The Boarder

 The Boarder

I find Boards.ie quite useful. So I thought it's a good idea to take a picture of a cyclist wearing their shirt.

Blimey, I'm not sure where exactly I shot this photo. I took the picture somewhere in South Dublin, I think it was Rathfarnham (or was it Terenure?). It was on 19 June 2012 for sure, bless the Exif (should use geo tag as well in future).

The Green Family

I am green today

Taking the kids to school on bike is green and considerate to the environment. In some cases, like in the case of this mother and son above, they're literally green. So Irish.


Taken in Portobello on the 18th of April 2013.

The Mid-Road Dress-Upper

(Bag) on the road

Why bother dressing up at home when you can do it on Dublin's main roads? All you need is to through your bag on the road.

The photo was taken on 17 April 2013. Leeson Street/Grand Canal. And there's a slightly different version:

Still looking for it...

The Hare Krishna Cyclist

Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna

As I was eating a very affordable and tasty meal in Govinda, a cyclist came in with his folding bike. He also had a darbouka (goblet drum) for chanting and dancing happy Hare Krishna songs. He seemed to be a regular customer (after all, it is a Hare Krishna venue). Thumb up for yet another business supporting cycling in Dublin :)

I took the picture on 20 April 2013 in Govinda, Abbey Street.

The Shoe Coverer

Who needs Gore-Tex?

Cyclists in Dublin don't really know what does an outbreak of rain mean, for it never really stops raining. Just kidding. Nonetheless it rains in Dublin quite often, so most cyclists opt for a showerproof gear, which includes Gore-Tex or a similar solution to keep their feet dry. The guy above, however, solved the watery conundrum with two plastic bags, each covers a shoe. The raindrops certainly have a hard time making his shoes wet, but sweat can't evaporate either thus this solution stinks. Literally.

I took the picture on 25 April 2013 in Rathfarnham.

The Tall-Booter

Cowgirl On Bike

The rain is lashing and puddles are everywhere? It's still not a good enough reason to give up cycling for the day. Long boots would do the trick and you don't even have to roll up the trousers.

The photo was shot in Grand Canal Street on 7 March 2013.

The Chameleon

CC - Chameleon Cyclist

The chameleon is one of my favourite animals. I like the way it changes colour in order to camouflage (if you're looking for a great comedy film on this topic, I highly recommend Zelig by Woody Allen).

One day I saw the guy above, waiting for the green light on N11 while texting. Suddenly the Aircoach appeared and I almost could see the cyclist anymore. I was impressed how he blended in. I'm not quite sure, he might have even changed hue for that.

I shot the photo on the 5th of April 2013 just outside Donnybrook Fair. Note that he used his mobile on red light, so he wasn't at great risk, yet I would have got off the main road if I were him.

The Trouser-Roller

Roll up

One of the down sides of cycling, at least in the eyes of some people, is that the greasy chain can make the trousers dirty. It's probably not a big deal when one wears a special cycling gear, but may have disastrous consequences for the common urban commuters.

On the face of it, it sounds like a valid reason to prefer other means of transport. However, as the cyclist above shows, it is merely an excuse and one can easily roll up the trouser legs. When there's a will, there's a way to cycle.

I took the picture on 31 January 2013 on the Canal cycle path. And there's one more photo:

When there's a will there's a way

The Superman On Bike

What was a man with a cape doin' with my father?

Dublin can get very blustery from time to time. The wind can turn every showerproof jacket into a superhero cape. While I was waiting for green light I imagined this cyclist fighting all the villain motorists out there... :)

I shot the photo above on 21 March 2013 in Rathmines.

The Knitted Cyclist

It's weather for a sweater

When it's cold, don't forget to put a jumper on.

Shot in a cold Terenure morning on 7 March 2013.

The Bank Robber

Give me all your money

The extreme weather conditions are still with us, so let's enjoy another Dublin cyclist who doesn't let the frosty weather spoil the mood. S/he (I couldn't determine) looked like a bank robber though :)

Shot the photo on 8 March 2013 on Charlemont Street (near Ranelagh). Since then it has become even colder (and whiter) :)

The All-Weatherman

Ready for every climate

Dublin Bike riders are versatile. Unlike many pro and pro-wannabe cyclists, they never wear a special cycling gear (or suffer from the men in lycra image). In fact, many of them seem clueless and unfit to pedalling at all. Take the guy above for instance. He wore a long overcoat with a furry hood, dark sunglasses and managed to push an enormous umbrella into a basket one-third its size. He was ready for winter, summer, spring and autumn, all at once. I found it amusing.

I came across this guy at St Stephen's Green on 1 March 2013. And there was an additional photograph:

Waiting

The Furry Purple Hatter

Winter scene

We're still in the midst of a wintry front, so it's a good opportunity to introduce a winter Dublin cyclist. I saw her wearing a thick overcoat, pushing her bike down Wicklow Street towards Exchequer Street in Dublin city centre. The purple furry hat distinguished her from any other cyclist and made her unforgettable. I shot a few snaps (1, 2 and 3). That was on the 23rd of March 2013.

Where traffic rules have no meaning

Last glimpse. Or is it?

Allow me to quote from The Charwoman's Daughter, an excellent book by the wonderful Irish author James Stephens (the book is available for free here):

In a little city like Dublin one meets every person whom one knows within a few days. Around each bend in the road there is a friend, an enemy, or a bore striding towards you, so that, with a piety which is almost religious, one says "touch wood" before turning any corner.

About two weeks later, on the 6th of March, I was cycling along the Grand Canal when I suddenly noticed a suspiciously familiar hat on the head of a cyclist on N11. It was the furry purple hatter again. It's nice to see familiar faces. It's even nicer to spot familiar hats.

Turn right

The Ninja

Brrrr

The winter seems to linger a bit longer this year (no wonder the Latin name for Ireland is Hibernia), so here's another ninja-like cyclist wearing a balaclava (here's the previous one, who admittedly looked more amusing).

I shot the photo in a cold Terenutre morning on 19 February 2013. Notice the pavement cyclist in the background, saving about two minutes of waiting on red light when turning right from Rathfarnham Road to Terenure Road. It's a popular (illegal and dangerous) short-cut.

The Yellow Cyclist

 Look at the stars... yeah they were all yellow

Hi-viz clothing is a serious business. There's never enough of it (see the cycling disco). Yet, when someone dressed up all yellow, I find it a bit amusing and can't get the song Yellow by Coldplay out of my head.

I shot the photograph above in Rathfarnham on the 25th of January 2013. I also took a picture from a slightly different angle and changed the tune in my mind to Mellow Yellow by Donovan.

Mellow Yellow

Then, in Terenure he turned right and I continued straight. I took another glimpse and was shocked to discover his shoelaces were in fact shiny orange! Like Kira Willey, all the colours in the world are in him... :)

All the colours in the world are in me

The Camouflager (2)

Military fashion show

The blessed lack of a mandatory military service in Ireland, brings some chaps to endeavour to look like soldiers (remember the previous camouflager?). Bad taste if I may. He could at least wear an army-style helmet on. The German New Wave band And One called it a Military Fashion Show.


I came across this cycling guerilla at the junction of Aungier and Kevin Street on 29 December 2012.

The Shoe Matcher

Deep Blue Something or Deep Purple?

Because matching the colour of your shoes, the trousers and the bicycle frame is highly important.

A photo from February 1st 2013 on the Grand Canal path.

The Colour Matcher

Feels like Dublin Bike

Many cyclists love to match the colour of their clothes to the colour of their bicycle. Some people even do it when they're on Dublin Bikes...

The photo was taken on 27 February 2013 on the Canal path.

You might want to have a look at cyclists who match their shirt with the saddle and their socks with the saddle.

The Hoodie Cyclist (2)

Hood for food

A friend of the yesterday's hoodie cyclist, just in a slightly different hue.

The photo was taken in the very same place as the previous photo on the following day, 7 February 2013.

The Hoodie Cyclist

Robin Hoodie

We have maintained for a long time that this photolog is an urban-fashion blog with a cycling twist rather than a true cycling blog. Thus without any further ado, please welcome the hoodie, inspired by Facebook founder, Mark Zuckerberg, I suppose. It neither protects the noggin nor keeps it warm. Nevertheless, it looks cool (in the eye of the beholder).

The photograph was taken on 6 February 2013 in the junction of Adelaide Road and Leeson Street.