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

Daroxtar

Went off today to do a decent amount of climbing at a fairly steady pace. Headed up Ballinascorney, down by the firing range, up Sally Gap and Kippure then down Stocking lane, back up it, down Cruagh and back up and then just took a ramble over by Johnnie Foxes, Stepaside and back to Tallaght. I saw feck all of that nice sunshine everyone was on about. Very foggy for the first half of the spin. Garmin showed an average temperature of 7 and it was only 3 degrees between the top of Ballinascorney and the Sally Gap Road.
I'll tell you this, I might have been intending on taking it steady but I was suffering a fair bit too. Looking at Strava, I was a couple of minutes slower on a few climbs than my PRs but still felt half wrecked. Legs were really struggling to turn the pedals at times especially on Kippure and around by Micky Wall's memorial. 50 rpm, under pressure, going nowhere. I'm carrying about half a stone more than I'd like and it's definitely having an effect. I'm happy enough that I've lost half a stone already since February so hopefully I'll get rid of the rest before too long.
Then near the end of the ride I realised I wasn't shifting into the 28 half the time so it's no fking wonder I struggled on some of the steep stuff. The click of doom....
I'm still only getting used to the 28 after changing from 11-32. I'm very tempted to change back! I'm kinda chuffed I didn't stop tbh.
Anyway, 93km, 1887m climbed in a fairly slow average speed of 21kmh.
https://www.strava.com/activities/934645993

smacl

Fierce amount of climbing over that distance Daroxtar

Daroxtar

I think it's about a half a Mick Byrne. I'm going to have to seriously up my game before the end of May!!!
And root out that 11-32

columbus_66

155 km today in 6hrs from Lucan to Donard and over Aughavanagh, Glemmalure and Glenmacnass to Sally Gap and Brittas and home via Newcastle. Nice and steady but tired now. Met the leading group from the Tour de Foothills which was a nice surprise.

kirk buttercup

Tour de foothills 65km. My first cycling / spotif event Absolutely loved it .

Kaisr Sose

columbus_66 wrote: »

155 km today in 6hrs from Lucan to Donard and over Aughavanagh, Glemmalure and Glenmacnass to Sally Gap and Brittas and home via Newcastle. Nice and steady but tired now. Met the leading group from the Tour de Foothills which was a nice surprise.

Nice one. Did a 150km last year end of April but not as much climbing!

pprendeville

Daroxtar wrote: »

Went off today to do a decent amount of climbing at a fairly steady pace. Headed up Ballinascorney, down by the firing range, up Sally Gap and Kippure then down Stocking lane, back up it, down Cruagh and back up and then just took a ramble over by Johnnie Foxes, Stepaside and back to Tallaght. I saw feck all of that nice sunshine everyone was on about. Very foggy for the first half of the spin. Garmin showed an average temperature of 7 and it was only 3 degrees between the top of Ballinascorney and the Sally Gap Road.
I'll tell you this, I might have been intending on taking it steady but I was suffering a fair bit too. Looking at Strava, I was a couple of minutes slower on a few climbs than my PRs but still felt half wrecked. Legs were really struggling to turn the pedals at times especially on Kippure and around by Micky Wall's memorial. 50 rpm, under pressure, going nowhere. I'm carrying about half a stone more than I'd like and it's definitely having an effect. I'm happy enough that I've lost half a stone already since February so hopefully I'll get rid of the rest before too long.
Then near the end of the ride I realised I wasn't shifting into the 28 half the time so it's no fking wonder I struggled on some of the steep stuff. The click of doom....
I'm still only getting used to the 28 after changing from 11-32. I'm very tempted to change back! I'm kinda chuffed I didn't stop tbh.
Anyway, 93km, 1887m climbed in a fairly slow average speed of 21kmh.
https://www.strava.com/activities/934645993

Whats the Micky Wall memorial do u mind me asking?

Weepsie

Rented a bike from Vern Overton near Harrogate to explore some of Nidderdale and the Yorkshire dales.

It's lumpy, and near perfect cycling country. Some of the road surfaces are rubbish, but the climbs and descents are constant and unrelenting. Drivers were incredibly patient too and seemed to give any cyclist loads of time and room.

I saw about a dozen warning signs for 15+% gradients. Never have I been happier to find 8% climbs at times.

You could easily do over 2000 metres in less than 100km. Boards evil on tour??


Ended up doing 100km and doing somewhere between 1600-1900 metres at 21.6 kmph. My Garmin has me faster but Bryton was easier to upload.

https://www.strava.com/activities/935284029

Wishbone Ash

pprendeville wrote: »

Whats the Micky Wall memorial do u mind me asking?

It's a little stone memorial to Mickey Wall who was killed (in a RTA?). It's at the left side of the road on the way up Kilakee Road (Stocking Lane) and just happens to be at the steepest point on that climb (about 16%) so that part is often referred to as 'Mick's Wall'.

Daroxtar

pprendeville wrote: »

Whats the Micky Wall memorial do u mind me asking?

Where Stocking Lane hangs left after the flat section and then goes up to about 10-12% for 100m.
R115

https://goo.gl/maps/2yjePhHYjHq

secman

Sat: Kilnamanagh to past blessington, left turn to valleymount and around the lakes, Lacken and back road to Manor Kilbride and back to Kilnamanagh. 67 km Avg 27.3 kph. Headed out about 7:30 am , was very cold, hit a lot of fog patches around the lakes. Feet were numb with the cold when I got back just after 10: 00 am. I know temperature got up to high teens later on Saturday.

Sunday: From house down to Killenagh, on to coast road to Courtown, headed for Gorey and right turn back towards courtown woods, coast road back to Ballygarrett, kilmuckridge, , on to main road right turn for Raheenduff, Right turn at Mill and right again for Ballyedmund and home. Started out with a few of the locals and then solo.
56 km Avg 23.5 kph.
201km for the week.

Sunsets On Tuesday

On Saturday I was just cycling home from Dun Laoghaire (circa 10k) when I decided to change gears on a short, steep hill. I put all my pressure on the chain stupidly, and the chains slipped.
Anyway, I brought the bike to Dublin Loves Bikes on York Rd, chancing my arm at 8 o clock on a Saturday that someone would be there. Thankfully there was, and they fixed it in 10 minutes, and didn't charge (I offered to pay but he wasn't having it)
Just wanted to give them a shout out, my cycle would have been ruined had it not been for their kindness.
I finished the 10k, albeit slowly with a dodgy chain!

sullivlo

Friday: Maynooth to Galway.
Sunday: Galway to Maynooth.

First time I've completed both stretches. Average 23.9 on Friday and 27.2 yesterday (a beautiful tailwind).

Fairly flat routes with only ~500 metres over the 200k.

Maynooth -> Kinnegad -> Moate -> Ballinasloe -> Loughrea -> Galway
(And reversed!)

Made particularly poignant when a friend who was paralysed in a cycling accident last April led us into Maynooth on his handbike.

Fian

Went on a very leisurely 45km cycle with my wife on Saturday. Garmin told me it was 22 degrees, certainly felt blissful. No overshoes, no softshell, just shorts and top in lovely weather.

First time I have managed to persuade my wife to go on a cycle with me, she is suggesting we do it again next weekend. If this forms a pattern we will need to get her a road bike, she was using a hybrid.

we drove to Brittas then cycled from there to Blessington (via manor Kilbride) then around the lakes and back to the car.

Anyway really enjoyed it, nice change from my normal solo cycle. Of course the weather added to it.

Ciaran_B

Cycling home this evening I saw a guy come very close to getting cleaned out by a bus. I'd just come out of the Connolly Stn car park riding on the cobblestones on Mayor St. There's a guy on a bike coming towards me, 747 bus behind him. Without looking or sticking his hand out he swerves right to head onto Sherriff St. bus has to jam on to avoid him and the bus ends up on the other side of the road almost. This clown is oblivious to this as he's got headphones on and rides off down Sherriff St.

Shout out to the driver of the 747 on Mayor St. around 17.00 today.

Chuchote

Ciaran_B wrote: »

Shout out to the driver of the 747 on Mayor St. around 17.00 today.

Well done 747

moonshadow

297km Sunday to Sunday...for me.
Our couch to 200 are up to 75 km for (125 weekly total) their longest spin at various pace/group 20- 26 kmph after 4 weeks all good and getting there.

Fighting Tao

Ciaran_B wrote: »

Cycling home this evening I saw a guy come very close to getting cleaned out by a bus. I'd just come out of the Connolly Stn car park riding on the cobblestones on Mayor St. There's a guy on a bike coming towards me, 747 bus behind him. Without looking or sticking his hand out he swerves right to head onto Sherriff St. bus has to jam on to avoid him and the bus ends up on the other side of the road almost. This clown is oblivious to this as he's got headphones on and rides off down Sherriff St.

Shout out to the driver of the 747 on Mayor St. around 17.00 today.

I'm quite sure I met this guy too at the junction of Guild St and Sherriff St. I was driving and had the green light to turn from Sherriff St upper onto Seville place and he sailed through the red from Seville place onto guild street in front of me. I'm sure he'll get a Darwin Award some day.

Sunsets On Tuesday

I went up to the Mountains again today. (I was the guy, you may remember, who did 6 ascents of three rock a few months ago)
I did Kilmasogue Lane, then the forest x2, then got a lovely puncture which took up 30mins, then up via Ticknock and Stepaside.

Great day for it out on the hills, wrecked now though! Overall it was 50k and 1750m Elevation, so not too bad at all.
Strava here: https://www.strava.com/activities/936719386

retalivity

Nice evening, so went up stocking lane ti the wicklow border and back. I'd forgotten the difference in being fresh and going out instead of the usual hungover sat/sun morning spins - i flew up the road, helped by a tailwind mind, but itn ust felt easier and faster - scholarstown rd to the top was 5mins than sunday, well chuffed

https://www.strava.com/activities/939363450

Jimoslimos

Quick 38k spin earlier @ 29.4kph. Battling head and side winds outwards but by god the tailwind back was glorious. First ever KOM, a top 10 and a couple of PRs.

LollipopJimmy

I've done little to no climbing since getting the bike. Attempted an excursion into the mountains last August, exactly a year after getting the bike, while nursing an already sore back and my back went into a spasm on a steep climb. Was driving in the mountains on Sunday with my OH and we were up around Kippure so I decided I'd go up to the mast tonight, didn't have time to cycle up there so I cheated and drove up with the bike (I know I know... but remember I've done no climbing!) Going from the gate to the mast wasn't as tough as I thought it would be while still very challenging for me. I love heights and love looking out over the city so I'm going to incorporate this into my training and do it twice a week on top of the rest I'm doing. Hopefully then after a month or six weeks of this I'll be better prepared for going longer distances while climbing

Daroxtar

Wifey and kids away today and tomorrow so I got out for a midweek spin after work. I did a quick rip up Stocking lane and down Cruagh and back up again, punctuated by dropping my chain and making ****e of it on the rough Tarmac near the top of Cruagh. It got quite cold fairly quickly while trying to fix the chain so the planned attempt at Kilmashogue and Ticknock were shelved and down I came. I have to give credit to the Cycle Super Store. It's great to have a well stocked bike shop that's still open after 7 on a Wednesday evening. New chain bought and fitted it when I got home. Roll on tomorrow
https://www.strava.com/activities/939396036/segments/22951613183

secman

Late home from work, managed to get out on bike just after 7 pm, out blessington road as far as the Lamb, left for Manor Kilbride and left again for Brittas and back to Kilnamanagh.
32.5 km Avg 26.3 kph. Fair bit of wind tonight and cool enough too.

Wishbone Ash

retalivity wrote: »

Nice evening, so went up stocking lane ti the wicklow border and back. I'd forgotten the difference in being fresh and going out instead of the usual hungover sat/sun morning spins - i flew up the road, helped by a tailwind mind, but itn ust felt easier and faster - scholarstown rd to the top was 5mins than sunday, well chuffed

https://www.strava.com/activities/939363450

On the Boards.ie Hill climb TT you would have come in at 13th place (one sec behind Godtabh).

Chuchote

LollipopJimmy wrote: »

I've done little to no climbing since getting the bike. Attempted an excursion into the mountains last August, exactly a year after getting the bike, while nursing an already sore back and my back went into a spasm on a steep climb. Was driving in the mountains on Sunday with my OH and we were up around Kippure so I decided I'd go up to the mast tonight, didn't have time to cycle up there so I cheated and drove up with the bike (I know I know... but remember I've done no climbing!) Going from the gate to the mast wasn't as tough as I thought it would be while still very challenging for me. I love heights and love looking out over the city so I'm going to incorporate this into my training and do it twice a week on top of the rest I'm doing. Hopefully then after a month or six weeks of this I'll be better prepared for going longer distances while climbing

Could I suggest going up through Firhouse to Ballinascorney? The climb is mostly very gradual, and then it's topped with a real swine of a long and (to me) steep hill in Ballinascorney. Beautiful country, and there's a nice cycleway most of the way up.

LollipopJimmy

Chuchote wrote: »

Could I suggest going up through Firhouse to Ballinascorney? The climb is mostly very gradual, and then it's topped with a real swine of a long and (to me) steep hill in Ballinascorney. Beautiful country, and there's a nice cycleway most of the way up.

I do know the area well, it's carrying my 100kg arse that's the problem! I'll work up to it and I enjoyed getting up to the mast

Wishbone Ash

LollipopJimmy wrote: »

I do know the area well, it's carrying my 100kg arse that's the problem! I'll work up to it and I enjoyed getting up to the mast

The steep bit of Ballinascorney is mild compared the the last few hundred meters of Kippure where the exposure to the open headwind at 700m adds to the challenge. In saying that, Kippure is usually only done after a good bit of climbing to get to the base - I've never done it 'fresh'.

smacl

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

The steep bit of Ballinascorney is mild compared the the last few hundred meters of Kippure where the exposure to the open headwind at 700m adds to the challenge. In saying that, Kippure is usually only done after a good bit of climbing to get to the base - I've never done it 'fresh'.

What he said. If you can cycle up to the mast, you can cycle up pretty much any hill in Wicklow if you take your time. Ballinascorney makes for a nice descent too where Kippure is a PITA of a descent that really doesn't reward you for the effort climbing it.

godtabh

LollipopJimmy wrote: »

I do know the area well, it's carrying my 100kg arse that's the problem! I'll work up to it and I enjoyed getting up to the mast

I've been up there but a bigger arse than that