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

tigerboon

Last 20km in absolute downpours. Completely saturated in about 30 seconds. You can only get so wet so stick the lights on and carry on.

Eamonnator

positron wrote: »

Beautiful day (or morning at least) for bike rides.

Last night I had planned a ride in Komoot to visit the stone where Cu Cuchullian made his last stand (legend is that he was wounded by his own spear because of jealous Queen Maeve's sorcery, and he tied himself to this rock and Maeve's army couldn't advance because they were afraid of him - the sight on him standing there was enough to stop them on their tracks. Day's later a crow landed on Cu's lifeless body and that's when the army figured out he's dead - or so goes the story. Anyway, I think it's a fascinating story, and even more fascinating that all these years later, there's still that (or a) stone standing in the middle of a field that appears to be in full cultivation). But just 20k from home my phone ran out of charge. More of Queen Maeve's sorcery no doubt.

So I did a quick tour of the roads I already knew, feeling fairly confident that the stone might still be there for a while. As usual with countryside around here, absolutely stunning views, reasonably flat and usual horrible road surface (especially between Ardee and Collon).

About 100k all in all, 540m elevation.

https://www.strava.com/activities/3852559385

I will be back to visit Cu's stone for sure.

If you go back to visit Cuchullain's stone, be prepared to lift your bike over a gate. It is also very badly signposted. When travelling from Dundalk to Knockbridge, there's a signpost pointing into a field. That's it, no parking, no place to secure your bike, nothing.

brownian

Pleasant jaunt over the two gaps yesterday. Traffic in Dublin was mental, so drove down to Laragh, parked in my secret parking spot (Laragh jammed), and headed over the Wicklow Gap. Detoured down into Lough Nahanagan, as the gate was open and I have never been. Lots of electricity stuff, and what feels like a James Bond set, complete with mysterious mountain tunnel entrance and misplaced office block. Anyway, back up to the road, over the top of the Gap, down to the Lake Drive. Up down up down, down up, like a guitar strumming pattern, until finally into Blesso for a sandwich. Sadly, the vegan cafe was even slower than I was...ages. However, got a nice long rest. Off to Kilbride, over the Sally Gap and back to Laragh. 82km overall, and a very pleasant spin.

saccades

A lack of imagination meant I went straight to the Sally gap and straight back home again.

105km, 1100m of climbing and ave speed on the way back was 28kmph (Garmin died at the top so had to switch to my phone, suspect I was much slower on the way out).

Not as many out as I expected, wind was blowing perfectly for the climbs and return. Have lost about 30 watts and added half a stone since February and I'm really missing spin classes. This spin really brought that home. Was great to be out though.

magicbastarder

Eamonnator wrote: »

If you go back to visit Cuchullain's stone, be prepared to lift your bike over a gate. It is also very badly signposted. When travelling from Dundalk to Knockbridge, there's a signpost pointing into a field. That's it, no parking, no place to secure your bike, nothing.

i hope that's not Cuchullain's stone that you've nicked and put on your mantelpiece?

positron

Apologies to the mods in advance for deviating from the main topic of the thread but - just wondering if ordinary average Joe would know these stories? As a blow-in (to the country, not just the county), I have only just leared about Cu Cucullian and actually just today I made the connection between that story and the statue in Ardee which always struck me very emotional and powerful everytime I cycle by it. Today I learned it's Cu and his half-brother (and possibly lover) Ferdiad, who was killed by Cu himself, and he's moaning the death of his friend and soulmate, and that Ardee itself is named after Ferdia.

This statue:



I do hope to visit the stone some day, thanks for the heads up Eamonnator.

And for the spirit of the thread (cheeky), my ride today was just 20k, along the boardwalk to Oldbridge estate - the usual ice-cream ride with my kids. Although on the way back I had to carry all three bikes up the 139 steps (!!) of the McBride train station along the viaduct. Now THAT had my heart going to Z-max.

secman

A short recovery spin this evening which involved trying to reduce cadence. Up to Kilmuckridge, down to morricastle and back to Kilmuckridge out to main road past Wells house and down 2nd turn for Kilmuckridge, along coast road to Ballygarrett, left at Pegs bar to Killenagh and back home. 41.5 km avg 28.1kph 289 meters. Worked on reducing my cadence which apparently is very high. Must get a cadence sensor to assist me.

shaveAbullock

The variance in cadence is so different for everyone I don't see how yours is too high unless you are going really insane with it.

magicbastarder

positron wrote: »

Apologies to the mods in advance for deviating from the main topic of the thread but - just wondering if ordinary average Joe would know these stories?

there are a couple of traditions of legends in ireland, the best known would be the legends of the fianna and fionn maccumhall, but cu chullain would belong more to the northern tales, the best known of that being the tain bo cuailnge (the cattle raid of cooley).

they're basically a collection of tales of warriors and high deeds and magic, much more folklore than history, but there are some good tales in there.

magicbastarder

huh. i've lived (briefly) in garristown and cycled through it god knows how many times, but i've only just found out it's considered to be the location of cath gabhra, the battle which was the defeat and end of na fianna:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cath_Gabhra

CramCycle

secman wrote: »

A short recovery spin this evening which involved trying to reduce cadence. Up to Kilmuckridge, down to morricastle and back to Kilmuckridge out to main road past Wells house and down 2nd turn for Kilmuckridge, along coast road to Ballygarrett, left at Pegs bar to Killenagh and back home. 41.5 km avg 28.1kph 289 meters. Worked on reducing my cadence which apparently is very high. Must get a cadence sensor to assist me.

Do you know what it is roughly? My experience is typically Irish riders have insanely low cadence, and have never seen anyone on the road who should reduce it. Alot of riders are in the 60 to 80 range, I stay up above 100 where I can and have no issues with tipping along at 120 without issue. If your comfy and you can handle it, the higher the cadence you can manage the better would be my opinion. Spin it to win it as they say.

Eamonnator

@positron
The original and full size statue of Cuchulainn, that I posted, is in the G.P.O. on O'Connell Street in Dublin.
I learned about Cuchulainn, Ferdia etc. in school.
Ardee in Irish translates as the Ford of Ferdia. The statue you posted is just metres from the river.
As a matter of interest, did I meet you on the Donore Road, near the Thatch, this morning at about 9.05am? I was in a group of 7, heading out of town.

secman

shaveAbullock wrote: »

The variance in cadence is so different for everyone I don't see how yours is too high unless you are going really insane with it.

Its been ssid to me by quite a few people over the last couple of months , mostly that's its high, but on Sunday one of the lads told me it was wsy too high and and that i should work on paring it back a bit.

secman

CramCycle wrote: »

Do you know what it is roughly? My experience is typically Irish riders have insanely low cadence, and have never seen anyone on the road who should reduce it. Alot of riders are in the 60 to 80 range, I stay up above 100 where I can and have no issues with tipping along at 120 without issue. If your comfy and you can handle it, the higher the cadence you can manage the better would be my opinion. Spin it to win it as they say.

Going to get a cadence sensor tosee what it is but the racers in the club reckon its ar least 100 but probably near to 120. One of the lads on Sunday said its way too high ?

magicbastarder

too high for what? if it works for you..

Weepsie

Yeah, I'd have been meaning to the high cadence is good and these people don't have a motion what they're on about.

Weepsie

Weepsie wrote: »

Yeah, I'd have been meaning to the high cadence is good and these people don't have a motion what they're on about.

I don't race and would 100% agree with you. Theres a reason pro's target a high cadence vs a lower one in a harder gear. I'll see if I can find a piece I read a few years ago on cadence.

a148pro

Pretty sure there's a táin trail, if not more than one, one possibly in the Cooley and one from Roscommon over. Might be worth a cycle also?

I gather several of the places mentioned in the epic are identifiable, by modern place names or features, or both.

fat bloke

Rattled down the N81 to Donard and on to Sliabh Maun, Elliot, Laragh and back the usual Glenmacnass to Sally gap, featherbeds and home.
Started out a bit later than we usually did and the huge increase in traffic later in the day made it an entirely different spin from sort of Glenmalure home. Lots and lots of cars, and remarkably few cyclists actually.

wheelo01

Did a short enough spin yesterday - 38km at an average of 28.9 which is about 5/6 kph up on my more recent spins up the hills.
Drimnagh, Navan Road, Clonee, Lucan and back home again.
Really warm once the rain stopped.

https://www.strava.com/activities/3853018573

80k with 900 climbing at 29.1 kph. Absolutely glorious, warm evening for a spin around Cork.

magicbastarder

cycling on the ashbourne-swords road this evening, a reasonably big branch broke off a tree less than 100m in front of me. i assumed it was some idiot lopping the tree till i passed it. thankfully it landed almost entirely on the footpath, so i'd not have been in much danger regardless.

Kevhog1988

Was outside my comfort zone for a good bit of this but picked up a good few prs. Lost my pump, bottle and got a fecking puncture tho. Spin out of town was very leisurely.


Check out my activity on Strava: https://strava.app.link/dGzWE8vkI8

velo.2010

I failed in my attempt to summit Mount Leinster today. Had the legs but didn't have the grip in very wet conditions up there. Poor visability too. I managed to stay seated to within 200-300m from the top, when the road became so steep I just had to get out of the saddle — cue the wheel slip. I came to a halt and couldn't get going again. I was like Bambi on ice trying to remount; it was too sketchy to continue. Disc brakes would have come in handy on the descent down to the access gate... I'll say no more.

After descending back to the viewing point, I headed down into Borris and came back up that way to the viewing point before heading back down to Bunclody. Barely 60km but with 1100m of climbing. I think I reached a height of about 750m on Mount Leinster before having to turn back. Hopefully, I'll get a chance to get down there and try again in dry conditions before the season changes. Gearing was 36/30 — I think a compact would be sensible but doubt it would have made any difference in those conditions today.

The Blackstairs mountains are beautiful BTW. Well worth exploring in the car and by foot as well as the bike.

secman

Headed out to blessington, met fellow boardsie Jimm, turned towards Naas, at the T junction Jimm took a right for Kilteel, we took left towards Punchestown, took a right turn heading to Rathcoole, eventually , Saggart and back home. 57 km avg 28.6kph 475 meters up.

Seth Brundle

Haven't done much in the last fortnight due to a family bereavement. Headed out along some back roads around Meath yesterday evening taking in Dunboyne, Batterstown, Drumree, Kilcock & Kilcloon).
First spin in a while where there was no agressive traffic which made a lovely change (it was very warm though).
https://www.strava.com/activities/3874396137

CramCycle

secman wrote: »

Going to get a cadence sensor tosee what it is but the racers in the club reckon its ar least 100 but probably near to 120. One of the lads on Sunday said its way too high ?

One of the lads is wrong. 100 isn't too fast, in fact most coaches would be giving out to you for going slower.

MojoMaker

What's your build secman? Everyone has a natural range that they fall into so there's no right or wrong answer/figure. Jan Ullrich was a very successful cyclist with a relatively slow piston-like road cadence, generating high power with each pedal stroke.

Never heard someone being collared for having too high a cadence though, unless you're bouncing about the place and distracting the rest of the group. Are you sure there isn't a bit of peer envy going on there? "for God's sake dial it back there lad, you're making the rest of us look bad....." etc :pac:

CramCycle

CramCycle wrote: »

Do you know what it is roughly? My experience is typically Irish riders have insanely low cadence, and have never seen anyone on the road who should reduce it. Alot of riders are in the 60 to 80 range, I stay up above 100 where I can and have no issues with tipping along at 120 without issue. If your comfy and you can handle it, the higher the cadence you can manage the better would be my opinion. Spin it to win it as they say.

Interesting! I doubt I have been out of the big ring more than three times this year and I know I have a very low cadence. Even on fairly steep hills I stay in the big ring and prefer to grind rather than spin. It's probably a bad habit that I need to look into.

Seth Brundle

Took a short spin from Leixlip to Newcastle & Ardclough.
Ended up rear ending a car at Hazlehatch canal bridge that stopped suddenly - some muppet reversed out from a towpath in front of the woman in front of me and she had to jam on - I hadn't time to stop.
My front wheel hit her bumper, bike pivoted upwards and my helmet smacked off her rear window and the back of the bike spun around whilst up in the air.
Looking at the videos, it was fairly predictable but as I was starting off (as the light just went green) and going somewhat uphill, I must have been looking down and missed what was coming.
The rear wheel managed to pop out, presumably when it came back down. Both wheels were true and rotating fine afterwards.
Anyhow the bike and helmet both appear to be fine now. Coming down Athgoe hill a short while later, doing over 60km/h, the bike felt good

https://strava.app.link/g93QCiUwL8