magnificat

chris_phillips

Hi there, Anybody out there ridden the Magnificat in royal berkshire.I believe the scorpion sting in the first 10 mile includes hills up to 25% gradient followed by a 14% and a 10%, I am a fairly strong rider and i will be using a compact 50/34 12/25 will i have a problem with this config. I will be entering the 81 mile course.

mgcycleguy

I'm doing the intercat same as you Chris, I'm thinking to use a 12/27 as I've never ridden the roads before, so better to be safe than walking...


Stuart

chris_phillips

Haven't got the luxury of that config although must be honest if i could i would use the same, its a compact on my wilier but a triple on my specialized, The wilier is my latest aquisition and was banking on using it on the sportive, may have to reconsider. what ammount of training have you been able to fit in around the great british weather. that wind really puts me off getting out on the bike, dont know about you. So are you planning on using a triple?

hitthewall

I know those hills and did the 81m last year. The first climb is about 17% I reckon, the next 10% to Linkenholt and up Conholt Hill about 14%. I'll be using 50/34 and 25 rear the same as last year. I'm OK on hills but not brilliant so you'll be OK I guess.

jhop

I did the long one last year and will do so again this year and don't recall any 25% climbs on that one!

chris_phillips

Thanks chaps, appreciate your imput, think ill stick with the compact set up. would you say it was a rolling course? as it is my very first sportive i hope i haven't bitten off more than i can chew

mgcycleguy

Chris.... just take it easy when you first start, its really easy to try and ride too fast to hold on to a fast group, but you'll just blow later... Also take plenty of food, dont rely on food stops (you can always take your food home with you if the stops are well stocked). Apart that just enjoy the day, emerse yourself in the atmosphere, and have a good time, you'll love it...

Stuart

hitthewall

Chris, yes it is quite a rolling course.

jhop

Yes rolling is definitely how I would describe it. The distinguishing feature / unique characteristic of this one for me is the length which at 127 miles is longer than most other sportives. However as you are riding the shorter route this won't be an issue for you.

borisvanhalen

did it last year... only the one really steep climb out of the saddle... i thought the food stops were good, plenty left when i got there (i was in one of the last groups to set off on the 80 miler)

bigpikle

did this last year (81 miles) and it was the longest and easily the toughest ride I'd done by then. Lots of hills and rarely flat, and a tough head wind in the last few miles made it hurt, but I wouldnt have described myself as very fit at the time. You'll be fine with a compact and that cassette I reckon if you consider yourself fairly strong - I had the same and never had any issues getting over the climbs, although was hurting by the end!

Doing it again this year as the standards were high and I'd rate it as a good event. Make sure you go for a massage at the end. Was tempted by the 127 miles but decided to leave that for another year!

twotyred

i will be using a compact 50/34 12/25 will i have a problem with this config.

Well I'd have a problem with a 25 tooth sprocket on a 25% gradient but you say you're strong. I'd question how strong if you let a bit of wind put you off training.

what ammount of training have you been able to fit in around the great british weather

Plenty. The weather since Jan has been quite kind actually.

chris_phillips

twotyred have managed to get out a couple of rides during the weekdays with a longer weekend rides over the winter, also been doing hill repeats, have you ridden the course?
There is going to be a couple of experienced fit lads riding on the day in our group so i am sure they will spur me on.

jamespiggot

I did the long course back in 2008 (which was a different course as it started at Highclere Castle) and it was testing towards the end because of the distance, and there are hills at the start that hurt a bit but nothing like 25%, the website says Walbury climb is 20% but I can't remember it being all that bad, but then they say the body has no memory for pain.

To prove that we soon forget the bad bits I am doing it all over again this year,hopefully improve a bit on the last time.

Jay dubbleU

Didn't mind Walbury Hill too much but Ashford Hill is a short sharp killer towards the end

itboffin

I've done most of this years route three times this year, I'd say it wasn't a tough as the previous years but then I was taking my time as I intend to do on the day.
It's a great sportive, well organised with good food stops and some stunning countryside.

I hope its as hot as it was last year, oh and don't do it with a hangover.

topcattim

Signed up for this a couple of days ago. I know the roads down in the southern half of the route, and it strikes me that there is nothing to be too afraid of in the South Downs. Am looking forward to the unknown ones, especially the Scorpion sting and Ashford Hill. I'm hoping the weather will be a bit kinder than my last long ride at the Tour of Wessex!

jamespiggot

Fingers crossed with the weather, already checking it out on the web and not looking too bad at the moment (Monday) as there is rain mid-week then Sunny intervals on Friday but lots can change between now and then and almost always does! What we can do without is the wind, lets just hope for a warm day with little or no wind!

topcattim

Final pre-event email just received from organisers. I'm looking forward to this one, a decent distance, in pleasant countryside and none of the hills should be too painful (although I'll admit that I may end up thinking differently about the Scorpion sting). Weather still doesn't look too wonderful. Down here in Southampton we had some pretty heavy showers today each lasting no longer than about 5 minutes, but certainly enough to make riding a bit tricky if it carries on like that over the weekend.

windsorwise

Am really looking forward to this on Sunday will be my first imperial century and metric double. It does sound however as if they are using the same timing chips as the Dragon :shock:
but with the weather forecast I'll be more concerned with making it around in one piece over anything else!

windsorwise

Regarding weather forecasts for the inner geek in you check out...

http://www.weatheronline.co.uk/cgi-bin/ ... s&VAR=prec

You can chose the forecast model that gives you the weather that you want

usedtobefast

Did this 3 years ago as my first sportive and had a great time. Haven't done it since due to being too close to the Dragon but might switch back next year.

Regarding the "Scorpion sting" it's no that bad (39x25, but I'm built like a climber not a sprinter), the thing to do is make sure you're in the gear you need before you hit the second climb of the pair, as it's almost a dead stop onto it, and there were all sorts of not good gear crunching sounds going on and I think one guy broke his chain at that point - read the route notes and be prepared, it pays off.

Of course saying all this they could have changed the route since I did it.

0

---

0

windsorwise

Thanks for the tip usedtobefast!
wholesale gear changes under power are a recipe for chain woes, here speaketh the man back from using a chain tool within a cloud climbing out of Masca (Tenerife) :oops:

ian_s

I think the 25% must be Asford hill - which is pretty steep but very short. The Walbury hill/Combe Gibet bit is nowhere like that steep.

itboffin

and relax, well that was cold wet and windy but well sign posted as ever.

I really think they should cut out the section around Greenham, the drivers around there are bloody stupid, some idiot in a lexus 4x4 nearly took a handful of us out.

de_sisti

I went all year without a puncture, then 3 within the first 26 miles. I had used up all of my
spare tubes, so I was bricking it for the rest of the ride because it would have been a
nightmare trying to patch a tube in the cold and rain. My plans for the 127 miler went out
the window. If the cut off for the 51 miler hadn't occurred so soon, I would have gladly have
taken that option. Anyway, 80 miles in my legs and a few hours in the saddle. All bodes
well for the big one in France in early July.

windsorwise

That was fun

127miles ~7:50 - if there was ever a case of numbers not telling the whole story!

Good event (route, parking, signing, fellow riders etc)

But the weather made it so tough, so wet, so cold and the wind on the tops of the hills... going to have nightmares tonight!

triggmiester

I enjoyed that as my first venture into the world pf sportives.

Only did the 51 miles my computer said 3:18 but don't know about my official time yet, should I have got that from the centenary bar aftwerwards???

Well sign posted good organisation, just a shame about the weather was freezing cold on top of some of the hills.

And my knee is killing me :-(

topcattim

Managed to stick it out for the 127 miles but was briefly tempted by the talk at the first feed stop at 39 miles where it seemed lots of people were choosing to shorten to the 81 miler. As it it itboffin says, the signage was really good, and the feedstops were staffed by very cheery volunteers. Got to admit I didnt lift my head up much to enjoy the scenery such as could be seen behind the rain haze. My worst bit was the rolling section from Winchester to Old Winchester Hill so I was very pleased to be joined by another Tim and to ride the remainder of the event together, thanks for pulling me along, Tim!

3 punctures in 26 miles, De Sisti, that's a bad day!

I'm not sure that it would be accurate to say that I enjoyed it, but I'd like to try it again next year in, hopefully, better weather.

topcattim

triggmiester wrote:

Only did the 51 miles my computer said 3:18 but don't know about my official time yet, should I have got that from the centenary bar afterwards?? :-(

I didn't notice anyone getting times in the bar, but then I was too wet and cold to notice much!
But previous years' results are all on the website with a rather fancy sort facility, so I figure all our results will end up there eventually.

itboffin

Dont be put off peeps its a great sportive, tough & challenging but well organised, beautiful countryside - the last two years have been good-ish weather.

Chapeau to you heros who completed the 127 today, i'm too old for that kind of 'hurt-box' action however next year, next year ...