'13 Ireland Summer SV Road Trip Plan

[CodeJACK]

Highly recommend north coast and if you can, plan trip around one of the road race events north or south.

Westport as a town is savage and always good night life. Very pretty place to visit.

Folks love Galway but not mad on it myself. Too many crusties

Kerry is amazing on the bike.

Wicklow mountains also worth a trip. Google Glendalough.

Trip sounds great, Cead mile failte.

First post here. Figured I'd throw out a reccomendation. There's a place called Barley Cove to the southwest, maybe 20 miles beyond Schull on the map. I go there habitually every year with the lads for camping, fishing, drinking and hiking. It's my favourite part of the country and the roads could make for some great riding, though I'm just starting riding over the next week so ain't tried them yet.
If you have a day or 2 to chill on beaches with campfires at night dont miss out

Thanks for your recommendation and welcome to the forum!

[ChrisCurvyS]

Tim factor in a bit of time to get lost in the Connemara mountains north of Galway - stunning scenery and pretty empty (if not always smooth) roads, a lot like the Scottish Highlands. Spent about nine hours up there one summer, just getting lost and feeling like I was the last person on Earth.

Bear in mind though - A-roads in the Republic are lot different to English ones. A lot more gravel-spewing drives, turnings, padestrians, loose tyre-nipping dogs - more hazards basically. There's a lot more 'life' in the Irish countryside (partly as a result of much looser planning laws meaning people actually live in rural areas) so you've got to adjust your riding to suit.

Also bear in mind bike parts and tyres are generally hard to come by outside of the cities as there's isn't really the biker population to support them. You'll have an awesome time though and you'll always find someone to help you if you're stuck.

Originally Posted by TCochrane

WOW! You have a picture of Bruno Mars standing next to your rental bike! Did you get his autograph?

Firstly, stop and get off the bike every hour whether you think you need to or not and have a walk off the bike and a drink. For instance Coventry to Holyhead is 200 miles, or about 3 hours riding. Split that into three legs rather than two (you'll need at least one stop for fuel anyway) and it will feel so much easier. Don't turn big mileage days into an endurance test, that's no fun and you're on holiday.

Originally Posted by TCochrane

daybag backpack on Laura's back throughout the trip

Can you change this to a cheap magnetic tank bag? After a weeks riding Laura will appreciate it. Try to get the bike to carry the weight, not yourselves.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/OXFORD-MAG...item3f20f8e59c

Put anti-slip matting underneath all your luggage to protect your paintwork. Look at the way the tail is wrapped in it on my SV

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Anti-Slip-...item2c6a5bcb90

Originally Posted by TCochrane

I however do not have a gel seat as they're beyond what I can afford, I feel my bum will have to suffer to some extent

Padded cycling shorts

http://www.gooutdoors.co.uk/avenir-m...shorts-p135270

[yorkie_chris]

Originally Posted by -Ralph-

Try to get the bike to carry the weight, not yourselves.

+1 definitely

That and plenty pillion riding before a big trip with loads of kit.


That and put the panniers way back on the bike, you need them back enough that the pillion can get their toes/ball of foot on the pegs, otherwise it stops you from getting your toes on the pegs and gets right in the bloody way of normal positioning. There's nothing worse than feeling cramped in by your luggage with a twisty road to attack!

Oh, and if you get hot weather, tell your girlfriend not to forget the exposed bit of skin on the back of her neck and tell her to dab a bit of suncream on (I'm a ginger too).

Thanks for all your wisdom guys, will look more into all the information this weekend with Laura and will look to buy extra gear as recommended by Ralph!

P.s.
she isn't ginger we had a good old laugh about that haha

Originally Posted by TCochrane

she isn't ginger we had a good old laugh about that haha

Oh, sorry. I assumed that was her in the picture with ginger hair and quite fair skin. I could imagine sunburn coming very easily.

Having spent a lifetime so far being ginger myself, the concept of using dye to achieve it on purpose is an alien one to me LOL

Or perhaps I got the wrong end if the stick, and that's not Laura in the picture at all? Bruno Mars' girlfriend perhaps?


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