Times and Photos added
I’ve now uploaded the pics I took from the MTB ride on Saturday. They can be found here:-
These are low res and downloadable. If you wish to have a higher res picture, please email me the numbers and I’ll mail them back free by return.
Ta
Dean ( dean.stacey@evanscycles.com )
The times from this weekend’s event are now available to download -
GPX files added
Update 4.40pm
Car Parking. It’s been a bit damp up here on the ground ( although it’s sunny now ( and the boys have put out the MTB course with minimal mud!)) and the school field is not going to take any parking this year. We have arranged some extra parking in the grounds of Harewood House so if you are directed away from the school go straight across the traffic lights, through the arch and follow the signs. Then come back to the school for registration.
Ta
Dean
Where’s the sun we were promised? That’s what I was thinking all around the route today. It wasn’t wet, just overcast and a tad windy on the tops. As usual I rode the Long loop today whilst putting out the course, and it’s one of my favourites. As I stated below, we’ve changed the route directions around a bit which has had the unintended effect of adding in Norwood hill from the “100 best cycling climbs” Now it just so happens that I’m busy working my way through these so took the opportunity to knock this one off on the way to the start of my loop ( it’s on the medium, so I stopped at the top, rode down and then back up) So, anyway, back to the long loop. After the drink station you will come up to a crossroads with a pub on it, here the Long splits off to the right, down to Thruscross reservoir and up to Blubberhouses Moor. Here there is a busy road section for about 3miles, most of which is downhill, until a roundabout takes you past Bolton Abbey and quieter roads. I’ve taken out two climbs from the summer route here and added in a more gentle, constant climb which brings you to a T junction and the final short, sharp climb to the top at Stump Cross Cavens. Shortly after this a right turn takes you back to the drink station via a great, exposed road which is generally downhill for about 5kms.
Here’s my route from today on Garmin connect There is an added descent and climb on this that you don’t do though ( it’s another climb from the book!!) so ignore the section from about 15.5 miles to 22miles.
Remember it’s NOT a race
Just a reminder that these rides are not races in any shape or form. Please treat other road and trail users with respect and patience, always give way and be courteous. Do not ride more than two abreast on roads where it’s not safe to do so, STOP at junctions and be aware that there might be something big around that blind corner. We do not insure you for your actions on our rides – if you hit a car it’s down to you to pay for the damage!
GPX files – Please see the note below.
There is a folder for the Sportive routes for Garmin 800 units – this will give you turn by turn instructions on your 800 unit. All other units use the straight forward GPX folder. If you have problems or require other formats for you unit, ( TCX for Garmin 500s) the route to Bikehike.co.uk and then download to your computer.
GPX files (MTB provisional until Friday night)
Ta
Dean
Hi All.
Leeds is our venue this weekend and let’s hope it’s as nice as it was last year!
I’ve tweeked the routes about a bit. On the SPortive this is because we are still runnng winter distances and therefore have reduced last years routes to the 30/50/70mile format. I’ve also changed the direction of the short and medium loops to run the otherway around. The MTB routes are basically the same but in different orders, so if you are doing the medium, you’ll get to do last years long loop.
GPX files for the event will be posted here on Thursday night. PLEASE NOTE. This will be the last time we post the GPX files up before the events. From the next event on we will be linking to the files via the pre-event mail sent to everyone who pre-enters. If you didn’t pre-enter you will be able to down load at the event via a stand alone computer, just bring your own lead. This is because people are just down loading our routes and not coming to the events, so I’m supplying free routes to everyone. At our Chieveley event for instance, the routes were downloaded more times than the total riders that actually turned up at the event!
As usual, I’ll be posting up over the period up until the event so keep popping back for the most up to date news.
Ta
Dean
Hi Dan,
I’m sorry to hear that you are not going to upload GPX files to the website any more. I don’t think it’s such a bad thing that people are downloading routes “for free” and not turning up to the event. I do that from time to time as well. Simply because very often due to other obligation I can’t join you on that date in this place or because it’s in very distant place but then in my free time I can do it by myself. Thanks to that I have visited places I’d never visit before. So in a way you are contributing hugely to promote cycling and British countryside which in a long term is very benefiting for Evans as well. Saying that I have to agree that it is so much nicer to join you guys on a day of the event and cycle with everyone.
Thanks,
Conrad
Is it possible / allowed to use a cyclocross bike for the MTB event at Leeds?
I’m confused. I thought the start was in Harewood at Gateways School for the MTB route on Saturday yet the Gartmin Connect shows a start in Pateley Bridge. Where do I go???
Hi Matt
As I mentioned in my post above the link, I rode the Long road route today, not all the route. The start is at Gateways school – if you look at all the GPX files they will show you the routes.
Ta
Dean
Great thanks for confirming.
Ian.
Cross bike is no problem.
Ta
Dean
Hi Conrad.
The GPX files are part of the event that is funded by the entry fee that people pay to enter the event. Everyone that has paid to enter will still be able to download the files, I just don’t see why these people should pay when others will just download the files with no intention of coming to the event. At the end of the day, if everyone did it then there would be no events as I’d just be posting up files with no one actually coming to the events. Let’s put it another way. I spend a lot of time designing routes, 6 – 7 at each event, all of which need to be individually plotted and saved. These then need to be converted into GPX format, run through Bikehike to make them compatable with all units and then saved to a file sharing site. I then replot the three Sportive routes on Garmin Base Camp so they work with turn by turn on Garmin 800 units, and then upload them to the file sharing website. Finally I post on the blog and link them. If there are any changes to the routes, then those need to go through the above process again. So after doing all this I feel a little agrieved that people just down load them for free.
I understand that you come to our events as well as downloading the ones you don’t, and I’m sorry that this will affect you. All I can say is that there are plenty of file sharing sites out there so if you want to find a route in a particular area then perhaps this is the way to go when you’re out on your own.
Thanks
Dean
Hi
I have booked for my son (8 years old) and I to do the medium mtb route on Saturday. This is our first organised ride so I am a little concerned that 25 miles might be too much for him, but 15 isn’t a challenge. Looking at the routes it seems that the med route and the short rout are the same except the med has an extra loop added? If this is the case can we shorten our route at that point if he feels tired, or do we have to stick to the route we have booked.
Regards Simon
Hi Simon
You can change your route at any time, just tell the guys at the finish what you actually did.
If you do start on the Medium and it’s getting too much, at the drink station there is a direct road route back to the event centre.
Ta
Dean
ok thats great. we will see you tomorrow.
hi there, i’ve booked to join the sunday sportive and i’m using my satnav to get me to the start, this is my 1st time doing anything like this so do i just put in the address LS179LE & will that automatically take me to the start?
Hi Mark.
The postcode should take you to the start, just look out for the Evans signs and bannes.
Ta
Dean
Hi Guys,
Did the MTB long route on Saturday and it was a great day.
Stupidly forgot my jacket but borrowed one of the Gore jackets. If I hadn’t just bought my own jacket two weeks before I am sure I would have purchased this one on the day!
As a thought have you guys thought of demo bikes on the day? I am now thinking of my next bike purchase and there is way too much choice just looking at full suspension, length of travel and 29ers not too even mention what brand.
It would definitely help to trial a bike on a day like this.
Hi Keith.
Glad you enjoyed the ride and the loan of the Gore Jacket.
We have had a Demo fleet in the past, consisting of a range of bikes that we thought would be popular. We charged a fee which was redeemable against a purchase of a new bike. Unfortunately people just used it as a hire facility which was nice as we had bikes worth 1 – 4K in the fleet. The problem with this is that you sit someone new to riding on a £4K road bike and it can all go wrong! A brand new BMC with double tap gear change for instance, first ride out and the rider forced the lever, breaking it and costing us £200 also taking the bike out of service for a couple of weeks!
Also, with the massive choice of bikes available, the likelyhood of having the bike wanted in the size needed is fairly remote.
We then reduced the price and got a few types of bikes but more of each, relaunching as a hire fleet.
With both the demo and hire fleets we had a full time member of staff to clean, repair, assemble, transport and handle bookings. The fleet had to be transported around the counrty, so a van was hired as well. When you add all this up it wasn’t financially viable for us to provide this service so it was discontinued, hence no bikes at the event.
Gore supply the stock and staff so this is why we are able to offer the service.
Cheers
Dean
Hi Dean
Will the photos that were taken on the MTB route be uploaded to here or the Flickr page?
Thanks
Dean,
when you put it like that I can see why there isn’t demo bikes!
On another note there was a photographer on part of the course on Saturday (right by a rocky downhill bit where I was convinced I was going to wipe out). Have you any idea when and where these pictures will be available?
Keith
Hi Keith. It’s a real shame it didn’t work as the oppourtunity to demo a bike in the real world rather than the carpark is something we thought people would jump at.
Keith and Chris. The photographer was me! See the link at the top of the page.
Ta
Dean
I did the long road route on sunday and although I thoroughly enjoyed the ride I was a little concerned about the final leg, which was shared with all other routes, including the fun route. The road back from Collingham is busy and quite rough, not a road that I would have thought appropriate for a family ride. I appreciate route design can be difficult at the best of times but I think this section needs a proper rethink for next time.
are there no pictures from the Leeds Ride It Sunday Sportive event??
Hi Mark.
I’m afraid not. With 200 riders and everything under control I found myself with a couple of hours free on Saturday, so popped out a couple of miles down the road to personally take some pictures. It was fairly early on so I mnaged to get a good amount of riders in a short time. Sunday was pretty hetic with nearly 500 riders and I had no spare time. Even if I did I would have had to travel for some distance to get a good place and then wait for ages to get a worthwhile amount of riders. Please bear in mind that I personally took the photos and we post them up for free so it’s an added bonus to get the photos up.
Thanks
Dean
Hi Jonathan.
Thanks, we will be looking into changing the route for next year.
Ta
Dean