Gears needed?

rollingscone

Have to go up to the vicinity of Kippure (The Estate not the mountain) tomorrow morning in a van but need to make my own way back so bringing a bike.

As I'm not confident that a bike in the back of the van will be well secured or protected I'm thinking about taking my 46x16 singlespeed as it's basically as best I can figure it entirely downhill back into Dublin.

Most likely I'll go down to Manor Kilbride or the Golf Course at Brittas and just take the N81 back through Tallaght.

Am I forgetting any nasty climbs along the way?

Brian?

rollingscone wrote: »

Have to go up to the vicinity of Kippure (The Estate not the mountain) tomorrow morning in a van but need to make my own way back so bringing a bike.

As I'm not confident that a bike in the back of the van will be well secured or protected I'm thinking about taking my 46x16 singlespeed as it's basically as best I can figure it entirely downhill back into Dublin.

Most likely I'll go down to Manor Kilbride or the Golf Course at Brittas and just take the N81 back through Tallaght.

Am I forgetting any nasty climbs along the way?

There are some uphills mid descent between Sally Gap and Manor Kilbride. Nothing much worth worrying about. It's more the downhill I'd Carr about. You'll spin out a 46x16 most of the way to Tallaght. It's nice to have a 53x11 on that route

H.E. Pennypacker

There's approx 3kms of undulating road from Brittas on the N81 - nothing serious, but after that its downhill to Tallaght. Its useful to hold a bit of speed past the concrete bollards on the side of the road towards the Jobstown junction so you can 'own' the road there to prevent getting squeezed. Other than that you're grand.

doozerie

No, at worst you have the odd drag between Kippure and Brittas but nothing to worry about at all. There is one short kicker here, it's not bad at all and it's very short, but because of the turn onto it you'll have little or no momentum hitting it but you can avoid that by taking the right turn immediately before it.

The only downside of that route is that it's the least scenic way back from Kippure, pretty much every other route (Sallygap, Ballinascorney (at least 2 options that way, maybe even 3), Mount Seskin) is much more interesting than the N81 and its traffic. But at least your knees will still be talking to you afterwards if you take the N81, so it certainly has its advantages!

Edit: I'm assuming here that by Kippure Estate you are talking about "Kippure Holiday Village" as labelled on Google Maps.

rollingscone

Cheers lads.

I might go for Saggart rather than Jobstown now that you mention that chicane.

Can haz 130rpm for a few hundred metres at a time from recent experience.

My last singlespeed spin around Meath earlier this week was at a respectable by my standards 25.7kph average so I think I'll be home in a reasonable time span.

Knee murder was that time avoided by pulling up on the pedals.

H.E. Pennypacker

The chicane is at most a couple of hundred meters and most motorists are understanding if the situation is clear but its best to control the situation. I wouldn't worry on a singlespeed, I'd just keep the tempo up. 130 rpm would be grand - the effort is visible to whoever is behind and the speed should be respectable.

Wishbone Ash

That part at the bollards is narrow and I've never experienced anyone trying to pass there as I take the lane. You're much more likely to have a close pass on wider sections.

There's an easterly blowing tomorrow so spinning out won't be as bad as normal but you certainly won't be able to take advantage of that long descent. I spin out on a 50/11 along there.

rollingscone

Ended up being in another spot near the Army Camp at Kilbride.

I tried pulling up the ramps back up to the ridge line but gave up for the sake of my knees and took a walk of shame followed by cautiously descending towards Botharnabreena in heavy showers.

Followed that with catching every red from Knocklyon to home...

A noble failure I guess

https://www.strava.com/activities/590828563

doozerie

If I'm thinking of the right (army) place then that's some climb back up to Ballinascorney/Bohernabreena from there. No shame in walking that with a singlespeed!

smacl

doozerie wrote: »

If I'm thinking of the right (army) place then that's some climb back up to Ballinascorney/Bohernabreena from there. No shame in walking that with a singlespeed!

Yes indeed. lovely climb if you've got the gears, but deceptively long and I'd certainly be walking it on 46x16. Great descent on the other side though.