Paris Roubaix Challenge 2013

[Veloman]

Details of this ride at:

http://sport.be.msn.com/parisroubaix/2013/eng/

Anyone ever undertaken this ride in the past?

A friend of mine is trying to tempt me to ride the 170km event.

Hmmmmmmmm

[iddu]

Anyone ever undertaken this ride in the past?

Yes. Great fun (well, at least under the weather we had - a wet and cold day would make the 170 challanging).

[LittleWheelsandBig]

I did the 260km Paris-Roubaix Cyclo in June 2004. A tough day, despite the flattish course. Don't wear a heavy watch; mine rubbed through the skin, drawing blood by the finish. Make sure everything you put on your bike will actually stay there. Bidons, computers, pumps and bags have a tendency to remove themselves during the first few pave sectors.

[mattc]

Anyone ever undertaken this ride in the past?

Yes. Great fun (well, at least under the weather we had - a wet and cold day would make the 170 challanging).

Memory failing old chap? I believe you did the 255 version in 2008. Probably the same "Cyclo" that LWaB rode.

'our' ride is held in June; an April ride has to feature better chance of wet stuff. Although starting 80km* closer to Roubaix will make life easier

A grand day out. heed LWAB's advice well. I stopped falling off once the sun dried the cobbles off - those with decent bike-handling tend to not fall off at all. It's still my only "never again" ride!

[iddu]

Memory failing old chap? I believe you did the 255 version in 2008. Probably the same "Cyclo" that LWaB rode.

Yerzzzz, well that's because I woz young(er) and foolish, and you led me astray

[MattH]

I did the long (210km) Cyclo version last year. It's one of those "every serious cyclist should do this once" rides - a great experience, even if they don't have a clue how to surface their roads properly.

As the others have said, don't wear anything that can move and rub, don't have anything on your bike that you don't need, and make sure that the bits you do have fitted are securely screwed, taped and cable tied in place. Preferably all three.

I only saw a couple of broken frames and one set of broken handlebars.

[ParrettPedaller]

Anybody on here up for the 2014 Paris Roubaix Challenge?

Stupidly I'm in with an office team of another 8 (much younger) riders.

For those who've ridden this previously, how long does the recovery from road/pave jarring take?  Days, or weeks?

[MattH]

I was fine the next day, riding to work like after any other 200.
Another guy who was riding with us had to abandon because his gloves had rubbed and his hands were a bloody mess and he could no longer hold the bars even on smooth tarmac. That took somewhat longer to recover from!

[LittleWheelsandBig]

I found the 260km knocked me around worse than a normal 300, more like a 400. Not tried the short distance options but the fatigue was ramping up quite steeply as the ride went on. I could understand the concept of the 200 not being too wearing.