Commuting to Citywest

awful

I am looking to commute about 30km to Citywest. I live in South Kildare (65km from work), so thinking of driving a certain distance then cycling the rest. At this point I am thinking once a week and I will be using a gravel bike.

The problem is that I am having difficulties selecting a route. Firstly, I am concerned about where I can safely leave my car for the day. Then trying to find a route that is not too hilly - at least until fitness improves. I have been looking at Sallins and using the canal path but I don't know much of that is usable. I also considered Blessington, but that looks quite hilly. Also, I drive the N7 regularly and really don't like the look of cycling on it.

Any suggestions gratefully received.
Thanks.

iwillhtfu

I cycle from time to time from Naas up to citywest. I leave my car in K leisure (I'm a member there and usually swim in the evening) car park and cycle up the N7 and yes it its quite hair raising but the back roads are equally as bad if not worse as they're narrow with speeding cars. There's a few others I see from time to time that do it also, one guy cycles out to Sandyford. The junctions are the biggest pain in the arse, more so the on ramps as you've to time it to avoid cars but most are actually sound and letting you over when you signal. If you're not comfortable with them you could always go up the off ramp and back on the on ramp.

I like the sounds of a canal tow path but not sure where that goes to from.

TooObvious

The canal is not really great for Citywest, path from Sallins until upgraded will be tough going in the winter, thereafter you'd need to turn right at Hazelhatch to head for Newcastle it's a bit of a roundabout route. Iwillhtfu hits the nail on the head with some of the narrow back roads, now that school is back there will be a lot of ****s taking risks when passing you.

I've commuted to D2 from Kill a lot and would suggest that the N7 from September - May going to Citywest is probably safer than the backroads - also you can get a bit of speed up. On the way home take the back road alternatives, I've found them to be safer heading out of town as traffic dissipates.

That's my two cents on the matter - good luck with it.

tomasrojo

This isn't any use to the OP, but I used to cycle to Citywest, but from a different direction, from Terenure and for a while from Kilmacud. I didn't like the N7, so I used the Tallaght bypass, and cut in through Jobstown, rather than use the bit of the Blessington Road that led to the main entrance of the campus. I really didn't like that bit of Blessington Road; buses and lorries haring down what is quite a narrow road with poor sightlines. The rest was ok, though you did get joyriders going the wrong way around roundabouts in the evening, and I've never had a commute that featured so many burnt-out cars after a long weekend.

awful

iwillhtfu wrote: »

I cycle from time to time from Naas up to citywest. I leave my car in K leisure (I'm a member there and usually swim in the evening) car park and cycle up the N7 and yes it its quite hair raising but the back roads are equally as bad if not worse as they're narrow with speeding cars. There's a few others I see from time to time that do it also, one guy cycles out to Sandyford. The junctions are the biggest pain in the arse, more so the on ramps as you've to time it to avoid cars but most are actually sound and letting you over when you signal. If you're not comfortable with them you could always go up the off ramp and back on the on ramp.

I like the sounds of a canal tow path but not sure where that goes to from.

TooObvious wrote: »

The canal is not really great for Citywest, path from Sallins until upgraded will be tough going in the winter, thereafter you'd need to turn right at Hazelhatch to head for Newcastle it's a bit of a roundabout route. Iwillhtfu hits the nail on the head with some of the narrow back roads, now that school is back there will be a lot of ****s taking risks when passing you.

I've commuted to D2 from Kill a lot and would suggest that the N7 from September - May going to Citywest is probably safer than the backroads - also you can get a bit of speed up. On the way home take the back road alternatives, I've found them to be safer heading out of town as traffic dissipates.

That's my two cents on the matter - good luck with it.

Thanks for the replies - you make good points - particularly about the back roads, as I do use them from time to time when driving.

So if I do go for the N7, are there any suggestions on safe places to leave my car?

TooObvious

Where will you be cycling from? 30km to Citywest suggests Kilcullen perhaps?

Corker1

Blessington is a pretty good option but I wouldn't use the N81 all the way. Using the back road from Blessington through Kilbride and then on the road that parallels the N81 to the east and emerges just south of Brittas. It is called Lisheens road. You then have a choice of following the n81 for the last 5km or turning left about 1km north of Brittas and descending the 'Craddle' backroad to Saggart. In terms of the return leg I would take the backroads again. But that is personal preference. This will give you a 20km cycle each way. Using the N81 it is about 16km each way.

niallo32

Corker1 wrote: »

Blessington is a pretty good option but I wouldn't use the N81 all the way. Using the back road from Blessington through Kilbride and then on the road that parallels the N81 to the east and emerges just south of Brittas. It is called Lisheens road. You then have a choice of following the n81 for the last 5km or turning left about 1km north of Brittas and descending the 'Craddle' backroad to Saggart. In terms of the return leg I would take the backroads again. But that is personal preference. This will give you a 20km cycle each way. Using the N81 it is about 16km each way.

I would agree with that too. The Craddle road you mean is Slade road I'm sure which brings you into the middle of Saggart village and from there you have 2/3 options to go to Citywest depending on which side you want to get to.

awful

Corker1 wrote: »

Blessington is a pretty good option but I wouldn't use the N81 all the way. Using the back road from Blessington through Kilbride and then on the road that parallels the N81 to the east and emerges just south of Brittas. It is called Lisheens road. You then have a choice of following the n81 for the last 5km or turning left about 1km north of Brittas and descending the 'Craddle' backroad to Saggart. In terms of the return leg I would take the backroads again. But that is personal preference. This will give you a 20km cycle each way. Using the N81 it is about 16km each way.

Thanks for that - any suggestions on somewhere I could leave my car for the day?

Corker1

I would say your best bet would be one of the shopping centre carparks. Dunnes multistory probably better than surface car park. Also Aldi has a big car park with no barrier. Just find a quiet corner and you are sorted I reckon.

iwillhtfu

I saw a guy on a recumbent bicycle this morning tipping along the N7 it wasn't yourself OP?

awful

Not me - still have a couple of weeks of issues to sort out before I am on the bike in the mornings.