Action 100 - Bath/Bristol to London

robertsims
robertsims Posts: 141
edited May 2013 in Road beginners
Hi,

Fairly new to cycling but fancied a go at this (not until next August) and wondered if anyone else had done it.

What was it like? Friendly atmosphere? Many people? etc.

I would be using a MTB with slicks and locked suspension - would that be ok?

I appreciate this is a 'how long is a piece of string' question but what sort of time would be even roughly respectable for first timer? Also any idea of amount of training required (finishing is my goal - not world records!)

Any advice much appreciated
Triban 3

Comments

  • charlie_potatoes
    charlie_potatoes Posts: 1,921
    I have not done this one but the Action Essex 100 was very well organised.
    I trained for it using their own training guide published on their website here.....
    http://www.action.org.uk/sites/default/files/downloads/events/generic/generic_cycling_training_guide_2.pdf

    Plenty of other training methods but this one will get you there :wink:

    Good Luck
    "You really think you can burn off sugar with exercise?" downhill paul
  • redvee
    redvee Posts: 11,922
    Having done this ride as far back as 1991 but not so in recent years.

    imag08471.jpg

    You'd be better off on a road bike/hybrid TBH. There are only two big hills on the ride, Box hill out of Bath and the hill out of Marlborough. The Wiltshire downs are a little undulating but nowhere near as bad as the two mentioned hills.
    I've added a signature to prove it is still possible.
  • robertsims
    robertsims Posts: 141
    Would love to do it on a road bike but bank balance says otherwise at moment I'm afraid!
    Triban 3
  • gsvbagpuss
    gsvbagpuss Posts: 272
    Did it this year (from Bath). Organisation was good although a bit a scrum at the start (Guildhall). The route itself was nice for the first 30-40 miles then Reading kicks in, but then more fields as you come into Kempton. Only one sgn was poorly placed otherwise it was very easy to find my way. The food was very good apart from the green bananas!

    The hills are nothing to be worried about; just two fairly shallow 1 mile climbs early on and it's all easy from there. There were lots of people on MTBs when I did it. Target time is entirely up to you but I would think it was a fastish route (I averaged about 1mph more than I expected to, although there was a slight tail wind all the way)

    As an overall review - it was my first 100 miler ride but I'm looking to do it again so must have been good!
  • apreading
    apreading Posts: 4,535
    Thinking about making this my first 100 next year...
  • robertsims
    robertsims Posts: 141
    GSVBagpuss wrote:
    Did it this year (from Bath). Organisation was good although a bit a scrum at the start (Guildhall). The route itself was nice for the first 30-40 miles then Reading kicks in, but then more fields as you come into Kempton. Only one sgn was poorly placed otherwise it was very easy to find my way. The food was very good apart from the green bananas!

    The hills are nothing to be worried about; just two fairly shallow 1 mile climbs early on and it's all easy from there. There were lots of people on MTBs when I did it. Target time is entirely up to you but I would think it was a fastish route (I averaged about 1mph more than I expected to, although there was a slight tail wind all the way)

    As an overall review - it was my first 100 miler ride but I'm looking to do it again so must have been good!

    That's great, really appreciate the advice. I'm fairly new and not done more than 30 miles...but why not give it ago! Mainly for bragging rights to non-cyclists that I cycled to London!
    Triban 3
  • robertsims
    robertsims Posts: 141
    apreading wrote:
    Thinking about making this my first 100 next year...

    Do it! At least that way I'll have another newbie besides me! Anyway August is ages away for training
    Triban 3
  • apreading
    apreading Posts: 4,535
    Just about to book this as my first 100 miler. Did a few 70-80 mile rides last year and did my first 100Km Audax in March.

    Interested to know how regular the stops are, where the lunch stop is and what sort of time people set off from Bath? Might stop in a local hotel rather than get up at silly o'clock to catch a train from Reading - just need to find one that will let me put the bike in the room or has secure storage...
  • gsvbagpuss
    gsvbagpuss Posts: 272
    From memory it was 0630-0830 start from Bath, but could be wrong.

    I would expect the stops are marked on the website route, if not I might have the old route docs somewhere so PM me with your email address if not.
  • markyone
    markyone Posts: 1,119
    I am doing it this year,only rode it once before 4 years ago.
    Its 117 miles but fairly flat apart from at the beginning box and Marlborough hills but nothing to
    worry about.
    Colnago c60 Eps super record 11
    Pinarello F8 with sram etap

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