Best location (on road) to do intervals?

lukester · 23-02-2010 02:16PM #1

I don't have a turbo, so have to do interval training on the road. Just wondering if anyone has spots they'd recommend? Close to the city centre is a bonus- want to fit it in before work in the morning- and ideally with very little/no traffic. I have previously used the road to Pigeon House wall, there's one long straight stretch after the power station that's pretty quiet. It's not ideal though, can get pretty sandy.

Phoenix park is the first place that springs to mind, but I never cycle there so don't know which are the quietest roads.

I've considered using Stocking Lane or similar local hills, but it's a bit far- ideally want to fit it all into an hour or so.

Thanks.

DirkVoodoo · 23-02-2010 02:18PM

Howth?

Raam · 23-02-2010 02:19PM

The coastal track out to Sutton is very quiet during the day time. Sometimes at lunch I will head out there. You can also use the causeway out to Bull Island.

lukester · 23-02-2010 02:24PM

@Dirk Howth is just a bit far for before work.

@Raam Aren't there lots of commuters on that stretch in the morning? Hadn't thought of the causeway though, could be an option.

biker_joe · 23-02-2010 02:26PM

Howth is great ... plenty different gradients to use up there, along recovery on the descents ...

In north county there is a couple of hills too, Ballyboughil towards to the naul, know as the Nags ... you can also approach this from the R132 ( old N1 ) Snowtown near Stalmullen is also good .....

On the flat, the boot Inn circuit at the back of the airport ( sometimes busy on the main part ) I also use portmarnock ( roundabout at train station ) to
Grand Hotel in Malahide and back, I used for session on the TT bike ....

Hope this helps

Biker Joe

Raam · 23-02-2010 02:26PM

lukester wrote: »

@Dirk Howth is just a bit far for before work.

@Raam Aren't there lots of commuters on that stretch in the morning? Hadn't thought of the causeway though, could be an option.

Sometimes in the morning there are a few, but they don't get in the way, but I usually do sessions at lunch time.

Lumen · 23-02-2010 02:27PM

I don't think the Phoenix Park is really practical for intervals.

lukester · 23-02-2010 02:30PM

Lumen wrote: »

I don't think the Phoenix Park is really practical for intervals.

Ok, it was top of my list as a potential. Will cross it off.

ROK ON · 23-02-2010 02:31PM

At night.
Dublin outer ring road from Nangor road turnoff out to Kinswood and onto Citywest.
8km no lights great road surface. Also have unused bus lane most o the way.

velo.2010 · 23-02-2010 02:32PM

Try Lances Loop in the park. Use the S bends and the hill back up to the Military road.

Raam · 23-02-2010 02:34PM

The best stretch on the coastal track is from the causeway to Sutton because it is the longest uninterrupted section. The bits nearer town are less open with more chance of conflict. At full pelt, it takes maybe 3 to 4 minutes to get from the causeway to sutton. It's been a while since I've done it so I can't remember how accurate that is. So it is useful for shorter, explosive intervals and not for any kind of sustained effort.

lukester · 23-02-2010 02:38PM

velo.2010 wrote: »

Try Lances Loop in the park. Use the S bends and the hill back up to the Military road.

That was kind of where I had in mind alright. That little hill is about the nearest hill of any kind to the city centre that I can think of.

@Raam It was short hard stuff that I was thinking of. My memory of the bit near town is lots of peds, pets and commuters.

blorg · 23-02-2010 02:41PM

Alpe d'Huez is very good for this.

EDIT: Sorry, near the city centre, right.

Raam · 23-02-2010 02:41PM

lukester wrote: »

That was kind of where I had in mind alright. That little hill is about the nearest hill of any kind to the city centre that I can think of.

@Raam It was short hard stuff that I was thinking of. My memory of the bit near town is lots of peds, pets and commuters.

In that case, go for the causeway to Sutton. It is much quieter and easy to see what is ahead of you. There is virtually nobody out there at lunch time.

Note: I would never use the track for intervals at night time. Too difficult to see and too many people doing random things.

blorg · 23-02-2010 02:47PM

Raam wrote: »

Note: I would never use the track for intervals at night time.

On that topic, might be worth sneaking in to Sundrive Road either. Very little traffic there.

lukester · 23-02-2010 02:49PM

Raam wrote: »

In that case, go for the causeway to Sutton. It is much quieter and easy to see what is ahead of you. There is virtually nobody out there at lunch time.

Note: I would never use the track for intervals at night time. Too difficult to see and too many people doing random things.

That's good to know, cheers. Wouldn't even think of doing it at night.

lukester · 23-02-2010 02:53PM

blorg wrote: »

Alpe d'Huez is very good for this.

EDIT: Sorry, near the city centre, right.

Not quite L'Alpe, but currently hoping to spend the last few months of summer near Mt Seymour, which is perfect for this kind of thing.

tunney · 23-02-2010 03:20PM

velo.2010 wrote: »

Try Lances Loop in the park. Use the S bends and the hill back up to the Military road.

Lances loop????? MODS BAN THIS GUY NOW!!!! PLEASe!!!!!!!!!

tunney · 23-02-2010 03:21PM

Buy a turbo!

lukester · 23-02-2010 03:42PM

tunney wrote: »

Buy a turbo!

Not an option in current living space unfortunately.

Caroline_ie · 23-02-2010 03:51PM

I've done Pheonix Park Khyber Laps after dark and they're ok if you use the right bits to recover, no traffic, just joggers along the back roads of the park on the footpath, so you're not alone. I was going to go again tonight but ... I think I might stay in considering the weather ( won't be able to use that excuse much longer hopefully )

lukester · 23-02-2010 03:53PM

Caroline_ie wrote: »

I've done Pheonix Park Khyber Laps after dark and they're ok if you use the right bits to recover, no traffic, just joggers along the back roads of the park on the footpath, so you're not alone. I was going to go again tonight but ... I think I might stay in considering the weather ( won't be able to use that excuse much longer hopefully )

Any idea what it would be like in the early morning, say 7.30 am? Is that road used much by cars?

Caroline_ie · 23-02-2010 04:00PM

lukester wrote: »

Any idea what it would be like in the early morning, say 7.30 am? Is that road used much by cars?

These roads are not through roads ( |||| bollards ) so have very little traffic, except the road on the side on the papal cross. ( Red = traffic / Green:No traffic ). I have done laps at 6 or 7am before and it was very quiet.

Peterx · 23-02-2010 04:52PM

the trianglular loop that used to be used for the Phoneix Park gallops has a section of flat road that is a dead end for traffic that might be long enough depending on your intervals - careful for the line of bollards halfway though.

lukester · 24-02-2010 09:05AM

Went to the location recommended by Caroline_ie as it was closest to home/work. Perfect for what I wanted to do. The two sides with the bollards had zero traffic, Only other hazards were a bit of deer crap and one jogger.

If you were doing longer intervals you'd have to slow down a bit for some of the bollards. But very handy spot, never even knew it existed.

chakattack · 24-02-2010 06:34PM

Cool thread Lukester thanks.

Similarly, I'm looking for some routes for longer tempo paced rides at night.

Had some very unlucky and unavoidable run-ins with cars recently so I'm a still a bit paranoid. Looking for lit roads with plenty of clearance and not too many junctions/lights.

I have good lights so don't mind total darkness but most country roads are in terrible condition and have some lunatics around evening commute time.

Anyone have any favourite routes for 2-2.5 hr spins they'd like to share?

Raam · 24-02-2010 06:41PM

I do one round the roads behind Swords sometimes. I'll post it up later... if I remember.

ROK ON · 24-02-2010 09:33PM

Just back from 2.5hr spin. Dublin outer ring roa to citywestto Saggart to Rathcoole and back.

Very very few cars on a big wide well lit road. Great road surface. A few litl rises also list to bomb up and get the HR up. Have to say I am a fan. Citywest out to Saggart similarly good. Very well light and lovely road surface with few cars between 7 and 9 in the evening.

abcdggs · 24-02-2010 10:40PM

route would be much appreciated!

Best location (on road) to do intervals?

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