Can I do the etape caledonia???

[J-HO]

Done my first event on sunday, pedal for cakes. felt quite good throughout and considerably better than expected the following days, no saddle rash and good legs.

I need another challenge and fancy the etape but not sure how much harder it really is and if my bike is suitable (Hard tail mountain bike with road tyres) or do i really need a road bike with carbon fibre trimmings?

 

[HLaB]

Done my first event on sunday, pedal for cakes. felt quite good throughout and considerably better than expected the following days, no saddle rash and good legs.

I need another challenge and fancy the etape but not sure how much harder it really is and if my bike is suitable (Hard tail mountain bike with road tyres) or do i really need a road bike with carbon fibre trimmings?

I take it you mean Pedal for Scotland, Pedal for Cake was Saturday ;-) You won't get the best of times on a mtb but if you just aim to get around you'll manage it if you put the training in, other folk do it on mtbs (but not many); I wouldn't choose to myself. Its a lot harder than PfS but its not that hard. Whilst a carbon fibre roadbike does help you don't need dear road bike unless you want N+1 ;-).

 

[zizou]

Plenty of time to get the bike fitness up over winter - you'd be surprised how quickly improvements can be made both in distance and speed. It would even be possible for someone to do the etape caledonia next year starting completly from scratch just now so if you can already manage 50 miles without many problems then you are already on the way to be being able to do it

 

[J-HO]

i must have saw the left overs on Sunday, muffins and brownies were the last thing i thought i would see. i'm still teetering on registering and i dont think the wife will let me buy a road bike.

What is Pedal for cakes, saw loads of comments about it, i thought it was sarccy comments about pedal for scotland.

 

[HLaB]

What is Pedal for cakes, saw loads of comments about it, i thought it was sarccy comments about pedal for scotland.

Pedal for Cakes was an alternative forum ride where a group of got to gether and done out own thing cycling between Glasgow and Ediburgh. It just happened that it nearly coincided with PfS. Most of the riders including my self have done PfS but wouldn't choose to again, its a great ride but its a bit too popular, a victim of its own success; so you probably seen comments about it being ludicracy to filter 6000+ people down a narrow path.

 

[J-HO]

Pedal for Cakes was an alternative forum ride where a group of got to gether and done out own thing cycling between Glasgow and Ediburgh. It just happened that it nearly coincided with PfS. Most of the riders including my self have done PfS but wouldn't choose to again, its a great ride but its a bit too popular, a victim of its own success; so you probably seen comments about it being ludicracy to filter 6000+ people down a narrow path.

 

[J-HO]

I really enjoyed it, but being early and and about the 6th group away probably missed the congestion problems. maybe the saturday run next year would be a choice for next year.

Did you get a medal and bag of goodies when you completed pedal for cakes too? :-)

 

[HLaB]

I really enjoyed it, but being early and and about the 6th group away probably missed the congestion problems. maybe the saturday run next year would be a choice for next year.

Did you get a medal and bag of goodies when you completed pedal for cakes too? :-)

No just a good banter and lots of cakes

 

[J-HO]

Sounds good, where do I register?

 

[HLaB]

Sounds good, where do I register?

Keep you eye on the Informal Rides section you'll see CCEcosse rides there from time to time.

 

[Scoosh]

Did you get a medal and bag of goodies when you completed pedal for cakes too? :-)

Dunno - no one completed

. Time ran away from us for a number of reasons and the last ones riding took a train for the last part or cycled over Kincardine Bridge and back to Dollar/Dunfermline.

We learnt that it is an ambitious project to cycle Glasgow-Edinburgh ; eat soup and cake(s)

; then ride back to Glasgow

for more cake

. Eating takes such a long time

.



Back to OP:

Yes, you could do the Etape Caledonia.

You could probably go to Pitlochry this weekend and ride the route. It's not a hard ride (only one real hill) - but it is a bit longer than you have ridden thus far. Why not go to Pitlochry and try it ? There were people doing it on all sorts of bikes - OK mainly road bikes but a fair smattering of MTBs too.

 

[JimG]

Thinking of doing this to. After P4S Glasgow to Edinburgh I have realised I want to do more than just tear about forest trails and cycle paths

 

[Brandane]

Just a wee word of caution for those like myself that did PFS this year and found it surprisingly easy. Don't forget there was a strong tail wind all the way! Had that wind been blowing in the opposite direction then it would have been a different story.

After the PFS experience, I too have been looking for something more challenging, like my first 100 miler. But then I start to think I have been lulled into a false sense of security by that PFS tail-wind....

 

[aberal]

Done my first event on sunday, pedal for cakes. felt quite good throughout and considerably better than expected the following days, no saddle rash and good legs.

I need another challenge and fancy the etape but not sure how much harder it really is and if my bike is suitable (Hard tail mountain bike with road tyres) or do i really need a road bike with carbon fibre trimmings?

You use around 1/3 more energy on a mountain bike compared to a road bike - upright riding position, much heavier bike and thick tyres all combine to make it much harder work. Road tyres should help a little but not much. Personally I loathed riding my mtb on the road. But the truth is, any ride, even a long one like the etape can be done on a mtb, it's just a lot less fun. You can get a really decent new road bike for £5-600, a lot less if you buy second hand obviously. I bought my Cannondale for £1000 ten years ago and its still going strong, so a decent bike will last you years. Cycling Plus makes some good recommendations at the back of the mag - go and buy one! You know you want to...

 

[Scoosh]

A very good step up from the PfS is the LEPRA Edinburgh-St Andrew's ride

.

It's a bit further, has a couple of decent hills (Cleish and Cadger's Brae), the best cake/tea-stop on any ride

(at Freuchie Church Hall

) and is not as busy as the PfS.

Do a search on CC for the thread for this year's run and read what we all said ....


No date for 2011 yet, that I can find.