Tell us about your cycle Yesterday.

twinsen

ror_74 wrote: »

Went out from town by the Strawberry Beds to Clonee , Sumerhill, Trim and back on the fixie, 98 km, switched the tracks pedals for SPD SLs for a smoother ride. Co-ordinating a hill start at the sandpit traffic lights with clipless pedals on a fixed 48/16 was almost embarrassing but managed to blag it.:) Lovely day through the back roads of Meath.

Was that by any chance silver bianchi Pista ?

awec

quozl wrote: »

Did 22km from ranelagh canal up to stepaside village and back today. Averaged 17km/h on the way up, and 19.5 km/h for the round-trip.

Have to caveat this again that I rode a bike for the first time 4 1/2 weeks ago or else these speeds/distances are too shameful compared to everybody elses!

Really enjoyed the hill up from dundrum to stepaside - I used to love running up that hill but always HATED running back down again as I'm an injury prone runner and down-hill running on concrete is asking for trouble. It's a pleasure to come down it on a bike I hit 44km/h on the way back, fastest I've done and could have easily gone a lot faster but decided quick smart to slow down when I saw I was doing that speed!

Had an amusing newbie cycling moment on the way out. I'm trying to keep a cadence of around 90-95 rpm and comfortable effort but at a couple of points on the way up the hill to stepaside I ran out of lower gears so I had to drop down to about 70rpm and hard effort - figured this was the price of having a hybrid bike. Turns out I'm just dumb! I only use the easier of the front two chain-rings as that's enough to be learning about for the moment but I was messing about with the harder chain-ring earlier and forgot to swap back down.

So I did the entire return trip to Step-aside on the harder chain-ring. No wonder I ran out of easier gears on the way up that hill

Nice one

You'll find yourself upping the distances really quick. You could easily be doing 100km+ this summer.

Ole Rodrigo

twinsen wrote: »

Was that by any chance silver bianchi Pista ?

Was indeed - did you see my delicate manoeuvring?

smacl

Lovely spin yesterday up from south Wexford back to Dublin, sticking to a winding route of l-roads and r-roads. Ramsgrange, Adamstown, Kiltealy, Bunclody, Clonegal, Shilelagh, Tinehely, Aughrim, Macreddin, Greenan, Laragh, Glanmacnass and home. Nice chat with Namelessphil in the cafe in Laragh, and fantastic weather all the way. Not sure of the total distance, as my ageing GPS seems to have it in for my cateye wireless, ~ 182k according to the planned route, slightly over 8 hours door to door. Nice to be mostlly following the contours for a change rather than crossing them, though the road out of Macreddin has some lumps in it. Amazing how many different routes you can take to get from A to B on a bike in this country.

ford2600

Amazing how many different routes you can take to get from A to B on a bike in this country.[/quote]

That's true.

Live near Carriagline but Im from west waterford. Cycling between the two involves going East or West of knockmealdowns or crossing them. Thete are four mountain passes.

I done it 7 times this year so far, route number 5 is next on list

awec

58km yesterday in the sun.

Dundrum - Booterstown - Sandymount - Clontarf - Howth and back again. All along the coast.

Went up the sutton side of howth, up to the car park at the top and sat there for a while and then down into the village for lunch.

Didn't realise at the time but got sunburnt. My arms are pretty much lobsterish, except for my hands cause of the gloves.

twinsen

ror_74 wrote: »

Was indeed - did you see my delicate manoeuvring?

I was finishing my climb on Knockmaroon Hill, when I saw you going another direction on this bike. Got my attention as Pista's are quite rare.

Ole Rodrigo

twinsen wrote: »

I was finishing my climb on Knockmaroon Hill, when I saw you going another direction on this bike. Got my attention as Pista's are quite rare.

Ah..well spotted. Must have been crossing towards the Strawberry Beds from the park as you came over.

njburke

Not long in from a spin, Sallins Johnstown Blessington Ballymore Eustace and back via Naas. Lovely evening for a cycle, stopped by the lake and the Liffey in B'More.

I'm really beginning to favor that side of the county now that I'm doing longer distances (50K).The other side to be honest can be pretty dull, plus I'm find that the roads have less traffic in the early evening.

Hope to extend the route to around the other side of the lake in the next week or so.

The tax man

Lovely evening for a recovery spin after the Tour of Louth and to loosen up the legs for the TT tomorrow night. Managed to get a KOM which was a bonus.
Then nearly got wiped out by a car that just swanned across the junction at the Three rock pub. Poor lady in the passenger seat,the look on her face,she thought I was about to come through her window. Nice flat spot on my tyre now.:mad:

Felloffmebike

Great spin tonight. Short, just 34k, and with a mixed group for the first 10k. Trim - Summerhill - Agher - Rathmolyon - Trim. A fast route but with a couple of nice hills and a mad lash for the last 5k into Trim. Stevie K was first wheel over the line but marshalls are studying footage of alleged drafting behind a big milk lorry for 2k near the end....! A great spin and a good laugh. Can't beat it.

rollingscone

Neaaaaarly cracked 100km today, but limped home thoroughly knackered with a paltry 95 done.

Started going up teh road to Cruagh wood then went down Kilakee road but having decided that I wasn't suffering enough for whatever it is I did in my past lives I turned back around and climbed upt to Sally Gap then down into Laragh and took the easier route home, heading towards Bray before turning back towards Enniskerry and gasping my way into Dundrum.

Great fun up until Laragh at which time I apparently ran out of not suffering, and had lots of suffering instead.

Also, I'm really getting tired of climbing on my 39-25 and seeing people amble past me on their normal groupsets...

smacl

rollingscone wrote: »

Also, I'm really getting tired of climbing on my 39-25 and seeing people amble past me on their normal groupsets...

39-25 is no fun on those hills unless you're built like a whippet, done it a few times when my old FD was on the way out and I was stuck in a 42 middle ring. I'd definitely get a larger cassette, and a compact as well if funds allow. Too many hills in big gears and you're liable to banjax your knees in the long term.

rollingscone

smacl wrote: »

39-25 is no fun on those hills unless you're built like a whippet, done it a few times when my old FD was on the way out and I was stuck in a 42 middle ring. I'd definitely get a larger cassette, and a compact as well if funds allow. Too many hills in big gears and you're liable to banjax your knees in the long term.

Yeah I'd like to change the rear cassette at least. A downgrade to 10spd tiagra wouldn't hurt. Any idea how much it should cost? And who won;t try to badger me into a total drive-train change

Mycroft H

smacl wrote: »

39-25 is no fun on those hills unless you're built like a whippet, done it a few times when my old FD was on the way out and I was stuck in a 42 middle ring. I'd definitely get a larger cassette, and a compact as well if funds allow. Too many hills in big gears and you're liable to banjax your knees in the long term.

My smallest is 42-28 and I could do with a few more gears occasionally when the hills get hilly.

Broke the 30km/h average today on my own over 45km. Pleased with myself :pac:

Jocry

Decided to detour around Howth hill this evening on the way home, a beautiful evening out there, pity about the head wind but still can't complain, making the best of the weather since its back to rain next week I believe
Saw all the Clontarf crew later on outside their coffee stop at Il Panorama and then heading back up over the Summit afterwards!

peposhi

Went out this eve.
Did a total of 45k from home to Kildare and back in less than 2 hours. 23.8 average speed with a very strong headwind on the way to Kildare and jee I never noticed the hills are so high when going that road in a car On the way back with the tailback wind was much easier. A few cyclist flew past me at a very serious speed, I felt like I have stopped, hahahaha

rollingscone

peposhi wrote: »

Went out this eve.
Did a total of 45k from home to Kildare and back in less than 2 hours. 23.8 average speed with a very strong headwind on the way to Kildare and jee I never noticed the hills are so high when going that road in a car On the way back with the tailback wind was much easier. A few cyclist flew past me at a very serious speed, I felt like I have stopped, hahahaha

Not to worry, this is a common experience.
I find it's easier on my ego when they blaze past never to be seen again, instead of overtaking me and then hanging around in my field of view, daring me to try and compete but then easily staying ahead of me.

mossym

First time commuting to work today, 30k spin from Killaloe into limerick to work. beautiful sunny morning, absolute pleasure to be on the bike. Avg speed of 31km/hr which included several stops at traffic lights was a nice result too. Next cycle will e the return trip at 5.30 this evening!!

Dotsie~tmp

Did north country Dublin for the first time on Thursday and today. Thurs was a scoping mission to see what the small back roads between the N2 and M1 were like. Pleasantly surprised. Very quiet, rural and surfaces OK and great views and scenery in this weather (like the arse end of bogland just 20 mins from city). Even found a DIY airfield just north of Swords by the road. Nice hills towards Naul which I didnt reach.




Today planned Naul and back via country lanes.

http://mapmyride.com/workout/297872115

Quiet again. Gets hilly past Oldtown and the hill out of Naul village stung a bit. Glad to be off N routes and busy roads. Much more relaxing.

Felloffmebike

A loop around Navan never straying more than about 10k out in case the heat (and the blustery wind) got me. In the end did 56k in almost exactly 2 hrs so 28k average including a couple of minutes dealing with a mechanical. That's ok for me given that I'm not as young and fit as I used to think I was..

Kingdom Man

castleisland - abbeyfeale - listowel -tralee and back to castleisland 84km's beautifull morning for it.:)

dingdong1234567

Oldcastle, loughcrew hill heading east. On through ballinlough and left at Balally cross back to oldcastle. 39km nearly at 25km/h. So happy with that. Loughcrew was a reel leg breaker but the view at the top was so worth it.

inc21

Got my bike today and went for a little test spin. Need some more gear though 21k -49min
Love it.
http://www.endomondo.com/workouts/201074930/10607425

paulgalway

Cycled to and from beach on other side of Spiddal where the family were at the beach. total of 61.5 km. Longest distance done in a day, even though an hour so was spent on the beach
(http://app.strava.com/activities/59326323)

In case anyone else got hit:-

Just other side of Spiddal on the way out, was almost pushed of the bike by a young lad in the front passenger seat of a white car. Didn't get the make, but got the reg. Told to call in to station tomorrow.

geros29

180km from morelys bridge around the beara peninsula.great day to be on a bike.great spin.wasn't up to much on the hills but descents were good.what's the best way to improve on hills?

shamrock55

geros29 wrote: »

180km from morelys bridge around the beara peninsula.great day to be on a bike.great spin.wasn't up to much on the hills but descents were good.what's the best way to improve on hills?

Thats a nice cycle were you on your own where is morelys bridge btw

geros29

shamrock55 wrote: »

Thats a nice cycle were you on your own where is morelys bridge btw

It's outside kilgarvin at turn off to coolea.did it with the club.bout 30 or so.

homer simpson

Only a 37Km spin for me locally (bridgend and back, in donegal) , done this evening, weather really helps matters Got PB's on 3 KOM's and got 2 KOM's. Although i am the only person to do the 2 KOM's hills en-route back to my house on the back road, still counts right

Best avg speed for me too, just shy of 28Kph. Not bad for a 15 stone edjit.

Cee-Jay-Cee

70k early this morning, letterkenny to Glenswilly, Gartan lake, Churchill, Trentagh, kilmacrennan and back with a a few detours here and there to break the monotony of the main road. Average speed was 25kmph (some real ball breaker hills in Gartan/churchill) and ride time of just under 3 hours. Absolutely beautiful morning for it!

Dipsomaniac

Went on my longest ever solo spin last Saturday. Second longest spin to date with most climbing.
Did the Orwell Randonnee 2013 route. 140KM, 2293m climbing in 5hrs 45mins rolling.

Met Hmmzis and petethedrummer at the top of Shay Elliot as they were doing the Evil. Saw plenty of other boardies climbing Shay Elliot.

wanderer 22

Dipsomaniac wrote: »

Went on my longest ever solo spin last Saturday. Second longest spin to date with most climbing.
Did the Orwell Randonnee 2013 route. 140KM, 2293m climbing in 5hrs 45mins rolling.

Met Hmmzis and petethedrummer at the top of Shay Elliot as they were doing the Evil. Saw plenty of other boardies climbing Shay Elliot.

nice one, planning to do the same myself this Saturday.

Dipsomaniac

colm18 wrote: »

nice one, planning to do the same myself this Saturday.

Cheers. I got very lucky with the weather. Hopefully you get a good spell.

TonyStark

Had an interesting 20K jaunt on Sunday. Day before I had done a nice loop from Maynooth -> Kilcock -> Enfield -> Clane -> Maynooth by first 60km nestling in at a nice average of 26kmph, good for me. :-)

Sunday I decided to stretch the legs and make use of the fine evening for a short loop to Kilcock and back. Got to the junction at bridge street and pass through it, nothing coming down the road. So I cross the road. Nice busy evening in Kilcock traffic parked on the left hand side as I move down a one way section of street about 200ms in length before it joins with the main road again.

Traffic is parked on the left so I slip out a good car doors worth away from the traffic parked up on the left and next thing I realise that there is something big just arrived behind me. My choice is to continue on for a few seconds and clear the parked traffic or pull in and try to let him squeeze by me. So I hold the position knowing that in a few moments I will have passed the parked traffic and he can go his way rather than be squeezed up against some parked vehicles.

Next thing I hear him revving the engine behind me and I feel him right on my shoulder. Quickly look behind and see this 4x4 Jeep thingy. The traffic is parked for about 50-60m and it would have taken just a few seconds to clear it. He was pretty much on my wheel revving up his engine. Moments later I pass the parked traffic and filter to where the cars were. Overtakes me at speed with his passenger gesticulating. It was pretty close, wobbled a bit but was ok kinda shaken by the whole thing. If I had my hand out I would have easily touched the side of the vehicle. It was all over in a matter of seconds.

Anyway pedal on and he leaves me for dust got a glimpse at the reg but nothing more. Move further up to kilcock and I see him parked up at the garage. I move in and clock his number plate. I stop and make a note of it contemplating on reporting him a bit shaken from the whole thing. He comes of the shop then see's me.. and marches down telling me "I was in the middle of the road holding him up.. ". I told him then that he nearly knocked me off my bike when he passed close to me. He said that I had nothing better to do other than be out cycling. I said then I was thinking about reporting him and that revving of the engine was aggressive behaviour. He bullishly said go ahead and he'd go up to the Garda station around the corner to sort it out. So he marches with me around the corner to the station I pedalled a little bit ahead of him, he was hopping mad and I was a bit wary to be honest. We got to the station. No one was there there so pressed the button and the phone rang out.. he started to give it loads about how I was cycling in the middle of the road. I said to him I was doing that to keep myself safe because there wasn't enough room with the parked cars to the side, and that when he did overtake me he nearly knocked me off my bike. I asked him why he was revving his engine up behind me... and he said it was to warn me that he was behind me. I said to him I never read that bit in the rules of the road and thought that he was driving much to close. Conversation was getting a bit circular with him coming up with nothing more than me cycling in the middle of the road. As soon as he knew that there was nothing doing with the Gardai he turned on his heel marching away saying what a wimp I was... with nothing better to do than hold him up. :-(

quozl

I'd a very similar incident on the terenure road between terenure college and bushy park, TonyStark, last Thursday around half nine.

I was checking behind me every 20-30 seconds as it's a narrow road up that end and IMO not enough room to safely overtake without crossing the central line - so I want to encourage that.

Heard a loud beep behind me, turned around expecting to see a car a bit back and found him right behind me. I swerved (must have tensed right up or something stupid), we connected and my front wheel is a goner.

Quite annoying, why someone would tail gate a cyclist I don't know. His defence was that he'd been there for four or five seconds!

Four or five seconds? He must have been heading somewhere pretty important!

inc21

3.87km + 27.83km + rain + beginner without no rain gear = cold and knackered
but it was worth it.
Interestingly I saw more fellow cyclist today (3) in the rain than the other day (0) when the weather was nice.

Anybody else using any sort of GPS?
Here is mine http://www.endomondo.com/workouts/202051196/10607425

MrJetlag

Mixed 2 day of cycling.
Haven't been cycling long and got my bike on bike to work scheme last October. Have had it parked up for the winter and started cycling again last week.
Yesterday on my commute from Swords into IFSC I hit a load of refuse and broken glass on Seville Place and ended up with a rear puncture. I reckon I wasn't the only one as the road was filthy.
Contacted Dublin City Council and in fairness they cleaned the road later that day.
Today was my first time cycling in rain ever and it felt as if the back of the bike wanted to slide on me.
Got into Swords Village and had I brake at Traffic lights at the castle.
Was braking from about 24 kmh and the bike did a little slide as I came to a stop, back wheel went up on the air and I ended up going over the handlebars and on the ground in front of a car at the red light.
In fairness a guy waiting on the bus flew over to me to make sure I was okay.
Got home in one piece but ribs are a little sore now and trying to figure out should I cycle again tomorrow or leave the bike home and bus it.

BofaDeezNuhtz

Went out at 8.
Got pissed on until I returned around 10.
Balls like prunes.
That is all...

geros29

Short spin 45km with my enthusiast but rather slow mom this morning.average about 25kph so not too bad for late 50s! !
Her not me! Forgot my cycling shoes so trainers had to suffice.mite head out with club for spin this evening.maybe...

wuzziwig

Wow it's great reading all the distances you do. I'm a total newbie (only had my second spin on my new bike last night). I only went 14.71km in 46 mins with an average speed of 19kph (exact same speed as my first spin). I'm still getting used to the bike so after a few more runs I'll start looking at upping my speed.

I'm extremely nervous of traffic coming up behind me. I cycle on mainly country roads (some have hard shoulders but not many) and I'm finding it really scary. Especially when cars pass you as if you aren't even there. Some have come so close that I've wobbled in fright. I'm afraid that I'm going to go under a wheel before too long. Any tips on calming my nerves?

Zyzz

Suzuki_TL1000R wrote: »

Went out at 8.
Got pissed on until I returned around 10.
Balls like prunes.
That is all...

We still talking about cycling here? :pac:

TonyStark

wuzziwig wrote: »

Wow it's great reading all the distances you do. I'm a total newbie (only had my second spin on my new bike last night). I only went 14.71km in 46 mins with an average speed of 19kph (exact same speed as my first spin). I'm still getting used to the bike so after a few more runs I'll start looking at upping my speed.

I'm extremely nervous of traffic coming up behind me. I cycle on mainly country roads (some have hard shoulders but not many) and I'm finding it really scary. Especially when cars pass you as if you aren't even there. Some have come so close that I've wobbled in fright. I'm afraid that I'm going to go under a wheel before too long. Any tips on calming my nerves?

Started out about 2 years ago on a hybrid and started doing distances from 6-10kms. We've all been there at some point.

The best tip is to cycle as if they weren't there. Most if not all of them will see you before you even become aware of them. 99.999% don't want the complicated paperwork of killing a cyclist... My advice is to maintain your line and keep out a reasonable distance from the side of the road. 3ft seems like the norm (open to correction). Just means you have somewhere to go if you do wobble a bit. It'll give you a bit of reassurance that there is a place to go. It's really a matter of getting used to other vehicles and trying not to think too much about them.

If your moving about the road: look, signal and maneuver and be assertive as you can. :-)

Don't be a "wimp" like me :-/

wuzziwig

Thanks TonyStark. I suppose the more I got out the faster I'll get used to it. I find it a bit intimidating at the moment. I'm a total wimp too. I was sweating coming up to a big roundabout on my first cycle but the road was quite so I managed it ok. I'm not sure how I'll do when it's busy. I think I need to get into a mindset that says "I have as much right to this patch of road as anyone else".

inc21

did 51k in 2h 10m. Bit too much for a newbie. 3rd day on back the bike. Seemed like world was against me, wind, rain and few steady climbs felt powerless at times. My trainers got soaking wet pretty early and feet were freezing. Have to invest (more) in proper shoes I think.

MB Lacey

inc21 wrote: »

My trainers got soaking wet pretty early and feet were freezing. Have to invest (more) in proper shoes I think.

When it's raining, I put these BBB Waterflex over my shoes, for the most part they keep my feet dry and toasty, sometimes wet does get in but they still help.
Like this morning I wore them through the rain and arrived at work with dry feet - makes a big difference.

chainsawman

Dermot Illogical wrote: »

118km with Swords CC this morning out around Meath.
25km commute to work, 25km commute home.

Great !!! Did you lose any weight with your cycling ?

MB Lacey

I had to cycle to Terenure from UCD last night, didn't know exactly where I was going so looked it up on google map.
Clicked on the Cycle Route option and it actually came up with a route for my bike.
The route was so perfect - it took me through Dodder Park, following the Dodder river as far as the Dropping Well, out onto Milltown Rd, left down a hill, back through another park, saw a lovely waterfall, then through Orwell park and out again on a cycle path on Lower Dodder Rd, again following the river - all very countrylike and a welcome avoidance of traffic.

inc21

MB Lacey wrote: »

When it's raining, I put these BBB Waterflex over my shoes, for the most part they keep my feet dry and toasty, sometimes wet does get in but they still help.
Like this morning I wore them through the rain and arrived at work with dry feet - makes a big difference.

Thanks for that, will look into those.
If anything else you want to have proper rain gear in this country.

Amprodude

inc21 wrote: »

Thanks for that, will look into those.
If anything else you want to have proper rain gear in this country.

50km today. I got soaked.

TiBoy

Amprodude wrote: »

50km today. I got soaked.

Ditto