Joe Loughman Randonée, 20 Sept, Bray

Plastik

Long before cycling became the new golf, and years before the bike to work scheme introduced a whole new audience to our passion, the bicycle, Bray Wheelers ran the inaugural Joe Loughman Randonée. Now in its 16th year the annual event, which is held in the memory of one of the founding members and past Club President of Bray Wheelers Joe Loughman, will take place on Sunday September 20th. Established in 1949, and one of the oldest cycling clubs in the country, Joe and others had a vision that still remains strong to this day with a club that caters for all cyclists, young and old, leisure and racer, in one of the most beautiful and challenging parts of Ireland to cycle.

Bray Wheelers have a proud tradition of donating proceeds from the event to worthwhile causes and is honoured to provide assistance to Bray Lakers for 2015. Bray Lakers are a community-based sports, social and recreation club for children and adults with an intellectual disability. With 150 volunteers and staff supporting some 275 members the club enables people with an intellectual disability to develop their skills, co-ordination and ultimately their self-esteem through the medium of their participation in sporting, social, recreational and developmental activities according to their abilities.

The Randonée starts and finishes at the Bray Wheelers Clubhouse on Schools Road, Bray and with two routes caters for everyone.

A 55km family and novice friendly route takes cyclists along the coast to Newcastle before heading inland for Ashford. Riders will then climb easy Devils Glen to Roundwood before tackling the Coach Road to the Old Long Hill and home via Kilcroney Lane to finish with well-earned tea and cake at the clubhouse.

The challenging 96km route takes the same route at the 55km route as far as Ashford before then climbing to Garry Duff and onto Rathdrum. Climbing out of Rathdrum and descending into Ballinaclash, having turned right over the bridge, you’ll face the second big climb of the day. Turning right at the top for Greenane, riders will turn left to tackle the famous Shay Elliott Climb at Drumgoff. Onto Laragh, Roundwood and home via the Coach Road to the Old Long Hill, Kilcroney Lane and finish with tea and cake at Bray Wheelers Club House.

Sign-on will be from 8.30am to 9.30am in the Bray Wheelers Club house. Entry fee is €20 for Cycling Ireland members and €22 for non-Cycling Ireland members (to cover the €2 leisure one day licence) and riders are asked to note that this is non-mass start event.

55km route: www.ridewithgps.com/routes/10153604
96km route: www.ridewithgps.com/routes/10172520

Helmets are compulsory, everyone is welcome, see you on the road!

For more information on Bray Wheelers check out www.braywheelers.com or on Lakers check out www.lakers.ie

bazermc

Going to try give this a go, been very lazy recently.

Need to be back before 3.30pm for the all important match

g0g

A short cycle from home, a shorter long route than the Reservoir Dog, less hills and a local club. Might make it on the day! Also I'm unfit!

Is route quite different to previous years?

bazermc

what time do most folk roll out at. I see sign on is anytime between 8.30 and 9.30am

Plastik

g0g wrote: »

A short cycle from home, a shorter long route than the Reservoir Dog, less hills and a local club. Might make it on the day! Also I'm unfit!

Is route quite different to previous years?

Route is the same as last year, but it's different from the previous route that would have taken in Brown Mountain and both sides of the Elliott.

bazermc wrote: »

what time do most folk roll out at. I see sign on is anytime between 8.30 and 9.30am

How long is a piece of string There's likely to be two "Bray" groups rolling from the club house 22/25 & 27/28ish averages and will post more when I know.

Neleven

How does a randonnee differ to a sportif? I assume it's to do with signposting/marshalling (to what, if any, extent is this provided? Is route finding an issue if you're on your own?) I'm a little tempted by this - the cause is good - but it's beyond my experience in terms of climbing and two Sundays in a row leaving the family behind might be pushing it...

D3PO

good cause and I think I can get a free pass too so might give this a crack.

bazermc

Neleven wrote: »

How does a randonnee differ to a sportif? I assume it's to do with signposting/marshalling (to what, if any, extent is this provided? Is route finding an issue if you're on your own?) I'm a little tempted by this - the cause is good - but it's beyond my experience in terms of climbing and two Sundays in a row leaving the family behind might be pushing it...

I think there is a technical difference i.e. randonnee is a french word for long distance cycle I think where you self navigate. Sportiff is the english version. However in this case I dont think there is a difference

Plastik

No there's not much of a difference ultimately. All the roads will be marked with a JL and arrow indicating direction so it's hard to get lost.

I've just been out marking the 50km route, it's been a while since I've been on some of those roads and even to drive them is lovely. Tough enough route in its own right, you're up and down all day.

g0g

Great day out on the Bray spin today! My first time >100km since August 2013. I did this event as I decided I wasn't fit for the one in Blessington, but there was still a fair bit of climbing too! Around 1,500m in total - who needs Everesting when Ben Nevis (well, slightly more!) is more than enough!

I left early with the intention of catching on the back of each group for a while as they passed. In the end progress was a bit faster for me and I wasn't able to keep up with the fastest groups as they flew by! Thankfully stayed dry for the day bar some misty rain around Rathdrum.

A well organised event by Bray Wheelers! Looking forward to seeing the snaps the photographer took! My only criticism would be the evil planners who dumped us with a nasty little hill just before home! (called Newtown on Strava)

So many people out on the roads today with all the events. Defo passed others from the Blessington event coming towards me around Annamoe at 12-ish. Think I spotted a few Boards jerseys and a Nico Roche lookalike too!

Plastik

Some pics https://www.facebook.com/amcleavey/media_set?set=a.1191069004242059.1073741854.100000169122505&type=3

Spot some Boards.ie shorts in there. Glad you had a good day g0g. It's a pretty testing route and has something for everyone. It skips some of the big hitter climbs of Wicklow but as you can attest it's certainly not easy! A lot of the lesser known and other east coast byroads in there.