Test Valley Tour - 31st August - OK for first-timer?

Hornetto · August 2008

Hi,

I'm a road newbie, having bought an Allez Sport double road bike last month after years of mountain biking. I got the bug to get a road bike after commuting 125 miles to work in bike to work week in June. I'm thinking of entering my first sportive (although it's not strictly a sportive I guess) - the Test Valley Tour near Andover on 31st August for the 110km 'Challenge' route. I wan't to have a challenge in terms of distance as I've cycled up to 50 miles before but I think the 150km is a bit too much of a challenge for me at this stage!

A couple of questions:
1) is anyone else planning on doing the Test Valley Tour?
2) does anyone who's done it before know if it is well organised?
3) is an elevation of 1400m over 110km quite hilly, or not too bad? I'm not a huge fan of hills on the road bike yet and am still getting used to less hill-friendly gearing of the road bike over the MTB.
4) is there anything that I should try to do/avoid to make sure I last the 110km?

I'm quite excited about the prospect of doing it, but also slightly nervous that I'll mess up and not make the distance!
Thanks for the help.

SBezza · August 2008

I am doing the Test Valley Tour, I am doing the 150km route, it will be my first sportive, though I have ridden a 150km audax as well, so I have done the mileage.

It is quite hilly, I have rode some of the route on my mountain bike, before I got my road bike, but I think it should be fairly achievable for most riders.

For the cost of the event, I think you should just give it ago, I am pretty sure you will manage the distance, my furtherest ride before doing a 150km audax was 70miles, so the 110km route should be OK for you.

Hornetto · August 2008

Cheers SBezza. I think that I just need to make sure that I don't go out too quickly and get tired before the end.

Do you know if they close any of the roads for the ride, or are they still open to traffic?

SBezza · August 2008

They will be open to traffic, but generally you only see light traffic on these roads anyhow, well I have on the couple of times I have rode around the area (it is where my parents live).

pjcs · August 2008

And the organisation is excellent - same people who do the Gorrick MTB races.

I'm doing the 100Km challenge next week (got my first road bike a couple of weeks ago) but did the 50Km off road earlier this year which was great, although a bit wet!

juggler · August 2008

yes should be a good one for a first timer.

couple of downsides:

feedstops really only for water, so take food with you, no nice home baked cakes or bananas etc

the route is not published on the web beforehand so you may get lost. The signage is good in terms of indicating turns etc, but they seem to use the smallest signs i've ever seen on a sportive, so easy to ride past and miss the turn.

but all said and done should be good...

SBezza · August 2008

The 150km route is published, go to the site and the 150km route is there along with the profiles for all the different distances.

Actually, the 100km route is the same as the 150km route until just after Coombe Hill, you then take an easy ride back to Picket Piece.

JasonRwmb · August 2008

I entered the 150km route yesterday, nothing like leaving it until the last minute...

I did the Test Valley ride from Romsey, earlier this year, and echo the comments above about the event being well organised, I managed to follow the markers without any problems and never had to resort to looking at the map. The promised feed station on the long route extension was pretty poor, they had a bag of dried apricots and some small boxes of raisons (the sort of thing my 3 year old son has as a mid morning snack!) but was fine for filling water bottles with water or energy drink.

I am fairly new to road riding, always mountain biked in the past, and found I fitted in fairly well with the pace of most of the riders on the Romsey ride. I was faster than some and slower than some too, from memory my time was pretty much middle of the pack.

To survive the distance all I can recommend is to stay hydrated, eat something and ride at your own pace.

sturedd · August 2008

I registered for the 110km route the other day, this will be my 2nd sportive this year the first one i did was the Tour of Pembrokeshire. That clocked in 2000m of climbing so this one should!! be a little bit easier as i think it is only 1600m. The ToP i did in 5hrs including feed stops and the odd photo.....for proof to friends and family!! My computer said 4hr 30mins, Avg. Spd 14.5mph. I found it easier than i thought i would, i am sure you will be fine. Maybe we could get a little group and cycle it together??

Hornetto · August 2008

I'm doing it with a friend who is on an MTB with slicks, so hopefully he will regulate my pace a bit! He is a lot fitter than me though!

I did 47 miles on monday around Basingstoke which was about 750m elevation (according to BikeRouteToaster), so only about 1/2 as much as the Challenge. I was knackered because I went out quite fast for me and was pushing myself (saw a few roadies ahead of me a few times and *had* to catch up). Also didn't eat much the night before which wasn't ideal. Will try and cycle within myself for this though, and make sure I'm hydrated and fuelled up! Only aiming for between 5h and 5h30 (actual cycling time) - anything better is a bonus for me! Climbing hills is not my forte on the road bike yet!

I am looking forward to it, but with a little trepidation at the moment. Once I've got this first one under my belt I'm sure it will give me a lot more confidence about long distance rides.

I'll be on a silver Spesh Allez Sport with a yellow Watford FC water bottle and yellow gloves - feel free to say hi as you go past!!

pjcs · August 2008

Cracking day - good org and good weather although the heavens opened just after I got back. It was my first Sportive (only got a road bike for the first time 2 weeks ago) so pretty pleased to have done the 150Km in about 7hrs 20 (including 2 punctures)

Now where's that cream gone :oops:

SBezza · September 2008

Yeah I had a good time as well, weather held off long enough, I was well chuffed to get under 6 hours for the 150km, for my first ever sportive, though for the last 20 miles my legs were in agony, and Watership Down, though not a great hill, was absolutley painful as hell.

Good route signs, apart from the drop back down into St Mary Bourne, got to the main road, and there wasn't a sign to let you know what direction to go, but luckily there was someone else there that knew the direction to go.

Legs are not too bad now I must admit. Glad the weather was not like it was on Saturday, when it was well hot, would have been alot slower I would imagine.

I was amazed not to get any punctures considering the amount of flint and stones on some of the roads.

Will defo do this again next year.

Hornetto · September 2008

PJCS - you must have got to the end at about the same time as I did. I was just starting to put the bike in the car and got a soaking - bit annoying having escaped the rain all day!

I did the 100km route with my mate on his MTB in 5h29 riding time (according to the computer) but a total of about 6h30 including stops which we had plenty of as my mate was suffering a bit having not been out on his bike for a couple of months! We also had to slow down for the last 20 miles as he broke a spoke just after the 2nd water stop and had to disconnect his rear brake. We started at about 8:55am, so I think most of the 100km riders would have gone past us!!

Really enjoyed the day and I've really got the bug for doing some more rides like that now. Having my mate with me meant that I cycled well within myself and finished thinking that I still had quite a few miles left in my legs. In future it would be nice to be able to tag along with some of the faster groups that went past, but I'm pleased I completed the distance as my first step into long distance rides. Next I can work on improving the speed a bit without pushing too hard.

Combe Hill was a killer, but I was pleased that I managed to get up it without stopping.

All in all, a really good day - good organisation and friendly organisers. Can't wait for another one to come along!

sturedd · September 2008

Agree with the points above, all in all a good day, did the 100km, which incedently turned out to be 115km!! in 4hr 50mins which i was pleased with. Managed to get back before the heavans opened. Well organised just a shame there were no toilets at the feed stops. Yes Coombe Hill was a GIT but perversly enjoyable, i even sprinted up the last 30m or so!! I will definatly do it next year but hopefully be in a fitter state to tackle the 150km.

The only incident of the day was about 2 miles from the end when an idiotic driver went speeding past a me and the guy i was with then we heard an almighty crunch behind us. The driver had forced, like us, a group up the verge and clipped a cyclist and caused an accident. Hopefully the guy was alright however he was clutching his collarbone so something may have been broken. All the driver had to do was slow down or better still stop and it could have been avoided. I think drivers forget that we cyclists are no match for a tonne of steel!!!

But apart from that a great day.

JasonRwmb · September 2008

I enjoyed it. I completed the 150km route in just under 6 hours (I think) not sure of the exact time as my Garmin packed in halfway, and I hadn't taken a note of my start time! Anyway hopefully the times will be up on the TVT page soon. I have ridden that area a fair bit on the mountain bike, so it was nice to go around on a road bike. I found the last 10 miles or so a bit of a drag, and as I had no idea of how far was left to ride it just seemed to go on and on and on. The food at the end was very well received.

I think we were very lucky with the weather, I had gone prepared to get a soaking, but only rode through a short shower while at the top of Chute Hill.

I heard of a few people who crashed. And saw the chap who had crashed near the end, I thought he had slipped on the road, as it was a bit greasy around there. He looked to be fairly badly hurt with some big bits of flesh missing, hopefully he is ok. Did the car driver stop?

sturedd · September 2008

Jason, yes the driver did stop, however he didn't say much as i think he feared getting a beating from about 15 cyclists!! It made me think about getting some insurance cover in the unfortunate event of it happening to me.

SBezza · September 2008

Times for the 150km are up on the TVT website now.

Hornetto · September 2008

Sorry to hear about the guy who was hit by a car - I hope he recovers quickly. I'm amazed sometimes by the lack of consideration given to cyclists by drivers. As Sturedd said, sometimes I don't think they consider that they're driving over a ton of metal at someone.

As for the ride, the photos are also available on the website. Here is me.
Here is me

I'm now really tempted to do the SouthDowns Challenge on 21st September, which is 127km and with less climbing (or so it says!). Anyone else done/considering doing this one?

sturedd · September 2008

I might be tempted by the South Downs Challenge, i really have got the Sportive Bug now!! Hornetto - What was your average speed on Sunday?

This is me on one of the climbs near the end.

https://www.theimagefile.com/?skin=6899&Action=VF&id=1187129402&ppwd=bm8768fn

JasonRwmb · September 2008

I am not doing that one, but am doing the Southern Sportive, which is the weekend before:

http://www.southernsportive.com/index.php?go=southern

It looks like the routes for the two events overlap a bit.

Hornetto · September 2008

Sturedd - I was quite slow, mainly because I was with my friend on his MTB. It was a very comfortable pace, and I felt like I had plenty left when I finished (something I can't say I usually have!). Average was just under 13mph. Sunday for me was mainly getting the distance under my belt as a challenge. Now I know I can do it, next up will be improving the pace.

JasonR - I saw the Southern Sportive, but I'm not able to do that weekend. Looks like a nice one too.

SBezza · September 2008

The South Downs Challenge looks like quite a good one, might decide to do that, though I do have one the weekend before - The Circuit of Kent.

sturedd · September 2008

Hornetto - My average was 14.8mph....to be precise!! Had it not have been quite so slippery near the end i feel i could have maintained my 15mph. If you say you had more in you maybe we could partner up on the next one, it sounds like we could be about the same speed?

I will check the diary for the 21st.

Hornetto · September 2008

Stu - it would be good to partner up if you are free, at least at the start (I don't mind getting dropped if I turn out to be too slow for you!). I think it always helps if you've got someone with you!

When I did 47 miles around Basingstoke in preparation for the TVT I think I did about 14.5 mph average (from computer not overall time), but I had slowed towards the end because I'd gone out too fast and hard, and hadn't really eaten enough before going out. On the few occasions I've cycled to work (25 miles each way and fairly flat) I've managed an average of about 15.3 mph, so an average in the high 14s is do-able for me as long as I take it steady early on (and make sure I'm properly hydrated and fuelled up)!

Test Valley Tour - 31st August - OK for first-timer?

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