Le Tour de Scammonden - a lumpy little forum ride from Hebden Bridge. *** Saturday, Oct 21st, 2023? ***

[Vantage]

It is telling fibs!

There are several stretches where the gradient is 15-20%...

All of a sudden 1200w of epower doesn't seem unreasonable. 😂

 

[ColinJ]

All of a sudden 1200w of epower doesn't seem unreasonable. 😂

That's about 5 times the legal limit and about 2 or 3 pro cyclists worth!

 

[GuyBoden]

To get my legs ready for Saturday, I went for another West Cheshire hilly ride today (very wet), this includes the two steep 10% climbs.

I put a 46t cassette on to test, seems ok, so this should be a good setup for Saturday's ride.

 

[ColinJ]

I have an optional extra hill for us at the start of the route! The road leads to a stretch of gravelly track which always used to be acceptable to me on my road bike. I'll try to get over there before Saturday to check it out and see whether it is suitable for us.

 

[GuyBoden]

I have an optional extra hill for us at the start of the route! The road leads to a stretch of gravelly track which always used to be acceptable to me on my road bike. I'll try to get over there before Saturday to check it out and see whether it is suitable for us.

@ColinJ , if you remember, I have a 28mm tyre on the front and don't have clearance for gravel or mud, but I could bring a different bike if needed.

 

[Vantage]

@ColinJ it looks like I'm out of this ride. Effin train strikes!

 

[ColinJ]

@ColinJ , if you remember, I have a 28mm tyre on the front and don't have clearance for gravel or mud, but I could bring a different bike if needed.

If I don't get the chance to check it beforehand we can just stick to the original outward route. The alternative would be good though because it has great views and is more interesting. Apart from which - it would mean that we didn't do the same route between Hebden Bridge and Mytholmroyd twice.

@ColinJ it looks like I'm out of this ride. Effin train strikes!

Aaargh... You really aren't having much luck with these rides! I'll organise something else in September and leave the date selection until less than 2 weeks before so we should be able to avoid strike days.

 

[ColinJ]

After last week's washout in Harrogate, the forecast for Scammonden on Saturday is currently... A bit of a washout!

Let's keep an eye on it, but if things do not improve and Sunday were looking significantly nicer, how would it be for you, @GuyBoden, @Dadam (+Jason), and @FrothNinja?

I normally plan rides for Saturdays because the trains are (generally!) better than Sundays, and weekends fit in better with most people's work patterns than weekdays (though that is no longer an issue for me and Guy) but if everybody is driving or riding to the start/finish then Sunday might be okay?

 

[GuyBoden]

I can't see a problem riding on Sunday, if there is less rain.

Maybe, a bit later on Sunday?

Edit: It's only Tuesday, everything could change for the better nearer Saturday with the weather forecast.

 

[Dadam]

There's nothing on the kitchen family wall planner or the shared family google calendar! If it's significantly nicer then it's ok by me. I'll probably come along unless it's going to be tipping down all day. That offroad ride back in March was pretty damp earlier on.

 

[ColinJ]

I can't see a problem riding on Sunday, if there is less rain.

Maybe, a bit later on Sunday?

I don't mind starting later on either day. The only thing is that the cafe closes at 15:30 on Saturday and 15:00 on Sunday so a later start would put time pressure on us for that. If we missed the cafe though (as we did on the ride mentioned by Dadam below) we could just carry on to Hebden Bridge instead which would take us less than half an hour.

There's nothing on the kitchen family wall planner or the shared family google calendar! If it's significantly nicer then it's ok by me. I'll probably come along unless it's going to be tipping down all day. That offroad ride back in March was pretty damp earlier on.

Let's take rain checks on Thursday and Friday. Damp would be okay, horrendous wouldn't be!

 

[GuyBoden]

It is telling fibs!

There are several stretches where the gradient is 15-20%... Some of those are not very long but there are definitely at least 3 pretty testing climbs as well as lots of the 10% stuff.

Wait until Saturday evening and tell us how Yorkshire 10%-ers somehow seem much steeper than Cheshire 10%-ers...

Sowerby Croft Lane Maximum gradient:19.1%
https://veloviewer.com/segment/1508415

Up to the M62 bridge is even steeper.

 

[ColinJ]

Yes - those are the 2 steepest climbs!

 

[ColinJ]

I did 200 metres at 17.5% last night in my 42/29 gear. Probably not a wise move for my iffy ticker... My heart rhythm wasn't right for the rest of the evening!

I will be using 28/30 on those steep ramps at the weekend.

 

[GuyBoden]

I did 200 metres at 17.5% last night in my 42/29 gear. Probably not a wise move for my iffy ticker... My heart rhythm wasn't right for the rest of the evening!

I will be using 28/30 on those steep ramps at the weekend.

Yes - those are the 2 steepest climbs!

I can't understand how "Ride With GPS" can get the gradient calculation totally wrong. It could be a very serious problem when someone plots a long fully loaded cycle touring route, thinking that the climbs are manageable, but then be faced with 20% not 10% climbs.

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/43667892