Three peaks challenge by bike

gsvbagpuss

A friend at work is turning 50 next year and wants to make it a memorable one by doing the Three Peaks Challenge by bike, and is looking for people to go with him. It would be 460 miles cycling and the three climbs, starting from Ben Nevis and ending at Snowdon.

Has anyone done this? I've done a 100 sportive in 7:15 with stops with no aches of pains at all so am hoping 150 miles each day should be fine. We'll have a support team / van etc and my friend has done LEJOG (on a tandem!) so he should be fine too. The record is a staggering 46 hours including just 25 minuts sleep! but we'll be aiming for more like 72 hours I imagine.

Aquavista97

GSVBagpuss wrote:

A friend at work is turning 50 next year and wants to make it a memorable one by doing the Three Peaks Challenge by bike, and is looking for people to go with him. It would be 460 miles cycling and the three climbs, starting from Ben Nevis and ending at Snowdon.

Has anyone done this? I've done a 100 sportive in 7:15 with stops with no aches of pains at all so am hoping 150 miles each day should be fine. We'll have a support team / van etc and my friend has done LEJOG (on a tandem!) so he should be fine too. The record is a staggering 46 hours including just 25 minuts sleep! but we'll be aiming for more like 72 hours I imagine.

Hmmmmm. I may just be interested in this as a challenge, but I do not see how the timings can work for mere mortals. Fort William to Wasdale Head is 260 miles, and am not sure that is achievable (for most people at least) in a day........so would the plan be to climb Ben Nevis and then just cycle as far as possible the same day then camp somewhere or example.? I assume also you are looking at June/July time?

Brakeless

Do you realise how many people do the 3 peaks 'challenge' every summer. You'll more than likely be walking up Ben Nevis, Snowdon and Scafell Pike with literally hundreds of other people. The erosion and litter and associated problems these 'challanges' lead to has actually led to the British Mountaineering Council encouraging people to look for other 'challenges' in the Mountains. There's alot more than 3 mountains in the UK. There's over 280 Munro's in Scotland!

This is worth reading http://www.thebmc.co.uk/three-peaks-challenge

stephenlloyd

you should check out sean conway, he cycled around the world last year but did the 3 peaks a few weeks back in a long weekend. He has a details blog of his experience on his site seanconway.com. hope this helps.

gsvbagpuss

Aquavista97 wrote:

Hmmmmm. I may just be interested in this as a challenge, but I do not see how the timings can work for mere mortals. Fort William to Wasdale Head is 260 miles, and am not sure that is achievable (for most people at least) in a day........so would the plan be to climb Ben Nevis and then just cycle as far as possible the same day then camp somewhere or example.? I assume also you are looking at June/July time?

It's going to be in May, and I / we are guessing at at least 4/5 days to complete it. I think 150 miles each day and 3 climbs is too much, but make that 100 miles each day plus 3 climbs and I think it beocmes in reach. We'd be cycling with a support van for all our stuff so nothing to carry up the hills.

gsvbagpuss

Brakeless wrote:

Do you realise how many people do the 3 peaks 'challenge' every summer. You'll more than likely be walking up Ben Nevis, Snowdon and Scafell Pike with literally hundreds of other people. The erosion and litter and associated problems these 'challanges' lead to has actually led to the British Mountaineering Council encouraging people to look for other 'challenges' in the Mountains. There's alot more than 3 mountains in the UK. There's over 280 Munro's in Scotland!

This is worth reading http://www.thebmc.co.uk/three-peaks-challenge

I appreciate that the 3 peaks are some well climbed routes, but the appeal is to cover the three iconic climbs. If we lived nearer some ranges then we could use those, but living down south means we have ot go north and then if we're going all that way, we would want to do the "big ones".

Thanks for the link though - we'll see what we can do to reduc eour imapct on the surroundings.

jibi

I did this way back ay Uni...72 hours...and 10 bloody minutes...
go for it....I did it in February , freezing cold and short days...from
Fort william to Canaervon...you have to be sea level to sea level...
have great fun...I did

jibi

natrix

Make sure that your bikes are in good condition. A couple of blokes I vaguely know attempted this last year on a tandem (unsupported) and had to give up due to mechanical failures.

zacclayton

http://zacclayton.com/3-peaks-record/4576597284

tbshooter

We run the Three Peaks Cycle Challenge over seven days for anyone that wants a supported and guided trip:
http://www.moreadventure.co.uk/event/three-peaks-cycle-challenge/

tubaonwheels

I did this with a mate about 12 years ago. We were more fell runners and just occasional cyclists. Did it in 3 days - just. Had our wives following in camper van to provide food stops along the way which helped. The cycling was a painful experience for me back then, the old botty was not used to them distances.
1st day, started midday, we did the Ben then cycled to just North of Glasgow. 2nd day up early to cycle to Braithwaite. Day three up very early to do Scafell pike, then ride to N. Wales, think we stopped just over the border, can't remember where. Day 4 ride to pen y pass and last blast up the pyg track to finish on Snowdon summit. Just about bang on 72 hours.

Although not 'proper' cyclists we were both strong runners used to endurance events, and did do a fair bit of riding as cross training.

Steve.

Garry H

Reckon the guy's just about finished by now...