Saturday Spin, 20 September

blorg

Anyone on for a spin up the mountains tomorrow? 11am in Dundrum would work well for me but can probably do earlier if required.

Chips Lovell

11's a bit late I think, especially if one wants to get back to see the Vuelta after a decent spin. I'd prefer 9, but 10 would be a compromise.

barrabus

I am in. early is better.

blorg

OK, lets go for 10 then?

Chips Lovell

Alright so.

DirkVoodoo

I'm in too. Any idea of which route you will be taking?

From Met Eireann:

"A cloudy, misty start to Saturday, with drizzle in places but soon becoming dry everywhere. Bright or sunny spells will develop by afternoon and it will feel very mild and humid; highest temperatures 16 to 19 degrees Celsius."

kenmc

10 luas bridge still the plan? Should be there..

niceonetom

baring the time of posting in mind... i'm in. like flynn. ftw.

kenmc

oops. slept in

Chips Lovell

kenmc wrote: »

oops. slept in

You missed a trip up Kippure.

niceonetom

TinyExplosions

Oh dear, sorry I missed that climb.... *ahem*

Big group of people with you all today?

blorg

It was a lovely day for it, you could see Wales from the top of Kippure. We went on to Laragh for lunch and came back by the Wicklow Gap.

Chips Lovell

Blorg and niceonetom climbing Kippure. Last I saw of them until the top.

Caroline_ie

I beat the crap out of Kippure!!!! Slowly but I still beat it!

E@gle.

I think i must venture up your way for a spin sometime soon

DirkVoodoo

Bah, you and your flatlands eagle, you wouldnt last 10 seconds climbing the road up to Kippure

If we get a day like today again anytime soon, you should definitely pop up, what a day to be out on a bike!

DirkVoodoo

Mah snaps from today, excuse the crappiness, I couldn't see the screen properly with the sun.

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Daithi McGee

Some of you lot have nice bums. Toned etc. Makes me want to get on the old bike.

TinyExplosions

Caroline_ie wrote: »

I beat the crap out of Kippure!!!! Slowly but I still beat it!

Glad to hear it! It's a nasty climb, but worth it at the top!

daymobrew

Caroline_ie wrote: »

I beat the crap out of Kippure!!!!

I think I saw you going through Castleknock village as I was driving to the Phoenix Park for the half marathon. A bike ride, even up to Kippure, would not leave me in as much pain as I am after the run.

Who owns the black/yellow helmet? I saw someone wearing one as I got into the Phoenix Park at around 9:30 (Castleknock Gate, right at start of cycle track).

Caroline_ie

daymobrew wrote: »

I think I saw you going through Castleknock village as I was driving to the Phoenix Park for the half marathon.

That was me, wearing the Boards kit.

niceonetom

daymobrew wrote: »

Who owns the black/yellow helmet? I saw someone wearing one as I got into the Phoenix Park at around 9:30 (Castleknock Gate, right at start of cycle track).

that's me, that is. my helmet, like almost everything i own, is covered bits of tape.

unionman

I spent the whole day envying whoever got out on Saturday. The pics look great.

Got out myself for an early one yesterday with a mate. Left at 8am for a 70km trip via Howth, Portmarnock, Malahide and home through Finglas, Cabra and the Phoenix Park. Outstanding.

Are they with a phone or do you bring a camera with you on spins?

niceonetom

i think we were all just using phones.

this one is quite cool Dirk.

unionman

niceonetom wrote: »

i think we were all just using phones.

this one is quite cool Dirk.

Yeah, I thought maybe it was some new type of spoke system. Using Kippure as a hub, ingenious.

Mahler

Bumped into you chaps at the top of Wicklow Gap on Saturday. Thanks for allowing me tag along. Your Kippure photos are slightly prettier than some of the over-taking experienced later on the N81.

barrabus

Mahler wrote: »

Bumped into you chaps at the top of Wicklow Gap on Saturday. Thanks for allowing me tag along. Your Kippure photos are slightly prettier than some of the over-taking experienced later on the N81.

more than welcome, keep an eye out for the weekly Saturday spin post if you want to join in ...

blorg

Mahler wrote: »

Bumped into you chaps at the top of Wicklow Gap on Saturday. Thanks for allowing me tag along. Your Kippure photos are slightly prettier than some of the over-taking experienced later on the N81.

As barrabus says, was good cycling with you, we'll probably be out again this weekend- I'm the guy with the sandals . N81 is a bit of a disaster all right, el tonto (you missed him, he went home after Kippure) is a fan, we generally try to avoid it but it is the quickest way home.

DirkVoodoo

blorg wrote: »

I'm the guy with the sandals

As if he didn't know!

I would love to know how many times the word "sandal(s)" has appeared on the cycling forum, I'm going to guess its in the billions at this stage.

Chips Lovell

blorg wrote: »

...el tonto (you missed him, he went home after Kippure) is a fan...

What's not to like about kicking ass on the Tallaght by-pass?

ROK ON

blorg wrote: »

N81 is a bit of a disaster we generally try to avoid it but it is the quickest way home.

For people trying to head home from Sally Gap via Blessington side and want to avoid N81 (for the most part). If you are head Northside or West Dublin you can try a very nice alternative.

Coming into Brittas, there is a pub on your left called the Blue Gardenia??
Continue along N81 for 0.75KM, There is a road that veers left and then runs parallel to N81. It is the back road to Saggart.
Very well surfaced and have never encountered traffic. Also a nice winding descent into Saggart village.

Once in Saggart Village cycle straight through and all the way down to the entrance to Citywest. Turn right here into citywest and keep cycling up to next junction (Kingswood). Turn left and then first right (at the roundabout). The road thru Kingswood will bring you to flyover the Naas Road.

Once you make it over the flyover you will be on the Grangecastle road to Lucan. New road, very good cycle lane (brand new). Bus lane if you dont fancy cycle lane (and I have yet to meet a bus here).
All in all safer and way more enjoyable than N81. You can build up a head of a speed. Obviously not much use to southsiders.