View from the cycle lane, Friday evening rush hour

As I locked my bike at the shops one evening on the way home from work recently a chap on another bike pointed to the slow-moving cars on the N11 and announced ‘they’re all mad, them fellas’.  He proceeded to give me a hymn of praise to the bicycle.

He’s right, of course – the bicycle is good for the environment, good for your physical health (even talking into account the risks of being knocked off by a motorist) and good for road congestion. For me, it’s good for the soul, too.  When I’ve cycled to work I have more energy, get more done and am more cheerful. Mind, I need to eat more because there’s nothing for nothing – my legs have done the work of the 46A bus.  Still, there’s plenty money saved even after the occasional new tube, tyre or set of brakes.  If you live in Dublin you won’t fail to notice the increase in the number of cyclists of late.

Usually I give up the bike around this time of year, till March – the cold and dark make the cycling no fun for me.  Next spring I plan to do the intermediate bike maintenance class at Cafe Rothar, so can service my own bike.  Roll on the warm weather!