England : London London Audaxes 2016

[marcusjb]

The overall climbing on the 200 is not off the scale at 2100m, however, it does manage to pack that into a few stern climbs (including Barhatch Lane and Combe Lane on the return. Barhatch is the toughest climb in the southeast according to this little book - I'm not going to dispute that. It's flipping hard and after 160km, it's a proper challenge (especially on fixed. I am yet to make it all the way up on t'cog).

At least the last 25ish km is pretty much flat(ish!).

You have just under 14 hours to get around the 200km, and 11 for the 110km, so with a bit of summer fitness, no problem!

 

[ianrauk]

I'm liking the look of those @marcusjb . Richmond is about 22 miles from home. So throwing the 100k into the mix would make a nice day's ride.

 

[tatr]

It is rather nice that there is now a 200k starting in London every month from March to August.

...still not sure that's enough practice to get up Barhatch after 100+miles by the end of summer though!

 

[marcusjb]

There's also another in the pipeline in September.

I think it's great to see and I was really keen to put on an event starting within easy reach of central London.

Of course rides from within the M25 have their own challenges and getting out into the countryside may well involve some busier trunk roads etc. This is not too bad in the morning on the way out when the traffic is less, but is quite tricky to plan a route for everyone returning in the late afternoon/early evening.

...still not sure that's enough practice to get up Barhatch after 100+miles by the end of summer though!

There are various alternative routes to avoid climbing Barhatch, they all add quite a bit of distance and do not climb much less, but they are far less severe gradient than Barhatch (21% claimed on the sign at the bottom - I'll believe it, the bit nearing the top is flipping steep and comes after what is quite a long climb for these parts).

Having checked the route for the events several times over Christmas, I am getting very used to walking up Barhatch!

 

[marcusjb]

I'm liking the look of those @marcusjb . Richmond is about 22 miles from home. So throwing the 100k into the mix would make a nice day's ride.

The 100km (actually 110km) is really where the ideas started. Totally based on my clubruns and training rides. It's a great loop and really does manage to take you through the best bits of the Surrey Hills (with much of it being rather off the beaten track of Box Hill etc.). Clearly some tough climbs, but often with great reward - the view you get from the top of Staple Lane, once you've climbed Combe Lane, is one of my favourites. You get to see the whole of London spread out with the tall buildings standing out on the skyline. Edit - well, you will do in summer I hope! Last couple of times I have been there, been lucky to see a couple of hundred metres in the murk!

I then began to look at routes and events I had done over the years (my own Strava heatmap was really useful in working out where I liked to ride) and I added the bottom half to make the 200.

 

[ShannonBall]

Martint235 wrote: Wasn't it the Great Escape where we couldn't get any food at one of the controls either due to the length of the queue? We ended up in a cafe in a village down the road.

There was a log jam at the first full control. This year we will get the Blue Egg to run a non-cooked food quick grab stall outside and also better flag the two pubs that are a few miles further down the road.

 

[Dogtrousers]

There was no queue at all when I eventually rolled into the Blue Egg.

 

[ShannonBall]

Dogtrousers thanks for flagging these rides, I am delighted as I'm running two of them. Convenience is very important, IMO.

I think you can add the CTC's 100km ride to your list:

Suburban Breakout Sunday 10 July 2016
103km Starts in East Finchley and goes up to Ardeley's Church Farm Cafe.
http://www.aukweb.net/events/detail/14-581/

(Re: queue - strategy is clearly vital)

 

[martint235]

@ianrauk and @rb58 are we doing the Hop Garden 200 again this year? Just sorting out my entries and came across it in the list: 8th May

 

[rb58]

@ianrauk and @rb58 are we doing the Hop Garden 200 again this year? Just sorting out my entries and came across it in the list: 8th May

It's in my diary, but I haven't got round to entering yet. In fact, I haven't entered anything yet. Is the Man O Kent happening this year?

 

[martint235]

It's in my diary, but I haven't got round to entering yet. In fact, I haven't entered anything yet. Is the Man O Kent happening this year?

So far I've entered the Great Escape and the Italian Job

 

[martint235]

It's in my diary, but I haven't got round to entering yet. In fact, I haven't entered anything yet. Is the Man O Kent happening this year?

Can't see the Man O' Kent but only went up to July. There's the Kent Invicta Grimpeur 100 on 13th March though.

I'm free (as in not on call) for the Oasts and Coasts but not sure if I can be a****d with a 300 I'm afraid.

 

[ianrauk]

@ianrauk and @rb58 are we doing the Hop Garden 200 again this year? Just sorting out my entries and came across it in the list: 8th May

I will be, not entered yet but will.

It's in my diary, but I haven't got round to entering yet. In fact, I haven't entered anything yet. Is the Man O Kent happening this year?

When I spoke to Dave Winslade he said he wasn't running it as an even't this year but is happy to do it as a perm.

 

[ianrauk]

I'm free (as in not on call) for the Oasts and Coasts but not sure if I can be a****d with a 300 I'm afraid.

It's a really good one. Only a couple of naughty climbs.

 

[ianrauk]

@rb58 @martint235
There's also the Kent Grimpeur on 13 March from Otford.