Tell us about your cycle today part III

saccades

loyatemu wrote: »

80K around South Wicklow on roads more suited to a gravel bike (some of them were little more than farm tracks and many of the main roads have been tar-and-chipped by the council). South Wicklow is a beautiful part of the world that gets a bit forgotten as there are no big towns and it's not on the way to anywhere. It was very quiet down there today, when I got back to Greystones it was like being in a holiday resort it was so busy.

What a day though, not actually too sweltering for much of it as there was mixed cloud cover but the last 25K or so was tough as the sun came out and temperature climbed.; when I got home I went for a swim in the sea to cool down.

New road discovery of the day - this lane near Woodenbridge which I had always assumed was the gate to some estate; leads to a lovely little switchback climb through glorious rhododendron blooms (should've taken a picture).

Yeah, tis a crazy spot - the matching one on the other side of the valley goes no where unless you are on a bike/have the barrier keys.

g0g

I don't normally post on this thread, but I couldn't resist sharing yesterday's day out! A group of 5 of us successfully completed Everesting on the Shay Elliott climb from Glenmalure side. A long long day out with one very tough patch around 40% in where I was about to walk away, but otherwise got through it with a smile on my face. I'm no super experienced cyclist and I've never raced, so my advice to anyone thinking it's too much to take on is that it's very doable, especially as part of a group. Just under 20 hours total with 15:51 moving time - yes, a lot of breaks!

Strava: https://www.strava.com/activities/5471238232

Weepsie

Not nearly as impressive from me, but I took the Volare up stocking lane to test it in hillier terrain. I was flying it for the first bit and ahead of my best time which I didn't expect and then some folk on horses decided that me slowing ( as I always do near horses) was me letting them out and giving up right of way. Lost all my rhythm then and there and just spun up thereaafter.

Couple of armed Gardai at the viewing point gave me a wave and bit of encouragement. When on for a bit and then turned back and descended via Cruagh and home.

The volare feels like it's flying when going downhill. It's a bit wasted on me, as I'm a bit cautious going downhill, and more so today as I'd not done much on Carbon wheels

I've a nagging feeling, the bike is marginally too small for me, but it's so much fun to cycle that I can live with it.

https://www.strava.com/activities/5472918581

Wishbone Ash

Weepsie wrote: »

...I've a nagging feeling, the bike is marginally too small for me...

Better than being too big - think of the weight saving. A lot of the pro's ride bikes which are a size too small.

Weepsie

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

Better than being too big - think of the weight saving. A lot of the pro's ride bikes which are a size too small.

Yup, I'd be on the limit on either end of the scale for the medium or large frame so think you're right.

positron

positron wrote: »

Cycled to the Dundalk vaccination center and back this morning. Lovely soft soft day for it, cross-wind wasn't too bad either. Spied the 'Milk Shack' near Dromiskin, and plenty of people filling up there. What a cool idea, I wish there were more of these around the country!

Overall 67kms @ 24.3kmph, 439m elevation.

Another interesting observation is that I scored a bunch of shiny PB's on the way back from vaccination... hmm, lesser known side-effects of mRNA vaccine perhaps?

From that distance you mention it sounds like you just took a straight shot out the R132, Dunleer, Castlebellingham etc? I have mine at the weekend and planning on doing the same weather permitting. Had you any issue locking or securing your bike when you got there?

52k with 600 climbing at 29.2kph with the brother tonight.

His strategy of going balls out up every hill and then cruising on the flats and descents is not exactly efficient and is fair tiring!

Beautiful evening here in Cork.

ednwireland

another 6pm rain ride

Seth Brundle

Got my second dose of Pfizer earlier and as planned, headed out on the rothar for a while. In the end I managed 58km @ 30.2km/h.
I went from Leixlip down towards Sallins via Boston Hill and back home via Newcastle & Celbridge.
Decided to try and get a decent time on Boston Hill as my recent ones have been poor. As it turned out, I managed a second best time (which was a fraction of a second off my best time). On my way home I headed up it again and managed a PB by 2 seconds (pushing the earlier efford into third place). Chuffed with that because I didn't feel I had anything in my legs today!
Lovely weather to be out - a light breeze in nice warm air. Long may it last!

https://www.strava.com/activities/5486267762

Weepsie

Today is my day off (working tomorrow boo) so with the wife in work I had grand plans to venture here there and everywhere. As ever got delayed, so said I'd at least get to the Sally gap.

Went for the hills, up cruagh, took it nice and handy and onto glencullen and down into Disneyland Enniskerry via Devil's Elbow. Been a while since I'd got gone that way and I'm new enough to the carbon rims so took it handy descending too.

Took on old long hill and was surprisingly not hugely slower than my best time. Came upon a cyclist who had punctures a but before ballinstoe, but unluckily their tool bottle had gone flying off somehwere on the Sally gap. Gave them a hand and got them going. Hope he got home from there.

Decided against stopping in roundwood for food as I usually do and forged on towards the military road on a 2 bananas, and bar. I hoped th good karma would also energize me.

Obligatory Guinness lake pic aside, all was good til I got to the crossroads then the legs seemed to deaden. Not liking this I decided to take them up Kippure where I was much faster than before and didn't need the granny gear which surprised me.

Slow, sketchy on the descent. Turned off at one point and had to correct myself to take a corner.

Onto the featherbeds were the legs got their revenge and stopped cooperating for a about 10 mins and down stocking lane where I met a familiar face going the other way whom I would normally be cycling with otherside of the country this weekend and gave a shout. Took ages to get across town due to bad drivers and such.

Slow 91km in 4hrs with 1700metres of the lumpy stuff.

Loving the volare.

Check out my activity on Strava: https://strava.app.link/tif6rVj0bhb

Naas - Bagenalstown - Naas, one of the lesser known spring classics! 140k, 569M, 26.8kph, left at 7am to avoid Saturday traffic, was nice and quiet and had a bit of a tailwind on the way home, also saw a DeLorean driving past, they still look amazing all these years later,

Wildly Boaring

Eamonnator wrote: »

Lovely spin that.

Yeah and Meath is flat.

Got in 850m over 65k in the Royal today. (Well a bit of NCD)
Paid for it.

Drogheda. Old bridge. Donore. Cushinstown. Bellewstown. Garristown. Naul. Bellewstown. The sea.

Bellewstown from NW for first time. Up past Kilsarn. 2 fellas ahead so I gave it too much to catch them. Nice chaps for a chat.

Naul to drogheda road is awful hilly for the homeward stretch.

Still find the fellas wierd who hop on behind without a word after me trying to say hello when I pass them.

Savage day for it. Almost zero cars from old bridge to Garristown. Bliss

Eamonnator

I was on the clock this morning, so I was a bit faster than usual.
Met lots of groups, Diblin Wheelers, Whiteriver, a few Drogheda Wheelers and one from St Tiernans.
Drogheda-Duleek-Ardcath-Garristown-Naul-almost Balbriggan-Gormanston-Jullianstown-home.
53kms-400metres up- 28kph.

smacl

Had planned on a longer one today but slept it out and had to run with plan B. Back over to the Inchavore trail this time descending from the Sally gap side and home via Oldbridge and Old long hill. Threw in the Killegar climb at the end as I just wasn't in the humour of Enniskerry traffic and climbing a pretty road seemed preferable being stressed on a busy one. 80k with 1.5k of climbing and a healthy dose of off road thrown in. Need to get up earlier and be a bit more organised next time.

magicbastarder

a flat 73km at 31km/h today, happy with that speed. lovely day for it too.
did the greenway between kilcock and maynooth for the first time, it's a lovely spot.

Nigzcurran

smacl wrote: »

Had planned on a longer one today but slept it out and had to run with plan B. Back over to the Inchavore trail this time descending from the Sally gap side and home via Oldbridge and Old long hill. Threw in the Killegar climb at the end as I just wasn't in the humour of Enniskerry traffic and climbing a pretty road seemed preferable being stressed on a busy one. 80k with 1.5k of climbing and a healthy dose of off road thrown in. Need to get up earlier and be a bit more organised next time.

Are you on a mountain bike?

secman

Headed out solo this morning, Blessington, Poulaphuca , Lake drive, LACKEN, around small lake to Manor Kilbride and home.
70km, avg 28kph with 620m up.
Tired legs today;)

adrian522

A nice 80km today, Terenure/Dundrum/Glecullen/Enniskerry/Delgany/Greystones/Bray/Enniskerry/Glenscree/Terenure.

Out before 9am for a change. Probably overdressed a bit was fairly warm by the end. The climb up from Enniskerry to glencree and onto the military road was a bit of a slog!

81km @ 22km/h, 1200m climbing.

https://www.strava.com/activities/5494759170

Seth Brundle

I received my second dose of Pfizer on Thursday and spend yesterday suffering from a form of manflu so was thinking I'd be too I'll to go out but a good few bottles of Smithwicks last night seemed to have cured me.
Went out on a spin with the club around the Blessington Lakes. 103km @28.5km/h with 779m.
Was thinking before I left home whether I should wear a gilet but thankfully I didn't as it wasn't long before the sun was splitting the stones.

We stopped for a coffee in The Eating House, a cycle friendly cafe in Blessington. Would highly recommend!

Spent much of the climbing bits hearing a squeak which I'm hoping isn't my BB (hard to pinpoint where exactly it's coming from)
https://strava.app.link/l3rAWsGQdhb

Seaswimmer

Cycled to Waterford over 2 days, Thursday and Friday (yesterday) 108kms to Leighlinbridge (stayed in Lord Bagenal hotel) and about 65km Friday to get to Waterford. Got the train home as the young lad was staying with friends down there for the weekend. First time using my Garmin Edge explore. I downloaded a route from

https://cycle.travel/map?from=Dublin&to=Nenagh&fromLL=53.3497645,-6.2602732&toLL=52.861944,-8.196667

It was a lovely cycle. We spent about 95% of it off N or R roads. Only one dodgy section of about 4km in south Kilkenny where a good L road turned into a poorly surfaced track. It tends to route you away from villages and towns so next time I will add intermediate points but overall very pleased with the route.

Edit.. Stuck in a Dublin Nenagh route for some reason but not a bad site none the less

smacl

Nigzcurran wrote: »

Are you on a mountain bike?

CX bike, geared down to have a 34/34 climbing gear which works well for steeper Coilte paths. Currently on 32c slicks but will probably change to knobblies if we get a lot of rain. Really need to get a second set of wheels so I can pick the tyres on the day. Would be tempted by a light MTB but love having the drops on the road.

smacl

Seth Brundle wrote: »

Spent much of the climbing bits hearing a squeak which I'm hoping isn't my BB (hard to pinpoint where exactly it's coming from)

BB is a real blame hound when it comes to unwanted bike noise but more often than not isn't the guilty party.

adrian522

Seth Brundle wrote: »

I received my second dose of Pfizer on Thursday and spend yesterday suffering from a form of manflu so was thinking I'd be too I'll to go out but a good few bottles of Smithwicks last night seemed to have cured me.
Went out on a spin with the club around the Blessington Lakes. 103km @28.5km/h with 779m.
Was thinking before I left home whether I should wear a gilet but thankfully I didn't as it wasn't long before the sun was splitting the stones.

We stopped for a coffee in The Eating House, a cycle friendly cafe in Blessington. Would highly recommend!

Spent much of the climbing bits hearing a squeak which I'm hoping isn't my BB (hard to pinpoint where exactly it's coming from)
https://strava.app.link/l3rAWsGQdhb

Stopped into that cafe in Blessington myself last week, pretty tasty stuff there. Vegan sharwma wrap or some such thing.

Wildly Boaring

smacl wrote: »

BB is a real blame hound when it comes to unwanted bike noise but more often than not isn't the guilty party.

Had a few noises last week. Load of GT85 on the pedals sorted it

secman

Seth Brundle wrote: »

I received my second dose of Pfizer on Thursday and spend yesterday suffering from a form of manflu so was thinking I'd be too I'll to go out but a good few bottles of Smithwicks last night seemed to have cured me.
Went out on a spin with the club around the Blessington Lakes. 103km @28.5km/h with 779m.
Was thinking before I left home whether I should wear a gilet but thankfully I didn't as it wasn't long before the sun was splitting the stones.

We stopped for a coffee in The Eating House, a cycle friendly cafe in Blessington. Would highly recommend!

Spent much of the climbing bits hearing a squeak which I'm hoping isn't my BB (hard to pinpoint where exactly it's coming from)
https://strava.app.link/l3rAWsGQdhb

Think i saw ye heading out as i was heading back toTallaght, i was in the shocking pink boards.ie jersey this morning. Saw a few groups, one was definitely a St Tiernans , haven't stoped seeing that jersey since i dissed it

Seth Brundle

secman wrote: »

Think i saw ye heading out as i was heading back toTallaght, i was in the shocking pink boards.ie jersey this morning. Saw a few groups, one was definitely a St Tiernans , haven't stoped seeing that jersey since i dissed it

As nice a jersey as it is, i was in LCRC (Lucan) kit. Didn't see any boardsies today.

youtube!

A very easy leisurely ride along the boardwalk from boyne bridge into drogheda and back . Then a cycle around the visitor centre in oldbridge house and a sweep down Slane road and into Navan . Sweet .

Large bottle small glass

Seaswimmer wrote: »

It was a lovely cycle. We spent about 95% of it off N or R roads. Only one dodgy section of about 4km in south Kilkenny where a good L road turned into a poorly surfaced track.

Where exactly is that road?

Wishbone Ash

Eamonnator wrote: »

....Met lots of groups, Diblin Wheelers, Whiteriver, a few Drogheda Wheelers and one from St Tiernans....

Unusual to see a St Tiernan's so for north. Hope he had his passport with him. He was also spotted entering the new coffee shop in Garristown and kept under observation. Very suspect!

Got out for two shorter spins on Friday and Saturday as the forecast for Sunday was poor.

40k at 31kph with 500 up on Friday evening and then another 65k at 29.5k with 600 climbing first thing Saturday. Left the Garmin at home for the Saturday spin and just enjoyed it.

Glad I got out in lovely conditions when I did as the forecast was right for my area.