http://www.xnrg.co.uk/ridgeway200_2013.htm

Thinking about doing this, has anyone done it? Will be the first one event I’ve done, looks do able??…..any info anyone?
I’m not really a xc rider at all, I go to the gym a lot though so quite fit. I have a trek 6300 2010, would this be ok or will I need a new full sus?

Any help would be great

Thanks

£120!

I know a few people who rode last years event, and they really enjoyed it. A xc hardtail (or xc full suss) would be pefect. Hopefully, the Ridgeway will be dry and fast by then. I have signed up to help at a feedstation, so won’t be riding.

DIY and avoid the crowds and the annoyed other users due to the crowds.

Just looked at their website and see they are doing the Gallows but a major fail as they didn’t spell the name correctly of the end. 🙄 It’s Alresford.

A few years ago some STW’ers enjoyed a similar day ride starting from Hungerford Station and finishing near, er, Basingstoke! Twas our third attempt, previously bad weather and engineering works prevented us.

Be warned that the bit of the Ridgeway near Fyfield Down is particularly bad just now.

Yes, it is a lot of money. 😯

Price is ok is it not? Board and lodging and all the other trappings of a bike event. Lets face it, all racing, sportives, etc. are just paying unnecessary money to do what you could do for free the following week.

2 days of the Ridgeway in April for 120 sheets?.err I’m oot

TBH…. Nope.

We regularly get the train to Chippenham and ride back to Reading via the Ridgeway. Reading is about 65 miles, or 100km and takes approx 6 hours – 7 hours. It’s not tough, techincal or hard to know the route.. .it’s WAY easier to find the route than the SDW that’s for sure. There’s a bit of climbing, but nothing that difficult. It’s a nice day out…. but i wouldn’t be paying money to do it. Especially when there’s villages etc just off the Ridgeway you can easily stop at a pub/shop etc and stock up on supplies. If you’re doing it, stop at the Bell at Aldworth, it’s about 100m off the Ridgeway.

I guess i’m fortunate (or unfortunate lol) that i live about 150m from the Ridgeway.

Dont do it if the trail is wet – the ridgeway is chalky and shite when wet.

Get used to sitting in your saddle for hours.

Do some of it before hand to get an idea. On a sunny dry day its nice. But I would not pay for it, you can do it for free on your own or with mates and its just as nice. You could also pick a nice day. Its not technical, so any half decent HT bike will do.

Sleeping in a school hall, sounds ghastly!

me and a mate rode from Wallingford to Bath at the beginning of Feb. we did 40km on the ridgeway before bailing out onto the road as it was just bogging. I’d be suprised if it improved significantly, by mid-april, especially if there’s load of riders going over it.
We vowed to do the ride again as it would be proper lush when dry and sunny. quite when that’ll happen, I haven’t a clue 🙁

The ridgeway does dry really quickly. A couple of weeks ago it wasnt to bad at all as we’d had 2 weeks without rain. Still wouldnt pay that to trundle along it though. Second Weeksy about the Bell at Aldworth as a stop off as well. My local and was named in the top 100 places to go for a drink in the world.

we must live not far from eachother Pete 🙂

As everyone above says, don’t pay for it, just do it with some mates when you want to! If you want to do it end to end over two days then you can stay in the Premier Inn Swindon West for not much money. Eat in the nice village pubs.

And it’s not technical. CX bike or hardtail. Some sections are even rideable on a road bike! 🙂

@weeksy; you reckon.

One of the mags has just done a feature on riding the Ridgeway on CX bikes, which I’d have thought are the ideal tools for the job. It was Cycling Plus in their January edition.