[Closed] Hell of the North Cotswolds

It was 103km all told I think, dragged myself round it in 8h 20m, not bad considering my almost total lack of cycling in the past decade.

For those wanting more North Costwolds routes, some former HONC routes are available here: http://blog.thecorrective.com/2010_04_01_archive.html

HOWEVER, please remember that the HONC organisers get special permission to use some footpaths and private tracks on the day only, so PLEASE DON'T use these tracks at any other time. If I get round to it, I'll try and get some 'legalised' versions of the routes on-line sometime.

Cracking day out pootling around near the back of the field. Why rush when there was so much sunshine to enjoy? We got to the finish at about 1720 🙂

@simondbarnes - yeah, no idea how or why people get round so quickly... it's not a race 😉

Thanks for your company and patience!

Was good to see you again Simon and good to meet you Matt; we chatted just before I took my, ahem, shortcut. Hope you enjoyed that little climb with Simon 😆

THAT climb: walking hurt more than riding after 80km, but I hardly had the legs for either.

Yesterday was the 3rd longest ride I've ever done and had the highest proportion of off-road in my top 3.

Did a nice little add on to the 50k route to clock up a nice little 65k loop on our tandem too 😀

Really enjoyed it and isnt the format based on Paris/Roubaix 'ROAD' Race ? Hence the title HONC

Maybe next year the event will only be open to 700c wheeled bikes one gear and drop bars 😉

Really enjoyed it and isnt the format based on Paris/Roubaix 'ROAD' Race ? Hence the title HONC

I agree, but it's billed as an OFF-road reliability trial, so I'd expect a bit more off-road. Judging by the number of mountain bikes (80%?) I probably wasn't alone.

*Waves at Tollah* hey, hows the brakes?
I was there as a ride marshall for the first half and then sweeper marshall for the 2nd half of the 100k. Quite sunburnt now. Think the Snowshill loop would have been far better the other way around, but knowing the slightly odd nature (sadistic perhaps) of the guy responsible for the route, its no less than I would of expected.
A large amount of circus bikes out there, but thats one of things I like about events like this, everyone out there, just riding bikes wether they were 'cross bikes, singlespeed 29ers or 160mm travel bikes that would be better suited to the Alps.
I will say, I think if I ride it again I might add a couple of chainrings back on. 34t 1x9 nearly broke me towards the end!

[url= http://www.honc.org.uk/ ]HONC[/url]

So where does it say it is an offroad reliability trial? I see two pictures showing tarmac and two showing farm tracks. I would say that is fairly accurate as a reflection of what to expect.

I got lost. 🙁

I missed the second split and just followed the bikes in front on the short route without realising I should have turned right for the long route.
It wasn't until I saw a sign for "Winchcombe 2 1/2 miles" that I stopped and checked the map.
I wasn't going to go back up that private track against the flow, so I carried on to the finish and kept going North and rejoined the course at the bottom of the hill at Laverton.

It still worked out at 100km with 1800m of climbing.
4:51 on a 34x19 singlespeed 29er.
My own personal route. http://connect.garmin.com/activity/78601540

Hello to everyone who recognised me. [img] [/img]

@ MTG Hi from the Tandem hust after the food stop (Waving) 🙂

Being a reliability trial it has been diluted with way markers the old written route to follow was more fun

I still stand by my thought of it being a bit boring. After hearing hints that CX bikes might find it tough and it was going to be more exciting this year. Then riding an 82km ride last week that took in the descent down to Hailes, then up from stanway and down to stanton then up the same laverton climb.
Should definitely have gone with a CX bike, no matter the weather. On-road down to buckland was a shame, if you're going slow due to corners on roads why not go slow off-road?
If it was Hellish I'd have expected more climbs/descents and less flat roads, especially riding along the edge of the cotswold escarpment.
Even my 64yr old dad said it was all too easy.

On the plus side - The organisation at beginning and end, the mid-ride stop at guiting, the cake at the laverton loop. Even the parking (after hearing about possible problems). Really very top notch. That all far exceeded my expectations. Thanks for all that.
Just a better route is wanted really. Was there reasons for not taking some bridlepaths and routes? too fast/narrow/technical?

So where does it say it is an offroad reliability trial? I see two pictures showing tarmac and two showing farm tracks. I would say that is fairly accurate as a reflection of what to expect.

Dirtbiker, what would you want to see? genuine question, bare in mind 1200 riders and the need to make the route rideable in all conditions. Many of the routes i would use on a solo ride but know that they would suffer with more, then there is always the issue of keeping landowners on side.

I have ideas for routes of a similar length but Graham designs the route, so it will reflect his character. If you want a hilly off road route i am working on a 100-150km circuit of cheltenham. that will have a few little climbs in it that i could share.

I'd have prefered it the other way round, much as it was last year.
I thought the climbing on bridleway was a shame with tarmac descents spoiling all the hard work climbing.
That said I expect I'll be trying to enter again next year.
The rest of the organization was, as usual, tip top.

Just a better route is wanted really. Was there reasons for not taking some bridlepaths and routes? too fast/narrow/technical?

If you want this, and scrumpy, come to [url= http://www.heavenofthesouth.co.uk ]Heaven.[/url]

100k on a single speed , great company, mad conversations all the way round ,i really enjoyed the route and a touch of genius including the climb up from laverton ( i have unfinished buisness there)thanks to the organisers and marshalls . 🙂 😀

mrmo, I was getting carried away and the last two sentences are me realising that many bridlepaths just would not be rideable by 1000 riders in the wet, along with land owner issues etc etc. I fully understand the problems that need to be ironed out and many thanks to graham and co for getting a 100km route that can be ridden by 1200 riders!

4:51 on a 34x19 singlespeed 29er.

Thanks, but if you check my route after I got back on the 50km route by mistake, you'll see I headed North on B roads to rejoin the 100km route, so although my total distance is about right, I missed out some of the lanes and bridleways.
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/78601540 <

And you missed the big climb as well!!

Photos are out.

So, pics are up here: http://gallery.sussexsportphotography.com/gallery.tlx?containerid=171867

Shame the website is preventing directly linking especially as they're watermarked. Silly really IMO since if anyone wants to copy them without paying (with watermarks) there's plenty of easy ways to do that...

I did the big climb. I rejoined the 100km route at the bottom of the hill at Laverton.

there's plenty of easy ways to do that...

[img] [/img]

Matching socks & frame. How cool is that 8)

I did the big climb. I rejoined the 100km route at the bottom of the hill at Laverton.

Ah my apologies.

Exactly...

I beat you though. Matching helmet, jersey, socks, frame, bar tape, wheels, gloves, shoes AND sunglasses 😉

I'll not post my pic since obviously screen grabbing it would be naughty but it's [url= http://gallery.sussexsportphotography.com/viewpicture.tlx?pictureid=15021383 ]here[/url]

Not got your vegas m frames on though clubber - poor form - you just had to wear the new oakleys eh?

But they have purple lenses! (well blue iridium but it looks purple 😉 )

The website protection doesn't work on iPhone either. Straight 'save image' option 😉 I hate companies that patronise in this way (try right clicking an image). Sure some people will not pay but they never will and they can get the pics with a simple 'print screen'. I've bought from them for the last god knows how many years. I'm tempted not to this year 😉

Hmm, didn't realise my new sunnies were that red...

I did! 😉

Yep, they're red alright.. 😉

We've discussed event photograph costs before, but as far as I'm concerned, a digital photo is just something I post on page 2 of a forum thread while the subject is still current.
It might get a couple of comments, but that's it. Soon enough we move on to page 3 and it's forgotten about.
It's definitely not something I would pay £10 for.

there were three tandems in this year's HONC

two of the three had no visible number

I tagged those tandems with "tandem"

might be of interest should any STWers have been the tandem riders

[url= http://gallery.sussexsportphotography.com/a.tlx?k=1mxzghr ]gallery[/url]

HONC virgin here 100k in 5.22hrs not inc the 10k there and back from the campsite.
Recognised Graham in the car park anmd seen him again en route.

Coped fine on the rigid, but the last couple of bumpy sections hurt.
Agree that there was a bit too much tarmac. Twas a good tester to see how much training I need for Kielder too. Lots.......

did the 100km, the bloke in the pic on the single speed left me trailing in his wake at about 20 miles, got cramp on the big hill, rolling around on the grass bank trying to sort it out, made it worse as all started to cramp up,walked for a bit then through the muddy part, then just plugged away till the end, well done to all involved with running this event.

Right having been HONC’ed out for the last week, time to reply.

More off road. 50% is a good compromise. In good weather , as we have had for the last couple of years more off road would be easy.. But what if the weather was bad? Cotswold mud and be bad how would you cope with more than 50km of this?

[img] [/img]

The Laverton loop, that came about due to a land owner asking us to divert the route due to live stoke, so the route would have been completely different. But may be used next time but reversed.

Written route over signage, yes well, no way.. Last year we had some many route changes, including a threat of ‘Prosecution’ from the County Council’, that a written would have been impossible. Plus I’m the poor sod that has to write those instructions. I then have to get some one to test the route using the instructions only. He/She then report back that I said ‘turn left’ when I meant ‘turn right’. Draft two, I then need to get a ‘Clean Skin’ to ride the new instructions to see if that works. Repeat until finalised. Signage is much simpler, and allows for last minute changes.

Already thinking of the 2012 route….

No need to make excuses Graham - it's a brilliant event and spot on as is. Good point about bad conditions - my first in 98 was so bad you had to pedal to even roll down hill. First rider home took an age. Some people nearly got caught by the sunset!

Bad conditions up there would kill more than 70% of the riders so the mix of road off road is right in my optinion. From the parts of the official route I rode last week the majority of it would of held up ok if the weather had turned nasty. Grahamh if you want to put some more stuff in over Laverton end of the course let me know, I know loads of nice trails over this side 😉

SPAM Biking had a mud fest at the Winter Challenge a few years ago. Ever since then, people have been complaining that they use too much road.
Picking a route that's suitable for 1000+ bikes in a day can't be easy. Better to err on the side of caution and have everyone whizz round on sunny tarmac than have people still out carrying their bikes across fields in the rain after dark.

the bloke in the pic on the single speed left me trailing in his wake at about 20 miles