I actually saw it on the news but it was so long ago I’m not sure I’d even find it if I tried. I don’t even know how true it was since it’s from Apple Daily.
I want to get out on my bike over the weekend.
Are the Buff type things acceptable to wear over the mouth and nose when exercising outside? Or does is specifically have to be a mask?
All the rules I can find explicitly state ‘mask’, and not just ‘face covering’.
It might be more about optics than anything. I saw a 70/30 split between med masks and face mufflers today.
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I wear one of these, and have a medical one with me, just in case.
I am sure it does nothing for protection, but it fits the bill.
I ride alone, 99% remote mountain roads, bring my own stuff to eat and drink, and don’t enter shops.
Should say that after the initial 10 min, I kind of forget about the mask altogether.
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Yes, that mask (PITTA mask) is not medical grade and doesn’t help to filter out disease, it helps with PM2.5. I used to wear this on the scooter. Kept me cool and helped when I met puff puff green plates.
It fits the bill, but at this point, guys, of course mask wearing is mandatory, but if you really think about it, mask wearing is a way to keep you and your loved ones safe.
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Today I cycled up FenGuiZui - I wore a mask from home through to the entrance and then switch it to a buffer. After returning to the bottom I again switched to a mask. The buffer was manageable (cycled around 10:30AM, so quite warm), the mask became quite wet/damp with sweat and frankly was not practical for climbing hills in the heat. This past week (at night) I’ve cycled up ZongShe with a mask on. So for me it’s probably moderate my day-time climbing and stick to night rides where possible…I figure I was “compliant” throughout my rides and kept everyone safe. FYI the other cyclists today (about 5) on FGZ were wearing masks.
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I should have added that I bike very early morning, and that from turning right out of the garage, I am basically in the foothills of YMS.
No cars, no scooters, no traffic lights.
Should have been a different mask if I first had to escape the city.
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That’s what I did too except I didn’t go up a mountain. Just took a 40-minute spin along the river. It was more about boosting immunity than breaking any PRs. Wore the mask while inside the city. Took it off and pulled the buff over my nose after crossing over the flood wall to the riverside park. I was sweating so much as it was midday. If I had the virus, it would’ve been completely sweated out of me and blown away in the wind.
Edit: Just thought of a minor detail. As I was leaving my building, I realized I had filled a water bottle that had an exposed mouth. So I went back to my apartment and switched to one that had a cover over the mouth. You just can’t be too careful!
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I went on a 40 minute hike (for the uphill part) with my son today. I did not enjoy the mask. At some point, it got completely wet with sweat and each breath was a bit of a fight with the mask and it felt like I was trying to suck in air. I’ll ride tomorrow for the real test. I’m pretty sure I won’t last the whole distance without pulling it down. I’ll try, though.
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Take 2. You can switch them and let the soaked one dry-ish off your bars or wrist.
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Yeah, I got that just from a flat midday walk along the Danshui waterfront. This CDC advice (link) is mildly amusing for those dealing with Taiwan’s summer:
- If you are able to wear a mask, remove your mask if it gets moist from sweat and replace it with a clean mask.
I wonder how many masks I’d have to carry for a bike ride if I truly swapped in a dry one every time the one I’m wearing gets moist. Or how many kilometers (meters?) it’d be between swaps. “Oh, darn, 500m uphill, it’s drenched again. OK, only 50 more kilometers today! I hope this box lasts the ride!”
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Thanks for this. I picked up a 3 pack of the PITTA masks from Watsons last night, which I’ll only be using for cycling.
I went out this morning for an hour, my computer showed that under the blazing southern sun the temp was up to 39C. Wearing this type of mask was bearable, even when I was breathing hard and pouring sweat.
I don’t ride in the city or populated areas. If I did I’d wear a medical mask on the bike, but then again, I wouldn’t be riding hard in the city, so the medical mask would be comfortable enough.
For my bike trips out in the sticks, I’ll be using one of these PITTA masks.
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Has youbike been mentioned in this thread? The thing to have for youbike is a spray bottle of alcohol. Be sure to spray the handlebars, brake levers, bell, seat and seat adjustment lever before the ride, and after the ride, your hands.
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I’m not going to say this is a bad idea - it’s probably a good one, and is something I may start doing with the handlebars, like I do already with Costco shopping carts. But it looks like the risk of COVID transmission from fomites is quite low:
We see some of that on an individual level as well, where we have some people who are still disinfecting their groceries, even though there has been little to no evidence of fomite transmission. I would not say it’s impossible, but it appears to be a low risk.
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Just bought a pack of 3, wow this kind of mask really let’s you breathe a lot easier. Pretty keen to try it out cycling.
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Or wear this one:
Very comfortable to wear as it has low breathing resistance. I know you might get weird looks but given the state of the pandemic I doubt anyone will care. This mask is designed for dusty environments and filters out anything above 0.3um so it will protect you from almost anything except for Sarin gas.
The exhale valve may not protect others from you however…
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I did Balaka road yesterday. The only unmasked cyclists I saw were two foreigners riding together. Although it is true that not everyone was wearing the mask properly. I have to admit that when the mask was keeping falling down from my nose, putting it back was not my top priority.
Riding early (I started at 6 in the morning) is relatively fine, but once the heat starts to kick, you really notice the mask. Anyway, I tried to ride easy and slow, without forcing my lungs more than necessary. But I had to go out, it may be my last ride before level 4.
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I love the all the attention you’ll get when you wear one of those.
Taiwan heart + humidity numba 1!
