Liverpool Chester Liverpool Sportive

Cleat Eastwood

Hi guys, just a quick heads up for a new liverpool-chester-liverpool sportive. I onlycame acroos it on their website.

http://www.pennineevents.co.uk/Events09.html

The organisers have extended the normal 54 miles to 90 for a sportive taking in parts of delamere forest.


You can join online or send for an info pack.

For those not familiar with it you get to ride through the mersey tunnel and take in some cracking wirralian countryside, and its all fairly flat and aimed at family fun, very well organised and very safe.

Ciao for now

Higs

I'm in.

Or at least I think I am. I'm sure I entered but my mates all got their info packs a few days ago and I haven't. Really must check when I get a chance.

dodgy

I'll be doing it. As usual, the organisers have exaggerated the length of the route. I've plotted it in Mapsource and Bikehike and it's more like 84 - 85 miles. The 54 mile route was always exaggerated too, I've done that one several times and it usually comes in under 50 after riding it (Garmin Edge 705 and cadence sensor so the underground miles in the tunnel still get recorded).

suze

Great event, have done it for the last 2 years. We were not sure about the distance advertised in previous years, it came in at about 52 last year and we even managed a sub 3 hr.... There's a Photo of Mr Suze and myself disappearing down the mersey tunnel at the start (Blue and white kit) on the web page when you click to the event website. Fame at last :roll: . We're busy this year but otherwise we would have been riding......Good luck to all that ride.

Marko1962

I have a couple of questions regarding the 90 mile Sportive, is it mostly roadies that take part and at the start is the 90 miler rollout intermingled with the shorter 'family' rides or are the start times for the different rides all different?

dodgy

Marko1962 wrote:

I have a couple of questions regarding the 90 mile Sportive, is it mostly roadies that take part and at the start is the 90 miler rollout intermingled with the shorter 'family' rides or are the start times for the different rides all different?

Hi Marko,

This is the first year that there's been a 90 mile option. There's usually a 54 mile and a roughly half distance (25 miles ish) ride which turns around at Wirral Rugby Club. The 54 and 25 mile riders set out together. I would envisage that the 90 mile sportive riders will be more experienced and perhaps there will be plans to let them go off seperately from the others but it's only a guess.

Remember, that the start is right next to the Mersey Tunnel, so the riders are immediately funneled into it, so not sure how many options there are (other than by time) to seperate them all out.

There are all types that start the ride, everything from carbon exotica riding roadies to kids on mountain bikes (replete with rusty chains, under inflated tyres and full to bursting rucksacks). There's also usually some fit looking people in sports wheelchairs.

They make the ride welcome to all.

redddraggon

Looks good, shame it isn't Chester -Liverpool - Chester though.

It just doesn't seem right to Cycle to Chester, get a train to Liverpool, cycle to Chester, cycle back to Liverpool, and then get a train back to Chester.......

Marko1962

Thanks Dodgy for the quick reply but I have yet another question (or 2) if I may,

What is the parking like in Liverpool?

How good is the Marshalling and route signs?

How far apart are the food stops and how good is the nosh?

Is there anything I need or should know?

dodgy

A good bet would be near the Liverpool (Echo) Arena, there's stacks of free and paid parking around there. Ignore the usual stereotypes, it's secure and safe and it's where I park if I need to be in the area.

I'll be riding through from Wirral to the start early in the morning through the tunnel and also back home from the end. So that means I get 4 passes through the tunnel and an extra 16 miles or so all told.

The marshalling is very good, but they do tend to be a little over cautious, i.e. if they see a car approaching from a while away they will say "STOP! THERE'S A CAR COMING!!!!!!111111oneoneoneone". That's a symptom of the range of rider skills the event attracts, so no problem, just obey them and go with the flow

I never personally partake in the refreshments, but there's a stop at The Countess of Chester (Hospital) for drinks etc, but honestly, I haven't got a clue what's on offer.

Finally, take care in the tunnels, it's like human skittles in there. You've got all these inexperienced and excited cyclists wobbling all over the place and the more experienced/faster riders can spook them when they overtake going through the tunnel. Just give everyone a wide birth through the tunnel and you'll be fine. There aren't any major hills on this course apart from the newly introduced ones on the Sportive, but again, nothing extremely challenging.

Have fun!

dodgy

redddraggon wrote:

Looks good, shame it isn't Chester -Liverpool - Chester though.

It just doesn't seem right to Cycle to Chester, get a train to Liverpool, cycle to Chester, cycle back to Liverpool, and then get a train back to Chester.......

A load of lads from Port Sunlight CC cycled the 54 mile route twice last year, no reason why you couldn't cycle to Liverpool and do the 54 mile route and ride home? ;-)

addicted to Langbar

dodgy wrote:

I'll be riding through from Wirral to the start early in the morning through the tunnel and also back home from the end. So that means I get 4 passes through the tunnel and an extra 16 miles or so all told.

Excellent, I didn't realise that you be able to do that, I had visions of hundreds of cyclists on the ferry. I haven't applied yet, do you get the passes in the info pack Dodgy?

It will be good to cycle around the old country, as I only took up cycling after moving to Leeds. It will make a change to go somewhere without any hills. If we had a hill like the Otley Chevin in Wallasey I might not have moved.

dodgy

You can actually cycle through the Queensway Tunnel

Can I ride my bicycle through the tunnel?
Bicycles are not permitted through the Kingsway Tunnel. Through the Queensway Tunnel, they are not allowed between the hours of 6.00a.m. to 8.00p.m., Monday to Friday, 7.00a.m. to 8.00p.m. on Saturday and 8.00a.m. to 9.00p.m. on Sunday. Please note, the time limits during a Sunday are only operational between 1st April and 30th September inclusive.

So you can ride through the Queensway before 8am on a Sunday, before 7am on a Saturday and before 6am on other days.

I will be riding through just after 8 on the Sunday, but they will turn a blind eye to cyclists going through given that the tunnels are closed anyway.

On the way back it's a slightly more grey area, though the tunnels are still closed to traffic, there will still be cyclists coming the other way. However, if you're dressed the part, the police won't mind and will allow you back through. Otherwise I'd have to jump on the ferry, that isn't such a big deal though.

I always sign up on the day as I won't ride if it's pi**ing it down, but I doubt if there will be ferry passes in the pack you get. It's only a few quid anyway I think.

cougie

In the past we have been stopped cycling back - so its best to just nip into the tunnel when no one is looking. Just dont hit anyone !

Marko1962

dodgy wrote:

A good bet would be near the Liverpool (Echo) Arena, there's stacks of free and paid parking around there. Ignore the usual stereotypes, it's secure and safe and it's where I park if I need to be in the area.

SNIP.................

Have fun!

Thanks again Dodgy for your informative reply

Marko1962

Ok now that this is just over a week away it's time to issue a warning. I'm quite familiar with the Delamere side of the ride it's all local territory and part of my W/E rides. So look at the following map and notice the red circles.



The first red circle shows a tight left hand 90' bend, the run up to this bend is a long descent and its easy for 30+ mph. You need to start braking early - a hundred yards from the bend is a farm entrance and there is always mud on the road plus gravel and a few pot holes, enter the bend too fast and you will end up in a hedge or worse T- boning a car/tractor/lorry, you cannot see what's coming around the bend because of hedges. Take the inside line on the bend and you will run over a metal grid, lots of nasty things can happen at this point I just hope there is a Marshal slowing riders down well before they enter the bend.

The 2nd red circle indicates a junction - a potentially dangerous junction. The B5152 can be a fast road and at this junction look to the left and right and you will see blind bends just a 100 yards or so either side of the junction with fast approaching cars/motorbikes barreling towards you. The only advice I can give is listen well and when it's safe don't dawdle, get out of the junction quick, eyes everywhere.

Basic stuff really but worth a mention...

Mr Loverman

Hi chaps.

I have paid up and registered for the 54 mile track to chester and back again but I want to do the 90 mile sportive. I think the 90 mile cost the same as the 54 mile so do you think they will allow me to do the longer ride if I ask them tomorrow?

dodgy

The 90 mile ride is £20, I think that's more than the 54 mile one, though the details have now been taken offline as the event is so close. I reckon if yoiu get there soon after 7am tomorrow you'll have no bother upgrading.

Mr Loverman

dodgy wrote:

The 90 mile ride is £20, I think that's more than the 54 mile one, though the details have now been taken offline as the event is so close. I reckon if yoiu get there soon after 7am tomorrow you'll have no bother upgrading.

do you think they will just charge me the extra £3 or do you think I will have to pay the full amount again?

dodgy

I reckon they'll ask you to pay the difference, seems fair to me, but I'm only guessing really.

big_phil

I would expect to pay the bit more -this is after all a genuine charity ride - not one of your regular sportives.. also you can ride through the tunnel to liverpool before 8:00 am on a sunday. And if you get back to liverpool before 3 then you can ride through it again to get home ...so 4 times in a day LOL....

Mr Loverman

I got a reading of 87 miles on this today, and just as i got home the heavens opened litteraly. Must point out though that the distance was probably more like 86 as when I went on the detour for the sportive instead of going straight back to liverpool i went to the countes of chester hospital to buy an ice cream and to answer a call of nature. thought the ride was very enjoyable though but the hills around delamere where a bit of a bitch.

dodgy

Yep, no way is it 90 miles. I measured just under 85 miles using a Garmin Edge and GSC10 cadence and speed sensor, so the underground miles did get recorded.

I rode to and from the start which brought the figures up to about 105. The last lag home through the tunnel was a bit of a drag :twisted:

big_phil

I completed ride - was in first group away through the tunnel to keep clear of the masses and we stayed together until I dropped off to meet up with the rest of my club doing the 54 mile route. Around 100 miles door to door...but a well signposted route, lots of marshals, some nice countryside around Delamere. My nice clean bike got covered in cow poo going throught the missing link. Had some interesting moments with some of the other cyclists - sometimes a bit chaotic with them jumping red lights etc....Anyway 4 time through the tunnel with the last a bit hard on the legs..

dodgy

Hey big_phil, I was in that same group, I got dropped on Primrose Lane climb up to Alvanley though. I think we chatted for a while, I was the guy on the White/Black Dolan, white short sleeved jersey and blue gilet (with mesh back).

Marko1962

I got a total distance of 85.72 and that includes a couple of miles travelling from and back to the car park (£7 parking charge :shock: ), I enjoyed the ride, me and a pal got in a group for most of the run to the Hospital so it was easy going. Marshelling was great the signage was top notch the only thing that was a bit of a drag was when all the rides came together and there was kids and people on slow mountain bikes wandering all over the place, it was constant overtaking for the last 20 miles or so.

I felt it was pretty flat except for Primrose and just after the crossroads past the Delemere road, other than that there was virtually nothing - oh and a short sharp 13%er on the Manley road.

Good ride will do it again next year...

Mr Loverman

I was in the first group that went through as well, I was the only one who was not on a racer I was on a silver mountain bike with mud gaurds.

Mr Loverman

Marko1962 wrote:

I got a total distance of 85.72 and that includes a couple of miles travelling from and back to the car park (£7 parking charge :shock: ), I enjoyed the ride, got in a group for most of the run to the Hospital so it was easy going. Marshelling was great the signage was top notch the only thing that was a bit of a drag was when all the rides came together and there was kids and people on slow mountain bikes wandering all over the place, it was constant overtaking for the last 20 miles or so.

I felt it was pretty flat except for Primrose and just after the crossroads past the Delemere road, other than that there was virtually nothing - oh and a short sharp 13%er on the Manley road.

Good ride will do it again next year...

though it was well signposted but there was one or two signs that just snook up on you. Did miss one sign and that was after delamere just before you rejoin the chester road where you have to cross that busy main road. What happened was I was miles infront of these 2 peopleand I had to wait for so long to get across the road they caught up with me so after that I put my head down down and tried to get away from them again and missed a right turn until they shouted me that i was on my way to sougth wales or something. I have to agree theride back was nothing but ovetaking but I thought it was quite funny as the cars seemed to have no right of way over the cycles and all you seen was cars stuck in traffic behind loads of cycles.

Mr Loverman

We will be able to put the photo's of the first group up tomorrow when it is int he papers and we will then be able to circle ourselves.

Lunty

Does anybody know which paper(s) the photographers were from? Can people post links to reports/articles/photos as they find them? Thanks!!!

Had a great time on my first sportive, course was well marshalled, just a shame about hitting all the Race For Life traffic on the way back through Birkenhead.

Hope to see some people again next year!

Matt

Marko1962

I was talking with someone who was on their first sportive along Waterloo Ln in Kingswood (see my map on page 1- the run up to the first red circle), was that anyone who posts here?

Higs

I did the 90 (85?) yesterday.

Overall I enjoyed it. The first section to the hospital was good as I was riding with mates who were all doing the 54. Once we got going we were spanking along overtaking pretty much everything in our way (including police cars!)

The second 'Sportive' section was virtually deserted but quite pleasant. I reckon this section needs a feed/water station as I was virtually out of water by the time I rejoined the main ride.

The third section was a bit of a drag as (i) I was struggling for water and (ii) it was all a bit stop/start getting mixed up in cars that were struggling to pass slower cyclist. I got some help from a chap in USPS kit. He wasn't doing the ride but joined it at one of the junctions. We chatted for a bit then he offered me his draught and towed me 'til he left the route. Just before he left the route he asked if I was OK for drink. For some reason (and I'm not normally shy about taking help) I stupidly told him I was OK. Then about 5 miles from the tunnel, when I was struggling to keep a decent pace on my own, I fell in with another group of 8 or so riders who were moving quickly so I stuck with them as best I could.