Greenwich Mean Climb 300: 23 Sept. 2017

[αdαmsκι]

Audax Club Hackney are again putting on the Greenwich Mean Climb 300 that starts in, erm, Greenwich. Details are here: http://www.aukweb.net/events/detail/17-91/

I did a route check over the weekend and can report the hills of Kent & Sussex are waiting to show themselves off at their best steepest. Some fine examples include Toys Hill, Kidds Hill, the climb over the South Downs to Seaford and there are three nasty climbs in the last 30 km or so as you go over Ide Hill, Brasted Hill and a final sting as you climb from Cudham to Downe. My hands were sore from all the climbing and descending.

Hopefully you'll get similar weather to what I get on Saturday and everyone will have a cracking ride. Enjoy.

[grams]

I think I'm in.

Last time I failed spectacularly by bouncing the cafe in Bexhill, getting stuck on the new inner link road in Bexhill (it's in a deep cutting and has no junctions!), going on a Google Maps mystery tour to get to Crowborough because I thought it might be quicker, then finding nowhere else to eat and having horrendous stomach problems in the dark and limped home hours late. Don't do this!

I note the finish closing time is 2:04 am. On my old brevet it's 2:41 am. The new route is the same length. Is 2:04 correct?

[Ivan]

Yes, the cutoff time is 02:04 now. As the organiser, I need to ensure controls are available between their opening and closing times, and so I changed the minimum speed to 15kph (which is the allowable maximum) as that makes the Tunbridge Wells control's cutoff of 22:44 is before that garage closes.

It was 14.6kph before as that fitted with the previous route via Crowborough, but then that garage suddenly changed its hours from 11pm to 10pm which I apologise for and caused me to revisit all of this. On the plus side, I think the new routing is better and removed a couple of sections I wasn't that happy with, and Tunbridge Wells does offer some more alternatives off route if you are prepared to explore.

I realise it's a bit backward to adjust times to fit the controls rather than vice-versa, but it's all a bit of a juggling act getting a calendar ride together that fits the available facilities.

As it finishes at my house, happy to wait up for any out-of-timers, just let me know via the number on the brevet if you can, which unlike last year's will be mine rather than Jonah's, so less likely to suffer any communication breakdowns.

[iZaP]

Looking forward to this, except for Toys Hill! I hate that hill!

[Whitedown Man]

I'm with you. On paper Yorks Hill should be worse than Toys, but somehow it just isn't.

[αdαmsκι]

I don't mind Toys Hill whereas I find Kidds Hill really tough, possibly because it just raises up straight in front of you from all the way from the bottom.

[Redlight]

I'm with you. On paper Yorks Hill should be worse than Toys, but somehow it just isn't.

I prefer Toys on the grounds that most of the time it has a rideable surface whereas Yorks often seems to be trying to get itself re-assigned as "off road".

[TigaSefi]

Toys is lovely compared to the mossy slippy yorks even in dry weather. Won't be doing this year unfortunately.

[hillbilly]

(Both are pretty meh compared to Bailey Hill, which is just a few km to the East.  It adds a bit of distance depending on how Toys is approached (less so if is from Penshurst, more so if from Hurstmonceaux) but is an easier climb with less traffic and with better more consistent views.  Will be familiar to those who have done the Invikta 50/100 rides in Spring)

[citoyen]

(Both are pretty meh compared to Bailey Hill, which is just a few km to the East.  It adds a bit of distance depending on how Toys is approached (less so if is from Penshurst, more so if from Hurstmonceaux) but is an easier climb with less traffic and with better more consistent views.  Will be familiar to those who have done the Invikta 50/100 rides in Spring)

I like Bayley's Hill - it's a nice steady climb, and only the little kick up at the end is at all hard.

I quite like Ide Hill too - not as evil as Toys and better views. I found Toys Hill especially hard work at the end of the Shark last year. I know some people (you know who you are) who always detour via Ide Hill rather than Yorks on the Invicta ride - as well as a nicer climb, it's a much nicer descent too.

I don't think I've ever ridden up Brasted Hill, only down it, but it's Hobson's choice between that and Hogtrough - both viciously steep.

And that nasty little 'sting' between Cudham and Downe is pretty horrible too.

I'd love to do the Greenwich Mean Climb but there's no way I'm up to it at the moment. The Shark was hard enough.

[grams]

The worst hill last year was the one up to Heathfield on the way northbound to Wadhurst. Quite a busy road, parked cars on the top half, plus it's not actually that steep which means it goes on *forever*.

Glad to see it's gone from this year's route.

[Ivan]

I don't find Toys Hill via Emmetts Lane that bad, it's the southerly ascent that's the real killer, but I save that for The Shark. Surprised no one has mentioned High & Over after Alfriston, that's a real killer - on fixed at least. I don't even try on Brasted these days, and my strava PB for Hogtrough is 2 minutes faster walking it than the one time I made it on 74", even with the cheeky run up along the Pilgrim's Way.

Jonah's original brief for this ride was to create a b*ll*xing hard 300 in the SE, but I ended up taking out some of the more gratuitous climbs like Yorks in favour of something that flows better with fewer infos, so at least be grateful for that. This also fits with what I understand the GdS philosophy to be of enjoyable, challenging rides rather than sufferfests.

[hillbilly]

Brasted Hill is of course the polite anagram of its true name.  Its a memorable climb at the back end of a long ride.  (Hogtrough is nastier though, although that may be perception as it requires you to break momentum at the crossroads leading into it and it kicks off with some thigh burn rather than Brasted which goes full retard in the middle).  Sitting here regretting eating many pies over the past 18 months, as it is a very pleasing route that is also beyond my range at the moment.

[iZaP]

I am surprised there isn't a hill named Thighburn hill yet! and if there would be one, I am sure the route would take it in.

[Redlight]

I am surprised there isn't a hill named Thighburn hill yet! and if there would be one, I am sure the route would take it in.

I have a vague memory (buried in my subconscious along with all the other nasties) of there being a Pain Hill somewhere near the route.

[inappropriate_bike]

Bike maintenance all done for this!

Easiest gear: works
Other gears: lol, why would you pedal down hill?
Chain: clean
Rest of bike: first shower will take care of that

[hillbilly]

I am surprised there isn't a hill named Thighburn hill yet! and if there would be one, I am sure the route would take it in.

There's a Lunghurst Lane in Warlingham (in the area) which may have been a typing error by the local council.

[Martin]

I could award a GdS medal just for doing this one ride....

Wot no Succombs Hill in Caterham?

[αdαmsκι]

How did people get on? The weather should have been decent

[iZaP]

How did people get on? The weather should have been decent

Weather was OK, it seems we were always a bit behind the rain as the road was wet at places. I got to Ivan's place at about 10pm or so, had lovely gnocchi and beer and then pushed back home, which was another 35km.

I think that bastard hill was rather annoying in the dark, the whole ride was hard, a few killer hills and of course a couple of obligatory fixed gear guys!

[grams]

It was excellent, apart from the hills.

The weather was much better than last year. Pretty warm and only a bit of drizzle in the first couple of hours. The new route with the decent garage controls works really well.

But those bloody hills.