Tour ride Stoke
Comments
-
Just remembered from last year the bank out of leek cheddleton bank was a 3rd cat climb last year.0
-
Great ride and day out for me - did the Pro ride and got away in the first bunch at 8am - my riding time was about 6:24, total time on bike about 6:50.
Organisation very good - clear signage, good foodstops, good end-of-ride facilities - I really appreciated the pasta at the end and the M&S sandwiches were excellent.
Route was great, although for me the headwind all the way from the pro/challenge route split until the luch stop made it a lot more hardwork that I'd expected. The fist KoM was OK, the second KoM up on the moor was a bit of a drag but again not too bad - just a couple of short sharp climbs, and Gun Hill was hard, but I think worse for being straight after the lunch stop.
However for me the climbs in and out of Leek were really hard, and the one about 2-3 miles out of Leek I think where the route swung to the left from the main road was the absolute worst - no indication it was there - people zig-zagging across the road to try to minimise the gradient - it was the first time I have ever looked for an even lower gear and thought I might need to walk - made it though and then there was another tough climb nearer the end as well. Lots of people walking this one as all the routes had joined by then
Weather very cold for most of the day in the wind, but started to warm up about 2.
Would I do it again - definately0 -
Times are now on the tour ride website.0
-
I was going to do this but had to go to a wedding instead.
On the way back from the wedding imagine my suprise to come across dozens of cyclists slogging their way up Hollingsclough moor.
It took me ages to realise that it was the ride I was supposed to be doing...
Respect to the female mountain biker I saw wearing baggy trackie bottoms.
Nice Cd she had. Looked like a parachute going uphill!
0 -
I had a great day - apart from that last bloody climb upto Cocknage Lane.
I had cramp for the last 20miles on and off and had major cramp on the very last climb of the day - I carried on riding and I'm sure a few folks will remember me swearing and groaning my way up the hill.
The small hill on the outskirts of Cheadle is the steepest - my garmin 705 registered 27% at the steepest.
As for times - I was aiming for under 7 hours ride time and managed 6:22 on the Garmin with an official time of 7:00:29. This was my first century ride in 15 years and I'm dead chuffed that I made it round never mind the time.... :P However, that said, I would rather they didn't time the feed stations - I've done a few where they have time takers into and out of the feed stations. By keeping the clock running they could encourage folks to skip drinks and food which is not very healthy!
I'll do this again if they run it next year - brilliant organisation, oh, but move the car-park closer as my poor body rebelled on the way back to the car.....
All in all a brilliant day - and to cap it off - NO RAIN......
Rich0 -
There was overflow carpark wich was minutes from the start, but the attendant was the most useless and unhelpfull person ive ever met.He moaned because the car was parked in the wrong place but as he did not have a jacket on to say who he was or what he was doing how were we to know where to park, drivers where doing what they wanted and he was getting so annoyed, it was bloody funny..A mouthfull of mud, i guess ive crashed
Giant xtc se
Trek 1.2compact0 -
kingderham wrote:There was overflow carpark wich was minutes from the start, but the attendant was the most useless and unhelpfull person ive ever met.He moaned because the car was parked in the wrong place but as he did not have a jacket on to say who he was or what he was doing how were we to know where to park, drivers where doing what they wanted and he was getting so annoyed, it was bloody funny..
that guy was the farmer who had kindly allowed his field to be used for the tour ride......0 -
oscar24570 wrote:Times are now on the tour ride website.
I take it the KOM results are for just Gun Hill?0 -
jones1328 wrote:oscar24570 wrote:Times are now on the tour ride website.
I take it the KOM results are for just Gun Hill?
yes, it was the only one timed0 -
jones1328 wrote:kingderham wrote:There was overflow carpark wich was minutes from the start, but the attendant was the most useless and unhelpfull person ive ever met.He moaned because the car was parked in the wrong place but as he did not have a jacket on to say who he was or what he was doing how were we to know where to park, drivers where doing what they wanted and he was getting so annoyed, it was bloody funny..
that guy was the farmer who had kindly allowed his field to be used for the tour ride......
.. the chap seemed ok to me... he waved me off when i left...
... pleased with my time, finished in the top 20 for the 80kms... and was quicker than all the Rapha Condor guys... and a minute quicker than Ed Clancy... lol (ok maybe they werent trying quite as hard as me on the day.... lol)... but the clock doesnt lie !!!....
... good event , well organised, big thankyou to all guys out on the road marshalling etc (it was bloody cold riding, so can imagine it must have been freezing just standing about)0 -
I clocked 6:53 overall and 10:28 on Gun Hill which I was quite pleased with considering it was my first 100 miler. I thought the toughest bit was Hollinsclough Moor due to the wind, didn't enjoy that last little dig just before the finish either!
It was my first sportive and I thought the organisation was fantastic compared to what I've heard about some other sportives. A motorbike marshall even asked me if I was alright on Hollinsclough Moor, I obviously looked like I was suffering! Well stocked food and drink too.0 -
thegibdog wrote:I clocked 6:53 overall and 10:28 on Gun Hill which I was quite pleased with considering it was my first 100 miler. I thought the toughest bit was Hollinsclough Moor due to the wind, didn't enjoy that last little dig just before the finish either!
It was my first sportive and I thought the organisation was fantastic compared to what I've heard about some other sportives. A motorbike marshall even asked me if I was alright on Hollinsclough Moor, I obviously looked like I was suffering! Well stocked food and drink too.
This was my very first spotive and very first 100 mile ride too. Clocked 08:22 up Gun Hill which I was surprised to find out....as I thought I was going really slowly!0 -
jones1328 wrote:Clocked 08:22 up Gun Hill which I was surprised to find out....as I thought I was going really slowly!
That's an impressive time. Did you deliberately try to ride quicker because you knew it was timed? Or did you have a rest at the feed station and get to Gun Hill relatively rested?
I couldn't really be arsed to work too hard up Gun Hill, knew I still had 30 odd miles to ride on my own after and wanted something in my legs for that.0 -
derbygrimpeur wrote:jones1328 wrote:Clocked 08:22 up Gun Hill which I was surprised to find out....as I thought I was going really slowly!
That's an impressive time. Did you deliberately try to ride quicker because you knew it was timed? Or did you have a rest at the feed station and get to Gun Hill relatively rested?
I couldn't really be arsed to work too hard up Gun Hill, knew I still had 30 odd miles to ride on my own after and wanted something in my legs for that.
alright mate,
to be honest, I was absolutely knackered at the start of Gun Hill...my legs were feeling very heavy, even after the lunch stop! I didn't deliberately try and get up it any quicker then any other hill...just kept my legs spinning!
my mate who I was riding with did Gun Hill in 07:31....and he'd rode the same route the day before doing all the signposting and road marking!!!0 -
As I say, impressive. I was finding it tough up there but still passed about 6 others on the climb and I was still 30+ seconds slower than you.
Wish they'd timed all three climbs really, I coped much better on the two earlier hills.0
