Hell of the North (London)

looks like fun

So are you coming then?

54.4 miles and only 250 feet of climbing, according to the route download. Should be a breeze :-)

where's the hell in that??

About 1/4 of it, at a guess, is on unpaved roads, so it's not your normal 50 mile Sunday morning jaunt, but I don't think they wanted to kill people.

the hell?
that's getting your new white bartape dirty and mud on your Rapha

About 1/4 of it, at a guess, is on unpaved roads, so it's not your normal 50 mile Sunday morning jaunt, but I don't think they wanted to kill people.

Nice route map. Seems to largely avoid the HiLlY bit around Cuffley.

forecast is good tomorrow, so this ride should be a breeze.. free beer and frites afterwards in Barnet courtesy of Rapha and watch the Paris-Roubaix live on Eurosport..

if you are attending have a substantial breakfast, fit chunky tyres and bring plenty of spare inner tubes.. see you at the start (9.00am)

Al

Yes, mdcc, it was jolly easy. Not. Some of the signing could have been better, but all in all an excellent ride, taking in terrain I'd never normally go near with a barge pole. Really beautiful route. Thanks, Rapha!

a great ride indeed.

I really enjoyed the ride today. Riding the rough terrain fixed was a lot of fun.

I would have done this if I had know it could have been done on fixed gear

Really enjoyed the ride ... a well organised event with an interesting route.

Hats off to anyone who rode this fixed, I had enough problems staying on my road bike. River crossings, mud-a-plenty and some beautiful weather. A really good route choice too, I need some tighter bottle cages...

15km to go in the Rapha 'hell of the north' 100km ride across swampy hertfordshire yesterday.. just got through a muddy, slippery grave 3, when there is vibration going on in the rear pocket of my jersey.. i fish it out, look at phone, its paul reynolds, connect call, before you know it.. a speed bump appears out of no-where.. one handed cartwheel with bike then splat on the farm road covered in farmyard stuff.. two minutes later i call paul back.. 'hey al, i'm at the pub (finish) hope you are okay'... meanwhile paul mann has been waiting 10 minutes up the road and thinks, he probably past whilst i watered this flowerbed.. hmm beer and chips soon and the paris-roubaix live in a pub full of sweaty / rowdy cyclists in lycra.. great day out with a couple of mates and a few hundred other riders, a few missed turns, poor signage, a couple of water features with crowd waiting for a big splash.. lions (did i say lions!!) plenty of mud, green bananas at the feed station.. no punctures.. what with getting there and home clocked 130km in all

it is good to forget the weekend training regime and do something a bit different.. i am still giggling about it, can't laugh too loud though my shoulder, elbow and side still hurts.. anyone who rode this fixed 'chapeau'

Al

Hats off to anyone who rode this fixed, I had enough problems staying on my road bike. River crossings, mud-a-plenty and some beautiful weather. A really good route choice too, I need some tighter bottle cages...

Ha ha! I'm not the only one who lost their bottle on the grave. Literally, that is.

Think I'll ride this on my fixed bike. Can't be getting mud and scratches all over the road bike.

Definitely doing it this year. Tyre recommendations welcome.

don't worry about tyres, stick with what you have.. it's a great ride
and defo loctite those bottle cages and bring plenty of spare inner tubes lol..

28c tyres with touring guard tubes (double thickness on the topside)

Definitely doing it this year. Tyre recommendations welcome.

Is it happening this year?

28c tyres with touring guard tubes (double thickness on the topside)

I was on 25s and had no blow outs.

Is it happening this year?

Yep

http://www.rapha.cc/hell-of-the-north-2--100411/?cm_mmc=email-_-180211-_-textlink6-_-gents

Schwalbe Marathon Plus tyres should do the trick!
I wouldnt want to be messing about with changing tubes in the middle of a muddy path.

Darn it, I've just signed up for a LO2 Sportive that day. I'm dying to do a century ride (this one is 180k). Ohhh. Maybe I'll change my mind...

Schwalbe Marathon Plus tyres should do the trick!
I wouldnt want to be messing about with changing tubes in the middle of a muddy path.

Ta!

Website says entries are closed. Anyone got a spare registration confirmation or am I likely to be ok just turning up?