Cycle from Ashbourne to Airport

BrookieD

Hi New guy here,
Looking to buy a bike for first time in ages and try to get a little fit and cycle to and from work twice a week for starters and see how we go.

So Any idea how long it would take to cycle this route.
Back roads onto old N2 and straight all the way?

Also what bike is best? .... be kind, real newbie here.

Cheers
Darren

07Lapierre

I'd cycle from Ashbourne to Oldtown, then Rolestown, Knocksedan and onto Dublin Airport.

How long would it take? I'd guess about 30 - 40 minutes? Depends on your fitness level really.

BrookieD

thanks mate, My fitness is not great but would not be long in getting there, I run football training twice a week so not a complete sack of lard.

just looking to lose maybe a stone or two and get fitter.

07Lapierre

Ashbourne to the Airport is a fairly nice route. You won't be long losing a pound or two of weight cycling to/from work a few days a week. Go For It!

RobertFoster

07Lapierre wrote: »

I'd cycle from Ashbourne to Oldtown, then Rolestown, Knocksedan and onto Dublin Airport.

Do you not find that all roads to and from Oldtown are terrible? I try to avoid Oldtown whenever I'm out for a spin that way because of them. The Ashbourne-Swords road (R125) can be quite busy with commuters, but I'd rather stick to that road than go near Oldtown.

If you want to go in the R135 (Old N2) and take a left at Kilshane Cross, it only works out at about 1km longer. Then head left or right at the roundabout depending on which airport entrance you want.

georgieM

RobertFoster wrote: »

07Lapierre wrote: »

I'd cycle from Ashbourne to Oldtown, then Rolestown, Knocksedan and onto Dublin Airport.

Do you not find that all roads to and from Oldtown are terrible? I try to avoid Oldtown whenever I'm out for a spin that way because of them. The Ashbourne-Swords road (R125) can be quite busy with commuters, but I'd rather stick to that road than go near Oldtown.

If you want to go in the R135 (Old N2) and take a left at Kilshane Cross, it only works out at about 1km longer. Then head left or right at the roundabout depending on which airport entrance you want.

I cycle from ratoath to artane and find this route grand good roads and traffic not to bad

pgd-pgd

Been training on the bike around oldtown and the roads have been resurfaced lately.

07Lapierre

RobertFoster wrote: »

Do you not find that all roads to and from Oldtown are terrible? I try to avoid Oldtown whenever I'm out for a spin that way because of them. The Ashbourne-Swords road (R125) can be quite busy with commuters, but I'd rather stick to that road than go near Oldtown.

If you want to go in the R135 (Old N2) and take a left at Kilshane Cross, it only works out at about 1km longer. Then head left or right at the roundabout depending on which airport entrance you want.

The Naul - Oldtown road has been completely resurfaced recently.
The Oldtown - Rathbeale Road (R122) has been "patched up" and is a lot better than it used to be.

The R125 can be busy yes, but it will be hard to cycle from Ashbourne to the Airport without meeting traffic.

triggermortis

I wouldn't go via Oldtown. If there's not too much wind the old N2 would be grand as there's a shoulder to keep you out of the traffic. The R125 is grand too

Cookie_Monster

Something like this perhaps?

http://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=Unknown+road&daddr=R108+to:R108+to:R135+to:Dublin+Rd&hl=en&ll=53.477933,-6.285896&spn=0.052307,0.259895&sll=53.444206,-6.276798&sspn=0.052348,0.259895&geocode=FeRHMAMddpae_w%3BFSq-LwMdzlag_w%3BFcQxLwMdEcyf_w%3BFbCLLwMd-zWf_w%3BFexEMAMdMpme_w&mra=dme&mrsp=2&sz=13&z=13

road wise up to point C are pretty good. Don't know about after that though.

robs1

the ashbourne to swords road is great.it can get busy though.the next time i take a spin on it il have my withs about me though.the start of the week i had to get a drunk driver out of his car that had overturned on the road. if any cyclist was near him i hate to think what might have been the outcome

triggermortis

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

Something like this perhaps?

http://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=Unknown+road&daddr=R108+to:R108+to:R135+to:Dublin+Rd&hl=en&ll=53.477933,-6.285896&spn=0.052307,0.259895&sll=53.444206,-6.276798&sspn=0.052348,0.259895&geocode=FeRHMAMddpae_w%3BFSq-LwMdzlag_w%3BFcQxLwMdEcyf_w%3BFbCLLwMd-zWf_w%3BFexEMAMdMpme_w&mra=dme&mrsp=2&sz=13&z=13

road wise up to point C are pretty good. Don't know about after that though.

All that route should be ok now. There's roadworks on the old N2 but I think they're near done now - haven't been that way in a while. They were digging up the southbound side and laying pipes

BrookieD

cheers for the info guys, got my BTW scheme sorted, although not sure on the tax saving i will get.
Have a bike picked and loads of starter gear, helmet, reflective gear for the coming darker nights and mornings, gloves etc...

got a Felt Q220 with upgraded tyres for road usage and better more padded saddle,

Looking forward to getting it at the weekend and doing a dry run on monday from airport back to Ashbourne.

not looking forward to the achy legs though....,.... any tips on that?

Vélo

I cycle from Ratoath to city centre along the old N2 and find it fine. There's a hard shoulder the whole way and I would have imagined the back roads might be a bit dodgy as they'd be tight enough with traffic.

That's the reason I don't cycle through Kilbride as the the road is busy in the mornings and cars fly along that road. I suppose it all depends what time of day you'll be commuting.

07Lapierre

Make sure the bike is setup correctly. i.e. saddle position and handlebar height. After that, sore legs will mean your doing it right!

BrookieD

cool, hopefully Eurocycles in Airside know their stuff for setting up the bike, me, not a clue so some light reading for me later.

mrboswell

I'm in a similar boat BrookieD.

I was VERY fit (athletics) and trained 4-5 times a week up until I was about 20. Lots of injuries and the demon drink meant I gave up and now that I've hit 30 I've decided that I need to lose a few stone. Haven't managed to exercise regularly as my hamstrings are always getting strained so I've got orthotics on the way to hopefully help with that.

Anyway I got my bike a few weeks back. I'm moving at the moment so I've hardly been out on it but I'm delighted with it. Everyone says that its hard to get going but after couple of weeks it gets easier.

I'm aiming for a triathlon next summer so with the cycling getting going I started swimming this morning. I'm aiming to get fit gradually and lose some weight before I start the runs.

I fancy the route around the airport, must check out how far it is..

Best of luck!

BrookieD

its about 23k or so from ashbourne to Airport.

yeah i need to loose a stone, and then i am aiming to tone up and keep fit. hopefully all goals reached for end of year

Seve OB

Hey Brookie

I am a complete sack of lard unlike yourself!!

I picked up my own Felt last week from same shop in Airside, a Z6. Came down old Swords road and round the St Margarets road at the back of the Airport to Kilshane cross, over to Tyrellstown and down into Carpenterstown.

My routre was 22k and took 59 minutes. Round the back of the airport was a killer, very open, windy and uphill, I found that tough going, but you would probably go a different route to Ashbourne.

One thing I will say to you though bout Eurocycles. Have a good cycle round on it before you leave Airside to check it out. I'm on my way in to their shop in town at lunch time cause there is a problem with my rear wheel, terrible noise on each rotation, cant pick out exactly what it is and makes it difficult because it is only there with weight on the bike, no noise there at all when I just spin the wheel. Also the wheels weren't aligned great, the brake pads keep scuffing the rims. I've played with them a little to realign but can't get it right so they can look at that also when I'm in.

I also got no documentation nor tools, don't even know if I should have!

BrookieD

Thanks for the heads up,

I am going to budget 1hr to cycle from Ashbourne, my route will be
Old N2 to Kilshane Cross
Left to Airport and right at round about stright all the way from there.

Might go the St Margarets route home onto R125 old swords road into the back of Ashbourne.

Still 1 hour bench mark and see from there.


Will see what i am getting with the bike, and have a good check out.

07Lapierre

One hour!! U walking?

BrookieD

LOL learning, but lets see how my first trek goes

07Lapierre

BrookieD wrote: »

LOL learning, but lets see how my first trek goes

Don't forget to come back and tell us how you got on. Enjoy.

Seve OB

You should be well covered in the hour Brookie. I've been back up on the bike now for three weeks, and found it tough to start with, but it's amazing how much easier it gets, and it's so enjoyable too.

Speed will pick up fairly quick, I have knocked over 5 minutes off my 10k trip into work, though i did upgrade last week to a racer form my old MTB which helps a lot!!

BrookieD

ok just picked up the bike,
just back from a quick 10k spin, went north of Ashbourne to see how it was...
30mins for 10k shocking time, so looking to get 7 mins off that in a few weeks,

was left for dead going up hill by a pensioner, lol reality check.............

Inquitus

BrookieD wrote: »

ok just picked up the bike,
just back from a quick 10k spin, went north of Ashbourne to see how it was...
30mins for 10k shocking time, so looking to get 7 mins off that in a few weeks,

was left for dead going up hill by a pensioner, lol reality check.............

There are some pensioners out there who would leave most cyclists in Ireland for dead, don't judge a book by it's cover etc.!

mrboswell

I hear ya Brookie - I went for my first cycle on Weds.

9Km round trip from Finglas to the roundabout at the back to the airport (where you would go left for Kilshane cross). Didn't feel too bad till I was nearly home.

Saw an auld one on a mountain bike so I picked up the pace to pass her but when I got to JAmestown road she was right behind me! Slightly embarrassed and t top it all off when I got off the bike my legs were like jelly and I couldn't walk properly for about 5 mins!

Gonna do a couple more of them next week and hopefully I'll be able to up the distance.

Def feel like a lardo now even if I didn't when I started!

triggermortis

mrboswell wrote: »

I hear ya Brookie - I went for my first cycle on Weds.

9Km round trip from Finglas to the roundabout at the back to the airport (where you would go left for Kilshane cross). Didn't feel too bad till I was nearly home.

Saw an auld one on a mountain bike so I picked up the pace to pass her but when I got to JAmestown road she was right behind me! Slightly embarrassed and t top it all off when I got off the bike my legs were like jelly and I couldn't walk properly for about 5 mins!

Gonna do a couple more of them next week and hopefully I'll be able to up the distance.

Def feel like a lardo now even if I didn't when I started!

I hear that! My first outing was from Ashbourne, along the N2 towards the airport. Got about halfway to Coolquay and turned back for home. In my defense, it was February and I wasn't properly kitted out for the weather, but all in all it was a fairly puny effort on my part. Now I'm usually out for 2 hours at least at home (week off) and hour to hour and a half + the week I work.
Just increase things gradually and you'll get there