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

Omega28 wrote: »

Strava is so unreliable on my phone. It keeps dropping signal.

I need a bike computer.

Or a Garmin/smart watch

Omega28 wrote: »

I have the Fenix 5Plus but I'd still like a computer for the bike

Also considering a bike computer. I have a watch (FR245) which is perfect for running and good enough for recording rides, but I would like something with navigation. There's specific garmin mount to mount watch to the handlebar and use it as a bike computer - but tiny screen wouldn't be ideal.

On the other hand an Edge 130 is only around €100. Apart from usual bike computer speed / distance stuff, it allows navigation with preset courses downloaded from Garmin Connect.

Personally I am not massively bothered about speed or distance, but navigation is what I am really looking for - And because I would always have my phone with me - so I am now experimenting with Komoot and voice navigation. Worked well for a while last night, overlays instructions over podcast/music etc nicely, but the phone keeps killing it and I have to figure out why.

Yesterday evening was ok, so headed out to the Beehive, down the coast to Brittas Bay, turned right just before Arklow, over the Beech Road (traffic!) to Avoca. Watched red kites wheeling over the village - often visible there. Up Avoca Valley to Rathdrum, and up the stump. Pleasant 57k with 500 or so m of climbing. There are nicer ways to get home (e.g. via Conary, or via Kingston) but the main road wasn't bad.
Great to have killed the squeaks in my bike (no doubt will start again now!)

Main bike had a flat this morning (thanks bottle throwers) so off on the good bike I went. The good bike had no mudguards on dear reader....not pretty.

magicbastarder wrote: »

...and i'll have to send an email to a certain cycling club about a bunch of their riders taking up the full width of the cycling path near st annes, forcing other cyclists into the pedestrian side.

I've experienced that a few times. Why on earth a club would wish to train on a busy track is beyond me. The last time I encountered them, I raised my arm as if to say WTF lads and one of them pointed to the grass verge to indicate that there was plenty of room there.

Wandering over to Tara to drop a few quid into a bucket for Graham who is doing a double evereating now. Started at 430am this morning. Pacing it well he was. I did 3 with him. You know to help him out😂. 250 ascents needed in total. He should have been doing RAM around now but it was cancelled.

Inspired by the "Lap of the county" idea that was posted here before, I tried Lap of County Louth today. 210 kms. 1721 meters elevation. And Clairmont Cairns!



https://www.strava.com/activities/3747330412/overview

I planned the route using Komoot, and the entire county is within their one free region. Also you can switch the maps to one that shows county boundaries, which makes it easy to plan. Well turns out planning & inspiration are important but so is being fit enough to do it - i was not really, and I suffered thru it. When you go off the main roads and venture into tiny lanes that primary serves farms - about 50% of the roads were rotten, pot-holed lanes that probably sees more tractors than cars and certainly no roads bikes. I had a CX. I was wiped out even before I got to the half way mark - I hadn't trained for such long rides in a long time, I think the longest I did last year was 115k. And yes, I had to walk up to Clairmont Cairns. And absolutely crawl down the other side, it's just too steep for my skill level / brakes.

Also around 160k mark, coming up to the roundabout just north of Dundalk, I was foolishly keeping my head down, and I ran into the back of a parked van. I saw it with about two bike length to spare, so I was able to scrub some speed but couldn't save from crashing and collapsing in a heap onto the road. Luckily nothing more than a few grazes and massively bruised ego. Of course the bike suffered too - rear hood is wonky and wobbly. Front derailleur stuck in whatever position I want to manually set it to, and the rear derailleur is also acting funny, moving up / down a gear whenever it feels like. People were sound though - offered all sorts of help, but I was fine enough to cycle the rest myself, which is what I did in the end. Oh yeah the phone screen is shattered as well. Still, could have been worse, but today the luck was with me.

At the end of the day, despite some wind against me in both directions (!!) it was a beautiful day and my god, the views from the top of Clairmont Cairns is something else. Enjoyed it overall, but won't be in a hurry to do it again

Some nice descriptions of spins today- well done all!!

Had a good one too, headed up by Ballinscory to kilbride army camp & then back to Ballysmutten bridge which is now named in honour of Guarda Jones who gave his life for his community in 2011- it is well worth a visit.

As is the gap road just past it which brings you to Ballnutagh gap & down to Lacken. The views on both sides are fantastic & you will most likely be on your own.

Took lake drive towards the Wicklow gap, went up the road parallel to it towards Quintagh I think.

There is a sign saying the road is closed for works but it is passible, been resurfaced to WCC standard of tar & stone.

Back onto the Wicklow gap & laragh- say the M50 was quieter.

Back over the Sally gap & parking at waterfall & lough Brey was pretty poor but what can you do.

Fairly slow going but am blaming it on the surplus of hair:)

Let's hope the airports fully reopen & the queues in the barbers calm down!

Change in weather today but glad it wasn't as hot given what was ahead.

Out the gap @7am for a planned 200km which became a battle of survival for a couple plus we lost two with mechanicals.

201km @ 29.2 avg with a more than decent 2000m ish across a few nice hills in the South east.

Big weekend on the bike completed.

Gentle 35km Drimnagh, funny hill rockbrook, sandiford, city centre, then home again.
Seemed to be a lot breezier than it looked, could be down yo just not having anything in the tank.

https://strava.app.link/gqwepXXh47

A Lap of the Gap yesterday very early.. Up Glencullen, over via Tibradden > Cruagh > Featherbeds > Sally Gap > Laragh > Roundwood > Enniskerry and home. 90k all in.

Thumbs up for Coffee in the The Dome just before Roundwood - another recommendation for this stop. Great welcoming service, lovely location and great cake.

All roads leading to Glendalough seemed very busy.. glad was heading the opposite direction.

In donegal for the week and only out for a quick lunchtime spin, but finally headed up to the windmills in gweedore - the gate has been closed the 2 other times I've checked it but was open today. Don't think I've ever been so broken after only ~20 mins on a bike, it matches kilmashogue and cunard in the thunderbastard stakes. sat for 10 mins up there and came straight back to work.

https://www.strava.com/activities/3755844493

I'm not phoning the broomwagon because he's probably asleep. In Laragh, 211km, 3,500m and a pitiful average speed.

Best bits, climbing up to the Nine Stones on Mt. Leinster in the evening sunshine. Comet Neowise hanging over Glenmalure like a Christmas star guiding me home.

Now to do the 45km home without ending up in the ditch. Thank goodness for Spotify playlists.

Check out my activity on Strava: https://strava.app.link/Ki9DZFJtb8

magicbastarder wrote: »

66km with over 900m of climbing around NCD today. lovely moment climbing up to bellewstown at the top of that bastard steep climb approaching the racecourse, where i was surrounded by a massive swarm of flies and couldn't outrun them.

I detest that section but love when you emerge out into the light.

In a rush today, so drove to Ardara for a go at Glengesh. Headwind blowin down the valley didnt help, but what was worse was I couldnt shift into my lowest gear, meaning I had to grind through the corkscrew higher than I wanted. From looking at the map before hand, i knew there was a loop that brought you back down at maghera beach and the waterfall, but got lost down a badly signposted boreen after that. The other valley (granny's glen?) may be even more picturesque than glengesh, and the descent off it was fun. Next time i'm up that way, will go up that one, and down glengesh.

https://www.strava.com/activities/3784242211

206k, mostly into the wind, yesterday. Character-building. Usual N2-A5 route from Drogheda to Buncrana, which fully reminded me all over again why I had decided not to do that ever again. Taking the new (to me) bike was not the best idea (slow puncture etc). On the plus side, it was dry and warm. Hope to explore towards Glenveah now that I am here.