Cycling from Dublin City Centre to Citywest and back everyday?

[AARRRGH]

Hello

I am considering cycling from Dublin City Centre to Citywest (where I work) every day.

Do any of you cycle this route, or a similar route?

If so, roughly how long would this journey take going at a normal enough speed? Is it a tough cycle?

Note there are showers in work which I will use if it's a particularly sweaty journey!

Any opinions appreciated.

Thanks.

[Nietzschean]

i've cycled out past there a few times, only about a 15km trip, took the n7 before its rather boring and has a surprising amount of glass on it.... but its pretty quick/painless anywhere from 25 - 60mins cycling depending on how fast you go...

[helimachoptor]

Op I was doing th eopposite last year, from Citywest into John Rogersons Quay, took me about 45-50 on the way in and about 60 mins back out on a MTB

[AARRRGH]

Thanks for the replies everyone.

OK, so I could be home within an hour, and get super fit (and possibly impotent!) at the same time.

I think I will give it a try.

Cheers!

[helimachoptor]

You will get pretty fit thats for sure, After a couple of months doing it I was cycling citywest -> town -> Dun Laoghaire -> 60 min football match -> Citywest doing that twice a week and then cycling normally the other 3 days and it was fine. Didn't lose much weight as I was really packing away a lot of calories to meet my energy needs

[DualFrontDiscs]

It's 2 or 3 years ago now, but I did city-> citywest-> city every weekday for a few years.

I used to go via Templogue and Tallaght and then up the hill towards Blessington before dropping down into CityWest. 1 hour out, about 40 minutes back.

Good way to keep fit. Go for it.

DFD.

[tomasrojo]

I cycled out there every workday for about a year from Terenure. I didn't like the N7, so I took the Tallaght bypass. The final bit of the journey going that way involves going either through Jobstown or along the old Blessington Road. I found Jobstown safer; there were too many hurtling buses along Blessington Road, while I never saw any trouble from the Jobstown residents.

Maybe the N7 is a better route overall; I just didn't like it, mostly because of the slip roads and high-speed traffic.

[petethedrummer]

Originally Posted by AARRRGH

Is it a tough cycle?

It will be hard to get used to doing it everyday, start off 2 or 3 times. Then you'll just have to bite the bullet sometime and do it everyday. You won't look back and will probably get annoyed if you have to miss a day.

Originally Posted by AARRRGH

Note there are showers in work which I will use if it's a particularly sweaty journey!

No excuse so.

[tomasrojo]

It's not a hilly journey, but the Tallaght bypass is very windswept on inclement days.

It's also a very ugly journey, with a lot of evidence of joy-riding. At least that's the way it used to be. The council used to stack up burnt-out cars in one of the fields.

I think the distance is probably the only thing that might get you, but you should be able to build up your fitness so that it's very manageable.

[Jip]

Was just about to post something similar to what's above. The bypass can be a killer as it's also deceptively uphill, something you'd never notice in a car but from about the Spawell onwards there's a very slight gradient. Either that or I was just knackered by the time I got there !

The other route I used to do was via the Coombe and Greenhills and then either cut up Airton Road or by Dunnes in Kilnamangh. This way you didn't have the sight of a long boring bypass ahead of you for ages. I haven't done it in a long time but I enjoyed that route more as you'd be flying past all the slow moving/stopped traffic on the Greenhills Road so you'd get all smug and stuff.

From the city centre out I used to pick a bus that was near enough to me on the road, usually the one I'd get and basically race it home, I found it a great incentive to put that extra bit of effort in.

[Crippens]

Turn right from the Tallaght bypass into Fortunestown Road and then straight all the way with very little traffic. If you stay on the Blessington Road intending to turn right later the road narrows and there's no cycle lane or hard shoulder. The Tallaght bypass is very exposed on windy days but its worth it to have a strong eind at your back on the homeward journey.

I don't know the N7 journey at all; is there a safe way for cyclists to cross the Red COw junction on the N7

[Nietzschean]

there is a cycle/pedestrian route through the red-cow junction...though heading away from town i normally just go through the junction same as a car, on the way back due to the way the lanes are i normally use the pedestrian/cycle path

[AARRRGH]

Thanks for the replies everyone! I'm a lot more confident about the journey now.

What do you guys think of this particular route? http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&sour...7&ie=UTF8&z=12

Thanks!

[petethedrummer]

Alls I know is the walkinstown roundabout is a bit of a disaster on a bike. 3 lanes, 5 exits, tight-space, who's bright idea was that? But give it a go anyway.

There's no one great way in and out of the city, no matter where you're going. Each has their own pitfalls. I have preferred routes and you'll probably develop your own after a bit of trial and error.

Also its almost always easier going the City West -> City Centre direction because of the prevailing winds.

[Cadex]

Hi - Spent a couple of years cycling from Artane to Citywest for work. On way out went Artane, Gracepark Road, Griffith Ave., Mobhi Rd., Cabra, North Circular, Infirmary Rd., Conyngham Rd., Islandbridge, Kilmainham, out along N7 across the Mad Cow roundabout to Citywest. About 22km, on the way back though, wanted to avoid the Mad Cow due to having to cross traffic to go straight on. As a result, went across flyover from Citywest on the new road that heads towards Lucan, turned right at the big junction on to the New Nangor Rd., through the two roundabouts and rejoined the N7 at Woodies DIY, then basically back through the same route as I went out, about 23km. This route worked for me and took under the hour both ways - typically 50-55 mins with about 45-50 actual rolling time. Route was good enough but bit boring.