Snot Nice

essex-commuter

I feel the need to clear my nose every 15 mins or so when on the bike lately, more so on the way in (6am leave home) than coming home. When I say I feel the need, after I do it I can confirm that it was justified!

Am I abnormal?

spen666

essex-commuter wrote:

...

Am I abnormal?

Yes, next question please :twisted:

essex-commuter

spen666 wrote:

Yes, next question please :twisted:

Thanks, I can relax now.

kingrollo

essex-commuter wrote:

I feel the need to clear my nose every 15 mins or so when on the bike lately, more so on the way in (6am leave home) than coming home. When I say I feel the need, after I do it I can confirm that it was justified!

Am I abnormal?

I have a similar problem - I beleive the cold air sends your sinuses haywire and is some sort of minor allegic reaction. Try sudafed tablets to see if that helps - or see my thread anti polution masks if you can cope with looking stupid !

UndercoverElephant

Do you wear glasses whilst riding? It really can help.

sarajoy

Most of the snot is from your streaming eyes - trust me on this one! When you cry, you get snotty too - the wind is making your eyes water. That's why it's so runny!

So yes, glasses help.

I believe some people round here will eject 'snot rockets' from time to time - cover one nostril and blow hard, right lads?

I tend to just sniff disgustingly and/or use the soft snot strip on my gloves..

cjcp

Only every 15 mins?. That's restrained. Should've seen me last night.

iain_j

sarajoy wrote:

Most of the snot is from your streaming eyes - trust me on this one! When you cry, you get snotty too - the wind is making your eyes water. That's why it's so runny!

So yes, glasses help.

I believe some people round here will eject 'snot rockets' from time to time - cover one nostril and blow hard, right lads?

I tend to just sniff disgustingly and/or use the soft snot strip on my gloves..

Tried it once, and erm the wind blew it back in my face :oops:

essex-commuter

Ahh, now that explains everything. With all the rain we have had lately this is the first Winter I have gone through without wearing clear glasses...it never dawned on me that the two were connected.

Very interesting.

And yes, disgusting or not, I cover one hole and blow through the other! Just have to remember not to do it when I'm in the office!!!! I quite enjoy it on the bike, especially when it gets backlit by the sun, looks beautiful

benno68

I regularly have to let both barrels go too. I'm glad there's a reason for it as I thought I was getting allergic to cycling.

You've reminded me of a time when a mate of mine (who had a bad cold) accidentally did a double snotty down his top when someone cracked a joke in a packed pub. It looked like that slime you can get from a joke shop - class

benno68

iain_j wrote:

Tried it once, and erm the wind blew it back in my face :oops:

Practice makes perfect as they say

il_principe

Benno68 wrote:

iain_j wrote:

Tried it once, and erm the wind blew it back in my face :oops:

Practice makes perfect as they say

True, getting snot off slippery lycra is a nightmare!

crimsondynamo

the technical term is " double barrelled snotgun"

Headhuunter

I'm constantly blowing snot rockets and spitting whilst I cycle. For some reason everything that can run, does run when I cycle. Whatever you do, don't try to draft me. I have to restrain myself on club rides, I've been told off a couple of times for blowing snot on the rider behind. At the moment I've got a bad, catarrh-y cold and it's even worse. Actually today I didn't ride in as cycling hard makes me cough a lot at the moment.

mtb-idle

Among SCRacer's the expelling of phlegm over the right shoulder at regular intervals is the accepted method of dissuading other SCR's from overtaking and it even prevents cars from coming too close as well...

biondino

sarajoy wrote:

Most of the snot is from your streaming eyes - trust me on this one! When you cry, you get snotty too - the wind is making your eyes water. That's why it's so runny!

Sara, this simply isn't true. You produce nasal mucus because that's what a nose does in the cold. It's not an allergy either, as I think someone mentioned, just a physiological reaction.

Headhuunter

MTB-Idle wrote:

Among SCRacer's the expelling of phlegm over the right shoulder at regular intervals is the accepted method of dissuading other SCR's from overtaking and it even prevents cars from coming too close as well...

Yeah, I've flobbed large snot rockets onto minicabs and white vans in the past to express my distaste at their manoeuvres...

sarajoy

biondino wrote:

sarajoy wrote:

Most of the snot is from your streaming eyes - trust me on this one! When you cry, you get snotty too - the wind is making your eyes water. That's why it's so runny!

Sara, this simply isn't true. You produce nasal mucus because that's what a nose does in the cold. It's not an allergy either, as I think someone mentioned, just a physiological reaction.

You don't cry very often, then? I get very snotty when I've cried through upset/cutting onions.

Tears run down tear ducts and into the nose: http://www.academy.org.uk/tutorials/dilate3.jpg

A large component of snot you get from cycling will be from the eyes, as they stream loads with all the air you're pushing through at speed.

EDIT: After having a read around maybe I concede it isn't /mostly/ mucus. My nose does indeed run a bit when I go for a walk in the cold - but nothing compared to cycling in it. Also, I still get snot cycling fast in the summer and can only assume that's from streaming eyes.

kelsen

More importantly, do you spit or swallow?

kingrollo

LOL - there was never much hope for this thread was there !

chuckcork

cjcp wrote:

Only every 15 mins?. That's restrained. Should've seen me last night.

I was going to say the same! Much worse at this time of year, so I tend to ride at the back of a group of club runs for that reason (its no way to win friends by being up front!)

learn the technique of the snot rocket is my suggestion. Finger pressed to one nostril, aim backwards over shoulder (choose shoulder based on wind direction) and blow hard. Repeat other nostril.

I would try though to not snot over cars, the drivers may take it personally particularly if their windows are open! Also beware any cyclists behind you otherwise they'll be wearing it....

benno68

UndercoverElephant wrote:

Do you wear glasses whilst riding? It really can help.

Wore glasses today and it definitely made a difference, not enough snot build up to even let one go this morning

essex-commuter

chuckcork wrote:

aim backwards over shoulder
..

I tend to go under the shoulder (well, under the arm), much less chance of decorating my jacket!

There used to be a girl on our club runs that could do both nostrils at once without using any fingers at all. I've tried and tried that method because I feel it could be safer, but all I end up with is a snot moustache that enters my mouth as soon as I open it.

Hope nobody is having an early lunch!

Mr_Cellophane

Please advise your route and whether it is best to scalp you on the left or right. 8)

mtb-idle

essex-commuter wrote:

There used to be a girl on our club runs that could do both nostrils at once without using any fingers at all.

Oh dear, she sounds like a beauty :?

benno68

MTB-Idle wrote:

essex-commuter wrote:

There used to be a girl on our club runs that could do both nostrils at once without using any fingers at all.

Oh dear, she sounds like a beauty :?

I was thinking that too

lightfoot

Would you spit / blow your nose like this if you weren’t on your bike? There’s no excuse, it’s a filthy habit.

woodford2barbican

lightfoot wrote:

Would you spit / blow your nose like this if you weren’t on your bike? There’s no excuse, it’s a filthy habit.

No.

You're right there is no excuse & it is afilthy habit.

But it is satisfying!

benno68

lightfoot wrote:

Would you spit / blow your nose like this if you weren’t on your bike? There’s no excuse, it’s a filthy habit.

What are your recomendations lightfoot? Your sleeve must be a right mess

lightfoot

A handkerchief works for me. Sorry to be a grumpy old man!