Etape Cymru

gareth2134

who's done this event and how did you find it compared with other event you have done in th epast.

Been watching a couple of youtube videos and I like the run on it and location seems great so may be something I am interested in. I think it's run in Sept so nice one to finish the summer off with I guess.

deadhead1971

gareth2134 wrote:

who's done this event and how did you find it compared with other event you have done in th epast.

Been watching a couple of youtube videos and I like the run on it and location seems great so may be something I am interested in. I think it's run in Sept so nice one to finish the summer off with I guess.

The first one in October 2011 was diabolical.
The second one, in September 2012 was amazing (different management)
I blogged about the first one and made a movie about the second one!

2011 event blog - http://www.scarletfire.co.uk/2011/10/i- ... ape-cymru/

2012 movie - http://www.scarletfire.co.uk/2012/09/et ... the-movie/

gareth2134

deadhead1971 wrote:

gareth2134 wrote:

who's done this event and how did you find it compared with other event you have done in th epast.

Been watching a couple of youtube videos and I like the run on it and location seems great so may be something I am interested in. I think it's run in Sept so nice one to finish the summer off with I guess.

The first one in October 2011 was diabolical.
The second one, in September 2012 was amazing (different management)
I blogged about the first one and made a movie about the second one!

2011 event blog - http://www.scarletfire.co.uk/2011/10/i- ... ape-cymru/

2012 movie - http://www.scarletfire.co.uk/2012/09/et ... the-movie/

Great mate will watch through them now, thanks for this as I really want to do this event and if what you say about 2012 is true then maybe this year will be just as good.

Thanks

gareth2134

deadhead1971 wrote:

gareth2134 wrote:

who's done this event and how did you find it compared with other event you have done in th epast.

Been watching a couple of youtube videos and I like the run on it and location seems great so may be something I am interested in. I think it's run in Sept so nice one to finish the summer off with I guess.

The first one in October 2011 was diabolical.
The second one, in September 2012 was amazing (different management)
I blogged about the first one and made a movie about the second one!

2011 event blog - http://www.scarletfire.co.uk/2011/10/i- ... ape-cymru/

2012 movie - http://www.scarletfire.co.uk/2012/09/et ... the-movie/

excellent blog mate and excellent video especially Mario lol. I am so pumped for this years events looking through them all now. I want to do 2 24hr events to this year with Active24 manchester to london in june and newcastle to london in august. 250 mile and 300 mile respectively.

Great climb by the way 60 is your number to beat for next time where did you find the energy for the pass ? or was it because you reserved early on ?

Great info thank you

deadhead1971

gareth2134 wrote:

Great climb by the way 60 is your number to beat for next time where did you find the energy for the pass ? or was it because you reserved early on ?

Great info thank you

I was riding with my mate who hadn't been training very much, so by the time we got to the pass (which was only about 15-20 miles into the day, I think) we'd dropped back and were mostly among the slower riders. I just went at my normal pace and found myself zipping past everyone. I waited for my mate at the top, then dragged him round the rest of the day. Big achievement for him, his biggest ever ride at the time.
Glad you liked the video :-)

gareth2134

deadhead1971 wrote:

gareth2134 wrote:

Great climb by the way 60 is your number to beat for next time where did you find the energy for the pass ? or was it because you reserved early on ?

Great info thank you

I was riding with my mate who hadn't been training very much, so by the time we got to the pass (which was only about 15-20 miles into the day, I think) we'd dropped back and were mostly among the slower riders. I just went at my normal pace and found myself zipping past everyone. I waited for my mate at the top, then dragged him round the rest of the day. Big achievement for him, his biggest ever ride at the time.
Glad you liked the video :-)

Awesome and well done to your friend to. I go with my friend and we are equally competitive, hes 47 and is as fit as a 20 year old im 31 and I struggle to shake him off so I am hoping this year we bring each other on more.

Coming from MTB to road was a good transition as this takes up more of my time and MTB is done when I feel like it so I am still enjoying both but road cycling got to be the best.

I have done the Horse shoe pass a few time we start at the top and go down the back through ruthin etc and finish at the top of the pass so its the very last bit of our route which is 99.8 mile and it's a killer but I feel better doing it at the end of the run than I would doing it in the middle as I know in the middle of the race I still have to reserve my energy instead of just leaving it all on the pass.

ugo.santalucia

I have signed up for this... being the wimp that I am, I will of course pull out in case of dreadful weather, which given the area makes it a 50/50...
I wish there was a plan B shorter course in the event of the wrong 50%... don't like the idea of pulling out altogether, I like less the idea of 100 miles in heavy rain

Bookwyse

Both the eldest lad (23) and I have signed up for this.

After his perfromance in the Kentish Killer (where I had to wait at the top of every hill for him) all I can say is that he had beeter get some climbing practice in.

gareth2134

ugo.santalucia wrote:

I have signed up for this... being the wimp that I am, I will of course pull out in case of dreadful weather, which given the area makes it a 50/50...
I wish there was a plan B shorter course in the event of the wrong 50%... don't like the idea of pulling out altogether, I like less the idea of 100 miles in heavy rain

Yeah it's hard to judge weather conditions in wales at the best of times but I think i am up for it come rain or shine and by then I should have had a few more events under my belt so I will be ready for a gruelling time ha.

Bookwyse I know that feeling when I have gone out riding with my friend it's horrible waiting but fortunatly I don't wait to long though and baring in mind hes 47 but he gets fitter as the years go on such an odd sport cycling as years can help you if you have a well matured frame for cycling.

He has a good sprint and more powerful legs than mine but I have above average fitness and when I hit a hill I can speed up more than most and maintain a good speed when I reach the top without spending myself so we kind of balance out here and there but I will admit it now that I am going to put everything into all the events this year I really want to know the times i have gotten are from my best effort .

Goodluck though dude who knows you mite be one of the ones flying past me.

imposter2.0

gareth2134 wrote:

Goodluck though dude who knows you mite be one of the ones flying past me.

not if you have 'ISO speed technology'...

Grill

91 miles and only 6400ft? Pretty flat...

gareth2134

Grill wrote:

91 miles and only 6400ft? Pretty flat...

haha brilliant mate, I have heard the Fred Whitton in Cumbria is just as flat to so I may indule their also

Grill

I did more climbing than that on my 80 miler yesterday and could have added another 1000 had I brought more than one bottle. 1000ft per 10 miles should be pretty much obligatory for any event with an entry fee :P

deadhead1971

While we're on the subject of stunning North Wales rides, do check out the Wild Wales Challenge.
Www.wildwaleschallenge.com
Last year's route was more scenic and more physically challenging than EC, and it's a LOT cheaper to enter. (it's not a closed road event)
Carlsberg don't do sportives, but if they did.....

Grill

deadhead1971 wrote:

While we're on the subject of stunning North Wales rides, do check out the Wild Wales Challenge.
http://Www.wildwaleschallenge.com
Last year's route was more scenic and more physically challenging than EC, and it's a LOT cheaper to enter. (it's not a closed road event)
Carlsberg don't do sportives, but if they did.....

Now this is certainly worth the price of admission!

deadhead1971

Grill wrote:

Now this is certainly worth the price of admission!

It definitely is.
This year's route doesn't go up Bwlch y Groes (10/10 in that 100 climbs book)
Our club had a great turnout last year at that event.
I wrote an account of it here :
http://www.scarletfire.co.uk/2012/08/wi ... the-movie/
It has a chapter called 'the deranged ice cream van in the land that time forgot'!
Enjoy..

johnmcsorley

Really crapping myself about this event now as I've only got a 11/28 Compact on my Giant Defy 1 which I hope and pray is enough to get me up those Welsh Mountains !

Started some hill training, as I'm ok with the distance, but only Cat 4's around me so need to find something harder to train on as I don't want to be walking any part of this course.

Any Etape Cymru / Welsh Mountain advice gratefully received !!!

deadhead1971

johnmcsorley wrote:

Really crapping myself about this event now as I've only got a 11/28 Compact on my Giant Defy 1 which I hope and pray is enough to get me up those Welsh Mountains !

Started some hill training, as I'm ok with the distance, but only Cat 4's around me so need to find something harder to train on as I don't want to be walking any part of this course.

Any Etape Cymru / Welsh Mountain advice gratefully received !!!

You should be fine, there's nothing terribly challenging. I did the first Etape Cymru just a couple of months after getting my first road bike, aged 40. 2 months prior, the longest ride I'd done was about 40 miles, and I didn't have to get off and walk any of it. I'm also on a 11-28, and 50-34 on the front. There are one or two steep bits where you'll need to climb out of the saddle, but they don't last long.

cyclingsheep

deadhead1971 wrote:

gareth2134 wrote:

who's done this event and how did you find it compared with other event you have done in th epast.

Been watching a couple of youtube videos and I like the run on it and location seems great so may be something I am interested in. I think it's run in Sept so nice one to finish the summer off with I guess.

The first one in October 2011 was diabolical.
The second one, in September 2012 was amazing (different management)
I blogged about the first one and made a movie about the second one!

+1
Second year closed roads were actually closed and feed stops had water

Slacey

Cyclosport review of last year - http://www.cyclosport.org/11-Sep-2012/n ... eview.html
It was a great event in 2012 and should be equally as good this year. As mentioned the Wild Wales Challenge is a stunner and was my favourite event last year.

kingderham

Did this last year and a great day out it was, Horseshoe Pass was not that bad at all, personally i felt i could have gone quicker up it, but held back because i have never ridden it before, view's were stunning. I do remember a climb after cycling through open moorland(think that what it was) a bloke in orange kit was at the bottom stood over his bike and shaking his head, it was just before you had to cross a watersplash/stream (was marshalls warning you), that climb was hard.

farrina

kingderham wrote:

. I do remember a climb after cycling through open moorland(think that what it was) a bloke in orange kit was at the bottom stood over his bike and shaking his head, it was just before you had to cross a watersplash/stream (was marshalls warning you), that climb was hard.

Is this it here ? http://goo.gl/maps/0VYiq I believe its called "World's End" and I distinctly remember trying to ride across it one cold winters day and ending up on my posterior and very wet (very slimy rocks)!

Possibly warning you of the water hazard ...

Regards

Alan

deadhead1971

Yes it's world's end. I've done it both ways a few times and always ridden through the ford, until one of my club mates skidded sideways, nearly broke his arm, very nearly became hypothermic and turned the whole ride into an absolute epic.
I wrote up a blog post about it.

http://www.scarletfire.co.uk/2013/02/sunday-club-run-bit-of-an-epic/

I haven't yet been back, but when I do, I'll be using the stepping stones.

super_prestige

johnmcsorley wrote:

Really crapping myself about this event now as I've only got a 11/28 Compact on my Giant Defy 1 which I hope and pray is enough to get me up those Welsh Mountains !

Started some hill training, as I'm ok with the distance, but only Cat 4's around me so need to find something harder to train on as I don't want to be walking any part of this course.

Any Etape Cymru / Welsh Mountain advice gratefully received !!!

You shoukd be fine on those gears, i ride these roads on a 11/25 53/39