The Elenith

Philip Whiteman

Anybody here as stupid as me and riding The Elenith? It is 300k of ridefrom Kidderminster to the Devil's Staircase and back

I would be grateful for any feedback from previous participants on timing, pacing and things to look out for.

AndyRubio

heh heh I did it in 2007, one of my best cycling memories

Twas the first time I met Ken Night of this parish too BTW

Beautiful, gorgeous route, great hills, nice places ot stop for food. Took me & PutneyJoe 14 hours, the last hour or so in the dark. The pie and chips I had afterwards was the best meal I've ever had, although the 2 x full cooked breakfast + criossants and endless toast the next day was pretty good as well.

Can't think of any gotchas. Devil's Staircase is a bit of a bugger but you know that anyway. We had good weather in 2007 but I think it was unusual - there's usually snow and that I think.

I hope you have a superb time. I'm rather jealous.

Andy

Greenbank

Yup. Did it last year on gears. Doing it this year on fixed (67").

Easyish 100km run out to Builth Wells.
Evil 100km from Builth, via Tregaron, to Rhayader.
Easyish 100km from Rhayader back to the start.

Easyish is all relative.

Notable climbs are:

Clows Top, up part the Fforest Inn, the Irfon Valley, Devil's Staircase, Gamallt, the third one before Tregaron, the road out of Pont-Rhyd-Y-Groes, Elan Valley, up to the Fforest Inn again, Kington, Leominster to Leysters, Clows Top (from the easier side), and the final drag up through Bewdley.

I'll be walking the Devil's Staircase (as I did last year), Gamallt and possibly the third climb after the phone box. Definitely the road out of Pont-Rhyd-Y-Groes (17%) up past where you turn off right for the Elan Valley.

I agree though, it's a stunning stunning ride. Make it to Rhayader in time and you've cracked it, but remember it's not completely flat on the way back.

Nice weather last year (bit of hail up high in the Elan Valley in bright sunshine, and sleet climbing up to Leysters) and then it dumped a good couple of inches of snow in the 30 minutes after I'd finished (I got most value for money and finished with 15 minutes to spare).

Controls are excellent and all provide food (cafe at Shobdon airfield in old Nissen hut, Builth Wells cafe, Tregaron Bowling Club, Rhayader cafe, Kingsland cafe.)

vorsprung

Although this is an AUK rules ride there is usually a big field, the first bit is fast and the use of shitty lanes is fairly minimal

However, to complete it in daylight would require a time of 14 hours. Although this sounds doable ( 300km/14 = 21.5 kph ) the middle section is quite slow because of the climbing

Most riders will need a good lighting system for this reason

AndyRubio

vorsprung wrote:

Most riders will need a good lighting system for this reason

+1 for sure

with backups and spare batteries - the last bits are through lanes with no lighting

vorsprung

AndyRubio wrote:

vorsprung wrote:

Most riders will need a good lighting system for this reason

+1 for sure

with backups and spare batteries - the last bits are through lanes with no lighting

No batteries here

Philip Whiteman

Well I done it!

I can see why this event has earnt its reputation as a classic sportive - quite evident from the route and the guys that return year on year.

For me this 300km was pyschologically very hard. I knew all of the route by had never joined it up into a single ride. Effectively it was riding Phil Weaver's Devil Sportive with an additional 100km bolted on to either end. Having never ridden more than a 200km, the realisation at Rhayader that I had yet a further 100km to get home was tough but I managed it. That was despite crashing on cattle grid near the Devil's Staircase and then having to spin all the way back to Kiddie on a small chain ring. Managed to return to Kiddie at around 9pm.

Rain, sun, hail and fearsome winds on the Elan was the order of the day - ensuring that you could be cold, freezing and than sweating within a short space of time.

It is an excellent event, well organised and supported and I can understand why people return but shall I do it again, probably not! It was a classic and had to be done but to be quite frank, I would not undertake this ride again.

Role of the Kidderminster Killer in September, another of their classic events. Now that it is an event I am returning to!

paul27

Well done, I think you may enjoy a few well earned beers tonight

Anonymous

Well done! Sounds like a very tough, challenging, enjoyable ride.

vorsprung

Philip Whiteman wrote:

Well I done it!
... Managed to return to Kiddie at around 9pm.
... but shall I do it again, probably not!

I've done this event 4 times now. Usually finishing at midnight. 14 hours for a 300 is rapid

David-Witts

Only just completed this ride many many years ago and well outside the time limit.

I got lost and the extra miles and delay meant that a lot of my riding was in the dark. Riding in the Welsh hills when it’s dark, very cold and out of food was not very nice. Carry enough emergency food / cash/waterproof and keep an eye on the weather forecast in case of problems.

Definitely a ride that I will always remember. The Sun setting and riding the return leg in the hills is something I’ll always remember. Have fun! Davy

Greenbank

vorsprung wrote:

Philip Whiteman wrote:

Well I done it!
... Managed to return to Kiddie at around 9pm.
... but shall I do it again, probably not!

I've done this event 4 times now. Usually finishing at midnight. 14 hours for a 300 is rapid

14 hours! Blimey.

I took a rather more sedate 19h50 (getting in at 2.50am).

5 minutes slower than last year, but I did have gears last year. It's an interesting ride for fixed and the only time I really missed having a freewheel was the descent into Rhayader.