Tell us about your new improved government regulations compliant cycle part II

Daroxtar

First spin up the hills since the Mick Byrne and first solo spin up there in months. Haven't been up Kippure since this time last year. I just love being up there. It's good for the soul.
Went from Tallaght, up Bohernabreena, Cunard then up Kippure and down to Laragh for a nice coffee and lump of sticky toffee cake with added whipped cream because to hell with diets when you're enjoying a spin. Then slightly slower than anticipated back up by the waterfall before getting a gentle tailwind back across the Gap.
98 km, 1632m climbed. Bike mojo back
https://www.strava.com/activities/1751604132

LollipopJimmy

Stayed up to watch the UFC last night so near 6 when I was going asleep. Got up at 10 and went out through Naul and on to Drogheda back through Balbriggan and having a pint in Kilmainham now. 100kms on the nose

sullivlo

I managed 20km today. First time on the bike in months, but it felt great.

Boscoirl

Another 30km leisurely spin and had a mechanical. Left crank fell off when out of the saddle on a small climb luckily didn’t come down, tried a running repair. And it came off again. Fixed it a second time and limped home. Went into the small ring and spun home putting as little pressure it as possible.

Must get a new bike

dahat

95km done on a smashing day to complete a 3 day block of sorts. A block headwind from Callan to Clonmel made for some hard work for 3 weary lads with Ninemilehouse being a particularly bad point for me.

I think it's time to jack in the 11 25 block and return to the realitve safety of 11 28 for the foreseeable future as my weary legs aren't fit enough for it.

positron

Drogheda-Buncrana

Leaving Drogheda at 7 am, got to Buncrana just after 6 pm. 9 hours on the move, 11 hours door to door.

Compared to last time zero drama this time, no rain, no punctures, no hypothermia, no near-death experiences and life-saving kindness needed from strangers (aparts from many decent drivers giving me space on narrow parts of N2 and A5, thanks to them!!).

Nice soft day with a cool start. The Halfords jacket with removable arms was perfect for the job - first as a jacket, and later as gillet (on sale now, less than 20 quid). Didn't need it after lunch. One of the aliexpress "SPEXEL" bib was up for the task as well. Another cool thing was the things you learn under pressure - midnight last night I was trying to get rid of some slack on front brake levers (I have the normal lever and one of those CX ones on the top of the bar as well) and ended up with the front wheel barely turning whatever I do. Thanks to an amazing Parkside video on adjusting mechanical disc brakes, 15 minutes to figure out bits and 2 mins of actual tweaking later (static pad too far away and the action lever was pulled too close etc etc), and now the brakes were perfect, and the front wheel were never been this free spinning to this date. Also minor tweaks with the seat angle, flipped the stem etc my neck is only mildly uncomfortable after 9 hours on the saddle. On the downside got just 3 hours sleep, not pleasant at all. Hopefully the fresh Innishower air and the quietness here will fix that tonight!

https://www.strava.com/activities/1752428241
207.93km, 1,638m elevation, 23.1 kmph average.

Eamonnator

^^^^^^^^^
Tour de Boyne Valley will be a piece of p1ss after that.
Well done.

Ha I was just looking at the few photos you had on strava of the spin , those Irish dancers they have up for the Fleadh along the dual carriageway scared the bejaysus out of my 4 year old earlier in a week, ran up to see what they were as we walked passed with the dog and came running back screaming

In fairness they are kind of creepy.

magicbastarder

Boscoirl wrote: »

Left crank fell off when out of the saddle on a small climb

you must have been putting some monster power down.

magicbastarder

positron wrote: »

(aparts from many decent drivers giving me space on narrow parts of N2 and A5, thanks to them!!).

fair play - would wonder about the N2, the only bit of it i've ever cycled would be a 10km stretch north of ashbourne, which is not pleasant, but i guess it'd be quieter further north.

if memory serves though, you would have hit a lot of rolling hills on it?

From what I recall of being on it north bound a few years ago the N2 at it's best after Ardee. Decent surface and good wideish hard shoulder.

positron

Average speeds would be my main concern, to finish before cut off. Anyway I signed for the 96k version, so I should be okay.






Yeah absolutely, its the stilts - they remind me of something amazonian / tribal - heads on stakes type thing.





Like Enfilade mentioned its wide with decent surface etc north of Ardee. Navan to Ardee is very lumpy. Ashbourne to Navan is narrow with a lot of traffic. Good bit further up, after Castleblaney IIRC, it gets tricky when you hit the new-ish section where the road keeps changing between one lane and two lanes, traffic often moves along well over 100 kmph as well. It's always up/down all the way, there aren't that many flat stretches at all, but luckily no major hard climbs (except for the 10k after Ballygawley roundabout).

NamelessPhil

The National 600 Audax is in the bag after the weekend. 14 starters, one DNF. 12 of us rode as a bunch up to the first control in Cavan from Dublin. Average speed of 28.2 for the first 115km. I knew I'd pay for it later but it gained me some extra time.

Let the bunch go at 150km and rode solo for the rest of the 600. Traffic was busy on the N55 with plenty of Monaghan supporters on the way to the match. The sun came out in Athlone and there wasn't much wind down to Roscrea and Cashel.

Cashel across to Clonmel was lovely, quiet road with a bit of climbing. Passing through Rosegreen there was a sign for Road Bowling but it was over and the pub was busy.

Clonmel to the sleep spot in Kilmacow was uneventful. Weird searchlights in the sky to the south, someone was sending a bat signal.

Into Kilmacow at 00:55, shower, a bit of restless sleep for less than 4 hours and out the door just before 7am. The N25 to New Ross is still horrible three years after the last time I did this route. The route turns south in New Ross to Arthurstown and the next control. If any Wexford readers are interested, there's a lovely 200km
Audax around Wexford, The Yola 200. https://www.audaxireland.org/events-calendar/gazetteer/200km-events/yola-200/

Arthurstown to Wexford on a lumpy ribbon of road was fine. Then the slow climb back up to Dublin on the N11 through Enniscorthy and the hills out of Bunclody with the "Sunday Game" in my ear. A quick stop to gather my thoughts in Rathvilly and then the final push for home on familiar roads through Blessington. I passed the back of my house at 8pm and arrived at the finish at 20:15.

Thanks to the Orwell lads for organising a very successful event and well done to everyone who completed the course.

https://www.strava.com/activities/1752749166

secman

Dare someone to post a regular spin after that post ...:)

Internet Friend

secman wrote: »

Dare someone to post a regular spin after that post ...:)

Eh...well I did my first ever century today

patrickc

I did 50km on the new bike hadn't been out much in the last few weeks and averaged 27.7km/h

First time using clip in shoes, no disasters unlike falling off when practicing in the kitchen!

Boscoirl

magicbastarder wrote: »

you must have been putting some monster power down.

More like poor bike maintenance :P

magicbastarder

Currently on a slow meander on the deise greenway. It's great. Most relaxed cycle i've done in ages.

LollipopJimmy

magicbastarder wrote: »

Currently on a slow meander on the deise greenway. It's great. Most relaxed cycle i've done in ages.

Well jelly. Would love to be down there now. Be sure to stop and take it in, it's too easy to get caught up in the cycling while missing the scenery

Justwinginit

Up in Donegal for the long weekend. Didn't (not allowed) to bring the bike, but damn ye have some fine roads up there....will have to make a trip....by myself sometime lol

triggermortis

Out in Lanzarote for a few weeks. Got out today for 60km. Wind is almost constant so the first 2/3 was hard work but after I turned for home it was a joy. Quick omelette and a beer and a dunk in the pool and life is good

Boscoirl

magicbastarder wrote: »

Currently on a slow meander on the deise greenway. It's great. Most relaxed cycle i've done in ages.

Was working down that way last week. Threw the bike in the van. Weather was apocalyptic. Didn’t get to do it. Was sickened

pjmn

patrickc wrote: »

I did 50km on the new bike hadn't been out much in the last few weeks and averaged 27.7km/h

First time using clip in shoes, no disasters unlike falling off when practicing in the kitchen!

To be fair I find it very difficult to cycle around the kitchen too!

smacl

Up Kilmashogue and fire roads to Ticknock and the masts at Three rock at lunch on the old 15kg hybrid hack. First time back up there in a year. Jaysus. Also, wrong choice of bike. Had half thought of trying some of the trails but was knackered before I got there and found my tyre pressure way too high for the bumpy bits. Chickened out half way down the first run. Need to buy me an MTB and a decent set of lungs.

RacoonQueen

Got stuck behind a bin truck while descending cruagh road...

Got overtaken by a car with a NL reg. It was such a pleasant, polite, overtake. Such a smooth movement, no sudden slamming, gear grinding was they waited for space. They anticipated me before they reached me and moved out to overtake and back in with such ease. It was like they knew how to drive or something. A minute later a close pass from a 03-D :rolleyes: they were actually stopped then at Johnnie Foxes and was very tempted to stop and say it to them.

Weepsie

Volunteered to help the fiance's family do some stuff around their house. They're from Wicklow so got the train to Rathdrum then cycled to Glenmalure, Macreddin and Aughrim.

Only 34 km but 600 metres up in that.

https://www.strava.com/activities/1760319758

NUTLEY BOY

Intended to cycle from Sandymount to Anglesea Road via Simmonscourt Road yesterday.

It seems that there is a de facto road closure at the middle of Simminscourt Road in operation for the duration of the Horse Show. They would not let a few other cyclists and myself through.

Would there have to be a formal road closure notice in force to allow this ?
I cannot remember such a restriction in previous years during Horse Show week.

EDit

Weepsie wrote: »

Volunteered to help the fiance's family do some stuff around their house. They're from Wicklow so got the train to Rathdrum then cycled to Glenmalure, Macreddin and Aughrim.

Only 34 km but 600 metres up in that.

https://www.strava.com/activities/1760319758

Very similar to my cycle yesterday...Kinnitty to Killanure Church and back again (over one of the Slieve Bloom mountains both ways). 29km in total, with 650m elevation. My legs were feeling it last night!

Type 17

NUTLEY BOY wrote: »

Intended to cycle from Sandymount to Anglesea Road via Simmonscourt Road yesterday.

It seems that there is a de facto road closure at the middle of Simminscourt Road in operation for the duration of the Horse Show. They would not let a few other cyclists and myself through.

Would there have to be a formal road closure notice in force to allow this ?
I cannot remember such a restriction in previous years during Horse Show week.

I grew up in Sandymount, and (since 1980 at least) the road was always closed during Horse Show week (and Spring Show week). They used to let us through on our bikes (Raleigh Burners), but they're probably right to be cagey these days, as we always used to slip off into the RDS while were were making our way to the other end of the closure - free entry was handy when you were a 13-year old without much cash, and we enjoyed seeing the horses and the general buzz - when I was a bit older, I worked there during the HS and SS, selling catalogues, etc.

Weepsie

Cycled home from Laragh across the Military road. Was a nice day for it but not too many out on the bikes. Met a boardsie (Brian not Brian?), I passed them going up the Featherbeds, and they descended way faster than I and go to chatting then to the City Centre.

Was trying to keep the heart rate down as much as possible, and managed that for most of that.

https://www.strava.com/activities/1762759588