King of the Downs
psychologist
Posts: 6
Has anyone done this before?
I have done London To Brighton a few times and the Chiltern 100 mile challenge. Fancy doing this but dont know if i am fit enough
Ten steep hills in the Downs!
Any training tips?
I have done London To Brighton a few times and the Chiltern 100 mile challenge. Fancy doing this but dont know if i am fit enough
Ten steep hills in the Downs!
Any training tips?
0
Comments
-
Ride lots of similar hills!
I haven't done this ride, but I have ridden all the climbs as I live in the area.
Yorks Hill is nasty and very steep, but the rest of them are more longer drags.0 -
did this last year on a horrible day. Was rain and mud all over the place. Was meant to do the 100 but had to do the 50 instead.
First ride on the new Trek Madone, came down one hill and the front tyre was on the tarmac and the back hit some mud. Bike went from under me and crashed at 17 mph, although my mate says we were going faster, not too sure. Got road rash and had to do the next 20 miles covered in blood.
Still doing it next year though very good event, with the Evans ones you get a good mix of people, few on mountain bikes and hybrids etc0 -
Was a great day - I went only to do the 50 and loved it so much I stayed for the 100 and ended up with a top 20 placing (granted not many finished).
The rain came for me on the Surry part and the narrow lanes were like wadis in the rainy season - complete rivers. Luckily I dried out during the Kent loop but it was an epic day out.
Highly recommended! Good feed zones too.When a cyclist has a disagreement with a car; it's not who's right, it's who's left.0 -
I did the 50-miler last year on a 48*17 fixed and it was fine. Had to push up the last bit of a couple of the hills but otherwise was more than do-able.
Weather was hilarious!0 -
Me and the missus are doing it this year, she's doing the 57 and I'm doing the ton, definitely hoping for decent weather as my bike is made of spun sugar (I believe you chaps call it Carbon Fibre).0
-
Its a loooooong ride, bit too long in my opinion. Did the "century" last year (was well over 110 milesin the end!), rode most of it alone as there didn't seem to be many people out on the roads, for the second half anyway. Yorks Hill was fun though, and in better conditions and with a better turnout it could be pretty good.0
-
Sitting at home with Man flu, remembered I had entered this which is about 4 weeks away. Have done a lot of training mileage so far this year and hope not too lose too much fitness with this cold/flu.
Looks like a heck of a challenge, I am assuming you come back past the start for the second loop, so an opportunity to call it a day if your not up to it?0 -
yes the second loop starts at the same place last year the weather was terrible and a lot of people just did the first 50.
Very good ride and enjoyed it last year right to to when I crashed and got road rash.
Unfinished business so need to make it all the way round this time0 -
did the first half as well, as hypothermia took me out for the second bit ... the first half is a typical surrey loop, with all the usual suspects and nothing too taxing as surrey hills go (pitch hill, combe bottom, box hill) and straightforward to knock out.
to me, the second bit looks like the hard part esp as one will be reasonably tired at that point ... def plan to sign up again as looking fwd to that part.0 -
I did the full thing last year - it was pretty horrible, although that was due to the weather. In fact I found it much much harder than last year's etape.
The route is stunning when it gets going on the eastern hills. It is very long though and 10 really steep hills really hurts!0 -
Bring on the good weather then please! Missed out on the Etape this year so this can be my major climbing challenge for the year.0
-
How is everyones training going for this? Given the current weather I am not expecting great weather for this ride. Its an early start I see so a very early breakfast. Doing a long one this weekend then taking it easy next week.0
-
Did Mallorca in March, the 150 km Flanders route, the HH100 last weekend, and the long weekend before that rode across Dartmoor national park twice. Racked up 1000m climbing in 40 kms - not many places this side of the Alpes you ca do that. Really impressive brutal place if a bit too barren of trees. Guess it's rude to begrudge people 1000 years ago needing cabins and firewood. Also Captn Nelson needed nice tall masts for his square riggers.When a cyclist has a disagreement with a car; it's not who's right, it's who's left.0
-
Got myself in good shape for Flanders, but been a bit lazy since.
Little Lumpy this weekend as a warm up (although they look quite similar).
Hoping to beat last year's 9h14 by a good bit. Some good weather would help.
0 -
It's a tough old route with not many places to get into a rhythm. Just eat and drink lots and don't really rely on the feed station cuz they're prone too running out - they were low when I came by cuz I started a bit late in the window hoping the rain would get better - it didn't.
I'm defo running a 25mm on the rear, basically the same wheel I used in Flanders. Think I'll use my Ardennes front wheel with a 23mm 4000s.When a cyclist has a disagreement with a car; it's not who's right, it's who's left.0 -
TheStone wrote:Some good weather would help.
+1 to that.
I've managed to dodge the worst of the weather and sneaked in a century over a similar amount of hillage last thursday and out again this weekend so I'm feeling ready(ish).
Should be a giggle.
How many feed stations are there?0 -
http://www.metcheck.com/V40/UK/FREE/day ... king&day=6
Looks ok, hope the sun stays switched on during the day. Will make it better than last year. Cool and sunny - about 15C is what I'm all about!When a cyclist has a disagreement with a car; it's not who's right, it's who's left.0 -
Any tips on gearing - The Wall seems to be the steepest climb - how tough is it?http://www.georgesfoundation.org
http://100hillsforgeorge.blogspot.com/
http://www.12on12in12.blogspot.co.uk/0 -
mroli wrote:Any tips on gearing - The Wall seems to be the steepest climb - how tough is it?
The Wall's ok. Probably avg around 10%, but kicks up to 13-14%.
Yorks Hill is a bit tougher and further into the ride. Avg is a bit more and I'd guess it must
be 16-18% for a bit.
For me, the same gearing as normal which goes down to 34-28, but I'm quite heavy.0 -
i honestly did not even know we had done the wall until afterwards, when i asked someone when we would climb it. and i am not attempting to brag about my climbing here -- i had expected a winterfold type climb given how much it is talked up.
the other climbs on KOTD, however, sound like doozies.0 -
On gearing York Hill (narrow twisting road) will be tougher than the Wall (wider straight road). This weekend I went up the Wall in 34/23 whereas I need 34/27 for York.0
-
getting up one hill is usually ok it's just the combination of all of them
First one of the year just doing the 50 but riding a 28-27. Hopefully this will be the last time I need the 28 on the front and will then go back to a standard triple setup.
Hope the weather holds up I crashed last year but still made the finish so hopefully I can make it all the way round the 50 in one piece0 -
Would you carbo load for something of this distance? I have done around 90 miles before but not this distance. Thinking of hitting the pasta from Friday lunch time?0
-
haggisinlondon wrote:Would you carbo load for something of this distance? I have done around 90 miles before but not this distance. Thinking of hitting the pasta from Friday lunch time?
No, but have a good pasta meal the night before and plenty of breakfast in the morning.
I've tried tapering and carb loading for stuff before and I just end up feeling heavy.0 -
you have to carbo starve then carbo load - deplete your stores on tuesday/wednesday (not via exercise but vai diet) then hit long and med chain carbs on friday/saturday and you'll be primed.
don't eat too much on saturday night. have a good poo on sunday. sorry but a good poo is key to getting all the gels and bars thru your system the next day.
avoid hard to digest veggies with lots of fibre the day before - soft mushy food is best.When a cyclist has a disagreement with a car; it's not who's right, it's who's left.0 -
Going to bake a few treats - banana loaf or something similiar to eat on the road. I am guessing I will be shedding a lot of calories.0
-
Bike fixed, weather looking great.
Aiming for under 8hrs.
(9:14 last year)0 -
Yorks is the steepest, the 2 ramps at the top are 25%. Unless you have very low gearing or are super strong you will need to get out of the saddle.
The Wall is a steady 12% with one slightly easier bit halfway up.
Titsey is very hard too, 16% at the bottom then a steady 12% until halfway up when it gets much easier. Very long too.
Anyone got an entry they can't use, I have a friend who's interested?0 -
I have a spare one. PM me if interested0
-
FransJacques wrote:you have to carbo starve then carbo load - deplete your stores on tuesday/wednesday (not via exercise but vai diet) then hit long and med chain carbs on friday/saturday and you'll be primed.
don't eat too much on saturday night. have a good poo on sunday. sorry but a good poo is key to getting all the gels and bars thru your system the next day.
avoid hard to digest veggies with lots of fibre the day before - soft mushy food is best.
Buyer beware with this advice especially the first bit about carbo starving :roll:
Soft mushy food?
Good poo?0
