Tell us about your cycle today part III

Seth Brundle · 26-04-2022 12:07PM

Had to call over to my mother in Clontarf last night and help sort something out on her iPad. Cool but ovely evening to be out.

Managed to get from Leixlip > Clontarf > Leixlip at a pace of 30km/h which when travelling through the city centre isn't bad! Had originally hoped to do a pass of Howth summit on the way home after but tiredness and hunger got the better of me and so I headed home for my dinner.

Travelling along the R148 back into Leixlip (between the Springfield Hotel and the Salmon Leap) I became aware of a motorbike behind me. They had space to pass (plus no oncoming traffic) but they didn't pass me. Stopping in the village at the main set of lights, the rider puled up beside me. It turns out it wasn't a motorbike but some kind of pedal assisted fat-tyred bike (a quick search suggests it was possibly a Bezior). He told me that I had been doing 52km/h and he couldn't catch me and was quite impressed with my pedal power (although I wasn't really trying, I didn't mention the slight slope and light tailwind). Still, it was nice it be complimented out of the blue for once. When the lights went green he went on ahead (on the flat) but after a couple of seconds he still wasn't that much ahead of me.

68 lost souls · 26-04-2022 11:52PM

Nice spin home today, made a few tweaks to the bike fit between my way in and way out of work and seems to have improved things. First spin with most of the bike packing gear in place, it’s a struggle to get bottles in and out of the cages with the frame back in place but the third cage under the frame is much easier. Guess it will take some getting used to.

2 degrees going in and then warmed up a good bit coming home so rode gloveless for the first time in a long long time.

46km all in with 450m climbing. Position adjustments look to have led to about a 10-15% improvement and knees are much happier for it too.

smacl · 27-04-2022 09:44PM

Lovely spin up to the Sally gap after work, pretty much perfect conditions, cool enough but sunny. Chatting to a couple of Orwell lads at the crossroads setting up for the Randonee this weekend, not around myself but if the weather holds should be a cracker.

29-04-2022 06:43AM

Did a hilly loop last night, trying for 800m gain in 40km or double the elevation over distance. I'm in a hilly area rather than the mountains and didn't do the same hill twice and had to be a loop.

Didn't really have a route planned and proved harder than I thought and managed 793m gained in 47k. Worked hard on the hills and easy on the few flat parts. Will try again over the weekend. Most of my spins usually end with just over a 1:1 ratio so the legs are feeling it this morning but it was good fun.

Overall, 47km with 793 up at 28.5kph.

https://www.strava.com/activities/7056351959

mr spuckler · 01-05-2022 10:23AM

Orwell Randonnee yesterday, short version with bail out from Manor Kilbride to save a badly suffering friend from more torture! Cracking day out despite the constant light rain.

114km with 1,537m of climbing.

https://www.strava.com/activities/7064739107

victor201 · 01-05-2022 07:59PM

rescued this little guy on my morning cycle today , in middle of road on a back road

magicbastarder · 01-05-2022 09:07PM

how do you carry a kitten home on a bike?

68 lost souls · 01-05-2022 10:00PM

A very wet day also meant very cold. Masseys up the hellfire club and then onto Glencullen. Did a route then I’ve thought about for a long time, Johnny Foxes four ways aka the fox paw. Climbed up to the cross roads from each direction (Tibbraden, Enniskerry, Kiltiernan and Stepaside) and descended each way. 75km with 1680m of climbing.

victor201 · 01-05-2022 11:05PM

Put him inside my gilet and cycling one handed and held him with other 😃

Wildly Boaring · 01-05-2022 11:30PM

Put in a couple of spins over bellewstown. Bit pissed that I managed to spend the weekend in the rain after a lovely week.

But set my faster time in carnes side. Deffo easier than up by quarry or golf course.

Got a set of dura ace wheels instead of some cheap mavics. So it's definitely down to my fitness....

silverharp · 02-05-2022 09:07AM

Went for a cycle with a buddy Sat, from Dublin up to Drogheda, via Nall on the way up, great little cafe, first time cycling out of Dublin to the north, and back via Balbriggan on the way back. The way up was nice enough, decent views but unlike Wicklow you can often see too far in the distance if you know what I mean. Way back was a grind, weather was grim and on bigger faster roads. Made it back to Malahide and got the Dart home.

Might be nice to try again in the summer and fine tune the route.

magicbastarder · 02-05-2022 09:46AM

You should mention it here before you do, quite a few of us are familiar with those roads. Did you cycle back on the old N1?

Wildly Boaring · 02-05-2022 09:52AM

You could get a much quieter route home if you wanted. And still flatish.

Like turn off the old N1 at gormanstown and go to balrothery and man o war, avoiding Balbriggan and the old N1.

Nip under the M1 along there and go back roads down into swords.

From swords in I would just go old N1....

silverharp · 02-05-2022 02:39PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119004690#Comment_119004690

will do, went out Clontarf, Estuary Road, and weaved up to the R108 , I remember the Hollywood Lakes Golf club, Naul and some Llamas lol and on the way back a Fyffes plant and Blakes Cross. looking at he map is Stamullen, Julianstown (R132) a better route on the way up?

magicbastarder · 02-05-2022 03:03PM

Yeah, fyffes and Blake's cross means you came back on the old Belfast road -which is the R132 - l which is not an interesting cycle. As WB mentioned, balrothery through man'o'war will take you off that road for a bit. Some nice climbing around bellewstown if you're out that direction.

02-05-2022 03:49PM

The surface on the R132 between Gormanstown and Balbriggan was pretty bad in places last time I was on it

Wildly Boaring · 02-05-2022 04:19PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119005996#Comment_119005996

Yeah ruFF for last 6 months. I never cycle it.

JMcL · 03-05-2022 09:26AM

Went out yesterday with a mate for a tour of south Wexford. Started at Wellingtonbridge, meandered towards Wexford town, then went up and down the Forth mountain a couple of ways, debated doing a third route, but time was starting to press so bailed. From there headed down to Kilmore Quay, stopping off for coffee, and back to Wellingtonbridge. 103km with 871m climbing, mostly on quiet backroads, but a few unpleasantly busy R roads (R739 to Kilmore and a short stint on the R733 New Line into Wellingtonbridge)

First long run out on tubeless tyres and they took a lot of the sting out of some fairly mixed road surfaces. I also stuck on a Brooks Cambium C17 that I'd had sitting on a shelf also made a big difference. I also faired a lot better on the distance than on my previous century about 5 weeks ago where I attempted it fasting and bonked horribly

wheelsandreels · 03-05-2022 07:11PM

Lovely spin yesterday from Terenure to Waterford. Was looking to avoid the n81 but also didn't want to start over Bohernabreena so took a lovely route Saggart, Kilteel, Ballymore Eustace, Castledermot, Carlow, Gowran, Thomastown and skirted on and off the R448 with quite a steep climb after Jerpoint Abbey that then drops back onto the R448 through Mullinavat and into Waterford. Would recommend although I'm on a cx bike and there were a couple of short patches that wouldn't really suit a road bike just older country roads that haven't been kept up. Beautiful scenery and villages.

Seth Brundle · 06-05-2022 06:25PM

Arrived Girona last night on a club jaunt. Headed out this morning and collected my BMC One in 12 speed Ultegra Di2 whichis my first experience with Di2 (although I'm collecting n+1on Wednesday which will have it).

We headed out on a pre-defined 70km (~1000m) route which was in glorious sunshine and warm breezes. It was delightful.

I don't know whether it was the weather, the Di2 or just me feeling good but I found the climbs fine and on our second climb I decided to push on ahead and left the group behind. My knee was starting to complain but I'd say it was more to do with the bike for than the climbing. Dinner & beers in Girona will hopefully sort it out!

Tomorrow, the plan is for 100km (~1000m) towards the coast and then 40km up to Rocacobra (over 1100m). We'll see!

https://strava.app.link/LbZZFpWxOpb

smacl · 07-05-2022 05:57PM

Out for a group spin with a few other lads preparing for the WW200, 135k with 1.7k climbed at 20kph. Took in the old long hill, lower L.Dan road to Laragh, Rathdrum and back via Wicklow, coast road to Killiney hill and home. Lovely weather and thoroughly enjoyable. Garmin battery died about 10k from home, time to invest in a new one methinks. 1030 plus looks to fit the bill nicely

Seth Brundle · 07-05-2022 08:52PM

Had my second day in Girona. This place is now a major cycling travel hub and the hotel currently has a load of English bicyclists here also.

Anyhow, we headed out towards the coast today which was lovely. The weather as expected was warm and sunny so when we arrived at the beach it felt perfect. Had lunch andnrhen headed onwards. The coastal climb from there up towards Sant Grau was tough with parts hitting 14% which in that heat really is tough going. Still, i managed to get up relatively quick and when a teammate was struggling, I went back down a third of it to him and had to do the hardest part again.

The twisty descents are brilliant. Although some have dodgy tarmac on the apex, I did find myself taking a bit of a racing line through them and, as it turned out, I was the quickest of the group. More importantly though we, on our rental bikes were much quicker up and down than the English on their own high-spec bikes!

Feck me though, here in Spain the drivers seem to give plenty of space (although Imogen Cotter might disagree) and the weather's so good. To be honest, a trip up Sally Gap feels a lot tougher. I could easily see myself retiring here. The original plan today was to head up Rocacobra which is something like 10km at 8% but we had to knock that on the head. I'll do it tomorrow. So far tonight I've had a load of Amstel Oro beer (6.2%) which is plenty of Dutch courage to commit to tomorrow's spin!

https://strava.app.link/fDQUgRYnQpb

byrnem31 · 07-05-2022 10:57PM

Cycled around inisheer today on the aaron islands on my felt hybrid i bought for 100 quid. A local bike mechanic stuck a new bottom bracket on it

IMG_20220507_173445.jpg

and serviced it for a really good price.

Amprodude · 07-05-2022 11:32PM

Good week this week with plenty of cycling. Did nothing in 2020 and 2021 with covid so got back on the bike in 2022 with training spins and zwift.

Today I did 60kph at 29.7kph out on the road. Happy with that.

magicbastarder · 08-05-2022 12:57PM

First post covid cycle, nice easy flat 40k. Glorious morning for it, the roads were packed with cyclists.

Daroxtar · 08-05-2022 05:43PM

Did a big enough day in the hills today. Figured I'd need to start upping my mileage and altitude before the WW200.

Started in Tallaght, headed up Bohernabreena and dropped down to the reservoir to do Cunard. It was chilly enough at 7.30am but Cunard soon warmed me up. Then went over the featherbeds and up to the Sally gap crossroads

Turned left and over Lugalla before taking Green road over to Laragh for the coffee. Green road has to be one of the nicest stretches of tar in the country. There's a few tasty little climbs but there was barely a car on the road so I could just soak up the views.

After coffee I headed up Shay Elliott and the temperature had risen a fair bit by that point. Whether it was the heat, the coffee, a tailwind or just stupidity, I got into a good rhythm and made great time up the top. And as would be expected, I really began to suffer on Sleive Mann. After that, the climb up to Mucklagh Bridge was tough going too and I don't know what possessed me but I turned back across to Glenmalure and crawled up Shay from the other side before dropping back to Laragh for a badly needed ice cream and topped up the water bottle.

The Ice cream worked and I got enough back in the legs to make it back up the Sally gap and plummeted down Cunard and out by St.Annes to roll back to the car for 132km with 2862m climbed.

Pretty shagged right now, can't really see the WW200 being much tougher than that.

https://www.strava.com/activities/7108414854

Seth Brundle · 08-05-2022 06:33PM

Had my final day cycling here in Girona. Too many beers last night meant that I was slightly hungover when we set off. Still, despite legs being tired, I was up for the planned spin up Rocacorba, a 10km climb with about 800m which is an average of 8%.

It was a 30km spin to the start. Leaving the hotel, it was cold and spitting rain but yours truly didn't bring a jacket or gilet but thankfully I didn't need it as after an hour or so it was back to scorchio!

The climb was tough though. We possibly left it too late and met loads descending as we were going up. The middle section had poor surface which made the ascent harder and while you're trying to take a smooth line, you've to be careful not to be in the way of someone coming downhill at speed.

It took me about an hour to get up based on people I was with. Apparently, it should take you your age plus ten minutes so an hour would be right. However, for some reason Strava has me down at an hour and a half - I'm guessing the recovery break at the top was included.

As the roads were quite damp in places, I took the descent handy, pulling on the disc brakes for most of the descent. The dodgy surface in parts also made me wary of building up too much speed. Discussing it afterwards, the view was unanimous that rim brakes would have made the descent much more tense

We went on then to a town called Banyoles where we got lunch. This town is on the edge of a glass smooth lake where they held the rowing during the Barcelona Olympics.

A lap of the lake after lunch and then we headed back to the hotel.

Altogether over the three days, we did about 270km with 3500m. It's a great location and I'd thoroughly recommend it. The bike I hired (link), a BMC SLR One was brilliant and perfect for the few days. Furthermore, prices in restaurants and bars here are so cheap.

https://strava.app.link/xMPJ2pKSRpb

beggars_bush · 08-05-2022 08:06PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119030237#Comment_119030237

Aran islands are lovely for a slow cycle.

mr spuckler · 09-05-2022 09:20AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119028779#Comment_119028779

I got the 1030 plus recently and the battery is amazing. It's at 70% after my ~110km spin yesterday and it definitely wasn't fully charged before I headed out.

Also seems to pick up on satellites much more quickly than my old 800.

mr spuckler · 09-05-2022 09:30AM

Did a four county spin from Athlone yesterday through Westmeath, Offaly, Galway, Roscommon. I wanted to do around 100km and I have a few different loops from there which match but they all involve long stretches of Greenway which can get quite boring. So I found a route on the Shannonside Wheelers website and followed that instead.

Athlone -> Castledaly -> Banagher -> Ballinasloe -> Athlone for 109km @ 26.3kph.

https://www.strava.com/activities/7107573382

The weather meant I was having to find places to stuff arm warmers, leg warmers, heavier jersey etc as the day went on but it was too chilly for me to set off without the layers! Roads were generally good although traffic increased nearer Ballinasloe. I suffered a bit towards the end though after hill repeats on Thursday and a blast through the sand dunes on the MTB Friday night!

Tell us about your cycle today part III

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