Tell us about your cycle today part III

magicbastarder

buala bos!

magicbastarder

Cracking evening for it, got out to bellewstown and meandered round there a bit. 66km, 900m of climbing.

Seth Brundle

Club spin this morning from Lucan up towards Sally Gap and the over for a coffee in Enniskerry via Glencree. Back home via Glencullen and Old Bawn. I left home thinking I'd be ok with just a jersey but probably should have worn another layer.

First time being over towards Enniskerry on a bike - some nice roads there.

On our way home & coming down past Massey Wood, I was conscious of side winds on the 55mm rims when I encountered my first ever speed wobble. Fupp me - it really is a brown shorts experience travelling downhill and suddenly feeling out of control. Anyhow, I got it back under control but it was enough to slow me down and take the descent even more carefully.

Just over 100kms with over 1100m @ :just over 25km/h: https://strava.app.link/iiy2bjjwAqb

Moved to 50mm rims recently and the first few bits of turbulence you get in windy conditions are fairly scary but I find you get used to handling them. I'm 88kg at the moment so I can only imagine that lighter riders get thrown around the place in crosswinds.

Seth Brundle

The side winds I can cope with. The experience near Masseys was like this...

https://youtu.be/T7kd3n9ydIM

hesker

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119160477#Comment_119160477

I had that coming down the Wicklow Way last summer. Pretty scary alright.

bazermc

Good clean of bike yesterday. There was no way I’m taking it out this morning. Monday is looking better and it’s a BH, so I don’t even need to pretend I’m working from home

Gerry

Finally gave up on waiting for rain to stop and got out to Carton on the hardtail. Did a lap and then into the forest. Worked out great, not much rain got through the tree cover. Place was deserted if a little overgrown. 20k and 200 metres climbed.

Bit the bullet and just headed out in the rain last night. Dusted down the trainer on Friday and forgot how miserable it is so wasn't going there again.

Rain had eased when I was going out but started coming down a few kms out the road. But it's like anything, once you are out in it, you barely notice it.

50k on the nose with 320m climbing at 34.1kph. Felt good despite the rain and the roads were quiet.

Got home and was cleaning the bike when I realised I have a carbon wheel full of water. I've drained most of it now, but there's still a little pool there. Won't be taking them out in heavy rain again.

JMcL

Recovering from a cold, so found the going tough today on the steeper stuff, and as a result, a slow enough pace. Heap of climbing around Portlaw. Went up the Scrouty first, then looped down to Carrick and went up the lower half of Seskin as far as the hairpin. Was struggling a bit on this, and as there was a fair amount of traffic, zigzagging wasn't an option. Turned round and went back down and back towards Portlaw, then up the other Scrouty road (there's 2 of them), descended into the village and went up the climb on the other side towards Carroll's Cross and by back roads to Kilmeaden and home

71km, 930m @20km/h

Mr. Cats

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119160477#Comment_119160477

With those types of wobbles, would pressing your knees into top tube work? I was given that tip and find its great in cross winds as it stabilises the bike by making bike and rider closer to one unit.

Not sure if it would work in that situation though?

Seth Brundle

I've learnt since that apparently pedalling helps! However when it happened, I was doing 40+ downhill on a damp unfamiliar road with plenty of blind bends. Pedalling didnt spring to mind to be honest!

magicbastarder

never happened me but i have also heard the theory that you should basically go limp on the bike - that the natural reaction which is to clamp the top tube between your knees can be counterproductive.

magicbastarder

came within probably 10 or 15m of a red kite today, flying only about 5m above the ground. fantastic sight.

He'll get ya next time MB 😉

magicbastarder

i'm going to try to get him to land on my handlebars.

https://twitter.com/batsy09/status/1533567930335645701

MyDarkArts

Headed out to Meath and North Dublin for a bit of flat as opposed to my more common Wicklow way. Got the headwind on the road between Navan and Balbriggan.

Garmin acting the bollix with no less than four false positives with the incident detection, so that's been turned off for good now. Other than that it was all positive, traffic wasn't too heavy and weather was kind.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119171617#Comment_119171617

You could have him as a training partner, the late Michele Scarponi had Frankie the parrot

https://www.instagram.com/p/BOwtuuyjjYI/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=b6418515-dbcf-455e-8d12-1b6706579e02

Wishbone Ash

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119168071#Comment_119168071

Yes, but the reason it happens in the first place is that you're tense and the reason for the tension (in my experience) is either fear or extreme cold. It has happened to be a few times and isn't pleasant. Usually it was because I found myself suddenly descending at a much higher speed that I was comfortable with (on strange roads) which makes me even more tense therefore difficult to relax. I do find that pressing my knees on the top bar helps but the frame usually oscillates again once they are removed unless the speed is reduced.

(The last time it occurred to me was descending the Stelvio Pass but that was an entirely different matter as I was in a hypothermic state and just couldn't relax because I was so cold. The frame oscillated regardless of what speed I did.)

magicbastarder

grand evening for a cycle, despite the wind. saw another red kite today (don't think it was the same one as yesterday)

phatkev

Headed out on Monday to complete my first solo 100km. I've done longer rides in groups, but theres always been something about getting it done on my own, despite knowing I'd be well able for it. Kept the route pretty easy, with plenty of bail out points😅 Pretty much a perfect day in the south east for it

Great to have that mental monkey off my back

Mr. Cats

That’s great speed for your first solo 100k

Wildly Boaring

You were shifting along

phatkev

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119178852#Comment_119178852

Yeah I think because I was never too far from home I was happy enough to trundle along. I think if I'd been doing the same distance but as a point to point, I'd wouldn't have been near as confident to go at that pace

Weepsie

I've not been on the bike.much lately other than for purely utility purposes so decided to go out yesterday to try my slightly less chunky disc brakes bike (inspired by the rim/disc thread)

Out to Howth and up to Windgates and the summit in record time for me despite being woefully unfit. Cycled down to EIRE 6 sign, would be better on the gravelly bike.

Got blown about the place on the way home though and got caught in that deluge about 10 mins from home. Soaked and home to an angry cat who had been left outside (but found cover)

40km in about 90mins.

smacl

Did the Wicklow 100 this morning, following a night on the beer last night. 140k all in with 1880m climbed at 20.5kph which I was pleased enough with given I've been off the bike for about a month. Came across one very serious looking crash, rider down on the middle of the road coming in and out of consciousness. Luckily enough another rider on the scene was a nurse who seemed very competent at taking control of things while waiting for the ambulance. Really hope the guy is ok, had most of us who were on the scene a bit rattled for a while after. Uneventful beyond that, cycle home in the headwind was a bit miserable, defo made the right choice turning left at Laragh, no way was there another 100k in the legs.

saccades

Went up Croghan on the MTB today, did a few local trails on the way and spotted both red squirrels and a greater spotted woodpecker (still pretty rare in Ireland and usually I only hear them).

Got to the top and decided to continue to The Gap Pub for a pint as I'd knocked 8 mins off the climb. Discovered that the descent is a MX hill climb, so big loose, babies heads that were really sketchy, right on the limit of my comfort zone.

Got to the pub at 1230 to discover it opens at 1400.

48km with 1200m of climbing.

magicbastarder

Cycle more slowly in future...

Daroxtar

WW200 done and dusted. First time doing it so that's a box ticked. Myself and a clubmate from Clonard set off about 6.30 with the intention of getting a headstart for the first 80km and then hopefully being able to jump in with some of the groups coming through later on.

Made a good fist of it but the headwind on the Wicklow Gap was brutal, nearly worse on the descent as we had to pedal downhill just to make any headway.

Got to the first food stop shortly after 9. I knew from doing the Mick Byrne that I had a tendency to flag a bit in the middle of a long day and sure enough I was in bits going up Sleive Mann and not a whole lot better on Shay Elliott but the couple of bars and jelly's kicked in nicely for the rolling road to the Rathdrum food stop.

Strong tea with about 5 sugars and a badly needed sandwich to balance out the energy bar gack followed.

The plan to latch onto others didn't materialise so for the first time all day we got into a small group, 3 others, at about the 160mark and we rolled well through to the last bit of a hill in Enniskerry where I just blew up and was happy to trundle the last 5km home in my own.

So after finishing, would I do it again? Probably not. The Mick Byrne is a better route IMHO and the Orwell or Reservoir Dog are far better bang for your buck. There was about 50km of road that I'd never bother to cycle again. Having said that, the marshalling and food stops were very good so well done and thank you to all involved.

201km, 3003m, 7.41 moving time @26.2kmh

https://strava.app.link/xoYfq2sLNqb

uberwolf

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119192624#Comment_119192624

curious you say that. Definitely the transition between say Hollywood and not long before Slieve Maan was dull for me - is that where you had in mind? I presume that to squeeze the distance out the options are limited... Also bitter you broke the 3k ascent, i was 45 metres short apparently