étape pennines....

bianchimoon

canyon boy wrote:

It wasn't the fact that it was too hard. Certain sportives should be hard, no argument there. I just feel that the organisers didn't give a true representation of the difficulty as there was far more climbing than stated.
Just imagine having to wait 3 hours for the broom wagon in driving wind, rain and freezing temperatures, with no shelter. There would have been hundreds of people in difficulty if the wind had been really strong. How would they have got them all back?.

totally agree canyon boy, they dodged a weather bullet on this one, hats off to those that did it and enjoyed it!

cuttsmeister

The Fred Whitton of the Northeast? :?

canyon boy

Just forgot to say well done to the winner. Thoroughly deserved, as he was the best rider on the day, no question.
Gave me a right kickin' !.

giant63

Do not think you can compare 78 miles with 112 .OK it was hilly but not in the same league as the Whitton.Hardknotts at 100 is a nightmare to ride up.I think sportives are suppose to be a challenge but a lot of people who enter them think the secret is to spend a fortune on a bike and cycle on some nice flat roads with their Garmins registering every kerb they go up (only on a sunny day mind).This was a really well run event with a great route on what must have been one of the best days of weather for riding.The only way you can get up up those hills is to do hills in your training,at first you hate them but you eventually see them as an achievement.Only two points.October,dark mornings possible 8-9 start would be better.Should be allowed to register on the day,was Ok for me I'm local but if you live in that 50 mile range it can add a lot of cost,don't really want to pay for hotel,don't want to drive to the start twice.Cycling is meant to be saving the earth not burning extra fuel.

DonutDad

I have no complaints at all about the route being hard (they don't owe me any favours), but maybe feel a bit misled by the inaccurate information I read that persuaded me to attempt it in the first place.

Beyond that, it was a glorious day, beautiful countryside - I bit off more than I could chew but you learn through experience and I'll move on a slightly wiser rider for it all - on my nice expensive bike that I 'don't deserve' to be riding... :roll:

I imagine the organisers will do the same, and next year's ride will be that much better for it - more food at the back perhaps, and a field of riders who are more capable and prepared for what's really out there.
I've no doubt that for 90 percent of the people who entered it was a great day - but, for the few people like me, who perhaps were in it to attempt something exceptional (for them) and had prepared for a different kind of day, it was not. Perhaps a Brooks saddle would have made a difference...hmmm.

davehopper

canyon boy wrote:

Just forgot to say well done to the winner. Thoroughly deserved, as he was the best rider on the day, no question.
Gave me a right kickin' !.

Thanks canyon boy, I pushed hard from the start, and rode the whole thing on my own after being put in a later group ( my fault, never gave an estimated ride time), it was a great day and a great route. The fact that I ride and train on these roads means i can confirm that the weather can be brutal. I only hope that next year there are escape / different length rides for people who feel they cannot ride the full route.

DonutDad

Hats off Dave - must have been an awesome ride !

bianchimoon

davehopper wrote:

canyon boy wrote:

Just forgot to say well done to the winner. Thoroughly deserved, as he was the best rider on the day, no question.
Gave me a right kickin' !.

Thanks canyon boy, I pushed hard from the start, and rode the whole thing on my own after being put in a later group ( my fault, never gave an estimated ride time), it was a great day and a great route. The fact that I ride and train on these roads means i can confirm that the weather can be brutal. I only hope that next year there are escape / different length rides for people who feel they cannot ride the full route.

Great ride davehopper, well done! and nice that you mention an escape rout or different length routes for 'less experienced/fit riders' without being condescending - top man!

Limbangmogul

Hello All,
I realise this is a post leading up to last years event, but wondered if I may test someone's knowledge. I have just signed up for this years etapepennines and wondered is It legal to use an Aero/TT bike for this event. I'm not after technical info or the contrast and difficulties of using a bike with bull bars and long extensions as a opposed to drops etc as I use the bike on flat and hilly courses, my road bike will be in transit from Abroad over the race dates so I haven't that to utilise...but I have read recently a lot of events you can't use TT bikes in them in. I am also doing the Wiggle Dragon in June and have heard it is the case there also... I have searched through the rule book with regards to equipment spec and its a little confusing (well to me anyway lol)... And I noticed that mountain bikes are allowed on this ride so wondered would my Bianchi Pico Crono be allowed..... I would appreciate any pointers and happy peddling to all.

durhamwasp

i think you need to get in touch with the organisers.

some seriously tough climbs to do on a TT bike, but good luck.

bianchimoon

As far as i'm aware, tri bars are NOT allowed on any of the Macmillan etape rides, and having done a few have never seen any TT bikes on, as durham wasp says some tough climbs on that, totally unsuitable for a TT bike, what gearing were you thinking of using?

bianchimoon

You must use a bike that is deemed safe for the purposes of the event in the opinion of the organiser. Specifically, no fixed wheel bikes are permitted and no bicycle, tandem or other machine (conventional or otherwise) is permitted to have unconventional handlebars including triathlon bars, aero bars, clip-ons, prayer bars, Spinaci bars and cow bars. However, MTB bar ends are permitted on mountain bikes... sorted

durhamwasp

Boonen and OPQS confirmed as riding this...

markhewitt1978

I've been doing a few sportives recently and living in Chester-le-Street I've thought about entering, but it does seem a bit serious for me, and over that terrain I'd be struggling to keep 12mph nevermind 13mph.

htsw5

I've signed up for it this year but just discovered this thread about last year's event :shock:

Anyone have any local knowledge on what this year's route is like?

Appreciate that I'm to expect some hills...

This is my first year doing Sportives and having done the Etape Caledonia (and enjoyed it), I thought I'd try my luck at this one as it goes past my brother's house.

When he (a non-cyclist) had a look at the route he kept saying "that's a big hill..."

My reading of it is that they can't close the main roads (which tend follow the gentle inclines of watercourses) so the route is on the minor roads going up and over the hills. Also, the climbs are now loaded to the first half (vs last year's backended).

The route map says 2631m climbing vs 1949m for EC, but the elevation chart makes it look a whole lot more...

Anyone else doing it?

ianbar

i won't be doing it this year again as it way to difficult for me! might be aiming for next year, will look to get big rides in over the next year to step it up

tedmaul

htsw5 wrote:

I've signed up for it this year but just discovered this thread about last year's event :shock:

Anyone have any local knowledge on what this year's route is like?

Appreciate that I'm to expect some hills...

This is my first year doing Sportives and having done the Etape Caledonia (and enjoyed it), I thought I'd try my luck at this one as it goes past my brother's house.

When he (a non-cyclist) had a look at the route he kept saying "that's a big hill..."

My reading of it is that they can't close the main roads (which tend follow the gentle inclines of watercourses) so the route is on the minor roads going up and over the hills. Also, the climbs are now loaded to the first half (vs last year's backended).

The route map says 2631m climbing vs 1949m for EC, but the elevation chart makes it look a whole lot more...

Anyone else doing it?

I'm not doing it this year, but i did do the EC - i'm not sure how they calculate those elevations but the EC was nowhere near 2000m on my Bryton 40. Most Bryton/Garmin data i've seen for the EC has it at around 1100m. I thought it was a very flat fast route, with a couple of lumps in the first 20km or so and then one decent climb at Schiehallion. I went round it nearly 40 minutes quicker than i thought i was going to!

The EP however from what i've seen (and the accounts in this thread) sounds like a genuinely hard sportive with an actual elevation well over the 2000m mark. i guess what i'm trying to say is, i wouldn't approach the EP thinking it's only going to be slightly harder than the EC. It sounds like the organisers, for whatever reason, really play up the EC difficulty and play down the EP.

Not trying to put you off or anything, and i'm sure having read this thread you've got more of an idea of what you're in for. Just suggesting you prepare yourself for a significantly more difficult day in the saddle than anything you faced in the EC. However, it's closed roads and i'm sure it'll be well organised, so you'll enjoy it i'm sure - even if it is hard work!

Initialised

I've just signed up for this year.

I've ridden some bits of the route before and yes there's steep bits, but I expect to be able to cope on 50/34 x 11-32.

Knowing what to wear will be a bit of a challenge as early October can mean frost, heavy showers and late summer sun in the same day up here.

durhamwasp

I do most of the routes climbs on a regular basis, and with the milage involved, and the minimum speed cut off, I would recommend most people having a 27 or 28 on the back as a minimum.

issacforce

hi
i did pennines last year, and we were very fortunate to have a lovely day, as for climbing my garmin clocked it at 2500 mtrs, not 1500 like they said last year, this year it starts from a different place, just outside barney castle, so there will be over 2000mtrs of climbing, i had a 28 on the back and managed ok, it is a lot harder than the e.c. which has about 1100mtrs of climbing, a few cat 4,s and 3,s and one lovely cat 2 but dont know if thats in it this year, i know it says cut off time 6hr 15mins, but they waited up to 9hrs last year for people to finisn it.go enjoy and hope you get good weather in a beautiful npart of the country

bikergirl17

seriously how steep are these climbs? i ride a standard with a 12-27 -- that has gotten me through the alps and dolomites (albeit with a lot of whinging) ... it is sounding like i will seriously struggle in the pennines if you all are using compacts with 30s in the back!

rodgers73

I did Fred Whitton on my triple with a 12-25 on the back so I'm sure this is doable on similar gear.

markhewitt1978

bikergirl17 wrote:

seriously how steep are these climbs? i ride a standard with a 12-27 -- that has gotten me through the alps and dolomites (albeit with a lot of whinging) ... it is sounding like i will seriously struggle in the pennines if you all are using compacts with 30s in the back!

It's all a matter of perspective really. None of the climbs on the kotp are that long but plenty are quite steep.

durhamwasp

bikergirl17 wrote:

seriously how steep are these climbs? i ride a standard with a 12-27 -- that has gotten me through the alps and dolomites (albeit with a lot of whinging) ... it is sounding like i will seriously struggle in the pennines if you all are using compacts with 30s in the back!

34 x 27 will definitely be fine, as somebody said, its all out fitness and climbing ability. If you are doing 20km Alpine climbs averaging say 7% with that gearing, then you should be ok at this!

A lot of these climbs are typical British, 2-3km in length, averaging say 8-10% with sections ramping up to the 25% mark. Theres some tough ones, no doubt about it, and its a long day in the saddle. A couple of the climbs are in the "100 Hardest Climbs" book. Personal favourite is Chapel Fell/Harthope Head, and it goes over the 'easy' side in this sportive.

bikergirl17

I'm on a 39-27 not 34! If it were a compact I wouldn't be concerned.

I'm really tempted to trek up for this -- but scarred from the exmoor beast in 2009, the year with 50 mph gale force winds & torrential rain.

BigGeordie

Anybody know where (if?) I can find a GPS download of the route? The organisers don't issue one because they want you to follow the arrows in case of a reroute. It's the unofficial reroutes I worry about when somebody with a misplaced sense of "fun" has moved the signs.

rodgers73

Having done the Etape Cymru I doubt there's much chance of that happening. There were a lot of marshals and spectators hanging around at junctions so little opportunity to tamper. With the route for this one being quite remote there's less chance of someone bothering to go out and mess about with signs.

canyon boy

Just been announced that lights are mandatory on Sunday because of possible fog.

https://www.facebook.com/EtapeSeries

markhewitt1978

BigGeordie wrote:

Anybody know where (if?) I can find a GPS download of the route? The organisers don't issue one because they want you to follow the arrows in case of a reroute. It's the unofficial reroutes I worry about when somebody with a misplaced sense of "fun" has moved the signs.

That happned on the Hell of Hexham last weekend, after the climb over from Rookhope we were decending towards Blanchland, a sign pointed to turn right. Something didn't seem right as the turnings were all noted by multiple arrows, but this was just one, so I stopped and checked the map on my phone (GPX downloaded from the Wiggle site), and sure enough, it was supposed to be a straight on arrow, someone had turned it.

The fact that the "This road will be closed for the Etap Pennines" sign was ahead assured me I was on the correct route.

Plenty more riders did see the sign and turned right, thankfully they still ended up at Blanchland having done 2 miles extra, so no real harm done.

markhewitt1978

PS I still think this is the wrong time of year for this event, especially up in them hills, with an early morning start.