Sportive - Bangor Coastal Challenge - 17 June 2012

el tel

If anyone is interested in venturing up North for a nice sportive, the Bangor Coastal Challenge in around the Ards Peninsula, County Down might be of interest.





http://www.northdowncc.com/?p=3098

awec

I've signed up for this.

You doing it el tel?

el tel

awec wrote: »

I've signed up for this.

You doing it el tel?

Am pretty sure I'll do it; but I won't be back from holidays until early that morning though...any delays could see me miss the start

awec

el tel wrote: »

Am pretty sure I'll do it; but I won't be back from holidays until early that morning though...any delays could see me miss the start

It's my first actual organised cycle and will be the first time I've done 100k so will be interesting!

kenmc

I did it a couple of years ago, very nice day out, lovely scenery, good roads.

el tel

awec wrote: »

It's my first actual organised cycle and will be the first time I've done 100k so will be interesting!

Good on ya - you'll be grand There'll be plenty of abilities taking part so you won't have to bust a gut. The terrain is good - only a couple of wee short bumps. There's always a bit of a headwind/tailwind thing on the Ards Peninsula but on a good day it won't matter. Maybe see you on the day.

awec

el tel wrote: »

Good on ya - you'll be grand There'll be plenty of abilities taking part so you won't have to bust a gut. The terrain is good - only a couple of wee short bumps. There's always a bit of a headwind/tailwind thing on the Ards Peninsula but on a good day it won't matter. Maybe see you on the day.

I think I'll be grand yea. I'm doing ~70k this Saturday which will be a good indicator.

I think this 70 might be tougher than the 100, I mapped the 100 on mapmyride and it looks flat as a pancake!

RobFowl

awec wrote: »

I think I'll be grand yea. I'm doing ~70k this Saturday which will be a good indicator.

I think this 70 might be tougher than the 100, I mapped the 100 on mapmyride and it looks flat as a pancake!

I was in NDCC for about 6 years and rode this spin most sats. It's a super event and very well organised by a great club. Not too hilly but wouldn't go a far as saying it's flat a a pancake !!!!

The scenery is lovely and varied with great coastal views (even Scotland can be seen). Some very pretty towns along the route (and Portavogie too !!!)

Overall a great route and event and would love to do it again.

awec

RobFowl wrote: »

I was in NDCC for about 6 years and rode this spin most sats. It's a super event and very well organised by a great club. Not too hilly but wouldn't go a far as saying it's flat a a pancake !!!!

The scenery is lovely and varied with great coastal views (even Scotland can be seen). Some very pretty towns along the route (and Portavogie too !!!)

Overall a great route and event and would love to do it again.

Yup I'm from the north myself so know the area alright, will be some nice scenery as you say!

It is flat as a pancake when you compare it to some of the other routes mapped on here! (Evil 200km take note! :P )

Kevin dublin

Thinking of doing this myself, it will be the longest spin I've done. Did a few 60km around Wicklow (lots of hills) and a few spins around the NS of Dublin, Malahide, Sutton, Summit, Howth, Fairview.

Might go up on the Sat & stay over in Belfast

Any good bicycle shops in Belfast:rolleyes:


Kevin

RO 06

Kevin dublin wrote: »

Thinking of doing this myself, it will be the longest spin I've done. Did a few 60km around Wicklow (lots of hills) and a few spins around the NS of Dublin, Malahide, Sutton, Summit, Howth, Fairview.

Might go up on the Sat & stay over in Belfast

Any good bicycle shops in Belfast:rolleyes:


Kevin

Slane cycles
Chain Reactions

awec

Chain Reaction have a big shop on the boucher road in Belfast, which is actually just off the M1 as you come in to Belfast from Dublin direction.

RobFowl

Dave Kanes on the Newtownards road and the cycling boutique a few doors down, cycling mecca.....

Kevin dublin

Thanks for the info. on the shops, sounds like I need to leave my credit card at home :rolleyes:

Kevin

Kevin dublin

Hi,

Is this the same route being run on the 17th?

http://www.mapmyride.com/s/routes/view/bike-ride-map/belfast/496463


Kevin

awec

Kevin dublin wrote: »

Hi,

Is this the same route being run on the 17th?

http://www.mapmyride.com/s/routes/view/bike-ride-map/belfast/496463


Kevin

That looks like the route, but the arrows on the route in the poster in the first post would maybe indicate that we are doing it in the opposite direction to that mapmyride.

Which means going up that hill instead of down it.

Kevin dublin

awec wrote: »

That looks like the route, but the arrows on the route in the poster in the first post would maybe indicate that we are doing it in the opposite direction to that mapmyride.

Which means going up that hill instead of down it.

Thanks for the heads up.

I could imagine myself going around wondering why everybody else was going the WRONG way:D

You can see it's far from flat, hope the legs can hold out:rolleyes:

Weather not looking great, fingers crossed!

If you see me up there say hello, I'm hard to miss 6' 3" on a green Kona Honky Inc. with disc brakes.

PersonalJesus

Gents,

Would it be silly to turn up for this with flat bars and wear trainers etc? Ive never done a sportive before and dont ride a drop bar road bike but have done a few 50km runs by myself before (and in arounds this neck of the woods as im from here).

kenmc

PersonalJesus wrote: »

Gents,

Would it be silly to turn up for this with flat bars and wear trainers etc? Ive never done a sportive before and dont ride a drop bar road bike but have done a few 50km runs by myself before (and in arounds this neck of the woods as im from here).

Not at all, you get all sorts on this and events like it. One of my colleagues did in in sandles with a backpack the year I did it, and every time his pedal went over the top there was a shuddering clunk. I dread to think if it was his knee or his bike..

You won't win though, is all, but as long as you're happy in that knowledge, then work away.

PersonalJesus

Thanks for the info. Ive no illusions of winning anything, just wanting out on a long run with some other cyclists and see if its my kinda thing. Cheers!

Kevin dublin

Hi Lads,


Anybody else heading up for this on Sunday?


Kevin

awec

Yep.

I'm nervous!

RobFowl

Yep I'll be doing it either in Swords or Boards gear !
Staying the night before with the in laws
Looking forward ti it great event

Kevin dublin

awec wrote: »

Yep.

I'm nervous!

Your nervous!, this is my first 100km, just hope the body holds out:D

Apart from rain my main concern is wind . . . no not mine, I keep reminding myself I'm doing this because I enjoy cycling:rolleyes:

My plan is to be slow & steady at the beginning, I think I can maintain a 23-25km pace but that's on the flat with no major wind!

Anybody know how many have registered?

Looking forward to this . . . . I think:)

Kevin

el tel

Informal boards meetup perhaps? I understand That number of participants will be high, might be hard to execute come to think of it

awec

There are 906 entries apparently.

Might be hard to find people, but if I see any boards jerseys I'll say hello.

Other than that, I'm the tall skinny one on the black, white and red BH (seeing as there are only 1 BH stockist in Ireland apparently I can't see there being that many of them). I'll probably look half dead. Say hi! :P

RobFowl

Swords gear look 565 and a hungover look about me so should be easy to spot !!

awec

I enjoyed this. Was a good route and well mapped out. Food queue was a bit long though.

4 hours 6 minutes according to mapmyride.

Kevin dublin

Hi lads,

Well I finished the run, 3hrs 50mins on the road.

A big thanks to the ndcc great event, well organised.

Headed off a bit early just after 9am with a bunch from the ndcc, managed to keep up with them to the mid-point, only managed to stay with them for another 15km after that. I had to save the legs so I could finish:D

At my level all I can say is the route is NOT flat!, especially the 2nd half:o

Kept an eye out for lads from boards but didn't see anybody all day:(

awec

I found the first half harder than the second, but maybe that's cause after getting a feed in me I had more fuel in the tank.

The last 10k or so of the first half absolutely killed me, I've never been so glad to see Portaferry in my life.

el tel

Well done with the finish and the excellent times.

A typically windy day on the Ards Peninsula with plenty of cold thrown in for good measure! At least the rain stayed away!

Was hard to pick out people from the 1000 riders but did speak with Robfowl briefly at the end - nice to meet you! Nice kit that Swords gear.

awec

el tel wrote: »

Well done with the finish and the excellent times.

A typically windy day on the Ards Peninsula with plenty of cold thrown in for good measure! At least the rain stayed away!

Was hard to pick out people from the 1000 riders but did speak with Robfowl briefly at the end - nice to meet you! Nice kit that Swords gear.

I didn't bring long sleeves, just had a t-shirt and bibs on. Was grand when moving, but absolutely froze at the stop which didn't help the muscles.

RobFowl

Nice to meet El tel and for once a T shirt worth having !
My "rolling" time a/c Strava was 3:18 with and average of 29.1kph so happy enough esp after meeting Hugh Beers the night before.

Have to say the scenery there is something else and the route really hihglights it. The food stop had a long queue but with the number of participants had no complaints.

So for me thats in excess of 6000kms to date and that includes 3 weeks effectively off recently. My mate won his first race Wed too so over all a good week....

awec

RobFowl wrote: »

Nice to meet El tel and for once a T shirt worth having !
My "rolling" time a/c Strava was 3:18 with and average of 29.1kph so happy enough esp after meeting Hugh Beers the night before.

Have to say the scenery there is something else and the route really hihglights it. The food stop had a long queue but with the number of participants had no complaints.

So for me thats in excess of 6000kms to date and that includes 3 weeks effectively off recently. My mate won his first race Wed too so over all a good week....

The t-shirt is actually half decent. Though as is to be expected with these sorta things the fitting is weird. Perfect fit in the body but you could fit my arms into the sleeves twice. :pac:

Speaking of scenery, took this in Portaferry:

RobFowl