Phoenix Park bike week..

Tenzor07

Anyone see the Irony is this one?

www.facebook.com/phoenixparkbikeweekfestival

not yet

Tenzor07 wrote: »

Anyone see the Irony is this one?

www.facebook.com/phoenixparkbikeweekfestival

Go on then tell us...

Tenzor07

Clue: Involves Racing...

buffalo

aww, missing out on the cargo champs again!

Tenzor07

buffalo wrote: »

aww, missing out on the cargo champs again!

ha! Was thinking more carbon road bike.. CX bike.. and Mountain bike...

Mercian Pro

Tenzor07 wrote: »

ha! Was thinking more carbon road bike.. CX bike.. and Mountain bike...

Somehow I don't think we are quite the target audience. There is not a whole lot of interest in any form of "fast" cycling in most of the campaigns. Normalisation of cycling seems to be the goal with everyone sedately riding on Dutch Nellies.

Tenzor07

Mercian Pro wrote: »

Somehow I don't think we are quite the target audience. There is not a whole lot of interest in any form of "fast" cycling in most of the campaigns. Normalisation of cycling seems to be the goal with everyone sedately riding on Dutch Nellies.

Yup, Zero interest by the OPW...

Mercian Pro

Yup, Zero interest by the OPW...

Any thoughts on what kind of event might be of interest to us "normal" cyclists? I use the Park to build up fitness in the Spring when I don't have time to head out NCD but I don't think doing circuits with hundreds of others would be that appealing.

Having Googled it, I see there were bike races in the Park up till about 2009 but only Duathlons since then for some odd reason. Seems bizarre that you can race but only if you combine it with something un-natural like running (and are prepared to break Rule 42).

Tenzor07

Mercian Pro wrote: »

Any thoughts on what kind of event might be of interest to us "normal" cyclists? I use the Park to build up fitness in the Spring when I don't have time to head out NCD but I don't think doing circuits with hundreds of others would be that appealing..

Well, previously as many here will tell you, there was at one stage weekly Park road races in the evenings, great roads in the park for it.. Now these races are held at Mondello.

Also back in the 90's there was Mountain bike racing around Magazine fort.

Promoting cycling as a utility is all well and good, but it's a sport also, and if we want to stop the next "Stephen Roche" from taking up soccer or GAA then it should be promoted..

"Circuits with 100's of others"? You mean racing in a group? Best way to ramp up fitness!

easygoing39

Plus the 1ST ever BMX races were also held in the Park up at the Magazine Fort in the very early 1980's.

ROK ON

I am not certain that any evidence proves that OPW are anti-racing.

There are regular duathlons and running races in the park. In the past few years there have also been vintage car rallies.

Why is it that the OPW facilitates Triathlon Ireland and Athletics Ireland (or their affiliated clubs), but not CI (& it's affiliated clubs).

Has anyone asked? If so what is the answer.

ednwireland

ROK ON wrote: »

I am not certain that any evidence proves that OPW are anti-racing.

There are regular duathlons and running races in the park. In the past few years there have also been vintage car rallies.

Why is it that the OPW facilitates Triathlon Ireland and Athletics Ireland (or their affiliated clubs), but not CI (& it's affiliated clubs).

Has anyone asked? If so what is the answer.

http://www.independent.ie/sport/other-sports/cycling/paul-kimmage-only-the-privileged-or-motorists-are-free-to-use-irelands-highways-30158913.html

from this(not solong ago ) thread
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=89819883

The last time a race was held in the Phoenix Park? A Wednesday evening in May 2010.

Alice Sherratt of the Irish Road Club was the organiser that night.

"I had meetings with the OPW and they put us on the Khyber pass circuit," she says. "It was a great circuit, hard to manage, but we ran it and it was great but the following day I was called in and told we couldn't have it any more because the hospital (St Mary's) people, coming into change shifts, were complaining.

"They told us we could have it if we ran the races at eight o'clock at night, which was totally impractical. They just didn't want us. The Park was the ideal place but we were put out of it, literally. They don't want to upset the motorists. I went to meetings with them and pointed it out that in major cities in other countries they close the parks at six o'clock and hand them over to the public but they wouldn't entertain me."

The OPW's Maurice Cleary attended some of the meetings. "I can't remember all of the details," he says, "but if you want to write to us, I can look at the files and come back to you with answers. I do know that the ball park has slightly changed now and that the guards insist on road closures for racing bikes."
- See more at: http://www.independent.ie/sport/other-sports/cycling/paul-kimmage-only-the-privileged-or-motorists-are-free-to-use-irelands-highways-30158913.html#sthash.IU7aoa5D.dpuf

ROK ON

The answer from IRC may be what they were told but the bike leg of duathlons is also run on the Kyber circuit. Also from a colleague that does them it goes anti-clockwise which means that it runs the risk of heading into traffic.
Also the duathlons have riders of all abilities spread out over waves.
Now in my mind that would make it more difficult to control where you have a tightly bunched peletin that would pass every 6-7 minutes.

My point is - the OPW accept other races - predominantly duatlon and running.
These are held on main roads and often necessitate road closures.

CI needs to find out why these are granted permission yet CI clubs cannot it seems get permission.
There must be another reason.

ThisRegard

They told us we could have it if we ran the races at eight o'clock at night

The running legs of the duathlons start just after 7 for the fast guys and continues on until near enough 8 for the slower lads and lassies, so a good lot wouldn't be jumping on their bikes till near enough 8 anyway.

Also I noticed that the organisers have this warning on their info page these days

We’ve been advised by the OPW and Gardai that no racing is allowed on the Duathlon course outside of the designated races.

Tenzor07

Road racing aside for a second.. For any CX or XC racing....the OPW will not entertain it in anyway because.. basically, "It will ruin the grass/environment"

Yet they will allow Raves to take place(which destroy the ground) and cross-country running events which also have an impact on the grass..