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

smacl

114k today with 1.8k of up this morning taking in Sally gap, Blessington, St Kevins way, Wicklow gap and Sally gap again. The gardaí were stopping people from going to Glendalough and turning them up the Wicklow gap if they made it that far and up via Glenmacnass if not. Roads around Glenmacnass were absolutely jammed with cars so well pleased to be on the bike First hill 100k for me this year and thoroughly enjoyed it, albeit at a rather slow pace taking just under 6 hours all in. Masses of cyclists out and everyone seeming in good form.

dahat

Bailed on the cycle Ireland Zwift race today for a road spin in what was a glorious day. The sun shone for the full 4hrs across the coast road, savage road on a sunny day.

134km solo in 32.9 avg with 1100m.

Now to get a pizza into me for 200km tomorrow!!!

positron

Inspired by the "Lap of the county" idea that was posted here before, I tried Lap of County Louth today. 210 kms. 1721 meters elevation. And Clairmont Cairns!



https://www.strava.com/activities/3747330412/overview

I planned the route using Komoot, and the entire county is within their one free region. Also you can switch the maps to one that shows county boundaries, which makes it easy to plan. Well turns out planning & inspiration are important but so is being fit enough to do it - i was not really, and I suffered thru it. When you go off the main roads and venture into tiny lanes that primary serves farms - about 50% of the roads were rotten, pot-holed lanes that probably sees more tractors than cars and certainly no roads bikes. I had a CX. I was wiped out even before I got to the half way mark - I hadn't trained for such long rides in a long time, I think the longest I did last year was 115k. And yes, I had to walk up to Clairmont Cairns. And absolutely crawl down the other side, it's just too steep for my skill level / brakes.

Also around 160k mark, coming up to the roundabout just north of Dundalk, I was foolishly keeping my head down, and I ran into the back of a parked van. I saw it with about two bike length to spare, so I was able to scrub some speed but couldn't save from crashing and collapsing in a heap onto the road. Luckily nothing more than a few grazes and massively bruised ego. Of course the bike suffered too - rear hood is wonky and wobbly. Front derailleur stuck in whatever position I want to manually set it to, and the rear derailleur is also acting funny, moving up / down a gear whenever it feels like. People were sound though - offered all sorts of help, but I was fine enough to cycle the rest myself, which is what I did in the end. Oh yeah the phone screen is shattered as well. Still, could have been worse, but today the luck was with me.

At the end of the day, despite some wind against me in both directions (!!) it was a beautiful day and my god, the views from the top of Clairmont Cairns is something else. Enjoyed it overall, but won't be in a hurry to do it again

magicbastarder

ouch! fair play, though!

mvt

Some nice descriptions of spins today- well done all!!

Had a good one too, headed up by Ballinscory to kilbride army camp & then back to Ballysmutten bridge which is now named in honour of Guarda Jones who gave his life for his community in 2011- it is well worth a visit.

As is the gap road just past it which brings you to Ballnutagh gap & down to Lacken. The views on both sides are fantastic & you will most likely be on your own.

Took lake drive towards the Wicklow gap, went up the road parallel to it towards Quintagh I think.

There is a sign saying the road is closed for works but it is passible, been resurfaced to WCC standard of tar & stone.

Back onto the Wicklow gap & laragh- say the M50 was quieter.

Back over the Sally gap & parking at waterfall & lough Brey was pretty poor but what can you do.

Fairly slow going but am blaming it on the surplus of hair:)

Let's hope the airports fully reopen & the queues in the barbers calm down!

wanderer 22

Unusual one today. After a series of unfortunate events, I found myself in Howth with my commuter bike, a heavy backpack and in jeans and hoodie. Climbed up to the summit via RHS of church and then back to the city centre via coast road. A sweaty, unpadded but still enjoyable spin :-P

smacl

There is a sign saying the road is closed for works but it is passible, been resurfaced to WCC standard of tar & stone.

Was up there today, felt like the tar under the gravel was very fresh. Its marked St Kevin's way on some maps, my favourite way to get to the Wicklow gap from Valleymount.

Seth Brundle

Just shy of 65km from Ardmore to Dungarvan via Rinn and back via N25. Surprisingly I managed 650m despite being relatively close to the sea. Had a tow for most of the N25 stretch from four lads out touring which was great as my knees were getting tired.
Weather was lovely for it.
https://strava.app.link/7BXJ21mI37

Weepsie

46ish km around usual roads of NCD. Got out later than planned, then missed a turn so ended up coming back into my route far sooner than planned so just turned home anyway.

Knee giving me a little bit of bother last couple days, so can live with the relatively short distances til I solve that. It was fine today bar one twinge near home

Think it's cleat related on 2 shoes and I'm up and down a lot of stairs in work at the moment


Also, loads and loads out. Good to see

magicbastarder

decided to just do a few reps of the approach to fourknocks from the oldtown/naul road today. was getting a few odd looks from the lads who were trying to fix some agricultural machinery halfway up the hill. just 'not you *again*' sort of looks.

sweltery today.

dahat

Change in weather today but glad it wasn't as hot given what was ahead.

Out the gap @7am for a planned 200km which became a battle of survival for a couple plus we lost two with mechanicals.

201km @ 29.2 avg with a more than decent 2000m ish across a few nice hills in the South east.

Big weekend on the bike completed.

Daroxtar

First lash at the dublin/Wicklow hills in a long time. I had a cold blustery spin up there just before the lockdown but that was short enough. Today was a proper one. Cunard, Kippure, Sally down to Laragh, Wicklow gap, Turlough Hill, back up Sally and back down Cunard.
6°and very breezy up the top of Kippure but I was pleasantly surprised with the road surface. So much better than it was, actually let go a bit on the descent. Had a headwind/crosswind down to Laragh so burned a few matches to keep motoring down to the coffee stop. Had a puncture too and realised one of my spare tubes was burst too so that made for a bit of caution for the rest of the day.
I won't name the overpriced establishment I chose for my coffee stop but the proprietor could seriously do with learning some manners or at the very least maybe not look upon her clients as an inconvenience. I think the term I would use would be "an auld Jennet"
Anyway...
Met another boardsie there and we had a great chat and climbed Turlough hill and then back up the Sally gap together at a nice steady pace.
Legs were fairly tender by the end and I'm currently not much good to anyone on the couch but I really enjoyed it and hopefully it won't be another year before I'm back again.

117km, 2200m climbing
https://www.strava.com/activities/3750786302

wheelo01

Gentle 35km Drimnagh, funny hill rockbrook, sandiford, city centre, then home again.
Seemed to be a lot breezier than it looked, could be down yo just not having anything in the tank.

https://strava.app.link/gqwepXXh47

mr spuckler

After hoping to do at least 1 x 100km per month this year, I got out on Saturday for my second of the year and first since January

Athlone to Ballymahon, mainly via back roads, then onto the Royal Canal greenway / blueway for around 35km, then the Old Rail Trail greenway from Mullingar to Athlone. Got the odd light bit of rain but otherwise was fine out, I was the biggest problem! Couldn't sustain any reasonable pace at all but still happy to get out and hope to get in more longer spins now I've that one behind me.

https://www.strava.com/activities/3741214037

paddydriver

A Lap of the Gap yesterday very early.. Up Glencullen, over via Tibradden > Cruagh > Featherbeds > Sally Gap > Laragh > Roundwood > Enniskerry and home. 90k all in.

Thumbs up for Coffee in the The Dome just before Roundwood - another recommendation for this stop. Great welcoming service, lovely location and great cake.

All roads leading to Glendalough seemed very busy.. glad was heading the opposite direction.

Mercian Pro

paddydriver wrote: »

Thumbs up for Coffee in the The Dome just before Roundwood - another recommendation for this stop. Great welcoming service, lovely location and great cake.

Good to hear they are open again. Weekends only I presume?

retalivity

In donegal for the week and only out for a quick lunchtime spin, but finally headed up to the windmills in gweedore - the gate has been closed the 2 other times I've checked it but was open today. Don't think I've ever been so broken after only ~20 mins on a bike, it matches kilmashogue and cunard in the thunderbastard stakes. sat for 10 mins up there and came straight back to work.

https://www.strava.com/activities/3755844493

magicbastarder

i like the strava segment name.

North of 32

I changed onto my third chain late last week but it was skipping on my 2 most used gears. I ordered a new cassette and installed it yesterday with minimal fuss. Then I went out and did 42km with, crucially, no skipping gears. Happy days.

I had only installed a casette on my indoor trainer before this so I was quite surprised at how smoothly it went. A bit of a hit on the wallet though.

NamelessPhil

Currently riding back up to Dublin from Cahir, Tipperary. Having lunch in Carrick on Suir. My route takes me through the Comeraghs, across the bastarding hills of Kilkenny, Mount Leinster, Shillelagh, Slieve Maan, Shay Elliott and then home from Laragh. I might ring the broomwagon in Laragh! It's a beautiful day for it apart from.the flies.

80k @ 28.5kph with 800m ascent. Great to feel the fitness and sharpness coming back. Put the pedal down for a few climbs and was able to find an extra gear and my quads were not screaming at the end. Mandatory pizza after.

puddles22

Fun run up into the hills , the tailwind was great , hammered a few pb's along the way by some margin. Headwind over Muckish not so great

https://www.relive.cc/view/vWqBe8L38Y6

NamelessPhil

I'm not phoning the broomwagon because he's probably asleep. In Laragh, 211km, 3,500m and a pitiful average speed.

Best bits, climbing up to the Nine Stones on Mt. Leinster in the evening sunshine. Comet Neowise hanging over Glenmalure like a Christmas star guiding me home.

Now to do the 45km home without ending up in the ditch. Thank goodness for Spotify playlists.

Check out my activity on Strava: https://strava.app.link/Ki9DZFJtb8

magicbastarder

66km with over 900m of climbing around NCD today. lovely moment climbing up to bellewstown at the top of that bastard steep climb approaching the racecourse, where i was surrounded by a massive swarm of flies and couldn't outrun them.

wirelessdude01

magicbastarder wrote: »

66km with over 900m of climbing around NCD today. lovely moment climbing up to bellewstown at the top of that bastard steep climb approaching the racecourse, where i was surrounded by a massive swarm of flies and couldn't outrun them.

I detest that section but love when you emerge out into the light.

magicbastarder

Yep, but doing it in the opposite direction is something else. Feels like you've been tied to be back of a car and the driver is gunning it.

retalivity

In a rush today, so drove to Ardara for a go at Glengesh. Headwind blowin down the valley didnt help, but what was worse was I couldnt shift into my lowest gear, meaning I had to grind through the corkscrew higher than I wanted. From looking at the map before hand, i knew there was a loop that brought you back down at maghera beach and the waterfall, but got lost down a badly signposted boreen after that. The other valley (granny's glen?) may be even more picturesque than glengesh, and the descent off it was fun. Next time i'm up that way, will go up that one, and down glengesh.

https://www.strava.com/activities/3784242211

onlineweb

55km cycle along the North Dublin coast this morning, Malahide, Portmarnock, Howth, Clontarf Etc

Fantastic morning for it.

However, I had two small irritations.

Firstly I lost my GPS signal for the second time in a row at the same place in Clontarf.

Secondly, groups of cyclists forcing other cyclists out into the pedestrian path. So much for common courtesy.

The joys of cycling.

positron

206k, mostly into the wind, yesterday. Character-building. Usual N2-A5 route from Drogheda to Buncrana, which fully reminded me all over again why I had decided not to do that ever again. Taking the new (to me) bike was not the best idea (slow puncture etc). On the plus side, it was dry and warm. Hope to explore towards Glenveah now that I am here.

magicbastarder

you got a rare enough northwesterly for that cycle...

if you're in buncrana, you could try the inishowen 100 (should you wish to do another long cycle...)