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

Weepsie

On the late shift today, so after ambling around at home for a while the sun peaked out. KNowing I'd left essentials in work I headed for Howth, got to the Summit via Sutton Cross and then raced back down quick as I could to get into work on time. Should've gone out earlier and got more distance in, but around 40 k in the end and a cycle home to get through.

retalivity

Hungover all day and had a dodgy chinese for lunch so feeling crap, decided to go out and try and ride myself better. Stocking lane, cruagh and tibradden lane all climbed and i still feel like sh1te. Amazed i hit a new pb by 30+ secs on stocking lane feeling as awful as I do...small mercies!

https://www.strava.com/activities/688850561

RobFowl

Weepsie wrote: »

On the late shift today, so after ambling around at home for a while the sun peaked out. KNowing I'd left essentials in work I headed for Howth, got to the Summit via Sutton Cross and then raced back down quick as I could to get into work on time. Should've gone out earlier and got more distance in, but around 40 k in the end and a cycle home to get through.

Good going, always tough to get motivated to do something when you're working late after...

secman

Kilnamanagh to blessington and back on the main road. 40 km Avg 27.1 kph.
Got a birthday present today of a pair of artica cycling glasses. Tried them out this evening. The 2 month old bike computer developed a brown oil like staining and it was very hard to see the stats. Headed into Cycling Superstore on the way back. Being polite , I took shades off while speaking to the assistant, we both look at the computer and it's fine. I put shades back on and staining re appears! He put shades on and laughed. Weird one, need to see where shades were bought to see if I can change them.

shamrock2004

Mercian Pro wrote: »

I do hope that, as well as looking at the heart monitor, you noticed it was one of the best days for cycling all year (in NCD anyway).

A great club spin from Swords to Oldbridge along some really beautiful back roads and lanes. A few of us opted for a bit of pain on the way back from Drogheda and took in Mullaghteelin, Snowtown and the Three Sisters. Can't think of a better way to spend a Thursday morning.

Yup! Have to get my training done either way, come rain or shine

Mercian Pro

secman wrote: »

Kilnamanagh to blessington and back on the main road. 40 km Avg 27.1 kph.
Got a birthday present today of a pair of arina cycling glasses. Tried them out this evening. The 2 month old bike computer developed a brown oil like staining and it was very hard to see the stats. Headed into Cycling Superstore on the way back. Being polite , I took shades off while speaking to the assistant, we both look at the computer and it's fine. I put shades back on and staining re appears! He put shades on and laughed. Weird one, need to see where shades were bought to see if I can change them.

Sounds like they may have polarising lens and the computer screen is also polarised. For some highly technical reason (you can Google it), the two don't mix.

magicbastarder

quick 33k out past the airport, through kilsallaghan and back. the wind didn't seem to know which direction it was coming from.

secman

Mercian Pro wrote: »

Sounds like they may have polarising lens and the computer screen is also polarised. For some highly technical reason (you can Google it), the two don't mix.

Yep they are definitely polarized lens and that is causing the problem. Google also suggesting that polarized lens are not suitable for cycling.
Thanks Mercian

smacl

Different spin yesterday evening with youngest out to her new secondary school where she's starting Monday. Just under 10k each way, mostly cycle tracks, going from Ballyboden out to Kilternan. Some of the cycle lanes are pretty good for kids commuting, some absolutely dire. Snails pace, but chuffed that she managed it no bother as she's done very little cycling. Also got her first puncture about 1km from home so she got the full cycling experience!

Bloggsie

1st spin since holidays, 69 mins for the spin into work & the same home, a great evening very little wind for a change. hello again to the fella who joined me for a short while along by Westmanstown before heading back to the PP.

LollipopJimmy

Commute to work this morning, so nervous, my first time on the road bike with a patched tube, see it's free break fast on a Friday but if you're late is usually gone!

shootermacg

Went for a cycle up to Johnny Foxes last night. Bit off a bit more than I can chew. It started as a cycle but became some kind of walkle on the hard parts.
But the ride back down was brilliant, pitch dark, the disc brakes were barely slowing me and I was laughing like a lune all the way down.

Looking forward to doing it without getting off the bike at some stage, but that's a long way off. One thing that impressed me was the drivers on the hill. They gave me plenty of clearance, very considerate driving up those parts, I must say.

shootermacg

LollipopJimmy wrote: »

Commute to work this morning, so nervous, my first time on the road bike with a patched tube, see it's free break fast on a Friday but if you're late is usually gone!

Just had my five rashers crammed between 2 slices of toast. Fry-day my favourite day of the week!

magicbastarder

secman wrote: »

Google also suggesting that polarized lens are not suitable for cycling.

what was the rationale given? that they may cut down reflections off cars ahead of you, making them less visible?

Mercian Pro

magicbastarder wrote: »

what was the rationale given? that they may cut down reflections off cars ahead of you, making them less visible?

Been using them for years on the bike and find them great. Only problem is reading the Garmin at certain angles so I generally look under the glasses for that. I have the same problem sailing where the instrument screens are also polarised.

magicbastarder

one thing i understood about polarising lenses is that they cut down on all wavelengths, so will not suffer from a problem that some cheaper lenses have, which is that they cut down on visible light more so that UV, which can lead to long term eye damage.

shaka

60 odd k with near 800 mtr of climbing around ring if beara yesterday, being sick for a while so twas a bit slow

secman

GOOGLE : Apparently polarized are more of use when dealing with water, snow and such like glares. If glare is not an issue skip polarized and concentrate on quality of optics and coatings that the more expensive brands will have.
Polarized more suitable for fishing, angling , boating, skiing.
Polarized make it difficult to read LCD screens .

For me it was a PITA trying to read bike computer so will stick with non polarized.

brianomc

A trip out to howth with PRs on the village side climb, Sheilmartin/Fintans and Windgate Road segments. Now admittedly I only had one previous attempt at each but a PR is a PR.

I can't say that I enjoy the descent from Windgate road via Balkill and Balglass roads, very twisty with lots of blind corners. My brake pads get a solid workout. But there's a fantastic view of Ireland Eye on the way down, my phones camera didn't do it justice.

I went out that way Wednesday and took the Clontarf Road route, the road now has some divots that a mountain bike tire could get stuck in. There's also a drain cover with a chunk of ground missing in front of it. So I'm adding to the voices that say to avoid it for a while.

https://www.strava.com/activities/689596773

aindriu80

Done a 60km. Total full on head wind for the most part. Horrible : )

Peterx

Today's cycle was sunny and warm and indeed all was well with the world. I wished for hair long enough to be swept by the wind. My back didn't have to get sweaty as I didn't have a rucksack on. The wind was of a cross windy variety and kind enough to to be behind my shoulder occasionally.
After breaking a spoke on my training wheels today I was astride the full race bike rig out, with the asfancyasitgetsforme mighty Fulcrum Threes (Capital Letters) spinning away with the greatest ease and at least 11% more stiffness then the other ones. Well actually about 58% more stiffness then the ones with the broken spoke but hey you get the picture.
Cycling a full carbon race bike to work, with the aforementioned occasional behind the shoulder wind, is just one of life's little pleasures and I enjoyed it so much I am here writing about it.

DominoDub

50Km spin out to bray in the Sun along the coast ...going out was nice but the return leg along the N11 was not into a head wind and I forgot about how long a uphill drag it was ..:(

PS .I also had two lads in car in Shankill who taught it would be great crack to try and smack me on the arse while stopped at the lights :eek:

They missed , as they laughed before launching the hit.

I got turned around just in time "Don't even think about it!" :cool: off on their merry way they went.

https://www.strava.com/activities/689610301

LollipopJimmy

LollipopJimmy wrote: »

Commute to work this morning, so nervous, my first time on the road bike with a patched tube, see it's free break fast on a Friday but if you're late is usually gone!

And my patched tyre is flat. Suppose I'll just go on the beer

Chuchote

LollipopJimmy wrote: »

And my patched tyre is flat. Suppose I'll just go on the beer

Ah, but did you sprinkle chalk on the patch and the glue around it after sandpapering, glue-spreading, patch-stroking-on, cellophane-removing? That's the magic part.

My cycle: I decided to go to the Ringsend recycle centre and see if I could persuade them to take the bike tyre I replaced during the week. Coiled it on the back carrier with a serpent holding it on. Also decided to work on the next chapter, so I added the computer and the tablet with the research for that chapter. And wet gear, since forecast.io said it would be cloudy. And the usual leather bag of stuff.

Lovely, lovely cycle down the Dodder and along to Ringsend. In the recycle centre they waved me graciously to the cage of little pink kids' bikes donated for Rothar to recycle, and I left the tyre there. I was beside Sandymount, so buzzed over to take a cycle along it; stopped and got a refreshing bottle of icy Lucozade, fffffffsssshhhhhhyum. Sat and watched the sea for a while.

It was so toasty and nice that i thought to go on to Dun Laoghaire. Sailed down through Blackrock Park from Booterstown to the metals at the end, out at Blackrock Station, down to Seapoint, and along another, wider set of metals to Dun Laoghaire. Stopped for a hot spicy coconutty bowl of soup in Mao with extra chillies and a big jug of iced water.

Locked up the bike and went into the Lexicon, the hideous-on-the-outside-gorgeous-on-the-inside giant library. Here, I intended to set up the computer and do a couple of hours' work.

It was at this point that I realised that I was not going to work, that I was, in fact, mitching. If I had had the sense to realise this and bring my togs and towel and not the computer… I could have locked the bike bag in a locker in the library and gone on to Sandycove…

Got out a chick flick (Daniel Auteuil as a demon lover, way hey hey), and paid a brief research visit to the grody multisex toilets - tap not working but soap dispenser working, so you soap up nicely and then can't get any water to wash your hands, unless you want to use the pool of piss on the floor; shouldered my way out and attempted to use the water fountain, which turned out to be not working either; a pathetic dribble of water. Ho hum.

Reclaimed bag and cycled on to Sandycove, where I looked enviously at the swimmers larking at the Children's Beach pier and at the Forty Foot. Turned sadly for home, but cheered up at the loveliness of the day and the balmy, warm wind.

On the way back, around Ringsend a couple of my toes went mysteriously numb. Unnerved by this, I walked a bit, then sat a bit by the Dodder.

Arrived home to an avocado and cheese sandwich with mustard, followed by a hot Thai curry.

It was a good day. It was a good cycle. How far? Who knows? What speeds? Who knows?

Wishbone Ash

Chuchote wrote: »

... to the metals at the end, ... and along another, wider set of metals..

Excuse my ignorance - metals?

magicbastarder

it's what they used to make bikes out of. hard shiny stuff.

ILIKEFOOD

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

Excuse my ignorance - metals?

Historic stretch along the seafront once used to transport stuff to the harbour called the metals..though I think it really only refers to Dalkey Quarry to Dunlaoighaire

Chuchote

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

Excuse my ignorance - metals?

Yeah, the local name - I don't know if it's used elsewhere - for the granite-walled paths beside the railway lines. The main one goes, as ILIKEFOOD says, from Dun Laoghaire railway station (the old one, now a restaurant) to Dalkey Quarry, along the old rail line that used to be powered by air, but there are others, also loosely called metals, along the Dart lines.

killswitx

https://www.strava.com/activities/689877289 did and was surprised by the outcome xDDD

smacl

ILIKEFOOD wrote: »

Historic stretch along the seafront once used to transport stuff to the harbour called the metals..though I think it really only refers to Dalkey Quarry to Dunlaoighaire

Edge of metal is still used generally in civil engineering in Ireland and the UK to refer to the edge of road construction area.