Just curious to know how everyone is managing and getting on with general day to day stuff while we are still only allowed the short distance from home to exercise, dont get me wrong I aint complaining or moaning, I doubt its a major problem for joggers and walkers, but we as mtbers like to cover ground and explore where we could pop out or link in some other places to make the most of the precious time that we can escape for. I for one am not really effected as I am always mad busy so dont get out much anyway. Is everyone lapping the local parks or have some just parked up the bikes for now. Anyway hope all is well.
How is everone keeping
Hi Gary good to get a conversation started on the forum. Missing everyone & Its crappy not being able to go on spins together. At the moment as its dark and cold I am using my turbo trainer at home , thankfully I bought it before the whole pandemic started. But when the days get brighter I hope to drive and park near ticknock after work and cycle up to ticknock or leadmines and do solo spins . If i lived nearer Id be up there now doing solo spins. I don't agree with the 5km rule for solo spins as I dont see what harm i can do on my own but obviously the government don't want crowds & groups gathering eventually and then donuts breathing on top of each other. Probably they know if they give the Irish an inch we will take a mile and then hospitals will be overrun again etc etc. But anyway that's just my opinion, im not replying here to have a covid debate lol. Can't wait to be vaccinated, hope they pump me full of the vaccine and then finally we get back to normal on lots of group spins with epic buddies, club league ,racing,doing skids and wheelies, jumps and tailwhips to our hearts content. And by the way i will hold you to those big Sunday spins you promised you would run this year on the snazzy new bike.....:; )
Hi Gary, Caroline! Great to hear you’re all good. Mad busy here too, working on site the whole time now, so it’s very ‘normal’ from Monday to Friday from 8-5 or six, granted everyone is masked up all the time and most meetings don’t go ahead in person. home then for the ‘normal’ family evenings, weekend quiet of course, but getting some solo spins in. Guards out our way are patrolling away, I got sent home from inside my 5km a few weeks ago, which was ‘interesting’. Feel for the kids most as their stuck home all the time and don’t see their buddies except on x-box games, where they can hear them but not see them. It’s different. Roll on the vaccines and the reductions on case, hospitalized, deaths, virus. A few months we’ll have more freedom. Mind yourselves.
I've been doing the odd "Hour of Power" on my roadbike to Howth,but I hate the cold so it's not a regular spin.Yesterday I was'nt in form for making an real effort,so I jumped on my mountainbike (which still has the dust on it from the Club Champs!! ) and went around my 5km.I went to Malahide,down Portmarnock beach,around the new housing estate's in Portmarnock,Baldoyle and Balgriffin.90 minutes just having a gawk and being nosy,17 kph average speed,jumped of a few steps,up a few grassy banks and I really enjoyed it!! Did'nt even raise a sweat!! I'm looking forward to the brighter evenings,an end to Covid and the Club League getting started,whenever that'll be.
Doing different stuff recently, more yoga and a bit of strength (I don’t have any so I can only improve) and a little bit of biking. Really enjoying getting up in the morning and seeing the sun come up that little bit earlier. Soon enough, it’ll actually be spring and that bit warmer and getting out on the bike will be all the easier.
on a different note, the committee is working away on plans for the League and we’ll have an update once we hear back from Coillte. And on a related note, have a look, if you haven’t already, at this presentation from Coillte regarding their plans for trail building: https://m.facebook.com/story.php?sto...39066222779824
on a different note, the committee is working away on plans for the League and we’ll have an update once we hear back from Coillte. And on a related note, have a look, if you haven’t already, at this presentation from Coillte regarding their plans for trail building: https://m.facebook.com/story.php?sto...39066222779824
Hi Gary. Haven't been on a bicycle in 3 months. Was having hip trouble back in November. So, actually the covid break from cycling has been good to recover the body. Feeling better now, dying to get back to the hills. My kids are primary school age, they're given youtube fitness work outs with "Joe Wicks" to do at home by their teacher. I've been joining in with them to keep fit. 8 minutes hopping around the sitting room, its not quite the same enjoyment as a 4 hour mtb spin. The prospect of the Epic club league is keeping me going. COME ON APRIL (or whenever it gets going)
hey all, fighting the Covid blues like us all, being keeping with the 5km, some road biking but Christ it's boring stuff. Most important is controling the weight and just losing the leg build up I had pre Christmas. I hope all of you lot are well. Wednesday spins will be back on the first week we are allowed!!!!!!!!!
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Hi All, great section to post Gary - I'm lucky - like DOK (Donagh) living close to the (I'm 2KM from) Leadmines - however it's been so wet I feel bad riding the ole mines - they're still in pretty good shape - I've (and others) have been blocking up some of the shortcuts, and the ole 'rock dropper' made a feeble attempt at blocking the end of 'test track' last weekend
It's really busy with walkers all weekend and dogs. and horses.
Been up and down the old N11 on the road bike - not exciting or hilly but feels nice just to be spinning the legs. Sooner this all passes the better.
Hope everyone is keeping well and having a good time where they can - it aint easy! mind yourselves all - hope too see you all soon on the trails!
It's really busy with walkers all weekend and dogs. and horses.
Been up and down the old N11 on the road bike - not exciting or hilly but feels nice just to be spinning the legs. Sooner this all passes the better.
Hope everyone is keeping well and having a good time where they can - it aint easy! mind yourselves all - hope too see you all soon on the trails!
All good guys
Been hitting the leadmines as often as possible. Was very wet today obviously.
Place is well used now between walkers and cyclists and the rain levels mean its pretty bad everywhere.
There’s a big tree across the last section which has been there for ages but has dropped lower so hard to get under if u were racing.
Otherwise looking forward to some good old club spins soon.
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Been hitting the leadmines as often as possible. Was very wet today obviously.
Place is well used now between walkers and cyclists and the rain levels mean its pretty bad everywhere.
There’s a big tree across the last section which has been there for ages but has dropped lower so hard to get under if u were racing.
Otherwise looking forward to some good old club spins soon.
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Hi all. Great to hear about other people's experiences. I'm also lucky in that i live within 5km of some great outdoor spots - running/cycling on bull island (good few CX'ers there too) and on Howth has been keeping me just about sane and ticking over. A year ago you'd see maybe one or two max mountain bikers on Howth on a weekend, lot more up there now. I've found new trails and routes there recently and have a couple of nice training loops that keep me going. Like every where else though there are tons of walkers so if i want to enjoy a good quiet spin i have to go early in the morning - at least the night-lights are getting used! We also got a dog last summer since working from home would mean my wife and I would be there to look after it. The dog is mad as a brush and if she isn't exercised for 2 hours a day she takes it out on the furniture. we're already down an armchair. a big benefit if this is that it means that no matter the weather or how we're feeling, the dog gets us out for a walk or a run. always feel better for it afterwards. Otherwise I'm also doing my best to support the local takeaways and wine shops. can't wait to get out on some big club spins soon.
Ohhhh a bit of action on the forum! Finn is keeping us pretty busy, can't believe he is nearly 4 months already! I got out on the bike in December, then tried the turbo a couple of times and that's about as far as my biking stories go! Hopefully everyone is as fat and unfit as me by the time lockdown is over ha ha.
Might I suggest a great big social spin when lockdown is over? Would be great to meet up and have the chats (if I can actually breath when cycling)
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Might I suggest a great big social spin when lockdown is over? Would be great to meet up and have the chats (if I can actually breath when cycling)
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Good to hear from everyone!
For me, except for the travel restrictions and inability to see my family since 2019 the rest is pretty much the same, myself and my partner are lucky enough to have jobs that are not affected by Covid so it's relatively smooth sailing for us.
Biking wise I'm just on the foothills of Ticknock so can't complain either, although the volumes of people here biking, hiking, horse riding and even quad riding has been a novelty, sometimes not in a good way.
I do believe we have to do our part also and bike responsibly and share the trails with other users, there have been some clashes in the area between walkers and bikers unfortunately.
Regarding staying fit... my focus for lockdowns has been primarily on skills so I spend a lot of time practicing in front of the house, local laneways, a few spots in the forest. Doing one hour or wheelies and bunny hops is a savage workout and a much better training than 1h on a turbo trainer. Mountain Biking is much more than just legs! I don't use turbo at all and online cycling has zero appeal to me.
You can do loads to improve as a rider, even without going to the mountains, if anyone has any questions just give me a shout and I'll share my skills training routines.
Hopefully see you all soon!
Max
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For me, except for the travel restrictions and inability to see my family since 2019 the rest is pretty much the same, myself and my partner are lucky enough to have jobs that are not affected by Covid so it's relatively smooth sailing for us.
Biking wise I'm just on the foothills of Ticknock so can't complain either, although the volumes of people here biking, hiking, horse riding and even quad riding has been a novelty, sometimes not in a good way.
I do believe we have to do our part also and bike responsibly and share the trails with other users, there have been some clashes in the area between walkers and bikers unfortunately.
Regarding staying fit... my focus for lockdowns has been primarily on skills so I spend a lot of time practicing in front of the house, local laneways, a few spots in the forest. Doing one hour or wheelies and bunny hops is a savage workout and a much better training than 1h on a turbo trainer. Mountain Biking is much more than just legs! I don't use turbo at all and online cycling has zero appeal to me.
You can do loads to improve as a rider, even without going to the mountains, if anyone has any questions just give me a shout and I'll share my skills training routines.
Hopefully see you all soon!
Max
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Hello everyone! Like Max I haven't seen family since 2019 but everyone is healthy so that's the main thing. Work is mental and onsite a couple of days per week otherwise I would go mad sitting in the kitchen on the laptop. Lucky to get vaccinated but it hasn't changed things at work, social distancing still applies. Cycling in and trying to get out at weekends frustrating as 5km is. Really missing the club spins.
We got a dog (failed Christmas foster) so she has been keeping us busy, plenty of walks and started training her on the local fire roads to run with the bike.
We got a dog (failed Christmas foster) so she has been keeping us busy, plenty of walks and started training her on the local fire roads to run with the bike.
As bad as lockdown is I’m lucky that I live less than a kilometre from the mountains. I haven’t been on any bike since early December due to bad asthma but am going to head out tomorrow morning for a gentle spin to see how I get on. I’m really looking forward to getting on the bike again agree with Erica, a big social spin as soon as we can would be a great way to meet everyone again.