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

youtheman · 18-03-2019 10:48PM

Was out cycling solo today. Was on a wide straight section with a gradual incline, strong wind into my face so I had the head down just concentrating on the yellow line on my left. Next think a car coming from the opposite direction did a passing manoeuvre, head on, onto my side of the road, leaving me about a metre to spare (doing well over 100 km/hr). Didn't even see him coming. If I had swerved to avoid a pothole I would be history now. I though "what a cu*t". He saw me with my high viz, but his progress was more important than my safety.
So I am in the market for a GoPro.

Miklos · 19-03-2019 10:36AM

Can I tell you about my cycle last week? A week in Gran Canaria, based out of San Augustin. Approx 10,000m of climbing and 21hrs of ride time, still feeling a bit bunched after it.

We did the Valley of the Tears on our second day and it was an absolute epic. Toughest day of my life on the bike for sure, average grade around 12% and tops out at 25% in sections! Grinding away in 34x32 for hours, it felt like days. Really just absolutely horrible, but fantastic.

Later in the week, we headed for the Pico de las Nieves, the highest point on the island. Basically a 50km climb up to the top from sea level. It was really such a pleasure to be able to do that kind of climbing continuously, so far removed from anything I'm used to in Ireland.

Other than those two landmark days, spent most of the week going up and down the GC65 and 60 and around little climbs off them, some great little backroads that bring to mind La Vuelta complete with goats.

Picked a great week to go as well it looks like with races being cancelled and all that.

Mercian Pro · 19-03-2019 04:40PM

First regular club spin since a crash and shoulder injury five weeks ago. Headed up to Drogheda from Swords by the hilly route through Naul, Snowtown and the R108. After a second breakfast at Bia, we headed back into a SWesterly via Laytown, Balbriggan, Skerries and Lusk. Whether it was the wind, the five weeks off the bike or being too ambitious on the Snowtown climb, I was totally wrecked in Swords with another 13k to go to get home. Barely enough energy left to shower and have lunch when I got there with the bike still unwashed and looking accusingly at me two hours later. No chance of it washing itself I suppose?

https://www.strava.com/activities/2224476103/shareable_images/map_based?hl=en-US&v=1553005353

triggermortis · 19-03-2019 05:18PM

Solo spin this morning. Just got to Naul, and the freehub gave up. Remembering advice from WA on here, I went to the garage on the Main Street and the nice guy there gave me a dozen cable ties to attempt a temporary fix. This lasted all of 100 metres before they gave up as well. Taxi home cost me €20!
As the bike needed fixing I’m getting the way overdue headset replacement done at the same time.

Internet Friend · 19-03-2019 06:51PM

Strained my calf within seconds of getting on the bike for the commute home, was a painful 25km

Torres09 · 20-03-2019 11:51AM

Lovely 60k around NCD this morning, very warm and so much more enjoyable when not battling 50kmh winds

Ray Bloody Purchase · 20-03-2019 12:14PM

Torres09 wrote: »

Lovely 60k around NCD this morning, very warm and so much more enjoyable when not battling 50kmh winds

It really is a pleasure to go on a cycle when it isn't freezing and faced into a flippin' gale force wind. I forgot what it was like.

triggermortis · 20-03-2019 06:35PM

After yesterday’s DNF due to a broken freehub, it was nice enough to take the good bike out around NCD for a spin. Got a few PBs and even a 4th overall on one segment, even though I wasn’t targeting anything. Even rode without gloves for a good part.
My good mood wasn’t even dented when I got the repair bill for the winter hack later on in the day

mr spuckler · 20-03-2019 06:45PM

triggermortis wrote: »

After yesterday’s DNF due to a broken freehub, it was nice enough to take the good bike out around NCD for a spin. Got a few PBs and even a 4th overall on one segment, even though I wasn’t targeting anything. Even rode without gloves for a good part.
My good mood wasn’t even dented when I got the repair bill for the winter hack later on in the day

my recent double bill for my commuter bike service & repair and my road bike service hasn't dented my enthusiasm for treating myself to a new set of wheels for the good bike ahead of the weather improving :pac:

magicbastarder · 23-03-2019 12:30PM

had to rinse blood out of my gloves when i got home from my spin. not my blood; i tried to lift an injured hare out of the road near oldtown. another cyclist had already stopped to try to shoo him off the road but we reckoned he'd been blinded by the hit and was disoriented.

pjmn · 23-03-2019 03:20PM

Lovely morning here in the west... 63km @ 27.6 avg...

https://www.strava.com/activities/2233961864

Mercian Pro · 23-03-2019 04:10PM

Not long back from a spin to Laragh via Sally Gap and back by Ballinastoe and Enniskerry. Trying to build up fitness again before too many more punishing club rides. Beautiful day in the hills but still cool enough so I was glad to have the winter gloves, leg warmers and Mistral jacket.
Lots of cyclists out especially heading towards Sally Gap from Laragh. Was there an sportif on? The two roads down into Glenasmole from the Featherbeds were closed off apparently for a Gaelforce event.

Torres09 · 23-03-2019 04:23PM

Mercian Pro wrote: »

Not long back from a spin to Laragh via Sally Gap and back by Ballinastoe and Enniskerry. Trying to build up fitness again before too many more punishing club rides. Beautiful day in the hills but still cool enough so I was glad to have the winter gloves, leg warmers and Mistral jacket.
Lots of cyclists out especially heading towards Sally Gap from Laragh. Was there an sportif on? The two roads down into Glenasmole from the Featherbeds were closed off apparently for a Gaelforce event.

Snap! Glad to have Mistral jacket and gloves this morning...my Garmin was showing 3.5 degrees at 08:30 this morning around NCD

North of 32 · 24-03-2019 12:45PM

I've had lateral knee pain since my getting my new cleats. I rode 75km yesterday and it was starting to flare up badly. Before heading out this morning I adjusted the position of the cleats and focused on holding 90rpm - 50km later and no pain, just sunny Spring pleasure.

magicbastarder · 24-03-2019 01:12PM

Lovely morning for it. Real West of Ireland sunny windy day. Was on some roads out between duleek and bellewstown I'd not been on before. Lovely rolling hills, kept the legs working.

triggermortis · 24-03-2019 01:27PM

Just back from Haul d Naul. Rode out and back to complete my March fondo on Strava.
Went out with the first group and managed to hang on until Naul, where the hill killed me off after the fast start.
104km @ 30.1kmh for the day.
Happy with that.

Torres09 · 24-03-2019 02:10PM

triggermortis wrote: »

Just back from Haul d Naul. Rode out and back to complete my March fondo on Strava.
Went out with the first group and managed to hang on until Naul, where the hill killed me off after the fast start.
104km @ 30.1kmh for the day.
Happy with that.

I was wondering when this was on, seen the road markings on my spin around Swords, Lusk, Skerries & Rush yesterday morning...I unintentionally seemed to cover the 45k route!!!

Torres09 · 24-03-2019 02:19PM

Weepsie wrote: »

And you'll be seeing them for about 2 years. They don't seem to ever fade away. Especially near the airport

I might try the 100k over the next 2 years so lol

pjmn · 24-03-2019 02:32PM

Headed east today - strong tailwind on the way out - killer headwind on the way back in..

https://www.strava.com/activities/2236919108

saccades · 24-03-2019 02:37PM

Headed down to enniscorthy, 100km @29.2kmph with 800m climbing.

Feeling good as it was pretty much all rolling hills so being a Clydesdale wasn't too much of a problem.

Now have to muck the chickens out.

Wishbone Ash · 24-03-2019 02:45PM

Torres09 wrote: »

I might try the 100k over the next 2 years so lol

The 'long' route is only 70k.

magicbastarder · 24-03-2019 05:38PM

Weepsie wrote: »

Took the sunny weather bike out for first time in ages for a test ride.

same here, first time it had been out in 2019 i think. i think i've successfully dealt with the niggling habit it had for the seatpost to drop in the frame gradually, if the roads were rough. have seen other owners commenting online of the same issue, that you need to tighten the seatpost clamp tighter than manufacturer's recommendations to overcome the issue.

Daroxtar · 24-03-2019 08:31PM

Brought a mate for a bit of hilly stuff today. Headed up Balinascorney, Cunard and up as far as the gates of Kippure. I had planned on going up but the breeze had become a full on biting icy wind up there, the surface was quite gravelly a few weeks ago, and with him on a brand new Madone SLR 8 with utterly splendid paint job and deep section wheels.... I didn't want to be responsible for any mishaps.
Continued over to the Gap crossroads then over by Lough Tay and down Lugalla and over to Enniskerry for the coffee.
Then treated my buddy to his first taste of Ticknock followed by Kilmashogue. There was a mountainbiking event on Ticknock so there was a huge crowd around there but we made it up and back ok.
Kilmashogue was a great plan at the start of the day but with nearly 80km and 1500m already done, not so clever. Felt good to get back to the car after that!!

84km, 1845m climbed.
https://www.strava.com/activities/2236957233

shaka · 24-03-2019 09:21PM

87 km, 1200mtr of climbing. 24 k avg, fairly wrecked now

24-03-2019 10:44PM

magicbastarder wrote: »

Lovely morning for it. Real West of Ireland sunny windy day. Was on some roads out between duleek and bellewstown I'd not been on before. Lovely rolling hills, kept the legs working.

Passed a fella around 8am on Bellewstown hill this morning, wasn't you was it? I was heading down he was coming up, gave him a howya as I passed and was glad I was in a clockwise loop mood when I left this morning

magicbastarder · 25-03-2019 12:37AM

not me, i didn't get out till after 9:30 and wouldn't have been near bellewstown till after 11. i approached bellewstown on what strava calls ladymoor road and before i reached bellewstown, swung a right down ongenstown, which i promised i'd return to to banana myself uphill on.

terrydel · 25-03-2019 10:08AM

First spin on my new Orbea Orca yesterday.
Its lovely, shame I'm not in half as good shape.
First real spin using di2 so gladly the weather was nice and I could go gloveless to get used to the position of the gear change controls. Might need a few minor adjustments but was suprised how comfortable it felt coming from a giant defy and its old man geometry (Im feeling like an old man recently so hence being totally out of shape).
Really happy with it tho, its so much lighter and steadier on descents. Disc brakes never made a sound either.
Went from valleymount over the gap then up Shay Eliiot, turning back to laragh at the top, home back over the gap after a bit of lunch.
63km, average about 25.5 ish (using new bike computer which Im not half as sold on as the bike itself) , 1000m of climbing. The bike definitely got me over the 25 average.

Type 17 · 25-03-2019 02:59PM

Lovely day today, with little wind, so 98km around NCD in 3hrs31mins @ av 27.8 felt great.

rushfan · 28-03-2019 05:29PM

71km around the North County today at 27.4km/hr. Plenty of cyclists about on a beautiful day.

Miklos · 28-03-2019 06:33PM

Had some hill repeats to do this morning so headed up Cruagh, by Jaysus I was sweating. So lovely out.

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

Comments