Royal Canal on a Road Bike

Peregrine · 01-08-2020 9:33pm

bovis wrote: »

Here's a good update from June by Clr Ray McAdam
https://raymcadam.com/2020/06/04/royalcanalgreenway-update-june-2020/

Unfortunately, it didn't go to tender in May 2020 as they previously said it would. It has been pushed back to Q4 2020. Construction could start 6-9 months after that and it would take almost 2 years for construction. So, as it stands, it should open around 3 years from now.

Sadly, the next phase is blighted by delays.

01Surveyor · 01-08-2020 9:38pm

Heading for Richmond Harbour (ish) from the Conference Centre tomorrow morning, Its 4 years since I last did this spin, whats new, anything I should know or be aware of??

Mercian Pro · 01-08-2020 11:00pm

01Surveyor wrote: »

Heading for Richmond Harbour (ish) from the Conference Centre tomorrow morning, Its 4 years since I last did this spin, whats new, anything I should know or be aware of??

I seem to remember that you've posted here before so I presume you're aware of the various sections that have been upgraded and those that haven't.

Otherwise, the Deep Sinking continues to get trickier so depending on your tyres and ability, you might want to detour around it. Enjoy the brand new Sheriff Street to North Strand stretch - you may end being the first to do the full route alongside the Canal if you include this and the Deep Sinking.

koutoubia · 02-08-2020 4:04pm

Myself and 5 others did Broombridge to Enfield return this morning.
On the way out we took on the deep sinking.
We didnt tackle it on the way back. Jumped off at St. Mochta's and stayed on the road back to where the cars were parked.
We had a great day.
Some of the 'surfaces' just beyond Clonsilla were a bit testing and I lost the front wheel and ended up in the grass on 3 occasions.
There was a lot of rain overnight and was very slippy. Unfotunatley on one those tumbles I lost my Garmin 1030 just across from Westmanstown Rugby Club.
Once we hit the 'gravel' we ticked along nicely and hit Enfield in no time.
I was on a road bike with 28mm Veloflex Vlaanderen tubulars with coped almost perfectly once we were on gravel.
The others ranged from 32's to 23's and we mostly stayed outta trouble.
We are gonna plan to get to Longford and canal it back as per Mercian Pro and his motley crew a while back.

01Surveyor · 02-08-2020 10:10pm

Due to sleeping in, and a b***h of a head wind my assault on the Royal failed miserably after just short of 120km. (Just short of Abbeyshrule) Having done the full trip twice previously in one day, I couldn't be bothered hanging around for a second day and took a lift home. Despite my dismal performance some of my experiences might be of use to others.

Ive done the Deep Sinking dozens of times usually at speed and in an Easterly Direction but heading West was a little unfamiliar, so I took a cautious approach. The DS was in as bad condition as I can remember, very slippery and overgrown, I had one excursion into the ditch when the front wheel caught a root, and many close shaves. I have 50 years of cycling experience and know the DS well, and it almost caught me out today. A combination of over inflated tyres, poor conditons, and general ineptitude are all I can offer by way of explantion - BE CAREFUL ON THE DS!

Its 4 years since I last did the trip to Richmond Harbour and I was astonished by the' improvement' of the tow path surfaces and, apart from parts of the route from Lock 12 to Maynooth, I reckon a hybrid may be the ideal bike, a full mountain bike, even with hard tyres and locked out suspension, is hard work on metaled surfaces..

4 years ago I struggled to manage an average speed of even 16kph, today my average was 18+kph into a headwind - at 68 its unlikely I've improved so the increased average is down to the improved surfaces, and therein lies the problem.

I found that the consistently good tow path surfaces became boring, particularly the tarmac and I found the lack of variety tedious . I cant help thinking that the RC trip has become a bit too pasteurised.

Cycling through some of the new grit gravel, as yet un-compacted, is hard work and cycling on the the high side, or close to the canal side of the tow path seems to offer the least resistance.

I cant see myself cycling the Royal again, and I think, I'll probably give the Grand another try instead, boring though stretches of it are. While the novelty of cycling the RC has clearly worn off for me, dont let me put others off, cycling the Royal Canal is a wonderful, if no longer unique, experience and infinitely better than cycling on busy roads.

Have fun.

PS. Previously I reckoned that 1km on the Royal towpath equalled = 1.5kms on the road. Given the extent of metaled surfasce now I reckon that the equivalent figure is now more like 1.33kms. This may be helpful in estimating how much you can accomplish in a day. Also a head wind is a killer, particularly on the long straight raised/unsheltered sections so watch the weather forecast and plan your trip accordingly

Weepsie · 04-08-2020 1:04pm

New section is excellent. Saves a little bit of time in the morning and probably on way back too, though I don't take canal home.

However, position of the lights on amien street is a bit rubbish. They're a bit over to the right of you're southbound so you've to kind of divert to get across as it's blocked off on the opposite side with raised beds

Effects · 04-08-2020 11:42pm

Little knackers already running amok. One girl, aged about ten, called me a f**cking c**t. Another threatened to stab me. Too young to carry out these threats, but a few more years, with those attitudes, and they'll be ready.
They presumed I was a Garda because I have a moustache, and started calling me a rat as well. Makes a change from hipster I guess.

I don't know who they think is going to moor a boat at the dock they have built there. I hate to say it, but can we not build these facilities somewhere better?

beauf · 04-08-2020 11:46pm

I was hoping for picture of the moustache tbh...

Effects · 04-08-2020 11:50pm

The cameras weren't even watching what these kids were doing, and they said they are only watched by the corpo anyway.

There's a gate that was locked on Saturday, that leads into one of the railway arches, is already broken into.

The place is also badly lit at night.

I'm not holding out much hope for this route, except at peak times.

Duckjob · 05-08-2020 9:06am

Can see the little scrotes are already in training for their future excursions in and out of the criminal courts in a couple of years time. Depressing to see the mess Irish society has collapsed into.

I'll get in to try out the new stretch soon, though I cant see myself using it unless its a busy time with a good few people on it.

beauf wrote: »

I was hoping for picture of the moustache tbh...

cletus · 05-08-2020 9:19am

Duckjob wrote: »

Depressing to see the mess Irish society has collapsed into.

I would agree that what's happening in the pictures is not good, but do you really believe it's indicative of Irish society as a whole descending into a 'mess'?

This seems like 'hasty generalisation' to me

Duckjob · 05-08-2020 9:43am

cletus wrote: »

I would agree that what's happening in the pictures is not good, but do you really believe it's indicative of Irish society as a whole descending into a 'mess'?

This seems like 'hasty generalisation' to me

No, not necessarily as whole, but I've visited many European cities, and spent time travelling by foot and by bike through so called "rougher" parts of those cities, and the contrast between how people in these areas (and in particular, as in this case, kids) conduct themselves towards other people there and here can be quite stark. I'm quite sure I've never had anything like being randomly called a C*NT or being threatened to be stabbed by 10 yr olds on the streets anywhere outside of Ireland. There's an anger and aggression in a certain subsection of our youth that we ignore until they grow into teenagers / young adults / adults with the same attitudes, at which point we can't ignore the problem anymore.

Maybe some of those areas I mentioned are no go areas at night, but by day they felt perfectly safe and normal to me. Our equivalent areas seem to be no-go areas even in daytime, and it's a shame that we let this situation develop.

KevRossi · 05-08-2020 10:34am

I'm not sure what good taking photos of them will do, it's obviously antagonising then and I don't see the point. I'd get would up if someone started taking photos of me. Anti-social behavior is rife in the area, I lived beside Croke Park for a few years and experienced it first hand. It's a generational issue and it won't be solved overnight.

Dick Warner did a documentary on the canals 30 years ago, he mentioned that certain stretches on the Royal and Grand were dangerous in the 1700's, were dangerous then and are still dangerous today.

FWIW I intend using that stretch in the mornings and in the evenings when it's wet, apart from that I've no intention of using it until it's policed properly, which I don't hold out much hope for. In the meantime try not to wind them up as it makes life easier for the rest of us.

cletus · 05-08-2020 10:35am

Duckjob wrote: »

No, not necessarily as whole, but I've visited many European cities, and spent time travelling by foot and by bike through so called "rougher" parts of those cities, and the contrast between how people in these areas (and in particular, as in this case, kids) conduct themselves towards other people there and here can be quite stark. I'm quite sure I've never had anything like being randomly called a C*NT or being threatened to be stabbed by 10 yr olds on the streets anywhere outside of Ireland. There's an anger and aggression in a certain subsection of our youth that we ignore until they grow into teenagers / young adults / adults with the same attitudes, at which point we can't ignore the problem anymore.

Maybe some of those areas I mentioned are no go areas at night, but by day they felt perfectly safe and normal to me. Our equivalent areas seem to be no-go areas even in daytime, and it's a shame that we let this situation develop.

I agree, I just don't think it's indicative of Ireland as a whole, a big sweeping statements like that don't add anything to the discussion

buffalo · 05-08-2020 11:24am

Status update: https://www.facebook.com/477415742607308/posts/1213490335666508/

The Royal Canal runs from Dublin to Longford with a total distance of 146 kilometres. The Royal Canal Greenway will be a dedicated off-road cycling and walking route along the Royal Canal including paving, landscaping, art works and a viewing plaza of the Canal. CCTV and lighting will also be installed along the route.

DUBLIN CITY SECTION OF GREENWAY:

The Dublin city section of the greenway will provide a high quality walking and cycling route of over 7km from the Samuel Beckett Bridge and Guild Street in the Docklands, through North Strand, Drumcondra and Phibsborough and out to Ashtown.

CURRENT STATUS:

Phase 1: Guild Street to Upper Sheriff Street (0.5 Km) – Completed in 2009.

Phase 2: Upper Sheriff Street to North Strand (0.7km) – Completed July 2020

Phase 3: North Strand to Phibsborough, (2.1km) – Detailed design phase. It is expected that construction will begin at the end of Quarter 4 in 2020 and it will take approximately two years to complete.

Phase 4: Cross Guns Bridge, Phibsborough to Longford Bridge, Ashtown (4.3Km) - This project has 4 sub-phases.

Phase 4A involves the introduction of a contra-flow bus and cycle lane over Broome Bridge in Cabra - It is currently in construction and it will be completed by October 2020.

Phase 4B involves main towpath upgrade - It is anticipated that construction will commence in Quarter 4 of 2020, with likely completion in Quarter 4
of 2021. Dredging of the canal will be required for some sections.

Phase 4C involves remainder of towpath upgrade, including 7th Lock/Liffey Junction railway underpass upgrade
AND
Phase 4D (Tolka Valley Park –
Phoenix Park greenway link via Ashtown) are currently in the design stage - A
timeline for the completion of 4C and 4D sub-phases is not possible at present. However, it is hoped that all of Phase 4 of the Royal Canal Greenway will be completed by the end of 2023.

Effects · 05-08-2020 12:09pm

cletus wrote: »

I would agree that what's happening in the pictures is not good, but do you really believe it's indicative of Irish society as a whole descending into a 'mess'?

It's indicative of areas like this descending into a mess.
These kids don't just pick that behaviour up, they learn it from their parents.

I was just a guy passing by, who stopped to talk to some local kids, about a great new social amenity in their area. They were openly hostile from the outset. I was able to talk to a few of them rationally about their behaviour, but most of them were bonkers.

Their open hostility to Gardaí is very worrying.

KevRossi wrote: »

I'm not sure what good taking photos of them will do, it's obviously antagonising then and I don't see the point.

I asked some of them if I could take their pictures, and when they said no, I didn't.
Before I left, and was taking some pictures of something else entirely, they all started going off, so I just turned my camera on them. I wanted to document that behaviour. I won't apologise for it. I have as much a right to enjoy that space as they do.

Stark · 05-08-2020 12:53pm

Sherriff street has been a ****hole for as long as I can remember.

beauf · 05-08-2020 1:15pm

Effects wrote: »

It's indicative of areas like this descending into a mess.
...

Descending?

Its been like as long as I remember. Worse in the 80s and 90s.
Better now than even 5 or 6 years ago. But it is what it is.
Its not unexpected to see armed Garda in that general area.

But in general its greatly improved. I think we should focus on that. I think this route is a great option for commuters, during office hours.

Effects · 05-08-2020 1:37pm

beauf wrote: »

Descending?

Yeah, I guess I feel it can always get worse!

I used to work with youth groups in the area, 20 years ago, and it was a nightmare back then.

a148pro · 05-08-2020 10:33pm

The best thing about them is how obviously overweight they all are. They need to stop eating junk food and get out on a fcking bike.

Stark · 05-08-2020 10:56pm

a148pro wrote: »

The best thing about them is how obviously overweight they all are. They need to stop eating junk food and get out on a fcking bike.

Just not my bike hopefully

duffmann · 05-08-2020 11:15pm

Used the new cycleway yesterday. Same experience as others. Kids causing a nuisance. I had to cycle on the grass as they had taken over the cycle track. I then continued onto the old canal path towards Croke park where I was joined by someone joyriding with a mini motorbike on the path. Lawless.

Effects · 06-08-2020 9:32am

They are already storing tyres for Halloween down there and it's only just August.
They probably think it'll be a great spot for a bonfire.

KevRossi · 06-08-2020 9:46am

The kids will spend a lot of time down there, to be fair, it's the only decent green spot around for a good bit.

I think for most of the locals they will have no 'connection' to it, as it's a thoroughfare for other people. I would have thought that Waterways Ireland might have tried to get some engagement there, like allotments, a 5-a-side football pitch, or something where people would be around on a regular basis. The more people, the less messing around.

My greatest fear is that there will be some sort of an attack and that it will start to deteriorate over few years, as I said, it's an ideal early commute, but a PITA in the evening if the anti-social behaviour stuff doesn't stop.

Stark · 06-08-2020 9:51am

duffmann wrote: »

Used the new cycleway yesterday. Same experience as others. Kids causing a nuisance. I had to cycle on the grass as they had taken over the cycle track. I then continued onto the old canal path towards Croke park where I was joined by someone joyriding with a mini motorbike on the path. Lawless.

Feck

what time was it? Planning a trip on it at 5:30pm this evening.

a148pro · 06-08-2020 9:58am

You're right - I haven't been down but there's probably nothing for the local community specifically in it, unless they're already into pleasure cycling, just a route for people who don't live in the area to come in and out of it. Doesn't excuse the behaviour but its a facet of it.

a bike park might have been an idea, city kids actually love bike and might discourage them smashing bottles on the track which is probably inevitable

the cynic in me would suggest they'll still wreck it but would have a better chance

duffmann · 06-08-2020 10:56am

Stark wrote: »

Feck what time was it? Planning a trip on it at 5:30pm this evening.

It was about 5:30pm when I travelled it.

duffmann · 06-08-2020 10:58am

KevRossi wrote: »

The kids will spend a lot of time down there, to be fair, it's the only decent green spot around for a good bit.

I think for most of the locals they will have no 'connection' to it, as it's a thoroughfare for other people. I would have thought that Waterways Ireland might have tried to get some engagement there, like allotments, a 5-a-side football pitch, or something where people would be around on a regular basis. The more people, the less messing around.

My greatest fear is that there will be some sort of an attack and that it will start to deteriorate over few years, as I said, it's an ideal early commute, but a PITA in the evening if the anti-social behaviour stuff doesn't stop.

https://www.dublinlive.ie/news/dublin-news/teen-fight-gangs-video-dublin-18724104
Maybe a boxing ring would be appropriate

Effects · 06-08-2020 11:04am

Stark wrote: »

Feck what time was it? Planning a trip on it at 5:30pm this evening.

You have a good view ahead of you, so you'll see any trouble up ahead usually.

Effects · 07-08-2020 3:30pm

I spent some time on the new section earlier today, about lunchtime. No bad element hanging around thankfully.
Saw a lot of dads out cycling with their young kids which was great to see then enjoying it.

Stark · 07-08-2020 3:36pm

Did it at 5:30 yesterday. Was a few of them standing around blocking the entrance which was a bit intimidating but pushed through and didn't get hassle thankfully. Quite a few people using it. A bit of weaving through the usual dimwitted walkers who insist on using the cycle lane instead of the pedestrian lane. Few broken glass bottles on the bridge

Weepsie · 07-08-2020 10:09pm

duffmann wrote: »

https://www.dublinlive.ie/news/dublin-news/teen-fight-gangs-video-dublin-18724104
Maybe a boxing ring would be appropriate

This is the second time in a could of weeks where there been an absolute tonne of gardai called to sort something on that stretch.

The cycle lane had smashed glass across it on the new section near amiens street yesterday morning too.

duffmann · 07-08-2020 11:13pm

Weepsie wrote: »

This is the second time in a could of weeks where there been an absolute tonne of gardai called to sort something on that stretch.

The cycle lane had smashed glass across it on the new section near amiens street yesterday morning too.

I have got a couple of punctures on the Luke Kelly stretch because of glass. I use the road now.

Kylta · 07-08-2020 11:28pm

I was on the new stretch last week and I seen nothing to put me off it(i actually in the area). Saying that its opened out abit when you go under the railway bridge and I do expect to see people hanging out drinking and selling/taking drugs. I cycle the canal a fair bit coming and going to work. The stretch from north strand to jones rd was were they were doing drugs and at charleville mall library were the local dipsos do be. Further on up the canal there are drinkers all the way up to broombridge. I caught a couple of drunken tosspots(men in there 30s I might add) one night trying to rope the pathway at jones rd. Anybody heading down from dorset st and cycling under the bridge anyway fast would've ended up in the canal.

downtheroad · 11-08-2020 12:29pm

Used the new section for the first time this morning, some amount of dog crap on it. Apart from that it is a far more enjoyable way to get into the city from North Strand, compared to going in by either Seville Place or Connolly. Will be using this instead of Seville Place from now on.

downtheroad · 11-08-2020 5:48pm

Used this for the spin home this evening and saw loads of smashed eggs on the track and counted 5 large cartons, so easily 100 eggs in total. Hopefully this doesn't track become unusable.

Saw a couple of liferings thrown into the canal too and rubbish everywhere (although there doesn't seem to be any bins along the route).

Peterx · 11-08-2020 10:47pm

It's nearly the perfect canal path now for a road bike. Just need to do away with that few kilometres of muddy grassy bank. That's nearly worse than the deep sinking as at least in the deep sinking you are expecting to go slowly.
The grassy track with the muddy tyre tracks is fairly slippy when wet. I came straight off the bike within 50m of hitting it there last week, lured into a false sense of security by the preceding hours and hours of easy extremely well sign posted riding.
The new section before Spencer Dock is a pleasure, great to see all the improvements.
Much like the Royal canal though, there is just that unnecessarily muddy section close to Dublin, a cynic might think someone in charge is trying to avoid Dubs on road bikes doing out and back spins.

Weepsie · 11-08-2020 11:47pm

Half the fun of the canals though is getting off the road bike and doing it on a cx, gravel, tourer or mtb.

VonLuck · 13-08-2020 7:57am

That new stretch of the greenway is a complete mess. Litter everywhere. You'd think the locals (assuming it's the locals) would take care of their area.

murphyebass · 13-08-2020 8:45am

VonLuck wrote: »

That new stretch of the greenway is a complete mess. Litter everywhere. You'd think the locals (assuming it's the locals) would take care of their area.

The section around clonsilla and Coolmine is terrible.

downtheroad · 13-08-2020 12:56pm

VonLuck wrote: »

That new stretch of the greenway is a complete mess. Litter everywhere. You'd think the locals (assuming it's the locals) would take care of their area.

No bins on it yet (that I can see) but it is a disgrace the amount of rubbish there.

Effects · 13-08-2020 2:53pm

VonLuck wrote: »

That new stretch of the greenway is a complete mess. Litter everywhere. You'd think the locals (assuming it's the locals) would take care of their area.

Nah, there's a huge amount of people in that area that don't care and just dump their litter anywhere they can. They don't even think about it.

I was stopped at the lights once, close to the south entrance of the new cycle path. Watched a women clean up her front garden/yard, and rather than put the stuff in her own bin, she just dumped it over her front wall, onto the street.

petronius · 14-08-2020 12:43pm

I think it would be great if the "Royal Canal Greenway" was complete from the city centre to maynooth (at least).

There should be a cycle route from the basin/docklands station in the IFSC so commuters could cycle the route to North Strand, Drumcondra Rd, Cross Guns. there is a challenge with the railway line at North Strand.

Another opportunity could be with the extenstion of the LUAS to finglas at Broombridge, that a cycle way along the canal is accommodated.

Mercian Pro · 14-08-2020 6:20pm

petronius wrote: »

I think it would be great if the "Royal Canal Greenway" was complete from the city centre to maynooth (at least).

There should be a cycle route from the basin/docklands station in the IFSC so commuters could cycle the route to North Strand, Drumcondra Rd, Cross Guns. there is a challenge with the railway line at North Strand.

Another opportunity could be with the extenstion of the LUAS to finglas at Broombridge, that a cycle way along the canal is accommodated.

The completion of the Greenway from the North Strand to Maynooth is under way but is taking way longer than it should. There are numerous posts here about the progress (or lack of it) on the various sections if you care to look.

There is a cycle route from the Convention Centre to Cross Guns and Castleknock along the Canal towpath but most of it needs to be upgraded to Greenway standard.

The Greenway will pass under the Luas extension to Finglas with a new bridge to be built at Broombridge for the Luas.

raheny red · 15-08-2020 1:20pm

https://twitter.com/unakavanagh/status/1294579761654706176?s=19

ðŸ˜¬

buffalo · 15-08-2020 1:35pm

This is great news for any Leixlip residents! Looking forward to smoother shopping trips and coffee runs to Maynooth.

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edit: apologies for hugeness

murphyebass · 15-08-2020 6:49pm

And it’ll be a free run with everyone is playing due to the covid

Stark · 17-08-2020 9:45am

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/crime-and-law/concerns-surface-over-intimidation-on-new-royal-canal-cycle-path-1.4331573

McGrath5 · 17-08-2020 10:35am

Decided finally to give this a go.

Took the train yesterday morning to Mullingar to cycle back to Dublin. Had a brilliant day out. A pleasure to cycle on with the peacefulness and lack of cars.

The greenway is fantastic, until you reach Dublin that is. I went through the Deep Sinking, after the showers was treacherous in parts, the roots were like ice.

Has anyone done it from Athlone? I might take the train there next time and work my way back.

Mercian Pro · 17-08-2020 10:50am

McGrath5 wrote: »

Has anyone done it from Athlone? I might take the train there next time and work my way back.

Train to Longford, cycle the Greenway to Maynooth, and train to Dublin is a great spin.

Royal Canal on a Road Bike

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