Tell us about your cycle today part III

hesker · 05-09-2021 10:03pm

Best get yourself checked out. It can sometimes take a couple of days for the signs of concussion to appear from what I gather.

secman · 05-09-2021 10:07pm

House to Gorey for meet up, hectic pace to Arklow, Brittas bay and across to Beehive, group split at this point, racers headed for Rathdrum, whereas we went along old n11 to Jack Whites and into Arklow , inch, Gorey Ballycanew. 104km 696 meters avg 30.6 kph.

Racers avgd 31.4

Rolled 6km home avg 25.6kph

Wildly Boaring · 05-09-2021 10:22pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117851128#Comment_117851128

Had the exact same outside mitchelstown once.

Farmer left the tape across the road before the cows crossed.

Ended up on my ass in the grass verge. Lucky enough I scrubbed off most of my speed. Nothing injured but pride.

Farmer kinda half apologised. Then found out I lived locally and was full of apologies. Offering lifts home and all.

smacl · 06-09-2021 11:32am

Nice spin yesterday. Was staying over at the in-laws in Tomduff and start off with the climb up to the nine stones with a hangover and heavy fog with cows wandering around aimlessly in the mist. Very surreal. Back home via Bunclody, Shillelagh, Tinahely, Aughrum, Rathdrum, Laragh and Glenmacnass. Met some lads doing 'the dog' on the way up Glenmacnass for a natter, tough day for them in the heat and stillness but they were enjoying it. Somehow managed to get a PB from Laragh to the Sallygap even though I stopped to take some photos. 120k with 1.5k of up in 5:30 start to finish, which was a better pace than expect given the late night before hand.

wheelo01 · 06-09-2021 10:08pm

Found a bike hire shop in the little Spanish town I'm in, cost 20 Euro for a fairly decent specced Merida.

I decided to go for a 20 km spin around the lake, but hadn't realised they weren't roads marked on Garmin connect, they were at best trails. Got a puncture at 10km in, changed the tube but it was punctured, so had to walk.

Pain in the hole - literally - got feckin burnt in the ass. Question - is chamois cream a cure, or just preventative?

https://www.relive.cc/view/vwq1kerrWBO

https://strava.app.link/cwYrnRD9kjb

hope to get out in the morning to make up for it before the bike has to be returned at 1600.

devonp · 07-09-2021 9:11pm

prob last of the long summer commutes for me, usual cc to cruagh and up to the line, down cunard Bohernabreena over to Seskin up mcDonaghs lane and home to leixlip, great evening. low sun had me wishing i'd brought my cycling cap instead of the sweat band and glasses

at the top of McDonaghs lane i stopped to take a pic of the wicklow mts , heard some very loud and powerful sounding motorbikes seemed they were racing??(was there a race near there, quite a few cars parked around brittas) or were they taking advantage of the road closure on Lissheen ??

magicbastarder · 07-09-2021 10:21pm

glorious weather this evening; went for a relaxed short spin this evening around NCD, decided to try to find some roads i'd not been on before.

found a cracker of a short one - 'old brazil way' about 2km north of the airport. drops down into the ward river valley, beautiful spot (though the weather helped) - the photo of the bridge in the photos thread was taken on it.

Weepsie · 07-09-2021 10:45pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117861035#Comment_117861035

That road was in shite the other week, but judging by your pics it's possibly been resurfaced. There's a few meandering lanes about there that are decent

magicbastarder · 07-09-2021 10:50pm

also had a 'why is this tiny little back road so busy?' moment earlier, then i passed the fingal ravens grounds so the penny dropped. it's in the arsehole of nowhere.

07-09-2021 11:09pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117855962#Comment_117855962

Just saw this, a family member used to have a place in La Mata. I rode around the lagoon there on a MTB and found the surface back them hard going in places and sandy!!! Cycling there can be a killer with the heat and the wind off the coast. Just had a look at the place on the google maps and my god it's changed since I was last there. It hasn't grown out it's grown up. The 2 bed 2 story with roof access house we used to stay in around this time of the year is gone and is an apartment block now. The Italian place on the beech we used to eat in is still there but has been swallowed by apartments now too. Looks like a lot of the smaller places ex-pats would have live in have been torn down and rebuilt in the last 15 years or so.

Seth Brundle · 09-09-2021 7:03pm

Back to the joys of commuting as of yesterday. Plenty of muppets still allowed behind the wheel - bus lanes still a free for all, red light breaking getting even worse - when someone does stop at a red light, more often than not they are stopped on the advanced bike box.

On my way home this evening, whilst travelling over 40km/h west along the N4 from the Newcastle Rd junction, the driver of a Kearns bus felt the need to beep me from close behind to tell me that there was a cycle path over to my left. I just pointed back at him and then to the busy traffic lane to my right. What hope is there if "professional" drivers aren't even aware of the basic rules of the road?

Weepsie · 09-09-2021 7:18pm

I've been commuting pretty much since May 2020, anything from 3-5 days a week. The reduced amount of traffic was nice and all, but it just seemed to invite the arseholes to take the chance to speed more, gamble on lights and just break reds a lot

magicbastarder · 09-09-2021 7:46pm

popped out to howth this evening. so much for the light wind and nice evening, it was quite blowy and started getting foggy as i was passing the wooden bridge. up the top of howth was pea soupy, visibilty down under 100m.

does wind resistance go up much in fog? felt a bit slow today.

Seth Brundle · 10-09-2021 9:02am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117869526#Comment_117869526

said bus driver - bit close behind me for trying to distract me...

https://youtu.be/7gX6PDXIHdo

wheelo01 · 15-09-2021 11:59pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117871021#Comment_117871021

Feckin bus drivers!!!

Managed to get a 52km cycle in last week in Spain, I have a whole new level of respect for those who do the vuelta and TDF. It was uncomfortably hot, no amount of drinking helped with the dehydration (sweaty fecker on Ireland). Came back cramping too, just to top it all

https://www.relive.cc/view/vYvr4wgnNx6

alsomanaged to get out for 25km this evening at 28kph drimnagh, Tallaght, Lucan and home again. Very clammy out, used two bidons on this short spin.

Tombo2001 · 16-09-2021 9:55am

Cycled into city centre Dublin.

Have to say its an improved experience compared to 3 or 4 years ago, better cycles lanes apart from anything else.

One thing that jumps out though is the lines of traffic at the back of Brown Thomas, and also on Capel Street.

I spotted a Garda Van driving onto Capel Street - WHYY!!!>>>??? It would take 20 minutes to get from one end of that street to the other. Have they nothing better to do. Its just stupid. On a bike they would be through in three minutes, and would see way more.

Seth Brundle · 18-09-2021 4:45pm

Did the Blanch Wheelies Sportive in aid of St. Francis Hospice. We left Strawberry beds and made out way up to Skryne and back where we had some pizza and beer.

The mornings mist didn't last too long and by the time we reached Connolly's in Skryne it was quite sunny and warm.

All in all I did almost 120km @ 28.6 with just shy of 600m. I think that was my 20th 100+km spin this year so happy with that 🚴‍♂️👍

https://strava.app.link/xFUhywsHEjb

Wildly Boaring · 18-09-2021 5:25pm

My home parish.

It's O Connoll's but we'll let you off.

I got in 75k with about 700m climbing.

Over the Boyne at Oldbridge, up the hills to the view over Lobinstown, down past the Sally and back over the Boyne at stackallen.

Away back home by the sea.

Seth Brundle · 18-09-2021 6:43pm

It's O Connoll's but we'll let you off.

I knew that, just wasn't thinking properly. Sure everyone knows it from the telly!

smacl · 19-09-2021 5:31pm

Short enough one today taking in backroads around Enniskerry, including Ferndale road / Berryfield lane, up Killegar road to foxes, looping around a bit of the Wicklow way for some off road, back to foxes via the Devils Elbow and home via Cruagh road. 51k with 944m of climbing in some lovely Autumn sunshine. Rather annoyed to see the exit I use to get back from the Wicklow way to Bridge road now contains a private property / no trespassing sign. This seems to have happened to a number of the gravel routes I'd have used regularly in the Dublin mountains area. Land registry lists most of the surrounding land as commonage which would suggest the laneway is a right of way. Must check with some of the local walking clubs to see what the craic is.

grouchyman · 19-09-2021 10:41pm

Moved up to a faster group in the club today with a fair bit of trepidation. Up to this my best avg was 25-26 kph for 100kms. Managed 27.7 kph for 140 kms today so I'm well pleased with that.

Pinch Flat · 19-09-2021 10:45pm

Just completed the malin to mizen 640km over four days. Finished last leg in mizen today. Fantastic experience with cystic fibrosis Ireland. Would recommend

ss573 · 19-09-2021 11:10pm

Went down to Killiney today and this was my longest ride (26.7 km) in the past 1 month since I have started learning bike riding. I was planning to decrease the cycling distance by getting the Dart from Killiney halfway to my home while coming back. But later I realised that the Dart is closed in that area due to some engineering work and I had to bike the whole way back. Most of the trip from Dundrum to Killiney had bike path except for the hilly roads near the beach.

In the past one month, I've felt that Dublin is a tough city for bike riding because of so many up & down hill sections on any trip. I have improved my avg speed from 8kmph in August to 12kmph in September and I am looking forward to bringing it to the average bike riding speed I am seeing online and here (20-25 kmph). On my trips I get absolutely knackered on longer uphill stretches and I resort to walking my bike on the sidewalk which contributes to my slow average speed. I will have to become a little less overweight for increasing my uphill speed xD

Some images from my trip to Killiney...

loyatemu · 20-09-2021 10:55am

club cycle up the Shay Elliot to watch a bit of the race yesterday. Put a bit of welly into the descent only to check Strava and find I was 44th out of 45 to do that segment yesterday (most of the others were in the race I guess). Beautiful day for it. We stopped in Laragh for coffee, along with every motorbiker in Leinster (or so it seemed).

Tombo2001 · 20-09-2021 5:16pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117913334#Comment_117913334

A few things to note:

(i) The more you do it the easier you get.

(ii) The bike you have at the very least has big thick tyres. For me thats something I would only use on grass or trails. On road, a thinner tyre goes a good bit faster (less resistance), therefore with same effort your average speed goes up. Hybrid tyres are fine for city cycling.

(iii) Yes you are right, Dublin has lots of hills. Any river is going to be essentially accompanied by a valley, hence slopes in Christchurch from the Liffey, in Glasnevin from the Tolka, and I assume around the Dodder in Rathfarnham etc.

(iii) Is your bike heavy, ergo maybe point would apply to what I said about tyres. If you have suspension, that adds a lot of weight. Try walking a hundred yards with 10kgs on your back. Cycling a heavy bike is a similar-ish idea.

These are some lovely photos, and lets face it - on a sunny day like yesterday, would you rather be moving freely on your bike or sitting in that big long line of car traffic.

Tombo2001 · 20-09-2021 5:17pm

eeek.....the more you do it, the easier it gets.......

is the Edit function gone in Boards? I cant see it.

secman · 20-09-2021 7:54pm

Click the cog to the right of your post, gives you 24 hours window to edit your post

ss573 · 21-09-2021 12:37am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117916354#Comment_117916354

Oh definitely I would be on my bike and trying to get somewhere new in this beautiful city. Also I don't have a license yet so will have to wait on the car for couple years if I want to go on longer drives across the country.

Thank you for sharing your advice. I guess my bike could be a lot lighter. I got this one from FB marketplace for only €125, few months ago when I came into this country. My plan is to get hang of bike riding and Dublin for few months and then get a proper road bike.

Wishbone Ash · 21-09-2021 8:49am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117688947#Comment_117688947

I did that Heartbreak 200 route yesterday. My God it's complicated. I wasted loads of time trying to ensure I made the correct turns and even still made 4 mistakes and had to backtrack. It was also a lot more lumpier than I expected. That continuous up/down really takes it out of you.

https://www.strava.com/activities/5992631529

Wildly Boaring · 21-09-2021 11:04am

4 Bellewstowns? Fun

Tell us about your cycle today part III

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