Tell us about your cycle Yesterday.

terrydel

Bloggsie wrote: »

Slaughter Hill, thats a great name for a hill!

My girlfriend lives over in Delgany, so I often cycle up that hill. Its very well named :P

timmy_mallet

Is this it?! The start of the summer? Short commute to work ~10km, base layer and jacket, sweating by the time I got in.

On the negative, two commuters zipped past me up a short hill, and I had nothing in the legs to catch them. Need to do a bit more, or less, who knows?

Eponymous

Bloggsie wrote: »

Slaughter Hill, thats a great name for a hill!

terrydel wrote: »

My girlfriend lives over in Delgany, so I often cycle up that hill. Its very well named :P

A friend of ours who lives between NTMK and Roundwood tells me that it's called Slaughter Hill after a battle during one of the rebellions (1798?) in which many British troops were ambushed on the road up to Roundwood.

But yes, having been on it now, I can understand why cyclists might well appreciate the name too.

Dades

My first road bke (Cannondale - as per here) was delivered yesterday. I took it out for a test on a SCD route around Killiney Hill, Dalkey, DL etc. I often do on my hybrid (and give it loads).

Took 5:34 off my previous best time of 48:49... and set PRs in 15/18 segments.

Now, I ain't going to make the Giro on Friday, but wow, what a difference a bike makes. I haven't even figured out road bike gears yet.

Good times.

shaka

82 km yesterday solo from rathmore to home with 29.6 average.

42 km this evening with the club 27 avg.

Happy enough with training at the moment, usually only getting out on Sundays but gym work in OBF has my hips and back in much better shape so when I do get on I'm moving much better on the bike

Eponymous

Short spin yesterday evening in the fading light: Greystones - Delgany - Kilmacananogue - Kilruddery - Windgates - Greystones. 23km exactly. Headwind was a killer between Greystones and the N11 on the way out. I'm clearly not aerodynamic given my 110kg bulk. Incredible though how it can affect times - last week, when just taking the bike home from the shop, I did the only segment en route in 1:57. Last night the wind added 54seconds to it! https://www.strava.com/activities/565500941

I think I was making more in my mind of Bray head than was warranted, although it was N - S. Funny thing is, I could have done it faster I think. Got caught on the wheel of someone slower and couldn't pass until Bray Golf Club due to the volume of traffic. I offered my wheel but alas he wasn't able to stay with me. All that said, I still have to tackle it S - N. That's pencilled in for Sunday.

Picked up my first puncture too, but I was only about 200m from home, so walked it in.

Tonight I'll be fitting SPDs and doing a puncture repair and, if there's time, give the bike a bit of TLC and clean it down.

Bloggsie

Eponymous wrote: »

Short spin yesterday evening in the fading light: Greystones - Delgany - Kilmacananogue - Kilruddery - Windgates - Greystones. 23km exactly. Headwind was a killer between Greystones and the N11 on the way out. I'm clearly not aerodynamic given my 110kg bulk. Incredible though how it can affect times - last week, when just taking the bike home from the shop, I did the only segment en route in 1:57. Last night the wind added 54seconds to it! https://www.strava.com/activities/565500941

I think I was making more in my mind of Bray head than was warranted, although it was N - S. Funny thing is, I could have done it faster I think. Got caught on the wheel of someone slower and couldn't pass until Bray Golf Club due to the volume of traffic. I offered my wheel but alas he wasn't able to stay with me. All that said, I still have to tackle it S - N. That's pencilled in for Sunday.

Picked up my first puncture too, but I was only about 200m from home, so walked it in.

Tonight I'll be fitting SPDs and doing a puncture repair and, if there's time, give the bike a bit of TLC and clean it down.

Get yourself a saddle bag & have at least 1 if not 2 spare tubes and levers so you can change out the punctured tube when you are out so it can be repaired when you get home.

Eponymous

Bloggsie wrote: »

Get yourself a saddle bag & have at least 1 if not 2 spare tubes and levers so you can change out the punctured tube when you are out so it can be repaired when you get home.

Have saddlebag with two tubes, three canisters of CO2, self-adhesive patches and levers (and emergency cash) Only thing missing from it is a mini tool kit (Aldi have one this week, I believe). It was only that I was practically on my doorstep that I didn't bother doing it on the spot. Why bother on a breezy main road when my warm house is within sight!

Plastik

Eponymous wrote: »

I think I was making more in my mind of Bray head than was warranted, although it was N - S. Funny thing is, I could have done it faster I think. Got caught on the wheel of someone slower and couldn't pass until Bray Golf Club due to the volume of traffic. I offered my wheel but alas he wasn't able to stay with me. All that said, I still have to tackle it S - N. That's pencilled in for Sunday.

It's fine, just tackle it in 3 stages. A ramp at the bottom, levels off in the middle, and ramps near the top again. Neither of the ramps are significantly harder than N-S when just coming off the roundabout IMO.

Bloggsie

Eponymous wrote: »

Have saddlebag with two tubes, three canisters of CO2, self-adhesive patches and levers (and emergency cash) Only thing missing from it is a mini tool kit (Aldi have one this week, I believe). It was only that I was practically on my doorstep that I didn't bother doing it on the spot. Why bother on a breezy main road when my warm house is within sight!

flippin hell, guess who was a scout as a kid, there is prepared and there is really prepared. you belong in the 2nd category.

Don't Chute!

Eponymous wrote: »

Short spin yesterday evening in the fading light: Greystones - Delgany - Kilmacananogue - Kilruddery - Windgates - Greystones. 23km exactly. Headwind was a killer between Greystones and the N11 on the way out. I'm clearly not aerodynamic given my 110kg bulk. Incredible though how it can affect times - last week, when just taking the bike home from the shop, I did the only segment en route in 1:57. Last night the wind added 54seconds to it! https://www.strava.com/activities/565500941

I think I was making more in my mind of Bray head than was warranted, although it was N - S. Funny thing is, I could have done it faster I think. Got caught on the wheel of someone slower and couldn't pass until Bray Golf Club due to the volume of traffic. I offered my wheel but alas he wasn't able to stay with me. All that said, I still have to tackle it S - N. That's pencilled in for Sunday.

Picked up my first puncture too, but I was only about 200m from home, so walked it in.

Tonight I'll be fitting SPDs and doing a puncture repair and, if there's time, give the bike a bit of TLC and clean it down.

Looks like we crossed paths!
https://www.strava.com/activities/565427247

If you're looking for more climbs try Kindlestown. It's a much quieter road and you can then try Bohilla Lane from there. Although short that one is quite steep! They can done from both sides too.

Carawaystick

Eponymous wrote: »

Finally got my bike from the bike to work scheme (Cannondale CAAD8 Sora).

Two spins under my belt over the weekend - forgot to Strava the first, so apparently it didn't happen, but it was 30.7k (per Google) from Greystones to Roundwood via Kilpeddar.

You can add manual entries to Stava. Click on the plus there on the top right.

Eponymous

Carawaystick wrote: »

You can add manual entries to Stava. Click on the plus there on the top right.

I did and I linked it in the post!

Borderfox

More testing today. This time 22km at 90% effort on a flattish circuit at a much lower cadence than I usually ride in. All good but run in to home was tough. 34.4kmph average with 85% in Z4.

I can feel the time trial form coming, for my amount of training that I can squeeze in

https://www.strava.com/activities/565997838

brianomc

Tackled the Wicklow mountains for only the second time, the first time was a year ago and I made it up Cruagh road stopping 3 times including at the viewing point, then chickening out and going down Old Military Road and home again.

So I was determined this time. Passed by my first stopping first and all was going well, saw the second one but couldn't get by it without stopping to catch my breath. Dammit. Got to the viewing point and just turned left instead of stopping. One little stop at Lough Bray and it was on to Sally Gap to Manor Kilbride and home again via the embankment.

I can see the appeal of cycling up there, once you get off Cruagh Road and all the hedges it's a smashing route and a nice escape from the city. I'm not much of a climber but I don't think I was going too slow. I didn't get passed out by any other cyclists anyway My garmin crashed between Tallaght and Lucan but hopefully I can get the file repaired and I can find out.

Great day for it, very little wind so that definitely helped.

G1032

Borderfox wrote: »

More testing today. This time 22km at 90% effort on a flattish circuit at a much lower cadence than I usually ride in. All good but run in to home was tough. 34.4kmph average with 85% in Z4.

I can feel the time trial form coming, for my amount of training that I can squeeze in

https://www.strava.com/activities/565997838

If I wanted to get average HR to calculate LTHR so I could better define training zones what's the best way to go about this?
Is it preferable to cycle a flat route as opposed to hilly? Cycle on a relatively calm day as opposed to a windy one? Or turbo instead of road? Can I take a section of any ride where I went flat out for as long as I could?

I'm currently calculating zones from max HR and for max HR I'm using the max ever recorded on my Garmin (recorded in August 2014)

Borderfox

G1032 wrote: »

If I wanted to get average HR to calculate LTHR so I could better define training zones what's the best way to go about this?
Is it preferable to cycle a flat route as opposed to hilly? Cycle on a relatively calm day as opposed to a windy one? Or turbo instead of road? Can I take a section of any ride where I went flat out for as long as I could?

I'm currently calculating zones from max HR and for max HR I'm using the max ever recorded on my Garmin (recorded in August 2014)

My maximum is calculated from an effort over a rising Road and I work out the zones from there. Doesn't matter if it's windy just so long as you can squeeze everything out over as long a distance as necessary. I have done it on a climb too.

I test every 5 weeks to check progress

RobertFoster

A slow ~96km for me today. Checking Strava, it's my first time on the N11 since 2014. A couple of years ago it was a road I was on frequently (out the Rock Rd, back the N11), but the more I explore the more my routes change. I was in Glencullen to see what the Devils Elbow was like* and decided to come back by the N11 for old times sake.

It wasn't until Stillorgan did I realise I'd been missed. A Dublin Bus driver came up behind me while waiting for the lights to change and started beeping and beeping and beeping... I ignored him (treat 'em mean etc.) and continued on my merry way when the lights changed and the pedestrians cleared the junction (I'm sure some of the peds thought the beeping was for them). Within the next 200m, my admirer had overtaken me (while continuing to beep) and immediately pulled into his next stop (I had to brake to avoid coming across as eager as him), then made some gesture out his window (it must be code, I don't know what it meant). I didn't have the heart to tell him I didn't remember him, so I just gave him a generic "howaya gorgeous!" not to upset him.

Alas, our 30 second interaction was all we had. A quick glimpse at his bespectacled face as I rode off into the distance, not nearly enough time to rekindle our relationship. I didn't even get his name or number (staff, route, nor reg). Hopefully our paths will cross again! We'll always have Stillorgan...


*(Not as bad as I expected. I felt tired today, so I took it handy enough. It's no Kilmashogue, it's not even right of the church in Howth :pac: I must go looking for "the wall" next.)

Wishbone Ash

RobertFoster wrote: »

... I must go looking for "the wall" next.)

You'll probably be disappointed - its not difficult in itself. What makes it difficult is getting boxed in (very narrow road) on a sportive. If the rider/s in front come to a stop in front of you, it's almost impossible to get clipped in and to get going again.

Full Wall - https://www.strava.com/segments/824925

Half Wall - https://www.strava.com/segments/1077130 (which many think is the full wall!)

crosstownk

Today's commute home (20km) is hardly noteworthy but it's the first time this year that I've been on the bike in just shorts and jersey.

I usually play it safe and overdress but not this evening. Great to feel summer approaching.

Alanstrainor

Got my bike back after dropping it in for a bottom bracket replacement. It took a lot longer than I was expecting, but to be fair to the shop that did it, the crankset on my bike is strange and they had to source a pretension bolt for the crank. I'm always suprised how quickly I find I lose fitness, I definitely felt sluggish today, although I'd say a lot of that was all in my head.

saccades

Mixed day today - I got a new into work PB of 46 minutes (had 48mins for 2 years that I just couldn't beat) on tuesday, managed to match the 48 mins this morning despite still feeling tuesdays effort. It's a new bike with drops that I'm still getting used to along with gaining summer fitness. Pretty chuffed, there is more to shave off that time (sub 45 definitely, aiming for an optimistic 40).

On the way home I enjoyed the sunny! countryside first 2/3rds and pushed on the last towny 1/3. Stupidly I went into a corner on a roundabout at about 40kmph, flicked over and powered down in the bend to push out.

I've done it loads on the mtb and loads on my previous commuter, a v.high BB Pompino.

My pedal bit into the road on the downstroke, I went from leaning to the right to being flung over leftwards and into the road. A coupla bounces off my hand first, rolling right over to then land on my shoulder and whalloped my knee and stopped rolling in the gutter. bike scuttered and pinged along for a coupla yards.

Big Kudos to my dhb mitts that saved the palm of my hand which murders at the mo, knee has an egg sized lump on it and my arm/shoulder hurts to lift above my head (in a bruised kind of way) all been drowned in witch hazel. Bike has a big gouge out of 1 pedal (XT) and a medium gouge of the other, left side brake/shifter along with bar tape is scruffier than teenagers bedroom along with the rear skewer, some minor snags and rips to the rest of my gear, I remember thinking "ROLL!" so I've gotten away with it really all things considered.

To add insult to the inury the missus drove past just as I was limping off the roundabout, she thinks I'm a clown at the best of times on my bike.

More kudos to the lady in the SX4 who stopped and checked I was ok.

Domane

Off work early so headed out for a spin in the fine weather. Clane-Donadea-Johnstownbridge-Carbury-back roads to Prosperous and home. Think I overdressed though with a long sleeved compression top under my cycling jersey as I was sweating bricks and got through two 750ml bottles. However despite several long hills and dodgy potholed roads, I managed the 45kms at an average of 26kph. Only downside was the cycling app I use, mapmyride. For the third time running, the damn thing didn't save my data, despite me clicking the save button. It also didn't upload to my FB account after I tried this. Finally, it didn't auto pause at traffic lights even though I had this feature enabled. Had my fill of that crap app and think I'll finally try out Strava.

coumshingaun

Kilkenny-Kells-Kilmoganny-Owning-Piltown--Templeorum-Mullinavat-Balyhale--Stoneyford-Kilkenny.Around 90km.
Wrecked! Great hill practice and totally empty roads between Piltown and Mullinavat. Chased by a sheepdog and saved by a car who scared him off near Knocktopher.

Don't Chute!

43kms this evening up the Red Lane out to Roundwood and home through NTM. Got a kom so happy with that but the hills are killing me at the moment.

neris

not been on the bike in over a month and needed to go to near ashbourne from baldoyle today so with the good weather decided Id take the bike. thought i was about to die about 5km into it fighting a head wind and crosswind. pleasant spin up from swords to garristown and down towards tayto park on the back roads. 44km done and the legs know all about it. Had thought I might cycle back home but not at that stage in fitness yet so will cycle back up tomorrow and maybe make it a little longer

funnights74

2016 Stephen Roche Tour de Cure. Too put it bluntly it bucketed down from start to finish:(. I had registered to do the 160 km but the thought of climbing the vee twice in those conditions had me downgrading to the 110 km, along with a few others. Good craic along the way with a group from cobh, they called the conditions "Character building":P, i called them wet.:D
Numbers seemed down on previous years, no doubt due to the deluge but we got around handy enough. Foodstop was top notch and overall plenty of support on the route.

retalivity

Out this morning - Kilmainham - Sutton - Howth (2 ascents) - Malahide - Portmarnock - Howth again - home, 83k-ish altogether

Out with a friend who only just got a road bike, so took it relatively easy to keep pace with him, apart from a few of the hills i sped away on. Strava crashed on the way home, only tracked to the summit at howth on the way back and missed the last 20ish k home. Gutted as I gunned it in the coast road with the wind behind me.

Anyone else having issues with strava recently? This is not the first time it has crashed on me in recent weeks. Using the app on my phone, not tied to a watch or computer or anything.

https://www.strava.com/activities/569188224

https://www.strava.com/activities/569362088

danoriordan1402

Back on the Defy this morning for the first time in 18months due to injury and other factors. Did 16km at a gentle pace - had to dismount and do the walk of shame for a bit of a hill at one stage but hopefully in a couple of weeks will hammer that. Cant beat a early morning cycle in decent weather.

velo.2010

A lot of folk looked like they were paying for the the amount of gear they were wearing today - it was very warm when that sun came out.