North Cornwall Tor Sportive for anyone?

speedy641

Any one doing this one..
http://www.northcornwalltor.co.uk/

Just done the Cheshire Cat <(and survived), wonder how this one will compare, even more hills?

wastrel

Yep, doing the 100 - Er...yes.....it's safe to say it has some hills!!

It was my first sportive last year and remains the hardest by some margin - including the Dartmoor Classic, Highclere, Circuit of the Costwolds, Legbreaker, Devil Ride, Exmoor Beast and the Etape.

Guyzie

Unfortunately can't do this this year as I have a sailing event on.
Also, last year after 8 hours in the saddle the wife decided she couldn't cope with the drive home so after packing the kids, dogs, etc in the car I drove the 4.5 hours home... yes, I was quite tired the next day!

Was a great ride last year, Geoff and co laid on an awesome event.
Like Wastrel it was my first sportive (did the 100 route) and it was pretty challenging.
Everyone I spoke to afterwards said it was the hardest they'd done including those with Etape experience.
Enjoy Bishops Wood at about 85 miles in, not sure anyone actually made it up that?

Have fun,
G

must-tri-harder

I'll be there.. Just done 75 miles sunday morning in preparation for the 100 mile Cornwall Tor on the 19th, not sure that i'm looking forward to it as I live locally and know the route is an absolute ba$tard.

You could have covered 100 miles around north cornwall with some more spectacular scenery and without the need for quite so many slow, rough old back lanes in my opinion, but whatever, I'll do it on the day and sweat never to go that route again no doubt.

Bishops Wood is a rather lovely experience, i've only done it the once and got up it without stopping but that was only after 40 odd miles not 80 like it will be on the day.

Interested to hear other people's opinions of how tough it is ? I live here so i'm kind of used to it, well used to avoiding most of this particular route that is.

attica

:S

Managed 90 miles yesterday myself, but the biggest hills I've got to play with are the Mendips, got a feeling I'm in for a world of pain come the 19th.

jimwin

must-tri-harder wrote:

You could have covered 100 miles around north cornwall with some more spectacular scenery and without the need for quite so many slow, rough old back lanes in my opinion, but whatever, I'll do it on the day and sweat never to go that route again no doubt.

Bishops Wood is a rather lovely experience, i've only done it the once and got up it without stopping but that was only after 40 odd miles not 80 like it will be on the day.

Interested to hear other people's opinions of how tough it is ? I live here so i'm kind of used to it, well used to avoiding most of this particular route that is.

===============

It's in my back yard as well. The lanes are rough, but the main roads are to be avoided and there's little in between in the area.

Not yet managed it up Bishops Wood hill. I found I either lifted my front wheel when sitting or lost traction when standing. The first 1/3rd is a wall but the final 2/3rds is ok (that is once you manage to get back in the saddle).

I've incorporated this in my audax events on 14th June. You can chose either the 105K Bodmin Bash or the 210K Two Moors Challenge. At least that hill comes wihin the first 60K on both counts.

Oh - and the cost of both are at the standard Audax rates, i.e cheap compared to sportives.

- JimW

wastrel

Cheers, I'll make that my first audax then!
Bishop's Wood is much more manageable on fresh legs - it's a little monster after 80 :evil:

Poulsy

I'm in. The profile looks extremely savage and I know I am in for a very, very hard ride. I know I can do the mileage, as I have done a centruy this year but it's the time in the saddle and the number of steep climbs that are the problem.

Wasnt woried about Bishops Wood until I read this I was more worried about Millook, which is supposed to be 33%.

I am going very low on my gearing (34/34) in the hope I can ride most things and just make it round to be honest. Being a heavier rider, I am not looking forward to the sheer number of very steep climbs on the coastal road and I am starting to wonder why the hell I entered :?

jimwin

<I was more worried about Millook, which is supposed to be 33%>

It's a breeze compared to Bishop's Wood hill which claims 28%. I got up Millook on a 32" gear with no problem. Couldn't get up Bishop's Wood hill on a triple with a 28" gear. Just shows that the signs are guides only.

- JimW

howiejmidlands

I did this last year, and the climb out of the Sports Centre was tough enough, a real sadistic killer ride.
Great views especailly once you drop to sea level and ride along the sea shore, oh but dont forget to look up, to the next climb!! They are hard, very hard.

rjh299

Gutted about this one. Signed up in January, got some decent miles in, then developed knee injury which kept me off the bike for 6 weeks. Just getting back to it now but only doing 10 miles a day work and back. No way my current fitness would get me round and don't want to push knees too much too soon.
Next year!
Good luck everyone, hope the weather holds out, enjoy our fantastic county!

popette

We're coming to Cornwall for the weekend and my husband is taking part in the 70 mile ride. I'm going to do the short course as a training ride on Saturday - really looking forward to it.

Poulsy

I've had to drop out of the 100m event due to a hand injury (median nerve palsy). Absolutely gutted. I think I will give the 43 mile a go instead. At least it still has Bishops Wood on that route :?

wastrel

Shame about the hand - hope it gets better soon.
The 43m option is still a worthwhile spin and is all of 3hrs - 14mph is a perfectly respectable average down here - even if you're used to doing 17mph runs elsewhere!
As you say, there's still Bishop's Wood, the long pig that comes after it and a lumpy run-in with at least 3 x 20%+ hills in the last 5 miles :shock:

rowman

I agree with wastrel the last 10ish miles back to the sports centre play with your mind. You see road signs back to Bodmin saying 5 miles but the route keeps taking you off the mian road and over some killer final climbs. I thought it was never going to end...

Bishop's Wood Hill is the hardest climb. I was riding 34/23 last year and only just managed to get up it.

Rowman

must-tri-harder

i just read the manual thing for this event and they're recomending a 34-27, i already thought 39-25 was going to be a bit sadistic so splashed out on a 11-28 cassette, been riding that for 3 weeks and can honestly say i dont think its going to make much difference. oh well nevermind.. i'm stuck with a double.

i agree the way the route takes you soooo close to home but then back out across the moors again is particularly brutal, i honestly think incorporating some of the north coast around Padstow and Newqay might have been nice, not that its very flat coming out of mawgan porth either but it is quite pretty.

whats the score with foodstations on these events typically ? whats on offer ? I'll be carrying nuun and nutri-grain elevenses as thats what i've trained on, but thats all.

RedGreenBaron

Just to say I'm looking forward tremendously. Signed up for the 100 but first sportive of the year and way behind on training. Will probably end up being the hardest thing I've done on a bike so should be a real sense of achievement, God willing. And good prep for the Fred.

I'm guessing the aim is take it really steady, not get tempted to go into the red just to stay with a 'quick group', and to focus on enjoying the views and the company.
Talking of which, hope to meet some of you, so please feel free to say Hi. I will probably be the only person in a London Dynamo top.

Nick

must-tri-harder

i'm looking forward to it too, especially now that the weather just brightened up here finally (i live in bodmin where it starts/finishes), so hopefully we'll have blue skies for sunday.

first 100 mile ride for me and i gather not the easiest in comparison with what's on offer elsewhere so a worthy challenge. not sure whether or not to stick with some people i know who are typically a lot slower than me or to just push on and find a group of similar pace ? I'm leaning towards the anti-social sitting on someone who's looking keen's wheel tactics.

i'll be rocking a rather spanky orbea world champs jersey and thighs of steel abreast my beloved Felt.

did i mention i love my bike.

RedGreenBaron

Someone mentioned the profile - but I can't seem to find it on the website. Any hints for a technophobe?
Thanks.

wastrel

The profile was on the Kilotogo website but it seems to be gone now entry has closed - It does not really give much of a hint as there are so many climbs all the way.
For what it's worth, I've ridden the route a few times and my approach is to try and get to Bude feeling fresh - even if you think you are going way too steady. After Bude, the hard work really begins and there is not much recovery time as the next climb is always just around the corner!
There were London Dynamo guys and girls there last year - and I've never done a sportive without seeing a few!

Must Tri Harder:
The food stations were fine last year, with High 5 drink, water and decent snacks - it's not really a track where you can draft much except the first 30m - every climb just blows the group apart unless you are with a good bunch. IME trying to stick with fast guys is a recipe for disaster until you are really sure of your legs

RedGreenBaron

wastrel wrote:

The profile was on the Kilotogo website but it seems to be gone now entry has closed.
Try and get to Bude feeling fresh - even if you think you are going way too steady.
It's not really a track where you can draft much except the first 30m.

Thanks Wastrel - one thing I was hoping was to find out the total ascent. However, I appreciate that these profile calculators tend to underestimate the climbing on lumpy courses due to lack of data granularity, and anyway lots of shorter sharper climbs are harder than a few steady ones.
Good to have the strategy confirmed, thanks.

rowman

If I remember correctly my Polar measured 3300m of assent last year

Rowman

wastrel

FWIW my garmin made it 3690m - whatever it is, it's damn good training for the fred which is my objective too :shock:

rowman

I've just looked back at my Polar trainer software and the link shows a snapshot of the sawtooth profile.

http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dctvxhdj_3qwvc5kdp

Rowman

wastrel

There's a fast wheel for someone to follow! - that must have been top 10-ish last year - simply awesome - that's better than my best on the much much easier (but great) Circuit of the Cotswolds :roll: - then again i just hope they're at least 20yrs younger than me

<edit> OK, i'm a geek - i've just checked; more like top 2-ish - congrats!

RedGreenBaron

rowman wrote:

I've just looked back at my Polar trainer software and the link shows a snapshot of the sawtooth profile.
http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dctvxhdj_3qwvc5kdp
Rowman

Very useful Rowman thanks. Seems to have been a rare occasion when your official time was quicker than your polar. No sign of feedstops. Impressively low heart rate so I guess you're no spring chicken (sorry Wastrel).
Also thanks Wastrel for the other ascent figure.
Adrenaline's flowing 36 hours early.

jimwin

wastrel wrote:

The profile was on the Kilotogo website but it seems to be gone now entry has closed - It does not really give much of a hint as there are so many climbs all the way

I downloaded the gpx file some while ago for use with my Garmin and also uploaded it to the Bikely web site at:

http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/245701

There is a menu on Bikely that gives you the course profile.

Good luck to all on Sunday. Looks like it's going to be good weather so no excuses then

- JimW

RedGreenBaron

Emergency cycle shoes in Bodmin area?
I have just arrived from London to discover I have come without my cycle shoes!!
I appreciate this is an incredibly long shot, but, assuming that "Bodmin Bikes" does not open on a sunday, I am hoping that there might be some other way of buying /borrowing/stealing a pair (with or without matching pedals) before 10am tomorrow (Sunday). The chances of anyone who is doing this a) checking bikeradar, b) having a spare pair of shoes size 8-9 (and, for what it’s worth, my pedals are basic Looks eg standard red or black (Delta) cleats), and c) living locally enough to be setting off from home, have to be incredibly slim, but I have nothing to lose but my pride!
Obviously I will turn up anyway and see if anyone can help at the dragon centre, and see if "Bodmin Bikes" opens on a sunday.
Any suggestions (other than "don't be so brainless in future") please email nick.dove[at]jh-co.com. Thanks so much.

Nick

wastrel

i've got pair of (very tight 10) shimano shoes i'll chuck in the van (white escort with ventilator on top) - they have shimano cleats but you've got a chance of someone having spare cleats - i''ll put in some pedals that match in case.
will be getting there at 7.30 so see you in the car park if you need the stuff, i think most people have done something similarat some stage!!

must-tri-harder

what was the verdict then chaps ?! lovely day for it..

mr_tricolore

lovely day indeed.
I had to dash straight after the finish, so I don't know my official time, but I expect it to be around 7:05 for the 102 miles course. Pleased with that for such a hilly sportive, and I felt much better when finishing than last year. in fact, I can't remember ever feeling this good after such a distance.
The last 7/8 miles were vicious, but they contribute to the appeal of the event. My main goals for the year are to complete the Fred Whitton Challenge and get a Gold at the Dartmoor Classic, and the North Cornwall Tor made me feel that both are achieveable.

I see this event as a potential classic date in any serious sportive rider's calendar... a great way to toughen oneself up in preparation for massive sportives like the Tour of Wessex, Caledonian or even the Etape. I know that riding between Bude and Port Isaac is very different from riding the Alps, but the relentless succession of climbs and descents just acts as a 7 hour long interval session, and surely that can't be bad preparation.