Tell us about your cycle Yesterday.

hardCopy

Got chased by a bloody massive Alsation last night around by Kilshane heading towards the back of Dublin Airport.

He was barking from the driveway as I approached so I crossed the road, so did he, figured I'd accelerate a bit and soon lose him.

Hit about 38km/h and he was still on me, he got too tired to bark but could I still hear him running, once he stopped I kept on the gas until I got around the next bend. A van drove past me just after this, he must have had a fine view of the whole episode. My legs were already tired before this and the road was a bit of a drag so I was wrecked after I got away.

andyoc

Hi Guys
In training for our "Spin to Berlin" in August. Cycled from Sutton to Drogheda, then out to Duleek/Donore. Crossed the Boyne and followed the 160k Tour of Meath route for a bit, into Slane, up the Hill on the N2, right to Beauparc, Kentstown, Rathfeigh, Ashbourne, BAllyboughill and back to Sutton.

To Drogheda @ 27kph av, but dropped to 25av to home - strong easterly around the estuary and Malahide. Still, 140k is our longest leg on the continent, so happy that!

@HardCopy...Kilshane towards Ballycoolin and then right...the dog - big black Alsation, if memory serves me, is on the right half way along - that your guy? Have avoided that road since....scary beast!!!

robertxxx

Cycling down the north quays, guy in front nearly got crushed into the footpath by a blue coach and he banged on the side the guy then raced up the other side of the coach and punched the mirror and destroyed it and kept on going....was it anybody here.
About 7:45am

hardCopy

andyoc wrote: »

@HardCopy...Kilshane towards Ballycoolin and then right...the dog - big black Alsation, if memory serves me, is on the right half way along - that your guy? Have avoided that road since....scary beast!!!

Spot on! I was heading the opposite way. Took a longer route the previous time, out towards The Ward from Hollystown(?) Roundabout, may avoid him in future too.

andyoc

Today's cycle, July 7th:

Sutton/Dun Laoire/Killiney/Bray/Greystones/Rathnew/Wicklow/Brittas Bay,
and Jack Whites for Brunch. 3.5 hrs out 77k.

Reverse home, into strong headwind. 152k total, 1120m climbing, 6.5 hrs rolling.

Beautiful day...thoroughly enjoyed it, if a little knackered now!

awec

Dundrum, Sandymount, over the East link, Clontarf, Baldoyne, Portmarnock. Return the same.

The way out basically had a headwind the entire way. Way home pretty peaceful actually, think the wind died down.

ozzy jr

awec wrote: »

Dundrum, Sandymount, over the East link, Clontarf, Baldoyne, Portmarnock. Return the same.

The way out basically had a headwind the entire way. Way home pretty peaceful actually, think the wind died down.

I did similar but in reverse,

Dundum, lap of Airport, Malahide, Portmarnock, Sutton, Clontarf, East Link, Sandymount, Blackrock, Stillorgan and home. About 75km, my computer stopped working at the 71km mark. Think it needs a new battery.

awec

ozzy jr wrote: »

I did similar but in reverse,

Dundum, lap of Airport, Malahide, Portmarnock, Sutton, Clontarf, East Link, Sandymount, Blackrock, Stillorgan and home. About 75km, my computer stopped working at the 71km mark. Think it needs a new battery.

You probably passed me.

hardCopy

Gah!

Gave my spare tube to my girlfriend on Sunday and never swapped a new one into my saddle bag. Hit a pothole in Finglas this morning and blew it out. Had to wait for my boss (dad) to pick me up on his way in. Ended up being half an hour late.

Jawgap

hardCopy wrote: »

Gah!

Gave my spare tube to my girlfriend on Sunday and never swapped a new one into my saddle bag. Hit a pothole in Finglas this morning and blew it out. Had to wait for my boss (dad) to pick me up on his way in. Ended up being half an hour late.

I trust the boss deducted your wages accordingly to teach you a valuable lesson about preparedness and punctuality

smacl

Nice spin in the rain last night with my sister. Ballyboden, Enniskerry, Crone wood, Military Road, Glencree, Devils elbow to Glencullen and home. Minimal visibility up top and lashings of rain, but great gas in a deranged kind of way, only added to by meeting a lone cow in the middle of the road on the Glencree descent.

smacl

Slightly different cycle for me last weekend, off to Dingle to meet some friends, so decided to take the train down to Tralee, hire a bike and take it from there. Reading obsessive compulsive cycling disorder on the way down filled me with enthusiasm for a bit of a climb, so decided to go over the connor pass, which was well worth the effort. Even on a hybrid with a 12kg pack it was spectacular, though I spent most the descent wondering how I could organise a return trip with the road bike. That and wishing I'd checked the brakes before starting down, as the whole bike shook with any application of the front brake. A couple of days sailing, hiking, swimming, all washed down with a load of pints, and I started out for the return journey yesterday. Suitably hung over I decided on the flatter return trip taking in Inch and Castlemaine, though seeing a KOM 6k on the road just outside Castlemaine let me know it wasn't quite flat. Good fun, but must get panniers for the next time. The hire bike was lighter and easier to use than expected, even carrying gear, but was way too low geared, with the big ring feeling not much larger than the middle on my triple. Hiking boots on flats were also a bit weird for a long spin, but workable enough. God, but I love cycling around Kerry!

buffalo

smacl wrote: »

Even on a hybrid with a 12kg pack it was spectacular, though I spent most the descent wondering how I could organise a return trip with the road bike.

I've taken my bike on the train to Killarney. It's only 30km from there to Tralee.

smacl

Killarney would have been great, but I was more concerned about the change at Mallow. i.e. finding out there was no bike space for the 2nd leg of the trip.

buffalo

smacl wrote: »

Killarney would have been great, but I was more concerned about the change at Mallow. i.e. finding out there was no bike space for the 2nd leg of the trip.

Whenever I went there was a direct train from Dublin. No hassle, apart from there being nobody on the platform when I arrived to tell me where to put my bike, and then a staff member getting annoyed when I left it at the end of a carriage.

drdeadlift

Cycled From Drumcondra to Clontarf along the coast road out by Portmarnock to Malahide back the m1 then one lap of the airport 52k in total.Its mad how good a down pour of rain feels when your working your ass off.

NeedMoreGears

Went to Laytown up the old N1 on Sunday morning before the rain (almost). Stopped for really good 99s and wandered back the coast via Skerries, Rush, Lusk.

Lovely spin 92k flat at a leisurely 25kph.

Thirdfox

First cycle into work - putting the C2W scheme into use

12km, 35 minutes on the N11, that's faster than a bus (when factoring in waiting times).

Hope I can keep it up now!

Qualitymark

Cycled from Kenilworth to Dun Laoghaire yesterday - a gorgeous, mostly level or downhill cycle by way of Goatstown and Kilmacud: wheee!
Then back along the metals to Seapoint, on the old coast-ish road as far as Ailesbury Road, then across through Upper Rathmines Road and back.
An hour there, a little over an hour home. (I'm not a fast cyclist; your results may vary.)

paulgalway

Did this to-day. first time out in 6 days. Decided not to push too hard. Found it harder than usual; must try to get out every 2nd day at least.

Between Claregalway and Galway, 4 guys passed me.

Like me they were on Hybrids, they didn't seem to be exerting much effort; but they pulled away from me in no time at all. Was depressing . Would love to know how they seem to ride with so much ease.

Qualitymark

paulgalway wrote: »

Between Claregalway and Galway, 4 guys passed me.

Like me they were on Hybrids, they didn't seem to be exerting much effort; but they pulled away from me in no time at all. Was depressing . Would love to know how they seem to ride with so much ease.

Have you tried lowering your saddle?

paulgalway

Qualitymark wrote: »

Have you tried lowering your saddle?

What difference will this make?

Qualitymark

Lowering your saddle increases your pedaling power. Give it a try - take it down a couple of centimetres.

Plastik

Having your saddle in the correct position increases pedaling power and efficiency. Not having it in a lower position. Don't drop it by a few CM.

There's always someone stronger than you on the bike. Just get used to it. Some days you'll meet them on the road! If you want to get faster, train harder and cycle more. There's certainly no magic fix like dropping the saddle.

Seaswimmer

http://www.discoverireland.ie/Activities-Adventure/skibbereen-cycle-hub/80857

Did loop2 recently while on holidays with my wife who wouldnt be a cyclist. Really enjoyable on very quiet roads with lovely scenery. I must admit that we seem to be making an effort to accomodate cyclists who wish to do a bit of sightseeing. We spent a couple of weeks in ireland in a camper van and most places we went had local cycling loops which were well signposted. There also seem to be a number of long distance cycle routes. We came across various sections of the Beara-Brefine way on our travels which again was well signposted on quiet roads.

Slogger Jogger

Met up with Enduro who is attempting to run the Wicklow way south to north today. Started at the ridiculously early time of 6am but it was absolutely beautiful. Cycled from Clonegal to the townland of Kyle on the Wicklow way before I diverted home at that point. Spent nearly 3:45 in the saddle which is my longest cycle ever by far. Lots of up and down hills. Nothing major but lots of climb and 2 sections where I had to get off and push! Garmin track here: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/201375706

Parts of it are quite tough. My rear tyre is pretty worn so I wasn't getting great traction on slippery sections.

GT_TDI_150

did this today http://app.strava.com/rides/14007426

As a beginner, I dead a little on that last climb, this was only my 6-7th cycle ... this year

I'm aiming to do 2cycles a week a 20-30km mon/tue and then a 50-80km on the weekends in preperation for the sean kelly 100km(waterford) in august and the rebel tour 85km(glengarriff) in sept. I put iur 2yr old to bed every night so thats kinda all I have time for.

coolhandspan

Out today in rain, 50 km in just over two hours, after a year out of saddle, thrilled, can't wait to get back into it.

ryan_sherlock

Did this ride: http://app.strava.com/rides/14348801

I was exploring climbs I have ridden past many times but not climbed. Weather wet, but I was warm - grand.

Then, on the R114 just before Old Bawn in Tallaght (after the long descent), a red van (I think a Bellingo), buzzed me so close his wing mirror hit my right elbow smack on. My elbow took the mirror clean off the van. PISSED - guy trying to kill me! I was doing about 30, he must have been doing 80. Chased after him but couldn't get to the lights before he was gone to get the reg etc... Should have gone back for the wing mirror then but the red mist had come over me.

My elbow is sore (icing now), but I'm fine... If I was 10+ kg lighter or not holding the bars firmly at the time, I would have been f****d.

SerialComplaint

ryan_sherlock wrote: »

Then, on the R114 just before Old Bawn in Tallaght (after the long descent), a red van (I think a Bellingo), buzzed me so close his wing mirror hit my right elbow smack on. My elbow took the mirror clean off the van. PISSED - guy trying to kill me! I was doing about 30, he must have been doing 80. Chased after him but couldn't get to the lights before he was gone to get the reg etc... Should have gone back for the wing mirror then but the red mist had come over me.

My elbow is sore (icing now), but I'm fine... If I was 10+ kg lighter or not holding the bars firmly at the time, I would have been f****d.

Bummer - small consolation but at least you can take some pleasure from the fact that he'll have to pay out for a new wing mirror. Get a helmet cam - it can catch the reg in some of these situations where you're too shocked to get it.