England : West Yorkshire Hilly Half Century from Todmorden - Sat, 19th March

[ColinJ]

It's looking pretty good for me

Do you have a route plan that I can have a look at Colin?

Ha ha - I am just doing it now!

I decided to cut a few bits out along the way which reduced the distance to 48 miles, but I have a little 2 mile loop we can add on in Todmorden at the end if we really want to get the full 50 miles in.

I'll edit the first post shortly with more details ...

 

[ColinJ]

Ok, more details have now been added to the first post of the thread.

 

[ColinJ]

I'm still waiting to hear if my pal Bill will be riding; I assume that he will be.

So, it is looking like:

From Todmorden:

• ColinJ + pal Bill (?)
• MikeW-71 (?)

From Hollingworth Lake near Littleborough:

• Littgull
• Pennine-Paul

The weather forecast is still ok - overcast, with a chilly breeze, but dry.

IF YOU FANCY JOINING US, POST BELOW!

 

[MikeW-71]

I'm in

Where should I meet you in Todmorden, and where can I park the car?

 

[ColinJ]

I'm in

Excellent!

Where should I meet you in Todmorden, and where can I park the car?

Reread my previous posts ...

 

[ColinJ]

Bill just called in and he said that he will be joining us. If he can add gears to his current singlespeed bike in time he will ride that one. If not, he will take his best bike off the turbo trainer and use that one.

 

[MikeW-71]

I'll be bringing the Revolt with its disc brakes. It might be heavier, but it has low gearing

 

[ColinJ]

I'll be bringing the Revolt with its disc brakes. It might be heavier, but it has low gearing

There ARE a few steep climbs as well as the longer, less steep type. All of my bikes have low gearing so it doesn't matter which one I choose to ride. I will probably stick to riding my winterised Basso even though it should be dry so my Cannondale would be ok - I'd forgotten that the Cannondale's right ergopower shifter has lost its click/clunk so it is often hard to tell whether I have shifted or not. I have the parts to fettle it but I'm not sure that I will have done it by Saturday morning.

 

[Svendo]

Just seen this, afraid I'm on an early shift so can't make it. I see you've back loaded the steep climbs on this one!

 

[Pale Rider]

I've been lurking on this thread for a while, but I think it's time to put up the periscope and throw my (winter weight) cycling cap into the ring.

You are all much fitter than me, so I will deploy my 20" wheel ebike to level the playing field a bit.

I reckon to be able to grind up most things on it, so should manage to more or less keep the pace going up.

I'm a cautious descender, particularly on unfamiliar roads, so perversely you may have to wait for me more often at the bottom of hills rather than the top.

As with all of Colin's rides, all organisational matters look very well covered.

I shall be arriving by car from my static caravan in Bedale, so will see @ColinJ, friend Bill, and @MikeW-71 in the car park at Todmorden.

 

[Littgull]

I've been lurking on this thread for a while, but I think it's time to put up the periscope and throw my (winter weight) cycling cap into the ring.

You are all much fitter than me, so I will deploy my 20" wheel ebike to level the playing field a bit.

I reckon to be able to grind up most things on it, so should manage to more or less keep the pace going up.

I'm a cautious descender, particularly on unfamiliar roads, so perversely you may have to wait for me more often at the bottom of hills rather than the top.

As with all of Colin's rides, all organisational matters look very well covered.

I shall be arriving by car from my static caravan in Bedale, so will see @ColinJ, friend Bill, and @MikeW-71 in the car park at Todmorden.

Great stuff. We now have a good little group of riders. I'll be interested in seeing the ebike as Mrs littgull wants one. I've told her to start saving. Looking forward to tomorrow. weather forecast still looking good and dry. Worth making sure you all wear warm enough gear as with this north easterly wind if feels a lot colder than the actual temperature.

 

[Pale Rider]

Great stuff. We now have a good little group of riders. I'll be interested in seeing the ebike as Mrs littgull wants one. I've told her to start saving. Looking forward to tomorrow. weather forecast still looking good and dry. Worth making sure you all wear warm enough gear as with this north easterly wind if feels a lot colder than the actual temperature.

Thanks for the welcome, in turn, you are welcome to have a whirl on the ebike.

I can bore for England about them, as you may discover to your cost tomorrow.

 

[Littgull]

Thanks for the welcome, in turn, you are welcome to have a whirl on the ebike.

I can bore for England about them, as you may discover to your cost tomorrow.

Ha ha, thanks for that. I never get bored with bike talk. Unlike my other half!

 

[ColinJ]

Just seen this, afraid I'm on an early shift so can't make it. I see you've back loaded the steep climbs on this one!

Aye!

I'm toying with a change in the last part of the route. I'll see how we feel. The distance would be about the same, but it would make a bit more sense. It would involve going down Shore Rd into Cornholme 3 miles on the Burnley side of Todmorden. Anybody tired at that point could turn left and ride those 3 miles back into Tod on the A646. I quite fancy turning right, heading for Portsmouth, then tackling the steep climb of Carr Rd over to Sourhall, dropping down to the Bacup Rd and taking that down to the A6033. Littgull would turn right and head back to Littleborough with anybody else who started there. Those with me would turn left and nip back into Tod.

I've been lurking on this thread for a while, but I think it's time to put up the periscope and throw my (winter weight) cycling cap into the ring.

You are all much fitter than me, so I will deploy my 20" wheel ebike to level the playing field a bit.

I reckon to be able to grind up most things on it, so should manage to more or less keep the pace going up.

I'm a cautious descender, particularly on unfamiliar roads, so perversely you may have to wait for me more often at the bottom of hills rather than the top.

As with all of Colin's rides, all organisational matters look very well covered.

I shall be arriving by car from my static caravan in Bedale, so will see @ColinJ, friend Bill, and @MikeW-71 in the car park at Todmorden.

It will be nice to have you with us. I'm surprised that the ebike would have a long enough range though! I assume that you only engage the motor for climbs?

There are several sharp descents which probably will make you a bit nervous, but I will will wait ahead at any junctions so you don't have to worry which way to go. Bill and I are quite quick downhill and we know all of these roads very well so we know what to expect.

Bill has managed to put a rear mech and cassette on what was his singlespeed bike. He only has a 39 tooth (?) single chainring on the bike and the cassette is something like a 14-28 so he will be freewheeling on most of the descents.

It definitely will feel a bit nippy, especially for the first couple of hours. I think I will wear a gilet AND a windtop! (I got a bit chilled yesterday and the sun was shining then but is unlikely to tomorrow.)

 

[Littgull]

Aye!

I'm toying with a change in the last part of the route. I'll see how we feel. The distance would be about the same, but it would make a bit more sense. It would involve going down Shore Rd into Cornholme 3 miles on the Burnley side of Todmorden. Anybody tired at that point could turn left and ride those 3 miles back into Tod on the A646. I quite fancy turning right, heading for Portsmouth, then tackling the steep climb of Carr Rd over to Sourhall, dropping down to the Bacup Rd and taking that down to the A6033. Littgull would turn right and head back to Littleborough with anybody else who started there. Those with me would turn left and nip back into Tod.


It will be nice to have you with us. I'm surprised that the ebike would have a long enough range though! I assume that you only engage the motor for climbs?

There are several sharp descents which probably will make you a bit nervous, but I will will wait ahead at any junctions so you don't have to worry which way to go. Bill and I are quite quick downhill and we know all of these roads very well so we know what to expect.

Bill has managed to put a rear mech and cassette on what was his singlespeed bike. He only has a 39 tooth (?) single chainring on the bike and the cassette is something like a 14-28 so he will be freewheeling on most of the descents.

It definitely will feel a bit nippy, especially for the first couple of hours. I think I will wear a gilet AND a windtop! (I got a bit chilled yesterday and the sun was shining then but is unlikely to tomorrow.)

Sounds good I'm up for the he Carr Road climb at the end, Colin.