Night Cycling in Galway

cormpat

Does anyone know any where in Galway where it would be safe to cycle at night? I did the turbo last Winter but I didn't really enjoy it (who does!?). Instead I'd like to get out for an hour in the evening after work, bling up the bike with a couple of lights & get a high vis jacket (or as I heard them being called on Joe Duffy before "a high frequency jacket"!) and do intervals. I was thinking somewhere like the South Park just down past the Claddagh. Or maybe out at the Prom in Salthill....
Does anyone else does this? Or are there too many walkers around? Any one else got some suggestions?

Is this a mental idea?

Smithzer

I did a few last year in Drogheda, there were 4 of us and we had a 15km lap. It was ok but got sick of it after about 3 weeks, all the stop starting and cold put and end to it.

If there are a couple of people doing it, it can be fun if your used to city cycling but it wasnt for me.

DeadSkin

cormpat wrote: »

Does anyone know any where in Galway where it would be safe to cycle at night? I did the turbo last Winter but I didn't really enjoy it (who does!?). Instead I'd like to get out for an hour in the evening after work, bling up the bike with a couple of lights & get a high vis jacket (or as I heard them being called on Joe Duffy before "a high frequency jacket"!) and do intervals. I was thinking somewhere like the South Park just down past the Claddagh. Or maybe out at the Prom in Salthill....
Does anyone else does this? Or are there too many walkers around? Any one else got some suggestions?

Is this a mental idea?

Noobie here, what's 'the turbo' & 'intervals'?

I'm hoping to get a bike next week and am trying to plan some routes around Galway to get started.
I'm based on the north side of Galway[Claregalway], they are digging up the road about a mile or two Galway side of Claregalway and to add to that there is no road lighting at two mile ditch[down by Mahons hardware place].

cormpat

Smithzer wrote: »

It was ok but got sick of it after about 3 weeks, all the stop starting and cold put and end to it.

Smithzer - I don't mean cycling around the streets & having to stop at round-abouts & traffic lights. That would do my nut in! I'm thinking more along the line of cycling around a park and doing some intervals, trying to avoid cars. I just find the turbo completely boring & am trying to avoid the boredom. Cycling around a park might be equally boring but I'm willing to give it a shot.

Dead Skin - A turbo trainer is a stationary trainer. You hook the back wheel of your bike up to it and it allows you to cycle indoor on your bike.

[IMG]file:///C:/DOCUME%7E1/Cormpat/LOCALS%7E1/Temp/moz-screenshot.png[/IMG]

Wikipedia describes interval training as "Interval training is a type of physical training that involves bursts of high intensity work. This high intensity work is alternated with periods of rest or low activity, the eponymous intervals."

Basically cycling flat out for for a couple of minutes & then recovering for another couple of minutes & then repeating it all over again.

cdaly_

Would you consider early morning spins before / on the way to work?

cormpat

cdaly_ wrote: »

Would you consider early morning spins before / on the way to work?

Not really. I leave for work & 7:30 & I'm not going to get up any earlier.

DeadSkin

Maybe down around South Park after 9pm might be an option.
I was down around there for a walk last weekend[during the day] and it was busy enough with folk out walking/jogging.

goods

cormpat wrote: »

Does anyone know any where in Galway where it would be safe to cycle at night? I did the turbo last Winter but I didn't really enjoy it (who does!?). Instead I'd like to get out for an hour in the evening after work, bling up the bike with a couple of lights & get a high vis jacket (or as I heard them being called on Joe Duffy before "a high frequency jacket"!) and do intervals. I was thinking somewhere like the South Park just down past the Claddagh. Or maybe out at the Prom in Salthill....
Does anyone else does this? Or are there too many walkers around? Any one else got some suggestions?

Is this a mental idea?

Im in the same boat myself, dark evenings are a dose, there isnt really a lap around southpark, just a path along by the sea, out to nemos pier,
Last year i used a route along by the road between b and q in knocknacarra and the clybaun hotel, there is a good stretch of road along there with good cycle lanes and its all lit up, not too busy at nite but not really getting away from traffic either if thats what ur after,

You could always head out the country roads in and around barna but it would be pitch black .

at1withmyself

goods wrote: »

Im in the same boat myself, dark evenings are a dose, there isnt really a lap around southpark, just a path along by the sea, out to nemos pier,
Last year i used a route along by the road between b and q in knocknacarra and the clybaun hotel, there is a good stretch of road along there with good cycle lanes and its all lit up, not too busy at nite but not really getting away from traffic either if thats what ur after,

You could always head out the country roads in and around barna but it would be pitch black .

Try a few loops of the city utilizing the cycle lanes as best as possible, something like this:

http://www.mapmyride.com/route/ie/galway/585128518922051684

You could easily modify it each evening/week to keep it interesting or try add in some hills like Taylors hill or Threedneedle road etc...

goods

yup pretty much what i was doing last year, only thing is u really have to keep your eyes peeled for pot holes drains ect,

chakattack

If you do the majority of your training in the city and among traffic you're much more likely to have an accident and all the start/stop/slowing for potential danger makes it hard to get a good workout.

For 100 or less you could have a very good light setup and rechargeable batteries to allow you roam the more rural roads safely.

I did this last year and grew to love the night spins.

cormpat

at1withmyself wrote: »

http://www.mapmyride.com/route/ie/galway/585128518922051684

I might try this route & the Knocknacarra B & Q one.... cheers lads.

what_traffic

at1withmyself wrote: »

Try a few loops of the city utilizing the cycle lanes as best as possible, something like this:

http://www.mapmyride.com/route/ie/galway/585128518922051684

You could easily modify it each evening/week to keep it interesting or try add in some hills like Taylors hill or Threedneedle road etc...

If your on a road bike that loop suggestion is not great. The N6 Cycle paths are very bumpy, poorly lit in spots. Would also not recommend tackling the multilane roundabouts on this route at night. The loop suggestions around Salthill however are useful as its not heavily trafficed in the evenings and no tricky junctions.

Pizarro

what_traffic wrote: »

If your on a road bike that loop suggestion is not great. The N6 Cycle paths are very bumpy, poorly lit in spots. Would also not recommend tackling the multilane roundabouts on this route at night. The loop suggestions around Salthill however are useful as its not heavily trafficed in the evenings and no tricky junctions.

Agreed. Those cycle lanes are awful during the day, I wouldn't want to ride them at night. The cycle lanes are nice on the Clybaun road but cut out after maybe 3km. It's a nice road to ride during the day though.

blorg

Agree with chakattack, get out into the countryside with good lights. Night spins in the city would be no fun at all and far more dangerous. Cycling at night on rural roads is quite safe in my experience if you are properly lit- you are the only bright object in a generally black surround and are actually very obvious. Everyone passing gives me plenty of room, far more than in the city or during the day.

ROK ON

cormpat wrote: »

Not really. I leave for work & 7:30 & I'm not going to get up any earlier.

Last winter I went for some spins at 530 in the morning getting into work at between 7 and 730.
The lack of traffic and stillness at 530 on a winters morning is very liberating. Give it a try - once you manage to actually get out of bed, it is easier than cycling at say 730 on a winters evening after a hard days work when there is still a lot of traffic on the road.

Esroh

My Alter Ego is a White van (of Sorts) driver between 9am and 9pm on the roads around Galway.Looking at it as a driver who notices Cyclists.
Get yourself well lit up and use the old Dublin rd. Anywhere west of the Distributer rd could be hairy enough.

The old Dub Rd is now the quietest road around. The Oranmore DualC has very little traffic apart from rush hour. And out towards Craughwell is very quiet. The hard shoulder has a good surface and with decent lights you would have no probs. Could come back in the coast rd as its plenty wide enough and has a decent surface