Etape Du Dales; which way is harder?

bam49
bam49 Posts: 159
edited October 2018 in Sportives/audaxes/training rides
I know a good few peeps on here have ridden the Etape du Dales sportive in Yorkshire - I have ridden it four times myself, but not since 2010..
Has anyone ridden the 'normal' direction and then ridden it the other way round as it was set up this year - and could say which way is harder ? They are going to keep the same direction for 2019 and I was thinking of entering it again.. Only snag is - if it seems harder than the usual direction (which is hard enough), then I might not bother..
thanks :)

Comments

  • fenix
    fenix Posts: 5,437
    Which way is the wind blowing ?
  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,325
    It seems a bit silly to enter a very hilly event, but not bother if it's harder... I guess the all point is to do it because it is harder...

    Don't know if it's harder... the climibng is the same, the roads are steep both ways. Buttertubs is probably harder, the rest is probably the same
    left the forum March 2023
  • plodder73
    plodder73 Posts: 326
    Fleet Moss definitely harder
  • bam49
    bam49 Posts: 159
    ugo.santalucia wrote:
    It seems a bit silly to enter a very hilly event, but not bother if it's harder... I guess the all point is to do it because it is harder...

    Don't know if it's harder... the climibng is the same, the roads are steep both ways. Buttertubs is probably harder, the rest is probably the same

    The thing is ugo - I know how hard it is in the regular direction, if as the website claims, its even harder the other way it might be too much.. Especially as I have not ridden it since 2010 - and I'm not even riding on the road yet since fracturing a hip in an RTC in April.. I was thinking of entering to motivate myself and have a goal/target for next year . Does my concern still seem silly ?

    I have never bothered with the Fred Whitton, figured the Etape du Dales was hard enough for me..
  • bam49
    bam49 Posts: 159
    Plodder73 wrote:
    Fleet Moss definitely harder

    Definitely agree with you there - I hit 61 mph going down to Hawes one year !
  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,325
    bam49 wrote:
    ugo.santalucia wrote:
    It seems a bit silly to enter a very hilly event, but not bother if it's harder... I guess the all point is to do it because it is harder...

    Don't know if it's harder... the climibng is the same, the roads are steep both ways. Buttertubs is probably harder, the rest is probably the same

    The thing is ugo - I know how hard it is in the regular direction, if as the website claims, its even harder the other way it might be too much.. Especially as I have not ridden it since 2010 - and I'm not even riding on the road yet since fracturing a hip in an RTC in April.. I was thinking of entering to motivate myself and have a goal/target for next year . Does my concern still seem silly ?

    I have never bothered with the Fred Whitton, figured the Etape du Dales was hard enough for me..

    re. too hard: it's the same amount of climbing... what stays in your legs is exactly the same. Turf moor will be downhill... that's a long 20% slab that you rid of... Tan Hill will not be with 20 mph wind in the face... that's not bad... Coal road is hard both ways... Fleet Moss south side is not exactly easy... I nearly capsized at the hairpin... the only one with is harder is Buttertubs.

    More importantly, if you don't risk to fail, what's the point in doing it? Doing things which are well beyond comfort is the all point
    left the forum March 2023
  • bam49
    bam49 Posts: 159
    appreciate that - maybe I will go for it then, entries open on Nov 18th I think..

    Still not doing the Fred though :)
  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,325
    bam49 wrote:
    appreciate that - maybe I will go for it then, entries open on Nov 18th I think..

    Still not doing the Fred though :)

    FWIW I find the Etape harder than the Fred. In the Fred you know you have to go up n climbs... but the in between is fairly flat. The Etape doesn't have much in the way of flat... and it's typically windier.

    Climbs in the FWC are steeper, but there are bigger cassettes around these days.
    left the forum March 2023

Categories