Pedal for Scotland 2011

linnibob
linnibob Posts: 17
edited July 2011 in Road beginners
Hey all

Im a relative newbie to cycling and i have signed up to my first sportive in Sept and to say im am cacking in it is putting it lightly only as i have no idea what to expect

Really looking forward to it though, Did anyone do it last year or have signed up from this year. Anyone know if its a hilly route :)

Any advice :)

L

Comments

  • Bobbinogs
    Bobbinogs Posts: 4,841
    Might be worth sticking the post in the Sportives/Audaxes/Training area...
  • Omar Little
    Omar Little Posts: 2,010
    I havent signed up yet but intend to do so nearer the time

    It is not particularly hilly although if you are new to cycling those sort of distances then a small hill can seem like a mountain when your legs are tired so i am reluctant to call it flat. But generally nothing too scary :)
  • linnibob
    linnibob Posts: 17
    tried that area and noone replied so i thought i would try here too :)
  • mowflow
    mowflow Posts: 212
    A guy I worked with did this event a couple of years ago. He and his wife borrowed some cheap mountain bikes and did it. They both smoked like chimneys and drank like fish and they had no problems doing this event. I wouldn't worry about it, from doing their marketing for them several years ago it's more a family fun day out than anything else.
  • thegreatdivide
    thegreatdivide Posts: 5,804
    mowflow wrote:
    A guy I worked with did this event a couple of years ago. He and his wife borrowed some cheap mountain bikes and did it. They both smoked like chimneys and drank like fish and they had no problems doing this event. I wouldn't worry about it, from doing their marketing for them several years ago it's more a family fun day out than anything else.

    There are three events, a 9 mile spin round the park, a 53 miler from Glasgow to Edinburgh and the 100 mile sportive from Glasgow to Edinburgh - I can't see that pair doing the latter tbh.

    From what I've heard, the 100 miler is no harder that the Etape Caledonia, but it's on open roads.
  • mowflow
    mowflow Posts: 212
    Ah right. It was about 6 years ago so maybe it's changed a bit since then. All I know is they cycled from Glasgow to Edinburgh. My tires never touched tarmac back then.

    How can Glasgow to Edinburgh be 100miles? Does it go via Dundee? :wink:
  • thegreatdivide
    thegreatdivide Posts: 5,804
    It goes out the back of Glasgow and down Kilmarnock way, then across to Lanark and up to Edinburgh. You can see the routes here http://www.pedalforscotland.org/the_ride.htm

    I bet there's bits where you have to pedal like fuxk to avoid a pelting from 'the public' ;-)
  • Robert72
    Robert72 Posts: 84
    I did the 53 miles last year, my first year cycling and found it quite tough with a couple of steep hills. I was overweight (still am) but will be doing it again this year. I suppose it depend how fit you are and how much training you have done.
  • suzyb
    suzyb Posts: 3,449
    I did it last year as well, after I'd been cycling for around a year (started Sept 2 years ago) and I found it OK. Which kind of surprised me as I usually struggle on any kind of upward incline. But there are so many people doing it, of all shapes and sizes that you seem to get carried along and don't notice that you're more or less climbing a hill for the first 20 miles.

    One thing I will say, when leaving Avonbridge beware. There is a quite a steep but short hill that seemed to catch quite a few people in the wrong gear.
    Whippet

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