London-Edinburgh-London 2013: The thread

[mcshroom]

To an extent hills are hills. I climb like a stone and hate the barstewards (which isn't that useful round here), but I know that if you gear low enough and keep slogging at it long enough you eventually get to the top. It worked with the Lecht and the Cairnwell anyway and I had touring luggage for those.

If I get on the ride my main problem will be making enough time on the flat sections to carry the slow averages on the hills I expect, rather than climbing them in themselves.

 

[oldfatfool]

Look on the positive side, we finish at the same point we start, for every meter of uphill effort, there is a free meter of downhill.

 

[middleagecyclist]

Look on the positive side, we finish at the same point we start, for every meter of uphill effort, there is a free meter of downhill.

That's my thinking too. With all the net height gains and losses it will actually be flat when we do it. (I must keep telling myself this)

 

[oldfatfool]

That's my thinking too. With all the net height gains and losses it will actually be flat when we do it. (I must keep telling myself this)

Looking at the early drafts of the route its not far off to be fair, If the mapping software is anywhere near accurate we are only looking at 8,500m of ascent, and 2,400 of that is in the first 200k after Edinburgh. http://www.routeyou.com/group/view/4928/lel2013.en

 

[middleagecyclist]

Now that people have places and training will begin in earnest for many, I was wondering if a seperate thread - "LEL Training" or some such - would be worthwhile starting to share how things are going. Whadya think?

 

[zigzag]

re: yad moss.. when i rode lel last time i wasn't very clued up about the route or cycling in general. somewhere near eskdalemuir (on the way out) i've asked another rider (who looked british and more experienced), where is that dreaded yad moss that some of the riders kept mentioning? "we went over it yesterday!" he replied with a smile. eh?!

 

[martint235]

Look on the positive side, we finish at the same point we start, for every meter of uphill effort, there is a free meter of downhill.

Yeah........ The descent from Toys Hill in Kent into Brasted is fantastic. Unfortunately it doesn't stop the climb being a b***ch!!!

 

[tubbycyclist]

Look on the positive side, we finish at the same point we start, for every meter of uphill effort, there is a free meter of downhill.

..unless of course you're thinking of riding fixed (I am definitely not in that group - need all the help I can get).

 

[middleagecyclist]

As a matter of interest how are you planning to get to the sart of the prologue?
I thought about it, wouldnt have minded the extra 20k, but 40km and getting up at 4 am to ride down from the campsite seemed like a step too far.

I'm going to come down on the train the day before and stay in hotel within easy pedalling of BH.

 

[frank9755]

eh?

what is it with cycling and pretending hills aren't really hills, I crawled desperately up Chinoor Hill, granted at night, solo, in thick fog but hated it all the way, that was described to me in advance as 'a long drag but ok'

I'd call it now bloody steep and bloody long

I think you were misled: Chinnor Hill is not that long but it is pretty steep.

 

[Tynan]

thanks Frank, finally someone else that has heard of it, it was a lot steeper in the dark and foggy, plus I got lost and sperated on the other side although that didn't make the hill steeper

zigzag, stop with the faux modesty noob stuff

 

[Sam T]

I've ridden over Yad Moss too, on a touring bike with 2 panniers. It's long, sure, but it's not that hard. Just keep plodding up.

 

[Trickedem]

A quick tip for anyone who fancies doing the prologue. Travelodge have some cheap rooms available in Central London on the Saturday. I got one for less than £40.
I have put my club down as Cycle Chat and have elected for the earliest start time. Does anyone fancy starting together?

 

[mcshroom]

Apparently over 90% of the field have put in for an early start, so just be warned that you may be shuffled onto a later start if they have to.

 

[martint235]

A quick tip for anyone who fancies doing the prologue. Travelodge have some cheap rooms available in Central London on the Saturday. I got one for less than £40.
I have put my club down as Cycle Chat and have elected for the earliest start time. Does anyone fancy starting together?

Apparently over 90% of the field have put in for an early start, so just be warned that you may be shuffled onto a later start if they have to.

I understand that those riding the prologue get priority for the early starts though. I'm starting the prologue at 6am and then hoping to leave Loughton at 8am.