Tell us about your cycle today part III

06-03-2022 8:35pm

Out at first light. It was -1 when leaving the house and it's the first time I've felt cold on the bike but did warm up after a while. The light was spectacular, and despite the cold it really felt like the winter was over. I saw a buzzard, hawk, two foxes and lots of rabbits over the course of the cycle, which is one of the benefits of an early spin.The bike was spotless when I got home! Overall, 57k with 705m climbing at 28.3kph. Home and all for 9.15am.

On a side note, I bought an indoor trainer last October and set myself a target of hitting 340 watt ftp before the birth of my third child, who is due to arrive any day now. I had never done any structured training before and started out at 292 watts and hit my target of 342 watts in a ramp test last Wednesday. It's probably some sort of midlife crisis, but after realising I'm too old to play any team sports anymore and having given up on running as I was getting injured all the time, it felt good to get the competitive juices flowing and set myself a tough target. I did it all on Zwift, averaging 4-5 spins a week including two high intensity interval sessions and a longish outdoor spin at the weekend where family commitments allowed.

devonp · 06-03-2022 8:59pm

not today but y'day...100Km with hills which brought me over Cromwellstown Ballinascorney Kilbride camp and Sorrel hill to Lacken...left my camelbak bottle on the stone seat at Lacken ...only realised when i got over to Crosschapel/Rathmore hill...boy did i get thirsty ...

big thanks to Seth Brundle of these parts who on his cycle today picked it up and returned it to me in Leixlip 😃

Seth Brundle · 07-03-2022 12:27am

I did a similar route to yours devonp taking in Cromwellstown and Ballinascorney but with a trip up to Sally Gap before heading over Sorrel hill. My legs were knackered by the time I started climbing Ballinascorney but somehow I managed to keep going. The Easterly wind helped make the ascent to Sally tough going* but it also helped give me good speed for the descent where I managed to pace some two and three wheeled motorbikes for a couple of kms.

Glad to have been able to return your bottle devonp. Hopefully karma will be good to me!

112 kms @ 24.5km/h with 1666m of climbing.

* at one point on the Sally ascent I pulled over into a kind of layby for a banana. The amount of discarded condoms was unreal. Some people are disgusting.

bazermc · 07-03-2022 9:39am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118743554#Comment_118743554

I’m not sure I could bring myself to eat a banana while surrounded by a load of johnnies 😉😉🤣🤣

mr spuckler · 10-03-2022 2:40pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118744123#Comment_118744123

Are they not just raincoats for bananas? 🤭

smacl · 10-03-2022 2:59pm

First lunch time spin in a while due to a mix of ill health and storms. A short but hilly one up Cruagh to the Featherbeds and back via Stocking lane. Did a bit of the off-road towards Kippure but a bit too waterlogged and I didn't fancy getting drenched so cut it short. 20k with 447m of up @17.5kph. Glorious out there today!

mr spuckler · 10-03-2022 3:41pm

I hit the mountains for the first time since August today, left at sunrise and headed up Cruagh rd to Sally gap, then down towards Manor Kilbride before heading up what I think is Shankill rd by the Army camp, down Ballinascorney (80kph weeeeeeeee!) and back up to the Northside.

It was cold and very windy at times, especially climbing towards the gap and as far as the crossroads. Then it suddenly heated up dramatically when climbing beyond Kilbride camp! It was sunny and bright thoughout the whole cycle and very picturesque for it.

84km @ 22.6kph and 1,050m of climbing. I've been trying step up both my cycling and running recently but legs felt completely empty this morning.

Weepsie · 10-03-2022 4:14pm

I just did a loop and a bit of the park because I knew my phone could ring anytime and it would be someone from work or a member of the public to whom I need to answer some questions. The changes to the park, even on a quiet weekday make it a lot more pleasurable experience for killing an hour or 2.

magicbastarder · 10-03-2022 5:30pm

lovely day for it - first time out in shorts this year. timed it badly though, had been nice and calm but the wind was blowing up just as i left the house.

cletus · 10-03-2022 10:36pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118763812#Comment_118763812

Was it blowing up your shorts?

magicbastarder · 13-03-2022 8:18pm

events conspired against me so i didn't get out till after 4, took a spin out to howth. had a chuckle at the two gardai cycling abreast between sutton and howth, one in the cycle lane and one on the footpath. griffith avenue is a mess westbound; the road surface is in **** at the marino end. and the cycle lane was unusable (especially in the dark) with all the branches and brash in it at the moment.

however, i also passed a fire tender attending a car/cyclist collision as i crossed the causeway road on the way back, hope it wasn't serious.

jebidiah · 15-03-2022 4:05pm

Quick lunch time spin out on the Clontarf sea front as far as Sutton and back. Nothing to comment on apart from being the only one in shorts and short sleeves. Not quite as warm as I'd hoped, but it was a lovely spin.

bazermc · 18-03-2022 3:09pm

What a day for a spin. The sort of day if I had the legs for it would cycle from sunrise to sunset.

Weepsie · 18-03-2022 7:59pm

Got out in the afternoon. Shorts finally (though I wear MTB shorts on my commute) so well adjusted to the cold anyway.

Glasnevin, Dundrum, up Slate Cabin Lane, passed the blue light and onto glencullen. Viewing point from there and home via walkinstown. 55km with 600metres of up.

Took the mudguards, but top of cruagh and parts of stocking lane had some water flowing off the hill. Grand except for the massive cut out in my new saddle

smacl · 19-03-2022 8:00pm

Windy one out there today. Managed 100k with 1.3k of climbing taking in Saggart, Eadestown, Dunlavin, Ballymore Eustace, Blessington and home via Ballinascorney. Lots of smaller l-roads for most of it making for a really attractive route albeit on rather dodgy surfaces. Glad I avoided the higher ground as found I was hanging on for dear life at times even in the relative shelter. Glorious day to be on the bike for all that.

retalivity · 20-03-2022 4:03pm

From Dublin up stocking lane, over the featherbeds and down to curtlestown, cut across the back road to the bottom of the wall and up the other side of the valley from Crone woods, and back over the featherbeds to Dublin. Probably the most climbing i've done since the tail end of last year, and feeling it now. The southerly headwind didnt help either, although the climb up to the top of the featherbeds was pretty busy with cyclists, so got a few tows. The back road (deakins lane?) from the bottom of the wall to crone woods has to be one of the worst roads within an hour of dublin, its like cycling on the moon. The seem to have resurfaced some of it from curtlestown down to the bridge, but the last bit is still woeful.

57k, 940m climbed - https://www.strava.com/activities/6852799206

Daroxtar · 20-03-2022 5:55pm

Down home in Sligo this weekend, got out for a couple of hours. First spin post covid so I was taking it handy enough. Didn't bother with the HR monitor and barely glanced at the Garmin.

The weather started out quite cool but halfway through the spin the sun was out and the temperature jumped up into the mid teens so I had to take off my bandana and gloves, and the winter jersey had me roasted alive.

The route I did is, imho, one of the nicest cycling routes in the country. I know I'm biased but it's just such a rewarding loop. It's one half of the ”Ox Mountain 4 Passes” sportive route. Not a straight half mile of road and barely an inch of flat, just constant twisting and rolling bohreens with no traffic. Little cottages, lakes, forestry, wild and windswept mountain tops, valleys, sweeping views across Mayo and Sligo, damn near perfection. The only stretch with any traffic was on the N17 outside Tubbercurry for 2km and I could easily have skipped that. There were a few small hills and one absolutely brutal little pig that averages 10% over a kilometer with a few near 20% ramps.

Did just over 60km with 670m elevation at an average of 26kmh.

Lough Talt, Bonniconlon, Attymass, Roosky Hill, Aclare, Tubbercurry, Lough Talt.

https://www.strava.com/activities/6843004576

Seth Brundle · 20-03-2022 6:58pm

The weather started out quite cool but halfway through the spin the sun was out and the temperature jumped up into the mid teens so I had to take off my bandana and gloves, and the winter jersey had me roasted alive.

I went out for 60kms on Friday afternoon in shorts and a short sleeved jersey & summer mits - first time this year and didn't feel cold at all (my shoulders are very prone to the cold).

Went out for a club spin yesterday and I gambled on similar attire but also took a gilet to block the cool morning air until it warmed up properly. The other five I was out with were dressed in winter gear and after an hour out they were all too warm whereas I felt nice and smug. I think this good weather is expected to stay all week.

Gerry · 20-03-2022 8:47pm

Been amazing weather and lucky to get out Friday and today. With the southeasterly wind went into the wind, I don't feel the cold so it was full summer gear. Headed towards rathcoffey, then back of Celbridge, ardclough, over by Lyons Estate to Newcastle. Was happy with this route as was getting bit of shelter from the headwind from the high hedges.

Had burnt a few matches but feeling good so hit athgoe over and back, nice descent down to newcastle and then back over to celbridge and through leixlip home to maynooth for ice cream. 40k and 263m

https://strava.app.link/knKQUxOHyob

22-03-2022 3:13pm

On paternity leave at the moment so had a free day yesterday with my wife at home with a sleepy newborn. Headed off with her blessing for what was supposed to be a 3.5 hour spin but turned out to be a lot longer.

First 80k were hilly but blissful in lovely dry and nearly warm conditions. It was in a very rural area I was unfamiliar with and unfortunately took a bit of a wrong turn which was compounded by a signpost which someone had turned down the wrong road so ended up 20k off course! Resorted to Google maps to get back on track but sent me up every hilly bohereen in the area and down two roads that were closed fully for works. Spent what felt like forever stopping at random crossroads in the middle of nowhere!

Took a huge detour to get back and eventually did only to face a blocking headwind with 100k on the clock and 30k still to go. Had run out of food as there was no shops in the area and had to get home to collect other kids from creche. Started to feel the dreaded bonk coming on 10k from home but found a petrol station and quickly demolished a bottle of coke, packet of haribo, chocolate slice cake and a mint crisp.

Limped home and fell in the door 5 and a half hours after leaving, with 130k and 1700m climbing on the clock in 27.2kph average. Ironically, as I took it fairly handy prior to getting lost, as soon as the wooziness from the bonk subsided I felt absolutely fine.

Should have put the route on my Garmin as it was new territory for me and should have had more emergency food! Fail to prepare etc.

Seth Brundle · 22-03-2022 10:38pm

Went out after work this evening up around Slade hill beside Saggart. Whilst I had worn a light jacket on my way to work, this was left in my backpack on the way home - it was warm enough for short sleeves and shorts. It was absolutely lovely out although a little windy.

On my way towards home via Boston hill, I passed loads if people on bikes. The pleasant weather encouraging people to get out there.

The only real downside to the warmth was the presence of millions of midges.

41km @ 27.1km/h with 429m of up: https://strava.app.link/yZC6Iki9Bob

secman · 22-03-2022 11:02pm

Commute home from office, headed up embankment out to blessington, back by 3 castles , Manor Kilbride and home. Only lost light when hitting blessington around 7ish, used lights for return leg. 48 km avg 26.8kph 350 ish meters.

NamelessPhil · 24-03-2022 10:12am

I had the best day's cycling yesterday on the Kildare 200 since last Summer. It was the perfect day for a long spin, sunny, warm enough to wear a light jacket and 3/4 lengths and just mitts on my hands. I rode out and back to the start so my total distance was 248km.

The route roughly follows the border of Kildare and it starts and finishes in Celbridge. The road surfaces are pretty good with a mix of single track farm roads and busier R roads. Out of Celbridge and across to Taghadoe and Kilcock, then the surprisingly lumpy parts around Newtown. Past the new solar farm on the bog on the way to Johnstown Bridge. The route turns south near Rahan woods and onto busier flat R roads through Carbury, Rathangan and Monastervin. There was a fabulous smell of coconutty gorse in the bogs. Into Athy and its omnipresent traffic jam.

I had a headwind since Rahan so I was happy when the route turned left to Castledermot, by then it was late afternoon and the wind died down as the sun began to set. The route zig-zags back up Kildare with the M9 nearby. After Kilcullen I was rewarded with a glorious sunset and the last of the climbing on familiar roads around Ballymore Eustace. The temperature had dropped but it wasn't unpleasant and my hands were still warm as I descended into Ardclough and the last flat 7KM to the finish. A quick text to the husband and then I had to find some legs to ride the 24km back home.

https://strava.app.link/zJPIV2bAEob

magicbastarder · 24-03-2022 3:07pm

cracker of a day for it too, today; 35km @ 31.8km/h (though strava knocked that back to 31.5), which is fast for me. though i did get to draft behind a tractor for a kilometre and a half at one point.

secman · 24-03-2022 4:34pm

Used to be way easier yonks ago to draft behind a tractor, the new ones are way too fast 😕

magicbastarder · 24-03-2022 5:21pm

this guy was holding a nice steady 35km/h.

Roadtoad · 24-03-2022 7:26pm

Over the w/end, on a break from cycling Achill and west Mayo I happened upon these on a beach. The longest is about 1 metre long. Whale? Shark? Undiscovered Levetian?

20220321_132703524.jpg

smacl · 24-03-2022 7:48pm

22k with 445m climbing of mixed on and off road over lunch taking in Masseys wood and a few gnarly bits of the Hellfire. Christmas gut is clearly still with me as I stalled on one of the steeper off road bits and ended up on the walk of shame. Glorious out there, long may the good weather last.

24-03-2022 9:25pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118829243#Comment_118829243

Funny, my Strava often often records a spin as 0.3 of a kmph slower than my Garmin headset. Rarely any other amount.

beggars_bush · 24-03-2022 9:39pm

110km today, 630m gain @ 30.5kph. Was the nicest day of the week with barely any wind.

Tell us about your cycle today part III

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