i'm planning on doing Exmoor beast this year (prob 100km, maybe 100mile) and having done very little road riding i'd trying to gauge how it compares to a decent MTB ride, like for example W2 at Afan?
thanks in advance.....
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Exmoor Beast - how does it compare with Say W2 at Afan?
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Posted 7 months ago #
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I'd say the 100km was considerably harder than W2 (I'd say much the same as doing all three trails at afan), and the 100 mile much harder again, as the route is backloaded with climbs. I did the 100 mile in 2008 and the 100km in 2009 (they cancelled the 100 mile due to the weather that day). I did the 100km in about 4 hours dead, and that was the 30th quickest time out of nearly 1100 finishers (quickest was 3.43 I think). 25kmh is hardly quick for a road ride, so that is a good indication of the amount of climbing on the route (horrible weather that day mind!).
The 100 mile has a bunch more climbing and is a pretty tough century ride for sure. If you've not ridden 100 miles on the road before it may not be the very best place to start - you'll get round but it may not be enjoyable.Posted 7 months ago # -
I did a sportive in the lakes, 100 miles, 2 weeks ago. It was very hard compared to any mtb I have ever done. I did a fair amount of training, 50-70 mile long rides in the 8 weeks before and 20 mile interval / tempo rides. I'd not recommend 100 miles over that terrain without training, as said you will get round but it could be slowly and miserably.
Posted 7 months ago # -
100 miles on Exmoor is like 200 miles on normal roads. Steep, steep, steep.
Posted 7 months ago # -
I've not done the Beast but I did do the North Devon Black Rat 100 miler last year which has a similar route. it was the physically the hardest thing I've ever done and the gradient of the hills was insane with at least 3 decent length 20% + climbs and many of the descents were steep and technical so my average as only 13mph compared with 17mph I had for a much flatter 100 miler the year before.
I would have a useful comparison to the 100km Afan Monster that was a few weeks later but by wheel jammed 1/3rd of the way through and I had to abandon. Compared to W2 it was at least equal to 3 off them.Posted 7 months ago # -
thanks for the replies chaps.....
I've done my research and the 100km route is about 2km vertical ascent which is the same as Skyline (albeit over twice the distance) and i find Skyline a pretty easy ride so in my mind I'm not sure how much harder I'll find the beast? The extra distance is likely to be cancelled out by the efficiency of slick tyres and smooth tarmac??
how hard can it be!!!??
Posted 7 months ago # -
I'm liking your optimism (smooth tarmac? You've never ridden round exmoor have you?
) and your ability to dismiss replies that you don't like the sound of 
! Enjoy it, it is a good ride. There are only two big climbs on the 100km, dunkery (although you turn off half way up), which is properly steep (you may have done that on the mtb?), and the lynmouth--> simonsbath climb which is long but easy. The wind/conditions can be a pig though.
(is there really 2000m of climbing on skyline? I thought (and my gps reckons) nearer 1300m, whatever the brochure says. No 20% climbs on it either!)
Posted 7 months ago # -
I've done my research and the 100km route is about 2km vertical ascent which is the same as Skyline (albeit over twice the distance) and i find Skyline a pretty easy ride so in my mind I'm not sure how much harder I'll find the beast?
I don't believe that Skyline is 2kms of ascent personally. I know the boards say it is but my garmin reads about 1200m.
Doesn't feel like 2km of climbing either.Posted 7 months ago # -
Funnily enough i have always thought Skyline didnt feel like 2km vertical! Brechfa has similarly optomistic figures quoted for the ascents as well!
i'm going to try the 100km route and if i can do it around 4.5hrs then i'm happy. like many of you have said, the speed and enjoyment of the day will come down laregely to the weather!!
Posted 7 months ago # -
I get about 900m of ascent for the W2. Do that twice and see how you feel! I'm stuffed after 1.
Posted 7 months ago # -
I've done W2 and did JOG to LE last year. There is definately a difference! W2 [or trail centres generally] are designed to be an easy climb [think that rolling climb coming out of glyncorrwg] where it's climb, flat, down, and up again. Climbing on roadsis different as it's just one long slog with no breaks.
Exmoor to corwall is the hardest part the JOG/LE ride as is the hilliest. In scotalnd, all the roads go round the mountains whereas in the west country they just go over them as there's no way round! So you end up climbing for a long time and thinking that there will be nice downhill reward, but that's over in 30s and you're climbing again.
But all it comes down to really is fitness and the thing that will get you the most is arse soreness if you're not used to it. Pseudocreme up!!! It's the only way!
Posted 7 months ago # -
27 bloody quid? Strewth, find an Audax instead!
I'm not sure you'll find one with 2000m in 100km mind, but there are several held in the West Country with 1500m+
Posted 7 months ago # -
27 bloody quid? Strewth, find an Audax instead!
You're right, of course. Or just go for a ride - I believe the roads are there pretty much all the time. Sometimes, the 'event' feeling is fun though.
Posted 7 months ago # -
According to the Garmin map thingy the 100 mile comes out at a smidge over 3000m, so lots of short sharp hills along with the 3 biggies
Posted 7 months ago #
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