Author Topic: Chiltern Dash 2017  (Read 2849 times)

Chiltern Dash 2017
« on: 14 August, 2017, 06:15:04 pm »
I'm in. Anyone else? Any war stories to share of previous Chiltern Dashes (whether apocryphal or otherwise)?
Eddington Number = 132

whosatthewheel

Re: Chiltern Dash 2017
« Reply #1 on: 14 August, 2017, 06:25:05 pm »
I am in... looks fairly flattish.... hopefully a good (summery?) day out... going through Bibury, which is lovely.

Not sure why it's called CHiltern Dash, the course doesn't take in any of the Chilterns

Re: Chiltern Dash 2017
« Reply #2 on: 14 August, 2017, 08:57:51 pm »
I'm in.  First serious outing since LEL so will be full value!
How much can a koala bear?

Re: Chiltern Dash 2017
« Reply #3 on: 15 August, 2017, 12:36:11 pm »
Down to do the 200. An area I am not over familiar with so should be a nice ride.

Re: Chiltern Dash 2017
« Reply #4 on: 15 August, 2017, 05:35:36 pm »
Yep, down for the 200 and looking forward to it!  :thumbsup:

cgg

Re: Chiltern Dash 2017
« Reply #5 on: 15 August, 2017, 05:54:54 pm »
I was thinking of doing either the 200 or ECE-ing the 100 to 200. Is it fixed-friendly?

whosatthewheel

Re: Chiltern Dash 2017
« Reply #6 on: 15 August, 2017, 06:08:43 pm »
I was thinking of doing either the 200 or ECE-ing the 100 to 200. Is it fixed-friendly?

I had a look at the course and I can't see anything un-fixable

whosatthewheel

Re: Chiltern Dash 2017
« Reply #7 on: 19 August, 2017, 08:41:40 pm »
Lovely route... probably a bit lumpier than the numbers say... I made it at 1600 mt with my underestimating garmin 200... others were closer to 2K

Re: Chiltern Dash 2017
« Reply #8 on: 19 August, 2017, 11:28:26 pm »
The 100km was pretty flat, an enjoyable ride other than the last 3 or4km through Aylesbury itself.

cgg

Re: Chiltern Dash 2017
« Reply #9 on: 20 August, 2017, 12:04:35 am »
Superb ride and grand day out - many thanks for that  :thumbsup:

The joy of being back on the road and also completing the event on a fixed wheel (my first  :smug:) is only slightly eclipsed by the fact that I seem to have caught a massive cold in the aftermath.  :facepalm:

Left ankle was being vocal after 100km, but nothing ride ending so that's a step in the right direction I guess.

whosatthewheel

Re: Chiltern Dash 2017
« Reply #10 on: 20 August, 2017, 07:39:47 am »
Superb ride and grand day out - man thanks for that  :thumbsup:

The joy of being back on the road and also completing the event on a fixed wheel (my first  :smug:) is only slightly eclipsed by the fact that I seem to have caught a massive cold in the aftermath.  :facepalm:

Left ankle was being vocal after 100km, but nothing ride ending so that's a step in the right direction I guess.

We rode the second half of it together (well, most of it)... black Dolan, chicken burger with chips... commenting on your Cinelli Grammo etc.. :thumbsup:

Re: Chiltern Dash 2017
« Reply #11 on: 20 August, 2017, 12:11:38 pm »
Resisting the temptation to write a full ride report which I'll publish in 14 parts including full details of every climb over 5 metres...

But the 200 was a cracker.  A tough outbound leg into the wind.  It's normally quite gentle country up to Woodstock but the breeze made it challenging.  At first I was in a strong group of about 10 which made very good time but it disintegrated around 35km.  The next 65 KM or so were a slog although I found myself with a nice friendly group of Audax newcomers who were up for a natter and a nice cup of tea in Burford (Thanks Freddie, Meg and Steph).

The return leg was brilliant flying along as, miraculously, my fitness kicked in.

I think anyone who rode it will have been impressed by the route.  The run up to Woodstock avoided almost entirely any major roads.  The hills were quite civilised (or would have been without the breeze) and the climbs on the way to Burford were rewarded with some brilliant views.  The return leg should have been a bit more challenging than it was (thanks to the wind) but the last 30 to 40 Km took in some of the best cycling country in South IMHO.

Chapeau on the organisiation and the route planning!

whosatthewheel

Re: Chiltern Dash 2017
« Reply #12 on: 20 August, 2017, 12:21:43 pm »
Resisting the temptation to write a full ride report which I'll publish in 14 parts including full details of every climb over 5 metres...

But the 200 was a cracker.  A tough outbound leg into the wind.  It's normally quite gentle country up to Woodstock but the breeze made it challenging.  At first I was in a strong group of about 10 which made very good time but it disintegrated around 35km.  The next 65 KM or so were a slog although I found myself with a nice friendly group of Audax newcomers who were up for a natter and a nice cup of tea in Burford (Thanks Freddie, Meg and Steph).

The return leg was brilliant flying along as, miraculously, my fitness kicked in.

I think anyone who rode it will have been impressed by the route.  The run up to Woodstock avoided almost entirely any major roads.  The hills were quite civilised (or would have been without the breeze) and the climbs on the way to Burford were rewarded with some brilliant views.  The return leg should have been a bit more challenging than it was (thanks to the wind) but the last 30 to 40 Km took in some of the best cycling country in South IMHO.

Chapeau on the organisiation and the route planning!

I agree, excellent route.
I think the second half is fine as it is... lots of newcomers from the Sportive sphere, who are more used to the imperial 100 distance, so I think it was ideal to have an extended but easy distance as an intro. Hopefully a few of them will realise the exceptionally good value of Audax over Sportives and won't go back!

There was enough fun for all. If it was at all possible to find a quieter way out of Bicester, that would be the icing on the cake. Looking at google maps, there appear to be better options

Re: Chiltern Dash 2017
« Reply #13 on: 20 August, 2017, 06:08:52 pm »
I also agree... excellent route.  A relatively gentle route into the Cotswolds (particularly the stunning and remote Coln valley) and back with some pretty Bucks and Oxon villages along the way.

A treat for me was riding through Kidlington, where I have fond memories of working there.

Well worth the 2 hour drive each way  ::-)

Thanks of course to Jocelyn and the crew for being superb hosts.   :thumbsup:

cgg

Re: Chiltern Dash 2017
« Reply #14 on: 20 August, 2017, 11:46:38 pm »
Superb ride and grand day out - many thanks for that  :thumbsup:

The joy of being back on the road and also completing the event on a fixed wheel (my first  :smug:) is only slightly eclipsed by the fact that I seem to have caught a massive cold in the aftermath.  :facepalm:

Left ankle was being vocal after 100km, but nothing ride ending so that's a step in the right direction I guess.

We rode the second half of it together (well, most of it)... black Dolan, chicken burger with chips... commenting on your Cinelli Grammo etc.. :thumbsup:

Ah, always nice to link a username to a face, and nice riding with you and your friends. Thanks too for helping me make the garmin's battery last :)

whosatthewheel

Re: Chiltern Dash 2017
« Reply #15 on: 21 August, 2017, 06:27:11 am »
Superb ride and grand day out - many thanks for that  :thumbsup:

The joy of being back on the road and also completing the event on a fixed wheel (my first  :smug:) is only slightly eclipsed by the fact that I seem to have caught a massive cold in the aftermath.  :facepalm:

Left ankle was being vocal after 100km, but nothing ride ending so that's a step in the right direction I guess.

We rode the second half of it together (well, most of it)... black Dolan, chicken burger with chips... commenting on your Cinelli Grammo etc.. :thumbsup:

Ah, always nice to link a username to a face, and nice riding with you and your friends. Thanks too for helping me make the garmin's battery last :)

I would have stayed with you on the long stretch before Bicester, but my friends are more the sportive kind... as soon as they see a fast road, they start racing... I am trying to educate them, but it's a bit like training old dogs... bad habits are hard to kick

Re: Chiltern Dash 2017
« Reply #16 on: 21 August, 2017, 10:14:49 am »
A good day out. 200k +on the Bob Jackson. Rode with several people along the way as we struggled into the wind. Route a bit fiddly around Coln Rogers and a bit busy in places. However this was eclipsed by some excellent wooded flat roads and some great views from the tops. I felt Woodstock was a nice place but was dissapionted with Bicester ( I had an image of a country pub with a thatched route). Happy with my time. Thanks to the organiser.

whosatthewheel

Re: Chiltern Dash 2017
« Reply #17 on: 21 August, 2017, 10:32:32 am »
A good day out. 200k +on the Bob Jackson. Rode with several people along the way as we struggled into the wind. Route a bit fiddly around Coln Rogers and a bit busy in places. However this was eclipsed by some excellent wooded flat roads and some great views from the tops. I felt Woodstock was a nice place but was dissapionted with Bicester ( I had an image of a country pub with a thatched route). Happy with my time. Thanks to the organiser.

Bicester is one of those towns that have been identified for large developments due to decent road and rail connections... they just keep piling up distasteful houses in the middle of nowhere. In my neck of the woods they do the same at Wellesbourne.
That said, a chicken burger at Wimpy went down well...  ;D

cgg

Re: Chiltern Dash 2017
« Reply #18 on: 21 August, 2017, 10:42:58 am »

I would have stayed with you on the long stretch before Bicester, but my friends are more the sportive kind... as soon as they see a fast road, they start racing... I am trying to educate them, but it's a bit like training old dogs... bad habits are hard to kick

Ah no worries, I would have been the first to do that had I been on a geared bike  :)

Re: Chiltern Dash 2017
« Reply #19 on: 22 August, 2017, 01:06:12 pm »
Great event, well done!
I wonder if they considered calling it the Chilterns-Cotswolds-Chilterns?
That would make it the CCC......which reminds me of my school reports, no, stick with Chiltern Dash.