Tell us about your cycle Yesterday.

prince_buster

Cycled up through Glencree and over Sally Gap and then heard a big CLUNK. Looked down and saw my rear derailleur had snapped completely off and was in the middle of the rear wheel. Oh sh!t ! Thanks to the 2 guys who stopped and helped me detach the derailleur. That at least gave me the chance to cycle the flats and freewheel back home. Almost every cyclist that past me offered help, reminding me that cyclists are a sound bunch and won't see one of their own stuck.

Frustrated that I didn't complete the planned cycle to Laragh but grateful for the help and to make it home safely.

wanderer 22

Short spin in the park this morning; torrential rain the whole time - my prescription lenses fogged up completely so had to take them off. Pretty much blind for the rest of the spin with stinging eyes. It's cleared up now of course :rolleyes:

Einstein?

Talk about four seasons in Ireland: Thunder, downpour rain, strong winds & sunshine! Nice to see so many cyclists braving this morning's weather.

Found the most pristine pavement for cyclists called Berryfield Lane between Bray and Enniskerry. Smooth as butter. Not a single car in sight as well.

Didn't know where I was going so I checked out the route on Strava after I'd done it.

https://www.strava.com/routes/2740235

Daroxtar

Drove in to Tallaght and parked the car at work then headed off up Bohernabreena, Glasmucky and up to Kippure. It was fairly dismal all the way, heavy rain at times and really thick fog on the way to the mast. For some reason I think it helped me on the climb not seeing how far I had to go, just trying to keep pushing and then I was at the top. The descent was a different kettle of fish. Not seeing where I was going on the way down meant a slow, nervy return.
I headed on down Glencree to Enniskerry. Got lashed on again. I was beginning to question my own sanity at that stage and then I got a puncture just as I got into Enniskerry.
The sun came out then so I took off the rain jacket to dry off and took my time fixing the tube.
After that I headed back up to Glencree, stopped twice on the way. Once to put back on the rain jacket because the lashing rain returned and again to take it back off because I was roasting alive. Then I made a second ascent of Kippure. It was tougher on the legs but easier on the reflexes being able to see this time.
I wanted to try the Glencree ascent after seeing Wishbone Ash's link a few days ago where he said it was as close to an alpine climb as we have in this country and I need a bit more climbing before the holidays. It's a good long climb but easy enough bar the initial ramp from Enniskerry and the mast itself.
All in, 83km, 1800m climbing in 4:10

https://www.strava.com/activities/339563675/overview

Crocked

Fairplay Daroxtar on heading up Kippure today. I had planned on heading up myself but having got rained on the whole way up and conditions and visibility getting worse as I got to gates I wussed out, I really didn't fancy that decent in those conditions.

It kept raining all the way to Sally Gap and I was going to turn for the N81 and home but when I looked over to Lough Tay it was sitting there basking in sunshine. So I headed for that and indeed it was a lovely summers day up there. The rain appeared again once I'd descended Lugalla.

I had a hairy moment nearing Enniskerry on a descent when the car in front suddenly came to a full stop on the road with another car coming the opposite way. I dropped the anchors, the back wheel locked up and I had the left foot down to control the skip and just got stopped in time. I'd planned on heading up devils elbow but after that near miss the stocking lane descent wasn't appealing to me so went home via Stepaside instead.

Me being dressed for the beach and the lights on the Grange Road/Taylors lane all being red was the icing on the top of a ****e day.

68 lost souls

Waited out the rain and headed out about 3pm today for a coastal spin around Dublin. Planned it out around 75km and 3 hours. Ended up going about 85km and a bit slower than planned.ostly thanks to Kiliney hill.

Swords-Malahide-howth head loop-fair view-irishtown-black rock-Dunlaoighre-Dalkey-Kiliney-ballybrack-Bridesglen-stepaside-Dundrum-mill town and finished in Terenure. Felt great from Swords to Dalkey averaging about 27kmh then it went down hill as I went uphill. Was not expecting how tough Killiney hill is and then by the time I got to Brides Glen I think I bonked. Not fun on your own. Ended up eating two snickers and pushed through knowing if be downhill from kiltiernan.

Ended up a lot slower overall though about 23.5kmh which I'm very annoyed about.

Positives are I spent a lot of time building confidence on the drops and also some time practicing on the Tribars. Went from howth to bull island on the Tribars the whole way which was good. Much more confident on descents today as well.

wanderer 22

Einstein? wrote: »

Found the most pristine pavement for cyclists called Berryfield Lane between Bray and Enniskerry. Smooth as butter. Not a single car in sight as well.

Thanks for the tip; went out and did this this evening. Beautiful road alright, amazed I've never cycled it considering I've been on every other road around there hundreds of times

Don't Chute!

Jaysus looks like the weathers been ****! Was over in Westport for the weekend. Cycled the greenway Westport to Achill yesterday and back today with my wife and two year old daughter and the weather was fantastic. Rained for about 5mins today but the rest was glorious sunshine!

Would highly recommend the greenway to anyone especially those with family. Although bring your own bikes as we had to hire "bike shaped objects". Good god they were awful!

happyhappy

An early morning spin down the coast road from Greystones to brittas bay and back along the n11. 80k 28.9average.

Strong headwind on the way down and did a few intervals on the way back. Kinda wussy intervals with a strong tail wind mind!

Jacket on jacket off jacket on jacket off jacket on jacket off...... I think everybody gets the picture!

Warning to anyone planning a coast road spin between Wicklow and arklow - a 5k section at brittas bay has a new surface of loose stones. Pools of them in places and dangerous. It will take weeks to pack down and clear. Ruined that section of the spin this morning.

rollingscone

No proper spin today but went for an 18k, walk/cycle with Mrs. Rollingscone who only learned to cycle a few years ago and still has only done a couple of lessons every summer but still manages to improve every time at least.

She has a terror of cycling in traffic so going anywhere is a problem, today saw great progress with the following mini-adventure:

1. Cycled on the quiet D2/D8 residential streets as far as Harold's X, crossed on foot and cycled as far as the Suir Road Junction.
2. Walked as far as the park.
3. Cycled up from the Kilmainham gate to the main road, no easy feat for the Mrs on a singlespeed that she isn't confident standing out of the saddle on, then headed along the cycle tracks towards the Castleknock gate before:
4. Taking a service road down to merge with the turn offs for the Chapelizod gate and Strawberry beds (?), was quite anxious about descending all that way especially since the disgraceful motorist behaviour (claiming bicycles are only suitable for leisure then using the public park as a rat run for their cars seems like having their cake and eating it).
5. taking the slightly rough path across to avoid the Chapelizod gate and then taking the closed road (two cars zoomed by to do U-turns in the carpark so they could zoom past again) climbed back up a bit (suddenly gears are a lot more interesting to Mrs Rollingscone) and descended past the magazine fort, again not a bother to her despite some not ideal passing by the increasingly thick on the ground cars, having used up her supply of brave new world nerve, we walked back to the Suir Road jct.
6. On the last leg, after being given a pass to walk the rest of the way home, the intrepid Mrs RS cycled back along the canal, making it through the junctions apart from one where a woman in an Audi Q7 having tried to block the cycle lane despite being a good 20m back from the junction, then pulled in across the Mrs to force her to stop so that she could take her stupidly sized vehicle on into her journey to obesity. The Mrs walked across the junction as a ped at the next light and remounted to finish the trip.

It sounds like small stuff, but I was blown away by the progress made...if we could just do it a bit more often.

That said, I haven't been this livid at driver behaviour in quite some time. If we have kids I'm going to let them cycle to school while I drive behind them in a JCB.

Esroh

Today I did my first genuine spin of 2015. 46 km in Galways Joyce Country in glorious sunshine tootling along at 20kph. HR must stay below 60%. Its great to be back on the road after 6 months of no more than a run into town on my High Nelly.

ted1

Had planned to go as far as Wexford , but knocked that on the head, did a tour of the hills around killiney, climbed about 500m. Learnt a lesson on some of the steeper ones, had it in first and came out of the saddle, but the road was wet so the wheel kept slipping. Fell over once and then had trouble restarting. Then again the incline was well the 11% average. https://www.strava.com/segments/stupid-hill-4497669

aFlabbyPanda

Had an idiot riding one of those cokezero bikes while holding an umbrella go straight through a red light this morning...will there be a fine for that too? Just so stupid.

Ryath

black and amber wrote: »

Jaysus looks like the weathers been ****! Was over in Westport for the weekend. Cycled the greenway Westport to Achill yesterday and back today with my wife and two year old daughter and the weather was fantastic. Rained for about 5mins today but the rest was glorious sunshine!


Would highly recommend the greenway to anyone especially those with family. Although bring your own bikes as we had to hire "bike shaped objects". Good god they were awful!

Was glorious on west coast yesterday doing Wild Atlantic Way north from Galway only got a 5 min shower at Silver strand. Absolutely stunning beaches and coast line in North Connemara. In Clifden now so 135k from Galway and another 20k to the train station made for a pretty decent day.



Bit different today bucketing down at the minute so plan for another 160 day following coast is out the window. Going to head straight for Westport then Achill so should be about 100k for the day. Meant to be a bit better after 12.

devonp

Wolftrap 200 Audax

did this y'day. Great day apart from a few showers near the end.
really enjoyed it , quite different from a sportive, was in a group all the way everyone great company and all did their bit

Thanks to Gary from Wolftrap CC for organising (and the soup at the end) and to William for his enthusiasm, advice and humour, and all in the group

Fellow boardsie DMW22 also in the group

looking forward to getting my medal:)

http://www.strava.com/activities/339975402/

Bloggsie

The_Sub wrote: »

Had an idiot riding one of those cokezero bikes while holding an umbrella go straight through a red light this morning...will there be a fine for that too? Just so stupid.

you cant fine someone for being a numpty!

Bloggsie

I posted here about 12 months ago about a mutt charging out of the entrance to the house it lives on and 100% scaring the sh1te out of me, I contacted the local Co Co & no sign of the mutt till this morning when it came barrelling out the entrance(no gate on it) and chased me 30-40 yards along the road, I had to give it some welly but I also had to veer on to the opposite side of the road as it didnt stay on the path but was alongside me for 15-20 yards, TBTF no traffic was driving the other way!
Back on to the Co Co this morning methinks!

irishrover99

Bloggsie wrote: »

I posted here about 12 months ago about a mutt charging out of the entrance to the house it lives on and 100% scaring the sh1te out of me, I contacted the local Co Co & no sign of the mutt till this morning when it came barrelling out the entrance(no gate on it) and chased me 30-40 yards along the road, I had to give it some welly but I also had to veer on to the opposite side of the road as it didnt stay on the path but was alongside me for 15-20 yards, TBTF no traffic was driving the other way!
Back on to the Co Co this morning methinks!

would it be on the strawberry beds road. always get chased by a dog when i'm down there

smacl

Usual lunch time loop up Cruagh - Glencullen - Kileternan - Rathfarham. Best Irish summer weather; wash, rinse, blow dry, repeat.

Bloggsie

irishrover99 wrote: »

would it be on the strawberry beds road. always get chased by a dog when i'm down there

yes irishrover99, it is the strawberry beds. I spoke to Fingal Co Co today & they advised that there are a number of complaints raised by cyclists against that animal, the dog warden called after my complaint last year & will go back again in lieu of mine & other recent complaints!

irishrover99

Bloggsie wrote: »

yes irishrover99, it is the strawberry beds. I spoke to Fingal Co Co today & they advised that there are a number of complaints raised by cyclists against that animal, the dog warden called after my complaint last year & will go back again in lieu of mine & other recent complaints!

have been thinking of complaining myself as they've came close to getting my ankle a few times, but they are good for increasing your average speed:pac:
i'm always aware of them when i go that route now

first time i seen them i got chased by two of them. i'd hate to be the local post man

brocbrocach

Would ye give over. Dog lives there all it's life and just because it mildly inconveniences ye the odd time every few years ye pass through ye'd like to get it locked up or put down?!
The dog doesn't want to give you a proper bite. It's just playing a game. If it's too close for your comfort kick it inna face and that'll sort it.
It's the countryside not your local park.

smacl

brocbrocach wrote: »

Would ye give over. Dog lives there all it's life and just because it mildly inconveniences ye the odd time every few years ye pass through ye'd like to get it locked up or put down?!
The dog doesn't want to give you a proper bite. It's just playing a game. If it's too close for your comfort kick it inna face and that'll sort it.
It's the countryside not your local park.

The fault is with the owner, not the dog. They have a legal obligation to keep the dog under control in public, if they can't and the dog's a nuisance they should be prosecuted, simple as that. I've been in an accident with a 'playful' dog when travelling at speed that ran into the road and under my wheels. I was injured, my bike was wrecked, and the dog ended up being put down. Wouldn't happen so much in the countryside, as a stray dog in land where they keep livestock will get shot.

Bloggsie

heyho irishrover99, i dont want you to think im telling you what to do as i believe such matters are 100% the choice of those inolved to make the descion to report dogs who are a danger. I did it last year & it appeared to have an effect that I have only heard the animal barking until this mornings excitement, had any traffic been coming the opposite way this morning I would be on a cold slab in James St/James Connolly Hosp.
Scared as fcuk this morning.

Bloggsie

really brocbrocach, i assume you are trying to be ironic or funny (serious fail)
I am aware of the threat it presents as I pass the address I am out of the saddle as soon as i hear it to get away, in regards to kick it inna face, by doing so the chances of it causing me to spill increase as it may go under the wheels.
not very cool!

There is a dog near my parents house that roams free and loves barking at me and chasing me.

The one time it caught up with me it licked my leg :rolleyes:

irishrover99

Bloggsie wrote: »

heyho irishrover99, i dont want you to think im telling you what to do as i believe such matters are 100% the choice of those inolved to make the descion to report dogs who are a danger. I did it last year & it appeared to have an effect that I have only heard the animal barking until this mornings excitement, had any traffic been coming the opposite way this morning I would be on a cold slab in James St/James Connolly Hosp.
Scared as fcuk this morning.

i don't think that at all. your well within your rights to report it and i'd have no complaints with that. they are dangerous and its not like they are small jack russell type dogs either. a bite would hurt, even without the dangers they cause by avoiding them

brocbrocach

Bloggsie wrote: »

really brocbrocach, i assume you are trying to be ironic or funny (serious fail)
I am aware of the threat it presents as I pass the address I am out of the saddle as soon as i hear it to get away, in regards to kick it inna face, by doing so the chances of it causing me to spill increase as it may go under the wheels.
not very cool!

No I'm being dead serious. Sorry I don't mean to have a go at anyone but I don't like the idea of people going around the place imposing Health and Safety where they have no business. I'm sure that dog's neighbours etc put up with it everyday and don't go reporting it to the council. Pretty much every country farm (certainly in the West) has a dog that roams around the place like it owns it.
Look, I sympathise with people who crash on account of them and sometimes there's just bad luck involved but in general it's about learning to deal with the situation properly. You can't sanitise everything on the road - dogs, cats, sheep, wild pigs etc are just a hazard to be put up with.

Bloggsie

its your opinion and you are completly entitled to it, wild pigs, sheep & cattle mooching along on country roads are one thing but dogs are governed by law and their owners must keep them under control, not charging out from the owners property out on to the public road.
As for dogs roaming around the countryside, any farmer I know would be looking for his gun if that was the case.

brocbrocach

Bloggsie wrote: »

its your opinion and you are completly entitled to it, wild pigs, sheep & cattle mooching along on country roads are one thing but dogs are governed by law and their owners must keep them under control, not charging out from the owners property out on to the public road.
As for dogs roaming around the countryside, any farmer I know would be looking for his gun if that was the case.

Fair enough, 'tis a legitimate argument.
The one thing I'd say is that in most cases the dog's bark is much worse than it's bite and it's only after a bit of craic with the traffic. Recognizing that can help to minimise it's effect ... in theory anyway (I'm conscious that I'll probably get the bejasus scared out of me by an ambushing dog in the next few weeks and wind up in a ditch!)