Tour of Flanders sportive

[montage]

It looks like I may well be doing this on the 3rd of April, but don't know much about it, apart from the fact that there are cobbles and some steep climbs (Muur). I will be looking to do the shortest route....I hope!

So my main question is, is it really that hard if you take it at a nice steady place and don't give a rat's arse about your time?.....Bare in mind I've spent nearly 2 years off the bike, only just getting back into riding properly about 2 weeks ago, and I may well be hungover for this event.

Anybody else doing it?

What do people recommend equipment wise? If I can run my 23mm gatorskins with slightly less pressure that would be ideal, as I don't fancy spending much cash on this. Is the course a nightmare if wet?

Cheers

 

[the snail]

What do people recommend equipment wise?

Cheers

bloody hell, that looks terrifying. I think mountain bike shoes and a spare pair of legs

View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1jKY8pYNHxM

 

[BAGBOG]

I have done the full distance but the first 100k+ is fairly dull. It should be done for the experience but it only gets enjoyable in the last 150k when the hills arrive.
In terms of difficulty then, if you are not trying to do a "time", it is not too bad. The hills are not that steep but they can go on a bit. Because of the cobbles we British tend to find them difficult when meeting them for the first time especially if its wet. And lets face it if you are going to do Flanders then you should be looking for it to rain to get the full "Flanders Experience".
Unlikely you will not need special gears and you could certainly run 700/23 tyres. I doubt lowering the pressures would help as the cobble hills are not very long so if you are not giving it stick there should be no reason puncture.
One of the best rides on the Classics Circuit. The last four times I have ridden it I have opted for the 150k route and really like it. The only real problems are the number of riders and the number of those who cannot climb hills and who fall off in front of you but refuse to get up and out of the way to let you pass.
Best advice would be to start early or late to avoid some of the crush on the hills.
I have looked at the video and the people walking, from what I saw when doing it, are overweight, over optimistic and over geared. For an experienced rider 39/28 should do fine. But, if in doubt use a triple. Take a look at the video. Towards the end a guy rides up fairly easily on a mtb.
When wet it is a different proposition. You need to learn the technique of climbing steepish, slippery cobbles. You will struggle the first time especially when descending.

 

[Roadkill]

4 of us (2 Dads and 2 teens) are doing the short route, can't wait.

My son Lewis and I did 100km of Paris Roubaix (the pave sections) last year on our normal road bikes, an Alu Lapierre and a carbon Cervelo, with 23c tyres and we were fine. Although this was flat pave in beautiful sunshine we were going flat out - playing at pro!

There're some good videos on You Tube.

Might see you there!

 

[montage]

Cheers for the video and the responses.....just to update, looks like I will be doing the 140km version. Feeling confident about it now as the route doesn't really look THAT tough, as long as the knees can handle the distance!

Aside from the cobbles climbs, is it a hillyish or a flattish course?

Cheers again

 

[BAGBOG]

Aside from the cobbles climbs, is it a hillyish or a flattish course?

Cheers again

Mostly flattish. It is not a difficult ride and not all the hills are cobbled it is just that they come as a shock to those not Belgium. There are even a couple of flat cobbled sections and one of these is worse than most of the climbs.

The CapleMuur is now much easier since it has been relaid with smaller, uniform cobbles. In the past they were the old loafs of bread type with big gaps you had to ride around but now it has been somewhat sanitised.

 

[gary r]

Ive ridden the 140k event,plenty far enough.you still want to be able to enjoy a few beers after the ride!!!! The best advice i can offer is fit MTB pedals (SPD'S) and MTB shoes.it helps you walk up the climbs.so many people on the climbs you will have to walk some and its hard work in road shoes with cleats.

 

[Baggy]

Montage, have only just seen this - hope you had a grand day out. Chuffy was riding the same version as you, you could have had a mini CC meet up!

He's just landed back at St. Pancras, had a whale of a time but said it was damned hard work on the pave and the big climbs were too congested to ride up. He was taken out for a 70k "recovery" ride on yet more pave this morning and isn't sure if his hands will ever work again!

 

[Telemark]

You could have worn CC team colours and had your own mini-peloton ...


T

 

[montage]

Montage, have only just seen this - hope you had a grand day out. Chuffy was riding the same version as you, you could have had a mini CC meet up!

He's just landed back at St. Pancras, had a whale of a time but said it was damned hard work on the pave and the big climbs were too congested to ride up. He was taken out for a 70k "recovery" ride on yet more pave this morning and isn't sure if his hands will ever work again!

Ahhh...gutted, would have been fun to meet up with the chuffster.

I've had an absolutely amazing few days, with this ride being the highlight. The weather was absolutely stunning - if anything, too hot!

Our pre-ride preperations were not the best. I managed to pick up some mild food poisoning the night before we left, failed to sleep the next night as we were travelling, then the friday night before the sportive got a beer or three too many and spent the entire night arguing with some random american girls over whether white or brown bread was the best. We really should have had breakfast morning of the sportive as well, but with the thick paste of stale alcohol still in our mouths we gave it a miss.

Regarding the ride, the atmosphere was brilliant, but the koppenburg was simply too crowded to ride up unless you are a pro at trackstanding. The Muur was amazing fun, lots of locals cheering us on, but nowhere near as hard as I thought it would be...I went up it reservedly having seen videos of it looking evil, so I was shocked when I hit the top. The hardest parts were the long flat/slightly downhill cobbled versions - the only way you can train for these is by getting a friend to slam a sledgehammer into your hands and gooch, having said that, these were the sections I seemed to do relatively best in as I decided to hit them all full on.

Very good ride, well worth the time and money spent, though be prepared to have to come to a stop several times because of the sheer volume of people. Think I'm off to bed now having had about 14 hours sleep in total over the last 5 days...night all!

 

[rich p]

Well done Monty, sounds like a great experience.

 

[pickup1980]

What sites would i need to go on to book up for next year fancy this and paris - roubaix

 

[mr Mag00]

my brother copmpleted the full monty and well you guys who took part too, sounds awesome. great prep montage! i am now thinking about next year

 

[Baggy]

What sites would i need to go on to book up for next year fancy this and paris - roubaix

Am sure Montage etc will have web links to the official sites etc, but just in case anyone is interested in treating themselves, if you're interested in a package, Chuffy would definitely recommend Pave Cycling Classics - these guys are massive enthusiasts and will provide you with a bike specifically designed for cobbles, support vehicle, food, accommodation and local knowledge. He says he had the time of his life, the guys are great fun and they looked after him incredibly well.

If a group of you go together it will also work out cheaper than the price they have on their website.

 

[Baggy]

Ahhh...gutted, would have been fun to meet up with the chuffster.

Regarding the ride, the atmosphere was brilliant, but the koppenburg was simply too crowded to ride up unless you are a pro at trackstanding. The Muur was amazing fun, lots of locals cheering us on, but nowhere near as hard as I thought it would be...I went up it reservedly having seen videos of it looking evil, so I was shocked when I hit the top. The hardest parts were the long flat/slightly downhill cobbled versions - the only way you can train for these is by getting a friend to slam a sledgehammer into your hands and gooch, having said that, these were the sections I seemed to do relatively best in as I decided to hit them all full on.

Very good ride, well worth the time and money spent, though be prepared to have to come to a stop several times because of the sheer volume of people. Think I'm off to bed now having had about 14 hours sleep in total over the last 5 days...night all!

Sounds like you had a tops time! Am almost jealous, though in my book of wussiness cobbles count as off-roading!

Chuffy had similar experiences on the climbs - said the gradient was do-able (in the dry, anyway) but the Koppenberg was too crowded to ride, and when someone ground to a halt in front of him on the Muur the number of riders either side meant he just couldn't get past.

The cobbles had no effect at all on his backside or undercarriage