Tell us about your cycle today part III

smacl · 07-11-2025 07:22AM

Back up that way yesterday, though only took the easier Cunard upper route. Amazing weather, 17 degrees, clear skies and only light breezes in November. Felt like a Summer's day.

Seth Brundle · 07-11-2025 08:14AM

As per the summers day comment by @smacl above, I went out for 50km yesterday in shorts and a short sleeved jersey. Didn't feel cold despite the wind chill. My Garmin said it was 17° and feels like 17°. While it felt great, there is something wrong with that.

MojoMaker · 07-11-2025 10:42AM

According to Trump there is no climate issue, so move on.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER!!!

magicbastarder · 07-11-2025 11:06AM

i was out for a short spin yesterday in shorts and short sleeves. felt like a summers evening.

dahat · 15-11-2025 06:56PM

Misty , damp & cold day.

Horrible for 4 hours.

smacl · 24-11-2025 08:59AM

First go at a bit of bike-packing over the weekend, going down to meet some friends in Keel on Achill. Managed to get a Tubus rack mounted onto the Rose CX bike that lacks the necessary holes for anything else and about 12kg of gear (including a bottle of whisky for the lads I was visiting!). Short trip in the sub-zero to Heuston station to get the 7:20 to Wesport and Great Western Greeway to within about 10k of the place I was going to. First hour or so was grand and then got the driving rain and serious winds making the planned three hours over three and a half. A puncture on route didn't help either, but managed a super quick change for once. Very sketchy on the last 10k with big cross winds pushing the bike all over the place, I was almost glad of the extra ballast at the back and was dreading the return leg before even arriving. A few wonderfuk late nights with many pints and headed back up yesterday morning. Forecast said 50 gusting 80, but gloriously it was nearly all at my back and felt like I was on an electric bike. Lots of rain but mostly either side of me and the weather gods were kind enough to get me back to Westport dry, in about 2:40 with another 20 minutes of faffing around trying to figure out where the train station was. While there's a lot of stop-start with crossings and narrow cattle grids, the Great Western Greenway is an absolute treasure, now extended to about 5k into Achill Island. Most of it until you hit Achill feels relatively sheltered in comparison to the road and the fully tarmac surface is excellent. Empty this time of year if you can live with the harsh weather.

134k over the weekend in total.

smacl · 12-12-2025 06:16PM

And yet another puncture on the Gravelking SKS today on the way up to the Featherbeds via Bohernabreena. Really losing the love for these tyres even though they roll well and are a doddle to fit. Just ordered a pair of Schwalbe G-One R tyres as a replacement. Met.ie forecast had low winds but no one seems to have told the weather gods on the Military road, sketchy enough descent and a bit chilly but still great out for all that.

cletus · 12-12-2025 07:00PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124065239#Comment_124065239

Was it the rear? What mileage have you on them?

smacl · 12-12-2025 10:16PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124065365#Comment_124065365

Have had punctures on both front and back. New enough, replaced back in March so has about 4k on it. First punctures were snakebites trying to run too low a pressure but have been careful since. Had earlier version of the same tyres previously with far fewer issues.

cletus · 13-12-2025 09:56AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124065789#Comment_124065789

I've been running those same tyres for about 5 years (obviously not the same set 😂).

The rear tyre has about 5,200km on it, and in the last month or so, it has been slowly losing air pressure. It might just need a sealant topup (I've been busy, but might get to that today), but I've a flat spot or two from having to haul on a couple of times (plus skids are cool), so it moght just be a little too porous.

Normally I'd just buy another Panaracer and throw it on, but these tyres have gotten good reviews, and I like the idea of the centre having much less tread for road cycling. Now the question is, do I just replace the rear, or buy a pair and be done with it

https://www.tradeinn.com/bikeinn/en/hutchinson-caracal-race-tubeless-700c-x-40-gravel-tyre/142355684/p?utm_source=google_products&utm_medium=merchant&id_producte=149042470&country=ie&gclsrc=aw.ds&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=23190606678&gbraid=0AAAAADvzHL-7lLRk-NAysSzdsHcNor_2A&gclid=Cj0KCQiAuvTJBhCwARIsAL6DemgtgwCP4yTuOzcRhaIvqiiZIYqn_y0QUHF0Q-i5YvlvmyVvKi_n_M0aAu1XEALw_wcB

magicbastarder · 15-01-2026 03:13PM

out for a spin for the first time in at least severn weeks today.

at one point, i had to squeeze past a white van to get into the advanced stop box at lights. at the next set of lights, the van driver very obviously pulled up alongside me and as the window started coming down, i think 'great, what's this guy's story?'

'hey buddy, would you like the other half of my sandwich? someone like you needs it more than a fat bastard like me'.

Luxman · 18-01-2026 09:33PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124149787#Comment_124149787

fat and magic, are ye not related?

smacl · 21-01-2026 03:25PM

Got a free bike wash today. Just as well bike tyres are too narrow to aquaplane. Roads more like rivers out there now.

De Bhál · 22-01-2026 11:36AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124167556#Comment_124167556

I like cycling in the rain in the morning, traffic around where I live gets very congested on a wet morning so cycling is a great way to get to work.

I don't like commuting home in the dark in the rain though. Hard to see potholes and feel vulnerable as it seems everyone driving is racing to get home and taking chances into bus lanes to save a few seconds for themselves.

Also, no side access to the rear of the bouse so carrying a wet bike through is not ideal.

Seth Brundle · 22-01-2026 11:57AM

I don't like commuting home in the dark in the rain though. Hard to see potholes and feel vulnerable as it seems everyone driving is racing to get home and taking chances into bus lanes to save a few seconds for themselves.

Whatever about commuting along lit roads, I love cycling unlit roads at night, even in the rain. Last night I managed to get 50km in on my way home from work. I use a Leyzene 1700 which allows me to see sufficiently in the dark. That said, I'm quite familiar with most of the roads I'd be on and have a good idea where the potholes and rough surfaces are. It tends to be nice and peaceful out there. Sometimes (not when its wet) I could even have a fly-by with a barn owl.

Seth Brundle · 25-01-2026 01:46PM

Leading a club Spin today up N. county Dublin. Puncture just east of Garristown - new tube and headed on. Another puncture (with a bang!) a short time later and noticed sidewall tear. Managed to place 2" of old tyre inside tyre as padding and another tube inserted. Headed up Snowtown hill from The Naul and just starting the descent - another bang 😢

Currently waiting on my OH to pick me up. Wouldn't mind as much but I was looking forward to trying the coffee stop @ McNallys

saccades · 25-01-2026 07:06PM

Up ballinstoe today as I snapped my road frame (sadface), started damp and ended up fine.

I love Expressway up there so rarely do anything else, but went down pig dog to show it to a mate. It's loads more fun than I remember (loads of small jumps), so much so we went up for seconds.

Loads of lads and dads, which is class. One 8-10 year old kept up with me on a hard tail for far too long for my ego all things considered 😆

25km, pretty slow on the ups but both grinning like loons.

10-10-20 · 03-02-2026 03:04PM

I took a spin around the back of Three Rock via Pine Forest Road yesterday. Lots of washed out sand everywhere, but the retention wall at Cruagh Road has collapsed near where it meets Cruagh Lane. The road was marked as closed, but it was possible to cycle through without difficulty. Don't know if it will stay that way though.

MangleBadger · 16-02-2026 12:09PM

First puncture in a while on my commute this morning. Opened my frame bag to realise I had at some stage removed my multi tool. So started walking to dart. A good Samaritan cyclist stopped and actually went back to his house to get a multi tool. So managed to get the wheel off and change the tyre. To then find out my spare tyre was also punctured. Lovely walk to the dart and across town with the bike.

cletus · 16-02-2026 06:41PM

Today's planned route...

It's not a figure 8, instead we were to do the smaller loop, take a right turn, and do the bigger loop, before coming back to finish the first loop.

Here's closeup of that right turn, it's a descent, and we missed it, but Garmin rerouted us to join back straight ahead.

What we didn't realise was we were cutting out ⅔ of the ride.

When we landed back in Clonaslee, we were in no mood to start again, so we fecked off and got coffee and cake.

Seth Brundle · 16-02-2026 07:04PM

Coffee & cake in Clonaslee? (Or was it Londis or Texaco?)

cletus · 16-02-2026 07:06PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124241124#Comment_124241124

No, we drove to Emo Court (it's on the way home)

Tombo2001 · 16-02-2026 07:29PM

Enjoyed a nice meandering cycle on my regular route up around Garristown, the Naul out to Bellewstown and Duleek direction. As usual, dont know what distance, dont know what speed but it took me four hours. My breaks were (i) to take a look at Four Knocks (ii) to take photos of buzzards and (iii) to my dismay there was a dead badger at the side of the road near Ardcath. Sad to see.

I keep thinking while cycling that I should join a club to put some structure on it, but that thought seems to disappear once I get off the bike.

smacl · 17-02-2026 06:45PM

First time this year up to the Featherbeds via Cunard at lunch, fair bit of ice in the road and really noticed my lack of fitness following the flu last month. Chatting to a local on an electric bike with his groceries on the way up who I've met a number of times, great for a bit of company but talking and cycling uphill feel like a bit of a stretch at the moment. A couple of Christmas kilos still hanging around and not helping either. Only 30k with 500m of climbing and we're not going to talk about the time ;)

magicbastarder · 18-02-2026 10:33AM

just did a quick (i.e. slow) lap of the airport yesterday. that was not a pleasant wind.

but spotted three buzzards, all sitting on the perimeter fence. or else one buzzard who was following me around.

Seth Brundle · 19-02-2026 04:11PM

New bike day spin cut short due to the rain which wasn't forecasted on the Met Eireann app 🤬

3 buzzards flew from a tree as I passed the Grand Canal at Lyons Estate

magicbastarder · 19-02-2026 04:16PM

You still have the orro?

10-10-20 · 19-02-2026 04:26PM

And I saw two Buzzards while cycling Glencullen Valley.

magicbastarder · 19-02-2026 04:30PM

i've often wondered what 'citizen science' cyclists could contribute to. maybe entries in the national biodiversity data centre database…

Seth Brundle · 19-02-2026 04:31PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124249025#Comment_124249025

i do but my orange Orbea has a crack at the BB and I figured I'd replace rather than hold out on a lifetime warranty claim

Tell us about your cycle today part III

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