Tell us about your new improved government regulations compliant cycle part II

magicbastarder · 05-06-2020 6:55pm

maybe i have and didn't notice...

MojoMaker · 05-06-2020 7:48pm

Tara is good for short sharp hill reps definitely.

neris · 05-06-2020 9:13pm

Think the headwind champs could have been held today on the bull island causeway today. Some breeze on the Sutton clontarf cycleway but it was quiet trafficwise compared to last while. All the very fine weather "cyclists" taking a day or 3 off

Seth Brundle · 07-06-2020 1:40pm

Did another 50km this morning inside my bubble bringing my 2020 total over 5000kms

https://strava.app.link/V6RVL9WI76

Mercian Pro · 07-06-2020 5:18pm

Another four perimeter circuits of the Phoenix Park this morning bringing my total to 50 laps since the 5km limit came in. Enjoyed every last one of them and the fact that I managed to average just over 29kph

Looking forward to exploring the back roads of NCD again and need to check that the front derailleur still works before heading for Stocking Lane.

saccades · 07-06-2020 5:51pm

MojoMaker wrote: »

Tara is good for short sharp hill reps definitely.

Was up there today, I'd forgotten how steep it is.

Had a nosey between St Micheal's point and the Strand too. Nice place for a family walk.

ED E · 08-06-2020 11:24am

Just going to setup a 20KM compliant route....stymmied. Damnit. Where's my RWGPS login...

JMcL · 08-06-2020 11:50am

Short but sharp one this morning as a "commute" to my home office to celebrate the passing of the 5km limit. Back onto one of the nicer quiet roads around here, in glorious sunshine, albeit a bit nippy in a northerly breeze. Knocked a bunch of PBs on the head as I've not been on those roads since March and my fitness level have gone up appreciably in the meantime.

Only fly in the ointment was the poxy K****tium back wheel which has been nowt but bother since day one - twisting spokes, wheel going out of true, loose spokes and seized nipples (the wheel, not me). I got them mostly sorted out with a bit of brute force and ignorance yesterday, but there's one that refused steadfastly to budge. Not sure the surfaces that've passed for roads in the last month or so did it much good either. I want to do a decent spin at the weekend, but at the same time don't relish being left on the side of the road 40km from base

Weepsie · 08-06-2020 12:46pm

Had to go into work to explain some stuff to staff. Then went straight for the viewing point via lamb Doyle's/cruagh. Took in the view which I missed.

My climbing legs have actually improved, which is 100% down to the smart trainer, but my descending, never the best anyway, was sketchy

Check out my activity on Strava: https://strava.app.link/k2siALjk96

Johnny Jukebox · 08-06-2020 1:54pm

Just a loop around the hellfire/Killakee/Cruagh yesterday.

The 250m trafiic gridlock along Masseys/Hellfire had to be seen to be believed... I had to carry the bike over my head and squeeze between the cars in places...

magicbastarder · 08-06-2020 2:05pm

sounds like the cable car is a good idea after all.

Weepsie · 08-06-2020 2:10pm

Johnny Jukebox wrote: »

Just a loop around the hellfire/Killakee/Cruagh yesterday.

The 250m trafiic gridlock along Masseys/Hellfire had to be seen to be believed... I had to carry the bike over my head and squeeze between the cars in places...

On my way down I did wonder about that. As much as there are more cyclists, there are increasingly bored kids been thrown into a car and brought to such places.

I'll be up there early anytime I am

triggermortis · 09-06-2020 1:57pm

I did a quick solo 30km earlier and spoke to more people than on the last few weeks!
First came across a lorry reversing down a narrow country lane. Driver wound the window down to ask directions then told me how he’d been here loads of times but in a smaller truck ( do they navigate better??)
Then met two ladies stopped with a flat. The wire had separated from the tyre bead and so the new tube started to bulge out the side. Not a lot I could do to help, so I hope they got back to Donabate ok. Lastly a motorist wanted directions but was too lazy to stop so wanted to shout out the passenger window while he drove alongside me on a narrow country lane.

Type 17 · 09-06-2020 2:03pm

First 20km + County run - 87.5 km @ 28.5 av around NCD - great to see the lanes again!

JMcL · 09-06-2020 2:43pm

Just over 30km again this morning. Legs were feeling a bit leaden after the past few days so had intentions of a nice handy spin to loosen them up a bit. Having not been on the chosen route for the best part of 3 months however, the lumpiness of it had slipped my mind so wound up with 450m of climbing for my sins :eek: Legs now feel even more leaden

smacl · 09-06-2020 3:05pm

First escape from 5k zone yesterday morning taking in Bohernabreena, Piperstown, Featherbeds and home via Foxes for 35k with 650m of up. Back out again today Kilternan, Foxes, Viewing point and back down for 25k and 500m of up.

I head up to the Hellfire on the bike pretty regularly but you really need to be there early to avoid traffic and walkers if you're cycling the Coilte trails. Was up there Sunday afternoon and it was jammers. Lots more runners and walkers on the roads around Cruagh too so you really need to be a bit cautious descending.

Mercian Pro · 09-06-2020 5:55pm

Decided to give the climbing legs a good workout as they'd been relaxing under the bed for the last few months. Ticknock was a bit of a wake-up call, Kilmashogue, as tough as I remember it, but after heading up to the Featherbeds and down to Glenasmole, Cunard didn't seem too bad at all. I decided to head on to my 20k limit at Glencree (cafe still closed) and down towards Enniskerry before tackling the Devil's Elbow from the south for the first time. There's a sharp bend and climb just after the bridge (the elbow I presume) that had me looking for another gear but luckily I made it through before continuing on up to Johnnie Fox's, the Blue Light and Lamb Doyles. In better times, a pint and a sandwich would have been a good reward for 1600m of climbing but I had to make do with another oaty bar instead. Overall 80km on the clock when I got home northside and an average of 21kph.

Seth Brundle · 09-06-2020 6:41pm

I was going to head out over towards Brittas and Blessington but with an insect bite on monday on my left calf gone swollen I felt that it could be too much for me so I decided to keep it urban and I'm just back from a spin into Dublin city to see some of the new changes.
Two near incidents - a pedestrian and a cyclist crossed in front of me when I was in the new cycle lane on the N. quays. Thankfully I was watching them.
Traffic on the whole was fine and generally courteous but it's early days yet, I guess.
Went home via Chesterfield Ave in the Phoenix Park which was a nice spin. A fair few cyclists about. I do think the cars need to go though. Having two gardai at the Castleknock gate directing traffic isn't good value for taxpayers money either.
The most noticable thing about the spin was that no matter what direction I was going, the wind felt as if it was coming towards me

Plus I need to remind myself that Summer is over and short sleeve jerseys aren't ideal.

Edit: meant to add how as I was coming in the N4 past Heuston, the air pollution became quite noticeable. You get used to having cleaner air!

Don't Chute! · 09-06-2020 6:53pm

Mercian Pro wrote: »

Decided to give the climbing legs a good workout as they'd been relaxing under the bed for the last few months. Ticknock was a bit of a wake-up call, Kilmashogue, as tough as I remember it, but after heading up to the Featherbeds and down to Glenasmole, Cunard didn't seem too bad at all. I decided to head on to my 20k limit at Glencree (cafe still closed) and down towards Enniskerry before tackling the Devil's Elbow from the south for the first time. There's a sharp bend and climb just after the bridge (the elbow I presume) that had me looking for another gear but luckily I made it through before continuing on up to Johnnie Fox's, the Blue Light and Lamb Doyles. In better times, a pint and a sandwich would have been a good reward for 1600m of climbing but I had to make do with another oaty bar instead. Overall 80km on the clock when I got home northside and an average of 21kph.

You missed it by a day! The Armoury Cafe reopens for takeaway tomorrow!

Daroxtar · 09-06-2020 11:01pm

Had a grand spin today with some clubmates. 65km @32kph around the Enfield /Trim direction. It was great to get out and have the chat and not worry about being more than 5km from the house.
I'm mad jealous of all ye Dubs getting up the hills. Flat and fast spins are good fun but I am really craving some uppage. I might have to start commuting from Longwood to Clonee via Blessington

godtabh · 09-06-2020 11:21pm

Went up Howth Hill today. Took 30 seconds off my PB. Good day and enjoyed that!

magicbastarder · 09-06-2020 11:24pm

which side did you go up?

godtabh · 09-06-2020 11:25pm

magicbastarder wrote: »

which side did you go up?

The southern side

magicbastarder · 09-06-2020 11:27pm

i was hoping to tackle it tomorrow, but the forecast is damp.

secman · 09-06-2020 11:56pm

Took to the hills tonight, up Cruagh to view point and on up the military road, down Cunard to Glenasmole and back up ballinascorney and in to Brittas. Up to the Lamb, into manor Kilbride and back via Lisheen, Brittas, down the embankment and home. 54km avg 23.28kph 768 m elevation. Horloxed

retalivity · 10-06-2020 12:32am

The hellfire traffic jams, i have stopped going up/down stocking lane on weekends because of them, stick to stocking lane mon-fri, use cruagh sat/sun.

Herself was wondering if ikea queues were still bad, so used it as an excuse to go for a spin. 150+ still queuing after 7pm, and the store closing at 8 - madness. Decathlon also ready to go beside it, opening on sat - cheap bike gear ahoy!

Went out for a lap of the road between the runways then, a short tt with & then into the wind. Lovely empty road there in places, new tarmac, rarely used. Lack of planes on the runway is pretty eerie as well

triggermortis · 10-06-2020 12:37am

godtabh wrote: »

The southern side

Which side is that? I prefer to go up the village side and down past the graveyard. I don’t like descending into the village but I want to try and beat my times up the “scenic” side

godtabh · 10-06-2020 8:46am

triggermortis wrote: »

Which side is that? I prefer to go up the village side and down past the graveyard. I don’t like descending into the village but I want to try and beat my times up the “scenic” side

Not the village side.

magicbastarder · 10-06-2020 9:43am

i generally refer to it as the TT side.

Rogue-Trooper · 10-06-2020 9:45am

magicbastarder wrote: »

i generally refer to it as the TT side.

Surely you mean the 'easy' side.......??!!:pac:

Tony04 · 10-06-2020 10:04am

Why does everyone seem to think theres only the 2 ways up Howth, theres so much other ways like balkhill, balscadden, barren hill and windgate which are steeper and arguably better.

Rogue-Trooper wrote: »

Surely you mean the 'easy' side.......??!!:pac:

Both the village and graveyard side are dead easy when you compare it to some of the off road climbs.

Mc Love · 10-06-2020 10:12am

Roads are noticeably busier this morning - back to normal and I'm not sure if its the summer but there were so many more cyclists out in Limerick this morning

mr spuckler · 10-06-2020 12:04pm

Tony04 wrote: »

Why does everyone seem to think theres only the 2 ways up Howth, theres so much other ways like balkhill, balscadden, barren hill and windgate which are steeper and arguably better.

Both the village and graveyard side are dead easy when you compare it to some of the off road climbs.

Indeed there are 12! Which I hope to do in 1 go later in the year, fitness pending.

Tony04 · 10-06-2020 12:49pm

mr spuckler wrote: »

Indeed there are 12! Which I hope to do in 1 go later in the year, fitness pending.

Do you have the route I might try that if I'm acctually motivated to not just cycle up whichever side has a tailwind on the day .
I can only think of 10 going up somewhere different everytime, anything else I'm forgetting.
1. Hill tt
2. Village side.
3. Fintans- old carricbrack.
4. Summit via Balscadden
5. Sutton castle- barren hill- thormamby
6. Balkhill- windgate.
7. Bailey to summit
8. Grace o Malley- summit
9. Howth village- asgard- greys lane- windgate.
10. Deer park.

Seth Brundle · 10-06-2020 12:55pm

is this them?
https://www.plotaroute.com/route/549265

mr spuckler · 10-06-2020 1:47pm

Seth Brundle wrote: »

is this them?
https://www.plotaroute.com/route/549265

I think that's even my map :pac:

I lifted the route description from elsewhere and plotted it there, will see if I can find description again as might be helpful.

devonp · 10-06-2020 3:47pm

on the commute this morning noticed new cycle lane(s, double ?) on Wolfe Tone quay...and a dodgy bit on the left hand side going over the bridge from heuston station..

Alanstrainor · 10-06-2020 4:14pm

Seth Brundle wrote: »

is this them?
https://www.plotaroute.com/route/549265

I was only thinking of trying something similar, there's a few spots in there I wasn't aware of! I've only made it back to Howth this week after a long break, but feel quite fit still. Laps of Portmarnock were more useful than I thought.

I also finally changed my shoes/pedals from MTB SPD, to SPD-SL on my road bike. I was worried they SDP-SL's would be significantly harder to get out of... not the case at all. I actually think the old pedals had gotten progressively stiffer over the years. All was good, just have to remember that the pedals only have clips on one side...

velo.2010 · 10-06-2020 9:36pm

I'd avoid the Clane to Barberstown road for the next while, as Kildare CC have seen fit to rip up the mostly asphalt surface and replaced it with a chip seal covering. Grrreat!

Cycling it today was an exercise in dodging loose chippings kicked up by the passing traffic - not very nice. The vibrations were really jarring on the arms too. Thankfully, I found alternate routes during the 5km limit, but its a handy road for dropping the hammer and giving it a lash on the way back.

Hopefully, it will settle down into something resembling a decent surface for cycling.

retalivity · 11-06-2020 9:42pm

Saw the sky clearing and the road drying, so decided at 8.05pm after half a pizza and a cod and chips to go for a quick one up the viewing point before dark. A combination of racing the sun and a slight tailwind going up resulted in PRs all over the shop, and knocking nearly a minute of my target for up stocking/down cruagh that I had set for the end of the year - result!

https://www.strava.com/activities/3599878436

I'll put it down to all the carbs though.

Wishbone Ash · 11-06-2020 11:30pm

Rode a rough outline of Co Dublin today (with a few minor incursions into Meath, Kildare and Wicklow). 231k with about 2,000m climbing. Was soaked to the skin for several hours and the wind was a killer.

https://www.strava.com/activities/3599809528

magicbastarder · 11-06-2020 11:52pm

Bloody Nora.

flutehook · 12-06-2020 12:24am

That's epic! Fair play.

iwillhtfu · 12-06-2020 9:32am

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

Rode a rough outline of Co Dublin today (with a few minor incursions into Meath, Kildare and Wicklow). 231k with about 2,000m climbing. Was soaked to the skin for several hours and the wind was a killer.

https://www.strava.com/activities/3599809528

That's deadly fair play. Is there an app or something you planned that out with or did you just drop a whole bundle of way points on strava route builder.:eek:

Wishbone Ash · 12-06-2020 9:57am

iwillhtfu wrote: »

That's deadly fair play. Is there an app or something you planned that out with or did you just drop a whole bundle of way points on strava route builder.:eek:

I did it manually on Strava routes bit by bit choosing roads which were close to the border (although I did miss a few smaller boreens that could have taken me closer). I then had a few paper notes for some junctions and roundabouts that I was not very familiar with. Strava also wouldn't plot some of the route that I knew was possible (e.g.off road bits) and it led me the wrong way down a couple of one way routes.

Plastik · 12-06-2020 11:20am

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

Rode a rough outline of Co Dublin today (with a few minor incursions into Meath, Kildare and Wicklow). 231k with about 2,000m climbing. Was soaked to the skin for several hours and the wind was a killer.

https://www.strava.com/activities/3599809528

Nicely done. I did the same around Wicklow a couple of years ago.

https://www.strava.com/activities/1687397869

Wishbone Ash · 12-06-2020 11:39am

Plastik wrote: »

Nicely done. I did the same around Wicklow a couple of years ago.

https://www.strava.com/activities/1687397869

I thought Wicklow would be a lot longer than that. I'd like to see someone do Co Cork - probably take 5 days!

CormacH94 · 12-06-2020 3:50pm

Fair play Ash and Plastik, giving me inspiration to do a Meath one now

ED E · 12-06-2020 3:51pm

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

Rode a rough outline of Co Dublin today (with a few minor incursions into Meath, Kildare and Wicklow). 231k with about 2,000m climbing. Was soaked to the skin for several hours and the wind was a killer.

https://www.strava.com/activities/3599809528

I have a route file saved somewhere that looks like that, created it after seeing a fella from Luxembourg circumnavigate the country in one ride.

magicbastarder · 12-06-2020 4:22pm

if you cycle around dublin three times in a row anticlockwise, does the bogeyman appear?

Tell us about your new improved government regulations compliant cycle part II

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