L'Etape

london-red
london-red Posts: 1,266
edited November 2014 in Commuting chat
Anyone in? Just signed up for what will be my first Alpine adventure...

Comments

  • tetm
    tetm Posts: 564
    I'm in. Hopefully it'll be a drier experience than last year!
  • itboffin
    itboffin Posts: 20,072
    are there as many Dutch riders as the Marmotte?
    Rule #5 // Harden The Feck Up.
    Rule #9 // If you are out riding in bad weather, it means you are a badass. Period.
    Rule #12 // The correct number of bikes to own is n+1.
    Rule #42 // A bike race shall never be preceded with a swim and/or followed by a run.
  • elbowloh
    elbowloh Posts: 7,078
    Yeah, I've registered.
    Did it for the first time this year in the Pyrenees, so will be my first Alpine adventure too.

    Lots of accommodation already booked up in the area. Might struggle, unless I buy one of those tour packages for much dosh.
    Felt F1 2014
    Felt Z6 2012
    Red Arthur Caygill steel frame
    Tall....
    www.seewildlife.co.uk
  • il_principe
    il_principe Posts: 9,155
    Save yer money. The Mountains are far better experienced with a small group of mates, or on your own. Not with 30,000 other riders of wildly differing ability...
  • elbowloh
    elbowloh Posts: 7,078
    Il Principe wrote:
    Save yer money. The Mountains are far better experienced with a small group of mates, or on your own. Not with 30,000 other riders of wildly differing ability...
    Nah, there's only 10,000 others....
    Felt F1 2014
    Felt Z6 2012
    Red Arthur Caygill steel frame
    Tall....
    www.seewildlife.co.uk
  • vermin
    vermin Posts: 1,739
    Il Principe wrote:
    Save yer money. The Mountains are far better experienced with a small group of mates, or on your own. Not with 30,000 other riders of wildly differing ability...

    Two completely different activities. Etape brings a huge sense of occasion. I wouldn't necessarily do it again but, despite the broken rib which was a consequence of the wildly differing abilities (I should probably take 50% blame), it was a wonderful experience that I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to like-minded folk.
  • elbowloh
    elbowloh Posts: 7,078
    vermin wrote:
    Il Principe wrote:
    Save yer money. The Mountains are far better experienced with a small group of mates, or on your own. Not with 30,000 other riders of wildly differing ability...

    Two completely different activities. Etape brings a huge sense of occasion. I wouldn't necessarily do it again but, despite the broken rib which was a consequence of the wildly differing abilities (I should probably take 50% blame), it was a wonderful experience that I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to like-minded folk.
    I loved the experience this year and the challenge.

    I did not like the weather and the near-hypothermia on the descent of Tourmalet!
    Felt F1 2014
    Felt Z6 2012
    Red Arthur Caygill steel frame
    Tall....
    www.seewildlife.co.uk
  • il_principe
    il_principe Posts: 9,155
    vermin wrote:
    Il Principe wrote:
    Save yer money. The Mountains are far better experienced with a small group of mates, or on your own. Not with 30,000 other riders of wildly differing ability...

    Two completely different activities. Etape brings a huge sense of occasion. I wouldn't necessarily do it again but, despite the broken rib which was a consequence of the wildly differing abilities (I should probably take 50% blame), it was a wonderful experience that I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to like-minded folk.

    I wouldn't do it again.

    My point is that for the cost I'd rather spend a week somewhere else in the Mountains. For around £1000 you can do something more challenging - like the RAID or Le Dom Tours' KOM week with a small group and full support. Ok so £1000 is a lot, but the Etape is not cheap and demand inflates the cost of flights, hotels etc.
  • london-red
    london-red Posts: 1,266
    Cost me 100 Euros; plus travel and accommodation I suppose but we'll probably have a week's holiday afterwards so this doesn't count.
  • itboffin
    itboffin Posts: 20,072
    Il Principe wrote:
    vermin wrote:
    Il Principe wrote:
    Save yer money. The Mountains are far better experienced with a small group of mates, or on your own. Not with 30,000 other riders of wildly differing ability...

    Two completely different activities. Etape brings a huge sense of occasion. I wouldn't necessarily do it again but, despite the broken rib which was a consequence of the wildly differing abilities (I should probably take 50% blame), it was a wonderful experience that I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to like-minded folk.

    I wouldn't do it again.

    My point is that for the cost I'd rather spend a week somewhere else in the Mountains. For around £1000 you can do something more challenging - like the RAID or Le Dom Tours' KOM week with a small group and full support. Ok so £1000 is a lot, but the Etape is not cheap and demand inflates the cost of flights, hotels etc.

    this +100
    Rule #5 // Harden The Feck Up.
    Rule #9 // If you are out riding in bad weather, it means you are a badass. Period.
    Rule #12 // The correct number of bikes to own is n+1.
    Rule #42 // A bike race shall never be preceded with a swim and/or followed by a run.
  • london-red
    london-red Posts: 1,266
    itboffin wrote:
    Il Principe wrote:
    vermin wrote:
    Il Principe wrote:
    Save yer money. The Mountains are far better experienced with a small group of mates, or on your own. Not with 30,000 other riders of wildly differing ability...

    Two completely different activities. Etape brings a huge sense of occasion. I wouldn't necessarily do it again but, despite the broken rib which was a consequence of the wildly differing abilities (I should probably take 50% blame), it was a wonderful experience that I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to like-minded folk.

    I wouldn't do it again.

    My point is that for the cost I'd rather spend a week somewhere else in the Mountains. For around £1000 you can do something more challenging - like the RAID or Le Dom Tours' KOM week with a small group and full support. Ok so £1000 is a lot, but the Etape is not cheap and demand inflates the cost of flights, hotels etc.

    this +100

    Are you couple of miseries pleased you did it in the first place, or would you rather wipe it from your conscious entirely?
  • willy b
    willy b Posts: 4,125
    Well i'm in. 5th year in a row 8)

    Always a great event, very well run and nice routes (obviously) As TETM said a little drier this year would be nice!

    I appreciate you can go on a weeks trip with le Dom etc... however the rest of your family wont really enjoy it that much i'd guess. We tend to have a fairly big group around 7-10 people, wives, kids, parents with only 4 actually riding, so means we can spend the rest of the week chilling (bit of riding too)
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  • london-red
    london-red Posts: 1,266
    willy b wrote:
    Well i'm in. 5th year in a row 8)

    Always a great event, very well run and nice routes (obviously) As TETM said a little drier this year would be nice!

    I appreciate you can go on a weeks trip with le Dom etc... however the rest of your family wont really enjoy it that much i'd guess. We tend to have a fairly big group around 7-10 people, wives, kids, parents with only 4 actually riding, so means we can spend the rest of the week chilling (bit of riding too)

    Hallelujah - some positivity :wink:

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