The Bag Holder

Try to go straight

It ain't easy to keep cycling straight when you hold a heavy plastic bag in one hand. So this cyclist was doing pretty well. Yet a small pothole or some other obstacles (and this road has got plenty of them, though a few months ago the council repaved some roads in the area) could have resulted in an unpleasant consequence. Unfortunately, this unsafe practice is common (see for instance this cyclist).

I took this picture in Rathmines on 25 June 2012.

The Sun-Dazzled Young Cyclist

Is it green already?

Cycling against the wind can be tough, but cycling against direct sunlight is simply annoying. Therefore, kudos to the young fella who managed to do it!

The Photo was taken on 24 May 2012 by the Grand Canal.

The Multi-Cyclists

So where are we heading to?

It's wonderful to cycle solo. It's even better to find a partner and cycle in tandem. But how about 6-7 cyclists on the same bike at once, each pedals in a different direction, put together to create a monstrous bike?

Sounds like a great attraction to me and apparently it works!

The photo of the young lads above was taken on 6 October 2012 at Stephen's Green. The same day I also spotted another group on the very same bike, this time in action in Church Lane. This resulted in two more photos:

Only the leader allowed to enjoy sunshine

Off we go

The Bicycle Repairman

Fixing Anywhere

I tend to think of bicycles as something you buy in a bicycle shop or at least order online. That's why I was surprised to see this mobile bike sales and repair service in Grand Canal Dock. But hey, a pop up bicycle shop sounds like a brilliant idea.

I came across this service on 4 September 2012 just off the Bord Gáis Energy Theatre (formerly known as the Grand Canal Theatre).

The Ad Dragger

Knuckle-Dragger

Bicycles can be a good method for advertising. Companies that send cyclists around town to advertise are more environment-friendly than those that pollute the air with car for the same purpose. It's also better for their brand. Well done O2.

I took the picture above on 20 July 2012 in Wicklow Street.

The Leg Exposer

 Sexy legs and I know it

Some people like to wear cycling gear while cycling, whereas others don't mind do cycle in their day-to-day clothes. I know some cyclists find tights very useful and even comfortable, but I rather keep my body shape private.

The guy above, a friend of our good old friend, the Tight-Arse, was spotted in a cold rainy day on 27 April 2012 in Camden Street. I liked the contrast between the short-dressed cyclist and the guy in yellow raincoat from Metro Herald next to him.

The High-Sitter

Riding a tall bike

A key element of cycling safety is that the rider can put his or her feet on the ground safely at any time. Having this in mind, when I saw this cyclist pedalling down Harold's Cross I was concerned. It looked awfully dangerous to me. I cycled behind the guy for some time, but lost him about a mile down the road when he broke the red light in Leonard's Corner (South Circular Road). I doubt he could have actually stopped abruptly, if he had wanted to.

After seeing this extraordinary bike, I read more about Tall Bikes on Wikipedia. As I originally suspected, there are some mounting and dismounting issues with this kind of bicycles. However, Tall Bike cyclists (or as I like to call them: The High Sitters) enjoy an increased visibility and a "wow effect" that supposedly gives them an advantage over "short bikes". Well, it might be true for empty roads, but it's not the case in normal urban commuting that requires an infinite number of sudden breaks.

I saw this guy on the 1st of November 2012 in Harold's Cross. There are two more photos below, the first gives a similar view whereas the second provides a better perspective of how high the rider actually sits.

You can read more if you want to build your own tall bike.

Another glimpse at the high sitter

Notice the height difference