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I'm 47. My bike riding is 2/3 hours mountain bike in the Pennines once a week, and I play squash twice a week. So fit (ish for 47) but nothing special. 2 friends are doing this ride in May and 3 of us (similarly fit/unfit) are thinking of doing it too.
1. Can I get some slicks and do it on my Orange 29" full suspension.
2. Or will I be miles happier with a road bike? Not really keen on road biking to be honest.. but could buy second hand and sell on after.
3. Will I die?
All reflections welcome.
It's 170 miles and 2000m+ climbing.
Answers depend on if you plan doing it in a day, a week or somewhere in between.
Plenty of advice on this site [url= http://wayoftheroses.info/route/preparation/ ]http://wayoftheroses.info/route/preparation/[/url]
1. You could
2. Probably
3. Probably not (but watch out for the drop into Pateley Bridge)
NCN 72?
Brilliant route, did it in 2015 on th CXer. The Solway is awesome.
You'll be fine on the Orange. You'd be finer on a road bike if you were used to and comfortable on them, but not worth the hassle of switching just for this. Get yourself some Big Apples or Randonneurs from On One and enjoy the views, that's what this ride is all about. Pie shop in the first butcher in Hornby makes a great second breakfast to set you up for the hills ahead.
Very helpful. Thanks very much
Dunno if this works any more or whether it's just embedding pics which is forbidden, but here's my pics from 2014.
[url= http://s11.photobucket.com/user/midlifecrashes/library/WayOfTheRoses ]http://s11.photobucket.com/user/midlifecrashes/library/WayOfTheRoses[/url]
Great pics thanks. And as someone who visited Brid last summer I agree with what was written in the pebbles on the beach.
Borrow something other than an orange full sus
I did it a couple of years ago with a mate who'd never ridden more than 60 miles in one go before, for his birthday. Managed it in 11:44 according to Strava. Reckon we could have done it faster if he'd been used to slip-streaming and we could have tagged onto the back of the club from Otley who were also riding it that day.
Really, really nice ride. But do it on a road bike or you'll be hating it.
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https://www.strava.com/activities/344777463/