Author Topic: Midland Mesh - Hints and Tips  (Read 5138 times)

Alouicious

Midland Mesh - Hints and Tips
« on: 21 January, 2011, 07:18:45 am »
Midlands Mesh – Hints and tips

Alcester to Measham.

Take A435 up a shallow gradient through Studley to Mappleborough Green. Up the steady Gorcot Hill and then the flat roads through Solihull all the way to Coleshill, N Warks.
Leave Coleshill Eastbound and go through Whitacre Heath to Kingsbury. Trinity Road to the M42 junction 10.
Through Tamworth Services to take Green Lane to Birchmoor. Through Polesworth, Warton to Austrey. At Austrey turn north to No Mans Heath. Onto the B5493 to Measham.

This route is 72km, and misses out MANY hills. The ped/cycle dual use path from Tamworth Services to Green Lane, Birchmoor is not recognized by most route planners.

An alternative 73km route takes the A435 to Moseley and then goes through Sparkhill in SE Birmingham, where lunch can be taken at one of the many Asian sweet shops.


Stratford upon Avon to Measham.

A46 and A444. 68km. Hatton Rock Bank on the A439 is the one and only hill on the route. New flyover on A46 at M40 J15 saves loads of messing at the Motorway island.
Signs on the A46 trunk road to Coventry say "Unsuitable for cycles". Take no notice of these.

A break can be taken at the Tesco Store right next to Coventry City Ricoh Stadium. You will be well ahead of schedule. The trucks on the A46 will have drafted you up to 30kmh average.

Alouicious

Re: Midland Mesh - Hints and Tips
« Reply #1 on: 21 January, 2011, 10:17:12 am »
Anywhere to Stow on the Wold.

While your riding level ground, get a stink on. "Make hay while the sun shines"...

Stow on the Wold has ELEVEN strings going to it. That's because it ON THE top of the Wold, and there's a hill involved.

Re: Midland Mesh - Hints and Tips
« Reply #2 on: 21 January, 2011, 02:54:26 pm »
Forgive me, are these your suggestions or are you asking for hints & tips for less suicidal routes?  :o

Alouicious

Re: Midland Mesh - Hints and Tips
« Reply #3 on: 21 January, 2011, 05:14:23 pm »
Forgive me, are these your suggestions or are you asking for hints & tips for less suicidal routes?  :o

Hopefully, other MidMeshers, or Peak & Plainers, or Northern Climers will write in hints and tips about strings they ride frequently.

Chris N

Re: Midland Mesh - Hints and Tips
« Reply #4 on: 21 January, 2011, 06:09:50 pm »
You could add them here too: Mesh Planner

TBH, I'm with Saturn - you'd not catch me riding your recommended routes!

Re: Midland Mesh - Hints and Tips
« Reply #5 on: 21 January, 2011, 07:27:43 pm »
Forgive me, are these your suggestions or are you asking for hints & tips for less suicidal routes?  :o

Hopefully, other MidMeshers, or Peak & Plainers, or Northern Climers will write in hints and tips about strings they ride frequently.


One l've ridden and am hoping to ride this year again is Bristol - Chepstow - Malmesbury - Bristol.
Good choice of cafes in both C & M and fairly quiet lanes,plus the bonus of crossing the Severn Bridge.

Alouicious

Re: Midland Mesh - Hints and Tips
« Reply #6 on: 22 January, 2011, 10:49:09 am »
Alcester to Evesham & Evesham to Alcester.

There's a lovely fast non-stop dual carriageway 90% of the distance.


Southam to Market Harborough.

The shortest route is via the intersection of the M6 and M1 ( the traffic islands on the A14 below the M1 ).
On the reverse route, make sure you don't go riding up onto the westbound M6.


Alcester to Stratford upon Avon.

Take it easy up the incline to The Stag at Redhill, cus on the downhill toward Stratford, you will need top ratio and ride in the centre of the carriageway. Otherwise, the HGVs will push you into the curb.



Re: Midland Mesh - Hints and Tips
« Reply #7 on: 22 January, 2011, 11:45:29 am »
Alcester to Evesham & Evesham to Alcester.

There's a lovely fast non-stop dual carriageway 90% of the distance.



The idea of the Mesh rides (as with any other audax) is that they should be ridden on a bicycle, and not a motorbike or car.  Few (I was going to say "no", but there are one or two) cyclists would willingly choose to cycle along the A46 dual carriageway between Alcester and Evesham.  Or for that matter the A435 northwards, which while not DC until north of Studley, at Mappleborough Green) is nevertheless a fast (despite the speed limits!) and unpleasant road.

The old A435 between Evesham and Alcester (now A4184 north out of town to Twyford, then continue along B4088 through Harvington to Dunnington, where continue on minor road past Ragley Hall to Arrow then cross A46 into Alcester would leave you arriving far less harassed, having passed through some pretty villages on a relatively quiet (and not exactly hilly!) road.

Similarly, exiting Alcester towards Great Alne to pick up the B4089, turning L (actually SA) in Gt Alne and following signs for Wilmcote where either turn L to go into Stratford from the N along the A3400 (not a great entry to the town) or continuing, to turn L later (by the Billesley Manor Hotel) to enter Stratford from the W might be a little further than blasting down the A46, but is far more pleasant.  The biggest downside is that it extends the route a little too far if you want to include the charming village of Aston Cantlow

DanialW

Re: Midland Mesh - Hints and Tips
« Reply #8 on: 22 January, 2011, 03:35:21 pm »
It's alright first thing in the morning though. As far at 'getting out of Birmingham quickly' options, it's not a bad one.

If it's been dry, then you can't go wrong with going through Redditch on the bus road to Church Hill then the Icknield Road to Road to King's Norton.

Jaded

  • The Codfather
  • Formerly known as Jaded
Re: Midland Mesh - Hints and Tips
« Reply #9 on: 22 January, 2011, 03:38:55 pm »

Southam to Market Harborough.

The shortest route is via the intersection of the M6 and M1 ( the traffic islands on the A14 below the M1 ).
On the reverse route, make sure you don't go riding up onto the westbound M6.


and not far from there there are several options that take you away from the mental A14, M1, M6 traffic.
It is simpler than it looks.

graham57

Re: Midland Mesh - Hints and Tips
« Reply #10 on: 29 March, 2011, 11:21:03 am »
I am afraid that I am withdrawing from organising the Northern/Midlands Meshes this year. I have had the following email from the AUK committee regarding the Mesh which is self explanatory.

Those cards which have been issued will be verified this season but as I only have a couple of cards left I am unable to issue any more. The routes will be double checked for distance with Autoroute or similar to verify total distance.

Quote
The Midlands Mesh and DIY perms were discussed at the last AUK committee meeting.

Those who were originally involved in their establishment feel that there have been sufficient changes to roads and control opportunities to require Mesh Perms to be fully reviewed and overhauled if they are to continue. There is no doubt now that for some events a route that would be acceptable on the Mesh would fail a DIY event Autoroute test for shortest distance, (and possibly vice versa).

As you know the parts of the Midlands Mesh organised by Sheila Simpson and then Danial Webb have both been withdrawn because of their out-dated nature, a decline in riders doing the events and the increase in DIY events as the AUK preferred means of allowing free routing for Perms on a consistent national basis. In Danial's case the switch of entries from Mesh Perms to DIY Perms over a three year period was almost total.

A very small, but keen, number of riders continue to enter your Midlands and Northern Climbs part of the Mesh and also Simon Ward's Eastern Peak and Plain; and hitherto I have been content to allow these to continue while you and Simon organised them on the assumption that they would at some point probably be withdrawn because of the lack of rider interest. The view taken at the Committee meeting was that this approach was OK for this season, but that in order to continue next year (2011 - 12) the mesh legs should be re-assessed for minimum distance using autoroute as for DIY events.

If you wish to re-establish a wider Mesh Perm network than the your remaining Northern Climbs part, with re-measured Mesh links that are a true minimum distance while avoiding roads unsuitable for cycling, I would be happy to look at the proposal.  I am not, however, convinced that it would be worth the organiser effort for the small number of entries that are likely to be attracted.


As stated above if someone wishes to recheck and draw up a new mesh they are welcome to but I do not have the time.

You can still use the mesh maps to select a route but double check it with google or whatever and use a DIY card. The mesh maps are still available on
Graham Hines' Audax pages

I hope this is not too much of a problem for you all

Graham

Alouicious

Re: Midland Mesh - Hints and Tips
« Reply #11 on: 29 March, 2011, 11:39:27 am »
I have a MM 210.

Stratford u Avon - Stow o t Wold - Stratford u Avon - Measham - Stratford u Avon.

Absolute shortest by road is 204.

The M42 Services south of Measham is an allowable control, but shortens the distance to 198, so I ride into Measham and get a proof from the Co-op.


I will continue to use this route plan until I receive an official Bulletin from AUK Towers, in writing by registered mail, signed in triplicate by The MD and two other Directors.

LittleWheelsandBig

  • Whimsy Rider
Re: Midland Mesh - Hints and Tips
« Reply #12 on: 29 March, 2011, 11:44:41 am »
It is interesting that Daniel had almost a 100% switch from Mesh to DIY. HK and I rode a Mesh outbound and DIY back over a long weekend last year (different routes) and all brevets were validated as DIY rides, despite the relevant entry forms referring to the Midlands Mesh. We both rode a Mesh the weekend before the Dean. Almost the last of the breed, it seems.
Wheel meet again, don't know where, don't know when...

Alouicious

Re: Midland Mesh - Hints and Tips
« Reply #13 on: 29 March, 2011, 11:58:47 am »
My last MM was 3rd Jan 2011, so I must be the 1%.

I've just bought eight cards !

They are all allocated to 2011 planned rides.

Those rides are as described in my earier post. 06:00 to 16:30 on weedays off work.
They are nominal 200km.

Alouicious

Re: Midland Mesh - Hints and Tips
« Reply #14 on: 29 March, 2011, 08:11:19 pm »
I've got home and had a look through my stores of MM and DIY cards.

I have NINE MM cards and NINE DIY cards. Enough to see me through the Brevet 1000 and Brevet 3000 Series awards I have planned for 2011 and 2012.

I have taken time to contemplate what this means.

It’s a total BALLS UP.

At the end of last year, I coughed up five years commuted membership. What a mistake!

I will be writing for a refund of four of those five years and leave AUK.

Re: Midland Mesh - Hints and Tips
« Reply #15 on: 29 March, 2011, 11:18:02 pm »
I've got home and had a look through my stores of MM and DIY cards.

I have NINE MM cards and NINE DIY cards. Enough to see me through the Brevet 1000 and Brevet 3000 Series awards I have planned for 2011 and 2012.

I have taken time to contemplate what this means.

It’s a total BALLS UP.

At the end of last year, I coughed up five years commuted membership. What a mistake!

I will be writing for a refund of four of those five years and leave AUK.


Seems a bit extreme.  Maybe you should try for a refund or do the rides as DIYs.?

Alouicious

Re: Midland Mesh - Hints and Tips
« Reply #16 on: 30 March, 2011, 07:13:40 am »
I've got home and had a look through my stores of MM and DIY cards.

I have NINE MM cards and NINE DIY cards. Enough to see me through the Brevet 1000 and Brevet 3000 Series awards I have planned for 2011 and 2012.

I have taken time to contemplate what this means.

It’s a total BALLS UP.

At the end of last year, I coughed up five years commuted membership. What a mistake!

I will be writing for a refund of four of those five years and leave AUK.


Seems a bit extreme.  Maybe you should try for a refund or do the rides as DIYs.?

I have now got until 31st Oct to shift NINE MidMesh cards. Assuming MidMesh will be defunct after 31st Oct 2011, I spent the late hours last night re-planning 2011 and 2012.


There is a quick and simple method of curing the MidMesh "problem" and that is to take 5 km OFF all distance strings.

i.e. My 210 to Stow ( comprising of 4 strings will become 190, so a short excursion to Alcester and back [was 15 each way, now 10] will bring the total back to 210.

But as I have previously mentioned, my Stow trip is 3% overdistance for a 200 anyway.

The contentious ride is Home ATM - Stratford - Evesham - Stratford - Home ATM; which is 4 x 25km strings. The shortest I've ridden it is 96km using the A435 trunk road between Bidford on Avon and Evesham. The 'country' route is longer.

Hey ho, Re-planned and ready to go.