Jonnyboy27
Senior Member
- Location
- Teesside
Enjoyed today I did the 63 the last hill at 45 Miles was a bit of a bugger, lovely weather tho but. Some of the roads in Northumberland are in quite a state..
England : Northumberland Virgin Money Cyclone 2014
- Thread starter Fnaar
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Fnaar
Smutmaster General
- Location
- Thumberland
Hiya... though not as trained for it as I was last year, think I did myself sort of justice....
Official time for the 104 = a shade over 8 hours, but Strava app tells me actual riding time was 7:27. Last year I had a riding time of 7:03, so a bit slower today. I cramped up twice: right at the top of Troughend Common, then again at the top of the 2nd Ryal (thankfully not in front of the photographer
)
Great ride, I really enjoyed it
Official time for the 104 = a shade over 8 hours, but Strava app tells me actual riding time was 7:27. Last year I had a riding time of 7:03, so a bit slower today. I cramped up twice: right at the top of Troughend Common, then again at the top of the 2nd Ryal (thankfully not in front of the photographer
)Great ride, I really enjoyed it
OP
OP
Fnaar
Smutmaster General
- Location
- Thumberland
Sorry to hear that @AndyRM ... but still, you enjoyed (as you say) a decent ride in the sun. But as @Jonnyboy27 says, yes, some of the roads are atrocious!
robrich
Active Member
Did the 63 as my first ever sportive today and really enjoyed it. Wont be winning any trophies with a 4hr 40min!
The weather was perfect with light winds and mixed cloud and sun.
Only issue I had, (and I cycle a lot around Northumberland so I know this already) was the state of some of the roads; potholed and rutted sometimes to a dangerous extent. One part I remember after a fast descent out of Forestburn Gate was a bridge where the road was shaded by trees hiding a terribly potholed stretch of road . a number of riders were off their bikes at the roadside presumably checking damage. Also earlier on again after a fast descent the road turned sharp left. The corner was covered in washed down gravel and stone with few clear routes through and looked inevitable to cause an accident.
But that's my only moan and a lot of that is outside the will of the organisers. Overall a great experience and definitely to be pencilled in for next year.
The weather was perfect with light winds and mixed cloud and sun.
Only issue I had, (and I cycle a lot around Northumberland so I know this already) was the state of some of the roads; potholed and rutted sometimes to a dangerous extent. One part I remember after a fast descent out of Forestburn Gate was a bridge where the road was shaded by trees hiding a terribly potholed stretch of road . a number of riders were off their bikes at the roadside presumably checking damage. Also earlier on again after a fast descent the road turned sharp left. The corner was covered in washed down gravel and stone with few clear routes through and looked inevitable to cause an accident.
But that's my only moan and a lot of that is outside the will of the organisers. Overall a great experience and definitely to be pencilled in for next year.
Hip Priest
Veteran
I managed to get under 7:30, with a moving time of just under 7 hours (according to Strava). I was hoping not to stop for too long but the hills and heat from Elsdon to Wark really took it out of me and I had to rest and eat something savoury!
Hip Priest
Veteran
Could've been worse. I was following one fella up Troughend and he was grinding up the steep bit out of the saddle, then all of a sudden he shifted to the little ring (he had a triple), his chain came off, and he had a full-on clipless fall. Seemed ok though.
OP
OP
Fnaar
Smutmaster General
- Location
- Thumberland
Yikes. Apparently (didn't see it myself) there was a bit of a crash in Rothbury...not sure what happened. My daughter saw it, she's gonna tell me about it when she gets in from work later.
OP
OP
Fnaar
Smutmaster General
- Location
- Thumberland
In fact, I only saw one puncture today, and a couple of 'mechanicals' (who might just have been having a cheeky rest).
I usually see loads of punctures on the ride, and one year there seemed to be an epidemic of snapped chains. Including one guy who snapped his chain going up Ritton Bank, and did a full-on smack nuts on crossbar
I usually see loads of punctures on the ride, and one year there seemed to be an epidemic of snapped chains. Including one guy who snapped his chain going up Ritton Bank, and did a full-on smack nuts on crossbar
Hip Priest
Veteran
I saw the aftermath of a crash at the ford just before the Forestburn Gate pub. Very potholed there, which may have had something to do with it.
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Fnaar
Smutmaster General
- Location
- Thumberland
Yeah, I went down that way last weekend, and made a mental note: do not tank it down there!
robrich
Active Member
That sounds like the place I mentioned where the road was badly potholed at the foot of a steep fast descent just after Forestburn. Shadow of the trees also hid the road surface.
Hip Priest
Veteran
Yeah, that's the one. I didn't see your original post. I'm lucky in that I ride it regularly so I know what to expect. Others aren't so lucky. It's a hairy descent in general really. I bombed down it once and there was a lorry coming the other way. It was too narrow to pass so I just had to brake hard and aim for the grass!
robrich
Active Member
Sounds quite scary! There were quite a few cyclists by the roadside tending to their bikes at that point. I hit it at 37 mph and almost got jolted off the bike. I think it will have caught a lot of people out.
Kudos to you for doing the 100+ mile route. I want to include the Forestburn ascent and descent in my future Northumberland ramblings so will bear your experience in mind.
OP
OP
Fnaar
Smutmaster General
- Location
- Thumberland
Yes,t hat's the one, just before The Gate pub where the 60+and 100+ routes part company. I cycle that way most weekends, so I know it well. Occasionally it gets smoothed over, but after heavy rain/in winter the potholes come back just like that. I've punctured there a few times, and now just take it easy till I can see "a line" through, but it's pretty much always a bit dodgy. To be fair to organisers, there was (albeit a little earlier on) a "dangerous descent" sign, but I think that referred to a short descent just before where there is a combination of narrow road/bend/gravel. Also, the organiser chappy (Peter Harrison: top marks for organisation btw, as always) gave us a verbal warning about it before we set off, at the start line, but I guess if you're not familiar with it, then you might not be altogether sure where he was referring to. I was in the very first group to leave the stadium, so I was there early on, but there was an ambulance waiting there (!) and a bloke checking his bike over.
OP
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Fnaar
Smutmaster General
- Location
- Thumberland
That will have been here, I reckon (??) Just after Meldon village, going downhill, bend before descent to river that then rises to Dyke Neuk pub) (see pic: sorry, looks like a 2 yr old wrote it, done in a rush )... again, I know it well, and always take it easy down there. However... if you don't know it, you just need to ride more cautiously. I've done the Cyclone 7 times now, and I know the roads. The only other sportive I've ever done was in the lakes (Keswick Mountain Festival a few years back, 6 passes ride)... and NOT knowing the roads made me ride much more cautiosly than I usually do. In fact i the Keswick ride, on one descent, with a bend, under trees, the guy immediately before me went flying off when he skidded on gravel. I helped him up, made sure he was OK, helped him check his bike over etc... (turned out he lived in my birthplace...small world and all that) but I guess caution is the watchword.