Rise above sportive
phippss
Posts: 96
Any one doing it? Simples 
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Yup. I'm entered for the long one. I live locally and know the route and its going to be a tough proposition so get the training in 0
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Entered when it first opened. Training for the long one!0
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I'm thinking about it, but have never done one before. Is it worth doing?0
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Its the first time its been run but Mark Cavendish wants it to be a premier event so hopefully it will be well organised with good food stations and goody bags. Short, medium and long routes available. All are hilly.0
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Foolishly opted for the 'Extremist' route before realising it went up Bwlch Penbarras... may be taking a pair of trainers in my back pocket so I can at least walk up it with some tiny bit of dignity intact
"Get a bicycle. You won't regret it if you live"
Mark Twain0 -
Just fitted my 11-32 cassette which will hopefully get me up Bwlch Penbarras with 100 hard miles already in my legs. Mind you once you get past the 25% hairpin it eases off a bit :-)0
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Apparently the organiser reckons its not Penbarras that is the hard one. A worse one out Brenig way ? Eek !0
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There are three steep climbs on the route between the A5 and Lyn Brenig but none are as long as Penbarras, plus you won't have 100 miles in your legs when you hit them.0
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Just been looking through the handbook. Is the parking at the race course the start at the town hall or am I missing something?
Doing the 80miler hope to get around as lacking training time0 -
Yes park at the Race course then registration/start is at the Town hall.Just been looking through the handbook. Is the parking at the race course the start at the town hall or am I missing something?
Doing the 80miler hope to get around as lacking training time0 -
I'm playing on this with the long one, the bike with the compact on is playing up, so it looks like mtfu gears
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Race course to the town hall is only what - a mile and a half ?0
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If that. A little pootle up the hill.
Riding home today, seen the first and last mile or so are completely closed roads (down the hill over the river and up through Handbridge)0 -
bar the incorrect gearing........... really looking forward to this
I will be in a Market Drayton CC top and on a Colnogo Masters0 -
I'll be with the Chester Road Club bunch as we get to have our photo taken with Cav and get to start first- which means people are going to be overtaking me all day 0
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My legs are hurting. 0
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Yep. It was fun though0
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Didn't even know some of those climbs existed! Never been through Maeshafn before as well.
Very enjoyable though, saw Cav finish while having a post ride beer but then didn't see him after that, where did he go?0 -
Really enjoyed this ride. Great organisation and route.
Cav was on the podium area at the top of the 'village' and then in the tent that the watch company that did the KOM timing (David Robinson?) - he was very accesable for photos and autographs and was handing out finish medals for a bit also. Was making a lot of time for people and being very chatty. Good on him.2020/2021/2022 Metric Century Challenge Winner0 -
Did the 185km route. Thought the route was great, yet very tough. Some of the organisation could do with a bit of polishing though. The first feed station was a bit disorganised but nothing experience of this year won't fix.
Didn't see Cav afterwards myself, think a lot of us on the longer route came in after he'd gone.2012 Cube Agree GTC0 -
I did the 185 too mate. Agree 1st feed up the horseshoe queues for drink were bit much, for a rider who supposedly doesn't like hills he has put his name to a pretty flipping hilly sportive. Good day though.2016 diamondback heist 2.0
2015 giant propel advanced 1
2015 Genesis day one disc ss
2014 giant roam 20 -
Organisation was definitely not great.
Ridiculous waits to register ? Next year just send us out the timing chips - they're stickers - they will post.
Ponderosa feed station was awful. Never seen such queues on any sportive - and we were lucky - it was a nice day - imagine waiting up there in the rain and cold ? We waited 15 mins and then carried on not refuelled.
It's not rocket science is it - they should have got that sorted - easily. And the registration.
Loggerheads feed was OK if a bit cramped but I hear they ran out of things for the long route cyclists.
All that said - I really enjoyed it and would do it again. You kind of expect teething problems - and the finish was good - just needs more people there - I'll make the family come next year.
Oh bike park ? Where was that ? Take the bikes off us and we're more likely to go for food and drinks in the centre.0 -
That first feed station was crazy busy and overwhelmed. I was on the 120km route though so had enough of my own food and drink to see me through. I was surprised at people filling bottles in the cafe toilets though that were clearly marked 'Not drinking water'.
Registration on Saturday evening was a long queue, but moved quickly and was ok. It was a cheap sportive though (especially for a 'big' one), and you got a 'lot' for the money including the food and freebies and I guess postage and admin all eats into that?
I thought there were lots more positives than negatives.
2020/2021/2022 Metric Century Challenge Winner0 -
I did the long one too. The feed stations had plentiful food of different variety and not much problem to access them. The drinks stations were another matter entirely and needed to be doubled or even tripled in capacity. I'd a premonition of this and carried my own drinks additives for most of my needs, filling up at the Ponderosa and Brenig wash hand basins (no ill effects!), only needing one full bottle in the Llanfferes feed . I felt the climb up to Moelfamau to be a step too far at that stage of the event with a great deal of walkers all the way up even at the summit approach. I also didn't see the point of the village, which was a major log jam after the finish line. Great atmosphere both in the Chester start/finish ( especially the sprint into Chester!) and along the route (lots of support along the way!). All in all a fine first effort which should be like clock work in 2016. Hopefully the same weather can be rebooked!! 8)0
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Matt, was that you that asked a couple of chaps sitting in Carluccios to mind your bike while you went to the loo? Can't imagine there were many Colnago Masters out there yesterday...bar the incorrect gearing........... really looking forward to this
I will be in a Market Drayton CC top and on a Colnogo Masters"Get a bicycle. You won't regret it if you live"
Mark Twain0 -
Oh bike park ? Where was that ? Take the bikes off us and we're more likely to go for food and drinks in the centre.
It was straight across the road from the finish. I used it but it didn't seem like a lot of others did, in fact the guy handing out the medals quizzed whether I'd done the ride because I didn't have my bike - strange considering it was their bike park and you'd think he'd know about it!2012 Cube Agree GTC0 -
Advertised as a premium sportive event but its not there yet.
I only stopped at the Brenig feed station so didn't experience the Ponderosa but Brenig was poor with only SIS bars and gels (admittedly plenty) and some fig rolls, bananas and Jaffa Cakes. Only one water barrel the others were SIS energy drink. Feed stations should be an opportunity to get a break from energy products and eat some real food so next time how about some savoury options and some tea and coffee.
The route was well signed but some of the junctions at busy roads would have benefitted from marshalling.
Registration. What's the point? Just post the chips and numbers.
Event village was poor with no quality freebies like we were promised.
Finish line was good with spectators banging on the boards for the finishers.
Only saw Cav at the start. He looked a bit miserable. I think he'd just rolled out of bed and hadn't had his Weetabix yet.0 -
I think there's are a few 'learns' from this year that the organisers will need to take on board, but overall I enjoyed the day and whilst it wasn't quite the 'premium' even it billed itself as, it was a fantastic/horrible/terrifying route that fairly tested the legs.
I agree the first stop at the Ponderosa was a shambles, nowhere near enough support staff and not enough space to accommodate the huge number of riders stopping. Ended up drinking the 'not drinking' water out the bog with no ill effects. The second stop at Llyn Brenig reservoir was better, but still not much to eat other than SiS gels etc, and they were running out of water when I arrived. Didn't use the third stop so can't comment.
Most of the route was OK, but some of the sections on really busy A-roads were a bit hairy, particularly with the strength of the wind. There was one guy on a time-trial bike with a rear disc wheel - he must have struggled a bit at times...
Some of the descents were sketchy to say the least. The hazard warnings were usually right at the start of the hill, rather than before it, and a few ended with a 90-degree turn onto a main road - I agree there could have been better marshalling at some of the junctions.
I was surprised to see so much traffic on the Bwlch Pen Barras climb. Quite a few guys got caught on the sharp left hander after the first cattle grid where cars stopped on the corner, forcing them onto the steepest part. A few of the cars were coming down at stupid speeds given how many bikes were on the road, but most were pretty considerate. I think that bit should be closed road at least - too narrow really.
The finish was well, a bit meh.. a lot the Extremist riders were coming in from 4pm onwards, by which time Cav had buggered off, as had the massage tent. My brother-in-law sneakily registered for the 185Km option then woosed out and did the medium route, so was back about 2.15 and Cav was still around then, but I think he was away by 2.30 or so - disappointing for all the long route riders, particularly if you didn't see him at the start. Appreciate he's a busy man, but a few of the H4H riders have expressed their disappointment on FB at not seeing him at the end.
By the time I got back at 4.20 there was almost nothing left at the finish village, not even any water for recovery drinks. I got one water bottle, a leaflet and a packet of pistachios for my musette, not exactly premium, but hey ho. I was also surprised that so few of the locals knew anything about the event. One lady trying to reverse out of her drive asked me if there were many more riders coming through. I don't think my answer of "about three thousand" cheered her up much...
Registration on the Saturday was a shambles, with some riders waiting well over an hour to pick up their timing chips. By contrast, folks pitching up early on Sunday had no wait at all. As I say, nothing major to sort, just a accumulation of minor niggles that detracts from the overall experience. Would do it again, but with a triple and better legs..... "Get a bicycle. You won't regret it if you live"
Mark Twain0 -
Yes I saw the bloke on the TT bike with the disc - I don't think there's any place for bikes like that on a mass ride like this. If you have enough money to buy a Shiv and fancy wheels - surely you have a road bike ? It was very windy coming down the Horseshoe.
I cant think of any dangerous parts on the course - but I only did the 75m route. I think I only saw one crash/injury which is less than I expected. I think the corners had been swept for gravel ? I'm sure they were all clean.
Penbarass must have got busier as the day went on - it was fairly quiet for me - yes road closure might be a good idea - or just signs saying - theres 1000s of cyclists coming up here - do you really want to continue ?
Cav finished not long after we did - I hear he was chatting to people out on the road but straight after the finish he was escorted through so we didnt get to say hello.
There was a lot of focus on the finish but not many people around on the boards. Hopefully this will build with time and publicity ?
I've spoken to a few people who did the middle distance - they loved it. The guys on the 115m not so much. Maybe that was a bit too long for most people.0
