Yes there's lots of altitude along the way but you gain it in a way that suits the heavier riders amongst us (I only remember Llancloudy as being a proper "Devon/Dorset grind").
LEE
I have never really got to grips with all the different types of hills we encounter, and what sorts of riders are suited to each type...
Experienced audaxers talk about hills in a sort of shorthand, e.g. grinds, power climbs, etc, but I never could grasp the differences...
I am guessing that the BC will be mainly relatively shallow inclines, rather than very steep all or nothing climbs (e.g. shall I walk it?), but I would love to have a proper glossary and understanding...
Could you perhaps explain further for all us newbies?
I heard Hummers once talking about "Pedalling Squares" (or similar) when referring to climbs on a Wessex ride. It wasn't until I did a Wessex 400 (The Wu'ze, to date the hardest ride I've ever done) that I understood. I think he refers to constantly trying to heave the pedals over top-dead-centre in a jerky, almost non-circular fashion, without coming to a dead stop.
You don't "pedal squares" on BC600 apart from the first 30 yards of the approach to the YHA if you forget to engage 1st gear before the turning.
BC600 isn't about cranking 1st gear, out of the saddle, it's about sitting back and being prepared to turn over a lowish gear for 30-60 minutes at a time. You can get into a nice rhythm on some because the gradient is so constant. Climbing out of Newtown takes about 50 minutes for example.
The similar slog up to Pen-Y-Pass is no problem because you are totally distracted by the views and, if you arrive at sunset, like I generally did, you get to look back at your fellow Audaxers, their LED lights twinkling waaaaaay down below, with all that altitude gain ahead of them. (They'll be looking way up into the darkening sky, thinking "
are those red lights aircraft or cyclists' rear lights?".
What a great ride...I appear to be talking myself into it so I'll stop right away.
Hope you all have great weather and you get to ride to Pen-Y-Pass in a warm setting sun.