Cumberland Challenge - Recce ride 19th July
LardLover
Posts: 676
Hey dudes and dudettes
anyone done/doing this event in September?
Seems like my riding partner has talked me into doing this event (at 4 miles longer and a few hundred metres more climbing than the Cyclone :shock: )
I'm a little scared of the sweep wagon and the 10hr time limit :shock: :shock:
anyone done/doing this event in September?
Seems like my riding partner has talked me into doing this event (at 4 miles longer and a few hundred metres more climbing than the Cyclone :shock: )
I'm a little scared of the sweep wagon and the 10hr time limit :shock: :shock:
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Comments
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thinking about it, cos like you it's probably the closest , after the Cyclone
the extra climbing and distance is putting me off a bit.
there's a couple in the Borders which also look interesting
go for it, you're a sub 7 hours man0 -
I've done this one the last two years. The first loop from Brampton goes over hartside and through Garrigill before returning to Brampton. There is a fair bit of climbing, but nothing impossible.I find hartside is a great climb if you get into a nice rhythm and just take it steady. It's important to keep plenty of energy back for the second loop through Banks ( quite a steep climb here) Bewcastle and up and over the border. Theses are very undulating roads and the road surface feels dead. all the way. The last 18 miles or so to the finish is virtually hill free. The event is very well organised, feed stations well stocked and marshalls very helpfull. Last year there was even people out cheering the riders on through the villages. Hope to do it again this year, but my better half is expecting our first baby in October. so i may have to play the supportive partner role and give it a miss0
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Ash, have you done the Cyclone and how does it compare, if you have.
that's the only one I've done, so its me benchmark
much tougher than that and I'd be out of me depth
need something to focus on though0 -
Hi LardLover , I am in for this one, will be first time for this particular event . I am from Carlisle originally, but have lived in South Manchester since '98, before getting into road-biking in '02, and finally taking part in sportives proper this year. (Cheshire Cat/Brian Robinson/Spud Riley/Dave Lloyd MIDI)
Its a beautiful area of the country, particularly the Eden Valley and the Northern Pennines. The Coombs Wood at Armathwaite is probably the first categorised climb at about 13% for about 1/2 mile. Hartside is really the centerpiece of the ride. Its probably my favourite climb of all, despite living right next to the Peak District. Its different profile to most other Sportives, a couple of major climbs , then lots of short climb/undulating roads that add up to nearly 3000 metres of climbing.
I can only encourage you to go for it, and go at your own pace and forget about the 10-hour limit.
all the best
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Yeh I've done the Cyclone 3 times.IMO they are both hardish events.Both have steepish climbs and lots of very undulating roads which really sap the energy from your legs. If you finished the cyclone am sure you'll be ok . There's still a couple of months to get a wee bit more training in and plenty of hill climbing.We tend to take about 45 mins longer on the cumberland ride.Like I say, the main thing is don't get carried away with the speed on the first loop. Just keep it steady and within your capablities and you'll be ok for the harder second loop. Hope you decide to enter it. The scenery alone makes it a great ride.By the way the weather is always a bit unpredictable on the day , usually sunshine and heavy showers so come prepared with a waterproof.0
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Thanks for the replies fellas
wiffachip, are you not going to give it a go then?
Looks like it's a go-er then for me (and 636sean
), still got a couple of months left to get some more miles in and keep the focus on doing some big rides.
Thanks for the heads-up about the course ash68/snaffledog. I've done the Hartside Pass many time on the coast to coast (was the off road route though), and 636sean and myself did a training ride for the Cyclone in the Pennines, on the hottest day of the year which only added to the toughness of it, so we know how long some of those climbs are :shock:
Looking at the route map I particularly like the little loop out of Alston to Garrigill and then the resulting little climb back on to the A686 :shock: :shock: :shock: I've been down that hill on the coast to coast and every time I've been down it I thought to myself "Thank 'F' I don't have to climb this"
Not familiar with the area north of Brampton, but sounds..................................undulating.
Ok, just need to get entered now before I change my mind (and Sean changes his ) 0 -
Excellent sportive, did it in 2006 & 2007.
It's tough but not stupid - you can finish feeling it's been a good hard challenging day out, rather than that you never want to see a bike again.
Excellently organised, great foodstops, brilliant friendly marshals and locals out on the course.
Last 15 miles or so are flat, so after the last feedstop you can go for it and TT in to the finish (do stop at the traffic light over the hump-backed bridge if it's on red though !)
But it is very exposed out on the moors - the two years I did it, it was very wet.
Do take a decent waterproof.0 -
Was thinking about doing this one, and after the reviews here I'm now sold on it, the entry's going in today. Might go up that way for a bit of a recce if I get the chance - I know the Lakes really well but have never ventured over Brampton way.0
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I should imagine we'll be over to recce the route north of Brampton. We know the route south of Brampton, well, from the bottom of the Hartside Pass that is.
Fancy a meet up for a recce ride sometime?0 -
Certainly do, although I've not got many free weekends 'til the end of August; send me a PM and I'm sure we can get something sorted out.0
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Just off to PM you now fella. 0
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andy_wrx wrote:Excellent sportive, did it in 2006 & 2007.
But it is very exposed out on the moors - the two years I did it, it was very wet.
Do take a decent waterproof.
It rained last year as well. As has been said, it's a cracking event. If we ever get a decent day, I think it could be quite fast as well. As has been said, save something for the second leg. Despite the profile suggesting otherwise, the hardest stretch is after Brampton.
This year will be my fourth go at the event, despite the weather. There's just something right about it!0 -
All good news 0
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it's looking like my subs at wallsend golf club are going to be completely wasted this year, though I did call in there tonight for a pint on the way home from a ride
why don't we all wear the toon's new away strip for the cumberland challenge, just so we can all recognise each other ?
perhaps not0 -
Ok, my entry is in, 636sean assures me his entry will be in tonight when he gets in from work 0
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Entry in....0
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Good man, you know it makes sense :shock:0
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Oh Gawd, you've not entered that Cumberland Challenge have you ?
:shock: :roll: :shock: :roll: :shock: :roll: :shock:
(don't worry, it's great ) 0 -
Anyone else fancy a meet for a recce ride, mainly of the route north of Brampton (+ a little more to make it a decent distance training ride)?
Hopefully (all being well) it'll take place on Sunday the 19th JULY.0 -
Surely there's more than nasahapley, wiffachip, 636sean and myself interested in a recce ride?
promise to include a cake-y stop 0
