Paris Roubaix 2019

RossoCorso34
RossoCorso34 Posts: 204
edited April 2019 in Sportives/audaxes/training rides
Signed up for this with 2 friends. Should be a great and very different challenge. Has anybody else signed up or done it before?

Currently reading To Hell on a Bike, great insight to the history of the race.

Comments

  • shipley
    shipley Posts: 549
    We’re doing it. I’ve done all the classics and this was the only one that I swore I’d never do but relented in the end when the boys decided it had to be conquered !!

    I’m taking my aluminium CX bike with 32mm tyres and generally hoping for the best <Gulp>. No hills which is a bonus, but it’s a historic ride so I’m looking forward to it and the velodrome finish will be the icing on the cake. It’s nice and late in the year (April) which gives more training time - fingers crossed it doesn’t rain
  • RossoCorso34
    RossoCorso34 Posts: 204
    It's my first classic, very much looking forward to it, reading about the history is really pushing me on to train for it. I'm taking my Cannondale Slate, with 42mm tyres and 30mm of travel in the front fork. Cheating or sensible. I'm not sure...
  • carbonclem
    carbonclem Posts: 1,787
    Have fun. I did it last year and it was one of the best bike related weekends I've had.
    2020/2021/2022 Metric Century Challenge Winner
  • RossoCorso34
    RossoCorso34 Posts: 204
    CarbonClem wrote:
    Have fun. I did it last year and it was one of the best bike related weekends I've had.
    Did you stay and watch the race?
  • shipley
    shipley Posts: 549
    theboyfold wrote:
    It's my first classic, very much looking forward to it, reading about the history is really pushing me on to train for it. I'm taking my Cannondale Slate, with 42mm tyres and 30mm of travel in the front fork. Cheating or sensible. I'm not sure...


    Wise choice !!

    Are you planning on doing the full distance on 42mm tyres ?
  • RossoCorso34
    RossoCorso34 Posts: 204
    Yes, the whole 170kms
  • shipley
    shipley Posts: 549
    Hmm, that’s interesting. I have some Mavic 40mm tyres (gravel) but thought they might be a bit too ‘draggy’ for that distance.

    I might try 100km on them later this month and see how they feel.
  • RossoCorso34
    RossoCorso34 Posts: 204
    Shipley wrote:
    Hmm, that’s interesting. I have some Mavic 40mm tyres (gravel) but thought they might be a bit too ‘draggy’ for that distance.

    I might try 100km on them later this month and see how they feel.

    Yes, that's my main issue. Very limited options for tyres. They roll ok, but float over the rough stuff (I hope!)
  • carbonclem
    carbonclem Posts: 1,787
    theboyfold wrote:
    CarbonClem wrote:
    Have fun. I did it last year and it was one of the best bike related weekends I've had.
    Did you stay and watch the race?

    Yes, arrived Friday and signed on and did the tour of the Velodromes and showers . Stayed in Lille and did the middle distance ride on Saturday. Used 28mm Conti Ultras and had no issues at all (I took 5 spare tubes and a tyre :lol: )
    Drive to the St Python section on Sunday, saw them go through then headed back towards Roubaix, saw them again on the road in a small town, then got back to Roubaix to see them finish. All worked out perfectly.
    2020/2021/2022 Metric Century Challenge Winner
  • tlw1
    tlw1 Posts: 22,173
    I did the 170 ride last year, brutal but brilliant. Of the five of us all bar me had one puncture, I had my chain come off a couple of time (singlespeed).

    Stayed the next day and watched the race whilst drinking in the sunshine
  • domc21
    domc21 Posts: 86
    I’m doing it for the first time. I’ve just put some 25mm gp5000 tubeless on, I’m hoping to avoid punctures by going tubeless...

    I was thinking of doing it on my Specialized Diverge but decided it was taking away from the Paris Roubaix experience of a true cobble bashing....
  • carbonclem
    carbonclem Posts: 1,787
    Lots of people do it on mountain bikes and fat bikes ... they will also be riding in the gutter along the cobbled sections :lol:
    2020/2021/2022 Metric Century Challenge Winner
  • RossoCorso34
    RossoCorso34 Posts: 204
    CarbonClem wrote:
    Lots of people do it on mountain bikes and fat bikes ... they will also be riding in the gutter along the cobbled sections :lol:
    I did think about it, but the idea off 100k on the road on a MTB didn't excite me! I think the Slate is the sweet spot
  • domc21
    domc21 Posts: 86
    Do you get access to a garmin file from the website before the event?
  • tlw1
    tlw1 Posts: 22,173
    domc21 wrote:
    Do you get access to a garmin file from the website before the event?
    No need the route is well marked (follow water bottles, people fixing punctures, etc)
  • RossoCorso34
    RossoCorso34 Posts: 204
    How much climbing is there on the route, I've read differing reports between 500 and 950m, I can't find an official GPX to confirm
  • carbonclem
    carbonclem Posts: 1,787
    theboyfold wrote:
    How much climbing is there on the route, I've read differing reports between 500 and 950m, I can't find an official GPX to confirm

    On last years 150 km route, my Strava shows 542m of climbing.
    2020/2021/2022 Metric Century Challenge Winner
  • shipley
    shipley Posts: 549
    edited April 2019
    Just back from our Roubaix weekend and all I can say is if there one cycling event you do before you hang up your wheels....make it this one.

    Lille is a great place to stay, the velodrome in Roubaix is iconic and full of people and atmosphere on the Friday when we signed on. The sign on process itself was a mess resulting in an hour long queue but there are worse places to stand.

    The ride itself was epic. The first 50km was spent in a bunch full of Belgians and Italians with the usual impeccable road behaviour and then came the Arenberg trench. Brutal cobbles but masochistically enjoyable as you rattle your way through history.

    The Pave sections are very much at the back end of this ride and are in varying levels of severity with Carrefour being the most painful towards the end. The finish on the velodrome brought a lump to my throat.

    This was one ‘sportive’ I swore I’d never do but agreed to do it in a moment of weakness. Ridden on an aluminium CX bike, with 32m road tyres at 60psi and double wrapped bar tape I had no drama, none of us punctured or fell off. It was cold and windy but that added to the atmosphere.

    If it had been wet, or damp or had rained earlier the week I wouldn’t have done it. Some of those sectors would be carnage in the wet.

    All in all that was one of the best weekends I’ve ever spent on the bike and strongly recommend it.
  • ugo.santalucia
    ugo.santalucia Posts: 28,318
    Shipley wrote:

    If it had been wet, or damp or had rained earlier the week I wouldn’t have done it. Some of those sectors would be carnage in the wet.

    All in all that was one of the best weekends I’ve ever spent on the bike and strongly recommend it.

    I did it in the wet and they are terrifying.

    I think the "cyclo" event they do in June in even years is a better one... it is longer at over 200 km, it takes in all the pave' and there are no queues and all that nonsense
    left the forum March 2023
  • durhamwasp
    durhamwasp Posts: 1,247
    Another recommendation for the 'cyclo' event, held by VC Roubaix and next on in June 2020. About £10 to enter.
    http://www.snookcycling.wordpress.com - Reports on Cingles du Mont Ventoux, Alpe D'Huez, Galibier, Izoard, Tourmalet, Paris-Roubaix Sportive & Tour of Flanders Sportive, Amstel Gold Xperience, Vosges, C2C, WOTR routes....
  • svetty
    svetty Posts: 1,904
    Shipley wrote:
    Just back from our Roubaix weekend and all I can say is if there one cycling event you do before you hang up your wheels....make it this one.

    Lille is a great place to stay, the velodrome in Roubaix is iconic and full of people and atmosphere on the Friday when we signed on. The sign on process itself was a mess resulting in an hour long queue but there are worse places to stand.

    The ride itself was epic. The first 50km was spent in a bunch full of Belgians and Italians with the usual implacable road behaviour and then came the Arenberg trench. Brutal cobbles but masochisticically enjoyable as you rattle your way through history.

    The Pave sections are very much at the back end of this ride and are in varying levels of severity with Carrefour being the most painful towards the end. The finish on the velodrome brought a lump to my throat.

    This was one ‘sportive’ I swore I’d never do but agreed to do it in a moment of weakness. Ridden on an aluminium CX bike, with 32m road tyres at 60psi and double wrapped bar tape I had no drama, none of us punctured or fell off. It was cold and windy but that added to the atmosphere.

    If it had been wet, or damp or had rained earlier the week I wouldn’t have done it. Some of those sectors would be carnage in the wet.

    All in all that was one of the best weekends I’ve ever spent on the bike and strongly recommend it.

    Agree whole-heartedly. One of my best ever days on a bike. A day to savour and I will likely do again next year :)
    FFS! Harden up and grow a pair :D
  • davidw007
    davidw007 Posts: 37
    theboyfold wrote:
    It's my first classic, very much looking forward to it, reading about the history is really pushing me on to train for it. I'm taking my Cannondale Slate, with 42mm tyres and 30mm of travel in the front fork. Cheating or sensible. I'm not sure...

    @theboyfold How did you get on with the Slate?

    I'm looking at doing it next year and already have a Slate. Was going to treat myself to a Planet X Titanium bike for the event but I'm thinking the Slate is probably the way to go.
  • RossoCorso34
    RossoCorso34 Posts: 204
    DavidW007 wrote:
    theboyfold wrote:
    It's my first classic, very much looking forward to it, reading about the history is really pushing me on to train for it. I'm taking my Cannondale Slate, with 42mm tyres and 30mm of travel in the front fork. Cheating or sensible. I'm not sure...

    @theboyfold How did you get on with the Slate?

    I'm looking at doing it next year and already have a Slate. Was going to treat myself to a Planet X Titanium bike for the event but I'm thinking the Slate is probably the way to go.

    It was interesting. I don't find the Slate the best endurance bike, but over the rough stuff it's amazing.

    So on the cobbles, it was very controlled. It didn't hop and skip around like the bikes with narrower tyres (I was running these tyres: https://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/TYCLSUSHT ... -tyre-650b tubeless at about 50psi). So you could fly along the cobbles, but on the road it does drag. No matter what you do, it's not as a quick as a road bike. So into a headwind for about 90 miles of the ride and having to attack the cobbles, I eventually ran out of gas and had to enter limp home mode. The Slate is magical in the sense that when you push over a rough surface, it seems to float above it and take it in its stride, so when I had the legs I was loving the cobbles.

    My friend was on his Trek Domane (which has 'full' suspension) and whilst I was quicker over the cobbles, he was a lot faster on the road and that eventually paid off.

    So if I were to do it again, I'd think twice about the Slate, it performed well, but my endurance isn't good enough to do 108 miles, and push hard over the 28 sections of cobbles on it.
  • davidw007
    davidw007 Posts: 37
    theboyfold wrote:
    DavidW007 wrote:
    theboyfold wrote:
    It's my first classic, very much looking forward to it, reading about the history is really pushing me on to train for it. I'm taking my Cannondale Slate, with 42mm tyres and 30mm of travel in the front fork. Cheating or sensible. I'm not sure...

    @theboyfold How did you get on with the Slate?

    I'm looking at doing it next year and already have a Slate. Was going to treat myself to a Planet X Titanium bike for the event but I'm thinking the Slate is probably the way to go.

    It was interesting. I don't find the Slate the best endurance bike, but over the rough stuff it's amazing.

    So on the cobbles, it was very controlled. It didn't hop and skip around like the bikes with narrower tyres (I was running these tyres: https://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/TYCLSUSHT ... -tyre-650b tubeless at about 50psi). So you could fly along the cobbles, but on the road it does drag. No matter what you do, it's not as a quick as a road bike. So into a headwind for about 90 miles of the ride and having to attack the cobbles, I eventually ran out of gas and had to enter limp home mode. The Slate is magical in the sense that when you push over a rough surface, it seems to float above it and take it in its stride, so when I had the legs I was loving the cobbles.

    My friend was on his Trek Domane (which has 'full' suspension) and whilst I was quicker over the cobbles, he was a lot faster on the road and that eventually paid off.

    So if I were to do it again, I'd think twice about the Slate, it performed well, but my endurance isn't good enough to do 108 miles, and push hard over the 28 sections of cobbles on it.


    Thanks for the info, really interesting.

    It seems you need two different bikes, one for the cobbles, one for the road!
  • dish_dash
    dish_dash Posts: 5,647
    Sad story here... a reminder to be careful about leaving your bike unattended at these events...

    https://www.velonews.com/2019/04/commen ... nge_492921
  • shipley
    shipley Posts: 549
    DavidW007 wrote:
    theboyfold wrote:
    DavidW007 wrote:
    theboyfold wrote:
    It's my first classic, very much looking forward to it, reading about the history is really pushing me on to train for it. I'm taking my Cannondale Slate, with 42mm tyres and 30mm of travel in the front fork. Cheating or sensible. I'm not sure...

    @theboyfold How did you get on with the Slate?

    I'm looking at doing it next year and already have a Slate. Was going to treat myself to a Planet X Titanium bike for the event but I'm thinking the Slate is probably the way to go.

    It was interesting. I don't find the Slate the best endurance bike, but over the rough stuff it's amazing.

    So on the cobbles, it was very controlled. It didn't hop and skip around like the bikes with narrower tyres (I was running these tyres: https://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/TYCLSUSHT ... -tyre-650b tubeless at about 50psi). So you could fly along the cobbles, but on the road it does drag. No matter what you do, it's not as a quick as a road bike. So into a headwind for about 90 miles of the ride and having to attack the cobbles, I eventually ran out of gas and had to enter limp home mode. The Slate is magical in the sense that when you push over a rough surface, it seems to float above it and take it in its stride, so when I had the legs I was loving the cobbles.

    My friend was on his Trek Domane (which has 'full' suspension) and whilst I was quicker over the cobbles, he was a lot faster on the road and that eventually paid off.

    So if I were to do it again, I'd think twice about the Slate, it performed well, but my endurance isn't good enough to do 108 miles, and push hard over the 28 sections of cobbles on it.


    Thanks for the info, really interesting.

    It seems you need two different bikes, one for the cobbles, one for the road!

    I had the choice of 40mm and 32mm tyres for my CX bike and following a few test rides before going decided on the 32s. 40mm off roadish tyres are great for the trails and, I would imagine, the cobbles but I found they were far too 'draggy' for a long event like this.
  • RossoCorso34
    RossoCorso34 Posts: 204
    Shipley wrote:
    DavidW007 wrote:
    theboyfold wrote:
    DavidW007 wrote:
    theboyfold wrote:
    It's my first classic, very much looking forward to it, reading about the history is really pushing me on to train for it. I'm taking my Cannondale Slate, with 42mm tyres and 30mm of travel in the front fork. Cheating or sensible. I'm not sure...

    @theboyfold How did you get on with the Slate?

    I'm looking at doing it next year and already have a Slate. Was going to treat myself to a Planet X Titanium bike for the event but I'm thinking the Slate is probably the way to go.

    It was interesting. I don't find the Slate the best endurance bike, but over the rough stuff it's amazing.

    So on the cobbles, it was very controlled. It didn't hop and skip around like the bikes with narrower tyres (I was running these tyres: https://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/TYCLSUSHT ... -tyre-650b tubeless at about 50psi). So you could fly along the cobbles, but on the road it does drag. No matter what you do, it's not as a quick as a road bike. So into a headwind for about 90 miles of the ride and having to attack the cobbles, I eventually ran out of gas and had to enter limp home mode. The Slate is magical in the sense that when you push over a rough surface, it seems to float above it and take it in its stride, so when I had the legs I was loving the cobbles.

    My friend was on his Trek Domane (which has 'full' suspension) and whilst I was quicker over the cobbles, he was a lot faster on the road and that eventually paid off.

    So if I were to do it again, I'd think twice about the Slate, it performed well, but my endurance isn't good enough to do 108 miles, and push hard over the 28 sections of cobbles on it.


    Thanks for the info, really interesting.

    It seems you need two different bikes, one for the cobbles, one for the road!

    I had the choice of 40mm and 32mm tyres for my CX bike and following a few test rides before going decided on the 32s. 40mm off roadish tyres are great for the trails and, I would imagine, the cobbles but I found they were far too 'draggy' for a long event like this.

    Yes that was my undoing.

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