West Cork 200

albob

As this is starting/finishing in my home town I fell obliged to promote it! Two weeks after the Wicklow so ideal way to keep the fitness levels up.
http://westcork200.com/index.php?Welcome

Agreeing with penexpers I have put my best guess of the route from their effort up on mapmyrun.

http://www.mapmyrun.com/ride/ireland/-skibbereen/224304680869

No major climbs. Just lots of ups and downs.

GearoidP

Hi Albob,

Thanks for posting that, looks great! I've put the link on our website for a Malin to Mizen trip we're planning www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/M2M maybe you might join in for the last weekend!

Pity there doesn't seem to be any page in the RoI for all the leisure cycles that are going on. I found a good one for the north: http://www.dromaracc.co.uk/leisure/Leisure_Calender_2009.htm

Gearoid

penexpers

albob wrote: »

As this is starting/finishing in my home town I fell obliged to promote it! Two weeks after the Wicklow so ideal way to keep the fitness levels up.
http://westcork200.com/index.php?Welcome

I think someone should tell them about google maps.

Húrin

GearoidP wrote: »

Hi Albob,

Thanks for posting that, looks great! I've put the link on our website for a Malin to Mizen trip we're planning www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/M2M maybe you might join in for the last weekend! [/URL]

Gearoid

that does sounds pretty excellent. I read about your trip across Europe a couple of months back. Pretty spectacular stuff in there.

ROK ON

Can anyone do this. I will be living in Kerry by then and would love to do this. But am not a club cyclist and do not have a CI license.

Collumbo

I try to bring the bike whenever I head down to West Cork.... I have to say it's one of my favourite places in the country to ride a bike... stunning scenery, and oddly, it rarely pishes rain on me whenever I've ridden a bike down there (normally sunny oddly enough :-/ )
Anyway I'm definitely riding this - be warned that the roads are much deader down there than riding the Wicklow. The average speed for the same effort will probably be 1 or 2 km per hour lower (at least that's what I find whenever I cycle down there). I often find that 70 or 80km is a lot on those roads!

albob

Not actually involved in organisation of cycle but I'm not affiliated with any cycling club or cycling Ireland and intend doing it. Must actually join cycling Ireland though for my own sake.

Funkyzeit

I might be on for this too - again not a member of CI.

Edit: Seen the mapmy run link thanks...

Signal_ rabbit

albob wrote: »

As this is starting/finishing in my home town I fell obliged to promote it! Two weeks after the Wicklow so ideal way to keep the fitness levels up.
http://westcork200.com/index.php?Welcome

Agreeing with penexpers I have put my best guess of the route from their effort up on mapmyrun.

http://www.mapmyrun.com/ride/ireland/-skibbereen/224304680869

No major climbs. Just lots of ups and downs.

I saw this too and I am very tempted as I live in Bantry it'll be perfect given the start time!

Beached

I know that people are focussed on the Wicklow 200,
but are people interested in the West Cork 200.
Its the first year and im wondering if there will be a good crowd?

also for later on in the year starting in Mallow
http://www.cclsp.com/viewnews.php?id=110

No proper route announced yet

godihatethehils

I'm doing it.

Looks like a nice part of the country for a spin

Would like to but for the Sunday start and work the next day in Dublin! Maybe next year.

thebouldwhacker

Planning on doing this (fitness permitting).
The views are amazing, it'll be fantastic prob best part of the country for cycling. Def more engaging than the Kerry route (then again being from Cork i'd say that anyway:p)

Beached

thebouldwhacker wrote: »

Planning on doing this (fitness permitting).
The views are amazing, it'll be fantastic prob best part of the country for cycling. Def more engaging than the Kerry route (then again being from Cork i'd say that anyway:p)

Jeez, everything becomes a competition with ye Corkies:).
I dont live a million miles away from that part of West Cork, but im not too familier with the roads. Is there gonna be many serious climbs I wonder??
Closing dates for entries is the 29th of May.
Think ill do it alright.
Im hoping for a good turnout, as the day becomes easier when there are more people doing it

thebouldwhacker

Well Cork is great after all... But West Cork is the Jewel in the crown;):rolleyes::rolleyes:

Thanks for the heads up of the closing date, I double checked and hey presto there was my application sitting @ my desk filled up but not sent. I amaze myself sometimes

Beached

The application is a bit awkward alright.
doesnt seem to be any online application.
Must go and get a cheque written up soon

Beached

The website has been updated, and entries will now be accepted up till the day of the event.
That suits me much better, I havent got a cheque made out in years.

thebouldwhacker

Got my pack today, number 60 something... Is that all thats doing it??

surly for the views alone more will attend?

godihatethehils

thebouldwhacker wrote: »

Got my pack today, number 60 something... Is that all thats doing it??

surly for the views alone more will attend?

no queues for the sandwiches so.....brilliant!

albob

The fact that they will be taking entries up until 7am on the day suggests a pretty small crowd alright. Hopefully there will be enough to justify making the cycle into a yearly event.

godihatethehils

SEVEN possible stops along the way.....nice.

Signal_ rabbit

godihatethehils wrote: »

SEVEN possible stops along the way.....nice.

Which ones would they be?

albob

Is it just me or is putting 2 of the stop in hotel bars tempting faith? The alure of a pint bottle/hot whiskey (weather dependent) could be overpowering!

thebouldwhacker

the hotels should be ok, passing the Tin Pub could be hard, best beer garden in the world if the sun is out. 30 seconds from the bar and your sitting on a wall with Dunmanus bay unfolding around you....:D

rottenhat

albob wrote: »

Is it just me or is putting 2 of the stop in hotel bars tempting faith?

I don't know about faith but it's certainly tempting me.

godihatethehils

Go on rottenhat....spectacular scenery, no samwidge queues and 7 stops which appear to have been strategically placed to maximise the possibility of sneaking a few drinks in

.....it could be the antidote to the WW200???

DeepBlue

Hmmmm..... trying to find out what time this starts at.
That countdown clock on the homepage suggests it starts at 6.00 a.m. but they're still taking entries up to 7 a.m. ??? .
Can someone confirm?

thebouldwhacker

I'll pull out my pack this evening and post up what it says.

Captain Havoc

I'm thinking of camping on the Saturday night, does anyone else intend on this?

thebouldwhacker

It says reg starts at 6 and 'once you reg you head off, we hope to have all reg by 7'.

So it looks like there is a one hour reg window.

There is a change to the route too, up the hill at kilcrohane which will cut a bit off but not much. They say the road for the planned assent is in too bad repair) Its a short (1 mile) steep hill with 3 switch backs, great views and a happy decent with the full spectical of Bantry bay in view @ the other side. Its pretty flat all the way to bantry then so all good:pac:

Also there is a cut for a 100km cycle cutting out the Mizen part and they will drive the circut @8 to pick up the dead:D (there is a mobile number you can ring if it all gets too much for anyone... which is nice...)

DeepBlue

Great. Thanks for that bouldwhacker.
It's reassuring to know that someone will be along at 8 to collect my decomposing remains .

Signal_ rabbit

The dreaded hill at Kilchrohane? now thats a bit of a climb! We cycled the Sheep's Head last weekend and we thought too the road was cat which made it the toughest part of the spin trying to avoid all the pot holes, so it's no harm. Will there be anyone in a Boards.ie jersey?

thebouldwhacker

Not long back from a short spin.... Max speed = 122.9 kph, gotta say I really didnt feel it... when is the closing date for the tour de France??? (might have to get a new cycle computer)


Yea that hill in Killchrohane is a Bianchi of a climb, like a sucker punch to the gut, mind you by then I'm not sure I'll feel pain ...

fitness ohh fitness why has thou forsaken me?!?

Hungryhill

Can anyone give some indicative times? I live in the area and would like to see them, in Ballydehob, or Bantry.

barrabus

So who is on for this? I am, I think blorg is.
Emty might be ..... as a warm up for the cycle back to Dublin afterwards ;-)
Anyone else?

showry

I did that climb out of Kilcrohane a couple of times on my holidays down there last year and it's a beast alright, a lot tougher than the one they took out of it. I'll be back there in July (albeit without a granny ring this year). I'll be interested to see what people make of it.

albob

I'll be doing it. Believe ajk24 is. Have a 3rd roped in also.
WHats this climb out of Kilcrohane? Did what I thought was that segment of a cycle a few months back and don't recall any crazy climbs. Seeing that I struggle climbing up speed bumps....it suggests that I was on the wrong road! Anyone mind putting that section up on mapmyride or something?

showry

Instead of going through Kilcrohane you turn right and head out the back, there's 2 or 3 hairpins and a grotto at the top. It's about 200 metres gain in 2km. Maybe I was having a bad week but I found it a nightmare.

albob

Actually looking at the map more closely....I didnt cycle that part of the route. Actually was Kilcomane I cycled through.
That segmet you desribe looks tough on mapmyride....very tough. Between that and the climb out of Lough Hyne I will be damn glad of my granny ring!

thebouldwhacker

Went from Bantry to the caha pass tonight (and back), the tunnels are a great place, (but SOB what is it with the migies??? they are everywhere this year) I made it without to many curses but I miss the granny... No need to worry about the climb in Kil, I did it a few months back on my mtb, had to stop once on the way up to catch my breath but I jumped on the bike in kil, and beat up so my breath ran out before I warmed up (and my fittness levels are questionable). if you go slow up it you can enjoy the views better:pac:

thebouldwhacker

Seeing as this is coming up on the 21st i thought I'd bump this.

I came across a weather report today for good sunshine with minimum wind for Sunday (prob means it'll rain all day with 30mph headwinds:rolleyes:) so thats a big plus. I gota call from friends who want to go around the course with me, only thing is I'm a slow cyclist, they are slow POB's... such is life...

Signal_ rabbit

POB's?

ROK ON

thebouldwhacker wrote: »

Went from Bantry to the caha pass tonight (and back), the tunnels are a great place, (but SOB what is it with the migies??? they are everywhere this year) I made it without to many curses but I miss the granny... No need to worry about the climb in Kil, I did it a few months back on my mtb, had to stop once on the way up to catch my breath but I jumped on the bike in kil, and beat up so my breath ran out before I warmed up (and my fittness levels are questionable). if you go slow up it you can enjoy the views better:pac:

Hi. Sorry to go off topic. But I will be down in that part of the world soon. If you want a training partner then pm me. I go up to Caha pass regularly, but from Kenmare side.

Murph100

How does the Caha Pass compare to Molls Gap in terms of cycling ?

BTW ROK are you moving to Kenmare ?

blorg

Signal_ rabbit wrote: »

POB's?

Pedestrian On Bike.

ROK ON

Murph100 wrote: »

How does the Caha Pass compare to Molls Gap in terms of cycling ?

BTW ROK are you moving to Kenmare ?

Yes.

Caha Pass is a bit tougher but not much. The road has been resurfaced and is pretty goo (and quite wide) for most of the hourney up to the tunnels. You cycle out of Kenmare for about 10km on rolling roads, and then the climb begins gardually after Bonane.
You then climb about 250m before over 5.5-6km, before it tops out at the final big tunnel at 350m.
Worst bits are 5%, but that isnt bad at all. SO cycling for 20km before the top, but only 5km of that is actually uphill.

Molls Gap, is a 9km cycle.
After Kenmare you rise 100m in 3km, and then the next 160m in 6km, so it is considerably easier than Caha Pass. Interestingly, the road is poor quality, even though it would appear to be significantly busier road than the one to Caha. If you were a strong cyclist, it is the type of clim that you could aim to sprint/poer up if you know what I mean.

The views from both are great (even on a rainy day), but Caha is a better climb, on better roads, with less traffic, IMHO.

thebouldwhacker

Signal_ rabbit wrote: »

POB's?

Pedestrian on a blike, only joking really, they'll prob come in before me on the day:o its just that I was aiming @ the 200 but I dont want to dissappoint them (I'm looking at it as my chance to get them into cycling... cunning plan ehh:D)

Murph100

ROK ON wrote: »

The views from both are great (even on a rainy day), but Caha is a better climb, on better roads, with less traffic, IMHO.

Yup pretty magical places alright. We did a nice loop last Sat taking in Molls Gap and the Gap of Dunloe, stunning route but insanely awful roads in places.

http://www.mapmyride.com/ride/ireland/killarney/231124487835558625

We'll be heading to Bantry via 'De Tunnels' soon after the ROK, so I was looking for a cyclists take on that route.

Kenmare is a great place, lived there for 5 crazy years, just mind yer liver during the winter months !!

Joff

Called into the organizers the other day as i live down here, they were up to 106 entries then, guess they'll be alot of late entries so could be a good crowd.

thebouldwhacker

ROK +1

I'll take it from here:D While the Kenmare/Caha cycle is as ROK describes above as a rebel I'll have to say that the Cork side is a far better option:D

The county border is at the peak of the climb through the large tunnel. The Cork side starts in Glengarriff. After cycling a nice warm up ride from Bantry along the top of the bay. This is one of the most picturesque parts of the country , perhaps even above Clew Bay. from here you pass streams, deciduas forest and the Glengarriff nature preserve. The climb is a gentle slope to start but soon gets a bit more noticeable. By the time the sweat starts dripping you have climbed above the tree line and you now have the most amazing vista before you. As a bonus the road switches back into the direction of Bantry Bay and you are treated to a view the length of the bay with all its islands and many miles inland with its rolling hills. You pound up the hill side leaving the last of the dwellings behind you, your in stone and sheep country now!
In the winter its bright gold but now the hills and valleys are fresh green. you climb to equal the height of Barley lake Across the valley and from here the houses are dots, Glengarriff is hidden by the trees, you are truly alone in nature.

The hill almost realises your tired and gives you an undulating patch before the last gentle climb to the large tunnel, it takes about 30 seconds to 1 minute to cycle through but in that time you are in a blissful mountain fridge, you cool down and the light at the end of the tunnel is Kerry, 10 mile decent awaits:D

The best thing about the tunnel at this time of the year is that the migies dont go in as its to cold for them, bite free zone... I think there are slightly harder gradients on the cork side but the, climb to 350meters in about 3 miles. Its a very rewarding cycle, great road surface and a fast decent back to Glengariff. A solid 55km circuit.

After all that I think I might do it this evening:D

thebouldwhacker

Joff wrote: »

Called into the organizers the other day as i live down here, they were up to 106 entries then, guess they'll be alot of late entries so could be a good crowd.

Yep, there will be good enough numbers and, as far as I know they are taking last minute entries (with cash) but its safer to check this with the organisers....

Really looking forward to it. It'll be fantastic, perfect for any noobies too if anyone is looking for a first sportive but is a tad nervous about entering an event. No impossible climbs, there is more than on option to cut the distance short, plenty of oppertunities for unoffical rest stops and from what I have gathered a health mix between sunday cyclists and competitors...