Long Cycling on the N11?*

Iron Enthusiast

I’m planning on heading out for a spin along the N11 tomorrow morning from Dublin, for the first time since part of it has been redesignated a motorway.
Does anybody know what how much of it has be redesignated as motorway and if it’s worth heading out that way or better to just avoid altogether? Would be looking to do around 120k and don’t mind doing it in loops of a decent section if it’s the best option.
Thanks in advance for any info!:pac:

IE

loyatemu

openstreetmap.org will show you which bits are motorway. Essentially you'll have to divert through Shankill, Bray, back onto N11 then divert into Ashford and Rathnew (the Arklow and Gorey section is also Mway if you're going that far south).

Personally I don't like cycling on it anyway - yeah the road surface is decent and it's direct but its also windy, noisy, and being passed by trucks doing 100km/h gives me the heebie-jeebies.

The coast road through Greystones and Kilcoole is a lot more pleasant, though the surface is variable.

Highway_To_Hell

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/N11_road_(Ireland) has a list on the left had side of the areas that are M status. I find that while the road is great for getting down on to aerobars for an extended period of time that passing junctions is life threatening. - enjoy the spin.

coolbeans

I wouldn't recommend. Those exit/entry ramps are highly dangerous when you are trying to stick to the main thoroughfare on a bike. You'll have people honking at you for cycling on a motorway which rightly or wrongly is illegal. If the cops see you they might even instruct you to leave. This happened to a friend recently but never to me. That said I'm a hypocrite and I've done it before. Once in a boards group and once with spiderski. Didn't like it. Won't be doing it again unless there's a big group. I would consider it unnecessarily dangerous and stressful.

zzzzzzzz

I've never found it dangerous at all tbh. You've a whole hard shoulder to cycle in, and I've never had trouble with the on/off ramps but if you're that concerned, just go up and down them.

Obviously I wouldn't recommend cycling along the motorway sections but the rest of it is grand.

blorg

aidan.offbeat wrote: »

I've never found it dangerous at all tbh. You've a whole hard shoulder to cycle in, and I've never had trouble with the on/off ramps but if you're that concerned, just go up and down them.

Obviously I wouldn't recommend cycling along the motorway sections but the rest of it is grand.

Perfectly safe but also unpleasant IMO. I use the N3 to get out to races simply as it is the most direct way there but I would never head out on a leisure or training ride on it given the choice.

xz

if you are going through Kilmacanogue at 10 in the morning, join up with the Bray Wheelers spin, they leave from the top of the bridge in Kilmacanogue (the exit ramp for Roundwood) at 10 am,just stop and introduce yourself. The proposed route for tomorrow is as follows and should provide you with 120+km:
-Kilmacanogue;
-Coynes Cross;
- Ashford;
- Rathdrum;
- Turn right at the cross roads, halfway up Rathdrum hill;
- Into Rathdrum town;
- Turn left at the square in the centre of the town;
- Keep left on the main road at the fork, going all the way to the top of the hill (waiting to regroup if necessary);
- Descend towards Greenane;
- Keep straight until you reach the bridge at Greenane;
- Turn left over the bridge and keep straight, up the hill, the hill is quite steep at the bottom!!;
- Wait at the next cross roads to regroup;
- Turn left at these cross roads descending down to Ballinaclash;
- Turn left in Ballinaclash, over the bridge;
- Straight up the hill towards Rathdrum;
- At the next fork, turn right;
- At the next cross roads, go straight accross (Crossing the main Avoca-Rathdrum road);
- Follow the road around to Avondale House for coffee....

Then Rathdrum - Rathnew - Ashford and home...

Victor

www.openstreetmap.org is invariably up to date, but may not have minor roads.

When crossing s slip road, consider doing it at the maximum angle possible.

IM0

loyatemu wrote: »

openstreetmap.org will show you which bits are motorway. Essentially you'll have to divert through Shankill, Bray, back onto N11 then divert into Ashford and Rathnew (the Arklow and Gorey section is also Mway if you're going that far south).

Im 99% sure that section around ashford and rathenew and even to Arklow off ramp (the new byass)
is not motorway, yes its dual carriageway in the litteral sense, but not motorway, Ive trained on that N11 for years and cannot once recall seeing a big blue motorway sign, I did see plenty of green N ones though.

same wrote:

The coast road through Greystones and Kilcoole is a lot more pleasant, though the surface is variable.

Its also a lot heavier road surface, and constantly undulating and steep even in places especially coming back Northward from Rathnew. It is much nicer and more ALOT more quiet than the N11 though. can be cracking on a blue sky day too :cool:

zzzzzzzz

me@ucd wrote: »

Im 99% sure that section around ashford and rathenew and even to Arklow off ramp (the new byass)
is not motorway, yes its dual carriageway in the litteral sense, but not motorway, Ive trained on that N11 for years and cannot once recall seeing a big blue motorway sign, I did see plenty of green N ones though.

Ashford - Rathnew was just re-classified as motorway last year sometime

IM0

aidan.offbeat wrote: »

Ashford - Rathnew was just re-classified as motorway last year sometime

complete with proper blue signs also?

zzzzzzzz

me@ucd wrote: »

complete with proper blue signs also?

Indeed. No recession round those parts!

Iron Enthusiast

Just thought i'd update this.

Since my original post i've done about 6 spins along the N11 of up to about 150km in length. The main loop i've done is between Enniskerry and the Coyne exit (just before motorway begins again), and so far its worked out great. You need to be a bit cautious at the on/off ramps but its great for getting down on the Tri-bars. The main drawback is that it's unbelievably boring to do loops on your own there! Thanks again for all the input!