Lusk to Pearse Street

instinct

Hey just wondering if there is anybody cycling from the Lusk area to the city and how do they find it ?

I keep threatening to take on the commute which is double the distance to what I am used too and covering some dodgy roads. With the fairer weather and train letting me down more then once I think its time to hit the saddle.

My only hesitation is Im on an MTB with slick tires so I just hope my back isnt broken by the time I get into the office.

What is a fair time to give myself for this sort of commute ? 25'ish KM each way.

NeedMoreGears

A mate heads into town most days from Malahide on a heavy enough MTB style bike - its has front suspension but isn't really for "proper MTB-ing". Route is 22k each way. It takes him about 5-10 mins more than on his road bike - just under the hour all in. I imagine you might want to add a few mins for the extra 3km. He finds it more effort than the road bike but moving over to slicks helped a lot. Why not give it a try - it'll be quicker than the train from Lusk. If you can leave the bike at work, you could build stamina by cycling in one mroning and home the next evening.

shaungil

I know of about 10 people going to town on a fairly regular basis from Skerries area. Mostly on road bikes but one or two have taken mtb's. Just give it a go and see how you get on.

Be warned though it gets competitive and you might have to upgrade before you know it.

Try cycle in one day train home then train in cycle home as you build up stamina. I aim to do 2 to 3 days a week now as it fits perfectly into my training. Every time is hammerfest and am always trying to beat my pb.

Beasty

instinct wrote: »

What is a fair time to give myself for this sort of commute ? 25'ish KM each way.

My commute includes Lusk to Clare Hall, and I'm typically averaging around 29-30kph for that stretch, so if you are reasonably fit you should be looking at around an hour or so for 25km

petethedrummer

It will generally take longer going south (cos of the prevailing SW wind). Budget 1:15 -1:30 for your first go at it. It might be much quicker depending on the number of lights you encounter. Or better still, try it this weekend and time yourself. I did this for my first attempt a long commute.

It will take a while(weeks maybe months) to build up to doing it every day. And it will take a while to figure out what clothes you need for every type of weather. You definitely should try it though. My cycle commute is by far the best part of my working day.

GlennaMaddy

always.takes.me.15mins.longer.to.cycle.home.that.route.even.with.prevailing.wind.behind.me
Think.it's.the.traffic

Kintarō Hattori

I'm terribly unfit and would do Balbriggan to the city centre on a MTB in about 1h 30 min. It's certainly very doable OP. I found the journey quite nice in the daylight but undertook it there for the first time in the dark last night. Eh not again until it gets bright. About half of the journey is unlit and I could see feck all. Cars not dipping their head lights didn't help either!

instinct

Thanks for the support guys.

Did the commute in just under an hour this morning. Hopefully Ill get a bit quicker as I regain some fitness.

The real challenge will be the spin home as its more of a climb Wish me luck.

trad

A climb? around Lusk? try travelling between Bray and Greystones - that's a climb.

Jawgap

instinct wrote: »

Thanks for the support guys.

Did the commute in just under an hour this morning. Hopefully Ill get a bit quicker as I regain some fitness.

The real challenge will be the spin home as its more of a climb Wish me luck.

Do you wear kind yellowy MTB garb? If so i think i may have passed you between Lusk and Blake's Cross

petethedrummer

Jawgap wrote: »

i think i may have passed you between Lusk and Blake's Cross

Instinct, this guy is dissing you. You're going to have to start laying the smack down.

shaungil

Harsh Jaygap, this guy on his first commute ever and doing really well and you feel the need to dis him like this.

Sounds like something needs to be sorted out in the terms of a smackdown.

@Instinct the drags I find are Drumcondra to Whitehall slight drag before Airside and the then drag to roundabout with M1 out of Swords. My least favourite bit is Blakes Cross to Lusk as the traffic tends to not give you much room so typically I go straight on and go home by the Man o War.

Well done on getting out and doing it.

cdaly_

Hold on, Lusk is on the coast, Pearse St is nearly on the coast. You could do nearly the whole thing at sea level.

Admittedly it'd be about 50% longer so you've the choice of developing climbing legs or endurance...


[edit] Ah never mind, it's Rush is on the coast...

PS. Well done on making it in this morning...

instinct

Oh the shame Yes that sounds like me. Not a fan of the Lycra, arse in the air look.

not my first commute guys, was a regular 10k commuter but this is the first from the new place. And boy how I missed it. Feel great now today.

So do I have to buy a shiney new roadie and skin tight lycra to be in the cool gang. How about cycling 4 abreast on Sunday mornings checking out my mates hunky legs

Jawgap

shaungil wrote: »

Harsh Jaygap, this guy on his first commute ever and doing really well and you feel the need to dis him like this.

Sounds like something needs to be sorted out in the terms of a smackdown.

@Instinct the drags I find are Drumcondra to Whitehall slight drag before Airside and the then drag to roundabout with M1 out of Swords. My least favourite bit is Blakes Cross to Lusk as the traffic tends to not give you much room so typically I go straight on and go home by the Man o War.

Well done on getting out and doing it.

I was only asking so I could say hello next time.......I wasn't laying anything down;)

Saying that, if he will plod along on a mud plugger, even if it has baldy wheels, he can't expect any quarter, but he can expect a cheery good morning and chat unless the road means we have to go single-file!

Jawgap

.....and just to add, I think Trad was being more disrespectful than I was:)

shaungil

Ah Jawgap you're rightif he's not lycra'sd up how can we judge if he is even worthy of an acknowlegement.:D

TBH I'd say anyone who goes near me on my commute thinks I'm an ignorant git I always am hammerfesting for training or hurry home/work perspective and aiming to beat pb. So Red Spesh in Swords gear is me not being rude just what I do.

Re riding 4 abreast I find it easier to check calf definition cycling behind and then getting in front to show mine. Just remembered I must get more baby oil and fake tan.

instinct

Summer is coming. Time to get the wax out

I dont remember being passed between Lusk and Blakes. What were u on Jawgap? I was passed @ airside alright then another guy passed just before Santry. Super human he was as he just smoked off into the distance with no hope of keeping up.

As much as i like my mud plugger (like that :cool:) I deffo noticed the lack of gearing going flat out. Will see how things go but perhaps Ill look at an investment in good hybrid.

shaungil

what time were you going to Santry. Saw two lads at lights at that little in dustrial estate when I took a "shortcut"

instinct

guess round 8:30 or so.

dam traffic light

shaungil

that one you can zip up the left and cut across perfectly legally. Usually karmic retribution is exercised at the bottom of the hill tho in the form of a red light.

trad

Jawgap wrote: »

.....and just to add, I think Trad was being more disrespectful than I was:)

I hope I wasn't being disrespectful, I'm contemplating cycling all the way to work instead of using the Dart to Greystones and cycling the rest of the way, 20k each way and I have to go over Bray Head or take the N11 throught the Glen of the Downs and at the moment I'm sitting at a trim 125kg.

OP fair play to you taking on the commute.