Great Dublin Bike Ride - Sunday 13th September **no entry requests/offers**

Carawaystick

Beasty wrote: »

Just generally on joining up, most clubs require CI or IVCA membership for insurance purposes. CI will be closing their 2015 membership portal shortly and it should be re-opened early in November when next year's membership fees will have been set. They will usually cover you from then until 31/12/16, meaning you can get nearly 14 months membership for the price of 12 when you first sign up

And this is on top of a discount for your first year membership with CI (unless you're going racing)

666bxg

Took a bad spill 5k from finish line on the descent on Ratoath road. Lost control while doing 43km/h and went over the handlebar and flipped twice on the road. Amazingly escaped with grazes and only the handlebar and pedal was scratched, the carbon frame was intact!

Didn't know what happened exactly - but I know now what they mean when you see your life flash before your eyes!

Beasty

666bxg wrote: »

went over the handlebar and flipped twice on the road. Amazingly escaped with grazes

With a username like that consider yourself very lucky you came away with only grazes.....;)

sullivlo

new2tri wrote: »

Am based in Dublin 14
A fun club with a group for beginners & novices would be nice - I have been eyeing up Orwell Wheelers website today.

I'm in Orwell. Did the beginners women's group over the summer and everyone is lovely. They'll have dedicated ladies spins at the start of the winter spins so I can highly recommend joining! Great bunch of ladies too.

Beasty

Carawaystick wrote: »

And this is on top of a discount for your first year membership with CI (unless you're going racing)

IIRC the introductory offer was done away with this year - however for non-racing members it's almost worth joining for the insurance cover alone

Eamonnator

Beasty wrote: »

With a username like that consider yourself very lucky you came away with only grazes.....;)

My favourite T shirt is one I bought at a MTB in Scotland about 10 years ago.
The logo on is:

667
Neighbour of the Beast.

The_Morrigan

666bxg wrote: »

Took a bad spill 5k from finish line on the descent on Ratoath road. Lost control while doing 43km/h and went over the handlebar and flipped twice on the road. Amazingly escaped with grazes and only the handlebar and pedal was scratched, the carbon frame was intact!

Didn't know what happened exactly - but I know now what they mean when you see your life flash before your eyes!

You weren't the only one. A couple of people dismounted by me at the finish and I approached them to see if they needed medical assistance as it was obvious they had taken a tumble between the muddy gear and the blood.

I can't for the life of me understand why the finish included a corner and a slope on cobbles knowing that the chances of rain at any event in Ireland is high. The volunteers took it upon themselves to station themselves there trying to warn people and encourage them to dismount at the bottom on the flat surface. One or two people unclipped themselves and basically went arse over tit as soon as they tried to walk down to the refreshment areas, one guy took out some barriers too.

Garthvader

I got through the ride counting roadkill:
3 x dead rats
2 x dead birds
2 x dead rabbits


And a headless cat.
God bless him..

Beasty

Garthvader wrote: »

I finished just behind Boards jersey #2294..... the only one I saw all day tbf.

Maybe explains:

Garthvader wrote: »

I got through the ride counting roadkill:
3 x dead rats
2 x dead birds
2 x dead rabbits


And a headless cat.
God bless him..

Perhaps better described as "Boardskill"

xebec

Beasty wrote: »

I've got to say the Gardaí were excellent and there was little in the way of delays for traffic or riders. Now there were 3 Garda at that roundabout and there clearly was a massive presence throughout the whole route. I suspect this had more support than any other cycling event in Ireland, barring possibly the Giro, although a lot of junctions in the Giro simply required marshals who could prevent motorists entering fully closed roads.

Today was my 19th sportive of the summer and the only one that came close for Garda/Police presence was the Giro Gran Fondo in Belfast which was completely closed roads, massive kudos to the Gardai today, made everything so much safer and easier. Especially liked the Garda that I saw jumping up and down in front of a driver that wasn't obeying his instructions, even turning his back and pointing to the Garda label on his back...

new2tri, as Beasty said, Orwell sounds like a great option, I joined them last winter and haven't looked back since

onmebike

Had a great day today. Did the 100 (or 99.19) and it was my first 100 and first sportive in a few years due to the arrival of children.
I had a great time. Fitness isn't what it used to be, so enjoyed the mass start and lack of windy conditions.
After Garristown, I sat on a few wheels for most of the way back as I was feeling a bit wrecked, but got a bit of a second wind about 10km from the finish.
4 hours on Endomondo and 3:43 rolling time on Strava - I'm personally very happy with that - especially as I had to do it on my hybrid as my carbon road bike has a crack in it :-(

Seriously big thanks to the volunteers and Gardaí. I try to acknowledge as many as possible as I go along - and people outside their houses - as watching cyclists is not necessarily the best way to spend your Sunday morning.


That was me, BTW. I didn't see any other jerseys, though I got a couple of shouts along the way.

Garthvader wrote: »

I finished just behind Boards jersey #2294..... the only one I saw all day tbf.

Fantastic event. Finished in 3hr 45mins. Happy with that.

LollipopJimmy

I had hoped to do this but there was no way I'd have made it after hell and back yesterday, I woukd have died after 5k I'd say. Sounds like I missed a really good day and I was in town during the day, nearly every car parked up had a bike rack on it

onmebike

Oh, one other thing. I had parked in the Phoenix Park and punctured between Smithfield and there on the way home. Typical of the city centre, I suppose, but am glad it didn't happen during the ride.

Garthvader

onmebike wrote: »

Oh, one other thing. I had parked in the Phoenix Park and punctured between Smithfield and there on the way home. Typical of the city centre, I suppose, but am glad it didn't happen during the ride.

There's a ton of pics on Facebook of riders crossing the finishing line.
Only one has me in the background, with yourself just ahead.....

Rambling Man

Thoroughly enjoyed it. I added 40km to the 100 with my 'commute' and going home was in biblical rain. I agree with others that we were so well looked after. Practically closed roads. Thanks organisers, volunteers and Gardai.

Thud

Did it with the missus, both had a great day.

Didn't expect every junction to be cleared, would imagine entries would have been higher had that been advertised that, I'd say next year will book up much quicker.

Quality PR for the Gardaí too, came away with a great impression of them.
Thanks again to all the marshalls, one of them told me they were staying out until 2pm, that's a long day standing in the rain!

Only down side: headless cat

onmebike

Garthvader wrote: »

There's a ton of pics on Facebook of riders crossing the finishing line.
Only one has me in the background, with yourself just ahead.....

There you are! There's a fair bit of scrolling to be done on those photos!

Qualitymark

onmebike wrote: »

There you are! There's a fair bit of scrolling to be done on those photos!

Surprising that there's lots of photos but I couldn't see any videos. Would've thought it would be a lovely course for the helmet cams.

OldBean

Whoever is uploading the photos has had mercy on me from the looks of it. I was passed by a guy with a camera on a motorcycle at the same time I was eating a banana and hit a pothole, and then managed to make a complete herp face at the finishing line. Phew.

Eamonnator

Any of me?

rollingscone

Qualitymark wrote: »

Surprising that there's lots of photos but I couldn't see any videos. Would've thought it would be a lovely course for the helmet cams.

I have a few videos that will need editing before sharing.

Dummy

Just to add to the sentiment - The Great Dublin Bike Ride was just a brilliant event from start to finish. From the baaing like sheep in the pens at 8am in Smithfield, to the sharing of stories over hot pasta after the ride.

I didn't have to stop once along the 60KM journey. The Gardaí & the marshals were just brilliant, keeping the ride moving. Most of the marshals clapped, cheered & lent support to the passing riders. Every road along the route was manned by a Garda or a volunteer marshal - quite simply, without them, this event would not have happened.

And the hot pasta at the very end was soooooo delicious.

I amazed myself - I had never done anything like this before. I quit rugby, 16 years ago at the age of 34 & since then I just walk & swim. And I finished the 60K in 2hrs 12mins. I was expecting closer to 3hrs, but am even more chuffed that I was able to finish it at all.

I can see now why there are so many cyclists on the roads these days - this is a really good, really enjoyable sport. So, once I buy some lycra gear, I'm off to join a club.

Thank you volunteer marshals, Gardaí, organisers & fellow cyclists for a really fantastic day out yesterday.

Wishbone Ash

Rambling Man wrote: »

..... Practically open roads. Thanks organisers, volunteers and Gardai.

I presume you meant 'closed' roads!

Eamonnator

So, when does registration open for next year?

maldondo

Have to re-iterate all the comments about the volunteers and the Guards, it made the spin very enjoyable.

They could do with a couple of portable loo's along the route for next year though.

Hello to anybody I met, I was wearing a Dublin top and on a red Kestrel bike.

Skrynesaver

maldondo wrote: »

Have to re-iterate all the comments about the volunteers and the Guards, it made the spin very enjoyable.

They could do with a couple of portable loo's along the route for next year though.

Hello to anybody I met, I was wearing a Dublin top and on a red Kestrel bike.

Hi again Maldondo, Met you up on the hills somewhere around North Dublin, definitely considering a Dubs jersey as an exile in Meath.

07Lapierre

maldondo wrote: »

Have to re-iterate all the comments about the volunteers and the Guards, it made the spin very enjoyable.

They could do with a couple of portable loo's along the route for next year though.

Hello to anybody I met, I was wearing a Dublin top and on a red Kestrel bike.

Were there not loos in Garristown? I'm sure I saw a row of them at the food stop.

OldBean

Definitely saw portable loo's at the stops.

uRbaN

My first ever cycle with other cyclists. I did the 100K and although I seriously struggled at times, it was a great day.

The Gardai did a great job and the encouragement from the volunteers was brilliant.
I was pretty tired around Kilbride..that steady gradient slowly eeked away my energy. By the time we hit Cabra I was running on empty....I was so happy free wheeling down Marlborough Street.

I would definately do it again although I was silly not to have had a few practice cycles before it. I'm used to a Hybrid...took me a while to get used to the road bike.

maldondo

Skrynesaver wrote: »

Hi again Maldondo, Met you up on the hills somewhere around North Dublin, definitely considering a Dubs jersey as an exile in Meath.

Yea, good quality. Nice and warm for the winter, the wife bought it for me on the O'Neil's website.