Orwell Randonnee 2017

Ghosty669

Hi folks,
Just wanted to let you know that we're putting the finishing touches to this years Orwell Randonnee which will be taking place on Saturday the 29th of April.

Due to the positive feedback we got from last years participants, we've decided to use the same route as last year and for the first time we will be adding a slightly easier route : the Randonnee Lite. This shorter route removes some of the climbing at the start of the event but it should be considered a great achievement to complete it.

Looking forward to having our regulars back and for anyone planning some serious cycling this year, it's a great event to use to test the legs.

Details to follow.

irishrover99

Please throw in some good weather this year. The last two have been as bad weather wise as anything i've ever cycled in.

Euro Fred

In

Eamonnator

Having sorted out a 34-32 low gear, I am in again this year.
I promise not to cry this year, when I see The Wall.

Daroxtar

Has anyone a Strava link to the route from last year. I'm half thinking of doing it

andy69

Daroxtar wrote: »

Has anyone a Strava link to the route from last year. I'm half thinking of doing it

Here's mine from 2016: https://www.strava.com/activities/561337901 a cold cold day with the run for home down off of Sally Gap! Great though - can't wait for this years' one again!

Unknown Soldier

Eamonnator wrote: »

Having sorted out a 34-32 low gear, I am in again this year.
I promise not to cry this year, when I see The Wall.

Indulge me while I recall a conversation I had during last years Randonnee after doing said "Wall"

"The Wall?...The Wall? are people sh1tting me? What the F##K is that thing!" while point ahead of me at what looked like a Hill built on a frickin' roller coaster up ramp!

That aside, even with the terrible weather last year ala the cold rain and sleet up in the mountains, it was a savage day on the bike.

bazermc

How many Calories in the Randonnee Lite?

Ghosty669

Here's the sign on page folks which includes details of both routes : https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/the-randonnee-2017-tickets-31066592013

Ghosty669

bazermc wrote: »

How many Calories in the Randonnee Lite?

About half a burger and 2 slices of carrot cake...

fat bloke

Signed up for this last night. Very impressed with the dietary preference drop-down menu.

Shur oo wuidn't find dat in de likes a de Toor de Frence.

Ghosty669

fat bloke wrote: »

Signed up for this last night. Very impressed with the dietary preference drop-down menu.

Shur oo wuidn't find dat in de likes a de Toor de Frence.

Thanks! We aim to please. Speaking of food, based on feedback from last years participants, we've upgraded our burgers this year and gone for the gourmet option. I tested them over the weekend and they're defo worth the suffering. Only issue was trying to cycle over Ticknock and not to get a second helping!

Wishbone Ash

fat bloke wrote: »

Signed up for this last night. Very impressed with the dietary preference drop-down menu. ....

Sounds like they are preparing musette bags for us!

Ghosty669

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

Sounds like they are preparing musette bags for us!

We priced a horse feed bag but couldn't get it past the committee!

Mercian Pro

Ghosty669 wrote: »

Thanks! We aim to please. Speaking of food, based on feedback from last years participants, we've upgraded our burgers this year and gone for the gourmet option. I tested them over the weekend and they're defo worth the suffering. Only issue was trying to cycle over Ticknock and not to get a second helping!

Well done. The only slight negative last year was the "ordinaryness" of the burgers at the end of a fantastic cycle.

Ghosty669

Mercian Pro wrote: »

Well done. The only slight negative last year was the "ordinaryness" of the burgers at the end of a fantastic cycle.

Thanks. For those that are interested, here's our new provider : https://owelorganic.wordpress.com/

smacl

Ghosty669 wrote: »

Thanks. For those that are interested, here's our new provider : https://owelorganic.wordpress.com/

Absolutely fantastic burgers and meat from those guys, as good as you could hope to get.

D3PO

Signed up and ready to go although knowing I will suffer like a dog and most likely be the last or one of the last rolling into the finish. I really should change my boards username to the anchor !
I presume this is going to be split into a number of groups based on average speed ?

Eamonnator

D3PO wrote: »

Signed up and ready to go although knowing I will suffer like a dog and most likely be the last or one of the last rolling into the finish. I really should change my boards username to the anchor !
I presume this is going to be split into a number of groups based on average speed ?

From memory, it's a case of natural selection.
Always a good spin.

D3PO

ok cheers Eamonn. Guess it will be 135km of a solo spin for me so lol

Mercian Pro

D3PO wrote: »

I presume this is going to be split into a number of groups based on average speed ?

Like most sportives, after the initial jockeying for position, it will settle down and groups will form of roughly similar ability. The climbs will then shake these up a bit but you should be able to find a few cyclists going at your pace. It's worth suggesting that you work together on the flatter sections though I can't remember too many of them on the Randonée.
The critical point is not to be too ambitious early on as it's a long day on and off the saddle.

D3PO

Ok thanks Mexican. Only done the one sportive before the joe loughmann randonee last year and that set out in groups based on speed so I knew who to stick with, once the grade went above 4% I was quickly distanced by all but a small handful of riders and ended up just about hanging onto 4 others to the finish and it was probably more a case of them taking the foot off the gas than me actually sticking with them.

Sure lets see what happens. Rare I get a pass from the missus so I will enjoy it regardless.

Loo

Wishbone Ash

One of the few sportives where the climbing begins as soon as you turn out the gate. The first few kms up to Glencullen usually thins it out quite quickly.

Daroxtar

Any idea of where the food/water stops are along the way?

D3PO

exactly my concern wishbone lol I could get isolated fairly fast ! anyway improbably being overly worried. I might pm ghosty to get an idea of the kind of times the slower riders posed last year.

Wishbone Ash

Daroxtar wrote: »

Any idea of where the food/water stops are along the way?

Foodstop in Laragh around the 65k mark. Can't recall if there were additional water stops but the weather is traditionally very wet so they probably won't be necessary.

Mercian Pro

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

Foodstop in Laragh around the 65k mark. Can't recall if there were additional water stops but the weather is traditionally very wet so they probably won't be necessary.

This from the only man who can complete a 200km cycle on one 500cc bidon😜

Daroxtar

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

Foodstop in Laragh around the 65k mark. Can't recall if there were additional water stops but the weather is traditionally very wet so they probably won't be necessary.

I'd imagine I'll be cycling with my tongue hanging out for a lot of it anyway so that'll save having
to fill the bidons

irishrover99

Their was a water stop around the start of lake drive last year. I didn't stop but it looked like they had energy products as well.

Unknown Soldier

Daroxtar wrote: »

Any idea of where the food/water stops are along the way?

There was a van, possibly two, doing the rounds along the way. Or maybe one was a 4x4, can't remember really. I know they were at the top of Sally Gap the first time you hit it, and near Blesso, near the bridge after Lake Drive. I think they were at a few spots tbh. Water was never an issue.

I can't remember the actual food stops for some reason!

D3PO wrote: »

exactly my concern wishbone lol I could get isolated fairly fast ! anyway improbably being overly worried. I might pm ghosty to get an idea of the kind of times the slower riders posed last year.

Lets just say the car park was pretty empty when I got back last year. There were about a dozen cars left, but while I was there the marshals were chatting about a few people who were still heading up to Sally Gap for the final time, a dozen or so.

I started at 8:57 and had a moving time of 7hrs and 30mins but a total time of 8hr 16 mins. So I was back about 6pm? I'm no young whippet trying to do these things in epic times! I just like to be able to do them.

You are more than entitled to feel like a badass mofo, when you've completed it btw.

Wishbone Ash

Unknown Soldier wrote: »

...I can't remember the actual food stops for some reason!...

It was in the Brocagh Centre, Laragh. Quite a good spread if I recall correctly including the very over-rated carrot cake. Soup was spot on. The place was mobbed - standing room only for many. I think we spoke briefly at the door when I was leaving and you were entering.

D3PO

Thanks unknown good to know.

I suspect I will be in the 7 hrs 15 mins  to 7 hrs 30 mins bracket so this gives me a good idea. Did you spend most of the cycle solo or did you find yourself in a small group ?

lissard

I was about 7 hrs moving last year and to be honest I was totally crocked by the end. Cramps in my quads all the way up to the Sally Gap from Manor Kilbride, an experience I fervently hope to avoid this year. There was a constant stream passing me out towards the end. I hadn't half enough mileage done and the current route is a lot harder than the previous one. I think us slower lads at the back had a bit of a monopoly on suffering last year as the faster lads even managed to outrun the showers up on the military road. Anyhow sucker that I am, I signed up again - it's a tough old event but Orwell are great hosts.

Wishbone Ash

lissard wrote: »

... Cramps in my quads all the way up to the Sally Gap from Manor Kilbride, an experience I fervently hope to avoid this year....

The trick is to take it easy along that horribly deceptive energy sapping Lake Drive to save some energy for the second climb to the Sally Gap. Ignore all the lads hammering past turning themselves inside out - you'll pass them on the climb to the Gap when they have blown up.

I did it in 6.23 moving time last year - probably a bit faster than I was comfortable with but I was trying to hang on to Mercian Pro's wheel. Won't be doing that this year!

Daroxtar

I'm basing my expectations on comparison to the Reservoir Dog. I did that just over 5 hours so adding 25km and about 400m, I'm thinking another 90ish minutes would give me about 6:45 moving time. Is it much harder than the Dog?

Mercian Pro

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

I did it in 6.23 moving time last year - probably a bit faster than I was comfortable with but I was trying to hang on to Mercian Pro's wheel. Won't be doing that this year!

Not my memory of it at all. I was seriously glad I took your advice to take it easy on the Lake Drive. That was where the guy cycled into the ditch taking off his jacket!

Daroxtar wrote: »

Is it much harder than the Dog?

Harder yes, much harder maybe, but it will be no bother to you.

py

Looking at the profile of the Randonnee, it defo looks tougher then the Reservoir Dog. Going over Lake Drive at close to 100Km already is going to be killer, it's what killed me at last year's Reservoir Dog. Still looking forward to it though, fingers crossed that the weather is good for it.

nilhg

6.18 moving for me on the Randonee last year, 5.17 on the Dog, hard to say one is harder that the other, weather usually makes the Randonee a bit of a slog but maybe this year the current spell of dry weather will last out, it'd make a change...

Daroxtar

We'll see how accurate Accuweather is. It's giving cloudy but dry and 14degree for Blessington on the Saturday

Wishbone Ash

Daroxtar wrote: »

We'll see how accurate Accuweather is. It's giving cloudy but dry and 14degree for Blessington on the Saturday

YR.no giving Co Wicklow cold (5 degrees) and wet with a north westerly for the 29th. Normal weather then so for the Randonnee.

fat bloke

It was right cold last year. I had a full winter rig out - heavy winter jacket and all. Hopefully won't need that this year, I've put it to the back of the wardrobe since last month.

C'mere, is the start/finish point the same as last year? Left after the Topaz and down the Ballycorus road on the right there?

Wishbone Ash

fat bloke wrote: »

...C'mere, is the start/finish point the same as last year? Left after the Topaz and down the Ballycorus road on the right there?

Yup.

lissard

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

YR.no giving Co Wicklow cold (5 degrees) and wet with a north westerly for the 29th. Normal weather then so for the Randonnee.

Ah here, let us at least imagine it will be an unseasonably warm day with a northerly tailwind for about 3 hours followed by a sudden 180 degree change after lunch. The only forecast I trust at this point is the 24 hour one. Fingers crossed it's more than 5 degrees, the military road is no fun when it's cold and wet.

cajonlardo

I give up -where is the wall?

edit, think I have it , lane across from waterfall rd to djouce?

lissard

cajonlardo wrote: »

I give up -where is the wall?

edit, think I have it , lane across from waterfall rd to djouce?

That's the spot, it's well named.

Wishbone Ash

cajonlardo wrote: »

I give up -where is the wall?

edit, think I have it , lane across from waterfall rd to djouce?

Waterfall Rd to Djouce is the second part of The Wall. Here's the full Wall.

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


It's fine when solo but can be awkward in a sportive if you get boxed in. On the steepest part, if you are forced to stop, it's practically impossible to get clipped in and going again.

meisce

Wishbone Ash wrote:

It's fine when solo but can be awkward in a sportive if you get boxed in. On the steepest part, if you are forced to stop, it's practically impossible to get clipped in and going again.

Got stuck behind a car on it last year. Tried to get going again and nearly ended up in the ditch.

Wishbone Ash

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

Waterfall Rd to Djouce is the second part of The Wall. Here's the full Wall.

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

I'm mixing up my sportives - Orwell R only uses the second part of 'The Wall'.

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

Daroxtar

This Wall thingy has me wondering. How does it compare to other steep segments?Second part of Kilmashogue or start of Cunard or Kilgarron hill for example? Is it time to take off the 12-25 and go back to the 11-32?

monkeyslayer

You'll do it on a 25 it's not that long

Wishbone Ash

Daroxtar wrote: »

This Wall thingy has me wondering. How does it compare to other steep segments?Second part of Kilmashogue or start of Cunard or Kilgarron hill for example? Is it time to take off the 12-25 and go back to the 11-32?

It's steeper than Cunard or Kilgarron and about the same as the steep bits of Kilmashogue Lane but we're only doing the shorter second part. I'll definitely need the 34/30 on it!