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Tell us about your cycle today part III

magicbastarder

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secman

After a 4 plus week lay off, back issues:( went on a club spin, brilliant to be back as a group:), Gorey to Arklow and up the old N11 to Jack Whites and to the Beehive and back the same way, just under 80km, 29.5kph and 510m.
Few niggles again this evening.

dahat

Lazy route choice meant 4 hours of head & crosswinds on main roads, cursed myself a few times on the road. It was still great to be out on a fine day given that tomorrow will be a very wet one.

135km @ 31.7 avg.

Nigzcurran

smacl wrote: »

Sounds like you may have gone through Deep Sinking. Very picturesque but not for the faint hearted on a bike.

Ha yes that’s exactly the name I was told! Crazy to think the canal goes so far below ground level but we did get to see a fox chilling out in the undergrowth who wasn’t fazed by us at all so definitely worth the trip

[Deleted User]

Very broken night's sleep last night but had committed to meeting a friend so got up and at it.

Did 100km with 1,100 climbing at 30kph. I mostly cycle on my own but I have realised from looking at Strava and the few rides I've done with others that while I am very strong on climbs, I'm awful on flats and descents. Not sure why that is as I'm big and should be able to put out plenty of power.

Best day we've had in Cork in May so was delighted to get out.

this.lad

7.30 is the time to get out. For me, though, it was pm.

Got caught up in a work thing that ended up dragging out from 5 oclock yesterday to 6 o clock today, on and off, and to be continued tomorrow, left me looking out at the sun and thinking, with the forecast, I wouldn't get out at all this weekend.

As soon as I started moving the kids towards bed I decided to tear out for a quick spin.

35km at 30km/h, albeit flat at 250m gain. Getting consistent times over 30 at around that distance.

Like someone else here said I find I eat hills out of it going up but I'm very nearly slower going down. Maybe it's the poor surfaces etc or general fear or lack of skill descending.

On the flat, if I keep checking myself, I can put out reasonable speeds but I often drift off into a world of my own. And maybe that's why I really cycle!

coastwatch

this.lad wrote: »

7.30 is the time to get out. For me, though, it was pm.

Got caught up in a work thing that ended up dragging out from 5 oclock yesterday to 6 o clock today, on and off, and to be continued tomorrow, left me looking out at the sun and thinking, with the forecast, I wouldn't get out at all this weekend.

As soon as I started moving the kids towards bed I decided to tear out for a quick spin.

35km at 30km/h, albeit flat at 250m gain. Getting consistent times over 30 at around that distance.

Like someone else here said I find I eat hills out of it going up but I'm very nearly slower going down. Maybe it's the poor surfaces etc or general fear or lack of skill descending.

On the flat, if I keep checking myself, I can put out reasonable speeds but I often drift off into a world of my own. And maybe that's why I really cycle!

I think "a world of your own" speed, whatever it is on the day, sounds right to me.

ednwireland

55km legs felt pretty dead (vaccine after effects?) but a bit of light rain the dried up at 11am.

broke a fecking spoke though

stevencn88

Went out yesterday with the intention of doing an hour and ended up staying out for 4! First time going over 1000m climbing in a very very long time. Lots of short steep hills.

https://www.strava.com/activities/5338734976

columbus_66

Saw very few out today and I don't blame them, that cold rain froze the bones!

NamelessPhil

I'm only in the door from doing the Canals & Greenway 300 (320km door-to-door). I left my house at 06:00 Sunday and staggered back in the door at 02:13 Monday.

Sh!te weather apart from two hours either side of Tullamore and most of yesterday evening. That's my first time doing the full Grand Canal and my first time on the Athlone -Mullingar Greenway in its present form.

Out the door at 6am and I had the first stretch of Canal from Inchicore to Hazelhatch to myself. All the scobies were still tucked up in their beds. I could have used herons as mile markers because they were plentiful as far as Offaly.

I was on 25mm tyres (but I only weigh circa 63kg) so the mixed surface presented several challenges. No grip on mud which was plentiful from Clondalkin onwards. The tyres were ok on grass, give it another two weeks and it'll be impassable. There was also cinder style stones, pray to the guardian angel of punctures, the best example of which was Offaly style Strade Bianchi. If I ended up on the wrong side of the canal I had to contend with the chippings for kilometres.

Getting to Shannon harbour took half my allocated time.Then I was persued by thunder showers over the Shannon and up to Athlone. Athlone isn't any more attractive than the last time I saw it. The Greenway has a great surface and I should have made better time but I kept dozing off on the bike, lack of sleep before the start got to me. Again I had the place to myself mostly.

The Royal Canal's surface was great from Mullingar to Maynooth. After that it reverted to mud, grass and tree roots. Not what you want to navigate safely in the dark. I finished with time to spare and it was my first 300 since 2019. It's good to be back.
https://strava.app.link/YlVjGzjyvgb

Nigzcurran

That’s some going! Any sleep or breaks at all??

NamelessPhil

Nigzcurran wrote: »

That’s some going! Any sleep or breaks at all??

No, straight through. I was riding it under Audax rules that give you 20 hours to ride 300km (minimum average of 15km/h). It's usually plenty of time.

Nigzcurran

NamelessPhil wrote: »

No, straight through. I was riding it under Audax rules that give you 20 hours to ride 300km (minimum average of 15km/h). It's usually plenty of time.

That’s superb going and after giving me some hope for Thursday as I’m planning on cycling to Kerry but I’ll be stopping at the 200km stage and pitching a tent for some sleep!

NamelessPhil

Nigzcurran wrote: »

That’s superb going and after giving me some hope for Thursday as I’m planning on cycling to Kerry but I’ll be stopping at the 200km stage and pitching a tent for some sleep!

Well if you get a taste for long-distance and don't mind doing events that are self-supported with no goodie bag, come and join us. www.audaxireland.org

[Deleted User]

Nigzcurran wrote: »

Decided to take it easy this morning before the big spin to Kerry on Thursday,

Good luck with it. It’s been interesting following your training on here. Keep us updated

positron

Nigzcurran wrote: »

That’s superb going and after giving me some hope for Thursday as I’m planning on cycling to Kerry but I’ll be stopping at the 200km stage and pitching a tent for some sleep!

Would it not be easier to push on, especially without the panniers?

PS: Best of luck with it, I am yet to ride a 300k, perhaps this season, fingers crossed.

Nigzcurran

positron wrote: »

Would it not be easier to push on, especially without the panniers?

PS: Best of luck with it, I am yet to ride a 300k, perhaps this season, fingers crossed.

I’d be tempted to go without the panniers but with still no access to hotels this week I’d be afraid I’d run out of energy halfway and have no place to sleep! At least with the tent on the back I can try push on and get to Adare which would be 200kms and leave a nice handy 100kms for the next day

adrian522

Last week I didn't manage to get out all week really until the weekend, except for some trips to the shops and to the LBS (twice). Anyway, I much prefer to something done early in the week and mission accomplished this evening.

31km @ 23.8 km/h with 370m climbing, went up Edmondstown road to Tibradden and onto Glencullen, home via Ballyedmonduff road.

https://www.strava.com/activities/5351728770

wheelo01

Took a week off work, a few days down in Wexford with the wife and the bike.
73km at 25 kph on Saturday, beautiful morning for it, just as well as it bucketed down since. I hadn't realised Wexford was so undulating.
Really enjoyed it ~ out in shorts plenty warm.

https://www.relive.cc/view/v4OGo78dgmO

Seth Brundle

Had my first club spin of 2021 on Saturday.
76km @ 28.1km/h with 427m.
Three punctures amongst the group with one lad getting two. With his second one, I assisted him taking the stubborn tyre off the rim and managed to graze three knuckles off the spokes. They wouldn't stop bleeding and my right lever, hood, leg and shoe was sticky with the blood.
Mental note: pack a few wipes and plasters in my keg just in case!
https://strava.app.link/v2d9mTIPwgb

Headed out this evening for a while - managed 65km at 30.8km/h (although Garmin says 31.2km/h). There was a decent Westerly breeze which helped me hit another dozen PBs

https://strava.app.link/OaKNKqcQwgb

this.lad

Took out for a short spin this evening between showers. Ended up with 50k and 650m gain, 26.3km/h

Windy and threatening showers so I wore long sleeves, was over dressed on the climbs but glad of it on the descents, rain stayed away.

I confirmed today that I am outrageously poor at descending. Steep sections with bends had me heading towards the hedge twice. As the man said; when I got home, the underpants came straight off.

Seth Brundle

this.lad wrote: »

I confirmed today that I am outrageously poor at descending.

Just close your eyes and use the force!

secman

wheelo01 wrote: »

Took a week off work, a few days down in Wexford with the wife and the bike.
73km at 25 kph on Saturday, beautiful morning for it, just as well as it bucketed down since. I hadn't realised Wexford was so undulating.
Really enjoyed it ~ out in shorts plenty warm.

https://www.relive.cc/view/v4OGo78dgmO

Yeah the coast road from Ballygarrett to Wexford town is definitely rolling and indulating and the road to Enniscorthy to Ferns, The Harrow are too. No major climbs but plenty of pulls , drags etc to keep it interesting.

positron

It was such a nice day even I, the laziest cyclist I know, ventured out on the bike - first time in many many weeks.

Exploring north of Drogheda towards Slane - my god, so many hills!! King William's Glen to Tullyallen is nothing compared to what lies beyond - Melifont Abbey to Hurcle Hill to across N2 to many roads (Old Church?) and many hills in that area and eventually back to Drogheda via Slane. No need to head to Naul for hills from now on.

45k or so with 516m elevation (felt like a lot more than that). But more importantly I got to enjoy the stunning views all around, what a beautiful part of the world!

positron

Nigzcurran wrote: »

I’d be tempted to go without the panniers but with still no access to hotels this week I’d be afraid I’d run out of energy halfway and have no place to sleep! At least with the tent on the back I can try push on and get to Adare which would be 200kms and leave a nice handy 100kms for the next day

That makes sense, you can stop early etc if weather turns - gives you more flexibility. Are campsites open now?

Wildly Boaring

positron wrote: »

Exploring north of Drogheda towards Slane - my god, so many hills!! King William's Glen to Tullyallen is nothing compared to what lies beyond - Melifont Abbey to Hurcle Hill to across N2 to many roads (Old Church?) and many hills in that area and eventually back to Drogheda via Slane. No need to head to Naul for hills from now on.

Yeah from Tullallen just go straight west.
Melifont over to Grangegeeth and keep going straight you'll hit the second highest point in Meath over in Rathbran.
If you want more hills head north to Sydan and over to Newtown nice climb and descent if you head on to Collon. Fairly downhill home then.

My mam is from that neck of the woods and I never ever realized the amount of hills up there until I headed on the bike.

NamelessPhil

positron wrote: »

It was such a nice day even I, the laziest cyclist I know, ventured out on the bike - first time in many many weeks.

Exploring north of Drogheda towards Slane - my god, so many hills!! King William's Glen to Tullyallen is nothing compared to what lies beyond - Melifont Abbey to Hurcle Hill to across N2 to many roads (Old Church?) and many hills in that area and eventually back to Drogheda via Slane. No need to head to Naul for hills from now on.

Anywhere around Collon or the hills south of Ardee are pretty nasty. I usually encounter them halfway through a 200km Audax.
Rathkenny mountain or Smarmore are tough enough.

Wildly Boaring

NamelessPhil wrote: »

.
Rathkenny mountain

Which road is that?

Had the misfortune of trying to get half wild cattle in off the side of one of these hills a month ago.
Paid for it.

NamelessPhil

Wildly Boaring wrote: »

Which road is that?

Had the misfortune of trying to get half wild cattle in off the side of one of these hills a month ago.
Paid for it.

https://strava.app.link/QeBts4vWwgb

[Deleted User]

NamelessPhil wrote: »

Anywhere around Collon or the hills south of Ardee are pretty nasty. I usually encounter them halfway through a 200km Audax.
Rathkenny mountain or Smarmore are tough enough.

I was up around the turbines west of Collon a few weeks ago for the first time in years, coming from Drogheda to Collon straight though onto the Kells Rd and right up Everitts Lane. I think the other road up from Collon is steeper?

The view from the roads up there on a good day though is stunning. I think you're only about 250m up max there? But yeah those roads aren't kind on the legs.

Was curious though if anyone rides off road around the turbines there?