Anyone any experience of The Exmoor Beast?

Nasawing

Cor - time is ticking away fast - they've put up on their site that entries are going to close on the 23rd. Well over 1100 people registered so far.

Anyone seen the article they put in their 'chronicle' e-mag? Who's for riding the ford or using the bridge then?

Bobbinogs

Yepp, the clock is ticking. Went out for a long ride yesterday and the frightening thing is that probably should be my last before starting to spin down, cripes! Then again, maybe fit one more hill climbing session in next w/e...

I guess a dip through a ford will be appealing if the weather is as warm as today, but methinks filling me boots up with icy water may not be the best thing if there's a cold northerly wind, brrrr.

Nasawing

Ah, daisy roots full of icy H20 ... not to mention a cold spray up my back and nethers too! There I was feeling and sounding all brave an committed. Now you've sown a seed of doubt!!! :shock:

markp2

I did it last year and it was memorable. Never been so close to being blown off the road so many times! Doing it for a third time this year - good season closer before we all slob out and get fat over winter!

Nasawing

Well, ten days to the event and only three according to their site before registrations close but around 1300 people signed up. To say I'm nervous is an understatement. Here's wishing the rest of you who're going all the best - I hope to meet a few of you en route!

Ride safe,

NaSa

vs

Nasawing wrote:

To say I'm nervous is an understatement.

No need to worry. The beast, despite its' name, misses all the really tough Exmoor climbs.

Dunkery?
It doesn't go anywhere near the top, just up the first bit, over the cattle grid and then descends off of the actual climb of Dunkery to the right and climbs up an easier ascent to the moor.

By contrast The North Devon Black Rat really is a 'BEAST'! A much tougher ride but also much more scenic, as it hugs the coast whilst the Exmoor beast messes around doing pointless loops at Weddon Cross.

Bobbinogs

So, how did you get on NaSa, et al? I did the 100M. It was my first century and I can honestly it was the toughest yet. Managed to scrape a bronze (7'11"). Halfway out I was hoping for silver, 15 miles to go I was just hoping to finish. Shame the award was not an actual medal, my daughters love getting "well done" certificates but I would have liked a small chunk of metal.

Right, what's next, apart from several beers

markp2

I did the 100k and trundled round in 3.58 - which isn't too bad for an old codger. Shame there wasn't better visibility on the higher sections, but that is always a risk at this time of year.
The event was well managed, clear signage (although there were a few 100 mile riders sneaking a shortcut which we noticed when driving home) and generally pretty enjoyable.
It would be good to have some route variations next year as we have done this one for the last 3 years.
Cheers,
Mark

ooermissus

popette wrote:

Hiya,
rode it last two years - here's my write up of 2009 if you're interested.
If you can't be bothered reading all that - tough but eventually enjoyable is the ultra high level summary. Do it!

http://2010etape.blogspot.com/2009/11/r ... beast.html

Great write up. But 'tough' doesn't really do justice to the pain you endured!

greeny12

markp2 wrote:

(although there were a few 100 mile riders sneaking a shortcut which we noticed when driving home)

To be fair, they might have been some of the many riders who missed that blind 90-degree left-hander which had only a small sign on the opposite side of the road indicating it. I saw quite a few cars with bikes on top obviously coming back from the event while I took this little detour - it was no short cut, I can tell you!!

There was great marshalling along the course, but that was one turn that could have done with somebody on it...

vs

many riders who missed that blind 90-degree left-hander

Yep, missed that turn, ended up at the Bampton/Tiverton junction, had to climb back up to and out of Bampton which added an extra 6 hilly miles. Also, more stupidly missed the entrance to Butlins at the finish, I don't think there was a sign, and had to go around the roundabout.

As for the route, the ride to Dulverton is great. From there the course needs revising as it becomes a dull, uninspiring route. Exmoor has so much more to offer.

pjm-84

As for the route, the ride to Dulverton is great. From there the course needs revising as it becomes a dull, uninspiring route

That's interesting to know. I thought it was just me and the fact I haven't been riding long distances on the road this year. I was just plain bored between 100km and 145km.

Toby_W

Or it could have been me (badtri) taking a shortcut back. After 5 punctures I was running out of patches and didn't want to risk getting stuck miles from the finish. They told me to ride across the finish so they had me accounted for and I told the timing people to DNF me although they haven't yet. Despite this I still had a fantastic ride, I think Exmoor is truly spectacular even in less the sunny conditions.

Only down side and it's true for all sportives is people not keeping left and being a bit selfish with their riding. A load of people blocking ambulance and the road on the first hill pushing their bikes on the left right and middle. It makes me sad.

Great fun riding across the ford and I hope they guy who I heard do down on the cattle grid was all right.

vs

I was just plain bored between 100km and 145km.

I've said it before, this route sucks for the last 40 miles. They need to get back up onto the moor from Dulverton (the hill used in the 2009? TOB) and then use Withypool and Winsford into Exford and then to Weddon Cross.

For a much better taste of what Exmoor really has to offer try the Tour of Exmoor (more scenic) or the Black Rat North Devon (much, much harder but spectacular) and both in the summer so the chances are less of being on the best part of the course and not being able to see anything but fog.

The Exmoor Beast is very popular and has been marketed very well - it also uses a weekend where there are a lot less other sportives and for many it is the last blast of the year. The problem is the route is dull from Dulverton.

I ride on Exmoor everyday and virtually never use the roads the other side of Weddon Cross except the road across to Raleigh Cross towards Taunton - which is lovely but this route only uses the first few miles before turning right.

I have emailed the organisers my thoughts, I hope it changes next because it's a real shame that this is the only Exmoor ride a lot of 1000 plus entrants will do and it's not the best advert for the area.

Bobbinogs

I was a bit surprised at the number of folks unclipping early. I started in a nice big group that held a nice comfortable pace and I was nicely in the groove...then the first minor climb out of Luccumbe (through the woods) and it was like carnage and I had to bob all over the place just trying to get a route through all the folks stopping after the grid. Still, you pays your money and you do what you blinking well like so no complaints from me.

I did bunny hop two of the cattle grids on descents but then my common sense kicked in and I decided to save that kind of thing for drier conditions and Vuelta finishes, etc.

I did wonder about the p*nctures. I must have seen about 10 riders on the way who were unfortunate and stood with upended machines which I am not sure in terms of averages (good or bad?). For one person to get 5 must have been soul destroying. What was it, thorns (or the same thorn 5 times)?

vs

Schwalbe Durano Plus - Heavy but great for sportives. No punctures this year - 1000's of Exmoor and Welsh mountain miles. I can't recommend these highly enough, in fact I would never leave home without them.

Toby_W

Thorn, glass, metal shard, pop from not seating the tube and tyre. I still had a great ride, got to fly up hills, enjoy the views and see the best of people who offered help, asked if I was all right and some nice supporters who lent me a track pump.

I just put it down to a bad karma day and enjoyed it as it was.

Shame the weather wasn't nicer, I rode the westcountry way with my wife, sister in law and baby girl back in June in blazing sunshine and Exmoor was spectacular.

Cheers

Toby

Toby_W

Oh I also felt the punctures were a little my fault, end of the year, worn tyres picking up and holding more flints, should have changed them last week.

Cheers

Toby