Great Manchester Cycle 2013

msmancunia

whitestar1 wrote:

mattitheowl wrote:

I've just signed up to do this. I've not ridden this distance before but my usual routes are a lot more hilly so I hope I will be OK. It was the idea of riding on closed roads that really appealed to me.

I do my long rides very early on a Sunday morning. It's lonely by there is very few cars on the roads. Started of with 24 miles and last week did 47 miles in 3:11 hours. Hoping that tomorrow I will break the 50 mile barrier at 3:30 minimum. Leaving out at 5:45am.

This Manchester event is the first for me on closed roads and with people. I will be very nervous riding in a peloton.

You'll be fine - and it is flat! Did you say you were doing the 26 mile? Probably won't be any peloton style riding in that one anyway - it's a mix of road/hybrid/MTB really. And even in the 52 there was just a lead pack (which I had no hope of keeping up with!) and a couple of clubs who rode together.

You'll have a great time

philw80

whitestar1 wrote:

whitestar1 wrote:

on the road wrote:

The Participant's Information booklet has one on there.

Thanks

I can't believe you call this flat!!!!

It is-the profile is deceptive.....from lowest to highest point on each lap is only about 100ft

Wirral_paul

whitestar1 wrote:

whitestar1 wrote:

on the road wrote:

The Participant's Information booklet has one on there.

Thanks

I can't believe you call this flat!!!!

30m elevation difference in about 4k is very flat - you're not going to be needing a small chainring to get you up an average sub 1% slope i hope

ffrantic

flat as a pancake this route, my first organised cycle hoping to get dragged along by the faster riders to make it in the time limit they have set.

homers_double

118-118! Got my number today.

Very little training though, I only registered a few weeks ago and have been on holiday in the meantime.

I'll just have to rely on my mountan biking GnAr to get me through.

If you see a guy in a green endura jersey and a peaked MTB helmet :shock: with dirty MTB shoes :shock: riding a Spesh Allez that'll be me!

ps Anyone got an idea of a fast time for 26 miles as I want some sort of gauge to see how crap I really am, Last nights ride through Cragg Vale was 35km in 1h:27m

Der Kaiser

I was worried how long the 26 miles would take me last year. I contacted my support team (The Mrs) at the final rest stop. Even with this stop and the momentum lost I did it in 1 hr 37mins on a Tourer with winter tyres on.

You'll be fine.

homers_double

Fair enough, 6 miles out of the 20odd mile is drag up the longest uninterupted climb in the UK.

mattitheowl

Well I really enjoyed that. It's the first organised ride I have done and the longest ride too. I just wish I could have stayed in some groups for a bit longer as I spent a lot of time ploughing a loan furrow. Really well organised though and very enjoyable all in all.

Der Kaiser

Absolutely brilliantly organised event (again).

I did the "52" mile event in 3:18 which pleased me immensely. I know a few are bit snooty about paying to ride around the streets of Manchester but this sort of event get more people into cycling. Which can only be good for the sport.

Will probably try a different event next year. New challenges eh?

on the road

I did the 52 in 2:36, I reckon I lapped some people, one or two more than once because I seemed to remember seeing some of them before and there were some really slow riders. I think it's a fare price, after all I have specially closed the roads to traffic so we can ride on them and the timing chips and the numbers aren't free to make.

msmancunia

on the road wrote:

I did the 52 in 2:36, I reckon I lapped some people, one or two more than once because I seemed to remember seeing some of them before and there were some really slow riders. I think it's a fare price, after all I have specially closed the roads to traffic so we can ride on them and the timing chips and the numbers aren't free to make.

You closed it personally?

Good fun, and better now they got rid of the Salford Quays bit where it all clogged up for the first two laps last year. Came in at 2:55:13, 17 mins better than last year, and really encouraging to see a lot more girls on the 52 - last year I think there were around 90 and this year, from looking at the results, around 250 I think.

skintosh

Also my first event like this.

Got to say, it was very well organised and enjoyable (think the weather staying fine helped!).

I did the 52 in 2.32 with a pee stop !

I was just happy not to get lapped by the first finishers, who I could here being welcomed in on the tannoy just after starting my last lap! Estimate they finished in approx 2hrs?

whitestar1

I did the 26 miles. First event and I agree with the earlier comments on paying to ride. Closed roads, timing chips and all that don't come free.

It took me 2 hours to get to Manchester. Some distance into the ride I got hit by cramps in the calf muscles of bout legs. I can only assume that it was the driving position that caused it because last week I did 54 miles and didn't have any issue. I had another attack further on and on the second lap another - excoriating pain in the right leg muscle. Was offered pills by the ambulance medic but said no, couldn't see how that would help.

Finished with an official time of 1:32 hrs. Not bad, was targeting 1:40 hrs. I was with the leaders group until the first attack and that dropped me, but the last was the worst. Had to stop and this lady was there taking pictures of me in pain - what was she thinking?

Even so I enjoyed it immensely and will be doing it again next year and this time I will be driving and resting on the way. Following year it will be the 52 miles.
http://app.strava.com/activities/63846144

on the road

msmancunia wrote:

on the road wrote:

I did the 52 in 2:36, I reckon I lapped some people, one or two more than once because I seemed to remember seeing some of them before and there were some really slow riders. I think it's a fare price, after all I have specially closed the roads to traffic so we can ride on them and the timing chips and the numbers aren't free to make.

You closed it personally?

Good fun, and better now they got rid of the Salford Quays bit where it all clogged up for the first two laps last year. Came in at 2:55:13, 17 mins better than last year, and really encouraging to see a lot more girls on the 52 - last year I think there were around 90 and this year, from looking at the results, around 250 I think.

Typo :oops:

on the road

whitestar1 wrote:

I did the 26 miles. First event and I agree with the earlier comments on paying to ride. Closed roads, timing chips and all that don't come free.

It took me 2 hours to get to Manchester. Some distance into the ride I got hit by cramps in the calf muscles of bout legs. I can only assume that it was the driving position that caused it because last week I did 54 miles and didn't have any issue. I had another attack further on and on the second lap another - excoriating pain in the right leg muscle. Was offered pills by the ambulance medic but said no, couldn't see how that would help.

Finished with an official time of 1:32 hrs. Not bad, was targeting 1:40 hrs. I was with the leaders group until the first attack and that dropped me, but the last was the worst. Had to stop and this lady was there taking pictures of me in pain - what was she thinking?

Even so I enjoyed it immensely and will be doing it again next year and this time I will be driving and resting on the way. Following year it will be the 52 miles.
http://app.strava.com/activities/63846144

Don't forget that you're riding at a higher pace than what you normally would do on your own and non stop. I did the 52 and thought it would have been a breeze because I can easily do that distant no problem, but I found it tough because it was at race pace and non stop, but at least I know what to expect next year.

homers_double

26 miles, 1hr17.30. Finished 71st out of about 2500 riders and 5th in my age catagory.

Not bad for a chubby 36yr old mountain biker!

Overall the event was excellent and why anyone would winge about paying £20 is beyond me.

Stedman

My time for the 52 mile was 2hr 15.02.

Better course this year and some of the corners were a bit interesting especially the 180o ones.

I recorded 51 miles at the end of the ride and not the 52. What did other riders record?

homers_double

Nothing different, that's just tight cornering!

jscl

Finished 41st overall in the 52miler, average 24-25mph. Stayed in the main race group right until the sharp U turn at Salford Quays bridge where I was on catchup all the way back to the Ethiad. Thoroughly loved it. Finished in 2hrs and 9 minutes. 12th overall for 0-35 and 40th Male. Certainly loved the atmosphere, some interesting riding etiquette as always

on the road

I recorded just under 51 miles for the 52 and the tracking app on my phone also recorded under 51 miles.

Der Kaiser

on the road wrote:

I recorded just under 51 miles for the 52 and the tracking app on my phone also recorded under 51 miles.

My Garmin was just under 51 miles but I forgot to start it as I crossed the line in all the excitement. Most Sportives are not exactly the distance they say. Most are usually longer.

If the RideLondon organisers want a template of how an event should be organised then this is the where they should start looking.

skintosh

JSCL wrote:

Finished 41st overall in the 52miler, average 24-25mph. Stayed in the main race group right until the sharp U turn at Salford Quays bridge where I was on catchup all the way back to the Ethiad. Thoroughly loved it. Finished in 2hrs and 9 minutes. 12th overall for 0-35 and 40th Male. Certainly loved the atmosphere, some interesting riding etiquette as always

good effort buddy !

heathy_76

Thoroughly enjoyed yesterday, a great experience for my first closed road sportive. My time was 2h 38m.

I was surprised at the pace to be honest, much quicker than I expected. But that meant that I recorded my highest average speed (19.75 mph) so I'm pleased with that. Great mixture of riders and abilities too, from people on mtbs to the serious groups (saw some guy in an aero tuck on the first lap ).

Does anybody know how many entrants there were in the 52 miler group???

on the road

heathy_76 wrote:

Does anybody know how many entrants there were in the 52 miler group???

They said it was 2800.

heathy_76

on the road wrote:

heathy_76 wrote:

Does anybody know how many entrants there were in the 52 miler group???

They said it was 2800.

Thanks!

goffski

Great day! Think i clocked it just under 51 miles too. I finished in 2:33 which i'm more than pleased with as my chain snapped about a 1-2 miles into lap 3. After a fair bit of messing about i managed to get it rideable and make it to Old Trafford where the Halfords guys sorted it out for me. It cost me about 8 mins but the main thing is i finished, i honestly thought that was it!

on the road

Some photos are already up on the website.

heathy_76

on the road wrote:

Some photos are already up on the website.

Just seen myself! :oops:

on the road

heathy_76 wrote:

on the road wrote:

Some photos are already up on the website.

Just seen myself! :oops:

I think I look boss

homers_double

5075, I think I look fugging rediculous!