Northern Rock Cyclone Challenge

hazychris

I've just signed up for the 100 mile version, and really looking forward to it!

Does anyone who's done the ride in past years have any advice (other than the obvious "lose weight, train lots") I'm 42 years old, can cycle 100 km / 1300m of ascent fairly comfortable, and yes, I am overweight (underslimmed or "powerful") at 105 kg. This will be my first go at 100 miles.

Cheers,
Chris

grantbrown

hi chris
i am doing the northern rock this year 100miler
looking forward to it never done this ride before but one of the lads i ride with
he did it last year not that bad he said apart for the last 30 or so miles they are up hill

i am aiming for under 6 hours myself , what sort of time you looking at ?

hazychris

Hi Grant,

I thought the tail end looked generally quite "downhill"?

I've replotted it at http://bikeroutetoaster.com/Course.aspx?course=27545 and it looks like from around 118km (after the Redesmouth climb - 200m in 4.5km - averaging ~5%, but the steeper bits at the start, averaging 8% over the first km!) it's downhill apart from the climb at 138km (from the A68 to Ryal - two chevrons on OS map!)

Anyhow, 6 hours would be asking a bit too much of me on a hilly course (would certainly fancy my chances if it were flat as power=good, power/weight=bad in my case!) - so I'm reckoning on around 7-8 hours including tea stops (can you tell I'm taking this one seriously?). Never done this distance before, so I might even surprise myself, especially if I can draft a nice fast group on the easier bits.

Cheers,
Chris

Peter Harrison

grantbrown wrote:

hi chris
i am doing the northern rock this year 100miler
looking forward to it never done this ride before but one of the lads i ride with
he did it last year not that bad he said apart for the last 30 or so miles they are up hill

i am aiming for under 6 hours myself , what sort of time you looking at ?

I've tweaked the 100ml route a bit for next year. It is now 101mls and the climb of Redesmouth has been added. It's affectionately known as vomit pass by those who ride it regularly Under 6 hrs would be an achievment for the first time at this event. There are very few flat bits apart from the 1st 10mls (only lumpy) and the last 5 mls. The Ryals have a double chevron on the map cos they are steep. Check out the picture of Rob Hayles on the BC website in the Beaumont Trophy last year - he is zig zagging up them and he won :roll:

hazychris

Peter Harrison wrote:

grantbrown wrote:

hi chris
i am doing the northern rock this year 100miler
looking forward to it never done this ride before but one of the lads i ride with
he did it last year not that bad he said apart for the last 30 or so miles they are up hill

i am aiming for under 6 hours myself , what sort of time you looking at ?

I've tweaked the 100ml route a bit for next year. It is now 101mls and the climb of Redesmouth has been added. It's affectionately known as vomit pass by those who ride it regularly Under 6 hrs would be an achievment for the first time at this event. There are very few flat bits apart from the 1st 10mls (only lumpy) and the last 5 mls. The Ryals have a double chevron on the map cos they are steep. Check out the picture of Rob Hayles on the BC website in the Beaumont Trophy last year - he is zig zagging up them and he won :roll:

Just looked it up: http://www.britishcycling.org.uk/web/site/BC/roa/EventReports2008/20080615_Beaumont_Trophy.asp - that looks "mean", especially to a clydesdale like me :oops:

Really looking forwards to the "Vomit Pass" NOT! I'll make sure I bring crampons as well as cleats.

Thanks for spurring me into action Peter, I'm almost scared enough to go and sit on the trainer for 2 hours, even with it being 23:15 and -4 celcius in the garage!

Just as an afterthought, is there a time limit - couldn't obviously see one on the website?

Cheers,
Chris

Peter Harrison

hazychris wrote:

Peter Harrison wrote:

grantbrown wrote:

hi chris
i am doing the northern rock this year 100miler
looking forward to it never done this ride before but one of the lads i ride with
he did it last year not that bad he said apart for the last 30 or so miles they are up hill

i am aiming for under 6 hours myself , what sort of time you looking at ?

I've tweaked the 100ml route a bit for next year. It is now 101mls and the climb of Redesmouth has been added. It's affectionately known as vomit pass by those who ride it regularly Under 6 hrs would be an achievment for the first time at this event. There are very few flat bits apart from the 1st 10mls (only lumpy) and the last 5 mls. The Ryals have a double chevron on the map cos they are steep. Check out the picture of Rob Hayles on the BC website in the Beaumont Trophy last year - he is zig zagging up them and he won :roll:

Just looked it up: http://www.britishcycling.org.uk/web/site/BC/roa/EventReports2008/20080615_Beaumont_Trophy.asp - that looks "mean", especially to a clydesdale like me :oops:

Really looking forwards to the "Vomit Pass" NOT! I'll make sure I bring crampons as well as cleats.

Thanks for spurring me into action Peter, I'm almost scared enough to go and sit on the trainer for 2 hours, even with it being 23:15 and -4 celcius in the garage!

Just as an afterthought, is there a time limit - couldn't obviously see one on the website?

Cheers,
Chris

chris - there is no time limit for any of the three rides. just as long as I can get some sleep on the saturday night so I'm fresh for the sunday. Last year we were waiting for the last person to come back at 7pm. He phoned to say he would not be coming back because he had got lost (even with 300 signs out) and had ended up in Gateshead Metro shopping centre :roll: I couldn't stop laughing for about 20 minutes

hazychris

Peter Harrison wrote:

chris - there is no time limit for any of the three rides. just as long as I can get some sleep on the saturday night so I'm fresh for the sunday. Last year we were waiting for the last person to come back at 7pm. He phoned to say he would not be coming back because he had got lost (even with 300 signs out) and had ended up in Gateshead Metro shopping centre :roll: I couldn't stop laughing for about 20 minutes

That's made my day

How anyone could accidentally stray south of the River when it's that big is beyond me. And I know the Metro Centre is a bit of a landmark, but...... I bet he was really heading for the Fed Brewery :-)

Rest assured, I won't make it as late as 7:00 (because I won't be able to last that long!)

Cheers,
Chris

campagchris

Chris its a great ride very challenging but enjoyable and great scenery.Peter does a cracking job of organising it too. Vomit's ok but the ryals are a swine,they should have a ski lift beside them