Isle of Wight - Full island route

starbuck

I'm going to use part of my time off to get some training in, and as I live a ferry ride away from the isle of wight, it's an ideal training ground.

I've ridden on the isle of wight numerous times (started with the BHF rides) and have always ridden the 50 mile route (which I start at Ryde, then follow the round the island route until I get to blackgang). When I get to blackgang, I turn right up towards chale and cut through the middle of the island. I've always ridden this on my mountain bike (on road), but want to do this on my defy 1.

Having never ridden the full route, I just wanted to know what the section I haven't done (going from blackgang to freshwater and round to cowes and back to ryde) is like? I'm used to riding 50-60 mile rides, so I'm wondering how much harder it would be to do the full round island route (about 70 miles from what I've seen).

Will I notice much difference riding the island on my road bike as opposed to my mountain bike?

noiseboyfeetman

I've never ridden the IOW so can't really help, but here's the route for the Wiggle Wight Ferry Sportive which may be of some interest...

http://www.ukcyclingevents.co.uk/maps/ukce_wss_wight_ferry_sportive.pdf

phreak

I tend to go at it the other way round (my folks live there). I start in Cowes and go to Freshwater. Then along the military road to Blackgang and into Ventnor. Then from there I cut through the middle through Blackwater into Newport, onto Ryde. From Ryde I go down to Bembridge before cutting across the downs, past Robin Hill and back to Cowes.

Think it works out at around 115km and takes around 4 hours.

Wrath Rob

Here's the Wiggle Ferry Sportive route, its 61 miles and you're not allowed to go any faster than 3:39:13 : http://app.strava.com/activities/65155736#1241406140