London-Edinburgh-London 2013: The thread

[PpPete]

VN Yukon with Campag Race triple, handbuilt wheels (dyno front), Brooks Swift Saddle, Carradice Barley on a R&K Contour support (lighter than a Bagman) - all fully tested on this year's SR series.
Experimenting with some cut down Airstryke clip-on aero bars at the moment (thanks Montage), need some more miles on them before I make a final decision as to whether to include in the LEL configuration, but early indications are they are good for a radical change of hand position, and a speed boost on the flatlands that make up most of the southern half of the route.

 

[frank9755]

Plan A has been my Hewitt Carbon Audax bike which I got for PBP and was just the job.
But I'm toying with the idea of plan B: my old TT bike, a Cannondale Six13 Slice. It's set up with the bars nice and high and is both comfortable and fast. I've tried it out on my last couple of 200s and it's been great fun.

 

[zigzag]

But I'm toying with the idea of plan B: my old TT bike, a Cannondale Six13 Slice. It's set up with the bars nice and high and is both comfortable and fast.

i can't see why not - stick a carradice saddlebag on, mudguards if the forecast is wet and off you go! (i had a hard time keeping up with you lot last saturday)

 

[Dan_h]

I have a bike related question, my main road bike is a singlespeed giant. I have ridden 180k in a day on it, but not easily. It is geared at about 74" at the moment. If I geared it down (say 64") would this be okay to do LEL on or would I be better off investing in a bike with some gears? Do people do LEL on singlesped bikes??

The bike is comfortable, just overgeared for long rides at the moment (I do 100k on it with no issues fairly regularly).

Any opinions?

 

[mcshroom]

Some do it fixed, but as the terrain varies from long flat sections (where a 64" feels very spinney, I use that gear on my commuter) to climbing through the Pennines and Southern Uplands, I'd be tempted to either get a geared bike or fit a hub gear to your current bike it it were me.

As I said though, it can and is be done in a single gear

 

[Pato Donald]

Some do it fixed, but as the terrain varies from long flat sections (where a 64" feels very spinney, I use that gear on my commuter) to climbing through the Pennines and Southern Uplands, I'd be tempted to either get a geared bike or fit a hub gear to your current bike it it were me.

As I said though, it can and is be done in a single gear

That's so crazy that people do this ride on fixed! Are they mad?

What would be the most comfortable way to do this ride, recumbent? Car?

 

[middleagecyclist]

Right. Training help please.

I did start a seperate thread to ask this but haven't had any replies at all.

My first, and so far only, Audax of 200 km was done last yr and i'm now really planning for LEL. I regularly ride 60 - 100 miles at a time but have difficulty entering a lot of calendar events due to shift work and family commitments. I have a 300 km DIY ride planned for November/December and will also squeeze in at least one 200 km ride but I really want to do 400 and 600 km calendar event at least once each before the LEL.

I would hope to do these near (ish) to Manchester and looking at the Audax UK site I am quite taken with the Llanfairpwllgwyngyll gogerychwyrndrobwll llantysiliogogogoch 400 on 25th May 2013 and the 3 Coasts 600 on 8th June 2013. I am wondering though if these dates might be a bit too close together and also if I should be doing something 400+ km long earlier than two months before the LEL?

I will be booking annual leave for any events in 2013 so shifts will not be a problem and my wife is very supportive re family commitments. Any suggestions for other 400 and 600 km events would therefore be very much appreciated.

Thanks

 

[tubbycyclist]

I would hope to do these near (ish) to Manchester and looking at the Audax UK site I am quite taken with the Llanfairpwllgwyngyll gogerychwyrndrobwll llantysiliogogogoch 400 on 25th May 2013 and the 3 Coasts 600 on 8th June 2013.

Both good rides in my opinion - the LLPG400 had a 9am start this year, which means you are pretty much guaranteed riding through the night unless you're very quick indeed. Good practice to test out kit and dealing with sleep deprivation. On the way out it is a laney mixture with a couple of feature climbs thrown in, and then predominantly easy navigation on the way back, with the exception of one very short section that you use to avoid the A55.

Three Coasts 600 - has lots of support provided. A 375km loop out to the East Coast and back to base for pasta and crumble at 2.30am served by very helpful volunteers. A hall to grab some sleep in, and even nominated wake up times before being plied with breakfast and sent off for the next 225km. Think it was all you can eat for £5 for all weekend this year. Recommended. Expect that the LEL controls will be along these lines.

I am wondering though if these dates might be a bit too close together and also if I should be doing something 400+ km long earlier than two months before the LEL?

That is one of those "it depends" questions but I would not have thought it would make too much difference - the consensus in this thread seems to be to treat LEL as a series of 300km rides and make sure you are comfortable doing a few of those back to back. I have not done it (yet!) so I will bow to that experience. If you have got the fitness then in my view completing a 400 and 600 are partly about addressing the mental challenges, and getting kit and comfort right to deal with the variation in conditions that you get over 40 hours.

 

[middleagecyclist]

Thanks for your detailed reply TC. Very helpful. Cheers.

 

[PpPete]

I think TC is right. Did my first SR this year, and will aim to do another next year before LEL, but the focus in the Spring and early Summer will definitely be on riding back-to-back 200s and 300s, as my limited experience tells me that my speed after a short overnight stop drops dramatically. I'm not even that great with a full night's sleep... did a DIY 200 the day after the IOW Randonnee (100km) this year and found that harder than it should have been.

 

[martint235]

I still haven't done back to back centuries which is a concern. I know that the day after riding London - Nelson I felt shattered and didn't get on the bike at all. I'm determined not to let winter change my riding too much and may do London - Nelson again but find a century (possibly over the Pennines) for the following day.

 

[ComedyPilot]

Hmmmm...........
Less than a year to go......
Should I?
Shouldn't I?

I normally ride fully loaded touring about 60-95 miles a day for 2-3 weeks on tour, so lose the weight and increase the miles/time in saddle and decrease the days to do it?

Arch pop me down on the map as a possible/maybe - location Driffield, East Yorks

Ta muchly

 

[JoeyB]

What's this map then? Add me, add me!

 

[PpPete]

What's this map then? Add me, add me!

See the first post on page 1 of this thread

 

[JoeyB]

Cheers fella.

Done.