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

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  • Registered Users Posts: 799 ✭✭✭devonp


    fold up bike on Cruagh or Stocking !!??

    on an extended commute home last night/evening came across a guy on what looked like a fold up bike!! :eek: very small wheels didn't notice any gears ? ascending from the viewing point towards the gap
    tall bloke , dont know if he came via cruagh or straight up stocking

    a regular??


  • Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 23,202 Mod ✭✭✭✭godtabh


    Bloggsie wrote: »
    seems like you have a nice boss, can i have a job?

    My wife didnt think so when I was getting phone calls off him on holidays.


  • Registered Users Posts: 4,520 ✭✭✭Alek


    On the incline to Whitehall, Alek pulled alongside me and we had a chat.

    On my way home I met Alek again on Dorset St. and we yapped all the way to the South Circulsr Road where our routes split.

    'Twas a pleasure Sir! :)


  • Registered Users Posts: 3,477 ✭✭✭rollingscone


    I'm halfway through my least enjoyable spin in recent memory.

    Checked the weather last night saw it would be warm with all day rain so I wore my Verge Defender (Gabbaesque longsleeve).

    No rain in 3hrs just excess heat. Crawled up Cruagh with my jersey zipped halfway then balked at hitting the featherbeds in strong gusting winds.

    Another hour+ of seemingly omnidirectional headwinds and I'm I'm Maynooth having lunch.

    When life gives you lemons etc


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,949 ✭✭✭Kaisr Sose


    godtabh wrote: »
    Boss owed me a day off so I said feck it I'd take it today.

    Had a route in mind and set out to see where the morning would take me. 8 hours later I had 200km in the legs and felling of satisfaction that this has been my most productive day all week!

    https://www.strava.com/activities/633246516

    Don't tell the boss you had your most productive day of the week on your day off 😀


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  • Registered Users Posts: 24,937 ✭✭✭✭Wishbone Ash


    godtabh wrote: »
    My wife didnt think so when I was getting phone calls off him on holidays.
    I had to take several work related calls while out yesterday - usually at the most inopportune time. One was at the top of Turlough Hill and I couldn't hear or make myself heard with the wind. :(


  • Registered Users Posts: 23,179 ✭✭✭✭ted1


    DominoDub wrote: »
    So the Sun is out in Dublin , "Howth for lunch" I said.

    Plan was to do the Sutton to Howth Village Climb non stop (as it's only my second time doing it :o).

    Bagged it at a slow pace at 19mins. So as treat and reward for my little effort I had a nice seafood lunch at "Octopussy's Seafood Tapas Bar".:D

    391068.jpg


    So I was feeling great on my return leg of my lunch spin, when along those Clontarf Sea Front road works I was forced into a Pot Hole at speed ,,,cheers Mr Van Driver..

    The result was an instant "Double Puncture" event.:mad: ( Only had one spare tube)

    Thanks to the friendly guys at "360 Cycles" I was back on the road quick enough.

    ***So a heads up warning to watch out for that Clontarf road surface during these road works.

    https://www.strava.com/activities/633118000

    Looks tempting , the misses is away with the kids mid week , so might call out that way for a spin and tapas after work .


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,124 ✭✭✭Unknown Soldier


    I haven't posted here in awhile but thoroughly enjoy reading about everyones spins out on their bikes, especially those starting off. there is a high motivational factor to be had :)

    Anyways, my cycling over the past few months hasn't been the may west tbh. Life threw me a fair few lemons, and after awhile... I couldn't be arsed trying make lemonade.

    But I still did my best to get out on the bike. Well, not really my best, more just Ultra procrastination, ending up in getting out and about.

    To help with motivation I have been doing the odd Sportive here and there, and this morning was no different.

    Decided to give the Bray Wheelers - Paddy Martin Randonee a lash. The 120km route.

    I'd been thinking about doing it all week so planned to be in good form for it.
    That all went a bit pear shaped last night when I decided to have two beers to help me sleep (a good night's sleep is very important for a sportive), and my local offy were doing 5 Łomża (pronounced Womza, weirdos!) for 10e. It just didn't make economic sense to buy two.

    Lacking sense, I didn't just drink two. They rock in at 5.7%. And youtube is great for 90s dance tunes!

    All that aside I woke up with my alarm at 5am. Then I woke up at 6am. Not sure what happened there.

    The weather out the window, with the wind and the rain, was not conducive to Sportive stuff, or cycling in general. Nor was the fact that I slept badly and my neck hurt, a lot. I couldn't turn it to the right.

    I had to let the BootyCat out so I got up anyways.

    Couple of coffees and a few smokes later...I decided to head to Bray.

    Due to the weather the numbers were lower than previous years I was told. Don't blame them. It was constant "proper" rain and a horrendous wind starting off.

    Now, being a spanner, I didn't know the route. I am at this stage very used to being pampered with marshals and signs and stuff.

    The first 20 odd KM were down the N11! I didn't see that coming!

    I was blessed with hooking up with two lads and two ladies from Gory CC when I was leaving Bray on my lonesome. I'd have been fecked without them tbh. I assumed it was all back roads and stuff. Not the fecking N11.

    It rained, a lot, but it was summer rain.

    They were going at a seriously handy pace which suited my neck and stuff, but when we hit the countryside/hills at about 20km the two lads headed off and I tootled along with Anna and Michelle.

    It still rained, a lot.

    We split up at the point where the 90/120km split.

    Then I was on my lonesome.

    It was quite a lumpy ride to get to Shay Elliot, eventually @ 85 odd KM. After being lost a few times. I had to back track up a few hills. Insert #sadface

    I eventually made it to Laragh. That is where I learned the final part of the route, the OLD Roundwood route to Bray.

    What an utter See you next Tuesday. Full of false hopes and hills. Call me stupid here but if you climb 300 odd meters and then descend, you want to be at sea level heading to Bray? Right?

    No.

    Back up again. Then false hope with a descent. It went on and on.

    My neck was killing me, I was wondering if tri bars would be a good addition to the bike so I could "lie down" and cycle.

    Then the sun came out.

    I had about 5ml of water left. More #sadface

    I was over the moon to get to the end. this was far from my finest cycle, it was quite tough tbh.

    But I got there in the end. And that is what it is all about.

    I read a good article earlier about recovery after an arduous cycle, foam rollers, protein etc.

    I'm down with that stuff. Lesson learnt.

    Right after I finish these lovely Żywiec beers.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,949 ✭✭✭Kaisr Sose


    Fair play to you for getting out after the joys of the night before! I am a bit envious....

    I am starting my 5th week off the bike due to an accident. No idea when I will be back on it. Not bones broken - all soft tissue /nerve damage in my arms from the jolt I got when hit. Please feel free to send your sympathies but no medical advice. ��


  • Registered Users Posts: 5,419 ✭✭✭LollipopJimmy


    Nice write up Unknown Soldier, it's the hard slogs that stand to you mentally and physically when you're chasing improvements. Knowing you can dig deep and pull through when you need to is a nice weapon to have in the bag.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 799 ✭✭✭devonp


    Sunday spin, first time to Kippure mast..via

    Leixlip, Enniskerry, Glencree, Kippure mast, Sally gap, Manor Kilbride, Saggart/Rathcoole, Newcastle , Celbridge and home

    very windy and a nasty headwind from Glencree to the mast, but really scary coming down got blown from the right to the left side of the road on the descent a few times :eek: but kept out of the ditch:)


    https://www.strava.com/activities/636212019


  • Registered Users Posts: 13,952 ✭✭✭✭retalivity


    Flattish 50+k out from dublin - celbridge - maynooth - leixlip - lucan - back

    Windy as hell

    https://www.strava.com/activities/636164707


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,887 ✭✭✭traprunner


    Distance 82.9 km
    Avg Speed 23.7 kph
    Time 3:29:42
    Elev Gain 730 m

    That's by far the furthest I've done. City centre to bray via the Rock Rd, into Dalkey and up Killiney Hill. It was the first time getting up from Dalkey to Killiney Hill without stopping so I was delighted with that. On to Bray and then back via N11. Over 40k done at that stage and I was feeling like calling it a day as it started to rain. Only a few drops so decided to keep going and went out and did Howth Head and back to the city centre.

    It was a target of mine to get Killiney Hill and Howth Hill in on the one spin. I wasn't intending on it today. I only planned on doing 70km. I had a killer of a head wind in every direction it seemed and a little disappointed with my average. But I'm delighted to have increased my distance by quite a bit and get both hills in.

    I just noticed that Strava has some obvious differences to the Garmin.
    https://www.strava.com/activities/636359498


  • Registered Users Posts: 24,937 ✭✭✭✭Wishbone Ash


    devonp wrote: »
    ...very windy and a nasty headwind from Glencree to the mast, but really scary coming down got blown from the right to the left side of the road on the descent a few times :eek: but kept out of the ditch..
    I got blown across the centre gravel on a bend on the descent on Friday. I thought I'd lost it. Scared the crap out of me! :eek:


  • Registered Users Posts: 4,317 ✭✭✭Daroxtar


    I had to do a job in Dundalk this morning so I brought the bike and took a spin out along the coast to Carlingford with the intention of climbing Long Woman's Grave and up to the TV mast. Got a puncture just as I came into Carlingford and noticed that my gears weren't shifting to the 3 smallest cogs. That was odd as the bike was shifting beautifully beforehand.

    I fixed the puncture but couldn't get the gears right so I said Fk it, I wasn't needing them anyway. Continued on to the start of the climb, made it to the first flat section and as I shifted to accelerate the RD cable snapped and lo and behold I was now in the 11 cog permanently. Boll0x.

    My bike is internally routed so I couldn't do a whole lot except turn around and head back the flattest way I could.
    40km back to the car into a headwind stuck in the 11 cog at about 60rpm.
    I wanted hill training and I bloody well got it just without the hills. The amount of cross chaining that went on would make you cry. My legs and lower back are in bits.
    90km in 3:05@29.1kmh
    I think I'm going to skip my Tempo sessions for a few days
    https://www.strava.com/activities/636170320


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,018 ✭✭✭man_no_plan


    So, I was reading the WW200 thread last week and it was all Shay Elliot this and Slieve Mann that. So I gave it a bash this morning.

    Into Baltinglass, Rathdangan and on and up and down and up into Laragh, back by the gap to Hollywood and out home. Weather was mixed. Wind was a bitch, changed direction every 5 mins.

    Half dead.

    102km
    20.6km/h
    1620m of murder
    4h 50 moving time

    Now I know what the fuss was all about.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,054 ✭✭✭Bloggsie


    normal spin to work this morning 28.8 kms in 69 mins 25kmph average & found €50.00 just sitting on the side of the road!


  • Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 47,982 CMod ✭✭✭✭magicbastarder


    that's mine. i can even tell you what it looks like, as proof - large brownish note, bridges on one side and a couple of arches on the other?


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,054 ✭✭✭Bloggsie


    that's mine. i can even tell you what it looks like, as proof - large brownish note, bridges on one side and a couple of arches on the other?
    no bother I'll post it to you!


  • Registered Users Posts: 5,419 ✭✭✭LollipopJimmy


    that's mine. i can even tell you what it looks like, as proof - large brownish note, bridges on one side and a couple of arches on the other?

    Been so long since I had 50's in my wallet I wouldn't be able to describe one!


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  • Users Awaiting Email Confirmation Posts: 15,001 ✭✭✭✭Pepe LeFrits


    I cycled down to Ballymahon for a family gathering on Sunday and came back yesterday. The most I'd cycled before was 65km the previous weekend. 240km spread over two days was a bit of a step up!

    The first leg was a bit of a slog, weather conditions were pretty miserable. I found myself feeling low on energy in the middle third and the final third included the R392 which was relentlessly up-down, which was tough on the quads. Was pretty tired when I arrived in Ballymahon but delighted with the achievement.

    On the second leg I cheated a bit and got a lift to Athlone... meant I could avoid the R392 and take the Athlone-Mullingar cycleway instead. This added an extra 20km or so to the journey but I'd take nice and flat over burning quads and being overtaken on narrow roads by SUVs doing 100km/h over the crest of hills. The sun was out and it was a really enjoyable ride, and quite easy too.

    I reckon the difficulty I felt in the first leg must have been psychological, because I wasn't /that/ tired after it, whereas as soon as I sat down on the couch after the 'easier' second leg, I couldn't stand up again :)

    Already thinking about my next trip. South next time I reckon!


  • Users Awaiting Email Confirmation Posts: 15,001 ✭✭✭✭Pepe LeFrits


    Oh, and how uncomfortable was sitting on that saddle by the end... still a bit 'raw' today...


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,683 ✭✭✭triggermortis


    I work away from home and cycle to and from work. Forgot to bring my Garmin with me this week and have lost count of the times I've looked at where it usually wouls be sitting.. Didn't realise I was this dependant on it!


  • Registered Users Posts: 214 ✭✭R1_Pete


    Didn't get out over the weekend with one thing and another, head was mush as a result. Took a half day today as it wasn't raining, headed off and towards Naul with no plan in mind as such. Ended up doing just over 100k, but the route was real scrappy, doubled back on myself etc.

    Hadn't planned a long one, but you know how it goes.. "Ah sure 10k more and it'll be 70" "ah sure it's so close to 100 now"

    Anyway nice enough for a random Tuesday afternoon


  • Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators, Regional Midwest Moderators, Regional West Moderators Posts: 16,722 Mod ✭✭✭✭yop


    Finally of the 40km Connacht TTs. Broke the hour last week by 4 seconds, so this week I wanted 59.50.
    Felt good, nice evening, slight wind on back on the way out, got there in 29.37 @ just over 40km average and 305 watts, so I then knew I had a good chance of breaking it.
    Hit another gel at 30 mins and a quick drink, I decided to try hit 300w again on the way home, 2 long inclines and I needed to make sure I didn't burn, looked down on the 1st of them and I had 440 watt average so quickly turned that down to 320. I had changed the garmin to lap only, so that meant when I hit lap at 1/2 way I cud only see the figures for the out leg. I pushed hard on the last 10km and drove it over the line.
    Checked my finishing time and got 59.41, so delighted to take 15 seconds off and that was a total of 55 seconds over the 3 races.
    Averaged 299 watts and just over 40kmph. Have to say I am still happy. :)


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,054 ✭✭✭Bloggsie


    yop wrote: »
    Finally of the 40km Connacht TTs. Broke the hour last week by 4 seconds, so this week I wanted 59.50.
    Felt good, nice evening, slight wind on back on the way out, got there in 29.37 @ just over 40km average and 305 watts, so I then knew I had a good chance of breaking it.
    Hit another gel at 30 mins and a quick drink, I decided to try hit 300w again on the way home, 2 long inclines and I needed to make sure I didn't burn, looked down on the 1st of them and I had 440 watt average so quickly turned that down to 320. I had changed the garmin to lap only, so that meant when I hit lap at 1/2 way I cud only see the figures for the out leg. I pushed hard on the last 10km and drove it over the line.
    Checked my finishing time and got 59.41, so delighted to take 15 seconds off and that was a total of 55 seconds over the 3 races.
    Averaged 299 watts and just over 40kmph. Have to say I am still happy. :)
    are you also known as Bradley Wiggins?

    cracking effort by the way!


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,575 ✭✭✭monkeysnapper


    As a keen cyclist but only having cheap bikes as some might remember I splashed cash a month ago and bought new bike .

    Today I finally changed to cycling shoes for 1st time . for first time ever I won't stick out like sore thumb doing events .

    Did 5 miles . pretty pathetic really .

    Ring of the reeks here I come fully kitted out .


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,949 ✭✭✭Kaisr Sose



    Today I finally changed to cycling shoes for 1st time . for first time ever I won't stick out like sore thumb doing events .

    Did 5 miles . pretty pathetic really .

    Well done. Out of small acorns grow big trees...so onwards and upwards!


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,683 ✭✭✭triggermortis


    Finished night shift ( 5 of 5 ) this morning and as my flight home isn't until tonight I thought I'd get a spin in before bed. The plan was to take a steady spin for 2 -3 hours to tire myself out and then get a decent sleep when I got back.
    Traffic was chaos in a few spots - I was the fastest thing on the road in places until I hit the slightest incline, then I just felt drained. As I've no Garmin with me, I decided to turn on data roaming and use Strava on my phone for a change (first time ever). Shouldn't have bothered as I was so slow. Monday it was 35 degrees here. Today was 12! I had winter tights, top and gloves on. This still didn't really help much.
    I took a wrong turn at a roundabout and realised I was heading towards the airport (and home) but as it had started raining and I wasn't feeling like doing my planned route, I didn't bother turning back and headed for home. 39.5 Km in 90 minutes isn't great but it was all I could muster.
    Time for a (crappy Swiss) beer and bed for a few hours now!

    https://www.strava.com/activities/640344197


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  • Registered Users Posts: 1,054 ✭✭✭Bloggsie


    As a keen cyclist but only having cheap bikes as some might remember I splashed cash a month ago and bought new bike .

    Today I finally changed to cycling shoes for 1st time . for first time ever I won't stick out like sore thumb doing events .

    Did 5 miles . pretty pathetic really .

    Ring of the reeks here I come fully kitted out .
    nothing can hold you back now!


This discussion has been closed.
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