Chiltern 100 Now Open To Entries

NWLondoner
NWLondoner Posts: 2,047
edited February 2010 in Sportives/audaxes/training rides
Oh well just signed up for the Chiltern 100 Gran Fondo for June 6th :shock: 8)

Any others on here taking up the challange :?:

Comments

  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,250
    I've done it three times.

    This year I'm gonig for the Paris-Roubaix on the same day instead
    left the forum March 2023
  • gbs
    gbs Posts: 450
    To NWL: Looks VG but what public transport links can you recommend? Rail time table not yet available. I am currently thinking that ride to Baker St, tube to Amersham and then ride is the way to go. Any thoughts?

    Will there anywhere to leave a rucksack?
    vintage newbie, spinning away
  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,250
    gbs wrote:
    To NWL: Looks VG but what public transport links can you recommend? Rail time table not yet available. I am currently thinking that ride to Baker St, tube to Amersham and then ride is the way to go. Any thoughts?

    Will there anywhere to leave a rucksack?

    I'm sure the rucksack won't be a problem.
    Cycling from Amersham is not a problem either. Cycling back might be. C100 is a tough sportive, with 21 steep climbs. I've done three times and I always found myself completely drained at the end, much more than in other events like the Dragon Rde, Autumn Epic, Circuit of the Cotswolds etc.
    It's not the Fred Whitton, but it's not the typical sportive of the south with gentle climbs either.
    If you can use Chiltern Railways to GM is probably best (at least on the way back).
    left the forum March 2023
  • NWLondoner
    NWLondoner Posts: 2,047
    The line is going to be partly shut on the day due to engineering works. I am staying in hotel in hemel hempstead then will ride to event. Approx 10 miles
  • gbs
    gbs Posts: 450
    ugo, thanks for comment and for warning re granfondo; the medio will allow me to complete the metric century and that will suffice for these old legs - as you say not easy terrain.
    vintage newbie, spinning away
  • NWLondoner
    NWLondoner Posts: 2,047
    gbs, you can change your mind on the day and go for the Gran or Medio.

    Remember early Sunday train/tube times are not good. The First Met Line Tube to arrive in the area is normally at 8am at Chesham station, however this only starts from Wembley Park.


    Much better to arrange a lift or stay locally for the event.
  • Brindy
    Brindy Posts: 45
    is it 100k or miles
  • NWLondoner
    NWLondoner Posts: 2,047
    MILES :shock: :shock:

    The routes:
    the Gran Fondo of 171km (107 miles), with ascent of 2,620m.

    the Medio Fondo of 112km (70 miles) climbing 1,760m.

    the Corto Fondo an 88km (54 mile) challenge ride with some hills and great views for all-comers.
  • Brindy
    Brindy Posts: 45
    what is the road surfaces like
  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,250
    Brindy wrote:
    what is the road surfaces like

    They call it tarmac... pretty bad, I would say for many a miles
    left the forum March 2023
  • captain_oakley
    captain_oakley Posts: 222
    Hope for all your sakes, it's not as hot as it was last year. The last 10 mls were
    very hard (the last hill is about 1.5 mls from the finish). The organisers have found
    every 25% climb in the Chilterns, good feed stops though.

    If you drive, take advange of the free stn parking and cycle to the start, last year
    the main approach road resembled the local prep school at 3.30.



    'Gentleman you cannot fight in here, this is the War Room......'
  • TommyEss
    TommyEss Posts: 1,855
    Yep, the full route was very hard last year, and was my first full length sportive to boot. Ouch!

    The roads were ok, but a good number of potholes - I hit one square on a descent at close to 40mph - managed to skip right through it, but thought my time was up when I hit it...

    I daresay I will be attempting it again, as it's not too far from Reading - I'm also a fair bit fitter than last year, so would hope to be able to make a better fist of it!
    Cannondale Synapse 105, Giant Defy 3, Giant Omnium, Giant Trance X2, EMC R1.0, Ridgeback Platinum, On One Il Pompino...
  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,250
    If you guys are interested, maybe you could join one of our sunday rides in the Chiltern area. Starting from March we do regular hilly rides starting from Great Missenden at 8.30 and including many of the climbs of the C100... like Whiteleaf, Kop Hill, Kingston Blount, Bledlow Ridge, Bison Hill, The Krong etc.

    I'll post a reminder closer to the time, as at the moment we're staying well away from the area...
    left the forum March 2023
  • mroli
    mroli Posts: 3,622
    I'm riding. Chilterns are a lovely part of the world...
    http://www.georgesfoundation.org
    http://100hillsforgeorge.blogspot.com/
    http://www.12on12in12.blogspot.co.uk/
  • othello
    othello Posts: 578
    I'm considering the Corto Fondo as my legs are not up to the bigger rides this year
    Blogging about junior road bikes http://junior-road-bikes.tumblr.com
  • alan14
    alan14 Posts: 149
    ugo.santalucia wrote:
    If you guys are interested, maybe you could join one of our sunday rides in the Chiltern area. Starting from March we do regular hilly rides starting from Great Missenden at 8.30 and including many of the climbs of the C100... like Whiteleaf, Kop Hill, Kingston Blount, Bledlow Ridge, Bison Hill, The Krong etc.

    I'll post a reminder closer to the time, as at the moment we're staying well away from the area...
    If you like steep hills, try The Hale near Wendover!

    http://www.streetmap.co.uk/idld.srf?x=4 ... 07265&lm=1

    Of the hills I've done in the area, it's steeper and longer than The Crong, and must be on a par with Kop Hill, though I haven't been up that for a few years. It's also a classic Chilterns climb through a chalk beech wood and, untypically for the area, has a good road surface once you get past the big house.
  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,250
    Alan14 wrote:
    ugo.santalucia wrote:
    If you guys are interested, maybe you could join one of our sunday rides in the Chiltern area. Starting from March we do regular hilly rides starting from Great Missenden at 8.30 and including many of the climbs of the C100... like Whiteleaf, Kop Hill, Kingston Blount, Bledlow Ridge, Bison Hill, The Krong etc.

    I'll post a reminder closer to the time, as at the moment we're staying well away from the area...
    If you like steep hills, try The Hale near Wendover!

    http://www.streetmap.co.uk/idld.srf?x=4 ... 07265&lm=1

    Of the hills I've done in the area, it's steeper and longer than The Crong, and must be on a par with Kop Hill, though I haven't been up that for a few years. It's also a classic Chilterns climb through a chalk beech wood and, untypically for the area, has a good road surface once you get past the big house.

    I know the Hale very well, the road surface is not so good, it's OK to go up, not so good to come down.
    We have kind of agreed that the steepest surfaced road in the Chilterns is the one that starts on the right of Holloway Lane out of Turville and goes up to Ibstone... can't remember how it's called... I reckno it goes up at 25%+ towards the end
    left the forum March 2023
  • oldwelshman
    oldwelshman Posts: 4,733
    Looks like I might be making an appearance at my localish event with a free entry :D
    http://s290.photobucket.com/albums/ll245/oldwelshman/
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aK5Bfqj5fxY
  • Evil Laugh
    Evil Laugh Posts: 1,412
    Entered.

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