3 Peaks - Retrobike Team Entered!
- Thread starter JustKev
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Here's some good advice so far http://www.singletrackworld.com/forum/r ... &t=3672643
Get your running shoes on boys, Lance was right, it isn't about the bike!
Get your running shoes on boys, Lance was right, it isn't about the bike!
superstrong
Retrobike Rider
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Kev/Fellas
Kev asked for some luke warm tips for the hell on earth that is the 3 peaks! Ok, here goes:-
1st of all, if anyone does go to watch it and would like to help out, it would be fantastic to have a load of water bottles and energy gels to hand out to retrobike riders. ill have a stack of gels so if you find me before the race ill donate a load. anywhere on a climb is great to stand.
general/pre race:
important:1. forget about training your running. find the steepest and longest hill you can and run up that (preferably with bike on shoulder). when i say steepest i mean properly as steep as you can find. also running up steps would be good. the hills are that steep that they kill your calves because you will stagger up on your toes. no one will be running - you really do just stagger so normal running doesnt really help. ill admit to a bit of secret training. i run up the biggest hill in the area with bike on shoulder in trainers so it doesnt kill my feet, coast down and repeat..and repeat
2. get some long rides in - some people take 6 hours to get round.
3. do any training you can to hurt your legs. due to the staggering and carrying you'll use all your muscles in your legs (and shoulder) so try to use different muscles in your legs prior to the race.
4. gears - basically just go for the lowest you can get; 1 to 1 is good. the lowest ive used is standard cross (36t inner) with a mtb block. this isnt low enough. if you can, go for an mtb block and maybe a compact road chainset, (30t?), although still not low enough. Dave Collins came 2nd a few years ago with a 32t rear and i think 30t front. He rode most of the last hill but still struggled. Anyone not as fit as him (everyone else in the race!) could do with lower.
5. get the widest bars within the regs. ive always used a standard cross bike and can descend ok on drops. this year ive got chicken levers too but not really necessary. not many of the top riders use flat bars. prob doesnt make too much odds either way.
6. get the widest tyres within the limits and take spare tubes. i use a min of 60psi but dont weigh much. dan booth uses about 80psi+. its like riding a pneumatic drill but you wont puncture. ive got some of those schwalbe tyres (name escapes me) that a few use and will have them on. v cheap and thick. but heavy and not much grip. dont use michelin wildgrippers, they puncture. do use thick tubes.
7. ideally you could do with a spare set of wheels at the bottom of each descent. this is VERY helpful. its very likely you will puncture.
8 set up your brakes close to the rim and make sure the pads are ok. by the end you'll have worn them down and may be pulling the levers back to the bars
in the race:-
take energy gels - at least 1 for each hill, pref more.
the start is on road behind a car, which goes surprisingly quick. remember to pace yourself.
if uve got drop bars a camelback will slide forward and bang the back of your helmet. i dont have bottle cages so start with a bottle of energy drink in back pocket and pick up a new one at the bottom of each hill from a helper. its a long race so the more helpers/bottles the better.
whatever you do, dont follow the course markings religiously. rob jebb will prob do 1km less because he knows the course and wont just follow the worn paths. theres some quick cuts but difficult to describe them.
on the last hill, its the same way up and down and therefore look up when you go up. otherwise someone may ride into you.
if they rule that you need a waterproof then take the lightest one you can find. clearly this will be bad advice if you need to wear it.
get your saftey bag down to the smallest size poss and make sure its strapped to the bike firmly. quite a few people use this as shoulder padding. i personally like to add a thin bit of foam i have. make sure this is secure and check it lines up with your shoulder.
important:
to carry the bike, (if on your right shoudler) put the middle of the top tube on your right shoulder, reach around the head tube, turn the bars to the left and hold the left hand side of either the top of the bar or drop of drop bar with your right hand. i personnaly use a sweat band on my wrist to stop the front brake cable eating into my wrist.
descents:
the 1st hill (ingleborough) descent is on grass. you can nail it. watch out for bogs and the boggy drop ive crashed on every year. oli cox rode this flat out, pedalling, no brakes. he's a nutter, but its soft if you crash.
2nd hill descent (whernside) is rock slabs at the top - carefull of the gaps between each but most are rideable. then apart from a few rocky steep bits you can pedal it. it flattens out near the bottom - big gear and ride flat out.
the 3rd hill is one where you can go as fast as you dare. its rocky and stony near the bottom. you can go faster than you think but watch out for punctures. once you back on the road go flat out with what ever is left as theres only a few km to go. if you wanna beat whoever you are with get in front of them before the bridge/right hand turn.
climbs:-
ingleborough - turn off the road, up the path then off road. it looks flat but look dont and you'll be in smallest gear. then it goes up. use the wire fence near the top to pull yourself up. use both your hands to pull yourself up - its that steep. pace yourself, this is the steepst but there are 2 more!!
whernside - rock steps. its steep and hell. you can ride a bit near the top
pen y gent - if your gear is low enough you can ride all the way to the big rh corner. dont follow the path near the top (moor) just go straight for the chip handing in place)
run any dodgy bits - you can fly on foot dont the steep bits but it will kill your legs/ankles and the bike will bang around.
no real need for toe studs in your shoes - a lot of climbing is in stone/rock. try to go for well worn in shoes. i use my carbon soled shoes and will be crippled after. i have some wool socks which are comfy and toes wont poke through after running.
the road bits in between are up and down so use them to recover if your not racing. try to get in a bunch so they can do the work!
hope this helps and good luck!! come and say hello at the start!
geoff
Kev asked for some luke warm tips for the hell on earth that is the 3 peaks! Ok, here goes:-
1st of all, if anyone does go to watch it and would like to help out, it would be fantastic to have a load of water bottles and energy gels to hand out to retrobike riders. ill have a stack of gels so if you find me before the race ill donate a load. anywhere on a climb is great to stand.
general/pre race:
important:1. forget about training your running. find the steepest and longest hill you can and run up that (preferably with bike on shoulder). when i say steepest i mean properly as steep as you can find. also running up steps would be good. the hills are that steep that they kill your calves because you will stagger up on your toes. no one will be running - you really do just stagger so normal running doesnt really help. ill admit to a bit of secret training. i run up the biggest hill in the area with bike on shoulder in trainers so it doesnt kill my feet, coast down and repeat..and repeat
2. get some long rides in - some people take 6 hours to get round.
3. do any training you can to hurt your legs. due to the staggering and carrying you'll use all your muscles in your legs (and shoulder) so try to use different muscles in your legs prior to the race.
4. gears - basically just go for the lowest you can get; 1 to 1 is good. the lowest ive used is standard cross (36t inner) with a mtb block. this isnt low enough. if you can, go for an mtb block and maybe a compact road chainset, (30t?), although still not low enough. Dave Collins came 2nd a few years ago with a 32t rear and i think 30t front. He rode most of the last hill but still struggled. Anyone not as fit as him (everyone else in the race!) could do with lower.
5. get the widest bars within the regs. ive always used a standard cross bike and can descend ok on drops. this year ive got chicken levers too but not really necessary. not many of the top riders use flat bars. prob doesnt make too much odds either way.
6. get the widest tyres within the limits and take spare tubes. i use a min of 60psi but dont weigh much. dan booth uses about 80psi+. its like riding a pneumatic drill but you wont puncture. ive got some of those schwalbe tyres (name escapes me) that a few use and will have them on. v cheap and thick. but heavy and not much grip. dont use michelin wildgrippers, they puncture. do use thick tubes.
7. ideally you could do with a spare set of wheels at the bottom of each descent. this is VERY helpful. its very likely you will puncture.
8 set up your brakes close to the rim and make sure the pads are ok. by the end you'll have worn them down and may be pulling the levers back to the bars
in the race:-
take energy gels - at least 1 for each hill, pref more.
the start is on road behind a car, which goes surprisingly quick. remember to pace yourself.
if uve got drop bars a camelback will slide forward and bang the back of your helmet. i dont have bottle cages so start with a bottle of energy drink in back pocket and pick up a new one at the bottom of each hill from a helper. its a long race so the more helpers/bottles the better.
whatever you do, dont follow the course markings religiously. rob jebb will prob do 1km less because he knows the course and wont just follow the worn paths. theres some quick cuts but difficult to describe them.
on the last hill, its the same way up and down and therefore look up when you go up. otherwise someone may ride into you.
if they rule that you need a waterproof then take the lightest one you can find. clearly this will be bad advice if you need to wear it.
get your saftey bag down to the smallest size poss and make sure its strapped to the bike firmly. quite a few people use this as shoulder padding. i personally like to add a thin bit of foam i have. make sure this is secure and check it lines up with your shoulder.
important:
to carry the bike, (if on your right shoudler) put the middle of the top tube on your right shoulder, reach around the head tube, turn the bars to the left and hold the left hand side of either the top of the bar or drop of drop bar with your right hand. i personnaly use a sweat band on my wrist to stop the front brake cable eating into my wrist.
descents:
the 1st hill (ingleborough) descent is on grass. you can nail it. watch out for bogs and the boggy drop ive crashed on every year. oli cox rode this flat out, pedalling, no brakes. he's a nutter, but its soft if you crash.
2nd hill descent (whernside) is rock slabs at the top - carefull of the gaps between each but most are rideable. then apart from a few rocky steep bits you can pedal it. it flattens out near the bottom - big gear and ride flat out.
the 3rd hill is one where you can go as fast as you dare. its rocky and stony near the bottom. you can go faster than you think but watch out for punctures. once you back on the road go flat out with what ever is left as theres only a few km to go. if you wanna beat whoever you are with get in front of them before the bridge/right hand turn.
climbs:-
ingleborough - turn off the road, up the path then off road. it looks flat but look dont and you'll be in smallest gear. then it goes up. use the wire fence near the top to pull yourself up. use both your hands to pull yourself up - its that steep. pace yourself, this is the steepst but there are 2 more!!
whernside - rock steps. its steep and hell. you can ride a bit near the top
pen y gent - if your gear is low enough you can ride all the way to the big rh corner. dont follow the path near the top (moor) just go straight for the chip handing in place)
run any dodgy bits - you can fly on foot dont the steep bits but it will kill your legs/ankles and the bike will bang around.
no real need for toe studs in your shoes - a lot of climbing is in stone/rock. try to go for well worn in shoes. i use my carbon soled shoes and will be crippled after. i have some wool socks which are comfy and toes wont poke through after running.
the road bits in between are up and down so use them to recover if your not racing. try to get in a bunch so they can do the work!
hope this helps and good luck!! come and say hello at the start!
geoff
flyingwelshman
Retro Guru
heathy":2rqo9ffh said:
I always said those cx bikes were silly
good luck - great event.
Many thanks for such detail Geoff, really useful stuff. Will try to say 'hi' at the start as suspect that when/if I finish you'll be long packed up and gone.
I saw the Three Peaks aged about 19 when a friends dad did it. Thought it looked amazing but never imagined I'd have a go.
A month to go and I'm strangely looking forward to it although not (I hope) in a rose tinted spectacle, romantic way - it's going to be very tough, very visceral.
I saw the Three Peaks aged about 19 when a friends dad did it. Thought it looked amazing but never imagined I'd have a go.
A month to go and I'm strangely looking forward to it although not (I hope) in a rose tinted spectacle, romantic way - it's going to be very tough, very visceral.
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