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

Tabnabs

A quick evening spin last night to give the legs a last run in before the GNDR this weekend. Thought I'd be taking it easy after a challenging ride last Sunday, but felt really great and powered through most of my local circuit. Lots of PBs on Strava and a 6th overall for a local descent.

Not bad for an asthmatic, overweight bloke, the wrong side of 40, and only back in the saddle a few months after a 20 year absence!

godtabh

I got a bit adventurous this morning. Stepaside to Bray via Enniskerry. I'm not used to that darkness and was a bit nervy. Some deer ran out in front of me and scared the **** out of me.

Was lit up like a Christmas tree but still the darkness can play tricks on your mind.

Bloggsie

I reckon today might be may last commute to work until May next, sunrise wasnt till 6.49 this morning, I leave home at 6.10-15ish, i hit a few lumps & bumps that I would normally see & avoid. My wife has a believe that despite being lit up like a christmas tree some driver will still put me in the ditch and has "asked" me to consider taking the train to work, I can see her point she is to young to be a widow & the road has a few spots that if your tyre hit them its a certain puncture or worse.
Will have to get out on Sunday Mornings instead, I have cycled over 1,560 kms to & from work since the middle of May and bar some soakings & that Backstard head wind on the way home ite been great.

Chuchote

Bloggsie wrote: »

I reckon today might be may last commute to work until May next, sunrise wasnt till 6.49 this morning, I leave home at 6.10-15ish, i hit a few lumps & bumps that I would normally see & avoid. My wife has a believe that despite being lit up like a christmas tree some driver will still put me in the ditch and has "asked" me to consider taking the train to work, I can see her point she is to young to be a widow & the road has a few spots that if your tyre hit them its a certain puncture or worse.
Will have to get out on Sunday Mornings instead, I have cycled over 1,560 kms to & from work since the middle of May and bar some soakings & that Backstard head wind on the way home ite been great.

What a pity! Any hope that you might get a Brompton on the Bike-to-Work scheme and be able to do part of the route - to the train stations at either end - by bike?

magicbastarder

not much point in showing your wife the stats that the dangers of cycling are outweighed by the health benefits by at least a factor of ten?

Bloggsie

Chuchote wrote: »

What a pity! Any hope that you might get a Brompton on the Bike-to-Work scheme and be able to do part of the route - to the train stations at either end - by bike?

the walk from home to the train is 8-12 mins & from Connolly to the office is 6-8 so not much point really & Im not due a new bilke on the btw for 2 years.

Chuchote

Bloggsie wrote: »

the walk from home to the train is 8-12 mins & from Connolly to the office is 6-8 so not much point really & Im not due a new bilke on the btw for 2 years.

Ah well, there's still the weekend!

shootermacg

I'd be of the impression, that you're safer in the dark, precisely because drivers notice your lights. Also if your light isn't picking out debris, you'll need a better light.

godtabh

shootermacg wrote: »

I'd be of the impression, that you're safer in the dark, precisely because drivers notice your lights. Also if your light isn't picking out debris, you'll need a better light.

I had about 1000 lumen this morning. Not that a car passed but if they did they would have seen me.

I have one light for lighting up the road and another on flash mode.

shootermacg

godtabh wrote: »

I had about 1000 lumen this morning. Not that a car passed but if they did they would have seen me.

I have one light for lighting up the road and another on flash mode.

Same here, I have two set at different angles, I made the decision I'd need more, after coming down from Johnny Foxes in the pitch dark and trying to make do with a single light.

f1000

First day back on a bike since July 20th after a crash. 12k commute. Had broken one wrist and fractured the other along with a fracture to my elbow from an endo. Still a wee bit sore but is bloody great to be back on the road again

Bloggsie

totally soaked to the bone last nite, at least i didnt swallow any flies. A massive thank you to the 4 eyed(no complaints I was glasses too) muppet who just followed the car in front of her at the T-junction at Leixlip Confey GAA pitch, I was on the junction when she followed the "monkey see monkey do rule" a volley of expletives flowed in her direction.

shootermacg

Got soaked on the way home yesterday myself, but still managed to beat a strava segment, due I suppose to the drop in temperature.

Nice spin in today, no crazy amount cars on the road as opposed to yesterday.
Even managed a PB on strava for a segment.

I'm really starting to love my friday commute.

My 2 month old Giant Defy is starting to slip gears, which I think happens to all new bikes as the gear cable stretches, so going to drop it into Kilmacud Cycles for a free service on saturday and, hopefully, take a cycle (more of a walkle really) to Johnny Foxes on sunday.

secman

Looking forward to heading out in the morning, will head out by Russborough house and take the left turn to Tulferris and back on to lake drive and back to Kilnamanagh. Usual Saturday spins are in wexford.

dahat

Far too much sport on today and fancied a day at home tomorrow so i decided to head off on a solo spin at sunrise, been ages since i did a long solo.

Clonmel to Dungarvan via Carrick then home vua Ballymac, 115.7km at 31km avg, beautiful morning if a little chilly with temperatures only rising near home but my new LS An Post Onda jersey i picked up for cheap during the week did the job perfectly.

lizzylad84

Club spin. Annual local suicide support group charity cycle. 90km odd. Dundalk, carlingford , daveys, longwomans grave , ravensdale then to local bike shop for coffee and a scone or three plus a drool over the utterly stunning bianchi oltre xr4. First proper spin in a few weeks. Legs felt like led for the last 20km.

godtabh

80km before 8am and its when its dark that strange things happen.

Got cheer on a climb by a house party at 5:15 am.

Saw a bonfire ragging in Tallaght with what looked like a "street" party happening.

The dregs of a debs with women crying and men being macho.

retalivity

50k ahead of the GDBR tomorrow at a gentle 23kph. Town - Stocking Lane - Glencree - Enniskerry - back.

Saw a nice maserati in Enniskerry, gave me a wave.

https://www.strava.com/activities/707003203

secman

secman wrote: »

Looking forward to heading out in the morning, will head out by Russborough house and take the left turn to Tulferris and back on to lake drive and back to Kilnamanagh. Usual Saturday spins are in wexford.

Didn't go as far as Russborough, took left for valleymount and did the lake drive... grandson starting to play footy; only 4 and a half .had to back by 11.
68 km Avg 26.8 kph

Only 11 degrees at 8:30 but knew it would warm up, wore usual summer attire. Met a few groups at back of lakes coming in opposite direction, mostly in leggings and long sleeve, I'd say it got a bit warm first them .

Unknown Soldier

godtabh wrote: »

I got a bit adventurous this morning. Stepaside to Bray via Enniskerry. I'm not used to that darkness and was a bit nervy. Some deer ran out in front of me and scared the **** out of me.

Was lit up like a Christmas tree but still the darkness can play tricks on your mind.

The time of Werewolves and Wamphyri is upon us.

A lot of graveyards around Dublin, sh1t loads around me I do my best every spin never to look into the one going down Gunny hill.

Don't want to see things.

Regardless...

Did the CycleSuperStore.ie & Frameworks Cafe #2 Sportive today around roads I've done in the past. Really nice spin and the Staff couldn't have been nicer, really nice pasta at the end.

Highlight for me was the Dad(Usher?) with his two daughters doing the spin, couldn't have been more the 13/14, both on Boardman road bikes. Great to see that sort of stuff, pleasure to spin with them for a short while.

83km including to/from Firhouse with 745m @ 25 Avg. Mostly solo as I can never match speeds with people.

Probably not the best warm up for the GDBR 2016 tomorrow.

But!...I have scientifically formulated (with the help of Lidl) a precise beer consumption that will help though.

dahat

Unknown Soldier wrote: »

The time of Werewolves and Wamphyri is upon us.

A lot of graveyards around Dublin, sh1t loads around me I do my best every spin never to look into the one going down Gunny hill.

Don't want to see things.

Regardless...

Did the CycleSuperStore.ie & Frameworks Cafe #2 Sportive today around roads I've done in the past. Really nice spin and the Staff couldn't have been nicer, really nice pasta at the end.

Highlight for me was the Dad(Usher?) with his two daughters doing the spin, couldn't have been more the 13/14, both on Boardman road bikes. Great to see that sort of stuff, pleasure to spin with them for a short while.

83km including to/from Firhouse with 745m @ 25 Avg. Mostly solo as I can never match speeds with people.

Probably not the best warm up for the GDBR 2016 tomorrow.

But!...I have scientifically formulated (with the help of Lidl) a precise beer consumption that will help though.

2 beers 1 water, exact ratio for maximum recovery.

Plastik

Unknown Soldier wrote: »

Highlight for me was the Dad(Usher?) with his two daughters doing the spin, couldn't have been more the 13/14, both on Boardman road bikes. Great to see that sort of stuff, pleasure to spin with them for a short while.

Otherwise known as Fat Bloke on here. Fairly rotund you'll agree

67km on the MTB today. Leadmines, Barnaslingan, Three Rock, some of the Wicklow Way, the jump track in Enniskerry and then some more in Djouce to top it all off!

shaka

Rebel 160 yesterday, tough day in saddle but great day

magicbastarder

40k around ncd today. Passed the GDBR on snowtown - going the opposite direction - and there were a few people struggling up it. Looked like a great turnout though.

ednwireland

Only did 30km as getting over shingles (hopefully ) nice to be out dry but a bit windy.

secman

Did a handy 50 km today, headed to killenagh, ballyedmund, boolavogue, ratheenduff, oulart, out on to main road and back to Kilmuckridge and home. Avg 25.5 kph.. lovely headwind on way out... and way home was way too wind assisted

retalivity

GDBR, 3h 58m for the actual route itself including 2.5 stops.

Delighted that I averaged over 30kph from the start to ballyboughal, then not getting food and continuing on i bonked a bit through naul and beyond. Stopped in garristown for 20 mins for a coffee and a breakfast bap, reinvigorated, I zoomed from there to blanch into that headwind, getting a tow from 4-5 lads how were bombing it home. i calculated 3h 36m moving time for the 98ish km, well happy with that I was hoping to go as far under 4 hrs as I could.

https://www.strava.com/activities/708197608

DirkVoodoo

Bottle of coke flew past my head as I came down the Alfie Byrne road. I couldn't quite taste the feeling, thankfully.

brianomc

Giants Causeway 126km yesterday, I have seen enough hills to last me a lifetime. The only flat sections were the crests and troughs. Torr Head got the better of me and I ended up turning around and taking the easy way. My legs just screamed that they had done enough and would do no more. Easy way my ass, more hills, I should have just carried on and walked some of the way up.

Some lovely roads and a smashing day though. You could fly down the descents with the smooth roads and long corners. I averaged 24.2 which I am very happy with. That was the toughest sportive I've done. 1984 metres of climbing in 126km so it's still less than last weeks Reservoir Dog per km (which I didn't do). A useful goodie box at the end too, CRC water bottle, park tools pedal wrench or x-tools steel core tyre levers, CRC socks, CRC discount vouchers (only for in-store, boooooo)

As a recovery spin I did the 100km great dublin bike ride today. Flew to Ballyboughal, stopped a bit too long which was more the queue for the toilets than the food. Was happy enough on the hills, then my back which was bothering me yesterday decided to act up again. 2 stops before the sports campus and a brief stop there to stretch and then I made good time back to smithfield.

Great organisation, even though the roads were only closed to halfway between 3Arena and Alfie Byrne road I only had to stop at one set of traffic lights. Gardai and stewards kept waving us through the reds. One very unhappy motorist in Malahide giving out to the Gardai about it. Loads of people on the roads cheering us on.

Got a few PR's and 2nd's, I would have been happy to get around at 20kmph after yesterday so happy with 26.2 which is my norm for sportives.

The beer is in the fridge and the takeaway will be ordered.

https://www.strava.com/activities/707649825

https://www.strava.com/activities/708710687

P_1

brianomc wrote: »

Giants Causeway 126km yesterday, I have seen enough hills to last me a lifetime. The only flat sections were the crests and troughs. Torr Head got the better of me and I ended up turning around and taking the easy way. My legs just screamed that they had done enough and would do no more. Easy way my ass, more hills, I should have just carried on and walked some of the way up.

Some lovely roads and a smashing day though. You could fly down the descents with the smooth roads and long corners. I averaged 24.2 which I am very happy with. That was the toughest sportive I've done. 1984 metres of climbing in 126km so it's still less than last weeks Reservoir Dog per km (which I didn't do). A useful goodie box at the end too, CRC water bottle, park tools pedal wrench or x-tools steel core tyre levers, CRC socks, CRC discount vouchers (only for in-store, boooooo)

As a recovery spin I did the 100km great dublin bike ride today. Flew to Ballyboughal, stopped a bit too long which was more the queue for the toilets than the food. Was happy enough on the hills, then my back which was bothering me yesterday decided to act up again. 2 stops before the sports campus and a brief stop there to stretch and then I made good time back to smithfield.

Great organisation, even though the roads were only closed to halfway between 3Arena and Alfie Byrne road I only had to stop at one set of traffic lights. Gardai and stewards kept waving us through the reds. One very unhappy motorist in Malahide giving out to the Gardai about it. Loads of people on the roads cheering us on.

Got a few PR's and 2nd's, I would have been happy to get around at 20kmph after yesterday so happy with 26.2 which is my norm for sportives.

The beer is in the fridge and the takeaway will be ordered.

https://www.strava.com/activities/707649825

https://www.strava.com/activities/708387663

It was quite hilarious seeing her rage spinning by her alright. Strangely she was the only motorist I encountered not having a nice day. Nabbed a fair few PBs myself too and Snowton didn't feel too painful.

https://www.strava.com/activities/708344287

Beaut of a day for it too which only helped.