The Cheshire Cat

I seem to remember there were a few of us who were entering this.  So who is doing it?

I'm a little worried that I haven't done any long enough rides yet, although I did ride up mow cop at the weekend.  It is very steep, but I did it without stopping so I was happy.

My friend even got a picture of me struggling up.

Trio

I'm tres impressed that you got up there, especially as you weren't on your bestest (lightest) bike  What gear were you in?

I'll be there...chasing after my men again and no doubt on my limit!

Bry

I was in my smallest gear, no idea what that is -maybe 34 x 23? - but I was hanging over the handlebars and zig zagging up the last bit.

It was too windy to take my best bike out and if I can get up it on my winter bike hopefully even after 70miles I can get up it on my lovely light summer bike.

Wave as you head past me then Bry, looking at the results from last year there were hardly any females.  This year I will probably be wearing a CycleChat Jersey.

I shall definitely look out for you! It would be cool if we finished at the right time to have a cuppa together (and a massive cake or something!)

I've just seen another photo of Mow Cop and it really does look incredibly steep! Is it long, or is the pain over reasonably quickly?

Also, do you have an idea what the rest of the route will be like? I don't know that area at all.

Have you thought about doing the Circuit of the Cotswolds? I know it's a bit of a journey for you, but it's a great one to do and the route is really beautiful (and just about every single hill in the area).

When is that event?  I think my calendar might be getting a little full now though.

Mow Cop starts as a steady climb it's just the last bit that is super steep, it looks vertical as you arrive at it.  But if you take the earlier part easy it's fine, well I got up it without stopping.

Not sure about the rest of the route, we rode from leek as my friend - who got me into this road riding nonsence - lives there.  I just wanted to have seen Mow Cop after reading about it in Cycling weekly.

I think you'll probably finish way ahead of me!  You are a little speedier than me and you'll be chasing your boys.  I'm a little worried about my lack on long rides so far this year as well.

That was the plan!

I've still not been past 80mile - that was in January.  Since then 60miles has been my longest.  Think I need to get one ride nearer 100miles before then!  100miles sounds a long way!

What sort of training do you do on road Bry?  I'm still quite new to road riding!  But I'm hoping these events will help with my training for transwales.

Riding with your boys is why you are so speedy!  What is your average speed usually?

Well I've only done one over 80 miles this year (think it was about 88).

I'm off to Majorca on Saturday for 10 days so should get chance to get some long rides in. Not sure I'll do any 100 milers though - we'll see. Sounds like a long way to me too!

I normally do club rides on Saturdays and Sundays - that's about 60 - 70 miles each (and then I stuff my face on Sunday nights!). I'd say it's averaging 17-18mph but it's not massively hilly around here (it can be lumpy, but you have to seek out the bigger hills). During the week I ride to work once or twice, which is a 30 mile round trip, or 40 if I take the long route. I should probably vary it more as that's all I'm fit for, really - longish road rides at a constant level of effort. I've done two road races in the last three weeks - the first one was ok but I was stuffed during the sprint, and the second one was a nightmare and after 20 mins I was so shocked by the pace that I pulled out . Thing is, I like my sociable long rides with my friends in good scenery and nice cafe stops etc!

Do you do any road rides in a group?

Wow that sounds fast, I managed 13.2mph average yesterday and that was on a generally flat ride.

Not not done any group rides, the most I've rode with on road is two other people.  But I like cafe stops as well!  Don't think I'm fast enough for a local club, went out on a novice ride with one and it killed me.

Well it's so much easier in a group. I couldn't average that alone. Sometimes there are 14 of us, so you don't end up taking a turn on the front very often. So I'm pretty lazy really!

That's a shame about your local club. I'm very very sure that you would be ok with our club (which has rides at two different speeds, plus a women's ride in the summer). Shame you are too far away! But don't rule out trying the club again, or a different one, as they do seem to vary a lot.

Trio

Just wanted to say good luck for tomorrow! We are about to set off (staying the night up there). Forecast seems to have improved slightly so let's keep our fingers crossed!

I'll be wearing either dark grey/black & blue kit, or pink BMCC kit (probably the former). Will look out for you!

Bry

Good luck to you too.

I'll probably be in black with a cyclechat hersey.  But with the weather I might have a jacket over the top.

Look out for my bike though!

Hope you both got on OK yesterday, my friend rode and he said it was pretty windy.

Trio - keep it up as you are new to road riding you'll find that the more you do the faster you'll get, speed is also increased with better technique and mental attitude. I can increase my mileage by a good couple of mile an hour just by concentrating effort and relaxing things like shoulders and arms, trouble is i'm not quite fit enough to do it for too long, but it is getting better! 

Things like tyres and tyre pressure and the gears you ride will also make a difference there is a lot of trial and error involved.

As Bry says riding in a group is much easier and faster, it is also more social, keep trying different clubs, any club worth joining will be happy for you to try thier runs out before joining although some can be quite intimidating especially to women, but many are getting better.

Well I had a great time.  Although I'm not sure about the organsation of the event.  We missed a sign and did an extra 6miles, I queued for 20minutes to use a toilet that's door didn't shut completely.  But all in all had a great day, rode 105miles and had an average moving speed of 14.7mph which I was happy with.

Will look at clubs again, need some nice roadie off shecycles to live up here!

Well done, Trio! Nice one!

I really enjoyed it (wasn't the weather brilliant?!) but now that the adrenalin has gone I'm knackered!

Everyone seemed to get lost for the last few miles - don't know what happened to the signs?! We definitely took a strange route back. Not sure what the final mileage was as my computer is broken.  I saw the loo that you're referring to and in the end opted for a hedge down the road (despite the warnings about it being illegal to pee in public etc!).

Mow Cop - well it's certainly steep, especially when you've got 70 miles in your legs! I somehow made it to the top. I played a kind of game with myself right from the bottom of the climb, which consisted of going as slow as possible and just doing enough to keep the pedals turning over. Quite a lot of people went past me but I was just relieved to get up there. The photos are going to be horrendous - the camera was right in my face and I reckon there was probably sweat and snot everywhere...yuck!

I did look out for you and your bike but didn't see you! What time did you start?

Started at about quarter to nine.

There were a lot of people though, I kept an eye out for you but didn't see you.  Saw a girl with a bright pink bike which I thought was very cool!

I had the same technique on Mow Cop, so many people passed me on the way to the steep bit, but I got up that bit when they didn't.  Found it hard though.

I reckon I probably started about 8.40.

I say well done to us both for getting up that hill!

Have you found any pics of you?

In a fit of madness, I've signed up to the Legbreaker again! (After saying I wouldn't do it this year!)We'll have to start another thread on that nearer the time!

Yes found some pics, I'm number 59.  What is your number?  I won't be buying them though as they're not exciting and expensive!  We must have been close to each other in the start pen.

The legbreaker is brilliant!  Glad you are doing it again, I wonder if I could attach some elastic to your bike so you can pull me up the hill?