Tell us about your cycle Yesterday.

smacl

Took my hangover for a spin this morning. Rathfarnham - Ballinascorny - Blessington - Tulfarris - Kevins Way - Wicklow gap - Sally gap and home. A bit over 100k with 1.6k of climing in just under 5 hours. Hangover all gone and off out to get a beer for recovery purposes. What can I say, vicious cycle

crosstownk

I'd a small bit of a hangover but I had to bring the young lad to his rugby training which cleared the slight fog in my head. I did 67km out to Naas then onto Blessington and home. The wind was a nuisance at times but it was at our backs all the way home from Blessington. 260km for the week so I'm happy with that.

Unknown Soldier

triggermortis wrote: »

Cycled to work last night - must have pressed the button on the Garmin twice as my recorded distance was 10m!

Google/find the Auto start warning for your Garmin and set it to 15 seconds. It beeps at you when "movement detected" and you haven't hit start. Its placement on the menu is different from device to device.

handy yoke tbh

Unknown Soldier

Got up at 5 this morning for my cycle, or was it 6? Not really sure about that whole clock changing thing but had a decent ride planned. Lots of climbing!

Tried to explain to The Cat that clock changing thing had happened and that is why it was confused and not getting fed.

Did not compute with Cat.

It was quite cold out and even though I haven't been able to lay my hands on my wubbly mavic neck warmer in weeks, I decided I needed it.

Couldn't find it anywhere.

Decided to search "anywhere" again.

And again.

It's now 7am.

Had the genius idea that maybe it is caught inside something else I washed it with, and pushed to the darkest recesses of my mind that I might have accidently used it as a rag to clean the chain

Searching the legs/arms of all your cycling gear take a while, more so when you decide to organise all your gear and start putting the summer gear away for the winter.

I now have fabulously well organised drawers and closets, mostly cycling oriented. I should have done this sooner tbh... but no Mavic neck warmer.

It's 10am.

Where the fukc is it?

Give up looking and while heading down stairs decided to check the coat stand at the front door where the bike stand is.

No joy.

At this stage, about 11:30 it's dead to me. I'll just get another one, so I'm moving on and getting down to brass tacx

It's noted my poor little Canyon ALSLX hasn't had its running gear cleaned in a few weeks, so that is put on the agenda. I also noted my poor little boardman hybrid that was beside it, and I haven't ridden in months, needed some love too.

What did I find in one of the bottle holders on the boardman? A cycling cap, from summer, some arm warmers and my much sought after Mavic neck warmer...

So i left the gaff at 1pm and gave the ALSLX a bit of a test drive pre maintenance.

18 km & 283m dome.

What a bummer of a morning.

Hopefully I will fare better tomorrow.

I did give the ALSLX a lot of love though!
https://instagram.com/p/9ROk_xS8sF/

PolarRoscoe

Fixx Cyclocross Round 2 in Glencullen golf club. Super tough course with bunkers. I'm still finding sand in my ears. Great event but absolute torture1

dahat

With a Pumpkin carving thing on plus the Manchester Derby as well my hand was forced to head out early today.

9am start and clocked near on 60kms with the GPS not picking me up till gone past Kilsheelan so that was pretty annoying.

I met a large group/Peleton of the Carrick Wheelers coming off Killheffernan Roundabout and tbh it killed pace as I didn't have to nerve to tag on or pass the back end group on my good old Hybrid!

Two things I need to sort a Garmin 200 is needed badly plus a solution for cold toes as I'm using runners ATM.

Any tips?

devonp

@ Unknown Soldier

[QUOTE=

I did give the ALSLX a lot of love though!
https://instagram.com/p/9ROk_xS8sF/[/QUOTE]

nice job
what did you use to clean the cassette and chain?, did you remove the chain ?

Unknown Soldier

devonp wrote: »

@ Unknown Soldier



nice job
what did you use to clean the cassette and chain?, did you remove the chain ?

Thanks! I don't take the chain off. I do wipe my chain down after every spin though so it makes a mini service much handier. Bike runs a lot smoother too.

I prefer to use an aerosol degreaser for the cassette and front rings. It kind of acts like a mini sandblasting device and it is like you are painting the cassette clean before your very eyes. It's not cheap stuff though.

If I have the time and patience I would do the chain too while it is running over the cassette. But I tend to use a chain cleaning too anyways. I use this Park Tool CM 5.2 as you can get replacement parts for it, along with a liquid degreaser.

I'd highly recommend the Weldtite Citrus Degreaser Spray for the cassette. I use a piece of laminated cardboard with a semi circle cut out to sit behind the cassette when using it (along with some rags over the wheel rim below). Washes off with no residue and kind of evaporates too.

I got a couple of cans of the muc off stuff when they were really cheap in Tescos a while back but even though it does a good job there is a milky residue when you are washing it down with water. Sort of like a lathe coolant milk, if you've ever see that stuff.

I've 4,234 km done on that bike this year and the running gear is near perfect with about 60% chain stretch, using one of those chain stretch tools for measurement.

I find the gains of having clean running gear hugely outweigh the small regular efforts it takes to keep it clean.

terrydel

42.5k today, bit of a loop up Ballinascorney, turning left at the end out towards manor Kilbride and back onto n81, turning back right at brittas and over ballinascorney again from the opposite side.
Was a strange day weather wise, some horrible headwinds at times but also so very calm sections. Wasn't as cold as it looked, tho I was seriously well wrapped up!
Average about 23kmph I think, not super quick but I blame the headwind :P
Felt ok and considering Ive done very little since the Sean Kelly 2 months ago, perhaps on average 1 spin a week, my fitness is holding up I think. If I can keep it where it is now thru the winter I'll be happy.

Ryder

Unknown Soldier wrote: »

I did give the ALSLX a lot of love though!
https://instagram.com/p/9ROk_xS8sF/

Fair dues....your before pic would be my best ever after pic. Didn't know they were actually metallic in colour

Alek

Wet and miserable commute, no rain but shoes and arse soaked from the wheel spray. Still, mudguards are for wussies. Eh.

On top of it I was pulling legwarmers a bit up while stopped on the red lights, already unclipped with my left foot. Pulled a bit too hard, lost balance and then softly and disgracefully landed on the ground on my right side. What an utter shame.

I guess my mood matches the weather now.

Alanstrainor

I managed to make it through Dublin city without much incident, and it wasn't really raining to i was dry when I got through it. Main thing I was surprised about was how warm it was, I was perfect in a jersey and shorts.

My front mini v-brake shat itself on Friday afternoon, my CRC order for a replacement arrived this morning. It'll be this evening when I get to fit it, but great service all the same.

Wishbone Ash

I'm having a breakfast in Co Laois - 100k into a 240k ride. Miserable conditions since I left home at 6am. I was soaked to the skin after the first 10k.

route66

dahat wrote: »

With a Pumpkin carving thing on plus the Manchester Derby as well my hand was forced to head out early today.

9am start and clocked near on 60kms with the GPS not picking me up till gone past Kilsheelan so that was pretty annoying.

I met a large group/Peleton of the Carrick Wheelers coming off Killheffernan Roundabout and tbh it killed pace as I didn't have to nerve to tag on or pass the back end group on my good old Hybrid!

Two things I need to sort a Garmin 200 is needed badly plus a solution for cold toes as I'm using runners ATM.

Any tips?

You could try overshoes: link

A cheaper alternative is to nab a few of the plastic bags that supermarkets have for fruit & vege and put these on over your socks, inside your runners. They have no insulation qualities but they will keep the wind off.

Some also mention a tinfoil toecap, but I haven't tried that.

frosty90

I took out my new (second hand) bike for its first spin today. Its a Specialiased Tarmac Sport running 105 groupset with brakes and derailleurs upgraded to Ultegra. Feels so fast compared to my previous bike!

I just did a short 24km spin around Ballyhale in Kilkenny. Waited till 4pm for the rain to clear and then headed out. Shiny bike was not so shiny after it!

iamtony

Alek wrote: »

Wet and miserable commute, no rain but shoes and arse soaked from the wheel spray. Still, mudguards are for wussies. Eh.

On top of it I was pulling legwarmers a bit up while stopped on the red lights, already unclipped with my left foot. Pulled a bit too hard, lost balance and then softly and disgracefully landed on the ground on my right side. What an utter shame.

I guess my mood matches the weather now.

Mudguards are for wussies yet leg warmers are so manly......eh?:-)

Alek

My legwarmers are made of hide of a bear I've killed with a chainwhip.

Bloggsie

very good Alek, I made mine with the hides of a dozen kittens, much comfier than bear!

Alek

I also have a baselayer made of assorted roadkill. Very comfy and warm too, but thread marks leave impressions in the skin.


(Ok, enough of this montypythonish monkeying )

Seaswimmer

Alek wrote: »

I also have a baselayer made of assorted roadkill. Very comfy and warm too, but thread marks leave impressions in the skin.


(Ok, enough of this montypythonish monkeying )

you should cycle in Spain. Recently back and had...

dogs, cats (feral and pets), hedgehogs (lots) rats, rabbits, owls, a buzzard and numerous other unidentifiable birds.

unlike Ireland no foxes or badgers..

Alek

I've cycled in Castile and Galicia last year for 3 weeks and I've only seen snakes/vipers!

Seaswimmer

Alek wrote: »

I've cycled in Castile and Galicia last year for 3 weeks and I've only seen snakes/vipers!

Actually I forgot about the snakes but they were alive basking on the sunny verges. I was further south. Alicante to Faro along the coast..

smacl

Lunch time spin up Cruagh to Foxes and back via Kilternan. Warm enough out there and ended up sweating like a pig going up the hill, Winter is still not quite here.

ford2600

[quote="Seaswimmer;97531971" I was further south. Alicante to Faro along the coast..[/quote]

How long was tour? Solo? Credit card or proper touring?

Seaswimmer

ford2600 wrote: »

How long was tour? Solo? Credit card or proper touring?

9 days cycling. 1125kms. Followed the coast. 23 litre saddle bag and 5 litre bar bag. Staying in cheap hostals/pensiones. Used our own road bikes. Flew out Aer Lingus and back Ryanair. Nice trip apart from the bit between Malaga and Estepona which is on busy roads.

Wishbone Ash

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

I'm having a breakfast in Co Laois - 100k into a 240k ride. Miserable conditions since I left home at 6am. I was soaked to the skin after the first 10k.

Forgot to update this yesterday. 243k in total and one of the wettest cycles I've ever done. The rain stopped for the last 20 mins. After I left Dublin I only encountered one other cyclist (somewhere in Co Tipperary).

https://www.strava.com/activities/421482886

terrydel

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

Forgot to update this yesterday. 243k in total and one of the wettest cycles I've ever done. The rain stopped for the last 20 mins. After I left Dublin I only encountered one other cyclist (somewhere in Co Tipperary).

https://www.strava.com/activities/421482886

How many of these long cycles do you do each month? How regularly do you do them?
And how do you find the time?!

terrydel

50km on an absolutely lovely afternoon/evening for cycling, its really amazing to be getting this weather at this time of year, and to be getting out on the bike with just a long sleeved base layer and short sleeved cycling top on. Long may it last!
Went up past St Anne's GAA Club on Bohernabreena Road and up past Glenasmole and onto Glencree, nice bit of climbing. Turned right at the top and back down past viewpoint and down past Firhouse, coming to the Mill pub junction again and turning left and heading up Ballinascorney. Turned out onto the N81 after that, and onwards to home.
24.4kmph. Really enjoyed it and felt pretty good.
Loving these shorter, less pressured cycles I must say!

Borderfox

31km on Wednesday and 32km on Thursday both fairly quick, working just below threshold and keeping pressure on the system for the hour.

Should be good for a return to time trials next year

http://www.strava.com/activities/421951706


http://www.strava.com/activities/422516993

smacl

First night spin in a while last night. Short enough up Cruagh, Military road for a bit, and back via Stocking lane. Still a bit slow descending in the dark, but impressed with the B&M Ixon IQ premium. Still quite warm out at 9pm at the viewing point, which seems to become the snogging point after hours.