Tuesday 25 May 2010

Free Ride

You will all be recieving a mail regarding how to get your free Ride It entry shortly.

Ta
Dean

KOTD Golden Sprockets

I think we only had two of the golden sprockets claimed on Sunday, I hope you all checked your goodie bags :-)


Rider Times

Some of you are having problems seeing the results.

They are also available from the results page of the Ride It section on the Evans website.

http://www.evanscycles.com/ride-it/rider-times


These are in excel, so you now have two ways to view them.

They're being up-loaded now, so if they're not there, they soon will be.

Thanks
Dean

Event Photos now on-line

I have recieved the link to the photos this morning. It's taken a day or so as Phil, the Photographer, took 11,730 pics over the day! ( Actually it's increasing everytime I go back, even hitting refresh added to the total so it looks like he's still uploading! Total 12,061 and counting)

Make sure you've remembered your rider number or it's going to be a long search.

KOTDs Rider Pics

Enjoy.

Dean

Monday 24 May 2010

KOTD Results

Results should be available later today, lots of clearing up to do after yesterday so expect to get round to publishing the results by early evening.

Now available to download -

KOTD Results

Saturday 22 May 2010

KOTD GPX Download Now Available

The routes for tomorrow's King of the Downs sportive are now available to download in gpx and mmo format. You should find links over on the right hand side of this page.

If you use a Garmin you want to use a site such as bikeroutetoaster to convert them into a more Garmin friendly format.

Last minute details

Car Parking
Parking will be tight tomorrow. If you can ride or find other alterantives, great. Please follow directions of marshals and park as close as you can.

If we do run out of space, there is parking on the roads on the estate opposite. We can't tell you to park in the estates themselves as we don't have permission from the landlords. If you choose to park there infront of buildings that are closed on Sunday, you do so entirely at your own risk.

Food

At registration you will be given tickets for breakfast and a drink, please go to the catering tent and had these in there. When you finish the ride and hand back your chip you will recieve more tickets for pasta and a drink.

The is rumour of a coffee wagon turning up! If he does we will put him on the road opposite so please queue on the path. This is not free!

Start times

Some people have been reading there confirmation e-mails!! Unfortunately some of these have the wrong start times.

Correct times are:-

Registration opens 5am

Full course 6 - 8am
Half course 7 -9am

Sorry for the confusion.

Ta
Dean

Missing riders list

Here it is.

"Un-registered Rider List"

On the day got to the desk signed as "Un-registered and chip no.s 1-200"

Ta

Dean

Friday 21 May 2010

Good News!!!

We've ( well, IT ) managed to find the missing entries :-)

I'm working on a "special" list for all you peeps and will try and get it on line tomorrow. At registration look for the "Un-registered" list for your number and go to the "Un-registered" section of registration for your chip and other bits.

GPX routes will be up tomorrow after the route has been marked.

Ta
Dean

Thursday 20 May 2010

KOTDs, Important!

sWe've had a bit of a glitch with the computer system at HO. Basically we had a whole new computer system company wide in Feb this year. As we moved over we ran a report from the old system of all the entries so far, and it looks like there were a few people missed off. If you did not appear on the rider list, and you have an entry, please bring a copy of this to the unregistered section of the registration desk and we'll sort you out there.

This also means that we are now over subscribed!! So I will repeat my request that:-

IF YOU DO NOT HAVE AN ENTRY, PLEASE DO NOT TURN UP ON THE OFF CHANCE. WE DO NOT HAVE ENOUGH TIMING CHIPS, FOOD, BARS, FREEBIES ETC. YOU WILL NOT BE ENTERED, WILL CAUSE CHAOS WITH THE ALREADY LIMITED CARPARKING AND BLOCK UP THE SITE. PLEASE RESPECT THIS REQUEST AS WE ALL WANT TO HAVE A GREAT DAY AND THERE'S ALWAYS NEXT YEAR.

Thanks
Dean

KOTD Weather

After the weather being so cruel for last years event we're keeping a keen eye on the forecast for this weekend. So far it's looking like a big improvement on the torrential rain we had in 2009.

KOTD Rider List

Here's the latest list of entries for this weekend's King of the Downs sportive

KOTD Rider List

If someone entered on your behalf or you entered a group of riders the entries will all be under the name of the person who completed the entry. You'll be able to change the name to the correct rider name when you collect your timing chip.

You should also have a read of the KOTD rider information on the main Evans Cycles site

KOTD Rider Information

Ride distances and heights

As mentioned below we rode the whole route a couple of days ago. Both myself and Mike had gps units running for the ride, mine was a bit power hungry as I was using it to navigate so ran out of life. Luckily I knew this would be a problem and had a back up unit, but this still meant I didn't continuously track the whole route. From Mikes gps we got some details which are slightly different to the advertised lengths, although we did do some extra mileage taking photos etc, so here they are:-

First loop 54 miles
Second loop 60 miles

Total 114 miles

I know most of you record your ride, so if you'd like to post here after the ride the lengths you get, I'd be interested to know what everyone recorded.

Ta
Dean

Wednesday 19 May 2010

KOTDs Preride!

Myself and Mike spent yesterday in the saddle riding the route for Sunday, what a great day it was. We set off from Gatwick at 9.30am and after a couple of miles skirting around the airport, were in the countryside. The whole ride is two loops and the first (Half ride) is basically a warm up section, 5 hills and a warm down back to the start. This does mean that on the way out you are heading for the North Downs and you keep catching glimpses of those hills through the trees!

The first hill comes up about 11 miles in and sets the scene for the next 3 climbs with only Box Hill and its switchbacks differing in style. After all the hills there are some fantastically fast descents, we hit just over 45mph on one of them, but please be careful of approaching cars, hairpins and rough patches of tarmac. Non of these were a problem for me. A small speed bump on the flat however was my Nemesis. I think a combination of being out of the saddle, hands over the bake hoods, on a peddle stroke and not expecting a speed hump caused me to slip off the bars and slide along the tarmac. I hit Mike with my head as well!!

White line is my pedal, black line is my knee.

Isn't bartape and skin brilliant!

Box Hill

Half way up Box Hill, how considerate.

The top of Bow Hill

We arrived back at Gatwick in a time of 2 hours 50 minutes, which pleased me as I'd spent the last 5 miles or so holding mike up by refusing to cycle as fast as him. An advantage of having the route on the MM Adventurer unit and being the only one knowing where we were going!

A breather at Gatwick and the off to do the second loop. Now I know this loop, it's a bit like worlds strongest man where they lift barrels onto podiums starting with the easiest first and ending with the biggest. Tulleys Hill is a constant but ultimately easy hill, followed by the climb up to Ashdown Forrest. Then come the last three. The wall is a straight road and gets its name due to looking like a wall of tarmac from the bottom!

The Wall

There is then a fantastic descent and a rest before Yorks Hill comes into view. Now, last year we had a timed section on this hill, this year we dont. This is due to not wanting to upset the locals. They already have enough cyclists riding this iconic hill every weekend and I didn't want to cause more disruption with stopping and starting 1000 riders on it! The Hill itself starts off easy but just ramps up and up until it spits you out at the top where we conveniently have a drink station and a rest!

Then on to the last hill of the event, Titsey. What can I say, just a slog to the top and the satisfaction that there is no more!! I mean that as well, after the final descent with a dodgy hairpin, which will be signposted, it's a flat run back to the finish. Over the last 8 miles Mike tore my legs off. We averaged 16mph with most straight bits at 20 and topping out at 26 on the flat - after 107miles!! I just hung on to his back wheel with grim determination and when he stood up to sprint, with gritted teeth. ( Not literally!)

The carpark at Gatwick was a welcome sight and as I collapsed on the floor, heart thumping and face covered in sweat and salt, Mike, as ever, was still smiling and a mentioned that he'd missed the start of his time trial.

It's a hard, but ultimately satisfying day in the saddle. Beautiful scenery, big hills and fast descents. It's not easy, but then we've never billed it as a bimble on the country lanes.

Good luck and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Dean

Friday 14 May 2010

King of the Downs - FULL

We closed down the entry for King of the Downs last night as it has reached capacity.

Please do not turn up on the day expecting an on-the-day entry as we are not accepting them for reasons stated below.

Cheers
Dean

Reading Video!

Seems like we had a whole media crew out there on Saturday! An e-mail arrived in my inbox with the following link:-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jx8E9XxIAgo

This was something I wanted to do before the ride to show that Reading has some great trails, but time ran out.

Thanks
Dean

Thursday 13 May 2010

Reading Photo's

Not organised by us but there was a photographer out taking photos of last weekends mountain bike ride.

You can browse them at - Roger Smith Photos

Wednesday 12 May 2010

King of the Downs - book now!

Just a heads up. The next ride, which is the King of the Downs, only has a few places left. So if you were undecided or waiting until the last minute I suggest you book now. We only have enough numbers, chips, goody bags and free food for the limited numbers of riders. Once we have sold out there will be no on the day entries, even the sneaky people who show up on the off chance!

Thanks
Dean

Monday 10 May 2010

Reading MTB Times

Can be found here -
Reading MTB Rider Times

Right, off to bed!
Dean

Missing chips

We had 4 missing chips from the weekend.

Can you send them to :-

Dean Stacey
47 Pangbourne Street
Reading
Berks
RG30 1HS

We really need them by this weekend ready for the next event.

Thanks.

Reading Times

Hi All,

Wow, what a weekend, the weather held, the MTB trails were mainly dry and we had great numbers of riders turning up. I know the site was quite small for the amount of people milling around and I'd like to say thanks for your patience and understanding, there wasn't (as far as I'm aware) any problems.

I'm working on the MTB times now, but here's the Road ones to be going on with.

Reading Road Sportive Rider Times

Any changes, please mail me and I'll get them done asap.

Ta
Dean

Friday 7 May 2010

Reading last minute details

The boys have been out putting up the MTB course for tomorrow and the feedback is that it's much drier than November!!!!


Some last minute things I've just remembered:-

Toll Bridge.
The bridge over the Thames at Pangbourne is a Toll Bridge. Cost is 40p each way so have some change ready ( And then give it to us so we don't run out!! )

There are some guides to the events that will eventually get mailed to every one who pre-enters, these can be found here:-

Details on route marking for the Sportive, including signage and splits.
http://www.box.net/shared/sxxvx1o7k3

Details on route marking for the MTB ride, including signage and splits
http://www.box.net/shared/f9kxfh0uus

How to attach your timing chip
http://www.box.net/shared/78t7t7fj7q

Ta
Dean

Thursday 6 May 2010

Reading Event Info IMPORTANT

IMPORTANT

Some info for the weekend.

Parking.
We have the same field as last year, but it's a lot drier! We will still have the matts down at the entrance so please try to keep to them on the way in. On the way out try and spread yourselves about a bit to even out the damage. If there are ruts, please don't drive in them, you'll only make them worse.

The entrance is on a fast bend and we will have "Caution Cyclists" signs out, and the Police may be in attendance putting out some of their own signs out if they deem necessary. If you have a particularly low car (Porsche, Ferrari etc) or a large van this might cause problems getting into the field, so you will be waved on. If this happens find somewhere safe to turn around and drive back past the event centre. Shortly after the church there is a left turn and the village green with parking on the perimeter.

Private Road.
Between the Village Hall and the car park is a private road. Please DO NOT park or turn in here. There will be bollards to indicate the road in question.

This also applies to bikes and pedestrians. Please do not stand in this area or leave bikes leaning against hedges. The residents need to be able to see out of the junction to pull out safely so this area must be kept clear.

Registration.
This venue was booked before the events started selling out, and as such is a bit on the small side facility wise. To avoid long queues if you have pre-entered please use the front door and on-the-day entries please walk around the building and in the rear doors.

Toilets
As above the amount of loos wasn't initialy a problem, but now it might get a bit tight. So, gents, please use the disabled toilet as well as the mens, and everyone, if you can go before you leave in the morning it might save you a long wait in a queue!!

Cheers
Dean

Reading Sportive

Hi everyone.

Sorry for the inactivity recently but we've been a bit busy behind the scenes!

The Sportive course is now up and what a great day for cycling it was today. No rain, no sun and no wind in an area full of yellow rapeseed fields and bluebell covered woods, perfect. Exept for one or two small things. We've changed the route around since the last time we were here and the culprit is the long route. The reason for this is to get the iconic Streetley Hill in the route somewhere. The route returns to the event centre where the riders on the Medium ride finish, leaving the Long riders to go out for their final loop. After a long descent into Streetley you cross over the Thames and straight up the hill the other side, then 20 odd miles on great country roads before the final sting in the tail, the final climb from Pangbourne up to the event centre.

Adding these two climbs in pushes the climb rating to nearer 3 than the advertised 2, but we don't have a 2.75 symbol :-)

Ta
Dean