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

Paul_Mc1988 · 06-01-2017 09:57PM

54K today. Longest cycle since i have been back on the bike. Had loads left in the legs and the wind and rain didn't bother me at all, two water bottles just don't cut it. On a side note anyone know anywhere to fill up a water bottle up around blessington.:)

https://www.strava.com/activities/823032594

LollipopJimmy · 06-01-2017 10:30PM

I was banjoed this morning, trained legs in the gym this morning then cycled the 20k from the gym to work. I was very naughty going up the hill on the last 3km and drafted another guy. Bold bold bold

Chuchote · 07-01-2017 12:10AM

LollipopJimmy wrote: »

I was banjoed this morning, trained legs in the gym this morning then cycled the 20k from the gym to work. I was very naughty going up the hill on the last 3km and drafted another guy. Bold bold bold

Wooden spoon

AndrewJRenko · 07-01-2017 10:47AM

Paul_Mc1988 wrote: »

On a side note anyone know anywhere to fill up a water bottle up around blessington.:)

Here, perhaps?

Paul_Mc1988 · 07-01-2017 10:53AM

AndrewJRenko wrote: »

Here, perhaps?

Smart arse:pac:

retalivity · 07-01-2017 11:34AM

First non commute since mid november, 54k in 24kph from dublin to maynooth and back via strawberry beds, confey, celbridge, peamount and the canal. Carrying extra weight and out of shape having done nothing for 2 months, and i felt it.

https://www.strava.com/activities/823820066

smacl · 07-01-2017 05:53PM

First slightly longer one for year, Ballyboden - Gap - Laragh - Gap and home for 80k in a truly appalling 4:30 for a run I usually manage in or under 4 hours. Felt like absolute crap for all the climbs, with all those extra Christmas pounds feeling like lead weights around my ankles. Hippy Café was closed so went next door to the Conservatory, which was nice enough with pleasant staff and tasty food, but I felt like a total knob as the only sweaty lycra head among an otherwise well groomed clientele. Not having my specs with me and hence having to keep the prescription shades on didn't help much either, so was quite relieved to be back out plodding up towards Glenmacnass. Between that and my legs screaming at me on some relatively easy ascents, it wasn't surprising this song was stuck in my head for the return journey. Really need to take the healthy eating and booze reduction thing more seriously (says he on the way out to meet a friend for a pint).

cython · 07-01-2017 06:25PM

First non-commute for me as well today, just over 70km done, Blanch - Maynooth - small loop out around Kilcock (tag along on very short beginner spin for a charity cycle) - Straffan - Ardclough - Newcastle - Lucan - Blanch. Tired enough by the end as have only really been doing commuting distances for a while now, and had even taken 3 weeks off that until Tuesday this week due to a dose (still lingering, but screw it!), jumping straight to 4 days in a row. Tomorrow will be the day off cleaning day.

AndrewJRenko · 07-01-2017 06:33PM

2 hours, 34k Cruagh, Johnny Foxes, Devil's Elbow, Enniskerry and back via Barnaslingan lane - went over 70 kpmh on the way into Enniskerry - rather pleasant

Annie get your Run · 07-01-2017 07:02PM

cython wrote: »

First non-commute for me as well today, just over 70km done, Blanch - Maynooth - small loop out around Kilcock (tag along on very short beginner spin for a charity cycle) - Straffan - Ardclough - Newcastle - Lucan - Blanch. Tired enough by the end as have only really been doing commuting distances for a while now, and had even taken 3 weeks off that until Tuesday this week due to a dose (still lingering, but screw it!), jumping straight to 4 days in a row. Tomorrow will be the day off cleaning day.

I was wondering about this, if I"m doing 75 -90 miles a week on the bike commuting 12+ miles each way either 3 or 4 days per week, is that enough training to take part in a sportif or a duathlon if the bike distance is around 30 or 40 miles or has commuting no bearing at all on something like that? Sorry, hope that's too too OT.

wanderer 22 · 07-01-2017 07:10PM

Annie get your Run wrote: »

I was wondering about this, if I"m doing 75 -90 miles a week on the bike commuting 12+ miles each way either 3 or 4 days per week, is that enough training to take part in a sportif or a duathlon if the bike distance is around 30 or 40 miles or has commuting no bearing at all on something like that? Sorry, hope that's too too OT.

The (very) general rule is that you should be able to do in a day what you usually manage in a week; I've found it to be true.

cython · 07-01-2017 08:10PM

Annie get your Run wrote: »

I was wondering about this, if I"m doing 75 -90 miles a week on the bike commuting 12+ miles each way either 3 or 4 days per week, is that enough training to take part in a sportif or a duathlon if the bike distance is around 30 or 40 miles or has commuting no bearing at all on something like that? Sorry, hope that's too too OT.

colm18 wrote: »

The (very) general rule is that you should be able to do in a day what you usually manage in a week; I've found it to be true.

What colm18 said is pretty accurate, and I've definitely found that when I haven't done a long spin in a while and a few of us head out that I suffer less then people in a similar position who do not commute by bike. To the extent that I've been accused of basically doing no training and still keeping up with those that do, though that is a bit of an exaggeration.

Having said that, while the commuting miles will get you through longer spins in this way, getting longer training spins in will definitely make it easier/more comfortable, and since you mention duathlons you may have an interest in speed, in which case I wouldn't recommend using commuting as your only training for these things

Annie get your Run · 07-01-2017 08:15PM

cython wrote: »

What colm18 said is pretty accurate, and I've definitely found that when I haven't done a long spin in a while and a few of us head out that I suffer less then people in a similar position who do not commute by bike. To the extent that I've been accused of basically doing no training and still keeping up with those that do, though that is a bit of an exaggeration.

Having said that, while the commuting miles will get you through longer spins in this way, getting longer training spins in will definitely make it easier/more comfortable, and since you mention duathlons you may have an interest in speed, in which case I wouldn't recommend using commuting as your only training for these things

An interest in sure, the ability to go along with that interest? nope

Thanks folks, I might look at extending my Friday commute to get a longer cycle in.

wanderer 22 · 07-01-2017 09:15PM

First 100k spin in months today, flat and slow but happy with the decent start to the year after the disaster that was 2016!
https://www.strava.com/activities/824015396

Chuchote · 07-01-2017 09:54PM

It's true that regular daily cycles of an hour or two make you fitter generally, I think; today, coming out of a lane onto a quiet road, a driver in what looked like a first-car Christmas present appeared driving the wrong way up the road, straight in front of me (s/he was apparently driving fast into a parking place on the wrong side of the road).

I braked hard and the bike went over - I extended the leg and arm on that side and bowed right down over the bike in a Nureyev-like pirouette, with leg stretched gracefully sideways, sole of foot and palm of hand flat on the road - and immediately back up again. I'd never have been able to do that even a few weeks ago. Not even stiff after it tonight.

smacl · 08-01-2017 10:27AM

Excellent! Sounds like a move straight out of the Matrix.

Unknown Soldier · 08-01-2017 12:17PM

After a pretty sh1t 2016, I Managed 205km this week, with a 102.2km spin yesterday with 673m of climbing. I met with a small crew of four others at 8am and did 40km with them to start off. I was going to go out with the 10am crew too, but had to ditch after a few KMs to go back home, but then the missus didn't require me so I did a bit of meandering. I like meandering!

I even went to Rathcool as there is a butchers there call "Donovans" opposite the Bank of Ireland, which does the most savage little sausage rolls you have ever tasted. Four for two Euro. Well worth stopping off for if you are in need of a little fueling.

https://www.strava.com/activities/824017564

Don't Chute! · 08-01-2017 01:50PM

70kms this morning with just over 1000m of climbing. First half decent bit of climbing I've done in a while. Greystones Enniskerry Stepaside Cruagh road Devils Elbow Enniskerry Greystones. 170 kms for the year so far and just crept ahead of that annoying little progress meter on Strava! Probably for the last time this year so I'll take it! Very mild, beautiful day out.

https://www.strava.com/activities/825156551

magicbastarder · 08-01-2017 01:55PM

little bit misty out there in NCD today - and i currently hold the 2017 record for the stretch from balheary golf club to the naul (long may it last...)
one drawback of having a beard was having to repeatedly shake the water which had condensed in it out.

https://www.strava.com/activities/824998690

magicbastarder · 08-01-2017 03:47PM

also, i got a chuckle as i turned right out of clonalvy following a signpost saying 'Ardcath 2km'. a couple of hundred metres later, 'Ardcath 3km'. a few hundred metres later, 'Ardcath 2km'. then 'Ardcath 3km'.

08-01-2017 04:07PM

Bought my first bike since I was a kid this week, so took it for a spin this morning. Going to use it to commute so just went to my office and back as a trial run, 16km round trip, and have to say I enjoyed it. There's one hill on the way home that nearly killed me but otherwise was fairly plain sailing. Way home took 23 mins according to my phone which is quicker than driving, and significantly quicker than public transport, so happy with that.

Mercian Pro · 08-01-2017 04:12PM

On a club spin from Swords to Celbridge and back that passed through Lucan, Newcastle and Maynooth. Shared the coffee stop in Celbridge with a group of Reservoir Cogs and saw at least four other cycling groups on the roads plus numerous ones and twos. I see reports on Strava of a few Orwell spins venturing into Kildare too.
Great to see so many out in the depths of January.

Dcully · 08-01-2017 05:06PM

First club spin of the year, was a very mucky affair,gear got a real workout

Didn't help that I'm nursing a dose since Friday so I put to test the theory of anything above the chest get out and go, was a struggle for the first hour to clear the airways and the pace felt harder than usual with feeling unwell but after about the hour mark I felt a lot better and delighted I didn't wimp out

https://www.strava.com/activities/825184204

saccades · 08-01-2017 05:36PM

First spin since end of september, thought I'd take it easy out with the touring section of the club.

80km later and I'm destroyed.

So.much.fitness.lost.

1bryan · 08-01-2017 05:48PM

smacl wrote: »

Hippy Café was closed.

this is Glendalough Green, yeah?

It was closed again today. Any idea what the story is there?

It wouldn't surprise me if they just decided to close for january. Previous years they've been decimated by the lack of footfall due to bad weather, so it would be hard to blame them.

Really hope they'll be back open. I don't feel comfortable stopping anywhere else down that direction (for the reasons given in the quoted poster's full post).

Senecio · 08-01-2017 05:57PM

Went for a quick spin this morning, the first of 2017 for me. Only a short 25km loop of Howth but I did follow it up with a 5km run in Malahide Castle. Had a bit of scare descending the Sutton side of Howth summit when I got some schrapnel lodged in a rear brake block. 50km/h and feathering the front brakes was interesting.

Wishbone Ash · 08-01-2017 06:43PM

1bryan wrote: »

... I don't feel comfortable stopping anywhere else down that direction (for the reasons given in the quoted poster's full post).

The filling station out the Glendalough Road has tables on a veranda if you don't feel comfortable going in anywhere. I've used it on a few occasions.

There's also that other strange place at the junction for Rathdrum where you sit in what appears to be someone's garden and are served by the lady of the house. Don't know if it has a name or if it opens in winter though.

Unknown Soldier · 08-01-2017 07:08PM

Paul_Mc1988 wrote: »

On a side note anyone know anywhere to fill up a water bottle up around blessington.:)

https://www.strava.com/activities/823032594

As you go through Blessington from Dublin, on the RIGHT at the "end" before the hardware place is a little Offy/Shop that have never minded me bringing my bike in. You can get a bottle of water there and bars etc. it's a thin/long shop so bringing a bike in does not cause any issues.

My bikes are never left alone!

Inquitus · 08-01-2017 07:13PM

Bit miserable early on, a cold thick mist with some drizzle heading into Naul Hills, brightened up a bit around midday to make it a bit more enjoyable being out. Left Swords at 10am and got in 70km odd heading west towards Garristown, Curragha, Rathoath and back via Ballyboughal and the Nags Head for a few repeats.

magicbastarder · 08-01-2017 07:40PM

i wonder if we passed each other at any point...

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

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