Durham Beast

pthompson73

Just found out about the Durham Beast Ride this Sunday (5th Sept)

Does anyone have any experience of this ride or area. they can share with myself

I managed the Northern Rock Cyclone (103m) ( ....through gritted teeth) back in June but I am a little wary of this one as I have been off the bike for about 6 weeks now due to injury / summer holidays and I am not sure whether it would be a step too far for a 1st big effort back without having some miles beneath the belt already.....especially hills.

I done the GNBR Sunday gone for Charity which was straightforward (mostly flat with a tailwind)......assuming this will be a totally different ball game.

Advice welcome

tarquin_foxglove

ISTBC but last year was the first year it was run and then they cancelled it on the day.

It is only 50 odd miles and the hills aren't that big, one of the biggest up to Burnhope was Cat 3 when the ToB came through but I guess they could have a cumulative effect. Also I think it is quite expensive at £17, you get a rolling road block from the start to the base of the first climb but after that you are on your own with water available at the finish.

Alternatively on the same day you could do the 'Hell of the North' that starts & finishes at the Dolphin Centre in Darlington.

That's a 100 miles & has 2 serious climbs & a couple of other lumps & bumps.

It is an un-signposted route & there is only free water available at the 1 sign in point but what do you expect for £2.50.

chicken_leg

Only heard about the Beast from this forum post. How ironic I was already planning a ride in the same area for today. I went in the opposite direction along a fair chunk of the route for tommorow's ride. On the whole it was really nice. Main reason I'm posting is that one section near Knitsley is single track road, steep and twisty with lots of fine loose chippings. I was descending like a proper pansy and still locked up a couple of times. Also, where the road switches back there is a spring or something so there's a short muddy section as well. These roads only really get farm traffic, so quite a few holes to watch out for. But as I said, the rest of the route should be really nice.

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/47532922


http://img.skitch.com/20100904-nqj2th4k ... c6j2rt.jpg

Hope this helps
G

pthompson73

Cheers G

As it happened I had a day out with the wife in Durham today and seen the start and sign posting....as I was heading in that direction I followed part of the route toward from Durham to Iveston before turning for home....route looks well signposted and roads look ok.

Bank up to Iveston looks nasty gradient with those quick switchbacks....ouch!.

You can still enter on the day at Sniperley Park and ride if your legs still fancy it?

P

tarquin_foxglove

pthompson73 wrote:

You can still enter on the day at Sniperley Park and ride if your legs still fancy it?/quote]

Anyone do it?

I was going along the A167 at 3ish & passed 6 mountain bikers, with full nobbly tyres, huge rucksacks etc. at first I thought they were just out for a ride but then I saw the numbers on their bars, they must have been last ones. They looked really shagged but only had about a mile left to go and at least had got round.

chicken_leg

There was quite a gaggle of people at the park&ride when i passed (in the car, on the way to the tip). My legs were frankly spent on Sunday, but I'm hoping that with some better training over the next year, I might be able to manage it next time.
G

durhamwasp

Was out cycling around about the Beast on Sunday, cycled on about 35% of the route, but the other way, plenty of novices out on mountain and people who looked like they dont cycle too often.

More of a "family fun" day than a sportive i would say. Can't believe it was £17 to enter!

reyserf

Hi I did this on Sunday and enjoyed it. You just climbed one hill, down the other side and repeat, there wasn't much level road at all. I climbed off a couple of times, the lane into Iveston caught me out and the climb approaching Cornsay was the beast, in my opinion.

The lanes around Knitsley were a bit rough with gravel in the corners keeping speed down, one corner in particular had a couple of potholes and was covered in mud, they did warn us at the start but they should have done something about this days before.

The closed road between the start and Witton Gilbert was a very pleasent experence why can't we have more of this? Anyway I'll probably do it again next year it took just under 4 hours which meant that I don't have to be away from home to long.

Geo

pthompson73

Well I went for it on Sunday, despite being off the bike for nigh on 6 weeks......
The route was very challenging, and my performance of 4 hours and 1 min (damn that last set of traffic lights) was pleasing given the time off.
Some of the banks were monsters, Iveston and the bank into Cornsay in particular....toward the end the cumlative effect of up and down, lack of training took its toll and I am not ashamed to say I hopped off a couple of times when I thought my heart was about to burst.
Signposting was excellent, as were the starting instructions and the rolling road. The price of £17 was quite steep especially if you want to do the Big Ride this weekend with the kids you have to pay again!
All told a good day out on the bike, and I shall certainly be giving these roads some practice in the coming weeks to get some revenge back on those areas that beat me!

dmch2

That makes me feel pretty good hearing someone say it's hard work round there. map here: http://www.durhambigride.co.uk/Routes%20Map%202010.jpg

I've only been cycling for fun (rather than commuting) on my hybrid for a few months and have a 30 mile route which is similar to the beast route (but misses out the NW corner of it). It does take in a different hill near Cornsay though which looks slightly worse on gmap-pedometer.com and then a different one out of Lanchester and some of the same ones near Tow Law.

So to hear another poster on here say it's tough is quite uplifting

Shame I was busy so couldn't make it...

d70ar9

dmch2

When i was up in Durham i used to do this ride regularly - it is quite a nice route and not too hard.

http://www.bikemap.net/route/648302#lat ... =12&type=2

You may find it useful

dmch2

I've done most of the bits of that route at one time or another but it's nice to have a new way of joining them together into a slightly longer route. Most of my rides are under 30 miles to fit them in of an evening. So thanks

Although you've missed out the steeper hills of Bargate and Howden Bank which will make my life easier!

I'll look forward to the next weekend day I can get out (small child and a wife working shifts) to give it a go. I think she's going to her sister's for the half term week then I should have a week (of no doubt torrential rain) to get some decent miles in.

d70ar9

Yeah it is quite nice on the hills - one or two are tough but nothing major - the worst one on that route is out of Hedleyhope up to the B6301 - short but very steep. Anyway good luck

dmch2

Will give you 40 mile route a go tomorrow - 14 degrees and only 20% chance of rain
http://uk.weather.com/weather/hourByHour-Durham-DH1?dayNum=1&flag=1

dmch2

2nd attempt and did the route today in the sunshine after the rain.

That Hedleyhope one is 15% for half a mile! I made it 3/4 of the way up then thought 'if I run out of steam I'm going to fall off in a clipless moment' so I stopped. loser!

3 decent sized climbs (400ft or more) but it's the 4 200ft sized climbs one after the other at the end that are killer!

But almost 3000ft of climbing and averaged 15mph which is pretty good for me considering I only manage about 50 miles a week and have only had the bike a month.

Thanks

dmch2

Forgot to mention that the descent (13%) into ebbchester is scarier downhill round the bends knowing there's a T junction coming up than going up it!

d70ar9

Each time you do it you will find the climb out of Hedleyhope easier but it is still a bugger

Yeah the Ebbchester descent certainly gives the brakes a work out...

My favourite section of the ride is the section from High Stoop to Lanchester on the B6296 you can absolutely tank it along there and get 50mph + on one of the hills (if you really go for it). My least favourite section is the stretch along the A691 but luckily it isn't too long.

dmch2

I think I could do it as I now feel a bit soft for wimping out!

The roads to and from the A68 are superb Whilst that bit of A691 isn't great (it's fine into Durham from Lanchester though somehow) the last climb into Sacriston is definitely the worst bit. I was deep into 'I'm nearly home, I'm tired, I'd like a nice cruise please' and the hill just keeps going!

I got well into the 40s but 50mph is pretty serious!

The challenge now is to do the route faster and to see how much of a rest I need before the next attempt. I've only ever done one ride of 50 miles and 3 of 40 miles so it's a long way for me at the moment!

Is it harder or easier the other way round?

d70ar9

I only did it the direction you did - think it is probably easier that way - If you did it the other way you would have the nasty hill up Ebbchester and the long one out of Lanchester. You have to really go for it to get 50mph it is on the last downhill bit before the descent into Lanchester - it is a nice and straight road and a good surface

Also don't underestimate the tough terrain around Durham - i trained up in Durham for my LEJOG and didn't encounter anything worse on the route than some of the hills around Durham. So tell yourself if you can nail the rides round Durham you could tackle the worst of the UK.

There is also a nice (comparably flat) route to the coast and back - 30 mile loop - Durham to Blackhall Colliery (via Shincliffe and the A181) then along the coast to Easington Colliery then back to Durham (via Easington Lane).

dmch2

The long one out of lanchester is fine but maybe I'm better at endurance than power as I'm rubbish at the steeper hills. You gain by doing Headleyhope down hill but yes, you definitely lose with Ebchester (took me 4 bites to get up that with my hybrid a few months ago - even with the excuse that I'd come from further West and therefore slightly lower down).

It's good to hear you say Durham is tough. Especially when I have friends around Cambridge who think a speedbump is a mountain! Definitely some sportives next year - If I can do 60miles round here then a 100miler somewhere a bit flatter is on the cards The problem is the local ones (Cyclone and the richmondcyclingclub) seem to be as hilly! Maybe one round Cambridge...

I've definitely noticed the roads to the East are flatter. I ended up round that way last week and despite feeling pretty pathethic and needing more rest stops I averaged 1mph faster!

durhamwasp

This sportive is still going, and will be slightly longer this year, £25 now too.

Anyone doing it?

diamondbacker

Yes, I'm doing it. I did it last year on my mountain bike with semi slicks. All being well I will be doing it on the same bike.

I did it in 4.5ish hours I think, so not fast but completed all hills without getting off. An achievement for me as I found it quite tough!

I do have Red Triban 3 with a 28t cassette which I'm considering using for a faster pace but I think I would like the MTB gearing for the hills. After all, it's not a race and even if it was I certainly wouldn't be winning.

durhamwasp

Great ride today, would highly recommend it!

52 tough miles, good amounts of water, mars bars and bananas at the feeds and extremely well sign-posted.

Getting a good running t-shirt, beanie hat and beach bag included in your £25 made it all the better.

slim_boy_fat

Was a good day, completed it with my brother. The climbs are not long but there are plenty of them and some are quite steep. The cumulative effect really took it's toll by the end. Didn't enjoy it as much as the Hell of Hexham but it's always nice to be out on the bike with my brother. And amazingly the rain stayed off!