Wifey and I camped on Saturday but chickened out of the ride on Sunday morning. The temperature thingy in the car said 8 degrees at about 9:30 and neither of us were kitted out for winter weather. I think we made the correct choice.
Bike Forum
Torq Rough Ride 2011 - are you going?
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Posted 11 months ago #
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We did the short route too...pretty grim (but it's a pretty grim course anyway imho).
I was amazed to see a pair of riders heading up to the start, one wearing football shorts and a cotton t-shirt, the other in shorts and a cotton sweatshirt...wonder how long they lasted?!Posted 11 months ago # -
I agree with "brutal ride".
I chickened out of the long route too.
Even the short was character building.Apart from a couple of lovely bits of singletrack,the friendly
stewards and the end of the ride , the highlight for me was wetting my pants on the way in to Kington - too cold to stop.I saw a friendly young fella ,Pi$$pot helmet, footie shorts ,single layer & no mudguards! turn back to do the long route - he must have been freezing.mentalist - hope he finished ok.
BTW - hope the fella who was hurt makes a full & speedy recovery
Posted 11 months ago # -
I was talking to the lad in shorts & T shirt as we rode on Hergest, he said he was quite warm enough, maybe that changed by Gwaunceste. In full leggings and a buffalo type smock I was just warm enough, last ride I needed such kit was mid February
Posted 11 months ago # -
Usually camp but given I now live less than 2 hours away and it was forecast to be damp overnight I decided to drive over on Sunday morning. I registered about 9:00 and the usual queue for day entries was unusually quite but given the forecast I was not surprised.
The camp ground car park had already turned into a mud bath, the entry was a tricky of camber affair, but with my rallying skills I parked up and got ready, it was wet very wet, I was told some people had already left.
The start line was only about 10min riding from the car park; which was already sorting people, I saw riders deciding that retreat was better than valour. I was just having a age related moment before the start I was heckled by two Treads MTB chaps on a secret Trans Alps training ride, really nice to see you guys, then we were off…
… with a little light rain and gentle breeze the first hill was dispatched with ease, then the Rough Ride lived up to its name. The terrain was back breaking; there was fog/mist, torrential rain and strong winds. Puddles that went to the middle of the earth, wet grass, soft mud, liquid mud and hill lots of hills. Even riding on the flat was hard work.
I had contemplated the longer route but common sense and a lack of a man suit resulted in the decision to take the shorter route. By now I was fully wet, saved only by proper clothing, I rode on. Many were less than well prepared and they were falling by the way-side, with much walking and moaning.
Just before the long/short cut-off there was a steep descent towards a village, Glascwn I think, challenging and technical. About ½ way down a rider had come off, as I passed the scene paramedics had just got there, his mate looked to be in a bad way with a survival foil jacket on and the chap on the ground was un-conscious and white as a sheet. I was later told he was airlifted to hospital with a broken collar bone and spinal injuries.
The first water stop was like a scene from hell, people in all sorts of trouble, bikes all over the road. I saw a few riders in a tiny house with a old woman offering tea and shelter. Not wanting to get dragged down I pushed on, the feed station was at the top of a steep climb. Cake, flapjack and banana eaten I set of for the return journey. Thinking back there weren’t many riders; I learnt later that soon after they closed all off road trails as they had so many casualties the paramedics had reach capacity; I was told a figure of 30+ people being treated for hypothermia.
I found myself in a group of 5 slowly making our way around the route, no talking; I had massive respect for the others as it was tough. Arriving back at the first village of Gladestry there were riders making their way back on the road. By now the group of 5 had became me and one other, we set of the final hill on to the ridge and my companion succumbed to cramp, after checking he was ok I pushed on riding the last 4 mils alone, finishing in a time of just over 4 hours.
By the time I had got to the car I was very cold, so quickly got dressed and wolfed down a bowl of bean casserole, cake and coffee. I check that the chap with cramp had booked in and he had. I hung around waiting to see if the Treads chaps on a secret Trans Alps training ride had made it back, but the heavens opened, so I set of home.
Will I be back next year….
Posted 11 months ago # -
This was the first time that i had entered into the toughride and after looking at last years vids on you tube was expecting a nice but difficult ride in sunny Moorlands!!
How wrong could i be.... Left a 5.30am with my dad (56) from sheffield in bright sunshine, this quickly changed and the rain started. Arrived a little late to car park, about 9.30 due to breakfast stop on route been longer than anticipated. set off to start line at 10ish and went through start line about 10.20, the climb to the start was a little more than a warm up!
Got to the start line and found the going tough due to quick sand like ground, managed first couple of hills and rested for little while whilst waiting for my dad!! Not feeling to bad at this point, had a slight off which was more fun than painful.
The pain then started on the long push up the hill, the 'Waterproof' Endura MT500 Jacket which is classed as "An Ultra Waterproof Jacket" by bike Radar failed me. Started getting slightly concerned to see people in trouble (guy in bright Orange jacket) hope he got down to first aid as was not looking good.
Hill down to first water stop pretty tricky, had another off but only minor. Like other people have said hope the guy been treated by medic is doing ok. Took the road back which was a 12 mile challenge in its own right. Will definately be back and weather dependant feel would be able to and would enjoy completing the short route.
Posted 11 months ago # -
The pain then started on the long push up the hill, the 'Waterproof' Endura MT500 Jacket which is classed as "An Ultra Waterproof Jacket" by bike Radar failed me.
I'm sure the jacket itself didn't leak. In those conditions water will get in neck, up sleeves or wick in on other fabric from shorts etc. Also no jacket can cope with the amount of sweat you produce pedaling uphill in those conditions.
Posted 11 months ago # -
I think I was one of the last around the short trail, (I wondered why the motorbike was following us down!) I believe it was closed after the feed station just after I left
Just found out one of our riding companions was treated in A&E for a broken rib after he drove himself to Hereford!
Posted 11 months ago # -
tbh Why anyone would set off in anything less than warm/waterproof gear is beyond me.
I rode in Gore Phantom with Goretex over the top, baggies and waterproof shorts plus waterproof socks and overshoes. Just normal summer glovers but a spare set in the Camelback.
Got soaked, but at least I was warm.
Posted 11 months ago # -
I have symapthy for those that had problems with the cold, but I can't help feeling it was a little naive to go under-dressed, particularly given the conditions at the start and the warnings on the roughride website. I was cold and saturated even with waterproof trousers, lycras and padded shorts, jersey, base layer, berghaus waterproof (ditched my biking one on the day as this one much better) and seal skinz socks! At the start I was tempted to remove some of my garments as I felt a bit over-dressed, especially as some were in lycras and short sleeves! As soon as over the top of the first hill and the wind hit, I was glad I didn't.
Posted 11 months ago # -
There were also some wholly inappropriate bikes, I saw one that looked like it had just been dragged out of the shed, complete with tyres as smooth as a babies.
After what I saw in future I shall be carrying one of those silver blankets to wrap up in.
Posted 11 months ago # -
My tyres might as well have been as smooth as babies for all the good they did me!
Posted 11 months ago # -
Re clothing choices:
Met Office has a Mountain Weather Forecast site; on day in question I checked Brecon forecast as it is a good indicator for the area. Under section ofhazards, Hypothermia --Moderate risk, particularly if inadequately dressed was noted for Sunday. Many found this to be true it seems.
The organisers have always also putwarningson their site about how inhospitable the hills can get even in summer, and need for waterproofs even if slightest hint of rainPosted 11 months ago # -
Well guys ...I had a great ride, loved every minute of it. A few layers on under the Altura race cape with lycra shorts and off I went (mind I had a crud catcher on the rear wheel). Start brief was rather short "...don't litter" , as we strolled up to the line only to have the horn go, so off we went without missing a beat. Like riding with glue stuck to your tyres (2.1 speed kings with stans - lower pressure seemed to work well on the grass, not so well on muddy sections as expected - speed kings are far from a mud tyre - and not nearly as fast on tarmac as when fully pumped). Wore a set of WM80 shimano winter boots thinking my feet would stay dry and warm ...wrong. warm yes, but within 5 mins they were sodden and I was cycling with two buckets of water strapped to my feet and nowhere for the water to escape. Anyway completely soaked within 30mins, but from sweat not rain, just listened to the ipod and it was a magic ride. Like others I had indended to do the long route, but experience said nope, not in these conditions, so took the short option, only to make the wrong left turn on Hergest Ridge and started to follow the short route all over again - dodgy marking at the crossover point - realised the error and had to climb all the way back up to the ridge from the tarmac road
bummer. Anyway, just let the bike and tyres do their thing in the mud on the last section and a few whohha's later back into the finish. Lessons learned 1) don't get lost coz it bums out your finish time 2) ditch the water weights on the feet - use for training purposes only 3) follow your instincts - could well have turned out different if I had turned right instead of left and taken the long route.
Posted 11 months ago # -
Apologies due if you were the person who loaned us a fleece at the water stop I mentioned previously, seems it wasn't left with the organisers after all. She'll be trying to contact you via the organisers if possible, but if you're reading this, please e-mail me and we'll try to get it back asap.Thanks again.
Posted 11 months ago #
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