Kirklees Sportive on Sunday - anyone else doing it??

[dave p]

Well done for finishing. Glad to hear you've got the bug. I enjoyed the ride it was an excellent route and the busy bits wern't too busy unlike some other sportives.
My actual ride time was 5hrs 26mins but and its a big but i had a major mechanical which delayed me by 1hr while I waited for the bike shop in Uppermill to open. One of my saddle rails had snapped which meant I had to ride for about 7 miles standing and of the saddle. Once repaired an hour later I then had to try and catch-up by which point the signs had been taken down. After a mad chase I managed to catch the back markers on the decent into Holmfirth. I enjoyed Holme Moss and the hillier sections but the last bit was a bit of a drag through Rastrick. The sun even shone towards the end of the day.

The white rose climbs are generally a bit steeper and shorter. Watch out for Langbar near the end. Definate cramps going up there.
Cheers

 

[ColinJ]

My actual ride time was 5hrs 26mins but and its a big but i had a major mechanical which delayed me by 1hr while I waited for the bike shop in Uppermill to open. One of my saddle rails had snapped which meant I had to ride for about 7 miles standing and of the saddle.

Was that you by the side of the road on the way up to Buckstones then Dave? My mate told me he'd asked a guy with a mechanical if he needed help and he said that he had bust his saddle.

I once broke the clamp holding my saddle. Fortunately I was on top of a big hill outside Hebden Bridge, so I was able to get home pretty quickly standing up, with my saddle in my rear pocket.

Please note - in such a case, if you wish to avoid impromptu rectal surgery - remember to lower the seat post... You may intend to remain standing, but if you hit a big bump you could do yourself a nasty!

 

[dave p]

That was me.

 

[Andrew Williams]

Hi SJB,
From the clues in your posts I guess we rode together for the first 20 miles or so until your pub stop. Good to see you got round OK. I managed 7:41, felt OKish until the last climb out from Cooper Bridge then spent the last 6 miles or so locked in granny gear at 8mph or so cursing the endless climb! As a sportive virgin it was a bit too much for me, not too sure about another at least until the memory fades a bit!

 

[trycycling]

Sorry dave p . I dashed home to get you a saddle & headed off up to Buckstones . Some chap rang me just after you 'cos he'd stuck his rear mech in his spokes. He was just short of the summit with his mate , looking cold and wet. Got his wheel running truish , re-set his gears and sent him off. Continued through Denshaw and Delph , looking for you all the time but by the time we got to Marsden , helped a guy with a puncture and was just handing another chap his rear mech ( in a few pieces ! ) when you texted me. From Uppermill.
I'm hopeless with a mobile - I just about know how to answer it , so I couldn't work out how to ring you back and certainly had no idea how to text !
Glad to hear you got round anyway.
cheers
Andy

 

[sjb]

Hi SJB,
From the clues in your posts I guess we rode together for the first 20 miles or so until your pub stop. Good to see you got round OK. I managed 7:41, felt OKish until the last climb out from Cooper Bridge then spent the last 6 miles or so locked in granny gear at 8mph or so cursing the endless climb! As a sportive virgin it was a bit too much for me, not too sure about another at least until the memory fades a bit!

Hi Andy (Welcome to CycleChat)

Yes it was me, good to hear from you and good to know you got round OK. Thanks for the company too, it was good to chat for those first 25 miles or so. From halfway up Wessenden to the end, on and off, I ended up riding with a group of 3 riders who all worked at Barnsley Council - they all knew my mate (he also works there) who ended up coming in 4th in 4 hours 47 mins, and this despite riding the last 3 miles with a flat rear tyre AND at the age of 44!

I think I nearly caught up with you again on Holme Moss (looked like the same blue jacket and bike) but the cramps got me about 3/4 of the way up After that it was cramps on every hill until the end so ended up doing about 5 mph up the hill from Cooper Bridge. Strangely enough I didn't find the final climb that bad - I think it's because I know the hill so well (its on one of my regular evening runs) so know that it doesn't get any steeper and will end at some point!

Managed to get out for a brisk 10 miles on Monday night which has stopped my legs aching too much. Only lasting problem is a strained right wrist from all that hard braking on the descents, need to do some strengthening exercises before tacking anything that long again.....

Maybe see you again on the pennines some day, or when we head over to Cheshire again.

Cheers

Simon