Thanks for all that advice. I have no specific race targeted yet. I’ll look into that over the next while. Tell me is there any chance that the bike to work is a scam and I’d do as well walking into a fella with can up front. My place of work has only 2 shop options on the list of bike to work.
Advice I was given from a trustworthy source was to see the B2W as a 500 quid discount. They know most people will look to buy bikes around 900 quid or so and the prices are jacked up accordingly. So the bike you’re buying for 900 that might cost you 450 is really only worth 700 or something. His advice was to look at the bikes priced around the 1200-1300 bracket and then use B2W to get them for 700-800 and thats where it really works in your favour.
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One of the guys in the triathlon club told me to look for a second hand bike in the weeks before the Dublin Ironman takes place.
he reckoned lots of lads try to pick up a new bike for it and don’t tell the wife so they are motivated sellers 
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Have you tried looking on adverts.ie? Or even having a word with one of the local cycling clubs? Many of the fellas in those have multiple bikes that they often sell along. Generally, though not always the case, they will tend to look after the bikes too.
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I was actually thinking along these lines myself earlier. Sounds very plausible
Actually the difference between aluminium and carbon is the road vibration that they soak up.
I honestly would go for a carbon frame. Aluminium isn’t my thing. It’s a much harsher ride, and even the best ones can slowly deform away from the drive chain side over the years.
I have a high end (principia ) Ali frame in Ireland. It’s waay harsher than any carbon I’ve ridden, whatever the cost.
I’ve very recently made the change.
I had an aluminium with 105 components for last three years.
A lad in the club had the carbon version with more or less same spec (I even transferred my Mavics to the carbon) that he was selling. He had only done about 500km on the bike so it was practically new.
Can’t get over the difference. It’s a much much smoother ride than I was used to. I’ve notice the benefits already over short TT bursts (winning the 24km two days after getting the bike) and on the longer spins of 90km+ (a PB on Shallee hill on my first attempt with new bike, and I wasn’t even pushing it hard).
I think if you get an alloy frame, the likelihood is you’d regret it within a year. I can see a few of the lads left with alloy frames looking at changing as they’ve already seen the gains I made (til I came off the fucking thing).
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Placebo effect
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That was the plan originally but the fucker is going from strength to strength.
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Old skool alert.
Back on the bike tonight after a week recuperating. Was just going out to spin the legs on but my club mates gave me a bit
Of support in first few km and we got a lovely 46km spin, averaging just over 34km/hr. Body feels reasonably ok too. Knee held up much better than I thought.
Great to be back out
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You’re the definition of “get back on the saddle”
Was getting a bit stir crazy mike so had to get back out there. 
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Ye were moving lively
A bit slower than last week and with a bigger group, so it wasn’t as hard going.
It’s a flat road so easy enough build up a bit of speed. Had gone out with the first 8, who be slower, but when a group of 6 passed by, I jumped on and brought a few with me. Had fully intended on taking it easy but there was no real hardship last night and body felt fine.
Easy enough get those speeds up on a flat route with a group. We ended up with 9 in our group, and only split with a few km to go. Four of us took off and the rest came in a minute after us.
Do ye hit the hills on the week night spins? I would have though Keeper and Shallee would figure prominently in yere club spins
Sunday spins will have a big hill or two fired in. Keeper would be MTB only. Shallee would be a regular. Wednesdays would usually include the drag at Birdhill up
And down to the apple green as well
We also do a bit of hill training on Fridays, but more a steady drag.
Wednesdays are speed, Fridays hillwork and Sundays endurance/leisure/whatever way you wanna put it.
At that pace (34km av) it must be fairly pan flat as in 250m climbed in day 45km. Plus with a strong group you’d get up to that pace. But a fair pace min the less.
''Tis flat out. About 250m is right. The wind is usually a killer on way back but other than that it’s handy enough. Not too tricky to get a 36km average with a decent 5-6 man group
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