Norwich 100 2011

markos1963

Anybody riding this year?
Have done it the last few years and after last years near 5hr time me and my riding mate have decided on a new challenge. We're going to do it on our single speed bikes. Hoping for a sub 6hr time.
If you fancy joining us you're most welcome

carl_p

Yep I'm doing it - just about to sign up.

After about 3 months with no rain in Norfolk no doubt it will chuck it down on the day like it did the previous 2 years

danowat

Unfortunately, I am in Egypt that weekend

Robbie1958

I['m doing it too. Not too worried about the rain, i just hope it's not too windy. I did the Norfolk Nips Audax in January and it was so windy along the coast.

Looking forward to doing it for the first time though.

markos1963

As you know it's always windy along the coast Robbie, just got to get your head down and look for a big group from Happisburg onwards

Robbie1958

markos1963 wrote:

As you know it's always windy along the coast Robbie, just got to get your head down and look for a big group from Happisburg onwards

If you feel someone drafting on your back wheel, all the way along the coast, it'll be me, but i'll make sure i don't slow you down too much.

markos1963

Robbie1958 wrote:

markos1963 wrote:

As you know it's always windy along the coast Robbie, just got to get your head down and look for a big group from Happisburg onwards

If you feel someone drafting on your back wheel, all the way along the coast, it'll be me, but i'll make sure i don't slow you down too much.

Was that you last year as well? I was gapped by my group and had to work on my own to catch them at Horsey. I thought I was on my own until I saw 10 riders strung out behind me!! I managed to coax one or two to take a turn on the front but they were so slow I gave up and took over again eventually dropping all ten around Waxham.

Robbie1958

markos1963 wrote:

Robbie1958 wrote:

markos1963 wrote:

As you know it's always windy along the coast Robbie, just got to get your head down and look for a big group from Happisburg onwards

If you feel someone drafting on your back wheel, all the way along the coast, it'll be me, but i'll make sure i don't slow you down too much.

Was that you last year as well? I was gapped by my group and had to work on my own to catch them at Horsey. I thought I was on my own until I saw 10 riders strung out behind me!! I managed to coax one or two to take a turn on the front but they were so slow I gave up and took over again eventually dropping all ten around Waxham.

it wasn't me, but you obviously need to take that "free drafting" sign off your back and change it for a sign that reads"freeloaders not welcome"

Went out and did 75 mile yesterday in the wind, so i'm ready for it now. just don't want it to rain on my shiny polished bike. i'm off at 7-20 so i reckon i'll catch up with you at the finish while your'e supping tea. unless you fancy giving me a tow in,

markos1963

Robbie1958 wrote:

markos1963 wrote:

Robbie1958 wrote:

markos1963 wrote:

As you know it's always windy along the coast Robbie, just got to get your head down and look for a big group from Happisburg onwards

If you feel someone drafting on your back wheel, all the way along the coast, it'll be me, but i'll make sure i don't slow you down too much.

Was that you last year as well? I was gapped by my group and had to work on my own to catch them at Horsey. I thought I was on my own until I saw 10 riders strung out behind me!! I managed to coax one or two to take a turn on the front but they were so slow I gave up and took over again eventually dropping all ten around Waxham.

it wasn't me, but you obviously need to take that "free drafting" sign off your back and change it for a sign that reads"freeloaders not welcome"

Went out and did 75 mile yesterday in the wind, so i'm ready for it now. just don't want it to rain on my shiny polished bike. i'm off at 7-20 so i reckon i'll catch up with you at the finish while your'e supping tea. unless you fancy giving me a tow in,

I think we are off at 0710 so we might see you. As we are on singles we are planning to take it easy at first so we can save something for the hills around Weyborne. Keep your eyes peeled for VC Norwich shirts going steady

carl_p

Robbie1958 wrote:

markos1963 wrote:

Went out and did 75 mile yesterday in the wind, so i'm ready for it now. just don't want it to rain on my shiny polished bike. i'm off at 7-20 so i reckon i'll catch up with you at the finish while your'e supping tea. unless you fancy giving me a tow in,

I think we are off at 0710 so we might see you. As we are on singles we are planning to take it easy at first so we can save something for the hills around Weyborne. Keep your eyes peeled for VC Norwich shirts going steady

Markos, I said to Bob on Sunday that he climbed better on his single than on a geared bike, so we'll know who to draft up the hills

I tagged an additional 20 or so miles on the club run to get up to 75 miles. Feel I'm ready for it as well now. Hopefully we can get a few more in our group.

markos1963

Carl there's an email coming out from the club giving details of a meeting place and time for riders who want to group up. Hope to get 10-12 in the group which would be ideal.

hopper1

We (GYCC) have about 12 going on Sunday, including me! Off at 07:10, too...

Robbie1958

hopper1 wrote:

We (GYCC) have about 12 going on Sunday, including me! Off at 07:10, too...

i do hope you boys going off at 07-10 are not going to hold everyone else up.

markos1963

hopper1 wrote:

We (GYCC) have about 12 going on Sunday, including me! Off at 07:10, too...

Race you!!

But only if you use a gear no more than 70inch

hopper1

markos1963 wrote:

hopper1 wrote:

We (GYCC) have about 12 going on Sunday, including me! Off at 07:10, too...

Race you!!

But only if you use a gear no more than 70inch

See how you feel for the sprint finish

markos1963

Typical! For the third year in a row it looks like a strong NE breeze for sunday. Also some potential showers around later in the day.

carl_p

According to BBC website windspeed has now been downgraded from 21 mph to 15 mph. Still a bit brisk, but could be a lot worse, and at least it's almost a tail wind along the coast road.

See you tomorrow.... now going to check the bike over

Robbie1958

Carl_P wrote:

According to BBC website windspeed has now been downgraded from 21 mph to 15 mph. Still a bit brisk, but could be a lot worse, and at least it's almost a tail wind along the coast road.

See you tomorrow.... now going to check the bike over

Check the bike over? haven't you done that yet?

Did my last ride on Thursday and by Friday lunchtime it was all gleaming and ready. I'm off at 7-20 but hoping they will let me get offa little earlier at about 7-10..maybe they won't notice me sneaking out.

Kona21

Yep it was windy ! Good ride though. Vcn did it in 4.30.

markos1963

Nice ride despite the wind( at least it didn't rain!)
5hrs 33 mins riding single speed was an unexpected result, I thought we'd struggle to crack 6 hrs.

dav1

really enjoyed it out there today. Blew up 5 miles to go, and rescued myself with a caffeine gel just in time to bring myself in in 4h 59. Happy as was aiming for 5 hr total.

Shame I got dropped by the group i was in though, i slowed down to get the gel out of my pocket and take it in, by the time I was done I lost the wheel and couldn't get back on Lesson for next time I think, but still happy none-the-less.

hopper1

markos1963 wrote:

Nice ride despite the wind( at least it didn't rain!)
5hrs 33 mins riding single speed was an unexpected result, I thought we'd struggle to crack 6 hrs.

Must have just missed you Markos, and I came in at 5:30. Lost our group at the mini RAB, where the two routes converged (9 miles out), after a guy on a MTB trimmed out a roadie and I had to stop momentarily. Tried to bridge the gap and get back on my clubmates wheel, just as they decided to go banzai for home!
Didn't bother checking out at the school after they said we had to stop for thirty minutes... :evil:
Was a nice day, though.

Big Hairy Wallapers

Just with regard to the compulsory half hour break...
What's the general feeling?
How common is that during a sportive?
I'm fairly / very inexperienced but have not seen a 'break' insisted upon elsewhere.
I understand many people want to stop n top up bottles etc but not everyone want to make it two separates rides.
Discuss....

turkeytickler

Big Hairy Wallapers wrote:

Just with regard to the compulsory half hour break...
What's the general feeling?
How common is that during a sportive?
I'm fairly / very inexperienced but have not seen a 'break' insisted upon elsewhere.
I understand many people want to stop n top up bottles etc but not everyone want to make it two separates rides.
Discuss....

it's a pain in the a***, i've not done many sportives but none of the others i have ridden impose it. I don't understand the logic, it just makes you cool down and stiffen up.

markos1963

Big Hairy Wallapers wrote:

Just with regard to the compulsory half hour break...
What's the general feeling?
How common is that during a sportive?
I'm fairly / very inexperienced but have not seen a 'break' insisted upon elsewhere.
I understand many people want to stop n top up bottles etc but not everyone want to make it two separates rides.
Discuss....

We just rode straight through the stop. None of us wanted to waste time queueing just to sign in, just a quick pee and we were off again. Stopped at Jonet cafe in Mundesley instead.

BMX Bear

Big Hairy Wallapers wrote:

Just with regard to the compulsory half hour break...
What's the general feeling?
How common is that during a sportive?
I'm fairly / very inexperienced but have not seen a 'break' insisted upon elsewhere.
I understand many people want to stop n top up bottles etc but not everyone want to make it two separates rides.
Discuss....

It's not common in Sportives, in fact I've never done a sportive with a compulsory stop. However the Norwich 100 is a charity ride and not a sportive. Other charity events I've done haven't insisted on a stop though.

Robbie1958

I thought i did well coming in at 6 hours and 5 minutes.. which considering i thought it might be about 7 hours, isn't bad for an old man. it was bloody slow coming back through the city with all the traffic though.

What really annoyed me was people coming past me in the last ten miles that made me look as though i was standing still..where do some of your guys get that much energy from after 90 miles.

With regard to the stop at sheringham. this being my first bike events ride, i just assumed that like audax's that we would have to hand the time card in for proof that we had completed the route in it's entirety and to prove we had stopped. not simply being asked as i crossed the line "did you do the 50 or 100"

I think next year it will be straight through the stop,because like has already been said here, half an hour is too much.

Still prefer the audax's but a good day and will probably do it again next year.

hopper1

Big Hairy Wallapers wrote:

Just with regard to the compulsory half hour break...
What's the general feeling?
How common is that during a sportive?
I'm fairly / very inexperienced but have not seen a 'break' insisted upon elsewhere.
I understand many people want to stop n top up bottles etc but not everyone want to make it two separates rides.
Discuss....

We didn't have to queue to check in, but we didn't bother checking out, just had a pee, filled bottles (not with pee!) and carried on...
Half hour is way too long. I could feel the chill setting in, in the brief time we were there.

carl_p

I think the inclusion of a compulsory stop is more of a Health & Safety requirement more than anything else.

Done my usual trick of not resetting my Garmin at the start, or stopping the timer at the end. I reckon I did it in 5:50 ish, which I'm quite pleased with bearing in mind I did the first 45 solo and beats my 6:15 from last year. Met up with Markos's group in Sheringham and had a great ride thereafter.

Jonet's in Mundsley is for a select few so don't even think about going there next year and causing a crowd

markos1963

Robbie1958 wrote:

I thought i did well coming in at 6 hours and 5 minutes.. which considering i thought it might be about 7 hours, isn't bad for an old man. it was bloody slow coming back through the city with all the traffic though.

What really annoyed me was people coming past me in the last ten miles that made me look as though i was standing still..where do some of your guys get that much energy from after 90 miles.

With regard to the stop at sheringham. this being my first bike events ride, i just assumed that like audax's that we would have to hand the time card in for proof that we had completed the route in it's entirety and to prove we had stopped. not simply being asked as i crossed the line "did you do the 50 or 100"

I think next year it will be straight through the stop,because like has already been said here, half an hour is too much.

Still prefer the audax's but a good day and will probably do it again next year.

Have to admit we were flying from Wroxham. We had the bit between our teeth and when we came across the 50 milers at Coltishall struggling up the hill we had to show them how it's done!!!
Having said that we used up all our reserves and were well knackered when we crossed the line.

Big Hairy Wallapers

Please excuse my ignorance but....
What's the difference between a Sportive and a Charity ride?
The comments so far within this thread suggest many people were attempting to ride the course in the quickest possible time. Define that how you will.
I did hear the odd shout of "it's not a race" as our group scythed it's way through the traffic on our way back into the city!!