Tell us about your new improved government regulations compliant cycle part II

mi16

Dublin to Tullamore along the Grand canal tow paths today. 100k all in and a lot harder than I expected.

The boggy/grassy sections were very slow going. Never was I so glad of Irish rail for the spin home!!

Cycled out to Newgrange with herself early this morning , was going to go to Slane but figured I'd not been down that way in 20 years and she's never seen it not being Irish, we took the left near Townley Hall and headed over. Bit further down that road than I recalled think about 5km but much more enjoyable spin than heading out the drogheda/slane road. Not a road I really like to be honest.

That was the first time now I really felt a bite in the air and was glad we had jackets and full gloves, had shorts on myself though which I regretted.

Was half tempted to ride down to the bus carpark for Brú na Bóinne and see if was possible to hop the gate and cross the bridge and head back in the Staleen road to town???? Google maps satellite view would suggest some serious trespassing there and some bike on the shoulder moments I think .... or can you legit cross the river there when it's open I wonder? Be a nice loop if so.

magicbastarder

Nice 50k around NCD at 27km/h. Thought it'd be calm with the near frost but there was a bit of a breeze. Only issue was being startled by a bunch of lads from clontarf who did a bit of a ninja approach on me from behind.

Weepsie

Mixed cycle today. Started out with the intention of doing NCD, but quickly fancied a changed. Headed for the park and said I'd go to Maynooth and take it from there. By the park I was having second thoughts but carried on, and then decided that I could try the canal from Leixlip for something different as I was on the touring bike. That got me motivated on the backroads towards leixlip, then the canal was slow, bumpy but good fun.

Came back the usual way from Maynoohth, via Dunboyne, Kilbride and then home.
72 kms, all in, at a relaxed 23 kmph .

https://www.strava.com/activities/1262390441

magicbastarder

You sure that's the correct link? Doesn't show a spin to maynooth for me.

Weepsie

magicbastarder wrote: »

You sure that's the correct link? Doesn't show a spin to maynooth for me.

Whoops, linked a guy I cycle with once a year by accident. In fairness, his cycle was more impressive than mine.

Updated anyway

Mercian Pro

Deleted User wrote: »

Cycled out to Newgrange with herself early this morning ... or can you legit cross the river there when it's open I wonder? Be a nice loop if so.

Was at the Visitor Centre for coffee this morning on our club spin and there is no problem with access on that side. I would think walking bikes across might be more acceptable especially if there are tourists on the bridge.

magicbastarder wrote: »

Only issue was being startled by a bunch of lads from clontarf who did a bit of a ninja approach on me from behind.

Saw them near Oldtown all in their matching club jerseys. Was wondering if this is a club rule or if they just like the gear so much!

Mercian Pro

Mercian Pro wrote: »

Was at the Visitor Centre for coffee this morning on our club spin and there is no problem with access on that side. I would think walking bikes across might be more acceptable especially if there are tourists on the bridge.

Didn't even occur to me it would still be open this time of year or that we could get coffee there !!!

Whats the road like on the visitor center side, been an age since I've taken that one, might chance a spin to navan that way, could be a nice 35-40km over and back, or back via slane.

Wishbone Ash

Mercian Pro wrote: »

Was at the Visitor Centre for coffee this morning on our club spin...

As usual - always pick somewhere different for the Sundays I'm working!

Mercian Pro

Deleted User wrote: »

Whats the road like on the visitor center side, been an age since I've taken that one, might chance a spin to navan that way, could be a nice 35-40km over and back, or back via slane.

We came up via Duleek so weren't on much of that road but the stretch we were on was fine. I would imagine it could be a bit busier in the summer. The service road at the Visitor Centre is quite slippy so be careful.

Pinch Flat

Took a tandem with my 11 year old son from the bike hire place in the Phoenix Park. 13.2 km @ 11 kph / hr average (according to Strava!) made for a relaxing afternoon.

rushfan

Had been off the bike for a fortnight with a bike inflicted injury. So it was great to get out for 46km around NCD this morning. Hopefully I'll get out again tomorrow.

nilhg

In Tenerife for a week on our annual sunny getaway, felt I still had some reasonable form after the season so decided to give Teide a go this morning, the aim was to get under 3 hours for the Teide segment that starts after the motorway to take traffic out of the equation, got there in 2.56.12, a bit too close for any comfort in the final few KMs...

Legs feeling it now, even after a few "recovery" bevvies....

https://www.strava.com/activities/1263729495

triggermortis

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

Why not just store the bike in the van for today?

Can't bring anything in the van through security!

triggermortis

I was contemplating a spin on the good bike this morning as the weather wasn't bad, but life got in the way and I had to settle for my usual 18Km commute instead. Felt a bit warmer today

Borderfox

41km spin to detox from my overindulgence in Westport

https://www.strava.com/activities/1263954168

Pinch Flat

mi16 wrote: »

Dublin to Tullamore along the Grand canal tow paths today. 100k all in and a lot harder than I expected.

The boggy/grassy sections were very slow going. Never was I so glad of Irish rail for the spin home!!

Did that a few years ago. It's a hard slog ok, particularly that boggy section around 60 - 70 km into it from memory. Was never happier to see the mother-in-law in Tullamore!

triggermortis

https://www.strava.com/activities/1265061502

75 Km around NCD. Bit of a rollercoaster energy-wise. Was grand, then tired then grand again. Happened a few times so maybe it was the cold and lack of food beforehand or maybe just tired from working lates.
Had a close pass with a HGV on the R125 between Ashbourne and Swords so turned off that road (not my favourite road anyway) and headed along a road I've never been on before. I thought I was headed for Oldtown but I'd taken the earlier turn. Road surface wasn't the best so I was glad to see somewhere I recognised soon enough.
Hadn't planned on being out so long, but was a mostly pleasant spin and felt good to be on the good bike while the weather is dry!

smacl

Lunch time spin up to Cruagh, Foxes, Kilternan and back. Very slow pace but enjoyable spin in fantastic cycling weather.

magicbastarder

that turn off you took was for garristown - road surface is pretty reasonable on that road, i would have said?
that said, you turned off the main road after a couple of kilometers - the surface does get poorer after that turn.

Wishbone Ash

nilhg wrote: »

In Tenerife for a week on our annual sunny getaway, felt I still had some reasonable form after the season so decided to give Teide a go this morning, the aim was to get under 3 hours for the Teide segment that starts after the motorway to take traffic out of the equation, got there in 2.56.12, a bit too close for any comfort in the final few KMs...

Legs feeling it now, even after a few "recovery" bevvies....

https://www.strava.com/activities/1263729495

You're 7 minutes ahead of me on that one!

Here's another challenge for you when you're out there - it's a 50km climb so try to do it in under 4 hours. I set myself that challenge and after a few fails, managed to do it in 3.59.

https://www.strava.com/segments/11692544?filter=overall

rushfan

Another fantastic day weatherwise, I'm in between nights so it would have been easier to spend the afternoon on the couch. But it was too good of an opportunity to turn down. Delighted I went out. 50km around NCD.

Ranjo

I've been out of the country the last 3 weeks in the southern hemisphere so missed the clocks change and now it's dark at cycle-home time.

Last night I took the usual route home, had two lights on the front and one on the back. My helmet has reflector stuff on it, my backpack is fairly bright orange. My clothes were all black other than that.

Two parst of the way are pitch black/no streetlight (The Scalp descent towards Enniskerry, Wicklow and the 21 bends from Enniskerry to the N11). As I reached the ski centre in Kilternan I got beeped at twice, someone shouted about lights. As it happens my back light had knocked off..

I found the dark road, downhill pace and busy traffic a recipe for disaster so I felt really uncomfortable. I was maxed out on concentration not to crash!

I have a spare back light, so I'm going to put that on too. I have a bright yellow gilet, so that will get used instead of the black one.

Totally different to my usual spin home where I can burn down the kilternan-enniskerry road. I think I'll have to go via N11/Bray now instead, which sucks because the bike path down the N11 isn't great.

Total distance 18k, Avg speed 25.2km

Interested Observer

I've done 40km each day for the last three days and I'm absolutely fecked now. Had it in my head I'd do it tomorrow but think I'll need a break. I really need to get fitter.

brownian

Cycled around Lough Mask at the weekend. Lovely handy 65k cycle. While the E coast (Partry to Clonbur) is generic enough, the SW corner and W coast (as the R300 swings out to Lough Nafooey and then up and over a handly little pass, before dropping towards Tourmakeady) are really lovely. Surprisingly good surface, no cars (on Sunday, anyway), and super scenery.

nilhg

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

You're 7 minutes ahead of me on that one!

Here's another challenge for you when you're out there - it's a 50km climb so try to do it in under 4 hours. I set myself that challenge and after a few fails, managed to do it in 3.59.

https://www.strava.com/segments/11692544?filter=overall

Thanks be to God I only saw this now, I did go up to the cable car station but very slowly and via Granadilla, can't get enough of the granadilla to vilaflor road. I'll leave your suggestion as something to train for next year.

Actually now that I think of it, it wouldn't have been possible anyway, there are roadworks in the caldera, a lovely smooth new surface going down for me next year....

rollingscone

Missed my usual cycling days this week and it has been a stressful one at work so I decided to try and purge it all this morning.

Blasted out the N11 to Bray, managed 2/3rds of Stratford road before I was pushing more than pulling (on the Singlespeed) and walked the last 100m like a dirty knee lover.

Got up Vico Road and was slowed down a bit by the weird misty/warm sleety headwind rain and traffic. Had plenty of gas in the tank by the City Centre and really would have liked to do at least the Clontarf cycle track but after 10 minutes of Dublin commuter dumpster fire I lost the will to continue...fckin Obesocrats :-/

41km in 1:40 323m climb, 25kph avg.

helimachoptor

Have seen a guy this week, on a bike with his son.
No lights
Helmet on father, none on son
No lights
Going through red lights

and..

No working brakes.. using his feet to stop, he had a few near misses yesterday/tuesday

rollingscone

helimachoptor wrote: »

Have seen a guy this week, on a bike with his son.
No lights
Helmet on father, none on son
No lights
Going through red lights

and..

No working brakes.. using his feet to stop, he had a few near misses yesterday/tuesday

Ah yeah but as long as he wears #hivis he'll be grand.

magicbastarder

first puncture in about five or six years, on the commute home. leaving work, made a mental note to pump the tyres when i got home, cos they're a tiny bit soft. about 5km from home decided to take a detour from my usual route, and within about 100m hit a pothole, and needless to say got a pinch flat.

while i was changing the tube, a pedestrian approached asking was i OK; she had a puncture repair kit in her bag she carried around for such eventualities. i felt bad about it, she actually seemed a little disappointed that she wasn't able to assist.