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

Daroxtar

Wrapped up 3 days cycling in Asturias today. I had notions of doing 3 days of big mileage and stupid amounts of climbing but as I've previously mentioned, things happen, plans change. Another Boardsie told me not to push to hard, just go with the flow and that's what I did. Instead of cycling for hours I just drove close enough to the places I wanted to go and then did the parts of the spin that mattered to me.

Yesterday I climbed Lagos De Covadonga. It's a stunning climb. Depending on the segment you look at it's in or around 13km @7.5% but in reality it's 9km @9% with a couple of flat and downhill bits. The long ramp called La Huesera (The Boneyard) is tough going, 800m above 12%, maxing out at 15 and it pretty much sustains that kind of suffering until you pass Mirador De La Reina a kilometer later. After doing the Angliru the previous day I really felt the strain there but I made it and the views at the top were well worth it. There's a nice cafe there (careful though, there's horrible concrete on the way up to the door) so a cool drink was horsed into me followed by a nice coffee and doughnut before setting off back down. The weather was glorious until I started the descent but Los Lagos is notorious for fog and sure enough it rolled in really quick on the way down. Dodging cows and oncoming traffic with limited visibility was interesting to say the least but I had a blast
45km, 1628m climbed
https://www.strava.com/activities/729685013

Today was La Farrapona, 18.5km@6%. I parked up about 10km from the start of the climb proper and had a leisurely spin through a beautiful Gorge to the first tunnel. The sun was shining but it was cool enough in the shade. I said to myself not to push too hard today, just enjoy the scenery but after being on the steep stuff for a few days I felt great on 5-6% so I started to give it a lash and like an eejit managed to drop my chain and mangle it. I had a spare quick link but while repairing the chain I dropped the link on the ground and spent five minutes on my hands and knees scouring the roadside for it. Just goes to show how quiet and remote this area is as not a single car passed me in either direction the whole time I was stopped or indeed for a good 5 or 10 minutes either side of it. There's Wolves and Bears up here. Thankfully they weren't interested in wiry Paddies today.
Anyway, back on the bike and this time I just stuck to my plan of being a tourist. Nice and steady all the way, sitting up, looking around and soaking in the sights and sounds of the Somiedo National Park. It was breathtaking. I honestly think it was the most enjoyable cycle I've ever done.
The very top was exposed enough and I'm glad I brought a gillet and arm warmers as it was well below 10 degrees and breezy up at that altitude. I got a few pics, had a quick chat with some hikers and then set off down the descent. God, I love descending. There was some very fine sand on the first bend so that had me a bit cautious but I still let fly when I could. I ended up 4th overall on the full descent according to Strava!
Total for the day, 58km, 2170m climbed.
https://www.strava.com/activities/730935090/overview

Total for the 3 days was 181km with 6400m. Probably half the amount I intended, but I'm not wrecked. I feel pretty damn good right now (with a cold beer inside me and another on the way)
Flights to Santander were €78 return with Ryanair. Dirt fking cheap.
For accommodation I stayed in The Bike Barn, a great little spot run by a cycling nut and genuine good guy called Martin. He has a website http://bikeasturias.net/ that has all the info on the famous and not so famous climbs in the area. He was on the internet constantly for the past few days checking the weather and giving me loads of tips and advice on where to go and what time was best. I can't say enough good things about him other than if I ever come over here again I wouldn't even have to think about where I'd stay.
Asturias...it's an undiscovered paradise. It's the complete opposite to the tourist hotspots on the Med. Green lush mountains, rivers and lakes. Manageable temperatures (I managed to avoid all the rain) No high rise accommodation, no lager lout night life. Just perfect cycling country.
Now to have that beer

magicbastarder

we stayed in ribadesella a few years ago. seems to be where spanish people go to escape the heat in the south in the summer. phenomenal spot.

PaddyFagan

After a busy day at home I managed to nip out for a short spin at 5:30 - it was great to get out. But the sunshine had me fooled, I threw a short sleeved jesery on under an autumn jacket with shorts, and really felt the cold - I think I'll be retiring the shorts until 2017!

Paddy

secman

Headed from house to killenagh and on to ballyedmund, boolavogue and on to ratheenduff. Took a right turn on up to oulart and right again up oulart hill. Took left turn and headed for the main road. Took left-hand turn off main road and headed for Blackwater, kilmuckridge, Ballygarrett, killenagh and home.
69 km Avg 25 kph

Lovely morning for a spin. Short slieve and shorts weather in sunny southeast .:)

dahat

Out with the club today for a 100km spin at a steady pace on an essentially flat route..

Starting out in thick for probably not the best idea as it took a while to clear, relieved when it did as visibility was very poor. It turned in to an outstanding morning for a spin.

Went with my Ministral and base layer from Garlinge and while I was toasty I didn't overheat when the fog cleared up. All in all a great spin.

100km at 29.7km Aug with 3hrs spent in Z1 & Z2 which is part of trying to train more in zones for the winter.

magicbastarder

dahat wrote: »

It turned in to an outstanding morning for a spin.

i was kicking myself i didn't go out this morning. just back, and it's not as calm as it was earlier - quite windy out around portmarnock. still, not a bad evening. 48km, malahide, portmarnock, howth etc.

AlreadyHome

Did a Stocking Lane - Featherbeds - Enniskerry loop: 45kms or so. As mentioned was fairly chilly despite the sunshine; think the short finger gloves are close to being retired. Heavy legs and stiffening headwind made for a 28kmh avg.

paul mountainbike

Out at 07.35 as working at 9.

On mountainbike,loop i do on a regular basis around woodstock estate ,kilkenny.
beautiful morning even thou was still misty in the valley bottom.
15km.

Boscoirl

Went along to my first club spin this morning, North Tipp Wheelers were having a All Together spin to get new and lapsed members out for a social spin just under 50k(garmin froze for about 7-8k) with a stop for coffee for people to get to know each other.

Fishy1

No major mileage covered, just a lovely cycle out to Tramore this morning, sun was shining & the sea was sparkling.
Added bonus on the way home - spotted sloes growing on one of the back roads. Sent hubby out this afternoon to pick some. Going to have a go at making sloe gin

smacl

Fantastic weather out there today, a planned 112k with 1.6k climbing became ~125k following a Garmin crash and some bad guesses as to the planned route. Mostly in around the back roads between Kilmac and Rathdrum taking in a fair few ramps and a lovely spin back over the Sally gap with the sun and wind at my back for about 6:15 all in. Lot of cars out on the Military road with some pretty aggressive driving. A few closes passes myself, and saw another cyclist nearly taken out on the feather beds, having to unclip, swerve and just about stay upright. Great day out all the same.

Don't Chute!

80kms this morning. Headed out from Greystones just after 8 and through the Glen of the Downs. As that road never gets any sunshine it was really cold with my feet getting a bit numb. Thought about going back home to get my Gabba but stuck with it. After Bray the temperature went up a little. Headed into the city via the Rock Road into Dame St and out by Georges St through Ranelagh to Stepaside and home through Enniskerry. Have to say I really love early Sunday mornings like today in Dublin, the city just looks beautiful.

https://www.strava.com/activities/731780903

magicbastarder

got lost in the car park at the end, or just wanted to nudge it over the 80k?

Don't Chute!

magicbastarder wrote: »

got lost in the car park at the end, or just wanted to nudge it over the 80k?

Ah yeah, can't be leaving it at 79kms!

coddlesangers

Horrible cycle on Saturday, dry when I started only for it to start heaving rain half way up my climb. Had been planning for 60km or so, ended up only managing 30km when I bailed out and legged it for home. Slow descent down greasy wet roads as well... https://www.strava.com/activities/730564894 . Was taking it really easy at the start as there was a lot of "up" in my planned route, so speed average overall was erm...slow?

cdaly_

Did the Antrim 300 yesterday. 300km in the mountains with 20 hours to complete the route...

A tough day. Up at 02:50 to get a bus from Dublin. Got to the 06:00 start with 5 min to spare.

Off out the road and within 10 minutes I was climbing. This set the tone for the rest if the day. Weather was colder than recently, chilly descents in dark first thing were a foretaste of the last 100k.

Vicious climbs were followed by equally vicious descents where I had to hang on the brakes. Traffic was a pleasure. Lots of it but everyone hung back until it was safe to pass and left plenty of room.

Amazing scenery all over and so many bays and inlets to route around.

I had made good time to Cushendun, 12:30 though it took 30 minutes to get fed. The next 12km over Torr Head took 90 minutes leaving me behind on time. I had to make pace to make Bushmills at 16:00. Halfway around in exactly 10 hours. At least that was the hillier half... Ha!

Made good time on the loop from Ballycastle to Portstewart and back to Ballycastle at 200k, just 5min ahead of the close of control. Picked up a can of coke for later. Headed off into the evening and the last 100k. Little hints like 'Caution on descent' on the route sheet didn't bode well for making time. Neither did the very pretty but slanty Glendun where the road went ever upwards for what seemed like hours.

As the night came on under clear skies, the stars came out in all their glory though it was difficult to look up with a stiff neck. Temperatures dropped and, despite multiple layers, the descents got very chilly. I was in shorts so my legs got very cold and then had to work again.

In the meantime, my GPS which had given me an eta at belfast of 00:30 at 200k started pushing that outwards so that, by the top of Glendun eta was 01:30. That was most of the heavy climbing done but plenty of rolling 'B' roads yet to cover with the eta creeping up all the time.

Much time was spent in calculation of how fast I needed to descend to make up for 5-10kph ascending. Descents were getting even colder now and I was welcoming the climbs 'cos I'd get to warm up a bit. At one point the eta went to 02:02!

A bit of TT over the last 20k pulled back the time while the traverse of Belfast's pubs out time was 'interesting'.

I got to the finish at 01:58, woke the organiser who was asleep in his car waiting for me, handed in my brevet card and set off to catch my 02:30 bus home. In order to allow for possible issues, I had booked the 06:30 bus 'you can get an earlier bus if there are empty seats'. I got to the bus station to discover a crowd waiting for the bus. Driver looks around, says 'You won't get on, have to wait for the 06:30'. Feck!

Turned out there were spare seats so I got on and back to Dublin at 04:30. Feckin freezing now, shivered for the 30min spin home and into bed by 05:30 for 12 hours sleep.

That's my Four Provinces completed...

smacl

cdaly_ wrote: »

Did the Antrim 300 yesterday. 300km in the mountains with 20 hours to complete the route...

A tough day. Up at 02:50 to get a bus from Dublin. Got to the 06:00 start with 5 min to spare.

Firstly congrats on finishing what sounds like a gruelling ride. Do you have any issues getting bikes on busses? I've found the trains hit and miss.

cdaly_

Aircoach will take bikes for free subject to having luggage space (which is realistically not a problem. Bus Eireann charge E10 extra each way for bikes (often at the driver's discretion).

P_1

First proper bit of offroad today. Across the dunes on Bull Island, up to the cliff path (had to turn around as it's a bit too overgrown) the upper cliff road and down the old tramline. The headwind was fun...

https://www.strava.com/activities/733075802

magicbastarder

got shouted at three times today when out on a 40k spin, all by van or lorry drivers.
still, the last of them was an eddie stobart driver shouting at me to tell me i'd a hole in the ass of my pants (which i only bought at lunchtime), and he gave me a big cheery thumbs up and wished me a good ride.

thankfully, the hole is just an unfortunately placed label. what a place to put it.

macnab

I went for a 37km spin yesterday morning before going into work in the afternoon. I unwittingly got caught up in a Time Trial between Enfield and Kilcock (Garda CC)
If anybody finds a lost manhood on this stretch of road its probably mine......

Chuchote

macnab wrote: »

I went for a 37km spin yesterday morning before going into work in the afternoon. I unwittingly got caught up in a Time Trial between Enfield and Kilcock (Garda CC)
If anybody finds a lost manhood on this stretch of road its probably mine......

By the same token, I'm reading The Rider by Tim Krabbé. I have never ridden in a race, and never will, but I'm loving it and laughing like a drain:

https://www.amazon.com/Rider-Tim-Krabb%C3%A9-ebook/dp/B01E0PXUMA/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1475685756&sr=1-1

P_1

Took the fat bike out for a bit of devilment around the park and decided going hoe down Dollymount Strand would be a bit of fun. It was, sand is actually a great surface to cycle on. 22km @17km/h which isn't too shabby considering the terrain and the weight.

https://www.strava.com/activities/735380029/segments/18030218168

Luxman

So I headed off in search of Glassamucky on the way to Glencree ( I am not a local so geography is a bit sketchy). Oh I found it alright, stunning road but the headwind was very tough. Stopped in Glencree for some sustenance and headed towards Enniskerry with a view to trying to find Glencullen (oh I found it alright and the ramps there are cruel). On into the city via Stepaide. Through town to witness so shocking cycling behaviour (I won't rush back) and home via the quays and Finglas. 105k in all, 1200m up. I had forgotten about the Garmin firmware update and when I went to upload the file, it was empty. Not sure why, it recorded as it went for sure. I had to create a manual entry and also the route to see if it matched. Glad to have located some new cycling territory.

secman

Luxman wrote: »

So I headed off in search of Glassamucky on the way to Glencree ( I am not a local so geography is a bit sketchy). Oh I found it alright, stunning road but the headwind was very tough. Stopped in Glencree for some sustenance and headed towards Enniskerry with a view to trying to find Glencullen (oh I found it alright and the ramps there are cruel). On into the city via Stepaide. Through town to witness so shocking cycling behaviour (I won't rush back) and home via the quays and Finglas. 105k in all, 1200m up. I had forgotten about the Garmin firmware update and when I went to upload the file, it was empty. Not sure why, it recorded as it went for sure. I had to create a manual entry and also the route to see if it matched. Glad to have located some new cycling territory.

You are most welcome to come over to the lovely southside and partake in the riding on our meandering mountain roads, really hope you enjoyed our hospitality and beautiful scenery.

Luxman

secman wrote: »

You are most welcome to come over to the lovely southside and partake in the riding on our meandering mountain roads, really hope you enjoyed our hospitality and beautiful scenery.

Can you do anything about the wind?? :-)

secman

Luxman wrote: »

Can you do anything about the wind?? :-)

Only if you do the same in NCD.. the mythical home of cycling:)

moonshadow

Kevin King memorial spin ,nice relaxed coastal spin organised by Drogheda wheelers 55km in total for me, probably should have done another 50 but garden chores need to be done.

rollingscone

Slightly pipped my longest single ride with 154km around Meath / Kildare with three stops 1. For lunch 2. For a cut tyre/puncture at the 50k mark 3. To visit a relative who's back in the country for a few weeks.

Lost the light and made it back to the Phoenix park by headlight.

Pretty well suffering by the end. Forgot to charge the Garmin and had to give it the kiss of life at my relatives house hence the split:

https://www.strava.com/activities/739743766

smacl

Working today but snuck out for a loop up Cruagh, down by Crone woods, Knockree, Enniskerry, Devils Elbow and back again via Cruagh for 41k with 900m climbing. Lovely day out and would have liked to get out for longer but such is life. Burnt out car on the Military road Glencree junction giving it a kind of zombie holocaust feel, level of crap being dumped on the roads is pretty dire.