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Thanks Toby 🙂 'Twas very spinny in places!!
excellent going pedalhead, rigid with one gear! madness!
let me ask you though, why did you choose to do it on a single speed? do you just prefer that kind of simple set up? For me I like to go as fast as possible, espicially on the downs as it's more thrilling, so spinning out when you could be going faster with gears would incredibly frustrating.
Fantastic, well done. 😀
Good question :-). The easy answer is...I don't own a geared mountain bike 😀 I do all my mtb riding & racing on singlespeeds. It's not often that I feel the lack of gears holds me back...it was inevitable on this route however, which is why I chose to spin like a lunatic to post a half decent time. Anyway, I like the whole singlespeed/zen thing so I'm happy to go a bit slower if that's the price to pay :-D.
Thanks Elaine! 🙂
Well done - have a lot of affection for the Ridgeway which I rode about a decade ago. Great to hear that the green lane rut pain has been fixed 🙂
So what gearing did you use?
Just caught this thread, well done OP...
Reading based here and I've done bits of the trail in either direction from Streatley but never the whole ridgeway, could be tempted to make an attempt on the double, perhaps next summer would be best, but heading out from/finishing up at the mid point, just to save me the extra miles/train journey at the start/finish...
Hmmmm.
Cheers guys :-). adsh - gearing is 29er with 33/19 (Goldtec Onekey chainring). Could have gone with an 18T tbh.
Well done mate, I ride parts of the Ridgeway weekly and that it is a very, very good pace for such a long ride.
Brilliant mate! Fantastic bar to set. The one segment I ride with any regularity is 'Ridgeway Climb from Rectory Road' which you annihilated after many many miles already under your wheels, so I have the upmost respect for the pace you rode at. Chapeau!
Looking forward to making time to join the fun now 🙂
Fantastic ride there from Mark.
I've just been shopping on Dash4it to get some OS maps of the route, hopefully I'll get a chance to have a crack at it next year.
Looks difficult enough to be a really good challenge but not as hard as an SDW double.
Thanks guys! Really looking forward to getting some more names on the leaderboard. The route was absolutely designed as an easier alternative to the South Downs Double 🙂
Good work sir! Keen to do this but definitely won't be troubling the leaderboard
Great ride. Not too far from me so it's now on my to-do list for next year 🙂
any chance you could set up a one way leaderboard?
Good work Mark!
I'm really tempted to give this a go next time i'm home in the UK. I think Grims ditch was one of the first pieces of singletrack i ever rode after buying a mountainbike! Hmmm also an excuse to buy the solaris / sherpa I have been eyeing up.
I think I might be giving this a go next year, either as an adventure or training, can't see me beating your time Mark 🙂
Good work setting it all up!
Thanks guys. James...fancy a go? 🙂
On the topic of a leaderboard for the Ridgeway single - it's not the first time it's been mentioned, but to be frank it's not something I have a particular interest in setting up. I think a one way ITT of this sort becomes a very different type of challenge. For example, choose a nice windy day in the right direction and you have a huge advantage. For a multi-day ride that's not a big deal as winds & weather shift, but for a route that could take as little as five or six hours I think it becomes less of a personal challenge and more of a Strava segment - there are enough of those around already ;-). I also wonder about the wisdom of encouraging the kind of pace you could do on a single ride on a shared trail like this. I'm on rather more dodgy ground there as clearly a double at a slightly slower pace has almost the same impact...but nevertheless it's something to consider. I think there is a similar attitude out there with regards to the South Downs single.
So, whilst I'm really keen with this route to generate some interest around an entry-level ITT, I do think that level of entry should still be challenging - a real stretch for most of us. Of course, this is only my take on things as some random dude on the Internet. Anyone is free to set up a one-way leaderboard if they choose to :-).
Dave - excellent...you know there's only a single faff between our respective speeds 🙂
Just a small point but it looks like you actually started in the car park at West Kennet, not Avebury itself. The Ridgeway doesn't go to Avebury village. Maybe a bit confusing for anyone planning an attempt?
Dave - excellent...you know there's only a single faff between our respective speeds
🙂
Maybe last year when I was fitter, and on my home turf - this year has been a different kettle of spanners!
Still got to get Trans-Cambrian done too!
Pete - yes fair point, I tend to mention Avebury as it's lodged in my head as the most local place, but actually it's not really correct. I'll change Avebury references to Overton Hill as that's what's mentioned on the Ridgeway signs.
Next year then, Dave :-). I still want to do a Trans Cambrian double sometime...so much on the list!
Well done Pedalhead with the effort in setting this up. I'm another local, and it's good to have a ITT challenge much closer to home and in the South.
I did the ridgeway earleir in the summer, and it's great to have a legal route set out north east beyond Streatley.
Agree with you that the single leaderboard should remain with Strava, and 'thanks' for setting such a fast time to aim for! 😉
I'm going to have to look into this as I've got no actual idea where it goes once you pass Streatley. Does it turn into the Thames path at goring ? Or is there somewhere I've missed ?
Me.. No. (..Thanks)
I love the route but I'm not very quick or into time-trials. I kept an eye on the clock when I did it but only roughly and the route was never the same anyway. If something lights the fire like last year then would be a good aim as training but not so far. Motivation-source is a strange thing.
Nope, no Thames Path as that's technically footpath (although you do see bikes on there all the time). From Goring this route mostly follows a mixture of Ridgeway, Swans Way and Icknield Way with the odd bit of road connector here & there.
James - understood on the motivation thing...very individual. Perhaps the new Highland Coast to Coast I'm working on might be one to light your fire... 🙂
I thought that you might have started in the stone circle over the road. Is there a marker post at the far end?
Thanks faustus - yes, the section onwards from Streatley has been a confusing mess for quite a long time, and was a big driver for my deciding to work out a proper, repeatable route. In many ways it does feel like a route of two halves...the north-eastern section is more wooded and with steeper hills whilst the south-western side is more "ridge"-like and exposed. I've had a soft spot for the Ridgeway for years but this whole exercise has made me fall for it even more as a route with a great variety of fairly un-daunting riding.
So, you come down into Goring, over the bridges... then ? Up out the other side, past the station, along the road and by the farms ?
akak - The photo posted on page 2 of this thread is me at the official start of the Ridgeway (opposite side of the road from the circle). There's one of those signposts at either end of the route, so it feels nice & complete. In a happy coincidence, even though the signs refer to the *footpath* as being 87 miles end to end, this cycle route is also the same length. I'd like to say I planned that, but... 🙂
FWIW, here's the sign at the Ivinghoe Beacon end:
[url= https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3864/15079483280_cc527ca71a_c.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3864/15079483280_cc527ca71a_c.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/oYwi23 ]2014-09-13 16.00.06[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/people/63715017@N02/ ]pedalhead_Mark_Goldie[/url], on Flickr
Ah, weeksy you're thinking of Gatehampton up into Great Chalk Wood. Nice riding up there, but the Ridgeway doesn't go that way. This one goes from Goring up through the Stokes to just south of Wallingford, where it heads east on Grims Ditch for a short way before turning north towards Watlington and picking up the Ridgeway along the western base of the Chilterns for quite some distance.
Once I've finished faffing with the GPS tracks I'll get them loaded to the website so you can see what I mean...or you can take a look at the Strava upload: [url= http://www.strava.com/activities/195171633 ]http://www.strava.com/activities/195171633[/url]
That's tidy thanks!
PH - does it take 2-3 weeks? : )
haha...can't help you there I'm afraid. The off road LEJOG I'm also looking at, on the other hand...a double? 🙂
F that 😀
Got anything in Nepal? That isn't an ITT? 😀
haha...I hear the Australian outback is nice & warm this time of year...and big. Perth to Sydney should keep you busy for a while 🙂
Just picked up on thread. Well done chap!
Abingdon way, so know the Ridgeway well. Agree with the various comments about quality of (summer!) riding around Chilterns section of Ridgeway.
Real sad to hear about Ivor at Red Planet. Lovely guy. Lost touch when shop closed, but I'll remember him every time I throw a leg over the P7.
Thanks skinnysteel. Yes such a terrible shame about Ivor, as you say he was a great guy.
The GPX files are now downloadable from the website... [url= http://ridgewaydouble.net/ ]http://ridgewaydouble.net/[/url]
Download link is at the bottom of the page. The zip file contains two GPX tracks, one for each direction (other than that they are identical). They also contain waypoints for all the taps I've so far found along the route.
I hope they're of use to people. Cheers!
Might do some of this on Sunday. Not being from round those parts, what're the ground conditions like ( was there lots of rain today?)
Thanks
Dry up the chilterns end. Rain was just a bit of drizzle overnight.
Any recomendations for a section to do a " Out and back ride" ?
might be able to spare a few hours on sunday and have never ridden the ridgeway.
singgletrackmind - take your pick! It's a bit hillier/steeper & wooded in the northern section, more open and "ridge"-like west from Streatley. Lots of small car parks along the Ridgeway so pretty easy to start wherever you choose.
Might do some of this on Sunday. Not being from round those parts, what're the ground conditions like ( was there lots of rain today?)
Dry round Wantage too, just a few muddy patches
Yay, someone else has already had a crack at the Ridgeway Double!!! (large418) Hopefully he'll be along later to tell you all about it 🙂
Ok, so was looking for a biggish ride as final training for a couple of events in October, and heard about this route early last week, so I thought that it can't be that hard can it?
So, got the clearance from home on Friday night, having printed off the maps at work, prepped the bike on Saturday (actually I oiled the chain and blew the tyres up), then drove down and kipped in the van at Overton Hill. Set the alarm for 3.30 hoping for a 4am start. The alarm didn't do the trick, but a bunch of roadies going over the hill talking woke me up (wtf were they doing at 4.05am on a Sunday morning?). Got riding by 4.30. First puncture at 4.47 (Flint in the new tyre that the sealant wouldn't seal). Back to the van for more air canisters, spare tube and to switch the lights off in the van. Got going again (having restarted the clock) at 5.20am.
Lots of miles later it got light enough to turn off my headtorch, and I was struck by the wide open views, trails and cracking scenery. I was surprised how few houses were down this way - I thought it would be quite well populated.the riding is easy, nothing technical, except keeping the front wheel either in a rut or out of it, and trying not to hit those sharp flinty rocks. Another puncture at 30km, and a bit of faffing trying to get the spare 26 inch tube into the 29 inch tyre, so then fixed the 29er tube instead. Eventually got to some vaguely familiar trails near Wendover from a few trailquests a few years back, then a monument / pub / visitor centre just before Ivinghoe that was heaving. 100 metres either side of this was heaving as well, then no one until Ivinghoe ice cream van and Beacon. 143km in 7 hours 35 mins, about 1 hour behind my target time, but not bad considering almost all the route was new to me. Quick rearranging of food and start the return leg. This felt quicker, and once I filled with water by a canal, it felt like I was flying. Then it started to seem like a long ride. 160km came and went, then 170, 200, until it got to 230km and it felt like I was nearly home. But I would be home after dark, which wasn't the intention when I started. The riding is really not tricky, there's a few fun bits through the woods around Wendover and Grims ditch was fun but too short. It got dark with about 25km to go, then pitch black half an hour later, and I couldn't remember where the car park was - I was convinced I had about 5km more to go when I almost rode past the van.
Finished! 285 km in 15 hours 18 minutes, riding time 14.31, with an average of 19.6km/hr. Quite pleased, very relieved, but the time to beat was Mark's time of a week ago but I didn't have the legs for that.
Plus 7.7km from the aborted 1st bit, so a big day out in all.
The route is a great introduction to ITT's. It's a tough route in one hit, but easier than the South Downs double or Pennine Bridleway double etc, it would be a great overnighter as that would give the opportunity to play about in some of the woods, and there's plenty of tracks that disappear off into the distance. It is never too far from civilisation if that's a concern as well, so thanks to Mark for setting it up.
Great stuff, Steve! Glad you enjoyed it, and I'm particularly pleased that someone else has had a go so soon :-). Bad luck with the punctures...the perils of flint (I got lucky on my ride). Definitely worth mentioning that Ashridge Estate (near Ivinghoe Beacon) gets very busy at peak times. The trail through the estate is wide, but can nevertheless be rather slow as you (politely!) dodge through the day trippers.
I've never heard of this ITT self supported stuff, looks ace like something to train for. As i'm in Blewbury the Ridegway one looks a good starter.
Ooh, that's a shame - I hadn't spotted it first time around. Anyone got a copy of the GPX they can distribute?
Text is still here:
http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:5d2sMG2iv5oJ:ridgewaydouble.net/+&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=uk
And this looks like the route:
https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=zB8c6M2JHoxw.kpvmoe13XHX8
Hi all! Web site is temporarily down while I migrate it to a new web host. Tip - don't go with Bluehost, they lure you in with cheap prices and then fleece you with the renewal! Hope to have it online in a day or two. If anyone needs the route, ping me an email. Cheers. Mark.
Lil bump for this, anyone done it recently.
I quite fancy it at some point this summer, though as a bikepacking trip over at least 2 days, more like 3 days 2 nights! Was thinking start/finish at Ivinghoe Beacon