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Dirty Reiver 2023
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alansd1980Full Member
Sorry for silly question but is there plenty of camping on site?.
Have tried the kielder campsite and itās fully booked.
Really should look into these things before singing upā¦.
boxelderFull MemberThereās overflow camping, so you can just turn up and pay cash. Rough field and portaloos though. Glamping it aināt
alansd1980Full MemberThatās fine by me, just was getting paranoid that I was going to be stuck! Not camped since I was a scout but am sure it will all come flooding back to me!
Howās everyones prep going?
benmanFree MemberDid a couple of days of 2-3000 metres of climbing in Gran Canaria last week, and hoping for my first century of the year this weekend. Very aware that DR is only about 14 weeks away nowā¦
First time for me, so would rather be over prepped than under.
crosshairFree MemberNot too bad here. Fat after Xmas and struggling to get outdoor miles in around work and the weather but am ramping up the hours slowly.
I am training through DR this year with a view to ToC in June so Iāve only done 3 weeks of base. Iām up from 8-10-hopefully 14 hours this week.
Plan is to do a century this Sunday but as I have to work it will likely be on Zwift. I havenāt ridden past 3h for ages but it should be āreet if I pace it and eat well šalansd1980Full MemberThe weather is so grim that outdoor riding isnāt appealing just now. So much debris on the road it would be punctures galore. been doing 1-2 hour trainer road sessions. Today a SS hour session followed by an hour endurance. Have managed to get tomorrow off as well and its looking dry so may try and do an outdoor 100+km ride.
Just planning logistics, if there is anyone driving from the South East wants a stowaway I am happy to pay/share fuel otherwise it looks like heading to Newcastle and have an offer of a lift from there.
Being a 1 car family works 90% of the time but on occasions like this its a ballache!
slowboydickieFull Member@alansd1980 where in Surrey are you based? Iām based in Dorking and doing all outdoor training if youāre nearby and want an occasional training chum. Heading out tomorrow 0730 for a 4-5 hour road ride for example. If you fancy it PM me (though I personally canāt work out how to PM since the site changed).
benmanFree MemberSo just under 11 weeks to goā¦. Hows everyones training going?
Did an 80 mile gravel ride yesterday, just easing towards my first gravel century. Hopefully this good weather window lasts a bit longer, the trails were mostly dry yesterday.
slowpuncheurFree MemberItāsā¦..going. Mainly on Zwift but as the weather and daylight improves, mileage (if not intensity) will pick up. Did a local 40 mile loop yesterday with nearly 5,000 ft of hills crammed in ā so about half the climbing of the 200km route. Felt good. Just need to keep progressing and get a couple of lumpy 100 milers in the tank and itāll be fine.
When does the finalised route get published?
crosshairFree MemberWell done guys š
I did my first century the other week but it was half outdoor, half zwift š¤£
Next one planned for Saturday.I also did 3hrs on the Plain on Thursday to get some gravel under the tyres.
Averaging 10h a week for the year so itās just a case of keeping up with the endurance I think.
stumpy01Full MemberIāve upped my training hours by quite a bit & have started using the Xert app as a training tool. It seems good, but early days & not without itās problems ā mainly connectivity gremlins.
I did an 80km road loop yesterday with 550m or so of climbing, which to be honest was harder than I expected it to be and has got me a little bit apprehensive. Iāve entered the 130km route, so I am sure I will get round but donāt want to suffer the whole way. I need to try & fit in steady long distances each weekend I think, to get my legs into that mode. I am aiming towards more āenduranceā type efforts on the turbo trainer, but they donāt have the duration to really give me that time in the saddle that I think I need.
Current bike choice will be my Rigid 26er Inbred which I realise wonāt be ideal but is the most suitable bike I have.
I am looking to sort out a Camino through the b2w scheme (been meaning to do it for a while now) and have just had an e-mail from them asking for a few more details so they can send a quote through.
So, hopefully Iāll be doing on a Camino.benmanFree Member8 weeks to go⦠Hows it going?
Iāve knocked out a 90 mile gravel ride, and a 90 mile road in last couple of weekends. Hoping to do a 60 mile reliability ride this weekend, which should be a bit of a smash up with the fast crowd.
Feel like training is going well, but I wonāt be confident until Iāve done a 100 mile hilly gravel ride in the Peak. Hopefully in the next monthā¦
Looking forward to seeing the revised Reiver route, so we know what we are in for.
crosshairFree MemberDoing okay. Iām not peaking for it this year- just ātraining throughā so it will be quite different.
Last year I started in mid March and did 100,110 and 125 mile rides on consecutive weeks ending two weeks beforehand.This year, Iāll probably just stick to one century a month as Iāve been doing (unless the weather is particularly nice).
After the zwift/outdoor combo mentioned above Iāve since done a groupride/solo combo century.
That was a really rewarding session as I did a heck of a lot of work on the group ride, then pressed on for 30 miles solo at around 200w.Iāve also been building up my weekly tempo rides. Theyāre way above the intensity of DR of course but are a really potent use of 2-3hrs.
Sadly Iām not losing any weight so I doubt my time will change significantly regardless š¤£š¤£
BazzFull MemberIām being consistent, using the the turbo a couple of times a week and getting out on the bike at least once a week, just wish the weather would warm up a bit so that long rides are more enjoyable. Iām sure iāll manage the distance, but i doubt that itāll be quick, but iām going for the experience rather than a time I can brag aboutš
crosshairFree MemberQuite š
Thatās why I did it non-stop last year. I needed a niche I could feel good at š¤£š¤£stumpy01Full MemberTraining is going OK, until I look at what everyone else seems to be doing. Then it seems woefully inadequate.
Longest ride recently is just over 80km, so realise that I need to get a few more longer rides in. Iām only doing the 130km distance, so feel that I will get round one way or another.
I think my issue will be fatigue from the hills, but thereās only so much time I can spend on training so it is, what it is.Iām not fussed about the time I do it in; I just want to enjoy the event. I imagine Iāll be stopping for some pics etc. so itās never gonna be a quick time.
Need to go through kit choices & workout whether I need a new bag or anything, as well as getting the compulsory kit ordered.
benmanFree MemberTraining is going OK, until I look at what everyone else seems to be doing. Then it seems woefully inadequate.
Iām only doing so much training because Iām in for the 200km. Iāve never ridden 200km on or off road, so want to make sure Iām prepped!! Iām just thankful that the weather has been so dry, so the long miles havenāt been too miserable.
djflexureFull MemberAt one point I was perhaps taking it a bit lightly- done the 200 once before so did not have the š§
Think Iāve sorted myself out now ā up to 8-10 hours a week and feeling stronger
Got a few races/events planned between now and then to help prep
Also put di2 on my gravel bike which is lovelyslowpuncheurFree Member8 weeks then? Did a 150km ride on road this weekend. I suppose Cumbrian roads are quite gravelly but I was on the road bike. I know Iāve got the mileage in the legs and felt OK on some legsnapper hills in the last 20 km but I worry about the accumulation of fatique the heavier bike, gravel and the number of hills will cause.I need to sort my nutrition strategy and might change my tyres from a rather agirculural WTB Sendero to something a bit faster rolling like as a Resolute. Any good alternative suggestions?
Iāve a 120km Lake District gravel ride planned which I will use as a test ride of the bike/gear and will probably get another long road ride in. Other than that, itās about cramming the hills into training rides.
tazzymtbFull Memberwork has been mental so training, is certainly not where I would like, but never mind, at the worst I shall compromise and drop for 29Ć3.00 rubber to maybe 2.8 just to make the inevitable endless mosh wondering why I have an aversion to gears up some of the hills a bit more joyful.
I may also trim my beard a bit to reduce drag š
karnaliFree MemberGot 45k in the other day, think i need to up this level of training!!
djflexureFull Member@slowpuncheur re tyres ā last time I used Pirelli cinturato 45mm ā the version that looks like a tractor tyre. I thought they were perfect so naturally Iāve changed them š
They were very comfy and I bombed down the descents. Felt fast rolling too.Iāve gone for Conti terraspeed 40mm ā as apparently they are the fastest. Come up a lot smaller. Roll well. Lighter which may help with all the climbing. Fine on the canals of Brum. Not as good going rapidly downhill off-road in the Cotswoldās last weekend but still OK. No cuts to this point either. Avoiding punctures is probably more important than speed.
crosshairFree MemberI used 38mm Pathfinder Proās the first year, 42mm Pathfinder Proās in ā22 and I have a set of new 47mm Pathfinder Proās ready to go on for this year š¤£š¤£
Unless I do do it on my mtb as originally planned.
Hopefully Iāll do a like for like gravel V MTB comparison on Salisbury Plain soon and finally make up my mind š
slowpuncheurFree MemberA pattern appears to be emerging @Crosshair:) Are you going wider for comfort reasons? Iām running 650B wheels so would only have the choice of 47mmās anyway. They look a good option with the central strip for speed and width for relative comfort/low pressures. Did you find you had enough traction with them on the steep climbs?
crosshairFree MemberTo be honest, I didnāt notice a huge difference between the 38ās and 42ās so hopefully the 47ās will be a good leap forward in being able to run lower pressure for grip, comfort and still having plenty of air on board š¤£
No problem with grip even on fairly muddy trails as the strip just kind of sinks in and the side tread grips.
But for DR they felt perfect.As mentioned elsewhere- I still think my Mtb suspension is worth the weight penalty for such a long day in the saddle but I will just check both to be sure š
crosshairFree MemberI got around to fitting one of the 47mm pathfinders the other day. Left the 42 on the front. It was quite good but canāt say I noticed any difference for better or worse.
It wasnāt especially draggy or noisy or too bouncy and seemed to give good grip.
It got a massive thorn in it though which luckily sealed when I pulled it out at home š¤£
When the weather cheers up Iāll get some proper gravel underneath them.Another block (Base 3) ended today so I did my monthly century ride. Noodled to town at 13.7mph with my mate, did the 50 mile group ride at 20.2mph and then did 42 miles solo at 19.8mph. So gutted as had I ridden at 20mph to the meet, Iād have gotten my first 5hr century.
I must get around to having a crack solo as I think I could do it now on the right course.I was lucky with the increasing winds too- it really suited the route I planned and meant the last 1h06 mins flew by at 23mph š¤£
Not really that good Gravel Training mind you as it was easy, short, high inertia pedal strokes rather than the relentless, long, torquey circles needed to ride round Kielder on draggy gravel with mental headwinds š¤£
Iām still within a lb of my weight on the first of January despite doing 10,000kcals of training most weeks šš¤£
alansd1980Full Memberas a first timer I am torn between my cross bike with 38mm tyres or my fast XC bike.
On the cross bike I have road gearing lowest is 34Ć32 or a dinner plate 30Ć50 on the Mtb.
Training is going ok, not amazing but managing longish rides most weeks as well as trainer sessions but work is getting in the way a fair bit. On Sunday I did a 100k sportive on the cross bike with chunk tyres in just over 4 hours and felt pretty good at the end. Biggest concern will be figuring out camping when I get there!
slowboydickieFull MemberAnyone in the Dorking area fancy a long training ride on Friday 24th March? It would be good to meet some folks doing the Reiver.
I am planning to ride from Dorking down to Shoreham and back on the 22 cycle route then Downlinks. Itās about 95 miles but only 3500ft climbing. Targeting approx 8 hours so steady pace at Z2 with low Z3 on ascents, with a couple of short stops for an espresso and water refill.
Anyone in the area will know the Downslink is pretty dull but good for long gravel sections.
slowboydickieFull MemberGot it thanks Bazz. Iāll send my mobile to organise better.
boxelderFull MemberBiggest concern will be figuring out camping when I get there!
Whatās your concern ā that youāve not booked, or that you donāt know how to camp?
alansd1980Full MemberNot been able to book anything. Lots of people say there is camping on-site so just turn up but until you see it yourself you never know!
jwhFree MemberI felt the same way last year as i had not booked anything.
I felt there was defiantly a lack of organised information about the forestry āturn up and parkā, just what i had gathered from asking similar questions above.
But there was plenty of room⦠If you are not in a camper with facilities ā try and stay in the lower of the 2 fields they put on as its closer to the toilets.
The top field is a 5 ā 10 minute walk down the hill to the toilets and the field is not that flat.benmanFree MemberTwo weeks of training left! How goes it?
We knocked out a 92 mile gravel ride with 2000m+ of climbing yesterday, so feeling almost ready⦠Would like to knock out a gravel century with nearer 3000m climbing next weekend.
Only averaged 13.5mph yesterday, but we had some pretty slow techy downhills to contend with, and an extremely busy Monsal trail which was very start/stop.
stumpy01Full MemberSome days I feel happy with training and the next day I have a wibble and worry I havenāt done enough.
Iāll get round but it wonāt necessarily be pretty. The hills will be my downfall. Currently debating swapping the 40t ring for a 38t just for this event.crosshairFree MemberThis time last year I progressed through a 100 mile road ride to a 110 mile road ride to a 124 mile road and gravel ride but instead, this year Iāve just stuck to monthly centuries.
Yesterday the locals decided to do one but it turned a little bit hot and spicy at times.
Including noodling to my mateās (who was late up) it was 19.3mph for 103 miles. My power was 257w average at 151bpm average.
Last year, my average HR for DR was 144bpm so at a guess, thatās about 230/240w I can hope to hold for the duration this time around (if I fuel properly). Thatās about 55w up on last year and all thanks to my Z2 program over the winter.I do plan on doing a solo road century this Sunday to check but I canāt see any merit in doing a crazy 7+ hour ride this close to the event- Iād rather keep my fitness score high by training right up to it rather than having to do a long taper to see off the ill-effects of a longer day.
tazzymtbFull MemberHad a couple of good rides over the past month, just to check out position and contact points on a new bike. Worst comes to the worst it will be a grim death march into headwind from satan himself, but even then itās still just dicking about on bikes, which is a fun thing to do.
I very nearly contemplated using a bike that would be actually suitable, Drop bars, gears, big rubber, then gave myself a slap and have chosen something suitably stupid, just make the hills that bit more grim and the few flat bits that bit more frustratingly spinny
If you see an elderly tattooed gentleman crying into his beard on the climbs, give him a cheery wave š
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