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

Went up 3 rock for the first time this year. Bloody speed bumps on the way to the aerials.

They are a real pain in the ass when you are doing 9km/h and they are wet.

LennoxR

ronoc wrote: »

Went up 3 rock for the first time this year. Bloody speed bumps on the way to the aerials.

They are a real pain in the ass when you are doing 9km/h and they are wet.

Yes I never do it anymore for that reason.


If you have a bike that can do it (and road bike with 28-30mm tyres and up will do the job), the dirt road up there from Kilmashogue is a much better bet nowadays.

patrickc

I went for a spin this morning, I went Carlow-Castlecomer-Ballyragget-Kilkenny-Carlow.

the hills were fine but the headwind from Kilkenny to Carlow was a nightmare. 88km @25.9 average

Type 17

Did 75% of the 100km Great Dublin Bike Ride route this morning - I took a short cut down the N2 towards town at the end, as there were no feed stops

93km at 26.7km/h average - I'll ride the full route on the 23rd

patrickc

Type 17 wrote: »

Did 75% of the 100km Great Dublin Bike Ride route this morning - I took a short cut down the N2 towards town at the end, as there were no feed stops

93km at 26.7km/h average - I'll ride the full route on the 23rd

I'm doing it too, my 1st sportive also.

Is there much in the way of hills?

Weepsie

patrickc wrote: »

I'm doing it too, my 1st sportive also.

Is there much in the way of hills?

Hills, not really. Bit of a drag from Ballyboughal to Naul, Snowtown is tough but very short so just get in a low gear and then the veyr short, but steep bit around the anglers rest are about it.

Type 17

Weepsie wrote: »

Hills, not really. Bit of a drag from Ballyboughal to Naul, Snowtown is tough but very short so just get in a low gear and then the veyr short, but steep bit around the anglers rest are about it.

I'd agree with this - I wouldn't see hills as an issue with this route, but it is long, so do remember to fuel yourself properly for the full 100km - do stop at (at least some of) the feed stations - even if you don't need the rest, you will need the food/liquids.

Paul_Mc1988

Type 17 wrote:

I'd agree with this - I wouldn't see hills as an issue with this route, but it is long, so do remember to fuel yourself properly for the full 100km - do stop at (at least some of) the feed stations - even if you don't need the rest, you will need the food/liquids.

4 gels and aul banana in the back pocket should be enough to get you around. I'm hoping to get in a group that will skip the stops to try get it done in 3 hours as I forgot about a family event that day.

Wishbone Ash

Weepsie wrote: »

Hills, not really. Bit of a drag from Ballyboughal to Naul, Snowtown is tough but very short so just get in a low gear and then the veyr short, but steep bit around the anglers rest are about it.

Snowtown isn't in it this year - turn left after Naul for Garristown. They must be 'dumbing down' the route or perhaps it's because it is in Co Meath.

P_1

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

Snowtown isn't in it this year - turn left after Naul for Garristown. They must be 'dumbing down' the route or perhaps it's because it is in Co Meath.

Have to say I'm disappointed in that, route looks a bit boring now, Strawberry Beds in a large group might be fun mind and the hill at the Anglers Rest will be a nice kick with a hundred k in the legs

patrickc

Type 17 wrote: »

I'd agree with this - I wouldn't see hills as an issue with this route, but it is long, so do remember to fuel yourself properly for the full 100km - do stop at (at least some of) the feed stations - even if you don't need the rest, you will need the food/liquids.

Will do, I'm managing about 90k so I think in a group situation I'll manage the 15k more.
Cheers

magicbastarder

that was a little damper than expected.

Ray Bloody Purchase

magicbastarder wrote: »

that was a little damper than expected.

It was definitely wet rain.

I pulled a totally 'rad' skid on the bike in behind a bus this morning. The roads were very slippy.

saganfan

First time poster here, but lurk occasionally.

Had a nice spin around Howth yesterday after a few weeks out of the saddle. Very enjoyable, although they have really made a balls of the village part of the road. It's a mess!

site_owner

well there we have it, the first wet full school day.
traffic was insane. cars backed up through the whole of donaghmede and baldoyle, havent seen anything like it in months.

school drop off (round trip) took 20mins. same as always OH took longer just to get to the R139/N32 in the car.

trailer seems to have sprung a leak. going to dry it off and coat it in some of this and see how we get on.
building site on the way and roads were covered in serious gunk

Epitaph

Destroyed commuting in this morning, quiet enough for 7am but why do people have to rush even more in wet weather!?Doubt shoes will be dry for this evening. My office looks like a laundry room with everything hanging out to dry.

Fian

Epitaph wrote: »

Destroyed commuting in this morning, quiet enough for 7am but why do people have to rush even more in wet weather!?Doubt shoes will be dry for this evening. My office looks like a laundry room with everything hanging out to dry.

Normally don't mind t all getting wet. One drawback today though is that the heating in my office / building is set centrally, and it hasn't come on yet for teh winter months. So no radiator to dry my shorts/cycling tigths on. Will probably be pulling them on damp this evening.

magicbastarder

speaking of traffic, i crossed the east link at about 7am - was clear enough getting through the toll, but the traffic ahead (going southbound) was at a standstill. was caused by trucks queuing to take a left out of the roundabout, there was obviously some holdup at the terminal there.

not good for traffic if the queue spills out straight away onto the exit for the east link?

magicbastarder

saganfan wrote: »

Had a nice spin around Howth yesterday after a few weeks out of the saddle. Very enjoyable, although they have really made a balls of the village part of the road. It's a mess!

the patchy roadworks at the bottom of the hill? it's a little rougher than you'd hope they'd have been able to leave it.

Wishbone Ash

magicbastarder wrote: »

that was a little damper than expected.

Miserable alright. Only 3 of us turned up for the Thursday club ride. Each of us hoping that no one else would turn up as our hearts weren't in it. We set off anyway but our road captain broke a spoke and a few km's later had a dramatic rear blow out. Side wall of the Conti tyre was destroyed so I legged it home to get the team car to bring him home. I might go out again later.

saganfan

magicbastarder wrote: »

the patchy roadworks at the bottom of the hill? it's a little rougher than you'd hope they'd have been able to leave it.

Yeah that's the one, was a pain when they were doing it but it's pretty rough now. Anyway, it's minor enough, always usually a nice spin around Howth.

silverharp

This is about my non cycle to work, started commuting by bike in July and this is the first time its been raining in the morning before I was going to leave for work , not bad for the bones of 2 months. Legs still adjusting so im sure they like the day off, should be able to give it some welly tomorrow

The Davestator

Had my 8th puncture in 8 days today.

Have changed wheels, tyres and tubes. Bought kevlar tank tracks this morning online so no cycling until they get here!

Way more glass on the road than I've ever seen. Anyone else having similiar bad luck?

magicbastarder

all penetration punctures?

The Davestator

magicbastarder wrote: »

all penetration punctures?

Think so. Nothing in the tyres or rims. So annoying.

magicbastarder

what pressure are you running at? i've had one puncture in the last eight years - and that was when my tyre was running low.

silverharp

silverharp wrote: »

This is about my non cycle to work, started commuting by bike in July and this is the first time its been raining in the morning before I was going to leave for work , not bad for the bones of 2 months. Legs still adjusting so im sure they like the day off, should be able to give it some welly tomorrow

We have a special thread for those days https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=80928131

The Davestator

magicbastarder wrote: »

what pressure are you running at? i've had one puncture in the last eight years - and that was when my tyre was running low.

100 psi as always. Hadn't had one all summer and then this. Coincided with the first bit of rain, so my suspicion was that the glass had been washed to the side of the road. 8 in 8 days is outrageous! Most are slow punctures too, so I suspect that there must be something unseen in the tyres that isn't showing through to the inside of the tyre.

cdaly_

Take the wheels off the bike, let the air out of the tyres, pinch the sidewalls together so any cuts in the tread open up. Then dig out the bits of glass etc. Also, if you always put the tyre on the rim in the same place (line up tyre label with valve) and the punctures all land in the same place then you've got something embedded in the tyre that you haven't removed.

Wishbone Ash

The Davestator wrote: »

... Most are slow punctures too, so I suspect that there must be something unseen in the tyres that isn't showing through to the inside of the tyre.

Could be the rim tape - dislodged or worn. Are the punctures on the tyre side of the tubes or the rim side?