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

retalivity

Wild atlantic adventure race in nw donegal this morn. Wet...very wet. 10k run followed with a 43k cycle with a hike in the middle and a kayak at the end. Wanted to get under 3 hrs, got 2h58m40s so delighted, and comparing to last year i made up 7mins on the cycle - result!

Pt1
https://www.strava.com/activities/983977938
Pt2
https://www.strava.com/activities/983978647

Jimoslimos

Haven't been out much in the last two weeks (aside from one 30k cycle last Tue) due to work/study and a cold. Local sportive was today so despite not feeling brilliant gave it a lash.

Breezy but mostly fine day, was taking it easy but flying for the first 50k. Hills (my usual nemesis) weren't as bad as I feared - probably due to the 15kg I've lost since Xmas.

After 50k things turned ugly however...
Puncture 1: 52k
Puncture 2: 66k

Both same wheel (rear)...no tubes left:eek:

Yep...Puncture 3: 108k (front tyre - lost concentration and hit a nasty pothole hard - instant deflation). Special thanks to the guy who stopped and gave me a spare tube. I was so grateful!

Finish was up a 13% cobbled climb, marshals shouting at everyone to change down before the climb (wise). Pity they couldn't have stopped a Merc SUV from attempting to drive down the very narrow (advertised as "closed" for the event) street. Guy ahead of me panicked, couldn't clip out and fell in a most ungainly fashion. After checking he was ok, surprised myself by getting going from a standing start on a hill and powering up (most proud of that one).

130k: moving time: 5hrs 02mins, actual time probably over an hour more with the punctures and food stops. Slow going but delighted to achieve two personal milestones; 1) 100k+ and 2) 1000m+ climbing (1125m).

Things I've learnt:

1: Number of punctures will be n+1, where n = number of spare tubes
2: Bring a puncture repair kit
3: New tyres needed (2600k on a set of Gatorskins doesn't seem excessive though - or so I thought)

Weepsie

130 km in 5 hours is not slow.

Second puncture might have been from missing something when replacing the first tube or a pinch flat from not resetting the tyre properly. Annoying but happens. You can go thousands of km with nothing (which I tend to) and then get a run of them.

Jimoslimos

Weepsie wrote: »

130 km in 5 hours is not slow.

Second puncture might have been from missing something when replacing the first tube or a pinch flat from not resetting the tyre properly. Annoying but happens. You can go thousands of km with nothing (which I tend to) and then get a run of them.

Yeah did think that might have been the case, especially if I didn't get enough air into the tyre with the mini pump. It had a gauge but not sure how accurate it was.

magicbastarder

Lovely morning but windy out there. 46km around ncd, at least 60% into the wind. Fair took it out of me.

jober

Done the westportif yesterday.i was meant to do the 160km.but wimped out and only done the 120km as I was really struggling with heavy legs. Got battered by wind and rain all day plus I couldn't keep up with any of the group's ,kept getting spit out the back and I couldn't hang on. Limped around with a 24avg
My galibier tourmalet jacket passed its first real test,top half was kept dry and warm

godtabh

143km from Athlone to Dublin. Weather was a bit all over the place. Rain, sun, very windy but happy out.

Einstein?

Got a new set of clips and today I fell on my hip during a standstill waiting for the lights to go green by the IFSC/quays.

Few lols were had

Fighting Tao

Got sunburn and then was like a drowned rat.

101.6km. My furthest to date and my first century. It beat my previous highest distance, the GDBR last year of 98.1km.

I followed the GDBR route planning to add an extra couple of km to it to break the century. All going nicely until Baldoyle and I realised that my bib shorts were falling down. Apologies to anyone on the outskirts of Baldoyle that had to see me strip off to put the straps on. Somehow I forgot them when getting dressed.

Was motoring along but then the NCD hills and the wind started to sap my energy. Had a nice chat with a customer in Garristown petrol station while I ate my 99. I was sweltering at that point. Within 15 minutes of leaving Garristown I was soaking. Feeling cold and miserable. I probably would have gone home but I didn't know the most direct route and so I ploughed on.

Went into Abbotstown Sports Complex as I was following the little line on the Garmin only to find that the back gate was locked and had a huge cement block in front of it. Deflated I went back through the complex and got back on route.

I knew I was slower than the GDBR last year but the conditions were worse....I can blame that can't I?


101.6km Distance
4:13:39 Moving Time
831m Elevation
24.1km/h Average Speed
19 PR's

https://www.strava.com/activities/986299793

magicbastarder

wasn't the GDBR last year held in similarly windy conditions?

i did a fair bit of the same route as you today; up over snowtown, left for greenanstown and ardcath to garristown. it was really energy sapping wind.

Fighting Tao

magicbastarder wrote: »

wasn't the GDBR last year held in similarly windoy conditions?

I don't remember it being as bad and there was no rain. Stop trying to make me feel bad :P

Unknown Soldier

I went out this morning after the usual procrastination and managed 50k while taking in the B'stard that is Butter Mountain.

It's a pain in the hole tbh @ 15%

https://www.strava.com/activities/985520001

The plan was to clean the AL SLX up after the spin for other reasons and have it looking beautiful, which I did.

Then the missus came down in her cycling gear, and issued a diktat that we were going up to the Featherbeds. O_0

Thrice I asked her if she knew what she was asking... Shes not really a cyclist as such, just does the odd Tootle into work every now and then.

But she was adamant...

So I decided to take her the safest way I know, which is seriously tough climbing as far as I am concerned. I promised her we'd get there, even if we had to walk the bikes a lot. Bohernabreena > Piperstown> Featherbeds.

There was a lot of stop starting, but she made her way up Bohernabreena (serious ramp tbh) and towards Piperstown, and that was when the weather turned.

We didn't make it up to the Featherbeds, and it was my call.

Going from summer to winter with the Temp drop, the wind, and the rain, I figured out descending was going to be a nightmare. I couldn't feel my hands, never mind herself being freezing.

She nearly made it though!

Had it of been a nicer day, my lies of "yeah, this is the worst/last climb, just around the corner, love" might have been enough, but the weather was against us. As she said, "this side ways ice rain is f'king redicoulous"

Believe it or not, the descent was worse than the climbing. Hands were cold, and actually braking was hard, with cold hands.

Her new SRAM rival double tap might be nice, but the brake actuation needs to be looked at. You can see her efforts below!

https://www.strava.com/activities/986213835

All in all, not a bad Sunday on the bike(s)

Bar my SLX that I cleaned up real well... is now in sh1te again...

dahat

Club spin that had plenty climbing planned which I was glad to get with some tough events coming up.

A band of 8 soon became 5 that became 3 due to the cold and rain with some hail mixed in at times, savage ****e weather for May but glad we soldered up up The Mauma then The Nire with one short sharp hillmto finish for me.

Looking at my power meter I was comfy climbing at 300-330 watts plus a little at 4-10% ish and140-155bpm so for the Wicklow 200 I'll reduce that to 260-270 taking into account the distance.

108km with 1300m of climbing at 28km avg.

smacl

Out for a planned long one today with Rollingscone and one more, idea was Ballinscorney, Manorkilbride, Blessington, Ballymore Eustace, Donard, SM, SE, Laragh, Gap and home for about 140k. Starting out RS mentioned he hadn't done the Cunard climb in a while so took that up to the gap joined by Colm18 for a bit, then down to Manor Kilbride and on. All going well until we lost Rollingscone to a technical, and an hour or so lost in the search. Big thanks and respect to the couple from Aughavanagh for driving back up SM to check things out saving us having to cycle back up. Starting again we had a tailwind all the way home, and while my pace was its usual appalling self, the going was very pleasant. 159k all in with just over 2.9k of up, so feeling reasonably prepared for the WW200.

LollipopJimmy

Unknown Soldier wrote: »

....

Fair play to the missus... I wrecked my back climbing Bohernabreena to Military road last summer and haven't had to confidence to attack it since. I'm struggling for a while now to get below the 100kg mark myself (down from 120odd to be fair) so I've changed up my nutrition and training and hopefully I'll get to 90 which will help

secman

Headed up to ballyedmund and left on to main Gorey to Wexford road as far as castlebridge and left for wexford. Took left turn on to the coast road to Curracloe, Blackwater, kilmuckridge, Ballygarrett, killenagh and home.
65 km Avg 29.5kph. Very windy on the way out but nice tail wind home. Only.in the door and the heavens opened. Very happy with the new bike's maiden spin.

Wishbone Ash

Unknown Soldier wrote: »

....Then the missus came down in her cycling gear, and issued a diktat that we were going up to the Featherbeds.....

That's a sort of fantasy I have!

(EDIT - I mean with my missus not yours!)

07Lapierre

Fighting Tao wrote: »

I don't remember it being as bad and there was no rain. Stop trying to make me feel bad :P

Doing the GDBR on the day with 100's of others is tough. Doing it on your own is tougher! Well done!

Annie get your Run

Did my first bike event yesterday, the Frank Fagan Duathlon (cycle only), 54K in the lovely wind but thankfully no rain, was delighted to get it done in 2 hours and first lady home (in that category) to boot! That's the farthest I've gone in one go by a long way, I'm off now to find ways of making my 2nd hand road bike faster :pac:

LennoxR

Haven't posted on this thread in years, but decided to today, basically because I was in bad form and spin on the bike helped to clear my head. Also, with all the posts on here about how dangerous it is on the bike these days, I just wanted to post something positive.

Yesterday couldn't drag myself out of the house until 5 pm, but was glad I did. Enjoyable spin in County Kildare, all down the grand canal, starting in Ballyfermot (skipping the rough off road section between Lucan and Hazel hatch bridges, with detour via Newcastle road). Got most of the way to Sallins but then the track turned a bit too muddy for my road bike (albeit fitted with 32 tyres) so turned back to Ardlough.

Then south and followed 'Arthur's Way' (near the birthplace of Arthur Guinness apparently) which turns out to be a lovely quiet series of country roads and rolling hills. (Note: Must explore further). Took that way back to Newcastle, then Peamount road to Saggart, from there up Slade Road to the top of the embankment, down to Tallaght and home by Firhouse Road.

About 65 km done, but more importantly, an enjoyable spin and some new roads discovered.

AndrewJRenko

Unknown Soldier wrote: »

Then the missus came down in her cycling gear, and issued a diktat that we were going up to the Featherbeds.

And you're sure that's not a euphemism?

CrowdedHouse

To some of the group of two wheeled brothers on the N 62 near Templemore - could ye give the lad without the engine a little bit more room and/or slow down a bit passing - thanks.

Paddy The Pirate

I cycled to work and back today, feeling pretty proud... 4k altogether haha

Chuchote

Paddy The Pirate wrote: »

I cycled to work and back today, feeling pretty proud... 4k altogether haha

Excellent! Keep it up!

Paddy The Pirate

Thanks, with this distance under my belt I'm gonna be hitting the big distances soon for sure

CrowdedHouse

Paddy The Pirate wrote: »

Thanks, with this distance under my belt I'm gonna be hitting the big distances soon for sure

Yer doomed!

Next thing you'll be looking at multi kilo euro carbon fibre racing machines

triggermortis

50Km around NCD this morning in an average of 29.4 for the spin, which surprised me as I thought I was going slower than that. Must be the 72Kmh down into Naul which pushed that average up

https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/1738377191

LpPepper

Lovely morning for a spin out to Killiney and Dún Laoghaire! Here's some footage of the ascent/descent of Killiney Hill filmed on a GoPro Session 4....

51km/400m ascent/26.1km/h/165bpm avg...

robyntmorton

You got a nice clear path along Vico Rd. Last time I tried it it was the climb in stopped dead Sunday traffic. I walked a chunk for my own safety.

LpPepper

robyntmorton wrote: »

You got a nice clear path along Vico Rd. Last time I tried it it was the climb in stopped dead Sunday traffic. I walked a chunk for my own safety.

Yeah thankfully there wasn't many about - probably about right for 11am on a Wednesday morning. I took the same route one Sunday evening and got stuck behind a learner driver doing about 25km/h the whole way down Vico Road, not much fun!