Which rides to do when facing not-quite a mid-life crisis?

Thigh_burn

Next year I'm going to be 40 and I want to give myself a present of a great few days cycling. I'd love to do some classic climbs in Europe, or should I think about an endurance event? I've never done much outside of London/South East, which means my hills experience is not vastly broader than Leith, Box and Highgate. So it needs to be something special. It also needs to be something I'll build stamina for over the winter/spring.

I'm also considering getting a new bike - I love my Condor Fratello Disc, but in the spirit of n+1 I'd like to get something much lighter and faster. I feel I can justify it as I've now lost a fair bit of weight myself. Having read the £9k bike thread, I've decided to spend less on the new bike and more on a great trip.

So what rides should be on my bucket list?

fenix

Have you been over to watch the Tour ? Have a few days in the Alps and ride a couple of those climbs ?

Monty Dog

For my 40th, I completed Ronde van Vlaanderen, Liege-Bastogne-Liege and Paris-Roubaix 1-day sportives over a few weeks - all the full-length versions where you could simply rock-up and ride. Drive over day before, kip in car, ride for 9 hours and drive home - knackered but happy :-D

davep1

The Fred Whitton (imho) is the best event in the UK I have done. It is tough though; 112 miles in total, and you have to climb Hardknott after over 95 of them. It's the first weekend in May too, so you really have to be knocking out the big rides from January onwards. The marshalling is brilliant, and the whole thing felt very friendly and inclusive. You don't get many people who think they can just have a go at it without training.

The Dartmoor Classic is also a good ride, not quite as physically tough, but not a piece of cake. Great atmosphere on this one too. There are three distances so you do get a few less experienced people wanting to try something new.

I like the Legs of Steel in Surrey, a week on Saturday and it is full for this year, but you could pencil it in for next year. It has 8 of the big climbs around Dorking, and although it is only 50 miles they set some tough times to meet the standards. It's a smaller event than the other two, but because it is hard I would say most are at a really good level.

Ridelondon is brilliant, closed roads are amazing, being cheered on by Joe Public everywhere is amazing, and the last few miles on the Embankment and in to the finish are just out of this world. The ballot has closed but there will be charity places available. It is very open to people of all abilities, it is meant to be a legacy event. I think this is a good thing, but lots of people don't have patience for less experienced riders.

Abroad, there are a lot of different events, and climbing the proper mountain climbs is a totally different experience to anything in the UK. UK sportives are usually strong on the "this is not a race" message, but European ones seem to be more flat out competitive things from what I know. Friends spent a week in Bormio recently, Mortirolo and a few other famous climbs, finishing with the Stelvio. If I had a pass for one week away doing anything I wanted, it would be there.

kingstongraham

Few years ago did Raid Alpine with Pyrenees multisport and it was amazing. JouxPlane, Iseran, Izoard, Galibier, Huez, Bonnette etc across 7 days. Highly recommended, not in any way competitive and a nice lunch stop each day. A proper treat, and something that will definitely get you out riding to prepare.

ugo.santalucia

My personal podium in order:

1) Eroica: the real one in Tuscany, but you need an old bike... simply the best ride out there by a long mile

2) Paris-Roubaix cyclo, organised every two years by the Roubaix Velo Club, next is 2018

3) Fred Whitton Challenge... needs no introduction

They are all painful in their very own way, but very rewarding

homers_double

FW is deffinatly one to tick off, we did it last year and it's a fantastic event.

Don't be put off by reports of having to walk up some of the climbs because if you do (like we did) you certainly won't be alone.

DeVlaeminck

If you want a one day ride I would do the Marmotte, it's about the toughest of the mass participation sportives in the Alps and Pyrenees and ticks the box of classic Tour climbs plus the weather is usually glorious.

Multi day events tend to be expensive but depending on your budget they do exist or a multi day tour can be great fun and challenging.

stevie63

What about London-Edinburgh-London? The next edition is next year.

ugo.santalucia

stevie63 wrote:

What about London-Edinburgh-London? The next edition is next year.

It's a different ball game... 300 Km a day for 4.5 days is in a different league from 8 hours on the saddle. You have it or you don't have it, I never managed to get anywhere near 300 Km in a day

davidof

ugo.santalucia wrote:

My personal podium in order:

1) Eroica: the real one in Tuscany, but you need an old bike... simply the best ride out there by a long mile

I'm just about to pack my bags for that one :-)

d_o_g

DeVlaeminck wrote:

If you want a one day ride I would do the Marmotte,

This.

Go a few days earlier and do some extra riding in advance of it.

kingstongraham

In your heart, you know you want to do the Alps.

Thigh_burn

KingstonGraham wrote:

In your heart, you know you want to do the Alps.

Yup, that's more or less it.

One thing, it doesn't have to be one of the mass participation rides at all. I did Ride London this year (let's not restart that debate) but for this I was thinking more of a solo/with friends ride. As opposed to one of the group events.

What makes the Eroica so good? I don't have the requisite bike. Could I follow the route at another time of year?

kingstongraham

Thigh_burn wrote:

KingstonGraham wrote:

In your heart, you know you want to do the Alps.

Yup, that's more or less it.

One thing, it doesn't have to be one of the mass participation rides at all. I did Ride London this year (let's not restart that debate) but for this I was thinking more of a solo/with friends ride. As opposed to one of the group events.

http://pyreneesmultisport.com/raid-alpine/
Supported i.e. they carry your bags and provide route, water and mechanical support(/broom wagon) but you ride at your own pace in what groups you want. There were about 20 riders in all when we did it.
I'll shut up about it now.

hubcap

I went to the Dolomites in July, it was simply stunning.

There are some tough climbs like passo fedaia and passo giau but mind blowing scenery, much preferred it to the French Alps. You could do the Maratona dles Dolomites next July or tour companies run challenges / supported rides there.

davidof

Thigh_burn wrote:

KingstonGraham wrote:

In your heart, you know you want to do the Alps.

Yup, that's more or less it.

One thing, it doesn't have to be one of the mass participation rides at all. I did Ride London this year (let's not restart that debate) but for this I was thinking more of a solo/with friends ride. As opposed to one of the group events.

What makes the Eroica so good? I don't have the requisite bike. Could I follow the route at another time of year?

have a look on YouTube at the videos, old bikes, basically.

Otherwise doing some of the big alpine climbs over a couple of weeks would be good. Col de l'Iseran from Modane would be an idea. The Cols are better in September, early October when the roads are quiet. By the second half of October they get pretty cold, sometimes with snow on the top. This was the Cormet de Roselund on the 16th October:

https://youtu.be/vl1z8189ULg

From Beaufortain to Bourg St Maurice I wasn't passed by a single car even though 1 or 2 were parked on the side of the road.

cyclingsheep

Would second the Marmotte but would also add Etape du Tour. I did it for my 40th and next year rumours are of it being in the Pyrennes or if it works as it has on many years combine the two for a real weekend of suffering

mrb123

What about one of the Haute Route events? A week of classic climbs, your choice of Alps, Pyrenees or Dolomites.

drlodge

I'm a little older than you and have been through this thought process already. I stay away from one off events since any kind of issue - illness, weather, travel plans etc can totally ruin the whole event. Much better IMO to book a holiday for a week or two where you can explore the roads at your leisure. Majorca, Gran Canaria, Alps, Dolomites all have something to offer.

ugo.santalucia

Thigh_burn wrote:

What makes the Eroica so good? I don't have the requisite bike. Could I follow the route at another time of year?

It is in another league... the start in the middle of the night under a starred sky, the dawn as you roll into Siena, the lavish feed zones with local people cooking local food, the magic of the strade bianche, the almost complete lack of traffic, the silence, broken only by the noise of the bike... the camaraderie and friendliness of people who are there to have a great day out.... the tough climbs... the history of the place, the vineyards... I can go on...

You can ride it all year round with any bike you like, it's fully and permanently signed, it's not the same thing, but it's enjoyable nonetheless

bernithebiker

Mallorca 312 or 167 in April.

Great weather*, great roads, great climbs, great scenery, not too expensive either.

*normally!

thomasmorris

bernithebiker wrote:

Mallorca 312 or 167 in April.

I did the 312 this year, I don't do many sportives (only my second), however it seemed very well organised.

However, I was a little annoyed that they changed the route from around the island. Cycling the complete circumference had a certain adventurous appeal, whereas the extra 80k after the 237 got back to Playa was pretty average 'just making up the mileage' (except the street party feed stops!!).

The route for the 237 is pretty awesome, however, almost too hilly, in that there isn't much benefit in doing as part of a large group.. in fact riders kind of get in the way, on the descents. I didn't do the old route, but my friends who did said it was a good amount of climbing that you felt you'd been in the hill, but plenty of wide fast flat roads to get the real benefit of group riding... and although the south isn't quite as spectacular it still felt 'part of the ride' rather than an add on.

davidof

https://youtu.be/MIoU1T0lZnY

kingstongraham

davidof wrote:

https://youtu.be/MIoU1T0lZnY

Is fancy dress compulsory?

sloppyschleckonds

Whatever happened to buying a fast car and having an affair with the Office grad?

ugo.santalucia

KingstonGraham wrote:

davidof wrote:

https://youtu.be/MIoU1T0lZnY

Is fancy dress compulsory?

No, but it would be silly to go there with a Sky kit, wouldn't it? I have always used a merino jersey... once it was Rapha, the other was a Colomba one... always used modern bibshort, albeit full black and I have used a modern helmet

kingstongraham

ugo.santalucia wrote:

KingstonGraham wrote:

davidof wrote:

https://youtu.be/MIoU1T0lZnY

Is fancy dress compulsory?

No, but it would be silly to go there with a Sky kit, wouldn't it? I have always used a merino jersey... once it was Rapha, the other was a Colomba one... always used modern bibshort, albeit full black and I have used a modern helmet

That would just be a different fancy dress.

davep1

homers double wrote:

Don't be put off by reports of having to walk up some of the climbs because if you do (like we did) you certainly won't be alone.

Oh f*ck yeah! Probably why I am contemplating entering again next year, feels like I have unfinished business. Which also includes losing a load of weight, riding a dozen centuries over the winter and possibly giving my old triple a new burst of life...

whoof

Route des Grand Alpes.
http://www.moveyouralps.com/en/route-des-grandes-alpes

You could do it with a travel company who carry your bags or with some friends carrying minimal kit and staying in hotels.

Devastazione2

for my 40th I've divorced,that was quite a climb.