Mersey Roads 24TT

[Frank9755]

In my experience, standard bottles are the easiest thing to use. 

I've ridden several 12 hours and my last 24 attempt unsupported with 4 standard bottles on the bike and more bottles at the feeding area (or in bags stashed on the route).  It's much quicker to swap over if you have normal bottles and cages and don't have to mess around re-filling specialist kit.  They are not too expensive so you can buy plenty for the event. 

I use a stem mount for one of my bottles which puts it in a very accessible (and aerodynamic) position. 

[hippy]

I agree with Frank. I used a Speedfil tank in my first one and it sucked when I got sick and we then had to empty the whole tank to swap for plain water.

Bottles are easy to throw, easy to change drinks if you need to or swap for plain water if you just want to wash yourself off, etc.
They're also the cheapest option - "free" with all those wonderful sportives that audaxers love so much

[Karla]

There's also the option of a pepsi bottle shoved down your skinsuit, eh?

[hippy]

Hey, I take littering seriously.
You can't see it but there was also half a kilo of gel wrappers stuffed up my skinsuit legs.
If I can win a Nat TT Champs carrying all my rubbish then those douchebags dropping wrappers in sportives and clubruns definitely need a slappin'.

[mattc]

Hey, I take littering seriously.
You can't see it but there was also half a kilo of gel wrappers stuffed up my skinsuit legs.
If I can win a Nat TT Champs carrying all my rubbish then those douchebags dropping wrappers in sportives and clubruns definitely need a slappin'.

 

[cygnet]

Unsupported on the ESCA a couple of years ago I went through ~11.5litres of fluids (and finished quite dehydrated) to give a small idea of how many bottles

[chrisbainbridge]

I went through ~11.5litres of fluids

That puts it into perspective!  I hadn't really thought of the amount of fluid.  I tend to run slightly dry when riding even on a 400 but probably cannot afford to do that in this ride.

12 litres is 500 per hour which seems about right especially if we have a warm day time.  That makes for 16x750ml bottles!

This will take some planning.

I am getting quite excited!

[Frank9755]

You'll drink a good bit during the first 7-8 hours but far less through night.  In my experience, if you don't time the slowing down of your rate of drinking right, you'll need to pee multiple times between 10pm and midnight!

[rob]

I planned on a bottle an hour but dehydrated on the first afternoon.   I then overcompensated and took on too much overnight, having to visit the hedges too often - as Frank says above. 

Towards the end I was throwing half drunk bottles back at my helpers.   I was pretty wrecked by then so my eating/drinking plan had gone out the window in favour of trying to hit my target mileage. 

I did a lot of research but still made a load of mistakes.

[hippy]

I average a 500ml bottle an hour. Though I think I've actually used closer to 16L in previous events so it does depend on temperatures and work rate.

[hippy]

I did a lot of research but still made a load of mistakes.

Making mistakes IS research

[rob]

I did a lot of research but still made a load of mistakes.

Making mistakes IS research

Yeah, you're right.   I made my target mileage last time but the last 3-4hrs were horrible.

I was listing out what I've changed/improved since 2014 and it could all add up to at least a 5 mile improvement.

[24hourmaths]

I did a lot of research but still made a load of mistakes.

Making mistakes IS research

Yeah, you're right.   I made my target mileage last time but the last 3-4hrs were horrible.

I was listing out what I've changed/improved since 2014 and it could all add up to at least a 5 mile improvement.

I'm going to be well chuffed if I get a 5 mile improvement

My main improvement will be not stopping four times, hopefully, although I don't necessarily think that that was a mistake last year. If it starts raining, wearing the right kit seemed pretty important so we adjusted plans on the fly.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed as well that any route changes this year aren't horrible and bumpy...

[Karla]

I bet you'd be pretty chuffed with a 3.83 mile improvement!

[24hourmaths]

I bet you'd be pretty chuffed with a 3.83 mile improvement!

Possibly, although there might be 119 people in front of me, one of whom might make that not enough 

[rob]

I am going to get lapped a lot.   You seemed to be going well on Sunday, wheels of fire.   Will be a great weekend if we see comp record fall.

I'm hoping with the shorter circuits and out and back nature of the course that this one will be more sociable.   I felt very removed from reality on the long night circuit of the ESCA when I hardly saw anyone apart from the marshalls.

[Frank9755]

What is the likely course now - turning at the Hodnet roundabout?  That has got to be good as that last section is bumpy, dark and lonely!  And a bit narrower for when you meet lorries through night. 

[hippy]

They're taking my least part of the course out... when I'm not able to race it. No fair!
I'll have to drown my sorrows about this tonight... and tomorrow... and maybe work on a bike or two Sunday... rinse repeat.

[Byronius Maximus]

I'm not sure it's such good news; yes it skips out that awful bit of road surface but might it not mean that we spend more time on Quina Brook as the night course is now shorter and so may be a bit more "congested" with riders? Having said that, it's three years since I did it and I can't remember how far along that leg the Hodnet roundabout is.

[mattc]

I really like the QB circuit! That swoopy double-bend is a ray of sunshine after all the A-road bashing.

OK so its probably slower .... but its the same for everyone.

[Byronius Maximus]

Yeah, it is a more interesting circuit but slower as you say.
Really looking forward to it now, I think I was spoiled bt ideal conditions the only other time I did it (2013) so trying to keep my expectations low!

[rob]

Isn't this all conjecture for now ?   Last I saw they were considering options and haven't published the course details yet.

I've never ridden this course, just the ESCA in 2014.   I know there's less climbing and more fast roads on the Mersey but that's about it.

[blackburnrod]

REVISED COURSE DETAILS MERSEY ROADS 24 HOUR
Start on the old A534 on the Churton side of the H/Q
At TP8 proceed to B5130, left on A534 to Broxton RAB   03.90   03.90
Take 3rd exit on the A41.continue on A41 through Hampton Heath RAB
To Grindley Brook RAB 3rd exit onto A49/41 by pass   08.73   12.63
Through Wrexham Road RAB, Wem Road RAB take 3rd exit   02.27   14.90
Continue on A41/A49 by pass to Whitchurch south RAB
2nd exit to Prees Heath RAB.   01.70   16.60
Section two
Take 1st to Ternhill RAB   0698   23.58
Take 3rd exit onto A53 continue to Espley RAB   03.33   26.91
Encircle RAB retrace to Ternhill RAB   03.34   30.25
1st exit onto A41 to Prees    06.92   37.17
Take 1st exit onto the A49 to Battlefield Church RAB   13.99   51.16
Encircle RAB retrace to Prees Heath RAB   14.02   65.18
Take 3rd exit (first is the service road) to Ternhill RAB   07.06   72.24
Take 3rd exit onto A53 continue to Espley RAB   03.33   75.57
Encircle RAB retrace to Ternhill RAB   03.34   78.91
1st exit onto A41 to Prees Heath RAB    06.92   85.83
Take 1st exit onto the A49 to Battlefield Church RAB   13.99   99.82
Encircle RAB retrace to Prees Heath RAB   14.02   113.84
Section three. Quina Brook Circuit.
Take 3rd exit (2nd is the service RD) onto 41/A49   
Continue on A41/A49 to Wem Road RAB    01.66   115.50
Left on B5476 to Tilstock Continue to Quina Brook             05.11            120.65
Left on unclassified road to    Junction with A49               02.20            122.85
Left on A49 back to    Prees Island, take second exit.            03.61            126.46
(first is the service road) continue to Wem road RAB      
Quina Brook circuit lap 2   12.62   139.08
Quina Brook circuit lap 3   12.62   151.70
Quina Brook circuit lap 4   12.62   164.32
Quina Brook circuit lap 5   12.62   176’94
Quina Brook circuit lap 6   12.62   189.56
Quina Brook circuit lap 7   12.62   202.18
Section four Prees Heath Espley Prees Heath
Prees Heath RAB,Take 3rd exit (first is the service road)          07.06      209.24
to Ternhill RAB Take 3rd exit onto A53 continue to Espley RAB              03.33      212.57
Encircle RAB retrace to Ternhill RAB   03.34     215.91
1st exit onto A41 to Prees Heath RAB     06.92     222.83
Encircle RAB retrace to Ternhill
Lap 2 Prees Heath Ternhill Espley Ternhill Prees Heatth          20.65      243.48
Lap 3 Prees Heath Ternhill Espley Ternhill Prees Heatth          20.65      264.13
Lap 4 Prees Heath Ternhill Espley Ternhill Prees Heatth          20.65      284.78
Lap 5 Prees Heath Ternhill Espley Ternhill Prees Heatth          20.65      305.43
Lap 6 Prees Heath Ternhill Espley Ternhill Prees Heatth          20.65      326.08
Lap 7 Prees Heath Ternhill Espley Ternhill Prees Heatth          20.65      346.73
Section four Quinna Brook circuit
Take 3rd exit (2nd is the service RD) onto 41/A49   
Continue on A41/A49 to Wem Road RAB    01.66   348.39
Left on B5476 to Tilstock Continue to Quina Brook             05.11            353.54
Left on unclassified road to    Junction with A49               02.20            355.74
Left on A49 back to    Prees Island, take second exit.            03.61            359.35
(first is the service road) continue to Wem road RAB   
Quina Brook circuit lap 2   12.62   371.97
Quina Brook circuit lap 3   12.62   384.59
Quina Brook circuit lap 4   12.62   397.21
Quina Brook circuit lap 5   12.62   409.83
Quina Brook circuit lap 6   12.62   422.45
Section four
Straight on A41/A49 by pass to Wrexham Road RAB, at Gridley Brook    02.27            424.72
Take to 1st left onto the A41 via Hampton Heath to Broxton RAB       08.68            433.40
Continue on A41 2nd exit to start the finishing circuit
Timekeeper 1 At Hatton Heath Lay-by                  04.16      437.56
Continue on A41 Left at Platts Lane Signposted Bruera   
To unclassified road at Bruera Church
Timekeeper 2 Left at T junction to join B5130                01.67      439.23
With care at Alford Continue on B5130
Timekeeper 3  (milestone Churton 11/4  miles) Continue on B5130       01.98      441.21
through Churton Bear left on B5130, Sibbersfield Lane past
Timekeeper 4 In lay-by 1/4 mile prior to event HQ             02.45      443.66
Continue past event HQ Turn Left on A534
Timekeeper 5  (drain grid on left opposite Cock o Barton)          02.03      445.69
Continue on A534 past Carden Park Hotel  to Turn sharp left
onto unclassified road signposted Coddington turn right at duck pond    
sign posted Handley. Follow lane to Coddington Parish church
Timekeeper 6 Follow lane to Coddington Parish church         01.42      447.11
Continue through Aldersey Green to Handley T Junction         02.12       449.23
Timekeeper 7 Left continue through Handley Village
to T junction with A41 Left onto A41 TK1 to complete finishing circuit.   01.90      451.13
      FINISHING CIRCUIT TOTAL MILEAGE                      13.57

[Frank9755]

OK, so it is turning short at Espley, but there is a new out and back down the A49 (over the Quina Brook circuit hill).  I've not ridden down there beyond where the QB circuit joins it but I expect it's probably on the Anfield 100, so others will no doubt be familiar with it.  Apart from the hill, I'd have thought it would be a pretty fast road...?

[chrisbainbridge]

Any moment now.... "Does someone have a gpx?"