Tour of Wessex ride report finally up. I'm still iffy about Chiltern100. I might do the Medio instead of the full one and see how my achilles is. My Mum's rocking up tomorrow arvo too so it'd be nice to be conscious when she arrive! :)

Nice report mate.

No Powertap?? WTF are you going to do now?!

I've swapped the Powertap wheels for the original Ksyriums.. so no power, speedo, distance, nuffink but I climb faster :)

I've tried firmware update but no luck. Now emailed Saris for help.

Huw Wiliams, Cycling Weekly says "A course of stunning imagination, the organisers have simply picked the best roads, whether uphill or down its up to you as an experienced rider to get round it safely. Throw in a handful of soul-destroying long climbs a 60mph downhill and a typically British 20 mile section of rolling hills into a nagging headwind and you’ve got a course which provided one of the hardest Sportive challenges the UK has yet witnessed".



26th July, near Abergavenny

http://www.touroftheblackmountains.com/index.html

Anyone interested?

Dragon Ride, Wales June 15th 2008. 180k, 3000m climbing.



210th of 1237 finishers.

6:11:38 - 18.1mph average.

How can I put this...

er..

fuck off?

illy, you (+ francis) want to try out the new bike on the black mountains?

I much prefer that answer than "oh maybe sure err hills you say um.."

I did it last year. Well, when I said I did it I rode the first 20 miles before deciding the roads surfaces were too dangerous and abandoned. I witnessed 3 crashes and came close twice myself. Apparently it improved shortly afterwards. Typical. I need to HTFU.

What were the roads like? What made them bad?

The first 20 miles were on a single track lane up a valley. This was just after the storms that caused all the flooding last July so the road was covered in wash off from the fields - so a fine sandy soil and lots of grit. There was a lot of standing water around too. It was treacherous.

it was the 'nagging headwind' part that i felt really sold it

like this..

Something like that. Less cars, more sheep. (It is Wales after all).

Sounds perfect then.. the more people that pack the higher up the ranks I finish without actually having to be fast hehe

Looks tempting ralph - are you going down?

Ah fark.. accomodation.. knew there was something else needed doing. Cunting pus buckets.

okay, after speaking with the hippy the deed is done. i am pre-registered for next years Tour of Ireland. looks like the leg-shaving days will be revisited after all.

yee haa!

It's okay Jonny I'll wipe away your tears and apply the embrocation.. ;)

Nice one.

cheers dude - five days flying round the backroads of ireland with white froth streaming from my beard. perfect.

they have already got back asking Elite - Club - Leisure. I am thinking of going Elite Leisure.

hehehe You take Leisure to an elite level. :)

I've not looked at their site yet but I have a feeling I'm going to be opting for the Maximum Pain option again.

Anyone doing Devil Ride on Sunday?

How did you get on then, hippy?

Anyone else signed on for the Wild Wales Challenge?

Finished it. Was a good ride. Fucking nice countryside. Took some pics on the phone. Some big hills. Dried out after 30mi and I actually got a bit sunburnt. Sheep are suicidal.
Bit sore now since I'd not ridden S-Works since the end of June.

After having a sweet ride on the Devil, I entered their other event, the Autumn Epic. It's meant to be a bit easier. Anyone else? Entries are up to about 790 from 1000 max.

http://www.cyclosportives.co.uk/epicRoute.htm

I want to do the Southern Sportive:

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps/ms?ie=...1&source=embed

5500m of climbing in 230k/140mi..
http://www.davelloydmegachallenge.com/

Could be a goer for me after Tour of Ireland. If I can just get motivated to get on the fucking bike again!

signed up. anyone else? sam, illy, dogs? growing list of entries, 800+ now. should find a decent peloton in there

It's meant to be easier than Devil Ride so we can smash it up. :)
'cept I still won't have done any training and will just grovel along..

illy you slag you like hills, where are ya?

Too far (away) for me.

Another fine ride from the Wild Wales Challenge organisers this year. Maximum gradient turned out to be 23%, which was nice. To my shame, I was beaten by a man dressed in tweed on a flat bar hybrid.

I've found the best road for a hill climb challenge in Harlech, a twisty 40% with the caution "unsuitable for motors". What GI do you recommend for that?

Circuit of Kent sportive today..

It was good. Weather was fucking ace!
I was running late so I started basically last except for a guy fixing a puncture.
Passed everyone I saw except for 3 guys from De Ver Cycles who I lost when I started cramping.
I think I almost got a gold time (Sam later confirmed 3min off it - doh!).
Almost caught Sam on the last hill but I was cramping up like a mofo :)
Loads of marshalls, food and jazz band at the end, moto outriders, very well done.

Fastest time was apparently 3:03 WTF?! but that's an AVERAGE speed of 42kph. Timing error?
I came in 43rd out of 149 and I bet most of the fuckers in front of me were riding in nice little bunches whereas my time was a all solo baby! Those cheating bastards! ;)

Anyone interested in the Tour of Dartmoor?
http://www.tourofdartmoor.com/
Single day 106 mile (£25) & 85 mile (£20) routes 27th September 2008

top effort hipster, considering you've done sweet FA riding on the tarmac.