My first 20km cycle to work

neonman

Well guys, I just completed my first cycle to work covering 20km (1hr 5mins). Really enjoyed it a lot more than I thought I would. Tough in places but never thought I wanted to stop.

Only downside and very lucky I guess is, I got a flat right outside my work place about 200m away. I have a spare innertube (thanks to a friend in work)

Looks like I'll be doing some shopping this weekend to get spare innertubes for myself and to replace my friends one and some tools to take the tube out.

See you on the road.

Neon

petethedrummer

Make sure your tyres are pumped to within 5 or 10 psi of the max. A track pump helps alot. I am getting alot of punctures lately too. I just put it down to an unlucky streak.

vektarman

Well done Neon, the first cycle is the hardest, what roads do you use? If the traffic was heavy it makes the cycle to work even more satisfying.

AstraMonti

Well done! We need more people on bicycles on the streets

petethedrummer wrote: »

Make sure your tyres are pumped to within 5 or 10 psi of the max. A track pump helps alot. I am getting alot of punctures lately too. I just put it down to an unlucky streak.

I am getting a lot of punctures latety as well! Four in the last fifteen days!

neonman

Thanks all.

My route is Clontarf Rd into Fairview then up the Quays and into Inchicore and then up the Naas Rd and into Citywest. I got the bloody puncture in the business park lucky I guess because I could just walk a few 100m and I was in work.

The hardest part is from Inchicore all the way up to Citywest.

Vélo

Well done. Keep it up.

pburns

AstraMonti wrote: »

I am getting a lot of punctures latety as well! Four in the last fifteen days!

Roads cut up in ****e after the wet weather? Also I find the wind can blow debris and thorns etc. onto the road this time of year. Wait 'til the hedgecutting starts...

Re the OP's cycle to work - that's about 25 miles every day in old money. That's good going for mere mortals (although to some on here it's a spin round the block).

petethedrummer

neonman wrote: »

into Fairview then up the Quays and into Inchicore

I prefer to go D'Olier st, Dame st, Christchurch, Thomas st and into Inchicore. The speed of the traffic is much lower and there is a bit more room.

conbob

good stuff

BraziliaNZ

get armadillo tyres, i never get flats, never, and i cycle about 15k a day

lafors

Well done Neonman, thats a decent cycle to/from work.
Clontarf to Citywest, I'd say thats a crap drive? hopefully that makes the cycle more enjoyable

I've been planning to cycle in to work myself once a week. I've got a crap route for driving like yours, Beaumont to Leixlip. I've worked out a route for cycling (here), its 26km. The distance isn't a problem, I'm just worried about some of the roads. Anyone think these roads are too dangerous to cycle?
I'd be most worried about lutterllstown rd and past that.
I'd also be cycling very early/late as I do shift work, so I'd be going at 5.30am and heading home at 7.30pm, I'd expect as the roads would be emptier you'll get a lot of speeding? Any advice? I'm use to cycling around the city but its the small country roads I'd be more afraid of.

MadHatter

lafors wrote: »

I've worked out a route for cycling (here), its 26km. The distance isn't a problem, I'm just worried about some of the roads. Anyone think these roads are too dangerous to cycle?
I'd be most worried about lutterllstown rd and past that.
I'd also be cycling very early/late as I do shift work, so I'd be going at 5.30am and heading home at 7.30pm, I'd expect as the roads would be emptier you'll get a lot of speeding? Any advice? I'm use to cycling around the city but its the small country roads I'd be more afraid of.

Have you tried driving it to see what its like? I know most of the roads so a couple of things to look out for...

- The road from Finglas West to Ballycoolin was closed until recently. It may be open again now, not sure though.
- Small point, but that road where the 10km marker sits is not a public road as far as I'm aware, you'd need to go straight on to top of Snugborough Road and turn left there.
- Roads around Luttrellstown are okay in daylight (wouldn't fancy them in fading light or darkness) but it gets a bit hairy around 20km mark. I've only cycled this road once but it was mid-week around noon and it was pretty busy. I'd imagine rush would be worse.
- Haven't cycled the section past Confey, but based on the other roads I think through Leixlip village might be safer. As long as your brakes are in good nick, because you'll be coming down Captains Hill!

If it was me, I think I'd feel safer going along Strawberry Beds into Lucan, but from what I remember there's a bit of messing to get from Lucan to Leixlip, possibly involving a bit of the N4.

And well done to OP. That's a fair trek.

Edit - @lafors, here's an alternative route that I'd feel happier with myself. Not sure about the section between Lucan and Leixlip that goes through some housing estates, but the homeward route is more simpler

http://bikeroutetoaster.com/Course.aspx?course=51849

lafors

MadHatter wrote: »

Have you tried driving it to see what its like? I know most of the roads so a couple of things to look out for...

- The road from Finglas West to Ballycoolin was closed until recently. It may be open again now, not sure though.
- Small point, but that road where the 10km marker sits is not a public road as far as I'm aware, you'd need to go straight on to top of Snugborough Road and turn left there.
- Roads around Luttrellstown are okay in daylight (wouldn't fancy them in fading light or darkness) but it gets a bit hairy around 20km mark. I've only cycled this road once but it was mid-week around noon and it was pretty busy. I'd imagine rush would be worse.
- Haven't cycled the section past Confey, but based on the other roads I think through Leixlip village might be safer. As long as your brakes are in good nick, because you'll be coming down Captains Hill!

If it was me, I think I'd feel safer going along Strawberry Beds into Lucan, but from what I remember there's a bit of messing to get from Lucan to Leixlip, possibly involving a bit of the N4.

And well done to OP. That's a fair trek.

Edit - @lafors, here's an alternative route that I'd feel happier with myself. Not sure about the section between Lucan and Leixlip that goes through some housing estates, but the homeward route is more simpler

http://bikeroutetoaster.com/Course.aspx?course=51849

Just drove it in to work there, road surfaces are very good, was very surprised by that!
You're right MadHatter the Finglas West to Ballycoolin part is closed so I went up cappagh rd, past mooretown and down onto blanch rd north then south then rejoined the route before clonsilla.
Still think luttrellstown onwards to the end will be dodgy part.
I picked to avoid leixlip as I don't fancy going down captains hill & climbing back up the other side on the way out, so I could just use the back road (dunboyne rd) to kellystown lane, I know its a tight road but the surface is good and its flat enough.

It was 28.6km, and took 1hr 15mins in the car, I'd expect to beat that on my bike Gonna give my route a trial run, then try the one you suggested next week.
Is the strawberry beds not a lethal road for cycling? The always seems to be cars booting along?

D!armu!d

Strawberry beds is safe enough for cycling, I use it every day and the ramps slow the cars down. Would make sure you're in hi-vis as there are a few windy bends on it.
If you are going to blakestown you should think about going up laraghon hill and out past confey so you avoid lucan & leixlip villages.

MadHatter

lafors wrote: »

Is the strawberry beds not a lethal road for cycling? The always seems to be cars booting along?

It's been alright anytime I've cycled along there. As already mentioned, the speed bumps slow the traffic down.

Best bet is to try a few different routes as you've suggested yourself.

Soylent_Green

BraziliaNZ wrote: »

get armadillo tyres, i never get flats, never, and i cycle about 15k a day

Or try Continental Gatorskins. Good grip, puncture resistance and durability.

julien05

id just flick off the mp3 player along dangerous stretches so i know a car is coming and make sure im hugging the side of the road.

20k everyday wish i cud do that.. sweet

seamus

AstraMonti wrote: »

I am getting a lot of punctures latety as well! Four in the last fifteen days!

Wet conditions make tyres less puncture resistant. There's also the problem that hazards such as broken glass can't be seen when the road is wet, so you're likely to ride straight through it.

dario28

seamus wrote: »

Wet conditions make tyres less puncture resistant. There's also the problem that hazards such as broken glass can't be seen when the road is wet, so you're likely to ride straight through it.

I found since the knackers smashed the bus stops up the malahide road at halloween its like a mine field for glass , plus they must have been smashing their bottles as they went along as well

Soylent_Green

Moving to Dunboyne next week. Will have a 13.5 mile commute into town and the same home every day myself. Just took delivery of a Cube Aerial, replacing my old Lapierre. Nothing too flash, but a good solid bike for commuting in all sorts of weather.