Tell us about your cycle today part III

[Deleted User]

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Bit of noise needs to be made about that, I'm lucky I've not had anything but positive interactions with tractors in recent times, but the age of the lads driving them is a bit unnerving. The last thing those young lads need to have drummed into them is everyone else needs to watch out for you.

I think you are over reacting and making it another them versus us argument that fuels so much “hate” between cyclists and other road users. Everyone needs to do their bit and watch out for each other.

There is merit to their campaign of being extra vigilant around agricultural and heavy vehicles. I saw a very close one yesterday, I was at the end of my cycle so taking my time behind a young lad on a bike, artic lorry in front of us and a 6 axle huge mobile crane in front of him. Both myself and the young lad saw these two rigs take a left hand turn slowly but with clear difficulty so should have been obvious to give them extra space. Both indicated left immediately after turning left, I eased off but the clown in front passed both up the inside, very lucky the crane driver saw him as he was trying to do 10 things at once to take the turn, if he hadn’t the young lad had zero chance.

Nigzcurran

Nigzcurran wrote: »

No close call for me, except I nearly lost my sanity enroute to Adare but managed to get here eventually after about 10 hours of non stop rain, in the tent now and feeling ok, managed 220kms today so only have 80kms to do tomorrow so hopefully I’m not too sore when I wake

Great work. Good luck for the last 80

positron

Nigzcurran wrote: »

No close call for me, except I nearly lost my sanity enroute to Adare but managed to get here eventually after about 10 hours of non stop rain, in the tent now and feeling ok, managed 220kms today so only have 80kms to do tomorrow so hopefully I’m not too sore when I wake

Wow, 220k with panniers, that's amazing! And yeah, it always buckets down on your first really long ride. It can only get better from here on!

fat bloke

Weepsie wrote: »

I'm back on the turbo after smashing my hand into the teeth of a crankset when removing a pedal.

Ouch! - Easily done and sore as fcuk!

I had a fast spin with my trio of merry pedalers, about 100k at nearly 33kph - out to Dunlavin again and back the N81 and small lake. But I came home in a foul mood because of a number of angry motorist interactions - beeping and shouting because.... well just because!
For no fcukin reason at all only that we were on the road. That we simply existed at all. That we were present. We were single file and moving along nicely. It does make you question if it's worth the bother and risk at all. . Buy an SUV, join a gym, toast marshmallows as the world goes up in flames.

smacl

fat bloke wrote: »

I had a fast spin with my trio of merry pedalers, about 100k at nearly 33kph - out to Dunlavin again and back the N81 and small lake. But I came home in a foul mood because of a number of angry motorist interactions - beeping and shouting because.... well just because!
For no fcukin reason at all only that we were on the road. That we simply existed at all. That we were present. We were single file and moving along nicely. It does make you question if it's worth the bother and risk at all. . Buy an SUV, join a gym, toast marshmallows as the world goes up in flames.

It's the main reason I favour l-roads and gravel, very little traffic and the stress that goes with it. It is not even the risk so much as the aggro. Outside of exercise I cycle to unwind and destress, interactions with narky road users are most definitely not part of the agenda.

Wildly Boaring

smacl wrote: »

It's the main reason I favour l-roads and gravel, very little traffic and the stress that goes with it. It is not even the risk so much as the aggro. Outside of exercise I cycle to unwind and destress, interactions with narky road users are most definitely not part of the agenda.

Amen
I seek out the peace and quiet.
I carry a phone in the back pocket. Stick on strava leaving the house and don't look at it till i get home. No head unit or other tech.

Got beeped at by a white van man as i left home on Tuesday for existing, had me pissed off for 20 mins. Far rather a few potholes

fat bloke

Yeah, I hear ye.
For years our spins were always early early Saturday morning and over the gaps, so the roads are quiet. Very few interactions with traffic. Our midweek spin is a new introduction and it's a different beast altogether. Heading out of Dublin at 4.30 with traffic building and impatience rising.

DaveyDave

Got a puncture going to work. Struggled to get the tyre back on when wet then it was the worst time to find out the valve was too short to get a pump on so I was stranded. Had to call my sister who then needed her car jump started and we got stuck in rotten traffic so I was an hour late for work.

Third ride on a set of Pirelli Cinturato Velo tyres which are supposed to be more puncture resistance than Gatorskins and 4 Seasons. Whatever punctured the tyre was insignificant as it fell off while wiping dirt off the tyre to find it. I'm putting it down to bad luck but not too impressed that something minor already got through. I just hope I don't regret spending €85 on them...

Nigzcurran

Tent was a nightmare, might as well have slept in the rain! The 80kms today were tough enough and involved a serious amount of climbing but the sun came out and gave me a nice tan and I am now sitting down about to scoff a big Mammy dinner!

Mayo_fan

Mayo_fan wrote: »

I think you are over reacting and making it another them versus us argument that fuels so much “hate” between cyclists and other road users. Everyone needs to do their bit and watch out for each other.

Wasn't my intention, far from it and I'd very much agree with you but I felt there was a bit of that going on with their statement tbf. It was a bit hamfisted. A better approach might have been to maybe do a joint one in conjunction with a cycling advocacy group and the likes of the AA/RSA and highlight the concerns and difficulties of all road users around farm machinery.

I did hear someone from the FCI I think it was on local radio the other morning and she did a far better job of articulating her points and concerns than what was put out in the statement and certainly gave me a better understanding of views and concerns of the drivers and what they have to contend with and cyclists were not their only worry based on what she was saying.

at1withmyself

Don't normally post in here but pretty sure I was riding in the opposite direction of Eddie Dunbar today, not positive but very like him and on roads I met him before, anyone know if he's racing somewhere or in Ireland? Pinarello and Castelli Kit. Oh and completed my first 100 for 220!

IrishLad90

Is there a decent cycle route from Dublin that bypasses Navan

Wildly Boaring

IrishLad90 wrote: »

Is there a decent cycle route from Dublin that bypasses Navan

Yep.
How far you want to go and how far to bypass.

Basically you're crossing the Boyne. So you either cross it at bective or stackallen.

So I'd head out of Dublin for the Naul. Up to Bellewstown. Duleek. Yellow Furze (across country no N2). Across the Boyne and on to the destination????

If you want flatter head out the park. Coolmine. Dunboyne. Batterstown. Dunsaughlin. Dunsany. Bective and on to destination

retalivity

out early, don't think I've ever seen as many cyclists out as I did around enniskerry this morning. Literally hundreds in the space of 10 mins in and around the village.
Cracker of a morning, brought a coat but no need for it.
68k in 3hrs, 1000+m up

https://www.strava.com/activities/5376055414

Wildly Boaring

72k of hill hunting about Meath.
Tullallen over the hills to the west and down to the Sally Gardens. Stackallen village, over the Boyne, up Realtog and down to Walterstown. Skryne hill twice.

Found 950m. Took almost 3 hours.
Loved it (bar all the little flys) and felt strong

triggermortis

A lot of large groups out today and the right weather for it, for a change. 83km around NCD in 3 hours, which wasn't bad as we were slowly spinning for a good while waiting for a punctured group to catch back up.
Summer has landed at last!! (maybe...)

fat bloke

Turlough Hill this morning for the first time in yonks. Lovely climb, bit of a poxy descent but well worth doing on a day as glorious as today.

adrian522

I did ~75Km today starting and finishing in Laragh, taking in the Wicklow Pass, Glen of Imaal, and back via Glenmalure and past the Shay Elliot memorial and back to down to where I started.

Not the longest route I've ever done but it is among the toughest.

https://www.strava.com/activities/5377955590

secman

Gorey to Carnew ,Clonegal, Bunclody towards Enniscorthy but hard left for Ferns, Camolin and back to Gorey.
75 km , avg 30.8kph , 480 meters rolling.
Beautiful morning for the club touring group spin.

this.lad

Lovely spin this morning, got 84km in, mostly flat, 400m only.

Got around in just 2h 45 with a speed of just over 30km/h for the morning.

After only doing after work or evening spins for the last few months I felt really fresh this morning and pushed on hard. The weather helped too, no doubt.

Reality_Check1

Met a friend to get fitted for wedding suits for his wedding (im best man) and managed to drag him out for a spin after. 55k flat @29km/h which I was surprised about because we were mainly just chatting away.

Ive also fitted aero bars to the road bike for some upcoming club TT's. Tried them out today but not really sure what speed difference they make. They make me feel faster and I certainly look cooler. Ill need to test them out on some segments and then run it again without them and see if they make a difference...which sounds horribly like Im going to be doing VO2 intervals

dahat

Rode my bike for 4hrs in glorious weather today, love being out in this weather. A series of hard efforts left me half dead at the end but pulled enough energy to ge to the beach with the mrs before I get divorced!!

Overall a smashing day all round.

125km @ 32.5 avg but not a lot of up @ 800m.

rushfan

Got away early from work yesterday evening, and took the scenic route of 40km home.
This morning, myself & Mrs R went walking from Malahide to the end of Portmarnock beach & back. I remarked countless times about the amount of cyclists, but in particular those who seemed to be decked out in full winter gear.
Later on, I again took the scenic route, of 42km, en route to work. Phenomenal weather for it.

Dcully

70km spin on the Mountain Bike yesterday mostly on the road only about 200m gain @ 21kph in glorious sunshine weather so nice today i went out again but dropped effort down to just 19kph for a 30km spin, its glorious out there.
Cant get enough of the MTB tbh.

Reality_Check1

Made the step up to the next pace group as was feeling ok today. 130km with 700 up at 31.1km/h

Unbelievable day to be on the bike. Did 30km solo at the end so average speed suffered a bit but wanted to get the miles in.

magicbastarder

Weirdly, and surprisingly, today was my first time going downhill on Carnes Hill west out of Bellewstown. It's good fun, even seems steeper going down than up. I hit 70km/h on it. 53km around NCD, 650m climbing. Glorious morning.

kept myself to the flatlands today, down to Carlow, Athy, Kildare, and back to Naas, 119 kms with just under 500M, what a day for being out,

Daroxtar

First proper sunny Sunday over the Sally gap since last year. Set out to do about 110-120km with about 2500m climbing but the legs became logs by the time I got to Laragh. Weather was fantastic, best day of the year so far for me.
Went up Bohernabreena and Cunard, did Glasvullaun lane on the way. The 20% section was delightful After crossing the Sally I did Lugalla but sat in with a few lads who were just a little bit stronger than me and burned the matches I didn't have. Decided to go adventuring and cycled across the Green road through Oldbridge and onto Laragh. First time I'd been over there and I'll be taking that route in future. Absolutely beautiful little bohreen , almost no traffic, decent surface. Cycling heaven.
Got a tasty cake and hot chocolate and decided against doing Wicklow Gap and the back of the lake, instead I just went straight up Glenmacnass, over the gap, down towards the Featherbeds and died a death on that poxy last climb around by the Christmas tree before dropping back down Cunard/Glenasmole at a right good pace and back to base.
88km, 1560m climbing. I'll need a good few more of these spins if I'm to even contemplate reading the Evil thread.
https://www.strava.com/activities/5382565802

Mercian Pro

Daroxtar wrote: »

Went up Bohernabreena and Cunard, did Glasvullaun lane on the way. The 20% section was delightful After crossing the Sally I did Lugalla but sat in with a few lads who were just a little bit stronger than me and burned the matches I didn't have. Decided to go adventuring and cycled across the Green road through Oldbridge and onto Laragh. First time I'd been over there and I'll be taking that route in future. Absolutely beautiful little bohreen , almost no traffic, decent surface. Cycling heaven.

My first time of the Green Road was on the Mini-Evil last year and I haven't stopped telling others about what a great road it is since then. Mind you, I have yet to try it heading north and the first bit from Laragh looks tough. The combination of that road and the Old Long Hill road past Djouce is a far better way back from Laragh than the busy R755 if you don't facy heading up the Military Road and Sally Gap.
I also have Boards to thank for introducing me to the delights of Glasvullaun Lane and I'm delighted to see you did it the did it the right way even though it involved a loop.

secman

Today was my first back to back days on the bike since putting my back out 5 weeks ago. After yesterdays bit of a gallop i decided to err on the safe side today. Went solo and picked a route that gave me plenty of options to do 20, 30, 40, 50 or 60kms. Headed from house to Ballycanew and left on to road to Wexford, felt okay so skipped turns for home, Kilmuckridge and Blackwater. Into Castlebridge and took coast road to Curracloe, Blackwater, Kilmuckridge and home.
64 km avg 27 kph and 515 meters. Glorious weather.