Polo Tour De France Road Ride - Avignon-Bourg d'Oisans 2013/07/13-20

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  • Can no polo no talk peeps cpme? I am liking this idea!

  • I'll probably be heading out earlier than that Ben, if I fail to get up though I'll give you a call.

  • 9? I gotta come from dalston...

  • More like it. Route? Might be an easier place to meet you.

  • You're not selling it Bill.

    Or are you just sorting the men from the boys?

    Honestly, I have ridden down there (Alps & sth of France) a lot, and most of my happiest memories on a bike are of those roads, especially around Mont Ventoux, in the Drome. The scenery is amazing, and the roads in the Drome aren't nearly as busy as they are in the Alps proper. Add in the venal, insane spectacle of the Tour...

    But I wouldn't want anyone to think that it's like London to Brighton, because it simply isn't. You will need to have got some miles in, and you definitely want to have a bike with a really wide range of gears, otherwise it'll be miserable. But if you can't hack the whole thing, you can always bail, and potter around.

    I'm definitely going for it, and would welcome company, but if you're up for it, you need to do 2 things:

    1. Get the tickets as soon as they go on sale (not sure exactly when this will be, but likely shortly after Xmas), as the London - Avignon service is always popular

    2. Get some miles in. Doesn't need to be dramatic, just a 4 hour ride once a week starting in February or March (100k Audaxes are ideal), with 3 or 4 8 hour rides in June (200k Audaxes are ideal).

    I've done some really head-banging rides in the past (memorably riding from London - Basel in 5 days with a trailer, averaging just under 200k a day), but I plan on taking it a lot easier on this, smelling the flowers & stopping for proper lunches.

  • I'm SO in for this... as long as I get to try and highfive Cav... ummmmmm
    Might take some musettes along for the ride too!

  • Can no polo no talk peeps cpme? I am liking this idea!

    I'd welcome any company!

  • My roadbike is itching for some use, in for this, will start putting funds in a jar.

  • Bill, I'm definitely in. Let me know if you beat me to tickets.

  • oh shit bill said 'bail'. #daverage

  • Doesn't need to be dramatic, just a 4 hour ride once a week starting in February or March (100k Audaxes are ideal), with 3 or 4 8 hour rides in June (200k Audaxes are ideal).

    Out.

  • I'm really into this but haven't got a tourer to do it properly...
    Unless you wanna lug all my stuff as well, Bill? I'll be waiting for you at the hotel bar...

  • I need to figure out what I'll be doing for work next term and over the summer, but if I am able to afford it and get the time off, I am so in.

  • I'm really into this but haven't got a tourer to do it properly...
    Unless you wanna lug all my stuff as well, Bill? I'll be waiting for you at the hotel bar...

    One of these and a knock off of one of these and every bike is a tourer.

  • Pffff! And spoil the lines on my sweet new CInelli?!? ;)

  • I was thinking steel road bike rather than tourer. Although I'm still looking for a large / xl Cross check if anyone sees one knocking around.

  • Sorry to butt into your conversation.... But have you considered staying in one central location instead of doing a tour?

    I went out with four others in late July last year, we stayed in a chalet at a campsite in Bourg d'Orsains for 7 days, and just went out and bagged different local Cols each day (a lot of the well known climbs from the tour are doable in a day from Bourg)
    I think it was a great way of doing it. Being able to go out each day with just a spare tube and some tools was a joy. And also not having to worry about food was also great, we just had a massive BBQ every night. If your plan your routes well, you can easily do two Cols a day.

    And don't let fitness put you off... as long as you're not massivley unfit you will be fine. I put in a fair bit of training in the few months before hand, but thats because I wanted to put in some solid times on the major climbs (and more importantly, beat Dov). There were 10 year old kids riding shit full susspension MTB's up some of the climbs with smiles on their faces, so I'm sure a load half way fit poloistas like yourselves will be fine. At the end of the day, as long as you keep pedalling, you'll get there eventually!

    Gearing wise, I found a compact chainset (52/34) with a 12-26 cassette fine... i had a 12 - 27 cassette too, which I put on the second day we were there, but saved the 27 for a bailout gear most of the time, as it was just too spinny to get out of the saddle. I'm sure this will be totally different if your are riding fully laden tourers though....

    Transport wise, we had bikes in bags, and got the Eurostar to Paris, then the TGV to Grenoble. It was fairly easy. Tickets are available three months in adavnce.
    I think the whole trip with transport & accomodation set us back around £300-£350 each for an 8 day trip, with 6 days of riding.

    I highly reccomend it, like Bill says, the Alps are the most beautiful place I have ever ridden without a doubt. The roads are amazing, and the scenery breathtaking. The locals are super friendly too. It was one of the best holidays I've had in the last few years for sure!

    Hit up AndyP for advice.... he has a wealth of knowledge about riding in the high mountains, and is of course a top class fella.

    Anyway... hope this helps. And sorry again for butting in on your conversation.

  • I'd be up for something like the above

  • Same, I'm easy either way...

    I don't have a bike with rack mounts though. Max I can put on he Peugeot is a seatpost bag and maybe a bar bag. If we do tour it'll just mean I'll be a bit smelly?

  • I rode 1000 miles with a fully loaded rack held on with p-clips Jimmy! You can also get seatpost and rear-brake mountings... you work in a bike shop don't you ;)

  • Being able to go out each day with just a spare tube and some tools was a joy.

    This would excite me even more.

  • Sorry to butt into your conversation.... But have you considered staying in one central location instead of doing a tour?

    I went out with four others in late July last year, we stayed in a chalet at a campsite in Bourg d'Orsains for 7 days, and just went out and bagged different local Cols each day (a lot of the well known climbs from the tour are doable in a day from Bourg)
    I think it was a great way of doing it. Being able to go out each day with just a spare tube and some tools was a joy. And also not having to worry about food was also great, we just had a massive BBQ every night. If your plan your routes well, you can easily do two Cols a day.

    And don't let fitness put you off... as long as you're not massivley unfit you will be fine. I put in a fair bit of training in the few months before hand, but thats because I wanted to put in some solid times on the major climbs (and more importantly, beat Dov). There were 10 year old kids riding shit full susspension MTB's up some of the climbs with smiles on their faces, so I'm sure a load half way fit poloistas like yourselves will be fine. At the end of the day, as long as you keep pedalling, you'll get there eventually!

    Gearing wise, I found a compact chainset (52/34) with a 12-26 cassette fine... i had a 12 - 27 cassette too, which I put on the second day we were there, but saved the 27 for a bailout gear most of the time, as it was just too spinny to get out of the saddle. I'm sure this will be totally different if your are riding fully laden tourers though....

    Transport wise, we had bikes in bags, and got the Eurostar to Paris, then the TGV to Grenoble. It was fairly easy. Tickets are available three months in adavnce.
    I think the whole trip with transport & accomodation set us back around £300-£350 each for an 8 day trip, with 6 days of riding.

    I highly reccomend it, like Bill says, the Alps are the most beautiful place I have ever ridden without a doubt. The roads are amazing, and the scenery breathtaking. The locals are super friendly too. It was one of the best holidays I've had in the last few years for sure!

    Hit up AndyP for advice.... he has a wealth of knowledge about riding in the high mountains, and is of course a top class fella.

    Anyway... hope this helps. And sorry again for butting in on your conversation.

    I have already done a few trips like this before, and am more interested in getting to Ventoux & the Alp in the same week, so not really interested, not this year at least.

  • I'm really into this but haven't got a tourer to do it properly...

    I toured my Colnago: with a Bob trailer.

  • How did you know? That's on my wish list. It even says Super Fuckin' C on it.

    One of these and every bike is a tourer.

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Polo Tour De France Road Ride - Avignon-Bourg d'Oisans 2013/07/13-20

Posted by Avatar for Buffalo_Bill @Buffalo_Bill

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