[Dublin] Night road spins

Gavin

Anyone on for some longish, 60k or so spins tuesday or wednesday night? Over Sally Gap and back perhaps. Wednesday looks like it might be dry, only worry is frost.

Or an alternative could be laps of the phoenix park, not races, but fast enough pace?

Oil Well

May be interested in the pheonix park idea, work fairly close, rather than sitting in traffic for 40mins, I could go for a spin and by the time I am finished there would be little or no traffic.

Lumen

Define "night".

blorg

I think it would have to depend on the temperatures, I wouldn't much like to be heading up Sally Gap in the dark with a risk of ice. Other than that I would be all for it.

Gavin

Define "night".

I dunno, 6-7 type of thing? Maybe later to suit workers?

May be interested in the pheonix park idea, work fairly close, rather than sitting in traffic for 40mins, I could go for a spin and by the time I am finished there would be little or no traffic.

I can swing through on the way home on the commute and could do some laps, if we got a few people it'd be good for some interval like training. Have other people going nuts is always good encouragement

I think it would have to depend on the temperatures, I wouldn't much like to be heading up Sally Gap in the dark with a risk of ice. Other than that I would be all for it.

Yeah, really ice is the kicker alright at the moment. Pain in the arse.

From met.ie, Monday and Tuesday night look like they are out. A tentative schedule for Wednesday, perhaps in the Park ? I don't know the park at all, so if some Park regulars head along, that would make things easier

DirkVoodoo

I would be up for it, phoenix park maybe. However I have a crappy commuter front light which limits my chances unless we are in a tight group.

Fixie intervals maybe?

Gavin

I've plenty of ridiculous torches, you're more than welcome to borrow one. I'll be on the fixed Banana alright if coming from DCU.

blorg

I don't think there would be so much of a worry of ice in the Park as up the mountains. Park would have to be an all-out race, no holds barred

Gavin

haha well yeah, a race would be good fun. We could do some warm-up laps and whoever wants to race then go for it full whack. Should be fairly safe with not many cars/people, decent roads, particularly if we avoid the main road running through.

*prepares dazzling helmet light to blind other racers*

DirkVoodoo

Cool, count me in then, never been to phoenix park before. Thanks for the torch offer Verb, I'll take you up in it!

Caroline_ie

Might join you guys ...

6/7 in the park is still pretty busy. Lots of cars, commuters, runners, deer... If you guys keep to the back of the park, you *should be ok.

niceonetom

DirkVoodoo wrote: »

Cool, count me in then, never been to phoenix park before. Thanks for the torch offer Verb, I'll take you up in it!

have you ever even been north of the liffey :rolleyes:

i'd be up for phoenix park too. there may be enough of us to institute a no gears rule. coasting might be tolerated but will also be derided (by me anyway). anyone want to offer me a big light? :pac:

Caroline_ie

Yes Yes Fixie of course! ... and it will be my 1st 'spin' in 8 weeks after my cast comes off Tomorrowwwwwwww!!!!! So I will more than likely be following your all from very far behind.

DirkVoodoo

niceonetom wrote: »

have you ever even been north of the liffey :rolleyes:

We sent some scouts over the bridge but they never made it back. If there are civilized people over there we just don't know, and frankly, I don't wanna know!

niceonetom

DirkVoodoo wrote: »

We sent some scouts over the bridge but they never made it back.

oh i remember that - they were delicious. thanks .

blorg

Fixie goes without saying if there are no mountains

grizzly

I'd be up for this! Should be fun. Having never done one of these before, what's the average speed people will be going? Have a feeling I may be left in the dust (mud?)

NeilMcEoigheann

class, so conclusion on tuesday or wed? i might be able to bring a friend setting up a fixie for him at the moment

Lumen

Verb wrote: »

I dunno, 6-7 type of thing? Maybe later to suit workers?

Ah, OK. I don't finish until at least 21:15. Have fun!

The nice thing about the park (if you planning to use the cycle paths) is that if you hit a patch of ice, you're not going to get hit by a car.

In the evening there are lots of joggers on the cyclepaths and cars on the road, so racing might be a bit tricky unless you're going off-road.

Gavin

I'm on for 7 tomorrow still. I have spare lights for niceonetom and Dirk 'Barf' Voodoo.
Where is good to meet? Just at the main entrance I guess ?

grizzly

I'll be there at 7pm tomorrow. I've got a few spare tail lights that I'll bring. So main entrance off Park Gate street?

blorg

I think I'm out, my back is fecked and I am going to the physio tomorrow evening about it. Hopefully will be better for the weekend.

Caroline_ie

... Lycra or not lycra by the way ...?

Gavin

I'll be wearing my usual garb, baggies and leg wamers.

If there's traffic about, I'm not mad keen on races, more just doing some interval training with company ! If there's no traffic, all goes I guess. We can discuss it there!

Caroline_ie

Main entrance works for me - see you guys then

@Blorg: get better soon

Chips Lovell

I'd be on for this too, but I'll see what the weather is like tomorrow.

DirkVoodoo

Count me in, if the weather aint too bad. Is the route reasonably sheltered? Also, do I need my passport.

Also, "Gavin" please bring the light

I will probably be all fredded up, baggies for me too.

Caroline_ie

DirkVoodoo wrote: »

Count me in, if the weather aint too bad. Is the route reasonably sheltered? Also, do I need my passport.

Bring your phrase book.

TinyExplosions

I have to go to the dentist in Drogheda, so am out

monument

niceonetom wrote: »

have you ever even been north of the liffey :rolleyes:

The park has a south side postal address - D8 - so he should be ok.

Chips Lovell

Are people still on for this? There were spits of rain around lunchtime, but it seems to be brightening up a little bit now.

Caroline_ie

el tonto wrote: »

Are people still on for this? There were spits of rain around lunchtime, but it seems to be brightening up a little bit now.

I was going to ask the same thing I am still up for it. Not sure how long but I'll show up.

Chips Lovell

Caroline_ie wrote: »

I was going to ask the same thing I am still up for it. Not sure how long but I'll show up.

OK. Take that I'll be along so. I'll text you if I can't make it or if the weather puts me back on the rollers.

Gavin

Yeah I'm still heading in. I can live with some light rain. Thundering rain and I'll be a no show.

niceonetom

i'll be there

parkgate street entrance? 7pm? no gears allowed? anti-lycra?

verb GAVIN - any extra lights would be muchly appreciated

@tonto - bianchi? please?

Gavin

niceonetom wrote: »

i'll be there

parkgate street entrance? 7pm? no gears allowed? anti-lycra?

verb GAVIN - any extra lights would be muchly appreciated

Yup, no problemo. All the above.

DirkVoodoo

I think I am going to have to skip this tonight. I have been chauffeuring all day today and I have some work to do so no cycling for me.

Next time!

P.S. Hope you all have a good one, stay safe!

Chips Lovell

But all I've got is lycra. Unless you want me to ride in jeans?

Raam

el tonto wrote: »

But all I've got is lycra. Unless you want me to ride in jeans?

Pinstripe suit, thank you.

Chips Lovell

Raam wrote: »

Pinstripe suit, thank you.

F**k that, what if it starts raining.

I'm not your monkey.

Raam

el tonto wrote: »

F**k that, what if it starts raining.

I'm not your monkey.

They should make pinstripe bike tights.

DirkVoodoo

As close as it gets....*shudder* Apologies for the size.

Chips Lovell

Don't think I'll be going back to the park for night time spins in future. It wasn't because of the company (which was excellent) rather the fact that its bloody dark there. I think it must be the trees. You can see the road better even up the mountains.

Caroline_ie

Good ( short for me ) spin. My first real cycle this year. My wrist was stronger than I thought it was, but most my leg muscle are gone I cycled aproximately 1h40 including my commute to the park. I had to go home early as I was sore on the wrist, but for a 1st 'day' out, I was really nervous and the dark doesn't help, I was quite pleased and I will do it again ... with 1 more light on my helmet.

Gavin

Aye, it wasn't fantastic alright. I think there was too much ambient light or something, it wasn't pitch black like it is in the country and the lights didn't work as well. Perhaps in the countryside, the lights create a greater contrast.

Anyway, tough to see. Just as El Tonto left, I went straight into a kerb coming off a roundabout and off the bike. No harm done though. A rather surprising 53km for me and 97% of max hr. Beaten by the king of the hill though, niceonetom. I blew my gasket too early. Next time !!

Nice to meet Grizzly too !

niceonetom

was there no moon tonight or something?

well i enjoyed it. i know that road a bit better than you guys though so i probably wasn't quite as nervous. i was mightily impressed by your light gav (thanks again! ), that's my first experience of riding with proper illumination and without street lights. great on roads i know well - probably a little more stressful all right - but i don;t know how i'd fare on fast descents or wicklow roads i'm less familiar with. then again, you guys say thing the lights might work better out there.

i may have to find out.

good to meet grizzly too - you should give one of the saturday spins a go. it gets better when you get out of the city (and you can see the road ahead of you).

my hrm tells me i hit 99% of max at some stage this evening. :eek:

Chips Lovell

niceonetom wrote: »

my hrm tells me i hit 99% of max at some stage this evening. :eek:

This after I left?

grizzly

It did get a little hairy for me on the bends at the south end of the park, on the last lap I hit a corner and nearly kept going through it. :eek:

Thanks to everyone for making me welcome.

niceonetom

el tonto wrote: »

This after I left?

yes. while you were around i didn't have to rise much above recovery pace, obviously.

i charged up the 'Khyber' (steady now!) and had to dig quite deep to pass and dispatch our newly renamed mod.

and although my polar hrm confidently tells me i reached 99% i'm not entirely sure i set it up correctly which means i have no idea what that was 99% of.

blorg

niceonetom wrote: »

and although my polar hrm confidently tells me i reached 99% i'm not entirely sure i set it up correctly which means i have no idea what that was 99% of.

You want to be careful with that, I believe that if you go over 100% your heart can go into reverse.

Chips Lovell

niceonetom wrote: »

and although my polar hrm confidently tells me i reached 99% i'm not entirely sure i set it up correctly which means i have no idea what that was 99% of.

How did you work out your MHR? The 220 minus age trick isn't very accurate and even the exertion test polar recommends pegged mine a good few beats below what I eventually found it to be.