Cycling forum Raid Pyrénéen trip 2012

Captain Havoc · 14-09-2011 2:23pm

We have a van and a man, we need to see how much it'll cost us to get him there. We pay for half his accomodation (he'll have woman and child with), ferry and diesel, anything that can be attributed to carrying his passengers we are not paying, i.e. under normal circumstances he'd be sharing a room, so instead now, he has to pay half, the difference in having a single passenger and his family on the ferry, will be paid by him etc..... He won't be driving behind or in front of us but we will have him nearby everyday if something emerges like a big mechanical or broomwagon is needed. If that suits everyone?

Hermy · 14-09-2011 2:29pm

Captain Havoc wrote: »

(he'll have woman and child with)

No I won't...oh, you mean someone else.:(

Coronal · 14-09-2011 2:34pm

Hermy wrote: »

No I won't...oh, you mean someone else.:(

Come cycle it

Captain Havoc · 14-09-2011 2:35pm

Hermy wrote: »

No I won't...oh, you mean someone else.:(

No decision is final until money exchanges, I'm long enough in tooth to know this.

Hermy · 14-09-2011 2:45pm

Well I can't commit to anything just now but I'll keep an eye on the thread. I may be able to help out later on.

mahoo · 14-09-2011 2:57pm

had a look at the website for the raid there.. the scenery has me thinking yes, but my heart, lungs and legs are having issues

Monday: Hendaye to Laruns – 190km with 2500m of ascent.
Tuesday: Laruns to Campan – 100km with 3000m of ascent
Wednesday: Campan to Saint Girons – 150km with 2000m of ascent
Thursday: Saint Girons to Prades – 180km with 2600m of ascent
Friday: Prades to Cerbere – 91km with about 300m of ascent

...and its going to be 30+ degrees!

friday looks manageable

.. would love to do it but those numbers are pretty intimidating... i like the idea of extra days and beers....if i did it, it would be just for the raid anyway. ill keep an eye on the thread

ROK ON · 14-09-2011 3:30pm

mahoo wrote: »

Monday: Hendaye to Laruns – 190km with 2500m of ascent.
Tuesday: Laruns to Campan – 100km with 3000m of ascent
Wednesday: Campan to Saint Girons – 150km with 2000m of ascent
Thursday: Saint Girons to Prades – 180km with 2600m of ascent
Friday: Prades to Cerbere – 91km with about 300m of ascent

...and its going to be 30+ degrees!

Yes it is intimidating, but you need to keep a few things in mind,
(1) its a challenge so its meant to be tough - tough yes but also doable with training and preparation.
(2) the heat will be a factor - no denying that.

Last year I spent 5 days in the pyrenees and cycled 350km over 3 of them. Now it was snowing, so it was easier to climb versus the baking heat.
However, if you took your time it was possible to get over all of the climbs. Its just that you end up climbing for a long time. IIRC, my avg pace was about 20km/h. Apart from one climb, there was nothing we encountered that had killer gradients for very long. Mostly its a sustained 6-8% (that is sustained over 10-18km). Thats the real difference between there and here.

The main thing if you are a slow climber is to lose weight and find a way to occupy your mind for what is a long time climbing. Any group will break up on the climbs, so forget about company. Even if you have company, it can be quiet on the climb (talking takes effort). Next year I will bring an ipod to listen to music while climbing.

I would hope to get much fitter (lose weight) and improve that). After cycling 100km the first day )over Tourmalet and Aspin) we cycled 130km the next day over a hellishly steep 8km climb plus the Hautacam. TBH, it wasnt too bad - I expected worse.
The main thing is to make sure that you can spend a long time operating at threshhold pace, and that you are able to cycle for four days in succession. Once you do this then it will be doable.
Now I have a feeling that it will be significantly tougher doing this in July than May, but thats part of the challenge.
You have 10 months to prepare for this so dont be put off.

lennymc · 14-09-2011 3:50pm

i may be interested in this, but like mahoo would have concerns over the amount of climbing. Im normally slow and steady on the climbs. Rok On makes some good points tho.

ill have a think about it. Put me down as a maybe?

Daithi BC · 14-09-2011 6:11pm

I'm a definite maybe. Because of work, I'd have to back in Ireland before the 20th of July, but if the dates suit for that, then I'd like to think I'd be able to make it.

lennymc · 14-09-2011 8:05pm

right, spoke with mrs lenny and I have flight clearance for a week!

I need to get training!!

http://www.velopeloton.com/raid-pyrenees/

NickDrake · 14-09-2011 9:26pm

I am planning to do a similar challenge in 2012 and I was planning on doing it on my own.

Now I just saw this. Very Very interested but I'd say I would be looking at a week to 9-10 days max.

This really could be epic and great motivation to put in a hard winter.

mahoo · 14-09-2011 9:49pm

ROK ON wrote: »

Yes it is intimidating, but you need to keep a few things in mind,
(1) its a challenge so its meant to be tough - tough yes but also doable with training and preparation.
(2) the heat will be a factor - no denying that.

Last year I spent 5 days in the pyrenees and cycled 350km over 3 of them. Now it was snowing, so it was easier to climb versus the baking heat.
However, if you took your time it was possible to get over all of the climbs. Its just that you end up climbing for a long time. IIRC, my avg pace was about 20km/h. Apart from one climb, there was nothing we encountered that had killer gradients for very long. Mostly its a sustained 6-8% (that is sustained over 10-18km). Thats the real difference between there and here.

The main thing if you are a slow climber is to lose weight and find a way to occupy your mind for what is a long time climbing. Any group will break up on the climbs, so forget about company. Even if you have company, it can be quiet on the climb (talking takes effort). Next year I will bring an ipod to listen to music while climbing.

I would hope to get much fitter (lose weight) and improve that). After cycling 100km the first day )over Tourmalet and Aspin) we cycled 130km the next day over a hellishly steep 8km climb plus the Hautacam. TBH, it wasnt too bad - I expected worse.
The main thing is to make sure that you can spend a long time operating at threshhold pace, and that you are able to cycle for four days in succession. Once you do this then it will be doable.
Now I have a feeling that it will be significantly tougher doing this in July than May, but thats part of the challenge.
You have 10 months to prepare for this so dont be put off.

Darn it. its that kind of encouraging advice that may make me stupid enough to do it

i actually like climbing, but as you say i've never experienced anything like a 18k climb before. im 90kg too so would need to loose a few pounds. and prob need to get a bigger sprocket on my bike too (i want cobo's 32 30 gearing!) ive cycled 4 days in a row before but only averaged about 100k a day so it would be a big step up for me. but there is time....hmmmmmm

lennymc · 14-09-2011 9:53pm

mahoo wrote: »

Darn it. its that kind of encouraging advice that may make me stupid enough to do it
i actually like climbing, but as you say i've never experienced anything like a 18k climb before. im 90kg too so would need to loose a few pounds. and prob need to get a bigger sprocket on my bike too (i want cobo's 32 30 gearing!) ive cycled 4 days in a row before but only averaged about 100k a day so it would be a big step up for me. but there is time....hmmmmmm

ditto. we can suffer together. 90kg is lightweight btw! try 108!!

ROK ON · 15-09-2011 10:47am

Its fine being 90 and 108kg now. If you are that weight next July you are going to be in for an extraordinary world of hurt.
BTW, I'm not having a go. Im 92 right now. The aim for me would be to drop to below 82kg by next May. (Thats 14st9lbs to 13st).
The only other time I was in the Pyrenees I had a triple with a 12/27 on the back. I weighed 87kg back then.
I have since ditched the triple. But I will be running a 34/28, or if I fit an SRAM Apex rear derailleur, I will run a 34/30.

manafana · 15-09-2011 10:59am

i msy be interested and im free next summer and was looking for a cycling holiday this could be just the trick.

lennymc · 15-09-2011 11:08am

this will be a good incentive to loose that weight. ill also be running 34/28.

what training would people recomend? hills, hills and more hills? Distance? Time?

Coronal · 15-09-2011 11:18am

lennymc wrote: »

what training would people recomend? hills, hills and more hills? Distance? Time?

You want to increase your aerobic capacity as much as possible, so something along the lines of Vo2 max intervals would be good. Basically, lots of intervals that are designed to increase your funtional threshold (detailed here for example). Hills are also important, as lengthy a hill as you can find. Long times of suffering and learning to enjoy it your own company is important.

I'll be following the 12 week training program on that same website starting next week, which should give me a decent base. Haven't worked anything out after that. Make sure you are comfortable in the saddle for several hours at a time.

Captain Havoc · 15-09-2011 2:58pm

Training plan? My training will be basic, cover as much as possible up to a month to go, then relax, it's not a race, you just need enough to get through it. 'twas far from VO2 maxs and thresholds I was rared.

ROK ON · 15-09-2011 3:42pm

Captain Havoc wrote: »

Training plan? My training will be basic, cover as much as possible up to a month to go, then relax, it's not a race, you just need enough to get through it. 'twas far from VO2 maxs and thresholds I was rared.

What are you going to to for Vinadloos in the middle of the Pyrenees?;)

Captain Havoc · 15-09-2011 4:29pm

Viande de louuuuuuuuuuuuuu

mahoo · 15-09-2011 6:17pm

Captain Havoc wrote: »

Training plan? My training will be basic, cover as much as possible up to a month to go, then relax, it's not a race, you just need enough to get through it. 'twas far from VO2 maxs and thresholds I was rared.

im with Havoc on this one.. you cant make friends with science

. my training plan will be to cycle lots and far!

im running tiagra compact 50-34 at the moment with a 25-11. am i right in thinking 28 is as big as i can go? whatever i can get, im not fitting it til the day the boat leaves, so when i hit that first hill and i think to myself 'i wish i had a lower gear' i will indeed have a lower gear!

.. and soon after i will wish for a lower lower gear

petethedrummer · 15-09-2011 6:22pm

Should this not be the training for when you get home? A good week in the Alps always did Jan Ullrich the power of good.

I'm tentatively interested in this endeavour. I'll watch with interest until I can give a proper committment.

at1withmyself · 15-09-2011 6:53pm

I''d be interested in this, is the Riad Pyreneen an officail event or just a well known route?

Not finding anything really on the net so can someone give some more details or post a link to the official site?

Coronal · 15-09-2011 7:02pm

It's a semi permanent Randonee, which can be ridden between June and September. Basically, you need to get stamps at controls along the way, and finish within 100 hours. This is rather generous for a Brevet of 710 km long, but that's mostly due to the climbing. There's loads of time to get a proper night's sleep in a hotel/hostel/campsite along the way.

This is a pretty good description of it: http://www.velopeloton.com/raid-pyrenees/

This is the site of the founding club: http://www.ccb-cyclo.fr/raid_pyreneen.html

lennymc · 02-10-2011 8:46pm

I have another non boardsie who would be interested in this aswell.

NickDrake · 02-10-2011 8:57pm

Any developments?

Captain Havoc · 02-10-2011 9:05pm

I spoke on the phone to velopeloton and he's going to see about a plan.

manafana · 06-10-2011 12:11pm

any updates on this, id be interested in doing a week of it anyway pyrennes being one of interest.

I have fluent spoken french so il be useful in any dealings day to day in french.

lennymc · 21-10-2011 7:55pm

Just wondering if there is any update on this.
A work colleague is also interested in popping along.

Captain Havoc · 21-10-2011 8:25pm

I've heard back from velopeloton and he's become fully booked so we can rule that out. The advice though is invaluable. To see how much and when is a good time to get a van on a ferry, we'll have to wait until the end of the year/ beginning of next year when the timetables come out and we can see prices. I'm still aiming for July though. If there's a chance of going to a stage then I see the penultimate stage at Brive on July 20th as the stage to take in. If anyone comes up with ideas and that, post them here, even if the Pyrénées sounds a bit far fetched, I'm sure something else could be organised.

Cycling forum Raid Pyrénéen trip 2012

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