Manchester - Llandudno: Saturday May 13

[mythste]

Last year's full hilly route is about 3 miles longer and hillier than this year's. You're welcome to do it if you like but don't think we're going to be hanging around waiting for you. You're on your own sunshine

Oh, and this time remember to bring your ID so you can buy beer

I'm bringing a bigger beard too, just in case.

 

[nickyboy]

Quick heads up I've booked a room at Llandudno Travelodge for £49. No idea whether that price will stick around or not

Standard room, no brekkie (I'll get that at 'spoons across the road), not allowed to cancel

 

[straas]

I'd be up for the full hilly, didn't seem too bad when I did it. Think I had favourable winds though

 

[ColinJ]

As a matter of interest ...

How hilly was the original hillier 2016 route? I prefer the look of it to the flatter route and the less hilly 2017 route. I may very well be busy on May 13th (it is a good friend's birthday and there may be a do on) but if not, I fancy coming along and having a go at the 2016 version. (If I can't make it on the day, I might do it solo or with one or two others on an alternate date.)

I wouldn't normally ask about hills because I like them and am well used to them, but that route looks like a prime candidate for my singlespeed bike. I can manage long hills at 3-4% on it and short stretches of 7-8%. It doesn't look like there would be anything worse than that?

Oh, and my other question ... would speeds generally be less than 23 mph and preferably no more than 20 mph? I can do 18-20 mph comfortably on the singlespeed's gear, but 23 mph or above requires too high a cadence for me to sustain for long.

 

[nickyboy]

As a matter of interest ...

How hilly was the original hillier 2016 route? I prefer the look of it to the flatter route and the less hilly 2017 route. I may very well be busy on May 13th (it is a good friend's birthday and there may be a do on) but if not, I fancy coming along and having a go at the 2016 version. (If I can't make it on the day, I might do it solo or with one or two others on an alternate date.)

I wouldn't normally ask about hills because I like them and am well used to them, but that route looks like a prime candidate for my singlespeed bike. I can manage long hills at 3-4% on it and short stretches of 7-8%. It doesn't look like there would be anything worse than that?

Oh, and my other question ... would speeds generally be less than 23 mph and preferably no more than 20 mph? I can do 18-20 mph comfortably on the singlespeed's gear, but 23 mph or above requires too high a cadence for me to sustain for long.

Is that a serious question about the speed???? I think moving averages depend on the individual but are in the range 11-15mph

The new 2017 hilly route is better for Single Speed. There is only one climb out of Flint. There is a 400m ramp at something like 8-10% which you can walk if necessary, apart from that it's gentle. The 2016 route has a sharp ramp on the first hill that will have you walking then another ramp on the second hill that was hard too

 

[mike3121]

Quick heads up I've booked a room at Llandudno Travelodge for £49. No idea whether that price will stick around or not

Standard room, no brekkie (I'll get that at 'spoons across the road), not allowed to cancel

I'm back in work tomorrow so will see if I can book the time off (bloody shift work) I will book Travelodge as soon as time off is comfirmed

 

[si_c]

As a matter of interest ...

How hilly was the original hillier 2016 route? I prefer the look of it to the flatter route and the less hilly 2017 route. I may very well be busy on May 13th (it is a good friend's birthday and there may be a do on) but if not, I fancy coming along and having a go at the 2016 version. (If I can't make it on the day, I might do it solo or with one or two others on an alternate date.)

I wouldn't normally ask about hills because I like them and am well used to them, but that route looks like a prime candidate for my singlespeed bike. I can manage long hills at 3-4% on it and short stretches of 7-8%. It doesn't look like there would be anything worse than that?

Oh, and my other question ... would speeds generally be less than 23 mph and preferably no more than 20 mph? I can do 18-20 mph comfortably on the singlespeed's gear, but 23 mph or above requires too high a cadence for me to sustain for long.

Last year it was broadly the same as the Scarborough ride, keep together to one of the stopping points, then break into evenly matched groups and regroup in the pub at the end. The flat route is flat for the most part, but the Great Orme (last hill) is a bit steeper than I'd expected and there are a couple of short very sharp points but nothing major.

If you can't make it, I'd quite happily do part of the ride later with you, possibly that might involve meeting you half way and doing an out and back, which makes it a nice ~120miler from me.

 

[ColinJ]

Is that a serious question about the speed???? I think moving averages depend on the individual but are in the range 11-15mph

Er, yes!

I realise that the average speed will be very doable. I meant on the first two editions of the ride were there significant periods of time when speeds exceeded 23 mph?

I was thinking of last year's Leeds-Scarborough ride. Admittedly we did have a massive tailwind then but there were long periods when we were doing way over 23 mph. I'm not fit enough to do those speeds for long without a big tailwind anyway, but if we had such a tailwind and people started doing 25+ mph going to Llandudno then I would get dropped on my singlespeed because I would not be able to pedal fast enough.

It wouldn't be the end of the world if it did happen because I would be able to find my own way there, but I'd prefer to stick with a group of riders.

The new 2017 hilly route is better for Single Speed. There is only one climb out of Flint. There is a 400m ramp at something like 8-10% which you can walk if necessary, apart from that it's gentle. The 2016 route has a sharp ramp on the first hill that will have you walking then another ramp on the second hill that was hard too

A couple of short steep ramps would be ok. I would probably get up the first part of each and then have to walk. I don't mind a couple of hundred metres of walking the bike. Once it is kms it becomes a right pain. (For example the 3 km at 9-10% out of Meltham to Wessenden Head - that would probably take me 40+ minutes to walk up with a bike.)

 

[Wobblers]

There's about 0.5km of dual carriageway and then 0.5km of busy road before you get to the 30mph zone at the roundabout near Flint, after which the traffic is slow through the town

The cycle path is a fiddly route to avoid this stretch and just before the Flint roundabout you have to get across the road. It's up to each individual to have a look at this stretch on google maps and decide whether they want to use the path or stick to the road. We're all adults so I'm not going to dictate which to take

Actually, that bit of the A548 going through Flint is one of the worst sections: it's narrow, always busy and the surface is ghastly.

Though to be honest, the main reason I prefer the old route is that it goes past the lane where @rich p was caught short by a dog walker whilst being caught short. We need to at least have the choice of having a puerile snigger whilst going past it, especially as the old fossil himself isn't coming. Is it wrong of me to think of that lane as "Rich P's Folly" every time I go past it now?

 

[ColinJ]

Last year it was broadly the same as the Scarborough ride, keep together to one of the stopping points, then break into evenly matched groups and regroup in the pub at the end. The flat route is flat for the most part, but the Great Orme (last hill) is a bit steeper than I'd expected and there are a couple of short very sharp points but nothing major.

If you can't make it, I'd quite happily do part of the ride later with you, possibly that might involve meeting you half way and doing an out and back, which makes it a nice ~120miler from me.

Ha ha - there is no way that I would do that Great Orme climb on a singlespeed!

I might take you up on the offer of a rerun at some point. I'll try and make the 13th but it depends on those birthday plans.

I'm quite interested to see this 'escape route' from Manchester to Cheshire. I can get to Manchester Victoria very easily but don't know a decent way out of the city centre so I am interested to see what nickyboy has come up with. I would ride in Cheshire more often if I knew a reasonable route to get there.

 

[gavroche]

As a matter of interest ...

How hilly was the original hillier 2016 route? I prefer the look of it to the flatter route and the less hilly 2017 route. I may very well be busy on May 13th (it is a good friend's birthday and there may be a do on) but if not, I fancy coming along and having a go at the 2016 version. (If I can't make it on the day, I might do it solo or with one or two others on an alternate date.)

I wouldn't normally ask about hills because I like them and am well used to them, but that route looks like a prime candidate for my singlespeed bike. I can manage long hills at 3-4% on it and short stretches of 7-8%. It doesn't look like there would be anything worse than that?

Oh, and my other question ... would speeds generally be less than 23 mph and preferably no more than 20 mph? I can do 18-20 mph comfortably on the singlespeed's gear, but 23 mph or above requires too high a cadence for me to sustain for long.

The last hill coming into Llandudno is 10% but only about 300 metres long.

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

Er, yes!

I realise that the average speed will be very doable. I meant on the first two editions of the ride were there significant periods of time when speeds exceeded 23 mph?

In 2015 we were mostly cruising at 15mph from Eureka onwards. Given the prevailing winds I wouldn't bank on gettng much assistance.

 

[si_c]

In 2015 we were mostly cruising at 15mph from Eureka onwards. Given the prevailing winds I wouldn't bank on gettng much assistance.

Yeah wind was an issue last year too and will be this year as well I imagine.

On the upside, you can absolutely fly on the way back. I've yet to decide whether I will ride back same day or wait till the next day as per last year. Either way I'll be riding back as that's the easiest bit for me.

 

[Grant Fondo]

Yeah up for it...where best to join near Chester?

 

[ColinJ]

In 2015 we were mostly cruising at 15mph from Eureka onwards. Given the prevailing winds I wouldn't bank on gettng much assistance.

Ironically, I was actually worrying about getting too much assistance!

The singlespeed is great at 15-20 mph on the flat, or even up a very gradual incline. As long as I have some resistance to pedal against it works well. The problem comes when there isn't much resistance such as riding downhill or with a significant tailwind - then the cadence goes up and up until I spin out and I have to spend quite a bit of time freewheeling.

I suppose even if there were a tailwind then there would be riders not interested in taking full advantage of it.

I'll come along if I can. I'd ride the singlespeed bike and choose one of the hilly variations of the route.