Paris cycling numbers double in one year thanks to investment • Hacker News Board

Re: Paris cycling numbers double in one year thanks to investment

#61

Post by extr » Mon, Mar 18, 2024, 3:27 PM UTC

calcifer wrote: post #40

ryandrake wrote: post #30

I don’t get how you can make bicycling your only form of transportation, even if the bike travel infrastructure and parking is adequate. When I bicycle, even for a short amount of time like 15 minutes, I sweat, and end up a stinky wet mess at my destination. Especially in the summer. My shoes and pants get dirty from the road and my hair gets wet and messed up especially if it’s raining. So if I’m going anywhere with…

That sounds like a fitness issue. Millions of people cycle everywhere in Netherlands, in regular clothes, without needing showers in between.

It's not a fitness issue. The netherlands is fairly flat and has a cooler climate than any major US city. It's just not possible to be pedaling up/down hills in any amount of heat/humidity and not get sweaty.

Re: Paris cycling numbers double in one year thanks to investment

#62

Post by onlyrealcuzzo » Mon, Mar 18, 2024, 3:27 PM UTC

calcifer wrote: post #40

ryandrake wrote: post #30

I don’t get how you can make bicycling your only form of transportation, even if the bike travel infrastructure and parking is adequate. When I bicycle, even for a short amount of time like 15 minutes, I sweat, and end up a stinky wet mess at my destination. Especially in the summer. My shoes and pants get dirty from the road and my hair gets wet and messed up especially if it’s raining. So if I’m going anywhere with…

That sounds like a fitness issue. Millions of people cycle everywhere in Netherlands, in regular clothes, without needing showers in between.

Okay - but Netherlands is not as sunny, hot, and swampy as Houston and Orlando in the Summer.

I've never biked anywhere that's super hot and humid and sunny like Orlando in the Summer. Theoretically, the wind from biking should help evaporate your sweat before you get "sweaty" - but it's got to be easier to get swamp ass in Houston than Amsterdam.

I think the climate would matter somewhat.

Re: Paris cycling numbers double in one year thanks to investment

#63

Post by darkamaul » Mon, Mar 18, 2024, 3:27 PM UTC

As a daily biker in Paris (and for years), I think it is hard to grasp the changes Paris has seen in the last years.

You now even get to see some congestion on bike lanes (Bd Sebastopol for instance), because they are too many cyclist on an older (and thus too narrow) bike lane.

This change, the new subway lanes, and the reduction of car usage in the city make the city much more enjoyable on a day to day basis, especially for pedestrians as cyclists are less annoying than drivers.

Re: Paris cycling numbers double in one year thanks to investment

#64

Post by TacticalCoder » Mon, Mar 18, 2024, 3:27 PM UTC

ryandrake wrote: post #30

I don’t get how you can make bicycling your only form of transportation, even if the bike travel infrastructure and parking is adequate. When I bicycle, even for a short amount of time like 15 minutes, I sweat, and end up a stinky wet mess at my destination. Especially in the summer. My shoes and pants get dirty from the road and my hair gets wet and messed up especially if it’s raining. So if I’m going anywhere with…

> What about going to a restaurant or business meeting or a museum or an appointment with a professional?

I also like to find my bicycle where I left it. Which is not an option in many cities.

> I honestly don’t know but there are so many cities where people bike everywhere so there must be a solution

People have less and less money to spend on a car and fuel/electricity. Many are using bicycles not by choice but because they're broke. And it shows when you see the kind of bicycle they ride.

My car is an extension of my house and although I'll take public transports once in a while (public transports are free in my country), there's no way I'll bicycle everywhere.

Add to that that I do actually bicycle with a MTB, from point A to point A, with a 5-digit $$$ bicycle and there's no way I could possibly enjoy riding a shittier bike. And due to the insecurity (thieving scums), there's no way I can leave my bicycle anywhere in the city (gone in 60 seconds would be an understatement).

Same for my neighbor: he'll do 50 kilometers+ a day on his bicycle, but from point A to point A, with a roadbike.

Don't get me started as to when I was living in a rural area, with the closest highway being a 45 minutes (car) drive: I'd rant about how practical bicycles are there.

I just don't get it and I don't think I can get along with people who wants to put us all on bicycles and I don't think people who want to get us all on bicycles could get along with me. And I'm fine with that.

Re: Paris cycling numbers double in one year thanks to investment

#65

Post by posix_monad » Mon, Mar 18, 2024, 3:27 PM UTC

ryandrake wrote: post #30

I don’t get how you can make bicycling your only form of transportation, even if the bike travel infrastructure and parking is adequate. When I bicycle, even for a short amount of time like 15 minutes, I sweat, and end up a stinky wet mess at my destination. Especially in the summer. My shoes and pants get dirty from the road and my hair gets wet and messed up especially if it’s raining. So if I’m going anywhere with…

A large part of that is cycling on roads with automobile traffic.

Dodging cars, taking gaps, sprinting at lights, constantly looking around... are all things that make you sweaty. Plus cars kick up a load of road grime and water (when it rains).

Comparing cycling on pleasant infrastructure to cycling on roads is a bit like comparing walking and running. They're similar activities, but the level of exertion is quite different!

In NL, they cycle with umbrellas. In Tokyo, rain ponchos are a common choice.

There's also this mentality in the anglo-sphere of commuting on a racing bike with a backpack. This choice is somewhat driven by the infrastructure, since you need to be fast and agile around traffic. However, in countries with developed cycle infrastructure, people tend to use upright bikes with baskets, racks and fenders. This makes one much less sweaty when riding!

Re: Paris cycling numbers double in one year thanks to investment

#66

Post by lm28469 » Mon, Mar 18, 2024, 3:28 PM UTC

ryandrake wrote: post #30

I don’t get how you can make bicycling your only form of transportation, even if the bike travel infrastructure and parking is adequate. When I bicycle, even for a short amount of time like 15 minutes, I sweat, and end up a stinky wet mess at my destination. Especially in the summer. My shoes and pants get dirty from the road and my hair gets wet and messed up especially if it’s raining. So if I’m going anywhere with…

> I honestly don’t know but there are so many cities where people bike everywhere so there must be a solution.

It depends how tolerant you are, personally I consider a little sweat to be a fairly small thing in regard to the other hardships life will throw at you, and a very small price to pay to save thousands of euros of a lot of stress.

There is no magic bullet but make sure you eat clean and stay hydrated it helps with sweat smell, dress for the ride and not for the destination, a well ventilated outfit does wonder. I personally don't sweat much so it's ok, my gf gets more sweaty and it can definitely be annoying

Re: Paris cycling numbers double in one year thanks to investment

#67

Post by romafirst3 » Mon, Mar 18, 2024, 3:28 PM UTC

ryandrake wrote: post #30

I don’t get how you can make bicycling your only form of transportation, even if the bike travel infrastructure and parking is adequate. When I bicycle, even for a short amount of time like 15 minutes, I sweat, and end up a stinky wet mess at my destination. Especially in the summer. My shoes and pants get dirty from the road and my hair gets wet and messed up especially if it’s raining. So if I’m going anywhere with…

So this is a real problem especially in hot climates like the US can be. My advice would be slow down your cycling speed to your appointment. I found myself having to keep reminding myself to slow down because my natural cycling speed generates a sheen of sweat. Of course you can open up on the way home.

This strategy along with suitable clothes will help for moderate climates. If you are heading out into 95 and up weather there will be sweat though.

I’ve also had the benefit of a shower at work which really changed the game, but that is a luxury.

Re: Paris cycling numbers double in one year thanks to investment

#68

Post by patall » Mon, Mar 18, 2024, 3:29 PM UTC

ryandrake wrote: post #30

I don’t get how you can make bicycling your only form of transportation, even if the bike travel infrastructure and parking is adequate. When I bicycle, even for a short amount of time like 15 minutes, I sweat, and end up a stinky wet mess at my destination. Especially in the summer. My shoes and pants get dirty from the road and my hair gets wet and messed up especially if it’s raining. So if I’m going anywhere with…

1. get fit

2. get an ebike

3. don't live that far away from everything (I do everything by bike, but all daily things are max. 15 min away

4. don't live in Mexico

5. don't race / take your time. Average (non-sporty) cyclist goes 15 kph, i.e your do not get more exhausted as you would be when walking

6. for me: do not wear a backpack (i.e bike bag or basket)

7. have proper equipment (i.e I have a poncho. I get a little wet in the rain though because it does get warm underneath)

Re: Paris cycling numbers double in one year thanks to investment

#69

Post by doctor_phil » Mon, Mar 18, 2024, 3:29 PM UTC

kindatrue wrote: post #15

"I really hope US cities head in this direction" The US is headed on the path of autonomous vehicles as the solution. It's the perfect combination of things our society loves: 1) No new public investment. 2) Continuous, end-to-end air conditioning

I don't get the American fixation of cars. Isn't public roads a mild form of communism?

Re: Paris cycling numbers double in one year thanks to investment

#70

Post by triceratops » Mon, Mar 18, 2024, 3:29 PM UTC

seer wrote: post #56

ryandrake wrote: post #30

I don’t get how you can make bicycling your only form of transportation, even if the bike travel infrastructure and parking is adequate. When I bicycle, even for a short amount of time like 15 minutes, I sweat, and end up a stinky wet mess at my destination. Especially in the summer. My shoes and pants get dirty from the road and my hair gets wet and messed up especially if it’s raining. So if I’m going anywhere with…

Best solution is of course “shower at the office”. I worked for a company about 1h cycling away, and Sofia, Bulgaria is a hilly city, so cycling would involve quite a lot of exertion. After some experimenting I found that my condition would be acceptable if I just change my t-shirt when I arrive. My role was just your average dev so grooming requirements are a bit less than customer facing roles. Also its all about t…

> cycling would involve quite a lot of excretion.

I think you meant "exertion". I did giggle like a child though (very sorry).