Wales : South Glamorgan Velothon Wales

[Dogtrousers]

I was very surprised at the number of people walking on the big hills. As one of the slower (and heavier) riders on the road I was being constantly overtaken on the flat/downhill, but the reverse was true on the big hills. I ascended the Tumble with a friend who was gutsily grinding up, so I rode with her for sections, then headed up at my own pace for a bit and had a rest waited and took some photos, and repeat. Caerphilly mountain was more of a test and I left my friend to her own devices and rode up that on my own, again past loads of walkers.

I put this down at least in part to the over-gearing of bikes as sold.

 

[sleaver]

I put this down at least in part to the over-gearing of bikes as sold.

I was considering changing my gearing so that I had a 32 rather than just a 28 but I don't know how much that would have helped.

My problem was lack of training and I knew it. As I said a while ago, it was either train and don't go or don't train and go. Some may say that I shouldn't have done it but apart from around the long drag up the non-scenic bypass, I didn't find the distance a problem and I think that section was hard only because I was bored and kept looking at my Garmin not seeing the distance go up quickly.

Those two hills just broke me. I can do gradients like that or worse no problem on short hills, but on a long one is a completely different story.

 

[Dogtrousers]

Sorry @sleaver , I didn't intend that to be taken personally. It was more a point about the fact that everyone seemed to be going faster than me nearly all the time except up the big hills. Even if you ruled out the people who were obviously/probably doing their first big ride, or pushing out the boat for a charity event there still seemed to be a lot of people who could do everything speed and distance wise except go uphill, which I found kind of odd.

Anyway, it was a lot of fun. I may even be back next year. Bringing my own food again.

 

[Wightdragon]

I don't know. I'm either guessing it was about the road closures or something we haven't got a clue about

He was alleging the closed road made his home a prison! Presumably no one there can walk

 

[huwsparky]

He was alleging the closed road made his home a prison! Presumably no one there can walk

Well that is just pathetic. Can't please some people, like to moan about anything...

 

[sleaver]

Sorry @sleaver , I didn't intend that to be taken personally.

I didn't take it personally however I can see how it may have come across that way with the first two paragraphs put together So no offence taken

Although I did walk, it was only bits. I got past the second (first right hander I think) of the Tumble, then got back on when it flattered a bit, walked and then got back on again about 500m from the top. With Caerphilly, I made it through the town and just past the tree line.

In Caerphilly, at the bottom of the steep bit with the castle on your left where the road turned right at the top, I changed up a few gears and just went for it which resulted in someone in the crown shouting "Thats they way mate" or something like that. If only he could have seen my face after I did that because my legs did not thank me for it

 

[sleaver]

He was alleging the closed road made his home a prison! Presumably no one there can walk

London to Brighton is going through my village on Sunday and the road is closed, maybe I should have asked if I could reuse and sit there moaning rather than planning around it going going to watch people do what they enjoy

Forgot to mention, I did see one car on the route driving the other way and it wasn't an "event vehicle"

 

[Wightdragon]

One was being towed away in Caerphilly. The owner didn't look happy.

 

[Wightdragon]

O

Well that is just pathetic. Can't please some people, like to moan about anything...

one sign said the Tumble didn't exist, and carried on to say it wasn't here!! My legs are fairly sure it exists!!

 

[Wightdragon]

London to Brighton is going through my village on Sunday and the road is closed, maybe I should have asked if I could reuse and sit there moaning rather than planning around it going going to watch people do what they enjoy

Forgot to mention, I did see one car on the route driving the other way and it wasn't an "event vehicle"

Maybe you could organise a mass protest. "What are we against? "Everything that affects me even if it benefits thousands" ,not catchy but sums them up.

 

[NorvernRob]

Sounds like everyone had a good day, unfortunately I couldn't make it (wife is pregnant and had some complications earlier in the week, everything is ok but I didn't want to be 200 miles away and halfway through a ride if something happened!).

I ended up doing a century from home instead - it p*ssed it down almost the whole way. We got lost, I lost my saddlebag, got so cold I couldn't shift into the big ring with my left hand and had to reach across with my right and pull the lever.

Plus we got stuck on a small lane that turned into a mudbath, and I had to poke the mud out of my very expensive bikes forks and brakes with a stick as they were totally jammed, then spray it with water from puddles when we got back to a road.

Hardest ride ever.

 

[Dogtrousers]

@NorvernRob I "liked" your post, which doesn't mean that I laughed a lot at your predicament. Just a bit. How on earth did you lose your saddlebag?

 

[Nomadski]

Had a fab weekend in Cardiff and completed the course in 5hrs 24mins, not counting the rather substantial breaks our group took, including a sit down and cuppa at the top of Caerphilly.

Both big hills I stopped multiple times up for a quick 10 second breather, but didn't push the bike an inch. It may have even been quicker to do so, but had made my own rule I wouldn't do it. So for the larger part of Tumble, and the top half of Caerphilly did it in 100m stretches with breathers in between.

Leith Hill is like a pancake compared to those bloomin hills.

Apart from the slowdown at Celtic Manor with the tacks, and the dull as ditchwater section of dual carriageway between Newbridge and Caerphilly, really enjoyed the route, and the support from the sides. Shame about the 3 bad offs I saw - hope they are ok, one looked particularly serious with the downed rider covered in a foil blanket.

While having my tea at Caerphilly, gave an extraneous full bag of Jelly Babies to a couple of younger ones with their mums so I won't have no MP telling me the event brought nothing to the area!

 

[User33236]

Me and Mrs SG got caught behind the tack incident and got delayed for a short time but other than that, and the homemade PRISON sign, the locals seemed very supportive with some having signs or standing there giving advice, such as "pothole on the left round next corner".

I stopped once on the Tumble having come almost to a halt; took a breather and got to the top. Once there I enjoyed the view whilst waiting on the wife. Similarly at Caerphilly I got about 2/3 up before stopping; the bloke having a clipless moment right in front of me being my excuse . Got going again and got over the top on the second attempt then had to wait just shy of 10 minutes on the wife. (Seemed to be a common theme after each significant rise . Still I couldn't do the ultra marathons she does!).

Didn't go into any of the feed stations, only stopped at the edge of the one at the top of the Tumble whilst Mrs SG answered the call of nature, so can't comment on what they had but can only add that the first two stops seemed to cause road blocks for those trying to go straight through. The road surface at the run in to the finish left a little to be desired.

Overall though an enjoyable ride and the locals that came out to watch were fantastic.

Got back home this afternoon to be met my our numbers for this months Manchester 52, hoping to beat last years time .

 

[Broadside]

I seen him in the neck brace and oxygen mask, from what I understand he hit one of the rumble strips on the road at high speed

There were other rumble strips that caused problems, there was one section of about 6 yellow lines that had caused all manner of bits to drop off bikes, the kerb was lined with about 30 water bottles, a load of rear lights and some sunglasses!!

There was also a deep compression in the road from a trench on the descent off Caerphilly on the 'offside' that you wouldn't usually use, that made my descent adrenaline filled when I hit it!