The Marathonists

Dublin Marathon observers

So Dublin Marathon is over by now (the photos are awesome). Congratulations to Geoffrey Ndungu and Magdalene Mukunza for their victory!

Marathons are for people who like to run, not for cyclists who use different muscles. For the cyclists who like to combine cycling with running (and swimming) they invented the triathlon. Nevertheless, when the marathon participants run, Dublin's Cyclists pay respect and cheer the runners on.

These cyclists were observing the marathon on Miltown road. This was the marathon of yesteryear, the 32nd Dublin Marathon, which took place on 31 October 2011.

The Colourful Cyclist

Somewhere over the rainbow

There was something very likeable about this guy, but I can't put my finger on what exactly it was. The hat, the short trousers, the sandals, the Peace & Love colourful tee shirt (hence "The Colourful") or perhaps the friendly chat he had with the guy in the wheelchair next to him. Whatever it was, it is one of my favourite Dublin's Cyclists pictures.

The photo was taken at Wicklow Street on 28 May 2011.

The Suit-Woman

Businesswoman On Bike

We've already introduced the Businesscyclist some time ago, but how about his female counterpart?

Unfortunately, for some reason (probably because women's formal dress does not necessarily consist of suit), they tend to be scarcer, but thanks to Dublin Bikes they become more common.

The particular cyclist above was spotted on 26 June 2012 in Aungier Street, just next to The Shopping Bag Protector.

The Shopping Bag Protector

Special delivery

So far we have come across cyclists who protected their arse or didn't protect anything at all. How about cyclists who find their shopping bag so dear that they put a helmet on it?

This unique cyclist was riding along Aungier Street on 26 June 2012.

The Home-Goer

Open Sesame!

After a long day, most cyclists get off their bike and go home. Some of them not just go home but take the bicycle with them.

I took the picture above on  12 May 2012 in Grafton Street, next to Brown Thomas. If I'm not mistaken, he didn't roll into the building eventually.

The Long Orange Umbrella Holder

When cycling with a sword is illegal

We have already had an umbrella holder, have we not? The last one at least used it as a shelter from the pouring rain. When I saw the lady above holding her long orange umbrella, I thought to myself that it is a fine umbrella indeed, but anticipated a disaster a hundred yards ahead when the bushes on her left took over the cycle track. In the last moment, however, she moved the umbrella to the other hand. Folding umbrella would probably be better and safer for her.

I took the picture on 11 September 2012 by the Grand Canal.

The Sandalsyclist

Keep it cool

The Sandalsysclist (Sandals + Cyclists, not to be confused with the Sand Cyclist we have recently mentioned) is a rare breed in Dublin. It is not because Irish don't aspire to walk in sandals but because the wet and chilly climate doesn't really allow it.

True, we met the Blue Sandalist and even the Flip-Flopper before. In spite of the weather, Dubliners always love to dress up as if it was summer. But in Dublin you're more likely to see cyclists in wellies or mukluk (alright, not mukluk, but I just love this word)!

I came across the cyclist above on 15 June 2012 in Ringsend Road.

The Sand Cyclist

And all that sand

There is no substitute for a hard terrain when it comes to cycling. Sandy dunes might look awesome in a Sahara sojourn, but when it comes to pedalling, one would find cycling on dry and soft sand very exhausting.

This explains why the lady above pushed her bike on the sandy beach of Bull Island and chose not to cycle. The picture is from 9 September, one of warmest days of 2012, at least in Dublin, with temperature reaching almost 20 degrees Celsius.

Bond, James Bond

Bond, James Bond on Dublin Bikes

Throughout years, James bond has been using a remarkable number of state-of-the-art cool vehicles. Aircrafts, Choppers, Sports Cars are only few of 007 means of transportation on her majesty's secret service.
Have you ever imagined how would James Bond look like if he were to use Dublin Bikes?
The guy in the picture above, with his James Bond attache case stuck in the basket, made me wonder...

This tribute to Skyfall was spotted on the 7th of September 2012 in St Stephen's Green.

The Treble-Lighter

The more lights the merrier

As the winter has set upon us and the sunset falls early, it is visible that many cyclists are invisible and don't use light at all (thus the Gardaí and the National Transport Authority will give out up to 75oo sets of lights to cyclists). On the other side of the spectrum, there are cyclist who use not one, not two, but three lights, like the cyclist above, who uses three rear lights at once!

On the average, I suppose, the cyclists/lights ratio is 1:1, thanks to cyclists like this extra cautious fella.

I took the picture above in Harold's Cross on 31 July 2012, early in the morning. You can take a closer look at the light in the photo below:

Attention attention!

The Tush Protector

Save my ass

When one's arse is more important than one's head, it may result in protecting his or her arse rather than the noggin...
Cyclists wear a helmet in order to protect the most important part of their body. For most of them, it means the head. For the girl above, it seems that the most important organ is located behind.

I took the picture above (and the one below) on 14 August 2012 in Harold's Cross Road, just off Kenilworth Square.


PS
If there's any blood relation between The Tush Protector and William George Digges La Touche, the famous Dublin Georgian 18th century developer, it's coincidental.

Butt shield

The Nose-Blower

Red light, time to blow a runny nose

The weather in Dublin can get chilly all year round. In other words, in Dublin (and Ireland in general) it's always the flu season! No wonder the cyclist above had to blow her nose while she was waiting for the green light.

I took the picture on 9 July 2012 at Fleet Street.

The Photographer

Take a picture

I was once asked how do I take all these pictures for Dublin's Cyclists. By and large the answer is "it varies". But I think the photograph above illustrates how it is usually done (although when I took it, I was actually walking by foot and had my bike locked a few blocks away). This is why I like this picture in particular. The guy reminds me of myself in a way - cycling around Dublin and stopping safely to take pictures.

The main difference is that this guy took a picture of a wooden boat with an impressive mast during the Tall Ships Festival, on 23 August 2012, whereas I take pictures of fellow cyclists.

Which reminds me, now there's a wonderful Flickr group dedicated to Dublin's Cyclists with many more exclusive photos, taken by various photographers.

The Pusher

Keep Pushing

The cogs, the chain, the pedals and all that clockwork mechanism that sets the bicycle in motion demonstrate the brilliance of the 19th century designers. Bicycles are here to remind us that, as the edge inscription of the £2 coin puts it, we are "standing on the shoulders of giants".

Yet, sometimes, when the mechanism doesn't work one needs to push his or her bicycle or tricycle down the road.

I took the picture above on 5 July 2012 near Stephen's Green Shopping Centre.

The Gay Cyclists

Cycling pride

Cycling is for everyone. I was happy to see so many cyclists amongst the participant of Dublin's last LGBT Parade. Well done brothers and sisters cyclists!

The parade took place on 30 June 2012 during the Dublin Pride LGBTQ Festival. The picture above was taken literally in the middle of O'Connell Street, under the shadow of The Spire. And so was the photograph below.

Yet more cycling pride

The Orange

Hey Orange

This is a cycling blog, not an urban fashion magazine. Having said that, what do you think about the lady above, who wears an orange helmet to match the jacket (or vice versa). Is it not brilliant?
Please don't confuse her with the Annoying Orange... :)

I came across this fashionable lady on 22 July 2012 in Terenure.

The Unicyclist (2)

One man One Woman One Wheel

We've already had a unicyclist in action on Grafton Street a while ago. The picture above shows that unicyclists are moral and walk amongst us.

I took the picture above on 18 August 2012 at St Stephen's Green, as can be seen from the beautiful Georgian doors at the background.

The Tandemists

In Tandem bike

Tandem bicycle is a great invention. It allows couples (or even more than two people. To borrow from Archimedes, give me a tandem bike long enough, as many saddles and pedals as I need and an endless plan on which they can all ride and I shall cycle the whole human race) to cycle together and it is actually more powerful than standard bikes.

In Dublin, one can usually spot tandems in Phoenix Park, where they are for rent. It is rarer to see them in the city centre. That's why I was happy to see this French couple in Westmoreland Street, just off O'Connell Bridge. What a serendipity, I was on my way to Phoenix Park...

The picture above is from 22 July 2012. I was there for long enough to capture another photograph of this beautiful way to tour Ireland.

Are you done with your shopping?

The Phone Talker (2)

Cellular Cycling

In the past we've already talked about a cyclist who uses his phone to call a friend. We also had a texter, who texts while on bike.
But to be fair to those guys, they were just conversing and texting far from traffic, while not posing a threat to bystanders.

However, in the case of the phone talker above, who I caught redhanded, he was cycling with one hand, talking with the other and the only reason he stopped was a red light and the crossing traffic on N11.
I guess some cyclists are too busy to waste time on stopping for using their phone.

I took the photo on 22 May 2012 at the (relatively) new cycle route by the Grand Canal.

The Tricyclist

Tricycle

Last time we explored a rather bizarre option for riding with three wheels. Using tricycle is the more conventional way to do so. I quite like it because it provides a stable option for cyclist who want to pedal, yet are afraid of losing balance (not everyone is as good as The Balancer).

I met this lady on 28 April 2012 in St Stephen's Green. She was pretty quick, so by the time I hit the button of my zoomless camera she was quite far.

The Third-Wheeler

Three wheels and it's not a tricycle

Being a third wheel has got a negative reputation. But in fairness, when you get a puncture, the third wheel is exactly what saves you from the flat tyre. Yet, holding a spare wheel in your hand curbs your ability to grip the handlebars firmly and have a proper control over the bicycle.

I noticed this guy in Rathmines on 21 August 2012. A few hundred metres down the road, he was still cycling.

Three wheels and it's not a Reliant Robin