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Mrs Nobeer fancies a wee cycling event to look forward to, she's fit (fnar) as she runs 20 odd miles a week and does some decent, albeit flat, two wheeled miles every week too.
The likes of pedal on parliament, pedal for scotland looked ideal, but are no more, Rob Roy challenge ditto, which is a shame as the 14 mile run and 35 mile cycle option looked a winner.
Sportives are out the window, I think, don't want her put off by thinking her hybrid is out if place with the roadies.
Any recommendations?.
The strathaven 50 is a club ran event, very friendly and not super competitive. Nice scenery and I think there is a short route as well as the 50 miles. Find on facebook or entry central.
Thanks Steve, I'll have a gander.
Does it have to be an event? Could you just set yourselves a challenge / trip?
Does Edinburgh at Andrews still happen?
I organised the pedal on parliament Glasgow contingent on the first year. Not surprised these things get canned it was a nightmare.
Another vote for the strathaven 50. Done it a few times. Nice food, relaxed event but you can push on if you want. Nice course with a few hills but nothing severe. Have ridden it with my wife a couple of times. She found it challenging but doable.
Aye Matt, she enjoys the atmosphere at events, we've loads of options nearby for challenges on our tods, 5 ferries, Arran options etc.
I can imagine Josh!.
I reckon I can talk her into RTTS, given time. 😊
I know you said no Sportive’s but in fine singletrack tradition the Kinross sportive has some pretty welcoming options and even the full fat option was friendly. Although looking at it even the short version is 46 miles and is a bit lumpy.
There’s an Evans ride it thing round Callandar way as well which I seem to recall was a lot less all roadies than the average sportive.
There’s also Belles and Buns which is a women’s only one which looked pretty relaxed when I crossed it’s path the other year.
Edinburgh st Andrews is back on this year, looks great, I'd enjoy that too!.
Its a nice route if it's unchanged.
I know you said no Sportive’s but in fine singletrack tradition the Kinross sportive has some pretty welcoming options
I drove the Kinross blue a couple of years ago* and I estimate about 20-30% of the riders were on hybrids if that gives you an idea of the atmosphere/attitude. Mostly pretty relaxed but I can totally understand being put off sportives by the more serious folk.
*I was doing reverse-feed stations. I drove jr around so that Mrs could stop and feed him.
Awesome guys, Kinross and Callander on the list now too.
Rab does some cool stuff at Cathkin and it’s one of your fave places too 😜
Rab is welcome to Cathkin.
Optionally, how about a triathlon? Lots of them allow team/relay entries and these are often at the "fun but challenging" level. You still get the thrill of being in an event but you're not pushed to do a massive distance.
How about an audax? Cheap to enter.
There's a nice wee one coming up in East Lothian in February.
Friendly non competitive atmosphere, but brisk enough for someone who's reasonably fit.
Myself and a mate usually come down from the highlands to do it as an early season leg stretcher because it's nice to get a ride without any horrible hills.
And there's bound to be someone on a shopping bike... 🙂
Only a tenner to enter
http://www.aukweb.net/events/detail/20-58/
Yes, worth a look at audax. There are a few 100k events around Scotland.
The Tour of East Lothian is not the easiest one to start with. It does have one horrible hill (Redstone Rigg), and sometimes horrible weather. But quite relaxed time limits, could make it round if reasonably fit.
Don't send her around the Tour of East Lothian if you want her to like cycling (or you) ever again! I did it when I was still reasonably fit, it's a thankless slog of constant headwind in every direction you cycle and seems to never go downhill.
it’s a thankless slog of constant headwind in every direction you cycle and seems to never go downhill.
Being from the west coast I'd imagine she's used to it.
You looked at Tweedlove? Pretty sure there will be a suitable event somewhere in there.
Can you venture out of Scotland? What about the Sam Houghton challenge?
Edit - just noticed you mentioned she rides a hybrid, maybe not the best idea then!!
Thanks all, Audax worth a look, Though Hels has put the brakes on that particular one! Tri is a no no Colin, she's no a swimmer. There seems a dearth of duathlons these days, a few locally that seem to have disappeared.
Had a look at Tweedlove too SK, nowt there really, which was surprising.
Richard, aye, nipping over into Sassenachia wouldn't be an issue, but not too far.
Colin, she’s no a swimmer. There seems a dearth of duathlons these days, a few locally that seem to have disappeared.
I was thinking she could do it as part of a team.
Glen Affric duo is run/bike/run. Hybrid might work. Early in the year though.
Ride the North is later in the year. Yes, there are lots of earnest roadies, but there's a true choice of bikes and abilities away from the sharp end. Think of it as a non-competitive sportive. There are no chips or mats, no timing sheets. In fact, arrive at the food stops too early and you'll not get fed.
Very friendly low key charity sportive in my village. It's really not very sportive and people ride all sorts along with the roadies. Village baking at the food stops with soup and bbq on the village sports field after. The best part of the Borders 😉
Don't rule out all cycle sportives. The ones I've done include a real mixed bag of people taking part, so she definitely wont be out of place on her hybrid bike. I've seen people on Bromptoms and Penny Farthings and old replica bikes from the early days of the TDf on various events. In any case the serious snobby roadies are usually out front so you never really see them. I did the Caledonian sportive a few years ago. Nice 80 mile circuit around Pitlochry and pretty flat, but the best thing is it's closed road.
Edinburgh - St Andrews is a very laid back friendly event, with all the money going to a good cause. It's not difficult but also far enough (about 67 miles) that there's still a challenge to it. I reckon I've done it 14 or 15 times and still enjoy it. Oh and the food stop at Freuchie is one of the best ever!!
While the Tour of East Lothian only has one real climb, it is a belter. And the weather can be grim. Not sure I'd recommend it as meeting the OP's requirements. It can be one of those "we loved it because it was so horrible" events beloved of sports like cycling. That said my entry is in again for this year.
As someone said above, don't be put off the idea of a sportive. They get all sorts of riders, from the ones wanting to do a fast time down to the ones just wanting to get round. Kinross is a very friendly event. Best thing about doing a sportive is coming on here, calling it a race then sitting back and waiting for the irate, furious "it's not a race it's a sportive" responses to come flooding in.
The Tour o' the Borders might be worth a thought. Closed roads and you can decide between short and long routes when half way round. The short is definitely in the category of manageable (the Talla climb is brutal but one you'll look back on and laugh). Folk do it on all sorts of bikes.
Just remember this is Scotland though and even the summer events can be wet, windy and cold.
Awesome suggestions folks, really appreciate it.
because it’s nice to get a ride without any horrible hills.
It goes up Redstone Rigg ya numptie 🙂
I did it once and gave up in Dunbar
Tweedlove Skinny is on 14 June this year. 77km and friendly atmosphere when I've done it. Not closed road though if that matters.
Dunno how I missed that on tweedlove page, cheers ayrtoon!
donald
It goes up Redstone Rigg ya numptie
I believe that's what gears are for. There's lots worse hills.
and there's also lot's easier hills than Rigg! Tour of East Lothian is an odd recommendation for a first timer - fairly hilly, lacking in bail-out points, challenging time of year for the terrain - particularly when PoP was initially mentioned by the OP
There's a number of more suitable audaxs between 100, 160 and 200km a month later and onwards
jamiep
There’s a number of more suitable audaxs between 100, 160 and 200km a month later and onwards
Aye, I was giving the soonest, but I'll stand by the audax suggestion. Non competitive, good atmosphere, cheap.
However weather can turn any, even the nicest, route into a proper trial.
Sorry about the advice - I had to look up Pedal on Parliament. (I was looking at this from the perspective of someone who lives in the Highlands. 🙂 )
It's been a few years since i last rode it (and the route and format is now a bit different) but the Drumlanrig Tearfund is a really good event - starts and finishes at the castle, the roads are very quiet, great scenery and unlike most events all the entry fees go to charity.
The short route would be an ideal introduction for someones first cycling event, great cakes at the finish too.
http://www.drumlanrigchallenge.btck.co.uk/
Aye, short route is on the radar Omar, only 50 mins down the road too.
https://scotlandwelcomesyou.com/scotland-cycling-events/
https://www.sportive.com/sportive-calendar/uk/scotland
Oh and the food stop at Freuchie is one of the best ever!!
Knew I forgot to mention something.
I snapped my chain between chance inn and craigrothie. Had to phone my mum 😁
www.ridetothesun.co.uk 100 miles, very flat and accessible, summer solstice overnight, chip shop stop in Moffat, a rave at a derelict pub in the Tweed Valley, and free beer at the finish free to enter. We get a high % of female entrants who seem to love the relaxed and non-competitive vibe, start at a time that suits you, and friendly nature and camaraderie that is key to the event. We get a huge % of folk doing it as their first century, and last year a 9 year old did it no bother. Check out the feedback at the link on the website. 👍
Oh, and bag pipers at the top of the only and very gentle climb of the Devil's Beef Tub 👍
Yes Fatmax, I've done RTTS. 😊
It was all going so well till you mentioned bag pipers.
Apologies if this is a slight hijack. I was out for a wee cycle with my daughter today and she asked much the same thing as nobeer. I made a last minute decision to do the ride to the Sun a couple of years ago, but couldn’t get my bike on the train all the spaces were booked. fatmax or anyone, any advise on how two people might get to the start from Edinburgh? Is it just pot luck on being able to book the train before anyone else?
It was all going so well till you mentioned bag pipers.
They add to it honest!
@gauss1777 - the local Scouts put on x5 buses from Davidson Mains (Tesco) and bike carriage down to Carlisle, so that's ~250 folk. We'll announce details on that soon 👍