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wicklow 200

tommymacc1

Hi,

I'm going to do the Wicklow 200 this year.I got 150 km in today. Plenty of hills and some flats up in west Wicklow, glenmalure, laragh, saly gap.
Is 150 spin enough in the tank to be prepared or do I need like a 175 km before the event?
Thanks
Thomas

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smacl

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

At least most of the riders on the WW200 are fairly experienced. The ROK, on the other hand, has much greater numbers, many of whom are not experienced/regular cyclists and who do not have basic cycling etiquette.

Not a ride I'd fancy myself, either route or bike traffic, though the Inner Ring is one I'd really love to have a go at.

Macy0161

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

At least most of the riders on the WW200 are fairly experienced. The ROK, on the other hand, has much greater numbers, many of whom are not experienced/regular cyclists and who do not have basic cycling etiquette.

Yeah, that is what would be my concern. Even yesterday, there was couple of times the group could've been taken down by someone not knowing what they were doing - even down to calls and hand signals.

saccades

Congrats on the W200 riders I m jealous. Surprised there wasn t a mashall at glenealy for the turn onto the main road as that s always a bit tricky so late in the event when you are tired.

Did the ROK last year, northern out part was filled with riders who are not used to large groups (tbf, I used to be the same but I least I d put some thought into the riders behind me and my road position etc) and had to be a bit wary (Only dodgy bit though was a tight left/right bridge that was quite narrow) , but as I motored (compared to the majority of ROK riders anyway) around the field cleared a lot until I got to descend the Ladies view descent flat out racing against someone else on closed roads. Massive, massive fun.

It s an easy 181km (it s actually about 171km) as there are lovely smooth roads, catch a group working on the out bit against the wind, 1 medium climb and 1 long drag then the wind pushing you all the way back to the finish.

Bloggsie

fair play to all that did both the 100 & 200, hope that anyone who had a spill wasnt too badly hurt.

Mercian Pro

PaulieC wrote: »

I think that applies to more to the road than the centre. At least the centre was prepared for it and was going to be cleaned before turning it back over to the owners. The amount of wrappers thrown about the road yesterday was disgraceful. Why people see fit to discard their rubbish on the road, especially in one of the most beautiful parts of the country, is beyond me. If you have the space to carry the gel, then you have the space to store the packet until you get to a rest stop where there are bins.

Two of us tackled a guy from a Limerick club with a funny name (the club, not the guy!) after he fecked a gel wrapper onto the road. He claimed he had no place to put a sticky wrapper so we gave him a few (unprintable) suggestions. After Rathdrum was pretty bad when people discovered that the nice chocolate biscuit bars have a low melting point.

Macy0161

Mercian Pro wrote: »

Two of us tackled a guy from a Limerick club with a funny name (the club, not the guy!) after he flecked a gel wrapper onto the road. He claimed he had no place to put a sticky wrapper so we gave him a few (unprintable) suggestions. After Rathdrum was pretty bad when people discovered that the nice chocolate biscuit bars have a low melting point.

I don't really get that - they're not that sticky if you're emptying them. And if putting them in a back pocket is an issue for you, get a gel bottle instead ffs.

68 lost souls

Macy0161 wrote: »

I don't really get that - they're not that sticky if you're emptying them. And if putting them in a back pocket is an issue for you, get a gel bottle instead ffs.

I shove it down my top or up my bib shorts of needs be.

Otherwise in the jersey pocket, it came out of there so it can go back in

Lumen

68 lost souls wrote: »

I shove it down my top or up my bib shorts of needs be.

Otherwise in the jersey pocket, it came out of there so it can go back in

Or just stick them in a bidon, thus dissolving the remaining gel in the drink.

RoadRunner

About 3km from finish I had a motorist coming towards me, look at me, lower his window, cough up a greener and spit it at me, aiming at me and getting me on the shoulder. Continued driving off the opposite way. Looked like a youngish guy late 20's early 30's maybe, wicklow reg, silver saloon (avensis maybe)

Ruined my finish. Tainted my day enough that I'll wouldn't do the w200 again.

Anyone have anything similar happen or know anything about that guy I'd much appreciate it?

Carawaystick

Macy0161 wrote: »

I don't really get that - they're not that sticky if you're emptying them. And if putting them in a back pocket is an issue for you, get a gel bottle instead ffs.

Plus it's highly likely the jersey will be getting washed soon anyway...

Wishbone Ash

Mercian Pro wrote: »

Two of us tackled a guy from a Limerick club with a funny name (the club, not the guy!) after he flecked a gel wrapper onto the road. He claimed he had no place to put a sticky wrapper so we gave him a few (unprintable) suggestions. After Rathdrum was pretty bad when people discovered that the nice chocolate biscuit bars have a low melting point.

I diplomatically suggested to a rider that he had accidently dropped his gel wrapper. The diplomacy was lost on him as he replied "nah, it's empty".

Bloggsie

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

I diplomatically suggested to a rider that he had accidently dropped his gel wrapper. The diplomacy was lost on him as he replied "nah, it's empty".

a numpty like that, you arent going to change with words, only actions. If you know the club name report him to the club with description etc. I guarantee he'd be one of those tosspots that pisses and moans about littering and the state of the place but wont accept any responsibility for his own actions that is a cause of the problem.

07Lapierre

Macy0161 wrote: »

I don't really get that - they're not that sticky if you're emptying them. And if putting them in a back pocket is an issue for you, get a gel bottle instead ffs.

Never underestimate the ignorance/stupidity of Human beings! Some people are just scum.. plain and simple!

Red Kev

Kudos to this fella here:

13315689_1214082188632112_1500765084117005173_n.jpg?oh=f24a6cb697b500b52878c0189d91a475&oe=58084006

Mercian Pro

68 lost souls wrote: »

I shove it .. up my bib shorts if needs be

Close to one of our suggestions!

secman

Fair play to the guy on the Dublin bike... serious kudos. Thought I was mad when I did it about 15 years ago...the year it went from National basketball arena in tallaght, when I'd did it on a 52/42 and a straight 12 to19 8 speed cassette, saving the 19 for **** hiting the fan climbs.
Pales into insignificance .....

saccades

Didn't see too much stuff on the avoca-rathdrum route this morning (high5 bidon and #1811 board).

Will see what I see on the way back (mainly wrappers I'd imagine - I'm not going to be picking them all up as it's about to start lashing down).

Mercian Pro

Bloggsie wrote: »

fair play to all that did both the 100 & 200

Now that would be impressive. I know WA did 270k starting and finishing in Whitehall but to do the 100 and then the 200 back-to-back would be seriously tough😩

smacl

Mercian Pro wrote: »

Now that would be impressive. I know WA did 270k starting and finishing in Whitehall but to do the 100 and then the 200 back-to-back would be seriously tough😩

Would barely qualify as a warm-up for that mental crew doing the WAWA including Ford2600 of this parish. You think you can cover a bit of ground on a bike and then you see what some folks are up to. Serious respect, and seriously beggars belief.

Corker1

Red Kev wrote: »

Kudos to this fella here:

I'm surprised O'Neill let Glenn Whelan anywhere near a bike so close to the Sweden Game.

Corker1

Red Kev wrote: »

Kudos to this fella here:

Major Kudos. I saw this guy near Baltinglass and he was fairly shifting it. Flat pedals and the weight of that thing - My knees are aching just looking at that picture. A bikefitters nightmare?

Euro Fred

Mercian Pro wrote: »

Now that would be impressive. I know WA did 270k starting and finishing in Whitehall but to do the 100 and then the 200 back-to-back would be seriously toughðŸ˜©

I didn't know that was a thing, doing both.

Wasn't going to bother next year but that sounds interesting

Mercian Pro

Euro Fred wrote: »

I didn't know that was a thing, doing both.

Wasn't going to bother next year but that sounds interesting

Bloggsie, what have you started?

csd

My first W200 too -- a tough but very rewarding day! The miserable weather at the start and a puncture 10 mins outside Kilmacanogue weren't the best of starts, but other than that it was all good. Finished in 8h21 rolling time.

I've done the 100 and four RoKs before, but this was definitely harder. While I'd get away with the food supplied on the Ring (maybe an extra banana or two), there was no way that would have cut it on the W200. I was very glad to have a support van stuffed with goodies following us around! Water was available at the top of the Gap and Slieve Maan for us, and we were hardly blazing a trail so it must have run out pretty late or got restocked by the time we got there.

I didn't see any accidents, but there was the strange sight of a cyclist attacking the hedgerow with what looked like a scythe, just south of Knockananna. I'm guessing he lost a very expensive GPS unit and was trying to recover it...

Roland27

Another great event, well done to all organisers and staff, excellently run. Found it more difficult myself than previous years, clearly not I'm not in as good as shape, or maybe it was the weather?! Did also go full pace for first 100 which might not have helped.

Any photo collections available yet?

Mercian Pro

Roland27 wrote: »

Any photo collections available yet?

If you look up Sean Rowe on Facebook, there is a good set taken from an overpass on the N11 soon after the start.

C-Shore

laraghrider wrote: »

The lack of the usual energy station at the top of SM was a downer. I was living for those jellies and a refill at the top. Anyone I spoke to said the same. That being said there was plenty of water when I got there so no big worries. Overall there seemed to be a serious lack of decent groups this year.

Really?
That's odd that they didnt have Powerbar there? Sounds like a lot of changes made for the worse with the new organisers.

laraghrider wrote: »

Last thing that annoyed me. A club group who were sitting in Shorline beside where I parked my bike had their feed and went. I went back to get my bike and where they were sitting looks like they just up and left. They left all their tissues, empty and half drank bottles of coke, empty gel wrappers and a control card all over the ground. I appreciate everyone is tired after doing 200 but come on, there was a bin 4 meters away. It couldn't have been that much of an effort to put your rubbish in it so lads and ladies, please take your rubbish home or bin it.

Anyway rant over. Apart from that really enjoyed the day and as always will be back next year.

This seems to be getting worse and worse every sportive I go to. The annoying thing is that the last time I said it to someone, they said that the organizer would pick it up. Someone else told me that it was grand because the wind would blow it away!
Everyone suffers though, because the cyclists that litter this year will probably be the ones getting spat at next year, and they won't have a clue why.

Neleven

Bloggsie wrote: »

a numpty like that, you arent going to change with words, only actions. If you know the club name report him to the club with description etc. I guarantee he'd be one of those tosspots that pisses and moans about littering and the state of the place but wont accept any responsibility for his own actions that is a cause of the problem.

Call out his number loudly and tell him you will be reporting him (or her) - the organisers have everyone's details. It might/will come to nothing but if it makes the gob****e think twice before doing it again it will achieve something.

terrydel

Cycled it with my brother, we delayed heading to the start from my girlfriend's house in Delgany in order to avoid the heavy rain. It was one of those days where it was tough to decide what to wear. I brought arm warmers, hat for under the helmet, wore knee warmers all day (often do so used to them even in serious heat), gilet and rain jacket.
Best decision was wearing the shoe covers (stayed on all day - again I wear them very often so they dont bother me even when really warm).
Started out in the rain jacket til the top of the Long Hill, then switched to jersey and arm warmers, jacket never went on again thankfully, but did use the gilet a couple of times.
Overall found it tough but never overly so, tho the 20km from 155-175 was as usual awful, it just seems to be relentless and its a battle of the mind more than the body.
We stuck together all day, doing turns out in front when it as beneficial to do so. Ended up with a rolling time of 8:06 and an average of 24.9kmph. I found the 3 major climbs all reasonably handy, particularly the gap as the weather was actually a help.
The heat going up SE and SM in particular, was unreal. Some guy mentioned to me it was showing as 32.5 on his cycle computer and I dont doubt it. Savage stuff.
The lack of any food at all at the top of those 3 climbs is very poor in my view. This year was a big drop in standard from last year in that regard imho. I know things are tough and theres so much competition out there with more and more other events but to not even have jellies or some bananas is not good enough for me.
The food stop in Baltinglass and the one in Rathnew where decent, particularly Baltinglass, but for me they need to have something on those climbs, particularly in that heat. Everyone has their own water so thats not good enough for me. They must have lost powerbar or whoever it was who did it last year, but they should really be finding someone else to fill that gap.
Other events charge the same and offer much more, SKT you get a nice jersey as a souvenir for example. You get a very lame medal and cert at this.
The food back in Shoreline was also a joke in my view, no pasta like last year, just soup, not much use after a 200km cycle imho. No wonder the queue for it was non existent.
I love the route as its effectively my home turf, cycling wise. But I think I will do something else next year. 40 quid is a fair otulay for this and I dont see it as good value after this year.
Having to pay for a can of 7 up at the top of SM was pretty annoying in that heat!
Bit of a rant, but just being honest. It doesnt match up to other sportives and with the drop in standards this year, its a bit of a ripoff imho.
Well done to all who took part and completed.

paulo6891

Only managed it to SM myself, but I have a few observations:

The rubbish being left behind by people in the halls and on the roads was a disgrace, although that has already been mentioned here

I found a number of the cyclists quite aggressive. Cutting people off at corners, taking up more of the road than they should have (eg deciding to cycle up Kilmac on the right hand side of the road even though there were on-coming cars trying to get by). This was mainly the groups, by in large I found people very friendly

They possibly could have done a bit better regarding the toilet facilities in Baltinglass. However, given the state the roads and the halls were left in, I can understand the place not giving access to the toilets. Also, there was only scraps of food when I had reached Baltinglass.

Was ridiculously hot when I was climbing SM. When I reached the top, there were 2 ambulances and a steward. Not a drop of water between them, I was parched and didn't last any longer than the descent.

The missus who was a good bit ahead, needed the motorcyclist to search for some water for her, as she experienced similar issues. When she got to Rathdrum, and she was ahead of a lot of people, there wasn't a single sandwich.

When we got back to greystones, there was loads of leftovers. I don;t know what they were at, were they prematurely transferring food from one venue to the next? Because it's the people towards the back who are usually struggling the most, and to have them without any water or food throughout is not a great way to go about things.

On the plus side, the stewards were great. Very helpful, and nice for a chat. One looked after the missus and her flat tyre as she had dropped me and the pump

If you are reading this, thanks!

Another thanks in particular needs to go out with Lenny, the motorcyclist. He was extremely helpful throughout - he saw that we were struggling and offered to take our jackets from us. He kept an eye on the missus as she went off alone, and located water for her when she was struggling. He was even nice to talk to after the event in the leisure centre. It was much appreciated and made our day something to remember