Cheshire Cat 2009

popette wrote:

one that runs roughly parallel to artists lane (leads up to the wizard) - is that the one?

not sure, it's here anyway.

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=Swiss+Hill,+Alderley+Edge+SK9,+United+Kingdom&sll=53.476664,-2.373442&sspn=0.049754,0.170288&g=Swiss+Hill,+Alderley+Edge+SK9,+United+Kingdom&ie=UTF8&cd=1&geocode=FZ1OLQMdqwPe_w&ll=53.301928,-2.227435&spn=0.01249,0.042572&z=15

Am also planning to go and have a look on saturday......if it is dry will see if my 7 year old son can do it in his 1st gear too....(he likes a challenge!)....and then can let him lose in the woods too.....

Wanted to do the 37 mile route on sunday, but my girlfriend has seen the weather forecast and now we will be doing the 36km altrincham-alderley loop :-(

http://www.bikeradar.com/routes/?bpath= ... -Edge-Loop

Riding up Swiss Hill this morning... Impossible
walking up ...impossible
walking down...almost impossible

the turning into the hill at the bottom from the Mottram direction (when wet) is very doggy.
I got to the first set of flats on the left, sat down all the way, and the back wheel was slipping constantly. at this point it became dangerous... so gave up and just managed to walk down without ending up on my ass.
I've done it quite a few times in the dry and its good fun... I just hope the CC folk have good weather cos it'll cause a lot of problems otherwise

Steve

nom de plum wrote:

Riding up Swiss Hill this morning... Impossible
walking up ...impossible
walking down...almost impossible

the turning into the hill at the bottom from the Mottram direction (when wet) is very doggy.
I got to the first set of flats on the left, sat down all the way, and the back wheel was slipping constantly. at this point it became dangerous... so gave up and just managed to walk down without ending up on my ass.
I've done it quite a few times in the dry and its good fun... I just hope the CC folk have good weather cos it'll cause a lot of problems otherwise

Steve

I had a go this afternoon.
Took it steady from the bottom, seated, making an effort to pedal smoothly, not so bad at all I thought...
But so much concentration needed, trying to use the camber, avoid the big cracks between some of the cobbles, keep the weight on the back but not let the front wheel get so light that it heads off in the wrong direction. Real finessing-it stuff I haven't done since years ago on a MTB.
About halfway up, back wheel starts slipping a bit on the slimy cobbles and wet leaves, I can see it's getting steeper ahead so a I look further ahead to try to pick my line and suddenly I'm caught by a steep right to left camber and have to put a foot down. Bah !
No chance of restarting and managing to clip in on this, so walk up past a couple of drive entrances and the flats for 30yds or so until the slope eases, there's a temporary roadsign so I hang onto that, get on the bike and clipped-in, then off again and up to the top.
So would be do-able...just not by me today !
I think it was actually easier riding the bike than walking up the slope in cleats - I was leaning on the bike. Certainly didn't fancy walking down in cleats !

No, don't fancy that greatly if there's going to be lots of other people around and you have to add negotiating them as another hazard.

I took the liberty of plotting the middle route (yes I'm a big girl's blouse, I know) onto bikeroutetoaster after entering and it looks like a piece of cake to me, apart from those six big peaks which look like a pitbull's teeth.

http://www.bikeroutetoaster.com/Course. ... urse=23565

You go on the summary page which shows the route profile.

Maybe those hills will rip your legs off like a pitbull? But of course we will all either love it or hate it, say never again and still sign up again next year once the legs have stopped aching.

I live at the bottom of the Macc Forest climb, so train on it and most of the other climbs too. They are brutes, but they're relatively short brutes. There'll be 2 issues for people I think - 1) it's early in the season, so power levels might not be quite as high as later in the year for going vertically, and 2) if they've gone like trains for the first - flat - part of the ride, they might suffer when it gets lumpier. That said, it's not the Alps.

sportbilly1976 wrote:

Does anyone have a website that they use which can be used to get a profile of the route....?

can't see any link to one on the Kilotogo site...

bikeroutetoaster

thetrotter wrote:

Sorry to disappoint you but don't think you come down the Cat and Fiddle on this route - you just cross it at the Lamaload cross roads coming up from Macc Forest. There's a very steep - if short - descent going down to Lamaload where you will be praying for a dry day to get round the bend at the bottom.

Indeed, you're right.

But the earth bank on the left hand side is about waist height and very soft in wet weather - it stopped me a treat last Sunday, just got very muddy elbow and knee :oops:

It's these sh*ite tyres on my Winter bike, the ProRace on my Summer bike were fine at a far faster speed in just as wet conditions on the Spud Riley :shock:

popette wrote:

I almost came a cropper on the 25% double arrow road near to lamaload

yeah, quite steep there! much easier the other way!!

Managed this morning to get up Swiss Hill on an "exercise" run of Sale-Alderley-Macc-Kettleshulme-Disley-Stockport-Sale.

Was on a MTB, so wider tyres than when I do the event, but sitting down and simply churning the pedals it was ok. Tried to stand up and push it at one stage, but that just caused the rear wheel to spin. :oops:

I must admit that I didnt find the cobbles too much trouble (although I was tackling it after just 10 miles, instead of 50 on the event & I was able to meander about on the way up!)

Was rather shocked too to have a family clap me up about 3/4 of the way...altohugh not sure if they thought I was brave or mad

edit: entry paid now... so best try the other two hills. lol