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

Miklos

Properly nice day for a spin today! On an easy week so just doodled around the Park.

smacl

Fantastic weather out there today. Took a slightly extended lunch and went up to Ticknock via Kilmashogue lane and wood. Need to stick a cross tyre back on to the rear, slicks, gravel and steep gradients are no the ideal combo. Ran into NamelessPhil on the way back and had a natter and then made in back in time to snarf the last slice of stick toffee pudding the youngest made at the weekend. Not getting any thinner, not getting any better at hills, but enjoying life for all that!

magicbastarder

is the east link northbound always that bad in the evening?

Wishbone Ash

magicbastarder wrote: »

is the east link northbound always that bad in the evening?

Was there a bridge lift before you arrived?

EDIT: Probably as a result of the large protest march earlier

magicbastarder

aha, that'd make sense so. didn't see the bridge lift.

Fighting Tao

magicbastarder wrote: »

is the east link northbound always that bad in the evening?

Normally I get across it from work in 15-20 minutes driving. Today it took 45. It's frustrating sitting in traffic.

secman

Kilnamanagh to Tallaght bypass and across to Lucan village .... that should read Down to Lucan and back Up to Tallaght... lovely night for a night spin ..first one in maybe 15 years !

PaulieC

magicbastarder wrote: »

is the east link northbound always that bad in the evening?

It depends on a number of things. Yesterday, it seems like it was caused by protests in town. Oftentimes, it's a concert in the Point. If you're not already, you should cut through Irishtown and Ringsend which brings you out at the bridge without having to deal with the traffic on Sean Moore Road and especially the stretch from the roundabout to the tool plaza.

Seaswimmer

magicbastarder wrote: »

is the east link northbound always that bad in the evening?

I go the opposite way crossing about 5.30 everyday. It always seems busy going south to north the way you go.

As someone suggested taking the short cut by turning right at Ringsend Church is probably your best bet or alternatively go left at the roundabout at end of Sean Moore Road down Pigeon House Road and out through the gap in the wall beyond the toll plaza.

magicbastarder

cheers, i was wondering about that, i did see what looked like pedestrian or bike access there. seems a lot more sane than sitting behind large flatbed trucks on a narrow road.

Fighting Tao

Another alternative to east link road is to turn into the estate on Sean Moore Rd and cycle though Irishtown park coming out near the east link. It's much more enjoyable.

Chuchote

Fighting Tao wrote: »

Another alternative to east link road is to turn into the estate on Sean Moore Rd and cycle though Irishtown park coming out near the east link. It's much more enjoyable.

It is - except for the fact that the local hobby seems to be glass-smashing, if you look at the surface of the paths through the park.

Fighting Tao

Chuchote wrote: »

It is - except for the fact that the local hobby seems to be glass-smashing, if you look at the surface of the paths through the park.

I haven't encountered a problem on the main route from east link (by the flats) through to the estate on Sean Moore road. I have on some of the path just outside the perimeter fence between Irishtown and Pigeon House rd.

retalivity

First ton of the year this morning, dublin city centre out to carbury and back via straffan, clane, allenwood, carbury, kilshanroe, ???? , Kilcock, leixlip, the park.

Bit of rain in dublin both leaving and coming back, but out in the country it was grand. Only the Lovely smell of rain and slurry to accompany me for large parts of it. Got lost on some backroads between carbury and kilcock, but got a nice look at the countryside, and the heaps upon heaps of nice houses going up in the middle of nowhere.

Strava acting the bollix again, cut out a few times then gave up completely in castleknock in the way home. 109km in 4h45 by their reckoning, probably closer to 115km when i add the rest

https://www.strava.com/activities/895966770

dahat

Openers on the turbo on prep for my first A4 race tomorrow....

Pretty nervous at this point but this is quite normal for me just hoping all goes well tomorrow.

nilhg

First proper long one of the season today, down to the Blooms, the Cut, Wolftrap, Wolftrap from Lackarhoe, back over the Cut and home.

The plan was miles in the legs/hours in the saddle, wasn't too worried about speed, felt well enough all through so happy enough, one bonus was I was expecting to have to do it solo but one of my clubmates came along which made the time go by a bit quicker.

160km, 1500m

https://www.strava.com/activities/896012105

secman

Headed from house to Killenagh, ballycanew, left turn to Ballyedmund and on to Castlebridge towards wexford town, left turn on to coast road to curracloe, Blackwater, kilmuckridge and home.
65 km Avg 26.7 on garmin... strava always says a tad lower.
Sadly no sun at all today in sunny southeast !

positron

Went out on my first long ride ever, and came with great appreciation for cycling and why so many do it - Drogheda-Julianstown-Duleek and back the same way, only 30 kms or so and I was probably the slowest thing going on the road with Strava showing an average speed of around 21.2kmph, I dont' care, I loved it - so beautiful out there even with the wind pushing me back and cars flying by (which I am not used to, I am on a motorbike most of the time and I am used to overtaking rather than being overtaken), it's just so nice to get out and get so much fresh air before traffic picks up.

robyntmorton

Yesterday - Out with the Galway Cycle group on a training spin. Planned 90km turned into an actual 95 ish, due to having to move the turn around point.

The run out of Maynooth to Kilcock and on to the Enfield bypass was simple enough. I, and the bike felt much better than the previous attempt at it. From there we took a tun off to Johnstown Bridge and on to Carbury in order to make the extra distance. The road out felt horrible, a very up and down affair, coinciding with my turn at the front (something I am not used to, being more of a solo cyclist. I had to be reminded to keep my line and my pace constant, which I found difficult without the visual cues from being behind someone. I got used to it though). The road back from Carbury seemed much easier though.

The rest stop in Mother Hubbards (km 51) was most welcome and a chance for respite and refuelling before getting back out on the road to our turn around point in Kinnegad, before heading back towards Enfield, Kilcock, and into Maynooth.

Unfortunately, on the climb back into Enfield my legs decided that they had suffered enough and gave out on me, tossing me out of the back of the group, and despite much encouragement from the more experienced riders it was the support bus for me for a few minutes to recover before getting back onboard at the regroup in Kilcock to ride in the final few km.

84 km for the day, with an avg speed of 24.5 km/h. Slightly disappointed that I couldn't hold on up that hill, but c'est la vie. Next time I'll get it.

40k. South city, coast road, round Howth and back. First cycle of the year and first time in my bike in about 5 months. Onwards ans upwards from here, I hope.

Boscoirl

97km today, killer wind the last 20km, would normally stuck a bit on at the end to break the 100, but I was empty,

Mercian Pro

Got a bit carried away this morning on the Haul d'Naul sportif. Somehow found myself in the up lane of the lead group after coming out of Rush. Didn't play cute like a good few others and took my turn at the sharp end just before we hit a hill. Lasted a few minutes but promptly shot out the back once I rolled over.
Luckily I was able to team up with two guys from West Clare and Clontarf and we managed to stay ahead of anyone behind without ever seeing the lead group again. Got back to Swords in a good time by working well together and very pleased with my 30.3kph average.
A good start to the sportif season, well organised and a fair bit raised for DSI. Next up the Tour de Foothills or the SERC 3 Peaks.

dahat

Ras Luimni today, A4 debut with 137 lads hammering around narrow roads was always going to be hairy and plenty crashes one which looked serious, hope all is ok with the lad in question

Spent KMS 40-52 maybe in a two breakaway just a bit up the road and had a ball, headwinds and crosswinds were no help at all. Finished maybe top 50 but had nothing left last 1km.

62km at 37.9km average and a normalized power of 323 watts, unsure.

Takca

Over the Christmas during a moment of drunken weakness, me and some friends decided to do a 21km charity cycle(its been about 15 years since I cycled and I've at least 4 stone I should loose). After a few weeks trying to prepare myself Today was the day, I lined up feeling quiet out of place on my hybrid, it was a time trial format so off we went one by one. About 9km in and I run over a grate on the road, immediately I'm running on a flat on the front ;-( , 10+ minutes later everybody has passed me and I've replaced my tube with a spare, I'm off again(with the new tube bulging out through a split in the tire). I caught up on a handfull of people and about 2.5km from the end a second flat. That was the end of the day for me, back in the support vehicle.

I intend to keep cycling so I'll have to go back soon and redo the damn thing.

https://www.strava.com/activities/897221263

coddlesangers

So 36km today, but possibly the best 36km I've ever done as it came only 40 days after my partial menisectomy. Chuffed.

https://www.strava.com/activities/897480781/shareable_images/map_based?hl=en-US&v=1489330070

secman

Headed to ballygarret, up coast road to Courtown, Ballymoney, around Tara hill and on to Castletown. Out on to main road at inch and headed for Gorey. Just before Gorey, left Turn back to Ballymoney, courtown, ballygarret heading towards Kilmuckridge and turned for home. A meandering route hugging coast, trying to avoid the wind , a westerly I think, nice to see the sun again in sunny southeast .
62km avg 24 kph.

grouchyman

Normally do my bit of cycling on the flat, but this weekend I was in Kildare so Yesterday I got the opportunity with the help of two brothers to do a bit of cycling around the blessington lakes. So starting in Kilteel up the Lamb Doyle's across the Blessington road to Manor Kilbride then onto Lacken, Hollywood, Blessington and baco to Kilteel via Glendeer, Eadstown and the old Kill pits. 64 km in four and a half hours. I have to confess I walked up about the last 100m of the Lamb Doyle's and coming home on the last leg just past PDM. I had to get off and walk the last five or six hundred yards. But I don't care as was definitely the toughest bit of cycling I've done to date.

secman

grouchyman wrote: »

Normally do my bit of cycling on the flat, but this weekend I was in Kildare so Yesterday I got the opportunity with the help of two brothers to do a bit of cycling around the blessington lakes. So starting in Kilteel up the Lamb Doyle's across the Blessington road to Manor Kilbride then onto Lacken, Hollywood, Blessington and baco to Kilteel via Glendeer, Eadstown and the old Kill pits. 64 km in four and a half hours. I have to confess I walked up about the last 100m of the Lamb Doyle's and coming home on the last leg just past PDM. I had to get off and walk the last five or six hundred yards. But I don't care as was definitely the toughest bit of cycling I've done to date.

It's a lovely spin around back of the lakes, with meandering roads, sharp drags, beautiful scenery, good for the soul:)

Somedude9

secman wrote: »

It's a lovely spin around back of the lakes, with meandering roads, sharp drags, beautiful scenery, good for the soul:)

That's a tough road, it fairly kicked my arse at the weekend.

Wishbone Ash

secman wrote: »

It's a lovely spin around back of the lakes, with meandering roads, sharp drags, beautiful scenery, good for the soul:)

I'd have to disagree - it's soul destroying. Whatever it is, that road just sucks the life out of me. I only do it when it is part of a sportive or when someone else has organised it. It's a route I'd never voluntarily take.