Dragon Ride L’Etape Wales 2017

ACDC271
ACDC271 Posts: 36
edited June 2017 in Sportives/audaxes/training rides
Hi all, I've set up a Strava club for anyone interested in this event for 2017. Hopefully it will serve as a point of reference for sharing info i.e. training, kit, hints & tips, travel & accommodation etc. :Dhttps://www.strava.com/clubs/228541

Comments

  • jackcycle
    jackcycle Posts: 3
    Hi, is anyone doing the Gran Fondo this Sunday? Looks like it'll be windy...
  • craker
    craker Posts: 1,739
    Now looking like it'll be wet too
  • phil485
    phil485 Posts: 364
    I am doing the tour. Looking at dropping from the gran fondo to medio as my training has been pretty poor.
    Weather looks fun :(
  • jackcycle
    jackcycle Posts: 3
    Weather looks awful! Still, should be a laugh...
  • dombo6
    dombo6 Posts: 582
    Well that was fun. In hindsight. Done this since 2007 and never felt so nervous on the descents, bike being blown all over the place. I signed up for the Gran but didn't fancy another 70 miles in the pi$$ing rain and wind so did the Medio. Best bit was the strong tail wind across the Beacons to A470. Slumped at the finish vowing never again, now just had the email for priority booking and already looking forward to next year.
  • jackcycle
    jackcycle Posts: 3
    The winds were crazy on the descents I agree, but most people were being sensible and taking it easy. I managed the Gran Fondo, but the rain up Black Mountain was a killer!
  • craker
    craker Posts: 1,739
    No rain, they announced at the start. My ar5e. Dumped it down on the way up the Black Mountain. (Curiously, the roads in the village at the bottom were dry).

    The winds were the killer for me. The stretch of moorland / common on about 90 miles was a head down grind. Got passed by loads of pelatons, some I stayed on, some just dropped me like a stone. I don't think I trained seriously enough for this one? Still a smidge over 10 hours is pretty well where I expected to be.

    Next year? Well... £60 is a lot of cash, there's plenty of 200k audaxes about for a pittance.
  • phil485
    phil485 Posts: 364
    Don't think I would do the tour again.
    First day was a pretty horrible route, granted not helped by the fact they had to start a Margam rather than in Swansea.
    Second day was better but still lots of dual carriageway and big roundabouts.
    Did the Medio on Sunday and enjoyed it, nice route and some good company.

    Can't really complain about the weather, this is England after all but it would have been nice to have had some sun. Sunday was bad but the descents on Saturday were truly horrid. Hope the guy the ambulance was called for is ok.

    I do prefer the Tour of Wessex format where the Tour is the main thing with cumulative times etc, focus here was on the ride with the other 2 days as very much an add on.
  • ACDC271
    ACDC271 Posts: 36
    Rode the devil route, beautiful scenery, the weather was what it was, can't do anything about that. Did think it lacked any kind of atmosphere though. Should have been able to start a lot earlier 0500 would have been a better time. Food choice at the feed stations was poor, apart from one, sis stuff was OK, but there is only so many jaffas and jelly babies you can stomach.
  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,272
    ACDC271 wrote:
    Rode the devil route, beautiful scenery, the weather was what it was, can't do anything about that. Did think it lacked any kind of atmosphere though. Should have been able to start a lot earlier 0500 would have been a better time. Food choice at the feed stations was poor, apart from one, sis stuff was OK, but there is only so many jaffas and jelly babies you can stomach.

    Jesus, really?

    For 95 quid one would expect 5 proper meals, including Welsh spring lamb rather than SIS and jelly babies... what a fcuking con that is!! You can't ride 12-15 hours on sugars alone.
    The Dragon Ride is traditionally very poor value for money, not sure why people keep signing up in hoards
    left the forum March 2023
  • gethinceri
    gethinceri Posts: 1,519
    Phil485 wrote:
    this is England after all
    Erm............
  • phil485
    phil485 Posts: 364
    Gethinceri wrote:
    Phil485 wrote:
    this is England after all
    Erm............


    Well close enough :)
  • craker
    craker Posts: 1,739
    ugo.santalucia wrote:
    For 95 quid one would expect 5 proper meals, including Welsh spring lamb rather than SIS and jelly babies... what a fcuking con that is!! You can't ride 12-15 hours on sugars alone.
    The Dragon Ride is traditionally very poor value for money, not sure why people keep signing up in hoards

    Got to the end, got handed a medal, a pint of alcohol free beer and a sachet of recovery powder. You get better goody bags than that on most audaxes!

    I went and spent £7-60 on a small polystyrene tub of chips with a sausage on top and had it with the beer. Man I was ready for that. And the beer hit the spot pretty well (wouldn't buy the stuff, mind).
  • secretsam
    secretsam Posts: 5,099
    ACDC271 wrote:
    Rode the devil route, beautiful scenery, the weather was what it was, can't do anything about that. Did think it lacked any kind of atmosphere though. Should have been able to start a lot earlier 0500 would have been a better time. Food choice at the feed stations was poor, apart from one, sis stuff was OK, but there is only so many jaffas and jelly babies you can stomach.

    Now I'm worried about this - I and two colleagues just signed up for 2018 Medio, and having experienced the PRL (2015) - sh17 catering - I'd have expected better.

    Disappointed if this is a common experience.
    It's just a hill. Get over it.
  • phil485
    phil485 Posts: 364
    It is an expensive event and I didn't particularly enjoy the first 2 days riding of the tour but I think the tour makes it seem better value.

    With the tour, 2 feedstations each day, tshirt and pint pot as finish prize. SIS recovery sachet, free massage and free ICE and Hot tubs each day. Pasty and coffee avaialble at the first feedstation on Friday as well if wanted.
    There were mechanics on the course all three days as well as really good moto coverage. Particularly needed with the weather on Saturday.

    I don't particularly like the SIS gels and protein bars but they were plentiful although jelly babies and jaffa cakes did seem to feature very heavily at the feedstations.

    In summary I've seen better and seen worse.
    I think on the whole for the organisation and support the fee is ok for the tour.
  • secretsam
    secretsam Posts: 5,099
    Any accommodation recommendations locally - there's 3 of us so would rather book up early!
    It's just a hill. Get over it.
  • phil485
    phil485 Posts: 364
    I stayed at Brynhyfryd Camping & Caravanning Site in my motorhome.

    Don't believe the reviews and have a look at streetview.

    In my mind dangerously over crowded on Saturday night. I would not have been able to get my motorhome out to get to the Devil start.

    So no no recommendation from me.
  • craker
    craker Posts: 1,739
    SecretSam wrote:
    Any accommodation recommendations locally - there's 3 of us so would rather book up early!

    I wouldn't recommend it per se, but Trecco Bay Holiday Park is just round the corner. Europe's largest static caravan park. Next to a beach with a fine view of the steelworks ;-). I imagine there's always availability.

    (Actually it's a nice bit of coastline - check out Rest Bay)
  • secretsam
    secretsam Posts: 5,099
    craker wrote:
    SecretSam wrote:
    Any accommodation recommendations locally - there's 3 of us so would rather book up early!

    I wouldn't recommend it per se, but Trecco Bay Holiday Park is just round the corner. Europe's largest static caravan park. Next to a beach with a fine view of the steelworks ;-). I imagine there's always availability.

    (Actually it's a nice bit of coastline - check out Rest Bay)

    Yuck

    One alternative: stay at family in Bristol and come over on the day, but a bit of a hike. Was after something closer. Is Swansea/Cardiff a more sensible location?
    It's just a hill. Get over it.
  • craker
    craker Posts: 1,739
    I'm in Chepstow, that was an hour's drive (left the house at 6, riding at 7.38), add another 20 minutes for Bristol. Cardiff's half an hour off.
  • specialman
    specialman Posts: 22
    Rode the Gran Fondo route... had a 7:30(ish) start time, didn't get going until well past 8:20am so i knew it was going to be a late one with my 10-11hr target time. In the end, managed it in 9hr 07m, which I was pleased with considering the climbing and distance. Disappointed it fell short of the stated 230KM though.

    The rain felt like it was pouring down all day but in reality, it was the middle from Devil's Elbow where it was worst. I just got on with it but there times that the wind just sapped my enthusiasm, especially on some of the long (and boring) A-road sections that just felt like time trials. I didn't see Didi The Devil on the time climbs... maybe he'd had enough of the rain too!

    Route was on the whole good, but a lot of main roads to navigate it seemed. Road surfaces were 95% excellent. Some amazing views, especially the sections across the moors to Pen-Y-Fan. Black Mountain was relentless due to the wind, must have been 50mph at the top!

    Agreed that it seemed there was no atmosphere... I did the Fred Whitton in May and that was amazing, partly due to the sunshine, but also down to crowds on climbs cheering you on and banging cowbells. The dragon was in stark contrast - a few old people on their front doorsteps and an angry builder in a van giving us the bird as we negotiated a climb.

    Feed stops were okay; the first one at Penderyn was a bit full but after that, you could easily grab everything you needed. Got fed up of sweet stuff quickly but the salted potatoes were a godsend. The SIS lemon & lime drink always make me feel bad, managed find they had tropical flavour at a few of the stops. Even though feed stops are part of what you pay for, I'm pleased I took a selection of my own stuff to add variety.

    I did it for charity (although I pledged my entry fee) so i got a macmillan shirt and some free coffee... the alcohol-free beer went down too easily and the medal is okay. As an event, it seemed very well run considering the amount of main access roads being used through villages up the valleys, we had no issues and most people rode safely. Amazes me how many people ride with headphones in when they're on busy sportives where road manners and awareness are even more important.

    Will I do it again? If the wether can be guaranteed (wishful thinking) then I would, and maybe have a go at the 305km route but if it's a toss-up between this and the Fred, the Fred wins it every time.

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