Newbie

WilkBMC

Hi all new here,

Bought a bike 2months ago through the bike to work scheme (BMC Streetracer SR01 Tiagra) and have been cycling at least twice a week for the last 3-4 months, generally cycling around skerries and have done a couple of trips out to drogheda and towards swords/back of the airport etc.

Just wondering where are the best routes people can recommend trying to test myself, I have done the hill by ardgillan recently which nearly killed me as it was on the way back from a round trip (skerries to drogheda).

Two other questions what should my pace be (27 year old who is relatively fit)? and what RPM should I be cycling at and what is the best way of counting this?

colm_gti

WilkBMC wrote: »

(BMC Streetracer SR01 Tiagra)

Nice bike What colour did you get it in?

07Lapierre

The swordscc saturday spin is a nice route: about 60k in total. Theres a map on the "training spins" website.

WilkBMC

colm_gti wrote: »

Nice bike What colour did you get it in?

I bought it in silver and delighted with it.

07Lapierre wrote: »

The swordscc saturday spin is a nice route: about 60k in total. Theres a map on the "training spins" website.

Ill check that out now, do the swords club go out on any other days? or only saturdays?

WilkBMC

Can someone point me to the swordscc saturday route, cant find it.

billyhead

WilkBMC wrote: »

Can someone point me to the swordscc saturday route, cant find it.

Here it is. Be careful if doing it around this time of year. The back roads can be icy.
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/12301328

07Lapierre

https://sites.google.com/site/swordscc/club-training-spins/saturday-8-30-group

detones

WilkBMC wrote: »

Hi all new here,

Bought a bike 2months ago through the bike to work scheme (BMC Streetracer SR01 Tiagra) and have been cycling at least twice a week for the last 3-4 months, generally cycling around skerries and have done a couple of trips out to drogheda and towards swords/back of the airport etc.

Just wondering where are the best routes people can recommend trying to test myself, I have done the hill by ardgillan recently which nearly killed me as it was on the way back from a round trip (skerries to drogheda).

Two other questions what should my pace be (27 year old who is relatively fit)? and what RPM should I be cycling at and what is the best way of counting this?

I'm a newbie too from around the same area. A nice testing route I find is Skerries to Loughshinny, right to Baldongan, head to Man o war via palmerstown, then on the 5 roads, next over the Nags Head go straight through and head onto road to Garristown. Next head to Ardcath go straight through and take Right signposted for Stamullen. Eventually you'll hit a cross roads for the Naul (R 108) then it's up Snowtown and enjoy view at the top! Head straight to the Naul, stop for a coffee if you need it, then head out the Balbriggan Road and home. Should be around 60k with a few nice hills.

WilkBMC

billyhead wrote: »

Here it is. Be careful if doing it around this time of year. The back roads can be icy.
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/12301328

Thanks mate, I have done most parts of that route but not altogether, I will give it a go on friday.

Yeah had a fall the other day but didnt do any damage luckily and wasnt going to fast.

07Lapierre wrote: »

https://sites.google.com/site/swordscc/club-training-spins/saturday-8-30-group

Thanks thats a little different to the above map from billyhead and ill put that into mapmyride and send it to my phone.

WilkBMC

detones wrote: »

I'm a newbie too from around the same area. A nice testing route I find is Skerries to Loughshinny, right to Baldongan, head to Man o war via palmerstown, then on the 5 roads, next over the Nags Head go straight through and head onto road to Garristown. Next head to Ardcath go straight through and take Right signposted for Stamullen. Eventually you'll hit a cross roads for the Naul (R 108) then it's up Snowtown and enjoy view at the top! Head straight to the Naul, stop for a coffee if you need it, then head out the Balbriggan Road and home. Should be around 60k with a few nice hills.

Sounds like a good trek, I havent gone out that direction yet it is good to get a few different routes.

I have seen a few people do a similar route to yours but do that big hill at ardgillan aswell.

detones

WilkBMC wrote: »

Sounds like a good trek, I havent gone out that direction yet it is good to get a few different routes.

I have seen a few people do a similar route to yours but do that big hill at ardgillan aswell.

Ardgillan at the start of a spin sounds too much like hard work for a lazy lump like me!! Think there's a thread on here about Hills in North Co. D. Which would be worth a read. Also thread on here by bcmf on North County Boards 100 has a great route mapped on it which avoids all the main roads, but very easy to get lost!

billyhead

WilkBMC wrote: »

Thanks mate, I have done most parts of that route but not altogether, I will give it a go on friday.

Yeah had a fall the other day but didnt do any damage luckily and wasnt going to fast.



Thanks thats a little different to the above map from billyhead and ill put that into mapmyride and send it to my phone.

Sorry for the difference to Lapierres. Thats the route I was taking on Saturdays as I was cycling it from Rush. The Swords CC one goes from the Blakes Cross to Lusk road, heads around the outskirts of Lusk village and up the Skerries road turning off for Loughshinny. Thats the only difference

WilkBMC

detones wrote: »

Ardgillan at the start of a spin sounds too much like hard work for a lazy lump like me!! Think there's a thread on here about Hills in North Co. D. Which would be worth a read. Also thread on here by bcmf on North County Boards 100 has a great route mapped on it which avoids all the main roads, but very easy to get lost!

Ha ha I hear you, I just thought with the route you laid out being full of hills that the ardgillan one would suit you ha ha.

Ill have a good read through the site just running through some of them now.

billyhead wrote: »

Sorry for the difference to Lapierres. Thats the route I was taking on Saturdays as I was cycling it from Rush. The Swords CC one goes from the Blakes Cross to Lusk road, heads around the outskirts of Lusk village and up the Skerries road turning off for Loughshinny. Thats the only difference

No worries, Its a good route either way and yeah there isnt much difference at all.

Thanks lads.

Lusk Doyle

Wilk and detones are you on Strava? If yes then pm me and I'll point you in the direction of my routes.

Dermot Illogical

Lusk Doyle wrote: »

Wilk and detones are you on Strava? If yes then pm me and I'll point you in the direction of my routes.

Point them at Beasty's KOMs and a decent weather site while you're at it.

WilkBMC

Lusk Doyle wrote: »

Wilk and detones are you on Strava? If yes then pm me and I'll point you in the direction of my routes.

Yeah ill send you a pm now.

Dermot Illogical wrote: »

Point them at Beasty's KOMs and a decent weather site while you're at it.

Thanks