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

magicbastarder

Weepsie wrote: »

They wouldn't even entertain the thought of Snowtown after dragging me up it a few times already this week.

it's astonishing to look at the leaderboards for snowtown to see people going up it probably faster than i can typically sustain on the flat.

LollipopJimmy

Cycled out to Howth and around the head with a buddy today. I really felt it, not been out as much as I'd like over the last few weeks but I did an hour on the punchbag Friday, along with squats, deadlifts etc and did a fast 30kms yesterday too. My diet over the weekend was dreadful which didn't help.

secman

Sat . Headed out to blessington and left for valleymount and around the lakes to Lacken. Back road to manor kilbride and home n81. 68 km avg 27.4 kph.

Today. Across to Ballyedmund, boolavogue, Ferns. Camolin, and on to Gorey, courtown, killenagh and home, via a stop at a mates for a cuppa. To mates 49 km avg 28.4 kph. Home 4.5 km avg 26 kph. Nice cuppa Too

Interested Observer

Hey guys, didn't really want to make a new thread so I'll ask here and see how it goes, it's a bit off topic sorry.

It looks like in about 2 months time I'll be commuting from Malahide into town for work. I currently commute on my bike, but it's only about 8km e/w nearly 100% on bike lanes with 0 roundabouts, and the new commute will be about 20km e/w often with no bike lane and loads of roundabouts. (edited - loads is an exaggeration).

Just wondering what routes people would recommend? I know you can go down the road to Coolock and onwards but I'm a little wary of that stretch of road immediately out of Malahide because it's narrow enough and there's no bike lane for a decent part of it. On top of that sections aren't lit very well for winter from what I recall (I will be wearing a high-vis and the bike has front and rear lights though). Up until you reach Fairview, off the top of my head I think there's two roundabouts to go through one of which is fairly large.

Other option would be to go to Swords and cycle past the airport but this also isn't ideal. Anyone with experience of the route have any advice?

cdaly_

You could go through Malahide Castle to the main gate on Back Road, then head south on Kinsealy Lane and either turn east on Chapel Road for Portmarnock and the coast (longer but avoids the Malahide Road entirely) or turn west for the Malahide Road near the garden centre.

magicbastarder

i've cycled the malahide road often enough (in daylight) and i'd prefer it to that stretch of roundabouts down past swords and the airport.

Interested Observer

cdaly_ wrote: »

You could go through Malahide Castle to the main gate on Back Road, then head south on Kinsealy Lane and either turn east on Chapel Road for Portmarnock and the coast (longer but avoids the Malahide Road entirely) or turn west for the Malahide Road near the garden centre.

magicbastarder wrote: »

i've cycled the malahide road often enough (in daylight) and i'd prefer it to that stretch of roundabouts down past swords and the airport.

Thanks both, Kinsealy lane might be a good option. I think considering where I'm going in town the coast road would add too much to the trip so I could join the Malahide road further down alright.

Wishbone Ash

Interested Observer wrote: »

.... but I'm a little wary of that stretch of road immediately out of Malahide because it's narrow enough and there's no bike lane for a decent part of it. On top of that sections aren't lit very well for winter from what I recall...

I've cycled that stretch hundreds of times and it's fine. Can't ever recall having a close pass there. I think many motorists are accustomed to cyclists there.

(Occasionally you'll have someone pull out with little notice from the 'Back Road' on the left. It can be difficult for a motorist making a right turn at that junction so some take a chance when there's a gap in motor traffic. Just be aware of it so it doesn't come as a surprise).

Regarding the lack of lights, this makes it much safer for well lit cyclists IMO. You are much more likely to be seen on an unlit road than in a area with lots of light pollution.

Interested Observer

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

I've cycled that stretch hundreds of times and it's fine. Can't ever recall having a close pass there. I think many motorists are accustomed to cyclists there.

(Occasionally you'll have someone pull out with little notice from the 'Back Road' on the left. It can be difficult for a motorist making a right turn at that junction so some take a chance when there's a gap in motor traffic. Just be aware of it so it doesn't come as a surprise).

Regarding the lack of lights, this makes it much safer for well lit cyclists IMO. You are much more likely to be seen on an unlit road than in a area with lots of light pollution.

Cheers thanks, that's reassuring. It's my most direct route so may just go for it and see how we get on.

P_1

Just one thing to bear in mind is that Kineaely Lane doesn't tend to hold surface water very well. It can make it a less than ideal choice on a wet day.

Wishbone Ash

P_1 wrote: »

Just one thing to bear in mind is that Kineaely Lane doesn't tend to hold surface water very well. It can make it a less than ideal choice on a wet day.

(Kinsealy Lane?)

Good roads don't hold surface water! Why would you want a road to hold water?

P_1

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

(Kinsealy Lane?)

Good roads don't hold surface water! Why would you want a road to hold water?

What I meant was that it seems to flood quite often. Was down it last Thursday and there was an awful lot of surface water and flooded potholes.

Wishbone Ash

P_1 wrote: »

What I meant was that it seems to flood quite often. Was down it last Thursday and there was an awful lot of surface water and flooded potholes.

So it holds surface water then!

P_1

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

So it holds surface water then!

That it does I think you get what I meant though :pac:

Idleater

So a year on from

Idleater wrote: »

Eroica Limburg 2016

I did the second edition of Eroica Limburg. Different route this year taking in more of Belgium. Again there were 3 routes 60/100/160 through every forrest track and farm gate they could find. Even included cobbles and a ferry crossing over the Maas.
Very well run event, and the stops were magnificent. Again country houses cooking omelettes and pancakes to order, fruit from local orchards, and as much coffee and vlaai (local cake) you decided to stuff your face with. Very international field again, had great chats with people from England, Germany, Italy and Spain, as well as the obvious Belgian and Netherlands. Some amazing bikes on show too.

A bit unfortunate with the weather, the only day of the week it rained :-( but it made for character building cycling nonetheless.


Strava link, Garmin in my pocket again for authenticity leads to the most humorous joke while lost: A group of us obviously missed a sign and ended at a junction with a couple of tie wraps on a post but no arrow. "Am I allowed google maps the route" :-)


Clean at the start

Bike parking Waterbrucht Millen


Kasteel van Rijckholt

Event support vehicle

retalivity

2 hr spin from dublin out to maynooth, barberstown, celbridge and back. The route out is my new favourite quickest-way-out-of-the-city-with-minimal-stops: from phoenix park city gate theres only 1 set of lights til you hit maynooth, traffic is generally light and junctions are easily negotiable. Headwind out, tailwind back. Considering i think ive only ever gone above 27kph once in a longish ride, delighted what i was churning out tonight

58.6k in 1h 58m, 29.8kph

https://www.strava.com/activities/1070983752

LollipopJimmy

Really good pace there. Might steal your route for Saturday morning myself

ED E

Lovely evening for a jaunt along the sutton cycleway.

dahat

Had an absolute nightmare in De Ronde A4 race Sunday so needed some confidence boosters this week.
Tipp Wheelers TT over 40km and bettered last year's time, happy out for a lad on a road bike.

Club Spin this evening and after changing to a 120mm stem the bike feels like a new bike tbh, Aidan Hammond recommend it a while back for me. Had a good spin with plenty of efforts so pleased with my week's work so far.

magicbastarder

Am in ballyconeelly in Galway, took the mtb with me, first time it's been out in over a year. Slow enough - chunky tyres make for slow progress on tarmac, but I was glad of them on the dunes and on the roads which have never seen tarmac. Great fun though, hammering across terrain you simply wouldn't look at on a road bike

moonshadow

Cracking evening for a spin, six of us 65 km @ 33kmph over undulating roads felt good except for late cramping.

Chuchote

So… my normal speed is around 11km/h - how do I get a bit faster without making myself miserable?

magicbastarder

Cycle downhill?

More seriously though, do you want to do it for fitness or to save time? Are you tired when you get to the end of your cycle?

ED E

Chuchote wrote: »

So… my normal speed is around 11km/h - how do I get a bit faster without making myself miserable?

The only answer to that question is a new bike. End of.

Alanstrainor

Chuchote wrote: »

So… my normal speed is around 11km/h - how do I get a bit faster without making myself miserable?

Are you in too high a gear? You should ideally be spinning your legs at a quick cadence.

This morning felt like one of those days where the wind manages to be blowing in your face no matter which way you turn. Perhaps it's the humidity or something, but I was killing myself to stay up at a reasonable speed coming down the coast from Portmarnock towards Fairview! Here's hoping the journey home will be easier!

Idleater

Chuchote wrote: »

So… my normal speed is around 11km/h - how do I get a bit faster without making myself miserable?

not exactly answering the question, but to put your misery into perspective:

Greg Lemond, cyclist. 3-time winner of Tour de France. wrote:

It never gets easier, you just go faster.

greenspurs

coming back from a long layoff (busy + a bit of laziness)

Did the same spin 3 times in the last 10days..
56km in 2hr9 -> 2hr2 -> 2hr. Average of 28kmph

Getting the legs back

Chuchote

magicbastarder wrote: »

Cycle downhill?

More seriously though, do you want to do it for fitness or to save time? Are you tired when you get to the end of your cycle?

Heh, went a bit faster today and got it to


Avg Max
Speed 13.3km/h 29.5km/h
Elapsed Time 2:00:16

a) neither, I do it for the sheer orgiastic happiness

a1) a mixture - sometimes I'm buzzing down to the shops and hauling back with a slab of Saskia water or tins of tomatoes plus half a week's shopping, sometimes I'm going for a bit longer of a cycle for the fun of it - the first on the bike that no one (touch wood) in their sane senses would steal and the second on my Preciousss. Speed tends to depend on where I'm cycling - if I'm going along suburban streets with the poor demented drivers and walkers who gaze before them like something out of a 1950s horror film and walk/drive straight in front of you, obviously slower. But whether for shopping or for pleasure, I'll go back roads as much as possible. It's just that suburban back roads are lined with cars any of which may hurl a door open at any moment, and carpeted with vicious potholes. (On the good side, there's the helpful free advice; this morning in Sandymount I decided not to try to take the lane to go right, but to halt on the left and wait for the stream of cars to pass. As the last car passed, when I'd been sitting there for 30 seconds or so, I put out my hand to signal right; a heavily pregnant man with white hair advised from the passenger seat, "You're leaving it a bit late to put your arm out, love…")

b) no, not tired

ED E wrote: »

The only answer to that question is a new bike. End of.

I like this suggestion and will consider it seriously

Alanstrainor wrote: »

Are you in too high a gear? You should ideally be spinning your legs at a quick cadence.

This morning felt like one of those days where the wind manages to be blowing in your face no matter which way you turn. Perhaps it's the humidity or something, but I was killing myself to stay up at a reasonable speed coming down the coast from Portmarnock towards Fairview! Here's hoping the journey home will be easier!

Yeah, geared up a good bit this morning instead of sauntering along, actually used the front sprocket wheel (or whatever the thing is called)…

Crocked

Chuchote wrote: »

So… my normal speed is around 11km/h - how do I get a bit faster without making myself miserable?

If you are going for a shorter spin than normal then make a conscious effort to go faster/push harder than you normally would, and also throw in a few longer spins (dont' have to be anything epic just longer than the normal one). You should see your speed on the "normal" spin start to increase.

retalivity

Ticknock, kilmashogue, tibradden and cruagh to viewpoint with a mild hangover. I am bunched.

https://www.strava.com/activities/1073196547