Bike scheme and city sun shake off cycling blues

IT IS probably 20 years since I’ve cycled in Dublin city so it was with some trepidation that I agreed to give the new bike rental scheme a try.

Living on the northside of the city, I had the choice of 16 bike stations of the 40 sprinkled between the canals. And only six of the 16 could be accessed using a credit card, so I made my way to my nearest at Parnell Square.

On arrival there was only one bike left, a testament to the lovely weather that the scheme’s launch enjoyed. It took five minutes to acquire a bike; having moved through perhaps six screens and agreed to terms and conditions, my credit card was scanned and a three-day ticket printed.

The instructions were fairly clear once I figured out what db meant. (Dublin Bike, of course!). After printing the ticket, which cost €2, I logged in and requested a bike. Then I had 60 seconds to push the button and five seconds to remove my transport.

The bike felt heavier in my hands than expected and sturdier. I adjusted the saddle and after an initial wobble I was off, sailing past the Hugh Lane gallery and the Garden of Remembrance toward The Irish Timesoffice on Tara Street.

The buses were intimidating and I felt I’d be taking my life in my hands if I had to overtake a parked bus in rush-hour traffic. But this was Sunday and the traffic was light. The bike was comfortable, the gears were easy to adjust and the route was an enjoyably flat one. At the traffic lights, though, I was conscious of how easily the bag I had placed in the bike’s basket could be lifted out by a passerby.

Luckily, there were no opportunistic thieves in my path and I made the journey safely with only the shouts of “look, it’s one of them yokes” from some pedestrians to interrupt the trip.

I returned the bike to a station on Townsend Street, just beside The Irish Timesoffice. Replacing it in the stand was a little tricky, but again the instructions were clear. I will be signing up online for the annual €10 ticket; even if I only use it on hen's teeth sunny days like yesterday, it will be worth it.