Beacon RCC's 'MONTGOMERY MADNESS' 200km permanent audax

Grogz · Post by **Grogz** » 30 Aug 2012 12:20

Well done, Chris!

Philip Whiteman · Post by **Philip Whiteman** » 03 Apr 2013 12:36

Thanks, Sean. Really good photographs. I had been curious in terms of how you would find the crossing over the Mynd bearing in mind the recent weather. Well done on completing a challenging ride. In comparison to the Kidderminster Killer, it is only 20% easier.

Grogz · Post by **Grogz** » 03 Apr 2013 16:34

Philip Whiteman wrote:Thanks, Sean. Really good photographs. I had been curious in terms of how you would find the crossing over the Mynd bearing in mind the recent weather. Well done on completing a challenging ride. In comparison to the Kidderminster Killer, it is only 20% easier.

Your dictionary clearly has a different definition of 'easier', Philip.

Awesome achievement in those conditions, Mr B.

AlanW · Post by **AlanW** » 03 Apr 2013 16:47

Grogz wrote:
Awesome achievement in those conditions, Mr B.

Yes indeed, complete and utter respect to you Sean.

Post by **CakeStop** » 03 Apr 2013 19:34

Sean, I've often thought you seemed slightly crazy but that's just confirmed it. I've been up there late March / early April and encountered sleet but it was only a 100km audax and it was a calendar event, not one on which I had complete freedom of choice about the ride date. You're completely bonkers but nice one all the same!

George · Post by **George** » 03 Apr 2013 20:32

Well done, Sean.

David Cole · Post by **David Cole** » 03 Apr 2013 22:53

Well done Sean
Good photos
Dave

Philip Whiteman · Post by **Philip Whiteman** » 22 Apr 2013 17:54

Congratulations to Neil Compton on having ridden this yesterday completing the ride in just 11.5 hours. All told, four people have ridden this route in as many weeks. It is getting popular!

Neil Compton · Post by **Neil Compton** » 26 Apr 2013 16:51

Thanks Philip,

A tough ride indeed. I enjoyed the stretch between Bromyard and Ludlow. Was tough going between Knighton and Montgomery and at one point i was wondering whether i had bitten off more than i could chew.

Just managed to get up the 17% climb and that was the hardest part all day. After the drop down to Chruch Stretton i got a second wind and made good progress to Bridgnorth on what i thought was the fastest section of the route.

Nice quiet roads. Only busy bit was the A458 into Bridgnorth.

Grogz · Post by **Grogz** » 26 Apr 2013 18:34

Well done, Neil.

Philip Whiteman · Post by **Philip Whiteman** » 26 Apr 2013 19:38

I believe that the next Beacon people lined up include Keith and Ian.

Philip Whiteman · Post by **Philip Whiteman** » 27 Apr 2013 11:29

and the latest entrant....

Dave Cox.

David Cole · Post by **David Cole** » 04 May 2013 10:47

Well done Neil and Best of Luck Dave
Dave

Philip Whiteman · Post by **Philip Whiteman** » 04 May 2013 17:47

And another two not listed as entered:

Ian Taylor
Clive Ansell

keith · Post by **keith** » 06 Aug 2013 21:20

Did it today, total time 10 hrs 34 mins and actual riding time 9:21. Very nice route,not quite as tough as the killer perhaps a bit tougher than the Castleton?? Philip is right about White Grit Bank, its a nasty little sucker that should more accurately be called Right Git Bank.
Ivy cafe is brill, they were actually asking me what would bring more cyclists in free flapjacks or free bananas. That's what I call cycle friendly, better still its on the killer course as well.

Philip Whiteman · Post by **Philip Whiteman** » 11 Aug 2013 13:53

Congratulations Keith on another attempt well done. You were also joined this week by other Beacon members.

Apologies to Simon Walker but I have cut and pasted your Facebook comment about successfully completing this route with Kevin Frobisher.

"Completed the Montgomery Madness permanent Audax with Kev F today (206 Km / 128 miles). A thoroughly enjoyable day, the weather was kind, although a bit on the cool side. However it was tough. In parts the climbs are leg sapping, and the decent into Church Stretton very challenging and requires the utmost concentration and my arms just wrecked by the time I go to the bottom of the hill. I didn't feel to bad at the end certainly better than some stages around the course, but ate and drank plenty throughout the day which seemed to stave of the knock!"

http://www.strava.com/activities/734221 ... _opengraph

There is rumour that Dave Cole may ride this event one day but there again the Rev Ian Paisley may be anointed the pontificate.

Si_Walker · Post by **Si_Walker** » 11 Aug 2013 16:15

No need to apologise, thanks for the posting and the admin for it.

Philip Whiteman · Post by **Philip Whiteman** » 09 Apr 2014 19:44

For anyone interested in this 'event'. I have just received another 10 brevet cards, ready for entrants.

The MONTGOMERY MADNESS is the Beacon's 200km 'permanent' audax which can be ridden at any time of year. Choose to go alone or with friends. At least four of us will be riding the route this month!

Start at or pass through the prescribed control points of Bewdley - Bromyard - Ludlow - Knighton - Montgomery - Bridgnorth, usually finishing a Bewdley. The event passes through some spectacular and varied countryside from pastoral Herefordshire to the heather clad Stiperstones and Long Mynd. It is slightly easier variant of the Kidderminster Killer.

In this month alone, Darren Garey, Andy Carter, Paul Campbell and I, are all booked to ride the route in two groups. Plus one or two others, are ready to ride albeit without setting a date yet.

Full details and entry at http://www.beaconrcc.org.uk/audax/perms ... index.html

IanT · Post by **IanT** » 08 Mar 2015 22:12

The villages of Northfield and Kings Heath were missing their idiots today, as we (me and Keith did this ride). It's aptly named - it goes to Montgomery and is in fact madness.

Pedlo Mudguardo · Post by **Pedlo Mudguardo** » 08 Mar 2015 22:21

Montgomery Madness? I presumed it was a Welsh borders tribute band.

Respect.

keith · Post by **keith** » 08 Mar 2015 22:38

IanT wrote:The villages of Kings Norton and Kings Heath were missing their idiots today, as we did this ride. It's aptly named - it goes to Montgomery and is in fact madness.

Kings Norton ! How dare you sir ! Northfield if you please.
Best part of the run was cheese and cauliflower soup at Montgomery plus getting to say Right Git bank . harder than last time , why did Knighton parish council import mud from Three surounding county's ?

George · Post by **George** » 09 Mar 2015 11:07

Well done, both!

WorcsPhil · Post by **WorcsPhil** » 09 Mar 2015 12:27

Excellent ride, boys...especially on a day full of piddly rain

George · Post by **George** » 28 Jul 2015 20:27

Phil, I'm toying with the idea of doing the route (perhaps in late August) starting and finishing at home, which would imply taking a non-standard (slightly longer) route between Bewdley and Bromyard, but going through all the controls.

I can't be arsed collecting bits of paper as I go round, so if a GPS file doesn't count for validation purposes, I would be happy to be treated officially as DNF. (I would be riding for the pleasure/challenge of it, not to get a validated brevet card; I wouldn't know what to do with one of those, anyway.)

Are you okay with me entering on that basis?

Philip Whiteman · Post by **Philip Whiteman** » 28 Jul 2015 21:07

George wrote:Phil, I'm toying with the idea of doing the route (perhaps in late August) starting and finishing at home, which would imply taking a non-standard (slightly longer) route between Bewdley and Bromyard, but going through all the controls.

I can't be arsed collecting bits of paper as I go round, so if a GPS file doesn't count for validation purposes, I would be happy to be treated officially as DNF. (I would be riding for the pleasure/challenge of it, not to get a validated brevet card; I wouldn't know what to do with one of those, anyway.)

Are you okay with me entering on that basis?

I'm afraid that perm organisers are not allowed to validate on the basis of GPS evidence. Blame AUK.

However, if you are wanting just to ride the route then I can send over the route card and GPX link. I'm not bothered about any entry fee if you are not expecting AUK validation.

Andy Terry · Post by **Andy Terry** » 28 Jul 2015 21:24

When I did it (2011) I got away with a GPS file and a few photos, but I'm not sure what the policy is these days.

Anyway, just ride it, post it on Strava and accept the deserved kudos.

Route here: http://ridewithgps.com/routes/573931

George · Post by **George** » 28 Jul 2015 22:00

Cheers. I've got the route and don't really need anything printed. I just thought it was a bit of a cheek to do the ride without paying the entry fee.

George · Post by **George** » 05 May 2016 22:04

I did a modified version of the Madness today. I started and finished at my house, and changed the route between Bewdley and Bromyard to make the home start possible without adding even more miles and hills. I knew in advance that my plan wasn't going to satisfy AUK criteria, so I didn't bother collecting evidence at the controls and won't be seeking validation. But I thought I should add my experiences to the record.

First of all, the stats:
Revised route distance: 204km
Moving time 8h 41m
Door-to-door time: a shade under 10 hours
(Will be on Strava very shortly)

I had Keith and Ian's times in mind as a guide, and while I couldn't quite match their performance, I was close enough to feel middling-satisfied. I felt pretty good in the first 100km, but the White Grit-Stiperstones-Long Mynd section came before I'd properly digested lunch (note to self: serves you right, you greedy barsteward) and I suffered like a dog on that section. For a while I was unsure whether I would be able to complete the ride, but I recovered a bit after Church Stretton. I didn't exactly fly home, but I managed a more normal steady plod in the last 70km or so. In addition to the section I referred to above, I found the section on the unclassified lanes heading towards Montgomery (after you leave the A488) very slow going. In addition to the incessant short-sharp climbs, the road surface was very poor and covered in debris, making it very hard to make time when the gradient wasn't against me.

I picked a fabulous day weather-wise. But not an ideal day roadworks-wise. I met no fewer than four road closures, where I had to get off and walk. Approaching the fourth, I nearly came a cropper. Having blithely rounded the 'Road closed' sign and half-barriers a mile or so before the actual closure, I met a road-mender's van coming the other way round a blind bend, where the road was very narrow. It was slightly downhill, so I was going quickish, and had to brake so hard I locked the back wheel before diving into the hedge to avoid a head-on collision. The driver was remarkably phlegmatic about my antics, considering.

Anyway, during the course of the day I have been mentally addressing the event's creator by various names other than 'Dr Whiteman', but now that I'm at home I feel it is more appropriate to convey my sincere thanks to him. The countryside is stunning, the views breathtaking, the café at Montgomery excellent, and the challenge provided by the route is every bit as great as various much-vaunted Continental sportives I have ridden down the years.

Cheers, Phil!

George · Post by **George** » 05 May 2016 22:36

Curiously, Strava says it took me a couple of minutes longer and that I rode about 0.6km further than my Garmin was showing when I got home. Far too tired to try and fathom why.

IanT · Post by **IanT** » 06 May 2016 22:20

Excellent work George and a cracking write up.

Philip Whiteman · Post by **Philip Whiteman** » 07 May 2016 20:41

Good effort George. Coincidentally, Rob Wade rode the route the day before. You mentioned that digestion hindered your ascent of Weston Bank and Stiperstones. A better explanation is that they are simply bl**dy hard.

George · Post by **George** » 08 May 2016 19:07

IanT wrote:Excellent work George and a cracking write up.

Thanks, Ian.

Philip Whiteman wrote:Good effort George.

Cheers, Phil.

Philip Whiteman wrote:Coincidentally, Rob Wade rode the route the day before.

Yes, I saw that afterwards. He was significantly faster than me, of course. And rode out and back!

Philip Whiteman wrote:You mentioned that digestion hindered your ascent of Weston Bank and Stiperstones. A better explanation is that they are simply bl**dy hard.

Haha. Yes, they are indeed, and I would have crawled up them under any circumstances. However, there's a particular set of issues that over the years I've come to recognise as associated with digestion load. I know very well that I can avoid such issues by eating little and often without stopping. But I like sitting in cafés and eating shepherd's pie. So I do it anyway, and hope that there aren't any very big hills in the hour or two after lunch.

WorcsPhil · Post by **WorcsPhil** » 17 Aug 2016 11:15

Sir Philip Whiteman (the fifth time he has rode this!) and me rode the Madness yesterday on what was a perfect, sunny, hot day.

Just re-iterating the comments of others, but this a long, tough day in the saddle, with a blisteringly slow start from Bewdley to Bromyard on small lanes, and incessant hills.

As others have noted, the section after Montgomery is f. Hard, with the 22% climb up White Grit before Stiperstones a particular favourite.

Thanks to Phil for the excellent company and providing a route which is extremely testing, like one of his club runs.

We started in Bewdley at 07:30 and we're back there at 18:30' ish, with 9hrs riding time and 2 hours of stops, 30 mins of which were a **flat** apiece.

A fantastic day out, with great views, climbs and descents. Recommended to those who want to walk in the footsteps of Giants...(such as Keith, Ian and George)

Philip Whiteman · Post by **Philip Whiteman** » 03 Aug 2020 10:12

The Montgomery Madness Perm has just gone through a refresh with a newly revised route. The controls and the distance remain the same but there are new sections:

- climbing out of Bewdley;
- a new section between Bromyard and Ludlow through more picturesque Herefordshire country, with much less B road.
- a new section over the Kerry Ridgeway.

To make things even better, some considerable distances along the route have recently been resurfaced by the local authorities.

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/33554688

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Beacon RCC's 'MONTGOMERY MADNESS' 200km permanent audax

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