Gran Fondo Cymru - who's going and are you ready?

[kieran]

Had a quick look at the rider entry list I spotted the following:
Tim H
Sylvian
Marek
Huw
Aodan
Alan
Myself

Any others going? Did I hear that Maria and Toks are doing it too?
Noted all down for the Gran Fondo apart from Huw who's down for the sporting ride (sorry the Super Challenge ).

Don't know if I feel ready for it, but I suppose it depends on how fast you want to go, doesn't it. I think I will pace myself and let the fast ones shoot off ahead (if I don't give in to peer pressure).

Huw, - how did you layer your clothing for the wet etape du dales thingy?

[Matt Robbins]

Yep I?m down for this one?although after a week of a hellish cold and no cycling can?t say it?s filling me with great joy!!

What gearing are people going with?.are people going to be tough men and try a 39x25?or are we in the realm of compacts and/or 27/28 on the back???

Others I know of that are going are Phil Lambert and Graham O?

[Dr Frigo]

My bike's ready though it took a long time to clean it after Saturday's ride. I'm hoping the 39*27 will be low enough.

Racing mtb this Weds night and then I'll take it easy until Sunday. Don't forget to eat a little more pasta than usual towards the end of the week.

Looking forward to it (if the weather's ok). Taking a wild guess at hoping to finish under 8h (25km/h average, is this realistic with all this climbing?)

Maria is doing it yes.

[kieran]

gearing wise I just had a complete replacement of chain, crankset and cassette and now I have a 30 X 25 as my "oh, no I've bonked and look at the hill ahead!" gear. (also increased my top gear to push down the hills (assuming I make it over them)

[Phil L]

I'm definitely going and not too bothered by the fear of heavy rain - being born down the road from Bala, I am presuming I am genetically modified to cope with one of the wettest parts of Britain ... bald head, resistance to chafing, etc. ... or at least that is what I am telling myself to ease the fear. Though I must admit that my padded shorts were so sodden on Saturday that I thought I was going to give myself a colonic irrigation every time I sat down too hard on my saddle.

Rain or no rain, I am getting a little scared now as this will be the longest and toughest ride that I would have ever done. I have seen Huw's comments about the Dales ride. A 7.5 hr ride - well you can add a couple of hours on for me, and with the Gran Fondo being more hilly I believe, I might bring my lights along. ... and enough for a taxi fare back to Bala.

[huw williams]

Gear Choice

One of the interesting points to note at the Dales was the increased number of Triple Chainsets on view - normally the preserve of the older 'Audax' type riders, yesterday a lot of racers and good club riders were using them. This was frowned on last year by racers particularly but there has clearly been a change in opinion.

In an effort to find out why (other than the obvious 'so I can ride up steeper hills' answer) I asked about 10 racers why they had switched. Almost uniformly they answered that riding such hilly terrain on standard chainsets for seven hours robbed them of a lot their speed come the mid-week or following week's races. Spinning smaller gears on the climbs considerably lessens the effect they claimed (and we're talking all categories of racers here from 1st to 4ths).

During the ride I noticed that they weren't climbing particularly faster in the inside ring but they were distinctly more comfortable than those of us riding standard 39/27 gearing.

I'm not going to fit a triple for the Gran Fondo because the set-up changes to the bike are quite considerable. I am going to fit a Shimano Compact 34/50 Chainset because although I rode every climb on Sunday, (including some at over 20%) there is no way I could have got up Bwlch-Y-Groes at the end of the ride (which is what we'll have to do next week) based on how I was feeling after 105 miles.

Clothing
Nightmare! Basically because sunday started in bright sunshine at 6.30am and finished at 1.30pm in freezing rain - its very difficult to cover all bases.

All you can do is dress warm enough for the ride (you should be feeling a bit cold on the descents so as not to overheat on the long climbs) and carry something as lightweight and waterproof as possible in case of rain. The raincoat also tends to be enough to cover the drop in temperature when it starts raining. It's almost easier if its raining from the start because it makes your mind up for you.

I got given a Rapha Stowaway waterproof jacket to test for yesterday's ride and I've got to say I was gobsmacked at how good it was. Ultra lightweight and rolls up to no-size-at-all for carrying. I took it off after three hours in driving rain and my shirt underneath was dry. Unbelievable! Unfortunately they cost £200 for the privilage but its consumately the best waterproof I've ever tried.

Are you ready for it?
All I can say is DON'T GO FAST FROM THE START. I was ready for yeserday's ride but the changes to the course (combined with the awfull weather) took us all by surprise. We were absolutely dying by the end. Gran Fondo Cymru is a new event so no-one knows how tough its going to be. You don't want to be blowing up with 40 miles over Snowden left to ride. Go steady til you get a feel for the terrain, judge how your feeling by half way then decide if you want to attack it. Riders who start steady and finish fast always post quicker times than riders who hammer it for the first half then hang on and grovel to the finish.

Personally I don't intend to go out fast on this one, it's too long and too early in the year and I'd like to be in best shape for the Dragon Ride and the Baeleach-Ne-Bar later in the summer. So pretty steady I reckon.

[siwickm]

Max Ramirez is doing it as well, we were talking about this at the weekend and we reckon a 39 * 21 will be alright and that we should race each other from the start.

Cheers

Marek...

[huw williams]

That was EXACTLY what you did the last time you went to Wales and look what happened

[Maria David]

Yep, I'm going - all set with triple chain ring (de rigueur I think).
I just need to see how the legs get on !

[siwickm]

I'll race you up the first hill then Huw

Cheers

Marek...

[Toks]

Its tempting to do since lots of ACC boys and girls will be there. However my entry will be EOL and I'd have to sort out last minute accomadation. Psychologically I don't know if I can be arsed. I've got the White Rose Classic and the Dragon ride coming up in June which I'm looking forward to - so I'll just see how I feel later on in the week.

[siwickm]

Come on Toks, please come it will be fun, we will take it really easy, I am absolutely cacking myself about this ride, more so than the Marmotte so we have an agreement to go slow.

Cheers

Marek....

[huw williams]

TOKS - I should base your decision on the weather - check it on Friday then decide. You don't want to travel up there last minute if it's going to be p*****g down

[Gavin]

Marmotte is as easy as duplo compared to this.

oh I am supposed to be going but we'll see....

[quote]Come on Toks, please come it will be fun, we will take it really easy, I am absolutely cacking myself about this ride, more so than the Marmotte so we have an agreement to go slow.