Orwell Randonnee 2016

Ghosty669

Hi all,
Just wanted to let people know that details are now available for this years Orwell Randonnee at : http://www.orwellwheelers.org/home/news-and-events/903-the-2016-orwell-wheelers-randonnee

Any questions, let me know.

Thanks

nilhg

I hope you've made some offerings to the Weather Gods.......

Eamonnator

Hooray, hooray the Wall is back.

Shedite27

Been meaning to ask this for a while now, what is the wall?

Koobcam

Eamonnator wrote: »

Hooray, hooray the Wall is back.

which wall is this?

Eamonnator

It comes in at about 27.5 k into this spin.
You're cycling along, minding your own business, taking in the views. Then suddenly, you'll be directed to turn right, by a couple of fiends, disguised as marshals. Then without any further warning, you'll be faced by the Wall.
It's about 6kms long and has an average gradient of 15%, max 24%.
If you want to see a grown man cry, just wait, until I get there.


Actually, it's about .75Km long and I think the maximum gradient is about 13%,but it's a bugger. However, I'm not lying about the crying part.

Koobcam

Eamonnator wrote: »

It comes in at about 27.5 k into this spin.
You're cycling along, minding your own business, taking in the views. Then suddenly, you'll be directed to turn right, by a couple of fiends, disguised as marshals. Then without any further warning, you'll be faced by the Wall.
It's about 6kms long and has an average gradient of 15%, max 24%.
If you want to see a grown man cry, just wait, until I get there.


Actually, it's about .75Km long and I think the maximum gradient is about 13%,but it's a bugger. However, I'm not lying about the crying part.

Ah, I know this road, nasty alright

Ghosty669

Eamonnator wrote: »

It comes in at about 27.5 k into this spin.
You're cycling along, minding your own business, taking in the views. Then suddenly, you'll be directed to turn right, by a couple of fiends, disguised as marshals. Then without any further warning, you'll be faced by the Wall.
It's about 6kms long and has an average gradient of 15%, max 24%.
If you want to see a grown man cry, just wait, until I get there.


Actually, it's about .75Km long and I think the maximum gradient is about 13%,but it's a bugger. However, I'm not lying about the crying part.

We normally have a few camera people around the top to capture the joy of getting over it

bazermc

Shedite27 wrote: »

Been meaning to ask this for a while now, what is the wall?

Winter is coming


http://gameofthrones.wikia.com/wiki/The_Wall

Lumen

Eamonnator wrote: »

Actually, it's about .75Km long and I think the maximum gradient is about 13%,but it's a bugger. However, I'm not lying about the crying part.

There's no way the maximum gradient is only 13%.

I know we have this argument every year.

Wishbone Ash

Shedite27 wrote: »

Been meaning to ask this for a while now, what is the wall?

There's the full Wall and the half Wall. The full Wall intersects another road (where you have to yield right of way) before continuing upwards. The half Wall is the bit after that road. Some people are not aware that there is a full Wall as they have only done the 2nd part:

Full Wall: https://www.strava.com/segments/824925

Half Wall: https://www.strava.com/segments/1077130

I'd agree with Lumen - the steepest section is more than 13%. You're talking lowest gear and standing on the pedals just to keep moving forward.

wanderer 22

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

Half Wall: https://www.strava.com/segments/1077130

Woo, 8th place on the half wall #stravaboasting

Bolloxology

Do you have to be a member of Orwell to enter in the ride on the day?

Eamonnator

Same week-end as Bruce Springsteen in Croke Park.
Decisions, Decisions.

Wishbone Ash

Bolloxology wrote: »

Do you have to be a member of Orwell to enter in the ride on the day?

No. (They wouldn't be advertising it otherwise )

Bolloxology

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

No. (They wouldn't be advertising it otherwise )

ok thanks

Wishbone Ash

Eamonnator wrote: »

Same week-end as Bruce Springsteen in Croke Park.
Decisions, Decisions.

How appropriate!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=piMyePznQWE

RacoonQueen

Very tempted by this, doubt I'd have enough bike time done though to tackle this and 3 weeks after marathon. Hmmmm...

nilhg

Eamonnator wrote: »

Same week-end as Bruce Springsteen in Croke Park.
Decisions, Decisions.

Think you might need to check your calendar again there........

Wishbone Ash

We reckon it's the toughest Randonnée event in the country, with nearly 2,350m of climbing over 150km

They must not have heard of the Boards.ie Evil 200 - 100k longer with twice the climbing!

Eamonnator

nilhg wrote: »

Think you might need to check your calendar again there........

no excuses so.

smacl

Bolloxology wrote: »

Do you have to be a member of Orwell to enter in the ride on the day?

As WA has said, you don't need to be a member (not one myself) but from memory it does sell out quickly enough so worth entering early. Been a couple of years since I've done it, but enjoyed it both times I did. Very friendly and excellently organised.

Wishbone Ash

Just booked it!

Just be aware that the Saturday in question is one of the most popular for First Holy Communions so check first that your attendance isn't required elsewhere. (I've been caught out myself a few times!)

Ghosty669

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

They must not have heard of the Boards.ie Evil 200 - 100k longer with twice the climbing!

not called a randonnee though so I think we're in the clear!

Ghosty669

smacl wrote: »

As WA has said, you don't need to be a member (not one myself) but from memory it does sell out quickly enough so worth entering early. Been a couple of years since I've done it, but enjoyed it both times I did. Very friendly and excellently organised.

Thanks for the previous posts folks. I can confirm that you don't need to be a member of Orwell to take part.

NeedMoreGears

Just entered - been meaning to do this for years. Always like booking the first sportif - feels like the winter is ending.

Plastik

colm18 wrote: »

Woo, 8th place on the half wall #stravaboasting

Woo, ahead of you on the full wall #stravaboasting #oneup

Wishbone Ash

Plastik wrote: »

Woo, ahead of you on the full wall #stravaboasting #oneup

Impressive stuff. I'm languishing down at 120th on the full wall!

OleRodrigo

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

Just booked it!

Just be aware that the Saturday in question is one of the most popular for First Holy Communions so check first that your attendance isn't required elsewhere. (I've been caught out myself a few times!)

Bishop Brennan, is that you ??

Shedite27

Signed up too

Unknown Soldier

Shedite27 wrote: »

Signed up too

Same.

Something has to kill me.

Mercian Pro

In for a penny, in for €35.

Don't Chute!

Very tempted by this! I need to get some good climbing in before June. What is this usually like? Is the pace high or is there a good mix? I don't want to be on my own from the moment we go out the gate until I get back.

smacl

black and amber wrote: »

Very tempted by this! I need to get some good climbing in before June. What is this usually like? Is the pace high or is there a good mix? I don't want to be on my own from the moment we go out the gate until I get back.

Good mix, and on the occasions I've done it I've always put a sterling effort into bringing the average down by a few kph.

bazermc

black and amber wrote: »

Very tempted by this! I need to get some good climbing in before June. What is this usually like? Is the pace high or is there a good mix? I don't want to be on my own from the moment we go out the gate until I get back.

I am kind of in the same boat as you. Need to get miles and climbing in my legs before Letape in July.

I usually can average 18 to 20kph on a course like this if you fancy starting together and getting a group going.

Leroy42

bazermc wrote: »

I am kind of in the same boat as you. Need to get miles and climbing in my legs before Letape in July.

I usually can average 18 to 20kph on a course like this if you fancy starting together and getting a group going.

If you are doing Etape then this is a good tester. Not the longest sportive out there, but it packs in the climbing, basically the W200 without the flat stuff!

Its a tough course, great early testing ground

bazermc

Leroy42 wrote: »

If you are doing Etape then this is a good tester. Not the longest sportive out there, but it packs in the climbing, basically the W200 without the flat stuff!

Its a tough course, great early testing ground

That's the plan. The Mileage is the exact same as Letape so perfect training for it

smacl

bazermc wrote: »

I am kind of in the same boat as you. Need to get miles and climbing in my legs before Letape in July.

I usually can average 18 to 20kph on a course like this if you fancy starting together and getting a group going.

Just signed up and hope to be up around that speed on the day. Time to start putting some hills into my legs.

Bolloxology

Never done anything like this before.
Planning on doing the W200 but i'm giving this serious consideration,same concerns as some of the posters on the thread ....pace,company etc.

lissard

I did both 2 years ago and the Orwell is a great day out. Hopefully the weather gods will smile on us this year. As with any sportive there are riders of all ability levels so you are never really on your own. The really tough stuff is in the first half of the ride. With a bit of luck we'll have a nice tail wind blowing us back over the military road on the way home. I live in hope anyway ;-).

smacl

Bolloxology wrote: »

Never done anything like this before.
Planning on doing the W200 but i'm giving this serious consideration,same concerns as some of the posters on the thread ....pace,company etc.

I'm doing both this year, probably sporting a boards jersey somewhere near the back of the pack. Hopefully see you out there. I find the climbs in the Orwell tougher than the W200, particularly the Wall / Old long hill combo shortly followed by the Roundwood climb up the sally gap. All very doable, but worth doing once or twice beforehand. Really friendly buzz on the Orwell on the couple of times I've done it.

triggermortis

I'm actually not working that date! Never done any of the route before so sounds like I'd better sign up

triggermortis

Done.

irishrover99

Done this last year and it was a great event other than it been the worst weather i think most on the day have every cycled in. I could hardly brake by the time i got to laragh for the food stop. My hands were completely numb. Ill never forget going up the featherbeds and looking around at everyone leaning at about 45 degree angle because of the wind.

Really well run event and will do it again this year. Done half the wall for the first time on Saturday and didn't think it was nearly as hard as the steep sections on Kilmashouge.

bazermc

triggermortis wrote: »

Done.

What? The whole route already or just entered

meisce

Right I have just entered this for the first time. What's it like compared to the Mick Byrne and the WW200 ?

Leroy42

meisce wrote: »

Right I have just entered this for the first time. What's it like compared to the Mick Byrne and the WW200 ?

The cake is nicer!

Mercian Pro

Leroy42 wrote: »

The cake is nicer!

But there's no creamed rice cones

Just remember to keep a bit in the tank for the Lake Drive and the second climb to Sally Gap.

meisce

Leroy42 wrote:

The cake is nicer!

Sold !!

smacl

irishrover99 wrote: »

Done half the wall for the first time on Saturday and didn't think it was nearly as hard as the steep sections on Kilmashouge.

Ah here, bit early in the year to be using the K word!

triggermortis

bazermc wrote: »

What? The whole route already or just entered

just entered