Tour of Dartmoor

johnr76

Anyone doing or done the Tour of Dartmoor? This year's event is on 25th September.

I completed my first sportive (Dartmoor Classic) a couple of weeks ago and did the 65 miles in a respectable enough (for me) 4hr 50min. I enjoyed it so much I'm looking for more and the Tour of Dartmoor seems to tick all the boxes. It also gives me more than the two weeks training I did for the Classic so something o focus on etc.

It doesn't sound as organised as the Classic but I just wondered if anyone had any experiences of past events.

mustol

Was on holiday in June, so couldn't do Dartmoor Classic, but plan to do the 85 mile Tour of Dartmoor in September. Only been cycling 9 months and have completed one sportive (the highly recommended Cornwall Tor), but am gradually building towards the ToD (slowly as I am trying to get to the bottom of a long term injury). I don't know anyone who has ridden the Tour of Dartmoor, it attracts far fewer people than the Classic, but the Classic is one of the best known and popular sportives in the country, so it's hardly surprising. As you live in Exeter - you may want to know that there is a another Sportive on the same day as the Classic - the Force Charity Event (55 or 100 miles), which starts and finishes in Topsham - I'll certainly be doing that next year - the start line is about 1 mile from where I live!

johnr76

Thanks Mustol - I'm going to put my name down for the Dartmoor one as the riding in the Classic was great.

Where in Exeter are you? I'm only a couple of miles from Topsham (city centre) and saw a lot of the riders coming in from Force event. It sounds like a good event by all accounts.

mustol

I'm actually in Topsham - do a lot of riding in E Devon, sometimes pop over the river to the Haldon Hills area (loads of hills wherever I go). With regards to the Tour of Dartmoor, I have just been reviewing the positive comments about the Tour of the Black Mountains (another one in the diary for next year), which is also organised by Pendragon, so ToD should be a good one - see you there.

vs

I've done TOD every year. It is a great, if under attended, event. The route is even harder than the Dartmoor Classic. The first 10 miles alone have over 1500 feet of climbing. You certainly know you've ridden 105 miles at the end.

bam49

I'll second VS's comments.. Very well organised event with good signs and plenty of food / supplies etc..Usually have some m/c outriders patrolling the route.
Very hard start to the event - first 10 miles is quite tough with the climb from Holne Bridge and then the climb to Buckland church which leads onto Widdecombe - this always catches people out and I have seen several people fall over on this hill ... Its a great route though and its a shame that it only attracts 2-300 riders at most ...

johnr76

Thanks for all the replies. I signed up last night and noticed there weren't many entrants so far but it should be a great ride nonetheless.

The climb from Holne Bridge was the only climb that defeated me on the Dartmoor Classic so my aim is to be able to get up there without walking this time but we'll see...

Better start some more hill training.

bam49

well your in the right place to get plenty of training in ! just do repeats of the climb from Holne Bridge and you will be ready for it bear left at the top where it turns off from main rd. Further on ( just after the peak ), turn right - this brings you back onto the main road to the moors.. Carry on up the road, there is a sign for small road on the right - follow this for Buckland - go down about third of a mile, you think you come to a dead end by an old stone cottage - then the fun starts this climb lasts about 3/4 of a mile, make sure you are in a low gear to start with otherwise you will fall over - this climb is worse than Holne Bridge ... I will probably do this again , missed out on a gold by 15 mins last year and I want to nail it next time !

johnr76

bam49 wrote:

well your in the right place to get plenty of training in ! just do repeats of the climb from Holne Bridge and you will be ready for it bear left at the top where it turns off from main rd. Further on ( just after the peak ), turn right - this brings you back onto the main road to the moors.. Carry on up the road, there is a sign for small road on the right - follow this for Buckland - go down about third of a mile, you think you come to a dead end by an old stone cottage - then the fun starts this climb lasts about 3/4 of a mile, make sure you are in a low gear to start with otherwise you will fall over - this climb is worse than Holne Bridge ... I will probably do this again , missed out on a gold by 15 mins last year and I want to nail it next time !

I'm going to make a few trips up to Dartmoor beforehand so will definatley try Holne again.

At the moment I'll be staying around Exeter going up and down Stoke HIll and up onto Woodbury common - not quite the same but it'll break me in. I've been a bit lazy recently so this is just what I need.

CakeLovinBeast

Now that sounds interesting...

Not even collected my first road bike yet (this time next week...), but already keeping an eye out for events. Do you think its realistic for a reasonably fit person to train for this between now and then?

mustol

JohnR76 - once you've got a few more rides under your belt and you really want some testing hills in your build up to ToD, just carry on from Woodbury Common to Otterton, then on to Sidmouth, before finishing at Salcombe Regis. Then turn around and do it in reverse. This will include both Peak Hill and Salcombe Hill Road - if you can manage the latter, you'll be ready for pretty much anything Dartmoor can throw at you. If you're feeling really keen, you could even go on to Branscombe beach, the return trip is a real tester, but you will have well and truly earned a couple of pints!
:oops:

briantrumpet

mustol wrote:

JohnR76 - once you've got a few more rides under your belt and you really want some testing hills in your build up to ToD, just carry on from Woodbury Common to Otterton, then on to Sidmouth, before finishing at Salcombe Regis.

Haven't done the extension up the other side of Sidmouth, but yes, Peak Hill is a good 'un - on one of my training routes from Topsham (snap). Always nice to run into Sidmouth from Honiton too. (The hill up to the A375 from Weston is fun too, especially if you turn right and left at the top to get onto the main road.)

johnr76

mustol wrote:

JohnR76 - once you've got a few more rides under your belt and you really want some testing hills in your build up to ToD, just carry on from Woodbury Common to Otterton, then on to Sidmouth, before finishing at Salcombe Regis. Then turn around and do it in reverse. This will include both Peak Hill and Salcombe Hill Road - if you can manage the latter, you'll be ready for pretty much anything Dartmoor can throw at you. If you're feeling really keen, you could even go on to Branscombe beach, the return trip is a real tester, but you will have well and truly earned a couple of pints!
:oops:

I've already made an attempt at Salcombe Hill going through Honiton and on to Colyton. That's on my plan for the weekend after next - 55-60 miles round trip. I'm confident that by the time the Tour of Dartmoor comes around I'll be ready. I managed all the other climbs on the Dartmoor Classic so I should be okay.

Paul C, Devon

I live in Newton Poppleford and managed the Dartmoor Classic this year (bronze standard though) - if anyone wants a few hilly training rides in the areas then lets try and sort something out

cheers

Paul

johnr76

Anyone ready for this on Saturday?

bam49

I'm not entered for it this year as I was put off in recent weeks by the low lnumber of entrants and I have not done enough long hard rides recently... Will return in 2012 for it... I hope the weather holds up and you have a great ride.. Remember - first ten miles or so are the hardest, get through them and youve cracked it..

johnr76

Did anyone else do this? Just over 7 hours for me but my god it was hard work. The hills in the first 10 miles were a killer but managed all of them.

A real testing ride as you are on your own for a large majority of the time but great sense of achievement afterwards.

bam49

vs & myself said the first ten miles were v hard , lot harder start than the Dartmoor Classic for sure... did you like the climb to Buckland - did anyone fall over in front of you? (the one under the trees , just after Holne Bridge climb )..

johnr76

bam49 wrote:

vs & myself said the first ten miles were v hard , lot harder start than the Dartmoor Classic for sure... did you like the climb to Buckland - did anyone fall over in front of you? (the one under the trees , just after Holne Bridge climb )..

Holne Bridge caught me out on the Dartmoor Classic but I managed it on this one. I thought it couldn't get any harder but then the climb to Buckland started! No-one fell off in front of me but that one took it out of me.

I think the organisers must have covered every hill on Dartmoor for the route.

bam49

well done for getting round and up them hills first time I rode the T of D , after those first ten miles I was worried I would not complete the course but it does ease off thank god ...That climb to Buckland is now my favourite hill down there ! The last 15 or 20 miles after Noss Mayo can be cruel as well, not wickedly steep or anything but some long draggy bits on your own and into the wind can have you praying for the finish - I certainly was last year !