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

wheelo01 · 17-01-2021 4:04am

secman wrote: »

Had to ask a an unknown cyclist today for a spare cartridge had a second puncture but one of the cartridges i had was a spent one
Thank you, hopefully can repay you similarly one day

That's something similar to what I tried to say, if I was in trouble,. I think I'd ask everyone in proximity, not leave it to them to see I'm in trouble
I think we are mainly a nice group, willing to help another out.

smacl · 22-01-2021 4:42pm

Baltic out there today for all the blazing sunshine. Did my regular local loop through Masseys and on up to the Hellfire, though getting through the mud on the river route through Masseys was a slog, for 23k with 480m of up. Looks like snow over the weekend which could be a bit of fun.

D13exile · 22-01-2021 5:27pm

I know it doesn't really count as a "cycle" but did an hour long session on my rollers in the kitchen switching between the large cogs for high cadence work and the small cogs for more "resistance". Nearly dehydrated myself in the process as I had the heating on full blast for the kids. Must put a water bottle in my cage for next time! God I miss getting out on the road for a nice 50km spin round the back roads of Kildare and Meath where I have not only something to look at but a cooling breeze in my face!

MangleBadger · 22-01-2021 6:22pm

Was not prepared for how cold it was going to be. Lungs were burning. And I have learnt now to always wear my overshoes just for warmth even if not their not needed for the wet.
38km and 600m of climbing. Also got I think my first top 5 on a segment, so I'll take that as a successful cycle.

Seth Brundle · 22-01-2021 6:26pm

Went out yesterday for 33km @ 28km/h. Cool but thankfully dry. I had planned on heading out this afternoon but the way the day went, it hasn't happened (yet).
Between work and everything else, I'm finding it hard to get the motivation to just head out. I think part of it is that I've travelled within my 5km so much that I'm kind of bored with it.
Anyhow I passed two garda checkpoints on my short spin. On the first, the garda gave me a thumbs up when I gestured as to whether or not I should stop. At the second checkpoint, the two lads were sat in the car watching a video or something on their phone.
Must get out tomorrow for a proper spin.
https://www.strava.com/activities/4656965468

billyhead · 22-01-2021 7:51pm

Be careful out their this weekend with black ice which won't clear quickly and may be around for the day.

a148pro · 23-01-2021 12:39am

billyhead wrote: »

Be careful out their this weekend with black ice which won't clear quickly and may be around for the day.

What are the weather conditions that specifically lead to black ice? Is there something beyond just cold?

magicbastarder · 23-01-2021 12:52am

i would assume the roads being wet before the temp drops is important - standing water freezing rather than condensation freezing out of the air (which gives the typical 'frost' effect)?

23-01-2021 9:30am

magicbastarder wrote: »

i would assume the roads being wet before the temp drops is important - standing water freezing rather than condensation freezing out of the air (which gives the typical 'frost' effect)?

That's exactly it.

silverharp · 23-01-2021 10:37am

no ice on the grass this morning, good sign, not like that bad frost a week or 2 back

MangleBadger · 23-01-2021 2:03pm

7 ways up Killiney Hill this morning. Didn't push any of the hills as I just wanted to see how I'd go. May try again at the end of lockdown to see if I have improved.
Lovely morning for it.
815m of climbing in 35km at a slow 20.7kmh
Not even a tenth of an everesting. No idea how they do it.

https://www.strava.com/activities/4667027298

silverharp · 23-01-2021 4:59pm

3rd weekend in a row that the weather gods been with me, as winter cycling goes that has to be near perfect weather, sunny no wind.
First year cycling in the winter, normally only leisure cycle after Easter,then kind of panicking to be fit for the summer. Hopefully roll into April with a solid base to start from

patrickc · 23-01-2021 9:49pm

billyhead wrote: »

Be careful out their this weekend with black ice which won't clear quickly and may be around for the day.

There was ice today on my spin in the cycle lane on a national road. I went out of the cycle lane and cycled along the road and got beeped at by cars. Annoying get blown at for nothing. (there wasn't even opposing traffic coming towards the cars as they passed me)

a148pro · 23-01-2021 10:07pm

Wales super visible from 3 Rock tonight. A look at the map shows magicbastarder was right about the isle of man being way north so it must have been Wales I saw from howth previously. Baltic baltic cold tonight.

D13exile · 24-01-2021 1:36pm

Was planning on a "5km radius" spin of where I live but as its mostly back roads, sheltered by trees and thus very likely to have black ice, I got the rollers out again but this time I set them up outside in the side entrance between my house and the next door neighbours. Just had a long sleeve base layer on over bib shorts as I'd been sweating buckets on the rollers inside due to the lack of any kind of breeze from any forward motion. So after an hour on the rollers outside this morning, I was still sweating buckets despite my lack of clothing and there being a smattering of snow on the ground. The only part of me to feel anyways cold was my feet as I had no socks on inside my cycling shoes.

So after this "scientific experiment" on what causes me to overheat on the rollers, I can categorically state that it is not due to whether I'm indoors or outdoors but because there is no wind to cool me down as the bike is basically stationary in one place! So I've just gone and ordered a pedastal fan off Pigsback to set it up in front of me when I'm on the rollers to give me that feeling of a wind in my face and hopefully to stop the torrent of salty sweat into my eyes that stings the life out of them! If that doesn't work, I'll go all 1970's tennis player and get a sweatband for my head.

24-01-2021 2:37pm

An hour of pain on the turbo yesterday and and hour and a half at a more leisurely pace this morning. It wasn't worth the risk with the roads. Nothing compared to getting out but it fills part of the need anyway.

LollipopJimmy · 24-01-2021 5:30pm

Couple of hours in the mud around the Park, I'm freezing now. It snowed a bit while I was there but overall just muddy and slippy

Weepsie · 24-01-2021 7:02pm

Was going to head to the park with the spike tyre but figured it would be muddy rather than firm and not arsed washing the bike.

Joined up to Road Grand Tours premium and loaded up my virtual sally gap to blessington route and did it for the first time earlier.

The route also has Wicklow gap and 1/2 military road but I was only trying it out.

Could do with a bit of smoothing, but was pretty good. 35 virtual Wicklow km

LollipopJimmy · 24-01-2021 7:13pm

Weepsie wrote: »

Was going to head to the park with the spike tyre but figured it would be muddy rather than firm and not arsed washing the bike.

Joined up to Road Grand Tours premium and loaded up my virtual sally gap to blessington route and did it for the first time earlier.

The route also has Wicklow gap and 1/2 military road but I was only trying it out.

Could do with a bit of smoothing, but was pretty good. 35 virtual Wicklow km

I stopped at the petrol station and gave it a wash, finger over the end of the hose style

wheelo01 · 24-01-2021 8:28pm

Got out for a brief 25km @ 25kph, I had a bit of a mechanical while out - bike felt like the brakes had engaged and were trying to slow down. Removed the brake pads, wheel still wouldn't spin freely. Loosened the skewer by about one full turn as I was going to take the wheel off, and it spun freely. Left it like that and limped it home.

Feckin freezing, but luckily only had a few flutters of snow while I was out.

CramCycle · 24-01-2021 10:44pm

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZjnGSEmvX0

Lovely day for it

magicbastarder · 24-01-2021 11:10pm

friends of mine who live in greystones were up top of bray head this evening and the light was amazing.

fat bloke · 25-01-2021 12:10am

I tested my own patience today with 100k round Knocklyon. About 24 laps of a 4 and a half km anticlockwise route. Mostly roundabouts or yield signs at the junctions so you rarely have to stop for very long. A fair few pedestrian crossings you can get caught at but sure after every stop you've a standing start sprint back up to speed!

.

smacl · 25-01-2021 3:43pm

Lunch time spin up to the Hellfire club, hoping to catch a bit of snow, but mostly thawed out at the top. Plenty of ice on the way and down, so for once was pleased enough to have the spike. Really clear day at the top for a change, though my phone camera struggles to do it justice.

LollipopJimmy · 25-01-2021 3:53pm

I went for a spin around the park. Stayed on the road, might as well have been on the M50 with all the traffic and the speed of it

wheelo01 · 25-01-2021 4:48pm

I replaced the bearing that seized on yesterdays cycle today, I went around the block (about 400 m) and i'm frozen solid, glad I didn't go out today

CramCycle · 25-01-2021 4:52pm

wheelo01 wrote: »

I replaced the bearing that seized on yesterdays cycle today, I went around the block (about 400 m) and i'm frozen solid, glad I didn't go out today

Today was a 2 or 3 pair of socks day.

smacl · 25-01-2021 5:20pm

CramCycle wrote: »

Today was a 2 or 3 pair of socks day.

My current attire is long leg bibs over tights and thermal base layer on top, fleece jersey, winter rain jacket, winter gloves, wooly socks, overshoes, and skull cap under the helmet. Probably look like the Michelin man but well toasty

a148pro · 25-01-2021 9:34pm

Weepsie wrote: »

Was going to head to the park with the spike tyre but figured it would be muddy rather than firm and not arsed washing the bike.

Joined up to Road Grand Tours premium and loaded up my virtual sally gap to blessington route and did it for the first time earlier.

The route also has Wicklow gap and 1/2 military road but I was only trying it out.

Could do with a bit of smoothing, but was pretty good. 35 virtual Wicklow km

WOULD YOU STAY WITHIN YOUR 5K I'M BLUE IN THE FACE SAYING IT

a148pro · 25-01-2021 9:38pm

smacl wrote: »

Lunch time spin up to the Hellfire club, hoping to catch a bit of snow, but mostly thawed out at the top. Plenty of ice on the way and down, so for once was pleased enough to have the spike. Really clear day at the top for a change, though my phone camera struggles to do it justice.

Yep Wales super clear again today, and snow on all the mournes very clear. I thought I could see snow on one of Welsh hills but it may have been cloud.

It's weird as there's a bit of haze around but wales still very clear. I've been regularly throwing my eye that way for years but have only seen it once before. Maybe it's that I'm cycling and hiking more in winter now.

Another thing I'd love to know is what weather conditions lead to really good sunsets. Ambiance if you cycle into mountains leading into that time is super.

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

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