Etape Cymru: remarkably pointless information

ugo.santalucia

In a moment of madness I did sign up for this... the website is remarkably uninformative... basically I need a couple of numbers
1) Roughly how many metres of climbing are we looking at (I heard 2500 to 3000, does it make sense?)

2) How many feeding zones they provide

If anyone has done it before or know the area, I'd also like to have an idea of the road conditions... smooth descending on wide roads or steep descending on narrow lanes with blind corners dotted by holes and crumbling tarmac?

eccles

I don't know about the feeding stations but I copied the 80 mile route into 'ridewithgps' so that I could have a proper look at the elevation stats. http://ridewithgps.com/routes/2706812
I would have thought there would be a feed station every 15 to 20 miles or so but, like I said, I don't know for definite.
On the website it says you should get an event pack 2-3 weeks before the event so hopefully that should give you all the info you need.
I'm tempted to enter myself

ugo.santalucia

eccles wrote:

I don't know about the feeding stations but I copied the 80 mile route into 'ridewithgps' so that I could have a proper look at the elevation stats. http://ridewithgps.com/routes/2706812
I would have thought there would be a feed station every 15 to 20 miles or so but, like I said, I don't know for definite.
On the website it says you should get an event pack 2-3 weeks before the event so hopefully that should give you all the info you need.
I'm tempted to enter myself

Thanks... so somewhere between 2500 and 3000 mt of climbing is realistic... I used to do those kind of elevation gains, but I am so out of form these days, I barely do half of that... oh well
Worst case scenario, the loop at mile 26 after the horseshoe pass looks very avoidable and I suspect they will have a bailout there for old farts like myself

rodgers73

I did it last year. I wouldn't worry too much about the climbing. It wasn't too bad. There were loads of feed stops. I seem to recall stopping and wondering why there was a feed so often. They over-provided really.

ugo.santalucia

rodgers73 wrote:

I did it last year. I wouldn't worry too much about the climbing. It wasn't too bad. There were loads of feed stops. I seem to recall stopping and wondering why there was a feed so often. They over-provided really.

Thanks... road in good conditions?

Wirral_paul

I rode two of the toughest climbs on the route yesterday Paolo - Worlds end (max 15%) and Horse Shoe Pass (max 11% - ignore the 20% sign that is at the side of the road) as i live within riding distance. The road is a bit broken up across the top of Worlds End (and watch the 25% descent in the trees with the ford coming down as that is broken and gravelly too). The rest of the roads are generally ok - not the smoothest though!

ugo.santalucia

Wirral_Paul wrote:

I rode two of the toughest climbs on the route yesterday Paolo - Worlds end (max 15%) and Horse Shoe Pass (max 11% - ignore the 20% sign that is at the side of the road) as i live within riding distance. The road is a bit broken up across the top of Worlds End (and watch the 25% descent in the trees with the ford coming down as that is broken and gravelly too). The rest of the roads are generally ok - not the smoothest though!

Thanks... it's for the bike choice... I currently own one 1981 race bike with tubulars or one Croix de Fer with disc brakes and strong touring tyres. I am inclined to go with the cross bike... the light racer has 42 x 26 as best gear and my form is not great this year. It also has one bottle holder only, hence my question about feeding zones. Finally, tubulars are lovely tyres, hence I am not keen on shredding them and old brakes do work, bey they are not suited to 20% descents...
Of course the Croix de Fer is a heavy beast to drag up the climbs... but that is less of a problem, I am not bothered about timing and if takes 7 hours, it takes 7 hours

speshsteve

if its the same route as last year my garmin said 90.9 miles and 7993ft of climbing.

rodgers73

I used Conti GP4000s tyres last year and they were fine.

Wirral_paul

I'm sure you'll love the ride up in the hills of N Wales Paolo. 42 x 26 might be a bit high for the steeper climbs (although it depends on how your "not great form" compares to others really). I used a 34 x 21 and 23 on the steep section of Worlds End, and then 34 x 23 at the bottom of the Shoe up through the trees which is the hardest part before ending up on 34 x 19 for much of the rest. I'd be pretty nervous of expensive tubulars myself up across the top of Worlds End as the road is pretty broken up, but pick your line carefully and you would be unlikely to shred your tubs. I was on Vittoria Corsa CX Evo clinchers and they were fine - i just slowed down a bit. Stick to the right hand side on the steep start to the descent and lose your shades as it is dark under the trees

Shame i'm not around to do the Etape but i will be starting my ride that day from the Eiffel Tower. Ah well

ugo.santalucia

Wirral_Paul wrote:

I'm sure you'll love the ride up in the hills of N Wales Paolo. 42 x 26 might be a bit high for the steeper climbs (although it depends on how your "not great form" compares to others really). I used a 34 x 21 and 23 on the steep section of Worlds End, and then 34 x 23 at the bottom of the Shoe up through the trees which is the hardest part before ending up on 34 x 19 for much of the rest. I'd be pretty nervous of expensive tubulars myself up across the top of Worlds End as the road is pretty broken up, but pick your line carefully and you would be unlikely to shred your tubs. I was on Vittoria Corsa CX Evo clinchers and they were fine - i just slowed down a bit. Stick to the right hand side on the steep start to the descent and lose your shades as it is dark under the trees

Shame i'm not around to do the Etape but i will be starting my ride that day from the Eiffel Tower. Ah well

Anything is possible and I did the Eroica with 42 x 26... but that is not to say it was the best gear for the job.
I will probably use the cross bike...

vermin

I ride much of the route every other weekend. The climbs are short, steepish ones - nothing that should take more than 20 minutes (I go up the main hillclimb TT section of the Horseshoe in under 12). They are the sort that will have you gasping for breath if you push on, but not fatigued in an Alpine sense - until you add enough of them up! The road surfaces are pretty good - certainly better than riding around London! WirralPaul has identified the worst bits - the top of Worlds End is narrow and gravelly and the descent from the top down to the ford must be taken slowly or you'll end up in the barbed wire fence! I ride a Scott Foil with slicks and have never had any problems at all with the surfaces. Unless you would ride a cross bike in London, there really is no need for one here - it would be overkill and will hurt you on the steep bits (some climbs are really quite sharp in sections).

As for gearing - a standard compact (39/25) should be fine.

iplod

just recieved the event manual (online) and they talk about taking your photo ID with you when you register ??? Are they talking about some kind of pre arranged ID that has somehow escaped me, or are they just on about a driving licsense or similar ? And why photo ID anyway ? Can somebody throw some light on this foe me ?

rodgers73

Relax, driving licence is fine - is it at that mountain bike centre in the middle of bloody nowhere again??

Calpol

ugo.santalucia wrote:

Wirral_Paul wrote:

I'm sure you'll love the ride up in the hills of N Wales Paolo. 42 x 26 might be a bit high for the steeper climbs (although it depends on how your "not great form" compares to others really). I used a 34 x 21 and 23 on the steep section of Worlds End, and then 34 x 23 at the bottom of the Shoe up through the trees which is the hardest part before ending up on 34 x 19 for much of the rest. I'd be pretty nervous of expensive tubulars myself up across the top of Worlds End as the road is pretty broken up, but pick your line carefully and you would be unlikely to shred your tubs. I was on Vittoria Corsa CX Evo clinchers and they were fine - i just slowed down a bit. Stick to the right hand side on the steep start to the descent and lose your shades as it is dark under the trees

Shame i'm not around to do the Etape but i will be starting my ride that day from the Eiffel Tower. Ah well

Anything is possible and I did the Eroica with 42 x 26... but that is not to say it was the best gear for the job.
I will probably use the cross bike...

Can't you swap the 42t for a 39 or 38. I did that last year. Bought a cheapo chainring from ebay for a fiver and slotted it along side the 52t

ugo.santalucia

Calpol wrote:

ugo.santalucia wrote:

Wirral_Paul wrote:

I'm sure you'll love the ride up in the hills of N Wales Paolo. 42 x 26 might be a bit high for the steeper climbs (although it depends on how your "not great form" compares to others really). I used a 34 x 21 and 23 on the steep section of Worlds End, and then 34 x 23 at the bottom of the Shoe up through the trees which is the hardest part before ending up on 34 x 19 for much of the rest. I'd be pretty nervous of expensive tubulars myself up across the top of Worlds End as the road is pretty broken up, but pick your line carefully and you would be unlikely to shred your tubs. I was on Vittoria Corsa CX Evo clinchers and they were fine - i just slowed down a bit. Stick to the right hand side on the steep start to the descent and lose your shades as it is dark under the trees

Shame i'm not around to do the Etape but i will be starting my ride that day from the Eiffel Tower. Ah well

Anything is possible and I did the Eroica with 42 x 26... but that is not to say it was the best gear for the job.
I will probably use the cross bike...

Can't you swap the 42t for a 39 or 38. I did that last year. Bought a cheapo chainring from ebay for a fiver and slotted it along side the 52t

This is a 144 BCD chainset, I think 41 is the smallest possible

cougie

I've always used GP4000 tyres on the roads round there and they work perfectly. You don't need bomb proof tyres.

johnmcsorley

I've found the information coming out of Human Race Events more than helpful with the information pack containing everything I need to know: http://humanrace.co.uk/events/cycling/

Obviously it always helps with some additional local knowledge and thank the posters on here that have added notes about road conditions and points to watch out for.

Other than that, BRING IT ON ! ! !

vermin

Over 1800 names on the start list - should be a good day out.

mustgettaller

I've just had to withdraw (ended up having minor surgery last week - no way I'll be back up at fitness for it).

Did it last year and it was thoroughly good. Watch the ford at World's End (already mentioned) - it really is best to get off and walk. Saw someone come a right cropper there last year.

Have a great time all!

ugo.santalucia

The easiest part of the course was the Horseshoe Pass... the rest was hard!

vermin

ugo.santalucia wrote:

The easiest part of the course was the Horseshoe Pass... the rest was hard!

Those climbs add up, don't they! Finished in a whisker over 5 hours. Wholly exhausted.

Super event - well organised and well supported.

sancho_uk

Completed this myself yesterday!

Furthest I have ridden and climbed in a single ride so pretty chuffed! Came in a 5 hours 55 mins!

Thats some travelling Vermin fair play!

vermin

Cheers, but yours too is a hugely respectable time for a first crack at something as tough as that.

Oshsan

BBC is reporting that 'saboteurs' left nails on the course, did anyone run into that?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-nort ... s-24007981

vermin

Oshsan wrote:

BBC is reporting that 'saboteurs' left nails on the course, did anyone run into that?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-nort ... s-24007981

This makes my blood boil.

It's not that I don't feel sorry for the few that were affected, but seriously?!

The Human Race and Wiggle put on a superbly organised and supported event, enjoyed by 1500 people, and all that gets reported is a stupid tack attack. It only affected 6 riders and was almost certainly the actions of some local kids rather than some sinister sabotage effort.

ugo.santalucia

I have seen one nail on the road, but it was isolated, don't think it was part of a "sabotage"... there can be nails on the road. Have not seen anything else. Local people were extremely friendly, with lots of kids coming out of their houses to cheer us... which was almost "continental".

The secret to a good time is good fitness, but even more importantly it's about being quick at the feed stops... we wasted nearly half an hour between food and toilets... not that I care about the time, but I could have been 20 minutes faster and I could never be 20 minutes faster by training, so there you go...

I was glad to be on my solid Croix de Fer with 32 mm tyres and disc brakes, some of the descents were pretty scary for skinny tyres and I have seen a couple of nasty accidents.
Very enjoyable event and well organised, but I won't do it again, once is enough!

sbbefc

Well organised event and a good day out. It seemed like more than 6 people had punctures especially in the first 5km, shame really, but the service motorbike seemed to sort people out fairly quickly. I would recommend it to anyone.

ugo.santalucia

In the end I had to have a look at the results table, to find out I am among the top 400... remarkable mediocrity... interesting to see quite a few people finishing sub 5 hours but well off pace up the Horseshoe pass as a clear indication they they knew a better way to the finish line...

cyclingsheep

ugo.santalucia wrote:

In the end I had to have a look at the results table, to find out I am among the top 400... remarkable mediocrity... interesting to see quite a few people finishing sub 5 hours but well off pace up the Horseshoe pass as a clear indication they they knew a better way to the finish line...

A lot of people didn't seem to know they were on Horseshoe Pass (had at least three ask me on the way up) so may not have been cracking on?

knedlicky

ugo.santalucia wrote:

The easiest part of the course was the Horseshoe Pass... the rest was hard!

Well done to those who successfully managed the Etape Cymru.

I did it in 2009 and, in contrast to Ugo, found the lower half of the Horseshoe Pass the worst part of the course, not because of the gradient but because the road surface near the curb was in very poor condition and, even when not damaged, still extremely coarse – I would have done better there on a MTB with 29-inch wheels.
For a Sunday morning which wasn’t warm or sunny, there was also considerable 'following traffic' up the pass, not allowing me to long or often move out into the middle of the lane.

Has the road surface thereabouts been since improved?