Ring of Kerry 2013

Sikpupi

For me my biggest fear is having an accident. Not used to cycling in groups

1. Just make sure you know the rules and how to use and intercept signals. You should find out about hand signals etc. Remember - people behind you are presuming that you know what you are doing so be considerate to others around you.

2. Pay attention at all times - don't weave around the road and keep left.

3. LOOK over your shoulder before you move out in case some one behind you.

AND.... don't just stop/brake for no reason. That the cardinal sin as far as I am concerned - especially for some one using clipped in pedals.

Jovetic

I've never understood why people wear cleats

If I'm going to get thrown from my bike I don't want to be strapped onto it.

PeadarCo

Jovetic wrote: »

For me my biggest fear is having an accident. Not used to cycling in groups and all it takes is one person to go down to bring many more down with them. There surely must be a few accidents each year? Would be gutted after doing all the training to go down just outside Killarney

The best way to get comfortable is to cycle in groups. If you don't have access to a club spin or want to go on one do other smaller sportive/s and ideally get as much practice in as possible.

Personally given the time limit for completion it's probably a more important aspect of training once your able to do in the region of 100km. Also being comfortable in a groups will make a massive difference in terms of ease of doing it and general enjoyment on the day.

Stickybottle did a good article a while ago.

http://www.stickybottle.com/coaching/coaching-practical-tips-on-how-to-ride-effectively-and-safely-in-a-group/

Amprodude

Would it be madness to try and attempt the ROK this year after recovering from a serious road traffic accident? Back to work few weeks now but people are saying i am mad to think of doing it after what happened and I shouldnt do it. I damaged internal organs and other injuries but made a full recovery and feeling fine now i think. I want to do it but only training ive done is on turbo trainer and rollers. This was all hard training. Accident has fecked my year up. Did the ROK last year and will crack up if u cant do it this year.

Please advise me whats my best option?

ford2600

Amprodude wrote: »

Would it be madness to try and attempt the ROK this year after recovering from a serious road traffic accident? Back to work few weeks now but people are saying i am mad to think of doing it after what happened and I shouldnt do it. I damaged internal organs and other injuries but made a full recovery and feeling fine now i think. I want to do it but only training ive done is on turbo trainer and rollers. This was all hard training. Accident has fecked my year up. Did the ROK last year and will crack up if u cant do it this year.

Please advise me whats my best option?

Ask a doctor

shaka

I'd be getting a doctors clearance first, I feel your pain I'm missing it this year because of disc injury and I'm like the cycling anti Christ . Maybe aim for north Kerry ring later in summer ?

codie

Damaged internal organs and other injuries.I would definitely get a full check up first ,its a long day.I'm sure there are specialized clinics.Better safe than sorry.

Beasty

Amprodude wrote: »

Would it be madness to try and attempt the ROK this year after recovering from a serious road traffic accident? Back to work few weeks now but people are saying i am mad to think of doing it after what happened and I shouldnt do it. I damaged internal organs and other injuries but made a full recovery and feeling fine now i think. I want to do it but only training ive done is on turbo trainer and rollers. This was all hard training. Accident has fecked my year up. Did the ROK last year and will crack up if u cant do it this year.

Please advise me whats my best option?

No medical advice can be sought or given on Boards. You should ask your doctor

ratracer

After doing the Tour de Connemara in the rain last saturday, I'm kinda hoping the weather can't be that bad down in Kerry on the day...

kerry4sam

ratracer wrote: »

After doing the Tour de Connemara in the rain last saturday, I'm kinda hoping the weather can't be that bad down in Kerry on the day...

I find that cycling anywhere in Rural Ireland offsets any bad weather with the characters I tend to find. Hopefully be the same on the ROK

ROK ON

You can really tell that the RoK is just around the corner by the amount of cyclists going up Molls Gap of a Sunday morning.

Signed up last week for free - just a promise to raise funds for my chosen charity. I contacted the charity directly. Recd my official card on Friday.

Looking forward to it now at this stage.

MajesticDonkey

Jovetic wrote: »

I've never understood why people wear cleats

So you don't waste 50% of your energy while pedalling. Cleats (or clips, though not as efficient) allow you to use the energy of moving your feet upwards to continue moving the pedals, so you're constantly using one foot to push down one pedal and the other foot to pull up the other pedal - as opposed to just using both feet to push down in succession.

For me my biggest fear is having an accident. Not used to cycling in groups

To add to the above, please for the love of god don't pass on the inside of a group of cyclists.

meercat

kerry4sam wrote: »

I find that cycling anywhere in Rural Ireland offsets any bad weather with the characters I tend to find. Hopefully be the same on the ROK

i like the way you put that

Jovetic

The third Lions test is on the 6th of July, might have to stop off in Cahersiveen for brunch for a couple of hours

derealbadger

just signed up via Pieta house should be a good day

Signed up last night (Hi Dan!), looking forward to it now. Need to keep putting in the miles.

ratracer

Can anyone that has done this cycle before recommend a decent pub/restaurant for lunch somewhere after the half way mark?

BailMeOut

ratracer wrote: »

Can anyone that has done this cycle before recommend a decent pub/restaurant for lunch somewhere after the half way mark?

Sneem is the most popular spot for eating and its pubs and cafes will be taken over by cyclists around lunch time. We ate at the little cafe right at the bridge (Riverside Bistro) which is quite good and the folks that own and run it are lovely.

kerry4sam

ROK ON wrote: »

You can really tell that the RoK is just around the corner by the amount of cyclists going up Molls Gap of a Sunday morning.

...

Hard to believe it is only 22km from the town and I have yet to cycle up to Molls' Gap from the town! I'll attempt it this week though to test the strength of my back. I've two consecutive days off work this week so if all goes awry I have the 2nd day to rest up

ROK ON

ratracer wrote: »

Can anyone that has done this cycle before recommend a decent pub/restaurant for lunch somewhere after the half way mark?

Blind Piper in Caherdaniel/Derrynane.
Once you descend Coomakiste and enter Caherdaniel, turn right and it is on your right.

Great pub with great food and an excellent banofee pie. It is as good as half way.
Also, Sneem Hotel in Sneem does nice food and the proprieter, Louis Mulcahy is a great supporter of cycling in this country - it has also been an unofficial food stop on the cycle.

Jovetic

Should I take a little padlock and tie up the bike at the lunch stops, or will there be hundreds of bikes thrown up against the wall outside the pubs

meercat

Jovetic wrote: »

Should I take a little padlock and tie up the bike at the lunch stops, or will there be hundreds of bikes thrown up against the wall outside the pubs

havnt seen anyone with a lock on or heard about any thefts ever

just left mine outside with all the other unlocked ones although mine is not a top spec bike

funnights74

Jovetic wrote: »

Should I take a little padlock and tie up the bike at the lunch stops, or will there be hundreds of bikes thrown up against the wall outside the pubs

There will be bikes everywhere, and i mean everywhere,:eek: up against anything that you can lean a bike on and failing that on the ground, it will look like it has rained bicycles.

kerry4sam

Jovetic wrote: »

Should I take a little padlock and tie up the bike at the lunch stops, or will there be hundreds of bikes thrown up against the wall outside the pubs

On the Rebel Rider last year at the top of Healy Pass their were bikes everywhere; against everything they could be rested against! That little shop opened, thankfully, and done quite well from the cyclists but don't recall anyone locking their bike though. I'd imagine it to be the same on the ROK.

shaka

Sneem hotel does v good food but never stopped there for food on rok , now a sneaky pint is another thing.

Tomfla

Does anyone know for certain what category climb (if any) is Molls Gap.

Chips Lovell

There's no standard system for categorising climbs. Essentially they're decided on by race or event organisers. What could be a category 2 climb in one event could be a cat 1 or a cat 3 in another. Websites such as Mapmyride or Strava also have their own systems.

MajesticDonkey

Cat 3 according to Strava. http://app.strava.com/segments/655340

AFAIK Strava uses TdF climb categorisation.

Frere Jacques

kerry4sam wrote: »

On the Rebel Rider last year at the top of Healy Pass their were bikes everywhere; against everything they could be rested against! That little shop opened, thankfully, and done quite well from the cyclists but don't recall anyone locking their bike though. I'd imagine it to be the same on the ROK.

Lets hope there is no dodgey guy in wellys going around staring at the wummin folk this time.;)

derealbadger

Frere Jacques wrote: »

Lets hope there is no dodgey guy in wellys going around staring at the wummin folk this time.;)

No this year i am wearing clip-in's like the rest of ye but will still be lookin at the wummins