The Northern Ireland Thread. *Warning* May include cake

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Comments

  • kingofthetailwind
    kingofthetailwind Posts: 575
    I heard it is closed road.
  • Treadstone Assassin
    Treadstone Assassin Posts: 52
    55 notes entry for the granfondo as well! Tempting..............but no!
  • NeXXus
    NeXXus Posts: 854
    Fools and their money, easily parted. Could do the NDCC Coastal twice for less and a charity benefits :D
    And the people bowed and prayed, to the neon god they made.
  • paul_mck
    paul_mck Posts: 1,058
    Bangor coastal FTW
  • mulletmaster
    mulletmaster Posts: 502
    Bangor coastal is a pretty uninspiring route though. Not that I have any intention of doing either.
  • paul_mck
    paul_mck Posts: 1,058
    Ah I like it :)
  • NeXXus
    NeXXus Posts: 854
    mulletmaster wrote:
    Bangor coastal is a pretty uninspiring route though. Not that I have any intention of doing either.
    Like most sportives here really. Me and Paul did Kings Moss together years ago, the year after it changed only slightly, how it's ran moreso than the route tempted me back to it. + KMCC and other local clubs heavily support our sportive :)

    LTL, BIBR, Gran Fondo, Etape Mourne et al can all do one,Commercial pocket lining with no charity beneficiaries
    And the people bowed and prayed, to the neon god they made.
  • paul_mck
    paul_mck Posts: 1,058
    Wot he said.

    You doing kings moss this year again Chris?
  • NeXXus
    NeXXus Posts: 854
    Providing it isnt pishing down :)
    And the people bowed and prayed, to the neon god they made.
  • paul_mck
    paul_mck Posts: 1,058
    No then lol
  • mulletmaster
    mulletmaster Posts: 502
    The roads we have here though and all these big sportives are ran round routes with a collective elevation less than my staircase.
    Tour of the glens is the obvious exception but it's not exactly mass participation.
  • paul_mck
    paul_mck Posts: 1,058
    you are allowed to enjoy cycling without going over mountains you know
  • NeXXus
    NeXXus Posts: 854
    paul_mck wrote:
    No then lol
    At our sportive I was in a group with a few KMCC boys who made it very clear, they were happy it was a great day,but also unhappy that the weather never favoured them :lol:
    And the people bowed and prayed, to the neon god they made.
  • dazz_ni45
    dazz_ni45 Posts: 468
    Always really enjoy the KMCC rain or no rain (no rain preferable). I think its a bit later this year?
  • mulletmaster
    mulletmaster Posts: 502
    paul_mck wrote:
    you are allowed to enjoy cycling without going over mountains you know
    That as well may be but cruising down the coast in a giant ropey peleton is no more a challenge for an actual cyclist than running a 5k is for the plump middle aged ladies I get requests to sponsor in work.
    By all means pitch up and have a whale of a time on your hard tail with peaked helmet but calling it a 'sportive' in the traditional sense of what constitutes one elsewhere is laughable. At least the grand fondo has a bit of distance and some attempt at a challenging route even if it is a corporate rip off
  • paul_mck
    paul_mck Posts: 1,058
    clearly there are various sportives for people of varying ability. But imo the bangor coastal is no less a sportive than the grand fondo or tour of the glens. That climb out of ards towards bangor is a stinker :P
  • kingofthetailwind
    kingofthetailwind Posts: 575
    What climb? :P

    Club/charity sportives are obviously much more deserving than commercial ones, but this one being on closed roads makes it unmissable for me. Doing any of the big European ones or Ride London is a remote possibility so I'll gladly pay £55 for this one. Great route too.
  • paul_mck
    paul_mck Posts: 1,058
    It's a least cat 10 lol
  • seanorawe
    seanorawe Posts: 950
    Anyone tried the new Coke bikes? I took the saddle off one and dropped a mento down the seat tube..... Nothing happened.
    Cube Attain SL Disc
    Giant CRS 2.0
  • paul_mck
    paul_mck Posts: 1,058
    seanorawe wrote:
    Anyone tried the new Coke bikes? I took the saddle off one and dropped a mento down the seat tube..... Nothing happened.

    aye had a blast on one yesterday. good enough to be honest. even got my pic on the belfast tele website!
  • seanorawe
    seanorawe Posts: 950
    paul_mck wrote:
    even got my pic on the belfast tele website!

    Some grin on ya :D
    Cube Attain SL Disc
    Giant CRS 2.0
  • seanorawe
    seanorawe Posts: 950
    What way does the pricing work? 20 pound a year to use whenever you want? What the half hour free thing about?
    Cube Attain SL Disc
    Giant CRS 2.0
  • paul_mck
    paul_mck Posts: 1,058
    seanorawe wrote:
    What way does the pricing work? 20 pound a year to use whenever you want? What the half hour free thing about?

    20 quid then you can use as much as you like up to 30 mins per go.

    So if Im going into town for lunch say I can grab a bike, cycle in, park it then have lunch. After I grab another bike to get back. Thats 2 sessions so both free.
  • paul_mck
    paul_mck Posts: 1,058
    seanorawe wrote:
    paul_mck wrote:
    even got my pic on the belfast tele website!

    Some grin on ya :D

    feck off lol! Caught off guard! 1 min later there was a hail/snow shower!!!
  • seanorawe
    seanorawe Posts: 950
    Someone in work was told somebody took one up Divis Mountain yesterday :shock: The pricing is a bit funny. Bit like, pay us money then you are ok until you go over 30 mins. Understandably it stops people taking a bike all day, but I was hoping for a cheap test of thing without the need for using again.
    Cube Attain SL Disc
    Giant CRS 2.0
  • paul_mck
    paul_mck Posts: 1,058
    seanorawe wrote:
    Someone in work was told somebody took one up Divis Mountain yesterday :shock: The pricing is a bit funny. Bit like, pay us money then you are ok until you go over 30 mins. Understandably it stops people taking a bike all day, but I was hoping for a cheap test of thing without the need for using again.

    just strap 20kgs of lead to your own bike then it will be the same.

    you can keep it over 30 mins, and pay 5 quid for a 3 day subscription vs 20 for a year.
  • kingofthetailwind
    kingofthetailwind Posts: 575
    seanorawe wrote:
    Anyone tried the new Coke bikes? I took the saddle off one and dropped a mento down the seat tube..... Nothing happened.

    LOL.

    I had a go at lunch today. Weird being so upright on a bike, I found it quite hard to handle initially.

    The guy that went up Divis is part of the Dave Kane Fluorotrain. I think it may take that level of fitness to get to the top. Not sure my knees could take it! A few guys in my club are planning to do it .....
  • wotnoshoeseh
    wotnoshoeseh Posts: 531
    All,
    Decent wheel builder in Belfast? Or local to Belfast?

    Thanks in advance..........
  • MisterMuncher
    MisterMuncher Posts: 1,302
    Dave Kane is apparently very good, but I have no direct experience. Joe at Velo Café has built a few sets for me and they've been really excellent. He's not hugely hard to pay either.
  • kingofthetailwind
    kingofthetailwind Posts: 575
    What MM said.

    Joe built my Archetypes, great wheels. He seems to be the most popular builder in Belfast by a long way. Luke Ireland also builds wheels.

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