Tell us about your cycle today part III

Wildly Boaring

IrishLad90 wrote: »

Is there a decent cycle route from Dublin that bypasses Navan

Yep.
How far you want to go and how far to bypass.

Basically you're crossing the Boyne. So you either cross it at bective or stackallen.

So I'd head out of Dublin for the Naul. Up to Bellewstown. Duleek. Yellow Furze (across country no N2). Across the Boyne and on to the destination????

If you want flatter head out the park. Coolmine. Dunboyne. Batterstown. Dunsaughlin. Dunsany. Bective and on to destination

retalivity

out early, don't think I've ever seen as many cyclists out as I did around enniskerry this morning. Literally hundreds in the space of 10 mins in and around the village.
Cracker of a morning, brought a coat but no need for it.
68k in 3hrs, 1000+m up

https://www.strava.com/activities/5376055414

Wildly Boaring

72k of hill hunting about Meath.
Tullallen over the hills to the west and down to the Sally Gardens. Stackallen village, over the Boyne, up Realtog and down to Walterstown. Skryne hill twice.

Found 950m. Took almost 3 hours.
Loved it (bar all the little flys) and felt strong

triggermortis

A lot of large groups out today and the right weather for it, for a change. 83km around NCD in 3 hours, which wasn't bad as we were slowly spinning for a good while waiting for a punctured group to catch back up.
Summer has landed at last!! (maybe...)

fat bloke

Turlough Hill this morning for the first time in yonks. Lovely climb, bit of a poxy descent but well worth doing on a day as glorious as today.

adrian522

I did ~75Km today starting and finishing in Laragh, taking in the Wicklow Pass, Glen of Imaal, and back via Glenmalure and past the Shay Elliot memorial and back to down to where I started.

Not the longest route I've ever done but it is among the toughest.

https://www.strava.com/activities/5377955590

secman

Gorey to Carnew ,Clonegal, Bunclody towards Enniscorthy but hard left for Ferns, Camolin and back to Gorey.
75 km , avg 30.8kph , 480 meters rolling.
Beautiful morning for the club touring group spin.

this.lad

Lovely spin this morning, got 84km in, mostly flat, 400m only.

Got around in just 2h 45 with a speed of just over 30km/h for the morning.

After only doing after work or evening spins for the last few months I felt really fresh this morning and pushed on hard. The weather helped too, no doubt.

Reality_Check1

Met a friend to get fitted for wedding suits for his wedding (im best man) and managed to drag him out for a spin after. 55k flat @29km/h which I was surprised about because we were mainly just chatting away.

Ive also fitted aero bars to the road bike for some upcoming club TT's. Tried them out today but not really sure what speed difference they make. They make me feel faster and I certainly look cooler. Ill need to test them out on some segments and then run it again without them and see if they make a difference...which sounds horribly like Im going to be doing VO2 intervals

dahat

Rode my bike for 4hrs in glorious weather today, love being out in this weather. A series of hard efforts left me half dead at the end but pulled enough energy to ge to the beach with the mrs before I get divorced!!

Overall a smashing day all round.

125km @ 32.5 avg but not a lot of up @ 800m.

rushfan

Got away early from work yesterday evening, and took the scenic route of 40km home.
This morning, myself & Mrs R went walking from Malahide to the end of Portmarnock beach & back. I remarked countless times about the amount of cyclists, but in particular those who seemed to be decked out in full winter gear.
Later on, I again took the scenic route, of 42km, en route to work. Phenomenal weather for it.

Dcully

70km spin on the Mountain Bike yesterday mostly on the road only about 200m gain @ 21kph in glorious sunshine weather so nice today i went out again but dropped effort down to just 19kph for a 30km spin, its glorious out there.
Cant get enough of the MTB tbh.

Reality_Check1

Made the step up to the next pace group as was feeling ok today. 130km with 700 up at 31.1km/h

Unbelievable day to be on the bike. Did 30km solo at the end so average speed suffered a bit but wanted to get the miles in.

magicbastarder

Weirdly, and surprisingly, today was my first time going downhill on Carnes Hill west out of Bellewstown. It's good fun, even seems steeper going down than up. I hit 70km/h on it. 53km around NCD, 650m climbing. Glorious morning.

kept myself to the flatlands today, down to Carlow, Athy, Kildare, and back to Naas, 119 kms with just under 500M, what a day for being out,

Daroxtar

First proper sunny Sunday over the Sally gap since last year. Set out to do about 110-120km with about 2500m climbing but the legs became logs by the time I got to Laragh. Weather was fantastic, best day of the year so far for me.
Went up Bohernabreena and Cunard, did Glasvullaun lane on the way. The 20% section was delightful After crossing the Sally I did Lugalla but sat in with a few lads who were just a little bit stronger than me and burned the matches I didn't have. Decided to go adventuring and cycled across the Green road through Oldbridge and onto Laragh. First time I'd been over there and I'll be taking that route in future. Absolutely beautiful little bohreen , almost no traffic, decent surface. Cycling heaven.
Got a tasty cake and hot chocolate and decided against doing Wicklow Gap and the back of the lake, instead I just went straight up Glenmacnass, over the gap, down towards the Featherbeds and died a death on that poxy last climb around by the Christmas tree before dropping back down Cunard/Glenasmole at a right good pace and back to base.
88km, 1560m climbing. I'll need a good few more of these spins if I'm to even contemplate reading the Evil thread.
https://www.strava.com/activities/5382565802

Mercian Pro

Daroxtar wrote: »

Went up Bohernabreena and Cunard, did Glasvullaun lane on the way. The 20% section was delightful After crossing the Sally I did Lugalla but sat in with a few lads who were just a little bit stronger than me and burned the matches I didn't have. Decided to go adventuring and cycled across the Green road through Oldbridge and onto Laragh. First time I'd been over there and I'll be taking that route in future. Absolutely beautiful little bohreen , almost no traffic, decent surface. Cycling heaven.

My first time of the Green Road was on the Mini-Evil last year and I haven't stopped telling others about what a great road it is since then. Mind you, I have yet to try it heading north and the first bit from Laragh looks tough. The combination of that road and the Old Long Hill road past Djouce is a far better way back from Laragh than the busy R755 if you don't facy heading up the Military Road and Sally Gap.
I also have Boards to thank for introducing me to the delights of Glasvullaun Lane and I'm delighted to see you did it the did it the right way even though it involved a loop.

secman

Today was my first back to back days on the bike since putting my back out 5 weeks ago. After yesterdays bit of a gallop i decided to err on the safe side today. Went solo and picked a route that gave me plenty of options to do 20, 30, 40, 50 or 60kms. Headed from house to Ballycanew and left on to road to Wexford, felt okay so skipped turns for home, Kilmuckridge and Blackwater. Into Castlebridge and took coast road to Curracloe, Blackwater, Kilmuckridge and home.
64 km avg 27 kph and 515 meters. Glorious weather.

Daroxtar

Mercian Pro wrote: »

My first time of the Green Road was on the Mini-Evil last year and I haven't stopped telling others about what a great road it is since then. Mind you, I have yet to try it heading north and the first bit from Laragh looks tough. The combination of that road and the Old Long Hill road past Djouce is a far better way back from Laragh than the busy R755 if you don't facy heading up the Military Road and Sally Gap.
I also have Boards to thank for introducing me to the delights of Glasvullaun Lane and I'm delighted to see you did it the did it the right way even though it involved a loop.

I did Glasvullaun lane the other way around before and knew from the descent that it was fairly tasty. I kind of enjoyed it but I'm weird when it comes to stupid steep stuff
I put on an 11-32 cassette last night and that really helped, until I got to the top and realised I had stayed on the 28 sprocket!!

fat bloke

Had an awful spin today, contrary to the beautiful weather. Roads choc a bloc with cars. Lots of needless beeping. Bunch of absolute geebags on motorbikes gesticulating and revving at me to get in closer to the ditch, which descended into some blind rage shouting. I rode motorbikes for years and if anyone should understand Roadcraft basics like road position, taking the lane and protecting your space, it's biker. Ignorant, aggressive, entitled, fcukin as$h0les. Ruined my spin and my day.
Tbh, since that Tonya McEvoy verdict I genuinely feel more vulnerable and exposed, disrespected and insignificant on the roads. It's not nice out there

Mercian Pro

Daroxtar wrote: »

I kind of enjoyed it but I'm weird when it comes to stupid steep stuff

Remind us how many times you've done the Angliru!

Very early and very enjoyable 90k for me this morning at 30kph with 1000 up. Rode two abreast with the brother for 60k and then put the boot down on my own on a fairly flat final 30k.

Not wanting to have a go at tractor drivers again, but I met one very early on a quiet road and he was taking up the full road, didn't bother slowing down when I met him on a corner with very little space for us and nearly took both myself and my brother out with his mower which was about a foot wider at the back. He was very young, I would guess an inexperienced driver and I would also guess had probably worked through the night contracting cutting silage. Never had an issue with a tractor in my life before, but the few I've met this week seem distracted and in a hurry.

Other than that, it was a pleasure with great weather and lovely to have the roads to yourself at 7am.

Drake66

I did around 50k with 1000 meters of climbing. Went up around the Sally gap and Roundwood. My average speed is slowly starting to improve. The ride was somewhat spoiled by a lunatic in an Audi screaming to get out of the way, beeping the horn and then cutting closely in front of me on a blind corner near enniskerry.

smacl

112k for me yesterday with 1.7k of up taking in the sally gap, Wicklow gap and sally gap again from Laragh. Won't be repeating this route on a sunny Sunday afternoon anytime soon. Big tailback all the way down the Wicklow gap towards Glendalough and another couple on the military road at Glenmacnass and again at Lough Bray. Will definitely by back to the small l-roads and gravel where possible and avoid the tourist rat-runs. Looked truly horrible for anyone in a car around Glendalough and I could see it getting nasty easily enough.

Met another boardsie who's name I've forgotten for a natter cycling the Military road and a good chat with a few other lads on one of the backroads by the Wicklow gap, so quite sociable for a solo spin.

Slow going at a bit over 6 hours all in and a tiring enough, but glad to be getting back more extended ranges and the opportunity they provide. Will be poring over the maps during the week to pick a more rewarding route for the next long one.

smacl

Mercian Pro wrote: »

My first time of the Green Road was on the Mini-Evil last year and I haven't stopped telling others about what a great road it is since then. Mind you, I have yet to try it heading north and the first bit from Laragh looks tough. The combination of that road and the Old Long Hill road past Djouce is a far better way back from Laragh than the busy R755 if you don't facy heading up the Military Road and Sally Gap.

It's a lovely way of getting back from Laragh if you want to avoid the gap and the Roundwood road, though personally I find it quite a bit tougher than the Glenmacnass route. Well protected from the wind and a good option when it is blowy enough to make the gap a bit sketchy. There are also some 'entertaining' options on the other side going via Glencoria / Moneystown but also steep and far less direct.

magicbastarder

where is/what is the green road?

smacl

magicbastarder wrote: »

where is/what is the green road?

Coming from Laragh, here. From Old long hill direction, here. A bit steep in spots but well worth the effort.

magicbastarder

aha, i know the road quite well from the laragh end. i didn't know what it was known as.

Tombo2001

fat bloke wrote: »

Had an awful spin today, contrary to the beautiful weather. Roads choc a bloc with cars. Lots of needless beeping. Bunch of absolute geebags on motorbikes gesticulating and revving at me to get in closer to the ditch, which descended into some blind rage shouting. I rode motorbikes for years and if anyone should understand Roadcraft basics like road position, taking the lane and protecting your space, it's biker. Ignorant, aggressive, entitled, fcukin as$h0les. Ruined my spin and my day.
Tbh, since that Tonya McEvoy verdict I genuinely feel more vulnerable and exposed, disrespected and insignificant on the roads. It's not nice out there

Funny enough I drove down to Wicklow. Am sure there are back roads that dont get much traffic, but the main stretch from Kilmacanogue to Laragh had absolutely heaps of traffic, there was a two mile tail back in the evening coming into Kilmacanogue.

Long story short: no way would I want to be there on a bike.

And like many a country road - it has an 80k speed limit when in reality about two thirds of it should be 60k.

fat bloke

Tombo2001 wrote: »

Funny enough I drove down to Wicklow. Am sure there are back roads that dont get much traffic, but the main stretch from Kilmacanogue to Laragh had absolutely heaps of traffic, there was a two mile tail back in the evening coming into Kilmacanogue.

Long story short: no way would I want to be there on a bike.

And like many a country road - it has an 80k speed limit when in reality about two thirds of it should be 60k.

Yeah. The wife went on a long 100k spin beyond Celbridge and those roads, which you'd normally expect to be busy, were very quiet she said. They'd a lovely spin. I think everyone hit the Dublin and Wicklow mountains for the day:rolleyes: