Tell us about your cycle today part III

Seth Brundle

^^^ Nice gaff but you'd need to keep some change spare to treat it for damp and mould!

Seth Brundle

Went out with a few lads from the club yesterday evening and did a flat 50 around Ardclough, Straffan & Celbridge. On our way home we popped into McEvoys by the canal at Hazelhatch.

The weather has cooled quite a bit. Needed a gilet for the spin and found myself shivering a little when having a drink afterwards. Nonetheless, that didn't stop one of the canal boatmen from jumping into the canal from the wall of the bridge. He told us after that the water was actually warm! Minutes later he was back up on the bridge ready to jump but this time he was absolutely starkers!

Daroxtar

Did two very different spins in the last two days in Tenerife. Yesterday was pure, utter savagery. I thought I was clever, finding twisty little back roads online and spotted a route that some Pogacar lad I follow on Strava had done. Knew it would be tasty enough as I was gaining nearly 1000m in the first 10km straight out the gate.

5.5km @12.3%, yeah I'll have some of that says I to myself. I've been working on improving my steep stuff, 10% doesn't scare me any more. Even 12% is now more doable.

Except it wasn't the whole story. Multiple ramps of near 20% and the single steepest piece of road I've ever hit. The Garmin said 28% and I absolutely believe it. Garmin was autopaused because I was going so slow, I couldn't stay balanced on the bike, it was ridiculous. Reached the top a shell of a man. Spotted that I got a 7th place trophy on Strava for the full climb. Felt a bit better until I realised I was 7th of 7.

27km,1020m crawling

https://strava.app.link/Pd6gQ4gi2rb

Today was completely different. Took a different route up to Vilaflor than I had done previously. Went from Los Cristianos to Valle de Lorenzo and then on to Grandilla before starting the long climb to Vilaflor. Much nicer route than the more commonly used direct route through Arona and Escalona. Smooth surface, very consistent gradient, a bit of a tailwind. I really felt like I was flying up the hill. Felt great at the top and then descended back the usual route. Just a good day on the bike

56km, 1401m climbing

https://strava.app.link/xSmub5bj2rb

magicbastarder

madre de dios.

Daroxtar

Did the Masca climb today. I don't know what other people's idea of the perfect climb is but I think I've found mine. It's an absolutely insane piece of engineering, a ribbon of asphalt barely 3m wide draped across the shoulders of a breathtaking canyon. Hairpin after hairpin with sheer drops over the barriers. Every turn is a picture postcard view, or a hospital trip if you misjudge it in the descent. Most cycling people come to Tenerife to test themselves on Teide. Well if I could only do one spin here I'd make it Masca instead. It's that beautiful.

The climb itself a little over 4km and just under 11% average gradient so not exactly a handy spin. There's a couple of short ramps pushing into the high teens but nothing as ridiculous as I hit the other day. Road surface is pristine so there's no power lost rattling or shaking.

To get there was a 1000m climb over 27 or 28km at a fairly steady 4-5% most of the way from Los Cristianos up to Gia Isora and Santiago de Teide before a short sharp 10-15% shock and then descend down to the village of Masca itself and start the climb back up the way you came.

Finished the day with 84km and 2140m climbing.

https://www.strava.com/activities/7558547414

Wildly Boaring

FFS 2100m in 84k??

I put in 4 spins up Bellewstown. 750m in 50k. Took 10k to get there. So 750m in 40ish. And thought I did a lot of climbing 😂

Daroxtar

Ah, sure I'm living in South Meath. I could usually do about 500km and not get over 2000m. Making the most of it here 😁

magicbastarder

lovely evening for it, passed a lad on an allsop softride a couple of times out westmanstown direction.

and if anyone else is out around those parts - there's what looks like a reasonably large water leak on porterstown road, at the junction at the top of rugged lane. don't cycle through it, water mains leaks don't smell...

cletus

I don't usually post stats about my ride (guess I'm still not), but I just took 2nd spot overall on one of my local segments

JMcL

Last couple of days in the Alps with the family, so decided to tick a few off my bucket list.

Sunday morning I got out early to spin up to the Col du Lautaret. We're staying in Serre Chevalier a bit up the valley from Briançon, so it's just under 20km away, rushing all the time. The first 7km or so are in the 2-3% range, then it kicks up to the 4-5% mark and stays there, throwing in a couple of 7%+ sections near the top. Turning right here would go up the South side of the Galibier, as featured in the tour this year on the stage that ended in Alpe D'Huez. The descent is to die for (nearly literally a couple of weeks ago when I got a bee in the eye coming down from the Galibier 😬) as it's fast and not at all technical. 650m ascent in the 19.5km up, 39km total. Happy with this as last time were were here in 2018, my fitness levels wouldn't have let me contemplate this.

Yesterday did something completely different, and did an MTB descent on the original Galibier road. This was abandoned in 1937 when the existing road was built with more steady gradients (to compare, the current road gets to the top in about 8km, the old one gets to the monument in 4.7km, below the summit, but the other end is well down the valley, so probably cancels out the difference. The idea of going up this yoke on 1911 style TdF bikes - the first year it featured on the Tour, though I think it may have come from the north, which was probably even more horrendous - is mind boggling. Anyway, haven't been on an MTB in years, and never on a full sus downhill bike, so climbing on one, with the brakes swapped, and launching off the top of the Galibier, what could possibly go wrong? It was an absolute blast, and bar a short section of rough, steep, single-track I found a bit challenging, was very doable. The guide in the group I went out with was excellent, and while my French is fluent, he spoke English as well. 1050m descent in 22km

philten

Yesterday did an early morning 100km on grand and royal canals, with a bit of road in between to join them (edenderry to enfield). Grand canal from celbridge out as far as edenderry and across to enfield for a handy spin back slong the royal. tougher on grand canal as surface is more singletrack/grass.

https://www.strava.com/routes/2989580906323455408 — Canals 100km 

Mercian Pro

Most Summers our regular club Tuesday spins venture further afield to the likes of the Slieve Blooms, Mt Leinster or the Mournes, all with a drive there and back. Yesterday, our gallant leader came up with a new version of his Slieve Gullion/South Armagh route starting this time in Carlingford. We knew there would be a bit of climbing involved but heading up to Clermont Cairn from the coast was a bit of a shock and a good warm-up for what came later. The descent and Flagstaff Road were glorious but resulted in a carbon front wheel overheating and bulging from extensive use of the rim brakes. We skirted Newry before passing through Bessbrook on the way to Camlough and an early lunch.

Heading south we soon came to the gates of Slieve Gullion Forest Park and headed in. A gentle rise to the car park was followed by about 5km and 260m of pain but with spectacular views over South Armagh and towards the Cooleys. The descent had a few surprises in the form of seriously sharp uphill sections lurking behind some great fast roads. The return to Carlinford via Jonesborough and Ravensdale included an optional extra climb to the Long Woman's Grave wth a fast descent on quiet roads back to our cars.

On previous trips we had thought we hade "done" Slieve Gullion but had really only skirted around it. The real thing is a serious challenge and can even include a visit to a passage grave if you want to walk the last bit. The loop could be tackled by taking the train to Newry if you wanted to avoid the 80min drive from Dublin. 99km and 1,890m in about 5hrs moving time.

Strava: https://strava.app.link/OoPDFepVbsb

A few photos are over on the Photos Taken thread.

Seth Brundle

Looks to be a great route.

The OCD part of me couldn't not do another 1.27kms!

magicbastarder

and he went sailing after that!

Got a long spin in this morning, which was bookended by two shi**y incidents involving angry men in white vans. On a quiet, narrow road near me, a van went for a pass on a blind bend and met an oncoming car and had to slam on. This must have pissed him off because he then sat a foot from my wheel revving the engine while waiting for his chance to pass again. He close passed me horribly then screaming the engine.

Close to the end of my ride, I was on a very busy and fast but narrow stretch when a SuperValu truck came up behind me. He had a few chances to pass but decided not to and he was very respectful, staying well back. When it was safe, I signalled I was pulling into the only lay-by on the road and waved him on as I guessed there was a backlog behind him. He gave me a friendly beep and it was nice to have a positive interaction. But then about three cars back, a guy rolled down his window as he was passing and called me every name under the sun. He was seething. I never engage these people but I would love to understand what is going on in their heads.

Everything in between was a pleasure. Took in a few big hills and managed just short of 1,300m climbing in 102km @ 29.5kph.

secman

Some drivers just cannot help themselves and constantly have to remind cyclists that they complete and utter fckwits, I met one last Thursday just heading into Blessington...

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119425808#Comment_119425808

Indeed. I'd love to know what they were so offended by, though. I literally went out of my way to help in both instances.

Luxman

A nifty 50 spin for me around Bellewstown, uneventful except I never saw this segment before ( Asparagus pee) . from Naul southbound towards Garristown road (over 3 sisters, past the graveyard, to that funny Y junction just south of Denigans.

magicbastarder

i've never seen that one before - maybe it's recently created? according to strava, i've only done it ten times; i usually find myself on that road after dropping down off fourknocks though, so miss the first couple of hundred metres.

Luxman

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119427681#Comment_119427681

I'd the the same, would only pick up bits of that segment, its 9k long and more often than not into a wind, and it rolls up and down quite a bit. Today was a sidewind and I managed some hedge shelter on the way too.

magicbastarder

my finish point when i'm out that part of the world is kilsallaghan, so i'm usually on the last leg home at that stage. and that means facing into a headwind on tired legs.

Mercian Pro

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119423663#Comment_119423663

That's why I didn't do the extra 1.27km or even go for a swim in Carlingford. Normally the sailing in Howth is reasonably sedate but it was full-on that night. Slept well after it.

mr spuckler

It was like a car free day in the Dublin mountains this morning. Once I turned off from Ballinascorney onto Shankill road heading to to Sally gap until the bottom of Cruagh a long time later I literally barely met a single car. Bliss!

traco

Short spin this morning for you lot but a long one for a noob like me. Was aiming for two hours in the saddle and didn't have a GPS route only a rough idea in my head.

Lovely morning for it though and was on my own for most of it untill the last few Kms home. What's the protocol with cycling traffic?

I came up on a guy on a mountain bike so that was an easy pass. Then a group of three so hung back but they turned off so I could pick up my pace again as I was a small but quicker.

Coming through Malahide there was a guy that caught me but stayed behind. I reckon he was quicker so should I have called him on.

Then we caught another group of three. I hung back as I was turning off a couple of Kms up the road but I would have been a bit quicker than them and I felt like I was making a mess of it for the guy behind me.

Advice on above appreciated.

That aside, cycle was good. Small back track as I turned into an estate cos I didn't really know where I was. I don't like hills so much work needed there. I'm 115kg wet and 6'3"/4"ish so not very aero. Must address the kg issue as that's where most gains will be got.

Bike went well. Rear shift a little sticky the odd time but will install new cables, chain, rear cassette and clean it all in the next few weeks and hopefully that sorts that.

Backside was a bit achy so Lidl padded shorts aren't cutting it and neither are the runners on the pedal inserts. Guess shoes and shorts next on the shopping list.

Overall though a very enjoyable morning!

magicbastarder

reasonably leisurely 84km this morning (30km of which was cycling with my wife at an average of probably 20km/h), topping off what i think might be the most cycling i've done in a week, according to strava - finished the week on 327km.

was continuing to take on roads i've not been on before, so found myself on some i'd usually avoid. one being the R132 between the N2 (ie. at the junction near the snailbox) and duleek; where i had 3 or more stupid overtakes - one lad overtook me into oncoming traffic and bizarrely the lad behind accelerated to do it to and clearly realised at the last second it was a stupid idea; it's a little unnerving hearing a car behind you lose traction under braking, albeit for probably only half a second.

magicbastarder

I felt like I was making a mess of it for the guy behind me.

if he wants to overtake, let him make that decision himself - he may have been happy to shelter behind you for a bit...

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119440734#Comment_119440734

R152 you mean surely? I hate driving that stretch let alone cycling it for the reason you mentioned. I've had some absolutely crazy over takes there in the car over the years.

magicbastarder

sorry, yeah, the R152.

silverharp

yesterday, went out the Royal canal with a mate, ended up in Enfield, had been to Maynooth last month, the route really improves past Maynooth. Not been cycling much in the last couple of months with covid and holidays, we probably had a wind assist on the way back which helped. went for a nap after and conked out for 2 hours lol

beggars_bush

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119441330#Comment_119441330

get train down to eg mullingar and cycle back