Dublin to Galway cycle

DonkeyRhubarb

Im thinking and planning on doing a dublin to galway cycle over three days over the summer.

I fully appreciate that this will require planning and staying off motorways!
Im hoping that I can gather as much advice and tips as possible for my maiden voyage. Ive never attempted a cycle this long before and am not sure if Im crazy or not:eek:

Any advice or support as to how to go about this would be much appreciated:)

Alkers

You won't need three days. There was a UCD organised one a while back that they did at a handy pace in two days. Some people on MTBs etc. Don't have much more information though I'm afraid.

atilladehun

Its on every year from maynooth nui to galway too.

Ring up the students union there or go onto their board on this site. there might be someone there to help you.

DonkeyRhubarb

Im planning on doing the cycle on my own on a Cannondale Prophet 4-X. Its not a road bike, but its s**t light, and i can put on slicks for the journey and lock out the rear shock.

The AA road planner site has a brilliant way to plot a journey; telling you exactly where to turn onto what roads, the distance to next checkpoint and the option to exclude motorways. It really is brill.

Im looking to use AutoRoute 2006 to get a map of the journey.

Im not really that fit, but I exercise a fair bit. It's not something that I would take lightly (cycling across the country), but I might just suprise myself. Im one of those guys that loves downhill cycling forever, but despises the haul up there:p

Things Im interested in is what is essential to bring along, while carrying the minimum posible. How safe are country roads to cycle on with crazy 80mph motorists that just missed the tree b4 me???

If anyone has done this before and has a travel plan (directions for regional roads that worked) that would be brill!

Again, thanks all. Every bit of info helps!

wahlrab

on the topic of long cycles I am studying in budapest all next year and i have this idea of buying a nice bike over there then cycle back to ireland, budapest to vienna, vienna to munich, munich to hamburg, then off to amsterdam then the ferry from rotterdam, then across england to hollyhead then from dun laoirghe(?) to rush, of course i'm going to stop along the way and see the sites, but i've been reccomended to look at the michelin road maps they're supposedly the best

sobriquet

You're not crazy. Well, maybe you are, but that'd make me way crazier. I set off for Europe on a loaded MTB. Didn't quite make it (injury), but that's another story. Definitely having another go at some stage, and I got far enough that I can impart some advice.

Distance: Get some road miles in. If you're pretty fit, you can expect to do ~100km a day, which covers Dublin to Galway in two days, more or less. Thing is, you'll be going at a much slower pace than you might be normally. I did this with not a lot of training, but I was on the road about 9am to 4pm each day, nice slow pace due to the weight of the bike (panniers front and back, plus camping gear), plenty of rest stops, plenty of food too. My lack of training was betrayed by having to sleep 12 hours a night, but I reckon had been able to keep it up for a week you'd get past that.

Slicks: I got Conti Travel Contacts and they're great. Cyclesuperstore sell them.

Cycling on the road. It's a pain in the ass. I did a lot of thin roads with trucks hurtling past like nothing else, but never had any trouble. Usual road/commuting rules apply. I didn't plan things too much with regards to a route, other than staying off the Motorways. Taking back roads would add a lot of distance, and they're not well signposted. I did the main routes between major towns, ie Roscommon-Athlone-Tullamore-Portlaoise was one (longish) day.

Carrying stuff: taking a backpack with clothes, repair gear, spares etc on that kind of distance would be murder. Best thing would be to carry nothing and have someone in a car with you along the way, carrying your stuff from point to point. But you say you're on your own so that's out.

Next best is racks/panniers, but they're expensive and hard to source for MTBs. PM me and I might be able to help you out if you go that route, though your prophet doesn't seem like it'd take racks at all, with a single rear arm and a lefty fork? Am I correct?

I would say to go for it. For the time I was pushing the bike that distance, I never slept so well, and haven't felt so good in a long long time, if ever. Nothing to give you confidence like arriving somewhere having cycled 100km to get there.

kincsem

One tip is to pump your tyres to the highest pressure allowed. My road tyres are at 100 psi and the bike rolls easily. You need a track pump to get this pressure.
Galway is 217 km away. A road bike (racer) should average about 22 km/hr on that flat ground. Mountain bike, knobbly tyres, luggage, beer belly, sightseeing, would slow you a lot.

Harkev

I was on the UCD cycle to Galway this year. We averaged 24kmh even with lots of unfit people on mountainbikes (although with a group of 30 you get good wind protection.. are you planning on goin alone?).

We started in Chapelizard and stopped in Athlone for the night. It worked out at around 5 hours cycling each day for us, but we took lots of breaks so actual journey time was more like 8 hours!

Bring plenty of good food with you, we were fed on mars bars - not a good idea... Bike essentials are a spare tube and pump and tools - you can get minitools with all the neccessary allen keys and screwdrivers. Bring lots of thin layers of clothing so you can easily change to suit the weather. I would recommend wearing cycling shorts too!

Where do you plan on sleeping? Make sure you can bring the bike in or bring a lock.

Because we were such a big group we had garda escort at the bad parts so we didn't have much trouble with cars, the Athlone bypass was definitely the worst bit though.

Good luck!

DonkeyRhubarb

My god all, you have enlightened me so much.

I want to do it even more now, but do realise that Im on my own if anything were to go wrong. My medic training can help others, but not myself:p

Ill prob bring one spare tube, one extra t-shirt and some underwear:D After that, I can live with what I have on! Weight is paramount!!!!

As far as sleeping from night to night, Ill find something. Im not too worried about that, it's more of an adventure if I dont know! Id bring a small tent, but there is no way in hell am I trusting a e3,500 bike to a tent!!!!!!!!! (yes its a lefty) Nor' will I lock it outside a B&B. Ill get a double bed for me and the bike if I have to:D

Food wise; I think Ill manage, every 10 miles at least there somewhere decent to eat (ie not a chipper). That will take away the requirement of carrying food, except water.

The only unpredictable thing that I am genuinely worried about is cars. I have driven to galway countless times and some people drive completly crazy. Ive had some close encounters in the car and people pay a LOT less heed to cyclists. Your lucky if they even notice you at times.

Id like to bring a racer bike on my travels, but Im honestly not gonna spend another 2,500e on a road bike when I mainly do downhill (Imagine a racer on the wicklow mountains:p )

Again all, I appreciate all the help, it's all going to help!

Alkers

http://www.mtbireland.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=6205.0
Consider buying something like this? It's no 2500yoyo bike but it'd be a hell of a lot faster.

ciaranr

Might consider getting something VERY high-viz, like a good few bright LED's on the seatstays or a warning triangle taped to your back! There are a few narrow stretches on that road, and especially in the evenings when the sun is setting in the west, :eek: drivers may not see you! On the plus side, plenty of filling stations for the aul roll and tae.:) Good luck with it!

sobriquet

DonkeyRhubarb wrote:

Im on my own if anything were to go wrong.

You are basically depending on peoples help. When I was injured, two cars stopped to help me. I brought a €15 first aid kit that was well worth it, I was able to stick big bandage on until the Ambulance arrived. Defo consider bringing one, esp if you've medical training.

DonkeyRhubarb wrote:

Ill prob bring one spare tube, one extra t-shirt and some underwear:D After that, I can live with what I have on! Weight is paramount!!!!

It sounds like you could get away with just a light backpack so. You'll stink in the evening though. Bring two tubes.

It does sound like you'll be wearing baggy gear, standard DH type fare - I'd get a pair of lycra shorts if you don't already (I wore mine under baggies) and breathable layers like Harkev said.

DonkeyRhubarb wrote:

As far as sleeping from night to night, Ill find something.

Yeah, I wouldn't worry about it, I stopped at B&Bs along the way - but beware, the time of year will count and many you stop at could be booked out for weeks at a time.

DonkeyRhubarb wrote:

The only unpredictable thing that I am genuinely worried about is cars. I have driven to galway countless times and some people drive completly crazy. Ive had some close encounters in the car and people pay a LOT less heed to cyclists. Your lucky if they even notice you at times.

Ah I didn't find it too bad, tbh. I did some stretches like Roscommon to Athlone and Tullamore to Portlaoise which are bloody tight roads with trucks hurtling past with no problem other than the draught the trucks create and them being a touch too close for comfort. I didn't have hi-vis gear - it's almost pointless in broad daylight.

roadmanmad

Bring some-one with you. On a run like that, time will pass easier.

ciaranr

sobriquet wrote:

I didn't have hi-vis gear - it's almost pointless in broad daylight.

Man, wear something bright at least. You never know when you're gonna get in a shadow or pass a wall the same colour as you. Black can sometimes give good contrast also. It only takes a second for a driver to miss you.

Yeah, you're thinking high-viz, I've been wearing it all these years or someone else has been wearing it all these years and I/they never needed it. EXACTLY THE POINT OF WEARING IT!

If you realise, "yeah I could have done with being more visible there", chances are it's too late. Take it from someone who's had the lucky opportunity of such reflection while sitting on his bike. Sorry to be such a whinger...

sobriquet

ciaranr wrote:

Sorry to be such a whinger...

No, it's a prefectly worthwhile comment; I didn't intend to come across as being flippant about safety - if you think it'll help, then it's worth using.

connie_c

a postman i know(he retired 2 years ago) cycles to the galway races every year on his mountain bike with road tires. He does it over 2 days. hes in his late 60's and makes it over the galway border on the first day although he sets out from sallins in co.kildare. he has been doing it for almost 30 years. he is as mad as a brush though. rte did a little story on him last year as part of the coverage of the races. he brings a tent, camping supplies, the works on the bike.

DonkeyRhubarb

Id love to bring a tent and keep everything as natural as well, but christ almighty, Id wanna handcuff myself to my bike.

Hmm, me in High vis and spandex... Never imagined that, better start imagining it I suppose:p