Dublin Cycling: Quays or North Circular?

gerrowadat

I was looking at starting to cycle into work once or twice a week (it's 35-40k, based on route).

One thing I've been mulling over is exactly how dangerous are the quays these days? I drive down them regularly and obviously as a motorist I don't see half the stupid **** that goes down, but is it worth the extra few km to take the NCR which might be a bit quieter?

Chartsengrafs

I find the North Quays quite safe (don't come home the South), there are far worse routes into town. I find that the route tends towards a bit of commuter racing at times due to the volume of bikes and people picking up speed coming through the park.

bogmanfan

I use the north quays every day. Bus lane for most of the way. I find it very safe, just be careful on Bachelors Walk, with people getting off buses.
On the way home I take the NCR. Much safer than the south quays in my opinion. Bus lane all the way. Depending on your route you can then continue on through the park which is always nice.

gerrowadat

Cheers. Skipping the park initially, coming in via Chapelizod. Not looking forward to knockmaroon hill :-)

beauf

I don't find the north quays that bad tbh. Its usually jammed with cars and slow moving. South quays I don't like.

I don't go that way, but I assume the park might be slightly longer than knockmaroon hill route, but much more pleasant. Chapelizod is very narrow.

Tombo2001

The NCR is not a particularly pleasant cycle . Its not a wide road and there will be a lot of impatient drivers waiting to overtake you, especially from the phoenix park to phibsboro.

On the other hand, if you cycled down oxmantown road via stoneybatter and Smithfield, there are probably some back roads with very little traffic.

Lumen

I've used the north quays for years with no issues, provided that caution is taken w.r.t. left-turning vehicles.

I recently changed route on my way home to use the south quays, and it's much less hairy than I remember. I wouldn't want to do it slowly though.

cython

beauf wrote: »

I don't find the north quays that bad tbh. Its usually jammed with cars and slow moving. South quays I don't like.

I don't go that way, but I assume the park might be slightly longer than knockmaroon hill route, but much more pleasant. Chapelizod is very narrow.

bogmanfan wrote: »

I use the north quays every day. Bus lane for most of the way. I find it very safe, just be careful on Bachelors Walk, with people getting off buses.
On the way home I take the NCR. Much safer than the south quays in my opinion. Bus lane all the way. Depending on your route you can then continue on through the park which is always nice.

Can't emphasise what these two have said enough. When I cycle in to work (D15 to Harcourt Street) I come in through the park and along the North quays and it's fine. Only potentially hairy bit is getting across to turn right onto O'Connell Bridge, but you get the hang of it and it's straightforward enough once you keep your wits about you.

Heading home though, avoid the south quays. The bus lane practically appears and disappears at random, and some people seem to have massive confusion with some junctions where the lanes may realign through the junction. I go the SCR over to Islandbridge, then out towards Chapelizod and in that gate of the park, so as to avoid the quays, and it really only adds 1-2km which I don't mind on the way home.

beauf

The south quays is very poorly laid out and the road markings are terrible. Also traffic moves a lot faster and merges at speed.

The lanes don't match up as you pass bridges. Causing no end of confusion.

the world wonders

The quays have no parked cars to door you so that's a major plus compared to the NCR.

ThisRegard

You mention via Chapelizod, you could turn right at Islandbridge and down the canal which is pleasant enough, do the same going home. Not much use if you're going somewhere in the north inner city however.

tomasrojo

I had two very unpleasant incidents of road rage on the NCR, and I avoid it now when possible. The North Quays has never given me any trouble. I think, as said above, the combination of narrow lanes and people in a hurry makes the NCR very unpleasant at rush hour.

rab!dmonkey

North Quays in, South Quays out for me. The bus lane all the way down the North Quays makes it smooth sailing. If you're going down the South Quays at rush hour, traffic will be going relatively slowly - except perhaps on Victoria Quay. It can be tricky to get from the bus lane to the right hand lane, so you do need to start switching lanes well in advance if traffic is flowing freely.

jimmycrackcorm

I find North quays fine and the south quays also once you get the corporation offices. The only exception being traffic sometimes cutting in to turn left at Bridge street

Tombo2001

bogmanfan wrote: »

I use the north quays every day. Bus lane for most of the way. I find it very safe, just be careful on Bachelors Walk, with people getting off buses.
On the way home I take the NCR. Much safer than the south quays in my opinion. Bus lane all the way. Depending on your route you can then continue on through the park which is always nice.

No bus lane on any part of the NCR except between Drumcondra Road and St Peters Church.