La Flamme Rouge **off topic discussion**

buffalo

Encouraging to see ABP taking planned cycling facilities seriously, though density was probably the main factor:

The report said the application “fails to make adequate provision” for the planned Lusk to Rush cycle route that would run along the edge of the site. “The proposed development would, therefore, be contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area.”

Pity the local councillor can't see beyond his nose though:

Local Fine Gael councillor Tom O’Leary said he was “surprised” An Bord Pleanála had overruled the local authority’s decision. “We need houses, we needed them yesterday, the land is zoned for residential. It is annoying to lose a planning application because someone hadn’t pencilled in a cycling route.”

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/environment/large-lusk-housing-development-rejected-over-cycle-path-1.3580223

Wishbone Ash

buffalo wrote: »

Encouraging to see ABP taking planned cycling facilities seriously, though density was probably the main factor:



Pity the local councillor can't see beyond his nose though:




https://www.irishtimes.com/news/environment/large-lusk-housing-development-rejected-over-cycle-path-1.3580223

It's strange that Minister's Road is cited as part of a Lusk-Rush cycle route given that it's to the west of Lusk and not a route that 95% of cyclists would be taking if travelling between Lusk and Rush.

buffalo

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

It's strange that Minister's Road is cited as part of a Lusk-Rush cycle route given that it's to the west of Lusk and not a route that 95% of cyclists would be taking if travelling between Lusk and Rush.

It sounds like there's plans for a dedicated cycleway though, which would make it a much more attractive route in the future (2040?).

tomasrojo

Probably been posted already, but this is quite charming, and ambitious:
https://twitter.com/AdamWagner1/status/1023635971680755712

magicbastarder

https://twitter.com/righttobikeit/status/1019633867253276672

Wishbone Ash

buffalo wrote: »

It sounds like there's plans for a dedicated cycleway though, which would make it a much more attractive route in the future (2040?).

Not for a commuter heading south as it would bring you into Blake's Cross from the north end - a horrible junction to approach from that side as you end up between 2 lanes of fast moving vehicles. Much easier to approach Blake's Cross directly from Lusk - i.e. not via Minister's Road.

Lusk_Doyle

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

It's strange that Minister's Road is cited as part of a Lusk-Rush cycle route given that it's to the west of Lusk and not a route that 95% of cyclists would be taking if travelling between Lusk and Rush.

Who cares. We need those houses like a hole in the head.

Lusk_Doyle

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

Not for a commuter heading south as it would bring you into Blake's Cross from the north end - a horrible junction to approach from that side as you end up between 2 lanes of fast moving vehicles. Much easier to approach Blake's Cross directly from Lusk - i.e. not via Minister's Road.

Ah but you can get to the quieter road that runs parallel all the way to Swords from there.

Wishbone Ash

Lusk_Doyle wrote: »

Who cares. We need those houses like a hole in the head.

....and they said the same a few years ago when a large development was being planned off the Rathmore Road.

Lusk_Doyle wrote: »

Ah but you can get to the quieter road that runs parallel all the way to Swords from there.

Yes, I didn't think of that.

Lusk_Doyle

"A few years ago" was actually over 16 years ago so your comment is statute barred!

buffalo

I never knew the John Oliver theme tune was an actual song until I went searching for it tonight. Video is cycling related!

LollipopJimmy

I'm doing a Galway-Dublin cycle in at the end of August for a charity, it's split over two days, Galway to Athlone on day 1 and Athlone to Dublin on day 2. As prep myself and one of the lads are going to do Galway to Dublin in one day :pac:

cdaly_

Just for laughs, take the greenway from Athlone to Mullingar and do the rest of the spin on the Royal Canal...

LollipopJimmy

Ha, the lad I'm going with is a headbanger, he's already looking for the most challenging route. He's in training for a 24hour quest race.

Enduro

dahat wrote: »

I've just arrived gone from spending a couple of days in Cobh, beautiful town, but while having a coffee i noticed probably the worst looking 300 - 400 mts of a climb. It looked easily avg 15% for the lot of it.

Coffee shop was across from the Titanic Experience, anyone know it or even climbed it?

I grew up in Cobh. No so much a town built on a hill as on a cliff... at least it seemed that way to kid anyway. Most people I know from Cobh who owned a bike (of any kind) have a story of "the crash". Mine involved heading down another hill way too fast, unable to stay on my own side of the road on a sharp turn, and seeing a small van coming directly for me on the turn. Can't remember how I avoided hitting it, but lots of road rash was the end result, along with appropriate levels of embarrassment.

That hill of yours was known as Barrack street/hill in my day (probably an old name dating from the British days). There was a standing challenge amongst the lads to cycle up the thing without dabbing (This would have been the days when a Triumph 20 would have been as exotic a bike as most of us could aspire to... it had a whole 3 gears!). Particular kudos would be awarded for going up without wobbling all over the gaff. Don't actually know anyone who did it at the time. Must give it a go the next time I have the bike down there.

mloc123

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VqcJut8afYw

Stumbled on this earlier. Interesting footage, bike fits back then were different to today

py

How do I book a bike on to Irish rail? Do I have to book a ticket first and then go back in to amend booking?

Weepsie

py wrote: »

How do I book a bike on to Irish rail? Do I have to book a ticket first and then go back in to amend booking?

There's a tick box on the first page. "show bike availability". This needs to be checked.

py

Weepsie wrote: »

There's a tick box on the first page. "show bike availability". This needs to be checked.

Derp! Thank you kindly.

timmyjimmy

dahat wrote: »

I've just arrived gone from spending a couple of days in Cobh, beautiful town, but while having a coffee i noticed probably the worst looking 300 - 400 mts of a climb. It looked easily avg 15% for the lot of it.

Coffee shop was across from the Titanic Experience, anyone know it or even climbed it?

Please don't take my one and only KOM!

https://www.strava.com/segments/2284552

dahat

timmyjimmy wrote: »

Please don't take my one and only KOM!

https://www.strava.com/segments/2284552

I wouldn't take it in a car let alone a bike!!!

Sheer sight of those would scare me away of i was on a bike, kudos for the KOM though.

Rogue-Trooper

This strike a chord with anyone else on here.....??!!:pac:

Vel

One this week and once last week, an ambulance has been parked up on the cycle lane outside the Lidl in Ranelagh with it's hazards on while the occupants are in Nicks getting coffee, forcing cyclists out into traffic.

Just not on really.

The cycle lanes in Ranelagh are absolutely ridiculous with the amount of parked cars in them. The council recently re-painted all the road markings around there, yellow boxes etc. and including the parking spaces that are there for when the cycle lane isn't operational and its actually made the parking during operational hours worse as people see the inviting marked space but don't bother to check the operational times of the cycle lane, not that most would car anyway!

Le sigh!

magicbastarder

next time, lie down in the road behind the ambulance having faked crashing into it, and when the crew are called out, you can explain the definition of 'irony' to them.

magicbastarder

or, assuming it's a DFB ambulance, take a photo and tweet it to the DFB twitter feed.

LollipopJimmy

Vel wrote: »

One this week and once last week, an ambulance has been parked up on the cycle lane outside the Lidl in Ranelagh with it's hazards on while the occupants are in Nicks getting coffee, forcing cyclists out into traffic.

Just not on really.

The cycle lanes in Ranelagh are absolutely ridiculous with the amount of parked cars in them. The council recently re-painted all the road markings around there, yellow boxes etc. and including the parking spaces that are there for when the cycle lane isn't operational and its actually made the parking during operational hours worse as people see the inviting marked space but don't bother to check the operational times of the cycle lane, not that most would car anyway!

Le sigh!

The thing is the ambulance guys may have to run at a moments notice so need to park as close to wherever they are going, I wouldn't begrudge them a decent coffee either (Still can't believe the queues for coffee at that place at 7am!).
I don't really go that way anymore but it was on my daily commute for two years and there were always vans and trucks loading and unloading along there too, I can't recall if that is a solid or broken white line cycle lane but if it's a broken line then goods vehicles are actually allowed to use it while actively loading or unloading. Move out and go around them carefully would be my advice, otherwise these things will wind you up all day. Zen and the art of cycling :P

Vel

Its solid! Ah I do live and let live most of the time and am well able to handle myself in terms of moving out etc. but there is an huge irony in the ambulance service putting cyclists at risk like that. Its a bad example to set.

Nicks is a great little spot. Free coffee for OAPs too!

Rogue-Trooper

Saw this over on AH and all I could think was, "Awesome - he got to keep the bike"!!

LollipopJimmy

Vel wrote: »

Its solid! Ah I do live and let live most of the time and am well able to handle myself in terms of moving out etc. but there is an huge irony in the ambulance service putting cyclists at risk like that. Its a bad example to set.

Nicks is a great little spot. Free coffee for OAPs too!

I'm certainly not saying you're wrong btw, I just tend to give a pass for emergency services.
A friend of mine calls Nick's 'C-word coffee' because apparently only a 'c-word' would queue for coffee at that hour. Alas, it is great coffee though and the OAP thing is great

magicbastarder

interesting that the major component manufacturers don't make left hand and right hand pull caliper brakes, given that there's no single standard for which lever will connect to the front brake - i know it's a solution in search of a problem to a certain extent, but i'm cabling up a bike at the moment and just looking at how the cable/housing would be under less tension for the front brake if the calipers were cabled on the left rather than the right.