Paris Roubaix Sportive?

260k P-R fixed? Hmm.. I didn't even contemplate that but it would reduce the likelihood of destroying a derailler in a prang and it's meant to be pretty damn flat. Right Clive? Right!?

I buggered my derailleur on the first section of cobbles. Up to then, for the first 60 pave-free miles, I had not used my small ring but only my 50 tooth one. After the prang I was restricted to 50/11, 12 or 13 and found that I could not free wheel but managed the last 100 miles without further incident and actually sprinted around the velodrome.

While on holiday I rode some long distances fixed and flat using a 48/17, sometimes over pretty rough surfaces. I thought as I cycled about many things but one of them was the practicality of the P-R fixed. If one were to do it, a very high gearing, around 84 inches, might be best as you need a high gear on the cobbles to take the weight off the saddle and onto the pedals. 84" fixed would be a hefty amount to shift over 260k.

I shall be riding geared.

Hey - That's my Litespeed! Great photo of 'her'.

Obviously I rode it with gears. And, i must say if you are thinking of riding it fixed I think you are mad!

1, because I would struggle to ride 165 miles in the same gear regardless of how 'flat' it is. And it is 'flat' at that is speaking as a Brit!

2, like Colin says, you really could do with a higher gearing for those cobbles. Man your backside is gonna hurt.

There is nothing and I really mean nothing with the exception of actually riding the P-Rx pave that can prepare you for the reality of even the lesser graded sections, let alone Arenberg.

I hope to be going back in 2010 too!

A fellow Catford CC rider did it in 2008, pics here http://www.flickr.com/photos/23318875@N02/sets/72157605518545046/

As for Cheddar Gorge once you get past that first steep bend by the 1 in whatever sign it is not too bad

Oh that brings it all back...

The energy drinks at the checkpoints... the red or the green, it actually doesn't matter which because they are, in reality, both dental mouthwash.

One mint, One 'mystery'

Oh that brings it all back...

The energy drinks at the checkpoints... the red or the green, it actually doesn't matter which because they are, in reality, both dental mouthwash.

One mint, One 'mystery'

that's me on the left in the fourth picture. Bald head, tank top and livestrong band.

chr15 (I'm guessing it's Chris) have I read an account of your trip on the interweb somewhere? Sure I have as I distinctly remember the choices of Listerine that the Belgians call energy drink.

Well it looks like the 6th June - day before my 40th so an ample opportunity to ride, celebrate my middle life crisis and then get pissed (before I go out and buy a motorbike)...

1) BigFatAl (probably not fixed)

chr15 (I'm guessing it's Chris) have I read an account of your trip on the interweb somewhere? Sure I have as I distinctly remember the choices of Listerine that the Belgians call energy drink.

Well it looks like the 6th June - day before my 40th so an ample opportunity to ride, celebrate my middle life crisis and then get pissed (before I go out and buy a motorbike)...

1) BigFatAl (probably not fixed)

Ha! Listerine, No, at least Listerine is 'palleteable'! Just remember to take your own energy drinks. the sweet food gets a bit much too. You'll be thankful when you get to the check that has teh savoury stuff... ham, cheese, bread... I remember it well as I was getting first aid on my hands... shredded to ribbons by the constant jarring! two layers of bar tape, don't bother!

Do you know if there is an 'official' website for next years ride?

http://www.sportstoursinternational.co.uk/cycling/paris-roubaix-cyclo-sportive

4-7 June 2010

£390

Will be booking next week.

£390 is pretty expensive considering you don't get to chase the Pros around the day after..

This is what you get for it:

Itinerary:
Friday 4th June:
Our bike carrying coach will leave Leeds making collections at Manchester/Sheffield, Birmingham, London and service stations on the motorway networks used. We shall arrive in Dover in time for the 16.30hrs sailing to Calais from where we shall travel direct to Compiegne and the 2* Hotel de Flandre where we spend 2 nights on bed, breakfast basis.
Saturday 5th June:
Free day to go for a ride, loosen your legs and prepare your bike for tomorrow. Frame numbers and control cards will be collected and afterwards there will be a route meeting.
Sunday 6th June:
PARIS ROUBAIX CYCLO – Start times are between 05.00hrs and 07.00hrs and both the coach and a Sports Tours International vehicle will be available for back up throughout the ride. After the finish you will be able to check in to the Hotel Ibis in Roubaix where we spend the night on half board basis.
Monday 7th June:
We shall leave Roubaix and travel to Calais for the 12.30hrs sailing to Dover, arriving London 15.00hrs, Birmingham 18.00hrs, Manchester/Sheffield 20.00hrs and Leeds by 21.00hrs.
COST: £390
DEPOSIT: £100
INCLUDES:
• Return coach travel (with bike) from the UK
• 3 Nights B&B accommodation + 1 evening meal
• Entry fees
• Support vehicle back up
• Service of our guide
• All ferry fares & port taxes
PLEASE INDICATE ON YOUR BOOKING FORM WHICH DISTANCE YOU REQUIRE TO BE ENTERED FOR
SINGLE ROOM SUPPLEMENT: £100

Yeah, so same as the Tour of Flanders + entry but without the bus driving you around after the race itself. 'spensive.

£390 for 3 nights in crap hotels? The organisers do a coach from Roubaix to Compiegne for buttons and I'm sure you could find a better hotel than the Ibis in Roubaix (which is a dump after all).

My point ^^

The Ibis in Roubaix wasn't too bad. The one near the start was pretty awful. Not sure if this is the same one.

HTFU and just camp at the start, it's June and it's not like you'll be getting much sleep anyway....

We did it with one extra designated driver (a gullible girlfriend can be helpful here)... Eurostar to Lille, picked up a rental car about the size of a Fiesta and somehow managed to squeeze in 3 bikes and 4 people, drove to start with an educational detour to the Armistice railway wagon museum, pitched tents & sorted bikes, popped into town for pizza and one 25cl pitcher of wine between 4 (it was my birthday), slept a wee bit, rode to Roubaix and met driver (who for extra bonus points had been waiting with food bags at the Arenberg, which I felt bad for not taking because I'd had so many waffles at the checkpoints), drive back back to Lille, Eurostar home, sorted.

On the minus side, it was about 36 hours before the numbness in my dick went away....

I am too old to be messing around in tents.

On the penis side of things, there was a chap on the Baxter trip last time who had ridden the P-R a few times before. He was a good rider but really rather painfully dull. He was decked out in Ferrari F1 kit on the way there and back and came from somewhere north. He appeared to live alone and one could understand why.

I saw him when I arrived at the hotel after the ride.

"You know" he said on greeting me "If a porn star came to my room tonight, I would say, no thank you, not tonight."

I replied "If a porn star came to your room tonight, he might not take "no" for an answer".

Well, it was funny at the time.

I am too old to be messing around in tents.

Nonsense.

Last year the organisers had a bus service running to the start, from Roubaix and from the finish back to Compiegne. So you could camp or stay in a hotel and not have to worry about transport on the day. It only cost a few Euro and I think you book it when you enter.

I was part of an organised trip so didn't need it, but did consider it as an option.

Which trip were you on?

Still want to do this - frustrating that details have not been released as yet. G/friend a fluent Frech speaker so think I will organis my own trip.

http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=4381745&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=0&color=&fullscreen=1

Bollocks, if it doesn't work I don't know how to embed things...

Details here - I'm excited....

http://www.vc-roubaix-cyclo.fr/site/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=82&Itemid=13&09af27f4860ccbaec0cf2cac64ac7b2c=0cb8c944a70d455981894c01f40e6dc1

So what's happening - have registered but can't do the whole ride owing to a lack of training and a series of colds (cheers to my 3 year old son and working with bug ridden teenagers). However, will be attempting the 180km essential route.

I cannot do it - work has interfered but even if it hadn't, my fitness is probably insifficient. A number of Grupettos, BDW, Rickymundo, rjs, hippy and some others are off on the Sports Tour International (Baxter) trip.

Really sorry to be missing this. The arrival at Roubaix velodrome last time was one of the most amazing cycling moments of my life.

I'm doing it, doing the short route though.
Maybe a warm up to doing to whole thing next year. It feels like the more training I do for it the slower I get, but hopefully all these early mornings will add up to something when I get out there.

I'm going to ride the 260k. Training hasn't really been specific to this kind of thing at all but if 12yo girls can ride DD then I should be able to do this.
Still debating tyre choice - was going to run Vittoria Pave clinchers but others have been suggesting the use of wider tyres. Single taped, gel-free bars and will probably run a worn Mavic Cosmos front because I don't want to risk better wheels. Rear is a bit deeper DT R520.
Might buy myself some new mitts as the ones I have now are trashed and all the gel has moved elsewhere.

Clive, you've done this before. Climbing tape you said? Anything else you'd suggest?