Dragon Ride 2010
- Thread starter wyno70
- Start date
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Banjo
Fuelled with Jelly Babies
- Location
- South Wales
Lardyboy
New Member
- Location
- Still Somewhere In Wales.
Entered today, and it's two thirds full! Already! Bloomin' heck!
515mm
Well-Known Member
- Location
- Carmarthenshire
See. Told you, Lards.
Well played Banjo for riding that on a knobbly tyred MTB with panniers.
The chaps and I rode a similar route last year as a bit of a recce for Dragon 09 - a lovely day out. That descent off the Rhigos.......
YEE-HAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!
Can't wait for all this ice to sod off.......
Well played Banjo for riding that on a knobbly tyred MTB with panniers.
The chaps and I rode a similar route last year as a bit of a recce for Dragon 09 - a lovely day out. That descent off the Rhigos.......
YEE-HAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!
Can't wait for all this ice to sod off.......
Wheelspin
Veteran
- Location
- Colchester
I wonder if anyone who has done the Dragon Ride before could give a little hill guidance.... as a rough idea, how much slower would your average be than a more normal flattish day ride ? I can't train on anything very high, and although I did a JOGLE last year I still haven't done that much climbing in one day. Any comments welcome ! I will of course be making multiple ascents of every short hill along the Stour valley for months to come 
Pretty well all the hills are the long steady in the saddle type. They are as close to continental climbs as you can get in the UK. As regards pace, it's hard to say, because it depends so much on your level of fitness. As British sportives go it's not one of the harder ones, but like any ride it can be as hard as you want to make it!
Did the Dragon last year, having never done a Sportive, or indeed a Century, before and thoroughly enjoyed it, even though I did it as a 'solo' rider. I think my mates were using me as a guinea-pig to see if I got through it in one piece, 'cos there's 11 of us doing it this year!
I did find it hard - 9hrs overall, 8 hrs in the saddle (ave 15mph) - but the weather was perfect - 16 deg at 08.00 at the start line, 20 deg by noon, 23 by the finish at 17.00.
The roads are 'local' for me as I live in Neath, so at one point the route took us past the end of my road, half a mile from my house - which was nice!
3000m of climbing in 120 miles and 'not one of the more difficult UK sportives'??? - what's your yardstick for a difficult ride?
First post, btw - hellooooooooo, everyone!
I did find it hard - 9hrs overall, 8 hrs in the saddle (ave 15mph) - but the weather was perfect - 16 deg at 08.00 at the start line, 20 deg by noon, 23 by the finish at 17.00.
The roads are 'local' for me as I live in Neath, so at one point the route took us past the end of my road, half a mile from my house - which was nice!
3000m of climbing in 120 miles and 'not one of the more difficult UK sportives'??? - what's your yardstick for a difficult ride?
First post, btw - hellooooooooo, everyone!
prb007 said:Did the Dragon last year, having never done a Sportive, or indeed a Century, before and thoroughly enjoyed it, even though I did it as a 'solo' rider. I think my mates were using me as a guinea-pig to see if I got through it in one piece, 'cos there's 11 of us doing it this year!
I did find it hard - 9hrs overall, 8 hrs in the saddle (ave 15mph) - but the weather was perfect - 16 deg at 08.00 at the start line, 20 deg by noon, 23 by the finish at 17.00.
The roads are 'local' for me as I live in Neath, so at one point the route took us past the end of my road, half a mile from my house - which was nice!
3000m of climbing in 120 miles and 'not one of the more difficult UK sportives'??? - what's your yardstick for a difficult ride?
First post, btw - hellooooooooo, everyone!
The Fred Whitton, the Etape du Dales, the White Rose Classic and the Richmond 5 Dales are considerably harder. The Fred Whitton has much more climbing and up to 33% gradients. All of the others have at least as much climbing, and 25% gradients. The Dragon is a great ride and was my favourite event of last year. The atmosphere was great, and the nature of the climbs made it a very different experience from my usual diet of Yorkshire Dales and Lake District sportives.
prb007 said:Did the Dragon last year, having never done a Sportive, or indeed a Century, before and thoroughly enjoyed it, even though I did it as a 'solo' rider. I think my mates were using me as a guinea-pig to see if I got through it in one piece, 'cos there's 11 of us doing it this year!
I did find it hard - 9hrs overall, 8 hrs in the saddle (ave 15mph) - but the weather was perfect - 16 deg at 08.00 at the start line, 20 deg by noon, 23 by the finish at 17.00.
The roads are 'local' for me as I live in Neath, so at one point the route took us past the end of my road, half a mile from my house - which was nice!
3000m of climbing in 120 miles and 'not one of the more difficult UK sportives'??? - what's your yardstick for a difficult ride?
First post, btw - hellooooooooo, everyone!
The Fred Whitton, the Etape du Dales, the White Rose Classic and the Richmond 5 Dales are considerably harder. The Fred Whitton has much more climbing and up to 33% gradients. All of the others have at least as much climbing, and 25% gradients. The Dragon is a great ride and was my favourite event of last year. The atmosphere was great, and the nature of the climbs made it a very different experience from my usual diet of Yorkshire Dales and Lake District sportives.
MattHarris
New Member
Accommodation in Pencoed/ Bridge End
Hi there people,
just wondering where are the best value places to stay in Bridge End/Pencoed? I can only seem to find the Travel Lodge, Premier Travel Inn and The Maerdy Hotel...Which all seem pretty pricey for a lone cyclist! Im traveling by train from the Isle of Wight so defintely need a place for Sat and Sun night.
Any advice??
Matt
Hi there people,
just wondering where are the best value places to stay in Bridge End/Pencoed? I can only seem to find the Travel Lodge, Premier Travel Inn and The Maerdy Hotel...Which all seem pretty pricey for a lone cyclist! Im traveling by train from the Isle of Wight so defintely need a place for Sat and Sun night.
Any advice??
Matt
