SRS Events Tour de Weald Cyclosportive 2010

SRS Events
SRS Events Posts: 264
Don't miss out on our next Cyclosportive event on the 2nd of May

THE SRS EVENTS TOUR DE WEALD CYCLOSPORTIVE.


For further details go to our website at http://www.srs-events.cc

Comments

  • SRS EVENTS THE SECOND EVENT.

    Some great comments about the last SRS Event the Burgess Hill Springtime Classic here on Bikeradar.
    The Tour de Weald the second event in the SRS Events 2010 Cyclosportive Series has to be considered the hardest cyclosportive in the South East of England when talking about the longest route of the four distances available on the Tour de Weald Cyclosportive. The premier route on this ride ie the Classic is 125 miles long.

    All the Routes of the Tour de Weald enjoy the quite roads of the Kent and Sussex countryside and with four routes to test all abilities The Tour De Weald is a must for any Cyclosportive Warrior wishing to test their abilities as a rider.
    CLASSIC ROUTE

    This is the long one ! 125 miles and too many hills in our opinion ! But look at it this way what goes up must come down. Mind you if can't get up one of the first major hills called Castle Hill you might want to consider taking that turning for the Challenge route while you have the chance.

    A Special award goes to those that finish this ride a broom wagon is available for those who fail in their attempts.



    CHALLENGE ROUTE

    The mark of any good cyclist is being able to complete 100 miles.

    The mark of a good cyclosportive rider is being able to finish the Tour de Weald Challenge route and still have the energy to lift spoon to mouth as you tuck into all the free food at the HQ.

    TOUR ROUTE

    The Tour Route is not whimping out it's still 65 miles long and this is no easy ride, enjoyable yes but iit will take the average Cyclospotive rider 5 hours to complete.

    THE KERMESSE

    The Kermesse is great event for riders who wish to ride their first cyclosportive event and don't want to blow a gasket. Enjoy the lovely picturesque route and of course kick back for a while at the feed station.
  • what brakes
    what brakes Posts: 328
    Im already booked but hopefuly i will have a replacement bike bu then to do it on! Already missed out on the last one after a car decided it didnt like me or my bike!
  • ajcherry
    ajcherry Posts: 22
    I just tried to enter this event and according to the Sports Trident site entries closed on Friday 2 April 2010 after only 150 had entered.However on the SRS Events site the closing date is 21st April 2010.

    I guess it might be a typo error but either way it does n`t allow you to enter on-line as the event is closed.

    Perhaps somebody could let us know what`s going on.
  • ajcherry
    ajcherry Posts: 22
    It now says closing date 25 April so i`ve just entered the Classic 125miler. :D
  • Yes it looks like everything is working, the online entry for the Tour de Weald is open until the 25th of April.

    Great first event on the series and the Tour de Weald looks like a really lovely course but hard if your going to do the long one @125 miles ! only for the super strong I feel :twisted:

    There are though 3 other choices of distance 35miles, 65miles and 100mils :lol:
    HAVE A LOOK AT THE ROUTES HERE :arrow: http://www.srs-events.cc

    A lot of people though entering the 125 mile route --- YOU BRAVE SOULS !
  • SRS EVENTS NEXT EVENT

    THE TOUR DE WEALD on the 2nd May

    STILL TIME TO ENTER THE Entries close @23.59 hrs this coming SUNDAY

    See more information on their website http://www.srs-events.cc

    Can you do 125 miles in under 10 hours ?
  • gbs
    gbs Posts: 450
    I am half interested but where is the start? Are there any London trains compatible with the 0730 KO?

    As a generalised plea to event organisers pl indicate the nearest station. I have a perfectly good Saab and roof rack but I have a green tinged preference for the train
    vintage newbie, spinning away
  • Oh you worried me then I nearly thought the start wasn't in Burgess Hill
    But the website says it starts in Burgess Hill.

    The nearest training station is Burgess Hill train station
    The train station is about 3 min away from the HQ by bike.

    Here are a few links
    http://www.firstcapitalconnect.co.uk

    http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/

    There are probably more train links but I am sure people can work it out for themselves rather than relying on the organisers.
    I am no travel agent by the way so check those links, I have used the train to get to Burgess Hill and had no problems getting the bike down on the train. But to be honest I would use the car if I was you, as you never know if they will be working on the line on a Sunday making you late.
  • ratsbeyfus
    ratsbeyfus Posts: 2,841
    mroli wrote:
    I hope that the rain happens overnight or holds off...

    It didn't. My skeleton is wet. :cry:

    Great event, though, and very good organisation. Thanks to all at SRS.


    I had one of them red bikes but I don't any more. Sad face.

    @ratsbey
  • mroli
    mroli Posts: 3,622
    Just got out of the bath. I think that I was wetter before I went in. Thankfully I have warmed up though. `15 miles - 2 punctures - one for my mate, mine 3 miles from the end was particularly cruel - although I think I saw the funny side. Identical punctures - brown flint through the middle of the tyre - first ones on sportives though.

    Thought that nos were a little low on the ground, but SRS run a good event - signing was excellent, check in good. Could do with a few more toilets but the coffee and pasta at the end was very welcome.

    Did the Classic - 125 miles and due to the conditions was getting the proper arse over the first 2 hours - constant climb followed by braking descent in the wet. Didn't get any drier, but got more rolling....

    Legs feel lovely now though!
  • daverow
    daverow Posts: 64
    Great event organisation and the fruit cake at the feed stops saved my life, I think.

    Went out too hard for the first 40-50 miles and really suffered for it between 70-100. Managed to pull myself together for the last 30 or so miles when other cyclists started to reappear from the shorter routes. A welcome relief considering I shredded my only spare inner tube by using a Co2 canister (it blew the tube) and was saved by a very generous passer-by who gave me one of his spares! Peter - I am eternally grateful.

    Must say, there must have been VERY few people doing the Classic as I spent the majority of my 7+ riding hours alone, wet and without any feeling in my fingers. Nice!

    It's the only time i've ever worn out both front and rear brake pads in one ride. The conditions were THAT shitty.

    Good miles for the etape, though. (Just hope the weather's better :D )
  • jnr_h
    jnr_h Posts: 18
    There are a lot of other event organisers that could learn a lot from how well the routes were marked. Really great work and big up to the organisers for that.
    Pity there weren't more cyclists out.

    Did the classic, rode with 2mates, so got to share the pull a bit. Small mercy.
    Somewhere around 155km I went deep into Bonk City. So deep that there was a new mayor in town. The cold was a major factor in that I think.
    Was a real tough day out.
  • ajcherry
    ajcherry Posts: 22
    As others have said,great organisation, good feed stops and a very well signpost route.

    What started off with a bit of annoying light rain soon turned to heavy rain after Wadhurst for me.I spent a good part of the classic route riding on my own.I`m guessing due to the apalling conditions some riders didn`t turn up.

    For me the low point came after stopping at the Brightling feed stop, the dreaded cold had set in and the fingers in my left hand refused to operate the gears moving up to the big ring.Fortunately after Cade St the route seemed more down hill or flat which allowed me to stay in the big ring and plough up the odd incline.

    Those narrow steep desents have certainly taken there toll on my front brake pads.I must have seen a dozen people repairing punctures.What tyres do people use? I use Specialized Armodillos and they rarely puncture. That was the hardest Sportive i ever done and certainly the longest.My trip meter showing 128 miles, a PB for me in a day.Overall it was great fun despite the weather.
  • SRS Events
    SRS Events Posts: 264
    Tour de Weald now re-named The Wet One cyclosportive

    I take my hat off to all those that finished the Tour de Weald I don't think you could get a wetter day.

    Thanks for all your kind comments on the organisation, positive feed back does make us feel like all the hard effort is worth it when people congratulate us on the organisation of the events.
    Numbers were low only half the field of the Springtime Classic in March for the Tour de Weald but we hope slowly but surely people will become aware that we organise ever improving cyclosportive events that should not be missed.

    The next event is the 1066 ride on the 4th July with a Classic route of 100 Miles with a few hills in it one of them being the very small hill of COBB LANE :lol:

    Also don't forget that we are taking entries for the BURGESS HILL RUMBLE which is on the 29th August.

    OK end of Plug
    :oops:


    Thanks and well done to all that braved the day
    Results will be up on the website by the 8pm tonight but if you look on SI Entries it is there already http://www.sportident.co.uk/results/201 ... urDeWeald/

    I am off to take some arrows down now (deep joy)

    Rupert
  • David-Witts
    David-Witts Posts: 80
    Rupert,
    A good wet event but realistically now that I’ve ridden in a “river bed” for 65 miles I won’t do that again in a hurry.
    I'm happy that I completed the Tour ride and suffered from the same symptoms as many others of not being able to change the front derailleur due to frozen left hand fingers :(
    More loos at the start a good plus point but no free cup of tea this time was strange. Good cake and tea at the Mayfield stop.
    Some arrows went missing at the B2096 on the way to Old Heathfield. A soggy OS map reprint of the route ( I have Audax tendencies ) got ~ 8 of us back on track.
    Thanks to all your helpers that make the SRS events work really well.
    For the future.
    In wet events (maybe even dry ) can we have stock of inner tubes to purchase at cost + use of a track pump if required at the stops So many riders were out of tubes by Mayfield.I’ll be back for the Rumble. Davy
  • Pink-Bike
    Pink-Bike Posts: 2
    I did the 65 mile Tour route with my son-in-law Pete. Excellent organisation from SRS with good signage and tea & cake at Mayfield. One of the wettest days we've had on the bike but a sense of achievement to complete it. We avoided punctures but saw many having to fix flats. Looking forward to the Rumble in August, please book a dry day. :lol:
    See you at the top!
  • SRS Events
    SRS Events Posts: 264
    David we did have inner tubes available at cost with the mechanics but next time there will be more inner tubes available at the Tea/timing stops as well.

    It was a nasty day for weather and I think many were not wearing the right clothing for the conditions -- ie just wearing shorts ! We are going to put together some videos to inform new riders to cyclosportives the correct things to wear.
  • mroli
    mroli Posts: 3,622
    i think that everyone had probably been fooled by the balmy weather of the previous week....

    I know when I was getting out the car, i was deliberating short or long fingered gloves. SO glad I went with the long fingers.

    A track pump at all of the feed stations would be an excellent idea too if you could do it.
  • SRS Events
    SRS Events Posts: 264
    DEAR MROLI
    GOOD CHOICE FOR LONG FINGERED GLOVES INDEED some people didn't even have gloves !! :!: :roll:

    HOPEFULLY The 1066 CYCLOSPORTIVE (4th July ) will be dry and warm for all of us.
    Those that are interested there will be some Free training rides for this event in the coming weeks. check out ON THE RIVET for details about these training rides.
    http://ontherivet.ning.com














    :arrow:
  • SRS Events
    SRS Events Posts: 264
    TOUR DE WEALD CYCLOSPORTIVE 2010

    Results and Photos now available on the series table page.
    Click on the link below:-

    http://www.srs-events.cc/event2/series-table.htm
  • what brakes
    what brakes Posts: 328
    God you guys arent wrong about being wet!

    I rode in shorts. nothing wrong with that! infact i think i was better off with shorts as long would just hold more water next to your skin! didnt have gloves wither as they would just hold water too! infact even my gortex top gave up try to stop the water! lol

    I was also out on my own pretty much all the way too. althought i caught up with the 3rd guy past the 65mile mark and we rode together for most of the rest together.

    Even though i was 4th fastest i still only managed a bronze time! thats how bad the weather effected the riding.

    It was good to see some like minded mad people on the day. :wink:

    As to the results whats the MP next to some of the names????

    It was well organised but i think a clearer starting would be better! me and a mate were waiting around and kept seeing people setting off but we were waiting for our start time but decided we would ask and found out we could have left at pretty much anytime! Friendly crew and thanks for a horrid day! :wink: next time can you not book it for such a wet day. lol
  • It better not rain on the 4th of July or riders will never get up Cob Lane on the 1066 cyclosportive. It's far too steep and slippery in the wet to climb.

    Compact chainset with 24,25 on the back recommended for this short climb of Cobb lane.

    Training rides on parts of the 1066 ride being organised starting from Ditchling see ON THE RIVET for details.
  • jeepie1999
    jeepie1999 Posts: 78
    Hi,

    Many thanks for a superbly organised ride yesterday. I've done a few sportives and never seen organisation so brilliantl;y carried out. I think a large part of the difference was the superb attitude of every member of your team combined with the careful preparation.

    Having said all that, I felt uncomfortable trying to keep the bike rolling at a decent pace along lots of lanes which were to too narrow for a car and a bike.

    Many thanks once again