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

Johnny Jukebox

Just a loop around the hellfire/Killakee/Cruagh yesterday.

The 250m trafiic gridlock along Masseys/Hellfire had to be seen to be believed... I had to carry the bike over my head and squeeze between the cars in places...

magicbastarder

sounds like the cable car is a good idea after all.

triggermortis

I did a quick solo 30km earlier and spoke to more people than on the last few weeks!
First came across a lorry reversing down a narrow country lane. Driver wound the window down to ask directions then told me how he’d been here loads of times but in a smaller truck ( do they navigate better??)
Then met two ladies stopped with a flat. The wire had separated from the tyre bead and so the new tube started to bulge out the side. Not a lot I could do to help, so I hope they got back to Donabate ok. Lastly a motorist wanted directions but was too lazy to stop so wanted to shout out the passenger window while he drove alongside me on a narrow country lane.

Type 17

First 20km + County run - 87.5 km @ 28.5 av around NCD - great to see the lanes again!

JMcL

Just over 30km again this morning. Legs were feeling a bit leaden after the past few days so had intentions of a nice handy spin to loosen them up a bit. Having not been on the chosen route for the best part of 3 months however, the lumpiness of it had slipped my mind so wound up with 450m of climbing for my sins :eek: Legs now feel even more leaden

smacl

First escape from 5k zone yesterday morning taking in Bohernabreena, Piperstown, Featherbeds and home via Foxes for 35k with 650m of up. Back out again today Kilternan, Foxes, Viewing point and back down for 25k and 500m of up.

I head up to the Hellfire on the bike pretty regularly but you really need to be there early to avoid traffic and walkers if you're cycling the Coilte trails. Was up there Sunday afternoon and it was jammers. Lots more runners and walkers on the roads around Cruagh too so you really need to be a bit cautious descending.

Mercian Pro

Decided to give the climbing legs a good workout as they'd been relaxing under the bed for the last few months. Ticknock was a bit of a wake-up call, Kilmashogue, as tough as I remember it, but after heading up to the Featherbeds and down to Glenasmole, Cunard didn't seem too bad at all. I decided to head on to my 20k limit at Glencree (cafe still closed) and down towards Enniskerry before tackling the Devil's Elbow from the south for the first time. There's a sharp bend and climb just after the bridge (the elbow I presume) that had me looking for another gear but luckily I made it through before continuing on up to Johnnie Fox's, the Blue Light and Lamb Doyles. In better times, a pint and a sandwich would have been a good reward for 1600m of climbing but I had to make do with another oaty bar instead. Overall 80km on the clock when I got home northside and an average of 21kph.

Seth Brundle

I was going to head out over towards Brittas and Blessington but with an insect bite on monday on my left calf gone swollen I felt that it could be too much for me so I decided to keep it urban and I'm just back from a spin into Dublin city to see some of the new changes.
Two near incidents - a pedestrian and a cyclist crossed in front of me when I was in the new cycle lane on the N. quays. Thankfully I was watching them.
Traffic on the whole was fine and generally courteous but it's early days yet, I guess.
Went home via Chesterfield Ave in the Phoenix Park which was a nice spin. A fair few cyclists about. I do think the cars need to go though. Having two gardai at the Castleknock gate directing traffic isn't good value for taxpayers money either.
The most noticable thing about the spin was that no matter what direction I was going, the wind felt as if it was coming towards me
Plus I need to remind myself that Summer is over and short sleeve jerseys aren't ideal.

Edit: meant to add how as I was coming in the N4 past Heuston, the air pollution became quite noticeable. You get used to having cleaner air!

Don't Chute!

Mercian Pro wrote: »

Decided to give the climbing legs a good workout as they'd been relaxing under the bed for the last few months. Ticknock was a bit of a wake-up call, Kilmashogue, as tough as I remember it, but after heading up to the Featherbeds and down to Glenasmole, Cunard didn't seem too bad at all. I decided to head on to my 20k limit at Glencree (cafe still closed) and down towards Enniskerry before tackling the Devil's Elbow from the south for the first time. There's a sharp bend and climb just after the bridge (the elbow I presume) that had me looking for another gear but luckily I made it through before continuing on up to Johnnie Fox's, the Blue Light and Lamb Doyles. In better times, a pint and a sandwich would have been a good reward for 1600m of climbing but I had to make do with another oaty bar instead. Overall 80km on the clock when I got home northside and an average of 21kph.

You missed it by a day! The Armoury Cafe reopens for takeaway tomorrow!

Daroxtar

Had a grand spin today with some clubmates. 65km @32kph around the Enfield /Trim direction. It was great to get out and have the chat and not worry about being more than 5km from the house.
I'm mad jealous of all ye Dubs getting up the hills. Flat and fast spins are good fun but I am really craving some uppage. I might have to start commuting from Longwood to Clonee via Blessington

godtabh

Went up Howth Hill today. Took 30 seconds off my PB. Good day and enjoyed that!

magicbastarder

which side did you go up?

godtabh

magicbastarder wrote: »

which side did you go up?

The southern side

magicbastarder

i was hoping to tackle it tomorrow, but the forecast is damp.

secman

Took to the hills tonight, up Cruagh to view point and on up the military road, down Cunard to Glenasmole and back up ballinascorney and in to Brittas. Up to the Lamb, into manor Kilbride and back via Lisheen, Brittas, down the embankment and home. 54km avg 23.28kph 768 m elevation. Horloxed

retalivity

The hellfire traffic jams, i have stopped going up/down stocking lane on weekends because of them, stick to stocking lane mon-fri, use cruagh sat/sun.

Herself was wondering if ikea queues were still bad, so used it as an excuse to go for a spin. 150+ still queuing after 7pm, and the store closing at 8 - madness. Decathlon also ready to go beside it, opening on sat - cheap bike gear ahoy!

Went out for a lap of the road between the runways then, a short tt with & then into the wind. Lovely empty road there in places, new tarmac, rarely used. Lack of planes on the runway is pretty eerie as well

triggermortis

godtabh wrote: »

The southern side

Which side is that? I prefer to go up the village side and down past the graveyard. I don’t like descending into the village but I want to try and beat my times up the “scenic” side

godtabh

triggermortis wrote: »

Which side is that? I prefer to go up the village side and down past the graveyard. I don’t like descending into the village but I want to try and beat my times up the “scenic” side

Not the village side.

magicbastarder

i generally refer to it as the TT side.

Rogue-Trooper

magicbastarder wrote: »

i generally refer to it as the TT side.

Surely you mean the 'easy' side.......??!!:pac:

Tony04

Why does everyone seem to think theres only the 2 ways up Howth, theres so much other ways like balkhill, balscadden, barren hill and windgate which are steeper and arguably better.

Rogue-Trooper wrote: »

Surely you mean the 'easy' side.......??!!:pac:

Both the village and graveyard side are dead easy when you compare it to some of the off road climbs.

Mc Love

Roads are noticeably busier this morning - back to normal and I'm not sure if its the summer but there were so many more cyclists out in Limerick this morning

mr spuckler

Tony04 wrote: »

Why does everyone seem to think theres only the 2 ways up Howth, theres so much other ways like balkhill, balscadden, barren hill and windgate which are steeper and arguably better.

Both the village and graveyard side are dead easy when you compare it to some of the off road climbs.

Indeed there are 12! Which I hope to do in 1 go later in the year, fitness pending.

Tony04

mr spuckler wrote: »

Indeed there are 12! Which I hope to do in 1 go later in the year, fitness pending.

Do you have the route I might try that if I'm acctually motivated to not just cycle up whichever side has a tailwind on the day .
I can only think of 10 going up somewhere different everytime, anything else I'm forgetting.
1. Hill tt
2. Village side.
3. Fintans- old carricbrack.
4. Summit via Balscadden
5. Sutton castle- barren hill- thormamby
6. Balkhill- windgate.
7. Bailey to summit
8. Grace o Malley- summit
9. Howth village- asgard- greys lane- windgate.
10. Deer park.

Seth Brundle

is this them?
https://www.plotaroute.com/route/549265

mr spuckler

Seth Brundle wrote: »

is this them?
https://www.plotaroute.com/route/549265

I think that's even my map :pac:

I lifted the route description from elsewhere and plotted it there, will see if I can find description again as might be helpful.

devonp

on the commute this morning noticed new cycle lane(s, double ?) on Wolfe Tone quay...and a dodgy bit on the left hand side going over the bridge from heuston station..

Alanstrainor

Seth Brundle wrote: »

is this them?
https://www.plotaroute.com/route/549265

I was only thinking of trying something similar, there's a few spots in there I wasn't aware of! I've only made it back to Howth this week after a long break, but feel quite fit still. Laps of Portmarnock were more useful than I thought.

I also finally changed my shoes/pedals from MTB SPD, to SPD-SL on my road bike. I was worried they SDP-SL's would be significantly harder to get out of... not the case at all. I actually think the old pedals had gotten progressively stiffer over the years. All was good, just have to remember that the pedals only have clips on one side...

velo.2010

I'd avoid the Clane to Barberstown road for the next while, as Kildare CC have seen fit to rip up the mostly asphalt surface and replaced it with a chip seal covering. Grrreat!

Cycling it today was an exercise in dodging loose chippings kicked up by the passing traffic - not very nice. The vibrations were really jarring on the arms too. Thankfully, I found alternate routes during the 5km limit, but its a handy road for dropping the hammer and giving it a lash on the way back.

Hopefully, it will settle down into something resembling a decent surface for cycling.

retalivity

Saw the sky clearing and the road drying, so decided at 8.05pm after half a pizza and a cod and chips to go for a quick one up the viewing point before dark. A combination of racing the sun and a slight tailwind going up resulted in PRs all over the shop, and knocking nearly a minute of my target for up stocking/down cruagh that I had set for the end of the year - result!

https://www.strava.com/activities/3599878436

I'll put it down to all the carbs though.