Cycling Ireland



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Bruce McLeod

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I am heading a group of physicians, from Canada, who plan to cycle parts of Ireland Sept 19th -28.
We are looking for local bike riders who might tour us around or 'tour for Guiness'. Alternatively
can anyone advise us of local rides apart from usual tour company routes starting in Galway and
moving on to Cork and around Dublin.

Thanks.
 
On Fri, 07 Feb 2003 15:16:52 -0400, Bruce McLeod <[email protected]> wrote:

>I am heading a group of physicians, from Canada, who plan to cycle parts of Ireland Sept 19th -28.
>We are looking for local bike riders who might tour us around or 'tour for Guiness'. Alternatively
>can anyone advise us of local rides apart from usual tour company routes starting in Galway and
>moving on to Cork and around Dublin.

OK, I can't make a contribution to anything relating to cycling but the thing I'd throw in based on
driving across Ireland last year is this: think about what tyres you might want to use, some of the
roads over there are not always 'that' briliant and you may find a thin road tyre to be a bit
'rough' sometimes. I remember I was often saying to myself, 'don't think much to these roads, I'd be
riding with a decent 'touring' tyre if I was cycling here'.

See if you can get a bit of feeback from locals riders over there to confirm/dispute this.

But the Emerald Island surely a lovely palce to visit/cycle.

Tour for Guinness and drink it profusely too <always my favourite drink....if it's poured
properly!!> Have a good one.

bob
 
Bob's right. Ride fatter than 23c. Ride 28c and you'll have no problems. Ireland has a huge network
of small roads which we call boreens. These are excellent for cycling apart from iffy surfaces in
parts. You must get proper detailed maps. There's an ordinance survey series which does the country
in 4 bits and it's ideal.
 
>OK, I can't make a contribution to anything relating to cycling but the thing I'd throw in based on
>driving across Ireland last year is this: think about what tyres you might want to use, some of the
>roads over there are not always 'that' briliant and you may find a thin road tyre to be a bit
>'rough' sometimes. I remember I was often saying to myself, 'don't think much to these roads, I'd
>be riding with a decent 'touring' tyre if I was cycling here'.

On the plus side there's lots of resurfacing done. Unfortunately it's usually with a very coarse top
layer, and without paying much attention to the subroadbed or drainage, I believe. End result: a
road that doesn't take kindly to properly inflated tires in the first place, and quickly detoriates
(not helped by the stream of dump trucks using it to get to the next road works...) If you're really
lucky, you'll find some stretches where they already applied the new asphalt, but not yet the
gravel. Nevertheless it still is one of the best places to ride!

Mark van Gorkom.
 
[email protected] (Mark van Gorkom) wrote:

> On the plus side there's lots of resurfacing done. Unfortunately it's usually with a very coarse
> top layer, and without paying much attention to the subroadbed or drainage, I believe. End result:
> a road that doesn't take kindly to properly inflated tires in the first place, and quickly
> detoriates (not helped by the stream of dump trucks using it to get to the next road works...) If
> you're really lucky, you'll find some stretches where they already applied the new asphalt, but
> not yet the gravel. Nevertheless it still is one of the best places to ride!

And there is the Wicklow Way....
 
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