Scouting the Dragon
topcattim
Posts: 766
I went round the 85 mile version of the Dragon last week, just to get a sense of the hills, prior to the real thing next weekend. Looks like a great route. The 12 to 15 miles from Bridgend to Port Talbot is a good distance to be able to warm up ready for the first climb up the Bwlch. I'd been a bit worried about the intensity of the hills (where I live in Hampshire has lots of short sharp hills, but nothing like the scale and distance of South Wales), but found that if I just got a good cadence, I could cope just fine on all of them. Second time up the Bwlch was a bit of a challenge, its about 13 miles of continuous climbing out of Neath, but there's a great reward of about 15 miles of pretty much continued descent into Bridgend again. So I'm definitely looking forward to the event proper, and my message to anyone who, like me is doing it for the first time is "Yes, its possible". See you there!
0
Comments
-
Yup, I did the Dragon last year and despite the climbing, I found it to be a fast course. The first 30-40 miles was very fast, I averaged 21mph without having to work all that hard and I'm not normally anywhere near that kind of pace when riding in my usual haunts.
I've done flatter centuries this year - HHH and Essex is Flat and strangely found them harder than the dragon from last year. Maybe its the rose tinted glasses talking. The hills from last year are all a manageable gradient so its just a case of settling in to a rythm.0 -
I'm not looking forward to the Dragon at all but feel a bit more encouraged after Mingsta's comments. The Essex and Herts lanes are where I do all my riding and I thought the Essex is Flat ride was a doddle.0
-
There are no really steep hills but plenty of long drags which can be energy sapping, especially if windy.
The bit I found worst was climbing Rhigos ( no probs) then descend to Hirwaun and then a long gradula climb towards Brecon into a horrible headwind. Hope the wind is not Northerly next week!!
Feel free to browse and donate:
http://www.justgiving.com/davidbethanmills
My winter and summer bike pics
http://oldwelshman.myphotoalbum.com0 -
Its no bad thing to be slightly fearful of this ride, I'm scared enough to order a compact
But the encouraging comments in this thread are very welcome, cheers guys!
By the way, does anyone know what the highest gradients are on the route?0 -
<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by oldwelshman</i>
Hope the wind is not Northerly next week!!
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">
Metcheck have got the long range forecasts up for various events that weekend. Currently expect north westerly winds around 15mph.0 -
<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by oldwelshman</i>
There are no really steep hills but plenty of long drags which can be energy sapping, especially if windy.
The bit I found worst was climbing Rhigos ( no probs) then descend to Hirwaun and then a long gradula climb towards Brecon into a horrible headwind. <b>Hope the wind is not Northerly next week!!</b>
Feel free to browse and donate:
http://www.justgiving.com/davidbethanmills
My winter and summer bike pics
http://oldwelshman.myphotoalbum.com
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">
I'll be sat on your wheel as usual then [;)]
<font size="1">Time! Time! It's always too long and there's never enough!</font id="size1">0 -
I think that we will be going quick on this one as Jim seems really keen to get some good times in so I will be hanging to his wheel on climbs [:D] I have a chance though as the climbs are not as long or steep as the CGF[:D]
I might be staying in caravan in hiya butt bay night before [8D]
Feel free to browse and donate:
http://www.justgiving.com/davidbethanmills
My winter and summer bike pics
http://oldwelshman.myphotoalbum.com0
