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Open or closed mouth when commuting

DonDaddyDDonDaddyD Posts: 12,689
edited August 2009 in Commuting chat
I noticed that I often cycle closed mouth until I'm out of breath.

However, today I was running 20mins late so I set a gruelling pace to get to work and made a point of keeping my mouth open as to get as much oxygen as possible. I found that as long as I didn't sprint I could maintain a higher continuous speed.

I did notice that not many others were doing the same.

So do you commute open mouthed or closed mouthed?
Food Chain number = 4

A true scalp is not only overtaking someone but leaving them stopped at a set of lights. As you, who have clearly beaten the lights, pummels nothing but the open air ahead. ~ 'DondaddyD'. Player of the Unspoken Game

Do you open you mouth to breath when commuting? 0 votes

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Posts

  • artaxerxesartaxerxes Posts: 612
    Closed mouth usually as I commute at a leisurely pace.
  • JameyJamey Posts: 2,152
    This morning was definitely open... Was killing myself trying to stay with a bloke in full team colours (looked like Saxo Bank but wasn't) who was very quick. Managed to stay with him from Fulham Palace up to White City, slightly aided by the roadworks just south of Hammersmith roundabout. Arrived at work gasping but happy :)
    My photography // My helmet cam videos // My bike
  • R_T_AR_T_A Posts: 488
    I try to keep it closed, otherwise the number of bugs that I swallow means protein shakes aren't necessary...
    Giant Escape R1
    FCN 8
    "Build a man a fire, and he'll be warm for a day. Set a man on fire, and he'll be warm for the rest of his life."
    - Terry Pratchett.
  • Kieran_BurnsKieran_Burns Posts: 9,757
    Open all the way - I consider myself a RAMJET of unbridled POWER! :twisted:


    Of course RAMJets don't actually START working until they get to 3000mph so my unbridled power is, as yet, unrealised. :oops:


    Oh, and it is always open mouthed as I would have the most amazing snot trail running down my chest otherwise. This is not good thing.
    Chunky Cyclists need your love too! :-)
    2009 Specialized Tricross Sport
    2011 Trek Madone 4.5
    2012 Felt F65X
    Proud CX Pervert and quiet roadie. 12 mile commuter
  • shoulder_of_orionshoulder_of_orion Posts: 529
    I thought I'd seen it all with your socks poll!!

    What's next, a "how ya hanging" poll?
  • Clever PunClever Pun Posts: 6,778
    Shoulder of Lamb wrote:
    I thought I'd seen it all with your socks poll!!

    What's next, a "how ya hanging" poll?

    left
    right
    tucked in
    peacock style

    that's that one put to bed
    Purveyor of sonic doom

    Very Hairy Roadie - FCN 4
    Fixed Pista- FCN 5
    Beared Bromptonite - FCN 14
  • Kieran_BurnsKieran_Burns Posts: 9,757
    Clever Pun wrote:
    Shoulder of Lamb wrote:
    I thought I'd seen it all with your socks poll!!

    What's next, a "how ya hanging" poll?

    left
    right
    tucked in
    peacock style

    that's that one put to bed

    Hell no - Swing Low, Sweet Chariot is more appropriate here 8)

    As they say: mine's 12" and I use it as a club. :lol:
    Chunky Cyclists need your love too! :-)
    2009 Specialized Tricross Sport
    2011 Trek Madone 4.5
    2012 Felt F65X
    Proud CX Pervert and quiet roadie. 12 mile commuter
  • hisokahisoka Posts: 541
    One hill on my commute it is wide open as I push harder and gasp more needed oxygen into my lungs.
    Otherwise I think shut, when not singing or talking to myself of course.
    "This area left purposefully blank"
    Sign hung on my head everyday till noon.

    FCN: 11 (apparently)
  • Deadeye DuckDeadeye Duck Posts: 419
    open mouthed. I have a blocked up nose 80% of mornings, so closed mouth isn't an option.
    Schwinn Fastback Comp : FCN 5
    The Flying Scot : FCN 515q6cuv.png
    My Life, My Bike & My Xbox
  • Clever PunClever Pun Posts: 6,778
    Deadeye Duck wrote:
    open mouthed. I have a blocked up nose 80% of mornings, so closed mouth isn't an option.

    sports ejection... that's what you need
    Purveyor of sonic doom

    Very Hairy Roadie - FCN 4
    Fixed Pista- FCN 5
    Beared Bromptonite - FCN 14
  • girv73girv73 Posts: 842
    Open. It's hard to sing otherwise.
    Today is a good day to ride
  • soy_saucesoy_sauce Posts: 987
    close, and will try to keep my mouth shut even when im out of breath.

    i used to open mouth when i was out of breath until there was one time when i swallowed a few flies on the way.... :(
    "It is not impossible, its just improbable"

    Specialized Rockhopper Pro Disc 08
  • Deadeye DuckDeadeye Duck Posts: 419
    Clever Pun wrote:
    Deadeye Duck wrote:
    open mouthed. I have a blocked up nose 80% of mornings, so closed mouth isn't an option.

    sports ejection... that's what you need

    Yer wha?..
    Schwinn Fastback Comp : FCN 5
    The Flying Scot : FCN 515q6cuv.png
    My Life, My Bike & My Xbox
  • always_tyredalways_tyred Posts: 4,965
    if you don't need to gasp air through the largest possible orifice, you aren't working hard enough.
  • sarajoysarajoy Posts: 1,675
    It's not like I'm cycling along like a basking shark, but certainly my mouth hangs open a bit, just can't comfortably breathe deeply enough through my nose..
    4537512329_a78cc710e6_o.gif4537512331_ec1ef42fea_o.gif
  • Clever PunClever Pun Posts: 6,778
    Deadeye Duck wrote:
    Clever Pun wrote:
    Deadeye Duck wrote:
    open mouthed. I have a blocked up nose 80% of mornings, so closed mouth isn't an option.

    sports ejection... that's what you need

    Yer wha?..

    finger covering one nostril, blow hard. repeat the other way round.
    Purveyor of sonic doom

    Very Hairy Roadie - FCN 4
    Fixed Pista- FCN 5
    Beared Bromptonite - FCN 14
  • Jay dubbleUJay dubbleU Posts: 3,159
    I ticked 'Other' as I breath through my skin in the true spirit of SCR 8) 8)
  • AguilaAguila Posts: 622
    DonDaddyD wrote:
    I noticed that I often cycle closed mouth until I'm out of breath.

    However, today I was running 20mins late so I set a gruelling pace to get to work and made a point of keeping my mouth open as to get as much oxygen as possible. I found that as long as I didn't sprint I could maintain a higher continuous speed.

    I did notice that not many others were doing the same.

    So do you commute open mouthed or closed mouthed?

    Seriously you have way to much time on your hands, this can't be for real.

    How about a "who reckons the sun will come up tomorrow thread"?
    www.bikehike.co.uk/mapview.php?id=6277
  • The Chingford SkinheadThe Chingford Skinhead Posts: 718
    You know the way blue wales glide throough the water ingesting plankton - yeah that's me. Never really thought about it but on a leisure run on Sunday (before I got to the daft hills when I knew my mouth was open) I had to make a conscious effort to keep my mouth shut as we went down the country lanes as the spiders were complaining that I was destroying the finely ecologically balanced food chain :shock:
    Pain is only weakness leaving the body
  • White LineWhite Line Posts: 887
    Open mouth. Need all the oxygen I can get to lay down the power.

    I love the sprint before work too - 500m of pure awesome. 30 mph along the road, then I pull in to a parking space outside my work. Park, unclip, dismount, walk. :lol: You can always see the bulging veins in my thighs when I get dressed. :D

    Not that I cycle naked or anything ...
    Emiliana the CAAD9
  • greg66_tri_v2.0greg66_tri_v2.0 Posts: 7,172
    Mostly closed. Open if I'm trying.

    At traffic lights, always closed. Even if it means I may pass out. Never show weakness.
    Swim. Bike. Run. Yeah. That's what I used to do.

    Bike 1
    Bike 2-A
  • SteveNoelSteveNoel Posts: 2
    Open mouth as I struggle to just beathe through just my nose since having it badly broken as a kid :!:
  • HeadhuunterHeadhuunter Posts: 6,494
    Mouth open, not completely agape, just wide enough to get a bit of extra oxygen through. The other day I almost swallowed a fly though, then I got to thinking, what if I inhaled a wasp?!
    Do not write below this line. Office use only.
  • lost_in_thoughtlost_in_thought Posts: 10,563
    Open when I'm working hard, this was most of the time on my short commute.

    However, I hit other, as there are two important exceptions:

    1. Waiting at lights. Even if I'm breathing so hard that it makes me rather nauseous to do it, if there are other cyclists around it's nose-breathing time.

    2. Passing someone. For maximum psychological damage, while they can see your face it's mouth closed.
    FCN 7/1
    Viner Maxima, Tifosi CK7, Giant Bowery, Old commuter.
  • Rich158Rich158 Posts: 2,348
    Headhuunter wrote:
    Mouth open, not completely agape, just wide enough to get a bit of extra oxygen through. The other day I almost swallowed a fly though, then I got to thinking, what if I inhaled a wasp?!

    I just inhale whatever comes my way - it's all protein after all :wink:

    Seriously though I never think about it, I just breath normally most of the time adn take in as much oxygen as I need. I never, ever, under any circumstances show any outward sign of exertion though 8)
    pain is temporary, the glory of beating your mates to the top of the hill lasts forever.....................

    Revised FCN - 2
  • ceecee Posts: 4,553
    Clever Pun wrote:
    Shoulder of Lamb wrote:
    I thought I'd seen it all with your socks poll!!

    What's next, a "how ya hanging" poll?

    left
    right
    tucked in
    peacock style

    that's that one put to bed

    you forgot dragging.
    Whenever I see an adult on a bicycle, I believe in the future of the human race.

    H.G. Wells.
  • fury21fury21 Posts: 71
    SteveNoel wrote:
    Open mouth as I struggle to just beathe through just my nose since having it badly broken as a kid :!:
    +1 :?

    The little anti-snoring type nose strips help but are too expensive to use all the time.
    itsnotarace.org - SCR Rules & FCN Calculator
  • HeadhuunterHeadhuunter Posts: 6,494
    cee wrote:
    Clever Pun wrote:
    Shoulder of Lamb wrote:
    I thought I'd seen it all with your socks poll!!

    What's next, a "how ya hanging" poll?

    left
    right
    tucked in
    peacock style

    that's that one put to bed

    you forgot dragging.

    What's dragging? Is that when it's so long it drags along the ground? I think I get the others...
    Do not write below this line. Office use only.
  • DonDaddyDDonDaddyD Posts: 12,689
    Headhuunter wrote:
    cee wrote:
    Clever Pun wrote:
    Shoulder of Lamb wrote:
    I thought I'd seen it all with your socks poll!!

    What's next, a "how ya hanging" poll?

    left
    right
    tucked in
    peacock style

    that's that one put to bed

    you forgot dragging.

    What's dragging? Is that when it's so long it drags along the ground? I think I get the others...

    Call that a poll!?

    What the hell is tuckedin and peacock style? Where is snipped or folded?
    Food Chain number = 4

    A true scalp is not only overtaking someone but leaving them stopped at a set of lights. As you, who have clearly beaten the lights, pummels nothing but the open air ahead. ~ 'DondaddyD'. Player of the Unspoken Game
  • HeadhuunterHeadhuunter Posts: 6,494
    DonDaddyD wrote:
    Headhuunter wrote:
    cee wrote:
    Clever Pun wrote:
    Shoulder of Lamb wrote:
    I thought I'd seen it all with your socks poll!!

    What's next, a "how ya hanging" poll?

    left
    right
    tucked in
    peacock style

    that's that one put to bed

    you forgot dragging.

    What's dragging? Is that when it's so long it drags along the ground? I think I get the others...

    Call that a poll!?

    What the hell is tuckedin and peacock style? Where is snipped or folded?

    I assume peacock is pointing upwards and tucked in the opposite, down and middle. What's snipped or folded?!
    Do not write below this line. Office use only.
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