Tell us about your cycle today part III

cletus

Two firsts for me today. First time cycling in Dublin city centre, and first time using Dublin Bikes.

On the latter, it's a great facility, especially for someone who isn't from the city, so wouldn't have their own bike with them.

On the former, I only came from the Point down to Temple Bar. The bike lanes as far as Tara St station are great. Even though I was happy enough on the road after that, I could see why some people might be a bit reticent about cycling in the city

cletus

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120216842#Comment_120216842

I'd imagine they're very similar. I'd describe the average speed as "pootling"

loyatemu

all the hire bikes are fine for tooling around the city. I haven't tried the eBike versions but if you're in any way fit, the city is pretty flat, it's a shame it isn't a bit more cycle friendly. Yes there are some cycle lanes but you can't go any real distance without encountering a street where you feel like your taking your life in your hands; and I say that as someone who cycles in the Dublin fairly regularly.

cletus

Yeah, I would definitely be inclined to use them more often, particularly going from Heuston station into city centre (and back) instead of taking the luas

saccades

Barrow wheelers (mark flood memorial) 100km today.

Really enjoyed it, an enjoyable route and loads of good company with great food (especially the soup) at the end. Weather is always good when I'm down there which helps too.

Discovered a greasy bit of road and had a 4 minutes sit down to make sure I was ok. Helmet took the brunt so all good.

Props to the barrow wheelers fella on the titanium litespeed - he towed a lot of people a long way and went out of his way to point out road features.

magicbastarder

passing by the airport today, somewhat bemused to see that on the perimeter road inside the airport fence (i.e. not the taxiway), there's some works going on and they had set up a stop go system with two lads operating the signs 50m apart. on a road which gets one vehicle every 15 minutes (total guess) and where there are already strict protocols about who is even allowed drive on that road. keeps someone in a job, i guess.

retalivity

New top avg speed set :D

JMcL

Very spring-like spin around the lanes of South Kilkenny from Waterford to Fiddown, returning by Portlaw and Kilmeaden to Tramore. I'm starting to notice the benefits of the Trainerroad plan I've been following since before Christmas. I did pass several interesting gates, but the legs were feeling in the zone so they'll have to remain in my head unfortunately. 68km @24km/h with 460m

magicbastarder

82km around NCD; which is my longest spin in about six months, and probably too long given my current fitness levels; i feel like i've been beaten up.

real west coast sort of day - sunny and blustery. definitely felt like more than the 25km/h strava is claiming.

also not helped by me wearing my seldom-used altura bibs, which i think are a smidgen too large for me and resulted in chafing.

retalivity

An early morning 34k from Dublin city centre up to Johnnie foxes via cruagh and back via dundrum and rathmines. Nothing special, other than being taken aback by the sheer number of cyclists on the road on the way back into town. I've been working from home for nearly 3 years now so I no longer commute, and haven't been out pre-work for a spin since last year, so also I don't know if this is a regular occurrence, but coming through rathmines was like being Amsterdam. Traffic was gridlocked, but you had tons of cyclists everywhere: Dublin bikes, Moby's, kids on push bikes with parents, Oul fellas on mountain bikes in high-viz, a few formally dressed office women on cruiser bikes, a few like me in full road gear, choc-a-bloc.

magicbastarder

60km around NCD, 717m climbing, 24.7km/h. really feeling the falloff in fitness on the climbs; i was granny gearing it up some climbs i'd usually do two or three gears higher. that wind often didn't help.

patrickc

I did 132k today from just outside Carlow to Brittas County Dublin and back. 711m and ave 28kph I was happy enough with that.

Got out early yesterday, was on the road by 6.50am, with the temperature around 0 degrees. Did three hours - Zone 2 (220w) with two 40 minute blocks in zone 3 (275-280w).

I had a busy day ahead and had to be home by 10am so focussed on fuelling - two carb bottles, 1 Lucozade sport, 2 bananas, 1 Snickers, 1 croissant and one bag of Haribo Jellies. Recovery drink and a big bowl of rice with tuna as soon as I got home. Felt good on the ride and fine when I got home. At 89kgs, fuelling is definitely key for me.

Rear shifter went again with 25km to go so a bit of pedal mashing to get home but not too many hills thankfully.

Overall, 90km with 850m climbing at 29.9km in an unusual northerly crosswind.

Wildly Boaring

Up Bellewstown 4 times.

750m or so in about 50k.

The spin up past Laburnum Farm and the GAA pitch is by far the toughest.

My favourite is still up past Kilsaran, but went down by the little narrow one off the shoulder of Carnes Hill and reminded me that it's a lovely one too.

magicbastarder

you mean ladymoor road? that drops down beside the bridge on the southside of duleek?

Luxman

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120292943#Comment_120292943

I do like to climb up that road, not so much going down it. Tough little test, had a dog give chase right at the top one day when I was well knackered after climbing up, the sprint away from the mutt was very hard :-)

Wildly Boaring

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120292943#Comment_120292943

Think so, didn't realise it had a name, grass up the middle type road

1. Being past Laburnum
2. Past Kilsaran Quary
3. The one in question, nothing on it but a few houses and an Irish Water site

I went up 1 down 4, up 5 down 6, up 7 down 3, up 2 and away home down 8.

8 deffo the handiest way up.....(although dunno if i ever went up 6)

magicbastarder

5 is bonfire hill, IIRC? 6 ongenstown road, 7 hill of the carnes, 3 ladymoor road, 2 is bellewstown bridge (on strava, anyway). i never knew if 1 had a name, just 'the bastard steep one up to the racecourse'.

Luxman

I thought 4 was Bonfire Bank (hill)? Not 100% though

hesker

Is 1 a regular TT route. I went up it once and then checked the KOM and couldn’t believe it

magicbastarder

it's a known hill climb TT i think.

magicbastarder

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120293819#Comment_120293819

i think you're right on that.

Luxman

What a shocker of a day for a spin, did about 70k with 600m of elevation, out towards Slane via Donore and Balrath, had a headwind for about 30k as expected but never really benefited from the tailwind, had some drizzle and very wet roads which resulted in soaking feet. Had more rain on the way home and about 30k out my hands and feet started to get cold. the last 10k was a slog and I just wanted it all to be over. didn't break any records as needed a lower intensity spin. Still tough going in those conditions.

Night spin for me this evening. I've done a few over the last month and am enjoying them now after being a bit reticent at the start. I can't look at the trainer since the rain stopped. 40k with 500m climbing at 27.5kph. Caught a bit of light at the start of the spin after setting off at 6.40pm. Just what the doctor ordered after a tough week on several fronts. Can't wait for the clocks to change.

secman

Got a commute in today, 7km in and a meandering 17km home. Followed that with a night spin. From CSS out by luas line to Saggart, the back road climb by Luggwood onto the N81. Lisheen out the Sally road but turned at the Laurence O'Toole bridge, and up the climb and back out on small lake towards Blessington Bridge. Front light stopped with 23kms left in pitch darkness. Was surprised as it has a good battery pack on it. Turned out to be a loose connection , snapped it back tight and the headed into homeward headwind slog .

50kms with almost 500m up...baltic cold 🥶

Seth Brundle

Did the Migraine Ireland sportive on Saturday led out by Nico Roche. 100km from Blessington Manor > Kilbride > Kilteel > Athgarvan > Ballyteigue >

Kildare > Ballymore Eustace > Blessington

Grand day out on the good bike. It was cool but thankfully dry for the most. I cycled from Leixlip to the sportive and back afterwards. Some clubmates had originally intended to do the same but in the end I travelled solo to/from Blessington (not that that was a problem).

#It was on the return home that the rains came and although I had overshoes on, I had no mudguards so my feet were soaked.

166km with 1400m @ 28.2km/h

As I was travelling down to Blessington, I was climbing Boston Hill which I've done many times. Between the headwind and just general tiredness, I found it tough going and my legs heavy. Suddenly another cyclist passed me making me realise how slow I had been going.

The pace during the sportive was set so that it wasn't a competitive event. This, whilst made sense, made my impatience shine. Freewheeling down the hill from Kilteel to Rathmore to the sound of "ease up" pissed me off but I really shouldn't have been focusing on speed but on enjoying the spin - I'm too used to following my Garmin's data.

Approaching home, I hummed and hawed as to whether I should stay out for another hour and lose my 200km virginity but cold and wet, I decided on something else...

ttps://www.strava.com/activities/8775348721

growleaves

Almost got hit two days in a row by cars weaving in and out of bus/cycle lane from behind me using it as an overtaking lane.

Tempted to revert to walking to work.

RikkFlair

First day back on bike after gallbladder surgery 3 weeks ago, a 35k loop around the bumpy bone-shaking roads of west Limerick. Don't you just love it when you plan your ride so that you have a tailwind on your way home only for the wind to change direction so you don't get any help whatsoever😆. Gruelling, strava says my avg was 24.8kmph, felt way slower.

Got out yesterday afternoon for three hours just after the rain cleared. Great thing about this time of the year is that the roads tend to dry out fairly quickly as it's much warmer. Blocking head wind (WNW) of 30kph for the first 25k took the wind out of my sails. No real climbs but as is typical around my neck of the woods, constant up and down.

Made my way to the town of Bweeng in north Cork (250m asl) and didn't have to put my gloves on which is rare because it's definitely the coldest place on earth normally. The ice cream van didn't seem to be doing much of a trade all the same. Downhill and a tailwind home was nice. 80km with 800m climbing at 29.5kph. And the best thing is I didn't have to get up at 6am on Saturday morning to get my spin in: https://www.strava.com/activities/8808397902

Roadtoad

A bunch of roads in the Glen of Imaal, 150 km, 2000m all together.

Particularly elegant gate pillers, very slender height/gap ratio.