"Loop of Birmingham". SATURDAY 11th June. 7:30 departure. 140 miles
Posted: 21 May 2022 12:13
Reschedule of the ride originally planned 3 weeks ago.
Will take place on a Saturday to allow for easier coffee breaks and stores stops at the end of the afternoon.
So for Saturday 11th June, I propose the 'famous' LOOP OF BIRMINGHAM: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/38468571
226 km / 140.5 mi.
This is my adapted version running clockwise so that all the nasty hills are tackled at the beginning when we're still fresh so that the flat end is a piece of cake
or as George said, several pieces of cakes.
Bearing in mind it's a bit hilly I expect the average speed to be more 13 than 14 mph.
For stops I consider 2 options:
- a first café stop at either Ironbrige (78km/49 miles into the ride) or Albrighton garden centre (95km/59miles) and another like the Old Barn Coffee shop at Kingsbury water park (160km/100miles into the ride).
- more frequent but shorter pits stops at things like greggs, stores and cafés for shorter but more frequent refills. This might suit better the majority of riders' needs for refuelling and have a lesser impact on non-riding time. There are several places like that on that route (Tesco Express in Shenstone (@ 139k/86mi) and the COOP in Meriden (@ 175k/109mi))
We'll see what the majority prefers on the day. Always best anyway to bring tons of cereal/chocolate bars/jelly babies/gels/EPO/Nandrolone ...
Meeting at the BH for a 7:30 departure. Return ETA approx 19:30/20:00 depending on pace and length of stops and potential mechanicals.
Due to the length of it and the unpredictable nature of the weather, a windproof jacket might be wise if you have one in order not to get too cold towards the end of the ride. As usual, make sure your bike is roadworthy and that you have spares tubes...
This is your last chance to do a 200k+ ride before the substential step up to our 300k climax next week.
Cedric G. (L)
Richard Chaplin
Ian Gannon
Please note that due to medical reasons I use a handle-bar extender, a bit like TT-bars. I use this to relief the pain of NHS diagnosed trapped nerves in my wrists and elbow. I do NOT use these to ride like a TT racer, to draft behind others or similar performance seeking stunts.
Every bike ride, be it commute, ride alone or in group, entails its share of risks (bad road surface, motorised traffic, natural elements, our or other riders' mistakes or inattentions...). This is common knowledge and we all ride at our own risk. Nevertheless if my use of this extender this makes you feel uncomfortable, please do not join my rides.
Will take place on a Saturday to allow for easier coffee breaks and stores stops at the end of the afternoon.
So for Saturday 11th June, I propose the 'famous' LOOP OF BIRMINGHAM: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/38468571
226 km / 140.5 mi.
This is my adapted version running clockwise so that all the nasty hills are tackled at the beginning when we're still fresh so that the flat end is a piece of cake
or as George said, several pieces of cakes.Bearing in mind it's a bit hilly I expect the average speed to be more 13 than 14 mph.
For stops I consider 2 options:
- a first café stop at either Ironbrige (78km/49 miles into the ride) or Albrighton garden centre (95km/59miles) and another like the Old Barn Coffee shop at Kingsbury water park (160km/100miles into the ride).
- more frequent but shorter pits stops at things like greggs, stores and cafés for shorter but more frequent refills. This might suit better the majority of riders' needs for refuelling and have a lesser impact on non-riding time. There are several places like that on that route (Tesco Express in Shenstone (@ 139k/86mi) and the COOP in Meriden (@ 175k/109mi))
We'll see what the majority prefers on the day. Always best anyway to bring tons of cereal/chocolate bars/jelly babies/gels/EPO/Nandrolone ...
Meeting at the BH for a 7:30 departure. Return ETA approx 19:30/20:00 depending on pace and length of stops and potential mechanicals.
Due to the length of it and the unpredictable nature of the weather, a windproof jacket might be wise if you have one in order not to get too cold towards the end of the ride. As usual, make sure your bike is roadworthy and that you have spares tubes...
This is your last chance to do a 200k+ ride before the substential step up to our 300k climax next week.
Cedric G. (L)
Richard Chaplin
Ian Gannon
Please note that due to medical reasons I use a handle-bar extender, a bit like TT-bars. I use this to relief the pain of NHS diagnosed trapped nerves in my wrists and elbow. I do NOT use these to ride like a TT racer, to draft behind others or similar performance seeking stunts.
Every bike ride, be it commute, ride alone or in group, entails its share of risks (bad road surface, motorised traffic, natural elements, our or other riders' mistakes or inattentions...). This is common knowledge and we all ride at our own risk. Nevertheless if my use of this extender this makes you feel uncomfortable, please do not join my rides.
