National roads cycling?

Indeed. If they have a decent bit of hard shoulder I generally feel ok, but many don't.

On a related note- I've noticed national roads in other European countries tend to be a lot more open with flat grassy verges, meaning it you had an issue and had to deal with an out of control driver, you generally can plot some options for an escape route. On Irish rural roads I often feel walled in on the road, with stone walls and wild hedgerows and trees making it a bit like a bowling lane with the barriers up on the sides. Gives me a claustrophobic and less safe feel when I'm riding on them. Anyone else feel this or just me getting old or nervous ?

A lot of people wouldn't get down either side of the Wicklow Mountains without going on some N roads. My club spins often start with a spin down the N11 hard shoulder.

Ah yeah, often a cause for debate, and generally my least enjoyable part of a spin but it does get you down to Newtown/ Ashford much faster. Personally, I'd take it over the Kilmac - Long Hill - Roundwood option (and I live on that road!).

I'm always shocked at the number of cyclists I see on the main Cork - Waterford N25. They are well in their rights to be there and there is a hard shoulder on a good part of it, but I always wonder would they not go for the many safer, quieter, more peaceful and nicer spins out there

I'm on it most days. What alternative route would you suggest? I'd be delighted to find one that's better!

I suppose it depends on what they are looking for out of a spin. If they are 'training' they may be more interested in doing X kms at X average speed. Not every cyclist is looking for quiet/peaceful/nice routes. Also, those commuting may be taking they shortest route as they may be tight for time.

Hard shoulder and quality of surface is key. If I want a decent fast spin I'll take the N25 at times, though usually I'll just use it to get to/from more interesting routes. If I'm not in a rush I'll take the greenway. Note this is to the east of Dungarvan, but though I'm less familiar with cycling the road on the other side of Dungarvan, it looks similar. Not the most fun road, but serves a purpose. I am dubious about the effects of the roadworks at Carrolls Cross (brought to you by a Morning Ireland traffic report near you). There're high kerbs being installed on wither side of the road with islands which will funnel the traffic over 100-150m, It's a dangerous junction and I think the rational is to slow traffic down, but I can't help but feel this is going to be lethal for bikes

N25 over the tolled Suir bridge in Waterford as well. You can go to/from the last roundabouts on either side - just not across the bridge. The may be restricted by local by-laws, but I think the national road network falls under the remit of the NRA, so not really sure if the local councils have a say in access, speed limits etc

N roads vary from unpleasant but safe enough where there's a nice wide hard shoulder (like the N25) to unpleasant and dangerous where they're narrow and not the straightest (e.g. https://goo.gl/maps/HPeqXsKvZJEmqk966 - strech of the N76 in Kilkenny, probably not the worst bit as I just picked at random, but the few times I've been on it I've had dodgy passes at speed)

WRT to other European countries, I'm just back from France, and while I believe you're allowed cycle on N roads there (essentially the same category as ours), I really wouldn't want to, and struggle to remember ever seeing a bike on one. They're usually fast dual carraigeways with no hard shoulder, and more often than not have a drainage ditch just off the carraigeway, leaving nowhere to go

re: France, if the N road has the blue car sign on it, it's an "expressway" and you can't cycle or walk on it (basically like a lower grade of Autoroute, but it applies on some single-carriageway roads as well).

It's not just in Cork! The N1 north of Dundalk is 120km/h and I think an N road in Limerick is similar. I'm sure there are a few more around the country, It's done on dual carriageways which have good sight lines and minimal entry/exits.

The problem with the N25 and similar roads (other than being subjectively boring as fcuk) is they are really great and safe until they turn shite with high risk sections like

Busy road with high HGV count means you'll be sharing this climbing lane with HGV being overtaken by Johnny 2L diesel racing west. It improves after that before being equally sh1te from Garranbane school to N72 turn off.

East of Youghal, after 20km ish of hard shoulder from Dungarvan you are dumped onto this section of narrow and high speed N road with no escape route.

The N22 here, again really good for the most part with a wide hard shoulder between Ballincollig by pass and Lissarda, except with council have actually put in traffic calming infrastructure and "cycle lanes through minor villages which are off course full of debris and useable.

I've cycled Dublin to Athlone a few times and tbh it varies a lot. Heading from Dublin as far as Kinnegad the road can be very busy, then when it gets quieter beyond Kinnegad you lose the hard shoulder for a long stretch as far as Miltownpass. The hard shoulder surface between both Horseleap & Moate and then Moate & Athlone is really poor in places and I end up cycling in the main carriageway when clear of motor traffic.

There is of course a greenway alternative for much of the way but it can get quite boring after a while.

I cycled Galway to Ballinasloe last year (knee injury prevented me reaching Athlone!) and it seemed generally ok tbh, other than few kms west of Aughrim where the hard shoulder also disappears.