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

15-07-2018 10:31PM

magicbastarder wrote: »

i usually wouldn't stay on the road to dulleek there - i'd usually be entering or exiting it a few hundred metres northeast, which would be the road for puddenhill/clonalvy/garristown or ardcath, depending on circumstances.

Ah yeah same as, even in the car that road is a pox. I'd be on and off it on the bike sharpish as a means to somewhere else.

pjmn · 16-07-2018 08:20PM

Quick spin out to Moycullen, across to Spiddal and back in this evening after work... breezy, but I managed to average just over 29kmph... 43km

https://www.strava.com/activities/1707052034

magicbastarder · 16-07-2018 08:37PM

what's the moycullen road like? if memory serves, it wouldn't be the best road to cycle on, though i may be thinking of sections further out past moycullen.

James 007 · 16-07-2018 09:05PM

On the flat with a dutch friend 3 weeks ago, so went at his pace, route: Drumcondra - Bray - Greystones - Laragh - Roundwood - Bray - Drumcondra = 135km
2 weeks ago Ring of Kerry = 175km, 27km/hr
Last weekend: Drumcondra - Rathfarnham - Sally Gap - Laragh - Bray - Drumcondra = 120km, 5hrs, could be better but first time this year doing the sally gap, so happy with this for now

pjmn · 16-07-2018 09:18PM

Your memory serves you well - road out to Moycullen is grand - parts have been upgraded in recent years - across to Spiddal is rough enough in spots - the road in from Spiddal is largely ok - just the traffic tends to be heavier and there's no hard shoulder...

triggermortis · 16-07-2018 10:22PM

Decided against riding to work yesterday and headed out for a spin earlier instead as it was a drizzly day.
https://www.strava.com/activities/1704464636

Only saw a few people out - one VCB guy with his young lad around Naul. Due to the weather, I decided to not take glasses and try a peaked cycling hat under the helmet instead... Why???
With the peak down I just got a steady torrent of water in my face off the peak, with the peak up I may as well have not bothered. Failing to see the usefulness of this item of kit. Can anybody enlighten me? (it is a boards cap, so should be up to whatever job it's supposed to do..)

Mercian Pro · 17-07-2018 03:31PM

triggermortis wrote: »

Failing to see the usefulness of this item of kit. Can anybody enlighten me?

As someone who has to wear prescription glasses on the bike, I find a peaked cap handy in light or moderate rain as it seems to keep my glasses clear. Doesn't help much if the bike in front doesn't have decent mudguards though. (Apologies for using the "m" word in July!)

mr spuckler · 17-07-2018 03:38PM

Mercian Pro wrote: »

As someone who has to wear prescription glasses on the bike, I find a peaked cap handy in light or moderate rain as it seems to keep my glasses clear. Doesn't help much if the bike in front doesn't have decent mudguards though. (Apologies for using the "m" word in July!)

yeah I also wear glasses and find my cotton caps to be some of the best bits of kit I own! in a downpour you'll still get some rain getting onto your glasses bit far far less then if not wearing the cap.

magicbastarder · 17-07-2018 09:01PM

lovely evening out there, very calm. 54km around NCD, 30.7km/h average. found a decent road i'd not been on before.

Borderfox · 18-07-2018 06:43AM

Nice steady 40km out with the club around Puddenhill and Rathfeigh

https://www.strava.com/activities/1709401341

magicbastarder · 18-07-2018 07:05AM

not a million miles from where i was last night - that road from the roundabout just north of curragha, to rathfeigh is a decent enough one - the stretch from the roundabout to back of the snailbox has been recently resurfaced, and a proper job done of it too.

Borderfox · 18-07-2018 07:07AM

magicbastarder wrote: »

not a million miles from where i was last night - that road from the roundabout just north of curragha, to rathfeigh is a decent enough one - the stretch from the roundabout to back of the snailbox has been recently resurfaced, and a proper job done of it too.

Couldn't believe how smooth that stretch was last night, nearly got bounced off the bike last time I was on it.

retalivity · 18-07-2018 08:48AM

Quick up and down to kellystown and the viewpoint via cruagh this morning. Was messing with strava after and saw this - never seen it before?

Flagged Segment Waiver: Viewing Pt to Scholarstown Road Descent
Certain segments are identified with flags (“Flagged Segments”), which indicate that other Strava users, in completing or attempting to complete the segment, recognized or perceived a hazardous condition or danger inherent to such segment. You expressly agree that Strava, in allowing these segments to be flagged, does not recommend, encourage, suggest or direct you to begin, attempt, or complete any Flagged Segment. You expressly acknowledge and agree that Strava does not assume responsibility for the inspection, supervision, preparation, condition or state of any segment, including but not limited to Flagged Segments, and that Strava has no personal knowledge, nor makes any warranties or representations about the conditions, state, or any factors, whether naturally-occurring or resulting from human action, pertaining to the maintenance, quality, or safety of any segment, including but not limited to Flagged Segments.

LollipopJimmy · 18-07-2018 02:29PM

Ive been getting a few rides in over the last few weeks. 6am spins to Howth are so pleasant with no real foot or bike traffic on the cyclepath

Luxman · 18-07-2018 02:33PM

In Achill for a few days and I have scouted out the outline of the island. I also located the road up to the masts (minaun) and it’s a monster. Avg 12% but quite a few sections at 20%. 2.8 k and it saw me drop to 5kph. Towards the end I was zig zagging just to stay moving. Stunning location. Descending was terrifying. I thought I would flip over the handlebars on the way down. Met a chap called Ray ( who knows Mercian pro from your Slovenia spins recently) who was going up. Had a good chat with him. Hope he made it down in one piece. Couldn’t recommend Achill enough for a few spins)

Mercian Pro · 18-07-2018 04:56PM

Luxman wrote: »

Met a chap called Ray ( who knows Mercian pro from your Slovenia spins recently) who was going up.

I see from Strava that a Swords clubmate was up there yesterday too. Must have a look at it next time I'm down that direction. Well done to anyone who gets up there (and down) without walking. It makes Kippure look positively easy.

Daroxtar · 18-07-2018 05:48PM

First spin in a month and boy oh boy did I suffer. I had a fantastic family holiday in Thailand during which I acquired some stray kilograms. 4 to be precise. Anyway, seeing as I was home now and needed a spin I went with the lads in the club for a recce of the club league race this coming Thursday. Probably the most overly optimistic thing I've done on the bike. They absolutely shredded me. It was tough just hanging on but then I got simultaneous cramps in left quad and right calf and after about 2 km dying, trying to keep moving I eventually had to lie down in the ditch and stretch it out.
It got worse when I went back into spasm getting back on the bike and fell off in a heap.
Fair play to the lads, they waited at the shop up the road and kept it nice and easy to help me get home.
70 km at almost 32kmh, would have been about 34 average only for me slowing everyone down for the last 20 km.
Really can't see myself on the podium on Thursday

CrowdedHouse · 18-07-2018 07:45PM

Fitted a longer stem on the bike and set off to test on a 40km route I do. Lovely evening and felt much more comfortable so happy days. Turning in the general direction of home when psssttttt.. feckin flat. Only good thing was there was a park bench nearby that I could use but the puncture took most of the good out of it #thejoys

Annie get your Run · 19-07-2018 09:29AM

Annie get your Run wrote: »

Finally got the courage to put clipless pedals on my bike, took it out for a test spin, seems to be all okay but the real test will come on the commute I guess #Yikes!

Deleted User wrote: »

GCN had a decent video with good tips for those new to clipless if I recall.

Possibly should have watched that.... came off the bike this morning when the message from my brain to my foot wasn't quick enough at a junction and I didn't get the foot out in time

:o. Wounded pride but also a very swollen left hand! Was terrified going down the quays and kept unclipping every few mins!! Doesn't look like I'll be able to cycle home if I can't put my hand on the bars but will see how it is later on.

Alanstrainor · 19-07-2018 09:38AM

Annie get your Run wrote: »

Possibly should have watched that.... came off the bike this morning when the message from my brain to my foot wasn't quick enough at a junction and I didn't get the foot out in time :o. Wounded pride but also a very swollen left hand! Was terrified going down the quays and kept unclipping every few mins!! Doesn't look like I'll be able to cycle home if I can't put my hand on the bars but will see how it is later on.

Take it easy, it sounds to me like you should make other arrangements to get home if you hand is swollen. I remember my first few days commuting on SPD's, I didn't fall but came close a couple of times. You should look into reducing the tension in the pedals as well.

devonp · 19-07-2018 04:58PM

Annie get your Run wrote: »

Possibly should have watched that.... came off the bike this morning when the message from my brain to my foot wasn't quick enough at a junction and I didn't get the foot out in time :o. Wounded pride but also a very swollen left hand! Was terrified going down the quays and kept unclipping every few mins!! Doesn't look like I'll be able to cycle home if I can't put my hand on the bars but will see how it is later on.

you know you can get dual pedals....one side is SPD the other is flat
Shimano A530 i think, i use them on my commuter, but once i got used to the clipped in side i hardly ever use the flat, maybe only when making a quick trip to the shop etc
yeah the quays take a bit of getting used to ..take care and hope you hand heals soon

Raam · 19-07-2018 07:43PM

Feck, stopped a bit short today.

rushfan · 19-07-2018 08:53PM

After almost a month off the bike due to holidays etc, I just did 24km yesterday, 34km today. Previously I've got back from hols and tore off doing the bigger distances only to suffer knee and back issues subsequently. I'm slowly getting sense!

magicbastarder · 19-07-2018 09:35PM

Raam wrote: »

Feck, stopped a bit short today.

well, let's say GPS is 99.99% accurate. that's a margin of error of 10km over 100,000km. so 1.9km out would be one fifth of the margin of error based on that level of accuracy, so for all intents and purposes, you deserve that beer.

Raam · 19-07-2018 09:41PM

magicbastarder wrote: »

well, let's say GPS is 99.99% accurate. that's a margin of error of 10km over 100,000km. so 1.9km out would be one fifth of the margin of error based on that level of accuracy, so for all intents and purposes, you deserve that beer.

WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY ahead of you ;-)

Beasty · 20-07-2018 08:28AM

Hang on a minute - it's equally likely that you're only at 99,997.2

The only way to be reasonably sure is to do another 500km....

:P

Raam · 20-07-2018 09:51AM

Beasty wrote: »

Hang on a minute - it's equally likely that you're only at 99,997.2

The only way to be reasonably sure is to do another 500km....

:P

I knew I should have logged all those creche runs.

mr spuckler · 20-07-2018 10:06AM

devonp wrote: »

you know you can get dual pedals....one side is SPD the other is flat
Shimano A530 i think, i use them on my commuter, but once i got used to the clipped in side i hardly ever use the flat, maybe only when making a quick trip to the shop etc
yeah the quays take a bit of getting used to ..take care and hope you hand heals soon

yep, I've these and they do the job perfectly, means I don't have to wear my cycling shoes if just going somewhere local.

that said I expect you'll be surprised at how quickly you get used to being clipped in. we've all had those 1 or 2 tumbles as part of the initiation :pac:

Beasty · 20-07-2018 11:47AM

Raam wrote: »

I knew I should have logged all those creche runs.

Sorry, but running does not count, unless you're moving over to the dark side...

(EDIT: and I don't mean Balrothery)

CrowdedHouse · 20-07-2018 12:41PM

I was driving but I met a lot of cyclists on the road between Ballinasloe and Shannonbridge maybe 50 or more spread out, kind of unusual for a Friday.

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

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