Done my first century!

[Brandane]

Ye maybe you're right, but do they compromise speed?

So would you absolutely not want to do another 100miler? Even with the prospect of it feeling easier next time?

Not sure about compromising speed, as I am not the quickest thing on 2 wheels anyway . I believe they are heavier than normal tyres, so for the enthusiast they probably do make a difference to speed.

Would I absolutely not do another 100 miler? For me, cycling is about enjoyment. At times yesterday I was not enjoying it; but at the end it gave me a good sense of achievment. I have done that now, so won't get the same "sense of achievment" if I do it again. So no, I probably wouldn't set out to do it again, but if I do go out on a long cycle, on a nice day, then who's to say I won't find myself covering 100 miles again....

 

[MacB]

Not sure about compromising speed, as I am not the quickest thing on 2 wheels anyway . I believe they are heavier than normal tyres, so for the enthusiast they probably do make a difference to speed.

Would I absolutely not do another 100 miler? For me, cycling is about enjoyment. At times yesterday I was not enjoying it; but at the end it gave me a good sense of achievment. I have done that now, so won't get the same "sense of achievment" if I do it again. So no, I probably wouldn't set out to do it again, but if I do go out on a long cycle, on a nice day, then who's to say I won't find myself covering 100 miles again....

Top stuff Brandane and agree with your last line there, some of the longer rides I've done have lacked a sense of fun at times. But the distance at which the fun stops does relate to my level of fitness and my mindset at the time. Though I'm still of the opinion that anything beyond 140 miles will always seem like a chore to me.

 

[Ball]

Ye I totally understand that. I can't say I really enjoyed even 1 minute of my ride. But that wasn't so much to do with the distance as the weather, the route, the punctures... I'd like to think that on a better day, 100 miles in the saddle would be pure enjoyment. After all, whenever I get home from a ride the first thing I want to do is get back out again, so why get off in the first place!

 

[007]

I live in Greenock and regularly cycle to Largs over the Old Largs Road. I've not climbed up the Haylie Brae yet, but I have gone down it ... it's not really that steep, so I don't think it would be too bad going up it. It's just not a very nice road (the A760) to cycle as it's quite narrow and busy with fast cars.

If you're in Beith, a climb you should try is the Moor Road just south of Fairlie - it's a great climb on a very quiet single track road, with great views too. Last weekend I did Greenock -> Largs -> Fairlie -> Dalry -> Lochwinnoch -> Kilmalcolm -> Greenock, which was just under 50 miles and a couple of good climbs.

I suppose the A760 is pretty horrific when you think about it. Never cycled it before, but whipped past in the car many times. I will look into the Moor Road as you and Brandane have suggested. i have not lived in this area for too long, still finding out about the many routes around here. I tend to cycle around the back roads of Beith, Howwood, Dunlop and so on.

What about yourself,are you in a club?

 

[ammwhite]

What about yourself,are you in a club?

Hi 007. No, I'm not in a club. I only started getting interested in cycling a couple of years ago, as my 2 boys started to learn to ride a bike. We started going out as a family ... only a few miles at first, and gradually building up as the boys capabilities developed (they are 7 & 9 now and we have done 30 mile cycles as a family). As I enjoyed it, I started going out on my own for longer rides, and recently bought my first road bike.

I generally cycle the back roads around Greenock (Old Largs road etc) and occasionally cycle to work in Glasgow (just over 50 mile round trip). Also sometimes go away days, either myself or with the family - e.g. ferry to Dunoon and cycle round Cowal, Loch Katerine, Loch Rannoch (a really nice flat cycle on quiet roads, but a bit of a hike to get there!), Carron Valley.

We also did a cycle along the sustrans route 7 from Lochwinnoch, which is great for the kids - if you haven't already done so, you should try that - you can go up to Johnstone and then go back down route 75 to Bridge of Weir or Kilmalcolm, and then head back to Lochwinnoch on the back roads.

 

[jackthelad]

here is 1 for you 007

go from beith to johnstone, upto brookfield and join the cycle path that goes all the way to gourock from brookfield to gourock about 20 odd miles. then catch the ferry at gourock to kilcreggan 15 miles the other side of helensburgh . come off ferry then go right up the hill on the country road to gaillochead about 8 miles then cycle path to helensburgh. go over the back road from helensburgh to balloch, cycle lane in helensburgh up large hill about a mile long then onto cycle path down to main balloch road. cross this and onto cycle path that goes to luss, go right back to balloch then cycle path all the way to erskine. from erskine to houston back to johnstone then beith.

distance from kilcreggan to erskine 41 miles
distance to johnstone from erskine 7 miles
distance to gourock from brookfield about 22 miles
then add the distance from and to beith

a cracking run mostly on cycle paths recon from beith all in about 84 miles
ferry price about £2.50

hope this helps
jackthelad

 

[sayek1]

here is 1 for you 007

go from beith to johnstone, upto brookfield and join the cycle path that goes all the way to gourock from brookfield to gourock about 20 odd miles. then catch the ferry at gourock to kilcreggan 15 miles the other side of helensburgh . come off ferry then go right up the hill on the country road to gaillochead about 8 miles then cycle path to helensburgh. go over the back road from helensburgh to balloch, cycle lane in helensburgh up large hill about a mile long then onto cycle path down to main balloch road. cross this and onto cycle path that goes to luss, go right back to balloch then cycle path all the way to erskine. from erskine to houston back to johnstone then beith.

distance from kilcreggan to erskine 41 miles
distance to johnstone from erskine 7 miles
distance to gourock from brookfield about 22 miles
then add the distance from and to beith

a cracking run mostly on cycle paths recon from beith all in about 84 miles
ferry price about £2.50

hope this helps
jackthelad

Lots of us here from the same area - I would echo the views regarding the Hailey Bray - a good test but a rotten road - surface is pants and traffic always seems to pass you too close compared to any other road. I'd echo the Moor Road near Fairlie as an alternative - its near the fish restaurant I can never remember the name of. Virtually no traffic, great views and very testing.

This weekend I am hopefully trying the three ferries - Wemyss Bay, Bute, off the back of Bute to Colintaive, round the mainland and back from Dunoon to Gourock. (About £8 in ferry tickets I think)

There's lots of other good rides - a very traffic free ride from Erskine to Aberfoyle is very pleasant - might want to avoid the dirt track bits on a road bike (I had two punctures).

I learnt from the Trossachs Ton in June (my first ton and now I am hooked - one a month during the summer!) that there is a great ride around Loch Katrine. Personally I dont mind paying a few quid for an organised ride - it helps with a lot of other people around and also generally the support/food is very good - my recent posts highlight the one to miss.

Quite keen on doing a lap of Arran as well..........etc etc

Regards
K

 

[craigwend]

Well done, and congrats for getting it under your belt ... the century is still on my to-do list and will probably not get reviewed until next year now ...

Erm you said that last year... (& the year before)


Well done Brandane, it's a great feeling of achievement & pride

 

[davefb]

I can only dream ...

 

[jackthelad]

there is a lot of good weekend routes if you combine different transport

beith to erskine 12 miles
erskine to arrochar all cycle paths 28 miles
train back to glasgow

on loch lomond from balloch they are running the loch buses

stops at luss,tarbet,rowadennan inversnaid drymen

cycle to tarbet bus ferry over to inversnaid, then 4 miles to top of loch katrine then down to the pier 13 miles then down to callander about 6 miles train back to glasgow

train to arrochar then from there to dunoon 60 miles then ferry over to gourock

or as said earlier beith to erskine 12 miles then erskine to helensburgh pier 27 miles then ferry to gourock
train to bishopton then back to beith 12 miles total 51 miles

just food for thought

jackthelad

 

[amnesia]

Congratulations !!

I completed my first 50 miler only a few weeks bag (did another one last Sunday, including a 25% hill which nearly killed me - 178bpm !!).
Not sure I am going to manage the century this year, but I am going to aim for a 75 miler before Christmas.

Plenty of training on the rollers / turbo trainer should get it done in the spring though.

Well done.

 

[Spinney]

Well done!

I did my first century last year - and deliberately picked a very flat route! I'd only planned 90 miles, but a bit of temporary spatial displacement in the early part of the route (i.e. I took a wrong turn!) upped the mileage enough.

I did another this year. A hillier route this time. I just found I had the attitude that I'd like to do at least one a year. I enjoyed most of it (not all!). In fact I ended up at Kirkby Lonsdale, which is about 13 miles from home by my normal route, with the computer saying 83 miles, so I had to plan a slight diversion to get to the 100!

(It might become a regular thing - trying to persuade myself that I'm not really getting older!)

 

[007]

Jackthelad, sayek1, ammwhite - thanks guys. Lots of food for thought there.

I will definitely give the Haylie Brae a miss, the risk/reward factor is all wrong with that one. The climb at the Moor Road @ Fairlie sounds ideal, ideal - perhaps not quite the right word as it will involve some pain - but it seems a safer option.

The routes mentioned to Aberfoyle, Arrochar, Gourock, Loch Lomond, Bute etc etc certainly seem something to consider for this Saturday. I will pick one and give it a go.

Is Erskine to Aberfoyle cycle track all the way?

My head is spinning with the long distance routes on offer here.

 

[ACS]

First centrury in the bag, well done.

Just think how close you where to your first 200km.

Did my second 100 miler on Sunday (3 Glens Audax) and I am still aching. The mind is willing but the legs.........

 

[GAVSTER]

I also did the Three Glens on Sunday -

The miles were not a problrm but I think my feet have only just dried out. Iwas getting cold in the p*shing rain and was actually lookingforward to hills to get warm :-)

Had a day off the commute on Monday - more due to weather forecast but was back on the bike yesterday and felt fine.

Will try and get a 200k audax in before the end of the year work permitting.