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

Eponymous · 03-04-2017 07:47AM

Finally back on the bike for a tentative first spin after over three months nursing a back injury. I had tried back in February but even doing 8km was an absolute struggle and put my recovery back a few weeks. Not setting the world alight with this at all, but it's a start!

https://www.strava.com/activities/924342708

Even got pictured at our coffee stop (2km from home), which showed up on the Greystones Guide Facebook page - I'd link but we've no access to FB here.

positron · 03-04-2017 07:55AM

Third time out on bike, just over 22 km but it's definitly getting easier, and average speed is creeping up, I think. Did a circular loop from Drogheda-Julianstown-Mornington-Drogheda along the back roads - roads are so narrow I was holding up traffic - while cars were super nice to me, I am not really used to holding traffic like that and I worry that some day someone in a hurry will get tired of waiting and making a bad move causing accidents.

On the plus side, long bike rides (40+ km last Sunday especially) is helping me score new PB at Parkrun. There's this guy I've been racing against at the Parkrun for last three months (he always wins) and I won so far ahead of him this weekend he rolls up and asks if I've been hitting the gym lately.

Also another bonus point is - getting back on the motorbike is now sooo much more fun - the seat feels so soft (it used to hurt before I started biking) and I am all over in love with the effortless acceleration and speed of the motorbike. Previously I was very desensitised to 120-140 kmph speeds as that was the norm, but now that I am getting used to working hard for keeping up 20-22 kmph, getting on the motorbike is like a first time everytime! Love biking!!

PS: Also, picked up a dog closer to home.. A young happy black lab. He started chasing me from the top of the estate, ran straight into the back garden and into the house and started playing with my kids. He had no intention of going back home and had no sense of where his home is. Walked around the estate with him on a leash multiple times, knocking at doors, saying hello to many dog owners a long the way (met more people of this estate in one day, than in last 10 years!) and eventually the owner of the dog spotted me standing around, he was driving around looking for the dog - he was releived to say the least. Again, one more reason to love biking!

Tabnabs · 03-04-2017 08:57AM

Not sure if this is the right place to put this, but on my spin out and around the Blessington lakes yesterday morning, I always duck off the N81 just after Brittas and cycle the back road that brings you across to Manor Kilbride. Just before the T junction on the Dublin side of Manor Kilbride there is a farm on the left (a large sign with the name, facing the road).

There were two sheepdogs up in the field barking, but as I cycled past the entrance, a third dog was lying prone by the side of the road and made a dash for me. I roared at him and peddled hard, but was expecting to feel teeth sink into my ankle at any second. A nasty experience and very relieved that no damage was done. I use this route quite often and it's the first time I've had this problem here, so a heads up to anyone that passes this way.

smacl · 03-04-2017 09:34AM

Tabnabs wrote: »

There were two sheepdogs up in the field barking, but as I cycled past the entrance, a third dog was lying prone by the side of the road and made a dash for me. I roared at him and peddled hard, but was expecting to feel teeth sink into my ankle at any second. A nasty experience and very relieved that no damage was done. I use this route quite often and it's the first time I've had this problem here, so a heads up to anyone that passes this way.

I've had a few encounters with that dog ok. I usually slow down and hurl abuse at it rather than speeding up, as dogs love the chase and see someone speeding up as encouragement. I've also hurled abuse at the owner on one occasion. If it happens to you again, maybe report it to the dog warden, though to be honest I doubt you'd get a bite if you slow down and hold your ground.

secman · 03-04-2017 11:21AM

smacl wrote: »

I've had a few encounters with that dog ok. I usually slow down and hurl abuse at it rather than speeding up, as dogs love the chase and see someone speeding up as encouragement. I've also hurled abuse at the owner on one occasion. If it happens to you again, maybe report it to the dog warden, though to be honest I doubt you'd get a bite if you slow down and hold your ground.

Met them myself but not recently, went by there last Thursday evening and was on the lookout for them

. Was heading for Brittas, but they are not fussy which direction you are going/ coming

.
Even 25 years ago there were 2 collies on that same stretch who liked to chase bikes.... must be inbred in them now .

triggermortis · 03-04-2017 01:48PM

https://www.strava.com/activities/926265981

73Km out to Howth and back. Last track I heard from the stereo as I was getting dressed was "Ride the Wind" and how apt that was...
Was pleasantly surprised with my 28Kmh average

kirk buttercup · 05-04-2017 09:48PM

57 km with 610m elevation. Enjoyable ride ( after the first climb )
a question to the experienced riders as I'm a newbie I have been struggling going up hill in the smaller ring, today I climbed in the bigger ring and found it much easier . Is this common?

smacl · 06-04-2017 07:06AM

kirk buttercup wrote: »

a question to the experienced riders as I'm a newbie I have been struggling going up hill in the smaller ring, today I climbed in the bigger ring and found it much easier . Is this common?

I'm a crap climber so possibly not the best person to answer, but for me it is about finding the right gear at the bottom of the hill and avoiding changing because you're in too high a gear. One thing I find helps my climbing is taking on a properly steep hill every now and again, as it has the effect of making moderately steep hills seem easier. e.g. the great thing about Cruagh is its not Kilmashogue

dahat · 06-04-2017 07:26AM

kirk buttercup wrote: »

57 km with 610m elevation. Enjoyable ride ( after the first climb )
a question to the experienced riders as I'm a newbie I have been struggling going up hill in the smaller ring, today I climbed in the bigger ring and found it much easier . Is this common?

Sometimes I found spinning to high a cadence a bit counter productive when climbing, try setting a steady cadence rather than rapid spinning in say 34 28.

Fian · 06-04-2017 11:21AM

Generally I find it is easier using the bigger ring,

....as long as you are talking about the bigger ring at the back of the bike.......

Mercian Pro · 06-04-2017 07:54PM

kirk buttercup wrote: »

a question to the experiefnced riders as I'm a newbie I have been struggling going up hill in the smaller ring, today I climbed in the bigger ring and found it much easier . Is this common?

It really depends on what you mean by "up hill". Taking on Slieve Maan or any other longish climb of +7% in the big ring would leave me gasping for breath fairly quickly. With the small (34) ring on the front and a 27 sprocket on the back, I could keep spinning all day. For variety, I might switch to a slightly higher gear and pedal out of the saddle for a while but would always switch back down when sitting down again. I also have a 30 sprocket in reserve for the steeper bits.

I'm sure it's different strokes for different folks depending on all sorts of physiological factors but keeping up a reasonably high cadence works well for me and I would often pass cyclists grinding out high gears on long climbs. They often pass me on the descents but that's another question.

secman · 06-04-2017 08:24PM

Kilnamanagh to blessington via main road and back on the back road to Manor Kilbride and back on main road at Brittas and home.
45 km Avg 27 kph. Just back before fading light.

dahat · 06-04-2017 08:41PM

Left home this morning with all.my gear left out for a spin after work if I could escape at 5, which I did. Suited and booted by 5.20 and away we went....

Decided to do a few efforts around locally on various drags and climbs instead of turbo murder. Hit a few PB with taking a sizeable chunk out of one which is 4km at 3.3%, took 42 seconds off it and not wind assisted, well chuffed.

Onto Fermoy Sunday where the search for some A4 points continues.....

triggermortis · 08-04-2017 05:58AM

First time commuting into work on the bike in a few months. Only 3 degrees - and I hated getting up at 04.30. Looking forward to the spin home tonight though

retalivity · 08-04-2017 07:11AM

Absolutely cracking morning for a spin in dublin and im itching to get out...unfortunately on nursing duty for the wife - balls!

Miklos · 08-04-2017 09:03AM

Haven't been on my bike all week as I've had a cold and didn't want to exacerbate it but I took a Dublin Bike into work this morning, from Mount St to Grafton St there is glass strewn everywhere. Must have been a wild Trinity Ball.

Chuchote · 08-04-2017 09:07AM

retalivity wrote: »

Absolutely cracking morning for a spin in dublin and im itching to get out...unfortunately on nursing duty for the wife - balls!

You obviously need a rickshaw so you can take your sick wife with you. I, on the other hand, haven't been on my bike (except for going to the shops) in a couple of weeks because I'm trying to hack my way into my jungle garden and find if there are any (wanted) plants in there. I can't take that on the bike.

godtabh · 08-04-2017 10:09AM

-2 this morning. Wasnt expecting that!

08-04-2017 12:44PM

Lovely day for a spin. Went for a spin around blessington. Think I got a little sunburnt

08-04-2017 12:48PM

City centre, stepaside, enniskerry and then back through glencullen. 50k 630 meters climbing. Happy enough with it.

velo.2010 · 08-04-2017 01:13PM

Did the legs last night so only fair that I should get out today, sans leggings. Bit cold though!

rodneyTrotter. · 08-04-2017 03:01PM

Howth was like a mini TDF out there today but that wind! Made it rough at times . Place was jammed with traffic . It's actually painful trying to get up to Sutton from Baldoyle at times when it's that busy but everyone has the same idea on a sunny day

Matt.ie · 08-04-2017 05:26PM

cycled from kilrush to kilbaha on the loophead peninsula,incredible cycle,postcard scenery,fab sunshine,gradients very gentle,road surface very good. round trip 85klm +

smacl · 08-04-2017 05:45PM

Went for a slightly long and lumpy one today, taking in the long hill many l-roads and semi-pave bohereens to Rathdrum avoiding all the Roundwood traffic. From there onto Augrim, Aughavanna, Slieve Maan, Shay Eliot, Laragh and coffee and back home via Glenmacnass. Pleased with the course covered of 141k with 2.3k of up though the time was truly lamentable at just 18kph. Highlights were the fantastic traffic free backroads between the Sugar loaf and Rathdrum, barely paved in spots and very lumpy but quiet and very scenic so IMO a far better option than the increasingly busy road from the Long hill to Laragh. I picked the route to have the wind behind me for the homeward bound leg which also worked out a treat. All in all a glorious day out on the rothar.

triggermortis · 08-04-2017 05:50PM

Really wish I'd taken the good bike into work today. Got off early so was heading home around 3pm. Took a longer way back than usual but not so much fun on Tannus tyres. Zipped off the gabba arms and just wore shorts for the first time this year

DominoDub · 08-04-2017 05:53PM

rodneyTrotter. wrote: »

Howth was like a mini TDF out there today but that wind! Made it rough at times . Place was jammed with traffic . It's actually painful trying to get up to Sutton from Baldoyle at times when it's that busy but everyone has the same idea on a sunny day

Yeah that wind along the coast road was surprisingly strong at times. I was heading to Howth but seen the traffic, So turned left at sutton cross , and on to Malahide nice speed with that wind on my back

. More crazy traffic around the Castle :mad:

So back to City on that nice downhill spin from Clare Hall to Fairview. 38.7KM

https://www.strava.com/activities/933020281

Hauki · 08-04-2017 06:00PM

I rode from city to Skerries and back. What a lovely day! Morning was a bit chilly as was the coast when the wind was coming from the sea. Other than that it was a full short sleeves and shorts kinda weather.

102km for the day.
https://www.strava.com/activities/933235781

LollipopJimmy · 08-04-2017 08:25PM

100.1kms 700metres up today. Inchicore to Balbriggan via Rush and back the same route. My longest solo spin, it was soul destroying for the last 20kms.
Beautiful views today though and a great day to be on the bike. The wind between Balbriggan and Skerries was a pain in the hole but other than that it was lovely

68 lost souls · 08-04-2017 09:32PM

I had the day to myself and the sun was shinning so I finally got to take a spin up through the mountains I planned about 6 months ago. Was a lot of tougher than I had thought, partly due to my lack of mileage. Had hoped to average 25kmh but was 20.7

I modified my planned route a little to include the boards hill climb TT section in a paltry 18:52 which would have put in last place if i had shown up on the day.

Happy to get the spin in though toughest Ive done in a long time, 65km 1200m of vertical climbing and lots of sunburn

Lough Tay and Lough Bray looked amazing today.

Realised today Ive lost a lot of my bike handling confidence, need to up the mileage for that, was nervous on most descents apart from one from the Luggala descent where I couldn't stop smiling going down, not a car in site and lovely road for descending.

Wishbone Ash · 08-04-2017 09:43PM

smacl wrote: »

Went for a slightly long and lumpy one today, taking in the long hill many l-roads and semi-pave bohereens to Rathdrum avoiding all the Roundwood traffic. From there onto Augrim, Aughavanna, Slieve Maan, Shay Eliot, Laragh and coffee and back home via Glenmacnass...

I took a very similar route yesterday. I must suss out a better route from Rathdrum to Laragh - the main road is a bone shaker in places.

https://www.strava.com/activities/932090447

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

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