Tell us about your cycle Yesterday.

P_1

A quick 30km around the park punctuated by something dodgey happening to my front tire that'll need looking at in the morning.

smacl

Nice 25k up Cruagh, Foxes, Kilternan and back over lunch and got back in just before the rain. Very glad the large truck I met coming around this corner tooted its air horn as it was taking the bend, as meeting him on the bend proper would not have been nice!

Mr T.

Went for a 110k ride on Saturday. I’ve basically followed the Great Dublin Bike Ride 100k route from last year + Howth climb. I’m quite happy that I’ve managed to ride the triple figures for the 2nd time in my life

5.30 hours of total activity – 5 hours spinning - half hour to recharge stomach and legs.

I'm especially happy as I used to spend this amount of time watching TV series and stuffing my face with junk food about 2 years ago

Bolloxology

smacl wrote: »

Nice 25k up Cruagh, Foxes, Kilternan and back over lunch and got back in just before the rain. Very glad the large truck I met coming around this corner tooted its air horn as it was taking the bend, as meeting him on the bend proper would not have been nice!

My experience most use their horns on both bends.
It's the tourists you need to be wary of

dunworth1

First ever club spin tonight 48k averagering 25k/h

Found it tough but at the same time really enjoyed it.

Really tired now though

Luxman

A gallop round Kilcok, Clane, Maynooth and home to Ratoath. I seem to have followed a rain cloud round for half the journey. Stirred up a three egg omelette with salty cheese and tomatoes as a 'recovery nosebag' when I got home. Legs feel worked out which is just blissful. 86k with 400m up at 30.4k avg. Damn, love cycling my bike

moonshadow

Moved it up a notch tonight and went with intermediate group spin.....ramped up my avg from 22 to 28.4 over 39.6km , felt like I was playing with the bigger boys tonight, happy out tbh , second week ever of club spins really liking how things are going atm.

Elemonator

Only got into it last summer for cardio and I dropped 14kg. Kept up with it lightly over the year to somewhat maintain and now this week I've gone back to complete my job and drop the weight once and for all. Today, I did about 32km all around the Fingal area which was actually slightly challenging and took about 2 hours thereabouts.

paul mountainbike

Well have got one more week to go till the consultant advised return to bike after Hernia OP ,(open incision inguinal herni

So will try few short spins with no serious climbs i guess ?

Any advice appreciated .

paul mountainbike

Well have got one more week to go till the consultant advised return to bike after Hernia OP ,(open incision inguinal hernia )

So will try few short spins with no serious climbs i guess ?

Any advice appreciated .

neilk

First time posting here, just got the bug at the end of last summer. Did my longest spin today 129km at 23km/h Belfast - Ardglass - Strangford - Killyleagh and home. Beautiful day to be outside.

Signed up for Coast to Coast in a few weeks, so this was make or break!

Kaisr Sose

paul mountainbike wrote: »

Well have got one more week to go till the consultant advised return to bike after Hernia OP ,(open incision inguinal hernia )

So will try few short spins with no serious climbs i guess ?

Any advice appreciated .

You need to be asking your medical team that! The intensity should be very low to start — so that would mean no climbs at all!

smacl

Home - Sally gap - Laragh - Sally gap and home again for a painfully slow 80k @19kph with 1.3k of climbing. Chest infection I thought I'd got over decided differently, so I coughed and spluttered my way around a route that I'd usually think of as taking the lazy option. For all that, stunning in the hills this morning, though cold and snowy on the way back. I say snow, but it looked like the man above had run out of real snow or actual hail stones and was trying to blag it with polystyrene foam. Not looking good for me surviving the Orwell randonee in a couple of weeks, might try and sneak up the wall at lunch some time next week and see how I get on.

smacl

paul mountainbike wrote: »

Well have got one more week to go till the consultant advised return to bike after Hernia OP ,(open incision inguinal herni

So will try few short spins with no serious climbs i guess ?

Any advice appreciated .

No medical advice obviously, but had keyhole surgery for an inguinal hernia last year. Follow your consultant's advice, mine was all for active recovery which seems to be the norm. I was staying pretty close to home until the staples came out, and felt tender enough for some weeks afterwards. Anyway, better a patched inner tube than a puncture...

Edit: I also have the saddle a bit more nose down since the op which I find takes a bit of pressure off. Doc also suggested losing a few pounds which I still working on.

lissard

Had plans to do a loop over the Sally Gap this morning. Plans changed when we ran into a longish stretch of snow and ice just after the Featherbeds at about 9:30am, decided to head to safety and lower altitudes. Surprised anyone got over the gap I guess it must have thawed later in the morning.

smacl

lissard wrote: »

Had plans to do a loop over the Sally Gap this morning. Plans changed when we ran into a longish stretch of snow and ice just after the Featherbeds at about 9:30am, decided to head to safety and lower altitudes. Surprised anyone got over the gap I guess it must have thawed later in the morning.

Descent from the featherbeds had thawed at 11am but only just. Big numbers of cyclists on the Military road today and supposed to be good for tomorrow.

jon1981

Marley park, Enniskerry, Ballybawn cottages, past druids Glen golf course, turned up to the killer climb to Lough Tay, Sally Gap, feather beds and back to Marley park.

58km, 21.5kph, 1050m climbing.

I had to take it handy on some of the descents , while it had thawed around Sally gap and feather beds it was still wet with chance of hidden ice.

Daroxtar

Took a spin after work today. Had it in my head to really take my time and get some slow steady climbing done. Then I got a spurt going up Glasmucky and the plan went out the window for a while. Made nice time to Kippure gates, hopped the gate and started up the hill. Then the bastard hailstones hit and I lost back wheel traction and for the first time ever I gave up on Kippure. Something just said NO. I didn't even think about it. Just did a U and right back down. My ribs are still aching after a fall a month ago and I was füked if I was taking another spill.

By the time I was out the gate the sun was shining again. Typical. You'd know it was nearly summer with that kind of weather. It was bitter cold though.

I spun up by Lough Tay and stalled for a while having a coffee from Karl the Coffee van man. He's a mate and he does nice coffee. Stopping for 20 minutes in the cold does my legs no good though and the rest of the spin was a struggle.

Down to Enniskerry wasn't too bad but from there back to base was tough. I didn't eat much since breakfast either and that caught up with me rapidly. As did the morning lugging Shutters around the site.
Heavy legs, cold hands and a pasty face. Not a good look. Despite my complaining it was much better than not cycling.

69km. 1090m climbed. Tired.

https://www.strava.com/activities/547278208

devonp

out on my Sat spin solo, 123Km about 1600m up,
just want to say thanks to the touring group of 6-8 on the Scalp ascent for letting me know my rain cape had tried to escape my pocket

godtabh

out for a 50km spin this morning. My god was it baltic and I really fcuked up the layers

Happy out all the same

drogdub

First 100km of the year today. First time cycling up to Dundalk. First time cycling back to Drogheda by Ballymakenny Road instead of Clogherhead route. Bit windy, liitle bit rainy, little bit hail stoney. Enjoyed every minute if it.

nilhg

Went down to Nenagh to ride with the other lads from the club in the Team Time Trial, only one of us has ridden in an open race this year so we had no expectations of anything except an opportunity to push our limits and have a bit of a day out.

I was only confirmed as a starter yesterday afternoon when the rain stopped work at home and last evening was spent begging the loan of and fitting a set of aero bars, I'd ridden a gentlemans TTT going on two years ago so had a little experience but a few of the lads had none apart from a short spin thursday evening.

Our plan was to wing it, try and keep the group together as long as possible and since the time was based on the 4th man home we couldn't afford to lose too many anyway.

After the usual period of the legs protesting for the first few minutes I felt fine out to the turnaround but on the drag back up to the 3/4 way mark I really suffered, my turns on the front weren't so bad but trying to latch back on to the back nearly killed me a couple of times but I got a little bit of recovery and came home in reasonable condition...

The good news was that we weren't last...

28.3km @39.37km/hr was our official finishing time but to give an idea of the standard the winning Dutch team did it at almost 49km/hr, it was unreal to watch them go by.

A very enjoyable experience, great day out with the lads from the club, nice to do something different, a lovely route and well organised by the Nenagh team.

https://www.strava.com/activities/547159072

drogdub

drogdub wrote: »

First 100km of the year today. First time cycling up to Dundalk. First time cycling back to Drogheda by Ballymakenny Road instead of Clogherhead route. Bit windy, liitle bit rainy, little bit hail stoney. Enjoyed every minute if it.

Also and more importantly saw a Cuchulain group of kids with a few adults in Castlebellingham. Always good to see kids doing sport any sport

jon1981

Daroxtar wrote: »

I spun up by Lough Tay and stalled for a while having a coffee from Karl the Coffee van man. He's a mate and he does nice coffee. Stopping for 20 minutes in the cold does my legs no good though and the rest of the spin was a struggle.

https://www.strava.com/activities/547278208

I passed by lough Tay at about 11:30 and he wasn't there

I remember him being my saviour last summer when I did that climb as I had ran out of water at that point!

ford2600

Rode this route yesterday
http://bikeroutetoaster.com/BRTWebUI/Course/691453

My second time riding it and the numbers on biker route toaster are a little off, elevation is very close to 4000m, with 4 sections of climbs that are pretty brutal; all of Priest's Leap, top of Ballaghbeama, last 2km of Ballaghisheen and fcuking Coumnaspic! Whiel it is one of the tougher audax events, it's probably the prettiest route I've ever done; it shares a lot of roads with Inner Ring 200(in opposite direction for most part) but has Borlin, Priets's Leap and the Ballinnaskellig added in.

Leaving Killarney via Muckross and onto to Molls Gap at daybreak is pretty spectacular; it's a road I'd avoid for the mos part as it's busy but on a crisp morning with sun on way open cycle through natural oak wood of National Park, with lakes to the west is really special; I've been lucky enough to do it three time at sunrise in dry weather. Managed to cross path with a few red deer and wild goats on climb up.

From to Molls Gap we dropped down to Kenmare and onto Kilagarvan for a climb up Borlin, a long very gentle climb usually car free. Really pretty. A lovely lumpy back road to Ballylickey for a light breakfast before turning around and tackling Priest's Leap. 5.3km at 8%, sure that's fine; if ever numbers lied! The ramps are a horror, and with headwind yesterday it was my slowest time climbing it. From the top and on descent it is a 360 view of mountainous wilderness and Bantry Bay to south.

Dropped down once again to Kenmare before heading towards Sneem before turning left for Blackwater and up the Lord Of the Rings like Ballaghbeama before descending down and back on up Ballaghisheen; and utterly desolate and beautiful section through the middle of Iveragh peninsula. Lovely road from top on down to Waterville for a quick refuel to get ready for Coumnaspic.

The section out around Ballinaskellig with a perfect view of the Skeilligs is a nice a section of coastal road as you'll find.

Over that pig of a thing and onto Portmagee for last control before rejoing Ring of Kerry and onto Caherciveen; Dan the organiser diverts off Ring at every opportunity; the section after Caherciveen north of the water, the drop down to Kells really add to the route. On way into Glenbeigh there was fear that Rossbeigh road was closed, which it turn out it wasn't! A DNF for me!

After Glenbeigh, a lovely lap of Caragh lake; if you are expecting a lovely flat 20-30km cycle think again. I've done it in both directions and it's lumpy with plenty of ramps, top of Devil's Elbow is over 200m.

Drop down into Killorglin before a flat 20km or so ride back to Killarney.

Up there with Antrim 300 and probably a little tougher. For guys who don't like to torture themselves on bike, it would be a lovely 2 or 3 day ride. On a 3 day maybe stay in Kenmare, Port Magee and finish in Killarney. On a two day Waterville would be a natural place to stop.

Finished by 8.20pm which was 40mins earlier than last time I did it even though I cycled a little slower and felt better at end. Keep moving is for me the best way of doing audax, after 10-15mins or so at a food stop, get back on the bike.

dahat

Charity Sportive/fundaraiser for me today.

Conditions almost perfect, wind was slight amd temperature perfect. Decided to try keep in with the first group on the road which went well for 46km or so but was dropped.

I decided to get a rhythm going to the food stop and start back with them after the grub, came in maybe 3/4 mins after the first lads so not bad.

Food stop to the finish wasnt as tough as the first 50km so was able to stay with the leaders till the end. Went for a sprint at the end which got messy as i nearly clipped a guy going through which he wasnt best pleased about but in my defence adrenalin took over....

101km at 33.7 average on a route that wasn't a climbing test.

Daroxtar

What a difference a day makes, or in this case just a big feed, a couple of cold beers and an early night.
Got up refreshed after being worn out yesterday and went in to the Hills have a spin with a mate. He's left me for dead a few times so I was expecting the worst but my turbo sessions since christmas have paid off. I was fresh as a daisy and well within myself all through most of the spin. Took him up Kippure for his first spin up and was a bit surprised at being stronger than him when it got tough.
It was viciously cold up there with lumps of ice falling off the mast so we didnt hang around. Went back down the Sally to Manorkilbride and back to the car for 60km with nearly 900m in 2;47
https://www.strava.com/activities/547942145
I got home and the missus was away for the day so after a bit of lunch I headed out again. Longwood to Tyrellspass and back, nice and steady. A lot warmer down on the flatlands. A very flat 70km in 2;24
https://www.strava.com/activities/548333612

So 130k for the day and 199km for the weekend. Part of me wants to go for a spin up to the shops just to cross the 200 mark but the other part of me is quite amused at leaving it there :pac:

Donie75

Great metric century today in South Galway/East Clare.
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/5272779
Met two mates in Loughrea and headed south up by the windmills, down to Derrybrien, nearly as far as Tulla and back up towards Gort and back to Loughrea. The first 70km the roads were unbelievably quiet. The bit before Gort was the old Limerick-Galway road but it was fairly quiet and the route from Gort to Loughrea was busy but has a great surface.
100km with three biggish climbs. 1000m of climbing.
I would highly recommend this route, lovely hilly scenic route with empty roads.

McTigs

Top spin this morning, great morning weather, legs felt great, I felt great, delighted with my speed yada yada yada........but....

About 25k from home I noticed that there was a guy right on my wheel, dunno how long he had been there, thought nothing of it. It's happened before but normally I'd get a "howya, I'm back here, nice morning..." Usual chit chat, but nothing out of this guy. Also absolutely no effort to take the front for a bit either, which I didn't really mind either as I was on a training spin and putting in some solid work was the reason I left the house... But you'd still expect the offer..... Anyway this carries on for a full 20 kilometres until we are about 200 meters from a T junction nearly back in town when all of a sudden he comes shooting past me out of the saddle and goes hell for leather as far as the junction and turns off, presumably to go home.... I was going the other way so I didn't get a chance to thank him for allowing me to play Domestique in his Mark Cavendish getting lead out into a sprint fantasy.

Are there many guys like this out on the road? I found it utterly bizarre.... Not once, not even as he was passing me did he give me the slightest acknowledgement. Is this normal behaviour or am I allowed think "what a dick"?

Raddaboutye

Great thread folks. Long time, first time.

Did 200km on Saturday. Was an organised event starting in Torquay, an hour or so outside Melbourne. Lovely ride with half of it being in the country and the other half coming back up the Great Ocean Road.

6.30am start which was good. Always like to get these things under way early. 300 did our ride and a couple of thousand did the smaller rides on the day, 145km and 60km respectively. Weather was lovely for the first 30 seconds then it rained on and off for the next four hours which was pretty rough. Was at it's worst at the highest point of the course, just as everyone is looking forward to the 10k downhill. Spent most of that on the brakes trying to find the next corner through the fog that covered the entire mountain.

Aid stations were well laid out and were stocked OK. Water, nuts, sugar treats etc. One even had salad sandwiches which were a welcome sight. Added to this was my two bananas, two nut bars and a packet of Haribo which meant I got round without too much trouble. A lot of electrolyte tablets in the water as well. My small group had a machine at the front which dragged us back the last 80k.

Great experience and happy to finish but will probably never do anything like that again. The time taken to train and do the actual ride is just too long and there is other things I like to do on the weekend than spend a third of it on the bike. Going to stick to the 100km spins from now on. Really admire the people who constantly do the longer spins now.

204.8km
7hr 24m
2,304m
27.6km/h