but I'm only six one so it might be different with you lads. Maybe worth experiment a bit with the height of the bars too and see what's comfortable.
 
It's probably fine, I've just seen people with bikes that are obviously too small for them.

Is your back hurting much as it is? Mine used to hurt too much to cycle at all but it's been sorted now. I find having the seat at the right height is actually better for my back even with the bars lower but I'm only six one so it might be different with you lads. Maybe worth experiment a bit with the height of the bars too and see what's comfortable.

No the back is grand now, because the saddle's too low. It's the bending over I'm worried about hur hur hur.
 
No the back is grand now, because the saddle's too low. It's the bending over I'm worried about hur hur hur.

I wouldn't worry about it. My back gives me more trouble on my mountain bike when I ride with the seat too low than any bending right over on my road bike(with the high saddle) ever does. Seriously just raise the saddle as Inspector Horse said and see how it feels, I'll bet you'll like it and if not you can always lower it again.

PS happy bent over riding Seanc :)
 
supposedly this is a good rough estimate, i ve done it and no back problems to speak of. my bars are real low / i'm 6 foot 4

measure your inside leg in cms and multiply by 0.833

the result is how high from the centre of the bottom bracket your saddle should (roughly) be

i ran the measurement along the seat tube (this might not be right though)


Best way to judge saddle height is by putting your heel on the pedal with the cranks a 6 and 12 o clock.
Your knee should be almost but not quite locked out when your heel is at 6 o clock.This the best way of gauging your correct saddle height as it means you get full leg extension and also dont get strain or impact injuries from your knee constantly locking out.
 
So.... I was told that, hmm, you are better off with a frame slightly too small for you rather than too big for you.

And, with saddle hieght, I have it set so that my leg can lock out if I push my heel slightly back, and can have a slight bend in my knee if the heel is slightly lifted. So, that it flicks back and forward kind of.
At this point, I just sort of know what is right.
I have to point out that almost everyone has the saddle set too low, even some guys at the club.

Basically you dont want it so high that you are rocking your hips on the saddle when you are spinning, you want it a little bit below that.

My legs dont go straight when I am riding, but, like I was saying, I can put the heel back a little when I am clipped in, and it will lock out straight, when you are pedaling though, your heel will be flat or raised so you are not hitting this locked position when you are spinning.

I think that's what Brian was saying too.
 
a letter in todays Irish Times. We're nothing but a shower of ignorant fuckers.

Bit rich coming from one of them lads on motorbikes, mind.

Anyway.....


BEHAVIOUR OF CYCLISTS
  • Madam, - The Labour Party and the Greens have a policy for cyclists on the streets of our towns and cities. Millions have been spent on the streets to create cycle lanes and facilities for cyclists to lock up their bikes around the town.
    Politicians and councilors are actively encouraging more people to take to the streets on two wheels. All of the above is welcome.
    I drive a motorbike to and from the city centre every day hail rain or shine. The behaviour of most (not all) cyclists is an absolute disgrace. Their regard for the law must be addressed. Traffic lights (especially pedestrian lights), seem to be there to be broken. One-way streets do not seem to apply to them.
    Footpaths pedestrian streets and bridges are treated as another cycle lane. Motorists are expected to be psychic as hand signals are seldom used.
    Most cyclists have never heard of front and rear lights for their bikes. I have even seen speed limits broken by cyclists (the Tour de France type with the spray on cycling outfit who thinks he's racing for the finishing line). The use of mobile phones is common. Plugged into headphones is an everyday sight.
    No hands while "texting" is a must for the college student cyclist.If a motorist/motorcyclist were to behave in the same manner as most cyclists there would be uproar from the public and indeed the cycling fraternity. Cyclists are great at commenting on the behavior of other road users but seem to ignore the rules of the road themselves. I would like to see zero tolerance for ALL road users being enforced not just motorists.
    - Yours, etc,
    ALAN COOKE, Fownes St., Dublin 2.
 
Actually, he makes a lot of fair points. I regularly miss one set of pedestrian lights on my way home because some cyclist decides to run the red, I've also been told to get out of the way by cyclists on footpaths and was almost knocked down by a cyclist going the wrong way down a one way street.

Cyclists like that are in the minority, I hope, but they do give cyclists a bad name. An accross the board zero tolerance policy is an excellent idea... but who's going to enforce it?
 
While that guy may well sound like a prick, he’s dead right.
One way cycle lanes are not optionally one way, they’re just one way, deal with it.
One way streets are one way streets for bikes too.
Why do people break lights if they’re going to peddle really really slowly?
Headphones and mobile phones on a bike? That's ridiculous carry on.

Learn to use gears when you're going up hills!
Oil your bikes!
Don’t race over foot bridges, that’s ignorant.
I've gone on footpaths, put NEVER when there's people anywhere near me. Only when I've felt I've had to.
I’d can’t give out about the other stuff, because I’ve done it too. Here’s why:

I think it would be nice if there was a little more thought put into cycle lanes and that. It’s probably safer for a cyclist to consider all red lights as flashing amber, instead of them being squished in between cars and busses. Especially busses, as cyclists share the bus lane with them. What’s the point in a bus being constantly stuck behind a bunch of bikes? Let them go on, the bus driver will overtake them if he gets a chance. And if I’m in a cycle lane coming up to a junction, and I want to go straight, but I’m trapped by the cars turning left, what am I supposed to do? I don’t know. How do I deal with roundabouts? Not a clue.
I was in the garda station recently, and I picked up the “safe cycling” leaflet. It’s the same one as when I was a child. Useless. “Never ride more than two abreast”? How’s that supposed to work in the city?

There's a lot of cop on needed in this whole area. We need a "General Transport" sub-forum.
 
as if there is zero tolerance for anything.

I have to say though, I walk infront of cyclists who are on the path and shout abuse at ones that break lights.

I'd say 85% of cyclists cycle on the path in Cardiff
 
Actually, he makes a lot of fair points. I regularly miss one set of pedestrian lights on my way home because some cyclist decides to run the red, I've also been told to get out of the way by cyclists on footpaths and was almost knocked down by a cyclist going the wrong way down a one way street.

Cyclists like that are in the minority, I hope, but they do give cyclists a bad name. An accross the board zero tolerance policy is an excellent idea... but who's going to enforce it?


agree completely. He does make some very valid points. But then he goes and spoils the tone of the letter with his 'speed limit' comment. Its hard to break the speed limit on a bike - it can be done, but doubtful it happens too often during commuting times. And I certainly wouldn't be relying on the word of someone who said they 'saw' someone on a bicycle breaking the speed limit. Must be those laser superman eyes of his.

Valid points aplenty, but the letter smacks of bitterness. I wonder did he have a run-in with a cyclist. If so, I wonder if it was me!!

I had words with a cyclist the other day who was on his mobile while cycling, and was trying to indicate at the same time. He nearly crashed into me. I left him a piece of my mind. There are all too many fools out there for sure.
 
I think it would be nice if there was a little more thought put into cycle lanes and that. It’s probably safer for a cyclist to consider all red lights as flashing amber, instead of them being squished in between cars and busses. Especially busses, as cyclists share the bus lane with them. What’s the point in a bus being constantly stuck behind a bunch of bikes? Let them go on, the bus driver will overtake them if he gets a chance. And if I’m in a cycle lane coming up to a junction, and I want to go straight, but I’m trapped by the cars turning left, what am I supposed to do? I don’t know. How do I deal with roundabouts? Not a clue.
I was in the garda station recently, and I picked up the “safe cycling” leaflet. It’s the same one as when I was a child. Useless. “Never ride more than two abreast”? How’s that supposed to work in the city?

There's a lot of cop on needed in this whole area. We need a "General Transport" sub-forum.


good points. Personally I'd never break lights at a junction. I do break them, but only when I feel it is safer to do so. For example I cycle up Tara St every morning and cross the liffey heading north. Theres a lot of messing for lanes with motorists, and it can be hard for a cyclist whose going straight (and whose natural lane would be second in from the left). By breaking the lights back at Pearse St, or even at the quays if I can, it gets me a head start on the cars, I can get my lane and can be up at the lights before I even see a car.

I break pedestrian lights, always after slowing down coming up to them. Cyclists are one step up the food chain for them and lots of pedestrian lights have the little bicycle symbols in them now anyway, so I don't see a problem with that.

I never cycle on the footpath. I might mount it, push the bike along with my foot, to get around something, but I'd never cycle it and it'd never be for more than 5 or 10 seconds.

The mobile phone always stays in my bag and I'd never listen to music (I would when out on the road bike at the weekends, but never in the city).

And I'm always well illuminated, even on these bright evenings (as in I'd wear reflective gear).

Incidently, I was cycling home on friday (or maybe thursday) and saw John Gormley from the green party cycling along. I know he plods along at about 2 miles an hour, but he should have been wearing a helmet. Quite irresponsible of him, in more ways than one, not to be I thought.
 
I've been told that when John Gormley goes to work, he drives to Merrion Square, hops out, takes the bike out of the boot and cycles round the corner to Govt. Buildings. Especially if there's camera's about.

I hate having to cut across two or three lanes. I'm saved by the fact that my bike is awesome. I prefer when possible to just hop off the bike and walk it across the road.
About cycling crossing's at pedestrian lights, they're handy alright. I wish pedestrians would give them more respect.
There's a Diamond shaped two way cycle lane around Artane (?) roundabout with lights. It's a great idea, but the cyclists lights go flashing green at the same time as the drivers lights go flashing amber. I tried it once, it didn't work, it was terrifying.
This is the thing I'm talking about, more thought needs to be put into this stuff.
 
More thought needed indeed. On the issue of breaking red lights, which of us could say we never do it when walking? I do it a lot when cycling but I do it the same way I would do it when walking, i.e. making sure the road is pretty much clear.

On the helmet issue, I heard a guy from the Dublin Cycling Campaign argue that helmets should not be compulsory. I thought it was odd coming from someone in his position, but he seemed to have a valid argument. He reckoned that helmets can actually exacerbate a head injury because if they are on tight, the brain gets a jolt whereas if you hit your skull, the skull tends to absorb the impact. Don't know how right he is about this though, surely you could just wear the helmet loosely?
 
More thought needed indeed. On the issue of breaking red lights, which of us could say we never do it when walking? I do it a lot when cycling but I do it the same way I would do it when walking, i.e. making sure the road is pretty much clear.

On the helmet issue, I heard a guy from the Dublin Cycling Campaign argue that helmets should not be compulsory. I thought it was odd coming from someone in his position, but he seemed to have a valid argument. He reckoned that helmets can actually exacerbate a head injury because if they are on tight, the brain gets a jolt whereas if you hit your skull, the skull tends to absorb the impact. Don't know how right he is about this though, surely you could just wear the helmet loosely?

That sounds like a load of bollox, helmets are designed to absorb the impact so your skull doesn't have to.

How can the brain get a jolt if the helmet's on too tight, surely no matter how tight the helmet the brain is still as loose in your skull as it would be without a helmet?
 
It might be something to do with the tightness around the jaw messing up your head? I saw something similar in a World War II documentary about some guys getting the strapless helmet shot off their head (with the helmet stopping the bullet), while the strapped up dudes were getting their necks broken.

But even so, it's no excuse not to wear a helmet, just wear it properly. THEY'RE MAD COOL LOOKING ANYWAYSSS!
 
It might be something to do with the tightness around the jaw messing up your head? I saw something similar in a World War II documentary about some guys getting the strapless helmet shot off their head (with the helmet stopping the bullet), while the strapped up dudes were getting their necks broken.

But even so, it's no excuse not to wear a helmet, just wear it properly. THEY'RE MAD COOL LOOKING ANYWAYSSS!

Hmmm, I can't see how people being shot at in WWII has anything to do cycling helmets unless it's got to do making sure you've got a helmet that fits properly. In which case good point.

Ps the guys with the straps would be dead if they didn't wear the helmets right?
 
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