Great Notts Bike Ride - newbie advice

[TVC]

Have fun Phoenix, It is in no way a race and there is plenty of room for everyone, there was a young lad on a BMX did it last year (he was done for by the end but much kudos for the achievement). The food is not free, I just stuck a nana in my back pocket.

We expect a full report by Monday.

I'm just packing my drinking head and am heading up the M1 to York in a bit - nice!

 

[phoenix]

I'll swap weekends with you

I took a drive down to the start today to find out how to get there and to see how far it would be when I cycle there and back on Sunday. Not the nicests of routes to get me to/from the start right through the city centre roads but at least it will be quiet on the way there. I might bottle out on the way back and phone the mrs to come and pick me up.

Now the worst bit, waiting. No point in checking the forecast, I will wait and see what it's like when I get up on Sunday. Here's hoping it is wet and windy to make it a bit more challenging. Not looking forward to the off road bits some have described previously.

I will give a full report on my first experience of a group ride when (if?) I get back.

 

[spen]

I am doing the 50 , on a road bike and just wondering which bits i need to watch out for? Should i just ride slowly and carefully over the rough, or get off and wheel my bike, or carry it even? Should be fun with my cleat shoes on !

 

[Joe24]

Spen,
you will be fine on your road bike. The only bits that are annoying and i'm not sure why they sent you down the way is when you come off the A6097 and go down a farm trach. Its gravel so take your time, can only go down there slow. You then get onto a concrete path but a bridge further along the road/path is close so you have to ride over the grass, across a narrow muddy bridge with rocks sticking out of it, back across grass to get back on the road/path. If the grass is long i will be carrying my bike, or maybe running with it if i end up getting in a race with someone. Now if the route goes down by the side of the river to HPP, the finish, then i will be very peed off because its just a grass track.
I'm going to find that bit very very annoying. I'm doing the 100miles one and i dont really want to be getting off and walking to get past something, or even having to slow down.
Keep an eye out for me spen, in Sherwood CC kit on a black, white, silver Giant SCR4. If you spot me, say hello
Depending how you went there Phoenix, theres only a few ways there. You could always go through Arnold, down one of the hills like Westdale Lane, get onto Colwick loop road where if you dont feel happy you can ride on the bike lane. You end up going straight to Lady-Bay bridge and then its over there and off to the start.
I've rode pretty much the 50m route a few times with the club, and its a easy-ish one. On the way there as you get through E-Bridgeford you get onto some narrow roads, we ride side by side along there. Its very quiet so its possible, just keep an eye out around the bends and give a shout if theres a car coming. In the villages along there the roads have alot of that top dressing stuff on it, so you have to slow for that, and be very careful in places on the courners. Everyone should slow down, if they are on a MTB and they dont slow down, if you are on a road bike slow down, and let them go off. You really cannot get any grip, i had to go over them doing about 16mph and when it came to courners slow even more.
Oh there are alot of shooting places out that way, so you might be used as targets

 

[phoenix]

I will be riding a hybrid which sounds as if I may have made the right choice with the poor road surfaces and the off road bits towards the end. Think I'd be pretty p###ed off it I had a road bike.

As a newbie so far I have not been impressed with the organisation or the information pack that was sent to me. After the event I will make my feelings known to the organisers. Lets hope I have a more positive feeling about everything this time tomorrow.

If anyone spots me and wants to say hi I will be on a black Dawes Discovery 501 (yes, I know, but it's proven to be a good first buy for me and I have got a roadbike pencilled in for September) I will be wearing a bright blue dhb jersey, silver/white met helmet, silver with mirrored lenses Rudy Project Rydons (yes, even in the rain) and probably a black/grey Montane waterproof jacket if the weather stays the same as it is now. My number is 1796.

Good luck to everyone else who is taking part, lets hope for a safe, fun day.

 

[Joe24]

I agree. I have to be there early to pick the pack up. I got the phone call on thursday to say i needed to pick it up on the day. I sent it off first class on the 12th June. Wasnt too impressed, i dont think they have had that many in so i thought it should of been sent out. But never mind.
Its not bad on a road bike, but i think a few people will be annoyed if they havent realised and have gone out on full carbon frames. As i say, theres no need for that route. OK the A612 is busy and it would need to be a long section but its a nice wide road.
Last time i went down the gravel path i was doing 12mph, theres deeper gravel on the turns aswell.
Oh, forgot, one place that will really annoy people is from the start to Radcliffe on Trent, thats a dirty-ish track. I was once going to go down and when i checked with a local i was told it would be best to walk it because it was very muddy. I go down the A52 now, its faster to go down and the new road surface means its smooooooooooth. Theres also a cycle-path there anyway, Could of sent us that way and closed off one lane, dont think it would disrupt too much on a sunday morning.

 

[phoenix]

Well, I survived. It's a very easy route but the wind on the second part of the course made it bloody hard work. You could tell by the direction of the wind/clouds at the start that we would be up against it on the way back. Bit dissapointed with my time, but considering it was my first effort and the strong wind I can't beat myself up about it. Didn't hang around after to check but I think it was about 3.50.

Got rather entertaining dodging the 18 milers when they joined us, some people don't have a clue what's going on around them. What is it with some people who want to take up the whole road? I stayed patient and didn't let it stress me.

I think they could do a bit more to improve the last part of the course. I thought it was a joke but we all had to queue to use a tiny opening in a fence. At least it gave me a chance to have a rest for a minute of two and have a quick bite to eat which meant I didn't need to stop at the last refreshment stop which was lucky as it was very crowded. To be fair considering all of the rain we had yesterday the offroad bits were o.k

Anyway, it was not a bad introduction to group riding and it certainly has not put me off so I would consider doing it again.

oh, and I cycled home afterwards instead of phoning the mrs to pick me up. Bike has had a wipe down, I am showered and plan to spend the rest of the day relaxing on the sofa. Or maybe surfing the internet to find a decent road bike and some more local events. Think I have earnt a glass or two of wine tonight.

Hope eveyone else got back safely and a big thanks to all of the marshals out on the course.

 

[Joe24]

100 miles, oh hang on 87miles was very very windy. Did it in 4:53, was struggling into the wind at one stage, especially down by the river. Not sure why it wasnt 100miles, but am abit disapointed because i was hoping for 100
It was dangerouse wen we met the 18 and 50 milers. I dont think they realised we were going faster, and they often moved out without looking and we woundering all over the road, which made it abit harder.
Was nice though, i went on a Specilized Langster which was on a turbo hooked up to a TV. Did the TT course in 1:08 which wasnt bad, had to beet 60seconds though.
So i'm now in need of finding another 100mil event to do

 

[mable]

Spot on

Does any one know when the times come out

PS And a Big thanks to all the Marshalls and Thurgaton Village Hall, Nice Cakes.

 

[e-rider]

Results on Thursday - I sent a friendly e-mail to NottsCC about the dangerous nature of mixing 18, 50 and 100 milers towards the end; I also included some comments on the state of the course at the start and a few miles in - really not suitable for decent road bikes. Otherwise a great day I would say.

 

[Joe24]

Results on Thursday - I sent a friendly e-mail to NottsCC about the dangerous nature of mixing 18, 50 and 100 milers towards the end; I also included some comments on the state of the course at the start and a few miles in - really not suitable for decent road bikes. Otherwise a great day I would say.

I didnt think it was too bad once you got away from Holme Peirre Pont and into Radcliffe on Trent.
It was lucky that the 100mile group got to miss the dirt tracks at the end though.
Was definately abit stupid to mix the groups, but there are only a few places to cross the Trent and everyone going over Lady-bay bridge is the easiest and closes less roads. But the reason we(100milers) turned left over the bridge was abit silly. Should have gone straight on to the traffic lights at the end then done a left and down the road. Added abit on but would of ment that it was only a very short section where people would mix together.

 

[TVC]

Congratulations to all those who completed this year, I promise I will get back to it next year.

 

[Joe24]

Well this sucks! That data chip that was attached to my bike and went with my number is saying i DNF. Mucho pissed offo. Emailed the company to find out more. From doing some searching i should be placed decently to say we didnt push all the way around.
Puts me off doing it next year

 

[phoenix]

finished 115th on the 50 mile ride, not bad for a first effort and on a hybrid too. Wonder what I can achieve with some proper training and a road bike.

I was aiming for under 3h 30 but my time was 3h45.03 so not too bad considering the wind.

 

[mable]

Whats the point

Me and the wife came in with the same times spot on to the second. But some one has been given our number and time. How does that work. I finished 22nd. dont think so more like 526.Come on please sort it.