1st sportive - Cumbrian Christmas Cracker?

Dr M

thinking of entering this as my first sportive. I've only had my bike about a month (although been mountain bikng for years) and can do about 75 miles at moment with 1800m climbing, so i think i'll be ok for it, although i know it'll probably be cold!!!!

Anyone done this one before, whats it like? I think i'll be more concerned with the risk of ice etc on the roads and skinny tyres :?

LeighB

I've never done this event but regularly ride in this area. The route looks good and if you can do 75 miles with hills you should be ok. I think the last climb on this event is up Gummers Howe Road; this will be a challenge after a few miles if your not used to climbing in this area. If you go steady the roads are ok in winter just look out for flows of water turning to ice if its cold/freezing; I came off early this year and broke my ribs but this was on a cycle path so I now feel safer on a salted road.

london-red

This looks like great fun... I can already taste that pint of Jennings Cumberland Ale in the pub afterwards, sitting by a roaring fire... I think I'll sign up.

[email protected]

Dr M wrote:

thinking of entering this as my first sportive. I've only had my bike about a month (although been mountain bikng for years) and can do about 75 miles at moment with 1800m climbing, so i think i'll be ok for it, although i know it'll probably be cold!!!!

Anyone done this one before, whats it like? I think i'll be more concerned with the risk of ice etc on the roads and skinny tyres :?

Hi Dr M i've also not done any sportives but i'm thinking of doing this one.
Is there a website i can goto to sign up?
I usually only do 25 to 40 miles on my rides so i'll have to increase my mileage abit .
Looks fun though

vermooten

Here's the website: http://www.epicevents.org/section.php?xSec=17

Dr M

well i've put my entry in

I copied the route into memory map so if anyone wants it (or as a .gpx file) i can email it. Got no space to host it for a direct download unfortunately

I'm moving to the lakes next week to live (windermere area) so once i get my move sorted i'll probably be looking for some people to ride with if any of you are from over that area.

[email protected]

Thanks for that vermooten will check it out.

[email protected]

I've signed up see you there.

cumbriamike

thinking of entering this as my first sportive. I've only had my bike about a month (although been mountain bikng for years) and can do about 75 miles at moment with 1800m climbing, so i think i'll be ok for it, although i know it'll probably be cold!!!!

It would be a good choice, I did this as my first sportive last year & despite being colder than I have ever been it didn't put me off & I have done several more since.

Being December It was bitterly cold but after a week of sub zero temperatures, on the day it was actually about 2°C so the roads were ok.

Although only about 70 people entered, the atmosphere was brilliant & the Epic Events team are very friendly & helpful.

Its a great route, through Grizedale Forest & then Hawkshead, Ambleside, Grasmere up the very steep Red Bank (no shame in walking) on to Coniston & east of the lake before the 'sting in the tail' of Fell Foot & Gummers Howe another steep climb.

Best of all the free Christmas Pud & custard at the finish was a inspired idea.

A word of warning if you do enter don't get your 'Cartmels' mixed up as the start is at Cartmel Fell (a very remote place) not Cartmel Village.

[email protected]

Hope you don't mind but i'd like some advice and tips on doing this sportive.
What sort of mileage do you think is right for training for this a event.
I can do 30 miles no problem but i've not had much chance to get on the bike lately.
I don't know if it will be to much for me but there is only one way to find out.
I'm tempted to just go out and see if i can do 60-70 mile but i'm not sure if this wound be wise or just daft.

london-red

Just entered

[email protected], I think you'd need to be doing 50 miles reasonably often to comfortably complete this one - although the hills will hurt regardless of how many miles you've got in your legs. If you're doing 30 miles comfortably now, you've got no worries preparing for this. Up the mile rate by 5 or 10 a week until you hit the 70 miles and there you go. Make sure you choose training routes with some hills. Bosh.

Christmas pud and custard beckons

Dave

[email protected]

Thanks London-Red
I know one thing for sure the Christmas Pud got no chance against me

pinarellodude

Might do this sportive ,did my first sportive yeterday the cumberland challenge and took it easy and taking our time at feed stations etc managed 6hrs 53mins and I tend to only do rides around the 30miles area due to family comitments.

nasahapley

I'd never heard of this before but it looks good, I want to explore the south Lakes a bit more so reckon I'll enter this. Cheers Dr M!

sicrow

I've never heard of this one either but its a beautiful part of the world (especially in december without all the tourists) so I'm signing up as well - thanks Dr M

Dr M

i hope theres going to be enough christmas pud to go round now

mididoctors

pinarellodude wrote:

Might do this sportive ,did my first sportive yeterday the cumberland challenge and took it easy and taking our time at feed stations etc managed 6hrs 53mins and I tend to only do rides around the 30miles area due to family comitments.

thats not an unreasonable time for 105 miles..

pinarellodude

Took it easy and spent ages at the feed zones as I'd never covered that kind off mileage before so didn't what to blow up half way around. This one will defo need some good winter clothing with the weather going at this rate.
Good event the Cumberland Challenge well set up.

Philip S

Really tempted by this as my first sportive as well. Is Fell Foot as steep as I remember it? I drove over that way during the summer from Bowland Bridge and I was struck by how steep the climb from that side was. Then, heading down towards the lake side, having past a couple of cyclist coming the other way (“chapeau” I thought) I seem to remember having my foot on the brake all the way down. It must be a killer at the end of the route.

Where is Gummers Howe? Is that the shorter climb into Cartmel Fell itself?

rhnb

Philip S wrote:

Where is Gummers Howe? Is that the shorter climb into Cartmel Fell itself?

Gummers Howe is the climb from Fell Foot (just past Newby Bridge). It's not too bad, but it will test a few legs at the end of the ride, and at that time of year.
Haven't looked at the route too closely, but they could have kept off the A590 altogether (well apart from a hundred yards or so at Newby Bridge). There's a lovely road that goes over Hill Top to Finsthwaite.
(see http://www.bikeit.eclipse.co.uk/localri ... /index.htm which includes that route and the climb of Gummers Howe).

Tempted to do this one as its local and could ride out to it. Might see you there!

320DMsport

Hey sounds like alot of interest for this one!

This is the one i'm doing on my MTB, see other thread doing sportives on a MTB.

It's my local area too and i'm used to going up very steep off road climbs but will be interesting to do this ride on my carbon machine with slicks on.

Four other lads are doing it with me too, on road bikes though so wether i'll keep up will be another thing!

Be a great day out!

Jonathan M

Well, I'm returning to cycling after a bit of a gap, and am keen to do some sportive type rides, so I've sigend up for this one too.
Done some sportive type rides in the past, I suppose before they really started to take off, but would like to do more on a regular basis.

Philip S

I've thrown caution to the wind and signed up (as has Ms S, which is nice as it gives me good reason to take it easy and try to avoid blowing up in the second half of the ride!)...

rhnb wrote:

Gummers Howe is the climb from Fell Foot (just past Newby Bridge). It's not too bad, but it will test a few legs at the end of the ride, and at that time of year.
!

Not too bad?! I've checked the gradient and it appears to be 12% for 1.5km - that sounds more like murder than a test to me, especially at the end of a 60 mile ride. I'd better get training... :shock: To be fair, I rode up Grisedale and did a decent 30 mile clockwise loop from Hawskshead round by Coniston back in June just when I was starting to get some decent miles under my belt, and I'm now managing 50 milers in the hills south of Edinburgh, so fingers crossed that sustained steepness won't give me too much of a shock. I may have to do my local hills in a higher gear to simulate those gradients though...

Higs

Well I've entered and am really looking forward to this as my first sportive.

The distance may be a bit of a challenge - I've never done much more than 30miles on the road bike but I've done some longish ride on the MTB.

320DMsport

Looking forward to this too, i've now got a road bike to do the event on!

I'll keep up with my roadie mates now hopefully!

I hate Xmas pud so mine is going free!

CumbrianMan

Looks like a good day out.

Been reading all the comments and thought that seeing as folks live in Cumbria, I could kill 2 birds with one stone, and visit them and do this, until my missus throws a spanner in the works and tells me she's working, and I'm on looking after kids duty !!

So to make up for it, I'm gonna do the Lakeland Loop instead in April (see the epicevents website that vermooten pointed too).

Being Cumbrian, I can tell you chaps that you'll have a cracking day out in the splendour of the Lake District. And without all that summer traffic.

Good luck to you all, and I hope you enjoy it, and that the weather is sunny and not too cold.

Maybe see some of you in April.

Cheers

CumbrianMan

Looks like a good day out.

Been reading all the comments and thought that seeing as folks live in Cumbria, I could kill 2 birds with one stone, and visit them and do this, until my missus throws a spanner in the works and tells me she's working, and I'm on looking after kids duty !!

So to make up for it, I'm gonna do the Lakeland Loop instead in April (see the epicevents website that vermooten pointed too).

Being Cumbrian, I can tell you chaps that you'll have a cracking day out in the splendour of the Lake District. And without all that summer traffic.

Good luck to you all, and I hope you enjoy it, and that the weather is sunny and not too cold.

Maybe see some of you in April.

Cheers

Higs

CumbrianMan wrote:

.... thought that seeing as folks live in Cumbria, I could kill 2 birds with one stone, and visit them and do this...

That's exactly what I'm doing - I'll drop the wife and kids off on the way there and then call in on the way back (hopefully for a big plate of home-cooking!)

Also planning on doing the LL in April so see you there.