Tell us about your cycle Yesterday.

crosstownk

I'd been on holidays with all the usual eating and drinking that that entails and haven't been on the bike for 2.5 weeks. The weather on Saturday and Sunday put paid to any spin so I headed out this morning.

I went up the Embankment feeling not great and hoped to get as far as Blessington but when I got to the junction at the lakes I decided to do a lap. Then I got to the junction just after Ballyknockan and for some unknown reason I decided to cross the Wicklow Gap. It took it's toll on the draggy climb from Laragh to the top of the Long Hill and also out of Enniskerry but I made it with 23.7km/h for the 107km spin. Not my best average but I'll take it given the way things turned out today.

My legs are tired right now so I think a nice walk is in order to 'free' them out a bit. I'll be walking to the pub

brownian

Pleasant spin from the Tassie to Glencree, Sally Gap, Laragh (coffee and goodies - a million cyclists there), Old Bridge, Enniskerry, back to Tassie. Summer - gotta love it.

Inbox

Saw some guy on the cycle track in Clontarf telling people how to cycle properly.

eeeee

Well this is yesterday's spin but I thought I'd write it up! Went out with a club on the road for the first time yesterday, thank you Bray for accepting the Sundrive interloper! Got the loan of a bike of Big Mig and off I went in a very wobbly fashion to start! It was like going from a tractor to a Ferrari, the pressure needed to slow down my old bikes caused the awesome new machine to skid :eek: so a steep learning curve was entered into! Also having more than 10 gears on a bike that doesn't weigh half a ton was an absolute revelation - every bit of effort you put in moved me forward, it was deadly!

So off on Tosca (what I named the bike!) for a spin from Ashford, Gleneally and Rathdrum. Via I have no idea, I hadn't a clue where I was all day but it did include two (for me) enormous hills. I got over the first one ok, but had to walk the end of the second one I didn't pace myself at all, I don't know actually how to climb really at all as I never do it! It was a million times easier to climb on that bike than my old man, there was no comparison. Lovely food in Mount Usher and off to the start again. Surprised and glad I survived it, I was really nervous of the hilly-ness of it. I usually head north or west on my spins and avoid Wicklow like the plague.

I have learnt that I need a new bike and Wicklow isn't as bad as I thought. Well it was but I survived! And riding in a group is awesome, it's sooo much easier than on your own! I also should have down more time at the front, but next time I shall get the hang of it better!

Big thanks to Big Mig, I had a great day, I hope Tosca is ok after carting me around!


In other boring news I found a new spot for intervals, on the ambulance/vehicle track on Leopardstown racecourse. I went down on Friday evening to do some pre-race intervals, and 9pm is fox hour! I came barreling around the top on an effort and there's a young fox casually hanging about and it never moved. I stopped and looked at him/her for a minute then he/she walked up to me! I can't believe how tame urban foxes are. If he/she was at home they wouldn't be long for this world! :pac: It's sibling was hanging around the next corner. It's a much nicer view than doing intervals on the side of the n11, I can't believe it took me so long to discover it :rolleyes:

crosstownk

gadetra wrote: »

I have learnt that I need a new bike and Wicklow isn't as bad as I thought.

Sounds like a great educational day

First_October

A nice handy 74 km after the deluge in Kilkenny on Saturday.

Ballyporeen -> Shanrahan -> Araglin -> Ballyduff -> Fermoy -> Mitchelstown

Some of the climbs between Araglin and Ballyduff are seriously steep!

shaka

52 Km down in beara , took in the healy pass. Great weather

not yet

Not exactly today but here goes..

Just back from Lanzarote where I hired out a tarmac specialized carbon. 2 Things are now very apparent to me, 1: It's fecking hard getting up hills in 32 degrees while carrying 16st, 2: Drinking till 2am and getting up at 7am to go out on a bike do not mix. Otherwise the roads are perfect and drivers very considerate.

Unknown Soldier

My left knee is screaming at me not to cycle for awhile. Serves me right.

Should have quit when I had the Strava Fondo in the bag Really have to find out what is causing my left knee to go south at 90-100km. Now think the cleat is bent and my foot isn't level.

Grand Fondo 8 done. SIS 100 mile challenge done.

164.7 KM done for the day at 24.2 avg. I was at 25.5 until my knee went. No fun cycling from Saggart to Tallaght with 1.25 legs

First time out using a cadence sensor too. Took awhile to get used to but then it was just great. Should have installed it 6 months ago when I bought it. Pretty much a "must have" tool.

Probably going to regret doing the extra for the SIS tbh


Still, blessed I put on factor 30 this morning "just incase" It was pretty grey at 7 this morning.


I should be in bed.

stecleary

gatorskins + rain = twitchy

cheerspal

Managed to get out of around Howth for once and cycled out to Wicklow for 140km round trip. Was pretty warm in places and was attached by flies on numerous occasions!

http://www.strava.com/activities/175338742

smacl

Not today, but a challenging enough 175k from Dublin to South Wexford on Sunday, for 7hr40 into the wind starting with a road closed and diversion at Enniskerry, and puddles you could kayak across. Glorious weather for the final leg from Kiltealy to Duncannon. Return trip tomorrow morning, so hoping the wind might be at my back.

helimachoptor

stecleary wrote: »

gatorskins + rain = twitchy

So after the arrival of our 1st baby, i was back at work today.. not ideal in the rain but motored in..

Went into the underground car park, hit the deck hard and slid about 30 foot into a parked car, my elbow took the impact its sore and will bruise later id say

Also my new oakleys which i got off a boardsie.. ****e in the rain! so will need to use my other ones when its wet out

2406r

Yesterday afternoon - Stocking Lane and Cruagh - twice up by Stocking Lane and twice up by Cruagh - really enjoyed descending on dry roads four curcuits of between 32mins 40sec (first) to 35mins 30sec duration (last)

Bloggsie

f1000 wrote: »

commuting into town this morning, heading down from Whitehall (Regency Hotel to the junction at Griffith Ave). I had a driver in a gold shuttle bus constantly beeping at me while tailgating very closely. I know the cycle lane there is quite short (250m) and the lights ahead were red. But no need for the hostility. When I arrived at the lights turned to see him gesture with anger that I should be in the cycle lane.

Diffused the situation by blowing him a kiss
He didn't know what to do after that.

thats quality, must remember to use that & not my normal response. You could reaaly put the wind up him by winking as well!

Bloggsie

"I didn't pace myself at all, I don't know actually how to climb really at all as I never do it! It was a million times easier to climb on that bike than my old man".

I have a silly grin on my face as I re-read that sentence, I cant help thinking of the story from Fr. Ted of Dougal at the fair on Craggy Island riding an 80 year old man around a field.

Sorry, I have a twisted odd sense of humour!

Kinet1c

~80k in 3hrs 15mins, this is the resulting strava trip... https://www.strava.com/activities/175961982 If anyone would like to borrow my hover bike to fly over the Wicklow mountains just shout.

omri

4th of august - dun laoghaire - howth (end of the cycle path) - there and back 45km - 2hrs (was completely exhausted)
5th of august - dun laoghaire - howth (same thing) - 42km - as I took shorter route - 1hr 50min (I thought it will be much harder after the previous day)

in my good days I was doing 30km in 50-60min depending on the day, today which is around 3-4yrs since my good days and probably 15kg heavier I find myself better on flat than climbing (and it used to be the other way around)... but glad to be back cycling again.

macnab

I set a new Personal Best on the Mullagh hill today, commuting from Dublin 4 to Summerhill in Meath. I have been suffering from a bit of lactic in the calves since I fit Tri bars onto the commuter, or it could be dehydration due to the clammy weather.
Either way I was hurting a little but maintaining a decent 28.5kmh average and felt like having a go at the Mullagh hill from the Dublin side.
I knew I would have to average over 27.3kph to beat my old PB so I maintained my effort until my speed began to drop close to 28kmh, at that stage I increased my effort to maintain 28. By the time I got to the top I had dropped to 25kmh and my lungs were on fire. I only beat my old PB by 1 second but I have been trying to beat it for weeks so I am happy that I finally found the correct method.
Now I am just waiting for a South East wind so I can move up the leader board with a little help from the elements, which of course will start a whole new campaign to beat that.

Bloggsie

3rd time to commute, 28.2 km in 1hr 16, my times so far have been 1hr 18 & 1hr 11, my average speed falls to pot after climbing the hill on the lower road past the anglers rest, altough not a long hill it rises quite sharply, going through the park my legs are in ribbons & it feels like im stuck in treacle, 2 guys blasted past me this morning(probably werent going mad but it felt like they were)

I will beat 1hr 10!

not yet

Bloggsie wrote: »

3rd time to commute, 28.2 km in 1hr 16, my times so far have been 1hr 18 & 1hr 11, my average speed falls to pot after climbing the hill on the lower road past the anglers rest, altough not a long hill it rises quite sharply, going through the park my legs are in ribbons & it feels like im stuck in treacle, 2 guys blasted past me this morning(probably werent going mad but it felt like they were)

I will beat 1hr 10!

I hear ya, That drag seems to go on forever.

smacl

South Wexford back to Rathfarnham, via Campile - Adamstown - Bunclody - Carnew - Laragh - Sallygap. 168k @ 22kph, which seems to be the speed my bike seems locked into at present. Glorious weather, and nearly half a pound lighter having cycled ~340k over the last few days. Hmmm! Bike is stuck at 22kph, body is stuck at 13st9. I think I'm going to ask Santy for a new bike and a course of liposuction this Christmas.

bandit1987

just a quick spin today was only 22km but for some reason my legs were dead and it felt real touggh
http:// www. strava.com/activities/176423672

shaka

48 km with a spin up ballintubber , averaged 27km. Very civilised with half our gang doing malin to Mizen next week

Bloggsie

same again today 28.2 kms commute 1hr 16 B*****D! I need advice, after the hill in the strawberry beds(im sure some of you will think of it as a speed bump) my legs are fecked, can't get any real pace going through the park, is it just a case of sticking with it & will will improve or do I need to try something else>
Frustrated much!!!

smacl

Bloggsie wrote: »

same again today 28.2 kms commute 1hr 16 B*****D! I need advice, after the hill in the strawberry beds(im sure some of you will think of it as a speed bump) my legs are fecked, can't get any real pace going through the park, is it just a case of sticking with it & will will improve or do I need to try something else>
Frustrated much!!!

While I'm a crap climber myself, the advice of spinning up in a low gear at a steady pace works well for me. Be in the right gear at the start of the climb, keep your cadence constant, and keep cycling at that pace over the brow of the hill. Where I regularly feck up is starting up the hill at too high a gear and then having to drop down mid climb, and slowing when I think I'm at the top but there's still a few metres left.

Bloggsie

cheers smcal, i have the gearing sorted, i have heard it called the granny wheel!, its after the climb it feels like I have nothing left in my legs.

rainbow kirby

22km on the usual Regent's Park loop last night, first spin after doing the London Triathlon olympic distance (yeah, I know, boo hiss) at the weekend. Legs felt better than I thought but still not too happy on the climb up Camden Road near the end. Average speed around 23km/h, taking it relatively handy.

Kinet1c

101.6k, 4hrs3mins, 25km/h. Last 1/4 of it was tough going even though it was mostly flat. Didn't have to get off the bike this time on the climb up the R410 so a little progress made since Tuesday. http://www.strava.com/activities/176823473/overview

jober

Headed out at 5.30, nice quiet roads, tallaght, Blessington,Wicklow gap,Laragh,Wicklow way,stocking lane tallaght,
Cold wet and windy up there this morning
Plenty activity up at Lough tay with the filming of the Vikings.the smell of break fast cooking from all the campers was torture as I nibbled on dry nutty flap jack thingy