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

secman

First spin since new year's eve yesterday, bad oul dose that:(. A straight run out to blessington and back, 40 km Avg was 25.5 kph, misty damp day but good to be back out.

LollipopJimmy

Did you do that this morning? Must have been fierce cold

Daroxtar

Weather here was fine but the roads were manky dirty. Missed the Group 2 spin by seconds so ended up with the racing group, some proper racers too. A2s and a junior that was over with the Nicholas Roache development squad.
The idea being that group 2 gets a 10 minute headstart and we all meet up at the coffee stop fairly close together.
What followed was an absolute Hammerfest (for me anyway, the A2s and Juniors probably not so much)
I was good till the coffee but spent the last 30 odd km barely hanging on to the back. A few times I got distanced on the small hills but got back on on descents thanks to my aerodynamic belly. Unfortunately the rolling road meant I was usually out the back again a few seconds later and then repeat. Good craic all the same but maybe I should leave the house 10 minutes earlier next week.
Longwood -Kinnegad -Killucan -Mullingar -Kinnegad and back to Longwood
83km @31.8kmh. So much for the easy endurance spin
https://www.strava.com/activities/832581981

moonshadow

Led out the new members and leisure group today , started off by walking in formation to show the newbies how to cycle in group and change over , then headed off for a leisurely spin of 52k @ 23 km/h coffe stop half way.
No mishaps , no punctures plenty of banter and 4 new sign ups successful morning !!

dahat

Usual Sunday club spin today and a good solid group of strong lads. We dropped a couple of lads early as the pace was hot and they weren't looking for a gallop as they are working their way back to fitness.

It felt a good solid even pace and a little fun near the end chasing down a lad or two to open the legs , pretty happy with my fitness as I am far stronger than I was at any point last year.

It was also the first road spin for my new saddle a FIZIK ANTARES which I picked up here and impressed I was, I have never been as comfy and relaxed on a bike so it looks like I have found my perfect saddle.

105km with 815m of up and a solid 30km average.

Quick edit...105km not 195km!!!

moonshadow

195 for a Sunday club spin ......wow !

dahat

moonshadow wrote: »

195 for a Sunday club spin ......wow !

Quick edit above....Good spot.

kirk buttercup

After my last 4 spins being on the road returned to MTBiking today... it felt like cycling a tractor uphill. Back to the road tomorrow

jober

First proper spin out on the bike today since early December. 50 km kept it a very flat spin from tallaght - celbridge - maynooth - Lucan and home.couple of weeks it will take to get the fitness back I reckon. Was good to be back out

Kaisr Sose

dahat wrote: »

Quick edit above....Good spot.

I am almost disappointed that's it's not 195km :-)

Either way, you won't have any problem with the Wicklow 200!

crosstownk

TooObvious wrote: »

Cycling along the N7 this morning

I cycled the N7 from Naas to the Long Mile Road today. Not the most pleasant experience. The only positive was that the wind was behind me. It wasn't by choice. I'd missed a turn at Johnstown Bridge and was stuck for time by the time I got to Naas so the N7 was the quickest route home.

Very unpleasant and noisy with cars, trucks and busses whipping by.

Daroxtar wrote: »

Weather here was fine but the roads were manky dirty.

Agreed. The dirt was incredible. I went from home to Maynooth and onto Enfield. My bike was spotless when I set our today and now it's the dirtiest it's ever been. I hadn't time to clean it but I'll get to that during the week.

Anyway, great weather for January today. Missing the turn worked out well as I ended up with 110km and a relatively flat 500m.

Kaisr Sose

Totally agree on state of roads. My bike looks like it went cyclocrossing by itself when I was not looking! Is this the rock salt they are spreading on the roads (it looks like wet sand when it comes off the spreader). Maybe they mix salt with sand?

secman

Yesterday headed to killenagh, ballycanew, Gorey, out old n11 to Clogh, Camolin, Ferns. Left in Ferns across to The Harrow, Boolavogue, Ballyedmund and home. Just shy of 50 km , Avg 24.8 kph, windy oul spin. Bike was mank when I got back, same on Saturday on the Blessington spin. Thankfully I washed them down after both spins and ready to go again. That muck off stuff is handy

neris

1st spin off the year and 1st spin in months. A short flat 15km and the legs feel it. Felt good though to be back on the bike.

Alanstrainor

Well this morning was my first commute from my new house into town. Just bought a house in Portmarnock, so I came into Baldoyle and then just followed the coast all the way into Fairview where I work. The cycle from Portmarnock to Baldoyle will be the tough bit, the road is narrow enough and quite rural in feel. But it should be okay. The rest of the cycle was great, the off-road cycle track was fantastic, and not having any traffic lights to stop you makes it a quick commute!

We'll see how chipper I am when there's a strong headwind to contend with! But so far so good!

smacl

16k into a planned 25k and got my first broken chain ever (snapped quick link). Short enough walk back to the house so didn't bother fixing roadside, and a reminder to pay extra attention to cleaning with all the crap on the roads.

wanderer 22

smacl wrote: »

16k into a planned 25k and got my first broken chain ever (snapped quick link). Short enough walk back to the house so didn't bother fixing roadside, and a reminder to pay extra attention to cleaning with all the crap on the roads.

Had my first ever snapped chain a few days ago too, must be going around

Rogue-Trooper

Alanstrainor wrote: »

We'll see how chipper I am when there's a strong headwind to contend with!

If the headwind is bad just peel off up the Howth Road at Blackbanks and up through Raheny/Killester and into Fairview as there is a bit of protection from the wind on that route. Great surface on that road too.

Congrats on the new gaff BTW!

Mercian Pro

smacl wrote: »

16k into a planned 25k and got my first broken chain ever (snapped quick link). Short enough walk back to the house so didn't bother fixing roadside, and a reminder to pay extra attention to cleaning with all the crap on the roads.

colm18 wrote: »

Had my first ever snapped chain a few days ago too, must be going around

Neglected to clean and lubricate my chain a few winters ago. Not only did it snap but it snagged the cage of the derailleur and pulled it into the spokes. New derailleur, chain, cassette, chainring and wheel = expensive lesson.

veetwin

Fabulous day for cycling around North County Dublin ..50k into a planned 100 got my first ever puncture in the middle of nowhere west of Garristown. Off with the rear wheel, tube out, replacement tube in and tyre back on in minutes. First ever go at co2 canister with disastrous results. I mustn't have bedded the tube correctly and couldn't get it to inflate. Probably burst the tube trying. Thanks to the kind chap who stopped and assisted with a mini pump.

Called Mrs who collected me and dropped me to Richie's. 15 minutes and €55 lighter left with new Continental and tube. There was probably close to 10k on the tyre so cant complain. 13k more home so not a total disaster.

smacl

Cleaned and re-lubed chain that went yesterday and back out today for a lunch time 26k. Nice to be up and running but chain is defo on the way out, with plenty random gear changes and skips. Ordered a new one and spare yesterday which hopefully will be here for the weekend. Should really have picked up a cassette at the same as well, so that's next on the list. Lovely cycling weather out there, cool, dry and not windy, and set to continue that way for the next few days.

Luxman

An thoroughly enjoyable spin around NCD until I had clods of mud jammed under the mudguard adding resistance. Had to remove rear wheel on the side of the N2 to unclog it. Need to wash the bike now and do a decent job on it this time. 60k with 630m vertical. Glorious out there

Wishbone Ash

Alanstrainor wrote: »

... The cycle from Portmarnock to Baldoyle will be the tough bit, the road is narrow enough and quite rural in feel...

I've never had any problems on that stretch. Just stay well out from the edge to avoid close passes. It's one of the most popular roads for cyclists and most motorists appear to be accustomed to them being there.

(Good luck in your new home).

Inquitus

Did an FTP test last night in the dark and the rain and the mist heading up via Ballyboughal to the Naul, utterly horrible, head wasn't in the right place to embrace the suffering, weather was miserable, and it just hurt like hell mentally and physically for the 20 minutes, I got through it but it was the least enjoyable 20 minutes I have had on the bike in a good while.

dahat

Day off work so took out the Summer bike for a quick spin around, boy I miss that bike.

30km cruise at 28.7km AVG.

Inquitus

It's a bad spot for an FTP test fwiw, lots of surface and gradient changes, impossible to settle into a rythym, constant changing of gears and cadence, will find a better spot next time.

dahat

Inquitus wrote: »

It's a bad spot for an FTP test fwiw, lots of surface and gradient changes, impossible to settle into a rythym, constant changing of gears and cadence, will find a better spot next time.

Probably best done indoors maybe or a watt bike in a gym? Can't ever see myself doing one outdoors.

Inquitus

dahat wrote: »

Probably best done indoors maybe or a watt bike in a gym? Can't ever see myself doing one outdoors.

Agreed but the offset of a nice constant effort on the Wattbike or w/e is offset by melting like the wicked witch of the west into the floor!

Miklos

Nice club spin out to Howth, two passes of the head, one at balls to the wall pace. Then I spun up to FitzCycles and picked up my new Stages! Such a nice shop.

Parchment

Ended up lodging a complaint against a Bus Eireann bus driver this morning as a result of his conduct on my commute to work.

Waiting to hear back - know i probably wont.....