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Rapha HotN VII

meanredspidermeanredspider Posts: 12,550
edited March 2016 in Commuting chat
Signed up today - guess it will open up to everyone soon.

Seems they are supplying the navigation route this year
ROAD < Scott Foil HMX Di2, Volagi Liscio Di2, Jamis Renegade Elite Di2, Cube Reaction Race > ROUGH

Posts

  • ugo.santaluciaugo.santalucia Posts: 25,690
    they better, last year's signage was terrible, we got lost twice... plus the lack of food at the velodrome was quite embarrasing, to be honest. If you don't have enough food for all, best not to offer any food at all. They should sort the water though, having to queue for the loo to fill the water bottle is also pretty embarrassing.

    Shame, as in 2013 they organised an ace event instead
    http://whosatthewheel.com
  • spasypaddyspasypaddy Posts: 5,731
    its massively changed this year 200 places to RCC members and 100 in a lottery to non RCC members.
    BMC TM01 - FCN 0
    Look 695 (Geared) - FCN 1
    Bowman Palace:R - FCN 1
    Cannondale CAAD 9 - FCN 2
    Premier (CX) - FCN 6
    Premier (fixed/SS) - FCN3
  • ugo.santaluciaugo.santalucia Posts: 25,690
    possibly the only event with >50% bearded cyclists?
    http://whosatthewheel.com
  • meanredspidermeanredspider Posts: 12,550
    I'd agree about the food and water - I wish I'd just popped into a Co-op or Spar - I wasted ages at the velodrome.
    ROAD < Scott Foil HMX Di2, Volagi Liscio Di2, Jamis Renegade Elite Di2, Cube Reaction Race > ROUGH
  • itboffinitboffin Posts: 19,769
    Shame as I've been at every event since it started and as I'm not an RCC member I guess my ballot entry is pretty much unlikely.

    I like it, I like the uncertainty of the route and signage and whatever food and or drink they were able to provide was a bonus ...on a free ride.

    For 60 ish miles what I had for breakfast is fine (coffee) and my two bottles of water are more than enough to last beside its in Hertfordshire there's no shortage of shops within spitting distance.

    Shame too miss it but I guess it was inevitable :(
    Rule #5 // Harden The censored 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.
  • spasypaddyspasypaddy Posts: 5,731
    i have a beard 8)
    BMC TM01 - FCN 0
    Look 695 (Geared) - FCN 1
    Bowman Palace:R - FCN 1
    Cannondale CAAD 9 - FCN 2
    Premier (CX) - FCN 6
    Premier (fixed/SS) - FCN3
  • meanredspidermeanredspider Posts: 12,550
    It's £10 to enter this year
    ROAD < Scott Foil HMX Di2, Volagi Liscio Di2, Jamis Renegade Elite Di2, Cube Reaction Race > ROUGH
  • ugo.santaluciaugo.santalucia Posts: 25,690
    itboffin wrote:
    Shame as I've been at every event since it started and as I'm not an RCC member I guess my ballot entry is pretty much unlikely.

    I like it, I like the uncertainty of the route and signage and whatever food and or drink they were able to provide was a bonus ...on a free ride.

    For 60 ish miles what I had for breakfast is fine (coffee) and my two bottles of water are more than enough to last beside its in Hertfordshire there's no shortage of shops within spitting distance.

    Shame too miss it but I guess it was inevitable :(

    I can't recall passing any shop at all between London and London. Maybe we followed different arrows

    You are a bit unique in your needs, most people would find they need some food in a 4-5 hours ride (which is what it turned out to be). If food is not provided, that's fine, as long as it's clear from the start. Entry fee or not, it doesn't matter... just because something it's free, it's not excuse for it to be shite.
    http://whosatthewheel.com
  • meanredspidermeanredspider Posts: 12,550
    Well, ironically, there were shops near the stadium. There were definitely one or two along the route too.
    But maybe they have learned because the Prestige Limburg I did with them was described as entirely unsupported yet they had their big cafe van/bus thing at two points along the route providing coffee, food and water.
    ROAD < Scott Foil HMX Di2, Volagi Liscio Di2, Jamis Renegade Elite Di2, Cube Reaction Race > ROUGH
  • AnonymousAnonymous Posts: 79,692
    In the ballot. Will take a couple of bottles and enough food for 4-5hours. I imagine it'll be fairly slow going through all the farm tracks etc
  • imatfaalimatfaal Posts: 2,716
    In the ballot :? How bad are the grave section in case I get a place? What tyres do you veterans run on?
  • ugo.santaluciaugo.santalucia Posts: 25,690
    imatfaal wrote:
    In the ballot :? How bad are the grave section in case I get a place? What tyres do you veterans run on?

    Most easy, a couple of them are Roubaix like... a couple of steepish descents... I'd say 28-32 mm tyres is the sweet spot
    http://whosatthewheel.com
  • itboffinitboffin Posts: 19,769
    i rode my full carbon with 23 road tyres the first year, it was fine apart from one or two sections going uphill on mud, quicker to run with the bike there anyway, the farmers fields are by far the worst, riding anything other than a MTB over hard rutted mud is hell.

    JZed on the other hand cheated by bringing a MTB - pah!
    Rule #5 // Harden The censored 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.
  • meanredspidermeanredspider Posts: 12,550
    Yup - I got caught out by a badly pot-holed track descent that gave me a pinch flat. I also got stuck on a muddy uphill climb where the mudguards on my brothers Boardman CX I was borrowing got completely clogged. There's a bit of everything but also quite a lot of tarmac.

    It's a fun event and I'm glad I can make it this year (I'm (car) racing the day before)
    ROAD < Scott Foil HMX Di2, Volagi Liscio Di2, Jamis Renegade Elite Di2, Cube Reaction Race > ROUGH
  • meanredspidermeanredspider Posts: 12,550
    There was a guy on a TT bike there last year - with something around 20c tyres - proving that it is doable on almost anything.
    ROAD < Scott Foil HMX Di2, Volagi Liscio Di2, Jamis Renegade Elite Di2, Cube Reaction Race > ROUGH
  • imatfaalimatfaal Posts: 2,716
    Thanks for the guidance.

    Ploughed fields? I think I will get off and run (in reality - walk)
  • AnonymousAnonymous Posts: 79,692
    Sounds awesome. Only downside is I don't have MTB shoes/cleats so my SPD-SLs will get snarled up if I try running through a field!
  • meanredspidermeanredspider Posts: 12,550
    The "ploughed field" was really a track but clearly the farmer had ploughed across it at some point and, because it was dry, it was rock hard and probably the closest to the feel of proper pave of the whole route. You can ride it (most did) it was just very unpleasant.

    The only places I saw people walk were:
    - up a very steep bank
    - across some deep gravel in a car park
    - up part of the steep and very muddy uphill track
    ROAD < Scott Foil HMX Di2, Volagi Liscio Di2, Jamis Renegade Elite Di2, Cube Reaction Race > ROUGH
  • itboffinitboffin Posts: 19,769
    across the train tracks?
    Rule #5 // Harden The censored 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.
  • meanredspidermeanredspider Posts: 12,550
    itboffin wrote:
    across the train tracks?

    Hell, yeah!


    (Nope - forgot about them ;) )
    ROAD < Scott Foil HMX Di2, Volagi Liscio Di2, Jamis Renegade Elite Di2, Cube Reaction Race > ROUGH
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