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

Mercian Pro

In honour of the new month, I finally decided to add a bit of variety to my circuits of the Park by doing left turn loops whenever I came to a junction. It certainly added to both the enjoyment and distance with a full lap now totalling 37.6km rather than 9.3km on a normal circuit. Managed to keep my average above 27 as well 😊
Great to see so many others out too. I suspect the miserable weekend might be a factor.
https://www.relive.cc/view/vPv4GBgrp3q

wheelo01

Is that all road, or some off? I never noticed/never felt the need to try discover all the different routes, I just do the outer loop. However that makes me think, I should do some more exploring.

Mercian Pro

All road except for a bit of gravel beside Ashtown Castle. Going to try a clockwise loop next time with all the right turns! One of the good things about it is you end up doing Chesterfield Avenue as well but in small bites.

vintcerf

oooh nice i'll try this tomorrow. might skip the garda/zoo road ... those speed humps

LollipopJimmy

Had to do something for work, 48kms, hit a shoddy road repair hard and punctured, repaired in less than 5 minutes but in that time 3 cyclists stopped to offer help

MojoMaker

Mercian Pro wrote: »

In honour of the new month, I finally decided to add a bit of variety to my circuits of the Park by doing left turn loops whenever I came to a junction. It certainly added to both the enjoyment and distance with a full lap now totalling 37.6km rather than 9.3km on a normal circuit. Managed to keep my average above 27 as well ��
Great to see so many others out too. I suspect the miserable weekend might be a factor.
https://www.relive.cc/view/vPv4GBgrp3q

Love it. Given me some ideas alright!

Paul Kiernan

Mercian Pro wrote: »

In honour of the new month, I finally decided to add a bit of variety to my circuits of the Park by doing left turn loops whenever I came to a junction. It certainly added to both the enjoyment and distance with a full lap now totalling 37.6km rather than 9.3km on a normal circuit. Managed to keep my average above 27 as well ��
Great to see so many others out too. I suspect the miserable weekend might be a factor.
https://www.relive.cc/view/vPv4GBgrp3q

Interesting App for viewing your route! Beats Strava.

Mercian Pro

Paul Kiernan wrote: »

Interesting App for viewing your route! Beats Strava.

Yes, it was a free add-on to Strava but then Strava blocked access last year. I now link it to Garmin Connect and the app asks me after each ride if I want to create a Relive video. I thought it would show my loops better than just giving the Strava link!


https://www.relive.cc/

smacl

Back up to Kilmashogue over lunch, up to the top of the lane this time and then into the woods again on the way down. Outside of being gruelling, the road climb hasn't much going for it. Pretty average view from the top and furking horrible rather sketchy descent, particularly today where the road was more like a stream in the rain. Sunny this morning before heading out, lashing while I was out there and the sun came back out again once I got home. A couple of other cyclists on Kilmashogue, all of who seemed way more capable on it than yours truly. Was reminded that I really need to shift the few extra KGs put on over Christmas.

Daroxtar

I've been on the turbo for an hour or so pretty much every day for the last few weeks, doing my best to keep a bit of fitness and sanity but today was the day I just said "F@*& this". A combination of a brutal night's sleep and yet another manky morning being stuck inside got the better of me. I did about 10 minutes Zwift and the legs felt crap so I switched over to BikeTheWorld thinking some nice scenery might inspire me and after 20 minutes there I just had enough. Legs had no snap, desire was gone out the window. Got off the bike, felt sh1te.
Think I'll give it a miss altogether tomorrow, relax and reset. Hopefully the weather picks up and I will head outside over the weekend.

Wildly Boaring

Very similarly. Every day for last few weeks I've done turbo, a run or weights.

This evening went to the shed. Lasted 10 on the turbo.

Went for a nice long walk by the sea instead.

Not like it was a January thing either. I've been consistent for months. But did generally have a day off by accident by just being busy. Perhaps I need to actually have that planned

MojoMaker

Fatigue lads, probably all it is. Yes you should certainly have a day off the bike entirely once a week, do something else - even an auld walk

LollipopJimmy

I'm having to visit work sites at the minute. Came home via Howth again today, 50k round trip but Holy hell I struggled the last 10. Considering I was doing 100s and 150s without breaking a sweat its disheartening but once I keep turning the pedals ill be back in no time

MojoMaker

Been there. Had you eaten before heading out, or had anything with you on the bike?

dahat

Daroxtar wrote: »

I've been on the turbo for an hour or so pretty much every day for the last few weeks, doing my best to keep a bit of fitness and sanity but today was the day I just said "F@*& this". A combination of a brutal night's sleep and yet another manky morning being stuck inside got the better of me. I did about 10 minutes Zwift and the legs felt crap so I switched over to BikeTheWorld thinking some nice scenery might inspire me and after 20 minutes there I just had enough. Legs had no snap, desire was gone out the window. Got off the bike, felt sh1te.
Think I'll give it a miss altogether tomorrow, relax and reset. Hopefully the weather picks up and I will head outside over the weekend.

Rest days are your friend here. As you know i spend significant time on the bike but i'll always plan one if not two rest days per week.

LollipopJimmy

MojoMaker wrote: »

Been there. Had you eaten before heading out, or had anything with you on the bike?

Oh I definitely ran out of fuel. I'm calorie counting at the minute (delighted to find White Hag range on MyFitnessPal) I'll find my balance soon. I normally wouldn't need food or water on a 50k. I've to go out again today so I'll try stretch it to 50k again. The plus side to my job at the moment is needing to visit various sites over Dublin in the next few weeks.

Anyone out today? I felt rejuvenated this morning, real wiff of spring in the air.

Eamonnator

Deleted User wrote: »

Anyone out today? I felt rejuvenated this morning, real wiff of spring in the air.

I was.
Towards Donore, Plattin, Southgate, Mornington, Donacarney, back to Dublin Road, back to Plattin. hour and a half.
Lovely out.

secman

7 laps of ring road of Kilnamanagh.....
25 km 220 meters avg 25kph..... nuff said

Agent Smyth

First time out on the road this year for me having spent all of January on the wahoo psycobabbling
So a 46K @ 28kmph with a gentle 407 meters of up

magicbastarder

Deleted User wrote: »

Anyone out today? I felt rejuvenated this morning, real wiff of spring in the air.

just back, 27km up to the airport and a small loop there.
a definite 'cool dry breezy spring day' change from the 'cold damp windy winter day' vibe we've had for the last while.

Seth Brundle

Just back in myself after 46km @ 28km/h.
Indeed it did have a lovely sense of springtime but the wind was a bit of a pain.
Travelled around my bubble includibg Leixlip, Lucan and Dunboyne.
At one point I travelled on the Ballyowen rd towards Lucan. A driver of one of the red Intel busses opened his door at a set of lights and complimented my speed (~43km/h), and was convinced it must be an electric bike or something. What makes my ego feel even better was that it wasn't my fastest doing that stretch (a tail wind is a great help!).

Coming out of Dunboyne, I was planning on another 15-20km via Celbridge and Hazlehatch. However a series of floods near Dunboyne graveyard drenched my legs and feet (despite shoe covers) and I opted to just head home.

https://strava.app.link/frabFn9Pzdb

Just in. Snuck out for 37K @ 27kph with 600 climbing. Brutal wind down south, with a lovely morning set to make way for another deluge.

Anyone found a way to warn walkers who use the middle of the road that you are coming behind them? I've tried coughing, squeezing the brakes and saying excuse me very loudly, but without fail some walkers seem to act as if it's the most amazing thing in the world that someone on a bike would be behind them and need to get past then on the road! Not a big deal for me, but don't want to give some old lady a heart attack!

LollipopJimmy

Jealous of your speeds at the moment, I've not done any real cycling in about 18months though barring short spins so pretty naive of me to think I could be back at 28/29kph pace. Another few weeks though

smacl

Deleted User wrote: »

Anyone out today? I felt rejuvenated this morning, real wiff of spring in the air.

Also just in, regular lunch time spin for me including Masseys and the Hellfire, 22k with 473 of up. Lost traction (and the will to live!) in the steep section of the Hellfire below and took the walk of shame for the middle part of it. Glorious out though raining now, starting to feel a bit like Spring.

positron

Daroxtar wrote: »

I've been on the turbo for an hour or so pretty much every day for the last few weeks, doing my best to keep a bit of fitness and sanity but today was the day I just said "F@*& this". A combination of a brutal night's sleep and yet another manky morning being stuck inside got the better of me. I did about 10 minutes Zwift and the legs felt crap so I switched over to BikeTheWorld thinking some nice scenery might inspire me and after 20 minutes there I just had enough. Legs had no snap, desire was gone out the window. Got off the bike, felt sh1te.
Think I'll give it a miss altogether tomorrow, relax and reset. Hopefully the weather picks up and I will head outside over the weekend.

Add me to the list of people who had a bad ride yesterday. I have been following an endurance plan for over a month, five rides a week, and yesterday was the first time that I failed to complete one. Legs were zapped, felt rotten in general.

I think there's a reason for this - and I suspect it's elevated temperate the night before, leading to bad broken sleep and zero recovery.

Managed to complete today's ride though (1h50m tempo ride @ 70-80% ftp).

positron

Deleted User wrote: »

Anyone found a way to warn walkers who use the middle of the road that you are coming behind them?

Common problem on Boyne ramparts (and everywhere else).

Very effective and possibly simplest solution is a simple bike bell.

Here's discrete one:

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005001896345480.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.0.0.778a20c0Wg3bGT&algo_pvid=9cb06979-3e9b-4bf4-a750-a489d9c7a1e2&algo_expid=9cb06979-3e9b-4bf4-a750-a489d9c7a1e2-4&btsid=0b0a119a16123641514386637e0653&ws_ab_test=searchweb0_0,searchweb201602_,searchweb201603_

positron

positron wrote: »

Common problem on Boyne ramparts (and everywhere else).

Very effective and possibly simplest solution is a simple bike bell.

Here's discrete one:

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005001896345480.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.0.0.778a20c0Wg3bGT&algo_pvid=9cb06979-3e9b-4bf4-a750-a489d9c7a1e2&algo_expid=9cb06979-3e9b-4bf4-a750-a489d9c7a1e2-4&btsid=0b0a119a16123641514386637e0653&ws_ab_test=searchweb0_0,searchweb201602_,searchweb201603_

Was thinking that might be the only option. May have to take the plunge as there are so many walkers using the middle of the roads within my 5k.

Thanks a million.

alentejo

smacl wrote: »

Also just in, regular lunch time spin for me including Masseys and the Hellfire, 22k with 473 of up. Lost traction (and the will to live!) in the steep section of the Hellfire below and took the walk of shame for the middle part of it. Glorious out though raining now, starting to feel a bit like Spring.

Where exactly is that? What route would you take?

Mercian Pro

positron wrote: »

Common problem on Boyne ramparts (and everywhere else).

Very effective and possibly simplest solution is a simple bike bell.

Here's discrete one:

That one you linked looks and sounds well (except when it's wet) but only lasted a few months for me before the spring failed. Got a couple of these and very happy with them. There seem to be cheaper similar versions online but I don't know if they last as well.
https://urbanandhawk.com/products/minimalx-bell