Great Yorkshire bike ride (70 miles)

[DLB]

I've only gone and put myself in for the above ride in June. I've ridden a good few miles before but never 70. Need to train...

Anyway my question - i'd like to buy a bigger saddle bag so i don't have to carry food, tubes etc in my jersey or in a backpack. I've seen two - the altura fusion and the orlieb 2.7 saddle bag. Are these any good for what i need. Can you fit much in them? Any advice would be welcome.

Oh, and as anybody done the yorkshire bike ride before? What is it like?

cheers

DLB

 

[jack the lad]

Can't help with the saddlebag advice I'm afraid, but I have done the Great Yorkshire Bike ride a couple of times.

You get lunch on the GYB so you don't need to take food with you and there are regular drink stops (about an hour apart) where you can also get cakes and stuff.

There are about 1500 riders and they are set off in groups for safety, even so the groups are big enough as you leave to take over the road.

There are a couple of fairly serious climbs, but a lot that is flat too. Terrington Bank just before the lunch stop is not too long, but steep and there is another long 1 in 6 after lunch. My teenage sons both managed the ride without much complaint when they were 13 or 14 ish and more prone to whinging than training.

It is well signposted and there are marshalls at any dodgy junctions, so you won't get lost. There will be cyclists everywhere at all sort of speeds and apart from the ones who treat it as a race (you'll see them coming back!) it's all very friendly.

There's a broom wagon, for mechanical and personal casualties. You can arrange to have you and your bike returned to the start, but I've not used that. The ride finishes in the country park at Filey Brigg, so if it's a nice day get the other half and family to meet you there for a picnic.

For training, if you are reasonably local why don't you come along on the Yorkshire forum ride on 29th March. It crosses the GYB route a couple of times and goes the wrong way up it for about 1 mile, so you'll get an idea of the terrain on the pre-lunch half and is about 50 miles. See this thread for details:http: //www.cyclechat.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=28620 . Meet at York Minster on 29/3 at 10.00.

 

[DLB]

many thanks Jack for the info and i might take you up on the ride on the 29th if i can.

DLB

 

[Cathryn]

We're doing the GYB although haven't signed up yet. Looking forward to it.

 

[DLB]

excellent - and if you're going on the york ride on 29th i hope to see you there (if the missus will let me out for a few hours )

 

[bev3103]

HI THERE CAN ANY ONE TELL ME WHERE THE RACE STARTS, FINISHES, LENGTH OF RACE AND COST. THANKS

 

[oxbob]

http://www.gybr.co.uk/

 

[ASC1951]

"The event takes place every year on the same day, the 3rd Sat after SBHM"

The site does say that's 13 June this year. Sorry if it's some well known religious festival, but what is SBHM? Santa Buys Heartrate Monitor? Sally Bates Home from Manchester? Sun Beams Hit Melmerby?

 

[DLB]

spring bank holiday monday

 

[postman]

It's not a race.It is a very good day out.1500 cycling souls.Some red hot get there and back before some have set off.Then the ones that run out of steam and eventually get in.But it is a wonderful day out.

Starts Wetherby Racecourse and finishes 74 miles later at Filey .

Go for it .It's great.

 

[geocycle]

I'm signed up. It sounds like a good day out. Can anyone recommend bike friendly places to stay close to wetherby race course? Otherwise I'm riding out from York very early on the morning . Does anyone know the best route from York city centre?

 

[marinyork]

The B1224 is basically the only sane route. You could go along the popular bits through the Askhams and Wighill's but it's pointlessly adding small rolling hills and miles.

On a sunday morning there shouldn't be any problems on the B1224. The only problem with that route is the trucks pouring in and out of a deport before Rufforth. The road has unfairly attracted a reputation because of that and the roundabout.

 

[geocycle]

Cheers marinyork, that's useful local knowledge. B roads range from sublime to ridiculous.

 

[atbman]

Since two of our 8-year olds have completed it (sagging a bit towards the end, admittedly), I'd guess you'll manage it ok. They both enjoyed the challenge. One of them "left me for dead going up the hills, but being old and fat, I caught him up on the downhills" (his dad).

Mind you, he climbed La Marmotte at age 10 (or just 11) in 1hr. 20min 2 years ago - hateful boy ;o)

 

[shippers]

Anyone doing it this year? June 5th.