New Years Day is always a time when people are gung ho about making the changes that will improve their life in both small and big ways. It is also the first day that many who have waited with anticipation to launch themselves into their new regime fall by the wayside within hours of beginning.…
Sometimes you look at 2 bikes, which on first inspection seem to have a similar spec and you think to yourself 'How much difference can their actually be?' That was my initial reaction when I put the Giant Trance 1 alongside my own 29er dual suspension. The answer that I discovered was quite a lot…
Unless you are a pro riding the Tour de France this is all that you need to know about climbing hills on a bicycle. It is not about weight. It is not about watts. It is not about age, size or shape. To get up and over any climb the most important things are heart…
I like iPhones. I tried switching to a Samsung last year and it lasted about 3 weeks before I went back to an iPhone. Some things you just get used to and there is no getting away from it. Bike computers are like mobile phones and since I got my first Garmin 500 I have…
RTE today released archive news footage from 1985. Included are the reports from each days stage at the Nissan Classic in its' inaugural year. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p7Fs51BxT8c
'Get off the road' is a phrase that every cyclist that spends any amount of time cycling on public roads will be all too familiar with. In general it is voiced with aggression from a passing motorist or passenger. The natural reaction is to react aggressively and to question why should you get off the…
With the road season now drawing to a close many cyclists looking for other options to enjoy their winter cycling and build fitness are faced with a number of different options. Mountain biking is a great way to get out in a very healthy environment and stay fit in a very enjoyable way. This…
This morning as I stood outside a hotel waiting for my lift to the airport I watched the people passing by. Many were on their way to work, some were going shopping, but two really caught my eye. An old man slowly made his way carefully along the cobblestoned footpath. His eyes flicked from looking…
All the time I get asked all types of different cycling questions. Here are just a few. If you have any questions that you would like answered just drop me a line at barry@thecyclingblog.com Q : My day is very full. Where can I get the time to train? A : Get up earlier. Cycle…
Cycling a bike downhill fast is an experience close to flying. With the wind rushing again you, whilst you push your machine and your abilities close to their limits all senses are heightened. You learn to go fast by pushing beyond your comfort zone. You also learn by making mistakes. Sometimes you might overcook it…
Maurice 'Mo' Kiely was a larger than life character during his time on this earth. A man with a passion for anything with an engine, especially if that engine was attached to two wheels, he was known and liked far and wide. Sadly his time on earth came to an end far too soon but…
As today's final stage of the 2017 Vuelta blasted up the finishing straight I was reminded of a conversation that I had one day with Martin O'Loughlin. Froome had just won the overall race title, following on from another Tour de France victory. Everyone expected him to roll across the line with his hands in the…
I was chatting to a friend one day about cars and he remarked that whenever he sees a Skoda estate on the road he immediately thinks that it must be a cyclist behind the wheel, and much of the time he is right. Skoda is now the number one choice amongst professional teams when they…
Last weekend saw the 11th edition of the Sean Kelly Tour of Waterford. The weather was not ideal on Sunday but the vast majority of peoples spirits were high. On Saturday the 12k family cycle saw over 1500 take part. It was fantastic to see so many kids of all ages joined by their…
If you want to win a race, if you want to ride a 160k sportive or if you just want to improve your cycling, then the Law of Averages is for you. It is more important than your FTP or your max heart rate. It is more important than your weight, shape or size. In…
There is a lot of talk this year about the new route for the 160k Sean Kelly Tour of Waterford. With Mahon Falls and the Mauma road now excluded many have speculated that it will be easier and less of a challenge. That would probably be the wrong assumption to make. The new route takes in…
Last Sunday the 2017 Tour de France finished on the Champs Elysee in Paris. It was a short stage and a short commentary day for the TV pundits. Like many cycling fans I spend many an afternoon on the couch watching and listening to the commentators on Eurosport, and had a vision of them doing…
How to handle rain Here in Ireland we love to talk about the weather. It’s a national pastime. Cyclists are no different and will always have an eye on the weather forecast before going for spin. Ireland has some of the most beautiful scenic roads in the World for cycling. Foreign cyclists who come here…
Sprinters are a rare breed. Off the bike some can be brash and overconfident, but the majority tend to be softly spoken and gentle creatures. However, when you put either kind on a bicycle within sight of a finish line they become ferocious raging animals, gladiators fighting as if their lives depended upon crossing that…
What cycling was like before Strava : Cycling due to the individuality of the sport and the competitive nature of bike racing in general is often seen to be a discipline where to win at all costs is the only thing that matters. For sure, in the heat of battle when the line is in…