Cycling alone - Boring

blahblah06

So I've racked up 400k on my new bike and I'm getting to the stage off boredom.

I live in lusk and finding it very hard to go out on the bike.

I normally head out between 2 - 5 weekdays and 9 - 12 weekends. Anyone else the same

snollup

what about this then?

blahblah06

snollup wrote: »

what about this then?

sorts out the weekends but not the weekdays. thanks

-Chris-

You'd be surprised how interesting the mid-week training gets if you've a goal (like keeping up with the lads at the weekend).

Lumen

Why are you cycling for 3 hours every day?

blahblah06

LOL lumen no im only heading out for the hour between them hours sorry.

I defo have sped up. I normally cycle lusk - portrane - lusk or do lusk to ashbourne return or lusk - balrbriggan - skerries - lusk

decent enough spins but boring

Does anyone just show up for the swordscc and go along and are they decent lads and stay about 20 - 25kmph

DualFrontDiscs

Lumen wrote: »

Why are you cycling for 3 hours every day?

blahblah06 wrote: »

I live in lusk

Beasty

blahblah06 wrote: »

Does anyone just show up for the swordscc and go along and are they decent lads and stay about 20 - 25kmph

You can just show up to give it a go - if you start doing it regularly though you should look to join up.

The regular Saturday morning spin goes starts at Blakes Cross at 8.30 and goes through Lusk (along the bypass) 5-10 mins later then heads off to Skerries. Average speed on that one for about 70km is around 30kph

If this is a bit too fast for you, there are the Saturday leisure group and Sunday touring group which start at Swords - details are on the website

Jawgap

blahblah06 wrote: »

LOL lumen no im only heading out for the hour between them hours sorry.

I defo have sped up. I normally cycle lusk - portrane - lusk or do lusk to ashbourne return or lusk - balrbriggan - skerries - lusk

decent enough spins but boring

Does anyone just show up for the swordscc and go along and are they decent lads and stay about 20 - 25kmph

Don't forget you'll cycle faster in a group - so if you're capable of averaging 25km/h on your own, you'd be well able to average 30 km/h in a group.

kennyb3

Jawgap wrote: »

Don't forget you'll cycle faster in a group - so if you're capable of averaging 25km/h on your own, you'd be well able to average 30 km/h in a group.

TBH, that 30km/ph is an average over 3 hours there are plenty of faster parts and also a good few testing hills. i was averaging 28km/ph on my own prior to that one and found it hard enough the first 2-3 times.

The leisure group would defo be the way to start out. especially to build up endurance.

OP, another way to stop the boredom is to come up with a plan that includes some hill repeats some 5minute spurts etc. this will give you focus. Then you be glad of the days you can go out and look around at the scenery on a recovery cycle

Lumen

I would never avoid a group spin because you don't think you're fast enough. The speeds are not remotely comparable.

The worst case is that you bail out and continue solo.

kennyb3

Lumen wrote: »

I would never avoid a group spin because you don't think you're fast enough. The speeds are not remotely comparable.

The worst case is that you bail out and continue solo.

That is true but for some people the quickest way for them to give up cycling is by losing heart by not feeling like they are good enough.

It all depend on the type of personality though

Lumen

kennyb3 wrote: »

That is true but for some people the quickest way for them to give up cycling is by losing heart by not feeling like they are good enough.

It all depend on the type of personality though

Well, we're all crap compared to those faster than us. Cycling is not about how good other people are.

It doesn't even stop when you come second in the TdF, people slag you for either lacking killer instinct, or doping, or both.

penexpers

Sometimes I think training on your own can be good from a psychological point of view. It definitely helps to have goals too.

DualFrontDiscs

I think at the end of the day, however you've performed in comparison to others, all you really need to ask yourself is......

Do I have a nicer bike than that young whipper snapper?

Did I enjoy myself?

DFD.

07Lapierre

kennyb3 wrote: »

That is true but for some people the quickest way for them to give up cycling is by losing heart by not feeling like they are good enough.

It all depend on the type of personality though

When i first went out with Swords Saturday 8.30 group, i was dropped every time. So i say to the OP, yes you might get dropped, BUT so what,(your well used to cycling on your own!:D) but you WILL improve over time and you WILL eventually hang in there. Go for it!

kennyb3

07Lapierre wrote: »

When i first went out with Swords Saturday 8.30 group, i was dropped every time. So i say to the OP, yes you might get dropped, BUT so what,(your well used to cycling on your own!:D) but you WILL improve over time and you WILL eventually hang in there. Go for it!

I was the same i got dropped too and did hang on the 3rd time i was out.

But i also did a race last year got dropped very early, got disheartened, thought i wasnt cut out for it, and didnt go back until lads on here encouraged me earlier this year. now i find racing highly enjoyable.

I simply meant it might be a nicer intro to try the tour group, for confidence if nothing else, but in no way was i trying to discourage the OP, simply make his first intro to a group a pleasant one.

Edit: just to add op, you will come on leaps and bounds extremely quickly with a group so go for it as soon as you can.

Beasty

07Lapierre wrote: »

When i first went out with Swords Saturday 8.30 group, i was dropped every time. So i say to the OP, yes you might get dropped, BUT so what,(your well used to cycling on your own!:D) but you WILL improve over time and you WILL eventually hang in there. Go for it!

And once you do manage to keep up, 07Lapierre will be there to take your subscription money:)

I would re-iterate there are a couple of slower groups that might help you get the hang of things. One of the problems with starting off in a faster group is you may want to hang towards the back while you suss out what is going on. This will just increase the likelihood of being dropped

ROK ON

Agree wity Penexpets. Training on your own can be very good for you. I train a lot on my own. It makes you stronger in dealing with bad weather, wind etc.
When I am out in a group I now almost never do any work and just wheelsuck. I take it as my payoff for the hard days of cycling solo in the wind.

07Lapierre

Beasty wrote: »

And once you do manage to keep up, 07Lapierre will be there to take your subscription money:)

I won't be there this Saturday or the next as I'm off on hols. so you'll get TWO spins for free! ...

shaungil

There a group of us that train in the winter in Skerries Balbriggan every Tues and Thurs (mainly Swords CC and fingal Tri and RP {randon punters}) Beasty Staro SH100 Lion of Fingal among others. There is a very large mix of riders from Ras finisher this year to guys who have just started and we use a route that allows everyone to get back on.

We also hook up some mornings to commute. If you want to PM I'll add you to the distribution list we send send to see if anyone is doing anything. Quiet enough in summer as a lot are racing but a lot do randon training and send a mail around.

Commiserations on the whole living in Lusk thing btw. It can't be easy

07Lapierre

kennyb3 wrote: »

That is true but for some people the quickest way for them to give up cycling is by losing heart by not feeling like they are good enough.

It all depend on the type of personality though

Is there really one cyclist out there who hasn't been dropped / lost a race / been over taken by an ouldfella on an old hack of a bike etc. at some point? We've all been there. There's always someone better then you but there are plenty who are slower. Never loose heart.;)

RobFowl

shaungil wrote: »

Commiserations on the whole living in Lusk thing btw. It can't be easy

It could be worse though, there a coastal tip down to road full of posers and laa de daa's (Goatstown I believe)

PS the Blakes cross spin is a good one to start with as there are plenty of turn off points if you're struggling. The touring group for the Lord Mayors do longish but steady spins 24-25 kph.

Try the Blakes cross one , it passes through lusk and the route is I believe somewhere on the Swords cc site.

kennyb3

07Lapierre wrote: »

Is there really one cyclist out there who hasn't been dropped / lost a race / been over taken by an ouldfella on an old hack of a bike etc. at some point? We've all been there. There's always someone better then you but there are plenty who are slower. Never loose heart.;)

I know that now thankfully, but i think thats hard for people to understand when they come to the sport at first. For example i came from football, was fairly useful, then was a bit of a runner. In running there is always someone ahead and more importantly behind, so you never felt worst. Okay i saw lads getting dropped in the TdF but i didnt realise id get dropped in a sat/sun morning group spin and found it hard to deal with.

Anyway i replied as you make valid points, so anyway give it a go OP, dont expect miracles and slowly but surely you ll hang in there.

And as Rob Fowl says there are plenty of turn off points.

07Lapierre

RobFowl wrote: »

Try the Blakes cross one , it passes through lusk and the route is I believe somewhere on the Swords cc site.

Here

CramCycle

07Lapierre wrote: »

There's always someone better then you but there are plenty who are slower. Never loose heart.;)

I personally take pride in the fact that over long distances, NO-ONE is slower than me Its the little things that give you pride

Jawgap

You're never alone with commuter racing!