Comments on: Question of the Weekend: Cumulative Snot Volume

By: Fat Cyclist » Blog Archive » Seattle LiveStrong Challenge IV: A Shout-Out to Susan, Co-Captain ClydeSteve’s Ride Report

Tue, 23 Jun 2009 20:30:40 +0000

[...] saw Team Fatty guys every so often and tried to interview some of them about important questions of their riding career. I would have liked to work together with someone in this section for the [...]

By: FujiGirl

FujiGirl — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 14:33:41 +0000

Where I’m from, we refer to the art of making a snot rocket as to “farmer blow”. I’m pleased to say as the only “girl” in my group, I can farmer blow better than any man I’ve encountered. I suspect in the past 7 years, however, I’ve only blown around one gallon. Not nearly as impressive as I’d have thought. Generally I get a clean blow, however, there is a significant amount deposited on the glove to the shorts, and also directly onto the shoulder of jerseys (if I’m wearing sleeves). I have also had the case of the snot slug. I enjoyed your blog. My first visit – think I’ll be back!

By: Randoboy

Randoboy — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 13:00:42 +0000

With the amount of cold-weather base riding I do during the winter, between snot-rockets, crash-landings (hits you or your bike instead of the pavement), and aborted take-offs (stays on your face), I estimate my lifetime expectorant output at 1.8986 × 1027 kg. Or, put simply, the mass of the planet Jupiter. I expect the Earth to become a small sun the next time I sneeze.

By: Lisa C.

Lisa C. — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 15:42:15 +0000

1.25 teaspoon. My nose doesn’t run when I ride, so even though my per-wipe output is twice yours, I’ve done it maybe five times.

However, I ran the numbers for when I’m not riding, and totaled them over the course of my lifetime.
118 gallons.

I need to ride more.

By: SurlyCommuter

SurlyCommuter — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 14:26:19 +0000

CSV is not just a handy file format anymore.

By: tim

tim — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 02:05:49 +0000

Fatty,

I hope you are getting some of the economic stimulus money. Important research like this needs to continue.

If we can find a market, or use for this organic product we may be able to lower the trade deficit.

By: Big Mike In Oz

Big Mike In Oz — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 06:32:04 +0000

I have a problem with calculating such a thing. Not the grossness factor, because as a cyclist, and school teacher, and parent, I have no upper threshold for grossness. My problem is with the complexity of the algorithm necessary for my asymetrical nostril function. Not to mention the fact that as a trackie I’m what would commonly be described as a fair-weather cyclist.

My nostrils function in a weird way while cycling. The left nostril is like the Tardis of snot; when it’s ready to go the output is in increments of full-teaspoons not eighths; but that’s in the icky weather, so I’ll go with Fatty’s 1/8. Plus, from the left they fly clear with a near sniper quality straight line trajectory. The right nostril, however, can only generate about one quarter the velocity, with a similarly diminished accuracy. It’s easier to not bother with the right, just leave the goop in there until it accumulates to the level where it climbs over into the left side and is immediately ejected.

So starting with my first competitive nasal outburst… 1982 to now – 27 years.
Sporadic riding, even in the warmer months; anything from 5 a week to once a month.
3-5 ejections per ride (fair-weather remember).

That’s 27years x 52weeks x 2.5(ish)rides x 4snots x 1/8 = 1755teaspoons of snot = 8.9 litres.

Maybe we should have saved it all up for one of those bizarre Japanese gameshows.

By: Beth

Beth — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 05:25:01 +0000

Wow…..what a blog…..uplifting at times and a reminder that indeed we WERE going to use math when we um…”grew up”….kinda gross yet strangely enthralling……;)

By: USAFANARC

USAFANARC — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 03:44:29 +0000

Hey Ya’ll,
I bought a men’s XL Sleeveless Team Fatty jersey and I’ve decided that I just can’t sport the sleeveless look so I’m going to stick to my shortsleeve version. I took the tags off but never wore or washed it. Anyone want to buy it at cost? $70 + shipping. Email me if interested: usafanarc@msn.com

By: Michelle

Michelle — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 23:55:33 +0000

I laughed so hard I cried. This morning was a super snot ride! With bugs flying up my nose and in my mouth I was blowing them out as fast as I could. I have to tell you though I think that an 1/8 of a teaspoon snot is way small! I have way more output than that – thanks to allergies!
Thanks Elden for this great post!