single speed to Blessington, doable?

souter

Whilst I realise this would barely count as a warm-up for the majority of you, how ambitious would it be for me to cycle 35 miles up to Blessington and back in one day?
Bearing in mind :
1) no training whatsover bar 5 mile daily commute.
2) single speed
3) don't like climbing at all

I was thinking of going my usual 48/15 ratio to Tallaght, then flip the wheel to 48/18 for the climb up to Blessington.
I'm not going to make a total fool out of myself am I?

Chips Lovell

The climb up the Embankment is your only difficulty. It's longish, but not that steep. It depends on your fitness, but you may not enjoy it in 48x18. Just pace yourself though.

ROK ON

If you want to avoid hills there is another way that you can go. Lucan, Leixlip, Celbridge (outskirts), Clane, Naas, Eadstown, Blessington.

Actually a lovely cycle, roads mostly quiet, very well surfaced also (so comfy).
I would say that it is highly doable. I am not the fittest bloke in the world and I do this cycle reasonably regularly. No, I dont have a single speed, but I would rarely change gears doing this one.

souter

ta, I'll give it a go (barring bad weather, too much pop the night before, generally chickening out, etc)

-Blanco-

Yes doable, this is a good route to start out on, the way back the embankment is downhill and much easier then the way out, so you can always just turn around if the going gets rough.
Did this route, 42x14 on a track bike. Completely spun out on the downhill way back...not good. Of course the the freewheel would eliminate this problem so I'd say fire ahead and let us know how it goes.

SetOverSet

As a kid I used to head up to Blessington from Tallaght via the N81 on my BMX so it's definitely doable. It's long enough, but not steep...

souter

Gorgeous weather so there was no excuses. The embankment was just right for my gearing (couldn't have gone any steeper) and I fairly flew up in a haze of fog and sweat. Coming back I was mighty glad of my freewheel, I've never coasted for so long.
For my first experience of moderate distances it wasn't the legs that gave out - it was my backside and hands going numb that was the worst.

Chips Lovell

Well done souter. I was out that way myself yesterday with the club, going up the Embankment, on to Blessington and around the reservoir. Was a great day for it. Nice and crisp.

spadder

SetOverSet wrote: »

As a kid I used to head up to Blessington from Tallaght via the N81 on my BMX so it's definitely doable. It's long enough, but not steep...

Ah Happy Days! We used to head up to the Blessington lakes with our fishing rods on the auld Raleigh burner. Spend the day fishing, eat a bag of chips and lash back down the hill, no helmets, no lights, no worries.

When did life get so complicated?

ROK ON

el tonto wrote: »

Well done souter. I was out that way myself yesterday with the club, going up the Embankment, on to Blessington and around the reservoir. Was a great day for it. Nice and crisp.

Did ye head back in via Knocklyon at around 2pm y'day. Was heading back from Wicklow and bumped into a large group of cyclists (circa 20).
Looked impressive.

Chips Lovell

ROK ON wrote: »

Did ye head back in via Knocklyon at around 2pm y'day. Was heading back from Wicklow and bumped into a large group of cyclists (circa 20).
Looked impressive.

I was home by 1, so twasn't my group.