Boards EVIL 200 - 2015 - it came from the mountains

irishrover99

Any chance of this happening again this year. With this usually on a Saturday it suits me better than the Wicklow 200 on Sunday and that drive to Greystones and back to Rathfarnham is a pain. Gives me a extra hour or so in bed as well without the drive.

MOD VOICE: Moved on from 2014 like the rest of us

daragh_

Probably.

godtabh

Bloody hell

daragh_

Less climbing than last year

Zyzz

250km, 4000m minimum

daragh_

And no stops! (This rule applies to Zyzz only)

That's just a suggested route. If anyone else wants to stick one up go for it.

We haven't had the Devil's Glen in before.

Quarry Road near the beginning is always good for a laugh.

Also I thought we might try and stay on roads with actual tarmac on them.

Happily I'll miss it as I'm away on my holliers. Whatever route you pick I promise to do when I get back.

Anyone want to start a new thread?

godtabh

what dates where we planning on this year? That will probably determine if I am available on the day. If I can do it will be an altogether different question.

Out of interest what is the biggest climb in the region?

daragh_

godtabh wrote: »

what dates where we planning on this year? That will probably determine if I am available on the day. If I can do it will be an altogether different question.

Out of interest what is the biggest climb in the region?

Usually the day before the Wicklow 200.

I suppose Mount Leinster but getting there rules out doing a lot of the other climbs. Unless we make it a 300!

We could stick Kippure in if people felt it was a bit flat.

Consey

Nice route Daragh ! Paved roads are an essential in my opinion. Whilst some of the twists and turns were fun last year the cratered descents at times weren't !

If it's minimum 250k with 4,000m plus, surely that would be an Evil 250 ?!?

Turlough Hill another option to add on a few ms. Would be interesting to take in some of the Bohernabreena gradients around the resevoir too to add a few metres climbing.........

Alek

3x Laragh? Its a luxury.

wanderer 22

Alek wrote: »

3x Laragh? Its a luxury.

Bail out/re-fuelling points are always good.

Zyzz

If I get a spare weekend over the next few weeks I'll attempt the route and recon it. Assuming I can source a compact, unlike last years terrible error. :pac:

Alek

Bail out/re-fuelling points are always good.

That's not evil enough!:pac:

irishrover99

daragh_ wrote: »

Usually the day before the Wicklow 200.

I suppose Mount Leinster but getting there rules out doing a lot of the other climbs. Unless we make it a 300!

We could stick Kippure in if people felt it was a bit flat.

Kippure is great climb.Love seen the Deer jump over the bogs like its nothing to them but coming back down is very dodgy.. I always seem to have a mega tail wind and on the breaks the whole time. Swore last time i would not do it again but that was in poxy weather.

Koobcam

Yeah, Kippure is a bit dodgy going down, and probably not a great idea for this since you'd have people going up, others coming down at the same time, very narrow road. There's plenty of other hills..

Leroy42

As Kippure would be towards the end, I don't think that you would have to much a problem with massed numbers either going up or down.

However, that would add another 8k (or so) onto the route and another 220mtrs of climbing. That is a very big ride. As Kippure is off the course it would be easily bypassed by those (I am including myself here) that would be struggling at that point and just trying to make it home.

you could crop off the Bray bit at the start and go straight through Kilternan to Enniskerry to get back the distance.

As this is traditionally (is tradition based on 4 years?) on the Saturday of the W200 then I think we should keep it on that date.

daragh_

Leroy42 wrote: »

you could crop off the Bray bit at the start and go straight through Kilternan to Enniskerry to get back the distance.

That would mean skipping Quarry Road which is an excellent wee climb and will wake everyone up.

Last year there 12 riders. I don't think there will be a problem with masses of people going up and down Kippure.

That said Turlough Hill (as Consey suggests) might be a wiser choice as the road surface is much better and the route goes up the Wicklow Gap about halfway anyway.

Leroy42

^^ or we could do both! With both being off the route they can be included and bypassed by anyone. (everyone!)

godtabh

If i was to do it again my preference would be for better roads over anything else

Zyzz

Put Kippure in the route, if you don't want to do it, cycle past it and continue the route. If you want to do it, then do it :pac:

Lusk_Doyle

Isn't Turlough hill private property?

daragh_

It's ESB property but I've never seen any signage prohibiting cycling or walking up the road. Barrier stops cars.

Lusk_Doyle

daragh_ wrote: »

It's ESB property but I've never seen any signage prohibiting cycling or walking up the road. Barrier stops cars.

I ask because back in my day when i did the national hill climbs champs there they needed permission. The gate was still closed that day btw and we had to skip through the gap at the boulder and pray that the pedal didn't hit it as we were flying through!

g0g

Someday I'd love to complete one of these challenges, although they're on the extreme end of events I can prepare for with my casual 1-2 cycles per week once the summer comes!

I wonder how hard it'd be to organise a bus/van to dump everyone down around Bunclody and have a one-way route including Mt Leinster (to the top), Turlough Hill, Kippure, Wicklow Gap, Sally Gap and the three hills south of Laragh!? Probably too much coordination for a casual event, and it would make me even less likely to contemplate trying it again!

daragh_

Good point Lusk_Doyle

We might be best sticking to open roads folks.

As always it's worth pointing out that this will be an unofficial, unsupported spin.

ford2600

g0g wrote: »

Someday I'd love to complete one of these challenges, although they're on the extreme end of events I can prepare for with my casual 1-2 cycles per week once the summer comes!

If you continually think of it, or any other long hilly event, as a 200km plus with close on 4000m climbing then your not helping yourself.

For the most part long events are mental/psychological challenges more so than an athletic one. Break in down into smaller sections and tick them off as you go.

An average cyclist with with half decent physical and mental training and a reasonable diet could complete most of these things.

The hard part of cycling is going fast

daragh_

An average cyclist with with half decent physical and mental training and a reasonable diet could complete most of these things.

Very true.


It's a nice day out on the bike with a few coffee stops.

The hills are there so we can talk it up afterwards.

Lusk_Doyle

ford2600 wrote: »

I

An average cyclist with with half decent physical and mental training and a reasonable diet could complete most of these things.

There are just far too many variations, permutations and combinations in the above! How does one define:

1. What is an average cyclist?
2. What is decent p and m training?
3. What is half of the above?
4. What is a reasonable diet?

Lumen

I think the emphasis is on mental training.

As in "you'll be fine if you do some totally mental training".

ford2600

Lusk_Doyle wrote: »

There are just far too many variations, permutations and combinations in the above! How does one define:

1. What is an average cyclist?
2. What is decent p and m training?
3. What is half of the above?
4. What is a reasonable diet?

As someone who attempted 3000km in a month from the couch potatoe you qualify....:pac:

As an example of why you don't need to be much of a cyclist to do long distance consider the following.

On the MF1200 the best athlete, I met on it by a distance did't get to day 2. In his late 20's/early 30's a really good mtb'er, poweful rider in great shape yet was done at end of day 1.

The finishing line was full on lads/lasses with guts in their 40/50/60's.

The reason he didn't finish wasn't atheltic ability or preparation, mentally he cracked, his diet was awful, his power output fluctuated incredibly, he got lost too much.

As an average athlete myself(believe me I feel below average when I ride with a strong club rider) i went for a long walk with my wife after finishing day 4.

Alek

i went for a long walk with my wife after finishing day 4.

Impressive. My wife would not be able to carry me even for a short while.

godtabh

Last year I hadn't much training done in the hills due to exams (likely to be the same this year) but well used to suffering on my own. And I was prepared to cycle a lot of it on my own which happened any time the road went upwards

Zyzz

Just to anyone that might take part, it isn't a race, there is no fast pace, not even an average speed, its a couple of cyclists out for a challenging spin..the only prize at the end is saying you completed it! It was difficult last year don't get me wrong, but finishing it and saying I cycled 230 odd km was incredibly satisfying.

The Noble Nudge

Pencil me in again......might get to see other people this year....

Correction I might wait and start with yis rather than get a 2 hour head start.;)

Wishbone Ash

godtabh wrote: »

....but well used to suffering on my own......

What else do you expect when you usually head off at 5am!

Zyzz wrote: »

... but finishing it and saying I cycled 230 odd km was incredibly satisfying.

I'd find being able to say I climbed 4,000m or whatever it is 100 times more satisfying than being able to say I cycled 230kms.

godtabh

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

What else do you expect when you usually head off at 5am!

I'd find being able to say I climbed 4,000m or whatever it is 100 times more satisfying than being able to say I cycled 230kms.

Some company would be nice!

You going to do it this year?

nilhg

ford2600 wrote: »

As someone who attempted 3000km in a month from the couch potatoe you qualify....:pac:

As an example of why you don't need to be much of a cyclist to do long distance consider the following.

On the MF1200 the best athlete, I met on it by a distance did't get to day 2. In his late 20's/early 30's a really good mtb'er, poweful rider in great shape yet was done at end of day 1.

The finishing line was full on lads/lasses with guts in their 40/50/60's.

The reason he didn't finish wasn't atheltic ability or preparation, mentally he cracked, his diet was awful, his power output fluctuated incredibly, he got lost too much.

As an average athlete myself(believe me I feel below average when I ride with a strong club rider) i went for a long walk with my wife after finishing day 4.

Reading that reminded me of this,

Anyway subject to the usual vicissitudes of life I'm up for this, how able for it I am remains to be seen.

Wishbone Ash

godtabh wrote: »

...You going to do it this year?

Apart from the fact that it always falls on my weekend on to work, the elevation would frighten me. I've done 5000+ in a single ride but that was over 130km and it nearly killed me.

I'm secretly tempted all the same....

D!armu!d

Zyzz wrote: »

250km, 4000m minimum

Worth bearing in mind that some people will have to cycle extra distance to get to/from the start point. 200km, 4000m+ climbing would get my vote!

ford2600

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

Apart from the fact that it always falls on my weekend on to work, the elevation would frighten me. I've done 5000+ in a single ride but that was over 130km and it nearly killed me.

I'm secretly tempted all the same....

I doubt very much you climbed 5000m in 130km.
More than likely to be a strava garmin error. On a very difficult 100km spin in Canaries strava totalled climbing at 5000m with 240w average power.

At most I did 3000m. Similar ovrr estimation in Majorca also

Wishbone Ash

ford2600 wrote: »

I doubt very much you climbed 5000m in 130km.
More than likely to be a strava garmin error.....

Don't spoil it for me!

(But it has been said to me before . Our cue sheet for the day gave 4,300 over 131kms. My Garmin 500 recorded 5,200m as did a friend who had a Garmin 800. It was in the Alps.)

ROK ON

Some day I will finish this thing.
First year I did it I got in with a bad crowd and got delayed in Laragh and again in Blessington.
Last year on one of Astras off road descents I blew two tyres and broke a wheel.
It's a long day and I would only attempt it again if the route went on actual roads as opposed to deer trails in the mountains.

For the guy asking for Mt Leinster -!it is doable but it would be about 250k return from rathfarnahm and a lot of the route would just be going to a place as opposed to climbing up ever side road in Wicklow.

One thing I am taken with is the trying an idea of how long a ride and how much altitude climbed can you make a ride where you are never more than say 35km from Dublin and never use the same road more than once.

Wishbone Ash

ROK ON wrote: »

....First year I did it I got in with a bad crowd...

Boardsies?

smcclaw

daragh_ wrote: »

Also I thought we might try and stay on roads with actual tarmac on them.

I though the craters and gravel were very much in keeping with the ethos of the spin... certainly added variety to the smooth climbs!

200km and a min of 4k vertical sounds like a good starting point to me.

Devils Glen, Red Lane... bound to be a few other landmarks we missed last time out...

daragh_

Altidore!

Lusk_Doyle

ford2600 wrote: »

I doubt very much you climbed 5000m in 130km.
More than likely to be a strava garmin error. On a very difficult 100km spin in Canaries strava totalled climbing at 5000m with 240w average power.

At most I did 3000m. Similar ovrr estimation in Majorca also

I wouldnt doubt it. I did over 4k on a 138km ride in Italy last July.

Lusk_Doyle

ford2600 wrote: »

I doubt very much you climbed 5000m in 130km.
More than likely to be a strava garmin error. On a very difficult 100km spin in Canaries strava totalled climbing at 5000m with 240w average power.

At most I did 3000m. Similar ovrr estimation in Majorca also

The Alps, the canaries and majorca ain't!

CramCycle

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

Boardsies?

Not surprising really

ford2600

Lusk_Doyle wrote: »

The Alps, the canaries and majorca ain't!

The location is not the point, its the over estimation of altitude in mountainous locations.

Did you start and finish in same place?

@Wishbone what did strava calculate your average power at? Compare that figure with your strongest 100km odd spin last year. Are they in same ball park?

Wishbone Ash

ford2600 wrote: »

....@Wishbone what did strava calculate your average power at? Compare that figure with your strongest 100km odd spin last year. Are they in same ball park?

Strava calculated it at 205w.

Checked a selection of 100k spins and they come in between 140-160w although they would be on much flatter terrain. I don't race so I would rarely be pushing myself too hard preferring distance over speed but that day in the Alps used every ounce of energy I had.

(The nearest to it I can see at home was ROK 2014 - 200w over 170km).

Lusk_Doyle

ford2600 wrote: »

The location is not the point, its the over estimation of altitude in mountainous locations.

Did you start and finish in same place?

@Wishbone what did strava calculate your average power at? Compare that figure with your strongest 100km odd spin last year. Are they in same ball park?

The location is the point. If you are in the Alps, you have many high mountains. Those islands you mentioned, less so.

What does the same start/finish point have to do with the amount of climbing?

For your info - this is what I did. 138kms and 4,023m.