I know this normally sells out quickly but just a heads up to check your emails as I just received my pre registration link.

Sort of tempted to make a return visit as I’d resolved to do a few sportives next year but put off this one by the cost and that none of the fee goes to the headline charity.

It feels like an expensive way to go for an average distance bike ride tbh.

Yeah I do agree guys it won’t appeal to all on here. It’s something my girlfriend has wanted to do for a while. She is looking to raise sponsorship as she lost her mum very young to this terrible disease. Sportives are getting more expensive, but it’s the atmosphere,closed road aspect and sense of achievement that really appeals to her and I’m going to support her by riding it with her.

It feels like an expensive way to go for an average distance bike ride tbh.

It is but you’re kinda missing the point. It is expensive but its on closed roads, you don’t get to do 80 miles on the road with no cars very often, the monay goes to charity and its a fantastic event. I’ve ridden it twice but due to other commitment I won’t be able to ride it again until 2016, and loved it, the whole atmosphere over the weekend in Pitlochry is really special.

Its not a long or difficult ride for an experienced cyclist but its not just pitched at hardened road riders.

It’s a great event to ride. Very well supported by the locals, well organised, brilliant atmosphere. The closed roads thing definitely adds to it. If I’d never ridden it, I’d still be tempted despite my misgivings on the financial side.

Consider Pedal for Scotland later in the year too.

Gary_M, you might want to check on where to entry fee goes…

The STW NOT the Etape Caledonia rides have always been more fun. Coffee and cake in a cosy cafe along the way beats closed roads. The roads themselves are seldom that busy anyway.

edit – what Scotroutes said about the entry fees not reaching the headline charity.

i did it this year …. purely as the mrs was doing it as its something she always wanted to do and a friend had a spare entry.

it was a bike ride with a bunch of wheelsucking tits – ive never seen such a group with so few folk taking turns on the front and such poor group riding skills in all my life.

wont be rushing back.

I’m swithering over wether or not to do it again.
I have a time I want to beat – sort of something to train for.

McM – any rides in the planning?

it was a bike ride with a bunch of wheelsucking tits

Let the youngsters do the work 😉

it was a bike ride with a bunch of wheelsucking tits

that’s only because you’re so awesome trail_rat, EVERYONE wanted to be on your wheel.

Just checked the entry fee, £70! **** me it was about £50 when I did it, maybe I won’t be back.

When I said the money goes to charity I meant from fund raising.

Geoff – arrange it and they will come…

i have done it last few years and agree it is a superb event, great scenery, atmosphere and support/organisation. I wont be doing it again though, due cost. Due to supply and demand the B&B’s all charge a 3 night minimum, even if you only stay the Sat night, which coupled to enrty cost etc means for me, sharing car and room, no change out of best part of £300, which I cant justify. The closed road riding is fantastic and I’d wholly reccomnend it if you havent doen it before, or are happy to splurge the dosh.

Geoff – arrange it and they will come…

Well I do have a new pair of winter boots to try out.

sarcasm detector detects sarcasm gary 😀

no the vast majority of the group just wanted to be on anyones wheel….. shit i think they would have slowed to wheelsuck a toddler on a tricycle rather than put the effort in.

trail-rat only likes wheel-suckers when they are international TV celebrities

or Dougie Vipond

Thanks for the headsup it had gone to my spam folder and would have missed it otherwise.

Its expensive (particularly if you need accomodation on top of the entry fee) and some of the riding isnt great but its still one of the most enjoyable weekends i have every year so its more than worth it.

I enjoy the complete disorganisation of the groups in sportives, if it was just one big peloton it would be boring.

Don’t mind the wheel suckers either, makes me feel like Cancellara, however briefly, whilst barely managing 20mph on the flat on my steel touring bike 😳

Think Tour of the Borders is closed road next year, much more interesting course as well.

trail-rat only likes wheel-suckers when they are international TV celebrities

or Dougie Donnelly

dont you mean dougie vipond …..nice edit. still gutted that little episode didnt make it into the adventure show. just after ive slotted between the camera bike and dougie “we are trying to film here” “yeah well im trying to race and your on the only non icy line”

the actual etape course i think is great. im just adverse to group riding with folks i dont trust. its a bit like driving your car 3 inches off the bumper of a complete stranger – im that guy that leaves braking distance between me and the car in front – usually for good reason 😉

Race. On an Audax?

when did the strathpuffer become an audax ? thats the only time ive ridden in an event featuring him.

To be fair most sportives I’ve ridden have been the same regarding wheelsuckers. But if you don’t like it either slow down or speed up.

If people are on your wheel then in a closed road event they’re the ones that should be worrying not you.

I have seen a few close encounters and a couple of nasty scrapes due the density/proximity of riders. I guess with 5000 plus people of mixed abilities it’s bound to happen, with some serious disciplined road club groups, through weekend warriors to inexperienced riders doing it for fundraising/fitness.

trail_rat – Member – Quote
when did the strathpuffer become an audax ? thats the only time ive ridden in an event featuring him.

Ah – I thought you did the Snow Roads too.

left hand turn up the sharp climb at logierait.

despite several warning signs for a sharp climb – many folk came screaming round the corner in the wrong gear and stopped on the climb and folk piled into them.

the screams from behind me after all the mass gear crunching and such like sounded horrendous – a quick look back and it looked like the whole group had gone down bar the 4 or 5 of us that took off the front just before coming into it as we knew what was going on.

i did do the snow roads many times – but the year dougie did it i just rode the route from my house – as i live about 1/4 way round the route. – not really a snow roads.

After reading all this should I be suggesting she wears full armour and a full face helmet?

burnsybhoy – Member
After reading all this should I be suggesting she wears full armour and a full face helmet?

🙂 honestly, if she goes for a ride time prediction with a slowish average she is likley to be in a group not overfilled with testosterone and stravakings 🙂

iainc – Member
honestly, if she goes for a ride time prediction with a slowish average she is likley to be in a group not overfilled with testosterone and stravakings

🙂

From what I’ve seen, the bulk of the crashes happen at the back of the field, at the front, most people seem to have some idea what they are doing.

Aye – but Mark Beaumont did manage to fall off the road going up the Schiehallion road even though he was in the first wave 😀

^^ could well be the case, as I tend to have been in the middle and have certainly seen a few. It’s a fast ride, this year me and a few mates averaged about 19mph, albeit including taking advantage of the odd wheel 🙂 At that kind of pace and big groups crashes are going to happen…

but Mark Beaumont did manage to fall off the road going up the Schiehallion road

Haha, that sounds about right, he is pretty accident prone for a professional adventurer…