Autumn Epic

jackfeeder

Hi, any of you lot entering this? If so and you've done it before how hard is it compared say to the Dragon Ride?
Also do you have any recomendations for somewhere to stay near to Knighton? B+B ideally.
Ta.

ledburyloafer

its harder than the dragon, due to the nature of the course, constant up and down, also the climb of glascym is harder than any climb on the dragon, but course isn't as long as the dragon and some may say that makes it easier.
Route is far nicer than the dragon, less industrial!
Good ride and well worth doing as the Epic isn't being run next year.
Can't help with accomodation though.
Enjoy the ride well worth it.

friso

Hi, its also my first sportive. my friend and i are coming over from Norfolk. Now not known for for its' mountaineous landscape Norfolk does have some slight rises. I really don't know what to expect or whether we should even turn up at all as i keep reading warnings from the organisers to only turn up if we like hills or have prepared properly.
Being the first sportive we have entered we are unsure of what is the right preperation. can any one shed some light on what to expect. I have just come back into cycling after a 20 year rest from road racing, Look out for the black Raliegh Carbon pro

andynewman

Im in the same boat. Ive convinced a mate of mine in Amsterdam to come across for this - not sure he can remember what a hill looks like.
I on the other hand have been struggling to get the miles in, due to new daughter (thats my excuse, and Im sticking to it) so Im a little nervouse about this too.
Found the Dragon Ride quite a challenge, and I had done a lot more prep for that. Oh well, I can only dig in I s'pose.
If you pass a chubster blowing out his a**se on a blue Pinarello with pink tape, give him some stick - I deserve it

jackfeeder

Was looking forward to it after going out last weekend up over the Black Mountain in West Wales, but had a cold this week and feel washed out. Better get some energy back by Sun as it's going to be hard.
Got somewhere to stay sat so no family distractions, may even get a decent nights sleep hurrah!!!!!!
Aiming for a silver std finish so we'll see how I go.

captain_oakley

Have entered the last three, but not ben able to ride due to ilness or
mechancial issues, so I am really looking foward to this years.

Mrs Oakley and myself are B&B'ing over the weekend, and will be eating
in the 'Horse & Jockey' on Saturday evening (good grub apparently). If your
about, drop by. See you all on Sunday.

Blue & White 'Eddy Merckx' Premium.



'Your a big man, but you're out of shape, with me it's a
full time job, now behave yourself.......'

Tom Butcher

It's a great course - hilly but without the real super steep killers that some sportives throw in. OK there is one - I assume it's the glascym referred to earlier - but it's not that long so if it does have you off your bike it wont add much to your time.

In the main it's a lovely route - the Elan Valley is breathtaking - in fact I was so busy taking in the scenery last time I missed the left down a steep slope and over a small bridge and rode on for another 10-15 miles down the wrong valley before I realised adding about 90 minutes to my finishing time - still it was a beautiful road to get lost on.

Love the final climb and long descent back into town too - especially if you are pushing for a time category.

ugo.santalucia

Captain Oakley wrote:

Have entered the last three, but not ben able to ride due to ilness or
mechancial issues, so I am really looking foward to this years.

Mrs Oakley and myself are B&B'ing over the weekend, and will be eating
in the 'Horse & Jockey' on Saturday evening (good grub apparently). If your
about, drop by. See you all on Sunday.

Blue & White 'Eddy Merckx' Premium.



'Your a big man, but you're out of shape, with me it's a
full time job, now behave yourself.......'

I'll be staying at the same inn, probably having dinner there on saturday, after a ride to check out the area...
You can't miss me, only ginger italian in the pub

jamespiggot

Great ride, really enjoyed it in 2007 but 'unfortunately' missed it last year. Sounds like the weather will be a bit windy but at least we won't have water rising above the bottle cages this time around. It is a really good route, Elan valley is magnificent in Autumn, just have to get up Glascwm which is steep but short.

bikeboff

First sportive - sounds like this is a dip in the deep end. Looking forward to it. I've been riding up and down (and up and down) the Cheddar Gorge in preparation, so I hope that has me ready for the hills. I'll soon find out.

ugo.santalucia

Just back from Wales...

Absolutely brilliant ride... the Elan valley and climb to get there are simply stunning. A couple of steep ascents and all over a tough day out, but well worth it. Well organised, friendly atmosphere, ticks all the boxes!

Ah, I did 5 hours 50, which is way faster than I anticipated

formerlyknownasbonj

That was an excellent ride.
The climb out of rhayader followed by the beautiful elan valley was, as you say, superb.
VERY well attended - almost too well attended. Although the queue for food wasn't too long, half expected to be waiting ages for grub at the end but they seemed to have it under control.
Feed stations seemed to cope well, and were well situated. Nice cake!


The descent after the second feed station was awesome wasn't it!

I thought the info signs at the bottom of climbs, the '20km to go' sign, and the 'downhill all the way!' signs were a nice touch.

My only gripe was the mats for those stupid transponder devices - the one on the elan valley only covered the left side of the road - I was overtaking, so i didn't go over it! The woman shouted 'go over the mat!' but I was doing about 25mph and there was no way i was stopping and turning back - it's not like you win anything, I know what time I did, i tried to think of a reason why it was imortant to have it logged on their computer but i couldn't think of one. I just timed myself!
Did about 5:40, I set off at 9:20 and got back dead on 3, don't see why I need it any more accurate than that.

Nice riding with girl in 'skins' shorts and long hair around gladestry, whoever you are! nice to see fast females out on the road.

Steve GT

The best sportive I have done this year.
The route was superb with some stunning scenery. The Elan valley was really lovely. Well worth visiting if one has never been there and has the chance to do so.
I thought the organization was first class and the signs pointing the way top notch. A big 'well done' to the organizers!

friso

Hi, Just back to Norfolk from riding the Epic, As stated on an earlier post this was my first Sportive, bit of a baptism of fire, Thanks to everyone involved in organising a great day and thanks to everyone who spared the time to chat, Great day and great company

Very pleased to complete the full course and bring on next season

"my legs hurt so bad"

ugo.santalucia

formerlyknownasbonj wrote:

That was an excellent ride.
The climb out of rhayader followed by the beautiful elan valley was, as you say, superb.
VERY well attended - almost too well attended. Although the queue for food wasn't too long, half expected to be waiting ages for grub at the end but they seemed to have it under control.
Feed stations seemed to cope well, and were well situated. Nice cake!


The descent after the second feed station was awesome wasn't it!

I thought the info signs at the bottom of climbs, the '20km to go' sign, and the 'downhill all the way!' signs were a nice touch.

My only gripe was the mats for those stupid transponder devices - the one on the elan valley only covered the left side of the road - I was overtaking, so i didn't go over it! The woman shouted 'go over the mat!' but I was doing about 25mph and there was no way i was stopping and turning back - it's not like you win anything, I know what time I did, i tried to think of a reason why it was imortant to have it logged on their computer but i couldn't think of one. I just timed myself!
Did about 5:40, I set off at 9:20 and got back dead on 3, don't see why I need it any more accurate than that.

Nice riding with girl in 'skins' shorts and long hair around gladestry, whoever you are! nice to see fast females out on the road.

I agree, transponders are useless and expensive.

That said, I think the Epic is a good example of how a sportive can be organised well, provide all the necessary refreshments and support that is needed at an average price.

THIS SHOULD BE OF EXAMPLE FOR THE OTHER MORE FAMOUS WELSH SPORTIVE, WHICH CHARGES MORE AND DELIVERS LESS!!

Philip Whiteman

Another excellent event by Phil Weaver and the team at Epic Cycles. Many thanks to one and all. As per-usual, this event has set the bar high for all other event organisers. I rarely say that £25 for a sportive is justified but this is the exception.

Even though I was a DNF due to back pains, I still enjoyed the ride and the short cut train journey home.

I dare say that I can speak for many riders in saying that the Autumn Epic will be sorely missed, though I quite understand and respect Phil's decision to make this his last event. Such a good product must take an exhaustive amount of time to arrange.

Thanks again to all involved.

ugo.santalucia

Philip Whiteman wrote:

Another excellent event by Phil Weaver and the team at Epic Cycles. Many thanks to one and all. As per-usual, this event has set the bar high for all other event organisers. I rarely say that £25 for a sportive is justified but this is the exception.

Even though I was a DNF due to back pains, I still enjoyed the ride and the short cut train journey home.

I dare say that I can speak for many riders in saying that the Autumn Epic will be sorely missed, though I quite understand and respect Phil's decision to make this his last event. Such a good product must take an exhaustive amount of time to arrange.

Thanks again to all involved.

Hopefully someone will take over... maybe some cycling club from the area willing to put the time in.
It's a lot of work, but the result is worth it and maybe there's a little profit to be made

Surely it would be a shame if such a brillian event was to be lost. I daresay in my experience, for the scenery, the terrain and the orgasnisation this truly is the best sportive I have taken part in

captain_oakley

Third time lucky, great day out. For once an event lived up to all the hype, must
aggree with all the other posts. The Elan Valley looked fantasic (must return
with my walking boots).

Final climb was a nice tickle, could'nt work out if it was the cranks creaking
or my knees, however the final desent into town helped dull the pain. Never
seen so little traffic on a sportive, felt like it was on closed roads. Best event I
have done this year.

Couple of thankyou's, to the NLW??? (yellow kit with a ladder), thanks for
for the Chaingang out of the Elan Valley and to Phil & Anna for organising
such a great event. Would be a real shame to see it go.......

Bridal Fair anyone..............!!! :roll:


'Another coffee or are we off...'

howiejmidlands

I agree with all of the comments above. My first time on this event, i was one of the many that didnt make it last year due to the rain.
Scenery was amazing and the spacing between the climbs gave you enough recovery time. Well organised and well stocked feed stations.
Shame it wont be on the calender next year.

johncp

I have to agree that this is a well organised and spectacular ride. My second time, first was 2006, and almost ruined by cramp - again!! 3 times had to stop and couldn't move for a couple of minutes until it went off. Still achieved a reasonable time so happy

If the event doesn't happen next year you could do worse than the TransCambrian, which starts and finishes in Rhayader so covers some of the same area including the Elan Valley and goes NW to the coast at Machynlleth. In my experience it's just as well organised although the wrist mounted transponders are a bit of a pain - but that's the only downside, otherwise feedstops etc are just as good.

dead sheep

ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT

Another superb event and a shame that it may be the last. I agree with Phil Whiteman's comments above especially on how this event is heads above the rest.

The only thing that confused me was, why were so many to the participants modelling wedding dresses at the HQ? They were very uncomfortable to wear on the bike.

turnipian

Excellent Event. Well Done to Phil, Anna and their team!!

LONG LIVE THE EPIC

jackfeeder

That was great, pleased with my time of 6hrs26mins as this is the first time I've done that distance. Hope it isn't the last of their events as the whole thing was superb.
If anyone is going to stay up that way for any reason I can highly recommend the b+b I stayed in, they couldn't do enough for me and the other 3 lads who stayed.
It was www.stayinwales.co.uk/vicaragehouse - v.good
Have to take things more seriously next year!

jackfeeder

Anyone got any links to pics yet?

peter_andrew

Thought the actual route was better this year than 2 yrs ago when i last did it. A more gradual start to let you warm up.

3 times now that cwcm (spl?) climb beats me.
peter

ugo.santalucia

jackfeeder wrote:

Anyone got any links to pics yet?

PIctures here

http://www.rightplacerighttime.co.uk/events.html

I am number 510 in case anyone is interested... on the Glaswn it look like I'm performing a trackstand, but I can assure you I was moving, although mot much

formerlyknownasbonj

hmm., one of mine's actually not THAT bad. looks like i'm going vaguely fast, the background's certainly blurred. (368, no. 3)

ugo.santalucia

formerlyknownasbonj wrote:

hmm., one of mine's actually not THAT bad. looks like i'm going vaguely fast, the background's certainly blurred. (368, no. 3)

I think that's a fantastic picture... you look like you're in a breakaway..

formerlyknownasbonj

ugo.santalucia wrote:

formerlyknownasbonj wrote:

hmm., one of mine's actually not THAT bad. looks like i'm going vaguely fast, the background's certainly blurred. (368, no. 3)

I think that's a fantastic picture... you look like you're in a breakaway..

thanks! i think i was in a breakaway the entire ride :twisted: :oops:
it's a pleasant surprise especially in the light of my thread on photographers in sportives.

simon_e

Captain Oakley wrote:

Couple of thankyou's, to the NLW??? (yellow kit with a ladder)

Something like this? If so it will have been MSW (Mid Shropshire Wheelers). I saw a few familiar names on the results sheet

sub4

Hmm great ride, really epic. Also epic hamstring cramp shortly before Glascwm, which sort of fortunately only got me when trying to climb in the saddle :evil: . Sort of, because that meant I had to climb anything steep entirely out of the saddle :evil: . But I have to say, driving it along on the 10 miles of flat before the last climb was very satisfying, as I was distinctly 'on the limit' :twisted: