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[[Category:Articles]]
[[Category:Articles]]
[[Image:rockhopper.jpg|right|thumb|320px|A Bicycle]]
[[Image:rockhopper.jpg|right|thumb|320px|A Bicycle]]
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  Are they the best place in town to get a bike ?
  Are they the best place in town to get a bike ?


People tend to recommend cycleways on Parnell St when buying bicycles in town. They have a website, decent prices and are well located. Other places are cyclogical on the quays, Joe Dalys in Dundrum, and a bunch in Ranelagh, Rathmines, Georges St etc. Other might add more here.  
People tend to recommend cycleways on Parnell St when buying bicycles in town. They have a website, decent prices and are well located. Other places are cyclogical on the quays, Joe Dalys in Dundrum, and a bunch in Ranelagh, Rathmines, Georges St etc. Duff Cycles [http://www.duffcycles.com/] in the Omni Park Shopping Center have always been pleasant, a few members have bought bikes there. Other might add more here.  


Online shops are http://www.chainreactioncycles.com and http://www.evanscycles.com/
Online shops are http://www.chainreactioncycles.com and http://www.evanscycles.com/
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===Insurance===
===Insurance===


There are no places that I am aware of where one can insure a bicycle on its own; most people put the bike on their house insurance. The house cover should go up to bikes worth 500euro, beyond that you might need to add the bike to the policy and pay more.  
Most people put the bike on their house insurance. The house cover should go up to bikes worth 500euro, beyond that you might need to add the bike to the policy and pay more.  


If you are renting, apparantly a crowd called http://www.123.ie will insure the house contents and your bicycle.  
If you are renting, apparantly a crowd called http://www.123.ie will insure the house contents and your bicycle.


CyclingIreland provide bicycle insurance through http://cyclesure.ie/ which covers theft, accidents and more.


==Accessories==
==Accessories==
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Bells are useful to have and in fact are a legal requirement. They can be slightly dangerous though. You shouldn't rely on a person getting out of the way when you ring your bell, they tend to ignore em. Always be ready to brake when going through an area with lots of pedestrians, don't worry so much about making sure they know they have inspired your ire by ringing your bell furiously.
Bells are useful to have and in fact are a legal requirement. They can be slightly dangerous though. You shouldn't rely on a person getting out of the way when you ring your bell, they tend to ignore em. Always be ready to brake when going through an area with lots of pedestrians, don't worry so much about making sure they know they have inspired your ire by ringing your bell furiously.


===Illumination===
An alternative to a bell is an air horn. These could be of more use than a bell as they are so loud. To be used only in an emergency though.  
Buy a decent set of lights, rear and front. Get a reflective, Hi-Vis jacket. I cycle with strong front and back lights on my bicycle and weaker flashing lights that I hang on my person, front and back. Reason being that if I come off the bike at night onto the road, at least my wee flashing lights might prevent a car from squashing me.  


> I actually found it cheaper going into a builders' supply store
===Lights & Reflectors===
> looking for hi-vis stuff.


Definitely agree on this one. If you're around DCU, head into Heitons
There are several requirements under law concerning lights & reflectors.
up in Santry.
 
Legal requirements are:
* You are required at all times to have a rear reflector
* From "''half an hour after sunset and ending half an hour before sunrise on the following morning''" you must have a front and rear lamp. Flashing lights are actually not legal. http://www.citizensinformation.ie/categories/travel-and-recreation/vehicle-standards/lighting_of_bicycles_in_ireland
 
Broadly speaking, there are two types of bicycle lights. Those that allow you to see and those that allow you to be seen. For commuting through the city center, ones that allow you to be seen are usually enough. These are typically LED lights, running off AA or AAA batteries, usually with a flashing option. The other type of lights are for use on dark roads with no street lighting. These type of lights can be extremely expensive, come with their own powerpack. They are usually halogen, but increasingly more powerful LEDS are also being used.
 
The best approach is to have a set of lights on the bike which are non-flashing. Then, on your person/bag, put smaller flashing lights. These can help if you come off your bike at night. Non-flashing lights make it easier for drivers to gauge your speed/distance.
 
The best low range rear bicycle light is the Planet Bike Super Flash. http://ecom1.planetbike.com/3034.html
 
There are a range of decent front lights. The one I recommend for serious visibility on a budget is a Fenix L2D. http://fenix-store.com/product_info.php?products_id=195 This is actually a handheld torch, but with twofish lockblocks https://www.fenix-store.com/product_info.php?cPath=25_66&products_id=273 can be attached to a bicycle. This torch allows you to see on pitch black roads and be seen going through the city center. Get rechargable AA batteries, at least 2700mah.
 
There are alternative ones, as bright, available at dealextreme. Anything that uses a Cree LED is going to be bright.
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.7938 I haven't used these, so don't know how good they are. Substantially cheaper than the Fenix though.
 
For flashing lights, I found these lights bought them off ebay. It's a LED Band. It's not one of the green reflective strips with 4 dim red leds in it. They are quite bright, glowing reasonably well for the whole length of the band.
 
[[Image:Twinkle_amber_on.JPG]]
 
A number of people seem to make them, Nite-Ize, Polybrite and a korean crowd do knocks off called Twinkler.
 
I bought the Twinkler version off ebay from here
http://stores.ebay.com/CycleJerseys-UK
 
The delivery price ain't fantastic, but at least it's quick. I bought an Amber one and a white one. The picture on the website is misleading for the white one though, it's actually multicoloured, Red, Green, Blue lights. Looks a bit odd, but highly visible.
 
I put the amber one on my ankle, it's easily spotted when cycling along. The other one goes on my arm. I found an american place on ebay selling the Nite-Ize ones a bit cheaper
 
http://stores.ebay.com/Lights-and-Holsters-Plus
 
Get a reflective, Hi-Vis jacket. If you're around DCU, head into Heitons up in Santry, a builders store with cheaper jackets.  


===In the rain===
===In the rain===
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===Road Positioning===
===Road Positioning===
When cycling through town, or for that fact anywhere, there are occasions when it is safest to move into the center of the lane. This is particularly the case when there is not enough room for a car to safely overtake you. By cycling in the middle of the lane, the car will not attempt it. If you are over the in kerb they might.
Cyclists are not required to cycle near the kerb. This is a myth, perpetuated by society in general in order to keep motorised traffic moving as quickly as possible.
 
The rules of the road state "keep to the left", but this rule applies to motorised traffic as well; it means that all vehicles must stay as close to the left of the road '''as is safe to do so'''. Cycling to the left of the lane '''can''' be safe if the lane is wide enough to accommodate you and passing vehicles with sufficient space in between. However, in most cases, lanes are only designed to be for one vehicle.
 
Kerb <- 1m -> Cyclist <- 1.5m -> Motor Vehicle
 
When cycling through town, or for that fact anywhere, there are occasions when it is safest to move into the center of the lane. This is particularly the case when there is not enough room for a car to safely overtake you. By cycling in the middle of the lane, the car will not attempt it. If you are over beside kerb, they might.


Similarly if cycling along a line of parked cars, do not stay in close, give them the mandatory door length space between you and them.
Similarly if cycling along a line of parked cars, do not stay in close, give them the mandatory door length space between you and them.


If approaching a left turn, it might be best to enter into the main lane of traffic. This way cars turning left will not squash you as they turn. Indicate of course that you are moving into the main lane of traffic. I find that drivers invariably allow you in, if you indicate, as they are nervous of making you go spat. Also, moving into the main lane makes it easier for oncoming cars turning to their right to see you and also for cars emerging from the left turn ahead to see you. (this is also why a front light at night is important, so as oncoming turning cars can see you)
If approaching a left turn, it might be best to enter into the main lane of traffic. This way cars turning left will not squash you as they turn. Indicate of course that you are moving into the main lane of traffic. I find that drivers invariably allow you in, if you indicate, as they are nervous of making you go spat. Also, moving into the main lane makes it easier for oncoming cars turning to their right to see you and also for cars emerging from the left turn ahead to see you. (this is also why a front light at night is important, so as oncoming turning cars can see you)
Trucks and HGVs are the primary killer of cyclists. The classic situation seems to be where a cyclist goes up the inside of a truck turning left. The driver can't see the cyclist and the cyclist is crushed. This site, http://www.movingtargetzine.com/forum/discussion/598/hgv-blind-spots-from-nozzer/, has an excellent description of blind spots and how to cycle around/near trucks.
Never trust motorists not to kill you. It is your responsibility to be assertive in order to keep them at bay.


===Cycle Lanes===
===Cycle Lanes===
It is mandatory to use cycle lanes when they are available. That is, a Garda can bust you for using the road, when a cyclelane is present, even if it's safer to use the road. However, the cycle lanes must be correctly defined and marked. There are a number of laws relating to the use of cycle lanes and cycling on the road in general. Theses are nicely presented at  
You are no longer legally required to use any form of cycle lane or cycle infrastructure. Thus, it is up to you whether to use them or not, depending on your skill or experience. In many cases, it is safer to ignore them.
http://www.geocities.com/cyclopath2001/legal.htm
 
A mandatory cycle lane (solid white border) means that motorised traffic cannot drive or park in the lane. It does not mean that cyclists must use it.
 
There are a number of laws relating to the use of cycle lanes and cycling on the road in general. Theses are nicely presented at  
http://www.geocities.ws/cyclopath2001/legal.htm


===Braking===
===Braking===
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Various Gurus differ on traffic lights. At a dangerous junction, where it is difficult for a cyclist to get in the correct lane, it can sometimes be safer to move out while the light is red so as to get ahead of the waiting cars.
Various Gurus differ on traffic lights. At a dangerous junction, where it is difficult for a cyclist to get in the correct lane, it can sometimes be safer to move out while the light is red so as to get ahead of the waiting cars.


In general I obey all junction traffic lights, but tend to go through pedestrian lights. This is illegal of course, you are required to obey all lights.
In general I obey all junction traffic lights, but tend to go through pedestrian lights. This is illegal of course, you are required to obey all lights. A number of traffic light junctions (in Dublin anyway) now have cyclist zones in front of the traffic that lets you be in front of where cars are (supposed to) stop, these let you legally be ahead of the traffic.


===Wheelies===
===Wheelies===
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Another good link is http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/
Another good link is http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/
Its very handy for route planning and figuring out your distances in advance.
Its very handy for route planning and figuring out your distances in advance. Yahoo Maps now has updated maps of dublin, and it's route planner can do a similar service.
 
If you're into leisure or training in dublin, this guy has a great collection of routes in and around Dublin on his [[http://www.routeslip.com/user/dickobrien RouteSlip page]]. There is also the more general page at [[http://www.routeslip.com/discover/Ireland/Dublin RouteSlip Dublin]]


===DCU into the City Center (O'Connell Street)===
===DCU into the City Center (O'Connell Street)===
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==Links==
==Links==
===College Club===
http://cycling.redbrick.dcu.ie


The following set of links have been blatantly stolen from the [http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=410 Cycling] forum on http://www.boards.ie
The following set of links have been blatantly stolen from the [http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=410 Cycling] forum on http://www.boards.ie
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===Shops===
===Shops===
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com - Northern Ireland, free delivery , decent enough.  
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com - Northern Ireland, free delivery , decent enough.  
http://ontrackdublin.com/ - Fixed gear and track specialists, Cook St.


http://www.evanscycles.com - UK
http://www.evanscycles.com - UK
Coconut
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