Tell us about your new improved government regulations compliant cycle part II

Chuchote · 19-11-2016 02:57PM

Sally should be off limits until March, really unless there's an unusual thaw; February is often when you get the worst snow and frost.

tuxy · 19-11-2016 03:37PM

Chuchote wrote: »

Sally should be off limits until March, really unless there's an unusual thaw; February is often when you get the worst snow and frost.

I was up there last Tuesday and condition were perfect. Wouldn't want to be anywhere near it this morning.

68 lost souls · 19-11-2016 04:34PM

tuxy wrote: »

I was up there last Tuesday and condition were perfect. Wouldn't want to be anywhere near it this morning.

That was my hope, I know its getting late in the year to be up there so was hoping the weather would hold out to the weekend because I know if I don't get up soon I wont be up until the spring and I reckon I missed the chance now. Saw pictures from up there today from a cyclist I know and it put me off the idea even more.

Wishbone Ash · 19-11-2016 04:53PM

Chuchote wrote: »

Sally should be off limits until March, really unless there's an unusual thaw; February is often when you get the worst snow and frost.

That's overkill IMO.

90% of the time in winter the roads there are fine.

19-11-2016 05:16PM

tuxy wrote: »

I was up there last Tuesday and condition were perfect. Wouldn't want to be anywhere near it this morning.

Two people went up today via Military road according to Strava!

secman · 19-11-2016 06:24PM

Frosty here this morning so waited till afternoon. Headed for killenagh , down coast road to Courtown, Ballymoney, Castletown and left turn out to main road towards Inch and on to Gorey. Took left turn at Gorey for Courtown . Back on coast road to Ballygarrett, killenagh and home.

59 km Avg 25.5kph

Unknown Soldier · 19-11-2016 06:41PM

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

That's overkill IMO.

90% of the time in winter the roads there are fine.

Agreed. It is weather dependant, rather that it's "winter"

I live at the bottom of Hellfire/Stocking and when it is cold a quick spin up in the car lets me (and devonp

) know if it's grand or not.

The Featherbeds/Sally Gap in general have their own climate.

It's basically a judgment call on the day/weather rather than avoiding it until Spring.

But I'd advise better safe than sorry! I know a fella who had a serious hip injury and a series of operations due to a small patch of ice

It's not worth the risk if you have any doubts, there will be plenty of good days to go cycling or low lying areas.

brocbrocach · 19-11-2016 08:29PM

Ah lads North County Dublin was a dream today. Absolutely perfect conditions for a spin in the afternoon. My most enjoyable day on the bike all year.

RobFowl · 19-11-2016 09:02PM

brocbrocach wrote: »

Ah lads North County Dublin was a dream today. Absolutely perfect conditions for a spin in the afternoon. My most enjoyable day on the bike all year.

2 1/2 very pleasant (if cold) hours with a clubmate going up and down some of the hills in NCD and south Meath

NCD is a truly beautiful and under rated area.

crosstownk · 19-11-2016 10:00PM

RobFowl wrote: »

NCD is a truly beautiful and under rated area.

I totally agree. I'm a fan of Wicklow but I went on a few spins to NCD earlier this year. Stunning - Dublin but countryside. So much to offer from beautiful green fields to stunning coastline - Loughshinny and Rush for example. From Dublin Airport out by Naul is amazing.

I have the opposite problem to those from NCD who wish that the Wicklow Mountains were closer. The other man's grass is always greener.

1bryan · 20-11-2016 08:37AM

Unknown Soldier wrote: »

Agreed. It is weather dependant, rather that it's "winter"

I live at the bottom of Hellfire/Stocking and when it is cold a quick spin up in the car lets me (and devonp ) know if it's grand or not.

The Featherbeds/Sally Gap in general have their own climate.

It's basically a judgment call on the day/weather rather than avoiding it until Spring.

But I'd advise better safe than sorry! I know a fella who had a serious hip injury and a series of operations due to a small patch of ice

It's not worth the risk if you have any doubts, there will be plenty of good days to go cycling or low lying areas.

last winter there were barely 3 weekends where it was off-limits. Of course this will vary depending on the kind of winter we're due (according to the weather forum here, we're due a cold run up to christmas, but it should start to get milder afterwards). One year it was pretty much closed until around paddy's day.

I wouldn't be going up there (or anywhere) on a day like today, but I wouldn't ever be ruling out going up for the entire winter

20-11-2016 10:00AM

Currently keeping an eye on Strava segments to see if people have ventured out today:pac:

20-11-2016 11:52AM

Went out in the end..Met about 10 cyclists up around Cruagh.. Bloody cold out. No real ice except nearer the top where there was a patch or two of black ice. Easy enough to spot going up.

wanderer 22 · 20-11-2016 12:14PM

Cooooold spin along Royal and Grand canals early this morning on the mountain bike. Really beautiful out, autumnal leaves, frost , sunrise - ticked all the boxes :-P

https://www.strava.com/activities/780491217

magicbastarder · 20-11-2016 01:31PM

1bryan wrote: »

(according to the weather forum here, we're due a cold run up to christmas, but it should start to get milder afterwards).

i'm always extremely sceptical of long range weather forecasts.

wanderer 22 · 20-11-2016 01:43PM

magicbastarder wrote: »

i'm always extremely sceptical of long range weather forecasts.

dahat · 20-11-2016 01:47PM

Beautiful morning but savage cold and got colder as we went on, not a day for cheap gear either. Well wrapped up and felt comfy the whole way.

We had only one incident where one of the boys came down on the hairpin bend coming into Carrick, front brake lever destroyed, expensive fall but he was OK.

94.97km at just over 28km avg and 680 odd of up.

bbolger · 20-11-2016 03:44PM

70k around NCD early this morn. As RobFowl said some beautiful routes around, but bitterly cold, making it tough to enjoy it later on.

The water in my bidon actually froze so knew it was time to head home.

magicbastarder · 20-11-2016 04:44PM

i waited till this afternoon before heading out - still poxy cold, and the fog that descended on the way home didn't help. just 46k - glasnevin - howth - malahide and home.

P_1 · 20-11-2016 05:39PM

Well the Sally Gap is out of bounds for the next few days anyway...

https://www.facebook.com/DWMRT/posts/10154524300895590

godtabh · 20-11-2016 05:45PM

Got myself a smart trainer. Took me an age to set up (but that may have been my own fault!) and only had time for a 20 min spin.

The forecast for the week is bad so my do a proper road test this week.

Annie get your Run · 20-11-2016 08:09PM

magicbastarder wrote: »

i waited till this afternoon before heading out - still poxy cold, and the fog that descended on the way home didn't help. just 46k - glasnevin - howth - malahide and home.

That fog warning is in place now until 8am tomorrow morning, I normally leave the house at 7.30 on the bike to commute to work - any advice from the experienced folks here? Is it okay to cycle or best not?

secman · 20-11-2016 08:23PM

Got out at 10:30 this morning, probably about 3 degrees all morning. Up to killenagh, on to the coast road to Courtown, Ballymoney, skipped turn for Castletown and went straigh which brings you on a loop around base of Tara hill, eventually coming back on to Gorey to Courtown road, took left and back to courtown, headed to ballygarret, took first right for killenagh and home. 50 km at a very leisurely 23kph. Plenty of little drags around Tara hill loop.
Lovely crisp morning around rural north county wexford

magicbastarder · 20-11-2016 08:54PM

Annie get your Run wrote: »

That fog warning is in place now until 8am tomorrow morning, I normally leave the house at 7.30 on the bike to commute to work - any advice from the experienced folks here? Is it okay to cycle or best not?

you may not have the same problem i do - i've a bit of a beard, and the fog tends to condense in it, making my face wet and that bit colder.
fog itself should not be an issue apart from obvious visibility issues; i'd say in the morning, the surface conditions will be your main issue.
i managed to spin my back wheel on road markings earlier trying to take off from lights, and it wasn't even frosty - beware of those in the morning.

P_1 · 20-11-2016 09:39PM

magicbastarder wrote: »

you may not have the same problem i do - i've a bit of a beard, and the fog tends to condense in it, making my face wet and that bit colder.
fog itself should not be an issue apart from obvious visibility issues; i'd say in the morning, the surface conditions will be your main issue.
i managed to spin my back wheel on road markings earlier trying to take off from lights, and it wasn't even frosty - beware of those in the morning.

https://safishing.com/product-category/face-shield/

These are fantastic for the cold mornings, plus it brings a whole new meaning to the term "ninja cyclist".

They take about a month to be shipped though.

Chuchote · 20-11-2016 10:04PM

P_1 wrote: »

https://safishing.com/product-category/face-shield/

These are fantastic for the cold mornings, plus it brings a whole new meaning to the term "ninja cyclist".

They take about a month to be shipped though.

You definitely wouldn't get any arguments from drivers in this

magicbastarder · 20-11-2016 10:09PM

even before i saw who had posted that, i had read it and thought 'that'd be brilliant for chucote'.

Daroxtar · 20-11-2016 10:39PM

Down home for the weekend, got out with the local club for a spin. Very relaxed pace around the foothills of the Ox Mountains. It was a lovely morning and the ice was mostly melted but the slow pace wasn't great for getting the toes and fingers warm. The group was about half beginners or returning after a long time out. After about 35 km we split in two with the novices heading back to the start and stronger cyclists pushing on for another 30 odd at a higher pace which warmed us up nicely.
Finished up with 76km @26kmh and made it in the door of the house just as the sleet started falling.
Lough Talt- Swinford- Charlestown- Caracastle- Curry- Lough Talt

https://www.strava.com/activities/780774144

Ciaran_B · 21-11-2016 09:33AM

Stopped at a red light this morning. Another cyclist ran through the red. A pedestrian started screaming and ranting at me 'f'ing cyclists, f'ing red lights apply to f'ing you as well' right up in my face, all agro. Shouting at the person waiting for the green light - absolute idiot. I was kind of shocked and it put me in bad form for a while. I've had my porridge now though so I'm much better now.

Annie get your Run · 21-11-2016 09:45AM

magicbastarder wrote: »

you may not have the same problem i do - i've a bit of a beard, and the fog tends to condense in it, making my face wet and that bit colder.
fog itself should not be an issue apart from obvious visibility issues; i'd say in the morning, the surface conditions will be your main issue.
i managed to spin my back wheel on road markings earlier trying to take off from lights, and it wasn't even frosty - beware of those in the morning.

Ha ha no, no beard

You were right, no fog but frost and ice everywhere, considered getting the train but persevered, took it very handy and survived, I thought I'd get to January before this kind of weather affected the commute though

Tell us about your new improved government regulations compliant cycle part II

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