Tell us about your cycle today part III

Mr. Cats · 06-06-2022 09:28PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119160477#Comment_119160477

With those types of wobbles, would pressing your knees into top tube work? I was given that tip and find its great in cross winds as it stabilises the bike by making bike and rider closer to one unit.

Not sure if it would work in that situation though?

Seth Brundle · 06-06-2022 11:05PM

I've learnt since that apparently pedalling helps! However when it happened, I was doing 40+ downhill on a damp unfamiliar road with plenty of blind bends. Pedalling didnt spring to mind to be honest!

magicbastarder · 07-06-2022 09:09AM

never happened me but i have also heard the theory that you should basically go limp on the bike - that the natural reaction which is to clamp the top tube between your knees can be counterproductive.

magicbastarder · 07-06-2022 08:54PM

came within probably 10 or 15m of a red kite today, flying only about 5m above the ground. fantastic sight.

07-06-2022 09:46PM

He'll get ya next time MB 😉

magicbastarder · 07-06-2022 09:50PM

i'm going to try to get him to land on my handlebars.

https://twitter.com/batsy09/status/1533567930335645701

MyDarkArts · 07-06-2022 09:52PM

Headed out to Meath and North Dublin for a bit of flat as opposed to my more common Wicklow way. Got the headwind on the road between Navan and Balbriggan.

Garmin acting the bollix with no less than four false positives with the incident detection, so that's been turned off for good now. Other than that it was all positive, traffic wasn't too heavy and weather was kind.

07-06-2022 09:59PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119171617#Comment_119171617

You could have him as a training partner, the late Michele Scarponi had Frankie the parrot

https://www.instagram.com/p/BOwtuuyjjYI/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=b6418515-dbcf-455e-8d12-1b6706579e02

Wishbone Ash · 08-06-2022 02:25PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119168071#Comment_119168071

Yes, but the reason it happens in the first place is that you're tense and the reason for the tension (in my experience) is either fear or extreme cold. It has happened to be a few times and isn't pleasant. Usually it was because I found myself suddenly descending at a much higher speed that I was comfortable with (on strange roads) which makes me even more tense therefore difficult to relax. I do find that pressing my knees on the top bar helps but the frame usually oscillates again once they are removed unless the speed is reduced.

(The last time it occurred to me was descending the Stelvio Pass but that was an entirely different matter as I was in a hypothermic state and just couldn't relax because I was so cold. The frame oscillated regardless of what speed I did.)

magicbastarder · 08-06-2022 11:14PM

grand evening for a cycle, despite the wind. saw another red kite today (don't think it was the same one as yesterday)

phatkev · 09-06-2022 01:23PM

Headed out on Monday to complete my first solo 100km. I've done longer rides in groups, but theres always been something about getting it done on my own, despite knowing I'd be well able for it. Kept the route pretty easy, with plenty of bail out points😅 Pretty much a perfect day in the south east for it

Great to have that mental monkey off my back

Mr. Cats · 09-06-2022 01:39PM

That’s great speed for your first solo 100k

Wildly Boaring · 09-06-2022 02:24PM

You were shifting along

phatkev · 09-06-2022 02:27PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119178852#Comment_119178852

Yeah I think because I was never too far from home I was happy enough to trundle along. I think if I'd been doing the same distance but as a point to point, I'd wouldn't have been near as confident to go at that pace

smacl · 12-06-2022 03:49PM

Did the Wicklow 100 this morning, following a night on the beer last night. 140k all in with 1880m climbed at 20.5kph which I was pleased enough with given I've been off the bike for about a month. Came across one very serious looking crash, rider down on the middle of the road coming in and out of consciousness. Luckily enough another rider on the scene was a nurse who seemed very competent at taking control of things while waiting for the ambulance. Really hope the guy is ok, had most of us who were on the scene a bit rattled for a while after. Uneventful beyond that, cycle home in the headwind was a bit miserable, defo made the right choice turning left at Laragh, no way was there another 100k in the legs.

saccades · 12-06-2022 03:57PM

Went up Croghan on the MTB today, did a few local trails on the way and spotted both red squirrels and a greater spotted woodpecker (still pretty rare in Ireland and usually I only hear them).

Got to the top and decided to continue to The Gap Pub for a pint as I'd knocked 8 mins off the climb. Discovered that the descent is a MX hill climb, so big loose, babies heads that were really sketchy, right on the limit of my comfort zone.

Got to the pub at 1230 to discover it opens at 1400.

48km with 1200m of climbing.

magicbastarder · 12-06-2022 04:43PM

Cycle more slowly in future...

Daroxtar · 12-06-2022 05:10PM

WW200 done and dusted. First time doing it so that's a box ticked. Myself and a clubmate from Clonard set off about 6.30 with the intention of getting a headstart for the first 80km and then hopefully being able to jump in with some of the groups coming through later on.

Made a good fist of it but the headwind on the Wicklow Gap was brutal, nearly worse on the descent as we had to pedal downhill just to make any headway.

Got to the first food stop shortly after 9. I knew from doing the Mick Byrne that I had a tendency to flag a bit in the middle of a long day and sure enough I was in bits going up Sleive Mann and not a whole lot better on Shay Elliott but the couple of bars and jelly's kicked in nicely for the rolling road to the Rathdrum food stop.

Strong tea with about 5 sugars and a badly needed sandwich to balance out the energy bar gack followed.

The plan to latch onto others didn't materialise so for the first time all day we got into a small group, 3 others, at about the 160mark and we rolled well through to the last bit of a hill in Enniskerry where I just blew up and was happy to trundle the last 5km home in my own.

So after finishing, would I do it again? Probably not. The Mick Byrne is a better route IMHO and the Orwell or Reservoir Dog are far better bang for your buck. There was about 50km of road that I'd never bother to cycle again. Having said that, the marshalling and food stops were very good so well done and thank you to all involved.

201km, 3003m, 7.41 moving time @26.2kmh

https://strava.app.link/xoYfq2sLNqb

uberwolf · 12-06-2022 07:14PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119192624#Comment_119192624

curious you say that. Definitely the transition between say Hollywood and not long before Slieve Maan was dull for me - is that where you had in mind? I presume that to squeeze the distance out the options are limited... Also bitter you broke the 3k ascent, i was 45 metres short apparently

Daroxtar · 12-06-2022 07:33PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119193156#Comment_119193156

Ya, Hollywood to Sleive Mann wasn't great apart from getting the average speed up a bit and a lot of the last 30km or so was pretty much the same.

3k up.... yeah baby😁

Seth Brundle · 12-06-2022 07:45PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119193156#Comment_119193156

Also bitter you broke the 3k ascent, i was 45 metres short apparently

Is that Garmin or Strava elevation? If Garmin, then you am adjust the elevation to Strava's value. My Garmin almost always under-reads by about 10% so I need to adjust it in Strava)

magicbastarder · 12-06-2022 08:01PM

Strava auto adjusts for me; maybe I ticked (or didn't tick) a box? Mine usually underestimates by 10-15% too, occasionally more.

Pinch Flat · 13-06-2022 09:18AM

did the W200. That's always going to be a long sore day in the saddle. Was down with a heavy cold earlier in the week, and was doubtful up to Wednesday. Moving time of 9.15h probably down on last year.

JMcL · 13-06-2022 10:22AM

W100 for me yesterday. Had intended to tackle the 200 but (wisely) rolled back having made a call on my fitness for really steep stuff, plus the mate I was doing it with was getting some grief from his knee and we decided to take our time and enjoy the 100 rather than spend the day struggling to get to time cutoffs on the 200.

Good day out, some fairly brutal climbs, the one up to Djouce woods (old long hill?), and the one up the back of Avondale after Rathdrum that had me thinking I was going to see the ham and cheese sandwich again - though at least it was scenic compared to the earlier one. Some of the busier roads certainly wouldn't be my choice and there was some driving on evidence ranging from inconsiderate to downright ignorant - last 30km or so from Ashford were mostly meh. I found I still had a fair amount in the take for the last few lumps - Windgates was grand, but if I were never see it again, I wouldn't bother me, and the last drag up from the N11 through Enniskerry before dropping back down to Bray was reasonably enjoyable

Marshalling was excellent throughout, and it was nice to fall in with various groups of people around it.

So just shy of 102km, wiith 1387m (Strava adjusted - Garmin had about 100m less) in 5 hours bang on

smacl · 13-06-2022 01:52PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119195084#Comment_119195084

Far preferred the old Greystones finish to Bray, both seem entirely lacklustre when you think about the glorious finish in Rusborough house for the reservoir dog. Wasn't mad on the Cycle Superstore registration either, though admittedly did enjoy looking at some the new bikes when I was there. Interesting about the elevation correction, with commute to and from the 100k, the Garmin 1020 reported 1879m and Strava corrects this to 1754m. Correcting the distance only changes things by 50m over 140k. I've noticed in the past on my Garmin 810 that it over-reports elevation slightly when compared to Strava.

JMcL · 14-06-2022 03:41PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119196219#Comment_119196219

I've had the correction go both ways over the years - though to be fair I usually don't bother - but of 2 lads I know that uploaded, one had about the same as my corrected elevation (and he'd missed a few km after Rathdrum as he forgot to restart), and the other nearly 1600, so I was curious what way it would go

magicbastarder · 14-06-2022 03:50PM

what sort of GPS unit do you have?

mines the most basic garmin one - edge 25, and it just uses GPS for elevation, which is famously inaccurate. it seems to smooth out hills and dips.

i've always assumed strava corrects with the elevation data gathered from the maps themselves.

smacl · 14-06-2022 09:34PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119201914#Comment_119201914

I've recently upgraded to a Garmin 1030 plus after the battery and power button on my 810 started giving out. I suspect both may be prone to 'mild exaggeration' to make you feel better after lashing out so much on a jumped up speedometer 😉 (To be fair, I use the mapping and navigation regularly)

Seth Brundle · 14-06-2022 10:31PM

Went out this evening after a long tough day working from home. Followed a 72km route from Leixlip > Dunboyne > just outside Trim > Summerhill > Dunboyne > Leixlip at an average pace of 32.6km/h. The stretch from Black Bull towards Trim was busy with commuting traffic and I had several close passes. But one positive along this stretch was that I seemed to be doing between 35-40km/h despite the SW breeze.

Around Knightsbrook, I was passed by a forage harvester followed by a tractor and silage trailer going up Breemount hill but caught up with them on the Summerhill side. I possibly could have overtaken them but as they were doing a decent pace (>35km/h) I decided to stay behind the tractor and trailer and enjoy the tow (although I stayed a safe enough distance behind it so not sure how much of a tow I got).

Great weather, great speed (for me), great spin! https://www.strava.com/activities/7308928953

magicbastarder · 15-06-2022 08:44AM

odd, i started my spin last night at almost the same time as you and the wind was SSE not SW. other side of the city from you.

Tell us about your cycle today part III

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