Event idea

[Daveyraveygravey]

Must get up to Denbies, that picture looks great!
Thinking along Yellowjack's lines...how about Great Dun Fell!? A PROPER test, but a very quiet road I believe. Sadly about 300 miles away for me

[Gruffy]

My primary goal is fund-raising for CRUK, which steers me towards a challenge/experience that will appeal to a broad spread of riders. A less intimidating hill can welcome more casual cyclists while the mountain goats and competitive riders still get to smash themselves to bits by riding faster.

Once you hit Camp 3 I doubt anybody is wishing their hill was just a tiny bit steeper anyway

[ChrisMCoupe]

Living near Denbies, I'm not sure how suitable it would be for a mass numbers/repeated climbs type event, the road is very narrow and I assume you'd need to loop back round via Ranmore (back side), which would mean a well organised event and closures.

Would be a great idea for an event though, wherever it is

[Daveyraveygravey]

Gruffy said:

My primary goal is fund-raising for CRUK, which steers me towards a challenge/experience that will appeal to a broad spread of riders. A less intimidating hill can welcome more casual cyclists while the mountain goats and competitive riders still get to smash themselves to bits by riding faster.

Once you hit Camp 3 I doubt anybody is wishing their hill was just a tiny bit steeper anyway

Sounds like you are quite advanced with planning and organisation? How many teams are you hoping to get in, and will it be open to all?

I wasn't serious about Great Dun Fell, it's on my bucket list and from what I have read it's a well surfaced road, and at least a large part of it is after a gate to stop vehicles going up.

[snobetter]

I like the idea of being able to push myself as far as I can without worrying about cars etc. I'd hope to be attempting the Everesting, but just seeing how far I can go works as well.

Also, if possible, mechanical support, some sort of catering vans, toilets and a DJ something like you get at slope style events in the mountains.

[Gruffy]

snobetter said:

Also, if possible, mechanical support, some sort of catering vans, toilets and a DJ something like you get at slope style events in the mountains.

That's the kind of thing I'm hoping to create. Something to add to the experience and make it appeal over a regular solo effort.

ChrisMCoupe said:

Living near Denbies, I'm not sure how suitable it would be for a mass numbers/repeated climbs type event, the road is very narrow and I assume you'd need to loop back round via Ranmore (back side), which would mean a well organised event and closures.

This is what we're currently wrestling with.

Daveyraveygravey said:

Sounds like you are quite advanced with planning and organisation? How many teams are you hoping to get in, and will it be open to all?

Definitely open to all. Numbers will depend on the format, which will depend on the venue, but with the primary goal being fund-raising for Cancer Research I'd like to encourage the widest participation possible.

[troc]

Well, I'm not organising one. You'd have to go up and down my local hill 8850 (yeah, you start at -2 metres) times and I can't be bothered to count that high

I may, possibly, live in the wrong country.

Edited by troc on Tuesday 20th November 16:18

[snobetter]

Well I'm excited.

As long as it's at least at the end of next summer, I need time...

Count me in.

[Gruffy]

The first will be late March. More of a Mont-Blancing - more appropriate for that time of year and stage in the training calendar. If all goes well then it'll grow to a larger event for the summer.

[snobetter]

March you say... googles height of mount blanc, counts months on fingers, considers need for turbo trainer...

[Daveyraveygravey]

I was about to ask what "Mont Blancing" was, duh! March could be challenging...

[Gruffy]

In reality it will likely be a fixed duration (6 or 8 hours, I suspect) but I'd like to set some targets to shoot towards. Bear in mind this can also be accomplished in a relay team, so the pace can be quite punchy if you want it to be.

[keith2.2]

Gruffy said:

The first will be late March. More of a Mont-Blancing - more appropriate for that time of year and stage in the training calendar. If all goes well then it'll grow to a larger event for the summer.

I'm usually more Blanc-Manching than Mont-Blancing at that time of year.


....aye thankyou

[Some Gump]

Nice idea but a massive but...

Have you ever done a sportive with a big hill? It quickly descends into bedlam as people.elephant.race, get.off and walk, whatever. ends up totally.blocked whole width of the road. Add in people descending the other way and you have a recipe for carnage!

[Daveyraveygravey]

Doom mongering nay sayer! I would hope the very nature of the event would put off the kind of cyclist that can't manage a 6 or 7 % climb.

[louiebaby]

Some Gump said:

Have you ever done a sportive with a big hill? It quickly descends into bedlam as people.elephant.race, get.off and walk, whatever. ends up totally.blocked whole width of the road. Add in people descending the other way and you have a recipe for carnage!

I've done London to Brighton, and even though I got away nice an early it was pretty busy on the first proper climb. It had thinned out sufficiently by Ditchling Beacon, but I know what you mean.

I don't think this event will be quite on the same scale, but it's certainly worth considering how many could be accommodated on a particular hill. If the event was run on a closed Box Hill (selected as it is popular enough that a lot of people would be able to associate with it) how many cyclists is the max you would want doing hill repeats on it? About 100? Less?

[Gruffy]

Some Gump said:

Nice idea but a massive but...

Have you ever done a sportive with a big hill? It quickly descends into bedlam as people.elephant.race, get.off and walk, whatever. ends up totally.blocked whole width of the road. Add in people descending the other way and you have a recipe for carnage!

It's a legitimate concern. The final venue will dictate how the event is structured, promoted and managed to keep things safe. I'm very keen to have a loop rather than share/divide the climb and descent. A steeper hill means it would have to be aimed at club riders. A narrower climb means it would limit participation to smaller numbers. The more compromised the climb is the higher quality marshalling will be required. All challenges to factor in but nothing that will ultimately deter us.

[Daveyraveygravey]

Gruffy said:

... aimed at club riders...

Sweeping generalisations aside, why does everyone think club riders are so great?

I have been on sportives, mainly Ride London but not limited to, where "club riders" have been the least considerate, most selficious bunch of c@nts ever on two wheels. Road captains blowing whistles to clear the road ahead of them!? Close passing other riders because you're in a chain gang that happens to be going quicker?

If we're doing a challenge that will be pushing (some) people to their limits it needs to be smacked into them repeatedly before it starts and on the day safety first.
You can reach the summit, but if you don't get back down to tell anyone, it doesn't count

[Gruffy]

I used the phrase to give an idea of experience levels. Conduct and etiquette would need to be managed with good marshalling. I’d also hope and expect a higher standard of behaviour within a small, closed environment compared to a 100 mile sportive.

[Gruffy]

Quick update: Prescott have exhausted their limited (30) allowance of event days for 2019. Denbies are keen but I'm cautious about putting large numbers of tired riders onto public roads to descend Ranmore Road at 30-40mph. Firle Beacon is an option but is steeper than I'd like and doesn't offer any shelter for relay teams or facilities, limiting the appeal.

I'm trying Shelsey Walsh and Gurton hill climb courses too.