Wiggle Chilterns Classic

elbowloh

Apoligies if posted already, I did do a search. Anyone doing this on the 28th June? A few people I ride with are taking part. The Epic route should be suitably hilly!

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/wiggle-super-series-wiggle-chiltern-classic-sportive-2014/

http://www.ukcyclingevents.co.uk/events ... -sportive/

secretsam

Me

I've signed up for the 100 but no way I'll do it, not enough training (blame a house move)

Might do the 75, but the 40 is more likely

Will be my first proper sportive

What's the route like? Don't know the area at all, apart from Wycombe, which is surrounded my mental hills!!!!!

elbowloh

Sorry don't know the route at all (apart from looking at the gpx)! looking at the elevation profile, yes looks very hilly.

fat_cat

I'm in for the 75.

Secret Sam, it's not the Wycombe side of the chilterns that's the problem, it's anything heading up the escarpment from the west heading east from say Chinnor that will be a challenge. If you drive down the M40 the hill between j5 and j6 is the one, and there are plenty of lanes that run parallel to the Motorway on either side.

Good luck to all taking part.

caedev

Will be my first imperial century sportive, and the most climbing I'll have done in a single ride. Feeling suitably worried!

coopster_the_1st

SecretSam wrote:

What's the route like? Don't know the area at all, apart from Wycombe, which is surrounded my mental hills!!!!!

Watch out for potholes. That will be the biggest thing you have to avoid riding around Bucks! :evil:

Apart from the the southerly bits which I do not know, the route looks OK especially as they could have easily made it much harder

secretsam

So - as I can't seem to access the route files on a normal computer - is it a beastly hilly thing or not too bad?

Points of comparison: Rode the Tour de Vale 55miles and IRHH Chiltern Challenge 75 miles this year (the latter nearly killed me!)

caedev

Well the 100 mile route has almost 6000ft of climbing so it's fair to say it'll be a challenge.

elbowloh

caedev wrote:

Well the 100 mile route has almost 6000ft of climbing so it's fair to say it'll be a challenge.

Yep. 6000ft of climb plus 102 miles distance is a lot!

Hmmm, have slight pain from my right knee after a spin class last night. Hope I'm ok for Saturday!

fat_cat

Well that was wet and nasty, and found the descent after the last feed station very hairy, just like riding through a waterfall.

On the plus side didn't find the hills too bad.

marcusjb

Good work to anyone out in the chilterns today - bit mucky today! I am almost pleased to be ill and injured at the moment!

Soma-Ona

That was my first sportive today, I enjoyed the first 40 odd miles, pretty much up to the 2nd feed station but after that the heavens opened and I had 2 punctures, one in each tyre. Having to stop and change tubes meant it was pretty cold and I was actually looking forward to hills just to warm up!

The distance and hills were ok, better than I'd hoped, it was just the weather, which I think contributed to the punctures, that made it a bit, well, unpleasant.

Next one is London 100! Bring it on.

kmc319

As I'm doing triathlons more now, I only seem to do one sportive a year now - I'm not sure that was the right choice for this year.

First half very pleasant. Second half was hard going; somehow I didn't get a puncture - my sympathies to those who did. I was pedalling along in the deluge thinking, "when I get my puncture shall I fix it or shall I just phone my wife to come and rescue me"

Good route though and having not done a Wiggle ride before I was impressed with the organisation. Would have been mega on a nice hot summery day!

secretsam

1st sportive for me also

Bottled it and did the 40. Got to the top of the last hill just in time for it to persist down...

Agree that Wiggle organisation and route signage/etc was excellent. No fairy visits (phew) but my thoughts were with those battling on through the rain.

Bl00dy hilly though!

caedev

My first century went pretty well. First 50 flew by and then the rain started. Spent the latter half shivering and fingers were so numb I couldn't push my shifters! Still managed it at 16.7mph average which is better than I was expecting.

As above, route was great and the organisation was of the usual high quality for the Wiggle series.

elbowloh

Yep wettest ride I've ever done! Had to ford at least a dozen "rivers" that came over the BB! Never seen so many riders by the side of the road with punctures, although was very surprised to see no crashes / offs. Did see one guy with some pretty nasty road rash on his elbow, so guess there was at least one. Was lucky not to get any flats myself, but my ride buddy got one 10 miles from the finish.

The weather made for a tough last 3 hours or so, but the route itself was pretty good. Roll on for the Etape!