Mille Cymru - Welsh 1000 - 23-26/07/2010

[JohnHamilton]

Some of you who have ridden the Pengwern events may already have heard the rumours of my little project for next year... The Mille Cymru - a 1000k in Wales.

Planning is fairly well advanced now and I'll be aiming to test ride the route come July. Any one else care to join me. The only weekend I can do is 17-18-19-20 July which is probably a bit close to LEL for most, but 1000k is a long way to ride on your own.

Route Outline

Day 1 - North: Shrewsbury - Vyrnwy - Bala - Penmachno - Betws y Coed - Llanberis - Beddgelert - Barmouth - Tywyn - Machynlleth - ABERYSTWYTH

Day 2 - West: Aber - Carmarthen - Laugharne - Saundersfoot - Tenby - Pembroke - Broadhaven - St Davids - Fishguard - Cardigan - ABERYSTWYTH

Day 3 - Mid: Aber - Tregaron - Llyn Brianne - Llandovery - Brecon - Crickhowell - Gospel Pass - Hay - Kington - Rhayader - Elan Valley - Devils Bridge - ABERYSTWYTH

Day 4 - Home: Aber - Llanidloes - Newtown - Shrewsbury.

[border-rider]

That looks like a great route.  It's going to be a toughie, though;  I'd say that day 3 is going to feel pretty brutal.

I think that the organiser of the New Forest 1000 in 2004 was surprised by how people struggled on what I would think is a far more benign route than the one you propose. He'd ridden each day's route separately...good to see that you're going to do it all in one go

[Weirdy Biker]

By coincidence, I plotted out a Welsh 1000 DIY to see if it was feasible.  I decided it would be too tough and that it involved too many loops.  Which is a shame, as although Wales may be rather too hilly and compact a principality for me to do such a ride this year, it has some of the best cycling in the UK on generally quiet roads.

[cyclone]

  Pretty brutal?? Mal you must think like an organiser!! I think Extreme might be a valid descriptor - how many AAA points is it?? Having said this it is a tantalising goal for next year....

[MSeries]

I'd be up for this IF it wasn't so close to LEL I'll look out for it on the calendar next year unless I do do Y-O-Y this summer.

[vorsprung]

Looks like a great route.

I can't join you this year but I will pencil it in my diary for next year!!

[iddu]

Possibly; I'll check with herself tonight...

Is it coggable

[Joolz]

I would like to do this, but it's a bit close to LEL.  So it will have to be for next year.  It I had know I would have done this instead of LEL

[Greenbank]

Pretty brutal?? Mal you must think like an organiser!! I think Extreme might be a valid descriptor - how many AAA points is it??

Quickly shoved into bikehike.co.uk - Course Creator with not much care as to which roads it goes along it comes about right (988km).

Shoving the track through my magic height counting script and, if all is to be believed, it's about 15000m climbing, so 15 AAA points (new style, or 8.25 old style).

There's a 600km section with 10,000m climbing (so ~2000m more than the Bryan Chapman). t'cog would t'bastard.

Ouch.

[iakobski]

t'cog would t'bastard.

Ouch.

But would be easier than the maniac and still earn a fixed wheel challenge badge for a single ride. 

[Greenbank]

But would be easier than the maniac and still earn a fixed wheel challenge badge for a single ride. 

Indeed, along with a Super Fixed Wheel Award (more than 12 AAA points rather than an SR). I was happy with 14.25 FWC points for the Bryan Chapman but 25 FWC in one ride is bonkers.

You'd have to wait for the calendar ride for that though as there are no AAA points on a DIY recce of a ride.

[Weirdy Biker]

The Cambrian Series 8A permanent is probably a good rule of thumb for hilliness as it shares similar terrain.  Indeed, it might even be more "scenic" than the 1000 proposed below.

The 8A is 13.5 AAA so I would expect the Mille Cymru to be 15 AAA to 17 AAA depending on actual roads travelled.  Assuming, that is, the 8A reflects the true hilliness of that ride in the AAA points (given it is essentially a free route between controls).

[JohnHamilton]

That looks like a great route.  It's going to be a toughie, though;  I'd say that day 3 is going to feel pretty brutal.

Day 3 is the obvious bit, but I suspect day 2 will be tough too. Doesn't have the headline climbs of day 3 but lots of ups and downs round the coast. I'll see this weekend...

I think that the organiser of the New Forest 1000 in 2004 was surprised by how people struggled on what I would think is a far more benign route than the one you propose. He'd ridden each day's route separately...good to see that you're going to do it all in one go

That caught me out on the Offa's Dyke. Mind you that was hard enough done in small bits. I put that down to a) the first time was in winter b) the second time was on a loaded tandem.

[JohnHamilton]

Is it coggable

Depends on the size of your cog.

Me. I'll be taking lots of cogs.

[JohnHamilton]

Quickly shoved into bikehike.co.uk - Course Creator with not much care as to which roads it goes along it comes about right (988km).

Route uploaded into bikehike here

Day 1 www.bikehike.co.uk/mapview.php?id=9222
Day 2 www.bikehike.co.uk/mapview.php?id=9223
Day 3 www.bikehike.co.uk/mapview.php?id=9224
Day 4 www.bikehike.co.uk/mapview.php?id=9225

[Greenbank]

Ta. I'll shove those through my climbing counting gubbins tomorrow and see what pops out...

[JohnHamilton]

Thanks.

Lots is the answer I suspect (usually works out that way even when I don't aim to create a hilly route).

[Phixie]

But would be easier than the maniac and still earn a fixed wheel challenge badge for a single ride. 

Indeed, along with a Super Fixed Wheel Award (more than 12 AAA points rather than an SR). I was happy with 14.25 FWC points for the Bryan Chapman but 25 FWC in one ride is bonkers.

You'd have to wait for the calendar ride for that though as there are no AAA points on a DIY recce of a ride.

You now need 20 of these new-fangled AAA points as specified in the Handbook.

I shall have words about updating the web.  Roll on centralised information!

[Greenbank]

You now need 20 of these new-fangled AAA points as specified in the Handbook.

I did wonder whether it would be updated.

I doubt I'll be on for 20 fixed AAA this year. 13 right now, possibly 17.5 if I do the Ide Hill Grimpeur and a CG300 perm (with new AAA points).

[Bianchi Boy]

I am looking for an objective for 2010. I might just have found it.

This ride looks great.

Lets hope that this comes off at least as a Perm.

[iddu]

I am looking for an objective for 2010. I might just have found it.

Yeahbut - you're a whippet. 

Get a Longflap filled with 25Kg of tatties, and we might just come out even

[Weirdy Biker]

Is there going to be a BR and BRM version?

The UK could do with a BRM 1000 to help those of us with an interest in such things achieve their BRM5000 award.

Although, if truth be told, I'd prefer it were an "easier" ride.  Are there any other 1000s scheduled for next year in Blighty?

[MSeries]

Is there going to be a BR and BRM version?

The UK could do with a BRM 1000 to help those of us with an interest in such things achieve their BRM5000 award.

Although, if truth be told, I'd prefer it were an "easier" ride.  Are there any other 1000s scheduled for next year in Blighty?

+1 to all of the above. What is to stop someone 'organising' a BRM version of a perm 1000 ? say York - Oban - York ?

[mattc]

I've started a new topic - if it's not useful, please ignore it!

How do I organise a 400k BRM in 2010?

[teethgrinder]

Possibly; I'll check with herself tonight...

Is it coggable

I reckon so. Most of the route is Bryan Chapman 2004 type of roads. The bit around St Davids has a few steep climbs, but they're not very long and I've ridden them all (the A road ones that is) in the opposite direction on my 53/17. Probably need to walk a bit after Tregaron and maybe some of the Elan Valley, not sure what goes on there.

The A483 from Aberystwyth to St Davids is probably best done in the small hours. It gets a bit busy on that road.

I'm not sure that I can do the 17th July onwards, but I'll see how much oliday  have from work and about a few other odds and sods. It looks very tempting as a fun 4 day warm up for the Mersey 24.

Otherwise, how about a 3 day ride over the August Bank Holiday?
I was going to go to Mildenhall Rally, but this looks like more fun.

It'll be quite a tough ride. tougher than the New Forest and El Supremo's 1000, but not as tough as Shawn Shaws' Crackpot.

The New Forest wasn't all that tough, you just couldn't go fast enough to get much time in hand. Most of the slower riders who wouldn't normally gain much time anyway never seemed to think that much of it. It was just a bit harder than usual for the faster riders.