This morning was a great morning to be out with the Carrick Dole gang. The Dole gang gained their title during the recession when jobs were scarce in Carrick, but whilst the name remains, most members are now gainfully employed once again. Some now work shifts whilst others work Saturdays in order to have their …
Last week the Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors called for Hi Viz clothing to be made compulsory for all Irish cyclists. This seems to have been a token gesture without very much effort going in to the reasoning behind it. Those who do not cycle, complain when they see a cyclist who does not …
I remember a few years ago on a winter training spin one of the lads in the group mentioning that he had punctured 23 times so far that winter, and it was only December. He had changed tyres and tubes and even wheels at that stage. Two weeks later I was reminded of the conversation …
There has never been so many people cycling bicycles over the age of eighteen in Ireland as there are now. They come in all shapes and sizes. From those who wear oilskins, even in the height of summer, to cycle to work all year round, to those who having discovered the sport in the past …
As the season fast approaches there are a number of key items that any aspiring racer needs to be aware of, and to focus upon. You have trained hard all winter so you might as well put all of that work to good use. Here are 10 tips that should help you on your way …
Those who do not cycle or take part in any form of challenging exercise often wonder what the appeal is. Why would anyone want to cycle around crappy back roads or busy main roads for hours at a time on a bicycle they ask. The answer is twofold and is both external and internal. Externally …
Nowadays road bikes come in all shapes and sizes. Giant were the first manufacturer to introduce sloping top tubes. Initially people thought they looked weird compared to the horizontal top tubed steel frames that everyone was used to. However nowadays the vast majority of road bikes have sloping top tubes, they are the norm and …
It feels good for the lion or the gorilla but what about poor Tommy or Billy at the back. They feel like an antelope after being savaged by a pride of Lions. It takes a different form of mental strength to keep coming back for more but they always do because they know that their day will come too.
The alarm clock bleating at 5am on a cold and frosty morning in early January is not often greeted pleasantly, but when it means a trip to Dublin airport to board one of Micky Ryans’ Aerobuses to the Spanish sunshine, it’s not so bad having an early start. Bike racks abound in the red car …
Just before Christmas we ran a survey to get an idea of where the cycling market is in Ireland at present and to see what it is you as a cyclist want when spending your hard earned money on a sport that is more of a way of life than a hobby. The results are …
The New year is a time for fresh starts and new plans. Goals are set (or just dreams if you don’t write them down) and motivation is high. Enthusiasm is seeping out of every pore as everyone prepares for what will be their best year ever, or not depending on the amount of stickability you …
Your first port of call at any coffee stop should be the bathroom to change your base layer.
Cycling and boxing are two of the very toughest sports in the World. When Stephen Roche was looking for motivation to train when preparing for the 1987 season he would sit and watch one VHS movie before going out on his bike. That movie was Rocky IV. I have written before about what Rocky’s life …
The appeal of the bike for me and many others is not just to get fit, or to go and do specific training. It is to get headspace out in the fresh air. It also offers the opportunity to see parts of life that surround you that become lost in the noise of everyday living. Why would you go out in the rain? why would you leave home in a freezing fog?
Last Saturday morning Anthony was working so I headed off solo for the morning spin. Not feeling very motivated I decided to take the back road to Kilsheelan for the simple reason that I like to look at the colours of the leaves at this time of year, and there are plenty to see in …
For those not fortunate enough to have made it to last weekends Rouleur Classic in London here is the Sean Kelly Collection that was on display at the event. Barry www.thecyclingblog.com www.seankellycycling.com
Yesterday morning I sailed out of Rosslare at 9am with Sean Kelly en route to the Rouleur Classic in London. The Classic is the Worlds No. 1 cycling exhibition and it is easy to see why when you see so many of the Worlds top brands and personalities represented in such an intimate setting. Our …
My friend Ger is a recreational cyclist who cycles regularly when not climbing mountains, but has not yet made the step up to clipless pedals and shoes. Here he gives an interesting and entertaining glimpse into one of his average solo spins : You roll out the driveway onto your first bit of road and …
The vast majority of clips that appear all too regularly are posted by genuine cyclists who just want to enjoy a safe and enjoyable spin on their bike without a one tonne motorised missile piloted by an iPhone yielding, Facebook checker inner, sipper of a latte who sometimes gets confused between a windscreen and a tv screen as they are both secondary to their smartphone screen
Out cycling on the road it is important to be aware of your surroundings and what obstacles might lay ahead. 95% of cyclists wear sports glasses whilst out on the road, and they help to improve your vision whilst also keeping flies, dust and midgets out of your eyes. They also help your eyes to …