Southern Sportive (Petersfield) 12 Sep 10

Turbo Man

Anyone else doing the 155km route? I did this last year and had my chain break on the first hill. A good samaritan helped me get it back together but without a new link it was only ever going to be a temporary repair. So temporary in fact, that it only lasted until the 2nd hill! Some big hills and great descents. Hopefully the weather will be kind.

bodyworks

Signed up to incentivise the the riding. Have just completed my first 100km ride on holiday in Cornwall originally thought that silver would be feasible but now will settle for finishing the 155 km route, I know the terrain well living in Buriton, Bronze would be a great achievement for me. Good luck with the mechanicals!

vernthemerciless

Bodyworks - I'm curious to know why you've signed up for this sportive if you live in Buriton. I live in Petersfield and have been considering entering, though probably not the 155km route for me, but can't bring myself to pay £25 to ride roads I ride all the time. Is the size of the event And the atmosphere really worth it?

bodyworks

@vernthemerciless

It will be my first sportif and will certainly be the longest road bike ride I have ever done, so thought it would help to do a route where I know most of the hills even if I haven't done them joined up before. Also getting away for the whole day with three children under 10 isn't easy to arrange. If I finish this one then who knows where the next one may be.

shakey88

I'm signed up for the long one.
Did it on my singlespeed last year but this time i'll be on my new synapse
There will be a few of us from Sotonia cc so if you see us don't be shy,say hello and join our merry band.
See ya there

shakey88

looks like it's gonna be a wet one fellas.
Bring yer brollies!

sampras38

I'm doing the 155km route for the 2nd time and got gold last year. Hope to do the same this time round. I think the weather is supposed to be cloudy but dry.

Le Commentateur

Great course, but watch out for the patches of gravel on the narrower lanes.

FransJacques

I'm sailing on Saturday in Hamble and want to do this the next day - does anyone know of any B&Bs in the area? (or have a couch? just joking)

the cost isn't nothing - what were the feed stations like last year? what sort of solid food and drinks did they have?

want to make sure it's worth it.

cheers

sampras38

FransJacques wrote:

I'm sailing on Saturday in Hamble and want to do this the next day - does anyone know of any B&Bs in the area? (or have a couch? just joking)

the cost isn't nothing - what were the feed stations like last year? what sort of solid food and drinks did they have?

want to make sure it's worth it.

cheers

If you haven't already entered you won't be able to now....although you could just do the route anyway and not take the grub at the stops.

mattjc

You can still enter actually, last day to do so today, closes at 5pm on the homepage of their website

Weather forecast is looking ok at the moment, but usually the BBC one changes daily! Did the Great Western and Woodcote one with these guys this year and have found them to be very well organised, 1st time doing the Southern one though

http://news.bbc.co.uk/weather/forecast/348?area=Petersfield

Mat

FransJacques

Thanks Matt - still looking for a B&B in the area though...

sampras38

mattjc wrote:

You can still enter actually, last day to do so today, closes at 5pm on the homepage of their website

Weather forecast is looking ok at the moment, but usually the BBC one changes daily! Did the Great Western and Woodcote one with these guys this year and have found them to be very well organised, 1st time doing the Southern one though

http://news.bbc.co.uk/weather/forecast/348?area=Petersfield

Mat

I wonder if that would be because they haven't quite got the numbers they were expecting?

I think there's something like 7 or 800 taking part.

sampras38

sampras38 wrote:

mattjc wrote:

You can still enter actually, last day to do so today, closes at 5pm on the homepage of their website

Weather forecast is looking ok at the moment, but usually the BBC one changes daily! Did the Great Western and Woodcote one with these guys this year and have found them to be very well organised, 1st time doing the Southern one though

http://news.bbc.co.uk/weather/forecast/348?area=Petersfield

Mat

I wonder if that would be because they haven't quite got the numbers they were expecting?

I think there's something like 7 or 800 taking part.

Met Office is saying cloud and sun for Sunday and no rain..

\0/

mattjc

I wonder if that would be because they haven't quite got the numbers they were expecting?

I think there's something like 7 or 800 taking part.

Quite possibly, said it has sold out last couple years but according to all 3 routes it totals up about 1050 riders, sure there will be entries not added to the list but doesn't look like a sell out this year.

Still over 1000 will remind me of being at the Dragon, and as no one from my club is doing this there will be lots of groups to join onto im sure

Mat

sampras38

mattjc wrote:

I wonder if that would be because they haven't quite got the numbers they were expecting?

I think there's something like 7 or 800 taking part.

Quite possibly, said it has sold out last couple years but according to all 3 routes it totals up about 1050 riders, sure there will be entries not added to the list but doesn't look like a sell out this year.

Still over 1000 will remind me of being at the Dragon, and as no one from my club is doing this there will be lots of groups to join onto im sure

Mat

Definately...

I was at the Dragon too.

hitthewall

I'll be there for the long route. Coming down from Newbury. Did the mid route last year. Lovely countryside and views across the downs.

Have done the Great Western and Woodcote events with Southern Sportives this year. Always well organised.

sampras38

Half a banana and a flap though...hummm?

Good job I always bring my own

arthur_scrimshaw

ran in to a few of the 155km riders on my training ride north of Chichester, then again near East Ashling and Funtington. Hope you all had a good ride, weather was great!

shakey88

Yes the weather was perfect,the route was tough but not overly so,i rode with a great bunch of lads and managed a gold time of 5hrs 25
On the negative side,there was a lot of poor road surfaces and gravel with no warning signs and one road was impassable(unless you dismounted) due to a lot of sand covering the road!
I think an diversion should have been in place,or at least a marshall?
Other than that,it was a well organised and enjoyable event and i'll be back for my third ride next year.

mattjc

Echo the comments above, the weather was ideal after the recent rain, but the sand on the course came as a big suprise and really a marshall would of been ideal there, luckily I was with about 6-7 others at the time so managed to stop ok, a big group heading on to that might have a few casulties, saw some poor chap on the side or the road after a bump in the road towards the last 20 or so miles, apart from that a good day out, 5hrs 27 for me

Mat

FransJacques

Wow, what a route, it really is one of the most picturesque parts of the UK tha's only 1.5 hours from south London. Really impressed with the beauty of the area. None of the hills were long and Dunston hill, while busy was well-surfaced so not too bad to crank away in a 39x26. Glad we descended the steep part of Butler's Hill (or whatever it was called). If we climbed the side we descended that would have been painful.

2 bad parts: 1 was the totally unmarshalled and under-signed sand trap section - I think I saw Tiger looking for his balls. I've not seen a hazard that bad since the moon-crater at the end of last year's HHH which claimed a 4000s side-wall with 200kms on it. C'est la vie. 2nd bad part was the newish but really slow and aggressive tarmack of the next 3/4 kms. How slow did that feel under the wheels?

Props to Kelvin and his buddy Tim(?) (on the KTM) who accompanied me around most of the way and made for some fun chatting along the way. Friendly dudes.

5:36 was the time, 28.something Kmh avg speed according to the Gar-Man. When I download it I want to see if I can subtract the 2km extra distance we did (at the start - how stupid of us!).

arthur_scrimshaw

"Yes the weather was perfect,the route was tough but not overly so,i rode with a great bunch of lads and managed a gold time of 5hrs 25
On the negative side,there was a lot of poor road surfaces and gravel with no warning signs and one road was impassable(unless you dismounted) due to a lot of sand covering the road!
I think an diversion should have been in place,or at least a marshall?
Other than that,it was a well organised and enjoyable event and i'll be back for my third ride next year."

Well done - that's going some. I'd have been happy with a Bronze!

bartimaeus

So that's who you all were! I was heading north up to QECP for some MTB fun... between Finchdean and QECP I must have passed at least 250 riders, all heading in the opposite direction. It really was a fine morning for a ride... and chapeau, a fair few of you roadies gave me a friendly wave as you passed.

hitthewall

Yes, it was a good ride. Great views across the Solent and the Isle of Wight at the bottom of the course. Quite a stiff head wind in parts from, I think, the NW.

Like the others, came to a grinding halt in the sand....

Also saw the poor guy at the side of the rode injured around 20 miles from home. There was also a guy being cared for at the last feed station.

Managed 5 hrs 38 for a gold time.

sampras38

shakey88 wrote:

Yes the weather was perfect,the route was tough but not overly so,i rode with a great bunch of lads and managed a gold time of 5hrs 25
On the negative side,there was a lot of poor road surfaces and gravel with no warning signs and one road was impassable(unless you dismounted) due to a lot of sand covering the road!
I think an diversion should have been in place,or at least a marshall?
Other than that,it was a well organised and enjoyable event and i'll be back for my third ride next year.

Yep, I was one of the unlucky ones who took a tumble at the bit you mention and I ended up pretty much going over the bars. I was in a bit of a state afterwards and the bike was a little damaged, but nothing unrepairable. Bars were a little bent, brake was rubbing and my left cleat would no longer click in properly. Took me about 10 min to get the bike up and running and I was pretty unsure on the bike for the rest of the route. Missed gold by only a few minutes so pretty pleased under the circumstances.

Got gold last year and wanted it again, but the crash put paid to that...;-)

I don't mind gravel but that was taking the piss..;-)

sampras38

hitthewall wrote:

Yes, it was a good ride. Great views across the Solent and the Isle of Wight at the bottom of the course. Quite a stiff head wind in parts from, I think, the NW.

Like the others, came to a grinding halt in the sand....

Also saw the poor guy at the side of the rode injured around 20 miles from home. There was also a guy being cared for at the last feed station.

Managed 5 hrs 38 for a gold time.

Me and another rider ended up lifting that guy at the 3rd feed stop into the van. He'd judt thrown up and was in a real bad way. Shaking and stuff. He could hardly walk.

wander wheels

Really enjoyed the ride yesterday especially after I crashed out after only 7 miles on a blind bend on gravel last year and ended up in casualty. Nervous going round this bend the second time but faced my fears head on and got round. Gravel seems to be the norm of riding in this area so took it easy on the descents. They had mentioned the sandy section on the pre-ride briefing and it was apparent as you approached so not a problem.Thought the ride overall was great and well balanced with none of these ridiculously steep hills you often get and signage was pretty good - liked the confirmation orange ribbons. The piece of flapjack and half a banana seems mean on of the face of it (they never enforced this) but I never eat much more than this anyway and always supplement this with my own gels and energy drink.

FransJacques - agree newly dressed gravel road on that last section after Butser Hill was a bit of a killer on my tired legs hopefully next year it will be worn in a bit.

Managed to get my first Gold this year so pretty pleased with myself. Would have liked a certificate even to just print one off myself later One to do again.

FransJacques

wander wheels wrote:

Really enjoyed the ride yesterday especially after I crashed out after only 7 miles on a blind bend on gravel last year and ended up in casualty. Nervous going round this bend the second time but faced my fears head on and got round. Gravel seems to be the norm of riding in this area so took it easy on the descents. They had mentioned the sandy section on the pre-ride briefing and it was apparent as you approached so not a problem.Thought the ride overall was great and well balanced with none of these ridiculously steep hills you often get and signage was pretty good - liked the confirmation orange ribbons. The piece of flapjack and half a banana seems mean on of the face of it (they never enforced this) but I never eat much more than this anyway and always supplement this with my own gels and energy drink.

FransJacques - agree newly dressed gravel road on that last section after Butser Hill was a bit of a killer on my tired legs hopefully next year it will be worn in a bit.

Managed to get my first Gold this year so pretty pleased with myself. Would have liked a certificate even to just print one off myself later One to do again.

Yes, just read my poorly edited post, should take more time writing. The part I was referring to was after the last feed, we turned left, then we went 600 meters up a lane and turned left onto the most aggressive tarmac I've seen in my life. Must be great for adhesion for car tyres during the winter months but it felt like peddaling in tar. esp when the road ramped up. I saw 1 guy walking.

But the vista to the left on the climb - the rolling green fields with the white sheep dotted on them and Butser hill in the background was an amazing landscape to look at. I'm glad I saved the route in the Garmin - one to do again as a training ride next May or so...

FransJacques

wander wheels wrote:

Really enjoyed the ride yesterday especially after I crashed out after only 7 miles on a blind bend on gravel last year and ended up in casualty. Nervous going round this bend the second time but faced my fears head on and got round. Gravel seems to be the norm of riding in this area so took it easy on the descents. They had mentioned the sandy section on the pre-ride briefing and it was apparent as you approached so not a problem.Thought the ride overall was great and well balanced with none of these ridiculously steep hills you often get and signage was pretty good - liked the confirmation orange ribbons. The piece of flapjack and half a banana seems mean on of the face of it (they never enforced this) but I never eat much more than this anyway and always supplement this with my own gels and energy drink.

FransJacques - agree newly dressed gravel road on that last section after Butser Hill was a bit of a killer on my tired legs hopefully next year it will be worn in a bit.

Managed to get my first Gold this year so pretty pleased with myself. Would have liked a certificate even to just print one off myself later One to do again.

Yes, just read my poorly edited post, should take more time writing. The part I was referring to was after the last feed, we turned left, then we went 600 meters up a lane and turned left onto the most aggressive tarmac I've seen in my life. Must be great for adhesion for car tyres during the winter months but it felt like peddaling in tar. esp when the road ramped up. I saw 1 guy walking.

But the vista to the left on the climb - the rolling green fields with the white sheep dotted on them and Butser hill in the background was an amazing landscape to look at. I'm glad I saved the route in the Garmin - one to do again as a training ride next May or so...

Congrats all on your golds. Next year I'll start before 9:20 when I did. I was lucky to meet a couple of guys but I reckon the best groups are earlier on, and the breeze defo picked up as the day went on.

Turbo Man

Thoroughly enjoyed myself yesterday. Legs were in tatters afterwards but delighted to hit gold standard for the youngsters (even though I'm nearly 50!). Yes, some of the road surfaces were poor and there was a lot of gravel about, but that is the challenge of sportives.