72" of fun and a SCCU Sporting 25 Recce

[Andrew G]

Of work today and having been a slacker on Saturday and a cancelled race on Monday decided that some fixed wheel action was called for.

Have upped the gearing on my fixie to medium gear, which for the uninitiated is 72 inches - in my case 48x18, so was looking forward to a decent workout on today's ride.

Was a bit unsure about what some of the lanes might be like after the weekend's "Spring" weather so started out on main roads. As the SCCU Sporting 25 has switched courses this year I decided to go out and have a ride round that to get a feel for it. Out to Holmwood and then on to the course, brief heads up for those riding of what this course is like below.

After checking out the course I headed up Rusper Road and through Lambs Green to come back via the CR as I couldn't be bothered to think of an alternative route. All home with 70 miles and 4 hours of constant pedaling in the legs. Despite a more than normal amount of it being on main roads it was good fun. Maybe a bit windy and chillier than you might expect at the end of March, but compared to the snowball fights people were having yesterday it seemed positively tropical - lovely blue sky.

Course review:
Bad news is there is hardly any flat at all, good news is there are no hills either. It's a real roller where you are either going up a drag, down a bit of a swoop, or up down on a rolling section. I think that the good guys will be clocking some fast times on it.

You start by heading up the A24 towards the Capel RAB (turn on 10 course). This is a very good surface with quite a long drag, but pretty gentle, up to the RAB. Next bit is the 10 course from the turn back down to Beare Green RAB.
1st exit to almost double back on yourself here and head down the A29. This part of the course seems quite long and go on for most of the circuit. Most of the surface is fine but there are a couple of bits of cracked tarmac and the odd sunken drain and pothole so keep your head up.
This road is nearly all up, down rolls and swoops. The key will probably be to keep the momentum going from one roll to the next, should be good for power houses and really aero people.
If you've done the 10 the day before then about halfway down the road you might get a sense of deja vu as you get to Ockley and realise you're going the other way down a road you were on the day before. Just after the village there is quite a rough section of tarmac, very bumpy, but not too long.
The left turn in to Marches Road is a nice wide sweep on to a slight incline so you won't have to touch the brakes much before it.
Marches Road is also a good road surface, when you see the white pub on the right hand side of the road on a bit of a bend, the left back on to the A24 is just after it.
2 laps of that but of on the 2nd lap you don't turn on to Marches Road but carry on and do a different wiggle to finish. I didn't check this bit but unless there's a stupidly steep hill on it then it shouldn't be a problem.

Cheers,

Andrew.

[Ivor]

hmmm, might go for a loop of that this sunday.

[mrP(Boonen)VT]

[quote]Course review:
Bad news is there is hardly any flat at all, good news is there are no hills either. It's a real roller where you are either going up a drag, down a bit of a swoop, or up down on a rolling section. I think that the good guys will be clocking some fast times on it.

[Dominic]

And the first course I went under the hour on just under a year ago, so it can't be that slow

[George]

Good Recce Andrew well done matey!
[quote]Look out at the the top end of the Marches, just before the pub, on the right, there is a For Sale board and with a bit of luck......

[Andrew G]

Trouble is it probably won't make me any quicker George.