Advice on commute from Sandyford to City Centre

Robertd_07

I've been commuting now for the last couple of years from the D15 area into town (Leeson Street area).
It's been quite pleasant, cycling through the park every morning.
Now I'm moving house, all the way over to the south-side (Leopardstown) and have to work out a new route to work.
A quick look on google tells me to head down Brewery Road, onto the N11 and the it's a straight shot in to work.
Another option is to head down Drummartin Road and in through Clonskeagh.
I'm hoping some people on here who've experience of cycling in from that general vicinity can advise me as to the better route, and give me a heads up on things to watch out for.
Robert

reallyunique

If you're a strong and confident cyclist then the N11 is fine though I find it too flat and boring. It's like motorway driving but by bike. It is probably the fastest way to Leeson St. Busses, particularly private ones can be pretty aggressive in the bus lanes and the cycle path from RTE to the bus station is pants so you're encouraged to stay on the road.

My personal preference is the Clonskeagh route. It's still fairly direct for you but with more lights and junctions. This makes it, statistically, a more dangerous route but you get more shelter from wind and rain and at rush hour the cars are mostly all stopped. It's slower than the N11 but for me it's much more pleasant. Of course, if you race then that won't matter at all.

awec

The N11 is grand to cycle on. It's downhill going in to town and uphill coming out (though it's not overly noticable until around Booterstown Ave heading out of town and even then it's easy).

kenmc

You could also go the clonskeagh route, then through UCD to the N11, that way you miss most of the crappy cycle lanes on the N11. You'll pop out near RTE. You can then either go down by vincents and to the merrion road, or down to donnybrook church, turn right down by the RDS to merrion road and either continue in to the city center straight or go down shelbourne road and up into leeson st that way according to whim.

Robertd_07

With a comment like this I find my route decision already made for me

reallyunique wrote: »

If you're a strong and confident cyclist then the N11 is fine ...

Thanks for the replies. I'll spend the next couple of weeks trying the different routes out and see what appeals to me most.

Have to say I'm really going to miss the Phoenix Park part of the commute though.

Even the quays aren't too bad.

SerialComplaint

You could try coming straight down Sandyford Road, through Dundrum. You can go off the main road around Columbanus, taking back lanes, grassy stretches, or the Dodder path, depending on what part of the city you are going to.