Rapha Hell of the North VI - Herts, 12th April
Discussion
This one sounds a bit different. Held annually in honour of Paris-Roubaix:
Free entry at http://pages.rapha.cc/events/hell-of-the-north-vi
Rapha said:
100km of potholes, mud, and some of Hertfordshire’s meanest gravé*.
*gravé (noun)
/grɑːveɪ/US/græːveɪ/
It's intended for road bikes. Embrace your inner Belgian.*gravé (noun)
/grɑːveɪ/US/græːveɪ/
Free entry at http://pages.rapha.cc/events/hell-of-the-north-vi
Hell of the North (London) VI 
Here's a video they made of edition II:
https://vimeo.com/22694993
I'm in. Couldn't resist. Exact route is a secret until the day but from the course outline it looks like it'll be on some of the roads I grew up cycling on. And a few of the farm tracks and bridleways I didn't.
It all ends in a North London pub showing the race on a big telly. I'll have mayo on my frites, please.
Here's a video they made of edition II:
https://vimeo.com/22694993
I'm in. Couldn't resist. Exact route is a secret until the day but from the course outline it looks like it'll be on some of the roads I grew up cycling on. And a few of the farm tracks and bridleways I didn't.
It all ends in a North London pub showing the race on a big telly. I'll have mayo on my frites, please.
yellowjack said:
Surely, if it's free, and I know where it starts, and it's well signposted, I won't be pissing on anyone's
. Yup, I got a confirmation "ticket" so I guess I made it in. I had the page up to copy the details from when writing my thread, refreshed it before submitting and the registration link appeared. Must have been perfect timing as it hadn't been there a minute previously.
Would have been good to see another PHer there. Hills in the locale aren't anything to write home about, a few can be sharp but almost all are short. I used to get up them as a schoolboy on my 5-speed Raleigh Arena, albeit very, very slowly. (little change there now I'm much older and on better equipment, some would say).
If, by co-incidence, you happen to be out for a ride in Herts that day and end up in the same pub, whichever of us had the fewer p***tures buys the beer.
Would have been good to see another PHer there. Hills in the locale aren't anything to write home about, a few can be sharp but almost all are short. I used to get up them as a schoolboy on my 5-speed Raleigh Arena, albeit very, very slowly. (little change there now I'm much older and on better equipment, some would say).
If, by co-incidence, you happen to be out for a ride in Herts that day and end up in the same pub, whichever of us had the fewer p***tures buys the beer.
Dowks said:
I did it last year, was good fun, some of the bits are properly across fields and tracks so it does get bumpy. It wasn't that well signposted but imagine you'd be able to get the general direction
Did you run your usual road tyres or go for something with a bit of tread? I might be able to squeeze a 30c CX Pro within the frame of my ally Synapse, or failing that a 28c trekking tyre. Or would anything other than slicks be considered un-Flemish?Jimbo. said:
Embrace your inner Belgian.
In Herdfordshire? With Flanders the week before, and only a couple of hours drive away with better beer and a pro race waiting for you?
Sounds like a plan for next year In Herdfordshire? With Flanders the week before, and only a couple of hours drive away with better beer and a pro race waiting for you?
Meanwhile we do our best in Herts. We may be short on pavé but we're certainly long on potholes. And horse s
t.Dowks said:
25mm Conti GP4000 worked fine, but it was dry.....
That said this year I am going to the Ronde and Roubaix
Thanks. I prob leave the GP4S on then. Maybe rethink if the forecast is for heavy rain.That said this year I am going to the Ronde and Roubaix
As a veteran of last year's Rapha, will you taking on the pre-race Cyclo at Vlaandaren and the Challenge at Roubaix to show the pros how it's done?
Don1 said:
Ha, looks like the course takes in parts of my circuit around Tewin - looks like they have set a nice little trap for you - the only decent in the area over 10%. I'll have to come out and support!
Trying to think where that hill would be. I was out round Datchworth Green and Tewin a couple of times the other week. Vineyards and Carbonne Hill, between Northaw and Newgate Street, are the steepest I come across on my own circuit out there and back. Would be good to add another decent hill to my route!Further south, the Rapha route looks like it goes up the short but sharp Ferney Hill, on the north side of Trent Park. Not ridden up there for over 30 years, so hope it's no longer than I remember! And, after Tewin, possibly to Gosling Velodrome for the flapjacks-and-espresso stop. Haven't been there before. Would be great if we got to do a lap!
All support welcome! No doubt I'll be the tired-est, muddiest and bloodiest of the 300 riders. See if you can spot me.
Yeah, you're right. Looks like through Bramfield, then left down a single track road that passes Queens Hoo Hall towards Tewin, but taking the right just before reaching Tewin and heading up towards Burnham Green. And that's all on-road. There are a couple of off-road sections leading up to Bramfield though.
yellowjack said:
1222hrs, Friday 20th March. Registration opened only 22 minutes ago...
...and after 22 minutes of furiously refreshing the 'Register Here' button...
Apparently, all 300 places went in five minutes!...and after 22 minutes of furiously refreshing the 'Register Here' button...
Rapha said:
Sorry, this event has sold out.
http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/latest-news/ra...
That probably took Rapha by surprise too. Today they announced today a reserve list for those who missed out.
Get on it here: http://pages.rapha.cc/events/hell-of-the-north-vi (click "register", then "reserve list"). Don't let me
yellowjack said:
Well. I'm registered for the reserve list now. Fingers crossed, but I strongly suspect that there won't be many places that "become available", and I'm sure there will be many riders well above me on that reserve list (I'm presuming that they run it on a first come first served basis). Still, I've done what I can...
Cheers, SPB, for flagging that up. I've never 'piggy-backed' an event before, but I'm seriously considering sneaking a ride around this route, being as how it's free anyway. Saying that, I tried to deliberately park "defensively" at B&Q the other day, but as soon as I saw the way it looked, I had to get back in the car and put it between the lines. The chances of me 'hijacking' a place on a sportive (however free it is) look pretty slim from this 'ere "goody two-shoes".
Glad you saw it, YJ. I've tried to send you a couple of PMs in the last week, one of which was to give you a heads up about this reserve list. I suspect my PM ability isn't working as it should though, as I don't get a copy of the messages I send anyone and I don't get any replies from them either. That could mean, of course, that no-one wants to talk to me, which is fine (you bCheers, SPB, for flagging that up. I've never 'piggy-backed' an event before, but I'm seriously considering sneaking a ride around this route, being as how it's free anyway. Saying that, I tried to deliberately park "defensively" at B&Q the other day, but as soon as I saw the way it looked, I had to get back in the car and put it between the lines. The chances of me 'hijacking' a place on a sportive (however free it is) look pretty slim from this 'ere "goody two-shoes".
ds), but I suspect my messages aren't getting through. Either that or they are getting through I'm just not getting the replies.yellowjack said:
Well. email inbox checked, nothing from you in there, SPB. Checked 'spam' and 'the bin' too, but nowt whatsoever. Quite possibly not working.
Thanks for checking. I thought that was the case. I can reply to PMs but I can't initiate them. I was only going to send you a copy of something, if you're curious. Nothing terribly exciting.
I took a ride up in the area of the ride yesterday. I can also report that the parcours is looking good. Plenty of potholes and gravel on the lanes, a maze of bridleways and farm fields everywhere. I'm under no illusions, it's going to introduce me to a whole new level of suffering and fatigue. Yet still I can't wait. 
I said:
(I might check out) the Country Bumpkin tea/coffee/farm shop at Tewin Hill Farm
Don1 said:
Report back, please! Still trying to get that all put together - I'm fairly new here. But I can give glowing references of The Grandison and The Horns...
Nice little tea shop attached to a livery stable down a rural single track road. The staff were friendly, they had coffee and whilst I passed on the cakes I did have a great beans on granary toast (sophisticated, me). It makes a great turning round point on an easy 60k ride from mine, and I can see myself going back there quite a bit.
Thanks for the other tips. The Horns I've looked at longingly as I ridden past before but The Grandison I don't know. I'll have to check it out now
Edited by SixPotBelly on Thursday 26th March 10:55
The Rules of the Ride:
[/-] it is then.
2014 Rapha said:
- This is a social ride, not a race.
- Ride carefully and obey the Highway Code.
- Be considerate to other road users.
- Watch out for horses and dogs on bridleways.
- Accelerate over the rough stuff, with hands on the tops.
- No smiling (remember, you're a Belgian).
So [-]- Ride carefully and obey the Highway Code.
- Be considerate to other road users.
- Watch out for horses and dogs on bridleways.
- Accelerate over the rough stuff, with hands on the tops.
- No smiling (remember, you're a Belgian).
[/-] it is then.Just a couple of days to go.
If anyone local is out riding the same lanes on Sunday, or stepping out to cheer, jeer, hold out a bidon of Leffe or simply wanting an easy target for their insults, I shall be wearing the loudest, least Rapha jersey I could find:
Except if it rains. In which case I'll be in the same jersey but it'll be the same uniform mud colour as everyone else's.
If anyone local is out riding the same lanes on Sunday, or stepping out to cheer, jeer, hold out a bidon of Leffe or simply wanting an easy target for their insults, I shall be wearing the loudest, least Rapha jersey I could find:
Except if it rains. In which case I'll be in the same jersey but it'll be the same uniform mud colour as everyone else's.
I'm not sure you'll see much event signage. I believe it's limited to avoid spoiling the countryside or annoying residents. Just the odd ribbon tied to a tree here or discreet arrow chalked on the road there.
Nor do they don't pre-publish the exact route (though we could guess it pretty accurately from the course outline and an OS map)
But finding your way round adds to the fun! (they say).
Timing-wise, we'll be set off from Highgate in groups of 15 at three minute intervals, starting at 9:00. I imagine the fastest of the early starters will be coming down Tewin Hill shortly after 11am and the slowest of the late starters around 2pm. If you come out, will you be on two wheels or two legs?
Nor do they don't pre-publish the exact route (though we could guess it pretty accurately from the course outline and an OS map)
But finding your way round adds to the fun! (they say).
Timing-wise, we'll be set off from Highgate in groups of 15 at three minute intervals, starting at 9:00. I imagine the fastest of the early starters will be coming down Tewin Hill shortly after 11am and the slowest of the late starters around 2pm. If you come out, will you be on two wheels or two legs?
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