Glossop Riders........

stannie

Respect to you all!
I have just moved up to Glossop from Southampton and went out on my bike today for the first time. Next year I am doing a 400k charity bike ride in Kenya and I Also hope to be fit enough to join the local Cycling Club.
I knew I wasn't very fit, and I knew there were a lot of steep hills, but at the moment I am struggling to get up any of the hills within a 3 mile radius. All local rides seem to involve 95% of the time struggling uphill and only 5% riding downhill. At this rate I am going to have to put my bike in the car and drive to somewhere flatter for a ride, until I get a bit fitter.
I am loving the scenery though And I can't wait until I am flying up the hills like most of the other riders I see.

declan1

Driving somewhere flat isn't going to get you fit. You need to keep riding up those hills!

Crispyapp

Some brilliant riding around there. 1 of my fave loops..... Head from glossop over snakes pass to lady bower, keep going up and over strines moor and upto langsett, head back toward holmfirth and up over Holme moss back to glossop.... An amazing route, but be warned the weather can be bad over snakes pass. It's usually 1 of the first roads to close in winter due to snow etc.

Enjoy

Sprool

^+1 thats one of the great routes up here but it's h a r d !

pinarellokid

just been invited on a glossop ride on Sunday and im aweful on hills,

just ridden last weekend from sowerby bridge through riponden to oldham, and it nearly killed me..

50 miles but felt like a lot more 20 miles of it must have been uphill FFS

im told they get easier but im attracted to them for some reason guess it makes you appreciate the flats more

stannie

Crispyapp wrote:

Some brilliant riding around there. 1 of my fave loops..... Head from glossop over snakes pass to lady bower, keep going up and over strines moor and upto langsett, head back toward holmfirth and up over Holme moss back to glossop.... An amazing route, but be warned the weather can be bad over snakes pass. It's usually 1 of the first roads to close in winter due to snow etc.

Enjoy

I agree that is a fantastic route. I have done it on my motorbike, but I think I might need a few more rides under my belt before I try it on the bicycle. I have enough trouble cycling up the high street at the moment!

mcp73

Perseverence is the key. You're now lucky enough to live in the gateway to the Peaks. The more you ride, the more you'll improve. Granted, Glossop as a start point is 'in at the deep end' when it comes to road riding, but the beauty is that the hardships will only serve to increase your fitness and mental fortitude! Keep at it; there's so much wonderful countryside to explore here. Also, take it at your own pace. Unless you're on a training regimen or goal-oriented program, just do what you can, push yourself a little and enjoy the glorious scenery. :-)

karlth

Same on this side. I'm Chesterfield based and after two years have no idea what average speed I'd do on the flat because there are no bits of flat road to find out. Most "flats" you find you're either doing 23 or 17 because they aren't flat at all.

I went out yesterday in the flatter direction and it was still best part of 2000' of climbing in a 37 mile ride. It's just the nature of the beast here.

mcp73

I agree, I'm located between Sheffield and Chesterfield. I always have a chuckle when any training advice suggests that I find a flat stretch of road for a particular training route: there aren't any flat stretches!

karlth

mcp73 wrote:

I agree, I'm located between Sheffield and Chesterfield. I always have a chuckle when any training advice suggests that I find a flat stretch of road for a particular training route: there aren't any flat stretches!

Indeed. The bit of road from the Riverside Garden Centre near Unstone to J E James looks flat, but I know it's not because I do 15-20mph up it and 18-22mph down it. Ditto the bit of road from there to the canal bridge at the bottom of Brimington (prelude to a cheeky little number which I'm sure you know)

Whittington past the Church and up to the radio transmitter is fun as well. For values of fun that involve pain.

stannie

Well, I went out today on my Hybrid and managed the Woodhead Road to Torside and back. I thought it might be a difficult ride but it was not too bad. It was only 6 miles, but it is a start. I am not sure if I would have managed it on a road bike with fewer gears.
Next ride - Glossop to Hayfield Road :oops:

stifflersmom

You should take advantage of the Snake being closed to cars for the next two weekends. The climb out from Glossop to the top is steady enough to find a good rhythm (especially with a Westerly wind on your back), and then you'll have a brilliant descent to enjoy.

xscreamsuk

karlth wrote:

mcp73 wrote:

I agree, I'm located between Sheffield and Chesterfield. I always have a chuckle when any training advice suggests that I find a flat stretch of road for a particular training route: there aren't any flat stretches!

Indeed. The bit of road from the Riverside Garden Centre near Unstone to J E James looks flat, but I know it's not because I do 15-20mph up it and 18-22mph down it. Ditto the bit of road from there to the canal bridge at the bottom of Brimington (prelude to a cheeky little number which I'm sure you know)

Whittington past the Church and up to the radio transmitter is fun as well. For values of fun that involve pain.

That's my commute, only flatish bits are up on the tops above Beeley but they aren't really flat either! When I do ride on real flats, West of Manchester, it's dare I say it a little dull, encourages you to put the hammer down a bit though.

rdt

singletrackanne wrote:

Respect to you all!
I have just moved up to Glossop from Southampton and went out on my bike today for the first time. Next year I am doing a 400k charity bike ride in Kenya and I Also hope to be fit enough to join the local Cycling Club.
I knew I wasn't very fit, and I knew there were a lot of steep hills, but at the moment I am struggling to get up any of the hills within a 3 mile radius. All local rides seem to involve 95% of the time struggling uphill and only 5% riding downhill. At this rate I am going to have to put my bike in the car and drive to somewhere flatter for a ride, until I get a bit fitter.
I am loving the scenery though And I can't wait until I am flying up the hills like most of the other riders I see.

I don't live a million miles from you, swapping London for the Peak District several years ago. Here's what I found:

1. Make sure you have sufficiently low gears that you can get up every hill you'll meet without ever having to stop or push (apologies for swearing). That way, you've half the battle won, as you know you'll get up the hill - it's simply a case of what speed you'll do it at.

2. Persevere. If you ride hills all the time, you mentally get used to riding hills all the time. Your perception of what counts as a notable hill changes. Hills morph into false flats. I ride Long Hill and the Goyt Valley/Derbyshire Bridge route up to the Cat quite a lot, and I don't think of them as "hills" in the way I once did. "Hills" are the Pym Chair climbs, Mam Nick, Wash to Chestnut Centre, etc. ie the really steep stuff. Don't get me wrong, I'm no star bar - far from it, so I'm not really making a point about fitness, but one about perception and what you're used to doing.

Have fun!

Chinley Churner

Another one.. London to the Peaks (Chinley) almost six years ago.. thought I was quite a strong rider but spent at least the first couple of years getting my legs ripped off. Can hold my own now but it takes time, pain and lots of humility.

karlth

Anyone ever noted the evil false flat between Castleton, where the Winnatts road splits from the old slipped road under Mam Tor, and the foot of Winnatts itself? It looks almost flat, but it's around 10% average, steepening all the time.

stannie

stifflersmom wrote:

You should take advantage of the Snake being closed to cars for the next two weekends. The climb out from Glossop to the top is steady enough to find a good rhythm (especially with a Westerly wind on your back), and then you'll have a brilliant descent to enjoy.

Thanks.
I might just try that - are bikes allowed when the road is closed to cars?

amaferanga

singletrackanne wrote:

stifflersmom wrote:

You should take advantage of the Snake being closed to cars for the next two weekends. The climb out from Glossop to the top is steady enough to find a good rhythm (especially with a Westerly wind on your back), and then you'll have a brilliant descent to enjoy.

Thanks.
I might just try that - are bikes allowed when the road is closed to cars?

I went over to Glossop and back from Sheffield on Saturday and there was only one short stretch of road works that you could easily get past. The workmen didn't seem to mind at all - they waved me through.

Crispyapp

singletrackanne wrote:

stifflersmom wrote:

You should take advantage of the Snake being closed to cars for the next two weekends. The climb out from Glossop to the top is steady enough to find a good rhythm (especially with a Westerly wind on your back), and then you'll have a brilliant descent to enjoy.

Thanks.
I might just try that - are bikes allowed when the road is closed to cars?

I once got stopped by police for doing this. I told him that the diversion would take me about 7 miles out of my way and would make me late for work. Needless to say he was a total dick about it and proceeded to lecture me on the Highway Code and at that point I said well next time ill go on the footpath and walk.... He let me go on my way after that.

Reane_Machine

I've cut my roadie teeth up here, specifically Strines Moor - which is a rollercoaster of a place.

Lots of descents and hills, I think it's great for interval hill training! Like RDT said earlier, at first the slightest incline was a 'hill', but it really does alter your perspective.

I would be very interested to see how I fared in terms of average speed on 20 miles on a proper flat, the only flat near me is a dual carriageway.

schleckster

pinarellokid wrote:

just been invited on a glossop ride on Sunday and im aweful on hills,

just ridden last weekend from sowerby bridge through riponden to oldham, and it nearly killed me..

50 miles but felt like a lot more 20 miles of it must have been uphill FFS

im told they get easier but im attracted to them for some reason guess it makes you appreciate the flats more

One of my regular training routes climbs out of Ripponden either to Oldham or Rochdale/Hollingworth lake depending on which way you go round, either way the hill is long and pretty steep but it's worth it for the descents.

Huddersfield Road leading up out of Denshaw, around Dowry reservoir and into W. Yorks is also a good sustained uphill run. Pretty much everywhere in the area North East of Manchester, Pennines / Saddleworth / Peak District borders you're going to be going up and down all the time, good if you're feeling alienated and masochistic, just go and crank it out, lol.

Hi, by the way, first post!

P.S. if anyone's ever up for a ride in these areas just shoot me a PM