My spin today...

paul mountainbike · 16-07-2019 6:07pm

Well give us a clue ,else we could miss out on a good one.
As long as respect walkers i never get any bother only them thinking i'm a nutter..

ianobrien · 11-08-2019 4:06pm

Went for a small spin today near Mallow. It was a 8km loop, with a 4km climb and a 4km descent. I did it multiple times and was messing with the tyre pressures and front shock settings on the descent. I never take any notice of my times on Strava (I use it to keep track of the mileage on the bikes) and one of the descents was 9th quickest, and I wasn't even trying to set a time.

It must mean I've hit a sweet spot with pressures and shock settings or I forgot to engage the "self-preservation" mode in the brain......

covey123 · 11-08-2019 8:36pm

Was that Mount Hillary or maybe somewhere else?

ianobrien · 11-08-2019 11:40pm

covey123 wrote: »

Was that Mount Hillary or maybe somewhere else?

Somewhere else, and given the mod warning on the first page, I'm not saying where exactly..................

Wanderer78 · 12-08-2019 7:02am

Trails were in decent shape yesterday at the gap, busy to

delynet · 12-08-2019 9:49am

I'm a roadie but bought a MTB a few weeks ago as I want to get away from mile after mile of road cycling. Had its first proper outing yesterday at the Tobercurry 200k MTB Audax.

Great day out. Fair play to Seamus O’Dowd for putting it together. Lots of terrain, some was a bit wet from all the rain but it made it more challenging. A few of my bits are a bit sore this morning but looking forward to doing something like it again.

Peter T · 12-08-2019 9:57am

Fair play, that's a long time in the saddle

iwillhtfu · 12-08-2019 9:59am

delynet wrote: »

I'm a roadie but bought a MTB a few weeks ago as I want to get away from mile after mile of road cycling. Had its first proper outing yesterday at the Tobercurry 200k MTB Audax.

Great day out. Fair play to Seamus O’Dowd for putting it together. Lots of terrain, some was a bit wet from all the rain but it made it more challenging. A few of my bits are a bit sore this morning but looking forward to doing something like it again.

Well done and welcome to the dark side

Da cooley Thriller on this weekend would be a good follow up.

There's also the nire valley drop later in the year don't let the drop fool you it's more of a pedal fest than anything. :eek:

steamsey · 12-08-2019 10:39am

Couldn't make the Cahir Enduro so was up at Ticknock yesterday, stuck to official trails. It was a wet mess - the top two trails (Afterburner and Blazing Saddles) were in a jock - basically rivers all the way down. Forgot that drainage on these trails is non existent. The bottom loop (Metro, AKA Skyline) was the only one really rideable - have given out about it before but it was very dry, and was very happy to be on it yesterday. Has bedded in nicely and is fast.

Was very quiet up there. Few walkers alright but only saw 3 other MTB'ers.

Felt pretty underwhelmed after my spin and can't help feeling that Ticknock's glory days are behind her. Anyone else feel the same? Even in the dry, it's not great up there anymore. Anyone know of any new trails around Ticknock? Haven't seen much except one over facing the GAP where they felled last year - has a few little jumps and brings you down to bottom of road near where bomb-hole used to be. Seems that no one is bothering with building / maintaining up there anymore - me included.

Tenzor07 · 12-08-2019 10:09pm

steamsey wrote: »

Ticknock yesterday, stuck to official trails. It was a wet mess - the top two trails (Afterburner and Blazing Saddles)

Terrible names, they will always be Metro 1 or 2, or Euroservs...

Though with the amount of rain a better name for the top Metro would be "Soggy Bottoms"

:D:D

nak · 13-08-2019 9:21pm

iwillhtfu wrote: »

Well done and welcome to the dark side

Da cooley Thriller on this weekend would be a good follow up.

There's also the nire valley drop later in the year don't let the drop fool you it's more of a pedal fest than anything. :eek:

Cooley Thriller was last Saturday, great event. Weather wasn't great but good turnout regardless.

There are a few trails in Ticknock on the Tom's side of the hill built in the last 6 months.

steamsey · 14-08-2019 11:26am

nak wrote: »

There are a few trails in Ticknock on the Tom's side of the hill built in the last 6 months.

Cool - never really explore around there. Best place to find the trail heads?

nak · 14-08-2019 11:43am

steamsey wrote: »

Cool - never really explore around there. Best place to find the trail heads?

They've been subtle about it so not going to post the locations on here. Best to keep off the handbuilt trails when it gets wet as they're easily wrecked. The enduro stages got destroyed last winter.

bogmanfan · 14-08-2019 4:43pm

nak wrote: »

Best to keep off the handbuilt trails when it gets wet as they're easily wrecked.

I would strongly second this. Riding some of those trails when they're this wet and swampy will only wreck them. Best to stick to the official trails in my opinion.

Tenzor07 · 15-08-2019 3:21pm

The unofficial trails are wet and muddy for 10 months of the year really, never stops anyone from using them, just makes it more of a challenge..

As for staying off them... well sounds sensible, but will never happen, those trails will be destroyed by a Coillte JCB quicker than a MTB...

iwillhtfu · 16-08-2019 6:35pm

Technically not today but was up in the Gap last night and the trails are riding sweet at the minute, they've done a lot of work on the berms in the last week.

steamsey · 16-08-2019 7:43pm

iwillhtfu wrote: »

Technically not today but was up in the Gap last night and the trails are riding sweet at the minute, they've done a lot of work on the berms in the last week.

Was up there too. Riding very well. Love the French Connection. Think 2 weeks left of the Thursday evening spins then it's lights required. Was pretty dark by 8 30 in the forest bits. They've a great set up. They should do the UCI Downhill on a big screen.

iwillhtfu · 16-08-2019 7:48pm

steamsey wrote: »

Was up there too. Riding very well. Love the French Connection. Think 2 weeks left of the Thursday evening spins then it's lights required. Was pretty dark by 8 30 in the forest bits. They've a great set up. They should do the UCI Downhill on a big screen.

Yeah I packed it in around 8.30 grabbed a burger and beer I'd say it was dark in the forest around 8. A cracking evening for it. Yeah the downhill would be class on a big screen even if they delayed the coverage to fall into the lunch break it would go down well.

I wonder would they move it back to 5-8 I'd probably make it over for 5.15. I wouldn't be to confident on the night rides.

Big Nasty · 16-08-2019 8:04pm

iwillhtfu wrote: »

Yeah I packed it in around 8.30 grabbed a burger and beer I'd say it was dark in the forest around 8. A cracking evening for it. Yeah the downhill would be class on a big screen even if they delayed the coverage to fall into the lunch break it would go down well.

I wonder would they move it back to 5-8 I'd probably make it over for 5.15. I wouldn't be to confident on the night rides.

Anyone working regular hours find it hard to get there and be ready to roll by six, never mind five.

Night riding is absolutely fine once you've got decent lights. I've scored some of my PB's riding at night. Set for the bars and set for the lid.

iwillhtfu · 16-08-2019 8:51pm

Big Nasty wrote: »

Anyone working regular hours find it hard to get there and be ready to roll by six, never mind five.

Night riding is absolutely fine once you've got decent lights. I've scored some of my PB's riding at night. Set for the bars and set for the lid.

I guess I'm lucky so

I get the lights for the bars and lid but you want good lights which aren't cheap and I spend far to much on biking gear already.

prunudo · 16-08-2019 9:28pm

iwillhtfu wrote: »

I guess I'm lucky so

I get the lights for the bars and lid but you want good lights which aren't cheap and I spend far to much on biking gear already.

I went out for a few night spins last spring, didn't spend a fortune as wasn't sure how I'd fair out. Anyway lights worked a treat, even for cheap ones from Amazon. There was a thread up before with links to them.

Ps. This was the ones i got
BYBO® 6600Lm 3x Cree XML U2 LED Bike Bicycle Cycling Light Headlamp Headlight Front Head Torch 8.4V 6400mAh 18650 Battery Pack Rechargeable USB Charg https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B073XJ6STD/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apap_un2PBHJinwD13

iwillhtfu · 16-08-2019 9:52pm

prunudo wrote: »

I went out for a few night spins last spring, didn't spend a fortune as wasn't sure how I'd fair out. Anyway lights worked a treat, even for cheap ones from Amazon. There was a thread up before with links to them.

Ps. This was the ones i got
BYBO® 6600Lm 3x Cree XML U2 LED Bike Bicycle Cycling Light Headlamp Headlight Front Head Torch 8.4V 6400mAh 18650 Battery Pack Rechargeable USB Charg https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B073XJ6STD/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apap_un2PBHJinwD13

Ah I've used those Chinese cree ones a few times they're grand for the first while but eventually the batteries hold feck all charge and when you've used the good lights there's no comparison.

I'll probably just do the Thurs 6-8 perhaps a couple of the blue runs with the small lights I have.

ianobrien · 17-08-2019 9:57pm

I didn't bother with any exploring today, just a quick (for me) spin around the Brown in the Ballyhoura's. Doing it in a hardtail was a snot tough. Speed worked on the rough sections though.....

Peter T · 19-08-2019 8:45am

Went down to ballyhoura yesterday for some research. Its getting into my head now to upgrade to full suss. So off I went and hired a remedy 7. Took a bit of getting used to being sram shifters and feeling like your going nowhere on the climbs compared to the hardtail. A few runs of the skills loops and setting the rebound to generally where I like it, off i went. Was obviously impressed with its ability to soak up bumps and flew along the downhill sections. Really enjoyed tech 1 on it and felt this is where the bike really came alive. After settling into the bike the climbs for the rest of the day seemed alright and the final push home again was great crack. So overall I enjoyed the full suspension but think my expectations were too high, maybe after buying one and dialing it in to give the feedback I want would change my opinion. Looking at my times from the day my hardtail isn't far behind really which leaves me with the though of maybe upgrading a few bits on the hardtail and cheapest upgrade of all focusing on improving my fitness. I think next i'll head to the gap for a day or maybe weekend and try out what they have

Wanderer78 · 19-08-2019 9:21am

Peter T wrote: »

Went down to ballyhoura yesterday for some research. Its getting into my head now to upgrade to full suss. So off I went and hired a remedy 7. Took a bit of getting used to being sram shifters and feeling like your going nowhere on the climbs compared to the hardtail. A few runs of the skills loops and setting the rebound to generally where I like it, off i went. Was obviously impressed with its ability to soak up bumps and flew along the downhill sections. Really enjoyed tech 1 on it and felt this is where the bike really came alive. After settling into the bike the climbs for the rest of the day seemed alright and the final push home again was great crack. So overall I enjoyed the full suspension but think my expectations were too high, maybe after buying one and dialing it in to give the feedback I want would change my opinion. Looking at my times from the day my hardtail isn't far behind really which leaves me with the though of maybe upgrading a few bits on the hardtail and cheapest upgrade of all focusing on improving my fitness. I think next i'll head to the gap for a day or maybe weekend and try out what they have

You won't look back to be honest, if you go for a fill suss, completely different league to hard tail, but nothing wrong with hardtails. It's a good idea though to check out some full suss and different trails before deciding, the gap is a good laugh, but you d be severely limited without the full suss there

prunudo · 19-08-2019 9:30am

Get it bought! You won't regret it but I'd keep the hardtail for the longer cross country stuff if thats what you enjoy too. The full sus will bring on your trail riding leaps and bounds, certainly did for me. Went from going from occasional spins on the hardtail to wanting to get out every weekend and more on the full sus.

Peter T · 19-08-2019 9:34am

That's the plan, try out a few more brands and see what I like. @prunudo I'm like that on the hardtail so god help me when I go full . I'll be holding onto the hardtail for like you said the xc days or just long gravel spins round wind farms, bogs etc. Handy for someone else to use if they want to go for a spin with me

saccades · 19-08-2019 7:43pm

From a hardtail to a remedy 7 - some difference, would take a while to get the full benefit.

I'd say there are few places that need that kinda travel in Ireland though.

Maybe have a look at some of the new short travel 29er bikes that are coming out.

xxyyzz · 20-08-2019 11:21am

A hardtail is probably the ideal bike for 99% of the trail center stuff in Ballyhoura to be honest. The remedy would be far less efficient for all that pedally stuff. Try out the remedy on some of the natural trails and you will really see the difference. The lads in trail riders will give you directions to the cardoor trail which is great fun.

ianobrien · 28-08-2019 9:16pm

I was up in the Ballyhoura's for the first time this year on a hardtail. Took my ease on the Brown but got a shock as to how much logging took place and it's really open and bleak now (this view may be coloured by me getting caught in a shower just as it opened before the log and it stopped when I entered the trees at the top!)

Peter T · 29-08-2019 8:00am

Its changed a bit in the past year, Especially along the top, not much shelter left up there these days

covey123 · 29-08-2019 9:20pm

Anyone hear any updates on the new 12km trail?

FirstinLastout · 30-08-2019 12:14am

xxyyzz wrote: »

A hardtail is probably the ideal bike for 99% of the trail center stuff in Ballyhoura to be honest.

To be honest, a full rigid is ideal for 99% of the trail center stuff in Ballyhoura and many other places elsewhere too.

Peter T · 30-08-2019 7:54am

covey123 wrote: »

Anyone hear any updates on the new 12km trail?

Nothing outside of what I read on here although I haven't been up there much over the summer to catch word of it. If I think of it next time I'll ask

covey123 · 30-08-2019 4:35pm

Hopefully getting there tomorrow, not been out in an age!will post back if I hear anything

covey123 · 01-09-2019 12:30pm

covey123 wrote: »

Hopefully getting there tomorrow, not been out in an age!will post back if I hear anything

Well nothing happening yet anyway, will be October the earliest before anything is started so going to be a while before we see anything

fatbhoy · 13-09-2019 9:06pm

Bike Park Wales, boyo!

iwillhtfu · 13-09-2019 9:26pm

fatbhoy wrote: »

Bike Park Wales, boyo!

The weather looks very Welsh, How did ya get on? worth the trip over?

Any pans to go watch Redbull Hardlne?

fatbhoy · 13-09-2019 10:47pm

iwillhtfu wrote: »

The weather looks very Welsh, How did ya get on?worth the trip over?

Any pans to go watch Redbull Hardlne?

I booked the Wednesday and Thursday ages in advance, hoping that it would be dry. Turned out that those two days were the only wet ones for ages, and the rest of the week is sunny. It was drizzly each morning, drying out by early afternoon.

I was really nervous: on my own, doing the trails blind. I tucked in behind others at first and followed them down. Started on the blues (one is 4.6KM :eek: :pac:), then did the reds from the second half of the first day on. Awesome. Reds have little road gaps, 2 - 3 foot drops, mad stuff. Loved it. I had hoped to do a few blacks the second day but bottled it. I was watching YouTube's Dave Jenvey (look him up, he's not very good and keeps crashing: a cult figure that we can all relate to :pac:) doing the blacks on the first night, and I'm there thinking that if he can do it, I can deffo, but I bottled it. Going back next year and I'll do them then. They're not too bad.

Stayed 30 minutes away in a lovely house, AirBnB, for like 20 euro a night. Full use of kitchen, garage to store bike etc.. Really quiet. Great sleeps.

307 euro Dublin <-> Hollyhead, Tues -> Thurs. 3/4 tank of petrol. Awesome chicken balti & garlic-chili naan each night, £7.20. Aldi and Lidl. Cost f-all. Day pass to BPW was like 40 euro.

Is it good? Is it what!!! Going to make it over twice a year from now on: start and end of summer.

Passed by the Redbull Hardline venue. Maaaaad steep valleys/mountains. Actually did a couple of the reds with a guy from near Portsmouth that was doing the camera-work at it. He was up to BPW and then heading to Hardline for the Saturday or something. He's a pro- MTB/Motocross camera guy.

Lemming · 13-09-2019 11:42pm

My spin "today" is more like a ride log of the last week.

Took part in round #5 of the PMBA/Hope enduro in Kirroughtree, Scotland over last Saturday (practice) & Sunday (race). Good course, weather held out for the most part with a bit of evening/overnight rain on the Friday so was a 50/50 regards slop-fest on any given stage. Five stages combining a mixture of official & off-piste trails (mostly red or black grade - or both - in severity) over 26km with 550m of climbing. The last stage caused a lot of people considerable difficulty such to the effect that the organisers offered a 'lite' version of the course (i.e. no podium or prizes just a separate category) for those opting to technically DNF by not completing a stage. Made it a bit more difficult to see how well I did in my category given that there were 80 entrants (Vets; no longer masters for me ...) and only 51 completed the race but no DNFs listed, so either a lot didn't turn up which I don't think was the case, or some 29 riders opted to forgo stage five. In any case, I got smoked; the category winner put a good 7 minutes into my time. Still all in all and awesome time was had, and a great day out on the bike and had a good laugh with other racers & marshals alike.

Will get pictures from the missus when she gets them off her camera; she got a lot. More here too from the official race affiliated photographers

Then spent a couple of days recovering in Glasgow before heading on up to Fort William. The drive alone is worth it as it is stunningly beautiful. We got the best of the weather on Thursday with the tail end of a tropical rainstorm hitting Scotland. There was a fair smattering of rain over the morning and whilst the wind speed was high, it wasn't high enough to stop the gondola. Speaking of ... you don't realise just how long this track is or how high up you are until you are looking back down from within the cable car gondola. It is a long, long, long way down. As a matter of note, Strava gave the total run time at 3.22km although it should be said that we didn't do the exact UCI line given the road gap is not permitted outside of sanctioned races, and the bridge at the start of the motorway was taped off - I'm guessing to stop people smearing themselves over the track. You also don't quite appreciate just how steep this course is either until you are on the gondola looking at it, or riding it. It is steep. Did I mention it was steep yet? We also had a go of 'Top Chief' which is a black grade trail from the top of the gondola (just over a bit from the UCI start hut) and is the trail with the board-walks along the side of the mountain for those who have seen a thousand and one videos on it. Technical track, lots of fun although the board walks are disconcerting to ride.

iwillhtfu · 14-09-2019 1:02pm

Cheers for the right up man that sounds like a class trip altogether. I may well give it a try when I'm back on the bike, took a spill on the bike last week and a double fracture to the collar bone is no bueno :rolleyes:

fatbhoy wrote: »

YouTube's Dave Jenvey

Just sub'd to this fella and have to say the man's a liability but seems like an ordinary decent criminal. He's mad for the jumping and in fairness he's quite good at some of the table tops but his list of injuries :eek: I'd have quit years ago.

covey123 · 15-09-2019 8:24pm

First time at Mount Hilary today,trail is broken up into 3 sections,top two are open with bottom one in wooded area.
Conditions were perfect,dry but not dusty with lots of sneaky line choices on top 2 trails, everything rollable at top,although bottom wooded section was a lot steeper and above my skills level, especially towards the end!
Great trail and fair play to those who put it in place.I'll need to get back and session top sections first though before trying the bottom again!

ianobrien · 21-09-2019 7:11pm

I was doing some exploring today around the Glen of Aherlow. Cut it short as there was a Mountain Running Association event on and I didn't want to interfere with the competition.

I was talking to the marshals and they didn't mind me up there. I said I was getting out as I didn't want to interrupt the runners.

That being said, I went for a short spin last night, trying out a hot mount light (getting ready for winter). I need to tighten the mounting strap.....

Plastik · 21-09-2019 7:58pm

I've been rocking around since the start of the year on a 2019 Vitus Nucleus VR. Absolutely fab little bike, 120mm up front, up to date long and slack geometry. A confidence inspiring blast. Sale thread to follow!

But came across a deal last week and upgraded to a very lightly used 2016 Kona Precept 150 which I had out around Djouce today for a few hours. Holy crap what a difference. A lot fo faffing around with the shock pump to try and dial in a setting but a spin of enlightenment followed. So different to the hard tail that it was as if it wasn't even the same sport. Unbelievable craic.

beauf · 21-09-2019 8:08pm

fatbhoy wrote: »

....I was watching YouTube's Dave Jenvey (look him up, he's not very good and keeps crashing: a cult figure that we can all relate to :pac:) ....

Ooh that looks interesting. Thanks for the heads up.

Peter T · 24-09-2019 9:09am

covey123 wrote: »

First time at Mount Hilary today,trail is broken up into 3 sections,top two are open with bottom one in wooded area.
Conditions were perfect,dry but not dusty with lots of sneaky line choices on top 2 trails, everything rollable at top,although bottom wooded section was a lot steeper and above my skills level, especially towards the end!
Great trail and fair play to those who put it in place.I'll need to get back and session top sections first though before trying the bottom again!

Local trail for myself. Top two sections are good crack and easy to loop back uphill for a few runs. The bottom section gets interesting alright

. Id be wary of the bottom section, I've seen plenty of walkers, hikers and runners heading up it. Wouldn't be expecting to meet a bike coming down against them. Must get up there for a few laps myself before the weather turns it to soup

covey123 · 24-09-2019 10:01am

Not too far from it myself, really need to get back more often to session the top sections.Oh and yeah, plenty of walkers were out that day,and a guy running up against me on the bottom trail..... that was my excuse to stop and get off and walk anyway ðŸ˜‹

Peter T · 08-10-2019 8:19am

Made it out for a quick spin last night near home. Mainly to test out the light I bought in aldi last week. Bought it to see if night time riding would be something id be into. Seem to do the trick for a short 1 hr spin out around the gravel roads and some single track too. The light steps up in intensity with each click and spent most of my ride at 2 and then at its brightest for the final blast down to the car. If its something I keep up i'll be investing in some proper light and keeping this as a back up.

Alkers · 08-10-2019 9:52am

Peter T wrote: »

Made it out for a quick spin last night near home. Mainly to test out the light I bought in aldi last week. Bought it to see if night time riding would be something id be into. Seem to do the trick for a short 1 hr spin out around the gravel roads and some single track too. The light steps up in intensity with each click and spent most of my ride at 2 and then at its brightest for the final blast down to the car. If its something I keep up i'll be investing in some proper light and keeping this as a back up.

Wouldn't have thought any Aldi lights would be up to night riding standard? Have a link?

These are the cheap amazon job that everyone I know uses, can't get over how good they are for the price

https://www.amazon.com/BESTSUN-Cycling-Bicycle-Headlight-Headlamp/dp/B00F372QSE/ref=sr_1_4?dchild=1&keywords=Cree+2000+lumen+bike+light&qid=1570524691&sr=8-4

Peter T · 08-10-2019 10:36am

https://www.aldi.ie/front-%26-rear-bike-light-set/p/017096282743300

That's the set I bought. Did the job for gravel riding and bits of trails I was on last night, could be a different story on rougher trails. I've come across the lights you linked in another thread. If I keep going for spins at night ill be considering them and maybe another light of some sort attached to my helmet

My spin today...

Comments