Mayo Greenway on a Road Bike

The Sparrow

Going to a wedding in Westport next month and I'm thinking I will go down a day early and do the Great Western Greenway. Has anyone done it on a road bike and is the surface ok for that?

My preference is to go down on the train and to bring my Giant Defy with me because I'm quite tall and I have it pretty well setup. The other option is to leave my bike at home and rent a bike which will probably be a Giant Hybrid.

Also, is the route very difficult? I've only recently started cycling and my longest cycle was this morning at about 24km with an elevation of 312m in just over an hour. The Greenway is 42km each way so it may be too much to do a return journey if it is very hilly.

Ideally, I would do Westport to Achill in the morning which I expect would take about 2.5 hours and have some lunch on Achill and then head back in the afternoon. Although, perhaps I would be better off looking to get a ride to Achill and then cycling back. One of the rental companies do that so I could either rent a bike from them or email them and ask if they will let me tag along for a few quid if I bring my bike.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

damemcd

Really nice day out, if you get good weather.Quite a different prospect if youre facing into a stiff west wind

slideshow bob

I've been on the Greenway quite a lot. It's not great on a roadbike to be honest. The surface is mostly ok but a bit loose and a touch soft in places. And theres a good bit of pedestrian and cycle traffic so you'll not always be at road-bike speed where surface is good.

I would leave your own bike at home and rent a bike. Either do Westport-Mulranny and back, stopping for lunch there. Or take a one-way and bus from or to Achill. Decide the direction on the day choosing to go downwind.

Seaneh

You'd want atleast 28mm tyres for it to be enjoyable, I'd recommend 36+ though, I did it on 32's and thought it was still a bit harsh.

Seaneh

You can rent pretty decent hybrids which are actually perfect for it by the way, they are pretty cheap for the day as far as I remember, you can pick up one side and drop off at the other or do a return trip.

Tigerandahalf

You would want a solid enough bike with strong wheels. A hybrid or mountain bike. There are a good few cattle grids along the route and plenty of loose gravel/tar chips but in general it is a fine track. I've walked the vast majority and it is pretty much flat except for a few hills. One a clear day there are some lovely views.

gerrowadat

Definitely rent, I've the same road bike as you and wouldn't go near the greenway on it. The rental bikes we got were Giant hybrids, perfect for the route.

There are also a number of arched bridges that'd murder any wheel on a road bike if you hit it at any speed.

That said it's a decent route, nothing too strenuous, if you get the weather it'll be lovely.

slap/dash

I rode about half of it last year with some relatives from up there. I was on a road bike with 25mm on it and it was perfectly fine in my opinion, i mean descending at 60+ on any road in wicklow is what you use a road bike for and thats a lot more harsh. unless youve got 23 gators pumped to 130 its gonna be fine

No Pants

I rode it a number of years ago, hired a bike from Clew Bay Cycles in Westport. It was a hybrid and I was glad of it on some stages. They would have picked me up from Achill if I needed it.

chiralspiral

Yep. I did it on a road bike and would not recommend it at all. Slows the average down by at least 5km/h. Plus it's not designed for more than16km/h max - you're avoiding people, gates quite steep short climbs at the Mulranny end. Plus a headwind if you're heading coastwards or at least Achill direction - there's nae fun to be had. Hybrid all the way - or else ride your road bike on the actual road!

The Sparrow

Thanks everyone. I'll take your advice and rent a bike.

I was also sent this blog post that is a well written account of cycling the Greenway:

http://thecyclingblog.com/2014/05/02/the-great-western-greenway/

If anyone ever searches for this topic in the future they will find it useful.

_DMac_

Hi guys.

Will be doing the greenway in a few weeks having finally got my own road bike again. If I put a set of cyclocross 30c tyres on my bike would that do instead of renting a hybrid or would 30c still be too narrow for the gravelly bits.

I can get a set of tyres for about the same price as renting a bike for a day and I will be doing the greenway on a regular basis and reckon it makes more sense to get tyres.

thoughts, comments, suggestions please

No Pants

opcowner2007 wrote: »

Hi guys.

Will be doing the greenway in a few weeks having finally got my own road bike again. If I put a set of cyclocross 30c tyres on my bike would that do instead of renting a hybrid or would 30c still be too narrow for the gravelly bits.

I can get a set of tyres for about the same price as renting a bike for a day and I will be doing the greenway on a regular basis and reckon it makes more sense to get tyres.

thoughts, comments, suggestions please

You might be okay. I'd still be concerned about chips to the paintwork.

thejaguar

Definitely rent a bike.

1. Removes any hassle transporting your own bike.
2. It's a handy route, so you don't need anything other than a cruisy hybrid.
3. Most of the rental companies will come and pick you up at one end or the other.

A road bike is kinda wasted on the Greenway to be honest. It's gravelly, generally leisurely and there are numerous gates/obstacles that lend themselves to a nice relaxed trip on a hybrid.

Seaneh

You're better pff just renting, it's really not road bike friendly, I did it on a cyclocross bike with 32's and it was still very harsh, if I was doing it again I'd rent one of the rigid giant hybrids from clewbay seeing as it costs feck all for the day.

Budawanny

opcowner2007 wrote: »

Hi guys.

Will be doing the greenway in a few weeks having finally got my own road bike again. If I put a set of cyclocross 30c tyres on my bike would that do instead of renting a hybrid or would 30c still be too narrow for the gravelly bits.

I can get a set of tyres for about the same price as renting a bike for a day and I will be doing the greenway on a regular basis and reckon it makes more sense to get tyres.

thoughts, comments, suggestions please

i think it would be perfectly fine . its not that bad a surface.
the local road surfaces in mayo are worse to be honest.

one thing to note is that there is very limited room to bring your bike on the train. you need to book. think there is only room for 3 per train.

_DMac_

Cool. Thanks for the replies.

Will rent a hybrid so I think for handiness sake.

Thanks for the info.

Budawanny

opcowner2007 wrote: »

Cool. Thanks for the replies.

Will rent a hybrid so I think for handiness sake.

Thanks for the info.

also if you start from the Quay in westport and take the greenway through the town it brings the total distance to Achill to 50km.

so you could make it 100km round trip if you want. plus the route through/around the town is fun.

_DMac_

Budawanny wrote: »

i think it would be perfectly fine . its not that bad a surface.
the local road surfaces in mayo are worse to be honest.

one thing to note is that there is very limited room to bring your bike on the train. you need to book. think there is only room for 3 per train.

The gf is from Achill and the plan was that when driving form Dublin she would throw me out of the car in Westport and I would cycle the greenway to the sound and then keep going to her house at the far side of the island. There's no issue transporting bikes or returning them anywhere its just a one way trip that would be done 3 or 4 times a year when down that way so that is why I was asking about the rental or buying tyres route

I probably should have mentioned this at the start

Budawanny

Got you. great plan and some route for cycling.

cdaly_

I haven't done the Greenway but I've ridden sanded trails and even some forest track on the road bike with 25mm tyres without any serious issue.

Stephen_C

I did this last year out and back on an old peugoet road bike converted to single speed with 28mm tyres. I found it absolutely fine, flew along on it, the surface is grand. Cattle grids were fine, they were actually easier to negotiate the faster you went over them, there were a couple of very humped wooden bridges that you might have to slow a little for but other than that no problems.

If your going to be doing a number of trips and have the car I'd get the 30mm tyres.

Chips Lovell

I did it on a road bike with 23mm tyres. It was grand. Surface is a bit lose in some places but nothing you can't handle provided you're not pushing it.

RunRoryRun

Did this last year. It's a beautiful trip. We split it over two days and even at that we felt a little rushed. If the weather's nice you should take your time and take in the scenery, stop in Mulranny / Newport for a pint and a bit of lunch, and maybe in Yvonnes cottage for coffee and ice cream! Out and back in the one day having only cycled a max distance so far of 24km might be a bit ambitious and you won't enjoy it. Take a full day and go one way (even 4-5 hours) stopping when you feel like it. It's sandy track for the most part and is tougher going than smooth tarmac which you may be used to. Did it on a hybrid last year and was great. The cycle rental place will drop you off in Achill for a cycle back to Westport or else pick you and the bike up in Achill if you want to go the other way.

torydiver

opcowner2007 wrote: »

Hi guys.

Will be doing the greenway in a few weeks having finally got my own road bike again. If I put a set of cyclocross 30c tyres on my bike would that do instead of renting a hybrid or would 30c still be too narrow for the gravelly bits.

I can get a set of tyres for about the same price as renting a bike for a day and I will be doing the greenway on a regular basis and reckon it makes more sense to get tyres.

thoughts, comments, suggestions please [/quo



Very few road frames will be able to take 30c tyres.

roadster5

Did this a couple of years ago - unless its changed since then, there is a dangerous road section between Mulranny and Achill, a couple of kms in length, on which the cars seem to fly along - which spoils it a bit - but otherwise a beautiful place to cycle and take in some fab views - also did this on my KTM hybrid, which I found perfect for the route.

Muahahaha

planning to do this at the weekend, just one way. Is there typically a prevailing wind, my guess is starting in Achill and going west to east is the best direction to go?

route66

I did it during the summer on a Trek FX Hybrid - fitted with 28mm slicks - and it worked well.


There were a few people on the day using roadbikes, but I'm not sure what this would be like if you got a bad day. I hear it rains a bit in Achill ...

And as a small aside, saw this in the Indo - Stunning aerial footage of Achill Island captured by drone: link

Achill, ahhhh:

(Winning photo in the recent #‎achillsunsetweek‬ competition run from the Loveachillisland facebook page - link