Lakelander Gravel Grinder

delynet · 12-10-2019 9:22pm #1

Did the Lakelander big dog earlier. 90% on gravel roads with lots of climbing

Spotted a boardsie top

zindicato · 12-10-2019 9:31pm

delynet wrote: »

Did the Lakelander big dog earlier. 90% on gravel roads with lots of climbing

Spotted a boardsie top

Twas me.

dom_1000 · 13-10-2019 8:50am

Was there too.

Battered and bruised.

Whatwicklow · 13-10-2019 9:26am

Was up there too, I slept well last nightðŸ˜ŠðŸ˜Š

fat bloke · 13-10-2019 10:00am

What's the story. Is gravel riding good craic? I have this vision of endless sitka spruced fire roads.

Large bottle small glass · 13-10-2019 11:14am

fat bloke wrote: »

What's the story. Is gravel riding good craic? I have this vision of endless sitka spruced fire roads.

If you have to ask, probably not for you...

iwillhtfu · 13-10-2019 2:40pm

fat bloke wrote: »

What's the story. Is gravel riding good craic? I have this vision of endless sitka spruced fire roads.

You wouldn't be to far wrong.

delynet · 14-10-2019 8:01am

Some footage from the start, middle and end.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w8ftdEEFBX4

mistermatthew · 14-10-2019 9:21am

Anyone got a gps file of the route? And do you know if its rideable as a saturday spin or are there private roads on the route?

Looks Epic!!

magicbastarder · 14-10-2019 9:28am

some more info here, though maybe not the answers to your specific questions:

https://lakelander.co.uk/lakelander-course/

delynet · 14-10-2019 9:32am

mistermatthew wrote: »

Anyone got a gps file of the route? And do you know if its rideable as a saturday spin or are there private roads on the route?

Looks Epic!!

100km route here for downloading

https://connect.garmin.com/modern/course/28460382

I don't think any of the roads were private. Forestry roads so I am sure the event organisers had to get permission from the forestry department in the north. For small groups it would be the same as any other forestry trail

Loads of participants on the Strava segments so they are popular routes.

Macy0161 · 14-10-2019 2:19pm

Also did the Big Dog. Found it tough - harder gravel than Wickla anyway imo. Whole body wrecked, and nearly wiped myself out on the very last descent on one of the cross drains - combination of over reaching my ability and just being trashed at that point, not sure how I kept upright.

I have it pencilled in my calendar for the same weekend next year, as I'm assuming it was a success? Only negative from the day was the cold showers at the end.

delynet · 14-10-2019 2:26pm

Macy0161 wrote: »

Also did the Big Dog. Found it tough - harder gravel than Wickla anyway imo. Whole body wrecked, and nearly wiped myself out on the very last descent on one of the cross drains - combination of over reaching my ability and just being trashed at that point, not sure how I kept upright.

I have it pencilled in my calendar for the same weekend next year, as I'm assuming it was a success? Only negative from the day was the cold showers at the end.

I'd say be sure to let them know of your feedback. First year and it was a complex enough event.

I came upon a bad enough crash near the end. Someone had gone off on a corner and the medics were with them. Hope they are okay, they were sitting up with an emergency blanket around them. A lot of people were wrecked near the end.

I had issues with air leaking out of my tubeless tyres all day. Rear would not hold air at all with 10km to go. Had to put in a tube but all the faffing around took about 30 mins and I struggled to get going again. Need to do some research as to why this happened.

Whatwicklow · 14-10-2019 2:40pm

Ahh the cold showers - Standing out in the rain would have brought a similar level of shock..

Macy0161 · 14-10-2019 2:56pm

delynet wrote: »

I'd say be sure to let them know of your feedback. First year and it was a complex enough event.

Yes, have done on Facebook.

Whatwicklow wrote: »

Ahh the cold showers - Standing out in the rain would have brought a similar level of shock..

Ironically enough, I was sat in the van waiting for that rain to pass to go to the shower!

mistermatthew · 15-10-2019 7:34pm

Cheers for that.

delynet wrote: »

100km route here for downloading

https://connect.garmin.com/modern/course/28460382

I don't think any of the roads were private. Forestry roads so I am sure the event organisers had to get permission from the forestry department in the north. For small groups it would be the same as any other forestry trail

Loads of participants on the Strava segments so they are popular routes.

RobFowl · 15-10-2019 9:58pm

Macy0161 wrote: »

Ironically enough, I was sat in the van waiting for that rain to pass to go to the shower!

I stood out in the rain to clean up

Macy0161 · 16-10-2019 9:39am

Saw boards shorts on someone at a few points - normally when I was chewing my stem too hard to try and engage in conversation...

Just to say, as per the other Gravel thread, for those planning it solo, didn't seem to be much in the way of shops around the route. Maybe during the summer there's mobile places at the viewing point(s), but i'd say you'd want to be carrying all you'd need in food and water.

Wishbone Ash · 16-10-2019 12:06pm

Macy0161 wrote: »

Saw boards shorts on someone at a few points - normally when I was chewing my stem too hard to try and engage in conversation....

Probably detones I'd say.

RobFowl · 16-10-2019 12:20pm

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

Probably detones I'd say.

He was wearing them all right, not his fishnet VCB ones thank God......

marvin80 · 16-10-2019 12:25pm

Might be a daft question but whats the minimum size tyres you'd get away with doing a gravel sportive like this on?

RobFowl · 16-10-2019 12:30pm

marvin80 wrote: »

Might be a daft question but whats the minimum size tyres you'd get away with doing a gravel sportive like this on?

I used my Cross ones (33mm) and they were fine

Would say 28's would be too sketchy

Cee-Jay-Cee · 16-10-2019 1:10pm

Would a MTB be more suitable than a gravel bike? I have both and intend exploring the route as it’s not too far from me. From the videos I’ve watched I’d say a MTB might be best option?

RobFowl · 16-10-2019 3:29pm

Cee-Jay-Cee wrote: »

Would a MTB be more suitable than a gravel bike? I have both and intend exploring the route as it’s not too far from me. From the videos I’ve watched I’d say a MTB might be best option?

Half and half, I tended to pass the MTB's going up hill and on the flat 9all 100m of it) but was overtaken on some of the descents (not all).

One or two of the climbs had mad ramps where MTB gearing would have been nice though....

detones · 16-10-2019 3:40pm

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

Probably detones I'd say.

Yes was me, great day out with Robfowl and a few other pals. Very well run event and something totally different. Very tough route, had a 42 to 42 1x set up and still struggled on the steeper climbs. Gravel takes a bit of getting use to versus muck and grass which im more familiar with. Next time id go for a more robust wider tyre like a Landcruiser, I had 2 flats which kills your momentum. Was on racing cx tyres.

Macy0161 · 16-10-2019 3:40pm

Even me with rubbish handling/ skills was ok with the gravel bike and 37mm tyres. Gearing and compliance were what I felt I was missing - probably more because of my fully alu (including forks) bike tbh than the course.

Large bottle small glass · 16-10-2019 9:12pm

marvin80 wrote: »

Might be a daft question but whats the minimum size tyres you'd get away with doing a gravel sportive like this on?

I wasn't in Fermanagh but ride a lot of gravel type forest roads, farm tracks, etc.

I find 35s perfect, but you are not going to regret going wider; there's no real downside.

I've messed around with 30mm, and if not tubeless, the pressure you have to run them at to avoid pinch flats won't give you much grip or damping.

I'd imagine the lads in Fermanagh had less trouble getting forestry access than a similar route would have in a Coillte wood.

There a MTB sportive beside me; the charity insurance is what makes access possible.

delynet · 17-10-2019 9:03am

RobFowl wrote: »

Half and half, I tended to pass the MTB's going up hill and on the flat 9all 100m of it) but was overtaken on some of the descents (not all).

One or two of the climbs had mad ramps where MTB gearing would have been nice though....

Best Gravel/CX bike time was 3:51 and best MTB was 4:07.

Either was a good option it looks like

Whatwicklow · 17-10-2019 1:00pm

That's some pace, We had targeted between 18-20 KPH and finished with 19.9. That was drilling the flats and descents to stick try stick to it. I was on 33mm cx tyres with 50 psi in the tubes, comfort wasn't an issue, but i wouldn't fancy 100km on wicklows fire roads - the Fermanagh gravel was smoother that most roads where i live!

Macy0161 · 17-10-2019 4:30pm

Whatwicklow wrote: »

I was on 33mm cx tyres with 50 psi in the tubes, comfort wasn't an issue, but i wouldn't fancy 100km on wicklows fire roads - the Fermanagh gravel was smoother that most roads where i live!

Really? I thought it was much rougher than what I'd been doing around me in East Wicklow to be honest.

a148pro · 17-10-2019 10:42pm

delynet wrote: »

Best Gravel/CX bike time was 3:51 and best MTB was 4:07.

Either was a good option it looks like

I saw this and thought it was insane. Off road with 2000m odd of climbing, at greater than 25kph pace, its insane

Whatwicklow · 17-10-2019 10:57pm

Macy0161 wrote: »

Really? I thought it was much rougher than what I'd been doing around me in East Wicklow to be honest.

I am in the wild West!

Lakelander Gravel Grinder

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