Bellingham Blast

[Fnaar]

Just heard about the newly announced Bellingham Blast: (link: http://www.bellingha...m/p/page-1.html

I'm thinking of the Sportive bit, not the family ride.

However, a glance at the map shows you that some of the route is on the 'round Kielder Water' track... there is NO WAY I'd consider doing that on my road bike!!! I've been round it on knobblies and came a cropper...) The road bits look fine, but....
anyone got any info?

For example, some of the lakeside track looks like this:

On the website, it gives contrating info:

It says that "The road cycling event will be staged over two days on 24/25 September, combining a 61 mile circuit of transfixing terrain for serious road bikers into the heart of Kielder," and that the sportive covers "over 60 miles of contrasting road surface and scenery"

Confused

I fancy doing it. I love road cycling, and I like off road cycling, but most people won't want to do the road bits on knobblies, or the track bits on a road cycle. I s'pose you could use an ATB with semi-slicks...

 

[Fnaar]

The organisers haven't replied to my email either

 

[I_S]

The organisers haven't replied to my email either

"The road cycling event will be staged over two days on 24/25th September, combining a 61mile circuit of transfixing terrain for serious road bikers in the heart of Keilder and Northumberland National Park, along with a 22mile route for casual and family riders between Bellingham and Falstone"


You'd think they'd be able to spell Kielder ... Someone can't read a map.

 

[joemmo]

hello (first post)

I had a look at the route and as well as the lake shore path, there are some sections that appear to be on forestry roads which are even less compatible with skinny tyres. It would probably be ok on a hybrid, cx bike or even a road bike with some touring tyres but anyone turning up with 23c tyres on their sunday best bike is likely to be more than a little annoyed.

 

[Fnaar]

hello (first post)

I had a look at the route and as well as the lake shore path, there are some sections that appear to be on forestry roads which are even less compatible with skinny tyres. It would probably be ok on a hybrid, cx bike or even a road bike with some touring tyres but anyone turning up with 23c tyres on their sunday best bike is likely to be more than a little annoyed.

That was my thought too... it doesn't seem to have been that well thought through... you can read between the lines and make the assumptions that we seem to have made, but it isn't very clear... and they still haven't answered my email...

 

[joemmo]

The danger they run is that people unfamiliar with the terrain will read 'sportive' and 'serious road cyclists' and assume its all on tarmac as sportives tend to be.

I hope they get their act together because it could be a good event, they just need to clearer about the route. The map on the website is pretty poor.

 

[joemmo]

couple of pics from panoramio showing the surface on the lake side path - I'd do this on my mtb but not on my roadie..

 

[Fnaar]

OK, so the website is updated to say: The road type is mixed from tar surface through to logging forest roads (choice of bike and tyres will be a key factor)


Might give it a bash...low res map is an odd decision though, and only a handful of punters so far... odd decisions may be a factor...

 

[joemmo]

Yeah, not sure myself. Going to wait and see if there's a bigger uptake

 

[Fnaar]

It's up to a heady 13 entrants now....

 

[Fiona N]

I might keep it in mind for later - see how I feel about the bikes come September. I just might want a break from wheels by then.

But otherwise my newly renovated hardtail with some semi-slicks might fit the bill. I hate the thought of getting a decent road bike that filthy - assuming, of course, that it will be raining, have rained, and about to rain throughout the whole event. Of course, I could be wrong and there's a drought on