C2C
johnonthetyne
Posts: 7
anyone thinking of doing sustrans c2c check out our forum site and find all the info youll need.http://c2c.freeforums.org/
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Comments
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...thanks excellent link...some friends and I are planning to ride the C2C...lot's of useful info for us on your forum......all the way...'til the wheels fall off and burn...0
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thanks,please post a reveiw of your ride and any reccomendations you may have,good luck with the ride.0
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I did it this weekend. 140 odd miles with plenty of climbing. We did it in 2 days which seemed ok.
The first day started in whitehaven (or maybe workington, I cant remember - the lower of the two anyway)
The ride out is easy and you can blast along at a good pace.
The first decent hill is whinlatter pass. I was on a road bike with a standard double (53/39) and a 12 / 27 on the back. Also, I am 230 lbs
the climb was a grind but there were less steep bits where you could comprehend what you were doing. At the top of the hill it breask off for the off road bit - which on a carbon trek wasnt too pleasant and was in afct very hard work. I did it though and was pleased to have done it.
signage is great most of the way alaong. there is one bit you will come to where you arent sure if the sign is saying staright on or right (in a village just after the off road bits). you go straight on.
Then we cracked on, I think to greystoke. The map says this is downhill. Its lying. I found this tiring but mostly becuase of the pace rather than the hills.
Lovely ride from greystoke although a longish climb out of the town (I made the mistake of turnling left into a housing estate when faced with riding through a no entry, one way bit. Turns out there was a big climb up into the estate and it was the wrong way... doh! You do ride through the no entry signs as there is a cycle lane.
We has a quick break in renwick to top up on food and drink and set off for the last 5 miles of hill upto hartside cafe. Managed to ride it all and was really pleased. Your heart sinks when riding from renwick as you think this is a lot of climbing which you dont think will actually count towards the main climb itself (as you can see the cars on the road a few miles ahead) - well dont worry as all the climbing from renwick does count and once you join the main road going up hartside it actually gets less steep - although is a bit of a grind.
Was pleased to have done day 1. Cold bath that evening, butt cream and some lucozade sport and was right as rain the next morning. Was stood prepping my bike outside hartside cafe and noticed itchy legs. There were little bugs climbing all over them... rubbed them off but I got bit quite a bit and they ahve remained itchy since!
Anyway, after hassle with one guys bike holing us up for 1.5 hours we started blasting down from hartside. We were told today would be much easier. To some extent, we knew there would be a few hills, but were led to believe it was almost release the breaks and roll the last 50 miles into sunderland. easy.... actually no. Day 2 was rock solid. You ride into a town and you can see this massive hill on your left. Everyone can see it and you know your going up it which doesnt help. Anyway, there were some real bastard climbs this day. I was loving it by the end as I could feel I was getting stronger and stonger throughout and knew I could climb anything it threw at me (based on what I had done that weekend).
The last stretch was wasy but hard. The terrain was not steep but it was pissing down and since it was the cycle path, it was muddy as hell. If I ddi it again I might cut the cycle path at the end and just blast along the road. My bike was covered in crap.
In summary it was a great ride and in most places sign posted well. the climbing was hard going by anyones standard and since I am not too fit. quite heavy and on a high'ish geared bike it was all the more difficult. But I did manage it and didnt push on anything.
You should really enjoy it. kust make sure you ahve enough rest stops and have plenty of food for energy as it will sap you.
good luck
cheers
Martin
hartside hill
We had about two stops, finishing at the top of0 -
I did it this weekend. 140 odd miles with plenty of climbing. We did it in 2 days which seemed ok.
The first day started in whitehaven (or maybe workington, I cant remember - the lower of the two anyway)
The ride out is easy and you can blast along at a good pace.
The first decent hill is whinlatter pass. I was on a road bike with a standard double (53/39) and a 12 / 27 on the back. Also, I am 230 lbs
the climb was a grind but there were less steep bits where you could comprehend what you were doing. At the top of the hill it breask off for the off road bit - which on a carbon trek wasnt too pleasant and was in afct very hard work. I did it though and was pleased to have done it.
signage is great most of the way alaong. there is one bit you will come to where you arent sure if the sign is saying staright on or right (in a village just after the off road bits). you go straight on.
Then we cracked on, I think to greystoke. The map says this is downhill. Its lying. I found this tiring but mostly becuase of the pace rather than the hills.
Lovely ride from greystoke although a longish climb out of the town (I made the mistake of turnling left into a housing estate when faced with riding through a no entry, one way bit. Turns out there was a big climb up into the estate and it was the wrong way... doh! You do ride through the no entry signs as there is a cycle lane.
We has a quick break in renwick to top up on food and drink and set off for the last 5 miles of hill upto hartside cafe. Managed to ride it all and was really pleased. Your heart sinks when riding from renwick as you think this is a lot of climbing which you dont think will actually count towards the main climb itself (as you can see the cars on the road a few miles ahead) - well dont worry as all the climbing from renwick does count and once you join the main road going up hartside it actually gets less steep - although is a bit of a grind.
Was pleased to have done day 1. Cold bath that evening, butt cream and some lucozade sport and was right as rain the next morning. Was stood prepping my bike outside hartside cafe and noticed itchy legs. There were little bugs climbing all over them... rubbed them off but I got bit quite a bit and they ahve remained itchy since!
Anyway, after hassle with one guys bike holing us up for 1.5 hours we started blasting down from hartside. We were told today would be much easier. To some extent, we knew there would be a few hills, but were led to believe it was almost release the breaks and roll the last 50 miles into sunderland. easy.... actually no. Day 2 was rock solid. You ride into a town and you can see this massive hill on your left. Everyone can see it and you know your going up it which doesnt help. Anyway, there were some real bastard climbs this day. I was loving it by the end as I could feel I was getting stronger and stonger throughout and knew I could climb anything it threw at me (based on what I had done that weekend).
The last stretch was wasy but hard. The terrain was not steep but it was pissing down and since it was the cycle path, it was muddy as hell. If I ddi it again I might cut the cycle path at the end and just blast along the road. My bike was covered in crap.
In summary it was a great ride and in most places sign posted well. the climbing was hard going by anyones standard and since I am not too fit. quite heavy and on a high'ish geared bike it was all the more difficult. But I did manage it and didnt push on anything.
You should really enjoy it. kust make sure you ahve enough rest stops and have plenty of food for energy as it will sap you.
good luck
cheers
Martin
hartside hill
We had about two stops, finishing at the top of0 -
hope you dont mind but have posted your story on my site,lets no if not ok,
cheers johnb(c2c)site admin0
