Pedal for Scotland 2012

[Aiden_23]

Has any of my fellow Scottish Gods/Goddesses (or any other member) had experience in this event. I was looking at either the Sportive event(100 miles) or the Challange ride(50 miles) then riding home again. I was wondering if this event is suitable for using a Road Bike the whole distance. This will be my goal for 2012-100 mile ride as to date the longest I have done is about 20 miles on a MTB.

 

[Col5632]

Has any of my fellow Scottish Gods/Goddesses (or any other member) had experience in this event. I was looking at either the Sportive event(100 miles) or the Challange ride(50 miles) then riding home again. I was wondering if this event is suitable for using a Road Bike the whole distance. This will be my goal for 2012-100 mile ride as to date the longest I have done is about 20 miles on a MTB.

I have done the challenge ride 3 times, i only have a hybrid so its my only choice of bike, its a great route and only a few hilly parts but most of it is pretty flat with excellent scenery I would say using a road bike is perfect as the whole route is on road pretty much

 

[Theseus]

I only rode it once a couple of years back before they provided alternatives and it was just a ride from Glasgow to Edinburgh.

Then it was a victim of it's own success with thousands taking part. The feed stops were a mad scramble and it must have been a nightmare in some areas for the locals as a continuous stream of people came by on bikes with little or no regard for them.

Not a ride I particularly enjoyed.

On the other hand, I would highly recommend the Edinburgh to StAndrews ride for LEPRA

 

[400bhp]

I read the title and envisaged a charity bike ride in aid of Glasgow Rangers.

 

[Col5632]

I only rode it once a couple of years back before they provided alternatives and it was just a ride from Glasgow to Edinburgh.

Then it was a victim of it's own success with thousands taking part. The feed stops were a mad scramble and it must have been a nightmare in some areas for the locals as a continuous stream of people came by on bikes with little or no regard for them.

Not a ride I particularly enjoyed.

On the other hand, I would highly recommend the Edinburgh to StAndrews ride for LEPRA

I would agree with the amount of people taking part and rest stops can be a little busy but well worth stopping for the amount of choice and its all FREE

When is the Edinburgh to St Andrews ride do you know?

 

[Aiden_23]

I am considering doing both now as long as I am fit enough for it. Maybe give Pedal for Scotland a blast and if it is bad then give it a miss the following year. I have heard several work friends expressing interest in PFS even though they have little or no interest in cycling,hopefully it keeps them interested and they join the revolution!!!! 400bhp I would not be taking part if it was for that horrible club that overspent and cant handle the results. I wonder if there will be jelly and ice cream at the end of the Charity rides.Okay Im stopping now:troll: this is a cycling forum after all!!!!

 

[jim55]

I would agree with the amount of people taking part and rest stops can be a little busy but well worth stopping for the amount of choice and its all FREE

Er,, no its not free , I done it last yr (2011) and at one feed station the only thing that was free was milk cos it sponsored by fresh n lo, there was some sort of women's institute / baking thing that was like a stall full of cakes but you had to buy them , there was a big free food stop at kirkliston palace I think but do not go expecting everything all day to b free(unless it's milk)
The hill out of avonbridge feed stop is a killer and to second somebody else's thought its full of people who maybe only ride once a yr and wobble about all over the place , the general standard of riding is pretty low I'd say ( think mums and kids / fat guys on mountain bikes /middle age women who are doing it for charity , that kinda thing ( don't let urself get ridden/pushed near the pavement cos when some overweight Sunday cyclist stops you have to as well as u cant pass them due to the crowd (btw this was the challenge not the big sportive)
I actually came off in Coatbridge as somebody was going for a gap and clipped my front wheel , I was left lying in the road trying to dodge all the bikes behind me while they cycled away ( no doubt oblivious)
No , I won't b doing it again , too many body's and no or very little bike skills amongst them
( du get the feeling I didn't enjoy it lol, - I enjoyed the good bits but it realy has become a victim of its own success
( and just to prove -

 

[Col5632]

Er,, no its not free , I done it last yr (2011) and at one feed station the only thing that was free was milk cos it sponsored by fresh n lo, there was some sort of women's institute / baking thing that was like a stall full of cakes but you had to buy them , there was a big free food stop at kirkliston palace I think but do not go expecting everything all day to b free(unless it's milk)
The hill out of avonbridge feed stop is a killer and to second somebody else's thought its full of people who maybe only ride once a yr and wobble about all over the place , the general standard of riding is pretty low I'd say ( think mums and kids / fat guys on mountain bikes /middle age women who are doing it for charity , that kinda thing ( don't let urself get ridden/pushed near the pavement cos when some overweight Sunday cyclist stops you have to as well as u cant pass them due to the crowd (btw this was the challenge not the big sportive)
I actually came off in Coatbridge as somebody was going for a gap and clipped my front wheel , I was left lying in the road trying to dodge all the bikes behind me while they cycled away ( no doubt oblivious)
No , I won't b doing it again , too many body's and no or very little bike skills amongst them
( du get the feeling I didn't enjoy it lol, - I enjoyed the good bits but it realy has become a victim of its own success
( and just to prove -

Ok i meant most of it was free, bananas and choc bars at kirkliston were all free iirc

It is a really crowded cycle though and i agree not all follow the rules and it can be hard to get going at times but i still have enjoyed it every year

 

[jim55]

oh and btw a road bike is ideal ,,its road /tarmac /paved all the way ,,,and yeah ,,a few guys i know rode both ways last yr ,,very doable (but not for me lol)

 

[Col5632]

Another bad thing about it is the Q for getting on the bus to glasgow in the morning can be massive if you leave it till a little later

 

[Pedal pusher]

I have not done it before. I'm trying to get a group from work to do the ride got a dozen so far.

 

[jim55]

Another bad thing about it is the Q for getting on the bus to glasgow in the morning can be massive if you leave it till a little later

well as i stay in glasgow it was no bother ,,and getting back i got the train from waverly as there was a few bikes heading for haymarket as i was told thats nearer ,,i done it in an easy 4 hr ish but there was that many people about i dont think i could go much faster ,i think if i wasnt faffing about at feed points and queing and stuff i could do it in prob half an hr less ,but its in no way a race

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

Capo!

 

[HLaB]

I've done the challenge ride twice on a flat bar road bike and there were plenty of other road bikes doing it too. This was a bunch of us a few years ago, and some well timed manoeuvres It gets a bit manic at times with the number of people trying to squeeze in to

 

[top-tube]

Sportive route is much, much quieter than the challenge ride. Have done it for the last 2 years, but on both occasions, the weather has been poor (well it is September). Quite hilly in the first 40 miles or so as well, but settles down thereafter.