Dragon Ride 2011

Cubic

Hi, the Dragon Ride is only a few weeks away so I thought I'd start a thread about it!

Anyone ridden the new coastal section yet? What can we expect? It seems pretty flat, are there any bumps we should know about??

How are the Bwlch and Rhigos looking? I heard somewhere that the road got badly potholed over the winter. Is that the case?

Legshaver

Go to the Dragon Ride website, and view the routemap for the route that you've entered. Now load up Google street view and go to the relevent areas you need to see. It's always worthwhile to take a look at some junctions with street view before doing any event. Not that you're likely to go off course with the Dragon Ride.

As for potholes on the course - I would think that Lou Lusardi has had many meetings with the local highways committees to ensure the safety of 3000+ entrants. I'm sure the road surfaces will be fine.

When viewing the course maps, be sure to have a good look at the A48 Margam area, prior to the climb of the Bwlch. There's also a small change at Neath, for those who have previously done the Dragon. The Gran Fondo route goes along Dyfed Road/Beechwood Avenue, avoiding those damn traffic lights at Cimla Road junction.

It goes without saying that the whole course is quite different to previous years and I think that it will be very interesting to see how well we will all cope with the changes!

bendertherobot

Right, the route.

Stage 1, Pencoed to Llantwit Major.

Up a big hill, up another small one. Excellent surface. Climb out of Llangan. Excellent surface gives way to acceptable surface that requires some steering round holes.

Turn down A48, mostly excellent surface all the way to Llantwit Major, last section requires some steering round holes.

Stage 2, Llantwit to Wick

Bloody brilliant surface, get a tailwind and you'll fly.

Stage 3, Wick to the turning to Southerndown

Best surface of all, some downhill. Just lovely

Stage 4, Souterndown turning to end of Ogmore.

Oh dear, parts are that surface that's like the Roubaix, parts are just shit. It's all ok but your hands will know the vibration here.

Stage 5 Ogmore to Porthcawl.

Mostly lovely, catch a tailwind and you'll hit an average of 30mph out of Ogmore, some nice back lane stuff, then a climb. All good.

Stage 6 Porthcawl to Margam

Excellent road surfaces for the main part

Tune in soon!

oldwelshman

I just got a ride from some one who could not do it, the new route ahrdly looks inspiring,at least before both routes did rhigos and bwlch.
I am only going to do the shorter route for training, I dont fancy climbing the bwlch twice in same direction and a ride down the neath road, just a bit non inspiring.
I may cycle to the hq for warm up and cycle hone for warm down and do some other nice roads
Shame the Penderyn section was taken out of the long route that was nice route with good views.
Still you will get to see the steel works

Zoomer37

About 19 years ago I skateboarded down the Bwlch

Got a feeling tryiing to ride over it twice is not going to be so much fun.

speshsteve

hows everyones training coming along? Mine was going fine until I came off and broke my collar bone and stuffed up my right knee 2 weeks ago!!

Still doing it, did a 90 miler since I came off today and although the shoulder and knee take it in turns to hurt I reckon a pack of Ibuprofen will get me round

mrdoofer

I think there is a real problem this year with the difference between the medium and long route. The long route looks to be really tough, but the medium route for me is not enough of a challenge when compared with previous years. The medium route could really do with another climb in it. I've ridden the medium route with a headwind coming from Port Talbot, if it's like this on the day try and find a group to ride in from at least Llantwit Major as it will be against you all the way. There is little shelter from the wind on this part of the course. Riding along the coast is a real treat if the wind is behind you and the weather is good.

dru

Hope the wind dies down - the last few days around there have been a nightmare.

Was meant to do a long route up over Rhigos from Cardiff this morning but far too unsafe to ride as a group over the mountains with a blustery high wind.

With respect to the qestion regarding the rhigos surface, rode it last week. All the parts up from Treorchy have been retarmaced - its awesome now

benno68

I did the Dragon Ride Grand Fondo route last month. Most of the roads are great, but as Bendertherobot has pointed out, the right hand corner as you get to Southerndown should be treated with utmost caution, there's a nice slope down to get some speed up on approach to the corner, you then hit the bend which has a lot of loose gravel, my mate very nearly came off after his back wheel slid out.

Hey Dru - how come you didn't do the Gospel Pass Club Run yesterday? After rain and a hail storm it turned into a nice day.

alexjones5

warmed up with the FW and the etape du dales, just trying to hold onto it now!!
Seriously hoping for better weather on this one!

oldwelshman

For the medio course if it is usual conditions should have head wind out toward port talbot and tail wind up the bwlch I guess?

bendertherobot

I have to say, whilst it is a very picturesque course, nothing, and I mean nothing you saw on the course previously can prepare you for Taibach.

crom7

Hey bendertherobot, what's at Taibach? Sounds interesting.
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bendertherobot

A ####hole.

v.e.e

A little off topic but still relevant to the Dragon Ride

I had booked the Travel Lodge Cardiff on M4 for the Saturday 4th June the night before the Dragon Ride. I am now staying with friends so the room is going spare. Does anyone want it? It is a family room and am happy to pass on for £60. Rooms in the area are now upwards of £100 even at Travel Lodge.

PM me if you are interested or know anyone who might be.

benno68

Hey folks, after some advice.

My mate wants to to a 110 miler, from Cardiff and picking up the second half of the Grand Fondo Route this Sunday.

I'd say that my cycling ability is "average", I'm a bit of a lump at 13.5 stone and 6ft. After I did the Grand Fondo Route last month I felt fairly tired the next day and seemed to have recovered by the second day, it took us 8.5 hours overall counting a mechanical and food stops, 7:20 ish moving time. I had a fairly hard 110 miler over Gospel Pass on Sunday and again felt fine by the Tuesday.

I'm unsure whether this is a good idea or if I'm better off doing a shorter ride with the big day looming. Any views?

What type of ride are you guys planning for this weekend in preparation?

bendertherobot

I'm doing the Medio this weekend in preparation, 110 miles is ok (did back to back centuries a few weeks ago) but a bit OTT IMO

bendertherobot

http://bikeroutetoaster.com/Course.aspx?course=251139

Medio File, if you're interested. Will get round to the Gran

Grifteruk

A few updates on the road conditions for you. I have not bothered to talk too much about the areas already covered in this thread, unless I have something to add:

Bwlch Road

The road from Pontrydyfen all the way up to the Bwlch has a few large potholes and is gravelly in places. If you are in a group going up this road, I suggest you keep your eyes open.

Between Treorchy and Treherbert

This is the road between Bwlch and Rhigos, through the town. It has been relaid in several places and is now in very good condition . However as you approach the rhigos climb, the road has not been fully repaired and there are several potholes.

Descending the Rhigos

Having done it several times over the past 4 months, the road condition is not great as you get towards the bottom. There are several potholes and a couple of bumps in or around ironworks. For what its worth when we descend that section on our club runs we ensure there is sufficient spacing both in front and behind all our riders.

Cadoxton

Just after the overpass roundabout towards Neath, the road is not the best. As the road can get quite narrow in this area (it is a 2 lane road but cars are normally parked on the other side from the direction we will be cycling), its worth bearing this in mind.

FWIW, if the wind is anything like it has been over the last few weeks, the ascents are going to be a serious challenge for anyone not used to the combination of long climbs and windy conditions at 500m.

bendertherobot

Long range weather forecast is serious high pressure and scorchio!

We shall see.

wicked

Grifteruk wrote:

A few updates on the road conditions for you. I have not bothered to talk too much about the areas already covered in this thread, unless I have something to add:

Bwlch Road

The road from Pontrydyfen all the way up to the Bwlch has a few large potholes and is gravelly in places. If you are in a group going up this road, I suggest you keep your eyes open.

Between Treorchy and Treherbert

This is the road between Bwlch and Rhigos, through the town. It has been relaid in several places and is now in very good condition . However as you approach the rhigos climb, the road has not been fully repaired and there are several potholes.

Descending the Rhigos

Having done it several times over the past 4 months, the road condition is not great as you get towards the bottom. There are several potholes and a couple of bumps in or around ironworks. For what its worth when we descend that section on our club runs we ensure there is sufficient spacing both in front and behind all our riders.

Cadoxton

Just after the overpass roundabout towards Neath, the road is not the best. As the road can get quite narrow in this area (it is a 2 lane road but cars are normally parked on the other side from the direction we will be cycling), its worth bearing this in mind.

FWIW, if the wind is anything like it has been over the last few weeks, the ascents are going to be a serious challenge for anyone not used to the combination of long climbs and windy conditions at 500m.

Thanks and nice bike

rusty nuts

bendertherobot wrote:

Long range weather forecast is serious high pressure and scorchio!

We shall see.

They've got 1,000 gallons of water at each of the feed stations so this should be OK if it's hot.

Just so long as this recent windy weather subsides. I was in Porthcawl today and you could hardly walk along the prom as the wind was so strong.

Grifteruk

Cheers for the comment "Wicked"

wind is a real nightmare at the mo and Porthcawl will bear the brunt if it is blowin from the West. Still at least that will be early in the route when there ate hopefully a lot of big bunches together until we all hit the hilly stuff. Personally I can't wait

dombo6

speshsteve wrote:

hows everyones training coming along? Mine was going fine until I came off and broke my collar bone and stuffed up my right knee 2 weeks ago!!

Still doing it, did a 90 miler since I came off today and although the shoulder and knee take it in turns to hurt I reckon a pack of Ibuprofen will get me round

I did Pearson 150 quite happily last week. Almost hit 50mph coming off Devils Dyke so hope to break that on Dragon.
Seems to be no drag up to Storey Arms and Cray this year - always hated the Beacons. Nice to look at but not from the saddle of a bike
You can mix ibuprofen with paracetomol (or para+codeine) quite safely just don't expect to pass any drugs tests with flying colours at the end!!

Legshaver

I would like to point out a small but important course detail which is often shown incorrectly in some .gpx maps that have been uploaded for use with Garmins etc.

Be sure and visit the Dragon Ride website and look at the area approaching Port Talbot, (A48). The official route shows a right turn up Constant Road and Caradog Street. I spoke to Geoff at Dragon Ride HQ today and he confirmed that the course is exactly as shown on the website. There is likely to be marshals at this junction.

simon johnson

I signed up for this and didn't really take note of the date; all along I've been thinking that it's at the end of June and would be the peak just before la Marmotte. So nicely suprised to be reminded that it's next week!!

Add to that that I've not been on a bike (and inactive) for three weeks...

So now I'm wondering if the compact plus 12-25 will be enough. I'm fine on ascents generally, so if they're long drags that aren't too steep then things might be OK given the compact chainset. If they're long and steep then there might be trouble.

Should I go for a bigger sprocket + compact? Are the climbs steep?

Don't really want to spend as the cassette is not something I've got to hand, and for the marmotte I hope to have a different bike with different groupset so no further use for the cassette there.
But if it's desperate times ahead then I'll drop the money.

twotyred

The main climbs are long but not particularly steep. You'll probably be OK with a 25 tooth sprocket. However......

I've not been on a bike (and inactive) for three weeks...

........Oh dear!

wicked

twotyred wrote:

The main climbs are long but not particularly steep. You'll probably be OK with a 25 tooth sprocket. However......

I've not been on a bike (and inactive) for three weeks...

........Oh dear!

And he is doing the marmotte!

simon johnson

Right then, I've a week to prepare for the Dragon and a month for the Marmotte; I really don't see what the problem is?

Just hit me that I've never really cycled outside of London-Essex-Herts either, gulp! This is getting farcical.....

wicked

Just trying to work out if you are brave or foolish Seriously though fair play to you.

antikythera

bendertherobot wrote:

Long range weather forecast is serious high pressure and scorchio!

We shall see.

The last accurate weather forecast I've seen in the UK involved looking out a window :roll: