Dublin City Commute

doddyoz

Hi,

I am new to cycling and have just bought my first road bike Giant Defy 1 looking to commute to work from Finglas to Dun Laoghaire.

Just looking for advice for tackling the city commute routes, tips and recommendations for good phone cycling apps?

Any good recommendations on equipment would be good too.

CramCycle

doddyoz wrote: »

Just looking for advice for tackling the city commute routes, tips and recommendations for good phone cycling apps

I find typically that google maps gives a reasonably good indicator of the best route if you ask it not to use motorways and use he car routing, not walking, alternatively you can mash the two.

Best advice is to follow the rules, more importantly, don't be a dick to other road users, you will find it's quite relaxed.

As for Apps, strava is fun but you don't really need to use one, just enjoy the new found energy you will find after a few days.

Any good recommendations on equipment would be good too.

Decent lights, rechargeable ones are very handy, I use cateye 300 and a volt 50 for the back but there are many that are fine which are not as good, and ones that are better if you fell the need. Just make sure that they are not pointed up so as to blind other traffic.

Edge 500 for recording rides if you want but your phone can do that is they are only short trips.

Decent mudguards, I use the SKS clip ons but you might want more permanant ones, not sure what the Defy can take.

doddyoz

Thanks CramCycle for the advice, I will be picking the bike up on Thursday from the bike shop. I already asked about mudguard Giant have there own brand I was also looking at the SKS Race blade.

schemingbohemia

NTA Cycle Planner might be useful for you
http://www.journeyplanner.transportforireland.ie/cp/XSLT_TRIP_REQUEST2?language=en

doddyoz

Thanks schemingbohemia,

Very handy route planner

doddyoz

Just read an article about Strava app where thieves are using the app to locate and steal bikes, it recommends to check app settings and turn the app on and off some distance from home.

Sorry cannot post link as I am a new user.

De Bhál

doddyoz wrote: »

Just read an article about Strava app where thieves are using the app to locate and steal bikes, it recommends to check app settings and turn the app on and off some distance from home.

Sorry cannot post link as I am a new user.

No need to turn it on or off near home as there's a setting in the app that hides the first/last km of your journey. Something like a km anyway, can;t remember exactly.

doddyoz

Thanks De Bhál,

Looking at the settings for Strava app, you can hide your activity starts and ends within a 200m-1km radius of selected addresses, the start and/or end of the activity will be hidden from other users.

Looks like a good app to me...

Seaswimmer

I go the opposite way to you for a lot of my commute. My advice would be to avoid town. Without knowing exactly where you are in Finglas and Dun Laoghaire..........

something like Old Finglas Road/Botanic Avenue/ Richmond or Clonliffe Road/East Wall Road/Eastlink/ Beach road/Merrion Gates/Rock Road.

You will be against the bulk of the traffic once you cross the Eastlink with a good road surface most of the way. Bus Lane/cycle lane from Merrion gates to past Blackrock. If in Dun Laoghaire itself go down by Seapoint Avenue as the Monkstown Road is a bit uneven

Explosive_Cornflake

The advice I generally give is to start slow if you are new to it.
i.e. Tuesday and Thurday to begin with, ramp up to Monday, Wednesday, Friday and see how you go from there.

If you start with Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, you'll be exhausted and will hate the bike after that.

CramCycle

De Bhál wrote: »

No need to turn it on or off near home as there's a setting in the app that hides the first/last km of your journey. Something like a km anyway, can;t remember exactly.

You can vary it from 500m upto a few km.

Alanstrainor

Seaswimmer wrote: »

I go the opposite way to you for a lot of my commute. My advice would be to avoid town. Without knowing exactly where you are in Finglas and Dun Laoghaire..........

something like Old Finglas Road/Botanic Avenue/ Richmond or Clonliffe Road/East Wall Road/Eastlink/ Beach road/Merrion Gates/Rock Road.

You will be against the bulk of the traffic once you cross the Eastlink with a good road surface most of the way. Bus Lane/cycle lane from Merrion gates to past Blackrock. If in Dun Laoghaire itself go down by Seapoint Avenue as the Monkstown Road is a bit uneven

I used to commute over the eastlink, but decided it was just too dangerous tbh. Southside I found it quite bad, as there are a lot of heavy vehicles, and cars pass very close. I have a lot of commuting experience, and I had to change route after less than a week. Less traffic maybe, but more trucks and close passes.

OP, get a good set of lights, really good if you can. Budget 50 quid I'd say, maybe more.

Seaswimmer

Alanstrainor wrote: »

I used to commute over the eastlink, but decided it was just too dangerous tbh. Southside I found it quite bad, as there are a lot of heavy vehicles, and cars pass very close. I have a lot of commuting experience, and I had to change route after less than a week. Less traffic maybe, but more trucks and close passes.

OP, get a good set of lights, really good if you can. Budget 50 quid I'd say, maybe more.

I move out in the lane on the bridge so nobody can pass me. As the bridge is so short I have never had any grief from cars/trucks because I am over it very quickly and they can then overtake.

doddyoz

I saw a crazy driver this morning trying to pass a cyclist on the Beach Road heading onto the strand road.

It is a two lane one direction road which filters into a single lane, a female cyclist was in a good position at the left hand side of the road when a mad car diver tried to speed by. When the car realised that there was not enough space the car slammed on the brakes then beeped like mad at the cyclist.

I would say the cyclist got the fright of her life, the car then got ahead of the cyclist and blocked her from passing by pulling as close to the kerb as possible a 100 meters on the traffic was stationary. The cyclist tried to get passed the mad driver I was in front in my car, and saw it was a female driver in the car giving the cyclist verbal abuse.

Think attitudes of car drivers need to change a little here, also in my eyes this kind of driving should be prosecuted not sure if she broke any laws but not very nice for the soaking wet cyclist.

Just another point the strand could do with a designated cycle lane is there any cycling government lobby groups set up to get this put in place?

tomasrojo

Cyclist.ie is an umbrella body made up of local, voluntary cycling campaigners, shown here:
http://cyclist.ie/regionalgroupsmap/

I think in general they'd be very short of time to campaign for any particular bit of infrastructure, unless it was a flagship sort.

tomasrojo

Just noticed the Galway Cycling Campaign isn't on that map. Must be an omission. Might tell them.

Hmm. Not in the sidebar "Organisations" either. Surprising that.

doddyoz

Did my first commute today, was cold on fingers and toes. Set off at 05:55 arrived at 06:43 a bit saddle sore now, I used the Strava app but it must have paused or something so just have the time, distance= 19km and elevation gain= 29 meters.

Not looking forward to the ride home as it is up hill...

CramCycle

doddyoz wrote: »

Did my first commute today, was cold on fingers and toes. Set off at 05:55 arrived at 06:43 a bit saddle sore now, I used the Strava app but it must have paused or something so just have the time, distance= 19km and elevation gain= 29 meters.

Not looking forward to the ride home as it is up hill...

The apps often auto pause when your not moving for a few seconds. You should still be able to see the overall time if you want but that is most likely the issue.

donaghs

Worth considering puncture proof tyres, don't want to stuck midway on such a long commute.

doddyoz

I've got the Strava app working I am really impressed with this app, I was talking to another cyclist who uses Endomondo. He prefers the display on Endomondo but still uploads the data to Strava.

Got good tyres, spare tube and repair kit just in case. Two commutes under by belt for this week, and looking to improve my times. Trying various routes I tried the bone shaker Grand Cannal Quay (Cobbles!), nice getting away from the cars but way too bumpy for my race bike. I am now going down Macken Street.

I am struggling to turn right on fast roads such as Northumberland road and the Finglas Road, so have been crossing at pedestrian lights.

Thanks for the advice everyone and safe cycling.

tomasrojo

donaghs wrote: »

Worth considering puncture proof tyres, don't want to stuck midway on such a long commute.

I agree, with this caveat I posted on another thread:
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=97863414&postcount=37

Carawaystick

doddyoz wrote: »

Got good tyres, spare tube and repair kit just in case.

Bring 2 tubes.

I fix any morning punctures during the day when I've time to let solution cure

doddyoz wrote: »

Two commutes under by belt for this week, and looking to improve my times. Trying various routes I tried the bone shaker Grand Cannal Quay (Cobbles!), nice getting away from the cars but way too bumpy for my race bike. I am now going down Macken Street.

You'll slowly refine your route to see what suits best depending on weather, traffic/changing it up just for a change etc.

doddyoz

Carawaystick wrote: »

Bring 2 tubes.

I fix any morning punctures during the day when I've time to let solution cure

Good point

CramCycle

doddyoz wrote: »

Got good tyres, spare tube and repair kit just in case. Two commutes under by belt for this week, and looking to improve my times. Trying various routes I tried the bone shaker Grand Cannal Quay (Cobbles!), nice getting away from the cars but way too bumpy for my race bike. I am now going down Macken Street.

Used to work down there, its not the worst once you get used to what line to take. The faster you go the less the bumps seem to annoy me.

Had the KOM for ages until an Orwell rider apparently done it at 60kmph, not accusing anyone of anything, but it was a tad suspicious.

del_boy13

Probably a good idea to make a mental note of any bike shops on the route. Always handy for borrowing a pump or tools.

Starting early means the traffic moves that little bit faster so its better to be careful. As you get more comfortable with the traffic around you the speed and judging when to move over will get easier.

GlennaMaddy

Make sure you are visible from the side, front and rear lights are not enough, a reflective arm/leg band or reflector on the wheel would help.

CramCycle

GlennaMaddy wrote: »

Make sure you are visible from the side, front and rear lights are not enough, a reflective arm/leg band or reflector on the wheel would help.

If they have good spread they "should be" fine. Just to bring it back up though, yellow lights on the gloves, patent pending by tomasrojo, are quite a good idea.

tomasrojo

Not yellow anymore!



They're rather brighter than I'd wanted. And that's the lowest setting. They're neat and small and light though, so overall very good.