Dublin to Belfast Round trip Cycle (In one day)

Mongfinder General

Has anybody attempted it? Is it possible to do for somebody who cycles 20km per day into work and has never worn the yellow jersey? Which leg is tougher? Dublin to Belfast or Belfast to Dublin?

cgcsb

Definitely not, unless you're a real pro and roads are closed off for you. It's a solid day one-way only for a very strong cyclist.

magicbastarder

it's a 360km round trip. if you managed 25km/h, you're looking at 15 hours in the saddle.

steinbock123

When I was a small child, I was always fascinated by my uncle who used to cycle from Dundalk to visit us on many a Sunday in south Dublin. He’d have his lunch and head back home. This was in the days before the motorway, so I remember the same car journey with my dad driving steadily used to take ages, ( it seemed to me as a chiseler). My uncle used to say it was always worse going back.

cgcsb

steinbock123 wrote: »

When I was a small child, I was always fascinated by my uncle who used to cycle from Dundalk to visit us on many a Sunday in south Dublin. He’d have his lunch and head back home. This was in the days before the motorway, so I remember the same car journey with my dad driving steadily used to take ages, ( it seemed to me as a chiseler). My uncle used to say it was always worse going back.

My god, he must have been some man. I'd say crossing the Mournes and doubling the distance would add several degrees of difficulty though.

positron

It is certainly possible. We have folks who ride 300k, 400k or even 600k events amongst us - so I am sure it's certainly possible.

There's even an ultra running race Dublin to Belfast or Belfast to Dublin (usually just one way) that happens every year.

It's certainly doable on the bike with the right motor (rider)!

Mongfinder General

I might give Dundalk and back a go. As I understand the law, the M1 is not an option? R 108 seems a better place to start.

cgcsb

Weepsie wrote: »

I can think of a few on here that could do it, and they're not pros.

I think I could just about do it myself too, but would be looking at 18 hours.

Sounds like a punishment more than anything else to me. It would be 18 hours solid on the saddle. If I done it I would check myself straight into hospital rather than go home. :pac:

positron

Mongfinder General wrote: »

I might give Dundalk and back a go. As I understand the law, the M1 is not an option? R 108 seems a better place to start.

M1 is the best choice. Avoid M50 though.

/S

Mongfinder General

Weepsie wrote: »

I can think of a few on here that could do it, and they're not pros.

I think I could just about do it myself too, but would be looking at 18 hours.

I am reasonably fit, late 30’s, but my weight is a little high at 12 stone. I’m about 5”8. I could do 25km per hour. For how long, is another story. If I do this in June/July, I will have 17 hours of light and hopefully better weather. Do you have any thoughts about what I should take with me for the journey?

CantGetNoSleep

One way Dublin to Belfast with a tailwind might be a more realistic aim - but even then you wouldn't want to go from 20km to that

MangleBadger

Mongfinder General wrote: »

I am reasonably fit, late 30’s, but my weight is a little high at 12 stone. I’m about 5”8. I could do 25km per hour. For how long, is another story. If I do this in June/July, I will have 17 hours of light and hopefully better weather. Do you have any thoughts about what I should take with me for the journey?

What is the furthest you have cycled currently?

loyatemu

Mongfinder General wrote: »

I am reasonably fit, late 30’s, but my weight is a little high at 12 stone. I’m about 5”8. I could do 25km per hour. For how long, is another story. If I do this in June/July, I will have 17 hours of light and hopefully better weather. Do you have any thoughts about what I should take with me for the journey?

20km a day commuting is not adequate prep for a 380km cycle. Do a 100km first and see how you feel, and what your average speed is.

You can buy food etc along the way, but you'd want to have some basic repair kit with you - have a look at the Audax thread and see what sort of kit those guys have with them.

Mongfinder General

MangleBadger wrote: »

What is the furthest you have cycled currently?

About 40 km.

MangleBadger

Mongfinder General wrote: »

About 40 km.

If you’re serious you would want to start ramping up that distance.

Nigzcurran

Mongfinder General wrote: »

About 40 km.

I’m planning on doing one way Dublin to Kerry next month spread over 2 days and I got my first 100kms ride in last week with an average of 20 kmh which I hope to do each week till the big trip!

mh_cork

loyatemu wrote: »

20km a day commuting is not adequate prep for a 380km cycle. Do a 100km first and see how you feel, and what your average speed is.

You can buy food etc along the way, but you'd want to have some basic repair kit with you - have a look at the Audax thread and see what sort of kit those guys have with them.

Solid advice. Done several long days on the bike including Cork-Belfast a few years back, when the Giro was on. Took us over 20 hours.

You cannot under-estimate how slow you will get after 100k, if you havent done this type of distance before. You might be doing 25k for the first few hours, but might be 15-20k after that. Managing food intake is another issue, a lot of people fail on long cycles because its hard to eat enough when you're not used to being on a bike after 4 hours.

Work up to it. Do a 100k, then a 200k and a 250k. Have a backup plan, i.e. train / someone to pickup.

cgcsb

mh_cork wrote: »

Solid advice. Done several long days on the bike including Cork-Belfast a few years back, when the Giro was on. Took us over 20 hours.

OMG, where are you buried?
That's some treck. :eek:

Wishbone Ash

I did Rush, Co Dublin to Belfast and back in 2014. (My first 300k ride). The return leg was tougher due to a headwind. It is relatively flat IIRC.

https://www.strava.com/activities/177902316

Kander

Just to add to all the other good prep advice. Building up the time in the saddle before your attempt also will help with knowing just how sore your ass will get on the saddle after so many hours. Just saying what we all thinking

Wishbone Ash

Mongfinder General wrote: »

....I will have 17 hours of light... .... what I should take with me for the journey?

Regardless of daylight don't go without long lasting lights. A couple of punctures and mechanicals can seriously erode time. You don't want to be in the dark with fast moving traffic and without a light.

What I do for a 300k ride is allow an overall average of 20km/h (not a moving average). This generally allows for food breaks etc. so I would give myself an estimated elapsed time of 15 hours for a 300km ride.

Smee_Again

steinbock123 wrote: »

When I was a small child, I was always fascinated by my uncle who used to cycle from Dundalk to visit us on many a Sunday in south Dublin. He’d have his lunch and head back home. This was in the days before the motorway, so I remember the same car journey with my dad driving steadily used to take ages, ( it seemed to me as a chiseler). My uncle used to say it was always worse going back.

Friend of mine in school was a competitive cyclist and would cycle home to Dundalk after a race in Dublin.

He’d get a lift up, race then cool down on the way home. And this was before the M1.

Same lad used to smash everyone else in the bleep test too.

JerryHispano

To add to what others have said, you should do a good bit of training before attempting it, and not just all in one go. Increasing time/mileage by 10% per week is the typical rule of thumb. An overuse injury is no fun. You'll also figure out how much you need to eat as you go to avoid hitting a wall.

Good luck!

Seth Brundle

magicbastarder wrote: »

it's a 360km round trip. if you managed 25km/h, you're looking at 15 hours in the saddle.

Reckon I could do it in a third of that!
I'd only need a turbo or rollers strapped to a trailer!

mh_cork

mh_cork wrote: »

You cannot under-estimate how slow you will get after 100k, if you havent done this type of distance before. You might be doing 25k for the first few hours, but might be 15-20k after that. Managing food intake is another issue, a lot of people fail on long cycles because its hard to eat enough when you're not used to being on a bike after 4 hours.

Friend of mine did Dub-Cork a good few years ago, took him about 12hrs, if I remember correctly. Would have been quicker only he took a wrong turn just as he got to Cork and ended up on the road to Mallow, so had to backtrack a bit.

He said the same, you just cannot get the grub into you quickly enough. There's only so many chicken fillet rolls and packets of Haribo you can eat in one day. After his third food stop, he was just getting back on the bike somewhere in Tipp and felt the urge to go to the jacks. He found some rural pub with an outdoor toilet and when he went to use it, he remembered he never brought a lock with him (for weight purposes).

So he brought the bike into the stall with him. The image of him wrestling with the bib shorts, the bike vertical in the stall beside him as his cleats are slipping all over the tiled floor is something else. He's still adamant that the ordeal was easier than eating the 4th roll later on that day.

nilhg

Deleted User wrote: »

Friend of mine did Dub-Cork a good few years ago, took him about 12hrs, if I remember correctly. Would have been quicker only he took a wrong turn just as he got to Cork and ended up on the road to Mallow, so had to backtrack a bit.

He said the same, you just cannot get the grub into you quickly enough. There's only so many chicken fillet rolls and packets of Haribo you can eat in one day. After his third food stop, he was just getting back on the bike somewhere in Tipp and felt the urge to go to the jacks. He found some rural pub with an outdoor toilet and when he went to use it, he remembered he never brought a lock with him (for weight purposes).

So he brought the bike into the stall with him. The image of him wrestling with the bib shorts, the bike vertical in the stall beside him as his cleats are slipping all over the tiled floor is something else. He's still adamant that the ordeal was easier than eating the 4th roll later on that day.

I've done a couple of those ultra type 24hr non stop spins, bread rolls are the worst things i can think of to eat on them, I can't imagine how that fella felt after 4 rolls.....

Little and often is my way to go, if you have a support car it's easier but for me a combination of porridge, meusli, pots of rice pudding, hard boiled eggs, fatty ham at short stops along with the usual energy bars and drinks on the bike got me through. Never underestimate the power of a bottle of full fat Coke either, I don't particularly like it, never really drink minerals normally but if I'm feeling the pressure badly a Coke and a loin bar is my port in a storm....

Wishbone Ash

nilhg wrote: »

... a loin bar is my port in a storm....

nilhg

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

Ah lord, you can get away with nothing these days...

07Lapierre

Mongfinder General wrote: »

. Do you have any thoughts about what I should take with me for the journey?

An E-bike?

rolling boh

You will have to step up your distance quite a bit before such a cycle as has been said Dundalk would be a good trip for you to aim for .I think a long distance would be different going to a point and back than doing something similar in loops near to your home .Am sure lots have done it but would require a lot of cycling prior to it .

07Lapierre

Dublin-Belfast-Dublin. I did it years ago when I took part in the Maracycle. We cycled up to Belfast, stayed overnight (and went out on the beer!) and then cycled back to Dublin the next day.

I remember the hill coming out of Drogheda was the point that I began to really suffer. I was getting cramps in my feet (I suspect my shoe/cleat setup was incorrect) so I had to walk for a bit.

The finish was in the RDS in Ballsbridge. When we arrived there, we had a quick bite to eat and then cycled home to Coolock.

Doing the same again but all in one day would be a real challenge. The route is pretty boring and the wind would play a big part in your overall time.

It’s not something I’d like to do myself. I would like to do Dublin to Galway, or maybe Galway to Dublin (depending on wind direction)

blackvalley

Mongfinder General wrote: »

I am reasonably fit, late 30’s, but my weight is a little high at 12 stone. I’m about 5”8. I could do 25km per hour. For how long, is another story. If I do this in June/July, I will have 17 hours of light and hopefully better weather. Do you have any thoughts about what I should take with me for the journey?

Take the advice of the experienced cyclists here. Put in plenty of training over 6 - 9 months including multiple 100 K trips
OTHERWISE. The most important thing you will need is your medical card or money for a taxi .
Best of luck 🀞

Mongfinder General

07Lapierre wrote: »

Dublin-Belfast-Dublin. I did it years ago when I took part in the Maracycle. We cycled up to Belfast, stayed overnight (and went out on the beer!) and then cycled back to Dublin the next day.

I remember the hill coming out of Drogheda was the point that I began to really suffer. I was getting cramps in my feet (I suspect my shoe/cleat setup was incorrect) so I had to walk for a bit.

The finish was in the RDS in Ballsbridge. When we arrived there, we had a quick bite to eat and then cycled home to Coolock.

Doing the same again but all in one day would be a real challenge. The route is pretty boring and the wind would play a big part in your overall time.

It’s not something I’d like to do myself. I would like to do Dublin to Galway, or maybe Galway to Dublin (depending on wind direction)

Which route did you take? Is it legal to use the M1?

magicbastarder

it's illegal to cycle on a motorway.

Wishbone Ash

Mongfinder General wrote: »

... Is it legal to use the M1?

Ah Jesus - if you're planning a cycle to Belfast and back, you should know the very basics.

Even if it was legal to cycle on a motorway, why would you want to?

Seth Brundle

In addition, I would not recommend cycling on the A1 dual carriageway north of the border (which is not motorway but much of it has 70mph speed limits).
Far too busy with fast moving traffic for my comfort.

Eamonnator

Seth Brundle wrote: »

In addition, I would not recommend cycling on the A1 dual carriageway north of the border (which is not motorway but much of it has 70mph speed limits).
Far too busy with fast moving traffic for my comfort.

The M1 becomes N1 at the Ballymac junction (Dundalk North).
I would not recommend cycling on it, but it is legal to do so.

rolling boh

If you stayed off the busy main roads how far is it ? it seems a real slog especially with any sort of a headwind making it way beyond the vast majority of cyclists .

Eamonnator

07Lapierre wrote: »

Dublin-Belfast-Dublin. I did it years ago when I took part in the Maracycle. We cycled up to Belfast, stayed overnight (and went out on the beer!) and then cycled back to Dublin the next day.

I remember the hill coming out of Drogheda was the point that I began to really suffer. I was getting cramps in my feet (I suspect my shoe/cleat setup was incorrect) so I had to walk for a bit.

The finish was in the RDS in Ballsbridge. When we arrived there, we had a quick bite to eat and then cycled home to Coolock.

Doing the same again but all in one day would be a real challenge. The route is pretty boring and the wind would play a big part in your overall time.

It’s not something I’d like to do myself. I would like to do Dublin to Galway, or maybe Galway to Dublin (depending on wind direction)

That's a long time ago. The first time, I did it was 1986(I think) It started and finished near the the airport.

07Lapierre

Mongfinder General wrote: »

Which route did you take? Is it legal to use the M1?

The M1 wasn’t built at the time! I did it around 1986. It was basically Dublin-swords-Drogheda-Dundalk-Newry and then Belfast. Same route back.

07Lapierre

Eamonnator wrote: »

That's a long time ago. The first time, I did it was 1986(I think) It started and finished near the the airport.

Yeah I seem to remember starting at Santry Stadium and finished at the RDS? That right?

EDIT: your correct. I’m confused because one year (most likely after 1986), we bumped into a group returning from Belfast and we just tagged along. We cycled with them to the RDS. Two different memories!

Seth Brundle

Eamonnator wrote: »

The M1 becomes N1 at the Ballymac junction (Dundalk North).
I would not recommend cycling on it, but it is legal to do so.

The N1 between the M1 and the border is pretty much motorway standard.
The A1 (in NI) has motorway speeds but has plenty of entrances both public roads and private entrances). Its a lot better than it used to be but still pretty unsafe.
But yes, both completely unsafe on a bicycle.