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

Wildly Boaring · 31-03-2021 07:09PM

Little 40 min z3 jaunt before dark

As I was sauntering up a hill I was struck by just how efficient cycling is. Flying along without even breathing heavy. The nice calm weather helped

Also nearly didn't need dinner with the amount of flys about

68 lost souls · 31-03-2021 07:24PM

retalivity wrote: »

Forgot how bad the wall at the top of kilmashogue is...ouch

It’s such a long steep climb I believe it’s still the toughest all together in the area. I think I’ll revisit that after I’ve finished the two last climbs in my 5k and see if it’s as tough as it was when I started this challenge

dahat · 31-03-2021 08:01PM

Evening spins massively underrated, been out twice this week and love every pedal stroke.

smacl · 01-04-2021 01:23PM

retalivity wrote: »

Forgot how bad the wall at the top of kilmashogue is...ouch

Up there today, last steep bit of the lane is a pure mind over matter job. Just trying to keep the legs turning and ignoring the flashing red lights and klaxons going off in the brain to stop immediately if not sooner. Went back into the forest on my way back down and on up to the Ticknock road for a bit of extra pain. Only 17k with 535m of climbing and feeling every bit the April fool by the end of it. Very foggy up there too, whole affair felt entirely surreal.

fryup · 01-04-2021 05:29PM

Nigzcurran wrote: »

Picked up the new bike today and got a great little 15km blast in,

give us a GOO!

Nigzcurran · 01-04-2021 05:31PM

fryup wrote: »

give us a GOO!

Ah it’s only a boring starter bike! But I’m on the ladder now and already loving it. Can’t wait for the morning to get out on it and stretch the legs

Seth Brundle · 01-04-2021 05:38PM

Missed getting out over the last few days when we had good weather but managed to get out this evening and do 56km with 430m climbing a nearby hill a few times. It was bloody cold out there. Found it too cold for the shorts but my Galibier Mistral jacket had my core kept cosy. Feet were almost numb despite having toe covers. Still happy I managed the climbs after my recent Achilles issues.

fryup · 01-04-2021 09:08PM

Nigzcurran wrote: »

Ah it’s only a boring starter bike! But I’m on the ladder now and already loving it. Can’t wait for the morning to get out on it and stretch the legs

no its not, don't be putting yourself & your bike down..bikes have feelings you know

Nigzcurran · 02-04-2021 06:52AM

fryup wrote: »

no its not, don't be putting yourself & your bike down..bikes have feelings you know

My undercarriage had feelings after my maiden voyage on it! My old bike has a big comfy cruising saddle and the new saddle is rather less padded. Have ordered a few pairs of cycling shorts so hopefully they make a difference

MojoMaker · 02-04-2021 10:20AM

Sounds counterintuitive I know but large comfy padded saddles are murder on long trips, it's one of the things you need to adapt to as a new cyclist - the temptation that soft and padded is better than hard and supportive - you will learn one way or the other though

fryup · 02-04-2021 01:19PM

a sunny good friday, no better day for a spin

smacl · 02-04-2021 02:26PM

fryup wrote: »

a sunny good friday, no better day for a spin

Definitely. 44k for me with 559 of up taking in Firhouse twice, Bohernabreena, Gunny hill and the Viewing point. Tons of cyclists out today, outnumbering the cars on Stocking lane by a fair margin. A bit cold starting out but perfect weather once warmed up. Had planned on working but decided the better of it.

Wildly Boaring · 02-04-2021 05:18PM

2hours with heart rate cap.
It's awful enjoyable!!

Nice and sunny out there.
Plenty cyclists!!

(Did see 4 muppets on a coffee break lying in a circle have a chat about a foot from eachother)

adrian522 · 02-04-2021 06:00PM

Nigzcurran wrote: »

Ah it’s only a boring starter bike! But I’m on the ladder now and already loving it. Can’t wait for the morning to get out on it and stretch the legs

Nice, best of luck with it.

Picked myself up a new bike yesterday too. Took it out around Bohernabreena this afternoon. A route I'd normally run rather than cycle, but some nice hills out that way and the very light traffic once you get off the main road and the bright sunshine makes it a very enjoyable experience.

Overall 29.5km @ 22.7 km/h. with 371m elevation gain.

Nigzcurran · 02-04-2021 08:11PM

MojoMaker wrote: »

Sounds counterintuitive I know but large comfy padded saddles are murder on long trips, it's one of the things you need to adapt to as a new cyclist - the temptation that soft and padded is better than hard and supportive - you will learn one way or the other though

Yep I have a big fancy gel saddle cover in the house but it can stay there! I’ll get back on the saddle tomorrow and get the bum toughened up asap

02-04-2021 09:00PM

The good bikes were out of their winter hibernation today. Passed a man on a lovely white Look waiting to get out at a junction and then not 5 minutes later another Look!!!!!! This time with white top and down tubes and black everything else /drools

Can't imagine theres that many around my area so 2 within minutes of each other was something. Also saw a beautiful 90 reg Merc in-between the Looks. Might be a sign I should do the lotto or something

retalivity · 02-04-2021 09:11PM

I've seen some serious hardware on the roads this past few weeks, think a load of people have a load of cash to burn with lockdown etc. and have been buying top-end bikes.
Better than pissing it up a wall i guess!

a148pro · 02-04-2021 11:02PM

retalivity wrote: »

I've seen some serious hardware on the roads this past few weeks, think a load of people have a load of cash to burn with lockdown etc. and have been buying top-end bikes.
Better than pissing it up a wall i guess!

One of the really visceral memories of lockdown one was seeing like a parade of super car bikes in Phoenix Park one sunny day when cars were still banned. Lads who ordinarily would have been far away stuck in somewhere rather pedestrian beside me and my kids. Was great though, and I'd say they enjoyed it too. Sure what Ferrari driver doesn't mind rocking the lane beside the Nissan Micra?

a148pro · 02-04-2021 11:05PM

magicbastarder wrote: »

it's a blunt tool, and we know it's blunt but it's not a tool you can sharpen without tying yourself up in even more contradictions.

Well you could always just fu*k the useless tool out of your shed having realised it was a nonsense? I mean the contradictions you are tying yourself up in all come from the people who sold you the tool in the first place. No rational approach has any contradictions at all.

How long am I banging on about this now? A year? FFS if I'd just spent more time on the bike I'd be in serious shape

smacl · 03-04-2021 08:53AM

a148pro wrote: »

Well you could always just fu*k the useless tool out of your shed having realised it was a nonsense? I mean the contradictions you are tying yourself up in all come from the people who sold you the tool in the first place. No rational approach has any contradictions at all.

How long am I banging on about this now? A year? FFS if I'd just spent more time on the bike I'd be in serious shape

I honestly think that once the county + 20k thing comes in they won't be stopping cyclists and checking so it will be a matter of using your own best judgement. I found the 5k thing ok but then I happen to have a few decent local options and get out most days. I will be buzzed when it is over, not just for access to a greater area but to cycle with a few friends again. Extended area is grand for me for a couple of months and I look forward to getting further afield when county boundaries lift.

a148pro · 03-04-2021 09:52AM

I think now that a pinch point like the sally gap is within 20k of residential areas I suspect bottom will have fallen out of the checkpoint market. You could still find yourself in trouble if way out in a county I suppose but most dublin cyclists will be happy with the greater dublin area and a bit of north wicklow.

Would love to do a few trips down the country when the weather improves but most likely with accommodation. Even if it was viable now it's not enjoyable if you feel you might not be welcome in the area, which is fair enough, particularly in places with several weeks without cases.

So hope to get fit in time for some staycation style spins once we're not all treating each other like we've ebola.

magicbastarder · 03-04-2021 10:20AM

smacl wrote: »

I honestly think that once the county + 20k thing comes in they won't be stopping cyclists and checking

Generally speaking, they weren't checking cyclists anyway, except maybe people headed up past the viewing point? I was never stopped while out cycling, passed through checkpoints quite a few times near the airport.

That said, if I'd been in a bunch with five other cyclists, I assume that would have piqued their interest.

lizzylad84 · 03-04-2021 10:22AM

Got out today for an hour. Decided to be a strava warrior and go for pbs on four local segments.
Got two and turned about 1 foot too early for the third one.
Genuinely
Gutted.

magicbastarder · 03-04-2021 10:27AM

That's infuriating; I was wondering why I wasn't doing better on a local segment for a week or two during first lockdown and realised that while it started at a traffic light controlled junction, it started a few metres *before* the junction, not after. You'd have hoped whoever created the segment would have copped that. I'd been launching off at the lights, not realising that I'd been sitting stationary within the segment for thirty seconds already.

Wildly Boaring · 03-04-2021 10:48AM

75k in the locality
Savage day for it.
Some nice efforts on the hills.
Plenty bikes, runners and walkers out.
Not a close pass in sight.

(Did see 3 groups of 5 or more bikes)

rolling boh · 03-04-2021 01:34PM

The good weather tempts more larger groups i have seen a few around Dunboyne summerhill road area lovely day today for a spin .

Inquitus · 03-04-2021 02:03PM

Swords -> Oldtown for a Coffee -> Swords, bit nippy at the start but a beautiful day for a cycle once warmed up!

Stark · 03-04-2021 02:20PM

Cycled to the Phoenix Park to pick up a friend (Jesus, cycling in the Park at weekends is a horrible stressful experience these days, worse than cycling out on main roads even). Then cycled to Islandbridge, and up through Kilmainham, joined the Grand Canal at Suir Road, cycled along canal to Adamstown turnoff, up to Lucan, took strawberry beds route back to Castleknock, crossed M50 at 12th lock underpass , took Royal Canal back to Ashtown and finished up in the Park after coffee/cake at the Hole in the wall.

magicbastarder · 03-04-2021 03:12PM

lovely day out there; little fresh, but not too warm nor too cold.

saccades · 03-04-2021 04:13PM

Messing in the local woods - there is a 2km tech xc loop with a fireroad back around to the top.

3 laps, giving it everything, back giving me gyp as I've not kept up the core exercises. It kinda eased off by the 3rd lap so I could push harder. HR monitor is goosed as it hit 209 bpm, more like 190.

Back end was way too squishy, tyre kept folding under me and if I had tubes I would have had multiple pinch flats. Checked when I got home, 11 psi ðŸ€¦*♂️

Lovely day out, quarry hill climbs tomorrow for the legs :vomit:

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

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