Gran Fondo Cymru

dodge1302

So who's doing this event this year?

This will be my first attempt at it, so not exactly sure what to expect. Any advice would be gratefully received, e.g. gearing etc., time standards etc.

Is there anyone who has done the FoD as well and how does this event compare in terms of climbs with the GFC?

I'm really looking forward to it for sure...

SteveR_100Milers

Depends on how fit and strong you are. It's definitely one of the harder UK sportives, especially the long one that inlcudes bwlch y groes and hirnant pass at the end. Its a 12-27 rear cassette for me thats for sure

dodge1302

Cheers Steve, I know what you are saying. I guess I was just trying to compare the hills in the FoD Classic with those in the GFC regarding gearing.

I got round in 6 hours 7 mins for the FoD, which I think was silver, and used 34x23 which was about right I would say for that event. Just trying to gauge whether that gearing would be OK for the GFC, I guess it'd be best to err on the safe side.

howiejmidlands

I am doing the Medio, but expect some severe climbs. I now know i will be walking on some of them, but thats due to being a bit of a pie eater, in the past, so once the weight is down, i will be riding instead of walking.
Looking forward to some great scenery and hopefully some good weather.

campagone

[/quote]especially the long one that inlcudes bwlch y groes and hirnant pass at the end. Its a 12-27 rear cassette for me thats for sure[/quote]

GFC isn't going up the Hirnant this year, instead it crosses over from Vyrnwy to the Tanat Valley to finish with an 8km climb from Llangynog, it was the killer climb in Cycling Weekly a few weeks ago.

SteveR_100Milers

campagone wrote:

especially the long one that inlcudes bwlch y groes and hirnant pass at the end. Its a 12-27 rear cassette for me thats for sure[/quote]

GFC isn't going up the Hirnant this year, instead it crosses over from Vyrnwy to the Tanat Valley to finish with an 8km climb from Llangynog, it was the killer climb in Cycling Weekly a few weeks ago.[/quote]

I haven't looked at this years route - assumed it was same as last year. Either way, I havent ridden either climbs, but I know that after the rest of the route a 27 bottom is definitely required....

oldwelshman

I would say 27 with a compact.
The day before the event last year I did the bwlch easily on a 39 x 21 and 19 (both sides) but on the day after 100 miles in pissing down rain and cold wind, I was on a 27 on the bwlch and took 4 minutes longer to get up in the head wind !!
The route is strange in that it has some shortish really steep climbe before the long steady ones also so you need low gear for those.
I also used the low gear when I was knackered at the end.