The Cinglés Club

meursault

Anyone completed this tour?

Looking for company or accomodation, bike hire Etc. for a tour.

poweredbyidris

Would happily recommend VeloVentoux (www.veloventoux.com) for this. Did it with them back in 2014, and Craig can take care of everything for you - logistics, accommodation, support on the mountain, official carte and bike hire.

meursault

PoweredByIdris wrote:

Would happily recommend VeloVentoux (http://www.veloventoux.com) for this. Did it with them back in 2014, and Craig can take care of everything for you - logistics, accommodation, support on the mountain, official carte and bike hire.

Thank you, will hit them up.

Flâneur

Another shout for Craig and his families place, good little set up. Lovely rooms, small village with a good bakery and a great restaurant. I enjoyed cycling from there for a week.

However didn't use him for the Cingles so cannot comment on the support there

durhamwasp

We did it in 2010, and are going back in July for another bash. Our report from last time is on the website link in my sig. Best day of cycling ever.

meursault

Flâneur wrote:

Another shout for Craig and his families place, good little set up. Lovely rooms, small village with a good bakery and a great restaurant. I enjoyed cycling from there for a week.

However didn't use him for the Cingles so cannot comment on the support there

Thanks, I am considering going unsupported, so that would not be an issue.

meursault

durhamwasp wrote:

We did it in 2010, and are going back in July for another bash. Our report from last time is on the website link in my sig. Best day of cycling ever.

Excellent read, Salute!

buckmulligan

I did it last year on my own; stayed at a great cyclist friendly AirBnB at the bottom of town and just hit the climbs early in the morning. A great day out on the bike, but speaking to people afterwards I realised just how lucky I was with the weather; even in the height of summer, wind, rain and fog can make tackling all three ascents in a day a bit of a lottery. I didn't bother with the whole "official" brevet card thing, seemed like a bit of unnecessary hassle and a waste of €25 or whatever it was. Good luck!

meursault

BuckMulligan wrote:

I did it last year on my own; stayed at a great cyclist friendly AirBnB at the bottom of town and just hit the climbs early in the morning. A great day out on the bike, but speaking to people afterwards I realised just how lucky I was with the weather; even in the height of summer, wind, rain and fog can make tackling all three ascents in a day a bit of a lottery. I didn't bother with the whole "official" brevet card thing, seemed like a bit of unnecessary hassle and a waste of €25 or whatever it was. Good luck!

Thanks, AirBnB looks the way to go, especially if you can get a genuine review like yours. Daughter recently back from Amsterdam with an unpleasant experience, where the accommodation was not habitable despite good reviews.

buckmulligan

Yeah, that place was fantastic, I'd definitely recommend it.

The couple that owned it were very accommodating and the room itself was basically a little self-contained studio flat with its own small kitchen, bathroom and living room area and free WiFi. It's a little walk (maybe 10 mins) to the centre of Bedoin but other than that it was perfect.

cgfw201

Joined the club on Saturday, great day on the bike.

Always pictured Ventoux as a big ugly lump of rock with the lunar bit on top. Totally unprepared for how spectacular it is there, absolutely amazing place.

vwillrocku

cgfw201 wrote:

Joined the club on Saturday, great day on the bike.

Always pictured Ventoux as a big ugly lump of rock with the lunar bit on top. Totally unprepared for how spectacular it is there, absolutely amazing place.

I have similar feeling. Before get to the top, the pics of Ventoux from internet look rather normal but when I saw the real thing, it was a sacred experience and it was something out of the earth.

meursault

vwillrocku wrote:

cgfw201 wrote:

Joined the club on Saturday, great day on the bike.

Always pictured Ventoux as a big ugly lump of rock with the lunar bit on top. Totally unprepared for how spectacular it is there, absolutely amazing place.

I have similar feeling. Before get to the top, the pics of Ventoux from internet look rather normal but when I saw the real thing, it was a sacred experience and it was something out of the earth.

It's going to be a long wait until June!

jrob72

I am looking at doing Cinglés at the beginning of April 2018(weather permitting!) has anyone been there at that time?
I know there will be some snow still on the mountain but apparently the road is cleared all year through.
my trip will be unsupported apart from my very nervous wife attempting to drive up the mountain to meet me at the top(not going to happen!)
I was wondering where to post this and found this thread,ty.

how taxing was it? 3 climbs ,one after another or 2 then the last the next morning?
I have regained my love for cycling this year after a few years and building up the fitness(a lot of hills and interval training)
still carrying a bit of timber but the fitness is getting there.
my point is should this be attempted by someone who has only been regularly cycling for the last 7-8 months,up to about 120-150 miles per week

any advice would be greatly appreciated.
oh and a couple of days later I'm hoping to drive up and do Alpe D'uez but maybe very wishful thinking???

cgfw201

jrob72 wrote:

I am looking at doing Cinglés at the beginning of April 2018(weather permitting!) has anyone been there at that time?
I know there will be some snow still on the mountain but apparently the road is cleared all year through.
my trip will be unsupported apart from my very nervous wife attempting to drive up the mountain to meet me at the top(not going to happen!)
I was wondering where to post this and found this thread,ty.

how taxing was it? 3 climbs ,one after another or 2 then the last the next morning?
I have regained my love for cycling this year after a few years and building up the fitness(a lot of hills and interval training)
still carrying a bit of timber but the fitness is getting there.
my point is should this be attempted by someone who has only been regularly cycling for the last 7-8 months,up to about 120-150 miles per week

any advice would be greatly appreciated.
oh and a couple of days later I'm hoping to drive up and do Alpe D'uez but maybe very wishful thinking???

Not sure about April weather, you’ll always need a bit of luck with Ventoux to avoid the wind. If it’s blowing, then you can’t really ride the exposed bits of the climb, certainly not all 3 sides. Allow minimum 2, ideally 3 days and hope for one good one.

As long as you start nice and early, most people should be able to do all 3 in a day. I think to officially join Cingles you have to do all 3 on the same calendar day, rather than same 24h period.

Hard to know how fit you are, but you’ll be looking at 6-8 hours of riding uphill with 2-3 hours of going downhill depending on your speed. The fact that over 12,000 people have now done it officially shows it’s not impossibly hard.

It’s an amazing day on the bike.

jrob72

Not sure about April weather, you’ll always need a bit of luck with Ventoux to avoid the wind. If it’s blowing, then you can’t really ride the exposed bits of the climb, certainly not all 3 sides. Allow minimum 2, ideally 3 days and hope for one good one.

As long as you start nice and early, most people should be able to do all 3 in a day. I think to officially join Cingles you have to do all 3 on the same calendar day, rather than same 24h period.

Hard to know how fit you are, but you’ll be looking at 6-8 hours of riding uphill with 2-3 hours of going downhill depending on your speed. The fact that over 12,000 people have now done it officially shows it’s not impossibly hard.

It’s an amazing day on the bike.[/quote]

Thanks a lot for the rapid reply,yes a bit early in the season to hope for good weather but will give it a go none the less.

fitness is ok ftp is around 250 and dropped two stone in the last 8 months with one more to go.
I'll concentrate on getting one side done,we are staying in Bedoin so will go from there(obvious choice given the tour route)
I am looking to join my local club in the next couple of weeks now the love handles are reducing and don't look too bad in a cycling jersey so will build up from there.
I'm in lovely warm Scotland so I'm sure i'll get many frost free rides in over the next 3-4 months :shock:
thanks again for the feedback, really can't wait!

cgfw201

jrob72 wrote:

Not sure about April weather, you’ll always need a bit of luck with Ventoux to avoid the wind. If it’s blowing, then you can’t really ride the exposed bits of the climb, certainly not all 3 sides. Allow minimum 2, ideally 3 days and hope for one good one.

As long as you start nice and early, most people should be able to do all 3 in a day. I think to officially join Cingles you have to do all 3 on the same calendar day, rather than same 24h period.

Hard to know how fit you are, but you’ll be looking at 6-8 hours of riding uphill with 2-3 hours of going downhill depending on your speed. The fact that over 12,000 people have now done it officially shows it’s not impossibly hard.

It’s an amazing day on the bike.

Thanks a lot for the rapid reply,yes a bit early in the season to hope for good weather but will give it a go none the less.

fitness is ok ftp is around 250 and dropped two stone in the last 8 months with one more to go.
I'll concentrate on getting one side done,we are staying in Bedoin so will go from there(obvious choice given the tour route)
I am looking to join my local club in the next couple of weeks now the love handles are reducing and don't look too bad in a cycling jersey so will build up from there.
I'm in lovely warm Scotland so I'm sure i'll get many frost free rides in over the next 3-4 months :shock:
thanks again for the feedback, really can't wait!

[/quote]

https://aridewithaview.wordpress.com/2017/10/09/1931/

^^^That was my write up of it which may or may not have anything of use for you in it.

dabber

cgfw201 wrote:

https://aridewithaview.wordpress.com/2017/10/09/1931/

^^^That was my write up of it which may or may not have anything of use for you in it.

I really enjoyed that, great write up.

durhamwasp

I think you'll be lucky to do it in April, I certainly wouldn't plan that month if at all possible. That's not to say it cant work, but you're not helping your chances.

As said, I'd recommend going there for at least 3 full days, and that's in the summer time, in order to be sure you'll get good conditions.

You need to do all 3 ascents in one calendar day as said, it will most likely take you 12-14hours for the whole lot, so recommend starting 5 or 6am. I'm not sure what the day light hours are like in April, so definitely need good lights and warm clothes!

Check our link below for our reports. We've been and completed it twice - Sept 2011 (Perfect conditions) and July 2017 (very hot!)

mrc1

jrob72 wrote:

I am looking at doing Cinglés at the beginning of April 2018(weather permitting!) has anyone been there at that time?
I know there will be some snow still on the mountain but apparently the road is cleared all year through.
my trip will be unsupported apart from my very nervous wife attempting to drive up the mountain to meet me at the top(not going to happen!)
I was wondering where to post this and found this thread,ty.

how taxing was it? 3 climbs ,one after another or 2 then the last the next morning?
I have regained my love for cycling this year after a few years and building up the fitness(a lot of hills and interval training)
still carrying a bit of timber but the fitness is getting there.
my point is should this be attempted by someone who has only been regularly cycling for the last 7-8 months,up to about 120-150 miles per week

any advice would be greatly appreciated.
oh and a couple of days later I'm hoping to drive up and do Alpe D'uez but maybe very wishful thinking???

In theory the very top of the mountain probably will be closed/barriered off at the top or just after Chalet Reynard (6.5km to go on the Bedoin and Sault ascent), meaning cars cannot go over the top from Bedoin to Malaucene for example and you may encounter issues trying it on a bike. If this is the case then its Cingles over, but you could do a single ascent or most of it at least.

I have been up there myself in very early May but the road to Malaucene was closed at the very top. You could still get through on a bike but if the weather was worse or there was still snow on the ground it would have been a different proposition.

So if you are there anyway and the weather has been good it's worth a try, but you should probably prepare yourself for the car not being able to follow you/the mountain being closed.

As a quick aside, the weather at the top versus the bottom is dramatically different and people tend not to give Ventoux the respect it deserves on this front. It's far from uncommon to have beautiful hot weather at the bottom with single digits and storms at the top even in the high summer. April is of course even more risky, so even if the weather looks amazing at the bottom, do not take it for granted.

On the Cingles front, you have to complete the three climbs and descents (finishing where you started) within the same calendar day. You can set off as early as you like and as long as you finish by midnight you are fine. In reality nobody is actually monitoring this beyond getting the four stamps from businesses in your card (there used to be timing stamp machines at each town and the top but these have been removed/are no longer used) and submitting this to the club, so it relies on people adhering the rules and spirit of the challenge.

Most people tend to start with Bedoin as this is the classic ascent which the story goes is the hardest*, followed by Malaucene, then Sault, which is much easier until you get to Chalet Reynard (where it shares the same final 6.5km with the Bedoin ascent).

* Bedoin is generally said to be the hardest and is the one used in the Tour de France, but I'd say that most people who have completed the Cingles with us find Malaucene harder. Whether that is because they have Bedoin in their legs already or because it is truly harder is open to debate but there is very little to choose between them.

There are very few facilities on the mountain itself, so make sure you plan ahead for food and water as barring Chalet Reynard and a water fountain about 5km from the top in the Moonscape, there is nothing on the Bedoin or Sault ascents and only one cafe that may or may not be open on Malaucene.

Otherwise I would recommend that you minimise time at the top as it is likely to be brutally cold and once you get cold you won't warm up again as each descent is extremely long. Make sure you eat plenty, but be aware that stopping in Malaucene for a proper lunch could kill a large amount of time and make your legs go dead. Instead I'd recommend eating little and often throughout the day going for real food where possible and not overly relying on energy products.

Hope that helps!

meursault

mrc1 wrote:

jrob72 wrote:

I am looking at doing Cinglés at the beginning of April 2018(weather permitting!) has anyone been there at that time?
I know there will be some snow still on the mountain but apparently the road is cleared all year through.
my trip will be unsupported apart from my very nervous wife attempting to drive up the mountain to meet me at the top(not going to happen!)
I was wondering where to post this and found this thread,ty.

how taxing was it? 3 climbs ,one after another or 2 then the last the next morning?
I have regained my love for cycling this year after a few years and building up the fitness(a lot of hills and interval training)
still carrying a bit of timber but the fitness is getting there.
my point is should this be attempted by someone who has only been regularly cycling for the last 7-8 months,up to about 120-150 miles per week

any advice would be greatly appreciated.
oh and a couple of days later I'm hoping to drive up and do Alpe D'uez but maybe very wishful thinking???

In theory the very top of the mountain probably will be closed/barriered off at the top or just after Chalet Reynard (6.5km to go on the Bedoin and Sault ascent), meaning cars cannot go over the top from Bedoin to Malaucene for example and you may encounter issues trying it on a bike. If this is the case then its Cingles over, but you could do a single ascent or most of it at least.

I have been up there myself in very early May but the road to Malaucene was closed at the very top. You could still get through on a bike but if the weather was worse or there was still snow on the ground it would have been a different proposition.

So if you are there anyway and the weather has been good it's worth a try, but you should probably prepare yourself for the car not being able to follow you/the mountain being closed.

As a quick aside, the weather at the top versus the bottom is dramatically different and people tend not to give Ventoux the respect it deserves on this front. It's far from uncommon to have beautiful hot weather at the bottom with single digits and storms at the top even in the high summer. April is of course even more risky, so even if the weather looks amazing at the bottom, do not take it for granted.

On the Cingles front, you have to complete the three climbs and descents (finishing where you started) within the same calendar day. You can set off as early as you like and as long as you finish by midnight you are fine. In reality nobody is actually monitoring this beyond getting the four stamps from businesses in your card (there used to be timing stamp machines at each town and the top but these have been removed/are no longer used) and submitting this to the club, so it relies on people adhering the rules and spirit of the challenge.

Most people tend to start with Bedoin as this is the classic ascent which the story goes is the hardest*, followed by Malaucene, then Sault, which is much easier until you get to Chalet Reynard (where it shares the same final 6.5km with the Bedoin ascent).

* Bedoin is generally said to be the hardest and is the one used in the Tour de France, but I'd say that most people who have completed the Cingles with us find Malaucene harder. Whether that is because they have Bedoin in their legs already or because it is truly harder is open to debate but there is very little to choose between them.

There are very few facilities on the mountain itself, so make sure you plan ahead for food and water as barring Chalet Reynard and a water fountain about 5km from the top in the Moonscape, there is nothing on the Bedoin or Sault ascents and only one cafe that may or may not be open on Malaucene.

Otherwise I would recommend that you minimise time at the top as it is likely to be brutally cold and once you get cold you won't warm up again as each descent is extremely long. Make sure you eat plenty, but be aware that stopping in Malaucene for a proper lunch could kill a large amount of time and make your legs go dead. Instead I'd recommend eating little and often throughout the day going for real food where possible and not overly relying on energy products.

Hope that helps!

Very useful advice, much appreciated.

ricky_h-2

Lots of good advice here but as someone who has been beaten back by the elements twice, it really has to be taken seriously.
My first attempt was scuppered by a Mistral which closed the summit after one trip up there where I had to lie down on the ground clinging on to the bike to avoid being blown off the mountain.
The second one, I got cooked going up the second ascent through the forest above Bedoin and then caught in a freezing rain shower above chalet Reynard which did for me.
If you can give yourself a window of a few days down there it is worth it for the flexibility on weather conditions. The other point I'd make is I would always attempt the Bedoin ascent at dawn due to it being South facing. By 11am and in full sunshine, it gets really hot in the forest.
Edit: just seen you are planning on riding in April, so baking heat unlikely to be too much of a problem.
Good luck !

wheeledwidewebb

A mild thread hijack if that’s OK.

Can anyone confirm that obtaining your brevet card from the bike shop in Malaucène is an option, rather than sending off for it please? I’m sure I read a blog that mentioned this option and it would appear to offer much more flexibility regarding choice of ascent day.

meursault

wheeledwidewebb wrote:

A mild thread hijack if that’s OK.

Can anyone confirm that obtaining your brevet card from the bike shop in Malaucène is an option, rather than sending off for it please? I’m sure I read a blog that mentioned this option and it would appear to offer much more flexibility regarding choice of ascent day.

No problem, excellent question.

svetty

wheeledwidewebb wrote:

A mild thread hijack if that’s OK.

Can anyone confirm that obtaining your brevet card from the bike shop in Malaucène is an option, rather than sending off for it please? I’m sure I read a blog that mentioned this option and it would appear to offer much more flexibility regarding choice of ascent day.

Not heard of this. The official Club Cingles system is flexible regarding the day you actually ride - you only need to supply them the date you plan to leave the UK from so they can get the documents to you in time. You don't need to specify the riding day in advance (although I imagine if you then left it many weeks or months before riding they might query your completion).

It is worth getting the official application - if only for the frame tag you can fix to your bike so that you and others doing the challenge can recognise each other and share a smile, a wave and a grimace on the day

wheeledwidewebb

Svetty wrote:

wheeledwidewebb wrote:

A mild thread hijack if that’s OK.

Can anyone confirm that obtaining your brevet card from the bike shop in Malaucène is an option, rather than sending off for it please? I’m sure I read a blog that mentioned this option and it would appear to offer much more flexibility regarding choice of ascent day.

Not heard of this. The official Club Cingles system is flexible regarding the day you actually ride - you only need to supply them the date you plan to leave the UK from so they can get the documents to you in time. You don't need to specify the riding day in advance (although I imagine if you then left it many weeks or months before riding they might query your completion).

It is worth getting the official application - if only for the frame tag you can fix to your bike so that you and others doing the challenge can recognise each other and share a smile, a wave and a grimace on the day

Thanks for that info, I thought you had to actually specify the day you are going to ride, that's a relief.

mrc1

wheeledwidewebb wrote:

Svetty wrote:

wheeledwidewebb wrote:

A mild thread hijack if that’s OK.

Can anyone confirm that obtaining your brevet card from the bike shop in Malaucène is an option, rather than sending off for it please? I’m sure I read a blog that mentioned this option and it would appear to offer much more flexibility regarding choice of ascent day.

Not heard of this. The official Club Cingles system is flexible regarding the day you actually ride - you only need to supply them the date you plan to leave the UK from so they can get the documents to you in time. You don't need to specify the riding day in advance (although I imagine if you then left it many weeks or months before riding they might query your completion).

It is worth getting the official application - if only for the frame tag you can fix to your bike so that you and others doing the challenge can recognise each other and share a smile, a wave and a grimace on the day

Thanks for that info, I thought you had to actually specify the day you are going to ride, that's a relief.

As above you don't need to specify the date and we haven't had an issue with receiving cards for people months in advance etc. Christian who oversees the cards is really helpful and does his best with a quick turnaround if you leave it late to apply, but I'd get it all sorted out as far in advance as possible so you have one less thing to worry about.

On the subject of bike shops in Malaucene, there is an increasingly long list of them that the Club have had complaints from (basically people going into the shop asking for a stamp without buying anything), so they now ask you to avoid these shops.

wheeledwidewebb

Is the list of ‘best avoided’ shops published anywhere do you know?

durhamwasp

Best thing to do is find a small supermarket/tabac and buy a litre bottle of water (you'll need it!) or a small cafe for a croissant, and get a stamp as you pay, worked for us!

Hope I'm back for a bash at the Galarien in the not too distant future.

buckmulligan

Each to their own, but personally I really don't see the point in the whole brevet card club thing.

Why do you need someone else to validate what is essentially a solo-day out on the bike?!

I was in two minds about whether to sign up beforehand and in hindsight, for me, it would have just been sending someone €25 for a worthless piece of paper that would have been stuffed in a drawer immediately afterwards.

durhamwasp

Of all the cycling I've done in the Alps, and all the rides anywhere, that Cingles medal means a lot.