Wicklow 200 - 12 June 2011

Beasty · 30-11-2010 10:30AM #1

It's that time of year again!

Entries open tomorrow

Same price as last year (€42), and again starting at the Shoreline Leisure Centre in Greystones

chakattack · 30-11-2010 12:11PM

Hope you're going to ride it this year Beasty!

I had your cert proudly displayed on my fridge door for a while

daragh_ · 30-11-2010 02:37PM

Thanks Beasty.

Will be up at the crack of dawn, fingers poised over the keyboard so I can get a good number.

niceonetom · 30-11-2010 02:46PM

This the first year in quite a few that I officially don't give a monkey's about doing the WW200. I'll probably do an audax or two, but I just can't be doing with all the faff that goes along with the wicklow.

Vélo · 30-11-2010 03:03PM

daragh_ wrote: »

Thanks Beasty.

Will be up at the crack of dawn, fingers poised over the keyboard so I can get a good number.

Don't be too trigger happy with the mouse tomorrow.

I got number two last year, it wasn't worth it with the amount of comments I got.

Caroline_ie · 30-11-2010 11:05PM

It was freezing this year on the WW200... I won't do it this year either.

manwithaplan · 01-12-2010 12:25AM

Will give this a go alright. Dates haven't been confirmed for the Leinster championship but I suppose it wouldn't be the end of the world if I missed Dublin v the winners of Laois and Longford. I could aim to do it in time to make the match - are you allowed start at 3 am?;)

mloc123 · 01-12-2010 11:12AM

the w200 is a pile of **** imo, will not be doing it this year.

Harrybelafonte · 01-12-2010 11:13AM

Can you guys elaborate on why you're not impressed with the 200? I was thinking of doing it, but don't want to waste money either.

tunney · 01-12-2010 11:21AM

mloc123 wrote: »

the w200 is a pile of **** imo, will not be doing it this year.

Ah the force is strong in this one.

billy.fish · 01-12-2010 11:26AM

Well mostly its pap cause you can just do it yourself and probably get better support

RobFowl · 01-12-2010 11:34AM

Harrybelafonte wrote: »

Can you guys elaborate on why you're not impressed with the 200? I was thinking of doing it, but don't want to waste money either.

I is worth doing if only to be part of one of the biggest sportif's in the country.
It also has huge history and the route has epic and historic climbs.
It's a bit pricey but is well marshalled and the start , finish and validation is excellent. The food stops I always found ok but can be running low if you arrive at certain times.

petethedrummer · 01-12-2010 11:47AM

Harrybelafonte wrote: »

Can you guys elaborate on why you're not impressed with the 200? I was thinking of doing it, but don't want to waste money either.

If you haven't done it, its worth doing.

I don't like long cycles so I won't be doing it again.

mloc123 · 01-12-2010 11:56AM

Reasons not to do it...

-The cost.
-Food stations are a joke... queues,queues,queues
-It seems to attract idiots, the posy that flocked around kelly was a perfect example. Riding on the wrong side of the road, downhill on a blind corner is not smart and I don't care if you destroy yourself but I do care if you hit me.
-The support is pretty poor. I was with a group, about 150km one of them went down fairly hard and his day was over. Luckily they had their own support because he would still be on the side of the road now otherwise.

If you feel the need to pay for cycling on open roads choose a smaller 'sportive', the Louth 100 was decent when I did it in 2009.

DirkVoodoo · 01-12-2010 12:19PM

The truth is there are better sportives on in the summer. If you want a good target and to get in 200km, do the tour de burren and go for a short loop after the finish line.

Much better IMHO.

Wicklow 200 is overpriced for what you get. I might do another "Unofficial 200" and put my money to better food, maybe putting a little donation in afterwards.

Vélo · 01-12-2010 12:30PM

Harrybelafonte wrote: »

Can you guys elaborate on why you're not impressed with the 200? I was thinking of doing it, but don't want to waste money either.

I'd do it if I was you. I can understand what some people are saying but if it's your 1st time then it'll be enjoyable. With all the comments you're reading you won't be expecting much either, so you might be pleasantly surprised.

I'll probably do it again this year.

tunney · 01-12-2010 12:32PM

Vélo wrote: »

I'd do it if I was you. I can understand what some people are saying but if it's your 1st time then it'll be enjoyable. With all the comments you're reading you won't be expecting much either, so you might be pleasently surprised.

I'll probably do it again this year.

So basically tell people that before the W200 starts they take your seatpost out of your bike and ram it repeatedly up your ar$e and then send you on your way and then when this doesn't happen people will be pleasantly surprised and think its good?

Vélo · 01-12-2010 12:34PM

tunney wrote: »

So basically tell people that before the W200 starts they take your seatpost out of your bike and ram it repeatedly up your ar$e and then send you on your way and then when this doesn't happen people will be pleasantly surprised and think its good?

You never know, one might be disappointed if it didn't happen after a promise like that:p

Just make sure you have your chamois cream

smacl · 01-12-2010 12:37PM

Only started cycling this year, so the w200 (100k route) was my first ever sportive, and I have to say I loved it. Friendly crowd, well marked, and very doable route for a beginner. Given how expensive just about everything is in cycling, I'm surprised people are upset over the price. I'd hope to do the 200k this year, and to do this I'll be obliged to save a small fortune on booze, crisps, etc... In fact the entry fee would be less than the cost of a modest night on the town.

Not wanting to go off topic, but if people reckon the W200 isn't great, what are the highlights of the sportive season? My plan is WW200, the Sean Kelly in Waterford event, Ring of Kerry, and Etape Hibernia in Clare (love that spin around Black Head).

Vélo · 01-12-2010 12:42PM

You make a valid point there. People complaining about the cost and then they drop around €200 on some Assos shorts.

Raam · 01-12-2010 12:44PM

Vélo wrote: »

You make a valid point there. People complaining about the cost and then they drop around €200 on some Assos shorts.

The fickle nature of cyclists.

01-12-2010 12:46PM

I said I wouldn't do it again because 200km is I think is too much for me for one day.

Signed up today for the 200km, basically because I drunkenly agreed with a friend that he'd do the WW200 if I do the Dublin Marathon.

Well, next year should be interesting at any rate.

tunney · 01-12-2010 12:48PM

Vélo wrote: »

You make a valid point there. People complaining about the cost and then they drop around €200 on some Assos shorts.

Did anyone mention cost? I thought the general thrust was that it was just sh!t

Guybrush T · 01-12-2010 12:49PM

smacl wrote: »

Not wanting to go off topic, but if people reckon the W200 isn't great, what are the highlights of the sportive season? My plan is WW200, the Sean Kelly in Waterford event, Ring of Kerry, and Etape Hibernia in Clare (love that spin around Black Head).

I just signed up for my fifth consecutive WW200 and I'm not sure what all the moaning is about. The price isn't that bad, the food stops are fine if you get your finger out and get to Donard by 10:30 and the route is great. The one major thing it lacks IMHO is a mass start which is where the Sean Kelly wins.

Vélo · 01-12-2010 12:56PM

tunney wrote: »

Did anyone mention cost? I thought the general thrust was that it was just sh!t

In fairness it's only been mentioned once here but normally when there's a thread about the WW200 people complain about the price. The main complaint is that there are better sportives for the money and you'd be better off doing the Sean Kelly, Ring of Kerry or Tour de Burren.

I still think it's worth doing though but then again I haven't done any of the others I've mentioned above.

ROK ON · 01-12-2010 01:07PM

W200. Do it if you've never done it and don't live near Wicklow. If you live close to Wicklow it is just a longer version of your regular Sunday spin.

IMHO smaller is better. My three sportif highlights this year in no particular order;
Chain Gang Conor Pass challenge. crazy pace, challenging route, great food, top class marshalling. Cost a fiver.

Valley Wheelers Mick Dineen sportif. 130km in the Cork & Kerry mountains. Savage route. Unreal amount of food and cake. Showers. It was free.

Vicsous Cycle effectively a private sportif for 40people. 180km over a gruelling route. Climbs. Great food and craic.

When you see what small clubs do and the small price charged for great events, then WW200 looks poor.

That said I hope to do it and am aiming for 7h 45m as a time.

paddymacsporran · 01-12-2010 01:17PM

Last year I did The W200, the Sean Kelly Tour and Etape Hibernia amongst others.

Best IMO?
Etape Hibernia, Closed roads, timing chip, start, finish was fantastic.
2nd Sean Kelly - due to sheer numbers. massive event.
W200 loses out because the non-mass start is so non-eventful.

Food stops - Queues at them all. Sean Kelly was worst. W200 best. That's sportives. If you elect to use the stops, they are part of the craic. And they are a godsend if you need them, and can be ridden past if you don't.

Support - What do you want? The aim is to ride the feckin bike round, not look over your shoulder wondering if there's a mechanic hanging out a team car shadowing your every move. Every starter is given emergency numbers at the start of the W200, hopefully no-one needs them, but these guys have been doing this event for years, they know what they are doing.

Price - €42 is fair. If you want to ride it without paying, do it the day after so you don't get in the way. There are thousands of people who do this event as their first big cycling event, and god only knows how many become cyclists after it.

Nice to see about 2000 people riding the W200 in 2010, hopefully more in 2011.

DirkVoodoo · 01-12-2010 01:23PM

paddymacsporran wrote: »

Price - €42 is fair. If you want to ride it without paying, do it the day after so you don't get in the way.

?

How would someone be in the way? Do the numbers on your jersey make you move faster?

billaustin · 01-12-2010 01:31PM

Well I signed up for it just there. This year was my first WW200 and despite it being bloody miserable I was elated when I finished. Definitely looking forward to it, although hopefully the weather gods will be in a better mood!

NeedMoreGears · 01-12-2010 01:41PM

Just blew 42 quid.

I'm to old/slow/lacking in talent for races so I like to do a few sportifs and this is the biggest one near me.

This will be my 4th and the organisers did seem to learn a lot from the 2009 problems(long queues, limited food........).

I did a few sportifs last year and enjoyed them all. For me, WW200 came in the middle in terms of organisation etc. FWIW I thought Mount Leinster was best for food and organisation - I put on weight doing that one. The Kare TdF was good fun - a handy 100km with a mass start in April.

Target time 07:45 on the bike with maybe another 45 mins stops etc. - might as well start out ambitious and see how the training goes

penexpers · 01-12-2010 02:00PM

Never entered this and don't really think I ever will. The Etape @ 55 euro sounds like it was better value. Closed roads are really worth paying for - crap food stops aren't really worth paying for.

Wicklow 200 - 12 June 2011

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