Yet Another Cycling Forum
General Category => Audax => Topic started by: Bianchi Boy on 06 March, 2017, 07:22:37 am
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http://www.gpxeditor.co.uk/routes2/users/SteveFerry/TeethgrinderLoopv1 (http://www.gpxeditor.co.uk/routes2/users/SteveFerry/TeethgrinderLoopv1)
Was a short loop that I found quite near MK. It is quite close to the A14 services. It only has a couple of junctions. It also registers zero climbing.
http://www.extraservices.co.uk/location/cambridge/ (http://www.extraservices.co.uk/location/cambridge/)
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Don't let Steve anywhere near Herbies american diner, you will never get him out.
http://www.herbiesdiner.co.uk/
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I wondered similar, this is the best I could find over my way:
Http://cycle.travel/map/journey/29839
Steve mentioned he likes the Cirencester area, I couldn't find a stand out loop around there. Anybody here related to Sir James Dyson? Hullavington airfield would be ideal.
IMO to be worth upsetting Steves rhythm for a loop needs the other resource Amanda has and Kurt had, a number of strong riders to draft.
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It may not be glamorous, but I asked Steve why he didn't just do a few lengths of the A43 every so often - or even the A5 in MK (very quiet in the evenings).
His answer was that he is worried about wind direction and that on any kind of short loop he is guaranteed head wind. He felt that his standard routes matched the wind that he has tended to experience during the day, which settles later in the day. I guess that he's trying for a "tailwind out, no wind home" kind of affair.
That said, I have offered my services as an emergency dc pacer if it all gets a bit close in 360 days time :thumbsup:
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I think the loop option only really works if you have a large amount of riders to come and play. if you can have a few riders constantly there to be working for you into the wind then its got to be a huge benefit ..we know it is from how well Amanda Coker is doing. She has the advantage of a community of riders combined with an off road circuit... people can do a few laps to shelter her then head home.
Its much harder to get a group of riders to go to Hull and back with you!
Therefore a short loop will be completely useless unless you can have it in a place to attract local riders to come and help. If you just ride a circuit alone then you neutralize the effect of the wind but you don't benefit from it. In that case, TG is better off doing what he has planned and using well travelled routes to maximize wind each day.
For solo riding you could have a few different loops with gradual hills in them.... you then could use the circuit where the downhill part is into the wind, and then get pushed up the hill for maximum speed benefit.
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I have suggested before that in desperation the section of the old A1 from Norman Cross South to the Alconburys and back is a 18 mile quiet stretch, well gritted, with good services (Steve knows the Premier Inn breakfast well)
A good bad weather period option.
It's relatively sheltered from prevailing Westerly's so much that I can easily up my average pace of 15mph to 18mph there on windy days. Riders can easily find it, and hence Steve, turn up and ride for stints or even just offer support at any time.
Stopping overnight at the Premier Inn could meaning leaving weight behind and quick starts and stops, food stops could be pre set up by helpers, providing everything he needs would be easy, it all helps.
OK its boring but is that what it takes now to even get close to Amanda's massive total, and Steve has shown the mental strength to get the job done. 230+ miles a day would be 13 laps
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Thirty mile route, pancake flat. Starts and ends in a small village with shops and bakery.
http://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=591935 (http://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=591935)
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I have offered my services as an emergency dc pacer if it all gets a bit close in 360 days time :thumbsup:
I imagine a chaingang of 24hr TT podiumists rotating in front of Steve. You may need to increase your drag a little...
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I think this one would be much more fun ;D
https://goo.gl/maps/GcGpZJcnc1N2
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http://www.gpxeditor.co.uk/routes2/users/SteveFerry/TeethgrinderLoopv1 (http://www.gpxeditor.co.uk/routes2/users/SteveFerry/TeethgrinderLoopv1)
Was a short loop that I found quite near MK. It is quite close to the A14 services. It only has a couple of junctions. It also registers zero climbing.
http://www.extraservices.co.uk/location/cambridge/ (http://www.extraservices.co.uk/location/cambridge/)
Unfortunately, Cow Lane and Iram Drove have truly horrible surfaces — concrete base with seams every 10m, and even with a tarmac topcoat, you bounce along like a train along the old clackety-tracks.
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http://www.gpxeditor.co.uk/routes2/users/SteveFerry/TeethgrinderLoopv1 (http://www.gpxeditor.co.uk/routes2/users/SteveFerry/TeethgrinderLoopv1)
Was a short loop that I found quite near MK. It is quite close to the A14 services. It only has a couple of junctions. It also registers zero climbing.
http://www.extraservices.co.uk/location/cambridge/ (http://www.extraservices.co.uk/location/cambridge/)
Unfortunately, Cow Lane and Iram Drove have truly horrible surfaces — concrete base with seams every 10m, and even with a tarmac topcoat, you bounce along like a train along the old clackety-tracks.
Personally I hate seams more than almost any other surface defect. It's the regularity of them that gets into the psyche and causes torment, and there's no way to avoid the buggers. That loop would be my idea of hell on wheels.
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Thirty mile route, pancake flat. Starts and ends in a small village with shops and bakery.
http://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=591935 (http://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=591935)
That does look quite good. There is a butcher in Bubwith too (http://www.mounfieldbutchersbubwith.co.uk/) - perhaps they'd need to make a special order of sausages? :D Maybe there's potential for a sponsorship deal? ;D Can only see the village stores at the start and end point though. Also looks like there's a convenience stores in Wheldrake and in North Duffield.
Biggest downside (apart from possibly wind?) has to be distance from home?
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Wind is less of a problem if there is tree shelter. Are there any forest roads near MK? It always struck me as a fairly treeless part of the country.