Cycling the Grand Canal

OldBean

Do you reckon a CX bike with disc brakes, mudguards, a decent saddle and good ha debar padding, though with no suspension would be ok?

gzoladz

OldBean wrote: »

Do you reckon a CX bike with disc brakes, mudguards, a decent saddle and good ha debar padding, though with no suspension would be ok?

You should be ok cor the grassy parts provided it hasn't rained recently (you will suffer a bit though), and it would not be ok for the boggy parts and those where the surface is too soft and with stones or too many roots.

Do a test run... If you are in Dublin go to Hazelhatch along the Grand or Maynooth along the Royal and you will experience tasters of most of the surfaces you will find along the way.

Thargor

I did it on hard baked ground and it was still torture in places on fat MTB tyres, might be different on a lighter bike though. I had a nice big Raleigh rip-off of a Brookes saddle aswell that was bouncing up and down with me like a barstool with springs, wouldn't have liked to try it on a roadbike saddle if thats what you have on the CX bike, its a very long day. I was kicking myself for forgetting my gel gloves, did a lap of Naas looking for a poundshop selling them before pushing on, I was in real pain. Ill be wrapping the handlebars and wearing MTB gloves for the Royal. Brakes are the least of your worries, you wont be using them much.

SCOL

I cycles from Dublin - Mullingar last week on a Trek hybrid bike with 700 narrowish wheels. I had a tent and 2 paniers from Lidl on the carrier. The saddle did have a compression spring. I was going easy about 10-15 mph most of it was grass paths
no problems with the cycle Lifting the bike over the gates was the worst bit as some of the gates were locked.

smacl

OldBean wrote: »

Do you reckon a CX bike with disc brakes, mudguards, a decent saddle and good ha debar padding, though with no suspension would be ok?

From the sections I've done over the winter after prolonged rain, I'd say one of the main things to look at would be your tyres. I used 1.5" studded tyres as I was also dealing with some ice, and have also used 1.5" cross tyres. Wider tyres at as lower pressure should give you enough comfort, and knobbly helps if its been wet. No sure if the mudguards are a great idea, unless they've a lot of clearance, as you can end up taking a fair mid of mud on board, and I'd say they could become obstructed. Depends on how wet its been. I've a Brooks flyer on the hybrid I've been using for the canal which also takes some extra sting out, but I don't think its really necessary.

FWIW, I've a cross bike on order, and one of the first long trips planned will be down the grand.

SCOL

See a few pictures from the trip last week.

gzoladz

SCOL wrote: »

See a few pictures from the trip last week.

Very nice pictures! I did it with a very similar bike, just with closed chain guard, hub gears and a shock absorber type of front suspension.

I also had my phone attached to the handlebar with three apps running: a fitness app, a gps app to measure distance, stages, etc and a tracker app that was transmitting my position constantly to my family (so they could see where I was), ah and an external battery pack fom Lidl.

SCOL

gzoladz wrote: »

I also had my phone attached to the handlebar with three apps running: a fitness app, a gps app to measure distance, stages, etc and a tracker app that was transmitting my position constantly to my family (so they could see where I was), ah and an external battery pack fom Lidl.

Do you not think that is a bit Over the top !!! We live in Ireland phone coverage all the way a spar shop at every corner and helpful people walking the canal. I stoped a boat and asked for a pump no problem.

poochiem

OldBean wrote: »

Do you reckon a CX bike with disc brakes, mudguards, a decent saddle and good ha debar padding, though with no suspension would be ok?

Did Dublin to Mullingar in May on a CX with camping gear etc. No problem. Ground soft in places meant getting off from time to time. Similarly it's a pain in the hole having to negotiate the bike-unfriendly turnstiles every few hundred yards in places when you've bags and camping gear.

gzoladz

SCOL wrote: »

Do you not think that is a bit Over the top !!! We live in Ireland phone coverage all the way a spar shop at every corner and helpful people walking the canal. I stoped a boat and asked for a pump no problem.

No. It was fun for them to follow my position. And although I agree with all you say about the country, you just need to come across one gang of axsxoles to get into trouble.

Also some parts are very isolated and there is always the possibility of an accident or injury.

smacl

gzoladz wrote: »

although I agree with all you say about the country, you just need to come across one gang of axsxoles to get into trouble.

I've thought about this a bit too, and while I've often encountered some pretty colourful characters with horses and muzzled dogs, the most trouble I've had is some mild slagging. Anyone hear of any actual incidents? Dublin cycling makes an oblique anecdotal reference, but google draws a blank. I wonder is there actually any issue?

Red Kev

Thargor wrote: »

Is the Royal Canal fully cycleable from Mulingar the way the Grand is from Tullamore? Is it harder/easier does anyone know? By easier I mean is more of it surfaced because I want to do it but don't think I could take the grass paths like the ones on the Grand again...

Having done both the Grand and Royal, the worst bit is the part around Edenderry. Mullingar to Cloondara is fine IMO. If memory serves me correct:

Mullingar-Coolnahay: Tar path
Coolnahay-Ballinacarrigy: Mown grass with some short stretches of tarred road.
Ballinacarrigy-Abbeyshrule: Mostly cart track but a section on a bog track which is probably unique or at leats very rare worldwide. Probably my most favourite stretches of the canal.
Abbeyshrule-Ballymahon: Mostly cart track, some grass, some stretches on tarred road
Ballymahon-Cloondara: Some short stretches on grass, but the majority on cart tracks or tarred road.

OldBean wrote: »

Do you reckon a CX bike with disc brakes, mudguards, a decent saddle and good ha debar padding, though with no suspension would be ok?

I did both canals with this bike a couple of years ago. 700 X 25 tyre on the rear, 700 x 35 on front, both of them are Schwalbe Marathon Plus. The only puncture I had was on tarred roads. Ground was very hard after a couple of weeks of very hot weather. The bike is 25 years old with a steel frame.

Thargor

Thanks, whats cart track and bog track though? Is that the 2 hard packed ruts with a strip of grass down the middle?

SCOL

Thargor wrote: »

Thanks, whats cart track and bog track though? Is that the 2 hard packed ruts with a strip of grass down the middle?

Yes. it's not too bad to cycle on maybe a bit rough it places but my average speed was under 10mph for the trip.

Red Kev

Thargor wrote: »

Thanks, whats cart track and bog track though? Is that the 2 hard packed ruts with a strip of grass down the middle?

"Cart track" is a track with a solid surface, not just dried mud. Grass dow nthe middle but perfectly cyclable in all weathers.



The bog track is pretty unique, it's soft in the middle but fine on the edges, it's a few km long. This is it:

Thargor

Thanks for that, definitely doing the Royal at the end of the month. As long as the path isn't pure long grass its great fun just pedaling along as fast as you like without worrying about cars and pedestrians, especially on stuff like the cart track.

gzoladz

Thargor wrote: »

Thanks for that, definitely doing the Royal at the end of the month. As long as the path isn't pure long grass its great fun just pedaling along as fast as you like without worrying about cars and pedestrians, especially on stuff like the cart track.

Just be ready for the part between Enfield and Kilcock. It is about 10km of grass and I thought ot would never end. Really hard going.

Enjoy!

Thargor

Theres a 40-50 km stretch East of Tullamore so 10 wont be too bad...

Qwerty27

Hi folks!

I've been following the thread with interest as planning on cycling the Grand form Tullamore to Dublin over bank holiday weekend. Still undecided about whether to use hybrid or mountain bike, esp as it sounds that there are a few miles of long grass after Tullamore. Any suggestions for which I should use?

I've done the Royal and the most unpleasant part was between Kilcock and Enfield as terrain is rough and slow so hoping to minimise that or make it as conformable as possible!

SCOL

I done Dublin - Mullingar a few week ago on a hybrid no problems took it easy tent and sleeping bag on the carrier. However the bike did have suspension seatpost.

poochiem

Qwerty27 wrote: »

Hi folks!

I've been following the thread with interest as planning on cycling the Grand form Tullamore to Dublin over bank holiday weekend. Still undecided about whether to use hybrid or mountain bike, esp as it sounds that there are a few miles of long grass after Tullamore. Any suggestions for which I should use?

I've done the Royal and the most unpleasant part was between Kilcock and Enfield as terrain is rough and slow so hoping to minimise that or make it as conformable as possible!

FWIW I did Dublin - Robertstown at the weekend on a CX bike with 35mm semi-slicks. Averaged 24kph as the ground was hard and the grass is low. There was just two muddy puddles along the way although yesterdays rain might have added one or two. Can't help you regarding the rest of the route.

Thargor

I wouldn't do it on thin tyres or a roadbike saddle thats about it, nothing else mademuch difference. Pad the sh1t out of your arms aswell would be good advice even if you have to Macgyver something together like pipe insulation on the handlebars because it takes its toll, sore while doing it and I felt like I had arthritis for a couple of days afterwards. Nice to be able to change your hand position aswell if you have a choice of handlebars.

Qualitymark

What is this tracker app that transmits your position?

gzoladz

Qwerty27 wrote: »

Hi folks!

I've been following the thread with interest as planning on cycling the Grand form Tullamore to Dublin over bank holiday weekend. Still undecided about whether to use hybrid or mountain bike, esp as it sounds that there are a few miles of long grass after Tullamore. Any suggestions for which I should use?

I've done the Royal and the most unpleasant part was between Kilcock and Enfield as terrain is rough and slow so hoping to minimise that or make it as conformable as possible!

To bear in mind... I did both canals and agree with your statement about the Kilcock to Enfield part. Along the Grand there a similar section between Daingean and just pass Edenderry, but longer, about 25km.

gzoladz

Qualitymark wrote: »

What is this tracker app that transmits your position?

Real time GPS Tracker 2. I have used it for years and find it very good.

Remember to switch it off after your trip, specially if your partner is who is following your position

Qualitymark

gzoladz wrote: »

Real time GPS Tracker 2. I have used it for years and find it very good.

Remember to switch it off after your trip, specially if your partner is who is following your position

Actually it struck me after asking that Find My iPhone on my ancient (by phone standards) iPhone would do it. I rang the cousin's husband after a party and said "My phone's in your car" and freaked the poor man out!

blobbie

Qwerty27 wrote: »

Hi folks!

I've been following the thread with interest as planning on cycling the Grand form Tullamore to Dublin over bank holiday weekend. Still undecided about whether to use hybrid or mountain bike, esp as it sounds that there are a few miles of long grass after Tullamore. Any suggestions for which I should use?

I've done the Royal and the most unpleasant part was between Kilcock and Enfield as terrain is rough and slow so hoping to minimise that or make it as conformable as possible!

If it is a hardtail MTB use that - full sus is overkill. The front sus on a hardtail helps with the rattle on some of the bumpier parts. The lower gearing on MTB is handy in the longer grass.

Splitting it in two, Tullamore to Robertstown has more grass / bog / rough paths. Robertstown to Dublin has better paths but annoying kissing gates.

gzoladz

Just to add, although it is always recommended to follow the trekking trail to avoid finding out that you are in a cul de sac after a few kms of cycling, there are parts where the other side has a better surface.

It is worth researching this carefully before the journey. One of the parts I remember is from Naas to Robertstown.

This really brings me back to when I was planning this trip a few months ago. Very nice memories

TooObvious

Hey, just thought I'd weigh in on this.

I'd been meaning to cycle the Royal Canal from Maynooth to Ballymahon and finally got round to it on Saturday using the CX bike, it was a real pleasure to cycle, though I was glad to finish when I did.

The route from Kilcock to Hill of Down is almost all off road, some of it is nice double track, the rest single-track and overgrown in sections. One particularly section was quite narrow, rooty and off-camber, some care would be required here, otherwise the off road sections were fine. From the Hill of Down to Ballinacarrigy it's either paved or a cinder track type of surface, this was great to cycle on and real progress could be made. After Ballinacarrigy I hit the bog trail, this was soul destroying stuff, especially after the previous 40km of loveliness. Onto Abbeyshrule (helicopter gone) and more tough trail towards Ballymahon. I was tempted to take the road from here but soldiered on, I know the advise is to follow the signage, but when I reached the B'Mahon-Edgewardstown road the "way" was totally impassable by bike. There is a road on the other side and I'm pretty sure that this would have brought me to my intended final destination, instead though I just spun into Ballymahon glad to be finished.

What really struck me about the spin was the sense of remoteness, I was familiar with a lot of the areas I passed through, however because I wasn't on a normal road it was easy not to notice where you were or had been. I only realised I had passed Abbeyshrule Airfield when I reached the aqueduct for instance, additionally I loved getting around Mullingar without having to stop or dismount.

For reference I should say I was on CX bike with tubeless tyres, no punctures thankfully ( I didn't bother to pack a tube!) and I refilled in Cunninghams' near Killucan. Average speed including Kill to Maynooth was 24.6kmph.

I'd highly recommend it to anyone who has a mammy and dinner waiting for them at the other end!

Mec-a-nic

Thargor wrote: »

Thanks for that, definitely doing the Royal at the end of the month...

I'll be doing the Royal Canal from Lock 1 (North Strand Road) to Mullingar - starting ~ 11am, Sat 1 Aug. Hard Tail MTB and travelling light, the wife is bringing all my stuff on the train.