Author Topic: Midlander Super Grimpeur 200 and 300 (27-JUN-2009) (Read 24014 times)

Chris N · « **Reply #25 on:** 29 April, 2009, 04:07:22 pm »

Not me guv - I couldn't make it last year. I attempted part of the route as a DIY 250 (on gears), but DNFed at Bamford cos I would have been back at stupid o'clock on a Sunday night.

I may try the 200 on fixed at some point this summer, but not the 300 (not before LEL, at least). 67" for the Elenith - for the MSG I'd be on 63", tops.

I did ride a fixed DIY through the Peak a couple of months ago that was similarly hilly: via Ipstones, Winster, Cat and Fiddle, Miller's Dale, Bakewell, Wirksworth and home again. 63", 230km, 13 1/2 hours...

Chris S · « **Reply #26 on:** 15 May, 2009, 05:14:19 pm »

Well... Dominic's write up of this event in this month's Arrivee has had two effects on me.

1. I'm definitely going to enter the 300

.
2. I've just taken delivery of some lower gears. Do you think 30/28 will be low enough, or should I get a smaller granny at the front?

Yours
Fat Git, Norfolk.

mike · « **Reply #27 on:** 15 May, 2009, 05:16:01 pm »

I did large parts of the 200 on 30 / 26. You'll be fine

(actually, it might have been 30/29.. There arent that many stupidly steep bits, just lots of pretty steep and quite long bits)

Greenbank · « **Reply #28 on:** 15 May, 2009, 05:17:39 pm »

30x29 for me, plus stronger legs and a nigh on empty Barley (I may even ditch the SQR and mount it direct to the saddleloops/seatpost).

Chris S · « **Reply #29 on:** 15 May, 2009, 05:20:33 pm »

Hmm... I found 30/24 on the old block just too much once the legs get tired and things get vertical. Sounds like 30/28 will help - thanks!

simonp · « **Reply #30 on:** 15 May, 2009, 06:03:15 pm »

I did it on 30x27 last year. Can't recall using any of the other gears.

Chris S · « **Reply #31 on:** 15 May, 2009, 06:50:58 pm »

Quote from: simonp on 15 May, 2009, 06:03:15 pm

I did it on 30x27 last year. Can't recall using any of the other gears.

Uphill all the way then?

PatC · « **Reply #32 on:** 15 May, 2009, 08:25:33 pm »

There's a fair bit of climbing but nothing too scary or super-steep if I remember rightly. It's also useful to note that the climbing is concentrated in the middle 200(ish) of the ride and there's bags of nice long descents to recover on.

ps I used 26 x 25 as my bottom gear but then again I'm a southern softie.

simonp · « **Reply #33 on:** 01 June, 2009, 12:47:21 am »

Quote from: PatC on 15 May, 2009, 08:25:33 pm

There's a fair bit of climbing but nothing too scary or super-steep if I remember rightly. It's also useful to note that the climbing is concentrated in the middle 200(ish) of the ride and there's bags of nice long descents to recover on.

ps I used 26 x 25 as my bottom gear but then again I'm a southern softie.

More than a fair bit - the middle 200km has about 1000m more climbing than the Fred Whitton Challenge. Nothing as steep as on that obviously, but one section in particular (approx 150->200km now the route is reversed) seemed pretty unrelenting to me. It was by far the hardest event I've ever attempted.

But I'm sure everyone will be fine.

Just done my entry online.

Jon P · « **Reply #34 on:** 01 June, 2009, 03:43:32 am »

I did the 300 last year (and hope to again this) and echo the above - although on paper it looks formidable it's not so bad once you're doing it, the hills never stop but there's nothing worse than a 1:6 I don't think. So long as you've got a low gear to grind along in you can just enjoy the fantastic scenery (touchwood).

Jon P · « **Reply #35 on:** 01 June, 2009, 03:48:37 am »

Quote from: Danial Webb on 29 April, 2009, 02:45:23 pm

Most people last year finished this ride after midnight. I only had 15 riders but most arrived between midnight and 2am.

The last rider got in with 10 minutes to spare. Then he went to go sleep in a graveyard before his first train home.

Hardcore!

(OK, cycling home after would have been truly hardcore, but it would also have been beyond stupid. The man was forked.)

I'd forgotten about that chap from Derby - he also cycled in in the morning, before the event, and IIRC had done ridiculous mileage just before this event too. I lent him some of my sleeping gear as, as you say, he was about to cycle back straight after. The irony was that, having waited till the morning to get the train, he had to cycle most of it anyway as the train service was also forked.

Chris S · « **Reply #36 on:** 07 June, 2009, 07:18:04 pm »

Hmm...

I've been tracing the route of the 300 on the map. Now I've given myself the willies. It looks beyond me.

I have some questions.

1. Given that it's now June - is there any kind of hill practice I should be doing that might make even a bit of difference?
2. I rode the Dorset Coast 200 in 10h 30 this year, and seemed to be climbing reasonably well (though slower than many) on the Severn Across 400 (not a hilly ride by all accounts, but it always seems so to me) - should this give me any grounds for optimism?
3. I've done the Hopey New Year 100 a couple of times, including once on Fixed. Is this any grounds for optimism?
~~4. Can I get a refund?~~

I shall give it a shot - most likely outcome is I'll be out of time, or melt my knee again.

FWIW - I had the same nerves when I first entered the Dorset Coast; and similar estimated odds on finishing in time - ie, less than 50/50

.

Greenbank · « **Reply #37 on:** 07 June, 2009, 07:25:17 pm »

You'll be fine Chris. We'll form a nice little group that strolls in with 3 minutes to spare looking as fresh as a corpse.

mike · « **Reply #38 on:** 07 June, 2009, 07:54:18 pm »

aah, you'll be fine. The 200 was my first 200 last year and I made it round in reasonable shape, the 300 will be my first 300 and I expect to be miserable for most of it.

I might even have to ride a compact rather than a triple, just to add to the agony.

scottlington · « **Reply #39 on:** 07 June, 2009, 08:03:06 pm »

Quote from: Chris S on 07 June, 2009, 07:18:04 pm

Hmm...

I've been tracing the route of the 300 on the map. Now I've given myself the willies. It looks beyond me.

I shall give it a shot - most likely outcome is I'll be out of time, or melt my knee again.

I can't offer you any advice - you're far more experienced than I am. However, I've ridden with you a few times and I think you'll be absolutely fine. If it helps, think of me as a poor man's John Spooner; I'll be knocking around at the back somewhere so stay ahead of me and you'll get to the finish in time!!

simonp · « **Reply #40 on:** 07 June, 2009, 08:29:27 pm »

Excellent! I looked at the map last year, thought "meh, I did the Fred Whitton Challenge at ~20kph O.A, how hard can it be?"

Harder, that's what.

But, you have to remember, I am slower at controls than you and often finish rides behind you. So you'll be fine.

There was talk of it being the hardest 300 in the calendar. Is that true, or just wishful thinking?

Anyway, my training advice would be to do the Severn Across, Fred Whitton Challenge, Bryan Chapman on consecutive weekends, but it's too late for that. The MSG has much shorter climbs generally, and they don't get as steep by any means. You also have to remember that the first 50km will be fairly flat, as will the final 50km. Only the middle 200km is more hilly than the Fred Whitton, AIUI (4800m in 200km vs 3500 in 175km). The calendar page from last year's event says AAA 4.25.

If the route is reversed, then instead of going up the easy side of Holme Moss at 140km just as the 140km low energy point hits, on an empty tank, you'll be going up the hard side with a stomach full of food from the cafe at Holmfirth.

Is any of this helping yet?

As for Mike. MSG 300 as your first 300. Well, you've got balls, I'll give you that.

Chris S · « **Reply #41 on:** 07 June, 2009, 08:36:55 pm »

Cheers Simon

*retires to corner*

Waaaaaaa!

simonp · « **Reply #42 on:** 07 June, 2009, 10:08:41 pm »

Think I might have a gpx altitude trace from last year.

Want to see, or not?

Would be interesting to draw Alex's time-in-hand graph for the event too. I don't have the technology for that (though all I'd need is the great circle distance formula which I'm sure I can find on teh internets) and some time over a hot keyboard.

Chris S · « **Reply #43 on:** 07 June, 2009, 10:09:59 pm »

I suspect ignorance is bliss.

Greenbank · « **Reply #44 on:** 07 June, 2009, 10:19:12 pm »

Quote from: simonp on 07 June, 2009, 10:08:41 pm

Would be interesting to draw Alex's time-in-hand graph for the event too.

Chuck it in an email and I can do it for you.

It requires reasonable manual intervention so the script itself is not ready to be released to the wild.

simonp · « **Reply #45 on:** 07 June, 2009, 11:06:41 pm »

Quote from: Chris S on 07 June, 2009, 10:09:59 pm

I suspect ignorance is bliss.

Tough, I've been to the trouble of finding the files, pasting them all together, drawing the profile, working out which keypress combination to use to save a screenshot, wondering why all my shared drives had vanished, plugging the network cable back in, coming through here, finding my upload password, uploading the file.

You expect me to miss out the final step of linking to it?

Enjoy. AIUI, we do it in reverse now.

Chris N · « **Reply #46 on:** 07 June, 2009, 11:22:21 pm »

Quote from: Danial Webb on 29 April, 2009, 07:22:16 am

But most importantly, you'll have the services of ChrisN on the day. Cheers Chris!

Looks like I'll be stamping cards at Ashbourne - it's a nice ride out to there from mine, and, being the first control means I won't have to hang around all day for you flatlanders to get in.

Greenbank · « **Reply #47 on:** 08 June, 2009, 11:27:14 am »

Quote from: Greenbank on 07 June, 2009, 10:19:12 pm

Quote from: simonp on 07 June, 2009, 10:08:41 pm
Would be interesting to draw Alex's time-in-hand graph for the event too.

Chuck it in an email and I can do it for you.

It requires reasonable manual intervention so the script itself is not ready to be released to the wild.

simonp · « **Reply #48 on:** 08 June, 2009, 11:33:54 am »

Interesting, thanks Alex. See all that time wasted at controls?

Also note the going backwards several times whilst still moving.

That be hills.

Chris S · « **Reply #49 on:** 08 June, 2009, 11:34:49 am »

Remind me what parameters the graph is based on...?

Author Topic: Midlander Super Grimpeur 200 and 300 (27-JUN-2009) (Read 24014 times)

Chris N

Chris S

Chris S

simonp

Chris S

simonp

Chris S

simonp

Chris S

simonp

Chris S

simonp

Chris N

simonp

Chris S