wicklow hills

km991148

So headed a couple of times in last week or two since getting a new road bike and realised I am not as fit as I was (even 6 months ago )

Average of 40/50 km spins but tried to take a hillier route yest and was knackered after first 10kms:

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=Ballyboden+Rd&daddr=Ballybrack+Rd%2FR116+to:53.209837,-6.176548+to:Enniskerry+Rd+to:Whitechurch+Rd&hl=en&geocode=FV4rLQMdAgmg_w%3BFbpALAMdKUKg_w%3B%3BFThfLAMdXHKh_w%3BFYMfLQMd6hOg_w&mra=dpe&mrcr=0&mrsp=2&sz=13&via=1,2,3&sll=53.21107,-6.221523&sspn=0.074018,0.222988&ie=UTF8&ll=53.257409,-6.262207&spn=0.147876,0.445976&z=12

planed on taking a right at cruagh road for a longer route, but felt bad enough and took a left instead.. (terrible I know.. but I actually wanted to u turn..)

how bad is that first section compared to the rest of what wicklow has to offer? I am sure I have been over worse on my flat bat, but yest near killed me (obviously it must have been the heat!..)

I hear a lot of talk of stocking lane.. did I even cover part of it, or is the real bad stuff here (sorry, but different maps name the rads differently..) - seems to be worse looking at the isobars.. :mad:

Izoard

Stocking Lane/ Kilakee is parallel the route you took (until your left turn).

Both are great climbs and probably seem hard because you are climbing steadily out of the city for 8-10km.

Sure there are harder ascents in Wicklow, but do these on a regular basis and you will be fine for anything else...

sleepyholland

Worth bearing in mind that if you're starting in Rathfarnam you're straight into those climbs without any warm up. Makes a difference.

km991148

@ Izoard yep thats the plan.. trying to work out a reasonably hilly route to get used to it..

I slagged of buying a bike with a granny ring a few weeks back..(i.e. tripple vs compact) I take it all back! (while looking for an even smaller toothed front chain ring!!!!)

@sleepyholland - actually started terenure - so had an extra 750m warm up time! - good point though, maybe I will go a mile or two through the streets then start on them hills..

previously I often went out via dundrum and over kiternan way down to roundwood, but need to mix it up a bit.

niceonetom

km991148 wrote: »

how bad is that first section compared to the rest of what wicklow has to offer? I am sure I have been over worse on my flat bat, but yest near killed me (obviously it must have been the heat!..)

The few km of Cruagh before the left turn you took is tough. It's steep, the surface robs momentum and yesterday was hot. Don't beat yourself up for finding that tough, if it's easy you're not trying hard enough. If you can get up that you can get up anything in Wicklow.

km991148 wrote: »

I hear a lot of talk of stocking lane.. did I even cover part of it, or is the real bad stuff here (sorry, but different maps name the rads differently..) - seems to be worse looking at the isobars.. :mad:

Nah, that bit is actually not steep at all (it can be a bit exposed so a head wind can be an issue). The hardest bits of stocking lane and further down below the viewpoint. According to google this should actually be called Kilakee Rd, but I'll continue in my misnaming.

Chips Lovell

km991148 wrote: »

how bad is that first section compared to the rest of what wicklow has to offer? I am sure I have been over worse on my flat bat, but yest near killed me (obviously it must have been the heat!..)

The first section, Edmundstown Road, is a tough climb and would rank up there with the best Wicklow has to offer (there are some harder climbs, but they are rare enough)

km991148 wrote: »

is the real bad stuff here (sorry, but different maps name the rads differently..) - seems to be worse looking at the isobars.. :mad:

Nope, that bit would be significantly easier than Edmundstown Road. If you'd taken the right at the top, the gradient would have eased off a good bit and even goes downhilll before you hit Glencree.

Lumen

el tonto wrote: »

If you'd taken the right at the top, the gradient would have eased off a good bit and even goes downhilll before you hit Glencree.

More importantly there is often an ice cream van at the viewing point, offering sweet, creamy rewards for your efforts.

km991148

el tonto wrote: »

Nope, that bit would be significantly easier than Edmundstown Road. If you'd taken the right at the top, the gradient would have eased off a good bit and even goes downhilll before you hit Glencree.

Lumen wrote: »

More importantly there is often an ice cream van at the viewing point, offering sweet, creamy rewards for your efforts.

Arrgghh.. I wanted an icecream for ages as well.. and gave ina nd settled for a crappy cornetto king cone at home (although I did wash it down with beer so not all bad!)

Chips Lovell

They should use ice cream vans as pace cars in races. Could make things a lot more interesting.

kennyb3

Sorry for the thread-jack but on returning home from glendalough yesterday i drove over the sally gap to rec these hills and came down via tallaght. having seen the climbs involved im dying to give them a go, was just wondering tho if anybody could suggest the best way out to them via the city (im coming from malahide).

Thanks

Raam

kennyb3 wrote: »

Sorry for the thread-jack but on returning home from glendalough yesterday i drove over the sally gap to rec these hills and came down via tallaght. having seen the climbs involved im dying to give them a go, was just wondering tho if anybody could suggest the best way out to them via the city (im coming from malahide).

Thanks

I went over from Portmarnock yesterday.
This is usually the route I take.

At the east link bridge there is a pedestrian way through to Thomcastle Street so I just go straight up that way. Google Maps wouldn't let me draw it so it looks messy there, but it isn't.

kennyb3

Raam wrote: »

I went over from Portmarnock yesterday.
This is usually the route I take.

At the east link bridge there is a pedestrian way through to Thomcastle Street so I just go straight up that way. Google Maps wouldn't let me draw it so it looks messy there, but it isn't.

thanks for going to that effort raam

cdaly_

km991148 wrote: »

I slagged of buying a bike with a granny ring a few weeks back..(i.e. tripple vs compact) I take it all back! (while looking for an even smaller toothed front chain ring!!!!)

Have a read of this thread...