Road Cycling in The Phoenix Park: Any advice?

gatorade

Im just starting out on my first road bike and as the triathlon im doing is in the Phoenix park i was wondering if anyone has any advice on cycling in the Phoneix Park; routes, what to expect from traffic, should i start by using the cycle lane thats on the pavement (im pretty sure there is one).

Thanks.

Caroline_ie

Hi!
what i tend to do it stay towards the hilly side of the park, go up and down the inclines. you dont actually need to get on the main road if you dont want to, so the traffic isnt that bad.
you're training for triathlons?

Caroline_ie

i think if you were to go to the triathlon forum, they'd be able to tell you exactly what circuit they are doing so you can train on it. the more you train thus specilfic circuit, the better and more confident you will be at it.

davidsatelle100

dont mean to hijack\change the thread but does anyone have a decent map of the route for the tri in the park. trying to get one for a while now and cant seem to find it

Caroline_ie

davidsatelle100 wrote: »

dont mean to hijack\change the thread but does anyone have a decent map of the route for the tri in the park. trying to get one for a while now and cant seem to find it

triathlon forum might be a better place to ask

gatorade

davidsatelle100 wrote: »

dont mean to hijack\change the thread but does anyone have a decent map of the route for the tri in the park. trying to get one for a while now and cant seem to find it

Ive been looking for it too. At this rate i think il just email the dct people. There is a link to the video of the route on their site but thats for the olympic (im doing the super sprint- although its probably the same route just shorter.)

Thanks Caroline for the advice btw.

petethedrummer

I wouldn't use the cycle path for training, there's too many pedestrians, roller bladers, dogs, etc.. Especially if you're gonna go down on the Tri Bars, you might not see them in time.

I would stick to doing laps around the outer road, not too many cars. There's a few speed bumps on the northern side of the park so keep any eye out for them.

ROK ON

To avoid the worst of traffic/peds, then I suggest the following route.
I see cyclists training on this every day, and a lot of folks with TT bikes.

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=Kyber+Rd&daddr=Furze+Rd+to:Upper+Glen+Rd+to:53.347528,-6.331472+to:Military+Rd&hl=en&geocode=FVwKLgMdC6qf_w%3BFUM0LgMd7B2f_w%3BFbIDLgMdwk6f_w%3B%3BFd0HLgMdo6af_w&mra=dpe&mrcr=2&mrsp=3&sz=14&via=3&sll=53.358287,-6.318598&sspn=0.025305,0.076904&ie=UTF8&z=14

Caroline_ie

we saw someone training with TT bars on the cycle lane. it's not a legend! it's true!

gatorade

ROK ON wrote: »

To avoid the worst of traffic/peds, then I suggest the following route.
I see cyclists training on this every day, and a lot of folks with TT bikes.

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=Kyber+Rd&daddr=Furze+Rd+to:Upper+Glen+Rd+to:53.347528,-6.331472+to:Military+Rd&hl=en&geocode=FVwKLgMdC6qf_w%3BFUM0LgMd7B2f_w%3BFbIDLgMdwk6f_w%3B%3BFd0HLgMdo6af_w&mra=dpe&mrcr=2&mrsp=3&sz=14&via=3&sll=53.358287,-6.318598&sspn=0.025305,0.076904&ie=UTF8&z=14

Hey thanks for posting this, turns out this is the actual course for the triathlon. 5 laps for the olympic and 2 and a bit for the super sprint.

Poncherello

which way around is the route for the race, any thoughts which is the harder way around I think heading clockwise is easier ?

interested

Poncherello wrote: »

which way around is the route for the race, any thoughts which is the harder way around I think heading clockwise is easier ?

anti-clockwise is the typical route for Dublin tri.
To the OP - the park and the route are great places to get used to a new bike. Early mornings at the weekends are best imho. Apart from that and some interval work Id loose the will to live doing more than a few laps in there.

enjoy your new bike.

Highway_To_Hell

Poncherello wrote: »

which way around is the route for the race, any thoughts which is the harder way around I think heading clockwise is easier ?

Anti clockwise, enter the park at point A on the map and then on the last lap exit the park at point B and cycle up to the transition area.

estariol

I would say stay out of the cycle lanes as much as possible far more dangerous than the roads with walkers, rollerblades etc. especially if you're down on the tri bars and anyway on the day the roads will be closed.
The course was a bit short last year and this caused some grumbling afterwards so I would not be surprised to see the course change a bit this year!

gatorade

Rather than start a new thread: i just bought this bike
http://www.bowcycle.com/bc09/bikes/womens/specialized-dolce.shtml




and while im going not going to change the pedals until im broken in on it so to speak, can anyone suggest some road pedals for it (don't want to spend more than 100 euro).

The frame is 48 inch.

Also is the changing of pedals something that i could do myself?

Caroline_ie

Pedals - good and cheap
Shoes ... goes without saying ... yes pink and girly, why not.

|All for less 100 quid

gatorade wrote: »

Also is the changing of pedals something that i could do myself?

You need very good mechanical skills to change pedals ... a spanner ... and a hand that is connected to your arm. If you have that you should be ok.

blorg

Key thing about pedals is to remember that the left (non-drive side) is reverse threaded; if you get confused about this you can end up tightening the pedals with all your might making it rather more difficult to get them off. Most recent time I did this was last month, when I was flustered

Also be sure to grease the threads before screwing in your new pair- this is essential if you ever want to be able to remove them again. Oil will not do, you need grease (also guilty as charged although was some years ago now.)

gatorade

Thanks for the rec. Caroline on the pedals. I got them for 33 euro in that big bike shop in Tallaght. Of course getting them on is another thing. Original pedals are on so tight i cant get them off.

Caroline_ie

Hi - No prob for the tips
Go back to Cycleways and ask them to help you with that. You bought a bike off them, they will be able to help you.

messed_up

gatorade wrote: »

Hey thanks for posting this, turns out this is the actual course for the triathlon. 5 laps for the olympic and 2 and a bit for the super sprint.

Gatorade,

There are a few tri virgins, or at very most newbies, meeting up to do a few loops of the phoenix park on saturday morning. Nothing too demanding - 3 or 4 laps of the DCT lap and maybe a couple of the dublin duathlon course too.

We're lanning on meeting at the papal cross car park at 9:15 to start at 09:30 - you're more than welcome to come along if you're about

gatorade

messed_up wrote: »

Gatorade,

There are a few tri virgins, or at very most newbies, meeting up to do a few loops of the phoenix park on saturday morning. Nothing too demanding - 3 or 4 laps of the DCT lap and maybe a couple of the dublin duathlon course too.

We're lanning on meeting at the papal cross car park at 9:15 to start at 09:30 - you're more than welcome to come along if you're about

Hey thanks for the invite, i work saturdays (retail) but if you plan on making it a regular thing il defo. be up for it when i can get a saturday off

messed_up

gatorade wrote: »

Hey thanks for the invite, i work saturdays (retail) but if you plan on making it a regular thing il defo. be up for it when i can get a saturday off

Planning on getting out on Sunday morning this weekend too cos I can have on lie-in on Monday (yay!) - need to start getting some more miles in the legs asap

**Timbuk2**

gatorade wrote: »

Thanks for the rec. Caroline on the pedals. I got them for 33 euro in that big bike shop in Tallaght. Of course getting them on is another thing. Original pedals are on so tight i cant get them off.

Yes, tight pedals are a pain. I had this problem only two weeks ago. I tried and tried but it wouldn't go anywhere. Eventually in the end I put the 15mm spanner on the old pedals, sat on the saddle and pushed the spanner down with my foot. With a jolt the pedal freed - it just took about 8 more easy turns (most of which could be done by hand) to get them off.
I probably wouldn't recommend this way as it might damage the spanner, but it worked for me, and the spanner was ok! I used Weldite Lithium Grease on the threads for the new pedals