Tell us about your cycle today part III

magicbastarder · 22-11-2022 11:19pm

i got shouted at today by a lad who i suspect was a drug dealer. in his 20s, big expensive merc. he undertook me down a left turn only lane (even though he was going straight on) and got a bit shirty with me because i got away from the lights quicker so obviously humiliated him slightly.

wheelo01 · 23-11-2022 1:23am

I went for a shortish spin before work, so decided to add alittle hill work, just to make it interesting.

While I was out, I remembered two of the reasons why I don't go up the hills so much during winter.

all the crud, leaf mould, etc. on the roads makes for a very feckin slidy road on the downhill, not my thing at all.
still a lot of hedge trimmings on the road, and I managed to get my first puncture in about three years, from a thorn.

That said, I really enjoyed getting out today, it was verry chilly though, especially after stopping for 20 minutes or more fixing the puncture. I even had a guest watching me for the repair, a robin came down and just hopped all around where I was, onto the bench where I was working, around my feet, beautiful little creature.

Just under 35 KM (would have been more, but I had to get to work) with 450 M of climb, and an average of 22.2 KPH(not great)

https://www.relive.cc/view/vLqeJ2pW5dv

secman · 23-11-2022 9:18am

The slump thing...this time of year, weather turns quickly to cold, damp, roads full of crud, hassle of washing bike after every spin..you've probably hit your annual target already... Had a mini slump over the last week as I hit 10k km but now I'm aiming for 11k km as targets seem to help 😃.

I too lost the head with a fckwit who was irate because I wasn't using a bike lane on Tallaght bypass, he turned right about 30 meters pass where he blew his horn 🤔

Gerry · 23-11-2022 7:50pm

Yeah in a bit of a slump myself. Bout an hour a week is what I'm managing currently. Pinning hopes on a big spin this weekend. Anyway got out for a quick 20k at lunchtime. Down towards donadea and then back via rathcoffey, tailwind home. Had a fairly heavy gym session last night and the legs gave out when i tried a sprint on the homewards leg. So had to dial it back.

Paddigol · 24-11-2022 12:05pm

My nomination for winner of the Langer of the Day Award goes to... the silly bint who couldn't be bothered indicating on approach to/ on a roundabout, who reacted to being admonished for nearly causing a collision, by giving a blast of the horn.

Seth Brundle · 26-11-2022 3:05pm

Just back from a blustery but mild club spin. Managed just over 100km. The head and side winds were tough going and the route we followed didn't lend itself to us catching much of a tailwind.

On my way to meet the group, I managed 62.3km/h on the flat (with a little bit of help from the breeze). Still, it was dry and warm which you dont expect at the end of November.

Weepsie · 26-11-2022 5:50pm

Today I cycled to a butcher, and a baker (both true) There was no candle stick maker though

Weepsie · 26-11-2022 5:53pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119912587#Comment_119912587

I've done feck all since sometime in Mid may I think. Bits and pieces here and there. nothing more than 50 km in that time, and mostly just cycling to do things. House is a mess. Had covid. Had a promotion. Had a load of family stuff, so other than the exceptional time when I needed to clear the head I havn;t been too bothered with it.

Gerry · 26-11-2022 6:00pm

Yeah I try to cycle to do stuff, probably adds up to 15-20km a week. better than nothing. And typically on the school run I'll get to do some intervals into the wind.

One commute a week to the office till proper winter and darkness arrived. And try for some sort of sunday spin. usually hour of mtb.

So my fitness and power haven't suffered but as much as anything I miss the headspace that a good long spin gives.

beggars_bush · 26-11-2022 9:11pm

75km today. Around 27kph

Somehow got out and home with no rain.

cletus · 27-11-2022 1:11pm

3 swans at flight passed me this morning, I was doing about 27kph, and they easily outstripped me.

Buzzard kept pace with me for 60 or 70 yards, and then wheeled away, only to pass me a few moments later, low to the ground, in what I can only assume was the last moments of some small mammal.

Small bit of hike-a-bike, including crossing a lock gate with bike on shoulder, and a headwind all the way home.

gn3dr · 27-11-2022 8:33pm

Got absolutely soaked today - probably the wettest I've ever been on a bike. And to top it all off I was just drying out a bit when I got a puncture about 3 km from home. And when changing the tube it pissed down so got re-soaked. Hands were so cold after refitting the wheel that I could hardly get my gloves back on.

Seth Brundle · 27-11-2022 8:37pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119928627#Comment_119928627

Been there, done that which is why I always carry latex gloves to help keep my hands dry when working on a puncture in that kind of weather.

magicbastarder · 27-11-2022 8:46pm

was about to head out but noticed a shower on the way on the rainfall radar, so held off for an hour. breezy out, and had heavy legs, but the feed of pints might have been something to do with that. first time cycling in the near dark in a couple of years, because i managed to remember to recharge the batteries for my lights yesterday. had to shout at a cyclist today (well, maybe not 'had to') who merged onto the road from the left on me without even looking sideways. i yelled at him, and frightened him, he genuinely had no idea i was there.

gn3dr · 27-11-2022 8:49pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119928644#Comment_119928644

Yup. That was my conclusion when I got home. Pair of those will be going in with the spare tube for next time.

Seth Brundle · 27-11-2022 10:50pm

They'll rip when you don't want them to - stick two pairs in.

secman · 27-11-2022 11:20pm

Gorey to Ferns, Scarawalsh roundabout and on to the Enniscorthy bypass. Left turn to Enniscorthy, got a blowout just other Quay. Changed tube out, tyre seemed fine, no sign of anything embedded in it. Across bridge and out the road to Oulart, about 2km out....another blowout. Then it absolutely turned foul weather, a squally downpour with hail and rain that lasted the whole way back to Gorey. When we checked tyre on second puncture, noticed bead was coming away from the sidewall , about quarter of an inch long. The McIvers on the spin, thought of putting a used gel wrap in to stop tube squeezing out of the slit. It held up for about 23 kms back to Gorey. I stayed off the front in case it blew again.

73km , avg 29.4 kmph , 450 meters , pretty cold as we were drenched .....

wheelo01 · 28-11-2022 12:13am

I stayed off the front in case it blew again. @secman

Likely bleedin story 🤣🤣

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119928627#Comment_119928627

I think we've all been there, but hey, every day is a learning day, Seth's suggestion of latex gloves help, but if you're a sweaty B like me, it's still hard to get back into the gloves.

@Seth Brundle I saw your photo of today's cycle ~ I think I'm having buyers remorse over the latest Galibier jacket offer 🤣

Seth Brundle · 28-11-2022 4:05pm

@Seth Brundle I saw your photo of today's cycle ~ I think I'm having buyers remorse over the latest Galibier jacket offer 🤣

The photo on my Strava ride? Whilst I'll admit that I look gorgeous (in a Pat Mustard kind of way) in my new heather coloured Galibier jacket, it also feels quite lovely too.

MangleBadger · 28-11-2022 5:01pm

Not today's cycles but my last bike adventures. Weeks holiday with the wife in Gran Canaria. Based ourselves out of Maspalomas for the 1st half and rented a couple of bikes from Free Motion. I got a Specialized Tarmac with Rival EPS and the better half who will cycle but refuses to go uphill rented a Specialized Cruz ebike.

First ride was part of a tour organised by Free Motion. 65k with 1300m of climbing. First climb of 6k at 6% followed by a short descent then a 9k climb at 6.3%. Then a rolling descent the whole way home. Weather was perfect; mid 20s and blue skies. I've never cycled climbs that long before. They're pretty hard to find in Ireland. So I took the pace pretty easy as I didn't want to blow up. Probably had a bit more to give but it was a fantastic day in the saddle, the scenery is amazing and climbing and descending mountain roads full of switchbacks was a whole new experience. Especially descending! My bike handling definitely needs some improvements!

Morning Ride | Ride | Strava

For our second cycle it was just the 2 of us. So I planned an 85k route with 1800m of climbing. Bit of light gravel thrown in for good luck. The wife's battery on her bike died just as we reached the summit of the main climb so it was an interesting 2nd half trying to nurse her home. We had to do some walking on a couple of the steeper ramps as like I mentioned earlier, she is not one for the climbs.

GC Cycle #2 | Ride | Strava

Overall a great experience. Free Motion were top notch as was the tour guide. Amazing cycling. Views were incredible. Wife also really enjoyed it which will definitely make it easier to plan another holiday like this. Only downside was my Karoo2 lost GPS before the top of the mountain on both days so that is the reason for no KOMs. Also passed by Pavel Sivakov and Lauren De Plus on some training spins.

cletus · 28-11-2022 5:27pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119931517#Comment_119931517

Well, do we get to see these photos, or what

Seth Brundle · 28-11-2022 9:07pm

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cletus · 28-11-2022 10:10pm

I like that colour

Seth Brundle · 01-12-2022 11:10am

I took a bit of a wandering commute this morning giving me a few extra Kms. Although it was mostly uneventful, I did see three buzzards on the ground in short grassland on the top of Lyons Hill. Not sure were they eating worms or what as they were maybe 50-100m apart.

magicbastarder · 03-12-2022 2:30pm

heavy legs this morning on a spin out to howth, but on the way out, a crow dropped what i think was a mussel onto the cycle path about 30 or 40m n front of me, from about 5 or 10m up, and swooped down and picked it up and flew off with it.

also, i see that famous church between sutton and howth has knocked what i would suspect is a new car entrance into their grounds.

Weepsie · 03-12-2022 4:32pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119952436#Comment_119952436

I wonder if they had planning permission?

magicbastarder · 03-12-2022 4:42pm

looking at street view, the irony is that they seem to have taken out the pedestrian entrance

https://www.google.com/maps/@53.3906366,-6.0862947,3a,75y,194.82h,75.85t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sUchsN60NIWRpBFV_D0mikQ!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

Seth Brundle · 03-12-2022 6:02pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119952767#Comment_119952767

Fingal's planning portal is down for the weekend 😕

Squidgy Black · 03-12-2022 6:16pm

They applied for PP, no record of it being approved though

04-12-2022 8:03am

Got out at 7am for three hours yesterday. Have been doing a lot of reading on zone 2 work of late so am going to try and do a good bit of endurance base work at this zone this winter. Problem is I'm 87kg and I picked a hilly route so spinning up steep hills at 230w is not easy.

First hour in darkness but unusually for this winter, the roads were very dry and it was remarkably still. Nothing beats being out on a beautiful winter's morning, especially in that first hour after the sun rises. So peaceful and so good for the head. I loved every second of it despite a poor sleep the night before.

Zone 2 is easy in theory but it requires constant pressure on the cranks and there are no breaks at all in the ride. However, there is no real fatigue afterwards and none of that fuzzy feeling you get after going hard when all you want to do is flop on the couch. Not an option as wife was heading away for the day and I was holding the fort.

Nearly taken out by a white van (always a white van!), who just drove out in front of me, on a roundabout close to home but didn't let that spoil things. Driver apologised which made for a change.

Overall, 82k with nearly 1,000m of up at 27kph.

Tell us about your cycle today part III

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