Tuesday 25 June 2013

25th June 2014 Caitriona Bailey Keeps up the Cycling in County Clare!

 


25th June 2014 Caitriona Bailey

Keeps up the Cycling in County Clare!

 

A Bicycle Escape From the Happy Clamour of a Clare Wedding and

the Chaotic Disarray of House being Painted...

 
According to Caitriona:

Hello, hello, phew so sorry I have not updated in a while... Spent the last few days in Clare celebrating a friends wedding and then returned to put a house back together in Cork after a paint job..


But on that note,  we did manage to rent a few bikes in Clare and take a spin around Doolin.. There was most defiantly a wind there, which was great when at our backs, but very hard work trying to cycle against it!  Never the less it was nicer than driving around the village...



Cyclists journeying through the picture postcard perfect Doolin Village
Doonagore Castle, Doolin Clare- what a sight to whizz past on a bike.!
 

Sunday 23 June 2013

Martha gets her son involved!

Cycle to School

According to Martha:

This morning I decided to take my son to school by cycling! so out the bikes came and off we went! He absolutely loved it, It's the simple things in life!!

EDITOR'S COMMENT'S:

 

According to http://www.parents.com/fun/sports/exercise/bicycle-riding/ :

"There's a special bond between kids and bikes that can never be broken.
 
 
Riding a bike is a rite of passage, a passport to worlds beyond the front lawn. Bikes represent fun, freedom, and fresh air --
everything that's good about being a kid."
 
For some great tips on Cycling with Children see: http://iamtraffic.org/education/cycling-with-children/
 




Tuesday 18 June 2013

18th June Maurice Applies Cycling Skills

Maurice Applies his Cycling Skills Lessons


According to Maurice:


It was sunshine all the way for today's cycle through Ballincollig Village and back via the Killumney Road. From the Killumney Road I turned onto the Link Road and called into McSweeneys shop in Rosewood for the paper.
 The traffic was really heavy on this route (between 8.30 am and 9.30 am) and I really needed to be on top of giving hand signals and asserting my lane positions. As a result I found that motorists were courteous and allowed me right of way when crossing traffic.

 
Some of the hand signals that I needed to use while out on my cycle this morning! Image from:  http://www.vbgov.com/residents/sports-recreation/pages/bicycle-hand-signals.aspx

18th June Maurice's E-Bike

Maurice shows us his
Electrically Assisted Bicycle

According to Maurice:

My bicycle is a Gazelle ( Orange Pure Innergy ). Check it out on http://www.gazellebicycles.com.au/products/gazelle?id=360


It was purchased over 2 years ago from their Irish agent.
I have the basic battery (bronze) which is guaranteed for 2 years and is supposed to be good for 500 full charges. This was an expensive bike costing €1,600 at the time. The only other equipment that I have is a high visibility jacket and a helmet which were both Christmas presents
.


Maurice's bike taking in the sunshine!!






 

Editor's Note:
The Gazelle bike was purchased from Howard Pearson of BBikes.com

To learn more about these bikes watch this video on Vimeo:
http://vimeo.com/8208219



Monday 17 June 2013

17th June Dan shows us his capabilities!

Dan shows us his bike, (and shares how well it can manage his inches up the inclines!)

According to Dan:

Can't find my pump. Have been asking a lot of my tyres to carry my ample frame. Went to Capwell Cycles, my local bike shop. They made sure I had enough air.
 
I was more encouraged that I managed the inclines on Southern Road and Old Blackrock Road with relative ease!

My trusty steed. A Raleigh Aveo

Dans bike the Raleigh Aveo!
 

Editor's Comment:

According to some cyclist forum's the Aveo is a trusty, comfortable commuter  bike.  
For advice on how to select the best bike for you check out this video playlist: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iIm-7S3zB7k&index=21&list=PLF1536CA35A876BE0 


Once you know the type of bike you need look p some videos more tailored to your needs.
If like me you  intend to cycle in all weather over rough, pot holed gravel roads this video may  prove particularly relevant:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j-5y9LUDA3c
 

17th June. Morning Cycle


Monday Morning Riverside Cycle
According to Maurice:
Set off at around 9.00 am this morning from near Guide Dogs for Blind and cycled all the way to the North Mall and was back home by 10.15 am. I took some photographs and saluted a number of people and their dogs.




After so much rain cyclists have to watch out for low hanging branches and vegetation. The elder flower is in full bloom right now and this is a good time to gather bunches to make elderflower cordial.

Just after Inchagaggin lane over the bridge I took the cycle / footpath all the way to the Lee fields. This is a great way of avoiding the traffic and enjoying the flora and fauna. You can see lots of birds including Herons and Egrets but none were visible today but there are plenty of people walking their dogs.
 

Egrets and Elderflowers -some of the flora and fauna to be seen on a Summertime Lee-side cycle





At the Lee fields there is a bit more activity so you have to be careful not to bump into any unpredictable dogs or children. At the back of the now deserted Kingsley Hotel I took the footbridge which brings me out onto Wellington Bridge. Here I turned right and then left onto the Mardyke going past Fitzgerald's Park. At the exit from the Mardyke I went left onto the Millennium bridge all the way to the North Mall parking my bike alongside the very ornate footbridge.





I cant figure out why cyclists have to dismount crossing the Millennium bridge. A number of other cyclists passed over the bridge without dismounting.

On the way back I cycled through Fitzgerald's Park.

Enjoyed my cup of coffee after all that !





17th June Caitriona's new bike!

Caitriona's New Wheels!!

According to Caitriona:

I am "driving" a 'loverly' pink Trax TF51 bike, 18 gears, which I am getting a little more comfortable with thanks to Miro..


Picture of the tpye of Bike I purchased from Halfords in Mahon Point Cork. Image is from http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_productId_771009_langId_-1_categoryId_165499 


I got it in Halfords in Mahon point, got it fresh in the box to take away as it is cheaper that way and more fun to make..

One comment I would make was that the customer service I received was not up to scratch and I would think twice before approaching that sales person again!

Editor's Comment:

Have any other readers owned a Halfords bike or a  Trax TF51 bike?
If so, how did you get on with it?

This article : http://www.cyclescene.ie/BSO.html gives some general advice on purchasing a bicycle for regular commuting.

Note: the referenced article is written from a bicycle shop's perspective and the Bicycle Shaped Objects they criticise might be perfectly useful for the occasional fair-weather cyclist or the cyclist who takes extreme care to  clean, oil and avoid excess wear and tear on their bikes..

I personally own a very cheap second hand Raleigh Coco, that is at least thirty years old I reckon.

A Raleigh Coco in a lot better nick than mine!


To deter the thieves who pilfered two other bikes from under my bedroom window, the Coco looks old and rusty and it is far too small; However, it is surprisingly sturdy and it seems to withstand a lot of hacking without too much complaining...

Some cycle repair shops hinted that Raleigh don't make them like that any more...
What do you think?

17th June Dan Boyle takes a cycle down the Marina!

A Bike "walk" down the Marina

According to Dan Boyle:

No formal Bike Week event today so I've taken the bike for its usual 'walk' along the Marina stopping in Blackrock for a coffee.
It's been raining incessantly for 24 hours so there are plenty of puddles -some pond like!



The marina under sunshine. Photo by Adrian on www.inyourfootstops.com





Sunday 16 June 2013

16th June The rain didn't stop Martha from getting on the bike

Cycle in the rain!!

According to Martha:

Just back from my cycle and it was great. No such thing as bad weather, only the wrong clothes. The peaked cap and water proof gloves are a must. The real unpleasantness on a rainy day is getting it in your eyes, and a cap solves all that.



This is why Martha embraces cycling through the puddles!



30 seconds to get out of raingear and into my slippers. My chin got wet, which is way less than when I run out of the car in the rain. A fearless attitude and good gear and when you are in the rain it is never as bad as it sounds or looks from inside. It was great fun cycling through puddles and not fearing car splashes. Ireland, I embrace you, in all you crazy weather moods!


Saturday 15 June 2013

15th June, Maurice Danaher Gets Checked and Trained up

Maurice Must Be More Assertive?

According to Maurice:

Today I did a fitness assessment in LeisureWorld near CIT at 9.30 am. This was easy enough, but I was told my blood pressure was a bit high so I will need to get that checked out.
 After coffee, I went for cycle training with Darren MacAdam O'Connell and Miro Wartena.
Some of the cycle training seemed basic enough to me but still I learned how to be more assertive on the road and especially how to avoid cars turning off to the left cutting across me and also how to keep clear of car doors opening.

Learning about the Five Points of Contact to engage when breaking. 
2 hands on the handlebars + 2 feet on pedals + 1 area on your seat = Maximum Brake Power

 For more such tips see:
http://www.patrickjohnmccrann.com/blog/bike/how-to-ride-your-bike-like-a-veteran-part-1)

Did not do the bit on going all the way around the Wilton Road roundabout as I had to leave for lunch. I was quite tired by the time I got back home around 1 pm for lunch.

The weather was OK as we managed to avoid any heavy rain with just light showers.

Editor's Note:

Mr. Danaher can be seen and heard onthe Youtube channel linked to this Diary. See him kick off an interesting discussion on Junctions here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DLe_HNPxMPM&feature=youtu.be

15th June 2013, What Dave Did Next!

One of the LeisureWorld Gym Rooms Ref: http://bishopstown.leisureworldcork.com/

Aoife Puts Dave Through His Paces...

Editor's Note...

 We aren't sure how Dave felt about rising so early on a Saturday morning. ( Comment below if you think you know) however, true to his commitment he turned up at Leisureworld for a 9:30 appointment.

The Appointment was with Fitness Instructor Aoife Twohig.
LeisureWorld Personal Trainer: Aoife Twohig


First off, Aoife took Dave's Vital Statistics- weight, blood pressure, body fat etc. The she  got Dave to undertake a "sub-maximal fitness test".

For this Dave had to pedal away at a steady rate on a Cycle Ergometer. This looks rather like a regular Gym Bike but when you put your hands on the Bike-handles, a reading of your heartrate pops up! The Ergometer also measured how quickly Dave was cycling, so that in the end, a graph could be plotted comparing work load to heartrate.

The fitter a person is, the greater the work output at a given heartrate....
And the reason its called Sub-maximal Fitness Testing is that the Fitness tester makes sure that the cyclist doesn't let their heart-rate reach the estimated maximum for the cyclists age. This means that the test is safer for peopel of varying fitness levels because the cyclists don't have to push themselves too hard. Also on average it is estimated that at heartrates between 115bpm and 150 bpm the relationshiop between heartrate, oxygen intake and workload is fairly linear- so it is easier to gauge fitness.


For more about the pros and cons see: http://www.acefitness.org/fitnessqanda/fitnessqanda_display.aspx?itemid=255

For more on the different types of Fitness Tests see: http://www.topendsports.com/testing/aerobic.htm
or
http://acefitness.infopop.net/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/452108123/m/7901074661

Here is what Dave might have looked like whilsts doing his test:


Photo from: http://www.rustfitness.com/bikes.html
 Except that the Ergometer bike probably looked more like this:

From: http://homepages.cae.wisc.edu/~bme301/ergometer/ERGOweb/nordictracksl710.htm
Really like the bottle holder in that model. The manufacturers could easily include a waterbottle with the machine!! :)

From: http://www.exrx.net/Testing/YMCACycleTest.html
The photo above is just included for fun because this editor is a bit of a Heath Robinson fan.

15th June, Shane Posts about Moll's Gap


Shane waxes Lyrical on the Beauty of Moll's Gap

According to Shane:
Extract from: http://mccarthyshane.com/operation-transportation-cork-bike-week/

I now find myself back in Killarney. I don’t think there could be anywhere more beautiful for cycling.

Three years ago I bought myself a racer and this morning I went for a spin with a friend of mine. An 82km spin at that. We travelled from Killarney to Kenmare, through the mountains, and back down through Moll’s Gap.
Sights to be seen when cycling through the majestic Moll's Gap mountainscape.


Unfortunately today was not one Kerry’s finest and most of the world-renowned scenery found itself hidden behind heavy mist and sheets of relentless rain.

After a while you forget about the rain, but what did strike me harder than any climatic elements was the amount of tourists we met cycling against us, back up through the hills and mountains.

We were kitted out in our lyrca on our light carbon bikes, whereas they wore jeans and pushed much heavier bicycles. They seemed to enjoy being out in the fresh air though, with each group we passed giving us a big wave or a thumbs up. The weather certainly did not wet their spirits, something which gave us a boost when we had 30km to go.


Even in the rain, Moll's Gap has a moody charm. Image from: http://climbingirelandsmountains.blogspot.ie/
This man below looks like the type Shane described:

15th June Martha sets off for her first operation transportation cycle!

Martha's enjoys:
Cycling, tootling, talking,
Cycling, tootling,chatting
And a more peaceful neighbourhood
- apart from all the cycling tootling and talking....

According to Martha:

This evening after a rather hectic day, I tootled off to my local shop to put some kind of food into the house! The ten minute cycle elongated of course, with chatting! That's the great thing about the bike; meet a friend or neighbour and just tootle over at your own
ease.

Okay this isn't Martha or  Ireland for that matter. But no matter where you are on a bike, it is very easy to pull over and chat, as Martha has been finding out. Image is from www.trendy-travel.eu

While I was talking, my bike was borrowed and taken for a spin around the estate by my friends husband. When retrieved, I still had not been to the shop. So more tootling and talking along the way.

I also noticed the difference the bicyle makes to the atmosphere of a place. When a car comes, all the children run to the foot path, disrupting their games and mothers start screeching after young children not to run in front of the car. When you are on the bike, everyone smiles and salutes you and you win brownie points by efficiently retrieving roving footballs. I think I'm going to really enjoy operation transportation.


Bikes don't  splash people or disrupt play the way cars do,
although admittedly the boys in this photo may have wanted to be splashed, see: http://metro.co.uk/2008/07/07/car-puddle-soakings-new-youth-craze-252530/ for the source.


Friday 14 June 2013

14th June Introducing Dan Boyle

Will Dan Boyle Walk the Talk or
Should that be "Bike for the Mike" ?

From The Editors:

Does Dan Boyle need an introduction?

The Dan Boyle who will be blogging about his Cycling expoits for the next ten days is the same Dan Boyle who has featured on many an election poster around Cork for the past 20 odd years...


Having served as a TD from 2002 to 2007, he became a senator in 2007 after losing his Dail seat and was part of the team that negotiated the Green party- Fianna Fail Coalition in 2007. He is currently Director of Green Foundation Ireland http://www.greenfoundationireland.ie/about-gfi/ amongst other things and if you google his name you'll find much news of a political comeback in the media..

But this blog is all about the cycling!!

And it seems that, although not listed in his linkedin skills, ( See: http://www.linkedin.com/profile/) he says he's rather keen on cycling...

14th June; Here comes Martha!


Martha goes from E-Cars to E-bikes
(and other more Low-Tech options...)


Martha was one of the Esb electric car ambassadors earlier this year.
See her photo below from when she met with the Lord mayor:


 Lord Mayor of Cork, Cllr John Buttimer with Cork’s ESB ecar
Ambassadors, Martha Doyle and Eoghan O’Donoghue with their electric cars outside City Hall.

From: http://www.esbecarsblog.ie/meeting-the-lord-mayor-of-cork/
As one of the three people chosen for a year long amassadorship, Martha is well used to blogging. Here is how the ESB described her:
Martha Doyle is a primary school teacher, living in east Cork with her husband and two sons. She is a keen environmentalist and has maximised the energy efficiency of their home in a number of innovative ways, for example collecting rain water which she uses to water her vegetables.
She has also facilitated six global action plan courses to raise awareness about environmental matters. Her hobbies include growing fruit and vegetables, music, reading, and writing. 
Martha describes herself as "a keen bike user, but because of my children I haven't cycled regularly in some time."

She has a folding bicycle and an electric bicycle and of course an ordinary bicycle!
Before Operation Transportation she said:
"I currently walk my children to school everyday, but I might bring them in the bicycle trailer for the trial as my youngest is now big enough."

We are not sure yet what sort of trailer she'll be using, but we reckon that Martha would like the Eco- attributes of this one, which seems to be made from recycled polystyrene??
From: http://www.paulstoys.blogspot.ie/index.html#297853643222161709 where you can see a video about how the trailer was made.

14th June 2013, Shane McCarthy introduced


 Cycle if You're LAZY? :

An Idea That'sNot So Crazy...?

Extract from Shane's Blog: http://mccarthyshane.com/operation-transportation-cork-bike-week/:

I was delighted to be asked to write about my experiences relating to cycling both in Cork and my hometown of Killarney for Cork’s Operation Transportation.

When I was in Cork during the college year my main motivation for cycling was far from any green ideologies which are very valid, but more due to necessity and laziness.


Laziness? That may seem counter-intuitive, but cycling halves the time it would take me to walk to and from UCC. It also allows me to sit down and gently glide in and out of the campus.


Is it a Bird? Is it a plane?
 No it's Shane McCarthy gliding along on his cycle-machine!

Even if I did have a car I wouldn’t consider for a second using it to navigate through the city. The thoughts of traffic, fuel-costs and parking, immediately dismiss any notion of driving to college. It really would be my definition of a “nightmare”, but each to their own..
Traffic on Barrack Street, Cork from:
http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/proposal-to-bar-cars-from-citys-main-street-214933.html

14th June 2013, Dave O' Reagan Introduced

Dave O' Reagan Launches

Editor's notes:

Dave is very good at turning up to things.

(As you can see below,on June 5th, he came to the local Bike Week Promotion Photoshoot with the lovely Ali? )

Lord Mayor: John Buttimer with Dave O'Reagan and a colleague from Red Fm (Ali??)

Dave is not so good at sending in Diary posts.. ( so far)...

But he is so photogenic we can forgive him.. ( so far)...

So Dave: Keep Smiling, Keep Cycling and start sending in some posts!

14th June Operation Transportation Diarist Maurice Danaher Introduces the B-BIKE- and himself!


 Dusting off and Pumpingup!

According to Maurice:

 Friday near Ballincollig via mobile
  
National cycle week starts tomorrow 15th June and continues until Sunday 23rd June. So I have agreed to cycle for at least 10 minutes each day and to write a blog about it.
 
Today I wiped the dust off my bicycle and pumped the tyres.
 
 
Mr. Danaher cycles one of the Innergy Gazelle Bikes sold by one of Ireland's first E-bike merchants: Mr Howard Pearson of  http://www.bbikes.com/index.html
 
Check out these bikes on: http://vimeo.com/8208219
 
 I can cycle wherever I like, but there are several cycle paths near where I live that will be suitable.

If Maurice Danaher wants to be really ambitious this route is in the neighbourhood.
 It is one onf the hilltrainng routes used by the Lee Roadies:  http://www.leeroadies.com/Local/index.htm

Pehaps this is more what was in mind- one of the pleasant routes to Ballincollig Regional Park, where you can park your bike and use the outdoor gym!: http://www.ballincolligheritage.org/site_gunpowder_mills.html


 
 

14th June 2013, Caitriona's Diary

14th June 2013, Caitriona's Diary

Psyching myself up!

According to Caitriona:



http://womenonthefence.com/2012/06/29/why-being-a-morning-person-could-be-the-secret-to-your-success/


 

Operation Transportation 2012 REVISITED!

Operation Transportation 2012 Revisited

Foreword BY THE EDITOR

Mervyn:
Mervyn waiting for his borrowed bike to get the all-clear at last year's training event.
The 2013 team will be doing this tomorrow!!

1.      How often  were you cycling before “Operation Transportation”?
Never (Ireland) always abroad


2.      How often do you cycle now? ( fee free to add details of any tapering off processes?
Once every two weeks


3.      Why do you think your cycle habits have changed? ( Skip if irrelevant)
Positive experience of cycling in cork, never cycled in city before operation transportation, bought a bike after the event

  
4.      Have you got any advice for this year’s “Operation Transportation” leaders?
A good bike, spare set of clothes at work, allow extra time for first day  


5.      Any other comments?
Good gears are very important, city area is not as “flat” as it seems when in a car


Deirdre:
Deirdre impressed us all last year with her nifty cycling skills.

1.      How often  were you cycling before “Operation Transportation”?


Occasionally, more in dry weather and long evenings but that’s probably true of all fair-weather cyclists.

2.      How often do you cycle now? ( fee free to add details of any tapering off processes?


Occasionally and sadly not much in recent months but I will try to do some more cycling from now on!

3.      Why do you think your cycle habits have changed? ( Skip if irrelevant)


The instructions we received were excellent and I still remember Darren’s advice to be more assertive on the road and not cycling close to the gutter and that cycling a bit nearer to the centre line (not on the centre line of course) gives a cyclist somewhere to retreat to.

4.      Have you got any advice for this year’s “Operation Transportation” leaders?

I know that one tip given last year was that wearing high viz jackets can annoy other road users but I would recommend them to avoid giving drivers any ammunition in saying that cyclists don’t make themselves visible enough when out on the road.


5.      Any other comments?

I’ve seen some cyclists close to where I live cycling without lights after dusk – street lights won’t help a cyclist’s visibility to other road users and bike lights are not expensive.